Free Daily Headlines

News

Set your text size: A A A

News

Village to see revised widening plan on Friday

Henderson County News

Training center divides District 4 candidates

Sheriff Charlie McDonald’s effort to build a firing range and law enforcement training center has become an issue in his own campaign and in a county commission race. Don Ward, the two-term commissioner running against Rebecca McCall for the open District 4 seat, came out against a law enforcement training center, including the lower-cost version in Saluda the Board of Commissioners endorsed last week.“I am in opposition to any current proposal for a new training center in Henderson County at this time, at any cost,” Ward said. “It is unnecessary as adequate facilities in both county and state are already available. Training is always imperative; however, law enforcement has access to the North Carolina Justice Center locally as well as access to other state training facilities.”Like Lowell Griffin, McDonald’s opponent in the May 8 Republican primary, Ward favors spending the money on school security. “As a commissioner, I could not justify a $6 million plus tax expense on currently unnecessary training facilities,” Ward said. “There are more immediate needs to insure safety and security in our schools that must be met.” Ward's opponent in the May 8 primary, Rebecca McCall, said she supports a training center, although she did not endorse the Macedonia Road site necessarily. “I do support that we need to build a facility," she said. "It’s been proven that the Justice Academy is not adequate with type of training law enforcement to provide the scenario or different types of training they need to be aware of. I never did support the $20 million version of that. "I really have nothing to say about the location because I have not been involved with the location of that or anything. I have read some of the information on Facebook and one thing I haven’t seen noted in the concern about the sound from the gunfire is that I am aware that silencers can be used so there won’t be interference (in the neighborhood). It’s kind of a double-edged sword because if you want to eliminate sound, it has to be enclosed and if it’s enclosed the cost is going to go up. But I think they have found a location that’s away from the majority of the population. You’re never going to satisfy everyone.” The abrupt action by the Board of Commissioners last week to endorse the Saluda property — the fourth try at siting a law enforcement training center — tipped the scales for Rocky Hyder, the retired county emergency management director. Hyder announced he was endorsing Griffin.“Examine Lowell’s platform and then compare that with recent actions by the county commissioners,” Hyder said. “I have never seen a group of commissioners scramble so hard to save face for a sitting sheriff.”He also sides with Griffin on equipping deputies with body cameras.“I can’t imagine a future where video, possibly even live video streams from law enforcement officers are not standard practice,” Hyder said.Yorke Pharr, who has opposed McDonald’s efforts for shooting ranges at now four different sites, said it’s fitting that the sheriff's primary comes up in less than a month. “This should be a political referendum,” he said at a Saluda town board meeting Monday. “There’s one sheriff that is for it and one candidate for sheriff that is not and I hope people that do not want this thing will understand which one they need to vote for on this matter.”     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Sex offender gets 65 year prison term

District Attorney Greg Newman announces the following case dispositions from the recent Superior Court term in Henderson County March 19-April 6: Richard K. Chambers, of 319 Corn Mountain Road, pled guilty to two counts of Statutory Sex Offense with a Child under 15, two counts of Indecent Liberties with a Child, and two counts of Crime against Nature.  Chambers was sentenced to a total of 65 years in prison. Matthew J. Schmieder, of 64 Maxine Lane, was found guilty by a jury trial for Second Degree Murder.  Schmieder was sentenced to 16 years nine months in prison. Michael C. Angram, of 93 Harris Street, was found guilty by a jury trial of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon. Angram was sentenced to 11 years four months in prison and ordered to pay $800 in restitution.  James P. Miller, of 17 Koala Bear Lane, pled guilty to Attempted Trafficking of Opium/Heroin, Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Felony Larceny, and two counts of Larceny of a Motor Vehicle.  Miller was sentenced to 61 months in prison. William D. Rhodes, of 824 N. Mossy Rock Road, Spartanburg, SC, pled guilty to Habitual Impaired Driving and Driving While Licensed Revoked.  Rhodes was sentenced to 25 months in prison and a $500 fine. Christopher L. Patterson, of 406 West Blue Ridge Street, pled guilty to Breaking and Entering and Larceny after Breaking and Entering.  Patterson was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Kevin J. Porter, of 60 Dorothy Jane Lane, pled guilty to Breaking and Entering, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Larceny after Breaking and Entering.  Porter was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Jonathan J. Lebeck, of 56 Petal Drop Lane, pled guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine.  Lebeck was sentenced to 19 months in prison. Gideon Corn, of 82 Spartan Lane, Zirconia, pled guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine and Attempted Larceny from a Person.  Corn was sentenced to 15 months in prison.             The Honorable Judges Julia L. Gullett and Marvin Pope presided.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Jennifer Pharr Davis digs deep for 'Endurance'

Jennifer Pharr Davis, the Hendersonville native who held the fastest known time for hiking the Appalachian Trail, has a new book out on personal strength and perseverance.   Read Story »

Saluda News

Round 4: Saluda residents fight sheriff's shooting range

SALUDA — Residents near the Macedonia Road site Henderson County officials have targeted for a shooting range and law enforcement training center are organizing to stop the project.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Two charged with felony child abuse

