🌱 Autopsy Released For Body Found In Asheville River + Construction

Hi all. It's me, Rose Mendez, your host of the Asheville Patch newsletter. Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Mostly sunny and comfortable. High: 72 Low: 58.
• Saturday: Cloudy with a thunderstorm. High: 72 Low: 53.

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Here are the top three stories today in Asheville:

1. On Tuesday, May 16, an autopsy report was released for 19-year-old Jose Reynoso Ramirez, who was found floating in the Swannanoa River in Asheville in 2021. The report said Ramirez was found with his hands bound behind his back with a phone charging cord and there was fluid in the lungs and sinus. The Asheville Police Department has charged 44-year-old Roberto Robles-Ramirez and 31-year-old Samuel Gonzalez De La Cruz, both of Asheville, with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in connection to this case. Both suspects are believed to have fled the county and remain wanted as of Thursday, May 18. (Up North Live)
2. As construction on the South Ann portion of the Carter-Ann-Patton stormwater improvement project nears completion, the City of Asheville updated the community on what to expect in the next phase of the project. Over the summer months, construction will move toward Patton Avenue, and as of May 15, the upper portion of South Ann Street is closed to traffic. At the end of May, work will begin on replacing the sidewalk along Patton Avenue, starting with the area between Pearl Street and South Ann Street. View the link to see the full list of construction updates and improvements. (Asheville NC)
3. The City of Asheville's affordable housing plan, which was created in 2008, is in need of an update, and city leaders are searching for a consultant to help create a new plan. City documents recorded 104 households with housing vouchers that were not able to find housing in January 2023. Sasha Vrtunski, Asheville's affordable housing officer, said the problems have intensified since the pandemic with supply chain issues for building houses as well as increases in construction costs and interest rates. The selected consultant will be brought before the city council for approval in July and the new plan is expected to be completed in about a year. (WLOS)

Today and tomorrow in Asheville:

Friday, May 19

• Gov't Mule With Neal Francis At Salvage Station - Outdoor Stage (6:30 PM)
• Comedy At Catawba: Ryan Brown At Catawba Brewing Company South Slope Asheville (7:00 PM)

Saturday, May 20

• A Sonic Diaspora: Music Of Life At Blue Ridge Room, Highsmith Student Union, UNC Asheville Campus (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• PetSmart Charities gave the Asheville Humane Society (AHS) a $120,000 grant to increase affordable pet care for Latino communities, specifically the Emma, Deaverview, and Deaverview Apartment communities of Asheville. Adam Cotton, director of community solutions at AHS, said, “Asheville Humane is committed to fostering healthier, happier lives for pets, regardless of what language their owner speaks." (WLOS)
• Kessa, a tiny, black Labrador Retriever puppy, needs a loving home in the Asheville area! See Kessa and many more adoptable pets in the Asheville area at the link. (Asheville Patch)
• Online house hunting is great, but sometimes you need to see a home in-person to know if it's the right fit. Check out the upcoming open houses in the Asheville area, including a unique four-bedroom on Abundance Run on Saturday, May 20! (Asheville Patch)

Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! I'll see you around.

— 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!