Local Politics · Buncombe County
Buncombe County recorded 96,838 early-vote ballots before Election Day, setting a midterm record well above the prior high of 78,000 in 2018, according to Elections Director Corrine Duncan. The busiest early-voting sites were South Buncombe Library and the Weaverville Community Center. Polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and voters must go to their designated precinct location with an acceptable photo ID. Same-day registration will not be available on Election Day; sample ballots are available through the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
Crime · Buncombe County
The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office arrested Maurice Montrell Harris, Jr. on Monday, Nov. 2, charging him with first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. This arrest marks the third suspect detained in connection with the fatal shooting of two men at Pine Needle Apartments in Arden on Oct. 24. Authorities previously charged Tyquan Jahlil Ward and Keith Harold Mooney Jr. with similar offenses following the incident that left Joshua Sanchez Ramirez and Darion Armon Smith dead.
Social Events · Asheville, NC
On Monday, Nov. 2, approximately 50 Biltmore House employees raised a 35-foot Fraser fir weighing roughly 2,500 pounds into the mansion's Banquet Hall ahead of the estate's annual holiday season. The tree, sourced from Andrew's Nursery in Avery County, is 2 to 3 feet taller than usual this year. "Christmas at Biltmore" opens to visitors on Tuesday, Nov. 3, featuring a European-inspired display with antique silver tones, platinum accents and large red jingle bells. The holiday celebration runs through Jan. 10, 2027.
