Home Care In Asheville, NC

Mission Hospital risks losing Medicare and Medicaid funding because of deficiencies in care that were so severe, state inspectors concluded last month, that they “posed immediate jeopardy to patients’ health and safety,” Asheville Watchdog has learned.

“Immediate jeopardy” is the most serious deficiency possible for a hospital. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has recommended that Mission lose its participation in Medicare unless it quickly corrects the deficiencies, according to a letter obtained Thursday by The Watchdog.

Failure to correct the deficiencies could threaten the financial viability of the hospital system. The majority of patients in Western North Carolina are on Medicare, Medicaid or uninsured.

The Dec. 19 letter from NCDHHS to Mission CEO Chad Patrick cites nine incidents over 19 months that highlighted deficiencies in care and states that “the hospital nursing staff failed to provide a safe environment for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) by failing to accept patients on arrival, resulting in lack of or delays with triage, assessments, monitoring, and implementation of orders, including labs and telemetry.

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“ED nursing staff failed to assess, monitor and evaluate patients to identify and respond to changes in patient conditions,” the letter states. “The hospital staff failed to ensure qualified staff were available to provide care and treatment for patients who arrived in the ED. The cumulative effects of these practices resulted in an unsafe environment for ED patients.”

Mission Hospital and HCA spokesperson Nancy Lindell said in an emailed statement that the hospital has received CMS’ preliminary survey results and is expecting to receive final results shortly.

“We have taken those results seriously, and there are no excuses for our patients receiving anything other than exceptional care,” Lindell said in her statement, adding the hospital has taken action to address the initial findings and is working on a plan of correction for CMS. “This is not the standard of care we expect, nor that our patients deserve, and we will work diligently to improve.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ regulations define immediate jeopardy as noncompliance that “has placed the health and safety of recipients in its care at risk for serious injury, serious harm, serious impairment or death…[It] is the most serious deficiency type, and carries the most serious sanctions…An immediate jeopardy situation is one that is clearly identifiable due to the severity of its harm or likelihood for serious harm and the immediate need for it to be corrected to avoid further or future serious harm.”

CMS sets certain conditions that hospitals must meet to be paid for Medicare and Medicaid patients. The letter cites six of those conditions that Mission failed to meet: governing body, emergency services, nursing services, patients’ rights, quality assurance, and laboratory services.

CMS is reviewing the findings, according to an agency spokesperson, and will issue Mission “a statement of deficiencies after a review of the findings has been completed.” A statement of deficiencies outlines how a healthcare facility has violated CMS standards.

Immediate jeopardy is rare, according to a 2021 study from the National Library of Medicine, which reviewed 30,808 hospital deficiencies between 2007-2017. Only 2.4 percent or 730 of those resulted in immediate jeopardy, according to the study.

NCDHHS investigators visited the hospital over three weeks in November and December in response to complaints, the letter states. The investigation “resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy identification on December 1,” as a result of seven incidents from April 2022 to October 2023.

The investigation identified immediate jeopardy again on Dec. 9 as a result of two incidents in November, including one that occurred the week inspectors were at the hospital.

The details of the nine incidents are not yet public. CMS is reviewing the state inspectors’ findings and will issue a “statement of deficiencies.” At that point, Mission has 23 days to respond.

Union nurses at Mission and doctors who have left the system after HCA purchased it in 2019 say that the hospital corporation has purposefully understaffed the hospital and gutted it of resources, leading to risks and patient harm.

Mission nurses have sent formal complaints to NCDHHS since 2022, The Watchdog reported in late August. At that time, NCDHHS had not visited the hospital, citing its own staff shortages.

The NCDHHS inspections occurred the weeks of Nov. 13-17, Nov. 27-Dec. 1 and Dec. 4-9, according to the letter. Beginning Nov. 14, while inspectors were at the hospital, as The Watchdog reported, Mission offered extra shifts to doctors in the emergency department and on Nov. 20, halted some patient transfers from other hospitals, which would have reduced the burden on staff.

And on Dec. 2, a day after the first immediate jeopardy designation, Mission’s chief of staff and chief medical officer sent an email to roughly 800 doctors with seemingly obvious expectations for patient safety in the emergency department: They were to respond when alerted to a patient’s loss of consciousness or “emergent” condition, and to stop to stabilize patients at risk of dying.

If CMS accepts Mission’s plan of correction, NCDHHS will revisit the hospital to determine if the conditions that constituted immediate jeopardy have been remedied and if the hospital is in compliance.

If the immediate jeopardy is removed, Mission will have 90 days to complete the corrective actions and achieve compliance, the CMS spokesperson said.

If CMS does not receive a timely plan of correction or determines that Mission has not removed the immediate jeopardy status, the spokesperson said, CMS will send a “Notice of Termination.”

Throughout 2023, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein investigated Mission. Stein, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, announced Dec. 14 that his office was suing HCA and the hospital, contending they have violated the asset purchase agreement regarding cancer care and emergency services at Mission Hospital. That agreement was signed when Nashville-based HCA bought Mission Health for $1.5 billion in 2019.

The NCDHHS finding “is extremely alarming and reinforces my deep concerns about the quality of care people in western North Carolina are receiving at HCA,” Stein said in an emailed statement Friday.

Stein’s lawsuit has no connection to the NCDHHS investigation, the attorney general told The Watchdog at the time of his announcement in December. The lawsuit focuses on patient safety and staffing concerns that nurses have described in their complaints to NCDHHS, including long waits in the emergency department, low chemotherapy supplies, and a lack of nursing staff.

