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Four Seasons Politics

County's polling site was busiest in state on opening day of early voting

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Senator questions county native's experience in Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Alison Jones Rushing, the 36-year-old East Flat Rock native nominated for a seat on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, faced questions about her relative lack of experience when she sat for a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: A glimmer of hope for HHS

After too many communications breakdowns and political squabbles to count, the Henderson County School Board is off to a promising start on the Hendersonville High School construction.   Read Story »

Hendersonville Four Seasons Politics

School Board candidates largely agree on saving Stillwell, arming teachers

School Board candidates are broadly in agreement on the major issues the elected leaders will face in the months ahead, including support for saving the historic classroom building as part of the Hendersonville High School and opposition to allowing teachers to carry firearms.   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

FOUR SEASONS POLITICS: Campaign sign on senior steps doesn't last

HHS sign too close for comfort Jay Egolf admits to planting a campaign sign at a prominent corner of Hendersonville High School and says if that was wrong he’s an equal opportunity offender. “I planted one by every school,” he said. “I’m trying to get every school’s vote.” The campaign sign by the Senior Steps was up on Friday but gone by Monday morning. Egolf said he had heard nothing about the sign until the Lightning called. “I don’t know why they took it down.”   City sets 'Council Conversations' In an effort to improve communication between the City Council and Hendersonville residents, the City Council is hosting five community meetings throughout the city this fall.The “Council Conversations” will be held at strategic locations in Hendersonville.“The Council has made it a priority to meet with our citizens to discuss our vision for the community and receive feedback about what we are doing well and what we can improve on,” Mayor Barbara Volk said. “We believe the best way to do this is to get out of City Hall and meet our residents in or near their neighborhoods.”Each meeting will be hosted by an individual council member with City Manager John Connet and staff in attendance to help answer questions or provide information. Out of respect to everyone’s time, each “conversation” will be limited to one hour.“We hope these meetings will be well attended, because we want to hear from our residents,” Mayor Pro Tem Ron Stephens said.
Here’s the schedule:• Oct. 15 – Union Grove Baptist Church, 901 Robinson Terrace, – 7 p.m. Hosted by Mayor Barbara Volk.• Oct. 29 – Hendersonville Church of Christ, 1975 Haywood Road – 7 p.m. Hosted by Mayor Pro Tem Ron Stephens.• Nov. 5 – Ebenezer Baptist Church, 2557 Chimney Rock Road – 6 p.m. Hosted by Councilman Jeff Miller.• Nov. 19 – Henderson County Health Sciences Center, Room 2003 – 801 Sixth Avenue West – 6 p.m. Hosted by Councilman Jerry Smith.• Dec. 3 – Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, 204 Kanuga Road, 7 p.m. Hosted by Councilman Steve Caraker.The City Council has made an effort to locate a meeting in close proximity to all Hendersonville residents. However, residents are welcome to attend the meeting that is most convenient for them. For more information contact Connet at (828) 233-3201. School Board forum 
is Tuesday night The League of Women Voters Henderson County and the Henderson County Retired Teachers Association will host a forum for the School Board candidates from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the city Operations Center, 305 Williams St.
Paul Goebel, a retired Henderson County teacher and a member of both organizations, will be the moderator. All of the candidates have been invited. The questions will address the topics of academic standards, school safety, Hendersonville High School, and the non-partisan status of the School Board election. After the questions, attendees will have time to speak individually with the candidates. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.lwvhcnc.org.School Board candidates have also been invited to the monthly Republican Party Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Dixie Diner in Laurel Park. Candidates will be invited to introduce themselves and say why voters should choose them. The candidates will field questions from those attending. Appeals court candidate
 speaks at Republican club Chuck Kitchen, a Republican candidate for the North Carolina Court of Appeals, will be the guest speaker at the Henderson Country Republican Women’s Club luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Cedars. Kitchen began his legal career as assistant county attorney for Durham County following his graduation from UNC Law School. He moved to Alamance County and became the county attorney in 1986. He then returned to Durham County as county attorney in 1996 where he remained until his retirement from the county in 2009. He has practiced law for 37 years. He is running for the seat held by Judge Rick Elmore, who is retiring. To reserve a seat at the luncheon, write a check for $15 to The Cedars and mail to HCRWC PO Box 2734, Hendersonville, NC 28793. Reservation checks must be received by Oct. 19.     Read Story »

