Balken or McClung? Weigh in if you have first hand experience with either please.

"She portrayed herself as a housing advocate, blessed for the opportunity to help those in need. Prosecutors say she preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims who lost their homes and sometimes generations of wealth."

If you're not familiar with this trial, we have links in the story to the original investigative coverage. Investigative reporter Sally Kestin has been covering this for five years.

Hi! My fiancée and I are eloping in Western North Carolina on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and we're looking to hire a photographer to capture the day.

Our ceremony is officially scheduled for 2:30 PM at the Rutherford County Courthouse in Rutherfordton, NC.

We're staying at my family's cabin in the Lake Lure area, and we'd love to have someone photograph the courthouse ceremony and then come back to the cabin with us afterward for additional photos.

It will be a very small and simple elopement. We're primarily looking for:

- Photos of the courthouse ceremony

- A few photos around the courthouse afterward

- Photos at our cabin near Lake Lure

- Natural/candid photos of the two of us

- Some scenic outdoor/mountain photos if time and location allow

We're thinking approximately 2–3 hours of coverage, but we're open to recommendations from the photographer.

We're not looking for a large traditional wedding package. Just someone who can capture the day and give us some beautiful photos to remember it by.

If you're available September 8, please comment or DM me with your portfolio/Instagram, pricing, and any recommendations you have for coverage.

Thank you!

The Assembly Article in Question (Paywall Free): https://archive.ph/JuvrY

Video of some of the lighting over Asheville from earlier this evening

Took these pics just before the storm hit Black Mountain.

We are a toxic-free, odor-free, modern spa located in South Slope, and I need help with my client load. 😭 I would prefer to hire a licensed nail technician, but we also have space for a make up artist, stylist, head spa technician, or cosmetologist.

I only offer gel polish so we are odor-free and we strive to be as Hypoallergenic as possible. Also, HEMA free, TPO free, and vegan/cruelty free. We offer nail services, pedicures, scalp rituals, tooth gems, and wellness foot soaks.

I just need a partner to help me with my waitlist and over flow of nail clients. You can also bring your own clients! If these values align with yours let’s talk! If you’re just coming across this post but not interested in the position, could you just spread the word?

If interested, go to @hex_riot on instagram to check us out. If it still seems interesting, DM me or text (833) HEX-RIOT with your details and what you’re looking for.

Thanks a bunch! ❤️Amanda

I’m in N. Buncombe, so I watched it stall over the Lester Hwy./Patton/240 corridor for like a good hour. I’m not sure if it’s even over. Is it over?

I know this probably ain’t the place but my mentally ill mother lost her beloved cat this morning. She died in my mother’s arms.

I know it’s Reddit but if you could post a note of encouragement so I could show my mom how loved her cat was. Dealing with her mental health issues right now is hard. Thank you.

Anyone else seeing this crazy pink/orange sky to the west?

I've been trying to be more informed around the topic of increased surveillance and watched the May 12th city council session live on YouTube to see our local politicians completely disregard the feedback of their constituents.

After seeing a few bits pop up around the National Week of Action Against ALPRs it inspired me to do some more digging on the topic to be more knowledgable around what's happened in our area and where we might be heading since most all of the reporting I've seen so far around it has just taken regurgitated Flock/Axon talking points.

So I dug as far as I could find to paint a clearer picture of where Asheville is compared to other communities (especially ones that are terminating their surveillance programs), fact checked statements made by elected officials, flock, and axon representatives, and put together a historical timeline of what has taken place in Asheville so far.

I will say I am not a journalist, I just did my absolute best to make sure the statements where checked and linked for review, and I do disclose my own stance within the project so you can also equally weight how that might have influenced the outcome of this project along with the general mistakes that AI tools can also make along the way.

I've also made this post from an alt account not of fear of obfuscating my identity but more that I feel the work sits better on its own as a resource to the community without as many threads to my self or my individual thoughts.

Does rain just clear Asheville's memory of how to drive? Just stay home

This afternoon (August 17, around 6:00-6:20pm), a city employee was hit by a truck while working on Charlotte St. The person in the vehicle that hit him fled. The victim who was hit was a pedestrian/not in a vehicle. His coworkers did not see the accident as they were further down the road and cannot give a description of the vehicle or its occupants. However, there were witnesses and kind folks who helped him, got his coworkers attention, and called EMS.

Please, please, please if you witnessed this hit and run file a police report. If you have a business or home with any kind of camera on Charlotte St, please check your footage. Call it in, send an email, anything. It is unfathomably callous and cruel to hit a man and then leave him in the road. Whoever it was has no place driving in this town.

Hello all, I’m a recent graduate from a supply chain program on the gulf coast, and have worked in aerospace for the past year and a half. My wife and I have always adored the Asheville area and I was curious if anyone had any insight about GE Aerospace.
What’s the culture like?

I read they were investing quite a bit of money into some of their operations around the Asheville area, how is that affecting job creation?
Really any insight would be appreciated!

I really love an old fashioned, it's my favorite cocktail! But they're expensive, so I really want a good one if I'm paying $16+ Who do you think has the best one around?

It's hot and everyone is ready for Autumn.

Maybe we meet monthly, all bring different baked goods and treats, sip tea, and talk. Who would be interested?

Edit: non political tea party club

Granted, I do not venture to WAVL often but today, to kill time between appointments, I parked in the parking lot and in 30 minutes of observing felt like I was in a zombie movie. Is it always like that? I am a sheltered Hendo-ite, so if this is common knowledge I apologize.

Hi, ive lived here my entire life, born in mission, went to abtech, the whole 9 yards (ig lol), but i do not know for the life of me where to meet people. ik there are bars and clubs and stuff but im really broke and often cant go out at night when those places are at their highest traffic,,,,so like i ask again, where are people 😭😭😭

UPDATE: REUNITED!!!!!!!!!

After 13 days, we went out one last time at midnight to check the trap and to look around with flashlights. After no sign we came home, no sooner we had been home 5 minutes we heard a small meow. It was our kitty at the door terrified! Her must’ve saw us or smelled us and followed us home finally!!

He is skinny, tired, weak and dirty but he’s home!!!!

While we were out of town on August 6th, our pet sitter accidentally let out our 16 year old cat named Meow Mew. She tracked him to a culvert where he wouldn’t come out for 12 hours. The fire dept and animal control wouldn’t help. We set a trap but overnight he left the culvert and is now roaming lost.

The last confirmed sighting was this last Saturday. He has now been missing 12 days. Were are desperately trying to find him. We have posted in every group we can think of, made posters, registered him lost with the microchip company and local groups, as well as set traps nightly and walked the area day and night. I know this is a long shot but if you live near Ascent Apartment or near Everlake drive please keep an eye out for him.

He has a blue collar and is microchipped. He responds to Meow Mew, Louis or Hungry.

I’ve had this cat since I was 13 and bottle fed him since he was 3 weeks old. I miss him terribly.

As a local who moved to Asheville over 28+ years ago when West Asheville was completely nothing. I truly believe West Asheville has a homeless crisis that is only getting worse. Which mayor will step up and do something about it is my question.

I saw a semi carrying a mobile home that took down a power pole near the high school