With 682 licensed acute care beds, Mission is the state’s largest hospital west of Charlotte, serves tens of thousands of patients a year, and is the region’s only Level 2 trauma center.

[Editor’s note: This story was updated Friday, Jan. 12, to include comments from Mission Hospital and HCA spokesperson Nancy Lindell, and North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.]

Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Andrew R. Jones is a Watchdog investigative reporter. Email [email protected]. To show your support for this vital public service please visit avlwatchdog.org/donate.

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The city of Asheville's purchase of five electric buses in 2018 has turned into a multi-million-dollar loss. The buses have been broken or unable to run because of software and/or mechanical issues, making them an expensive and disappointing purchase, according to city maintenance and transportation staff.

$5 million loss for Asheville as flawed electric buses sit idle

Currently, three of the five buses are idled, with one that has had a broken double door since July.

“We haven’t been able to get new doors,” Asheville's interim transportation director Jessica Morriss said. “There's no third party that makes a door. We'd have to get custom-made doors.”

Each of the buses cost the city $616,796-plus. Morriss said additional costs included more than $200,000 for the infrastructure for each charger, $118,000 annually for the contract to lease batteries for the buses and $45,481 for annual electric charges.

“I think if you added that altogether, I think, probably $900,000 to $1 million is what each one cost. And, since then, we've had to invest additional money into maintaining them and fixing them," Morriss said.

Morriss said maintenance costs have been an additional $251,000, which includes replacing the traction drive controls, or electric motors, for all of the buses.

BEEP BEEP: CITY OF ASHEVILLE TO DEPLOY ELECTRIC BUSES ON ART ROUTES JUNE 1

Maintenance director John McDaniel said several of the buses also had to have their power inverters replaced at $14,000 each.

“The last couple of years have been particularly difficult,” Morriss said. “We don’t see an end in sight. Proterra, the manufacturer, has since filed for bankruptcy.”

She said it’s impossible to get parts for the idled buses.

“Since June 2023, we have had numerous issues with vehicles out of service for weeks and months," Morriss said.

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Of the two buses that are running, the other big issue is the limited distance they can go, which in winter is about 78 miles. McDaniel said that’s about three trips to the airport. Then, the bus has to come back and charge at the garage on West Haywood Street for hours, he said.

Another issue is the buses get cold overnight and it eats into a large part of the charge to heat them before they leave the garage.

Morris said the downed electric buses have also put a strain on the city's operating fleet of 32 buses. She said those buses -- a combination of biodiesel and hybrids -- are being run more because the electric buses have been down so often.

“There's some lessons here for sure. We're pressing pause on investing in any electric technology until we can assure the products we get are going to be able to work," Morris said.

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The city has purchased nine biodiesel and five hybrid buses since the five electric buses were purchased in 2018. Morris said the transportation department plans to ask Asheville City Council to approve the purchase of two more biodiesel buses this spring at an approximate cost of $550,000 each.

Asheville Citizen Times

ASHEVILLE - Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be greeted with a dusting of snow early Jan. 15, but not enough to stick or cause major headaches, according to the National Weather Service.

Road should be pretty clear since most government offices and city and county schools are closed in observance of the holiday.

But there is a winter warning in effect for Graham and Swain counties in the far west and Avery county in the northern reaches of Western North Carolina, meteorologist Rodney Hinson with the NWS in Greer, South Carolina, said Jan. 14.

"We’re expecting in the high elevations above 3,500 feet as much as 6-10 inches of snow, and the lower elevations in the valleys, 1-3 inches. Winds aren’t going to be too bad. Lows are expected in the mid-upper 20s and the high (Jan. 15) in the mid-low 30s," Hinson said.

There are winter weather advisories for Mitchell, Yancey, Madison, Haywood, Jackson and Macon counties. These areas to the north and west of Buncombe are expected to get 1-3 inches, and possibly 4 inches of snow in areas above 3,500 feet elevation.

Asheville sits at an elevation of about 2,200 feet.

Asheville and Buncombe County will see some snow coming into tonight, Hinson said.

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"The snow will be changing to a mix with freezing rain and sleet by morning and all rain by the afternoon. Buncombe County, the upper French Broad River area maybe up to ¼ inch of rain. Maybe a 1/5 inch in Transylvania County and the upper French Broad River Valley. It shouldn’t cause any significant rising of the French Broad. It will be nothing like last week," he said of the heavy rainstorm and flooding that soaked and flooded parts of Buncombe and Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties Jan. 9.

The flooding had major impacts in Henderson County and Transylvania counties, where many roads were closed and wastewater flowed into the French Broad River. One of the largest overflows in WNC was 76,350 gallons at 273 Gallimore Road in Brevard, discharged into the French Broad. The second-largest was 54,000 gallons at 100 Sierra Nevada Way at Sierra Nevada Brewing in Fletcher, which also went into the French Broad.

But this sprinkling is expected to be much more subdued. There could be a dusting of snow across Buncombe County, with up to a half-inch in most places, and possible a couple of inches north toward Barnardsville, before turning to rain, Hinson said.

The lows tonight for Asheville tonight should be in the upper 20s, with highs Jan. 15 in the lower 40s in most places.

As of 6 p.m. Jan. 14, the Blue Ridge Parkway was completely closed in Western North Carolina, except for the so-called Asheville commuter zone, between Milepost 382 at U.S. 70 and the Folk Art Center, to MP 393/U.S. 191/Brevard Road at the N.C. Arboretum.

