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Round 4: Saluda residents fight sheriff's shooting range

Henderson County News

Two charged with felony child abuse

Tequilla Shantee Cribb, 25, of 30 Sloping Hill Drive in Zirconia, was charged with one count of felony child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. after further investigation. Cribb was also charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sell/delivery of a controlled substance. Cribb was released from the Henderson County Jail on a $41,000 bond. Warrants have also been issued for the arrest of Lequon Draquell Young, 24 of 30 Sloping Hill Drive. Young has been charged with the same counts Cribb faces. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lequon Young is asked to contact the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 697-4911.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Bank teller charged in robbery of cash withdrawer

A Henderson County jury returned guilty verdicts last week in the robbery trial of Michael Angram, of 93 Harris Street, District Attorney Greg Newman said.  Angram was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery in a case that investigators traced back to a tip from a bak teller about a $25,000 cash withdrawal. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Heather Brittain and Doug Mundy. Superior Court Judge Marvin Pope of Buncombe County sentenced Angram to 11 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole upon serving eight years. Angram was one of three people charged with robbing Marvin Price of Hendersonville. Last May 11 Price went to his local bank and made a cash withdrawal of $25,000. By the time he arrived home, he was attacked from behind and forced to lie face down on the ground at gunpoint. The man, later identified as the defendant, demanded the $25,000 that Price had withdrawn just moments earlier. Price hid the money under his leg in a bank envelope while on the ground  and the defendant rummaged through Price’s car looking for the cash.  A fingerprint recovered from an envelope in Price’s car was a positive match to the defendant. Price gave the defendant his wallet and the defendant fled on foot without the cash that he so eagerly sought. Price ran inside his home, locked the doors and called 911.  The information Price gave to the sheriff’s office led detectives to question the bank tellers. When the suspect was identified by the fingerprint as Michael Angram, an immediate connection was made to a suspect, a bank teller who was dating the defendant’s brother. The investigation has resulted in the indictments of both the bank teller and her boyfriend, Michael's Angram's brother. Their trial is forthcoming.    Angram was arrested in Charlotte and questioned at the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department. He admitted that his brother and the brother’s girlfriend at the bank provided the information about Price and the cash withdrawal but denied having a gun in his possession when he did the what he called a “snatch and grab” from Price.  Angram changed his story multiple times, but never admitted to having Price restrained to the ground at gunpoint. “At trial, Mr. Price told the jury that he believed he was going to die," Newman said. "He gave a description of the shirt color worn by the defendant and was able to describe the pistol pressed against his body while he lay face down on the ground,” Newman said. “Mr. Price also said the defendant kept asking specifically for the $25,000. He gave Angram his wallet, which had his credit cards, driver’s license and $1,000 cash. Mr. Price was a great witness and we appreciate his courage throughout this entire process. What happened to him is very troubling when you consider that someone from inside the bank facilitated the robbery." The next trial term in Superior Court for Henderson County begins May 14.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Playhouse announces its big summer musical

The Flat Rock Playhouse announced that the big summer musical will be the Broadway smash Mamma Mia! featuring such ABBA favorites as "Dancing Queen," "Take a Chance on Me," "The Winner Takes It All" and "Thank you for the Music."Following the release of the brand new musical movie, Mamma Mia 2, in movie theaters on July 20, the Playhouse invites patrons to "see where it all began. The show plays on the Mainstage from July 27 to Aug. 18. The Playhouse had left a TBA at mid-season and promised the announcement of a blockbuster show later in the spring. The theater was required to hold the release of the title because the show was playing elsewhere in the region. Students tickets are available at only $15. For tickets visit flatrockplayhouse.org or call the box office at 828.693.0731.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Ward opposes law enforcement training center

County Commission candidate Don Ward has come out against a law enforcement training center, including the new lower-cost version that the Board of Commissioners endorsed last week. "I am in opposition to any current proposal for a new training center in Henderson County at this time, at any cost," said Ward, a former two-term commissioner who is running for the District 4 seat. "It is unnecessary as adequate facilities in both county and state are already available. Training is always imperative; however, law enforcement has access to the North Carolina Justice Center locally as well as access to other state training facilities." Ward said that the county now has wasted money on architectural plans for a $20 million training center that the Board of Commissioners has now dropped in favor of a more modest facility with an outdoor shooting range. Commissioners on April 2 agreed with the recommendation by County Manager Steve Wyatt to pursue the purchase of an undisclosed "extremely remote" site for the training center, dropping their previously approved choice to put the center on the old baseball field at Blue Ridge Community College. "The use of training resources readily available prevents duplication of services while making it possible to spend tax dollars more wisely on schools, school safety and security," Ward said in a statement. "School Resource Officers must be in every school with Social Workers desperately needed as well. It is also crucial that recommendations of each newly formed School Safety Committee be met. These are necessities that our children and our schools deserve. ... "As a commissioner, I could not justify a $6 million plus tax expense on currently unnecessary training facilities. There are more immediate needs to insure safety and security in our schools that must be met; needs that can be addressed in a shorter time frame with more significant impact. The greatest challenge we have is to protect our children and give them a safe environment in which to learn and thrive. This is my commitment to the children and parents of Henderson County."     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Activists make case for arming schoolteachers

