Asheville Daily Planet

Asheville Daily Planet https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/ Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:01:16 GMT FeedCreator 1.8.0-dev (info@mypapit.net) UNCA announces monument signage project to enhance campus entrances and wayfinding https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/unca/7802-unca-announces-monument-signage-project-to-enhance-campus-entrances-and-wayfinding ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The University of North Carolina Asheville will begin work later this year on a campus gateway project that will include the establishment of new monument signage at key entrances on W.T. Weaver Boulevard along with updated signage at the W.T. Weaver Boulevard roundabout,

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 17:00:23 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/unca/7802-unca-announces-monument-signage-project-to-enhance-campus-entrances-and-wayfinding Asheville police boosts enforcement under new ‘Downtown Plan’ safety initiative https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7801-asheville-police-boosts-enforcement-under-new-downtown-plan-safety-initiative From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Two months after rolling out the Asheville Police Department’s “Downtown Plan,” officials reported on June 26 a visible increase in foot and bike patrols.

The initiative

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:54:04 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7801-asheville-police-boosts-enforcement-under-new-downtown-plan-safety-initiative Asheville housing authority to slash staff by more than half https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7800-asheville-housing-authority-to-slash-staff-by-more-than-half From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. —The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville announced on June 25 that it is reducing its workforce by more than 50 percent — from 112 to fewer than 50 employees —

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:52:09 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7800-asheville-housing-authority-to-slash-staff-by-more-than-half UNC Health completes $19.9 million purchase of Westgate Shopping Center in quest to build ... https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7799-unc-health-completes-199-million-purchase-of-westgate-shopping-center-in-quest-to-build-new-asheville-hospital From Staff Reports

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:50:20 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7799-unc-health-completes-199-million-purchase-of-westgate-shopping-center-in-quest-to-build-new-asheville-hospital Asheville listed ‘best wellness town’ of 2026 https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7798-asheville-listed-best-wellness-town-of-2026 From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville was named the No. 1 Best Wellness Town in America for 2026 by EatingWell magazine in late June.

“The city secured the top spot due

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:48:19 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7798-asheville-listed-best-wellness-town-of-2026 4 health systems (again) competing to add new acute care beds in Buncombe County https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7797-4-health-systems-again-competing-to-add-new-acute-care-beds-in-buncombe-county From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Four health systems — AdventHealth, Mission Health, Novant Health, and UNC Health West — are currently competing to add 92 new acute care beds in the Buncombe County area.

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:47:14 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7797-4-health-systems-again-competing-to-add-new-acute-care-beds-in-buncombe-county Man restrained by guests, arrested at eatery https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7796-man-restrained-by-guests-arrested-at-eatery From Staff Reports

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Charles Donald Wilson, 76, was arrested on July 2 at the Trailhead Restaurant located at 207 West State Street in downtown here.

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:46:03 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7796-man-restrained-by-guests-arrested-at-eatery Greenville, S.C. ranked No. 3 ‘best U.S. ... https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7795-greenville-sc-ranked-no-3-best-us-town-to-visit-by-cnn-travel-neighboring-archrival-asheville-unranked-in-latest-rating From Staff Reports

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Greenville was ranked No. 3 on CNN Travel’s list of the “best U.S. towns to visit,” CNN announced on July 1.

For the 2026

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:44:24 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7795-greenville-sc-ranked-no-3-best-us-town-to-visit-by-cnn-travel-neighboring-archrival-asheville-unranked-in-latest-rating Dem congressional candidate Ager signs ‘The Promise’ https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7794-dem-congressional-candidate-ager-signs-the-promise From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Jamie Ager, the Democratic congressional candidate for North Carolina’s 11th District, on July 1 signed “The Promise to America,” a centrist Democratic pledge aimed at rejecting socialist policies and returning to

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:42:47 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7794-dem-congressional-candidate-ager-signs-the-promise Asheville’s Firestorm Books sues S.C. corrections dept. ... https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7793-ashevilles-firestorm-books-sues-sc-corrections-dept-for-violating-rights-of-prisoners-by-allegedly-destroying-its-books-sent-as-gifts From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Firestorm Books in Asheville on May 8 filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina alleging that the S.C. Department of

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:40:21 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7793-ashevilles-firestorm-books-sues-sc-corrections-dept-for-violating-rights-of-prisoners-by-allegedly-destroying-its-books-sent-as-gifts ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN: An incident at Earle’s Ford ultimately resulted in a bloody Patriot victory https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7792-across-the-mountain-an-incident-at-earles-ford-ultimately-resulted-in-a-bloody-patriot-victory By DREW HINES

Special to the Daily Planet

GREER, S.C. — With the celebration of America’s 250th birthday, it

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:35:08 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7792-across-the-mountain-an-incident-at-earles-ford-ultimately-resulted-in-a-bloody-patriot-victory Choice between Dems and GOP termed a pick between 2 crooks https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/letters/7791-choice-between-dems-and-gop-termed-a-pick-between-2-crooks I hear it all the time. People tell me there is no difference between Democrat and Republican parties — they are both a bunch of crooks.

