Henderson County News
Ruscin’s new book
highlights county history
Terry Ruscin will present a slide show on his new book of early Henderson County images at the Historic Courthouse at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15.
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Henderson County News
Democrats hoping to ride a blue wave to victory on Nov. 6 say they’re using grassroots support and lots of volunteers to boost their underdog campaigns against incumbent Republicans.
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Henderson County News
Jackson Hetzler got an early Christmas present in the late fall of his seventh-grade year. Hetzler, who normally made all high A’s in his coursework, was doing B and C work, and one of his teachers at Rugby Middle School in Hendersonville asked what he thought the problem was.“I’m just bored,” he told her. “It’s not a challenge.”The teacher suggested that Hetzler skip ahead to eighth grade when school was back in session after the new year. Hetzler was all for it, petitioned the school board to jump to eighth and was granted his request. He wound up acing his eighth-grade classes.It wouldn’t be the last time Hetzler would leapfrog his school peers. By the time he was 16, in the fall of his senior year, he needed just two classes to graduate from high school. So he arranged his schedule so that he could take two classes at Blue Ridge Community College.Three years later, Hetzler already has an associate degree and a year of pharmacy school under his belt. And he just turned 19 in June.While most other students his age are still early in their undergraduate careers, Hetzler is beginning his second year in the Wingate University School of Pharmacy program in Hendersonville on Monday. He is on track to graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in the spring of 2021, at the ripe old age of 21.SUBHEDFinding a wayHetzler’s laser-like focus on becoming a pharmacist is typical of his academic career so far. As a young teen, Hetzler was challenged to start figuring out what he wanted to do with his life.“I was 14, the summer before my junior year, right after school had ended,” he says. “My mom walked in and said, ‘Hey, you need to decide what you’re going to do so we can get stuff going.’ I’m 14 and I need to decide what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, right?”He considered his strengths – math, a quick grasp of complex concepts, a desire to help others – and hit upon pharmacy as a potential career. Soon after, he found out about Wingate University’s Hendersonville campus, and that quickly became the goal.But it wasn’t easy. After graduating from high school a year and a half early, Hetzler dove head-first into community-college life. He took a full course load at Blue Ridge Community College in the spring of 2016, when he was 16 years old, and then some summer-school classes. He set his sights on earning his associate degree in the spring of 2017 so he could enter Wingate’s School of Pharmacy in Hendersonville that fall.Hetzler knew he needed four science prerequisites – General Chemistry 1 and 2, and Organic Chemistry 1 and 2 – but didn’t realize they were typically taken in sequential order, over four semesters, meaning it would be three more semesters before he could finish.“I had only one done, and I only had two semesters left in order to apply to Wingate,” Hetzler says. “I needed three more. That was an issue.”Hetzler was advised not to take General Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 1 in the same semester. He was told: “You’re going to get destroyed.”“Organic’s known as one of the hardest undergraduate classes you can take,” Hetzler says.Determined to enroll at Wingate in 2017, Hetzler drove to Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, 45 minutes away from his Hendersonville home, and begged the head of the science department to let him double up. Hetzler was again advised against it. He was told: “Nobody’s ever done that before. I’ll have to have a higher-up to sign off on it.”AB Tech relented, and Hetzler aced the class. “It worked out,” he says. “I got an A in that organic course.”SUBHEDChanging the industryThat left Hetzler with 18 hours’ worth of prerequisites to take to get into pharmacy school. But he was this close to earning an associate degree on top of that, so he signed up for 24 hours’ worth of classes. “I was like, I’m not going to take 40 hours and then be two classes short,” he says. “I’m 17 taking 24 credit hours at a community college.”Such determination has served him well at WUSOP Hendersonville. Hetzler is aware of an age gap with his peers but sees no reason to dwell on it. “I’m the only one in the whole school who’s not 21, 22,” he says. “I fit right in. Doesn’t bother me at all.”Hetzler says he has a GPA in the high 3’s, and he’s learning to ease up on the schoolwork – just a little – to achieve a better work-life balance.He’s also beginning to adjust to the pharmacy-school environment. Hetzler says that even though school always came easy to him he doesn’t have a photographic memory – something that would come in handy in any medical-related field of study. “Memorization is actually probably one of my worst aspects academically,” he says. “But last semester I noticed as I was studying that I’m getting better at studying. I can memorize stuff faster. I can understand concepts better.”Ultimately, Hetzler would like to use those skills to do research of some sort. During his WUSOP interview, he told Kurt Wargo, regional dean of Wingate University Hendersonville, that he really liked helping people and wanted to do something research-based.“When you’re working as a pharmacist, even in a hospital, you can help one patient at a time,” Hetzler says. “But if I can find something that changes the field of pharmacy, I can help thousands of people and help make companies money in the process, and everyone comes out happy. I said, ‘I want to change the industry at some point.’”You can bet on that happening sooner rather than later.