Tequilla Shantee Cribb, 25, of 30 Sloping Hill Drive in Zirconia, was charged with one count of felony child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. after further investigation. Cribb was also charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sell/delivery of a controlled substance. Cribb was released from the Henderson County Jail on a $41,000 bond. Warrants have also been issued for the arrest of Lequon Draquell Young, 24 of 30 Sloping Hill Drive. Young has been charged with the same counts Cribb faces. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lequon Young is asked to contact the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 697-4911.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Bank teller charged in robbery of cash withdrawer

A Henderson County jury returned guilty verdicts last week in the robbery trial of Michael Angram, of 93 Harris Street, District Attorney Greg Newman said.  Angram was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery in a case that investigators traced back to a tip from a bak teller about a $25,000 cash withdrawal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Heather Brittain and Doug Mundy. Superior Court Judge Marvin Pope of Buncombe County sentenced Angram to 11 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole upon serving eight years. Angram was one of three people charged with robbing Marvin Price of Hendersonville. Last May 11 Price went to his local bank and made a cash withdrawal of $25,000. By the time he arrived home, he was attacked from behind and forced to lie face down on the ground at gunpoint. The man, later identified as the defendant, demanded the $25,000 that Price had withdrawn just moments earlier. Price hid the money under his leg in a bank envelope while on the ground  and the defendant rummaged through Price’s car looking for the cash.  A fingerprint recovered from an envelope in Price’s car was a positive match to the defendant. Price gave the defendant his wallet and the defendant fled on foot without the cash that he so eagerly sought. Price ran inside his home, locked the doors and called 911.  The information Price gave to the sheriff’s office led detectives to question the bank tellers. When the suspect was identified by the fingerprint as Michael Angram, an immediate connection was made to a suspect, a bank teller who was dating the defendant’s brother. The investigation has resulted in the indictments of both the bank teller and her boyfriend, Michael's Angram's brother. Their trial is forthcoming.    Angram was arrested in Charlotte and questioned at the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department. He admitted that his brother and the brother’s girlfriend at the bank provided the information about Price and the cash withdrawal but denied having a gun in his possession when he did the what he called a “snatch and grab” from Price.  Angram changed his story multiple times, but never admitted to having Price restrained to the ground at gunpoint. “At trial, Mr. Price told the jury that he believed he was going to die," Newman said. "He gave a description of the shirt color worn by the defendant and was able to describe the pistol pressed against his body while he lay face down on the ground,” Newman said. “Mr. Price also said the defendant kept asking specifically for the $25,000. He gave Angram his wallet, which had his credit cards, driver’s license and $1,000 cash. Mr. Price was a great witness and we appreciate his courage throughout this entire process. What happened to him is very troubling when you consider that someone from inside the bank facilitated the robbery." The next trial term in Superior Court for Henderson County begins May 14.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Playhouse announces its big summer musical

The Flat Rock Playhouse announced that the big summer musical will be the Broadway smash Mamma Mia! featuring such ABBA favorites as "Dancing Queen," "Take a Chance on Me," "The Winner Takes It All" and "Thank you for the Music."Following the release of the brand new musical movie, Mamma Mia 2, in movie theaters on July 20, the Playhouse invites patrons to "see where it all began. The show plays on the Mainstage from July 27 to Aug. 18. The Playhouse had left a TBA at mid-season and promised the announcement of a blockbuster show later in the spring. The theater was required to hold the release of the title because the show was playing elsewhere in the region. Students tickets are available at only $15. For tickets visit flatrockplayhouse.org or call the box office at 828.693.0731.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Ward opposes law enforcement training center

County Commission candidate Don Ward has come out against a law enforcement training center, including the new lower-cost version that the Board of Commissioners endorsed last week. "I am in opposition to any current proposal for a new training center in Henderson County at this time, at any cost," said Ward, a former two-term commissioner who is running for the District 4 seat. "It is unnecessary as adequate facilities in both county and state are already available. Training is always imperative; however, law enforcement has access to the North Carolina Justice Center locally as well as access to other state training facilities." Ward said that the county now has wasted money on architectural plans for a $20 million training center that the Board of Commissioners has now dropped in favor of a more modest facility with an outdoor shooting range. Commissioners on April 2 agreed with the recommendation by County Manager Steve Wyatt to pursue the purchase of an undisclosed "extremely remote" site for the training center, dropping their previously approved choice to put the center on the old baseball field at Blue Ridge Community College. "The use of training resources readily available prevents duplication of services while making it possible to spend tax dollars more wisely on schools, school safety and security," Ward said in a statement. "School Resource Officers must be in every school with Social Workers desperately needed as well. It is also crucial that recommendations of each newly formed School Safety Committee be met. These are necessities that our children and our schools deserve. ... "As a commissioner, I could not justify a $6 million plus tax expense on currently unnecessary training facilities. There are more immediate needs to insure safety and security in our schools that must be met; needs that can be addressed in a shorter time frame with more significant impact. The greatest challenge we have is to protect our children and give them a safe environment in which to learn and thrive. This is my commitment to the children and parents of Henderson County."     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Activists make case for arming schoolteachers

Thirty-eight people turned out for a “school safety education and awareness afternoon” on Saturday put on by activists who want the Henderson County School Board to authorize teachers to carry firearms in the classroom.   Read Story »

News Archive