Entertainment

2 days ago in Arts & Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Local, Perspectives

‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is cute, copy-and-paste ‘Star Wars’

The first new "Star Wars" movie in seven years is here! While far, far away from the galaxy's best "Star Wars" flick, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" offers up cuteness in overdrive.

2 days ago in Entertainment

The game’s afoot as armchair detectives mark Sherlock Holmes Day

From 221B Baker Street in central London to a cliffside waterfall in the Swiss Alps, generations of armchair detectives are celebrating International Sherlock Holmes Day on Friday.

2 days ago in Entertainment, Trending

Paul McCartney helps Stephen Colbert say goodbye to ‘The Late Show’ in ambitious final show

Stephen Colbert chatted with Paul McCartney and joined him on stage for a raucous performance of "Hello, Goodbye" on the final broadcast of CBS' "The Late Show" on Thursday night, a bittersweet farewell for a canceled show that still had a few barbs left for the network that ended its 33-year run.

3 days ago in Entertainment

Rami Malek explores art, love and death in Ira Sachs’ Cannes entry ‘The Man I Love’

In Ira Sachs' 1980s-set drama "The Man I Love," Rami Malek finds the most well-tailored role since his Oscar-winning portrayal of Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody."

3 days ago in Entertainment, Local

Things to do in Asheville and WNC: May 22-25

Memorial Day weekend events in Asheville and Western North Carolina include White Squirrel Weekend in Brevard, an arts festival in downtown Asheville, family-friendly events, outdoor activities and live music.

4 days ago in Entertainment

As ‘The Boys’ ends, actors reveal their craziest stunts and what’s next for Vought

After five seasons of death, depravity and digs at the capitalistic superhero-industrial complex, "The Boys" dropped its series finale Wednesday.

National

2 days ago in National

FDA staff blindsided by move allowing more e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches onto US market

Senior officials in the Food and Drug Administration's tobacco center were blindsided by a recent decision that opens the door to allowing more unauthorized electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches onto the U.S. market, The Associated Press has learned.

5 days ago in National

What to watch in Tuesday’s primaries as Trump’s endorsement is put to the test

Is there a future in politics for Republicans who cross President Donald Trump? The signs this year suggest no, and Trump has convinced his voters to defeat his adversaries again and again.

2 weeks ago in National, Trending

Prosecutors to retry Alex Murdaugh in deaths of wife and son after high court overturned convictions

Alex Murdaugh's murder convictions and life sentence for the deaths of his wife and son were overturned Wednesday by the South Carolina Supreme Court because the court clerk at his trial suggested he was guilty. But the disgraced lawyer won't be leaving prison anytime soon.

2 weeks ago in National

Denver airport security missed trespasser who was killed by plane on runway

Workers at Denver airport initially missed a security breach by man who scaled an 8-foot perimeter fence and crossed a runway where he was hit and killed in a fiery collision by a plane with 231 people on board, authorities said Tuesday.

2 weeks ago in National

US consumer prices jump as Iran war sends energy prices rapidly higher

The Labor Department's consumer price index rose 3.8% from April 2025, according to data released Tuesday. On a month-to-month basis, April prices rose 0.6% from March as gasoline prices rose 5.4% during the month; the month-over-month gain was down from 0.9% increase from February to March.

2 weeks ago in National

Hegseth is facing a new round of questioning from Congress on the Iran war and more

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress on Tuesday about the Trump administration's end game for the Iran war, the conflict's costs and its impact on diminishing weapons stockpiles.

World

2 days ago in World

Congo curtails funeral wakes in Ebola outbreak as WHO upgrades risk assessment

Authorities in northeastern Congo banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people Friday in an effort to curb a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in a region where medical workers have struggled with a lack of resources and pushback from angry residents.

4 days ago in World

US announces charges against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro in 1996 aircraft shootdown

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro in the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles as the Trump administration escalated pressure on the island's socialist government.

5 days ago in World

Congo reports sharp rise in Ebola cases as WHO worries about outbreak’s scale and speed

The World Health Organization director-general openly worried Tuesday over the "scale and speed" of an outbreak of a rare type of Ebola in eastern Congo, where authorities reported a sharp increase in suspected deaths — to at least 131 — and over 500 suspected cases.

6 days ago in Trending, World

Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfection

The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has docked at the Dutch port of Rotterdam for disinfection, wrapping up a troubled journey that put international health authorities on alert.

6 days ago in World

Italy’s foreign minister says divers found bodies of 4 Italians dead in Maldives sea cave

Italy's Foreign Ministry said Monday that rescuers have located the bodies of four Italian divers deep inside an underwater cave in an atoll in the Maldives, four days after they were reported missing.

