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Henderson County News

MILLS RIVER ENDORSES 5-LANE WIDENING OF 191

MILLS RIVER — The Mills River Town Council on Thursday endorsed a 5-lane widening of N.C. 191 from N.C. 280 to Mountain Road, the first endorsement of a major road improvement in an anti-roadwork environment that has shot down or jeopardized other transportation improvement projects. The council voted 4-1 for the 5-lane after eight residents, sheered on by a room full of opponents, implored the town to tell the NCDOT that it did not want the 5-lane widening. The council's vote endorsed the five 12-foot lanes plus 5-foot bike paths on either side, although details of the bike paths have not been finalized. Council members had asked for a three-lane widening instead over the past several months but when DOT engineers came back and said that version was inadequate for the design year — 2040 — the council endorsed the wider project. The NCDOT made a concession to the council who said they worried about tractor trailers, farm tractors and emergency vehicles having to use bulb-outs for U-turns. Engineers preferred a four-lane project with a grass median; instead, the agency relented and agreed to a continuous center turn lane. Around 60 people left the meeting room in an angry mood. "You should be ashamed," one of them shouted at council members. The Balfour Parkway effect has emboldened opponents. Pointing out that the Henderson County Board of Commissioners effectively pulled the $160 million Hendersonville bypass from the State Transportation Improvement Plan, road project opponents are urging town boards across the county to follow that example and just say no to DOT projects that disrupt neighborhoods and take property. "I agree 191 needs improvement but not to extent you destroy the way of life of this part of the world," Mills River resident and Planning Board member Jim Foster said. "You’ll be looking at another Four Seasons Boulevard in just a few short years. Someone said if we don’t four lane 191 it will be a nightmare. I’m here to tell you what a real nightmare would be if we start looking out across trhis valley and it starts looking like Asheville." "Everyone I have spoken to — and I have spoken to hundreds and hundreds of people — is against this project," said Georgia Hudson, who lives in Mills River Village on N.C. 191. "I see that you really want this project because it doesn't do anything to you. Maybe it gets yur kid out of school 5 minutes faster but that’s all. You are destroying the lives of hundreds and hundreds of people and you don’t care. There is solid opposition against this project. Listen to the people who voted you in and can change their vote." Only one resident, Ken Stephenson, spoke in favor of the project, reminding the council members what happened when opponents blocked the I-26 widening 15 years ago. "Several years ago it was recommended that we 6-lane I-26," he said. "A few people and a judge stopped it. Now everyone’s begging for it. What’s going to happen in the next 15 years? We cannot stop growth, regardless. It’s going to happen.” Councilman Roger Snyder, who cast the only no vote, said the public input process seemed to give insufficient weight to the opposition of affected property owners. He led the effort for a scaled-back three-lane widening and said he could not support a project more disruptive than that. Councilman Brian Caskey pointed out that many of the vocal opponents addressing the council, including those from Haywood Knolls and leaders of the campaign to stop the Balfour Parkway, are not Mills River residents. “You cannot walk in here and simply tell us what to do," he said. "If you think you voted me into office, you’re mistaken.”     Read Story »

Henderson County News

WHHS freshman, HMS students honored in national History Day finals

A West Henderson High School freshman and a team from Hendersonville Middle School received recognition during the national finals of the 2018 National History Day Contest Thursday at the University of Maryland in College Park. The top two entries in each category were invited to the National Contest. Competitors represented the 57 affiliate members, including every state, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and international schools in South Korea, South Asia, and China. More than 3,000 middle and high school students presented documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances, and websites related to the 2018 theme Conflict & Compromise in History. WHHS freshman Caroline Maxon and HMS students Catherine Boyette, Grace Amantea and Laura Shelton
 won the awards.More than a half-million students around the world entered the contest at the local level, with the top entries advancing to state/affiliate contests.  “The competitors at this level are some of the hardest working students of their generation,” said National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “The competition at this level is tough. Each of these students has spent hours researching, revising, and preparing their entries. It takes a truly dynamic project to win at the National Contest. Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 National History Day Contest.”Maxon won for Captain Ken Coskey Naval History, sponsored by Naval Historical Foundation
. Her paper,”The Quasi War: The Undeclared Conflict
,” won in the Senior Paper 
category. The middle school students won in the Women’s History, sponsored by National Women’s History Museum
, for their group performance of “The 1977 National Women’s Conference: Walking the Planks into Modern Feminism.”     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Celebrity models show off fashions at IAM event

