From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. —The Community Reparations Commission's final report was presented to Buncombe County Commissioners, on Sept. 2 and, two days later, “the U.S.  Department of Justice sent a letter to local elected officials threatening to investigate the county or city if the report's recommendations are adopted,” the Asheville Citizen Times reported on Sept. 8.

 “The letter suggests the recommendations, which seek to repair generations of harm experienced by black residents of Asheville, would violate federal law,” the ACT noted.

“Penned by Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general to the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, the letter outlines the agency's concern over the report's policy recommendations, which address criminal justice, education, housing, economic development and health and wellness. 

“The letter, titled ‘RE: Unlawful Race-Based Discrimination,’ called the recommendations "concerning" and suggested they would break federal civil rights law.

 "To the extent these recommendations are formally adopted, you are now on notice that my office stands ready to investigate and enforce violations of federal civil rights laws to the fullest extent possible," she wrote in the letter.

“Asheville's Community Reparations Commission, among the first of its kind in the country, was formed in 2022 after the city voted unanimously to begin the reparations process in 2020,” the ACT reported. “Buncombe County commissioners also approved the plan. After three years of work, the final report was discussed during the commission's Aug. 18 meeting.”

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer “is responding to a White House statement that called President Trump’s work to help Western North Carolina ‘transformational,’” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on Sept. 4.

The White House statement said, “Trump’s transformational recovery effort involves one of the longest 100 percent cost share periods in FEMA’s history.”

“Manheimer said the White House statement completely misses the point of problems facing the City and the people in WNC,” News 13 noted. “She said the administration under Trump’s management is holding back tens of millions in Helene funds approved by Congress.”

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Asheville Holiday Parade — cancelled last year following devastating dmaged inflicted on the area on Sept. 27, 2024 — will be resume this year from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 22 in downtown Asheville, 

Rumors had swirled that it would be canceled again in 2025.

The parade will served as “the kickoff” event for the “Winter in Downtown Asheville” celebration, a promotion stated.

The parade’s theme is “Toyshop Whimsy.”

The Asheville Downtown Association announced the parade’s official return in a press release detailing the city’s Winter in Downtown Asheville plans.

The parade route typically starts on Biltmore Avenue at Charlotte Street, proceeds north toward Pack Square on Patton Avenue and then ends on South French Broad Avenue. Pack Square is the only performance area.

““We are excited to move forward together with the City of Asheville in producing the Holiday Parade and Winter in Downtown celebrations,” Hayden Plemmons, the executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association, said in a written statement. 

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville City Councilwoman Kim Roney announced on Sept. 1 that she is running for mayor of Asheville, again.

If elected, she would “be the first openly queer mayor of Asheville,” AI Overview reported on Sept. 15, noting that she “came out as queer in 2020.”

Roney posted on social media on Sept. 1 morning, explaining why she is running.

Roney said she is in favor of more collaborative governance and doing the people's work in public.

Her announcement stated the following:

“What are our plans for investing the $225 million in the recovery funds, what are our plans for dealing with the affordable housing crisis that predates Helene so we come out of this together, better, and what does that mean for our economy because our local businesses are struggling to come back so we really need to diversify our economy so we don’t have to rely entirely on the fragile tourism industry.”.

Her campaign will ofcus on affordability, public safety and climate and neighborhood resiliency, Roney said.

Roney was first elected to the Asheville City Council in 2020. She was re-elected to her council seat last year.

In 2022, Roney advanced out of the mayoral primary and faced off against current Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, but lost.

In August, Manheimer announced she’s running for a fourth term.

The nonpartisan municipal primary election is March 3, 2026. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. —  Violent crime in Asheville is down 37 percent compared to this time last year, Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb said during a city police update to the Asheville-based, pro-business Council of Independent Business Owners on Sept. 5 at UNC Asheville’s Sherrill Center.

Lamb addressd CIBO, accompanied by — and with assistance from — Deputy Chief Sean Aardema, Deputy Chief Jackie Stepp and Captain Jonathan Brown, all of whom stood with him near the lectern.

Following a surprise announcement of his impending retirement (see adjoining story on this page for details), Lamb said,  “I’m going to talk about violent crime and property crime” in his police report to CIBO.

“We’re at a 37 percent reduction in overall violent crime,” coompared to this time last year, Lamb asserted.

“So the majority of gun crime (in the city) — usually it’s groups of individuals who are retaliating” against one another

Conversely, Lamb said, “Property crime is up slightly” from this time last year.

He then noted that “the reason we want accurate reporting on violent and property crimes is so that we can have our officers placed at the right place and at the right time.”

Next, Aardema, the deputy chief, reviewed the recently revised city panhandling ordinance. The last time they (zones where panhandling was restricted) were identified was 2003. We’re looking at expanding those zones....

“From business-owners” to many others, “we’re hearing from people from all over the city.”

Aardema said the APD is “trying to redirect the panhandlers to places that can help them with their needs — and to make it safer for everyone....”

Next, Stepp, also a deputy chief, discussed the APD’s compensation plans, relating to its effort to rebuild its severely understaffed unit by attracting and retaining officers. 

 “We’re trying to get that base salary higher, so that we can recruit even better.,” Stepp said, adding, “ I’m excited” with the progress made to date.

Further, she noted, “Fifteen (new officers) just hit the road who are in ‘field training’ with other officers. And we’ve got 21 (officers)  in class” — the stage before field training.

“It’s not all about compensation,” Stepp noted. “It’s not all about wages... It’s also about the support y’all continue to show in the community with the officers.”

At that point, Brown, an APD captain and head of the Citizens Police Academy, a one-week program that begin in mid-September, said, “I have about 30 applications, but about 28 seats... I’m not sure what we’ll do about that. We may slide in another chair or two…. Also, we’d love to partner with you. Please reach out to us...”