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Henderson County News

We're not closing Edneyville school, commissioners say

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners has no plans to close Edneyville Elementary School, two commissioners and the county manager said last week.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

TRUMP WINS: HHS students favor Republican nominee

We'll have to wait four more days to find out how the nation votes. But we know now how the Bearcat Nation voted: for Donald J. Trump. Hendersonville High School wrapped up its annual symposium week with its quadrennial enactment of the electoral college — the state-by-state voting that decides the presidential election. U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows praised the students for their enthusiasm and conducted the rollcall of states, from smallest to largest, to deliver their presidential choice. The map behind the congressman held surprises that would shock the pollsters. Deep-blue California and New York both went for Trump while solid red Texas cast its electoral votes for Libertarian Gary Johnson. When California's electoral votes went for Trump, the Republican nominee vaulted to 289 electoral college votes, defeating Clinton, who had 186, and Johnson, with 63. The strong contingent of Trump supporters roared. "We had a whole week where we went over the issues, we let them debate the issues, we looked at the platforms of both sides," said U.S. history teacher and department chair Alan Broadhurst. "We wanted it to be them and not their parents." Jerry Smith and Broadhurst described this year's presidential election symposium as one of the most enthusiastic, with lots of passion on either side. "That's the best one I've seen since I've been here," Broadhurst said. Teachers randomly assigned students to states and also allowed them to vote individually. Trump also took the popular vote, 48 to 40 percent over Clinton, with 12 percent for Johnson.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Music community mourns death of Terry Wetton

The local music community is mourning the unexpected death on Friday of Terry Wetton, a musician who got his start as a teenager in the 1960s British rock scene and became a producer and passionate promoter of local musicians in Hendersonville. He was 68. Wetton became ill early Friday at his home in Saluda, prompting his wife to call 911. He died on the way to the hospital from what his fiancee described as a heart probem, according to Mark Warwick, general manager of WTZQ radio, where Wetton had a weekly show interviewing musicians and playing their work. A guitar and piano player and singer, Wetton plunged into the local music scene when he arrived in the area in 2003. He organized the popular Beatles tribute acts at the Highland Lake Inn, served as music director of the Namaste Center and produced numerous local bands and performers.A teenager during the British music explosion of the Sixties, Wetton "bought his first guitar from Mitch Mitchell, who was Jimi Hendrix' drummer," his friend and fellow musician Andrew Robinson said Friday afternoon from the WTZQ studio, where he was broadcasting a tribute to Wetton. Wetton performed as lead vocalist for the rock band Joker at many major London venues, once looking out from the stage to see that the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin was watching them. The Briton moved to the United States in 1982 and performed and produced music in Southern California, where he co-produced a Grammy-nominated album for jazz artist Tony Guerrero.Since moving to North Carolina in 2003 he had performed concerts on stage and in listening rooms throughout Western North Carolina, entertaining audiences with original songs.“He pumped out a ton of music,” Warwick said. He released a successful original CD "This Time It's Personal" in 2011 and many of the songs have become audience favorites, including "It Is What It Is" and "Learning To Fly.” He produced records for many local artists, including Carrie Morrison, Garry Segal, The Lonesome Road Band, Rob Curtis and Lynne Goldsmith. Robinson, a WTZQ afternoon host who played guitar in the Beatles tribute shows Wetton staged the last two years at Highland Lake Inn in Flat Rock, said he was stunned and saddened at the news of his friend's death. "I had seen him three days ago," he said. "He was at my wedding two weeks ago. He put every bit of himself into that Beatles tribute. I was talking about it on my show this afternoon. Some of those Paul McCartney parts are pretty high but he handled it well. The Local Artist Showcase was very important just for the fact that he was showcasing local musicians. He played a lot of benefit concerts. He'd go to retirement homes. He played at the Namaste Center. He was fun, I never saw him mad. Just a great guy. I can't honestly think of any bad memories of Terry." Robinson said he would miss having Wetton in the studio on Friday afternoons, interviewing new or established performers and playing their music. "He did God's work as far as getting local musicians on the air, which is a very rare thing to find in today's radio marlet," he said. Howard Molton, who produces the annual Warmth of Hope benefit at the Flat Rock Cinema, said Wetton had always joined local singer Tom Fisch at the performance. Molton said Saturday he plans to make this year's seventh annual show in two weeks a tribute to Terry Wetton.     Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Downtown getting ice skating for Christmas