Well, I’ll concede the part about crooks, with LBJ being the Dem, and

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:21:01 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/letters/7791-choice-between-dems-and-gop-termed-a-pick-between-2-crooks The Daily Planet’s Opinion: Carville deserves praise for courage to push to refuse seat to ... https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7790-the-daily-planets-opinion-carville-deserves-praise-for-courage-to-push-to-refuse-seat-to-chevalier We are heartened to read where veteran Democratic strategist James Carville — on June 24 during a NewsNation interview — demanded that House Democrats refuse to seat Darializa Avila Chevalier in the Democratic caucus, telling her to “start your own party.”

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:19:36 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7790-the-daily-planets-opinion-carville-deserves-praise-for-courage-to-push-to-refuse-seat-to-chevalier Trump’s war is over... Iran won. https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7789-trumps-war-is-over-iran-won ^{By BILL PRESS}

^{Syndicated Columnist}

It’s hard to believe anybody could spend $113 billion and get nothing for it.

Donald Trump just did. But, of

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:17:40 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7789-trumps-war-is-over-iran-won Is California reaching critical mass https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7788-is-california-reaching-critical-mass By VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

Syndicated Columnist

By any measure, California is a failed state — and a national embarrassment.

Taxes? It has the highest income

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:14:51 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7788-is-california-reaching-critical-mass Hey, women: A little help, please! https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7787-hey-women-a-little-help-please By TED RALL

Syndicated Columnist

Even if you haven’t geeked out over the “boy problem,” you’re probably aware of the well-documented evidence that boys and men are

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:12:24 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7787-hey-women-a-little-help-please The Candid Conservative: Celebrating America’s Dependence Day https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7786-the-candid-conservative-celebrating-americas-dependence-day “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

— John Kennedy

1961 Inauguration Address

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:09:55 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7786-the-candid-conservative-celebrating-americas-dependence-day Iranian leaders keep lying, but Trump winning as gas prices drop, markets surge https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7785-iranian-leaders-keep-lying-but-trump-winning-as-gas-prices-drop-markets-surge By ROGER BUCKNER

Special to the Daily Planet

Another two weeks: Same, same water buffalo with Iran...

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:07:43 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/opinion/7785-iranian-leaders-keep-lying-but-trump-winning-as-gas-prices-drop-markets-surge 2 grants OK’d to plant river cane in post-Helene recovery https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7784-2-grants-okd-to-plant-river-cane-in-post-helene-recovery From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Asheville environmental nonprofit RiverLink has received two grants to advance the propagation of native river cane, Arundinaria gigantea, to increase its availability to post-Helene restoration efforts in the

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:05:51 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7784-2-grants-okd-to-plant-river-cane-in-post-helene-recovery Caution urged by officials as invasive armadillos stage an invasion of WNC https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7783-caution-urged-by-officials-as-invasive-armadillos-stage-an-invasion-of-wnc From Staff Reports

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — An animal more commonly found in the South-Central U.S. is making its way into western North Carolina, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on June 15

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:04:33 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7783-caution-urged-by-officials-as-invasive-armadillos-stage-an-invasion-of-wnc Vinyl Junkies to rock Mauldin https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/entertainment/7782-vinyl-junkies-to-rock-mauldin- From Staff Reports

MAULDIN, S..C. — The Vinyl Junkies band will perform from 6:30 to 9 p.m. July 10 in the amphitheater adjoining the Mauldin Cultural Center, 101 East Butler Road, here.

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:02:43 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/entertainment/7782-vinyl-junkies-to-rock-mauldin- Prince salute aims to jolt Opera House on July 18 https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/entertainment/7781-prince-salute-aims-to-jolt-opera-house-on-july-18 From Staff Reports

NEWBERRY, S..C. — The Purple xPeRIeNCE With Marshall Charloff will perform a musical tribute to Prince at 7:30 p.m. July 18 at Newberry Opera House, 1201 McKibben Street, here.

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]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:01:24 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/entertainment/7781-prince-salute-aims-to-jolt-opera-house-on-july-18 The Catalinas to set sail in Edneyville https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/entertainment/7780-the-catalinas-to-set-sail-in-edneyville From Staff Reports

EDNEYVILLE, N..C. — The Catalinas, an iconic Carolina beach music group, will perform music for listening and/or dancing at 7 p.m. July 18 at Point Lookout Vineyards, 408 Appleola Road, in Hendersonville’s

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 15:59:59 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/entertainment/7780-the-catalinas-to-set-sail-in-edneyville Opioid lawsuit payout aims to help cut deaths and overdoses https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7779-opioid-lawsuit-payout-aims-to-help-cut-deaths-and-overdoses From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Buncombe County is projected to receive more than $30 million in opioid settlement funds between 2022 and 2038.

The funds are part of the

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 15:58:48 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7779-opioid-lawsuit-payout-aims-to-help-cut-deaths-and-overdoses IPEX responds to concerns over PVC pipe polluting French Broad River after Helene https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7778-ipex-responds-to-concerns-over-pvc-pipe-polluting-french-broad-river-after-helene From Staff Reports

WOODFIN, N.C. — Nearly two years after Tropical Storm Helene ‘sent thousands of pounds of PVC pipe funneling into the French Broad River, questions remain about what is being done to prevent it from happening again,’

]]> john@ashevilledailyplanet.com (John North) Sun, 12 Jul 2026 15:56:50 GMT https://www.ashevilledailyplanet.com/news/7778-ipex-responds-to-concerns-over-pvc-pipe-polluting-french-broad-river-after-helene