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Commissioners, School Board at impasse on HHS future

Henderson County News

MPO VOTES TO KILL PARKWAY

ASHEVILLE — Regional transportation planners voted on Thursday to drop the Balfour Parkway from the state plans, dealing a crucial  blow in the process to formally kill the project.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Minutes show conflicting numbers on HHS cost projections

It’s no surprise that Henderson County commissioners and School Board members are not on the same page when it comes to the cost of the new Hendersonville High School and what’s included in the $52.6 million price the county has authorized. Both boards have heard different numbers at different times, according to minutes of their meetings.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Pricetag gap reignites furor over HHS

The latest flashpoint in a contentious three-year path to a Hendersonville High School replacement has revived calls for a renovation plan instead of new construction and spilled over into the general election campaign for the seat held by the chairman of Board of Commissioners.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Latino advocacy groups protest recent ICE arrests

Latino advocacy groups and families affected by U.S. government customs enforcement actions last month plan a vigil Wednesday evening to share stories of those the advocates say were unfairly targeted by ICE raids. CIMA (Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción), families of those detained, the Sanctuary Network and others plan the protest for 6-8 p.m. at New Creation Church, 500 Seventh Ave East. CIMA (Companions of Immigrants in Action in the Mountains) said ICE carried out raids in Western North Carolina on April 14 where 26 people were arrested. "During the last weeks, two people affected by the raids have already been deported and others are waiting for their deportation with fear of returning to a country they have not seen in years and that does not offer the conditions of personal security for them or for their family," CIMA said in a news release.Luis Alberto Roblero Cifuentes is a young dreamer who was detained without bond. "Luis, like many other youth his age, was brought to this country at an early age and accompanied by his parents," CIMA said. "How can we deny this youth to stay in a country that he knows no other place to call home?"The advocacy organization says families of those detained are "are suffering anxiety and despair, not knowing if they will have another change to hug their loved one or to be able to raise a bond of $9,000 or more" and continue to appeal their case. Carlos Ortiz, who CIMA says was wrongly detained in last month's raids, is scheduled to tell his story. Ortiz was granted bond and has been able to reunite with his family. “Thanks to the support from the community and strength of the families, Carlos’ case is a perfect example of community organizing works and strengthens the community," said Bruno Hinojosa Ruiz of CIMA. "To not others dehumanize and discriminate members even further.” ICE spokesman Bryan Cox said the agency carried out targeted enforcement actions against immigrants with criminal convictions. “The majority of those arrested have criminal convictions beyond their immigration status or … illegally reentered the United States after a previous deportation," Cox told Carolina Public Press. “ ... ICE only conducts targeted enforcement. ICE does not conduct checkpoints, raids or sweeps that target aliens indiscriminately. The agency’s arrest stats reflect this reality. Nationally, 92 percent of all persons arrested by ICE in FY17 either had a criminal conviction, a pending criminal charge, or were already subject to a removal order issued by a federal immigration judge.”   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Stop the Parkway group 'very disappointed' in city position

The group that rallied successfully to force the Henderson County Board of Commissioners to abandon the Balfour Parkway plans is critical of a decision by the Hendersonville City Council to endorse further study to find an acceptable route of the northern bypass. During a special meeting of the council on Tuesday, Councilman Steve Caraker, the city's representative on the French Broad River MPO, said he wanted to express support for the planning process to "run its course" before asking the NCDOT to drop the project. The City Council agreed. Stop the Balfour Parkway, which submitted 2,000 signatures from property owners opposed to the plan, urged parkway opponents to support the resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners, not the City Council's request to keep the project alive. Here is the statement from the organization: "In the resolution, the County Commissioners have asked NCDOT to halt all activity on the parkway. In the recent County Commission meeting, the commissioners also requested that NCDOT look at traffic issues and come up with realistic solutions. The commissioners took this step after hearing from many residents, including updated traffic analysis from NCDOT data that did not support the stated objectives of the Balfour Parkway project. This move by the commissioners is supported by the Stop the Balfour Parkway organization and the over 2,000 people that signed the petition to halt all work on the destructive expressway. "We are very disappointed with the actions of the City Council given that this road will be impacting county residents directly and not the city of Hendersonville. We are encouraging all FBRMPO members to align with the county commissioners as well as the residents of Henderson County in repealing the Balfour Parkway. The Stop the Balfour organization is committed to continuing our work to Stop the Balfour Parkway."   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (173)

