Asheville's latest...

The Latest...
As another sun sets over our beloved western North Carolina mountains rest, we are reminded that it seems like forever since inches of unrelenting rain layered our county while Hurricane Helene announced her arrival. In truth, three months is but a heartbeat compared to the time, strength and resources it will eventually take to get us somewhat healed.
Most of the mud has been plowed, scooped, pushed and shoveled around, through and into the never ending mounds of debris, some already hauled off but much remains; in neighborhoods, city streets, riverbanks, parking lots...it just goes on an on. Dust and dirt now mix with the stillness of the chaff while the lack of room to house it all continues to slow the process.
The downtown city of Asheville looks like it always did minus the hundreds of daily tourists playing in our city. The street corners are quiet as the popular Buskers remain silent. Hotels, restaurants and galleries are open for business, the water flows, the lights are on but some remain shuttered for lack of funds, employees, customers and $$.
The Biltmore Village area remains dusty and closed as crews continue the cleanup in the hopes that restoration will continue. It boasts it is coming back "better than ever" but it will take a long time. The Biltmore Estate with it's front entrance facing the Village is open. One needs to check their web site to find operating hours and see exactly what is available to their guests.
The amazing River Arts District (RAD) is a landscape of completely demolished warehouses of bricks, boards and blocks. The once housed working artists are banding with volunteers to find spaces for them to work so that they can once again rebuild and thrive in their arts and bring the entire area back to a flourishing new birth. It is the life and heartbeat and one of Asheville's unique gems.
Our beautiful French Broad River and Swannanoa River are running but their banks are still clutching volumes of refuse. In time, they will be tended to but triage still continues so they wait their turn...
So we need our visitors to come back so that we can employ people in our many incredible restaurants, our inviting hotels, shops and galleries. We need our hikers, bikers and river riders to return to play in the rapids and peaks and trails... we need our music lovers, artists and dreamers to breathe life back into our lives here...it won't be the Asheville of old. You will see the wrath of Mother Nature and your time and funds spent here will help us in our very long journey of renewal.
Asheville hearts continue to beat and a little massage will always help...

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