Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies, and the real answers:
Question: Billy Strings, the bluegrass musician, just finished two weekends of sold-out concerts here in Asheville at our old but comfortable Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville (the Civic Center to us oldies). Downtown felt like the special weird Asheville that has been missing for a while. Can you use your “sources” to find out what the economic impact of these past two weeks of events were? Seems to me that it was pretty beneficial.
My answer: Coincidentally, “old but comfortable” is how my wife describes me to friends.
Real answer: Strings and his band played sold-out shows from Feb. 6-8, and Feb. 14-16.
Chris Corl, general manager of the Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville, said staff does feel events they put together do help to drive business in the community, “specifically hitting one of our annual targets of driving business during more of the ‘offseason.’”
“This year’s six-show run with Billy Strings in the ExploreAsheville.com Arena was part of a major push at the start of February,” Corl said. “Between Feb. 2 and 16, we hosted twelve events with a total attendance of 46,581. The six shows with Billy Strings were responsible for the majority, with an attendance totaling 38,174.”
Corl checked ticket sales data, finding that concert-goers came from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and five countries – 121 tickets were sold to fans from Great Britain.
“Fun fact: I bumped into an old friend from my time in high school who flew in with her family from Portland, Oregon, just to catch the second weekend of shows,” Corl said.
Corl also noted that Strings and his team did a “locals-only” pre-sale.
“These shows were supposed to go on sale to the public on Oct. 11, but this was delayed due to Hurricane Helene,” Corl said. “When we did go on sale at the beginning of November, Billy’s team allowed us to utilize a geo-focused ticket pre-sale here at the box office and online with Zip code tracking, allowing only individuals in the FEMA-recognized affected counties early access to tickets.”
Those counties included those in western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.
Corl consulted with Explore Asheville (the convention and visitors bureau) and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority on the economic impact.
Corl said “direct spending generated in the Asheville area by the Billy Strings concerts is estimated at $15.7 million, including $6.3 million in lodging revenue and $3.5 million in food and beverage sales. Other categories comprising the remainder include transportation, retail sales, recreation, space rental and business services.”
“From the venue side, a quick tally shows that we paid local nonprofit groups $61,519 for their assistance in our bars and concession stands,” Corl said. “Our in-house food and beverage staff received $44,720 in tips from the attendees, and we paid out $250,117 in direct wages for staff working the event. The latter value does not include our salaried full-time staff helping to execute the event.”
Corl said the center is already working with Strings’s team on a return run for next year, “with hopes of finding a way to further create a significant impact in Asheville and Buncombe County.”
Corl also offered a reminder that the Ingles Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be held March 6-10 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville.
A pickup truck is partially submerged in the Swannanoa River nearly five months after Tropical Storm Helene. // Watchdog photo by Starr Sariego
Question: Driving along Thompson Street along the Swannanoa River bank from Biltmore Avenue to where Brother Wolf is, there are still, after five months, submerged vans, cars and trucks in the river. It looks like a graveyard. What is going on? Are there still corpses in those vehicles?
My answer: I’m no expert on search, rescue, and recovery, but I’m pretty sure they check these vehicles real soon after a disaster.
Real answer: The vehicles were indeed searched soon after Tropical Storm Helene hit on Sept. 27.
“In September 2024 and October 2024, search and rescue teams searched and documented 987 vehicles and vessels impacted by the storm within city limits,” city of Asheville spokesperson Kim Miller told me via email. “This included titled property such as vehicles, boats, campers, and trailers.”
Search and rescue teams searched all of the vehicles that ended up in local rivers in the days and weeks after Sept. 27. This vehicle in Fairview was marked with an X to indicate it had been searched. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
Miller said non-titled property, such as shipping containers, will be taken to Enka Commerce Park for processing.
“City staff reevaluated the number of impacted vehicles still located in rights-of-way or waterways, and the number was reduced to 80 located in the waterway,” Miller said. “Contractors will retrieve and document the remaining vehicles and vessels. These vehicles will be transported to contracted towing facilities or a central holding location, and a formal notification process will be carried out in compliance with legal requirements.”
The city and Buncombe County are working on vehicle removals with FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state, and debris removal contractors.
Since the waterway operation began Feb. 1, Miller said, the Army Corps of Engineers and the debris removal contractor have continued to ramp up crews.
“They are currently focused on the Swannanoa River in east Asheville and sections of the French Broad River,” Miller said. “As they complete sections, they will move to other waterway sections.”
As we reported earlier this month, the Army Corps said all Buncombe County river debris cleanups should be finished by June 1, private property debris removal by June 30, and right-of-way debris removal by April 1. The Army Corps said then it had 10 crews working and expected to add another 20 to 25 this month.
“Finding staging areas and safe access points for the heavy equipment needed for this task impacts the speed of the operations,” Miller said. “So does the weather, as rain creates unsuitable conditions in our already compromised waterways.”
