Brooke Randle

2 weeks ago | mountainx.com | Brooke Randle

After months of uncertainty, student-facing positions at Asheville City Schools (ACS) may be safe from funding cuts for fiscal year 2025-26. During their meeting of June 9, members of the Asheville City Board of Education heard a spending plan from Superintendent Maggie Fehrman that would implement a “no reduction in force” budget despite a $2.82 million shortfall. “What I can say very strongly is I do not have plans to reduce force in any way,” Fehrman said. “No staff will be let go.

4 weeks ago | mountainx.com | Brooke Randle

The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), a nonprofit agricultural support organization, reported May 7 that 86% of its certified farms reported physical damage during Tropical Storm Helene, although for most, the damage was 25% or less. Through surveys, phone calls and farmer-to-farmer meetings, ASAP researchers focused on a group of nearly 900 small-scale, family-owned farms growing food for local market outlets.

1 month ago | mountainx.com | Brooke Randle

When Tropical Storm Helene slammed into Asheville at the start of peak tourist season last year, many would-be visitors watched the devastation unfold from afar, unsure of how to help or what to do. As area nonprofits began recovery efforts, some out-of-towners wanted to be a part of it — literally.

1 month ago | mountainx.com | Brooke Randle |Greg Parlier

Letter: Raising awareness as son waits for transplant May 22, 2025May 19, 2025 by Letters I am the mother of Wilson, a 6-year-old boy currently hospitalized on a lifesaving device at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. We are from Asheville.

1 month ago | mountainx.com | Brooke Randle

The Blue Ridge Parkway is more than just a road: It’s part of the lifeblood of Appalachia. The parkway’s 469 scenic miles encompass 100,000 acres and cross 29 counties between Virginia and North Carolina, representing the region’s cultural and economic backbone. After Tropical Storm Helene tore through Western North Carolina, washing away the parkway’s trails and beloved stretches of roadway, it felt like a blow to the region, said Superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway Tracy Swartout.