Asheville Watchdog

It’s an angry, confused time out there in Asheville and Buncombe County right now. Property taxes will do that to people, especially when they appear to be on the verge of skyrocketing. “Appear” is the key word there, as they really should not skyrocket. (Go up, yes. Skyrocket, no.) If you own real estate in The post Opinion: When it comes to property reappraisals, confusion, angst still reign. But no, your taxes are not going to go up 70 or 80 percent! appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

A sign-waving, slogan-chanting crowd, estimated by organizers to be the largest yet of the local No Kings rallies, gathered in Asheville’s Pack Square Park on Saturday to protest President Trump’s policies. Under bright sunshine moderating a spring chill, the protest was one of more than 3,000 held across the nation to demonstrate opposition to the The post ‘We’ve got to fight until Trump is gone’: Asheville’s 3rd No Kings rally draws thousands, including Students Against Injustice appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards is drafting a bill to increase the regulatory powers of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in direct response to the four Immediate Jeopardy sanctions it’s leveled at Mission Hospital since 2021.  The Healthcare Accountability Act, which the two-term Republican congressman running for reelection dubbed “the HCA, Mission Act,” The post Rep. Chuck Edwards wants to enhance federal regulator’s powers in wake of Mission Hospital’s four Immediate Jeopardy sanctions appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

Buncombe County’s recently completed tax reassessment has hit residences with far higher valuation increases by percentage than commercial properties and will likely lead to homeowners carrying a larger share of the tax burden, an Asheville Watchdog sampling of dozens of properties shows. The Watchdog’s review of 55 commercial properties shows an average increase of 12 The post Buncombe reappraisal to shift share of tax burden from businesses to homeowners, sampling of data shows appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers: Question: Are there any studies or reports that indicate what’s happened to our population since Tropical Storm Helene? You have to figure a lot of folks who no longer had means for income or didn’t want to rebuild moved away. Has it dropped, grown The post Answer Man: Buncombe County lost population last year? What’s being built by St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Arden? appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

Denis Joseph Bouchard despises Democrats and liberals. His social media is a near-daily rehashing of posts that characterize them as “communist memes” and “traitors, willfully acting against the American people and our freedoms.”  And he’s diligent about demonstrating his passions at the ballot box.  Bouchard, 70, hasn’t missed a presidential or midterm election in North The post Democracy Watch: Trump says the SAVE Act will guarantee GOP election wins. His plan may backfire. appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers: Question: As someone who enjoys hiking in the mountains over the years it has always struck me as interesting that kudzu tends to grow at the edges of the forest and not into the internal components of the forest. Of course you can also The post Answer Man: Is kudzu growth worse after Hurricane Helene? North Carolina Education Lottery’s ads ‘beyond annoying? appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

As if life weren’t depressing enough these days, The Washington Post had a real pick-me-up of an article last week that about made me throw in the towel — to the robots. “See which jobs are most threatened by AI and who may be able to adapt” is a cool interactive piece in which you The post Opinion: The AI robots are coming for our jobs, especially mine – and their column-writing skills ain’t bad! appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

A display in Jade Bellamy’s apartment building in the heart of Asheville’s historic Black business district commemorates the lawyers’ offices, barber shops and restaurants that once dominated the neighborhood. But after Bellamy moved to Asheville two years ago from Winston-Salem and explored The Block, as the district is called, “I was like, ‘Well, where is The post Would a new performing arts center in Asheville be a boon or a threat to The Block? appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.

Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers: Question: The start of the Asheville Tourists baseball season is only weeks away. Major League Baseball had insisted on major upgrades to the stadium to keep the team here. During last season, many of those upgrades were visible, and work continued to take place. The post Answer Man: Will Asheville Tourists’ prices go up with stadium renovation? Why are first names used for many streets in north Asheville? appeared first on Asheville Watchdog.