Free Daily Headlines

News

Set your text size: A A A

News

Woman sent to prison for dealing heroin

Henderson County News

EHHS graduate wins top UNC system award for teaching

As an associate professor of philosophy at Western Carolina University, John Whitmire grabs his students’ attention at the start of each semester by telling them that he really doesn’t care what they think.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Connet honored as a Main Street Champion

The North Carolina Department of Commerce recognized Hendersonville City Manager John Connet as a North Carolina Main Street Champion, saying he exerts a positive influence downtown "from the big things to the little things." He was honored along with 42 other champions for their contributions to Main Street programs and downtown districts across the state during a meeting in Salisbury on March 14 . “Every city and town needs a Champion - someone that will step up and invest time and money in the community, improve the quality of life and grow economic vibrancy throughout the state,” said Anthony M. Copeland, N.C. Secretary of Commerce in a release. “Commerce is so pleased, each year, to recognize those individuals that are making a difference in their communities.” During the awards ceremony Connet was recognized for his diligent work to move a variety of preservation, reinvestment, infrastructure and capital projects forward, all while annually attending the downtown program's volunteer recognition programs and volunteering his own personal time to support downtown events. “From my first interactions with the City to the work I do on the Advisory Committee, John has always served with a complete dedication to the people and our community,” said Michele Sparks, chair of the Hendersonville Downtown Main Street Advisory Committee and owner of Art Mob Studios. “He creates an environment where our town can continue to grow and flourish.” This year’s group of Main Street Champions brings the total number to 721 that have been recognized by the N.C. Department of Commerce over the past nineteen years.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Ask Matt ... about Blue Ridge Parkway bridge project

Q. When they widen Interstate 26 will they have to rebuild the Blue Ridge Parkway Bridge and if so, how much will that cost? Yes, the existing Parkway Bridge over I-26 four miles north of the Airport exit – is history. NCDOT will build a new 90-foot high bridge with a longer span next to the existing bridge. This is because the massive concrete bridge abutments will be in the way of the new highway lanes. This is a big-time project and it’s already out for bid. Rebuilding the Parkway Bridge is part of NCDOT Project No. I-4700. The new span is estimated to cost $20 million or about 10% of the total project which will include widening the interstate from the NC 280 exit near the airport to the I-40/240 interchange in Asheville – also known as malfunction junction. Most of this 8.6-mile section of widening falls in Buncombe County. The next and final I-26 widening work will be done entirely in Henderson County and will start at N.C. 280 (Exit 40) and end 13.6 miles east to U.S. 25 (Exit 54) near Zirconia. Traffic on the Parkway near the bridge is about 3,500 vehicles per day in peak season. The National Park Service announced last week that it had OK’d the final environmental impact statement for the replacement of the bridge.The National Park Service is a cooperating agency for the project, and has been involved in the project planning, preparation, and analysis that are documented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. The agency announced Friday that it would adopt the NCDOT document.
The planned widening of I-26 will require the replacement of the existing piers for the Blue Ridge Parkway Bridge because of their proximity to the interstate roadway. The selected action realigns a short portion of the Parkway and requires construction of a new bridge spanning I-26 south of the existing bridge. The Parkway will remain open during the multi-year construction of the new bridge and demolition of the existing bridge. The construction project includes widening I‐26 from U.S. 25 (Exit 54) south of Hendersonville to U.S. 25 (Asheville Highway Exit 44) to six lanes and widening from U.S. 25 (Asheville Highway, Exit 44) to I‐40/I‐240 to eight lanes. The new bridge will be 606 feet long, with two 10-foot lanes, three-foot shoulders, and a five-foot sidewalk on one side to accommodate the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The project also includes additional parking for the Mountains-to-Sea Trail on part of the old Parkway road.The new two-lane bridge will be erected with precast concrete segments. It will be built about 165 feet south of the existing bridge which will be removed and hauled away. Wanda Austin, NCDOT’s project engineer for this project, said that per an agreement with the National Park Service, a federal agency, NCDOT will cover the full cost for the design and the replacement of the Parkway bridge. Bids for the I-4700 project will be opened by NCDOT this spring and the project may be awarded as early as this summer. Although motorists may see some clearing activities at the bridge project site, according to Austin it may take as much as nine months to get the precast concrete bridge members procured and on site.Eighteen years ago a local controversy erupted over plans to widen 14 miles of I-26 in Henderson County, skipping the Buncombe County section. Highway funding was then available yet citizens were divided into basically two camps. The “business camp” was in favor for economic reasons and the “bottleneck camp” was against for fear of traffic back-ups. Many suspected that the known high cost of rebuilding both the French Broad River bridge and the Blue Ridge Parkway bridge contributed to NCDOT’s nearsightedness in their planning. Opponents killed the widening project by winning a lawsuit in federal court claiming that the state had failed to properly complete environmental studies. * * *ADD SHIRTTAIL   Read Story »

