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Hendersonville News

Regional council honors Connet for service as city manager

The Land of Sky Regional Council honored Hendersonville City Manager John Connet on Wednesday for service that "has greatly enhanced the quality of life for countless citizens" of Hendersonville The Robert E. Shepherd Excellence in Local Government Award is presented at the Land of Sky Regional Council’s discretion to a local government professional who has shown great leadership in improving governance and service delivery, especially in the areas of regional cooperation and collaboration.“This is a well-deserved award,” Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk said. “We are delighted Land of Sky chose to recognize Mr. Connet for his work in this region and across the state.” Justin Hembree, executive director of Land of Sky, explained the history behind the Shepherd Excellence in Local Government Award. Robert "Bob" Shepherd, the first executive director of Land of Sky, faithfully served the organization for more than 30 years. He exemplified what it means to be a public servant in local government. As a result, the Land of Sky executive committee felt it would be fitting to establish an award in Shepherd’s name to recognize local public servants. Biltmore Forest Town Manager Jonathan Kanipe presented Connet with a plaque that included the following inscription: “The Robert E. Shepherd Excellence in Local Government Award is presented to John Frazier Connet for his dedication in serving the citizens of the City of Hendersonville and the Land of Sky region. His service has greatly enhanced the quality of life for countless citizens. John is a dedicated and faithful local government professional. His leadership and work ethic serves as a shining example for all that choose to serve the public.” The past recipients include Robert E. Shepherd in 2016 and Susan Frady, Hendersonville’s Development Assistance Director, in 2017. The Land of Sky Regional Council serves Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties to provide collaboration and cooperation with the goal of improving the quality of life for residents of the communities served. The council coordinates joint regional decisions, provides planning and technical services to local governments and brings local officials together to problem solve.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Margaret Thomas, philanthropist and civic leader, dies at age 87

Margaret S. Thomas, who helped manage her family's successful produce business, enjoyed bridge, traveling and Duke basketball and spent her retirement years supporting her church and community causes, died early Tuesday after a period of illness. She was 87.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Post office closing means Lightning will reach homes on Friday

Because of the federal holiday in observance of the death of former President George H.W. Bush, the post office is not delivering mail. The Lightning will go the post offices in the county on Thursday and reach homes on Friday. If your can't wait, the Lightning is on the street at any of our 60 newsracks and dealers across the conunty, including the new Publix. Here's where you can pick up a Lightning: Downtown Hendersonville• Hendersonville Lightning Office, 1111 Asheville Hwy.• Pop’s Diner, 5 Points, North Main Street• Triangle Stop, 701 North Main Street• The 500 block of North Main Street(First Citizens Bank / Mast General Store)• Black Bear Coffee Co., Main Street• The 300 block of North Main Street(McFarland’s Bakery / Mike’s on Main )• 100 block of South Main(Flat Rock Playhouse) Southside Hendersonville(Spartanburg Highway)• Ingles, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hairstyles by Charlene, Joel Wright Drive• McDonald’s, Spartanburg Hwy.• Norm’s Minit Mart, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hendersonville Co-op• Burger King/ BP, Spartanburg Hwy. Flat Rock/East Flat Rock• Flat Rock Post Office• Flat Rock Bakery• Zirconia Post Office• East Flat Rock Post Office• Whitley Drug, Greenville Hwy.• Energy Mart Exxon, Upward Road & I-26• Triangle Stop, 754 Upward Road & I-26 Along Kanuga Road• Hot Dog World, Kanuga Road• Mr Pete’s Market, Kanuga Road• Norm’s Minit Mart, Kanuga Road Laurel Park Area• Economy Drug on Fifth Ave. West• Fifth Avenue Shell• YMCA Hendersonville, Sixth Ave & Oak St• Laurel Park Village, RiteAid• Energy Mart Exxon, Laurel Park• Dixie DIner, Brevard Road West on Highway 64 (Brevard Road)• Horse Shoe Post Office• Mr Pete’s Market, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Blue Ridge Pizza, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Etowah Shopping Center, Etowah• Ingles, Brevard Road• Bandana’s Restaurant, Brevard Road North on Highway 191 (Haywood Road)• Joey’s New York Bagels, Hwy. 191• One Stop Store # 8, Haywood Road (Hwy. 191)• Dollar General, Hwy. 191 & Mountain Road• Triangle Stop, 4197 Haywood Road, Mills River• Ingle’s, Mills River, Hwy. 280 Eastside Hendersonville (Four Seasons Blvd.)• Norm’s Minit Mart, Dana Road• Fatz Cafe, Dana Road & Four Seasons Blvd.• Grocery Outlet, off Four Seasons Blvd.• Energy Mart Exxon, Four Seasons Blvd.• McDonald’s, Four Seasons Boulevard• Mustang Cafe, Dana Road East on Highway 64 (Chimney Rock Highway)• Triangle Stop, 2545 Chimney Rock Road, Hwy. 64-E• Mr Pete’s Market, East, Hwy. 64-E• Griffin’s Store Edneyville, Hwy. 64-E• Edneyville Post Office• Edneyville General Store• Walmart Shopping Center North on Highway 25(Asheville Highway)• The Ugly Mug Coffee Shop, Hwy. 25-N• Alykat, US 25-N• Triangle Stop, Hwy 25-N, Balfour• Mountain Home Post Office• Fletcher Post Office• Ingles, FletcherSouthern & Eastern Henderson County • Dana Post Office• Rosco’s Grocery, Green River• Saluda Post Office The Hendersonville Lightning is available at mostHenderson County post offices and Ingles supermarkets     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (196)

