Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How a court fight reshaped hospital options north of Asheville
You won't want to miss Unwrap the Funk w/ Anne Combs & Company Funk on the Asheville Patch calendar
Good morning Asheville! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How a court fight reshaped hospital options north of Asheville
- Are your family’s vaccines up to date amid Buncombe’s new outbreaks?
- How the new I-26 connector could reshape driving through Asheville
Also on today's calendar: Unwrap the Funk w/ Anne Combs & Company Funk and 8 more events.
Find out what's happening in Ashevillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Michael F.!
Today's riddle: What did one magnet say to the other magnet? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Ashevillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Tuesday: A morning shower; cloudy, with a high of 62 and low of 47 degrees.
- Wednesday: Times of clouds and sun, temps: high: 66, low: 43.
- Thursday: Periods of clouds and sun, with a high of 69 and low of 42 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Top NC court rejects case that could block Weaverville hospital (wbt.com) — State justices have cleared the way for AdventHealth’s new 67‑bed hospital in Weaverville, rejecting an appeal from Asheville’s Mission Hospital that sought to block the project. The facility will serve Buncombe and surrounding counties, potentially reshaping where local residents receive care and intensifying competition with Mission’s existing Asheville campus. 
2. Buncombe County officials report increase in chickenpox, whooping cough cases (foxcarolina.com) — Buncombe County health officials are tracking outbreaks of chickenpox and whooping cough in local schools and urging residents to get vaccinated. An Asheville immunization clinic on Coxe Avenue is open weekdays to provide vaccines, as whooping cough cases reach historic statewide highs and flu and measles circulate nearby.
3. Construction to begin on major I-26 connector section in early 2026 (citizen-times.com) — Major work on the I-26 Connector through Asheville is moving ahead, with right-of-way purchases now underway and construction on the costly “North Section” expected to start in early 2026. The project will reshape about seven miles of Asheville highways, add new French Broad River crossings, and require dozens of residential and business relocations, with work projected to continue into 2031.
4. Local Government Commission makes $1.1B in financing approvals (nsjonline.com) — A state commission has approved $395 million in bonds for Buncombe County to expand Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community in Asheville, supporting more local senior housing and services. The same meeting greenlit hundreds of millions more for health care, schools, housing, and infrastructure projects across North Carolina.
5. Father of cyclist killed in hit-and-run sues driver and employer, HCA's Mission Hospital (wlos.com) — The father of cyclist Alex Rozos is suing the driver accused in his fatal July 2024 hit-and-run and the driver’s employer, HCA’s Mission Hospital, in Buncombe County court. Rozos was killed while biking on Swannanoa River Road in Asheville, and the suit seeks a jury trial and damages after police charged a Mission employee who allegedly left the scene.
📸 Around Asheville
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Asheville
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- Trolls: A Field Study
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
8:00 am - Winter Lights
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
6:00 pm - Trolls: A Field Study
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
8:00 am - Winter Lights
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
6:00 pm - Unwrap the Funk w/ Anne Combs & Company Funk
White Horse Black Mountain , 105c Montreat Rd , Black Mountain
7:30 pm - Trolls: A Field Study
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
8:00 am - Winter Lights
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
6:00 pm - Trolls: A Field Study
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
8:00 am - Winter Lights
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
6:00 pm - 3WB Rock-On New Year's Eve
White Horse Black Mountain 105 Montreat Road Black Mountain, NC 28711
7:30 pm - Mountaintop Yoga & Meditation Hike in Asheville
Bearwallow Mountain Trail , 4854 Bearwallow Mountain Rd , Hendersonville
9:00 am
Wednesday December 24
Friday December 26
Saturday December 27
Sunday December 28
Wednesday December 31
Saturday January 3
🗓 Events Nearby
- Trolls: A Field Study
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
8:00 am - Winter Lights
The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
6:00 pm - Produce Market – Beacon
Bounty & Soul Community Center , 216 Whitson Ave , Swannanoa
4:00 pm - Weaverville Tailgate Market
60 Lakeshore Dr , Weaverville
8:00 pm
Tuesday December 23
Wednesday December 24
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Update: Pet Reunited
A dog who went missing in Asheville, NC, has been safely reunited with their family after 1 days, 1 hours. Message from Finder: "Very sweet. This… (Nextdoor Carmel Ridge) - This afternoon Sunday, 12/21, as I was getting off I-240 at exit 7 to go east on Tunnel Road, I was hit by a lady in a white Honda who ran the red light at the bottom of the ramp.
A man in a pickup truck who was behind me stopped and assured me that my light was green when I went through. However, I forgot to ask you for your… (Nextdoor Adams Hill Road)
- Whole Foods Market, Inc. posted a job opening for Overnight Grocery Team Member (Stocker, Inventory, Receiving) - Full Time in Asheville. Apply here.
- Gold's Gym International, Inc. posted a job opening for Housekeeping in Asheville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Asheville here.
Ok Asheville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I find you very attractive!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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