Politics

4 SEASONS POLITICS: Forums set, Progressive Women, student walk

By Bill Moss, Published: March 16, 2018

Forums set for sheriff, D.A., commission seat

The Henderson County Republican Party along with the Republican Women’sClub  and Men’s Club will host these primary candidate forums (all at 7 p.m.):

• Tuesday, April 10, Community Room in the Historic Courthouse. District Attorney Greg Newman and challenger Mary Ann Hollocker.

• Thursday, April 12, Community Room of the Historic Courthouse. District 4 County Commission candidates Don Ward and Rebecca McCall.

• Tuesday April 17, Bo Thomas Auditorium, BRCC, Sheriff Charlie McDonald and challenger Lowell Griffin.

Progressive Women focus on gun control

Gun control was the subject of the First Friday Focus at Sanctuary Brewing Co. sponsored by Progressive Women of Hendersonville. The group that included high school students wrote more than 700 postcards in favor of gun safety regulations and against arming public school teachers and thanking corporations that have severed ties with the National Rifle Association.

John Owens, a member of Moms Demand Action and a victim of gun violence, answered questions about the goals of Moms Demand Action. The event had been planned before the February mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a student killed 17 people and injured 16.

PWH has been hosting postcard writing events for over a year on Fridays at Sanctuary Brewing Co. More than 13,000 postcards have been mailed. Local artists have designed the postcards. Postage and the cost of the postcards are provided through donations. Recently, the group decided to expand the postcard writing to include First Friday Focus where people impacted by current issues attend to facilitate citizen involvement. On Friday, April 6, the focus will be the environment. Representatives from groups who focus on protecting the environment Mountain True and Citizens’ Climate Lobby will attend to answer questions. Postcard parties are still held every Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

NCDOT engineer is guest at GOP breakfast

Jonathan Woodward, senior engineer for NCDOT District 14, will be guest speaker at the Republican Party breakfast gathering at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Dixie Diner in Laurel Park. A 1995 graduate of N.C. State University with a degree in civil engineering, Woodward has worked for the NCDOT for 20 years. He will talk about potential road improvements to Henderson County. 

Ward announces campaign committee

Don Ward, candidate for the District 4 Board of Commissioners seat, announced the appointment of his campaign steering committee, chaired by Shuford Edmisten, president of Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Other steering committee members are Fletcher Town Council member Sheila Franklin, School Board member, Blair Craven, Shaw’s Creek Baptist Church Pastor Jerry Mullinax, former Mills River Town Council member Billy Johnston and his wife, Nancy, interior designer Meghan Penny, retired teacher Rosemary Pace, Sara Boyd Grant, who works in radiation technology at Pardee UNC Health Care, Valley Hill Fire and Rescue Chief Tim Garren and his wife, Lori, who is a director of nursing, retired county Code Enforcement Officer Sam Laughter, Nancy Randall, who is retired, Tony Hill of Apple Ridge Farms, former Mills River Mayor Larry Freeman and grower Kirby Johnson of Flavor 1st and Johnson Family Farm.

Incumbent Tommy Thompson is not running for re-election. Since no Democrat has filed, the winner of the Republican primary on May 8 would win the seat barring an unprecedented write-in campaign.

Meadows seeks appropriation for school resource officers
 

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows says more money for school resource officers — not gun control — is the best way to protect schools.

Meadows introduced two bills last week to enhance school security after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

“Our country is in the midst of a defining moment where we have an opportunity to come together and develop common-sense solutions to safeguard our children in school,” Meadows said in a statement.

One bill would appropriate $1.5 billion through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for school resource officers. A second bill, the Veterans Securing Schools Act, would allow state or local veterans to serve as school resource officers.

North Carolina has a similar law allowing school districts and local sheriffs to set up a volunteer SROs program. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page announced plans Feb. 28 to set up such a program, with the support of state House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham.

“While gun control is not the answer, the best and most effective path forward, I believe, is one that safeguards our schools from becoming ‘soft targets,’ or areas with little to stand in the way of someone with bad intentions,” Meadows said.

Henderson County Sheriff Charles McDonald expressed support for the bills.

“As counties like ours look at the myriad of options to improve school safety, this initial funding for School Resource Officers is a great step to ensure that our local governments have access to the funding they need should they determine that increased officer presence is one facet of the strategy they want to adopt,” he said in a statement.

— LINDSAY MARCHELLO, Carolina Journal

League forum focuses on substance abuse

Substance abuse and addiction, from alcohol to opioids, has reached epidemic proportions across the country and here in Henderson County, health care and law enforcement officials say.

According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, 75 percent of those in jail are suffering with an addiction problem. Substance abuse and addiction are vital health concerns. Drug overdose is the number one cause of accidental poisoning deaths.

The League of Women Voters Henderson County will focus on the subject with a program at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 22, at the Kaplan Auditorium in the Public Library, 301 N. Washington Street. Julie Huneycutt, director of HopeRX, and Maj. Frank Stout of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office will speak. The program is free and open to the public.

For more information visit www.lwvhcnc.org or email communications.lwvhc.com@gmail.com

High school students plan walk on March 24

High school students plan to march on behalf of school safety at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, from Hendersonville High School to the Historic Courthouse. The student-led march is a peaceful protest to let surrounding people know that students care about issues of school safety and gun control. All students are welcome.

McDonald opens campaign headquarters

The Committee to Re-elect Sheriff Charles McDonald has opened its campaign headquarters at 822 Locust St., Suite 400, in the Historic Seventh Avenue District. Hours of operation are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays. Yard signs, bumper stickers and all campaign materials are available for pick up. Tickets for the campaign’s March 24 Bluegrass and BBQ fundraiser are also available. For information call 828-595-0617.