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Saluda News

BIG CROWD PROTESTS SHOOTING RANGE

A crowd of nearly 200 people gathered at the Grove Street Courthouse on Saturday, protesting a shooting range in Saluda and expressing anger that county officials barred them from a meeting inside where county officials described construction plans to the closest neighbors.Deputies posted outside said they were told that the county identified property owners within a half mile and sent them letters. Those were allowed in. Others, including the news media, were barred from attending.County Manager Steve Wyatt said Friday afternoon that officals and engineers planning the shooting range and law enforcement training center would brief the news media later.At 10 a.m. residents of the Macedonia Road area and other Saluda residents had filled the parking lot and congregated at the front of the courthouse. Later, the crowd stood on the courthouse steps and listened to speakers excoriate the idea of a shooting range and express frustration that the county had closed the information meeting. Most people outside the courthouse said they felt entitled to be in the meeting. Pamela Sacco’s grandfather bought 100 acres on Macedonia Road 100 years ago, she said, and she has been visiting the land since she was a little girl and now lives on it. “When they shoot the bullets they’re going to go over their property and land on me,” said Pamela Sacco, who was denied entrance. “I learned to walk there. It’s in my soul. To me it’s like building something in DuPont Forest. It’s beautiful and pristine and the birds, the geese come into our lake.” Chandler Ward lives close to the property but did not get an invitation to Saturday’s information “I think mine’s close enough to qualify,” he said. “I’m a builder and developer. Ain’t nobody going to buy property to build three or four houses” next to a firing range. Along with his cousin, County Commission candidate Don Ward, he was later admitted inside. “This is a political move by the commissioners to help Charlie win the election,” Don Ward said. “That’s the only thing it helps.” “How many resource officers could we put in the schools for $6 million,” Steve Rhodes asked, provoking one of the loudest cheers. “The issue on the front burner right now is children’s safety. How many school shootings are we going to witness and this clown wants to put $6 million on a training facility. When we already have one that could be utilized. Bullet-proof doors. Metal detectors, something, $6 million to protect our children, not for some guy that’s going to go shootin’ out in the woods.” Four candidates for office showed up, capitalizing on a crowd of likely voters. "That $6 million would have helped my school," said Norm Bossert. "I'm not only retired principle and candidate for state Senate as well, and it bothers me almost more than anything that this is their idea of transparency in government. The doors should be open to everybody. I think it's immoral and unjust to lock people out of a room where your voices have a right to be heard — a room that you paid for." "Personally I don't think it's going to work for the sheriff," Bossert said. "These people are p---ed off. To me if the people didn't care, I'd say OK. They care, this is their neighborhood, where their homes are, where their kids play. I would bet that there are just as many Republicans here as Democrats. This is not a partisan issue. ... Don't we have sunshine laws here in North Carolina. Apparently, they're not as much use today." Sam Edney, a candidate for the state House, called the shooting range an example of “government overreach” that has become common in Raleigh. “How many times have they tried to locate this range?” Edney said. “Four,” people in the crowd said. “Well, you’re doing what Americans do. Your voices are going to be heard and that’s appropriate. I can tell you when I get sworn in my door will always be open.” The Kury family from Spartanburg even showed up "because we spend all of our time and all of our extra dollars there," Mary Kury said. She and her husband, an arborist, and their five children, ages 4-10, visit Saluda as often as they can. "We're always on the river, we're always hiking in the gamelands. The detriment to the natural resources is astonishing. Oftentimes when we stay, we stay in a cottage right up Macedonia Road." "He's quit being a public servant and he's went to being a politician," Rhodes said. "And this right here proves it because he's shutting out the public's opinion. There's a facility right now that's not even being used to its capacity. Why are they pushing for this?" Camp Wayfarer owner Nancy Wilson noted that the Saluda location is the fourth try at siting the training center. "Does that not begin to tell the county commissioners something's out of whack?" At noon, the property owners allowed in still had not emerged and all but two political candidates — Bossert and Edney — and about seven and landowners and the press waited outside a locked door. Everyone else had gone home.       Read Story »

Saluda News

County moves firing range meeting to Grove Street Courthouse

The number of people expected to turn out to oppose a firing range in Saluda prompted a change in location late Friday afternoon in the meeting place for adjoining property owners. Due to traffic and safety concerns associated with holding the proposed training center informational meeting in the Macedonia Road area, county officials moved the meeting to the Grove Street Courthouse, 200 N  . Grove St.  County officials said the meeting is for residents of the Macedonia Road area who were previously contacted directly by Henderson County via letter. County officials will be there to answer questions and respond to concerns about the proposed location.   "We did test shooting out there yesterday and you cannot hear it in Saluda," Wyatt said. "We fired everything we had and had  decibel readers" to measure the sound at several locations. The noise did not carry to the town of Saluda. The shots could be heard at nearby homes, he said, but that's before any sound suppression measures or berms to block the noise. The decision to hold the meeting in Hendersonville reversed earlier plans to meet on the site. Adjoining property owners make up a fraction of the total number of area residents already involved in a robust effort to oppose the firing range. Opponents in the town of Saluda organized a communitywide meeting Monday night to talk about the plans and plot their opposition. Henderson County Commissioner Grady Hawkins, who represents the district where the range would be built, said Thursday night he had received "more emails than there are residents of Saluda." Green Riverkeeper Gray Jernigan announced to volunteers Saturday that MountainTrue was postponing a river cleanup in order to attend the Saturday morning information session. "The reason for the change is that Henderson County is moving quickly to acquire a property adjacent to the Green River Game Lands at 2823 Macedonia Road for a law enforcement training center and shooting range," said Jernigan, who is also MountainTrue's southern office director. "We have lots of concerns about lead contamination and water quality, noise impacts on wildlife, sedimentation from land clearing and development, and potential steep slope development and landslide risk. The county has scheduled an informational meeting on the site for 10 a.m. Saturday. We plan to attend before the cleanup, and hope you will join us." John McHugh, who owns 30 acres adjoining the 99-acre site the county wants to buy for the training center, responded to several points Wyatt and county commission Chairman Michael Edney made in response to an opponent of the firing range.  "What people seem to be missing is the fact that the property at some point in time would likely be developed for residential purposes," the county officials said. "In other words the potential for 70 to 80 single family houses.""It appears that whoever wrote this is unfamiliar with both the property and the relevant portions of the county's own Land Development Code," McHugh said. "At 1.5 acres per dwelling under R3 zoning, the maximum number of houses would be 66, if the land were flat. The land is not flat and the code substantially reduces density in such cases.  The density is further reduced by floodplain areas, space needed for access roads, utilities, etc." The Macedonia Road property is between U.S. 176 and Old Howard Gap Road and near I-26.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Laurel Park holds work day for park

