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Henderson County News

Restaurant Week features top eateries

Hendersonville is holding its first restaurant week March 15-24, featuring an impressive variety of restaurants from across the county.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Bent Creek Bistro opening at N.C. Arboretum

The Bent Creek Bistro will officially open at the North Carolina Arboretum on Friday, March 30. The North Carolina Arboretum Society selected The Colorful Palate as its new culinary partner for the Bent Creek Bistro. Bent Creek Bistro, which is located in the Arboretum’s Education Center, offers indoor and courtyard dining from March through November, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, as well as for the Arboretum’s annual Winter Lights event from mid-November to the end of December. Based in Asheville, The Colorful Palate is a renowned catering company co-owned by childhood friends Ragan Evans Lewis and Tara Letts. Since 2002, the company has earned a reputation for preparing tasty food with a focus on high-quality, locally-sourced, customized menus. Bent Creek Bistro represents a new name for the Arboretum’s primary dining option, replacing The Savory Thyme Café, which the Arboretum has used for more than a decade.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

YMCA promises more rec programs at Patton Park

City of Hendersonville and Hendersonville Family YMCA officials say residents will have more recreation opportunities now that the City Council has authorized the Y to manage Patton Park and Pool.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

NCDOT extends Balfour Parkway comment period

An overwhelming crowd at the kickoff public input meeting for the proposed Balfour Parkway has prompted the NCDOT to extend the comment period by a month. "In light of the turnout at the February 27th public meeting and requests for additional time to comment on the project, the project team is extending the comment period to April 30," Kristina Miller, an engineer with RK&K consultants of Raleigh, said in an announcement on Wednesday. "Within the next week, the updated comment period will be reflected on the project website. We appreciate the public feedback that has already been provided." The comment deadline had been March 30. The turnout on Feb. 27 stunned NCDOT and RK&K officials. A line snaked around the Cascades Mountain Resort and both the NCDOT and a parkway opponents ran out of handouts. Residents of Grimesdale, Foxwood, Stoney Mountain Estates and other neighborhoods have organzed Stop the Balfour Parkway. Residents say the proposed parkway routes endanger stable neighborhoods and should be moved farther north to a less developed path.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Penrose woman charged with drug, weapons felonies

Henderson County Sheriff’s deputies charged a 28-year-old Penrose woman seven drug and weapons offenses after a caller reported her walking along Spartanburg Highway on Sunday morning about 11 a.m. Deputies responded to a reported domestic disturbance after a caller told dispatchers that a Ford Excursion was driving behind a woman who was walking towards Saluda on U.S. 176. When deputies arrived, they located a female and a male walking along the road. The male, later identified as Corbin Burnett, 37, of Arden, ran away when the deputies approached. The female was identified as Shannon Dibernardino of Vineyard Loop Road in Penrose. Deputies determined Burnett and Dibernardino had been in an argument prior to the deputies’ arrival, and they had exited the vehicle and their argument continued. During the investigation, Dibernardino started acting aggressive and uncooperative with deputies. She admitted to being armed with a knife; when deputies found the knife, they also located a loaded concealed handgun, illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia. The handgun had been stolen from Transylvania County. Deputies found Burnett in a nearby grassy area attempting to hide from deputies. He was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. Dibernardino was arrested and charged with Possession of MDMA/Ecstacy, Possession with intent to sell and deliver MDMA/Ecstacy, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine and Possession of a stolen firearm, all felonies, and with misdemeanor counts of Possession of concealed firearm and Possession of drug paraphernalia. She was booked into the Henderson County Jail under a $103,000 secured bond Burnett was arrested and charged with misdemeanor counts of resisting/delaying/obstructing a public officer and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail under a $1,000 bond.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