Update on the Western North Carolina Nature Center: In a January Answer Man column, I noted that the WNC Nature Center — and most importantly, its animals — survived Helene without major damage or injuries.
Cougars Noa and Hayla are two of the animals at the WNC Nature Center. All of the animals at the center survived Tropical Storm Helene. // Photo provided by WNC Nature Center
The Nature Center announced Monday that it will reopen to the public March 17,
five and a half months after closing because Helene caused significant flooding that destroyed roads and the main bridge to the Nature Center.
The Nature Center will open a week earlier for Friends of the WNC Nature Center members from March 10 to March 16. You can buy or renew memberships online at www.wildwnc.org/membership or at the membership office and still be able to take advantage of members-only week.
No admission tickets will be sold during this members-only week.
“After witnessing the devastation caused by the flooding of the Swannanoa River, we
thought it would be at least a year until we could safely reopen,” Nature Center
Director Chris Gentile said in a news release. “Thanks to the steadfast work of our city workers, the NCDOT and a myriad of community partners, we are ready to welcome guests.”
Because of the loss of the Gashes Creek Bridge, you’ll have to take a different route to the center, though.
Drive to the Nature Center as normal, turning from Swannanoa River Road onto
Azalea Road, but instead of turning right to cross the bridge, continue straight for half a mile. This road is now two-way all the way to the roundabout. At the roundabout, take the first right. A traffic signal has been installed on either side of the one-way metal bridge. After crossing the metal bridge, turn left on Gashes Creek Road and enter the Nature Center’s parking lots.
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Got a question? Send it to John Boyle at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org or 828-337-0941. His Answer Man columns appear each Tuesday and Friday. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.
www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-14 09:01:00
Dan Apple left college in 1990, halfway through his degree at UNC Greensboro, believing he could succeed without finishing. After building a career in business and family responsibilities, he regretted not completing his education. Today, at age 55, Apple has reenrolled through the UNC System’s partnership with ReUp Education, a program helping about 1 million North Carolinians who left college to return. Ten UNC universities participate, offering easy reentry and financial aid. Apple appreciates the modern online learning environment and is more committed now. Since 2023, over 600 students have earned degrees via ReUp, reflecting strong institutional support for adult learners.
(The Center Square) – In 1990, Dan Apple was more than halfway through his undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro when he decided to leave school for the workforce.
“I mistakenly thought that I knew everything and would be fine without finishing college,” Apple told The Center Square. “It didn’t take long to figure out that it wasn’t true. But by that time, I’ve had a wife, I had a kid, responsibilities. House payments.”
Apple, co-valedictorian of his high school class, did well in the business world without a degree, working first as a dispatcher for a trucking company and later owning a freight brokerage company. More recently, he has worked as a project manager for a precast concrete company.
As he grew older, Apple began to wish that he had finished college.
“Many of the people I deal with are engineers,” he said. “There are people with master’s in business administration degrees. There are lawyers. There is just a myriad of higher education that I am dealing with every day.”
He is not alone. There are an estimated 1 million North Carolinians who left college before earning their degree, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.
The University of North Carolina System is working with a company, ReUp Education, to help students like Apple return to college even decades after they left. Ten universities in the UNC System are participating, including UNC Greensboro, where Apple has reenrolled thanks to guidance from the program.
He expects to earn his degree by the end of this year at the age of 55.
“I sent in a request for information and within minutes I got an e-mail and we set up a time for a phone call,” Apple said. “It was a super easy process to get started. All my questions were answered immediately.”
His first class was a summer course in U.S. History. It was a lot different than the college classes he remembered.
“The world changed from 1990 to 2024,” he said. “There was no such thing as a laptop computer when I quit college. Now we are doing everything online.”
This time around, Apple has taken his college classes much more seriously than he did in the first round.
“I am a much better student than I ever was,” Apple said.
Shun Robertson, the system’s senior vice president for Policy and Strategy told the Center Square University System President Peter Hans has a “keen interest” in adult learners.
Since 2023, more than 600 North Carolina students have earned their degrees through the Reup program, Robertson said. The Legislature has funded financial aid options for the returning students as well.
“These are students who have already invested in their education but had to pause before completing their degree,” Robertson said. “ReUp gives us a proactive way to say, ‘We haven’t forgotten about you. We are going to help you finish what you started.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article primarily reports on an educational initiative without expressing a clear ideological stance. The content focuses on the personal story of a student returning to college and the University of North Carolina System’s program to support returning students. The language is factual and neutral, showcasing details such as the ease of re-enrollment, changes in education over time, and legislative support for financial aid. There is no evident framing or tone that favors a specific political ideology; rather, it highlights a nonpartisan effort to improve access to education for adults. Thus, the article adheres to neutral, factual reporting rather than promoting a particular political viewpoint.
