Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
|
|
|
|
|
NOTICE OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX LISTING PERIOD
Property Tax Listing forms must be completed and returned by
5 p.m. on January 31, 2024 to avoid late listing penalty.
Notice is hereby given, that all persons who own personal or business property subject to taxation in Buncombe County on January 1, 2024, must list such property no later than January 31, 2024. Any person who fails to do so will be subject to penalties prescribed by law. Per North Carolina General Statute 105-296(c), the regular listing period is January 1 through January 31. If the regular listing period begins or ends on a day other than a business day, the period for such filing shall be extended through the next business day.
The listing period for 2024 will begin Tuesday, January 2, 2024, and end Friday, January 31, 2024, at 5 p.m. Listing forms will be mailed in December 2023 to persons or businesses who have requested a listing form or filed a listing last year. Download a listing form at buncombecounty.org/propertyassessment or contact the Property Assessment office at (828) 250-4920.
Real Property
*All persons who own real estate must list any new additions, changes, or deletions that have been made since January 1, 2023. Please contact the Property Assessment office at (828) 250-4940.
*According to the North Carolina General Statutes, all property that is not defined or taxed as “real estate” or “real property” is considered to be “personal property.”
Personal Property
*All persons who own personal property such as un-tagged motor vehicles, permanently tagged trailers, manufactured homes, boats and boat motors, airplanes, rental personal property or farm machinery used for income purposes, must file a listing form annually. Download a listing form at buncombecounty.org/personallistingform.
Business Personal Property
*Business personal property is taxable whether it is owned, leased, rented, loaned, or otherwise made available to the business.
*All businesses are required to file a business personal property listing form annually during the listing period stated above, which includes: machinery and equipment; furniture and fixtures; computers; improvements to leased property; manufactured homes; aircraft; international registration plan (IRP) plated vehicles, supplies, etc. used in connection with the business. Download a listing form at buncombecounty.org/businesslistingform. This also includes all furnishings within a dwelling that is used as a long- or short-term rental. Download a Rental Listing form at buncombecounty.org/rentallistingform.
Extensions
*Listing extensions may be granted on request and for good cause shown. Extensions must be requested no later than January 31, 2024. Request an extension at businessextensions.buncombecounty.org. If you are a new businesses that has not listed before, email [email protected] to request an extension prior to January 31, 2024.
*Extensions cannot be granted beyond March 15, 2024. If you are a new business for 2024, and have not filed a previous listing form, please contact our office for information at (828) 250-4930.
Tax Relief
*Property tax relief may be available for Veterans, anyone 65 and older, or anyone permanently disabled under NCGS 105-277.1. Call (828) 250-4915 to see if you qualify or download an application at buncombecounty.org/taxrelief.
Reminder: Listing forms will be accepted January 2-31, 2024. Property Assessment is located at 155 Hilliard Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, and is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. except for holidays. Call (828) 250-4920 for more information. Instructions and forms are available at: buncombecounty.org/propertyassessment.
The County of Buncombe does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment, in its services, programs, and activities, in compliance with applicable federal and state laws.
Explore the Rich Heritage of Black Communities in Asheville
The Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail leads visitors through three areas of Asheville: Downtown, Southside, and the River Area. The entire trail takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to walk and read.
Reflecting on Community Resolve
Did you know that Black people helped create this region’s first non-Indigenous households? Did you know that Black people helped build Asheville and connected Asheville globally? Black entrepreneurs created thriving business districts. Black families cultivated close-knit neighborhoods. Black people from all backgrounds built resilient communities and fostered social change.
Immerse yourself in the history and heroism of Black Ashevillians by walking the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail. Deepen your understanding with articles, videos, and more resources available here on the trail’s website.
Follow the Trail
Experience this trail in pieces as you explore Asheville or start at one of our three introduction kiosks to learn more about how Black people in Asheville negotiated landscapes of unequal power to build resilient communities and foster social change.
Sign up for BCAlerts today
Here is what you need to know.
What is CodeRED?
Along with emergency and critical messages, the CodeRED notification system will also enhance community engagement via the release of important but non-emergency information such as vaccine site notifications, inclement weather closures and schedule changes, and other county service information.
Sign up for BC Alerts by texting BCAlert(not case sensitive) to 99411 or visit to sign up for the new system. If residents have previously signed up for Nixle BC Alerts, they will need to re-register in order to continue receiving notifications after June 30.
Alerts to choose from:
- Emergency
- General
- Recreation Services
- Election Reminders
- Governing
- Weather
NOTICE: For CodeRED support, please call 1-866-939-0911. For all other questions email [email protected].
