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Conservancy turns to planning for old Seven Falls land

Henderson County News

Guide to apple varieties

There is an apple variety for every taste and use. Some are sweet, some tart but all are more crisp and tart when they are fresh from the tree.   Read Story »

Etowah News

Grand marshal has been important to apple industry

Although this year’s Apple Festival Grand Marshal, J.D. Obermiller is known for his strawberries, he has been closely involved with that bigger red fruit for 40 years.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Thirsty? Use our unofficial guide to beer, cider and wine

The N.C. Apple Festival offers dozens of food and beverage booths serving everything from lemonade to apple slushies to the McMurray family’s piping hot fresh cut French fries. Try as you might, you won’t find any Apple Festival-sanctioned beer or wine. But if you’re thirsty for a cold beer, glass of hard cider or sip of wine, Hendersonville and the surrounding area have plenty of options.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Kushner boosts Meadows fundraiser in Asheville

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows benefited from a fundraiser Thursday night that attracted about 150 supporters to the Asheville home of Mike Summey, a retired real estate investor. The guests included A-lister Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Trump and a senior adviser in the White House. "Meadows and Kushner have discussed Israel — part of Kushner’s portfolio, and a key issue for Meadows — and he has talked with Ivanka about paid leave, which faces long odds in the Republican Congress," Politico reported in Friday morning's Political Playbook. "We had a fundraiser and Jared Kushner flew down to help with that," Meadows said Friday morning in Hendersonville, where he attended the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast and the opening ceremonies of the North Carolina Apple Festival. "The president called in and that was probably the highlight. He was telling the people how much he loves North Carolina." Politico noted the role of Meadows, "now one of the most powerful men in the Capitol," as a bridge between conservatives in the House and Trump administration. "Kushner traveling to North Carolina ahead of the long weekend shows the nature of the relationship between Meadows and members of the Trump administration," the report said. Meadows said he didn't know how much the event raised for his 2018 campaign. "I just basically thank them for coming," he said in a short interview with the Hendersonville Lightning at the pancake breakfast. "I learned a long time ago that if you focus on people and not politics things have a way of working out. We would rather be here shaking 500 hands and letting people know we care than raising money to buy ads to try to convince them we care."     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Festival honors Apple Farmer of the Year

Billy Laughter, an Edneyville native and fifth generation apple grower, was posthumously honored as this year’s Apple Farmer of the Year Award during the opening ceremony of the North Carolina Apple Festival. Peggy Laughter, Billy’s wife, accepted the award on her husband’s behalf and thanked the United Community Bank and the Apple Festival. Billy passed away this June at 84 years old. The award was presented Friday at the opening ceremony of the Apple Festival.“If you could build a man from scratch, give him all of life’s most beautiful qualities, and make him a farmer; we would come up with Billy Laughter,” one family member said.Someone had asked the Laughter family if they would enter Billy for the award. Peggy’s son-in-law wrote the entry. “He thinks an awful of my husband,” Peggy said.Billy came from a lineage of apple farmers. He was the fifth generation in his family to grow apples. His farm, Billy Laughter Orchards, has belonged to the Laughters since 1962, when Billy and Peggy bought 34 acres from Peggy’s brother. The land included the house in which Billy and Peggy raised their children.Laughter was passionate about agriculture from a young age. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1955 as a horticulture major, Peggy said. “He worked on a farm and took care of the greenhouse” at NC State University throughout his college years Peggy added.Since Billy’s passing, his son has taken over the farm, Peggy said. The orchard has a pick-your-own orchard and also sells apples wholesale.His love of apple farming led to his 20-year tenure as president of the WNC Apple Growers Association and service as president of the WNC Apple Growers Co-op in Edneyville for many years, Peggy said.“He loved doing what he did,” Peggy says of Billy when he farmed. He rarely got to attend the apple festival because it was in the middle of apple season and he didn’t leave the orchard.Billy loved farming because he enjoyed “being outside and meeting people” Peggy says. “His last few years, he didn’t do much farming, but he took people down to pick their own apples and helped with the maintenance part of the farm.”A lifetime deacon of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, he was also a member of the Edneyville Grange and an honorary lifetime member of the NC Apple Growers Association.“I think he would be very humbled,” Peggy says if Billy were here to accept his award. “I am myself. He would be very honored and feel like he didn’t deserve it.”Sponsored by United Community Bank, the award is in its ninth year. After nominations come in, a panel made up of community members chooses the winner.“He (Billy) was nominated by his family, and the reasons they gave on the nomination were the way he could give back to other farmers in the community and people that needed help,” said Karen Yockey of UCB, who coordinates the award.Fair Waggoner, a Henderson County native and city president at UCB, began the award through a sponsorship.“She’s always willing to donate to community events,” Yockey said. “She wanted to give special consideration to someone deserving of the award. She wants to focus on apple farmers because we wouldn’t have a festival without that.”   Read Story »

