JEFFREY DELANNOY/SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

#NC11: Cawthorn Gets More Headlines & More GOP Challengers

As the second half of 2021 comes into full view, the field of candidates running to unseat freshman Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn continues to grow in Western North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. The list of incidents involving the youngest member of Congress is also growing halfway through his first year in office.

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Courtesy of NC DHHS

WNC COVID Spike Mirrors Rising Statewide Numbers

NC Senate OKs Parental Consent For Children's Virus Vaccine

Instagram Accidentally Blocked Elaine Thompson-Herah For Posting Her Own Sprint Wins

By • 5 hours ago

Facebook says the company mistakenly blocked Jamaican gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah from Instagram.

Unapologetically Moderate, Democrat Kyrsten Sinema Says She's Focused On Results

By & • 5 hours ago

Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona is batting away criticism that her bipartisan approach to legislating is bad for her party.

To Sinema, a moderate, bipartisanship is the way Washington should work.

"We know that the American people are asking for us to take action," she told NPR's All Things Considered. "What they don't want to see is us sit on our hands, waiting until we get every single thing that we want. ... That all-or-nothing approach usually leaves you with nothing."

BPR's Summer Raffle Winners Announced

By • 6 hours ago
BPR's Summer Raffle logo with "the winners are" blue banner

Congratulations to the winners of BPR’s Summer Raffle, announced today on All Things Considered.   

After A Voice Recorder Was Brought Into Court, A Rockingham Journalist Was Put in Jail — And He Coul

By • 6 hours ago
Steve Harrison / WFAE

Most battles over press freedom revolve around Washington D.C., over controversies like journalists allegedly being under surveillance by the Justice Department.

This case takes place in Rockingham, 90 minutes east of Charlotte, at The Richmond County Daily Journal. The newspaper publishes two days a week and has only a couple of reporters. It shares a small building with a copying and printing store.

Angel Medical Center Announces New CEO

By • 6 hours ago
Lilly Knoepp

Angel Medical Center has a new CEO. Mission Health has named Clint Kendall the new Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Office of the Macon County hospital.

“I am excited to be in the community of Franklin and look forward to caring for the people of this area in my new role at Angel Medical Center. I hope to meet many of you in the coming months,” said Kendall in a press release.

First Minister Of Scotland On The Pandemic And Scottish Independence

By editor • 6 hours ago

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

In Scotland today, newspaper headlines shouted freedom. But read the small print. Another read, don't cry freedom. The headlines are a poke at Scotland's neighbor to the south. England declared so-called Freedom Day and lifted almost all COVID restrictions a few weeks ago. Scotland has charted a more cautious course. Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says most COVID restrictions will be relaxed next Monday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

'Annette' Is The 1st Musical For Director Leos Carax And Pop Duo Sparks

By • 6 hours ago

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

In Scotland today, newspaper headlines shouted freedom. But read the small print. Another read, don't cry freedom. The headlines are a poke at Scotland's neighbor to the south. England declared so-called Freedom Day and lifted almost all COVID restrictions a few weeks ago. Scotland has charted a more cautious course. Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says most COVID restrictions will be relaxed next Monday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

WHO Calls For Pause On Booster Shots Until More Nations Get Their First Vaccines

By • 6 hours ago

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

In Scotland today, newspaper headlines shouted freedom. But read the small print. Another read, don't cry freedom. The headlines are a poke at Scotland's neighbor to the south. England declared so-called Freedom Day and lifted almost all COVID restrictions a few weeks ago. Scotland has charted a more cautious course. Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says most COVID restrictions will be relaxed next Monday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

Immigrant Activists Say ICE Is Purposely Targeting Them. They're Urging Biden To Help

By • 7 hours ago

For years, activist Maru Mora-Villalpando has organized hunger strikes to protest conditions at an immigrant detention center in Washington state. By 2017, she'd gotten the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

One high-ranking ICE officer described her as an "instigator" in an internal email. Another responded that Mora-Villalpando was a "well-known local illegal alien," and suggested that trying to deport her might "take away some of her 'clout.'"

Wrestler Is 1st Black U.S. Woman To Win Gold After Years-Long Journey And 'Freak Out'

By , , & • 7 hours ago

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

In Scotland today, newspaper headlines shouted freedom. But read the small print. Another read, don't cry freedom. The headlines are a poke at Scotland's neighbor to the south. England declared so-called Freedom Day and lifted almost all COVID restrictions a few weeks ago. Scotland has charted a more cautious course. Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says most COVID restrictions will be relaxed next Monday.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

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Arts & Performance

Calliope Stage, Premiering In Sylva, Built To Disrupt Norm For Rural Theater

By • Aug 3, 2021
Matt Peiken | BPR News

  


 

The loading dock behind the former post office in downtown Sylva was never intended as a theatrical stage. 

 

But beyond the location, Ashlee Wasmund has created something rarely seen in rural Western North Carolina—a theater company focused on new, original, locally produced work.

 

“I think that has always been on my bucket list,” Wasmund said.

 

She and her husband moved to Sylva from Chicago six years ago when she became the program director of musical theater and dance at Western Carolina University. Her new company, Calliope Stage, premieres on this loading dock over the next two weekends with a program of 10 original theatrical shorts. The vignettes jump from drama to comedy, music and dance—all created by people in the far west of this state, all inspired by an event, person or place from the region.

 

Six performances run through Aug. 5-14 on what Calliope is calling the Loading Dock Stage.

Asheville Symphony Returning With Free Concert In Park

By • Aug 2, 2021

  

The Asheville Symphony is performing a free concert Sept. 19 in Pack Square Park to launch a new season. It will be the orchestra’s first full program since February 2020, just before the start of the pandemic.

 

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