The City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) program is designed for sophomores and juniors who are interested in career exploration, leadership development, and gaining 21st-century job skills to prepare them for their future. C.A.Y.L.A provides young people with an excellent opportunity to work and grow in Asheville while also acquiring valuable work experience that will advance their future careers.
Program Benefits
The program takes place over the summer months, during which the students will become paid interns based on their career interests. Students will have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in their career of choice, network, and build skills and relationships that will aid them as they get ready to begin their college life. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a $2,000 scholarship to go towards their college education.
Apply Today!
The application period will remain open until January 15, 2024. If you know someone who might be interested in this incredible internship opportunity provided by C.A.Y.L.A, please encourage them to apply.
For questions about the C.A.Y.L.A. program, please contact Promise Boseman at: [email protected]
Glad you asked! The Asheville App is a great way to report a problem.
But even better, the City of Asheville website has a new page dedicated to helping residents learn more about:
- priorities around potholes
- definitions of different road conditions you may observe in the community, and
- links to determine if a street/road street falls under City of Asheville or NCDOT maintenance responsibilities
It even links you to the Asheville App sign up page where you can resport a concern.
Potholes – We’re Working on It!
Maintaining the over 400 miles of road within the City of Asheville is a top priority.
Currently, there are a number of pending requests for street maintenance, and the City wants to share the process for fulfilling these requests.
Prioritizing Safety First
When it comes to paving requests, safety is our utmost concern. As soon as a request comes in, our expert teams swing into action. Each request is carefully evaluated and prioritized based on several factors, including:
- Severity: The extent of the damage to determine how urgently a repair is needed. Safety hazards are prioritized.
- Budget: Resources are allocated judiciously, considering the available budget for road maintenance and repairs.
- Staffing: We take into account our workforce capacity to ensure that we can efficiently address the requests without compromising quality.
Additionally, each year streets are identified for resurfacing, find out if your street is planned to be resurfaced. Please note we do not accept individual requests for paving.
We have one dedicated crew for pothole maintenance who address 5-10 requests each working day. These skilled professionals understand the importance of smooth, hazard-free roads and work diligently to meet the demands of our community.
Diverse Paving Needs
Roads suffer from various issues over time, and our teams are equipped to tackle them all. Some common paving needs include:
- Potholes: Those frustrating, tire-damaging holes in the road that we all love to hate.
- Delamination: When layers of the road surface separate, creating hazards and rough driving conditions.
- Sink Holes: A term we use to describe particularly troublesome and deep road damage, which can cause serious safety concerns.
Is my street maintained by the City or NCDOT?
City residents can search their streets in SimpliCity to find out if their street is maintained by the City of NCDOT.
If your street is maintained by NCDOT, you can report a pothole here.
Every year Buncombe County honors community volunteers through the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award program.
The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors the true spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals, groups, and businesses that make significant contributions to their community through volunteer service. The awards program, created by the Office of the Governor in 1979, recognizes North Carolina’s most dedicated volunteers. Through the years, the award honors thousands who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by volunteering in their local community.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? Governor’s Volunteer Service Award nominations can be submitted for volunteers who have provided service in a variety of different areas, including:
- Veteran/Military: providing volunteer services to military families and/or veterans
- Serving Youth: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to mentoring or educating youth
- Disaster: providing volunteer service in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation
- Animals: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to volunteering with or for animals
- Environmental: providing an exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship
- Historically Marginalized Populations: providing a noteworthy dedication to assisting members of marginalized populations
- North Carolina Preservation: demonstrating a remarkable devotion to restoring or preserving the state’s history, culture, or the arts
- Health and Human Services: showing a remarkable dedication to individuals or groups in need
- Lifetime Achievement: exhibiting a lifelong commitment of 20-plus years to volunteerism and community service
Nominators can also select one of several different categories for the type of volunteer being nominated, including family, youth, senior, Latino, faith-based entity, corporate/business, group/team, national service member, director of volunteers (paid staff) and perseverance in volunteerism (an individual or team who has overcome significant personal obstacles and/or a mental or physical disability).
Nominees can be nominated for more than one category, and nominators are encouraged to check all categories that apply to their nominees. However, only one individual and/or one company/group/team/family should be nominated. Self-nominations are not permitted, and previous award winners from the past 10 years are not eligible.
Each county will select up to ten individuals, businesses, groups/teams, and one paid Director of Volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities. Buncombe County is seeking nominations from the public through Feb. 15, 2024. Any person, group, or entity from the public, nonprofit, and private sector may be nominated for an award, and one of the nominees will be nominated for the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer service, awarded to the top 20 volunteers in the state.
If you would like to nominate a deserving volunteer, group, or organization there are two ways. Find a link to the online submission or download a form below. If using the form attached below, please email your nomination forms to [email protected] by Feb. 15, 2024.