But with wintry weather expected along the higher elevations of the parkway, the section might be closed by morning. Check the parkway road closure website at nps.gov/blri.

Cold air to return, stay for weekend

But the sharp, cold air will return midweek, with lows in single digits the night of Jan. 16, down to around 10 in most locations, with highs Jan. 17 in the mid-30s.

"We’re not expecting anymore snow after Tuesday," Hinson said, despite the chilly temps.

The temperature will be in the upper teens Wednesday night, Jan. 17, and the lows the night of Jan. 18 in the lower 20s. There will be another round of cold air, with lows in single digits, into the weekend.

"Thursday night into Friday looks like another potential for more snow, but at this point we're not certain how much," Hinson said.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A winter storm system makes its way into the region on Monday, bringing the possibility of snow and icy conditions for many western counties.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Avery, Graham and Swain counties from 1 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15, to 7 a.m. Tuesday. Snow accumulations from 3-6 inches or more are likely in these locations, along with light icing from patchy freezing rain.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the following counties from 1 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday:

Lighter snow accumulations from 1-4 inches is possible in these areas, as well as light icing.

WINTER STORM WATCH: SNOW LIKELY AS DANGEROUSLY COLD TEMPERATURES COMING TO WNC

As of Sunday, Jan. 14, there were no active alerts for southern Jackson, Henderson, Buncombe, McDowell and more eastern counties along I-40. Light accumulations totaling less than 1 inch of snow, sleet and/or patchy freezing rain are possible in these areas from Monday into early Tuesday morning.

This system will be a more significant winter storm west across Tennessee into Arkansas, northern Mississippi and northern Alabama. That said, we will have significant travel impacts for a portion of WNC, including the Smokies and other high spots and locations near TN.

CLOSINGS AND DELAYS

BITTER COLD

After the moisture ends, the big story becomes a blast of bitter cold air.

The coldest temperatures of the season are likely by the middle of the week. High temperatures will only reach the 20s and 30s on Tuesday and Wednesday. That comes with lows dipping to the single digits and teens Wednesday and Thursday morning.

A biting, northerly wind will make it feel even colder, with wind chill values below 0 on Wednesday morning.

There will be another storm system Thursday night and Friday, Jan. 18-19, that looks to bring mixed wintry precipitation to WNC and even colder air by the weekend, Jan. 19-20.

FILE - JAN. 12, 2024 - A new report detailed in a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services letter to Mission Hospital shows Mission may be at risk of losing federal funding Medicare reimbursement as state inspectors deem the facility in "immediate jeopardy" of losing its compliance with the Federal Medicare Conditions of Participation. Investigators with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services have determined Mission has failed on multiple fronts to care for and safely evaluate patients in the emergency department. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A new report detailed in a North Carolina health department letter to Mission Hospital shows Mission may be at risk of losing federal funding Medicare reimbursement as state inspectors deem the facility in "immediate jeopardy" of losing its compliance with the Federal Medicare Conditions of Participation.

Investigators with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services have determined Mission has failed on multiple fronts to care for and safely evaluate patients in the emergency department. The letter was obtained by Asheville Watchdog from the the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The letter states that incidents in April, July, August and October of last year showed “hospital nursing staff failed to provide a safe environment for patients presenting to the Emergency Department.” The letter stated this included “failing to accept patients on arrival, resulting in the lack of or delays with triage, assessments, monitoring, and implementation of orders, including labs."

“It represents the most severe and egregious threat to the health and safety of patients,” said Jakob Emerson, assistant news director for healthcare news publication Beckers. “It carries the most serious sanctions from the agency towards the hospital and that’s the potential loss of Medicare and Medicaid funding.”

“We now have confirmation of what folks in this community have known for a long time,” said N.C. Sen. Julie Mayfield, who represents Asheville. “The hospital can no longer say these are anecdotal accounts, that everything is fine. Everything is not fine.”

Mayfield said on Friday, Jan. 12, that she’s talking with NCDHHS officials to see if Gov. Roy Cooper could be called in to declare a state of health emergency for Western North Carolinians amid the serious NCDDHS report showing failures by HCA for the community.

“The federal government is warning the hospital, you’re on thin ice and we need you to fix these issues before we guarantee your federal funding in the future,” said Emerson.

He said, based on the letter, it could be the next step for Medicare officials who review the report to demand Mission address issues within 23 days.

Mayfield, aware of the exodus of doctors and oncologists who have left Mission, said she’s concerned the hospital won’t be able to turn staffing and care problems around in such a short amount of time.

Mission spokeswoman Nancy Lindell released the following statement on Friday, Jan. 12:

“Mission Hospital has received preliminary survey results from CMS regarding its emergency department. We have taken those results seriously, and there are no excuses for our patients receiving anything other than exceptional care. This is not the standard of care we expect, nor that our patients deserve, and we will work diligently to improve. Mission Hospital already has taken action to address the preliminary findings shared during the survey process. Those actions include the deployment of additional resources and expertise learned from HCA Healthcare’s experience of more than 9 million emergency room patients annually. We expect to receive final survey results shortly and already are working with Mission Hospital to finalize a corrective action plan for CMS (Medicare).”

State Attorney General Josh Stein, who is suing HCA Healthcare for alleged breach of contractin part over its lack of an oncology cancer team, stated by email to News 13:

“Today’s news is extremely alarming and reinforces my deep concerns about the quality of care people in western North Carolina are receiving at HCA. I appreciate CMS and DHHS for their hard work to improve the situation for patients. I will continue to do everything in my power to protect people’s health care – including continuing to vigorously pursue my lawsuit against HCA.”