Henderson County News

UNC, Carolinas systems plan merger as health care giant

Carolinas HealthCare System and UNC Health Care, two of the biggest health care networks in the state, plan to merge and form a new organization that would be the most comprehensive health care network in the South, UNC Health Care and Carolinas Healthcare annouunced. The new organization will deliver world-class care to people in North Carolina by creating the most comprehensive network of primary, specialty and on-demand care in the Southeast, the two systems said in a news release. UNC Health Care is an integrated health care system comprised of UNC Hospitals and its provider network, UNC Faculty Physicians, UNC Physicians Network, the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine and nine other hospitals and hospital systems across the state including Pardee Hospital. Additional hospital entities include UNC Rex Healthcare, Chatham Hospital, Johnston Health, High Point Regional Health, Caldwell Memorial, Nash Health Care, Wayne Memorial and UNC Lenoir Health Care. Carolinas HealthCare System and UNC Health Care have signed a Letter of Intent to join their clinical, medical education and research resources. Under the LOI, the two organizations have agreed to start a period of exclusive negotiations, with the goal of entering into final agreements by the end of the year. Together, Carolinas HealthCare System and UNC Health Care will provide clear solutions for healthcare’s most pressing challenges by focusing on four strategic areas: increasing access and affordability, advancing clinical care expertise, growing their renowned academic enterprise and contributing to the region’s economic vibrancy. "Together with UNC Health Care, we believe that the opportunities to be a national model and to elevate health in North Carolina are nearly limitless," said Gene Woods, current president and CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System, and future CEO of the new entity. “For example, since our organizations already serve almost 50 percent of all patients who visit rural hospitals in our state, we are perfectly positioned to participate in the reinvention of rural healthcare in partnership with others. Ensuring there is great healthcare in rural counties is not only important to our patients’ physical wellbeing, but is also vital to the economic wellbeing of those communities as well. "At the same time, we are also inspired by what our two organizations will be able to do together to transform cancer treatment. At Levine Cancer Institute, we care for over 10,000 new patients every year, and over 1,000 participate in clinical trials through a ‘care-close-to-home’ model in more than 25 locations throughout the Carolinas. Combined with UNC Health Care’s National Cancer Institute designation, with more than $70 million in joint cancer research grants for clinical trials, we will create a cancer network that is second to none in the country. In short, this partnership is an example of one of those truly ‘big ideas’ that this state is known for." Carolinas HealthCare System and UNC Health Care will improve access to care in underserved and rural geographies, jointly addressing behavioral health needs, designing new models of care and further developing virtual care platforms. The joint organization also will work to expand medical education, serving as the platform for training future healthcare providers. The new organization also will further the development of clinical care destination centers and centers of excellence as well as differentiated care in pediatrics, cancer, transplant services, among others. “By integrating our organizations, we are combining the strengths of two great health systems, providing greater access to a full range of services and leading-edge treatments for patients, enabling better coordination of care and advancing research,” said Dr. William Roper, dean of the UNC School of Medicine, CEO of UNC Health Care, and future executive chair of the new organization. “Carolinas HealthCare System is one of the most innovative healthcare organizations in the nation, particularly in combining world-class clinical care with a community care model. By combining our two extremely mission-focused organizations, we will offer an unparalleled array of services, expertise and experiences for our patients and communities – beyond what either of us could do independently.” Among its many services, the new company will: Provide both urban and rural populations with close-to-home options for world-class care. Offer nearly 1,400 active clinical trials that can quickly help uncover solutions and deliver treatments. Serve as the cornerstone for Medicaid coverage in North Carolina. Strengthen collaboration with other healthcare providers to improve patient experience and bring affordable care to the region. House seven nationally-ranked adult clinical service lines and nine nationally-ranked pediatric clinical service lines. Drive research opportunities that advance discovery and innovation to find new cures and change the way care is delivered. Educate the next generation of physician leaders at the nationally ranked UNC School of Medicine, through more than 100 residency programs in its enhanced network of teaching hospitals across the state, and through lifelong learning for providers   Additional information is available at TogetherInHealthCare.org. Carolinas HealthCare System, one of the nation’s leading and most innovative healthcare organizations, provides a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness programs throughout North and South Carolina. Its diverse network of care locations includes academic medical centers, hospitals, freestanding emergency departments, physician practices, surgical and rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, nursing homes and behavioral health centers, as well as hospice and palliative care services. Carolinas HealthCare System works to enhance the overall health and wellbeing of its communities through high quality patient care, education and research programs, and numerous collaborative partnerships and initiatives.     Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Owner offers to sell Lake Osceola to county for $3M