In 2023 Asheville-Area Habitat for Humanity volunteers Tricia and Charlie Franck were recognized with a Medallion Award. The pair have been volunteering with the local nonprofit for more than 15 years. During that time, they helped develop and implement the Student Build program. Over six years, this initiative has grown to include six schools that have collectively helped raise $55,000 to sponsor a Habitat home with the students helping build it. Charlie has also helped with building homes, working in Habitat’s Restore, and more. Tricia has also been instrumental working with the Women Build program and serves on the Board of Directors.
Congratulations to the 2023 Governor’s Service Award recipients for Buncombe County:
- Land of the Sky REALTORS Association
- Medallion Award winners Tricia & Charlie Franck
The State Board of Elections invites the public to comment on two proposed permanent rules for implementing the photo ID requirement for in-person and absentee-by-mail voters in North Carolina.
The photo ID requirement was enacted into law by the General Assembly in 2018.
These rules are necessary to ensure uniform implementation of the photo ID requirement by all 100 county boards of elections and in all 3,000-plus polling locations. They are similar to rules adopted by the State Board and approved by the Rules Review Commission in prior iterations of the photo ID law.
The public comment period opens Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, and closes on Jan. 16, 2024.
Members of the public may comment on the rules in any of the following ways through Jan. 16:
- Online: Public Comment Portal: Permanent Photo ID Rules
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: Attn: Rulemaking Coordinator, PO Box 27255, Raleigh, NC 27611-7255
An in-person public hearing will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 13, 2023, at the State Board of Elections Office on the Third Floor of the Dobbs Building at 430 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603.
Information and links to the two proposed rules are below:
- Verification of Photo Identification During In-Person Voting 08 NCAC 17 .0101 (PDF): This proposed rule describes how election officials must determine whether the photograph on the ID reasonably resembles the voter and whether the name is the same as or substantially equivalent to the voter’s name in their registration record. It also addresses voting options for voters who are unable to present photo identification.
- Photo Identification for Absentee-By-Mail Ballots 08 NCAC 17 .0109 (PDF): This proposed rule provides details about the requirement for absentee-by-mail voters to provide a copy of an acceptable photo ID with their ballot return envelope, or to complete a photo ID exception form. It also describes the process county boards of elections must follow in reviewing copies of IDs or exception forms returned with absentee ballots.
The Board also proposes to repeal four previous photo ID rules adopted under a different law, which is now obsolete, to avoid any misunderstanding about what rules should be followed by election officials and the public. View the text of the four rules proposed for temporary repeal (PDF).
Submitted comments will be compiled and provided to the State Board before its final consideration of the proposed temporary rules, which will take place at a public meeting after the end of the comment period. The Rules Review Commission would then consider the proposed rules.
For more information about the rulemaking process, please visit Rulemaking.
Background
Voters will be asked to show photo ID when voting in North Carolina. Most voters will simply show their driver’s license. But there are many other acceptable photo IDs. See Acceptable Photo IDs for Voting.
If a voter does not have an acceptable photo ID, they can get one for free from their county board of elections. For details, see Get a Free Voter Photo ID.
All voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. If a voter cannot show photo ID when voting in person, they can still vote by filling out an ID Exception Form, explaining why they are unable to show ID. Or they can vote a provisional ballot and return to the office of the county board of elections with their photo ID. If an absentee-by-mail voter is unable to include a photocopy of their photo ID with their ballot return envelope, they can also fill out an ID Exception Form with their ballot.
For more information on the photo ID requirement, see Voter ID.
Buncombe County students interested in entering the field of conservation, agriculture or another natural resource program can win a $1,000 scholarship from The Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District.
The William Hamilton Memorial Scholarship will provide a student with money to go towards their studies. Eligible students must attend or plan to attend an accredited college or university and must submit a proposal for a volunteer conservation project in Buncombe County.
One winner will be selected by a committee of Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District staff and Supervisors and the funds will be dispersed directly to the institution upon completion of the volunteer project.
Scholarship Timeline:
February 28, 2024 – Deadline to apply
April 11, 2024 – Winning applicant announced
June 30, 2024 – Deadline to complete volunteer project
July 11, 2024 – Presentation to the Board, award dispersed
The winner is also expected to attend a Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting to present the results of their project and accept their scholarship.
Find the application below. Completed applications and questions can be sent to [email protected].
The application can also be mailed to:
Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District
Attn: Jen Knight and Rose Wall
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville NC, 28806
Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.
|
|
|
|
|
NOTICE OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX LISTING PERIOD
Property Tax Listing forms must be completed and returned by
5 p.m. on January 31, 2024 to avoid late listing penalty.