ASHEVILLE - The Asheville area saw only light flurries from a Dec. 10 snow, but higher elevations along the North Carolina and Tennessee border and a few other outlying areas, especially above 3,5000 feet elevation, saw some snowfall, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.

Snow and ice have also left large stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway closed, including the roadway through Asheville, except for a few ungated sections. As of 11 a.m. Dec. 11, the parkway was closed from N.C. 128/Milepost 355.3 at the entrance to Mount Mitchell State Park, to south of Craggy Gardens Tunnel at MP 376, to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance at MP 469.

At 2 p.m. Dec. 11, parkway spokesperson Leese Brandon confirmed MP 381, just beyond the Folk Art Center, to Brevard Road at MP 393 was open. Everything to the south was still closed due to ice, debris and snow.

Many areas farther north were also closed. Mount Mitchell State Park ? about 35 miles northeast of Asheville ? is closed from Dec. 5-22 due to parkways closures from N.C. 80 to Craggy Gardens for maintenance. Mount Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, towering at an elevation of 6,684 feet. By comparison, Asheville sits at about 2,200 feet elevation.

Since much of the parkway, which snakes along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Smokies in Cherokee, spans high elevations, the road sees colder, wetter and windier conditions than surrounding communities. This often necessitates closures when temperatures dip.

To see the latest updates visit: nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm.

On Iron Mountain, a peak near the state border in Mitchell County, 2 inches of snow accumulated, said Doug Outlaw, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Likewise, there was 3 inches of snow in Madison County near Max Patch and 3 inches on Beech Mountain, which sits at 5,506 feet elevation. Flat Springs, in far northern Avery County, saw 1/3 of an inch.

While only a few areas of Asheville saw flurries, mostly in northern Buncombe County, Outlaw said, there was a "big rain," with 2.3 inches on Dec. 10. It brings the month to a total of 3.6 inches and the year to a total of 35.6 inches. That's 11.2 inches of rain below normal.

There's no snow in the outlook for the rest of the week, Outlaw said. "It's going to be dry," he said.

High temperatures are expected to reach 41 degrees Fahrenheit Dec. 11, with a low around 23 degrees overnight. The forecast for Dec. 12 is a high near 50, according to the National Weather Service.

According to park rules, when the parkway is closed to vehicles for snow or other weather events, people can go behind the gates to walk dogs on a 6-foot leash, hike, bicycle ride or snowshoe. Just be sure to park well off the roadway and not block gates.

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NCDOT to close section of parkway

Weather-related closures aren't the only complications that will impact the parkway this winter.

A Dec. 11 news release from the N.C. Department of Transportation announced a contractor will close a 5-mile section of the parkway on Dec. 12 to switch traffic a few feet onto a new section west of the existing bridge over Interstate 26.

Crews from Fluor-United will close the section between Hendersonville Road at MP 388.1 and Brevard Road at MP 393.1 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., said the release. Crews will move safety gear and construction equipment and install lane markings.

Northbound parkway traffic will be directed to Brevard Road, then I-40 East and Hendersonville Road. Southbound traffic will take Hendersonville Road to Long Shoals Road to Clayton Road to Brevard Road.

Following the traffic shift, contract crews will begin building reinforced soil slopes in January and then build a new short section of the parkway.

Construction of a new parkway bridge is part of the I-26 widening projects — one in each county — that will improve safety and reduce travel times along the critical transportation corridor.

"The new bridge is necessary to accommodate free-flowing traffic on both directions of I-26," the release said.

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Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email [email protected] or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

ASHEVILLE — The entire Blue Ridge Parkway in Western North Carolina is closed Jan. 9 — including the portions in Asheville — for snow, ice and incoming weather, according to the park's website.

At this time of year, the parkway is subject to sudden weather-related closures since the 469-mile scenic roadway rises to elevations above 6,000 feet and snow and ice can form more quickly than at lower elevations (Asheville sits at about 2,200 feet for comparison), leading to dangerous road conditions.

Heavy rain, very windy conditions and the threat of flooding will impact Western North Carolina through this evening, causing road closures and a flash flood warning for Buncombe County through 5 p.m. on Jan. 9.

Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order Jan. 8 declaring a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather, waiving truck weight, size and hours of service restrictions so that vehicles carrying essential supplies can get their jobs done quickly, his office announced.

Buncombe County flash floods Jan. 9:NC Gov. Cooper declares state of emergency; high rain, winds, flooding. What to know

The parkway has a road status update page at nps.gov/blri that provides the latest road closures for visitors to plan their route ahead, especially in winter months when statuses can change due to ice and snow.

The scenic roadway is a total of 469 miles, spanning the backbone of the Blue Ridge Mountains starting in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and ending at Cherokee. It is the most-visited site in the National Park Service, with some 15.7 million visitors in 2022.

While weather related closures are expected since the parkway ranges to elevations over 6,000 feet — sharing a climate more like Canada than Asheville — many visitors were dismayed when parkway officials closed down an 8-mile section Oct. 30 after reports of visitors approaching and attempting to feed and hold a black bear at the Lane Pinnacle Overlook.

The parkway was closed from Milepost 367.6 near the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area to Milepost 375.6 at Ox Creek Road, a popular section just north of Asheville, at the height of leaf peeping season. The section reopened Nov. 6.

Parkway officials ask visitors to plan ahead, know what the alternate routes are and prepare for changing temperatures at different elevations. If a visitor encounters a bear on the parkway, call 828-298-2491 or stop at the nearest visitor center to report it.

