Why did Biltmore remove the beautiful old trees at its main gate? Lead flushing necessary at apartment buildings? City water has a ‘swampy’ smell to it? • Asheville Watchdog
Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers:
Question: Why did the Biltmore Estate remove all of those beautiful trees at the entrance gate?
My answer: It’s all part of Biltmore Village’s new holiday marketing program, “It’s beginning to look a lot like a hurricane hit us.” It’s probably not the best marketing program in the world…
Real answer: Chalk this up to yet another notch in Tropical Storm Helene’s belt of destruction.
As most folks are aware, floodwaters rose to historic levels in Biltmore Village, including at the estate’s iconic entrance gate. The watermark on the gatehouse building remains visible, about two-thirds up the first floor of the two-story structure.
The trees lining the road leading to the gate were indeed iconic, as they’d been with us for more than a century.
“The tulip poplars that once lined the entrance to Biltmore, many of which were over 100 years old and original to the estate, suffered significant damage when the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Helene washed away the soil around their roots,” Biltmore Estate spokesperson Marissa Jamison said via email. “In addition to root damage, several trees experienced trunk damage, and a few were left leaning after the storm. As a result, the difficult decision was made to remove the trees.”
The Biltmore Estate plans to plant new entrance gate trees in the spring. For the meantime it has trees in large decorative pots. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
The rows of poplars were planted during estate builder George Vanderbilt’s time, and they once stretched all the way to the depot in Biltmore Village, Jamison noted. Bill Quade, director of horticulture at the estate, shared that before Helene, 17 tulip poplars lined Biltmore’s entrance, 13 of which were original to the estate.
The Biltmore Estate’s gate house sustained flood damage from Tropical Storm Helene on Sept. 27. The high water mark is still visible about two-thirds of the way up on the building’s first floor. // Watchdog photo by John Boyle
“In the spring, we plan to replant these majestic trees as part of a broader effort to rebuild Biltmore’s entrance that we are working on following the losses we’ve all endured,” Jamison said.
The Gate House Gift Shop near the entrance also sustained heavy damage, and Jamison said the future of that building “is still being assessed.”
The 250-room home and 8,000-acre estate, which Vanderbilt originally opened in 1895, had to shut down after Helene downed trees and caused flooding Sept. 27. It reopened Nov. 2 and is hosting many of its popular seasonal programs, including Candlelight Christmas Evenings.
Question: With the concern about lead in the city water, can you ask about apartment buildings and flushing? How are they flushed? I live in the Kenilworth Inn building and it was built around 1910. How does flushing work in an old apartment building? Any other tips to avoid lead in the water? Apartments, to my knowledge, have never been mentioned at the daily briefings, but I easily could have missed it.
My answer: I remember the good old days when “flushing” was just something you had to remind your kids to do after they did their business. I miss those days.
Real answer: As we’ve previously reported, the city announced Nov. 14 that it had found detectable levels of lead in seven schools. The Water Resources Department has stressed that this occurred when the schools were closed and the water sat in pipes, which can lead to lead leaching into the system.
Also, the city suspended its anti-corrosion treatment program for 19 days because of high turbidity in the North Fork Reservoir. In older pipes where lead solder was used, corrosion from chlorine and other chemicals can cause the lead to leach into the system.
The anti-corrosion program was reinstated Oct. 30, but it can take more than a month to become effective again.
The city announced Nov. 18 that the water it was producing was potable again. Until that point, the city had recommended bottled water for any consumption, although it did say if no other sources were available, customers could consume water boiled for at least one minute.
The city has stressed that no lead is in its distribution pipes, but lead can be found in pipes of buildings and homes built in or before 1988, when lead was banned. It also has emphasized that if you flush pipes for 30 seconds to two minutes before using, that removes the lead.
I asked specifically about apartment buildings at the Thursday daily Helene briefing, and Brenna Cook, the compliance manager for Asheville Water Resources Department, said they should not be of any more concern than older homes.
“So in apartment buildings, people are pretty much using water all the time, but it probably would be good for those property managers to do a system-wide flush,” Cook said. “A lot of those apartment buildings are master metered, so they would want to flush their lines themselves and then direct their tenants to flush their water as well.”
Water usage varies among tenants, Cook said, and the city doesn’t have any way of tracking that individually.
“If the tenant cannot get their building property manager to flush, we do still suggest flushing their water for 10 to 15 minutes at first, but then follow that with 30 seconds to two minutes each time they use the water for consumption, if it hasn’t been used for more than four hours,” Cook said.
Question: (I’m combining two reader questions here) 1. Are there other possible contaminants in the North Fork Reservoir that are not being tested for? 2. OMG, the water is putrid. I chanced a shower and a shave, and washed my hair. I’ve carried a sickening smell all day. Is this our new reality? I lived in Tampa for 25 years, and they got their water from the god-awful Green Swamp. The city water smells like Tampa water.
