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Newly rebranded AdventHealth welcomes first baby of 2019

Fletcher News

Pardee, AdventHealth chart strategies for a changing health care market

Among the certainties in the new year is change on the health care front, and nowhere is that change as certain as in Henderson County.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

City to look at commercial zoning on Kanuga at State-Erkwood

The Hendersonville City Council on Thursday night sent to the Planning Board a rezoning request that could lead to higher intensity development at the intersection of Kanuga Road and Erkwood Drive.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

NHHS announces new football coach

Jim Beatty, a former head football coach at T.C. Roberson High School and an assistant coach last year at North Henderon High School, has been hired as the new head football coach at North, the school announced. Beatty joined the North Henderson staff this past season after leaving McDowell High School. Since becoming a Knight, Beatty has served as PE teacher, offensive coordinator and assistant football coach.“I’m very excited about this opportunity to become the head football coach at North Henderson and working with this group of kids and this community. I would also like to thank Dr. Shepard and Mr. McDaris for this opportunity,” said Coach Beatty.Beatty is no stranger to what it takes to be successful in western North Carolina and the Western Mountain Athletic Conference. During his eight years as head football coach at TC Roberson High School Beatty led the Rams to two MAC championships (2007 and 2012), four MAC 4A conference championships (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013), and a finish as the NCHSAA Western Regional Runner-Up in the playoffs (2007). Beatty was also selected as the MAC Coach of the Year in 2012. After leaving the Rams Beatty served as the offensive line coach for Mars Hill University for three years before joining Andy Morgan’s football staff at McDowell High School.“We are excited for Coach Beatty to pick right up where Coach Zach Wilkins left off," Assistant Principal and Athletic Director John McDaris said. "Coach Wilkins did a tremendous job in helping our football program take strides in a more positive direction and we believe Coach Beatty is the perfect man to continue to help us move forward. We are excited about Coach Beatty’s toughness and intensity and look forward to supporting him as he leads our football program."Beatty has been married for 15 years to his wife, Laura.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Officer charged with DWI resigns

A Hendersonville police officer charged with driving while impaired and hit and run on Saturday has resigned, the city said in a news release. Andre C. "Andy" Massey, 27, was charged after Hendersonville police received a call around 3 a.m. Saturday that he 2016 Dodge sedan had run off N.C. 191 near Browning Avenue and into a ditch and fled the scene, according to city police and court records. After determining that the car belonged to a city police officer, police called the State Highway Patrol to investigate. Trooper David Williams went to Massey's home and reported a strong odor of alcohol and said the officer had red glassy eyes and failed a field sobriety test. A breathalyzer test reported a blood alcohol level of .18, according to a report filed by SHP Sgt. Brent Hipp. Massey, the son of longtime city police officer Andre Massey, was placed on administrative leave with pay immediately that day pending an internal investigation by the Hendersonville Police Department, the city said in a news release. Andy Massey has served with the police department since February 2012. The city received his resignation letter and announced that he was no longer an employee, effective Friday.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (198)

You won't want to miss this week’s Hendersonville Lightning. We start out the new year with an in-depth look at the changing health care landscape in Western North Carolina and how Pardee and Park Ridge are adapting to those changes. Plus as always we've got community briefs and local briefs, the popular Stuck in the Late Middle, Ask Matt and the penultimate installment of the Civil War saga, Brave Women.Here's where you can pick up a Lightning: Downtown Hendersonville• Hendersonville Lightning Office, 1111 Asheville Hwy.• Pop’s Diner, 5 Points, North Main Street• Triangle Stop, 701 North Main Street• The 500 block of North Main Street(First Citizens Bank / Mast General Store)• Black Bear Coffee Co., Main Street• The 300 block of North Main Street(McFarland’s Bakery / Mike’s on Main )• 100 block of South Main(Flat Rock Playhouse) Southside Hendersonville(Spartanburg Highway)• Ingles, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hairstyles by Charlene, Joel Wright Drive• McDonald’s, Spartanburg Hwy.• Norm’s Minit Mart, Spartanburg Hwy.• Hendersonville Co-op• Burger King/ BP, Spartanburg Hwy. Flat Rock/East Flat Rock• Flat Rock Post Office• Flat Rock Bakery• Zirconia Post Office• East Flat Rock Post Office• Whitley Drug, Greenville Hwy.• Energy Mart Exxon, Upward Road & I-26• Triangle Stop, 754 Upward Road & I-26 Along Kanuga Road• Hot Dog World, Kanuga Road• Mr Pete’s Market, Kanuga Road• Norm’s Minit Mart, Kanuga Road Laurel Park Area• Economy Drug on Fifth Ave. West• Fifth Avenue Shell• YMCA Hendersonville, Sixth Ave & Oak St• Laurel Park Village, RiteAid• Energy Mart Exxon, Laurel Park• Dixie DIner, Brevard Road West on Highway 64 (Brevard Road)• Horse Shoe Post Office• Mr Pete’s Market, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Blue Ridge Pizza, Etowah, Hwy. 64-W• Etowah Shopping Center, Etowah• Ingles, Brevard Road• Bandana’s Restaurant, Brevard Road North on Highway 191 (Haywood Road)• Joey’s New York Bagels, Hwy. 191• One Stop Store # 8, Haywood Road (Hwy. 191)• Dollar General, Hwy. 191 & Mountain Road• Triangle Stop, 4197 Haywood Road, Mills River• Ingle’s, Mills River, Hwy. 280 Eastside Hendersonville (Four Seasons Blvd.)• Norm’s Minit Mart, Dana Road• Fatz Cafe, Dana Road & Four Seasons Blvd.• Grocery Outlet, off Four Seasons Blvd.• Energy Mart Exxon, Four Seasons Blvd.• McDonald’s, Four Seasons Boulevard• Mustang Cafe, Dana Road East on Highway 64 (Chimney Rock Highway)• Triangle Stop, 2545 Chimney Rock Road, Hwy. 64-E• Mr Pete’s Market, East, Hwy. 64-E• Griffin’s Store Edneyville, Hwy. 64-E• Edneyville Post Office• Edneyville General Store• Walmart Shopping Center North on Highway 25(Asheville Highway)• The Ugly Mug Coffee Shop, Hwy. 25-N• Alykat, US 25-N• Triangle Stop, Hwy 25-N, Balfour• Mountain Home Post Office• Fletcher Post Office• Ingles, FletcherSouthern & Eastern Henderson County • Dana Post Office• Rosco’s Grocery, Green River• Saluda Post Office The Hendersonville Lightning is available at mostHenderson County post offices and Ingles supermarkets     Read Story »