Hendersonville Four Seasons Politics

City holding five 'Council Conversations' this fall

In an effort to improve communication between the City Council and Hendersonville residents, the City Council will be hosting five community meetings throughout the city   Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Once-rising star in local GOP sent to prison

A once-rising star in the Republican Party and a candidate for state Superintendent of Public Instruction at the age of 25 was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday after he pleaded guilty in Polk County Superior Court to three felony counts of obtaining property by false pretense and a felony count of writing and passing a worthless check, District Attorney Greg Newman announced. Josiah "Joe" Johnson, 36, of Tryon, was sentenced earlier today to 38 months in prison on the charges, which were just the latest involving Johnson and his finances. A graduate of East Henderson High School, Johnson was the Republican nominee for state school superintendent in 2008, losing to incumbent June Atkinson. Johnson also has served as director of public affairs for the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office under Rick Davis, for Western Carolina Produce and as director of resource development for the Henderson County Council on Aging. Johnson obtained three personal loans totaling $60,000 from Tryon resident Nancy Day, who had been friends with Johnson’s mother for many years. Johnson told her that he needed a short-term loan to secure a home for his mother in Charleston, S.C.  He agreed to pay Day back when funds from a trust fund could be released and at double the interest that her bank was paying to her.  Repayment did not occur and Johnson made multiple excuses for the delays. Day filed a lawsuit to secure a judgment against Johnson.  She was granted a judgment, but had been unable to collect any of her money from him. In 2016, Tryon police officer Theda Rickman presented the case to Newman, who advised her to charge Johnson. In 2014, a jury in Buncombe County found Johnson guilty of charges of writing a worthless check for $18,000 to a furniture store.  He has recently been convicted of defrauding two car dealerships in Buncombe County and Henderson County detectives are investigating additional incidents of alleged fraud by Johnson, the district attorney's office said. “I appreciate Nancy Day for her courage to come forward in this case," Newman said. "She has expressed to me personally that she feels completely betrayed by Mr. Johnson.  She thinks he used the good name of his mother to secure money and he is apparently very convincing when seeking funds for various projects. I further commend the police work by Theda Rickman of the Tryon Police and my assistant prosecutors, Bob Brackett and J.J. Sauve, who prepared the prosecution of the case."       Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

Sheriff honored with Order of the Long Leaf Pine

Sheriff Charlie McDonald didn’t know why he had been called to the Board of Commissioners meeting in the Historic Courthouse on Monday night but admitted that he “smelled a rat.”   Read Story »

