Greg Parlier

3 weeks ago | mountainx.com | Greg Parlier

WCU students help analyze Helene-affected cemetery DISASTER DIG: Ben Steere, head of the department of anthropology and sociology at Western Carolina University, explains how his students are helping analyze gravesites that may have been affected be fallen trees during Tropical Storm Helene at Riverside Cemetery. Photo by Greg Parlier Six months later, the effects of Tropical Storm Helene in Western North Carolina linger, even underground.

1 month ago | mountainx.com | Greg Parlier

After Tropical Storm Helene, budgets are down across the board in Buncombe County. Clarity on how much and for how long is slowly coming into focus for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners after staff presented updated revenues at its budget work session March 20. For the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, the outlook could be worse, said Budget Director John Hudson.

1 month ago | mountainx.com | Greg Parlier

Editor’s note: This story is part of Xpress’ annual Kids Issue series. Bryan Newton has a full-time job managing facilities at Camp Cedar Cliff. Still, he gets up at 5 every morning to drive about 22 students to school at Charles C. Bell Elementary School. Like many in his position, Newton doesn’t do it for the money. He does it just to stay connected to the community.

1 month ago | mountainx.com | Greg Parlier

There’s not usually much work in the mountains for Chelsea Freeland. After all, the maritime archaeologist typically studies shipwrecks. But after Tropical Storm Helene put much of Western North Carolina underwater Sept. 27, she unexpectedly found a use for her skillset right in her backyard. Freeland, a remote research fellow at East Carolina University (ECU) who lives in Asheville, wanted to apply her expertise to help with storm recovery.

1 month ago | mountainx.com | Greg Parlier

The Asheville City Board of Education passed a set of loose guidelines for how it should govern, communicate and act at meetings in a 6-1 vote at its meeting March 10. Board member Pepi Acebo voted against what the district called “board norms.”“The whole thing doesn’t feel good to me,” Acebo told his fellow board members during a work session March 3.