You won't want to miss this week’s Hendersonville Lightning. You'll get the scoop on the multi-story hotel projects that two developers propose on the city-owned Dogwood parking lot as a result of the city's invitation, read about the swearing-in of the new sheriff and new Board of Commissioners and read about the communitywide candle lighting Sunday at Agudas Israel temple. You'll get the third chapter of "Brave Women," the memoir written in 1890 of a trek by a mother and daughter from here to Knoxville during the Civil War. We also have the popular Jere Brittain column, West of the French Broad, Ask Matt and dozens of local briefs, community briefs and holiday briefs. Here's where you can pick up a Lightning: Downtown Hendersonville• Hendersonville Lightning Office, 1111 Asheville Hwy.• Pop’s Diner, 5 Points, North Main Street• Triangle Stop, 701 North Main Street• The 500 block of North Main Street(First Citizens Bank / Mast General Store)• Black Bear Coffee Co., Main Street• The 300 block of North Main Street(McFarland’s Bakery / Mike’s on Main )• 100 block of South Main(Flat Rock Playhouse) Southside Hendersonville(Spartanburg Highway)• Ingles, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hairstyles by Charlene, Joel Wright Drive• McDonald’s, Spartanburg Hwy.• Norm’s Minit Mart, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hendersonville Co-op• Burger King/ BP, Spartanburg Hwy. Flat Rock/East Flat Rock• Flat Rock Post Office• Flat Rock Bakery• Zirconia Post Office• East Flat Rock Post Office• Whitley Drug, Greenville Hwy.• Energy Mart Exxon, Upward Road & I-26• Triangle Stop, 754 Upward Road & I-26 Along Kanuga Road• Hot Dog World, Kanuga Road • Mr Pete’s Market, Kanuga Road• Norm’s Minit Mart, Kanuga Road Laurel Park Area• Economy Drug on Fifth Ave. West• Fifth Avenue Shell• YMCA Hendersonville, Sixth Ave & Oak St• Laurel Park Village, RiteAid• Energy Mart Exxon, Laurel Park• Dixie DIner, Brevard Road West on Highway 64 (Brevard Road)• Horse Shoe Post Office• Mr Pete’s Market, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Blue Ridge Pizza, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Etowah Shopping Center, Etowah• Ingles, Brevard Road• Bandana’s Restaurant, Brevard Road North on Highway 191 (Haywood Road)• Joey’s New York Bagels, Hwy. 191• One Stop Store # 8, Haywood Road (Hwy. 191)• Dollar General, Hwy. 191 & Mountain Road• Triangle Stop, 4197 Haywood Road, Mills River• Ingle’s, Mills River, Hwy. 280 Eastside Hendersonville (Four Seasons Blvd.)• Norm’s Minit Mart, Dana Road• Fatz Cafe, Dana Road & Four Seasons Blvd.• Grocery Outlet, off Four Seasons Blvd.• Energy Mart Exxon, Four Seasons Blvd.• McDonald’s, Four Seasons Boulevard• Mustang Cafe, Dana Road East on Highway 64 (Chimney Rock Highway)• Triangle Stop, 2545 Chimney Rock Road, Hwy. 64-E• Mr Pete’s Market, East, Hwy. 64-E• Griffin’s Store Edneyville, Hwy. 64-E• Edneyville Post Office• Edneyville General Store• Walmart Shopping Center North on Highway 25(Asheville Highway)• The Ugly Mug Coffee Shop, Hwy. 25-N• Alykat, US 25-N• Triangle Stop, Hwy 25-N, Balfour• Mountain Home Post Office• Fletcher Post Office• Ingles, FletcherSouthern & Eastern Henderson County • Dana Post Office• Rosco’s Grocery, Green River• Saluda Post Office The Hendersonville Lightning is available at mostHenderson County post offices and Ingles supermarkets     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Developers propose multi-story hotel on Dogwood lot downtown