Flat Rock News

Flat Rock imposes new rules on yard signs

FLAT ROCK — Aiming to prevent the proliferation of issue-oriented signs in the historic town, the Flat Rock Village Council has adopted new rules on the size of signs and how long they can stay up.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Half-foot of rain closes roads, threatens homes, pushes total to record

Six to seven inches of rain through Friday morning caused flooding that closed at least 30 roads around Henderson County, led to rescues of motorists who "got in too deep too quick," forced the evacuation of homes threatened by rising waters and pushed the rainfall total for the year to an all-time record. “All the fire departments and the rescue squad have been busy most of the day answering calls (to rescue) folks trying to drive through flooded roads, a couple of residential areas that needed to evacuate," Emergency Management Director Jimmy Brissie said Friday afternoon. First responders evacuated eight residents of a neighborhood off Banner Farm Road threatened by high water and took them to a temporary emergency shelter at the Mills River Community Center.“They’ve all since returned home or gone to friends’ or family’s house,” Brissie said. “Right now, we have had about 20 calls for rescues and a number of calls for well-being checks.” Whether the worst is over "depends on where you are," he said. While the French Broad River is expected to rise through Saturday afternoon, Mud Creek at Erkwood Drive had started to fall by sundown.“The stuff in town will continue to recede over the next 12 hours,” he said. “I think the majority of the rain has passed us.” The flooding caused the county to activate its emergency operations center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. Brissie urged motorists to obey road closed signs and take no chances driving through high water — "turn around, don't drown."No injuries were reported. “We’ve had a few vehicle rescues early this morning that people got in too deep too quick,” Sheriff's Maj. Frank Stout said. “Other than that, it’s been fairly uneventful except for many flooded roadways.” There was so much flooding along Mud Creek by mid-afternoon that motorists found it challenging to reach downtown Hendersonville from the Kanuga area and Flat Rock. Greenville Highway in front of the new Publix was closed, as is common in flood conditions, and several alternate routes — including South Grove Street, flooded by Mud Creek, and Airport Road at BRCC, flooded by King Creek — were also blocked. WLOS-Ch. 13 reported 24-hour rainfall totals of 7.16 inches in Brevard, 5.4 inches in Mills River and 5.2 inches at Asheville Regional Airport — boosting the rainfall total for the year to an all-time record of 79.18 inches, breaking the 2013 total of 75.22 inches. Roads flooded, closed or submerged in high water included: Greenville Highway at Spartanburg Highway. South Grove Street at Mud Creek. Crail Farm Road, off Kanuga. Bob's Creek Road at Green River Road Andrews Road at the Lemon Hole. Gilliam Road at the Bridge, Edneyville. BATTLE CREEK RD AT THE RAIL ROAD TRACKS BROOKSIDE CAMP RD NEAR THE BRIDGE. OLD SPARTANBURG RD NEAR MAPLE VILLAGE DR  CHIMNEY ROCK RD NEAR THE DOLLAR GENERAL, high water, NCDOT advised it would not close the road; instread would put up High Water warning signs. SHEPHERD ST OFF SPARTANBURG HWY BEHIND BURGER KING. COLLEGE DR AT AIRPORT AND SHEPHERD-PER METCALF AT BRCC PD BALLENGER RIGHT PAST LAKEWOOD RV RESORT...SWIFT MOVING WATER. KANUGA ROAD AT ERKWOOD. MUD SLIDE COVERED HALF THE ROAD ON POT SHOALS NEAR THE POWER LINES HOWARD GAP AT S&R AUTO. BUTLER BRIDGE RD AT JEFFRESS RD - MILLS RIVER. NIX RD AT CLEAR CREEKSIDE DR - MILLS RIVER. HOWARD GAP RD AT FLETCHER PARK. ORRS CAMP RD AND DANA ROAD. STONEY MOUNTAIN RD AT N HARPER RD DRIVE. 214 BANNER FARM ROAD, MILLS RIVER. WARLICK RD AT TURNPIKE RD., MILLS RIVER. NEW HOPE RD AT POWELL ST BANNER FARM RD, MILLS RIVER. WILLOW RD AT RIVER RD IS FLOODED, BIG WILLOW JACKSON PARK, CLOSED DANA RD AND TRACY GROVE - HOWARD GAP RD//JACKSON ROAD, FLETCHER. BALFOUR RD AT THE WATER PLANT. SHEPHERD RD AND AIRPORT RD. JEFFRESS RD NEAR THE COW FIELDS, MILLS RIVER.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Separate drug busts net nine arrests