Notice is hereby given, that all persons who own personal or business property subject to taxation in Buncombe County on January 1, 2024, must list such property no later than January 31, 2024. Any person who fails to do so will be subject to penalties prescribed by law. Per North Carolina General Statute 105-296(c), the regular listing period is January 1 through January 31. If the regular listing period begins or ends on a day other than a business day, the period for such filing shall be extended through the next business day.
The listing period for 2024 will begin Tuesday, January 2, 2024, and end Friday, January 31, 2024, at 5 p.m. Listing forms will be mailed in December 2023 to persons or businesses who have requested a listing form or filed a listing last year. Download a listing form at buncombecounty.org/propertyassessment or contact the Property Assessment office at (828) 250-4920.
Real Property
*All persons who own real estate must list any new additions, changes, or deletions that have been made since January 1, 2023. Please contact the Property Assessment office at (828) 250-4940.
*According to the North Carolina General Statutes, all property that is not defined or taxed as “real estate” or “real property” is considered to be “personal property.”
Personal Property
*All persons who own personal property such as un-tagged motor vehicles, permanently tagged trailers, manufactured homes, boats and boat motors, airplanes, rental personal property or farm machinery used for income purposes, must file a listing form annually. Download a listing form at buncombecounty.org/personallistingform.
Business Personal Property
*Business personal property is taxable whether it is owned, leased, rented, loaned, or otherwise made available to the business.
*All businesses are required to file a business personal property listing form annually during the listing period stated above, which includes: machinery and equipment; furniture and fixtures; computers; improvements to leased property; manufactured homes; aircraft; international registration plan (IRP) plated vehicles, supplies, etc. used in connection with the business. Download a listing form at buncombecounty.org/businesslistingform. This also includes all furnishings within a dwelling that is used as a long- or short-term rental. Download a Rental Listing form at buncombecounty.org/rentallistingform.
Extensions
*Listing extensions may be granted on request and for good cause shown. Extensions must be requested no later than January 31, 2024. Request an extension at businessextensions.buncombecounty.org. If you are a new businesses that has not listed before, email [email protected] to request an extension prior to January 31, 2024.
*Extensions cannot be granted beyond March 15, 2024. If you are a new business for 2024, and have not filed a previous listing form, please contact our office for information at (828) 250-4930.
Tax Relief
*Property tax relief may be available for Veterans, anyone 65 and older, or anyone permanently disabled under NCGS 105-277.1. Call (828) 250-4915 to see if you qualify or download an application at buncombecounty.org/taxrelief.
Reminder: Listing forms will be accepted January 2-31, 2024. Property Assessment is located at 155 Hilliard Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, and is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. except for holidays. Call (828) 250-4920 for more information. Instructions and forms are available at: buncombecounty.org/propertyassessment.
The County of Buncombe does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment, in its services, programs, and activities, in compliance with applicable federal and state laws.
Explore the Rich Heritage of Black Communities in Asheville
The Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail leads visitors through three areas of Asheville: Downtown, Southside, and the River Area. The entire trail takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to walk and read.
Reflecting on Community Resolve
Did you know that Black people helped create this region’s first non-Indigenous households? Did you know that Black people helped build Asheville and connected Asheville globally? Black entrepreneurs created thriving business districts. Black families cultivated close-knit neighborhoods. Black people from all backgrounds built resilient communities and fostered social change.
Immerse yourself in the history and heroism of Black Ashevillians by walking the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail. Deepen your understanding with articles, videos, and more resources available here on the trail’s website.
Follow the Trail
Experience this trail in pieces as you explore Asheville or start at one of our three introduction kiosks to learn more about how Black people in Asheville negotiated landscapes of unequal power to build resilient communities and foster social change.
Sign up for BCAlerts today
Here is what you need to know.
What is CodeRED?
Along with emergency and critical messages, the CodeRED notification system will also enhance community engagement via the release of important but non-emergency information such as vaccine site notifications, inclement weather closures and schedule changes, and other county service information.
Sign up for BC Alerts by texting BCAlert(not case sensitive) to 99411 or visit to sign up for the new system. If residents have previously signed up for Nixle BC Alerts, they will need to re-register in order to continue receiving notifications after June 30.
Alerts to choose from:
- Emergency
- General
- Recreation Services
- Election Reminders
- Governing
- Weather
NOTICE: For CodeRED support, please call 1-866-939-0911. For all other questions email [email protected].
The City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) program is designed for sophomores and juniors who are interested in career exploration, leadership development, and gaining 21st-century job skills to prepare them for their future. C.A.Y.L.A provides young people with an excellent opportunity to work and grow in Asheville while also acquiring valuable work experience that will advance their future careers.
