From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The economic impacts of Tropical Storm Helene are still lingering in Asheville, though the area is experiencing an uneven and gradual recovery.

 Recently released data highlights that, while infrastructure is mostly restored, small businesses and the critical hospitality sector continue to face deep financial strains.

Meanwhile, Western North Carolina’s recovery from Helene, which devastated the area on Sept. 27, 2025, could take 25 years, according to a prediction by Robert Hosford, the rural development director of state operations. (A separate story on Hosford’s projected timeline for the recovery of the area appears on Page A2.)

A breakdown of the current lingering economic indicators reflects the state of Asheville’s recovery. As for declining tourism and  visitor spending, tourism remains the primary driver of the local economy, but it has not fully returned to its historic peak, based on the following factors:

• Drop in spending: Visitor spending in Buncombe County dropped to $2.6 billion, showing a continued dip compared to the all-time high of $2.97 billion in 2023.

• Sluggish lodging performance: Hotel and vacation rental metrics remain soft. In early 2026, winter hotel occupancy was at 51 percent, marking an 11-point decrease from the previous year.

• Long-term slump: The county’s overall tourism spending levels are currently comparable to 2021, when the region was still trying to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regarding small business financial gaps, independent businesses in WNC are carrying significant heavy debt and revenue shortfalls as follows:

• Operating at a loss: An Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce survey found that 32 percent of regional businesses are still operating below break-even levels.

• Widespread revenue hits: The same report noted that 76 percent of surveyed business owners estimated clear revenue losses directly tied to the storm.

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. —An adult female black bear, if and when she is caught, will be humanely put down after entering a North Asheville home and injuring a Buncombe County resident on Aug. 18.

However, the bear that injured a North Asheville resident remains at large. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission confirmed that, as of Aug. 28, its team still is actively monitoring the Spooks Branch Road area — and attempting to capture the animal. 

Because the bear has lost its fear of humans and repeatedly broken into homes, wildlife officials reiterated their plan to euthanize it once caught, citing her as a direct threat to human safety

The incident took place around 8:30 p.m. on Spooks Branch Road in North Asheville, with the key details as follows:

• The entry: The adult female black bear entered the home through an unlocked door.

• The attractant: The bear was drawn inside by pet food. She had a history of entering this specific home to get pet food and unsecured trash.

• The encounter: The resident encountered the bear inside while the bear’s three cubs were outside on the front porch. The resident sustained non-life-threatening injuries while attempting to give the bear an escape route.

• Medical response: The victim was treated at a local hospital and is currently recovering at home.

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville Middle School on Aug. 21 partially revived its orchestra program as an after-school club following intense public outcry. 

The district originally canceled the daily elective class due to low enrollment figures. 

The compromise allows the music initiative to continue outside regular school hours, although some critics have lamented that it still amounts to a reduction from a daily, full-credit course.

The timeline of the orchestra cut and revival is as follows:

• Initial cancellation: On Aug. 3, Asheville City Schools announced the total elimination of the middle school strings program. The high school version already had been cut the previous year.

• Low enrollment metrics: Administrators stated that participation numbers did not meet the state and local funding formula required to justify a full-time teacher. Despite growing from 44 to 58 students, enrollment fell short of district targets.

• Boardroom deadlock: A Board of Education vote to reverse the cancellation on Aug. 10 resulted in a 3-3 deadlock, which initially allowed the cuts to stand.

• The “Save the Strings” Movement: Devastated by the news, 12-year-old student and violinist Hayes Bailey launched a public campaign. She designed logos and mobilized dozens of parents, students and community members to protest.

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Asheville Symphony on Aug. 25 launched a financial aid program to help local students continue their music education after the city school district on Aug. 3 cut its regular classroom orchestra classes at Asheville Middle School.

After a public outcry, AMS announced on Aug. 21 that it would revive its orchestra program as an after-school elective.

The regular orchestra program was cut for the following reasons:

• Low enrollment: Asheville City Schools canceled the middle school strings program because only 58 students signed up. The district stated this number was too low to fund a full-time teacher.

• Board deadlock: Parents and students protested the decision at board meetings. A school board vote to reverse the cancellation on Aug. 10 ended in a tie, so the cut remained.

• After-school shift: The school later decided to offer orchestra as an after-school club instead of a daytime class.

The Asheville Symphony stepped in with two major financial aid options as follows:

• Private lesson aid: The program covers up to 75 percent of the cost for weekly, 45-minute private lessons for eligible middle and high school students.

• Youth orchestra scholarships: The Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestra expanded its tuition assistance to cover up to 90 percent of annual fees.

Symphony leaders have noted that these outside options do not replace a full school program, but they keep students playing until classroom instruction can return. 

From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit was filed Aug. 21 alleging that severe nurse negligence at Mission Hospital in Asheville led to the preventable death of a high-risk patient

The lawsuit was filed by the estate of Serrano Hernandez, 64, a high-risk patient with end-stage renal disease who died following medical treatment on Sept. 13, 2024.

 The complaint names Mission Hospital, nurse Andrew Hunter and Dr. Jason Dziak as defendants, seeking unspecified damages through a jury trial.

According to the lawsuit, an investigation by the North Carolina Board of Nursing confirmed that the care provided by Hunter fell below the minimum standard of practice.