Closures in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park also has a few temporary closures due to downed trees from the large weather system rolling through WNC Jan. 9.

The Smokies shares 500,000 acres across the border of Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. For more on the Smokies closures, call the park at 865-436-1200 or visit nps.gov/grsm.

More:Death of child in Great Smoky Mountains campground was 11th tree fall fatality in park

The following roads are closed due to fallen trees:

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

They call it the “Paris of the South.” Quite a nickname for Asheville, North Carolina—though one can see a resemblance. Art museums and galleries are around every corner. The architecture is stately and varied, a mix of neoclassical, Romanesque revival, art deco, Beaux-Arts, Gothic, and Spanish Renaissance. And the food scene? Spectacular, both award winning and true to its Appalachian roots.

Downtown Asheville serves as the gateway to the city, where several James Beard Award–winning chefs and restaurants—Katie Button (Cúrate), Meherwan Irani (Chai Pani), and John Fleer (Rhubarb), to name a few—are concentrated in one area. The Citizen-Times building, built in 1939, is now the site of Citizen Vinyl, where you can listen to records and sip coffee or a cocktail at Session cafe. On a Friday night when the weather’s warm, dance at the Drum Circle in Pritchard Park and you’ll truly understand the appeal.

Once you’ve experienced downtown, so many other enclaves, each with their own personality and vibe, are worth exploring. Here are seven of our favorite Asheville neighborhoods to visit on your next trip.

River Arts District

In the late 1800s, RAD (River Arts District) was the booming industrial center of Asheville, home to stockyards, Hans Rees & Sons tanneries, Asheville Cotton Mills, and meat processing plants near the French Broad River. By the late 19th century, Western North Carolina Railroad laid tracks along the river, and the area became a coveted waterfront destination. Tragically, by the 1940s after a series of floods, businesses and residents abandoned the area to seek higher land.

In the 1970s artists began to move into abandoned buildings—cheap rent, a bohemian tale as old as time—and the area slowly became a creative haven. After 12 Bones Smokehouse and New Belgium set up shop here, RAD became a vibrant hub for artists, innovative businesses, restaurants, breweries, and more. On the Second Saturday of each month, the River Arts District holds gallery walks with workshops, live music, and winetastings.

Riverview Station is a once-vacant, multiuse space that’s now home to more than 60 artists, galleries, and small businesses, including Newstock Food Studio, where pastry chef Ashley Capps and her husband bake beloved cinnamon rolls and pastries. And there’s never a wrong time for a hot chocolate at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge.

The Radical Hotel recently took up residence in a former five-story warehouse. It’s ideal for a home base for the weekend, especially if you have one too many Roof Is On Fire cocktails (with jalapeño-infused tequila, mango, passion fruit, and lime) at the rooftop bar. Other must-eat-and-drink stops are the Bull and Beggar (the burger never disappoints), RosaBees for Hawaiian food (the poke bowl is a favorite!), All Souls Pizza (with a great outdoor space and wine list, and obviously pizza), Vivian (where Vivian’s steak is a must-have), and Pl?b Urban Winery (wine made with native North Carolina grapes).

West Asheville

Haywood Road, West Asheville’s main street, has been intact since the 1880s, when it was a prominent commercial corridor running to the River Arts District. Today, it’s home to local indie shops and businesses. Locals love this neighborhood, in part because it’s so close to downtown, but also for its mix of bookstores, dive bars, vintage shops, music venues, hip restaurants, and breweries.

At Fleetwood’s Chapel, you can get married, drink a beer, and scour for vintage finds (ahem, perhaps a wedding dress?!) in one space. Down the street is One World West where live music and offbeat beers like Legacy Lager-Mexican Corn Lager and Ashevegas Pale Ale await. Neng Jr.’s is an 18-seat restaurant by chef Silver Iocovozzi, a second-generation Filipino serving up pork belly and the most delicious, chewy, hand-pulled noodles. Laid-back Leo’s House of Thirst has exceptional natural wines from around the world, including some on tap (don’t miss Tap Tuesdays where all bottles are $25). Tastee Diner, a diner-meets-dive bar, focuses on local ingredients (i.e., the chopped cheese, originating in New York City, comes with local Shipley Farms Beef); and so many cool shops like Bagatelle Books, Wildflowers Vintage, Flora, and Melona.

The Block

In the east end of downtown, the predominantly Black neighborhood the Block prospered from the early 1900s through the Great Depression, attracting headliners like Louis Armstrong to the neighborhood’s juke joints. Thanks to a recent revival, the Block has transformed into more than just a business district. At its heart, the YMI Cultural Center, originally founded as the Young Men’s Institute in 1893 by businessman Isaac Dickson and educator Dr. Edward S. Stephens, remains the neighborhood’s anchor.

The YMI stands as a resilient cultural center for Asheville’s Black community, offering a business incubation program that supports Black entrepreneurs. Check out Noir Collective AVL, a boutique and art gallery where owner Ajax Ravenel gives Black makers in the city a collective place to sell items like art, incense, and books. Take a “Hood Tour” with social entrepreneur, veteran, and visual and performing artist DeWayne Barton to view the past, present, and future of African Americans in Asheville. Or dine at Benne on Eagle, a restaurant that highlights the culinary heritage of the Appalachians and the African diaspora, demonstrating how ingredients and dishes developed during the transatlantic slave trades from the 1500s to the 1800s still shape food traditions.