Developers responding to an invitation from the city of Hendersonville proposed multi-story hotels on the city-owned Dogwood parking lot at the corner of South Church Street and Fourth Avenue West. A Fletcher-based hotel management company and a Charlotte developer of hotels responded last week to a request for proposals the city released last month. The Charlotte-based Catellus proposed a 120-room five-story hotel with a 247-space parking garage, a 4,500-square-foot conference space and a first-floor lounge and restaurant.Blue Star Hospitality of Fletcher pitched an 88-room, six-floor structure with double the conference space — 9,000 square feet — plus 9,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a parking garage with 244 spaces.Both plans would preserve the existing buildings on Church Street and Washington Street.City Manager John Connet said he was pleased with the responses and the quality and experience of the developers.“Both are doing their due diligence,” he said. “They have been spending some time here looking for hotel sites. We are pleased with the two proposals that we have. There’s a lot of negotiations ahead to try to come up with a workable proposal. ... Our plan is at this point staff will continue to negotiate, sit down and interview both development groups and ultimately select the group we feel like has the best plan going forward.”The city released the RFP on Oct. 11 seeking a developer to build a hotel of 80 to 120 rooms with meeting space for 150 to 300 people. Blue Star’s conference space would accommodate 200 people and Catellus’ proposal would seat 150, said Assistant City Manager Brian Pahle.The city has offered to sell the property to the developer and invest the proceeds in a parking deck to replace the Dogwood lot’s 157 spaces. Both hotel proposals more than make up for the loss. The city-owned Dogwood lot has a tax value of $764,600 and market value of $1,098,000.“The council made it very clear that at the very least we would have to replace the parking,” Connet said. A hotel’s mostly nighttime demand for parking “is going to be different than the peak usage of the deck” for downtown diners and shoppers.A building of five or six stories would be the largest proposed development downtown since the failed Sunflower (later Carolina Grand), a nine-story condo a developer wanted to build in the mid-2000s. That proposal so infuriated city residents that they pushed for and got a referendum to overrule the council’s approval of the project. More than two-thirds of residents who turned out for the referendum in 2006 voted to impose a 64-foot building height cap.“That’s a question we have to ask,” Connet said when asked whether the proposed hotels exceed the 64-foot limit. “They don’t give a height,” he said. He didn’t think the five-story Catalyst proposal would exceed the limit. “The six-story is going to be close,” he said. Council members open to plans Councilman Jeff Miller said he had not seen the RFP responses yet but was open to the concept of a hotel.“My beef back then when it was inside the King Street-Church Street corridor was that I really feel the people needed to decide if they wanted taller buildings to go in there or not and at the time they didn’t, especially when it was kind of force-fed on us,” he said. “If you look at a six-story building on Church it’s probably not going to be as high as the Methodist Church sitting on a hill. But it’s still something I have to look at it.”The city may not be able to insist that the project get a lot smaller, he said.“If they’re going to build something, they’re going to have to build it big enough so the occupancy rates are going to make money for them,” he said.Preserving or even adding to the total number of parking spaces is imperative, he added.“Hopefully if we do accept the hotel being built there, then folks like the Baptist Church could use (the parking garage) so we’ll just have to see. There’s a lot of moving parts to this one. I’ve been a little skeptical of giving up that lot but I’m open to the discussion.”Both proposals show the hotels facing Fourth Avenue West with a lobby entrance at the southeast corner of Fourth and Church Street and the parking deck in the rear accessible from Fifth Avenue West. Blue Star’s rendering, by Mussman Architects, of Greenville, S.C., shows a rooftop bar and a second floor meeting room. Catalyst’s shows a ground-floor meeting room and a restaurant.Mayor pro tem Ron Stephens also said he had not seen details of the proposals but liked what he had heard from Connet.“As long as they meet our regulations that doesn’t bother me,” he said of the multi-story plans. “I don’t think they’re any taller than the old Skyland hotel. They’re going to present those to us and we’ll then vote to go ahead.” Since the city asked for proposals, it’s obligated to continue the project, he said.“We told them that we would entertain selling the property and would work with them,” he said. “Obviously, part of the parking would be ours. We don’t want to lose any parking spaces and I don’t think we’d have to. I’m told that one of them has the space to accommodate 200 people (for meetings). We can use the hotel and we can certainly use the meeting space, which would be an important addition to downtown. I hope it goes forward. This looks very encouraging.”   Read Story »