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Henderson County News
Hendersonville police officers are looking for a 22-year-old man they've charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of another man Thursday in Green Meadows.
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Henderson County News
The governing body for Boy Scout troops in Western North Carolina says it welcomes both girls and boys to join Cub scouts this fall as scouting goes co-ed nationwide.
“The Daniel Boone Council, BSA is excited to welcome both boys and girls into Cub Scouting,” says Joshua Christ, CEO. “After all, the values of Scouting – being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent – are relevant and important for both boys and girls.”
The Boy Scouts of America is now inviting both boys and girls to join the Cub Scouts (ages 5-10).
"With the school year upon us, we welcome all families to participate in the Cub Scouts, a program renowned for character-building fun and adventure," the council said in a news release. "Through adventures big and small, Scouting embraces the outdoors and help communities through service projects, STEM development, and building confidence with our wide range of activities."
The national organization last year changed its rules to allow girls to join as Cub Scouts, the starting level of scouting. The Boys Scouts changes it name to Scouting USA in February. Charter organizations that sponsor troops, such as churches, civic clubs and rural granges, must approve the change to allow girls.
Cub Scout information and joining events will be hosted over the next few weeks throughout Western North Carolina, including most area Elementary Schools.
To learn more about Scouting visit www.BeAScout.org or call 828-254-6189. View a short video here https://youtu.be/0qKnoaHt-Bw
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Henderson County News
Harris Teeter will phase out plastic bags by 2025, its parent company announced Thursday.
The Kroger Co. said it will phase out single-use plastic bags and transition to reusable bags across its stores by 2025 including the Harris Teeter chain it bought in 2013.
"As part of our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitment, we are phasing out use-once, throw-it-away plastic bags and transitioning to reusable bags in our stores by 2025," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "It's a bold move that will better protect our planet for future generations."
Some estimates suggest that 100 billion single-use plastic bags are thrown away in the U.S. every year. Currently, less than five percent of plastic bags are recycled annually in America, and single-use plastic bags are the fifth-most common single-use plastic found in the environment by magnitude.
Kroger will solicit customer feedback and work with NGOs and community partners to ensure a responsible transition.
"We listen very closely to our customers and our communities, and we agree with their growing concerns," said Mike Donnelly, Kroger's executive vice president and COO. "That's why, starting today at QFC, we will begin the transition to more sustainable options. This decision aligns with our Restock Kroger commitment to live our purpose through social impact."
Seattle-based QFC will be the company's first retail division to phase out single-use plastic bags. The company expects QFC's transition to be completed in 2019.
Kroger's announcement follows several other Zero Hunger/Zero Waste initiatives, including:
Kroger's goal to divert 90% of waste from the landfill by 2020. Of the waste diverted today, 66.15 million pounds of plastic and 2.43 billion pounds of cardboard were recycled in 2017.
Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue Program sent more than 91 million pounds of safe nutritious food to local food banks and pantries in 2017. Kroger provided more than 325 million meals to families in need last year, in food and funds combined.
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Henderson County News
Henderson County animal enforcement deputies charged a 43-year-old Chapman Hills Road man with felony cruelty to animals after they found a boxer mix puppy on his porch with evidence of a beating and duct tape on his snout.