Montford historic area

Historic Montford has a bit of everything when it comes to architectural styles—Victorian, Queen Anne, arts and crafts—reflecting Asheville’s cosmopolitan character during the early 20th century. In this neighborhood it’s wise to wear walking shoes and wander; a portion of Montford is a National Register Historic District with more than 600 buildings constructed between 1890 and 1920. Architect Richard Sharp Smith, known for his work on the Biltmore Estate, worked on many of the homes you’ll pass here. The neighborhood is also home to the Montford Park Players (there’s an annual Shakespeare Festival) and the resting place of literary legends Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry in Riverside Cemetery. LaZoom Comedy Bus Tour is always recommended (lots of laughs, lots of history), and the Montford Rooftop Bar is a great place to end the day with sunset views.

The “Wellness Block”

Leave it to Asheville’s yoga and well-being community to create an entire wellness district. Visitors usually aren’t familiar with it, but the “Wellness Block” that spills over and around Liberty Street, Central Avenue, Orange Street, and Chestnut Street is worth seeking out. Stay at the Chestnut Street Inn, where owner Emilie Kapp has the best tips and tricks for navigating your own personal Asheville. The Asheville Yoga Center—a community yoga studio that offers more than 100 weekly classes, teacher training, events, and workshops—is the lifeblood of the area. The Ayurvedic Institute, Lighten Up Massage and Body Work, and Asheville Salt Cave are local favorites, as is the Pulp + Sprout Juice Bar + Vegan Cafe where you can sip bone broth unironically pre- or post-massage or yoga class.

South Slope

South Slope, formerly a predominantly African American community next to Southside, evolved from an industrial center in the early 1900s. In recent years it’s been dubbed Asheville’s “brewery district.” A concentrated number of craft breweries are within walking distance from each other. Do a self-guided tour and venture among Burial Beer Co., Hi-Wire Brewing, Wicked Weed Funkatorium (famous sours and awesome food), Catawba Brewing Company, Green Man Brewery, Terra Nova Beer Co., Asheville Pizza and Brewing, and Twin Leaf Brewing. Non–beer drinkers can appreciate Antidote at Chemist Spirits and Urban Orchard Cider Co.

Biltmore Village

In 1888, during the Gilded Age, George W. Vanderbilt arrived in Asheville and was captivated by its beauty. He bought 125,000 acres of land and started designing his dream country estate, the Biltmore. (Vanderbilt combined “Bildt,” his ancestors’ Dutch surname, with “more” for the now famous name.) Architect Richard Morris Hunt and Frederick Law Olmsted labored together to conceive the 250-room château and grounds, which included a village at the estate’s entrance to accommodate all the staff working on the property.

Biltmore Village came to life as one of the first known planned communities in the USA where residents could live and work, with essentials like a school, shops, and post office. It was officially incorporated into the City of Asheville in the early 20th century and is now a sought-after destination for its shops, restaurants, and old English village vibe. You can stay in Biltmore Village at the Grand Bohemian Asheville, Autograph Collection, or just down the way at the four-star Village Hotel or private historic Cottages on Biltmore Estate. Take advantage of private tours of the estate’s winery. The village holds one of Asheville’s best-kept-secrets, Eda Rhyne Distillery, making small batch Appalachian fernet and nocino with locally foraged ingredients.

Jenn Rice is a nomadic food and travel journalist with over a decade of international digital and print experience as a writer. She currently splits time between the Southeast and Europe and her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Vogue, The Washington Post, Thrillist, Eater Carolinas, and more.

For years the North Carolina mountain city Asheville was known for its craft beer and fall foliage (thanks to its Blue Ridge Mountain highs), but of late, the city has outgrown the clichés to become a multicultural, year-round destination for travelers. The food scene is booming—and award winning—and Asheville’s neighborhoods overflow with festivals: Celtic, Black, Latinx, and a lively Pride; along with an annual event named for the city’s most beloved condiment and an all-things-bread fest.

As you explore these festivals, you’ll not only savor the flavors and sounds of the city but also experience the warmth and inclusivity of the mountain community. So mark your 2024 calendars and plan a trip to Asheville with these events in mind.

Asheville Celtic Festival

In the dead of winter, the Asheville Celtic Festival shakes things up with the essence of the Seven Celtic Nations (Brittany, Cornwall, Galicia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland, and Wales) in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’ll feel like a step back in time with characters dressed in c. 1700s period costumes. At the Davis Center at the WNC Agricultural Center, warm the soul with two days of live Celtic folk music, Celtic crafts, armored sword fighting, traditional Irish step dancing, and many more traditions steeped in each Celtic heritage.

Asheville Bread Festival

If carbs are your thing, then this is the festival for you. Come to the Asheville Bread Festival hungry and indulge in bagels, the perfect sourdough loaf, Spanish-style laminated pastries, baguettes, croissants, and even a few gluten-free options. As the first of its kind in the Southeast (yes, there are bread festivals abundant throughout Europe), the festival leans into the making as much as the eating, with some of the country’s most respected bakers joining the show. In 2023 Lionel Vatinet, a French master baker at La Farm in Cary, N.C., and Peter Reinhart, a baker, author, and one of the world’s leading authorities on bread, were some of the top talents in attendance. The two-day event brings together local farmers, millers, and bakers who break bread and divulge skills, and hands-on workshops and lectures about grains and breadmaking.

