ASHEVILLE -- Annie McNeil is at the end of her life, but she's lived a longer, more independent life than most people who face her diagnosis.

ARDEN -- Agents raided an Arden nightclub where investigators believe the owner allowed patrons to openly engage in sex.

The Hendersonville native suspected in the deaths of at least 10 people in Panama greeted journalists in that country as if he were a Hollywood actor greeting his fans, police said Friday.

The Asheville Police Department is seeking two individuals suspected in stealing a number of items — including chainsaws and portable TVs — from area businesses. “The two are being sought for stealing two chainsaws from Northern Tool & Equipment on Patton Avenue on July 19, and three portable TVs from a Hendersonville Road Blockbuster Video store on July 20,” the announcement from the APD reads. “Also on July 20, the suspects shoplifted some items from a CVS store on River Ridge Drive.” The suspects are a white female, 18-25 years old, with red or brown hair and a white male, 25-30 years old between 6’ and 6’4” with brown hair.

The Beehive Collective, a grass-roots arts and education group with origins in rural Maine, and a local “hive” they call “Wezeltown” in Old Fort, is celebrating its latest campaign, employing an elaborate story-telling and illustration project, in a release party at Firestorm Café & Books (at 48 Commerce St.) on Friday, August 6, from 6 to 10 p.m. Two years in the making, “The True Cost of Coal” is an elaborate graphical narrative that explores the story of mountaintop removal mining and its impacts in Appalachia and beyond, using a 30’x16’ banner.  The party will feature music from local artists and traditional Appalachian ballad singing. The pro…...

The Elkhardt, Ind.,-based CTS Corp. has filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Mills Gap Road Associates. The suit alleges that the local partnership has failed to honor an agreement to share in the costs of cleaning up a contaminated site on Mills Gap Road as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2004. CTS seeks “damages ... no less than $847,000” from MGRA and further declares that the partnership is responsible for all of CTS’ future costs in the cleanup and assessment of the site, where massive levels of trichloroethylene and other contaminants have been found — and named as the likely source of contaminated wells and springs near the site. The lawsuit names MGRA partners Frederick Slosman, Jo…...