Asheville Area Arts Relief Fund Survey We are looking into starting an arts relief fund, but donations are hard to come by right now. Please complete this very short survey to help us determine how we can work together to support our local arts community during this pandemic. Take the Survey Americans for the Arts Economic Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the Arts and Cultural Sector Survey This survey is designed to collect information about the financial and human impacts that the spread of the coronavirus has had on arts and cultural organizations. The survey also collects basic information about the participating organizations so that the data can be parsed by specific geographic regions, artistic disciplines, and budget categories. Take the Survey

Due to concerns related to the coronavirus, we have determined that we must close the Asheville Art Museum as of March 16, until further notice. All programs and events will also be postponed until we can safely resume public operations.

Current tickets will be honored for the rescheduled dates (TBD). Once new dates are determined, you will be contacted regarding ticket exchange coordination. Event ticket holders can email [email protected], and program ticket holders can email [email protected] with any questions. We ask for your patience during this time and greatly appreciate your support.

We will continue to monitor and assess all developments. The health and safety of visitors, Members, staff, volunteers, and the community will always take top priority in all of the decisions we make relating to the COVID-19. However, this unfortunate reality also comes with a significant economic impact to arts organizations such as ours. Please consider supporting us in mitigating the losses we may suffer as a result from the virus with a tax-deductible donation to the Asheville Art Museum.

Please refer to our website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for additional updates and ways to engage with the Museum during these unprecedented times.

Collection

Until we reopen to Members and visitors, we invite you to check out the different ways you can interact with us online! • Explore the Collection and exhibitions virtually on our website. • Get to know our staff and volunteers, take deeper dives into artwork with our Works of the Week and more on the Museum blog. • Relive the grand reopening parties, check out artist interviews, and learn about the history of Pack Square on our YouTube channel. • Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. We’ve created a Museum From Home page on our website that we’ll update with virtual tours, children’s activities, and more.

Asheville Development Services Department to continue business, but will close doors Hello, we want to inform you of the latest news from the Development Services Department regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The City recognizes the essential nature of construction activity and its impact on the lives of our community. We are continuing to do business, but with significant changes. First, the Department’s physical location at 161 S. Charlotte Street will be closed to the public indefinitely starting Tuesday, March 17. All inspections will take place as scheduled, but with social distancing precautions. Customers are encouraged to submit permit applications or other requests electronically using the Development Portal. We will make other online options available very soon. Customers may drop off paper plans when necessary at the building. A drop-off box will be made available at the north entrance of the building. You may call and email staff as usual. Our main number is 828-259-5846. Additional contact information is available on this page.  Please have patience with us, as there may be a higher-than-normal call volume. Please check our home page often for updates!

Statement from Asheville Mall Regarding Planned Events and Easter Photo Operations

The health and well-being of the community we serve, our customers, employees, and retail partners is our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution and based on guidelines for public meetings and events from the CDC and other governmental agencies, we have made the decision to cancel or postpone all planned events, which includes our seasonal Easter Bunny photo program.

We will continue to monitor updates from the CDC as well as local health officials and governmental agencies and will resume our event schedule as soon as it is appropriate.

Old Europe downtown will offer a free breakfast pastry and juice to any school-aged child from 7 a.m.-noon.

The door will be open for walk-in or call for curbside pickup, said an employee at the store.

“We hope this can help our community and reduce any struggles of replacing a school meal,” said the owners on Facebook. 13 Broadway St., 828-255-5999.

White Duck Taco Shop: One free regular priced taco for school-age children per day, Monday-Friday for lunch or dinner.

Baked Pie Company: Brown bag lunches will be available for school-age children, Tuesday-Saturday. Available at the Arden location, 4 Long Shoals Road from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Call ahead for curbside pickup: 828-333-4366.

Biscuit Head Biltmore: This popular biscuit shop has shifted to take-out only at its Biltmore location, with the request that customers call in orders. The West and South Asheville locations are now closed.  Call 828-505-3449. Pick up at 417 Biltmore Ave., suite 4F.

ConoSur: This Mills River restaurant will serve one free burger and fries to kids while schools are closed. Children have to be present. This restaurant has shifted to takeout only. 4195 Haywood Road, Mills River. www.conosurasheville.com. 828-513-1731.

Strada Italiano: Now through the end of March, this restaurant will offer a free slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza to grade-school students during weekday lunch.

The offer is available for curbside service only. The restaurant opens at noon. Call 828-348-8448 to order. 27 Broadway St.

Copper River Grill: Through April 3, this restaurant offers a complimentary lunch for school-aged children from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Order anything from the kids’ menu, no purchase necessary. 1302 Hendersonville Road. Call ahead: 828-210-8999.

Sand Hill Kitchen: Call 828-633-6868 to request a free bagged lunch. Lunches include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, an apple, house-fried chips and pickles. Pick up in the drive thru at 491 Sardis Road.

Pescado’s Burritos: This Brevard restaurant offers free tacos for kids in need while schools are closed.

“If you or someone you know has children who may go hungry without a meal please come by and grab a taco, with chips and salsa,” they posted on social media. “No questions asked.”

The restaurant is asking diners to “pay it forward by and donating what you can spare. We can’t do this ourselves, the whole community needs to come together during this time of need.” 265 N Broad St., Brevard 828-884-5559.