Fletcher News

Park Ridge breaks ground on Arden urgent care practice

Leaders of Park Ridge Health (which becomes AdventHealth on Jan. 2) and AdventHealth Centra Care broke ground on an urgent care facility that will expand the health care system’s network to better serve people across our communities in Buncombe and Henderson counties. AdventHealth Centra Care Arden is an affordable alternative to the emergency room for urgent, non-life-threatening medical care. Its team of board-certified physicians, with advanced training in adult and pediatric care, will offer convenient, $30 flu shots, and treat broken bones, infections, allergies and pediatric concerns as well as orthopedic conditions and stomach problems. They provide x-ray and stitches onsite, most insurances are accepted, and will take walk-ins or online reservations available seven days a week. “We are pleased to add this new, convenient access to care for our friends, family and neighbors who live and work in this growing area of our region,” said Jimm Bunch, President & CEO of Park Ridge Health. “AdventHealth Centra Care Arden will bring you the same level of whole-person care – mind, body and spirit – you have come to expect from Park Ridge Health. And we are bringing it to you when and where you need it.” AdventHealth Centra Care Arden will provide instant access to quality physician care for newcomers, travelers, people without a primary care physician or who can’t get an appointment with their physician. It is equipped with the latest urgent care equipment, we can treat urgent, non-life-threatening medical conditions for adults and children. It is slated to open in spring, 2019. AdventHealth Centra Care Arden will provide high-quality, comprehensive care for patients and is slated to open in spring, 2019. AdventHealth Centra Care Arden will be located at 436 Airport Road, Arden, at the intersection of Airport and Rockwood roads. Also coming to the new building along Airport Road is the newest PT Solutions practice, Park Ridge Health physical therapy group partner. The team delivers research-driven treatments to promote relief and help people experience a return to wholeness.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Sworn in as sheriff, Griffin names chief deputy, district captains

Lowell Griffin was sworn in as Henderson County sheriff Monday night before a nearly full house at Living Water Baptist Church. Henderson County Clerk of Court Kimberly Gasperson-Justus performed the swearing-in of the all the Sheriff's employees. Retired Superior Court Judge Zoro Guice Jr. administered the oath of office for Griffin.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Supporters of 287g urge county to keep ICE partnership