Henderson County sheriff’s deputies arrested nine people in two separate drug investigations in recent days. Detectives with the Office Drug Enforcement Team charged a 21-year-old man with multiple drug felonies after stopping him for a traffic violation on Wednesday, Dec. 19. The arrest led to the arrest of a local woman at a Days Inn motel room for methamphetamine possession and the arrest of three other people on drug charges at a Windy Acres Drive home. After the traffic stop, narcotics squad deputies charged Jose Guadalupe Medina-Estrada, of Windy Acres in Hendersonville, with driving while license revoked, two counts trafficking methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was jailed under a $49,000 bond. As a result of the vehicle stop and arrest, drug enforcement detectives were able to establish probable cause to obtain and execute two search warrants — one at the Days Inn, at 102 Mitchelle Drive, and the other was at a house on Windy Acres Drive. During the search of a room at the Days Inn, detectives found and seized methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. As a result of the search, Heather Michelle Welty, 24, of Stepp Acres, was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Welty was jailed on a $12,000 bond. During the execution of the search warrant at Windy Acres Drive, detectives located and seized five firearms, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. As a result of the search, three subjects were arrested. Summer Nicole Hallyburton, 32, of Windy Acres, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Troy Bruce Jackson, 29, of Hendersonville, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Ashley Dawn Mentz, 27, of Hendersonville, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. All three were released after posting a $500.00 bond. Pending further investigation by the Drug Enforcement Team, more charges are probable. In another sizable drug bust, officers with the Sheriff's SWAT and Drug Enforcement teams arrested four people after they executed a search warrant at 102 S. Sourwood Lane off Howard Gap Loop early Friday. The search of the residence turned up trafficking amounts of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, the sheriff's office said. Those arrested were: Brian Keith Prince, 36, of Flat Rock, charged with felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a schedule II controlled substance, one felony count of maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of keeping/selling a controlled substance, one felony count of trafficking methamphetamine and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Prince remains in the Henderson County Jail under a $59,000 secured bond. Rebekah Evelyn Maze, 21, of Flat Rock, charged with felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a schedule II controlled substance, one felony count of maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of keeping/selling a controlled substance, one felony count of trafficking methamphetamine and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Maze remains in the Henderson County Jail under a $34,500 secured bond. David John Caldwell, 58, of Flat Rock, charged with one felony count of maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of keeping/selling a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug and paraphernalia. Caldwell remains in the Henderson County Jail under a $9000 secured bond. Cheryl Ann-Morton Caldwell, 52, of Flat Rock, charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia and will turn herself in at a later date.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Fugitive charged with murder is caught

The 26-year-old man charged for a February murder on Holbert Road has been caught in New York. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service and the New York/New Jersey Fugitive Task Force arrested Davonte Gary Redfern, in Richland County, New York, on Thursday. Redfern was wanted in Henderson County for the murder the Feb. 22, murder of Tristan Kayne Edney. Redfern was charged with first-degree murder after a Grand Jury determined that Redfern willfully and feloniously murdered Edney, the Marshals Service said. Information was sent out by the US Marshals Service, requesting the public’s assistance with locating Redfern, after determining that Redfern was avoiding apprehension by law enforcement. Information received from the public ultimately led to Redfern’s capture, in New York. Redfern is currently awaiting extradition hearing hearings in Richland County, New York.Several law enforcement agencies played key roles with locating and apprehending Redfern. Those agencies included U.S. Marshals Service, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Asheville Police Department and New York Police Department (120th Precinct).“This is a great example of federal and local resources working together to apprehend a dangerous fugitive,” said United States Marshal Greg Forest. The U.S. Marshals Service works together with many other agencies to arrest fugitives all over the world.     Read Story »

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