Program Benefits
The program takes place over the summer months, during which the students will become paid interns based on their career interests. Students will have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in their career of choice, network, and build skills and relationships that will aid them as they get ready to begin their college life. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a $2,000 scholarship to go towards their college education.
Apply Today!
The application period will remain open until January 15, 2024. If you know someone who might be interested in this incredible internship opportunity provided by C.A.Y.L.A, please encourage them to apply.
For questions about the C.A.Y.L.A. program, please contact Promise Boseman at: [email protected]
Whenever you want!
Supplies available at
2 Sulphur Springs Road
If you need to request supplies for the same or next day, please call 828-254-1776.
Organizing a litter cleanup with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or other community members is easier than you may think! Asheville GreenWorks provides cleanup supplies and safety information, and will coordinate trash pick up as needed. Available supplies include safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers, trash bags, and SHARPs containers (upon request).
Review the attached guides for instructions and safety information.
Need to know
Please review the attached documents and contact [email protected] with any questions. Your supplies will be available for pickup on the date you’ve requested at Asheville GreenWorks’ office at 2 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville, NC 28806.
All cleanups should be reported using the online form and supplies should be returned after your cleanup.
Every year Buncombe County honors community volunteers through the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award program.
The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors the true spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals, groups, and businesses that make significant contributions to their community through volunteer service. The awards program, created by the Office of the Governor in 1979, recognizes North Carolina’s most dedicated volunteers. Through the years, the award honors thousands who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by volunteering in their local community.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? Governor’s Volunteer Service Award nominations can be submitted for volunteers who have provided service in a variety of different areas, including:
- Veteran/Military: providing volunteer services to military families and/or veterans
- Serving Youth: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to mentoring or educating youth
- Disaster: providing volunteer service in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation
- Animals: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to volunteering with or for animals
- Environmental: providing an exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship
- Historically Marginalized Populations: providing a noteworthy dedication to assisting members of marginalized populations
- North Carolina Preservation: demonstrating a remarkable devotion to restoring or preserving the state’s history, culture, or the arts
- Health and Human Services: showing a remarkable dedication to individuals or groups in need
- Lifetime Achievement: exhibiting a lifelong commitment of 20-plus years to volunteerism and community service
Nominators can also select one of several different categories for the type of volunteer being nominated, including family, youth, senior, Latino, faith-based entity, corporate/business, group/team, national service member, director of volunteers (paid staff) and perseverance in volunteerism (an individual or team who has overcome significant personal obstacles and/or a mental or physical disability).
Nominees can be nominated for more than one category, and nominators are encouraged to check all categories that apply to their nominees. However, only one individual and/or one company/group/team/family should be nominated. Self-nominations are not permitted, and previous award winners from the past 10 years are not eligible.
Each county will select up to ten individuals, businesses, groups/teams, and one paid Director of Volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities. Buncombe County is seeking nominations from the public through Feb. 15, 2024. Any person, group, or entity from the public, nonprofit, and private sector may be nominated for an award, and one of the nominees will be nominated for the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer service, awarded to the top 20 volunteers in the state.
If you would like to nominate a deserving volunteer, group, or organization there are two ways. Find a link to the online submission or download a form below. If using the form attached below, please email your nomination forms to [email protected] by Feb. 15, 2024.
In 2023 Asheville-Area Habitat for Humanity volunteers Tricia and Charlie Franck were recognized with a Medallion Award. The pair have been volunteering with the local nonprofit for more than 15 years. During that time, they helped develop and implement the Student Build program. Over six years, this initiative has grown to include six schools that have collectively helped raise $55,000 to sponsor a Habitat home with the students helping build it. Charlie has also helped with building homes, working in Habitat’s Restore, and more. Tricia has also been instrumental working with the Women Build program and serves on the Board of Directors.
Congratulations to the 2023 Governor’s Service Award recipients for Buncombe County:
- Land of the Sky REALTORS Association
- Medallion Award winners Tricia & Charlie Franck
The State Board of Elections invites the public to comment on two proposed permanent rules for implementing the photo ID requirement for in-person and absentee-by-mail voters in North Carolina.
The photo ID requirement was enacted into law by the General Assembly in 2018.
These rules are necessary to ensure uniform implementation of the photo ID requirement by all 100 county boards of elections and in all 3,000-plus polling locations. They are similar to rules adopted by the State Board and approved by the Rules Review Commission in prior iterations of the photo ID law.
The public comment period opens Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, and closes on Jan. 16, 2024.