LEAF Global Arts Festival

“Leaf peeping” is a popular affair in the Blue Ridge Mountains but this is not what you’re thinking. LEAF Global Arts Festival, which uses an acronym for the Lake Eden Arts Festival, has taken place twice a year since 1995 and proves to hold its golden reputation for one of the best festivals in the Southeast. It’s best described as a party in the woods, with folks jamming, singing, performing, and dancing around the lake. The nonprofit organization was originally established to bring the community together through music and arts, both local and global, with educational programs, events, and mentoring. Participants can groove to the music, learn a new skill from one of the countless workshops, and camp under the stars with friends.

GRINDfest

“Let’s show the world that the celebration is louder than the pain and the future is brighter than the past,” the festival’s site reads. A newer event in the city, GRINDfest is a three-day gathering of Black entrepreneurs and business owners in a block party–style event at 8 Rivers Arts Place. Last year, OutKast’s Big Boi and rapper Waka Flocka Flame performed and festival goers were also invited to screen Black in Asheville, a documentary produced by Asheville community elder Todd Gragg documenting the Black experience here, from the Antebellum period to present day, through interviews with local historians and residents. There’s Poetry Slam, a Black Wall Street AVL marketplace, “extreme hip-hop aerobics,” Black Asheville storytime with the elder residents, cooking classes, a standout entrepreneurship lunch, and lots of delicious food.

Blue Ridge Pride Festival

The largest LGBTQ pride festival in western North Carolina, attracting upwards of 15,000 people, the Blue Ridge Pride Festival is a testament to the city’s “come as you are” vibe: one big, inclusive, very fun party in downtown Asheville’s Pack Square Park. More than 100 vendors set up shop, and the entertainment starts early with a dedicated kids area, live music all day, pool parties, a Silent Disco, and—perhaps the highlight of the festival—an annual Drag Pageant where contestants compete for the title of Miss/Mr./Mx. Blue Ridge Pride. The festival’s mission is to advocate, celebrate, educate, and serve, and it hits all its marks. Your cheeks will be tired from smiling nonstop.

Hola Asheville

Hosted by Hola Carolina, an Asheville-based nonprofit, this multi-day festival pays tribute to the city’s Latinx community through food, art, dance, and community togetherness. Try dishes inspired by Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela; dance the salsa, bachata, zamba, tango, or merengue; and shop handmade goods from local artisans. Last year’s highlights include comedian Nélida López-Fernández, a community Zumba class, and Chilean reggae band Petah Iah and The Mind Renewing. This Asheville-based nonprofit is vital to the Latinx community, distributing Spanish news and sustaining the Hola Community Food Bank, VAMOS Carolina transportation services, and the Latino Economic Empowerment Program. Eat and dance your way through Pack Square Park while giving back to the community.

LoveShinePlay

LoveShinePlay yoga festival, established in 2016, unites yogis, artists, friends, and crafters in the heart of Downtown Asheville. The expansive four-day schedule includes more than 70 styles of offerings: Bhakti and anatomy, Kundalini and Yin, and of course, lots of yoga. By day, world-class presenters offer everything from “yin yoga and story time” to practical astrology. During down time, participants can enjoy evening concerts, hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and stand-up paddleboarding on the French Broad River. Mountain Air Market—where more than 65 vendors hawk herbs, bodycare, amazing teas and health elixirs, and yoga apparel brands—is the hub of the festival. It’s often considered a reunion for yogis who will meet at the same time, same place, each year.

Mountain Dance and Folk Festival

Bascom Lamar Lunsford, a folklorist and lawyer from Western North Carolina, started Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in 1928 and it’s the oldest fest of its kind in the country. He wanted locals and visitors to appreciate the music and dance that’s a hallmark of Southern Appalachia, and to showcase the best Appalachian singers, string bands, and square dancers around. Each night, the songs and dances reflect the diverse cultural heritage of the Great Smokies and Blue Ridge Mountains with influences from Scottish, English, Irish, Cherokee, and African tradition—and showcase the talent and dedication of hundreds of musicians, dancers, and storytellers at Lipinsky Hall on the campus of UNC Asheville. It’s truly one-of-a-kind.

Chow Chow

When Chow Chow made its debut in 2019, Nobel Peace Prize–nominated chef José Andrés showed up to cook an oversized paella in a park—a testament for his appreciation of the community and tight friendship with chef Katie Button. The festival was originally founded by James Beard Award–winning chefs Button, Meherwan Irani, and John Fleer, plus East Fork Pottery’s co-founder Connie Matisse, and has since evolved into a really fun, educational few days showcasing the culinary landscape of Southern Appalachia.

Named after the iconic pickled relish, chow chow, native to Southern Appalachia, the festival’s focuses on the abundance of produce, purveyors, makers, chefs, and bakers in the creative economy—and it goes above and beyond sampling food and spirits. Go foraging for ingredients with a local chef, learn about the spiritual significance of a community Fish Fry, and even visit local farms to see some of the city’s prized purveyors. The festival has “pay what you can” events to encourage locals and visitors of all ages and backgrounds to participate.

Jenn Rice is a nomadic food and travel journalist with over a decade of international digital and print experience as a writer. She currently splits time between the Southeast and Europe and her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Vogue, The Washington Post, Thrillist, Eater Carolinas, and more.

Continues to execute external growth strategy with addition of open-air shopping center in popular tourism-focused market

GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger^® (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale, open-air shopping centers, announced today that it has acquired its 38th shopping center, Asheville Outlets, as part of the continued execution of the company's external growth strategy. Tanger acquired the center for $70 million in an all-cash, off-market transaction, leveraging the company's platform and utilizing its cash holdings and strong balance sheet to create value for all stakeholders. Asheville Outlets is the second fully owned addition to Tanger's outlet portfolio this quarter, following the grand opening of Tanger Outlets Nashville in Tennessee last month.