Mills River News

Raumedic reshapes management team

MILLS RIVER — The medical technology manufacturer Raumedic has re-assigned responsibilities among its top management team, naming Executive Board member Stefan Seuferling chairman of the Executive Board and shifting former chair Martin Bayer to focus on his function as CEO and President of the U.S. company and develop business in North America, the world’s largest medical technology market.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

City water exceeds EPA standards, report says

The City of Hendersonville continues to exceed the U.S. EPA standards  for water quality, a new report confirms. The report, also referred to as the Consumer Confidence Report, showed that the city had no violations in any of the cagtegories measured. “This report gives our customers a summary of the results from the testing that was completed throughout the year,” Water Treatment Facility Manager Ricky J. Levi said. “It tells them where their water comes from and the care that’s taken by our staff to provide them with clean drinking water.” The report can be accessed at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/water-sewer under the ‘Reports and Other Program Information’ section or by following the direct link at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/2018-ccr-water-quality-report.pdf. The report will also be included in water customer’s bills with hard copies of the report being available for pick-up next month at City Hall. City water customers are served by a water supply that is taken from three sources: two intakes located inside Pisgah National Forest within the Mills River Watershed and another from the main stem of the Mills River. The Water Treatment Plant at 4139 Haywood Road in Mills River is permitted to treat up to 12 million gallons a day with a conventional water treatment process that includes coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection. Levi explained that his staff must obtain and maintain a number of state certifications and follow a strict sampling schedule that ranges from turbidity testing occurring every fifteen minutes to other sampling taken hourly, daily, yearly and beyond. “It really never stops,” he said. “It runs the gamut whether its bacteriological or chemical testing. It’s probably the most regulated industry in the world.” Levi applauds his staff for their dedication and the impact they have on the public. “I know in my case, I wanted to get involved in something that gives back to the community,” said Ricky Levi. “Providing people with clean water is a job that makes you feel like you’re making a difference in people’s everyday life.” For more information about the 2018 Water Quality Report or for questions relating to water provided by the City of Hendersonville, please call Ricky J. Levi, Water Treatment Facility Manager at (828) 891-7779 or email him at rlevi@hvlnc.gov.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Atkinson kids prove to be book smart

Atkinson Elementary’s reader leaders emerged victorious in last week’s district “Battle of the Books” competition, advancing to the April 25 Regional Elementary Battle of the Books — the highest competition level currently in the N.C. School Library Media Association’s “Battle of the Books” Elementary division.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

KnollsCam: Big black bear pads lightly through moss garden

Luckily it was before people showed up for Thomas Brass's public moss garden viewing that a big black bear walked through for a preview. Brass, the wildlife enthusiast whose videos are featured in the Knollscam series on Hendersonvillelightning.com, said the bear was a delicate-walking trespasser. Here's his account: "We had the public viewing of our Serenity Moss Garden, Friday through Sunday in Haywood Knolls. The moss garden is on a hillside covering about 8,000 square feet. On Saturday morning at 10AM, just before the public showing, a huge black bear showed up  at the bottom of the moss garden while I was standing near the top of the garden doing some watering. I saw him and he saw me. He stopped and waited for me to walk about 30 feet down the path (in his direction) to my driveway. He then proceeded through the moss garden and up the path where I had been standing. Amazingly, he didn't step on a single flower in the garden (there are hundreds planted!)"       Read Story »

Henderson County News

City opposes truck restrictions on Berkeley Road

Trying to stop big rigs from using Signal Hill and Berkeley roads to dodge the I-26 weigh station might redirect tractor-trailers and garbage trucks through downtown Hendersonville, City Council members said Thursday night before they voted unanimously to oppose the proposal to restrict heavy truck traffic on those roads.   Read Story »

Laurel Park News

Laurelwood residents concerned about widening project taking trees

Leaders of the Laurelwood Condo Association asked Hendersonville City Council members on Thursday to intervene with the NCDOT to reduce the number of trees that would be removed as part of the U.S. 64 widening from Blythe Street through Laurel Park.   Read Story »

News Archive