Members of the public may comment on the rules in any of the following ways through Jan. 16:
- Online: Public Comment Portal: Permanent Photo ID Rules
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: Attn: Rulemaking Coordinator, PO Box 27255, Raleigh, NC 27611-7255
An in-person public hearing will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 13, 2023, at the State Board of Elections Office on the Third Floor of the Dobbs Building at 430 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603.
Information and links to the two proposed rules are below:
- Verification of Photo Identification During In-Person Voting 08 NCAC 17 .0101 (PDF): This proposed rule describes how election officials must determine whether the photograph on the ID reasonably resembles the voter and whether the name is the same as or substantially equivalent to the voter’s name in their registration record. It also addresses voting options for voters who are unable to present photo identification.
- Photo Identification for Absentee-By-Mail Ballots 08 NCAC 17 .0109 (PDF): This proposed rule provides details about the requirement for absentee-by-mail voters to provide a copy of an acceptable photo ID with their ballot return envelope, or to complete a photo ID exception form. It also describes the process county boards of elections must follow in reviewing copies of IDs or exception forms returned with absentee ballots.
The Board also proposes to repeal four previous photo ID rules adopted under a different law, which is now obsolete, to avoid any misunderstanding about what rules should be followed by election officials and the public. View the text of the four rules proposed for temporary repeal (PDF).
Submitted comments will be compiled and provided to the State Board before its final consideration of the proposed temporary rules, which will take place at a public meeting after the end of the comment period. The Rules Review Commission would then consider the proposed rules.
For more information about the rulemaking process, please visit Rulemaking.
Background
Voters will be asked to show photo ID when voting in North Carolina. Most voters will simply show their driver’s license. But there are many other acceptable photo IDs. See Acceptable Photo IDs for Voting.
If a voter does not have an acceptable photo ID, they can get one for free from their county board of elections. For details, see Get a Free Voter Photo ID.
All voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. If a voter cannot show photo ID when voting in person, they can still vote by filling out an ID Exception Form, explaining why they are unable to show ID. Or they can vote a provisional ballot and return to the office of the county board of elections with their photo ID. If an absentee-by-mail voter is unable to include a photocopy of their photo ID with their ballot return envelope, they can also fill out an ID Exception Form with their ballot.
For more information on the photo ID requirement, see Voter ID.
Buncombe County students interested in entering the field of conservation, agriculture or another natural resource program can win a $1,000 scholarship from The Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District.
The William Hamilton Memorial Scholarship will provide a student with money to go towards their studies. Eligible students must attend or plan to attend an accredited college or university and must submit a proposal for a volunteer conservation project in Buncombe County.
One winner will be selected by a committee of Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District staff and Supervisors and the funds will be dispersed directly to the institution upon completion of the volunteer project.
Scholarship Timeline:
February 28, 2024 – Deadline to apply
April 11, 2024 – Winning applicant announced
June 30, 2024 – Deadline to complete volunteer project
July 11, 2024 – Presentation to the Board, award dispersed
The winner is also expected to attend a Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting to present the results of their project and accept their scholarship.
Find the application below. Completed applications and questions can be sent to [email protected].
The application can also be mailed to:
Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District
Attn: Jen Knight and Rose Wall
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville NC, 28806
Come pick up a bingo card and do the many HARD tasks (like taking a nap or reading a book). One row gets you a fun sticker. Three rows and you’re entered for our grand prize drawing.
Buncombe County’s residents, especially those living in and at the edge of poverty, have been able to access valuable, life-saving emergency assistance benefits through Eblen Charities. For many years now, Eblen Charities has partnered with Buncombe County Health and Human Services (BCHHS) to administer the Emergency Assistance, Crisis Intervention, and Low Income Energy Assistance programs. Due to an increase in need from our neighbors and challenges with processing benefits between state and partner agency systems, BCHHS transitioned the administration of these programs from Eblen Charities to the County on November 13, 2023.
We recognize that this a change for our community as Eblen Charities has provided this assistance for many years and has been a vital resource for our neighbors in crisis. BCHHS began answering calls and processing online applications on November 13, 2023. Beginning December 1, 2023, with the start of Low Income Energy Assistance application processing, BCHHS will start taking in-person requests at 40 Coxe Ave. in downtown Asheville.
Low Income Energy Assistance provides a one-time annual vendor payment to help eligible families pay their heating expense. Households containing a person age 60 or older or disabled receiving services can apply starting December 1, 2023. All households can apply starting January 1, 2024. Low Income Energy Assistance applications are accepted until March 31, 2024 or until funds are exhausted.
To qualify for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, households that meet the following criteria may be eligible:
- Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria.
- Meet income requirements.
- Be responsible for its heating costs.
The Crisis Intervention Program serves individuals and families who are experiencing or are in danger of experiencing a heating- or cooling-related crisis.
