Felicia Sonmez

2 weeks ago | bpr.org | Felicia Sonmez

Asheville Regional Airport is marking a milestone in its expansion: On Wednesday morning, AVL officials opened the doors of a new ticket lobby. The lobby — gleaming, white and full of natural light — is the latest step in a $400 million expansion that’s been years in the making. “It’s very exciting. We’re doing all the finishing, polishing and touches today to get ready for passengers to be in here in the morning,” AVL spokesperson Tina Kinsey said Tuesday during a preview with reporters.

2 weeks ago | bpr.org | Felicia Sonmez

A report details the damage Hurricane Helene caused to Western North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure. The study indicates the cost of recovery could put a strain on other parts of the North Carolina Department of Transportation budget. Repairing all of North Carolina’s roads, highways and bridges damaged by Helene will cost about $5 billion, according to TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that researches transportation issues.

3 weeks ago | wunc.org | Felicia Sonmez

This is a developing story and will be updated. A section of the Blue Ridge Parkway was temporarily closed on Sunday after the discovery of an “improvised incendiary device,” according to a news release issued Monday from the National Park Service. The device, officials said, was found near the Folk Art Center in East Asheville.

3 weeks ago | bpr.org | Felicia Sonmez

The landscape for short-term rentals in Buncombe County has changed drastically since before Hurricane Helene. For years, Asheville and Buncombe County’s market for short-term rentals — such as those found on websites like Airbnb and VRBO — was booming. Things were going so well that some local residents began to worry about the impact on the city’s affordable housing supply. In 2018, Asheville enacted tight restrictions in response to those concerns.

1 month ago | bpr.org | Felicia Sonmez

Buncombe County’s labor market is continuing its slow recovery from Hurricane Helene, although the leisure and hospitality sector remains hard hit. Figures released Wednesday by the North Carolina Department of Commerce show that Buncombe had an unemployment rate of 4.7% in April, down from 5.3% in March. The Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area — which includes Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood and Madison Counties — had an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Statewide, the rate was 3.4%.