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6 days ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
Tucked within the picturesque foothills of Delight, a rural area north of Shelby, lies Beam Family Farm, a farm 150 years in the making. Owner Luke Beam, a seventh-generation cattle farmer, and his wife, Kathy, once lived in the same house that Beam’s great-great-grandfather built in 1870. “My parents were full time on the farm, my mom looking after the baby calves and being in charge of the books and my dad taking care of most everything else.
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3 weeks ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
Tourism survey shows shift in residents’ attitudes VISITORS WELCOME: Ninety-four percent of respondents believe visitors help supportthe number and variety of independent businesses in the community, according to the survey results. Photo by Brooke Randle After Tropical Storm Helene essentially slammed the door to visitors in the fall, some residents acknowledged that tourism isn’t so bad after all, according to a recent survey.
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3 weeks ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
County braces for more severe wildfires for decades WILDFIRE WATCH: Buncombe County emergency preparedness officials warned that debris left by Helene is making it more difficult for firefighters and emergency workers to reach and mitigate fires.
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3 weeks ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
Nature Center reopens after damage from Helene WILD WELCOME: The Western North Carolina Nature Center reopened March 17, almost six months after substantial storm damage from Tropical Storm Helene. Photo courtesy of the Nature Center More than five months after Tropical Storm Helene destroyed roads and the main bridge to the Western North Carolina Nature Center, the wildlife park reopened last month.
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1 month ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
Coxe Avenue affordable housing project inches forward HOUSING BOOST: A rendering of the 200-unit affordable development proposed for downtown. The partnership is between Buncombe County and Raleigh-based developer Harmony Housing.
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1 month ago | 
mountainx.com | Kay West |Thomas Calder |Brooke Randle
Kids Issue, Part 1: The Inspired Life Volume / Issue March 12, 2025 Cover Design Credit: Caleb Johnson and Scott Southwick Cover Photography Credit: Milo McBrayer, 12th grade, The Franklin School of Innovation For this year’s Kids Issue series, Xpress asked local K-12 students to create art and writing around the theme “Who or what inspires you?” The answers ranged from pop stars and pets to workers who helped out in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene. Check out their drawings, photos,...
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1 month ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
BCS revises academic calendar after weather cancellations MAKING UP TIME: The Buncombe County Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution to add instructional hours to the 2024-25 academic calendar to help make up for days lost to Tropical Storm Helene and other weather-related cancellations this year.
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1 month ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
After storm delays, countywide property tax assessments resume TAKING STOCK: A sample of damaged properties in the Swannanoa portion of Buncombe County. Graphic courtesy of Buncombe County Even after the storm of the century turned Buncombe County upside down, one thing remained certain: taxes.
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1 month ago | 
mountainx.com | Gina Smith |Kay West |Brionna Dallara |Brooke Randle
YMI’s New Era: Sean Palmer takes the helm at historic cultural center Volume / Issue March 5, 2025 Cover Design Credit: Scott Southwick Cover Photography Credit: Caleb Johnson The YMI Cultural Center — one of the oldest cultural centers in the nation — has turned a new page in its storied history. After a five-year capital campaign, the center has completed major renovations and welcomed new executive director Sean Palmer. With plans to expand the center’s reach both locally and nationally,...
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1 month ago | 
mountainx.com | Brooke Randle
Some tourism-funded projects on hold ‘indefinitely’ ON HOLD: Nine occupancy-tax funded projects are on hold due to unknown recovery costs associate with Tropical Storm Helene. Image courtesy of TDA Plans for some tourism-funded capital projects are at a standstill after Tropical Storm Helene destroyed key infrastructure and has made some properties inaccessible, according to a presentation from Explore Asheville’s Tiffany Thacker during the Feb.
