Special Projects

Student Journalists Carter Evenson Summer Fisher Stephanie Perez Akira Quinn Caleb Rose Ivy Skarda Alex Stahl Instructor Jessica McBride Digital Media Specialist Jeff Loomis This story is part of a semester-long investigative reporting project into the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. It was created by an advanced reporting class in the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies […]

This story is part of a semester-long investigative reporting project into the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. It was created by an advanced reporting class in the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies program at UW-Milwaukee. Other stories from the project are available here. This work was made possible through the support of MPC Endowment Ltd., the […]

Situado en las Montañas Blue Ridge de Carolina del Norte, el pequeño pueblo de Chimney Rock quedó devastado por el paso del huracán Helene, dejando decenas de casas en ruinas cerca del popular destino turístico del lago Lure. En los meses siguientes, iglesias, movidas por su fe, se unieron para apoyar al pueblo, proporcionándole alimentos […]

The city of Asheville is home to around 700 artists. Murals can be found throughout the city, showcasing different works from thousands of minds that have a shared love of art. Now, all of the businesses that were on the opposite side of the train tracks are gone without a trace. The flood waters left […]

Up in the residential neighborhoods of Swannanoa, North Carolina, a family-owned tire shop stands on the corner of North Avenue and Park Street. In the midst of dilapidated, flood-ravaged houses and flattened foundations, stacks of tires and jacked-up cars mark the neighborhood’s one reminder of how things used to be.  A modest town of 5,000 […]

Chimney Rock is a small village in Western North Carolina with around 150 residents, situated in a valley at the base of Chimney Rock State Park. The quaint downtown, lined with storefronts, was a stop for tourists visiting the state park and nearby Lake Lure. When Hurricane Helene hit the area, the downtown was devastated. […]

As Media Milwaukee reporters drive into Barnardsville, North Carolina on an overcast April afternoon, dark clouds roll over the sky and a slight wind picks up. It’s not raining right now, but it will be later. The Ivy Creek that runs through town rolls in the distance, and only grows louder as the reporters pull […]

Harper Leich spent two decades in Asheville, North Carolina, building her life around her passion for painting. Asheville, known for its thriving arts scene, draws creatives from across the country to its River Arts District, a vibrant neighborhood along the French Broad River known for converted warehouses and industrial buildings now housing artists’ studios, galleries, […]

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina — Save the Woods members hosted a community meeting to reinforce their demand to preserve the University of North Carolina-Asheville’s Forest. The gathering, held at the North Asheville Library, aimed to raise awareness about the potential destruction of the university’s 45-acre urban woodland. According to a recent proposal from Chancellor Kimberly van […]

Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and only 12 minutes from Asheville, North Carolina, the small town of Swannanoah faced the power of Hurricane Helene, not standing a chance against the flooded river that swept their homes. Hundreds of people were forced to flee their communities, and hundreds more are living in campers amidst the […]

There’s music in the mountains. With a rich history of folk, Americana and string band music set against the backdrop of the Appalachians, western North Carolina continues to serve as a breeding ground for young artists sustaining the traditions of Southern singer-songwriters.  Music and recreation journalist Grayson Haver Currin knows this better than anyone. A […]

After working out of a cramped apartment for eleven years, stepping into his own studio space was a dream for Colton Dion. Dion is an artist who was born and raised in the Asheville area. He focuses on sculptural painting and canvas work, with an emphasis on traditional landscapes and surrealism. He’s had a love […]