A church organization's effort urging new sheriff Lowell Griffin to drop a partnership with ICE, the federal immigration enforcement agency, is drawing fire from supporters of the program. Nine residents of the county urged the Board of Commissioners on Monday night to do everything in their power to stop Griffin from walking away from the county's 287g agreement, which speeds identification and deportation of undocumented immigrants wanted for crimes. The Compassionate Action Group and Church Council of the First Congregational United Church of Christ approved a resolution and letter that it called "an essential step for safeguarding our immigrant community in WNC" and urged Griffin to end the partnership. "In the recent elections, Sheriffs of the other five NC counties that have ICE agreements lost their elections and offices," the Action Group said. "We're told that incoming Henderson County Sheriff Griffin wants to know the community's feelings about whether to continue the County's agreement with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. We want him to know our feelings and will deliver this petition to him shortly after his swearing in." "Rigid interpretation of the 287g forces many of our immigrant friends, neighbors, and school children into the shadows," the church's resolution said. "It creates a toxic climate of mistrust of law enforcement and fears of uncertain consequences for those who are often already in precarious socioeconomic situations. ... We are troubled by the costs to Henderson County taxpayers incurred by 287g stipulations for local law enforcement to assist in federal immigration practices (which we believe are separately long overdue for review and revision)." The resolution called for "more humane treatment of our local immigrant/migrant community and immediate cancellation of agreement 287g." Monday night's show of support before the Board of Commissioners suggests that the debate is far from one-sided. Nine speakers who rose during the board's public comment time strongly supported the 287g program. None stood to oppose it. “I’m concerned about the illegal criminals that are in this county," said Harvey Sankey of Horse Shoe. "I think it’s important that the commissioners tell everybody how do you feel about extending 287g. It’s a safety issue. I think the people in Henderson County would like to know how you feel, individually, your opinion about 287g. Tell them that you care about their safety. You don’t want to harbor any illegal criminal aliens in this county." So far this year the sheriff's office had made 44 identifications under 287g resulting in nine deportations, down from 82 uses of the program and 30 deportations last year, said J.P. Bailes III, of Hendersonville. Although the number may seem small in a county with an estimated immigrant population of 10,000, “what we do need to talk about is the deterrent factor,” Bailes said. “There’s a reason the numbers in 2018 were smaller than the 2017 numbers.” "The 287g program allows for swift identification of these illegals when they are processed into the jail," Paul Rebuck told the board. "The 287g program is a wise and effective use of our tax dollars." Griffin said in an interview with the Lightning last week that he plans to evaluate the program between now and June 30, when the current agreement expires. “I do have some concerns about the cost that the citizens of Henderson County are actually carrying because there is a duplication of services," he said. "With the technology today, when we make an arrest, fingerprints are submitted and federal agencies can submit detainers in a matter of minutes so it’s no longer critical to have officers to do that same identification inside the detention center." The ICE agreement, he said, also adds requirements that cost money without increasing security. "While we’re under federal contract there are certain standards that are not a safety enhancement, believe me, it’s more of a burden that we have to abide by with the operation of the detention center, from the way we clothe inmates to issues with the diet," he said. "There’s a lot of things that burden the taxpayer with continuing this program in Henderson County. I’m not sure it’s providing any extra safety aspects for the citizens of Henderson County.”       Read Story »

Henderson County News

Commissioners elect Hawkins as chair, thank Thompson, welcome McCall

Henderson County commissioners on Monday night unanimously elected Grady Hawkins as chair, thanked outgoing Commissioner Tommy Thompson for his 40 years of public service and welcomed a female aboard for the first time since 2002.Commissioners voted to hand the gavel to Hawkins and elected Bill Lapsley as vice chair after the swearing-in of the three board members elected on Nov. 6. Commissioners Lapsley and Michael Edney won re-election and political newcomer Rebecca McCall took the District 4 seat Thompson filled for two terms before his retirement.Hawkins, 76, thanked Edney for his service as chair during a year when he had to deal with his daughter Megan’s heart transplant. Hawkins welcomed McCall and praised Lapsley for his work on the board during his first term. A retired Air Force colonel, Hawkins served on the board from 1996 to 2004 and got back on the board in 2012. Thompson, who served as Clerk of Superior Court for 28 years before winning a seat of the Board of Commissioners in 2010, grew emotional when Hawkins presented him with a large framed photograph of the Historic Courthouse.“I have wanted one of these pictures ever since I came in office," Thompson said. He coveted the one he saw last week in Commissioner Charlie Messer’s office. “I thought to myself, I hope they give me one of those, and if you weren’t going to I was going to see to it that I got one,” he said. “My 40 years have been absolutely wonderful. I have had a tremendous at team at home. If it wasn’t for them I couldn’t have done it. They took a lot of the brunt when I had to go to a meeting, or quite frankly came home mad or whatever, but I’ve enjoyed every moment. I hope the Lord will bless all of you because I have been truly blessed with the things the Lord has given me the opportunity to do.”He praised his fellow commissioners and the county staff.“I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of wonderful people, here and at the other courthouse, chief justices, governors, all sorts of people and I can tell you that the group of people you have here in Henderson County working for your benefit and welfare is just as smart as any of those, just as worthy as any of those. They just cannot be matched. I have enjoyed every day of my service whether it be as a county commissioner or in my previous job as Clerk of Superior Court.”     Read Story »

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