(May 27, 2020- Hendersonville, NC)-  Blue Ridge Honor Flight is carefully monitoring developments concerning Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States.

In order to maximize the safety and health of all participants in upcoming flights, Blue Ridge Honor Flight has postponed all flights scheduled for 2020. Blue Ridge Honor Flight will resume flying from Asheville, NC as soon as conditions warrant, consistent with the Honor Flight Network, CDC guidelines and local medical advisors. We have retained all of the applications we received and will be in touch with all applicants (veterans and guardians) when we are cleared to fly again.

“Our veterans’ safety and well-being have always been first and foremost in Blue Ridge Honor Flight’s mission,” stated Jeff Miller, founder of Blue Ridge Honor Flight and co-founder of the Honor Flight Network. “The decision to postpone flights until the CDC gives us a confident “thumbs up” was made without any hesitation. We will fly again, and our veterans will enjoy their day of honor knowing this crisis has passed.”

Updates regarding this matter can be found at www.blueridgehonorflight.com, as well as on the BRHF’s Facebook page.

Established in 2006, Blue Ridge Honor Flight’s mission is to transport America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit those memorials dedicated to honor the sacrifices of themselves and their comrades. For more information about how to get involved in Blue Ridge Honor Flight, make a donation, or to get a veteran signed up for a flight, please visit blueridgehonorflight.com.

According to experts, outdoors might not be much safer as far as this fast-moving virus is concerned. Maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others, no matter indoors or outdoors, is the recommended practice during this pandemic.

 the Blue Ridge Parkway closed its year-round Visitor Center in Asheville, at Milepost 384 near the U.S. 74A entrance, out of safety concerns for staff, volunteers and visitors.

“Other year-round facilities on the parkway managed by local partners will remain open at this time,” according to a statement from the National Park Service. “These sites include the Folk Art Center at Milepost 382 and the Museum of NC Minerals at Milepost 331.”

The parkway motor road and all accessible trails will also remain open where not otherwise closed due to weather. Decisions regarding planned seasonal, spring openings, such as park campgrounds and visitor centers, will be made at a later date.

Similarly, Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced March 17 that Sugarlands, Oconaluftee, and Cades Cove visitor centers are closed until further notice for public safety.

Seasonally open park campgrounds, picnic areas, roads, trails and restroom facilities located adjacent to visitor centers remain open and accessible to the public.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site temporarily closed the Sandburg Home and Barn on March 17. This includes Sandburg Home tours, the park store, access to the goats and farm animals, all special events, all volunteer shifts, and in-park and off-site programs. Park grounds, except for the barn area, trails, and restrooms will remain open.

https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/

THE MUSEUM OF THE WORLD interactive

All nonessential, public-facing functions are closed. Essential operations — including emergency services, Public Health and Health and Human Services mandated services, sheriff’s office, permitting, solid waste, and Transportation — will continue.

“Since this is a rapidly evolving situation, we will reevaluate these changes as more information becomes available and provide more detailed information at buncombecounty.org,” said Day.

Until further notice, Buncombe is taking the following measures until further notice:

• Some nonessential employees will temporarily telecommute and/or be in emergency on-call status.
• For essential employees unable to work remotely, increasing physical working space between employees and modifying operations are among the options being evaluated.
• Public access to county facilities that house nonessential functions will be restricted or closed.
• All public libraries will be closed.
• All County parks will be closed.
• Permitting Office will be closed, but permitting remains available.

The county also offers the following online resources:

• Apply for Pistol Purchase Permit:  https://buncombeso.permitium.com/
• Pay Property Tax:  https://www.billpayit.com/buncombeconctax
• Request Birth, Death, Marriage Certificate: https://payonline.buncombecounty.org/RoD/Default.aspx
• Records: https://www.buncombecounty.org/Governing/Depts/register-of-deeds/recording/default.aspx
• Building Permits, Planning, Septic, Well, Water Testing Portal (account registration required, only “simple” permits can be applied for online):  https://onlinepermits.buncombecounty.org/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx

Wilbur, an irresistible young pig, who desperately wants to avoid becoming “pork chops,” meets an extraordinary spider who proves to be “a true friend and a good writer.” Based on E.B. White’s classic American children’s book, this treasured tale of endearing farm animals and the people who surround them explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship. Featuring a cast of local students and parents, Charlotte’s Web is a charming production fit for the whole family.

In adherence to the latest North Carolina state government restrictions of public gatherings, addressing the spread of COVID-19, Flat Rock Playhouse will be suspending all programming from March 16 – April 23.

If you purchased tickets for a performance that is being canceled, please contact the Box Office beginning 10 am on Monday, March 16 to arrange receipt of a gift certificate for the value of your ticket.  We also ask that you consider making a gift of your ticket. Theatre is a community that is built on the opportunity to come together to share stories and in this unprecedented circumstance, when coming together is not possible, we need your support more than ever.

Kick off spring in the mountains at the 23rd annual French Broad River Festival.  It’s part outdoor adventure, part music festival with whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, kid’s village, camping, great music, and much more.  Painter John, a popular FBRF musician, compares the atmosphere to “a big potluck at your best friend’s house”.  If you’ve been you know . . . what better way to enjoy spring in these mountains?

$120 online by 3/31/20
$125 online by 4/30/20
$140 at gate
$65 Saturday only
$45 whitewater rafting