You won't want to miss this week’s Hendersonville Lightning.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Jeter Mountain Road man charged after high-speed chase

Henderson County sheriff’s deputies charged a 21-year-old Jeter Mountain Road man with two felonies and several other counts after a chase along Brevard Road that looped in and out of Transylvania County at speeds up to 75 mph.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

$750,000 gift jumpstarts BRCC campaign

A donor has jumpstarted a $2 million Blue Ridge Community College fundraising campaign with a gift of $750,000, BRCC Educational Foundation supporters learned today at a kickoff breakfast. At its annual donor appreciation breakfast this morning, BRCC President Laura Leatherwood, trustee John McCormick announced the campaign Impact Campaign and the surprise gift. A quarter of the $2 million raised will go toward 500 new scholarships for Henderson and Transylvania County high school graduates from the class of 2019. Another quarter of the funds will go toward addressing critical needs, and one-half of the funds raised, or $1 million, will fully fund the Pay It Forward Endowed Chair position started by Ellen Perstein in 2006. BRCC provided $372, 214 in scholarships to students in 2017. The Board of Directors for Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation and the Board of Trustees for the College want to send more local students to Blue Ridge and make sure they can attend without the strain of financial worry. “When we remove financial obstacles for students who want to further their education, everyone benefits,” said Dr. Leatherwood. “I am excited to partner with the community to achieve this goal on behalf of the College.” The $2 million campaign also seeks to address critical needs that may prevent overall success for the student body. Unexpected obstacles in the life of a student, student success initiatives that lack state funding and start-up costs for emerging programs were all identified as critical needs that, when supported financially, can result in positive outcomes for the College student body. In the surprise announcement, Dr. Ivan Sutherland, executor of the estate for Ms. Ellen Perstein, presented a check in the amount of $750,000 toward the Pay It Forward Endowed Chair Fund. In 2006, Perstein, a Brevard resident and long-time Blue Ridge Community College supporter, made an initial gift that established the Pay It Forward Endowed Chair Fund. When fully funded, the endowment will approximate $1 million. In 2013, Perstein told BRCC officials that she no longer wanted to wait until her death for a recipient to be named—she wanted to see the first recipient sit in the Pay It Forward Endowed Chair. The recipient is Sharon Suess, chair of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing at Blue Ridge Community College. Suess was able to meet and form a bond with Perstein before the donor passed away in 2017. “The Pay It Forward Endowment has inspired me to continue to do the things that I can to help others,” Suess said. “I hope to carry on Ms. Perstein’s legacy.” Organizers for the event and the annual campaign stressed the importance of carrying on Ms. Perstein’s dream and creating real impact in the community through scholarships and competitive programming at BRCC. Community members interested in supporting the Impact Campaign are encouraged to contact Ann Green, executive director of the Educational Foundation. She can be reached at (828) 694-1710 or by emailing agreen@blueridge.edu.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Not so fast, city says of killing parkway

While the Henderson County Board of Commissioners has voted to asked the NCDOT to scrap the Balfour Parkway, the Hendersonville City Council says not so fast.“I think it’s way too premature to just send the money back,” City Council member Steve Caraker said during a council meeting Monday. As the city’s representative on the French Broad River MPO, Caraker said he’ll ask the board to give engineers more time to come up with a workable route that affects few homes.“I’d like to let it run its course,” he said of the planning process. “We’ve proven several times with DOT if we continue the conversation, we can alter the project. If we don’t, they’ll just take their money and go way. I don’t like the plans (as currently drawn) because they affect residential neighborhoods. But if we don’t do something in some form or fashion we’re going to end up with another situation like the I-26 corridor.”Caraker’s position is at odds with the county’s unequivocal demand (on a 4-1 vote) to drop the parkway. Commissioner Bill Lapsley, who is also chair of the MPO, voted no.“None of them are involved in the transportation process like Lapsley,” he said. “Lapsley is the only that gets it. If they took time to look at it, they’d know there’s room for conversation. I just want to keep the conversation going.”The NCDOT has altered plans to address local concerns before, he said, citing the U.S. 64 improvement through the Historic Oakdale Cemetery and the Kanuga Road widening.     Read Story »

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