SUMMARY: A bipartisan bill to prevent revenge porn passed the North Carolina House unanimously but was altered in the Senate by GOP leaders to include controversial culture war measures, such as banning certain school books and restricting transgender healthcare. Similarly, a bipartisan bill targeting property squatters was amended to block local regulation of puppy mills. These changes led Governor Stein to veto both bills. The article criticizes the Senate’s tactic of attaching divisive amendments to broadly supported legislation, urging GOP leaders to pursue conservative policies transparently rather than undermining bipartisan efforts.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-13 07:01:00
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, vetoed two immigration-related bills: the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act and the North Carolina Border Protection Act. Both aim to enhance cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE, requiring sheriffs to detain illegal immigrants for up to 48 hours after notification and restricting public benefits for unauthorized immigrants. Republican lawmakers, holding majorities in both chambers, plan to override the vetoes, arguing these bills improve state security. Stein opposes them, citing constitutional concerns and the burden on law enforcement. Overriding a veto needs a three-fifths majority; Republicans are confident due to their legislative numbers.
(The Center Square) – Fifty-two of 104 vetoes in North Carolina’s last gubernatorial administration were overturned by the General Assembly.
Tests for first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein are on the way. He issued 14 in 20 days, and more than once Republican chamber leaders and their legions pledged overrides. Immigration policy is definitely a disagreement for the former top prosecutor in the state with history of multiple litigations filed against lawmakers and refusals to back them.
“Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill backs North Carolina law enforcement that works with ICE,” said Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, of the House of Representatives. But the governor “wants North Carolina to be left behind. The House will override his open border vetoes ASAP so we can make our state safer.”
The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act (House Bill 318) and North Carolina Border Protection Act (Senate Bill 153) were two vetoes from the former state attorney general.
“One of the main ways ICE does its job is in local jails,” Hall said. “So, when people are here illegally and they’re charged with crimes, ICE works with local sheriffs to detain and then deport those folks. Unfortunately, in our state right now, we have a small number of sheriffs who are completely refusing to cooperate with ICE, as insane as that may sound.
“So, we’ve taken action here at the General Assembly. We passed a bill making it clear sheriffs have to cooperate with ICE.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, has had similar statements from the upper chamber.
“He’d rather prioritize his far-left donors and their dangerous open-border policies over the citizens of North Carolina who are desperately pleading for us to put an end to the illegal immigration crisis,” Berger said of Stein. “I look forward to the Senate overriding his veto.”
The Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act enhances cooperation with lawmen in the state and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Local law enforcement could not release the suspect until 48 hours after ICE is notified.
Litigation is anticipated if the override happens.
“I cannot sign this bill because it would require sheriffs to unconstitutionally detain people for up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released,” Stein said in his veto message. “The 4th Circuit is clear that local law enforcement officers cannot keep people in custody solely based on a suspected immigration violation.”
The North Carolina Border Protection Act would give protection to taxpayer dollars through eligibility assurances for state-funded public benefits such as housing tax credits, child care subsidies and caregiver support. The Office of State Budget and Management, if the bill becomes law, would determine if unauthorized immigrants are receiving such benefits.
The North Carolina Border Protection Act would instruct memorandums of agreement to be extended to the director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from the state’s law enforcement agencies – Department of Public Safety, Department of Adult Correction, State Highway Patrol, and the State Bureau of Investigation. Each would be lawfully ordered to determine immigration status of any person in custody.
“Senate Bill 153 would make us less safe,” Stein said. “At a time when our law enforcement is already stretched thin, this bill takes state law enforcement officers away from their existing state duties and forces them to act as federal immigration agents. Furthermore, under current law, people without lawful immigration status already are prevented from receiving Medicaid, SNAP, Section 8 and other benefits.”
In response, Hall said in a statement, “Governor Stein has made one thing clear today: he stands with criminal illegal aliens and the most radical elements of his party’s base over the safety and security of North Carolinians. Make no mistake, the NC House will override the Governor’s veto at the earliest opportunity.”
Overturning a gubernatorial veto requires three-fifths majority in each chamber. Republican majorities are 30-20 in the Senate and 71-49 in the House. Rep. Carla Cunningham, D-Mecklenburg, was the lone member of her party in either chamber to support either bill, providing an aye on the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Right-Leaning
The article presents a clear ideological perspective aligned with conservative and Republican viewpoints. It emphasizes Republican criticism of Democratic Governor Josh Stein, framing his vetoes as opposing public safety and favoring “criminal illegal aliens” and “radical elements” of the Democratic base. The language used by quoted Republican officials is charged and partisan, portraying the governor negatively while supporting stricter immigration enforcement bills. Although the article includes direct quotes from the governor opposing the bills on constitutional and resource grounds, the overall framing, selection of sources, and tone suggest a right-leaning bias favoring the GOP position on immigration policy in North Carolina.
