Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys in Asheville, NC

Welcome to Small Business Spotlight, our celebration of the ingenuity and innovation of small business owners across the country. From well-established restaurants to brand-new specialty stores and everything in between, these businesses—and the hardworking proprietors at their helm—are truly an inspiration.

It's hard to describe what makes Asheville so special. But if I had to name something, it would be the people. Sure, the landscape is breathtaking, with the ever-present mountains, towering trees, and an abundance of wildlife, but the community you'll find in Asheville is unmatched. This became strikingly clear during Hurricane Helene. It was the community that carried the town through its devastation, tragedy, and grieving.

If you're looking for a place that embodies Asheville's special, tight-knit community, I invite you to visit Hole Doughnuts. From a distance, it may seem like a popular tourist spot; there's often a line at the door, and plenty of folks are visiting from out of town. But stay a bit longer, and you'll meet the warm, kind-hearted staff that knows its regular customers by name and is committed to serving the best donuts around.

I remember my first visit to Hole Doughnuts. It was an overcast Sunday morning, and my husband and I walked into the modest storefront in the West Asheville neighborhood. We stepped up to the counter and ordered a couple of coffees and a few donuts to try. The coffee was served immediately, and we sat at a small table while our donuts were being crafted—by hand—just behind the counter. Then they were served to us, piping hot, just out of the fryer. Since that moment, I've yet to find another donut that's even come close.

A bit of backstory: Hole Doughnuts was established in 2014, and the current co-owners, Hallee Hirsh and Ryan Martin, began operating the business in 2016, opening their neighborhood shop in an 800-square-foot space on Haywood Avenue. That same year, Hole was voted "Best Dessert" by Bon Appetit. Fast forward to today, and the business is a staple of Asheville eats.

You may be wondering: What makes these donuts so amazing? In my opinion, it's a combination of quality and creativity. The donuts are crafted from a single-yeasted dough recipe that incorporates organic stone-ground flour from the nearby Lindley Mills. From there, it's a few more simple ingredients— namely, organic unrefined cane sugar, cage-free eggs, whole butter, and a non-GMO rice bran oil for frying. The result? Melt-in-your-mouth donuts that are crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Magic.

On the menu, there are four flavors to choose from at any given time: vanilla glazed, toasted almond sesame cinnamon, and a weekly special. The specials are where Hole's creativity really shines. Flavors could include matcha, lemon poppyseed, or blueberry goat cheese. The specials are almost always seasonal, inspired by what's growing locally. If you're visiting with a group, go ahead and order a baker's dozen, a pizza box filled with 13 donuts of your choice.

The inside of the shop is just as warm and inviting as the donuts themselves. It's a busy, bustling place, even in the middle of the week, but the operation runs seamlessly. Plus, with a local coffee in hand, you really won't mind the wait. Community tables are set up inside, so you'll likely drum up conversation with your neighbor. It's all part of the experience!

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Hole Donuts (like many businesses in Asheville) lost its water and was forced to close for an extended period. Laurie Crosswell, one of the shop's always-smiling co-owners, shared a message of strength after the shop re-opened. "We are survivors. This city is resilient and full of so much love," she shared via Hole's Instagram page in November 2024. Hole collected donations from its fans across the country to distribute to its staff until they could re-open again. After about five weeks, the shop reopened, much to the delight of residents and visitors alike.

If you have the chance to travel to western North Carolina, stop by Hole Doughnuts to experience love in donut form. This alchemy of community, craft, and love creates a truly magical experience.

For more information about this iconic Asheville destination, be sure to visit the official Hole Doughnuts website. And here's a place to stay in Asheville if you're traveling from out of town.

With much of Western North Carolina under moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions, wildfires are burning in the region.

The largest fires in WNC were the Deep Woods and Black Cove fires in Polk County not far from Hendersonville, that forced evacuations and were burning over a combined 4,621 acres with 0% containment as of the evening of March 23.

There also was a fire in Burke County, just east of WNC. And the Persimmon Ridge and Table Rock fires have consumed 2,100 acres in the South Carolina Upstate.

North Carolina wildfires map

Stay up to date with the location and size of fires with our North Carolina wildfire and smoke map. The map is interactive, is updated hourly and provides detailed information on each fire.

Burn bans in Western NC

A burn ban is in place for all of North Carolina.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park also has issued a burn ban.

Todd Runkle is the Carolinas Connect editor and also a trending news editor for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected].

FARMVILLE, Va. - UNC Asheville Women's Tennis rolled past Longwood 6-1 in Big South Conference action on Saturday (Mar. 22).