The Sheriff’s Office Animal Enforcement squad was dispatched to check on the welfare of a puppy on Aug. 17. The deputy located a boxer pit mix puppy on the porch of a residence. After interviewing the dog’s owner, deputies seized the puppy and took him to a local veterinary clinic for evaluation. It was determined the canine had received blunt trauma to its face and there was duct tape residue on the mouth and body of the puppy. Charged was Ralph Chester Stahr of 107 Chapman Hills Drive. He was jailed under an $8,000.00 bond. The puppy is doing well and is under the care of Henderson County Animal Services, the sheriff's office said. Read Story »
Henderson County News
FLAT ROCK — Grace V. Poli, a devoted volunteer and philanthropist, was honored with the 2018 Richard C. and Vina L. Sauer Charitable Leadership Award during the Henderson County Community Foundation's annual celebration of the power of giving Wednesday at Kenmure Country Club.“The 2018 Sauer Award recipient has supported community needs and given of their time to improve the health, quality of life and wellbeing of Henderson County residents,” said Shirley McGee, Community Foundation Board secretary and chair of the Recognition Committee. “Always committed to helping the less fortunate, particularly children and families not only survive, but thrive. Their year-end giving is typically designated to help feed the hungry, clothe children and adults, keep the lights on and help individuals from being evicted. Admired by co-workers, peers and the community, this year’s recipient is described as having a heart of gold and the passion to get things done, truly a hero among us.” “Supporting a lengthy list of nonprofit causes, today’s recipient served as one of the early volunteers at Interfaith Assistance Ministry, Henderson County’s crisis services, and volunteered on the Martin Luther King Annual Breakfast Committee,” McGee said. “She is a past president of the League of Women Voters, continuing to serve and chair the childcare coalition, served on the board of Building Bridges for eight years and continues to help improve relations with the African American and Hispanic communities. She actively assists Hispanic residents who work in the fields through clothing drives, assistance development and the use of a voucher program to help with financial issues. She has also been very active in helping with reading programs, a founding member of Smart Start and supporting the children’s library. She served for 6 years on the Mediation Center Board and 13 years as a professional mediator.”The award is named for Richard C. and Vina L. Sauer, who supported many local charities during their lifetimes and then left the first $1 million unrestricted gift to the Community Foundation through their will. The endowment, along with other gifts, provides resources to numerous causes throughout Henderson County.Sauer Award Winners are distinguished philanthropic leaders in our community. Past recipients include Bernd and Toby Linder, Phyllis C. Rothrock, Ruth Birge, Thos. R. Shepherd, Mary R. Garrison, Dr. Stuart and Carola Cohn, Marian P. Lowry, Teddi Segal, Robert and Doris Eklund, the Dr. Kathleen McGrady Family, Jeff Miller, Duane and Peggy McKibbin, Dot Marlow, Dr. Colin Thomas, Frank Byrd, Tom and Sue Fazio, Eleanora Meloun, Marcia Caserio, William "Bill" F. Stokes, Jr., William E. "Jamie" Jamison, Kermit Edney, Morris Kaplan, Kenneth Youngblood and Frank Wyttenbach Ewbank.Community members Rick Bryson and Julie Huneycutt gave remarks on the impact CFHC has had on their endeavors.Rick Bryson, who lost his father, Tommy, to murder last summer, thanked the Foundation and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department for their partnership in making the Thomas A. Bryson Memorial Basketball Court at Mills River Park a reality.Bryson says the opioid epidemic affecting Henderson County was directly related to his father’s death and encouraged the community to support the Deer Dash 5K coming up in October.