One-hundred-and-thirty guests watched 33 celebrity models strut their stuff on a runway at Hendersonville Country Club during the first Hendo Celebrity Fashion Show & Tea on Friday. Emceed by Mike Morgan and Jacqui Perry, the fundraiser for Interfaith Assistance Ministry featured fashions by Belk, BonWorth, IAM’s Clothing Closet, Joseph Laughter Clothier, Mast General Store, the Sanctuary Boutique and Talbots. The event raised money for the agency that provides clothing, food, heating assistance and other crisis services for the needy in Henderson County.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (176)

You won't want to miss this week’s Hendersonville Lightning.    Read Story »

Henderson County News

Megan's heart transplant a success

Megan Edney was out of surgery and recovering on Tuesday afternoon after a successful heart transplant. "Megan has a new heart!" her father, County Commission Chair Michael Edney, said in a Facebook post.  "Transplant is complete and the doctors say everything went as planned. We will get to see her soon, couple hours or so. Only known issue is her lungs and the doctors feel that they can address them. Surgeon said her heart was as big as his head when it should have been the size of his fist. Praise God! Today was huge but she has a long journey ahead, please continue to pray for her and our family." Edney also thanked the donor family, who has not been identified. "Please Lord, somehow let the donor family know our eternal gratitude and be with them now and forever. We will always feel a very special connection." "Miracles do happen," Edney said in a post Tuesday morning after the family learned that Megan was headed for heart transplant surgery at 10 a.m. today. Megan, 14, has been hospitalized since May 31 at Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte with heart failure. She was put on a machine that pumps her heart for her while she awaited a transplant, the only thing that the cardiac specialists said would save her. It was thought the wait could be three months or longer. Instead, miraculously, it's been seven days. "At about 11 p.m. yesterday evening we received a phone call saying that a donor heart match has been found for our daughter Megan," Edney, the chair of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners, wrote in a Facebook post and text message. "As you can imagine, today will be one of the most important days of our lives. Her surgery will begin around 10am and will last most of the day." "Please keep your thoughts and prayers coming because we know first hand of the power of prayer. The doctors have told us that’s it’s not common to receive a heart transplant so quickly. We are beyond blessed and praise God everyday."Earlier, on Saturday night, Edney wrote about Megan was getting stronger. "She now has her next mountain to climb - a 14 year old child/young women - emotionally, psychologically and spiritually processing what has happened and what she still faces!" he said. Although she can't have visitors, she can receive cards and letters. Send letters to: Megan Edney - PICU Levine’s Children’s Hospital1000 Blythe BlvdCharlotte, NC 28203   Read Story »

Henderson County News

NCDOT awards contract to clear Bat Cave landslide

BAT CAVE – Expediting the clearing of a giant landslide that has closed N.C. 9, the NCDOT awarded a contract on Monday to a Western North Carolina company that's aiming for a July 27 deadline. The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded a contract to Graham County Land Company on Monday for $1.49 million to clear the landslide. Crews may begin mobilizing equipment on Tuesday. The work includes building a dirt road up the mountain so crews can move heavy equipment into place to start excavation work. An estimated 110,000 cubic yards of debris will be hauled to a local site. That’s enough material to fill approximately 9,100 tandem-axle dump trucks. Crews will remove all debris, restore drainage, replace guardrail, and repair the road. Additional improvements may be addressed with a supplemental contract agreement as needed. Per state law, the contact was awarded to the lowest qualified bidder. The slide, which started 600-800 feet above the road, occurred in the early-morning hours of June 5 between Minihaha Drive and Old Fort Loop Road. Initial estimates had the road closed until Labor Day. Gov. Roy Cooper visited the slide on Saturday evening. “It’s important that it gets back open as quickly as possible,” Cooper said. “We know that there is about a 50-mile detour that people have to take.” For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Barr recognized for design of Wildcat Rock Trail

