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Will Asheville Muni get FEMA funding for storm renovations? Bike lanes, sidewalks in rebuilt Swannanoa River Road area? Why is I-26 marked east/west when it runs north/south? • Asheville Watchdog

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avlwatchdog.org – JOHN BOYLE – 2024-12-17 06:00:00

Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies, and the real answers:

Question: I recently played Asheville Muni and heard some good news about restoration. It sounds like FEMA will pay for restoring the front nine of the golf course that was destroyed in Helene. Is this correct? Is this in exchange for using the front nine as a potential debris storage site? Also, what is the timetable for restoring the front nine? And what’s the estimated cost?

My answer: I’m still a little flabbergasted that Helene managed to take down hundreds of thousands of trees in western North Carolina but left standing the one stupid tree I hit every single time off the tee on number 13. Every time.

Real answer: Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Chris Corl, the city of Asheville’s director of community and regional entertainment facilities, said there’s not “a lot of certainty yet related to the future of the course.”

“We are working towards a restoration of the Muni; however, to be clear, we still have yet to fully identify funding for the project,” Corl said. “It is assumed that FEMA public assistance funding will be available to restore the front nine of the course, however, not yet confirmed.”

The Muni, designed by noted golf course architect Donadl Ross, dates to 1927 and has a rich history. The front nine, parts of which border Swannanoa River Road, sustained heavy damage from Helene, including multiple greens that were destroyed and fairways laden with a heavy deposit of silt.

The city is working with a consulting firm, Hagerty Consulting, “to work through the process, starting with an official damage assessment.” The city did agree to let the front nine be used to store storm debris, but that “does not have anything to do with the restoration project,” Corl said.

“We don’t have a timeline yet for the project and, unfortunately, we don’t have a timeline for the timeline,” Corl said. “Our operator, Commonwealth Golf Partners, has been working on construction estimates for us to understand the potential costs associated.”

The repairs will be extensive — and expensive.

“Depending on the final scope and scale of the project, we’re currently estimating costs between $5 million and $7 million, the bulk of these expenses being full replacement of the irrigation system and repair and replacement of sections of stormwater piping,” Corl said. “For clarity, the new stormwater work completed this past summer was not damaged in the storm.”

The city had just completed a lot of work on the course before Helene hit Sept. 27. Pre-Helene, the city had secured nearly $3 million for repairs and upgrades to the historic course, and it had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on new bunkers and tee boxes, upgraded greens, and trimming and removing trees.

But not the one that overhangs the 13th fairway.

Question: Since Swannanoa River Road was completely destroyed near the WNC Nature Center and is being rebuilt from scratch, any chance they’re leaving enough room for a sidewalk or bike lane? People used to walk and bike that curve all the time, even at night. The Greenway master plan includes this section, connecting the Nature Center/Rec Pool/Azalea Park with Biltmore Village and the existing Wilma Dykeman Greenway. I live near the VA hospital and have been patiently waiting for that section of the greenway to be completed so I can more safely ride my bike to UNCA.

My answer: I’m pretty sure Tunnel Road to I-240 would be a much faster route, but if you’d prefer not to take your life into your own hands, I understand.

Real answer: The destruction in this area, evident in the photo the reader sent in, is pretty mind-boggling. The NCDOT is on the job, but it’s getting the basics done first.

A reader sent in this photo and asks if the NCDOT may add bike lanes and/or sidewalks when rebuilding the stretch of Swannanoa River Road near the WNC Nature Center. The area sustained heavy damage from Helene. // Provided photo

“The completed repairs — building the road back wide enough for two 11-foot lanes and guardrail — are temporary repairs,” NCDOT spokesperson David Uchiyama said via email. “The permanent repairs will follow in the near future.”

Uchiyama pointed out that Helene is the costliest storm in the history of the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

“The damage in many highway corridors across western North Carolina, requiring restoration of infrastructure within federal reimbursement guidelines, continue to be our primary focus,” Uchiyama said. “Federal Emergency Funds cover most, but not all, of the cost to replace lost infrastructure.”

Improvements such as sidewalks and bike lanes along the roadway the reader asked about remain a possibility further into the future.

“Sidewalks and bike lanes that were not in place before the storm damage are considered ‘betterments,” Uchiyama said. “Local NCDOT engineers are engaged with our federal partners to determine if any types of betterment are eligible for federal assistance, or if alternative funding is available to cover cost of betterments during the reconstruction process.”