“All proceeds will benefit First Contact Addition Ministries serving Henderson County,” Bryson said. “We need to help stop this crisis. We are also planning a basketball tournament in the spring. We are able to do this because of the Foundation and what the community does.”Julie Huneycutt of Hope Rx reiterated Bryson’s comments on the importance of stopping the opioid epidemic. “The conversations must be started,” Huneycutt said. “You can make a difference. Be it through active participation in the process or giving financially. No family should suffer from this epidemic.”Community Foundation of Henderson County Board Chairman Cindy Causby announced The Dot Marlow Philanthropic Catalyst Award, a new award to be presented at the Foundation’s spring event, Vintage Carolina.“At the Foundation we often refer to Dot as our “founding lady.” She joined our organization at a pivotal time serving as our first female board member bringing with her the spark that would ignite everything to come,” Causby said. “Rarely do we find one person to possess so many qualities with such beauty and grace: friend, role model, generous donor, etiquette instructor, board member, wife, mother, grandmother, volunteer, a woman of faith, career driven, and most of all a catalyst for community philanthropy.”The recipient of this award will exemplify selfless leadership for philanthropic work for our community’s greater good, remaining engaged with commitment and determination to accomplish results that will help others and create a better future even beyond our life time.CFHC Past Chairman Les Boyd thanked outgoing board of directors John Bell, Charley Rogers and Kaye Youngblood. Boyd welcomed incoming board of directors Dr. Wendy Frye and Carolina Gunther.Boyd, reflecting on his past year as Board Chairman shared that in the 36 year history of CFHC, they have awarded over $50 million and in the past year investments performed at 9.3%. Also, in the past year the Foundation received its largest unrestricted gift to date of $3.3 million.“Over the past year the Community Foundation awarded $3.59 million in grants and scholarships,” Boyd added. “This impacted 297 non-profits and 209 students.”Founded in 1982, Community Foundation of Henderson County’s mission is helping people who care make lasting contributions to causes that matter. CFHC accepts gifts from individuals, families, businesses and organizations to create a permanent pool of charitable capital from which grants are awarded. Learn more about Community Foundation of Henderson County at www.cfhcforever.org, at the Community Foundation’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages, and by calling (828) 697-6224. Read Story »
Hendersonville News
Many Henderson County residents might take apple picking for granted. But for a little girl from Florida, picking and eating an apple directly off the tree is a “dream come true.”Six-year-old Olive Vasquez of Jacksonville, Florida was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor, a rare type of kidney cancer, shortly before entering pre-kindergarten. Results from an imaging test showed a tumor on one of her kidneys. Physicians removed Olive’s kidney and she began a regimen of intense chemotherapy. Throughout the treatment, Olive needed a feeding tube, lost her hair and experienced extreme energy loss.Olive’s physicians notified Dreams Come True of Jacksonville Inc., which helps children battling life-threatening illnesses to achieve their dream wish. The organization quickly got to work making her apple-picking dream a reality.Trip considerations were made since Olive is only allowed to go a limited distance from her home base. In addition, she would need easy access to hospitals with physicians trained to treat her in the case of an emergency.The team from Dreams Come True did a Google search and quickly found that Henderson County, one of the Southern-most apple growing regions, would be the best place to visit for apples. As they dug deeper, they found the N.C. Apple Festival website, where they discovered that a picturesque mountain town celebrated apples every year for four days. Anyone that loves apples that much, festival organizers thought, deserves some recognition from the town that’s famous for growing them.“We could have just had her come up, go to the festival and pick some apples, but we wanted to do more than that,” said Cheryl Gudger-Thompson, this year’s Apple Festival president. “Olive, her mom and dad, her 9-year-old sister and her 1-year-old sister are driving from Jacksonville to Hendersonville on Thursday, Aug. 30, and are staying at Cascades Mountain Resort until Tuesday, Sept. 4. She will be able to enjoy the pool and waterslide at Cascades. She will be introduced during the opening ceremony Friday morning. Her and her family will go to Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard on Sunday to pick apples. Then on Monday, the Farm Bureau Association is sponsoring a float for Olive and her family to ride in the King Apple Parade.”Dreams Come True of Jacksonville is not affiliated with a national organization. It relies strictly on the generosity of individuals and corporate supporters to provide the funding and in-kind resources necessary to create unforgettable memories for children who live or are treated in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. They will provide Olive’s family with spending money and pay for their accommodations. Meals are being provided by local restaurants and Goldsmith by Rudi is making Olive a special charm commemorating her trip.“Many sponsors have come together to make this little girl’s dream come true,” Gudger-Thompson said. “Right now she thinks she is just coming to pick apples so we are doing a video to send to her before the trip of all the things she will be doing.”
Dreams Come True fulfills a variety of kids’ “wishes,” including week-long trips to theme parks, swimming with dolphins and meeting celebrities. “She had all these options laid out before her and she still just wanted to pick apples,” Gudger-Thompson said. “That is what I think makes this story so special.”
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