School Board candidate banned from schools

Randy Ward has been shooting pictures of high school sports and other extracurricular activities for 25 years in his native Henderson County. But what he described as an April Fool’s Facebook message sent to a former student last spring started of a series of complaints that school administrators say they have received and that School Board members say they have been made aware of, according to the woman, school administrators and School Board members. School officials say Ward received an oral no-trespass directive at a meeting on Sept. 21 banning him from school campuses. But school officials have not enforced the ban and never issued a written order to Ward. “Am I being banned? No,” Ward, a candidate for School Board, said in an interview Monday. “I’ve got no letter. I’ve never had nothing.” In response to a public records request from the Hendersonville Lightning, Henderson County Schools Superintendent Bo Caldwell released a statement last week. “In a meeting at my office on Sept. 21, 2017, Mr. Ward received a no-trespass directive in person,” Caldwell wrote. “This directive applies to all Henderson County Public Schools buildings, grounds, parking lots, roads and walkways, during and after school hours, including extra-curricular functions. As is always the case, such directives may be reviewed and reconsidered one year from the date of the notification, at the written request of the banned individual.”   Letter never sent Administrators never sent Ward a letter, Caldwell said, nor did they think it was necessary to take the matter to the School Board. “When we have situation arise at a school campus that we feel like it’s best for that person not to be on the school grounds, that is the superintendent’s job,” Caldwell said. “That is an administrative job to handle that. That doesn’t reach the board level.” As for Ward’s recollection that the School Board would take it up, Caldwell said that didn’t happen. “As far as Randy, we sat and talked with him,” he said. “Sometimes it’s better to talk in person rather than send a letter.” Some School Board members were aware of the complaints and some weren’t. “I was not (aware of it) until I was made aware of it” by another board member, said Lisa Edwards.  Board member Rick Wood said he’d never heard of the Ward situation until questioned about it this week by the Lightning. Both said the matter was not taken up at a School Board meeting in open or closed session.After the 2015 North Henderson High School graduate complained, administrators said other girls, including some students, came forward to tell them or School Board members that they felt uncomfortable around Ward. The 60-year-old factory worker and 1977 East Henderson High School graduate often shoots pictures at games and other school events, posting the photos on Facebook and offering them free to whoever wants them. A Facebook message he sent to a former NHHS student last spring has been misinterpreted, he said. “Coming out of the parking lot, I see this girl that I knew had graduated at North. I didn’t think much about it,” he said. “I was shooting baseball that day. “I just sent her a text. It’s April Fool week. I said, ‘I saw a sexy girl at the ballgame today.’ And that’s all I said. Next thing you know it went to this to that and this to that and I said, screw it. I just blocked her (on Facebook). She’s not even a student. It’s April Fool and that’s what I did.” After complaints from several girls reached the school superintendent’s office around last April, associate superintendent John Bryant called Ward, according to Ward. Ward said he failed to reach Bryant and went on shooting picture at school events. “I shot North Henderson’s graduation at Biltmore Baptist Church,” where Bryant shook seniors’ hands as they received their diplomas. “I talked to John Bryant there. He ain’t never said nothing about nothing about nothing. “And then one day I go over there (to North Henderson) to shoot (volleyball coach) Sue Moon and one of the vice principals comes over and says, ‘You’ve been banned from Henderson County school property.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ ‘John Bryant said he’s going to send you a letter.’ First I’ve heard of it. I ain’t got no letter.” When Ward reached Caldwell by cell phone, Caldwell asked if Ward would come in and meet. Ward agreed. Ward said he met with Caldwell, Bryant and Scott Rhodes, the school system’s human resources director, at central office in September. “I told them the story,” Ward said. “And they said, ‘We’ll go forward, we’ll send you a letter.’ “Well, send me a letter, I don’t care. … I’ve been taking pictures for 25 years. I’m 60 years old. I don’t care if I ever see another ballgame in my life. I’ve seen enough. … I’m not going to force an issue over a girl that’s probably not stable to sacrifice a friendship with those people.” At a time of heightened security on school campuses nationwide, the lack of enforcement of the ban could raise concerns. School Board Attorney Chad Donnahoo said Tuesday that “it would be (a violation) if he (Ward) indeed went to those games. If he said he was there I would suppose that he was. There was a meeting in which said he was banned for one year from all school activities including extracurricular activities.“I can’t speak to if he attended those events and I will certainly let the administrators in Henderson County central office know that. I’m not aware of that and I’m not sure they are either. I can tell you that, if he indeed attended those events he shouldn’t have.”As for the evidence school officials used to ban Ward, Donnahoo said most of what he was aware of was on social media in words and photos.“I believe that the documentation was put on Facebook by Mr. Ward and was on the Facebook of these girls,” he said. “Depending on the nature of the information that was shared, if it was student information it could be confidential.”   Ward admits dispute Ward acknowledges that he ended up in a Facebook dispute with the 20-year-old woman he had communicated with via social media. The woman, who spoke to the Lightning on Monday but does not want her name to be published, said she and her girlfriends felt uncomfortable with the messages. “He’d send messages like, “Go to bed, you’re up late.’ It was kind of weird,” she said. “My parents did not like it.” Ward had also shot pictures of her best friend, she said. That friend’s parents “got involved,” she said. “I finally made it public (on Facebook) what he did. I had so many messages from girls.” She said she doesn’t know if her picture or those of her friends are still on Ward’s Facebook page. Numerous messages on his Facebook page last spring say that his site had been hacked. “He blocked me,” said the woman, who is 20 years old. “He blocked a lot of us girls once he got in trouble for everything, around this time last year.” The woman said she was surprised when Ward showed up at a court appearance of a member of her family last spring, though he had no connection to the case. She was alarmed when she learned that Ward had filed for School Board. Because he never received a letter formally banning him from schools, Ward said he’s continued to make pictures at high school events. “I was over at Hendersonville the other day when they played Pisgah in the second round of basketball,” Ward said. “That was what, a week ago? Go back to football. I took Hendersonville and East (photos last fall). That was for the county championship, wasn’t it? I got a picture of Bo Caldwell there. The last thing I was told by the three was, ‘We’ll have a meeting with the board and we’ll send you a letter.’ And I’ve never seen a letter. So if I’ve not had a letter, what would you presume?” -30-       Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Fresh Market event features local vendors

