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THE NEXT BIG THING: Balfour Parkway maps debut Tuesday

Henderson County News

At 101, Lou Miller has the key to aging

Listen up, seniors. If a trim, fit and sunny 101-year-old can’t deliver the secret of longevity, who can?Jeff Miller’s aunt, Lou Wells Miller, arrived at the dry cleaners on North King Street on Monday to enjoy cake and ice cream, a big stack of birthday cards, well-wishing and hugs to celebrate her 101st birthday, which was Feb. 16.What’s the secret? the Lightning asked.“Exercise,” she said. All kinds. Keep moving. “Everybody at Carolina Village lives forever.” Wow.What’ll she have at the bar? “Water, no liquor.”What’s her favorite food? “Yogurt.” (This is getting depressing.)How about dessert? “I’d say ice cream.” What kind? “Butter pecan.”How is she liking the current president of the United States? “I’m all for him.”Favorite TV show? “Jeopardy.”She’s a voracious reader, we hear. What does she like to read? “Biographies.” Of Americans or everyone? “All kinds. … I enjoy reading the newspaper.”That certainly would account for a long and happy life.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

McMinn honored for 25 years of service

In its first 11 years, the Hendersonville Rescue Mission had 11 directors — simple enough arithmetic to arrive at an average tenure of one year and an average stress factor of a lot.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Sheriff McDonald joins Trump in White House school safety talk

President Trump held a lengthy roundtable discussion on school safety on Thursday, surrounded by local and state officials, including Henderson County Sheriff Charlie McDonald. Trump came out in support of denying assault weapon purcahses to anyone under 21 years old, said he supported allowing qualified teachers to carry concealed weapons in schools. "The day before yesterday I got a call from Congressman Meadows office that said,"Hey can you be here in Washington on Thursday. The president wants to meet with elected offiicials and law enforcement because he's trying to get togother ideas and get something moving on this school safey issue while everybody's focused on it.' I had no idea I'd be sitting next toJeff Sessions and (Florida Attorney General) Pam Bondi and meeting Kellyanne Conway. "I think what they're really looking at doing is to bring a lot of ideas and come up with a model that can be be used" across the country, perhaps with the help of federal grants. "I caught that there was a very serious commitment right now and in listening to (Trump) talk I got the impression that's he's commtted," he said in a phone interview from Washington. When he got to McDonald, Trump mentioned the congressman who had recommended the Henderson County sheriff for the school safety talks. “Congressman Meadows is a big fan of yours, that I can tell you, you know who I’m talking about,” Trump told him. "I've been very impressedwith a lot of the ideas I’ve heard and I do think mental health is a serious issue," McDonald said. "It’s affected us across the nation. I know it is in North Carolina. I appreciatre your courage to talk about the fact that I do think there is a place for properly trained people in certain areas as well. I think multilayered securities like an onion has got a lot of facets and I believe you’ve got the courage and leadership to bring all this together. I know there’s a lot of good ideas out there but it’s going to take a lot of courage on the part of leaders of this nation to bring the community together." Trump echoed that. "It’s going to take a lot of political courage," he said. “Some of it won’t be politically correct.” "My deal was that I appreciate the fact that he's got the commitment and courage to entertain some things that maybe people aren't that warm about," McDonald said later. One of only two law enforcement officials invited and the only sheriff, McDonald said he was honored to be a part of the discussion. "I appreciate the congressman" suggesting him for the roundtable, he said. "I told him really him I'm not intersted in something that's just a dog and pony show and he said 'I wouldn't send you there for that.' I was very pleased with the attention it's getting." Sheriff's Maj. Frank Stout said he did not have a lot of details about how the invitation came about but that Meadows, who is close to Trump and is a strong supporter of McDonald, had been a go-between. "It has been a very very short-notice trip," he said. "It was very good opportunity for the sheriff to be invited to Washington." THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. RETURN TO THE LIGHTNING FOR MORE.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Sheriff's deputies seek shooter in Holbert Road murder

Sheriff’s deputies are seeking a suspect in a shooting that killed a 28-year-old Hendersonville man.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Pieces selected for second annual Artscape exhibit

A two-person jury chose 49 works of art from 177 submissions for the upcoming ArtScape Banner Project.   Read Story »

