🌱 Board Of Commissioners Raises Taxes + Gun Safety Event

Hey, Asheville! Like many of you, the Patch staff will be taking some time off for the Fourth of July. I’ll be back in your inbox after the holiday, but until then, here’s what’s happening in town today.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: A heavy t-storm in the p.m. High: 85 Low: 65.
• Tuesday: A t-storm around in the p.m. High: 82 Low: 60.
• Wednesday: Humid; an afternoon t-storm. High: 86 Low: 63.

Here are the top three stories in Asheville today:

1. Buncombe County Commissioners, following a period of public comment roughly two weeks prior, have made the decision to raise the tax rate from 48.8 cents per $100 valuation to 49.8 cents, giving the county government $5,109,667 more to address what has been called a staffing and wages crisis in the public schools. County Board of Commissioners Chair Brownie Newman has gone on record that the decision to raise taxes hasn't been easy - during the public comment period, in response to a couple employed by the county public schools who felt that their compensation couldn't support their lifestyle, Newman explained that the Board of Commissioners have a limited slate of options to increase revenue. Bringing more money into the county's coffers necessitates raising taxes, which further aggravates the ongoing scarcity and unaffordability of housing. (The Tribune Papers)
2. As part of a public service event held by the Asheville Police Department and Project Child Safe on Jul. 1, community resource officers met with locals to provide gun safety information and to pass out free safety tools, including gun locks. The project's goal is to encourage conscientious gun ownership and maintenance - making sure that firearms are kept at home, unloaded, and locked, especially if the house is shared with children. (WLOS)
3. Chai Pani luminary Meherwan Irani was recently invited to prepare the United States State Department Luncheon to honor Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his foreign affairs delegation. Irani, a chef and co-founder of the Chai Pani Restaurant Group, was honored: "This is something that was not even remotely on a wish list of something that I imagined would happen." In conversation with Vice President Kamala Harris, Irani made the decision to do an all-vegetarian meal for the event, the first ever at the State Department. (Citizen Times)

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Coming up in Asheville:

Monday, July 3

• Making Scents At The North Carolina Arboretum (12:00 AM)

Tuesday, July 4

• Meditative Morning At The North Carolina Arboretum (8:00 AM)
• Guided Trail Walk At The North Carolina Arboretum (1:00 PM)

Wednesday, July 5

• Preschool Story Time At Pack Memorial Library (3:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Asheville Humane Society is spotlighting Bluie, a young dog that the Humane Society has helped to coach to get along with children! (Asheville Humane Society via Facebook)
• Asheville's Fire Department offers its congratulations to Josh Adell, who has been promoted to Captain! (Asheville Fire Department via Facebook)
• The Asheville Art Museum's Adult Studio of Painterly Printmaking is open to registration - with next week's session on Saturday, Jul. 8, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Asheville Art Museum via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door - I'll see you again after the holiday!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.