The owner of Lake Osceloa is offering to sell the lake to Henderson County for $3 million, which he says is a fifth of the cost of building a new lake today. The lake's owner, Todd Leoni, told Henderson County officials in an email that he is offering the county the exclusive right to buy the lake as long as it remains a lake forever, maintained by the county and made open to the public. The lake, which has had problems with its dam for many years, is not currently filled as work continues on the structure. "I am upgrading the dam and it will be in full compliance when I turn it over to the county," Leoni said. County Manager Steve Wyatt said Thursday county staff had done no investigation of the offer. "I’ve been asked to do nothing," he said. "The board is going to have to express an interest in it." If commissioners were interested "there would be a lot of due diligence. The gentleman’s asked to be on the agenda. The chairman asked to put him on the agenda." Reached in Miami, Leoni said he's had no discussions with county officials beyond an email that spelled out his offer. "I just submitted a letter telling them I thought it might be good idea to be able to offer this lake as a park space to the county," he said. "We’ll see where it goes. I'm repairing the dam and they're going to get it as a brand new operating lake." Besides the 32-acre lake, Leoni owns lakeside land that he says could be developed for public access. He also owns Mountain Lake Inn on North Lakeside Drive. "It’s killed my business for the past two years to have it down," he said of the dam. The inn is still open "but we have very limited check-ins because we don’t have a lake." Once filled, the lake could be a destination for local people and tourists, he said. "It’s so close to town. And the county doesn't have a lake like this," he said. "This is really a gift. I grew up on the lake. That was my summer camp. I bought it back in 1990 and I’ve owned it since then. I don’t want to have to throw people off the lake. I’d like the county to take it on" and develop boat launches, trails and fishing areas. "It would be beautiful," he said. Under conditions of his offer, Leoni asks that the property be "maintained as a lake forever, that the county maintains it and manages it and opens it up to the public." Less than two miles from the middle of town, a public lake "would be a great asset for the residents of Hendersonville and especially the visitors including fisherman, birdwatchers, bikers, walkers and many other uses," he told the county. Included in his offer was a map of the lake and proposed lakeside amenties. A 2.7-acre site on the southside could have a small music pavilion, canoe and boat launch and wildflower walking trails and a 3.4 acre northside park could include parking for 20 cars, fishing and a 1.5 mile walking trail. The offer is on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Local woman charged with trafficking in meth

Sheriff's deputies charged a 31-year-old Hendersonville woman with felony possession of methamphetamine after a vehicle stop on Aug. 1 and upon further investigation by detectives charged three weeks later with trafficking. Dawn Marie Barton, of Timberlane Drive, was also charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia after the vehicle stop and the indication from a drug-sniffing K9 led to the meth, the sheriff's office said. Barton was released the following day after posting a $6,000 bond. After further investigation by detectives, Barton was arrested again on Aug. 25 for felony trafficking of methamphetamine and felony maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of sale and delivery of a controlled substance. Barton was released from the Henderson County Jail after posting a $28,000 bond.   Read Story »

Etowah News

Zoning board OKs apartments, RVs in Etowah development

The Henderson County Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday granted a developer’s request to include apartment buildings and an RV park in a 299-unit development in Etowah that has drawn strong opposition from neighboring homeowners. More than 30 residents who live near the 232-acre site on McKinney Road raised numerous objections during a public hearing that lasted more than 90 minutes. Developer John Turchin, who has built residential communities in Miami and Banner Elk, is seeking the county’s approval for a 299-unit development, including 173 single-family homes, 70 duplexes, 56 apartments, 16 guest rooms and 24 RV spaces on what is now a cow pasture between McKinney Road and the French Broad River.“I believe there’s a niche in the market to downsize out of our houses and move into a rental community in a rural situation and move on to a farm,” Turchin said. The project is geared toward healthy living, fitness, an active lifestyle with outdoors amenities and wellness programs.“It’s geared toward year-round rentals, long-term rentals, not transient rentals. ... We’re trying to create an active lifestyle community for baby boomers,” he said.The single-family units would be built in clusters of eight to 16 cottages. Rent in the community would range from $1,000 to $2,500 a month, he said, and residents would be required to sign leases of at least six months.“We could put a lot more units on this property. That’s not what our intention is. Our intention is to build a prototype of a community that’s geared toward the future, that the country is moving toward," Turchin said.The Zoning Board of Adjustment was authorized under the county land-use code to take up two components of the development that require a special-use permit — seven two-story eight-unit apartment buildings and the 24-space RV park.Neighbors objected to the apartments and the RV spaces but also raised concerns about the prospect of adding 299 units in all.“I understand the need for the Hammonds to sell off their property but this is not the solution,” said Mary Kathleen Riddle. “You can’t just drop a little settlement into the middle of a farm and continue to call it a farm. It’s not honest. .. this will ruin the quality of some people’s lives. The reality is it’s going to be absolutely devastating.”Homeowners said the development would overburden roads and the Etowah Sewer Co., which would serve the community and would destroy habitat of birds and animals.Turchin has other hurdles to clear before he could break ground. The Henderson County Planning Board, which has the authority to approve or reject the development, tabled consideration of the master plan for the development.The Planning Board has 90 days to make a decision on the master plan. Even if Turchin wins approval for the master plan, he still must come back to the Planning Board for final approval of a development plan, which spells out specifics like erosion control, water and sewer service, stormwater management and traffic.   Read Story »

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