Will Hofmann

G&D reporter @asheville | @USATODAY @BlueRidgeNow

Signal at will_hofmann.01

[Bayliss Wagner @baylisswagner]

BREAKING: @ExpressNews obtained text messages in which an aide to U.S. Rep. @TonyGonzales4TX acknowledged she "had an affair with our boss."

Two sources both said the affair was an "open secret" in the office. The staffer died by suicide last September.

w/@nancypjohnson ⬇️

[Michael Hewlett @mlhewlett]

A thread:
On December 11, Dare County resident Richard Burrus posted a 23-second clip on social media that he claimed showed former Superior Court Judge Jerry Tillett saying the N-word and joking about killing a Black man. 11 days later, SBI agents showed up at his door.

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

https://t.co/m8TR3ozGzf Among the many roads still being repaired from Helene, here's one in Henderson County that is likely to still be closed for years. From George Fabe Russell at Blue Ridge Now/Hendersonville Times-News

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

https://t.co/kU1HLSRmXZ Donations provided to Haven on the Hill have seemingly resulted in the proprietor of the project relisting them on Facebook Marketplace. My latest for @asheville.

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

“All the way to Asheville for a night of Hillbilly music”

NC Local’s @LillyKnoepp has what to know on whether ICE has visited WNC since operation “Charlotte’s Web” began last weekend.

[LillyKnoepp @LillyKnoepp]

I'm following updates on Border Patrol and ICE operations in Western North Carolina. Here's what I know so far for #NCLocal. (Yes, RFK Jr. is part of the story.) https://t.co/awk6UbFEo2

[Mark Barrett @MarkBarrettACT]

FEMA head resigns. Richardson had been hard to reach during Texas floods. We'll have to wait to see what this may mean for #Helene response in #WNC. #ncpol #asheville https://t.co/1keRN0fRca

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

Asheville residents have stayed on alarm over the weekend after the mayor sent a statement indicating the city 'may be a targeted city' in BP/ICE activities. As of Nov. 17, there have been no verified reports of ICE in WNC, per BPR's @JoseSandoval_02

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

https://t.co/K1V38750Oy

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

Rumors of ICE in downtown Asheville near the Restoration might not be accurate. A “politician with a security detail” ate at Tupelo Honey, an employee told me.

There has been some chatter of RFK Jr. in AVL. Not sure if that’s related. #avlpol

[Jacob Biba @jacobbiba]

“It’s the cruelest thing the state of North Carolina has done since I’ve been in this business and I’ve been doing this for 39 years,” Anderson said of the rate cuts. “I’ve never seen us do anything that potentially is more cruel than this.”

https://t.co/arLPfwyz6x

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

"Asked about the motivation for these donations, Danny Storie told The News & Observer that that would be a question for his attorneys and hung up. Griffin did not respond to questions from The N&O about the campaign contributions."

From @skyoutbriout

https://t.co/Jr4m99BYa3

[Anna Kramer @anna_c_kramer]

NEWS: Interior is declining to share shutdown plans until it actually happens.

This leaves open big questions, the biggest one being:

What will happen with the National Parks? During Trump 1, the agency kept the parks open during the shutdown, resulting in serious damage.

[The Citizen Times @asheville]

Trump admin threatens investigation into Asheville-area reparations program, officials https://t.co/vjKwUNSQTL

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

ICE in Asheville: Officers detain man in downtown crosswalk, sparking safety concerns https://t.co/Y5QZkg1ChA via @asheville

[Jacob Biba @jacobbiba]

A FEMA spokesperson told me the collective level of federal assistance North Carolina has received after Helene "is consistent with — and in some cases exceeds — funding for similar storms in the region."

So far, the state has been awarded 8% of the $60B it needs in federal $$$.

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

https://t.co/AWcHtFN2TW “They just wrecked it,” one state government scientist said of a stream in Mitchell County. “They nuked it.”

Great reporting from Katie Myers with @grist

[Ryley Ober @ryleyober]

Some panhandlers I spoke with said they are struggling to get back on their feet amid consistent citations, court dates and even trips to jail for “flying signs.” One man has been cited or arrested eight times in 2025 for begging — even in places he’s legally allowed to be.

[Will Hofmann @will_hofmann]

https://t.co/HDmp5jK1mj

[Felicia Sonmez @feliciasonmez]

Thousands of WNC residents were in FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, which provided hotel rooms for those displaced by the storm. More data on the region’s economic recovery here in my story for @BlueRidgePublic: https://t.co/LuyeqqjWP9

[The Citizen Times @asheville]

Rep. Edwards got thousands of calls about the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ Did he listen? https://t.co/qzKpOTvTUy