The national Coalition of Recreational Trails has granted its annual achievement award for trail design and construction to Conserving Carolina and its trails coordinator, Peter Barr, for Wildcat Rock Trail. Conserving Carolina opened the 3-mile trail in the Hickory Nut Gorge to the public in 2017. U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and Rep. Mark Meadows presented the award to Barr on Tuesday, June 2, on Capitol Hill. Marianne Fowler, co-chair of the Coalition of Recreational Trails presided over the ceremony. Barr was joined by Jay Leutze, representing the Blue Ridge Forever coalition. The Wildcat Rock Trail features exceptionally sustainable trail design to protect surrounding natural resources, which include rare species and sensitive natural habitats. It traverses 166 acres of natural lands forever protected by Conserving Carolina. Barr designed the trail in 2014 and managed its construction over the next four years. The three-mile trail incorporates more than 300 masoned stone stairs that ascend Little Bearwallow Mountain, reaching a 100-foot waterfall and scenic Wildcat Rock on the way. Its curvilinear design—using constant undulations and subtle changes of direction—quickly sheds water from the trail, which prevents erosion. It also enhances the experience of hikers by making its course feel more natural and interesting. Barr worked with multiple partners on construction, including professional trail contractors. Deno Contos and Benchmark Trails installed most of the trail’s rock stairs, while Bob Carriker with Trail Dynamics machine dug its first mile to Little Bearwallow Falls.
The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps traveled from New England twice to help construct the Wildcat Rock Trail, spending a total of 13 weeks on the mountain. The North Carolina Youth Conservation Corps and American Conservation Experience also constructed substantial segments of the trail. Volunteers played a significant role in the project, including Conserving Carolina’s esteemed Rock Crushers Trail Crew and Carolina Mountain Club’s Friday crew. Altogether, 1,933 volunteer hours were donated to create the Wildcat Rock Trail. The trail was funded by a Recreational Trails Program grant as well as the Donald C. Jones Foundation, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, Community Foundation of Henderson County, and REI Asheville. The Wildcat Rock Trail is the newest segment in Conserving Carolina’s emerging Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Trail loop near the community of Gerton. Once complete, it will connect the Wildcat Rock to trails at Bearwallow Mountain, Florence Nature Preserve, and the Trombatore Trail in a 20-mile hiking circuit. Wildcat Rock is also part of the new Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail, which was designated by the NC General Assembly last year. With additions of the Wildcat Rock Trail and the recently opened Weed Patch Mountain Trail in Lake Lure, the state trail network now totals 35 miles. To visit the Wildcat Rock Trail, hikers can start at the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Trailhead on Highway 74A, east of Gerton. The trailhead can be reached in about a 40 minute drive from Asheville or Hendersonville. The Coalition for Recreational Trails is a federation of national and regional trail-related organizations. Its members build awareness and understanding of the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), which returns federal gasoline taxes paid by off-highway recreationists to the states for trail development and maintenance. Conserving Carolina is a local land trust dedicated to protecting land and water, promoting good stewardship, and creating opportunities for people to enjoy nature. It was formed by the merger of Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and Pacolet Area Conservancy. For more information, visit conservingcarolina.org.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

A doctor and patient form a partnership on cancer journey

In early 2001 Kathy Dorsam had severe pain in her jaw that no one could diagnose.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Hotel out, apartments may be in for mill

HENDERSONVILLE — If you ever dreamed of an affordable apartment in downtown Hendersonville, your dream could be close to becoming reality.   Read Story »

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