Hendersonville Four Seasons Politics

School Board picks architects promising major Stillwell renovation

The Henderson County School Board voted unanimously on Thursday to hire architects who promise a renovation of the historic core classroom building and auditorium at Hendersonville High School along with a second new classroom building, a new gym and other new buildings. The board vote came after members heard presentations about construction of a new or renovated Hendersonville High School from the two finalists vying for a contract to design the job. It rejected a recommendation of an ad hoc committee, which had voted 5-2 for the county architect of record. PFA-LS3P, a collaboration of Asheville-based pfa and Charlotte-based LS3P, and ClarkNexsen, the county's architect of record, were the last two firms left standing among nine that responded originally to an invitation to bid on a new round of HHS plans. PFA-LS3P presented the more detailed plans for a combination Stillwell building renovation and new construction. The partnership said it would: Preserve and renovate the Stillwell building and 1974 gym. Raze the vocational-ed building, cafeteria, bandroom and old gym. Add a new cafeteria and vocational-ed building, renovate and expand the Stillwell auditorium, add a new administrative office and a classroom building along Oakland Street and build a second gym next to the 1974 Jim Pardue gymnasium. Complete the project in two phases, without housing students in mobile units, and finish by August 2022. Design a single point of entry for security reasons, allowing access to the Stillwell Building and the new classroom building. Add an enclosed courtyard behind the Stillwell building in roughly the spot where the vocational-ed building stands today. PFA-LS3P estimated the cost at $52.4 million. ClarkNexsen presented five options, including Stillwell renovation and new construction options and one, called Hail Mary, that was basically the same as the all-new construction option the School Board no longer favors. "There's such a price difference between the two firms," board Chair Amy Lynn Holt said. "Clearly, they were showing a full renovation of the Stillwell building, with bigger class sizes, everthing in that building." Even if it added other options, "We're still millions of dollars under the first number ClarkNexsen is coming in on." Mary Louise Corn, who voted for ClarkNexsen in the School Board vote last week, said PFA had made the best presentation. "Some said only consider ClarkNexsen. They've got all the lay of the land," she said. "Some have said ClarkNexsen shouldn't even be considered because we don't trust them. There's no doubt PFA made the best presentaiton. It's fine and easy to put on a dog and pony show. It's easy to make the rendering look great. ... are very honest about the price, I think they're telling us things we don't want to hear." But she added, "I would be fine with PFA." Amy Lynn Holt strongly endorsed PFA. "At the end of the day, I still feel that PFA did an amazing job," she said. "I think it's undisputed." "I feel great. I think it's the right choice," said Blair Craven, who has been the School Board's strongest advocate for saving the Stillwell building. "Several people said it, this project does deserve a fresh look. ... We'll see what that price is going to be for them to get us to hopefully a guaranteed maximum price and set of drawings that we can bring before the county that will be approved." How does he see the path to getting three vote on the County Commission to approve the new plan? "I truly believe that PFA is going to put something forward that they're going to be proud of, that they're not going to be able to say no to and that they will ultimately check the boxes and say yes, we're going to be able to do this. We're going to have at least one new county commissioner, possibly two with the election coming up, but I think we can get three votes no matter how that comes out." Holt said the choice for her came down to listening to constituents. "To me it's what the community wants," she said. "I didn't have anybody from that part of the community" favoring another shot for ClarkNexsen. "I would hope that when they see we're being fiscally responsible, that we're within the budget and that we're producing something for that community and that's great for the students I hope that they would approve it," she said. "I would like to see from here and out — we can confer with the county — but that it really big directed by us. When you heard those firms talk, I never heard them say, 'When we designed a school for the county commission.' I never heard them say that. That's the process. We're directed to be over schools." Boney, lead architect for LS3P, told the board he is the third-generation to lead a firm that specializes in school renovation and construction, having completed 2,500 projects over that time and 576 in the past 20 years. The firm touts its adherence to the "three Cs," meaning it's "creative, competent and cost conscious." The architects "design places where students want to be," it says. Boney and PFA Project Leader Maggie Carnevale touted the two firms' experience in renovating historic school buildings and combining new construction and renovation in tight urban spaces, citing Asheville High School, the historic West Charlotte High School and others. They pledged to deliver an "open and honest" process, communicate clearly and often with the board and the public and give detailed stakeholder updates. They proposed this timeline: Deliver drawings by January 2019. January-September 2019: Advanced planning and cost projections. September 2019-Jan. 1, 2021: Phase 1 construction (new cafeteria and career technical education building). November 2019-Jan. 1, 2021: Phase 2 construction documents, cost estimates. November-December 2020: Phase 2 permitting. January-May 2021: Demolish cafeteria, band room, auxiliary gym and CTE building. May 2021-August 2022. Phase 2 construction (administrative offices and classrooms along Oakland Street and auxiliary gym south of the Pardue gym). August 2022: Turn over project to Henderson County School Board. Students move in.     This is a developing story. Return to the Lightning for updates.       Read Story »

Henderson County Four Seasons Politics

School Board likely to pick HHS architect Friday

The Henderson County School Board will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday to hear two finalists pitch their architectural firm’s ideas for Hendersonville High School construction.   Read Story »

Four Seasons Politics Archive