🌱 Patch AM: How stolen Helene relief supplies ended up at an Asheville pawn shop

Coffee in hand, Asheville? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How stolen Helene relief supplies ended up at an Asheville pawn shop
• Why Biltmore’s Christmas magic still rivals America’s new #1 holiday city
• How Asheville still honors WLOS anchor Mimi Paige 25 years later

Also on today's calendar: Drop In Simply Charmed and Copper Ornament Making and 9 more events.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Asheville? Post it to Asheville photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 52 and low of 23 degrees.
• Wednesday: Times of clouds and sun, temps: high: 54, low: 31.
• Thursday: Cloudy; breezy in the p.m., with a high of 56 and low of 34 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Florida doctor pleads to larceny of $12K in Swannanoa Helene donations (citizen-times.com) — A Florida doctor has pleaded guilty in Buncombe County to stealing more than $12,000 in Tropical Storm Helene relief donations collected in Swannanoa and selling some items at an Asheville pawn shop. He received supervised probation with a short jail term already served, must report his felony convictions to Florida’s medical board, and faces years in prison if he violates probation.
   

2. The #1 Christmas City In America Is In New Jersey (nj1015.com) — Asheville gets a festive shout-out for the Biltmore Estate’s lavish Christmas decorations, praised as the kind of holiday spectacle that could impress even Dickens’ Ghost of Christmas Present. While the article ultimately crowns Jersey City as 2025’s top Christmas hotspot, it reinforces Asheville’s status as a standout holiday destination mixing grandeur, lights, and seasonal charm.
   

3. Remembering WLOS anchor Mimi Paige 25 years after tragic death (wlos.com) — A quarter-century after beloved WLOS anchor Mimi Paige died in a crash on I-26 driving to the Asheville studio, colleagues and viewers are still honoring her memory. She’s remembered for her on-air work, her passion for animals and nature, and a memorial dogwood tree at The North Carolina Arboretum, as well as a foundation promoting responsible pet ownership.
   

4. Are the Windows Hurricane-Proof? To Home Buyers, Climate Risk Is Becoming ‘as Important as Schools' (mansionglobal.com subscription) — A recent real estate interview notes that Asheville saw damaging mudslides last year, using it as a clear example of how climate risks now shape home values and buyer questions. The piece explains how extreme weather nationwide is pushing buyers to ask about insurance, generators, and hurricane‑proof windows, and how sellers are adapting homes and pricing to account for climate resilience.
   

📸 Around Asheville

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Asheville

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Tuesday December 16

• Winter Lights
  The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
  6:00 pm
• U.S Boys Basketball vs. Combine Acad. (Home)
  IC Imagine K-12 Public Charter School , 110 Champion Wy , Asheville
  6:00 pm
• CCMS Sights and Sounds of the Season-Arts Night
  Cane Creek Middle School
  6:00 pm
• Erwin HS Band Winter Concert
  Erwin HS Theater
  6:30 pm

Wednesday December 17

• 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

Thursday December 18

• Trolls: A Field Study
  The North Carolina Arboretum , 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way , Asheville
  8:00 am
• Drop In Simply Charmed and Copper Ornament Making
  Ignite Jewelry Studios , 84 W Walnut St , Asheville
  11:00 am

Friday December 19

• Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons
  Asheville Masonic Temple , 80 Broadway St , Asheville
  6:30 pm
• Candlelight: Christmas Special Featuring "The Nutcracker" and More
  Asheville Masonic Temple , 80 Broadway St , Asheville
  8:45 pm

Saturday December 20

• Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
  Asheville Masonic Temple , 80 Broadway St , Asheville
  8:45 pm

Friday December 26

• Unwrap the Funk w/ Anne Combs & Company Funk
  White Horse Black Mountain , 105c Montreat Rd , Black Mountain
  7:30 pm

📣 Asheville Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• FOUND CAT.
  At the Reserve Apts at Biltmore Park. Corner of Cranbrook Drive and Barkwood Lane. Male tabby, beige & brown, black tiger stripes, green eyes. Blue… (Nextdoor Biltmore Park)
• Found dog!
  Wandered onto Spears Ave off Conestee Street I think. About 10 min ago Super sweet! (Nextdoor Five Points)

• Avardis Health posted a job opening for Activities Assistant in Asheville. Apply here.
• PrideStaff posted a job opening for Porter 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 don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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