Local residents, kids out of school and tourists will get a new treat this holiday season: ice skating at the Visitors Center downtown. A partnership of the America In Bloom Committee and the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, the surface of artificial ice will be open for two weeks — Dec. 19 through Jan. 2.“We’re going to be open at the time children are going to be home, during all the tourist season, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve,” said Mia Freeman, chair of the America in Bloom Committee. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children. “They get the ice skates and everything. They’re going to be able to lace up their shoes and go out there.”The TDA welcomed the opportunity to add an attraction to fill the downtown with local shoppers and tourists.“Travel and Tourism has been working on this whole program of ‘Home for the Holidays,’” Freeman said. "I think it's a great new activity that we'll have," said Lew Holloway, downtown development coordinator for the city of Hendersonville and a member of the Tourism Development Authority. "It adds a really neat activity right around Christmas. I hope it's very successful that that it will draw more activity into the district. We've never had a specific dedicated attraction beyond the downtown itself." The ice rink is another example of the increasing partnership of the city and county that has not always been the case. America in Bloom and the TDA are the main sponsors of the ice rink; they city is erecting extra decorations around the rink and in the Visitors Center block.On the America In Bloom Committee, Freeman led efforts to incorporate as a nonprofit organization. The ice rink is a fundraiser for the local American In Bloom effort. America In Bloom sends judges to towns that want an expert evaluation on their outdoors look and commitment to beautification, from landscaping to public art to volunteerism.The skating rink is made of 44 panels roughly 4 feet-by-8 feet each. It’s made by Ice Rink Engineering and Manufacturing, a Greenville, S.C., company that says it is the largest manufacturer of synthetic ice in the world.“I even went down there to South Carolina to talk to the manufacturer,” Freeman said. “It’s actually safer than ice because it’s not wet. I really wanted the hockey part. It’s just too expensive. So I’m hoping next year, if we make good money, we might be able to introduce the hockey. … If it works, we’re going to do it every year.”   Read Story »

Henderson County News

New director homes in on affordable housing

Sarah Grymes felt blessed to grow up in Hendersonville with “a wonderful life with two wonderful parents.”   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Pardee ends fiscal year with $15M loss

Pardee Hospital closed its 2015-16 fiscal year with a $15.2 million loss attributed to installation of a new systemwide computer system, hiring new physicians and operations and capital investments that are expected to pay off in the coming months and years, hospital officials told Pardee’s Board of Directors last week. Pardee CEO Jay Kirby had first reported on the expected loss for the year during the board meeting in September.A loss of productivity during the introduction of the EPIC health care records system dropped revenue for the year by roughly $13.5 million. Also dragging down the hospital financial performance for the year was patients’ inability to pay co-pays or cash requirements of high-deductible insurance plans such as those offered by the Affordable Care Act and some employer plans.Despite the minus 8 percent margin for the year ending Sept. 30, the hospital had a strong year in revenue overall. Its revenue gain of $75 million overall came in at 16 percent over 2014-15 — the highest increase among the hospitals affiliated with UNC Health Care. Hospital officials also emphasized that the fiscal year results are so far unaudited numbers that could change.“As you can see, these are numbers that we’re not accustomed to seeing,” Kirby told the board at its regular meeting on Oct. 26. “Clearly, this has been a challenging financial year.”Pardee made investments over the past year that should position it for greater revenue in 2017 and beyond. It hired 24 new physicians or other health care providers. It spent $3.7 million on new equipment and upfits at orthopedic facilities in Henderson, Buncombe and Haywood counties. Among other one-time costs for the year were $3.4 million for the EPIC system, $3.8 million for the new Comprehensive Cancer Center, $1.7 million to buy property in Mills River for future development and $2.26 million at the Mission Pardee Health Campus.EPIC training from April through July pulled physicians and nurses from patient bedsides and surgeons from operating rooms, plunging revenue well below budgeted projections. The 24 new providers in specialties including oncology, orthopedics, cardiology and vascular surgery “are expected to generate a greater level of return over time” while expansions in general surgery, pulmonology, radiation oncology and anesthesiologists “were critical to meet the needs of our increasing volumes,” the hospital said.As higher copays and deductibles have brought a burden to patients, the hospital has committed to “increased dialogue with patients” to urge them to pay their bills. “Pardee will be more intentional in collecting these obligations moving forward from both the patients and their insurance carriers,” administrators reported to the board.Previously on an Oct. 1-Sept. 30 fiscal year that matched the federal schedule, Pardee is switching to a July 1-June 30 fiscal year that matches the budget year of UNC Health Care and the state of North Carolina. Pardee has projected a break-even margin for the shortened nine-month fiscal year ending on June 30, said Johnna Reed, Pardee’s chief administrative officer.Pardee remains strong and with the backing of UNC Health Care system, Kirby said, “we are stronger and able to bounce back from this setback.” The new cancer center, improvements to the hospital’s catheterization lab and other facility and equipment investment will help the hospital provide the best care for patients, he added.     Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Atha Plaza building moving to Sugarloaf Road