1 week ago in World

A new Ebola outbreak is confirmed in a remote Congo province, with 65 deaths recorded

Africa's top public health body on Friday confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo's remote Ituri province, with 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths recorded so far.

Trending

2 days ago in Entertainment, Trending

Paul McCartney helps Stephen Colbert say goodbye to ‘The Late Show’ in ambitious final show

Stephen Colbert chatted with Paul McCartney and joined him on stage for a raucous performance of "Hello, Goodbye" on the final broadcast of CBS' "The Late Show" on Thursday night, a bittersweet farewell for a canceled show that still had a few barbs left for the network that ended its 33-year run.

2 days ago in Sports, Trending

2-time NASCAR champ Kyle Busch dies at 41 after being hospitalized with a ‘severe illness’

Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than anyone across NASCAR's three national series, has died. He was 41. The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement Thursday saying Busch died after being hospitalized. No cause of death was given.

News from 828NewsNOW

2 hours ago in Local, Politics

Where should you vote early? Buncombe County wants your input

Fresh
Vote here election sign

Residents can weigh in on 2026 early voting locations and hours through June 19 survey

5 hours ago in Local, Native Advertising

Below-normal hurricane season expected in 2026

Officials urge Carolinas residents to stay prepared despite a below-normal outlook, warning that a single hurricane can still cause major damage

8 hours ago in Local, Native Advertising, Outdoors

Blue Ridge Parkway welcomes visitors as 2026 season officially begins

Campgrounds, visitor centers and picnic areas now open; officials urge responsible recreation

19 hours ago in Crime & Safety, Local

Suspect arrested in reported Bent Creek trail attack

Woman told deputies she was assaulted while finishing a run in the popular recreation area

1 day ago in Local, Outdoors

More than 1,300 catfish added to Lake Julian as summer season begins

State wildlife officials complete twice-yearly stocking of Buncombe County lake

1 day ago in Asheville History, Local, Native Advertising

Tombstone Tales: A World War I soldier’s grave in Buncombe County reflects meaning of Memorial Day

Walter Martin died in France during World War I and remained buried overseas for nearly three years before his remains were returned to Buncombe County.

News

2 days ago in Arts & Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Local, Perspectives

‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is cute, copy-and-paste ‘Star Wars’

The first new "Star Wars" movie in seven years is here! While far, far away from the galaxy's best "Star Wars" flick, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" offers up cuteness in overdrive.

4 days ago in Lifestyle

Plastic bags don’t go in the recycling bin. What should you do instead?

Soft, stretchy plastics can make up grocery bags, bubble wrap and more. They're impossible to avoid and harder still to properly dispose of. If thrown in the trash, they can take up to hundreds of years to degrade in landfills and release harmful microplastics into the environment.

4 days ago in Arts & Culture, Community, Lifestyle, Local, On The Town, Outdoors

Memorial Day 2026: Where to attend official ceremonies in WNC

This year, Memorial Day will be held on Monday, May 25, 2026, with several official ceremonies honoring fallen soldiers to be held in Western North Carolina. Find the best location for you.

5 days ago in Arts & Culture, Community, Lifestyle, Local, On The Town, Perspectives

Biltmore, arts, hiking: Tourists explain what brings them to Asheville

Following Tropical Storm Helene, Asheville has struggled to regain its reputation as a premiere tourist destination. Nonetheless, tourists have kept coming. 828newsNOW asked a few visitors what inspired their visits to the Land of the Sky.

Now Playing

 

On the RIVER

Critter Corner

Every Thursday Jordan’s featuring an adoptable animal from Asheville Humane Society in Critter Corner

Homegrown on The River

Listen for tracks from WNC artists and bands.

Studio AVL

Listen to acoustic sessions with Homegrown artists

How to Listen to 98.1 The River

There are many ways to listen to 98.1 The River at home, in your car, or on the go.

Sign Up

Join the River Insiders Club

Homeward Bound of WNC

Homeward Bound of WNC

Features

2 days ago in Features

A proposed additive ban could change New York’s pizza and bagels, some say for the better

After more than a decade of mixing and kneading dough in his family's Brooklyn pizzeria, Salvatore Lo Duca recently made a distressing discovery: A key component of their thin-crust pies, bromated flour, contained a suspected carcinogen already banned in much of the world.

1 month ago in Features

Man who helped fellow runner across Boston Marathon finish line says it was natural instinct to help

One of two men who helped carry a fellow runner across the finish line of the Boston Marathon said he had been struggling earlier himself but drew strength from the supportive crowd.