To qualify for the Crisis Intervention Program, households that meet the following criteria may be eligible:
- Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria.
- Meet the income requirements.
- Have an energy related crisis.
- Have a utility statement that shows how much is owed to alleviate the crisis.
For those who have previously received Low Income Energy Assistance Program assistance, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin notifying eligible households by mail beginning November 19, 2023. Households will have 10 days to report any changes to their household. Applicants can report changes by contacting the BCHHS office or by making changes to the form that was mailed to you and return it to BCHHS, located at 40 Coxe Ave. in Downtown Asheville. If no changes are reported, the information from last year will be used to process this year’s automated Low Income Energy Assistance payment.
If you are interested in applying for these Energy Assistance benefits, you can quickly apply online at www.epass.nc.gov. If you would like to apply over the phone, have general questions about energy assistance, or need to check on the status of your case, please call us at (828) 250-6330. Beginning December 1, 2023, you may also visit us in person at 40 Coxe Ave. in downtown Asheville. Please bring your parking ticket with you inside of the building for free parking.
Buncombe County also will administer Emergency Assistance, which Buncombe County Social Work Services distributes as funds become available to our community. To apply for Emergency Assistance, go online to epass.nc.gov, call Buncombe County at 828-250-6330, or apply in person at 40 Coxe Ave.
BCHHS will continue to partner with Eblen Charities to assist families and individuals in our community during times of crisis and hardship. For more information on the services that are available in our community, visit www.buncombecounty.org/hhs.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications due by:
- November 30, 2023
- January 30, 2024
- March 30, 2024
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in
two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
-
- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
-
- Dawn – Dusk
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
-
- Library open hours
- Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
-
- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
-
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations Holidays call for hours
Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center
85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
-
- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
-
- Dawn – Dusk
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
-
- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
-
- Library open hours
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
Historians estimate that skilled Black artisans outnumbered their white counterparts in the antebellum South by a margin of five to one. However, despite their presence and prevalence in all corners of the pre-industrial trade and craft fields, the stories of these skilled workers go largely unacknowledged.
Borrowing its title from a Black culture and politics magazine of the same name, Hammer and Hope celebrates the life and labor of Black chairmakers in early America. Featuring the work of two contemporary furniture makers – Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland – the pieces in this exhibition are based on the artists’ research into ladderback chairs created by the Poynors, a multigenerational family of free and enslaved craftspeople working in central Tennessee between the early nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Through the objects featured in Hammer and Hope, Awake and Ryland explore, reinterpret, and reimagine what the field of furniture-making today would look like had the history and legacy of the Poynors – and countless others that have been subject to a similar pattern of erasure – been celebrated rather than hidden. Hammer and Hope represents Awake and Ryland’s attempts, in their own words, “at fighting erasure by making objects that engage with these long-suppressed stories.”
Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland are recipients of the Center for Craft’s 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.
Start 2024 with a clean slate! Haul out your half-done quilts and barely-started cross-stitch samplers. We’re swapping UFOs (Unfinished Objects) at the Weaverville Library this January. Bring unfinished craft projects or craft supplies to the Weaverville Library to trade or donate. Declutter or refresh your material stash with fellow crafters. The swap is free for everyone and available anytime during Library hours from Dec.30-Jan. 13.
HOURS:
Tuesday
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Friday
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas features eleven textiles by acclaimed Indigenous artisanas (artists) from Chiapas, Mexico commissioned by US-based fiber artists and activist Aram Han Sifuentes. As part of their 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship, Han Sifuentes traveled to Chiapas to understand the function of garments and textiles within the social and cultural context of the area and to learn the traditional practice of backstrap weaving. Through the works on view, combined with a series of interviews Han Sifuentes conducted during her research, visitors learn about the artisanas and their role as preservers, rescuers, and innovators of culture and as protectors of Mayan ancestral knowledge. Together, these works present an approach to connecting and learning about culture through craft practices.
Han Sifuentes is interested in backstrap weaving because it is one of the oldest forms used across cultures. The vibrant hues and elaborate designs of each textile express the artisanas identities and medium to tell their stories. To understand how these values manifested in textiles made in Chiapas, Han Sifuentes invited the artisanas to create whatever weaving they desired over the course of three months. This is unique because most textiles in the area are created to meet tourist-driven and marketplace demands. Incorporating traditional backstrap weaving and natural dye techniques, some artisans created textiles to rescue or reintroduce weaving practices that are almost or completely lost in their communities, while others were created through material and conceptual experimentation. This range of approaches reflects how artistanas are constantly innovating while at the same time honoring and keeping to tradition.
Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas is on view from November 17, 2023 to July 13, 2024.