The town of Laurel Park is holding a volunteer work day Saturday to finish beautifying Rhododendron Lake Nature Park ahead of a big park dedication on Arbor Day, April 27. "We're expecting probably 20 people to volunteer," said Mayor Carey O'Cain. They could use more. "Meet at 9 Saturday morning at Town Hall and we'll divvy up responsibilities." Among the tasks are roadside cleanup, fertilizing and watering trees, pruning, raking, wheelbarrowing and speading mulch. Bring loppers, clippers, shovels, rakes and other garden tools, plus garden gloves, sunblock and water. The Rhododendron Lake Nature Park celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 27, features a history walk, ribbon cutting and an "ask the experts" time with master gardeners, birders, conservationists and others. People are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner and (for the park celebration event only) beer and wine are allowed.   Read Story »

North Carolina News

Former BRCC president seeking NC Senate seat on coast

David Sink, who served as president of Blue Ridge Community College for 20 years, is running for the state Senate in Brunswick County on the coast south of Wilmington.   Read Story »

Saluda News

Saluda residents call meeting to oppose firing range

SALUDA — Saluda citizens have called a communitywide meeting for Monday night to organize opposition to a sheriff's office firing range, two days before Henderson County commissioners are likely to confront a roomful of shooting range opponents. The community meeting is at 6:30pm at the Saluda Fire Department and invite everyone to attend to hear more about the plans that Henderson County is proposing.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

NCDOT sets meeting on I-26 widening

The NCDOT will hold a public meeting Monday to receive comments on the $400 million widening of I-26 from the I-240 junction to the U.S. 25 connector (exit 54). The 22-mile project, scheduled to start next year, involves widening the interstate to three lanes in each direction between the connector and the Asheville Highway interchange (exit 44) and four lanes in each direction from Asheville Highway to the I-40/I-240 interchange. "During a public comment period in October 2016, NCDOT heard concerns from citizens that proposed interchange improvements at Asheville Highway would result in a footprint that had too many impacts to homes and businesses," the NCDOT said. As a result engineers looked at two alternative designs that would have a smaller impact. The drop-in meeting is 4-7 p.m. at Biltmore Baptist Church, 35 Clayton Road in Arden. No formal presentation will be made. NCDOT engineers and other officials will be there to explain the plans, answer questions and receive comments. The public comment period ends May 1. To submit comments, email chood@ncdot.gov. Click here to see more on the project.         Read Story »

Henderson County News

IAM opens Working Women’s Clothing Closet

A woman struggling to make ends meet often can't afford a new wardrobe, an interview dress or specialized work clothes, or required clothing like medical scrubs or work boots. That's why Interfaith Assistance Ministry has opened a Working Women’s Clothing Closet to help local women who need appropriate or job specific clothing for a new or an existing job. The Community Foundation of Henderson County awarded IAM a $5,000 Women in Need of Support (WINS) grant to help pay for clothing and shoes for the Working Women’s Clothing Closet. The grant will be used to purchase required clothing for health care, service sector, food industry, manufacturing, office work and other jobs. In 1989, seven dedicated women from Henderson County who had a passion and desire to help women working to improve their lives established the WINS Endowment Fund.“We are so grateful for the generous assistance the Community Foundation’s WINS grant is providing to help IAM launch our Working Women’s Clothing Closet for women who are working hard to help keep their families and themselves afloat,” said Elizabeth Willson Moss, IAM’s executive director. “The cost of purchasing specialized shoes and clothing such as scrubs for health care jobs and steel-toed shoes and boots for industry can quickly reach $100 or more. We are thankful that our community can help us give our neighbors in need a hand-up with this clothing.”In March, IAM expanded crisis service hours to Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. to help residents who need crisis assistance seek help on the weekend. “Many of the local residents that IAM helps are working women,” said Becky Polonsky, IAM’s Board President and commercial relationship manager at United Community Bank. “We hope we can help them become more self-sufficient and more successful in their jobs.”Interfaith Assistance Ministry is located at 310 Freeman Street, off Four Seasons Boulevard, near the Blue Ridge Mall and beside Tequila’s restaurant. For more information, call 697-7029. To make a charitable donation to IAM, go on line at www.iam-hc.org or mail a check to IAM, PO Box 2562, Hendersonville, NC 28792.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Foes deliver 1,600 signatures against Highland Lake widening

FLAT ROCK — The Cultural Landscape Group Flat Rock presented 1,595 petition signatures in opposition to the North Highland Lake Road project to the Flat Rock village council during the public comment period of the April 12 regular council meeting.   Read Story »

Laurel Park News

Crowds flocking to coffee shop/taproom/wine bar

Avery Ross caught a rare break on a recent afternoon at 4 o’clock as he stood behind the bar at Appalachian Coffee Co.   Read Story »

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