Question: In the United States, interstate highways are even-numbered for east-west routes and odd-numbered for north-south routes. On a map, I-26 is way more north-south in its projected route. Why the even number and east-west signage? 

My answer: On a map, I-26 always looks uncrowded, too. I’m more concerned about that.

Real answer: This question arises periodically, I suspect, from people who move here and realize this corridor through Asheville really does not run east-west at all. They are not wrong.

Interstate 26 has evolved from what was mostly an east-west highway into what it is today. In this photo, the Future I-26 section in Buncombe County runs north and south over Reems Creek. // Photo provided by NCDOT.

I went back to Uchiyama for this one, and he noted that the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials developed the procedure for numbering interstate routes in the 1950s.

“I-26 began running east-west from Charleston to Columbia in 1960,” Uchiyama said, referring to those cities in South Carolina. “The interstate expanded from there. The path of I-26 — whether created just for the interstate or as other highways expanded and absorbed the identification — then expanded out from Columbia to what we know it as today.”

I-26 used to end in Asheville, but it’s been extended into northern Buncombe as “Future I-26,” then into Madison County with a new section of I-26 built in the early part of this century and through Tennessee, where it eventually meets up with Interstate 81.

In other words, it’s sort of evolved from what was mostly an east-west highway into what it is today.

Uchiyama cited the Federal Highway Administration, which notes, “An occasional inconsistency is inevitable in a complicated, evolving network. They cause little difficulty for the traveling public. Most motorists are not aware of the numbering pattern; when driving in areas with which they are unfamiliar, motorists choose routes based on maps, signs, or directions received along the way.”


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/.

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

NIL legislation advances, has exemption for public records laws | North Carolina

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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




“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.

The post NIL legislation advances, has exemption for public records laws | North Carolina appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



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.

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

N.C. Treasurer names conservative climate skeptic to state Utilities Commission

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ncnewsline.com – Lisa Sorg – 2025-04-30 15:52:00

SUMMARY: Donald van der Vaart, a former North Carolina environmental secretary and climate skeptic, has been appointed to the North Carolina Utilities Commission by Republican Treasurer Brad Briner. Van der Vaart, who previously supported offshore drilling and fracking, would oversee the state’s transition to renewable energy while regulating utility services. His appointment, which requires approval from the state House and Senate, has drawn opposition from environmental groups. Critics argue that his views contradict clean energy progress. The appointment follows a controversial bill passed by the legislature, granting the treasurer appointment power to the commission.

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The post N.C. Treasurer names conservative climate skeptic to state Utilities Commission appeared first on ncnewsline.com

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

‘Crypto-friendly legislation’ clears North Carolina House | North Carolina

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-30 14:47:00

(The Center Square) – Called “crypto-friendly legislation” by the leader of the chamber, a proposal on digital assets on Wednesday afternoon passed the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Passage was 71-44 mostly along party lines.

The NC Digital Assets Investments Act, known also as House Bill 92, has investment requirements, caps and management, and clear definitions and standards aimed at making sure only qualified digital assets are included. House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said the state would potentially join more than a dozen others with “crypto-friendly legislation.”

With him in sponsorship are Reps. Stephen Ross, R-Alamance, Mark Brody, R-Union, and Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake.

Nationally last year, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act – known as FIT21 – passed through the U.S. House in May and in September was parked in the Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

Dan Spuller, cochairman of the North Carolina Blockchain Initiative, said the state has proven a leader on digital asset policy. That includes the Money Transmitters Act of 2016, the North Carolina Regulatory Sandbox Act of 2021, and last year’s No Centrl Bank Digital Currency Pmts to State. The latter was strongly opposed by Gov. Roy Cooper, so much so that passage votes of 109-4 in the House and 39-5 in the Senate slipped back to override votes, respectively, of 73-41 and 27-17.

The post ‘Crypto-friendly legislation’ clears North Carolina House | North Carolina appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



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 presents a factual report on the passage of the NC Digital Assets Investments Act, highlighting the legislative process, party-line votes, and related legislative measures. It does not adopt a clear ideological stance or frame the legislation in a way that suggests bias. Instead, it provides neutral information on the bill, its sponsors, and relevant background on state legislative activity in digital asset policy. The tone and language remain objective, focusing on legislative facts rather than promoting a particular viewpoint.

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