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Asheville Outlets is a 382,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center located in the popular tourist market of Asheville, North Carolina. The established center is currently 95 percent occupied by a diverse mix of brands that includes leading home furnishings providers as well as iconic apparel, footwear and accessories brands. Management expects the center to deliver a first-year return in the mid-eight percent range, with potential for additional growth over time.

"We are excited to add Asheville Outlets to the Tanger portfolio. Asheville is a dynamic and growing market with outsized potential," said Stephen Yalof, President and CEO of Tanger. "Asheville Outlets is the dominant shopping experience in the market and will benefit from the rapidly growing residential population and tourist visits for years to come. As part of the Tanger platform, we will drive additional value by increasing center productivity through selective re-merchandising, elevating the center's food and beverage offerings and adding high performing retail partners."

Asheville Outlets' mix of 70 stores includes top apparel and footwear brands such as Nike, Under Armour, American Eagle, COACH, J.Crew, Vera Bradley, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Bath & Body Works, as well as national home furnishings providers including RH, West Elm, Crate & Barrel and Le Creuset. The center also offers two attractive anchor department stores, including Sportsman's Warehouse and a separately-owned Dillard's Clearance Center.

Asheville Outlets benefits from proximity to the area's top attractions, including The Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Grove Park Inn and North Carolina Arboretum. Asheville also boasts a vibrant arts community and renowned music scene and was named the No. 1 Food Destination in the U.S. in 2022 by Travel + Leisure magazine. Earlier this year, the Asheville Regional Airport commenced a $400 million dollar expansion of its passenger terminal that will increase capacity by 150%, to better accommodate the rapidly growing city's more than 12 million annual visitors. To capitalize on Asheville's desirable blend of tourist attractions and outdoor lifestyle, the shopping center at Asheville Outlets was fully redeveloped and converted by the seller in 2015 from an indoor regional mall to the open-air outlet shopping center it is today.

Tanger will officially transition the center to become Tanger Outlets Asheville in early January 2024, leveraging the Tanger name, brand and platform to further strengthen leasing, sales and traffic for the center. Center guests can continue to expect access to community-centric programming and events, which will be expanded to include Tanger's national charitable initiatives such as TangerKids and TangerPink, as well as best-in-class operations for wellness, security and sustainability to support the Asheville community.

For more information, please visit tanger.com/asheville.

About Tanger^® Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, fully or partially owns and/or manages a portfolio of 38 shopping centers in 20 U.S. states and Canada. Tanger's centers comprise over 14 million square feet and are leased to over 3,000 stores operated by more than 700 different brand name companies. Tanger has more than 42 years of experience in the outlet industry and has been a publicly traded REIT since 1993. For more information on Tanger, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit tanger.com.

Safe Harbor StatementThis news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with the safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company's future plans, strategies and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "will," "forecast" or similar expressions, and include the Company's expectations regarding future financial results and assumptions underlying that guidance, long-term growth, trends in retail traffic and tenant revenues, development initiatives and strategic partnerships, the anticipated impact of the Company's newly-opened Nashville development and related costs and anticipated yield, expectations regarding operational metrics, renewal trends, new revenue streams, its strategy and value proposition to retailers, participation in upcoming events, uses of and efforts to reduce costs of capital, liquidity, dividend payments and cash flows.

You should not rely on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could materially affect our actual results, performance or achievements. Important factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: our inability to develop new outlet centers or expand existing outlet centers successfully; risks related to the economic performance and market value of our outlet centers; the relative illiquidity of real property investments; impairment charges affecting our properties; our dispositions of assets may not achieve anticipated results; competition for the acquisition and development of outlet centers, and our inability to complete outlet centers we may identify; environmental regulations affecting our business; risks associated with possible terrorist activity or other acts or threats of violence and threats to public safety; risks related to the impact of macroeconomic conditions, including rising interest rates and inflation, on our tenants and on our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and compliance with debt covenants; our dependence on rental income from real property; our dependence on the results of operations of our retailers and their bankruptcy, early termination or closing could adversely affect us; the fact that certain of our properties are subject to ownership interests held by third parties, whose interests may conflict with ours; risks related to climate change; increased costs and reputational harm associated with the increased focus on environmental, sustainability and social initiatives; risks related to uninsured losses; the risk that consumer, travel, shopping and spending habits may change; risks associated with our Canadian investments; risks associated with attracting and retaining key personnel; risks associated with debt financing; risks associated with our guarantees of debt for, or other support we may provide to, joint venture properties; the effectiveness of our interest rate hedging arrangements; uncertainty relating to the potential phasing out of LIBOR; our potential failure to qualify as a REIT; our legal obligation to make distributions to our shareholders; legislative or regulatory actions that could adversely affect our shareholders, including the recent changes in the U.S. federal income taxation of U.S. businesses; our dependence on distributions from the Operating Partnership to meet our financial obligations, including dividends; the risk of a cyber-attack or an act of cyber-terrorism and other important factors set forth under Item 1A - "Risk Factors" in the Company's and the Operating Partnership's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as may be updated or supplemented in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the Company's other filings with the SEC. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the Company's expectations will be realized. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised to refer to any further disclosures the Company makes or related subjects in the Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K that the Company files with the SEC.

Media ContactKasie WilsonKWT Global[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact Doug McDonaldSVP, Finance and Capital Markets(336) 856-6066[email protected]

SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.