Asheville picked up one win in doubles play with Luise van Rensburg and Ari Siegel beating Phoebe Mitchell and Oriana Izarra 6-4 at No. 3, before Asheville would sweep singles play for the win.

Keira Stewart started things off at No. 5 with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Alexandra Magia, before Elizabeth Tindera beat Izarra 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3. Alexis Nyborg beat Karina Riznavova 6-4, 6-4 at No. 1, before Valeria Centeno would beat Elizaveta Gnilozubova 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 6. Louise Booker would beat Mitchell 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4, before Angelina Joy Hug closed things out with a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) win over Feline van Ejkelenburgh at No. 2.

Doubles Competition 1. GNILOZUBOVA,E/RIZVANOVA,Karina (LU) def. Angelina Joy Hug/Elizabeth Tindera (AVL) 7-5 2. MAGIA,Alexandra/VAN EIJKELENBURG,F (LU) def. Avery Sager/Valeria Centeno (AVL) 6-3 3. Luise van Rensburg/Ari Siegel (AVL) def. MITCHELL,Phoebe/IZARRA,Oriana (LU) 6-4

Singles Competition 1. Alexis Nyborg (AVL) def. RIZVANOVA,Karina (LU) 6-4, 6-4 2. Angelina Joy Hug (AVL) def. VAN EIJKELENBURG,F (LU) 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) 3. Elizabeth Tindera (AVL) def. IZARRA,Oriana (LU) 6-1, 6-1 4. Louise Booker (AVL) def. MITCHELL,Phoebe (LU) 1-6, 6-4, 0-0, 6-2 5. Keira Stewart (AVL) def. MAGIA,Alexandra (LU) 6-4, 6-0 6. Valeria Centeno (AVL) def. GNILOZUBOVA,E (LU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-1

The Bulldogs (9-5, 1-0 Big South Conference) return to action next Wednesday (Mar. 26) to host Gardner-Webb in conference action. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m. from the Asheville Racquet Club Downtown.

About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank

First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - A late-inning rally fell short for UNC Asheville Baseball against Longwood on Saturday (Mar. 22) at Greenwood Field, with Longwood winning the game 9-7.

Longwood built a 4-0 lead through the first three and a half innings, before Asheville got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Patrick Gillen singled through the right side to bring home Brock Mercado. Asheville would get two runs back in the sixth to get back within 4-3 when Blaize Johnson launched his third home run as a Bulldog to right field to score Gillen. Longwood would add two runs in the top half of the seventh, before Asheville would get one back on a Rylen Stockton RBI single that scored Logan Lowe. Longwood would tack on three more in the top of the eighth, while Asheville scored three in the bottom of the ninth to bring the game to its final score. Stockton was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, before advancing to second on an error in the Longwood infield. Gillen would single to right center to load the bases moving Stockton to third and Brock Mercado to second, before a groundout by Johnson brought Stockton home and moved the other two up a base. Canon Pierce would come up big and poke a single through the right side to score Mercado and Gillen, before Longwood would record outs to secure the win.

Gillen paced the Bulldogs matching his career-high with three hits in the game, while Lowe and Pierce each had two hits and Corbin Lanowitz, Stockton, Mercado, Johnson and Charlie Stogner each recorded one hit in the game. Mercado and Gillen each scored twice in the game, while Lowe, Stockton and Johnson each scored one run in the game. Johnson drove in a career-high three runs in the game, while Pierce matched his career-high with two RBI in the game and Stockton and Gillen each drove in one run. Shea Walker (0-2) took the loss on the bump, allowing two runs on four hits in his start with one walk and one strikeout. Garrett Crum shouldered the load out of the bullpen firing 5.2 innings allowing four runs, three earned on six hits with two walks and a career-high six strikeouts. Branden Barna handled two innings of relief allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and one strikeout, while Zachary Gaydos also handled Asheville's final defensive out on the day.

The Bulldogs return to Greenwood Field tomorrow (Sunday, Mar. 23) for the series finale. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. from Greenwood Field with video and live stats available at www.uncabulldogs.com.

A reminder that admission to all UNC Asheville Baseball games at Greenwood Field is free courtesy of Ingles!

This story was updated with new information.

GREEN RIVER – Plumes of smoke lifted from the Green River Cove as helicopters with balloon-like water-filled “Bambi Buckets” flew above the Green River Valley. With only one access point to two wildfires totaling over 2,000 acres in Polk County, firefighters from across the nation are racing to navigate infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storm Helene to build new fire lines and protect residents.