Aram Han Sifuentes is a recipient of the Center for Craft’s 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.
The featured artisanas include: Juana Victoria Hernandez Gomez from San Juan Cancuc, Maria Josefina Gómez Sanchez and Maria de Jesus Gómez Sanchez from Oxchujk (Oxchuc), Marcela Gómez Diaz and Cecilia Gómez Diaz from San Andrés Larráinzar, Rosa Margarita Enríquez Bolóm from Huixtán, Cristina García Pérez from Chalchihuitán, Susana Maria Gómez Gonzalez, Maria Gonzalez Guillén, and Anastacia Juana Gómez Gonzalez from Zinacantán, Angelica Leticia Gómez Santiz from Pantelhó, and Susana Guadalupe Méndez Santiz from Aldama
The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960, which explores the groundbreaking contributions of artists who worked at the experimental printmaking studio Atelier 17 in the wake of World War II. Co-curated by Marilyn Laufer and Tom Butler, American Art in the Atomic Age which draws from the holdings of Dolan/Maxwell, the Asheville Art Museum Collection, and private collections will be on view from November 10, 2023–April 29, 2024.
Atelier 17 operated in New York for fifteen years, between 1940 and 1955. The studio’s founder, Stanley William Hayter (1901–1988) established the workshop in Paris but relocated to New York just as the Nazi occupation of Paris began in 1940. Hayter’s new studio attracted European emigrants like André Masson, Yves Tanguy, and Joan Miró, as well as American artists like Dorothy Dehner, Judith Rothschild, and Karl Schrag, allowing for an exchange of artistic ideas and processes between European and American artists.
The Asheville Art Museum will present over 100 works that exemplify the cross-cultural exchange and profound social and political impact of Atelier 17 on American art. Prints made at Atelier 17—including those by Stanley William Hayter, Louise Nevelson, and Perle Fine—will be in conversation with works by European Surrealists who were working at the studio in the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition will also feature a selection of domestic mid-century objects that exemplify how the ideas and aesthetics of post-war abstraction became a part of everyday life.
Throughout the history of painting from the mid-19th century forward, artists have used an
endless variety of approaches to record their world. Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting continues this thread, offering an opportunity to explore a singular and still forceful aspect of American art. Photorealism shares many of the approaches of historical and modernist realism, with a twist. The use of the camera as a basic tool for organizing visual information in advance of painterly expression is now quite common, but Photorealists embraced the camera as the focal point in their creative process.
Beyond the Lens presents key works from the collection of Louis K. and Susan Pear Meisel,
bringing together paintings and works on paper dating from the 1970s to the present to focus on this profoundly influential art movement. The exhibition includes work by highly acclaimed formative artists of the movement such as Charles Bell, Robert Bechtle, Tom Blackwell, Richard Estes, Audrey Flack, and Ralph Goings as well as paintings by the successive generations of Photorealist artists Anthony Brunelli, Davis Cone, Bertrand Meniel, Rod Penner, and Raphaella Spence. Featured artworks in the exhibition include diverse subject matters, but the primary focus is on the common and every day: urban scenes, “portraits” of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, still life compositions using toys, food, candy wrappers, and salt and pepper shakers. All provide opportunities for virtuoso studies in how light, reflection, and the camera as intermediary shapes our perception of the material world.
This multigenerational survey demonstrates how the 35-mm camera, and later technological
advances in digital image-making, informed and impacted the painterly gesture. Taken together, the paintings and works on paper in Beyond the Lens show how simply spellbinding these virtuosic works of art can be.
“Beyond the Lens offers a fascinating look into the Photorealism movement and delves into the profound connection between the artists’ observation and creative process,” says Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director of Asheville Art Museum. “We are delighted to present this curated collection of artworks encapsulating the creative vision and technical precision that defines this artistic genre.”
Photorealism found its roots in the late 1960s in California and New York, coexisting with an explosion of new ideas in art-making that included Conceptual, Pop, Minimalism, Land and Performance Art. At first, representational realism coexisted with the thematic and conceptual explosion but was eventually relegated to the margins regarding critical and curatorial attention. Often misunderstood and sometimes negatively criticized or lampooned as a betrayal of modernism’s commitment to abstraction, the artists involved in Photorealism remained committed explorers of the trail they had blazed. In the decades of the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, realistic and symbolic painting experienced a renaissance, as contemporary artists are increasingly drawn to narrative and storytelling. Concurrently, using a camera as a preparatory tool equally legitimate and valuable as pencils and pens has made the rubric of Photorealism increasingly relevant.
This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and guest curated by Terrie Sultan.
This exhibition is sponsored in part by Jim and Julia Calkins Peterson.