My answer: I imagine this made you a popular figure at the hot yoga studio.
Real answer: As far as contaminants in the North Fork Reservoir, the city has noted previously that because the reservoir is outside of Black Mountain and in a 20,000-acre watershed that is almost completely undeveloped, the water coming into it from the flooding did not contain chemicals or other materials associated with industry, businesses or other development.
On Thursday, Cook said they continue to test the raw water at North Fork, with results posted on the city’s Water Resources page.
“All the detections came back as normal,” Cook said. “You have to remember, North Fork is a protected watershed, so there’s less likelihood of stuff like that happening during a rain event. I’m not saying we didn’t have a lot of turbidity washing in, but there’s less worry of something like that occurring In the North Fork watershed.”
Assistant City Manager Ben Woody said at the briefing that if you do have discolored water, your first step should be to call the Water Resources customer service line at 828-251-1122.
“But the other thing to remember is, we still operate a significant and substantial water system, just like we have in the past,” Woody said. “We still have breaks that we have to repair.”
The city has had several breaks since repressurizing the system in mid-October.
“We do go repair those, but oftentimes, under normal business, if there’s a water main break there may be for a certain area a boil water advisory,” Woody said. “There may be some discoloration of water.”
Neither Cook nor Woody commented on any “swamp smell” coming from the water. I’ll note that I’ve not heard that complaint from other readers, at least not yet.
Woody stressed that the water going into taps has a very low turbidity — .1 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs) — which is where it was pre-Helene. The raw water at North Fork still has a turbidity of between 14 and 15, but the city is able to filter it and treat it before distribution.
“I just want to reiterate that the water that we are putting into our distribution system is coming through both of our water treatment plants (North Fork and Mills River), and it is of a quality that it typically is and meets all EPA and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality standards,” Woody said.
Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. John Boyle has been covering Asheville and surrounding communities since the 20th century. You can reach him at (828) 337-0941, or via email at jboyle@avlwatchdog.org. The Watchdog’s local reporting during this crisis 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 Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-01 13:55:00
(The Center Square) – Diversity polices in state government would be eliminated if legislation passing the North Carolina House of Representatives becomes law.
Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI, known also as House Bill 171, is in the Senate’s Rules Committee after clearing the lower chamber 69-45. No Democrats supported it, and no Republicans were against.
“Bureaucracy has grown, not to serve but to sort, dividing people by race, sex, background, and calling it progress,” Rep. Brenden Jones, R-Columbus, said in his floor speech for the bill he authored. “It puts an end to the idea that the background should outweigh ability. It stops public jobs, promotions and contracts from being awarded based on political agendas, and it restores the principle that should have never been lost: Can you do the job? Did you earn it? Are you qualified?”
He told the chamber the proposal will ensure hiring and promotion decision based on qualifications. He also took time to explain it will not ban Black History Month, Pride Month or any cultural celebrations; rather, he said, “it explicitly protects them.”
“It bans unequal treatment funded by the public,” Jones said.
Rep. Robert Reives, D-Chatham, leader of the minority party in the chamber, on the floor said, “Rep. Jones said, ‘We value diversity.’ But the first line of this bill says, ‘an act eliminating diversity initiatives.’ You cannot value what you are seeking to eliminate.”
The bill says, “No state agency shall promote, support, fund, implement, or maintain workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), including using DEI in state government hirings and employment; maintaining dedicated DEI staff positions or offices; or offering or requiring DEI training.”
The Senate has passed bills banning DEI in higher education and K-12 schools.
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: Center-Right
This article presents a factual report on the legislation in North Carolina that seeks to eliminate diversity policies in state government, particularly those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). While it quotes both Republican Rep. Brenden Jones and Democratic Rep. Robert Reives, the tone of the article leans more toward reporting the bill’s proponents’ arguments and framing them in terms of qualifications and fairness. The language used by Rep. Jones emphasizes the idea of “restoring” principles and focuses on qualifications rather than background, which suggests a right-leaning stance. The article does not delve into a detailed counter-argument but merely reports the stance of Rep. Reives, the opposing Democrat, creating an imbalance in the attention given to the two sides of the debate. Additionally, the mention of bills already passed banning DEI in higher education and K-12 schools supports the right-wing position of the bill, without offering a deeper critique from the opposition’s perspective. This focus on the right-wing perspective aligns the article with a Center-Right bias. The content adheres to factual reporting, but the selection of language and emphasis on the arguments from proponents suggests a more conservative stance.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-01 08:16:00
(The Center Square) – Taxpayers in North Carolina will face an average tax increase of $2,382 if the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of the year, says the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.
