🌱 Asheville 'Stop The Violence' Event + Local Artists Speak Policy

Hey, Asheville! I'm here in your inbox this morning to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Cloudy, breezy and chilly. High: 48 Low: 27.
• Tuesday: Cold with periods of sun. High: 40 Low: 24.

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Here are the top three stories today in Asheville:

1. Due to ongoing gun violence, the Asheville Dream Center (ADC) partnered with Buncombe County Violence Prevention and Mothers of Gun Violence to host a "Stop the Violence" event at the Hillcrest Apartments on Saturday, Mar. 11. According to an Asheville Police Department (APD) press release, APD has received at least 75 reports of shots fired or someone being shot since January 2023. ADC founder Matthew Coleman said he hopes to help end the violence through these events by fostering community relationships. Coleman continued, "When people are together, we can stand up and push back that violence by showing people they are not alone." (WLOS)
2. At the Asheville Area Arts Council meet and greet on Mar. 10, Asheville area artists met with elected officials and spoke about policy decisions impacting the arts community. Arts funding is important, but according to Katie Cornell, Arts AVL executive director, "We also have a series of other concerns, such as affordable housing, creative spaces being lost, so a lot of our creatives are moving out of the area. There's a variety of different issues." (WLOS)
3. Dawn Chávez, the director of Asheville GreenWorks, said Arbor Day on Mar. 17 should be a celebration of planting trees as well as a day of mourning for the thousands of trees killed in Asheville and Buncombe County each year. Asheville's tree canopy showed a 6.4 percent decrease over a 10-year period, from 2008-2018, according to a 2019 study. Asheville is still losing trees faster than the Asheville Urban Forestry Commission and GreenWorks' Tree Protection Task Force can replace them. (Subscription: Citizen Times)

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Today and tomorrow in Asheville:

Monday, March 13

• March DIY Terrarium Reservations At PlantHouse – Asheville (10:00 AM)
• Freshen Up Comedy Open Mic At Noble Cider (6:30 PM)

Tuesday, March 14

• Tuesday Bluegrass With Reedy River String Band At Highland Brewing Co. (6:00 PM)
• Live Jazz Tuesdays: Jay Sanders Trio At Little Jumbo (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Wine & Chocolate Festival at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville was a huge success! If you missed the Mar. 11 event, don't worry because the festival will be back in Asheville next year. (WLOS)
• The Asheville Fire Department suggests residents test their smoke alarms and change replaceable batteries if needed! (Asheville Fire Department via Facebook)
• Looking for your dream home or just curious about the local housing prices? Check out the latest homes for sale in the Asheville area, including a three-bedroom on White Pine Drive for $765,000! (Asheville Patch)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Rose Mendez

About me: Rose Mendez is a freelance writer. She is studying English Literature at Hunter College. She loves reading, walking around the city, and coffee!