Edneyville News

Commission rejects long-term solution for Edneyville sewage service

Faced with a decision about sewerage treatment options for the new Edneyville Elementary School that would affect future growth, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners booted a long-term plan and opted for a short-term solution. Commissioners on Wednesday directed county staff to look at two options to deal with the immediate issue of service for just the school: an on-site septic system and a package plant. Both plans are the least expensive of five options that had been on the table and in choosing them the board delayed a larger policy decision of whether to serve the apple country with a line to Hendersonville's treatment plant. County manager Steve Wyatt said it would take 30 days — “a busy 30 days” – for county engineers to develop those proposals. The quick turnaround is necessary because ground is expected to be broken for the new school in March and permitting and financing deadlines loom as soon as May. Bitter feelings about water and sewer services in Henderson County occupied commissioners’ thoughts from early in the meeting, when Rep. Chuck McGrady addressed the commissioners about his frustration with the Metropolitan Sewer District and its refusal in December to add representatives from Henderson County to its board in a regional approach to water and sewer issues. McGrady sponsored legislation last year that would have required the MSD to add the Henderson county representatives if the MSD had voted to merge with the Cane Creek Sewer District, which serves 3,700 customers in northern Henderson County. McGrady said he “stands ready for legislative action when needed and approached” by the county but that “if a memo of understanding can be signed by Henderson County and Asheville, then there would be no need for legislation.” He urged “engagement with the City of Hendersonville to work through some of these issues … and address the 70 percent (of water customers) without representation.” Customers who live outside of Hendersonville’s city limits pay higher rates for water than customers who live inside the city. The city is looking to bring those rates more in line with each other as it invests in its system over the next five years. Commission Chair Michael Edney said he and Commissioner Bill Lapsley met with Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk, Council Member Steve Caraker and City Manager John Connet on Feb. 13 to discuss water issues. What he took away from the meeting, he said, was that “the city likes things where they are.” Lapsley, in detailing the five options for providing water and sewer service to Edneyville, said the city’s attitude about taking on new customers has changed over the years. “The political considerations now are different than 10 years ago” when the city took on customers because of a service extension to Atkinson Elementary School, he said. “The City Council controls the growth of Henderson County because they control the largest water and sewer system,” Lapsley said. “They control the destiny of growth and development.” Because “we should not submit property owners along 64 East to the costs from the city,” Lapsley recommended that the county pursue ways to provide service for the new elementary school only. Those two ways also are the most affordable: a septic system with drain field that would cost $705,000 to build and $35,000 annually to maintain. or a package plant at a cost of $950,000 to build and $35,000 annually to maintain. The package plant would require state approval. None of the commissioners challenged his suggestions. A frustrated Charlie Messer said, “Our hands are tied … We need to get in the sewer business … You can say we can’t afford it because of the costs. But what’s it going to be 10 years from now, 15 years from now? We need to give an option to residents outside of the city. We owe it to the people of Henderson County to come up with a plan.” Lapsley’s proposals, however, were not supported by the five residents from Edneyville who spoke during the public comment time. Instead, they urged the board to choose the so-called Barnwell proposal that would combine a gravity sewer line along US 64 with several pumping stations. Apple grower Kenny Barnwell offered the idea weeks ago as a compromise to serve agricultural interests and the tourist industry and to protect the natural beauty of the area. “The community would like the commissioners to follow the 2020 Plan and provide sewer service to Edneyville Elementary School … A sewer line along Highway 64 where the water line currently runs would serve the existing businesses, the agritourism locations and planned future developments … We want to protect and grow what we are blessed with as intelligently as possible,” he told commissioners. Commissioner Tommy Thompson remarked on those comments as he offered his opinions about what option the board should choose. “This morning there was more of a consensus of the Barnwell line rather than the gravity line. Our communities need to be telling us what they want rather than us telling them what they are going to get,” Thompson said. “With no more information than I have today, I would have to say that overall the best solution to Edneyville School is the hybrid down 64. But because of the problems with the city of Hendersonville, butting heads, we should make option 1 or option 2 work and be on guard” for the possibility of the Barnwell option or gravity line in the future. “With a better working relationship with the city, and maybe with the county in the sewer business,” it might make sense in the future, he said. But for now, he threw his support behind the more limited services of the septic system or the package plant. The options that commissioners set aside were a force-main system with a single sewage pumping station at a cost of $1.5 million and an annual maintenance of $29,000; the Barnwell option with three smaller pumping stations and 3.4 miles of collectors along U.S. 64 at a cost of $4.58 million and annual maintenance of $31,000 per year; and the gravity sewer line of 4.8 miles at a cost of $4.5 million and annual maintenance of $19,000 per year.         Read Story »

Henderson County News

Laurel Park also puts heat on Waste Pro

LAUREL PARK — Facing a 30-day window from the county to fix widespread service problems, Waste Pro is also responding to complaints of poor service in the town of Laurel Park, where it has a contract to serve 1,265 households.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

McGrady still pushing regional water solution

State Rep. Chuck McGrady infuriated Hendersonville City Council members last year when he filed a bill in the Legislature that would put the city water system under state control.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (162)

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

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