Both the Deep Woods Fire and the Black Cove Fire in Polk County — together totaling 2,969 acres, according to the latest March 22 update from the N.C. Forest Service — are burning in the Green River Cove, a valleyed stretch of the Green River typically busy with paddlers and tubers during the summer months. Several stretches of Green River Cove Road, which follows the river, had been entirely flooded during Helene, leaving dusty, muddy beaches on once-forested riverbanks.

As of March 22, Green River Cove Road — the primary access for emergency workers responding to the fires — only has one entrance point.

"It's basically trying to make order out of chaos," North Carolina Forest Service spokesperson E.J. Dwigans said of firefighting in the cove. Some firefighters had arrived from as far as Montana to help fight the fires, Dwigans said.

In recent months, parts of the road have seen major repairs, including the installation of a new bridge for resident access. However, the secondary entrance point for the cove, which includes a series of switchbacks descending into the valley, was entirely wiped out during the storm and has not been repaired. It means the road is only accessible from one entry point near Silver Creek Baptist Church. The road is currently closed to those who aren't responding to the fires and are not residents along the road.

Storm debris along older access roads leading to fire sites must be cleared and closed off. Rough terrain has made establishing fire lines difficult as the fires threaten communities already hit by Helene. It means the Green River community could see “one disaster after another," Dwigans said.

A statewide burn ban issued March 21 by the N.C. Forest Service remains in place.

The morning of March 22, the Black Cove Fire had burned into a section of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission game land all the way to the Green River. Along the eastern portion of the cove, the Deep Woods Fire continued to burn down the mountain toward the river. The fires left plumes of thick smoke along Lake Adger in the morning.

The morning into the afternoon of March 22, the N.C. Forest Service was using drones and planes to track fire growth, Dwigans said.

Due to higher winds and dry conditions, both fires had jumped to over 1,000 acres in size on March 21, with the Deep Woods Fire tripling in size in a matter of hours. Both fires started on March 19. The 1,239-acre Black Cove Fire started from a downed power line, while the cause of the 1,730-acre Deep Woods Fire remains under investigation. As of the N.C. Forest Service's last update, both were at 0% containment.

Another fire, the 199-acre Fish Hook Fire near Lake Adger, had burned down three houses and a garage, but was reported on March 22 as being 50% contained.

On March 21, Polk County Emergency Management issued mandatory evacuation orders for the Piney Gate area. As of March 22 at 4:10 p.m. the evacuation order was still in place for the following roads:

If new evacuation orders are issued, emergency alerts will be pushed to all phones in the cove and emergency responders will move door to door to alert residents, Polk County spokesperson Kellie Cannon told the Citizen Times. A public meeting on the fires will be held at the Womack Building at 40 Courtshouse St. in Columbus at 2 p.m. March 23, the county announced on social media.

Dry weather incoming

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality in Raleigh issued a Code Red Air Quality alert in Polk County on March 21 due to smoke and flaky ash from the fires blowing around the county. That smoke has spread to Rutherford County, which is under a Code Orange alert.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Steve Wilkinson said that conditions heading into the week of March 24 are “going to be dry,” though relative humidity will rise the evening of March 23, possibly bringing rain — though not much. Wilkinson estimated total rainfall could be around 0.1 inch.

Wilkinson said wind in the area on March 22, which was predicted to be around 14 mph with a high of 28 mph, would be lighter by March 23 at around 5-10 mph, meaning a lower chance the fires would spread quickly.

The weather service had issued a Red Flag Warning for several counties across Western North Carolina, indicating a high fire danger for the region. That warning is expected to expire the evening of March 22, though high fire danger conditions will continue.

Polk County resident resources

A shelter for those who may have to evacuate after the fires has been set up at 75 Carmel Lane in Columbus. Only two families have checked in after the fires started on March 19, Red Cross employee Brian Delmas said.

The county's Animal Services is available to help with the evacuation of pets or large animals. For those who need help loading, trailering, transporting or housing large animals or are evacuating and need a place for pets, can call Patti Lovelace at 828-817-7984.

The county is collecting donations for families who lost their homes and for the firefighters responding to the fire. Donations can be brought to the following locations: Foothills Community Church at 2720 Landrum Road in Columbus and Friendship Baptist Church at Friendship Church Road in Saluda. Officials ask that donations not be dropped off at local fire stations, as it distracts firefighters from their important tasks.

Bottled water, sports drinks, and powered drink mixes, along with snack items, are the biggest needs since they are quick and easy for fire fighters to consume while working, the county's social media said.

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at [email protected]. Consider supporting this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.