A Local Vendor Celebration at Fresh Market on Saturday is featuring some 20 dairies, coffee roasters, breweries and sweets makers offering samples and a special giveaway. Vendors participating are Mills River Creamery, Burntshirt Vineyards, Ms. Mary’s, Poppy Popcorn, Boar and Castle, Little Black Dressing, West End Coffee, Dynamite Roasters, Apple Wedge Cider, French Broad River Brewery, Sierra Nevada, Wicked Weed, New Belgium, High Wire Brewing, Boojum Brewing, Mountain Foods, Carolina Bison and Postre Caramels. The event at the supermarket at 223 Greenville Highway is from noon to 4 p.m.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don Ward names campaign steering committee

Henderson County Commission candidate Republican Don Ward announced that those who will be serving on his campaign’s steering committee leading up to the May 8 primary election. I am pleased that Shuford Edmisten, president of Forest Lawn Memorial Park, will chair his committee. Our steering committee will include Fletcher Town Council member Sheila Franklin, School Board member, Blair Craven, Shaw’s Creek Baptist Church Pastor Jerry Mullinax, former Mills River Town Council member Billy Johnston and his wife, Nancy, interior designer MeghanPenny, retired teacher Rosemary Pace, Sara Boyd Grant, who works in radiation technology at Pardee UNC Health Care, Valley Hill Fire and Rescue Chief Tim Garren and his wife, Lori, who is a director of nursing, retired county Code Enforcement Officer Sam Laughter, Nancy Randall, who is retired, Tony Hill of Apple Ridge Farms, former Mills River Mayor Larry Freeman, and grower Kirby Johnson of Flavor 1st and Johnson Family Farm. "Being a former commissioner and a third generation commissioner in Henderson County, I am overwhelmed at the support I am receiving and at the caliber of citizen volunteers who will be steering his campaign," Ward said. "I did first announced as a School Board candidate this year then I switched to run for commissioner in District 4 when my good friend Tim Griffin withdrew as a candidate, I am committed to working with the schools and to a new spirit of co-operation on the Board of Commissioner with all the citizens and municipalities in Henderson County. Commissioner Tommy Thompson is not running for re-election. Since no Democrat has filed, the winner of the Republican primary on May 8 would win the seat barring an unprecedented write-in campaign. “I am urging all registered voters to participate in the elections this year, beginning with absentee voting and the early one stop voting starting on April 19 and in all 35 county polling places on May 8," Ward said.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Legislators talk jobs, schools and mental health

MILLS RIVER — Breakfast at the Sierra Nevada taproom Friday featured legislative leaders from Henderson, Transylvania and Buncombe counties talking about their priorities in the upcoming legislative session. Speaking at the event were North Carolina State Sen. Chuck Edwards and state Reps. Cody Henson and Chuck McGrady. Before the General Assembly convenes in May, the breakfast gave the legislators a chance to discuss their priorities going forward. Some of the topics included workforce training, mental health care and drug addiction. Edwards opened by emphasizing the economic strength of North Carolina, saying that if it was its own country it would boast the 19th largest economy in the world. Despite that, he feels that the Legislature can do more to grease the wheels for business.  “There’s a study by Appalachian State University and North Carolina State University from a short time ago that indicates in North Carolina there’s $25 billion of revenue annually that is not taking place because of unnecessary regulation,” he said. Edwards went on to address the skills gap, saying that there are 6,000 information and technology jobs and other jobs in the medical and mechatronics industries that are currently unfilled because of a skills gap. However, both Edwards and representative Henson said that the community college system in North Carolina has been effective in helping to close that gap. Henson pointed to Blue Ridge Community College’s brewing, distilling and fermentation partnership with Oskar Blues as an example of relevant job training. McGrady emphasized that education funding will be a priority. Henson said that the state House is working on streamlining the process of moving money from the state down to local school systems, but claimed that currently that money changes hands too often in the trickle-down process. All three legislators agreed that mental health is a priority issue, if a complicated one. “Groups have coalesced and so you’ve got major mental health providers, hospitals, the sheriff’s department, the education system and all the non-profits currently working to try to come up with maybe a local approach to dealing with mental health that they would then come back to us, the legislators, and say ‘can we do a trial process here in Henderson County?’” McGrady said. Henson said mental health facilities will bring greater ongoing costs. “We can fund to have a bed for every single person in the state of North Carolina, but at the end of the day we got to have providers to take care of those people as well and actually evaluate them and give them the treatment that they need,” Henson said. The event was produced in partnership by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce and was sponsored by Park Ridge Health and Duke Energy.   Read Story »

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