Laura Hackett
Helene Recovery ReporterLaura Hackett joined Blue Ridge Public Radio in June 2023. Originally from Florida, she moved to Asheville more than six years ago and in that time has worked as a writer, journalist, and content creator for organizations like AVLtoday, Mountain Xpress, and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. She has a degree in creative writing from Florida Southern College, and in 2023, she completed the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY's Product Immersion for Small Newsrooms program. In her free time, she loves exploring the city by bike, testing out new restaurants, and hanging out with her dog Iroh at French Broad River Park.
In 2025, Laura moved into a new role as BPR's Helene Recovery Reporter.
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Helene damaged and closed around 1,500 public roads statewide. All but 70 have fully reopened. -
Other allegations, including one about bad-faith termination, were dismissed. -
The state assembly passed a provision that freezes around $12 million in annual legal aid funds. No one will explain why they did it. -
The bus stop is now in a more central location with more convenient hours. -
The Vermont senator will appear at Harrah’s Cherokee Center on August 10. -
Mike Lamb told BPR he believes that all four incidents are connected and may involve “criminal organizations that are involved in the sale of illegal narcotics.” -
The contemporary ballet pays homage to the people who showed up in extraordinary ways to help their neighbors in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. -
Riverbend Dog Park offers a space for off-leash antics while the city’s two original parks remain out of commission. -
Former water resources director for the City of Asheville, Mike Holcombe addresses the myth of the city’s wooden pipes and lessons learned from Hurricane Helene. -
Small and joyous gatherings have cropped up in Hot Springs, Lake Lure, Sylva, Murphy and Waynesville over the last few years.