Results of analysis were released Thursday morning by the nonprofit organization billing itself a “nonpartisan research and educational affiliate of the National Taxpayers Union.” Its four state neighbors were similar, with South Carolina lower ($2,319) and higher averages in Virginia ($2,787), Georgia ($2,680) and Tennessee ($2,660).
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of eight years ago was a significant update to individual and business taxes in the federal tax code. According to the Tax Foundation, it was considered pro-growth reform with an estimate to reduce federal revenue by $1.47 trillion over a decade.
Should no action be taken before Jan. 1 and the act expire, the federal standard deduction would be halved; the federal child tax credit would decrease; higher federal tax brackets would return; the federal estate tax threshold will be lower; and some business tax benefits will be gone.
The foundation, in summarizing the impact on North Carolina business expensing, says the state conforms to Section 168(k). This means “only 60% expensing for business investments this year and less in future years. State policymakers could adopt 100% full expensing, particularly since the state conforms to the Section 163(j) limit on interest expense and the two provisions were meant to work together.”
The foundation says business net operation loss treatment policies in the state “are less generous than the federal government and impose compliance costs due to lack of synchronization with the federal code and are uncompetitive with most other states.”
The National Taxpayers Union Foundation also says lawmakers “should at least be conscious of any retroactive provisions when selecting their date of fixed conformity.” North Carolina is among 21 states conforming to the federal income tax base “only as of a certain date” rather than automatically matching federal tax code changes – meaning definitions, calculations or rules.
The foundation said nationally the average filer will see taxes raised $2,955. It estimates an increase for 62% of Americans. The biggest average increases by state are in Massachusetts ($4,848), Washington ($4,567) and Wyoming ($4,493) and the lowest are in West Virginia ($1,423), Mississippi ($1,570) and Kentucky ($1,715).
Individual wages, nationally, are expected to go down 0.5%, reducing economic growth by 1.1% over 10 years.
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: Center-Right
The content primarily reports on the potential impact of the expiration of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, relying heavily on analysis from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, which describes itself as a nonpartisan organization but is known to advocate for lower taxes and limited government intervention, positions typically aligned with center-right economic policies. The article uses neutral language in presenting facts and data and does not explicitly advocate for a particular political viewpoint; however, the emphasis on tax increases and business expensing challenges following the expiration suggests a subtle alignment with pro-tax-cut, business-friendly perspectives associated with center-right ideology. Thus, while the article largely reports rather than overtly promotes an ideological stance, the framing and source choice reflect a center-right leaning.
www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 21:25:00
(The Center Square) – Authorization of sports agents to sign North Carolina’s collegiate athletes for “name, image, and likeness” contracts used in product endorsements is in legislation approved Wednesday by a committee of the state Senate.
Authorize NIL Agency Contracts, known also as Senate Bill 229, is headed to the Rules Committee after gaining favor in the Judiciary Committee. It would likely next get a full floor vote.
Last year the NCAA approved NIL contracts for players.
Sen. Amy S. Galey, R-Alamance
NCLeg.gov
“Athletes can benefit from NIL by endorsing products, signing sponsorship deals, engaging in commercial opportunities and monetizing their social media presence, among other avenues,” the NCAA says on its website. “The NCAA fully supports these opportunities for student-athletes across all three divisions.”
SB229 spells out the information that the agent’s contract with the athlete must include, and requires a warning to the athlete that they could lose their eligibility if they do not notify the school’s athletic director within 72 hours of signing the contract.
“Consult with your institution of higher education prior to entering into any NIL contract,” the says the warning that would be required by the legislation. “Entering into an NIL contract that conflicts with state law or your institution’s policies may have negative consequences such as loss of athletic eligibility. You may cancel this NIL agency contract with 14 days after signing it.”
The legislation also exempts the NIL contracts from being disclosed under the state’s Open Records Act when public universities review them. The state’s two ACC members from the UNC System, Carolina and N.C. State, requested the exemption.
“They are concerned about disclosure of the student-athlete contracts when private universities don’t have to disclose the student-athlete contracts,” Sen. Amy Galey, R-Alamance, told the committee. “I feel very strongly that a state university should not be put at a disadvantage at recruitment or in program management because they have disclosure requirements through state law.”
Duke and Wake Forest are the other ACC members, each a private institution.
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
The article primarily reports on the legislative development regarding NIL (name, image, and likeness) contracts for collegiate athletes in North Carolina. It presents facts about the bill, committee actions, and includes statements from a state senator without using loaded or emotionally charged language. The piece neutrally covers the issue by explaining both the bill’s purpose and the concerns it addresses, such as eligibility warnings and disclosure exemptions. Overall, the article maintains a factual and informative tone without advocating for or against the legislation, reflecting a centrist, unbiased approach.
