🌱 Buncombe County Discusses Minimum Wage + Airport Renovations Begin

Hello again, hello! I'm back with your new edition of the Asheville Patch newsletter. Let's get this day started off right, with a quick review of the most important things happening these days in town.

But first, today's weather:

A couple of afternoon showers. High: 69 Low: 49.

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Here are the top three stories in Asheville today:

1. The North Carolina Department of Transportation will reopen the Driver License Express office at 600 Tunnel Road in Asheville on May 1, which has been closed for over a year due to staffing issues. The location will offer express services for driver's license renewals, duplicates, original state-issued IDs, and REAL ID issuances. (ABC 13 News)
2. Asheville Regional Airport is undergoing a major expansion with a new terminal that will double its size and increase the number of gates from seven to 12. The airport experienced a record-breaking year in 2022 with over 1.8 million passengers, a 29 percent increase from the previous year. The airport's growth is expected to have an annual economic impact of over $2 billion and support over 10,000 jobs. (AVL Today)
3. Buncombe County leaders are considering ways to raise the pay of all county employees to a living wage of $20.10 an hour. This is determined by the group Just Economics of Western North Carolina. County staff identified 64 positions that currently do not meet the living wage standard and estimated an additional cost of $129,000 to bring all employees to that level. (ABC 13 News)

Today in Asheville:

• Biltmore Blooms At Biltmore Estate (11:00 AM)
• Wilco At Harrahs Cherokee Center Asheville (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) and Asheville Independent Restaurant Association hosted the annual Dining Out For Life event on Thursday, Apr. 27, in Asheville. Participating restaurants gave 20 percent of their proceeds to WNCAP, which provides care, rental assistance, and education in the fight against HIV/AIDS. (ABC 13 News)
• Did you run the Asheville Half Marathon? Mark your calendar for Jun. 11 for an opportunity to run the same course and better your time. The RAD Half Marathon and 10K will be following the same route as the Asheville Half Marathon. (Asheville Marathon & Half via Facebook)
• The Resilience Festival in Asheville is a wellness festival featuring national music acts, live hip-hop, stand-up yoga, and more. All profits from the festival will go to Resilient Voices, an organization supporting victims of sexual trauma. (The Grey Eagle)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door this Friday! I'll see you back in your inbox soon with your next update.

— 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