The steel bones of a retail building removed from Atha Plaza may get new life at a commercial area on Sugarload Road.Atha Plaza owner Larry Baber is seeking permission from the Hendersonville City Council to re-erect the steel for a new 3,150-square-foot building at a 4.9-acre light industrial site on Sugarloaf Road at Waddell Drive in the city’s extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction. Although the current commercial zoning allows the use, Baber needed to amend a special use permit to allow the additional building. The council approved it Thursday night.“I have plenty of room, I have plenty of parking, I have plenty of open space, I have plenty of sewer,” Baber said. “I don’t know why anyone would object to it.”Served by city water and an on-site septic system, the Sugarloaf Commercial Center currently has five buildings in commercial, retail and office use. Baber’s site plan shows 127 parking space, eight more than the code requires. The Atha Plaza building next to the El Paso restaurant was one of several structures contractors took down to make way for the new Publix on Greenville Highway at White Street.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Dog lovers sponsoring big adoption event

The newly formed Friends of Jackson Dog Park is sponsoring Hendersonville’s largest dog adoption and education event of the year from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12.Adoption agencies include Blue Ridge Humane Society, Brother Wolf, Charlie’s Angels, Foothills Humane Society, Sarge’s Animal Rescue and Yancey Humane Society. Event speakers include Dr. Don Zehr of Hendersonville Animal Hospital, on first aid for dogs, Karen Comstock of Aunt Karen’s Lucky Dogs, on how dogs learn, Nicole Watts of Zen Puppy, demonstrating how to use acupressure and massage to improve longevity and health, and Nita Hunt of Pure Pets in Brevard, answering questions about diet.Also at the event will be (people) food vendors, tables selling dog-related items and free dog treats provided by WAG, Pet Source, Purrfect Bark, Pure Pets and the soon-to-open Hendersonville Pet Smart. As the event’s grand finale, the Henderson County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit will do a demonstration with trained police dogs. A multi-prize raffle will be held by the Friends of Jackson Dog Park with proceeds going to support this year’s event plus to make upgrades to the park—the community’s largest off-leash dog area.The event will be held at the brick building next to the tennis courts. Since a large amount of adoption dogs will be in the parking area in front of the building, guests are asked to consider leaving their dog at home. For those who wish to bring their dog, the off-leash dog park will be available. The event and raffle are sponsored by more than 25 area merchants who have donated raffle prizes and free handouts. This year’s Platinum Dog Rescue sponsor is HOM Realty Group. Rain date is Nov. For more information, visit friendsofjacksondogpark.com.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: Let market decide

The consultants’ report on a downtown hotel in Hendersonville should be regarded as good news even if the Grey Hosiery Mill is not ultimately the choice of a hotel developer.   Read Story »

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