Thirty-eight people turned out for a “school safety education and awareness afternoon” on Saturday put on by activists who want the Henderson County School Board to authorize teachers to carry firearms in the classroom.   Read Story »

Flat Rock News

Village Café & Pub closes

FLAT ROCK — The Village Café and Pub, a space that has served Flat Rock as a breakfast spot and sandwich shop since the early 1990s, closed on Saturday, the owners announced with a "heavy heart." The shop at 2770 Greenville Highway operated as Dean's Deli from the early 1990s until 2013, when Shannon and Dustin Zlacki bought the business, added a beer and wine bar and renamed it the Village Café & Pub. "We have met so many wonderful people since our arrival four and half years ago and we will truly miss you all," the couple said in a note posted on the deli's door. "To all of our regulars as we say in 'the biz,' and you know who you are, we love you. You friendships will not be forgotten but cherished.... Your support, kindness, open arms acceptance and pulling for us attitude was always felt and deeply appreciated. We have learned a great deal from our experience here and will use this wisdom in all our future endeavors. We wish you all great help and happiness!" "I got a call from Starr that he is leasing the property that was the pub and cafe. He said he needed it for parking," Flat Rock Administrator Judy Boleman said. The property is owned by the Duane and Margaret McKibbin Family Ltd. Partnership, owner of Henderson Oil and the Energy Mart convenience stores. It's been leased by Starr Teal, owner of Hubba Hubba Smokehouse and the the Salt and Honey brunch restaurant, which often has a line of customers out the door. Henderson Oil owner Bill McKibbin declined to comment on the lease. A Hubba Hubba catering truck is parked at the side of the building. Teal did not immediately return a request for comment on the lease., nor did Dustin Zlacki respond to a request for more information. Built in 1971, the 4,928-square-foot building and half-acre parcel is valued for tax purposes at $156,000.     Read Story »

Hendersonville News

City to build police station in Seventh Avenue District

The Hendersonville City Council moved on Thursday to buy property on Ashe Street for a new police station and at the same time make a major investment in the revitalization of the Historic Seventh Avenue District.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

City taxpayers to foot bill for school safety

Hendersonville taxpayers will shoulder the escalating cost of protecting schools in an era of gun violence anxiety.The Hendersonville City Council agreed in principle on Thursday to hire three more school resource officers for the 2018-19 school year, a new expense that would require a 2-cent property tax increase.The four schools in the city limits currently share two SROs — one covering Hendersonville High School and Bruce Drysdale Elementary School and the other covering Hendersonville middle and elementary schools.“There was a day when that was probably more than we needed,” Councilman Jeff Miller said. “That day’s come and gone.”He said in today's environment the city needs one officer for each school and ideally would add three next year for backup.“I would like to see us bring on another one because there are many days when an officer is ill or tied up in something and that would give us a floater if we have an incident or a particular threat,” he said. “We could double them up if we need to.”Adding three SROs would require a 2-cent tax increase.Jerry Smith, a history and civics teacher at Hendersonville High School, said the county might agree to fund one or more  SROs but added that he was in favor of the increase even if the city pays.“I agree completely with Jeff that it’s 2018,” Smith said. “I think we continue to work with the county no matter what our difference are at times," Miller said. "This is something we all agree on. I see no other way around this. The only choice is whether it’s two or three. If we’re going to jump into this, I’d rather cover it properly into the future.”Police Chief Hubert Blake said he had already been looking at the need for two SROs at the new Hendersonville High School. Councilman Ron Stephens agreed.“It looks like with the size of that and with a parking lot across the street on a side street we’re going to need two people there,” Stephens said.The city’s decision would still have to be ratified by the council’s adoption of the 2018-19 budget. The City Council becomes the second local governing body to commit to a big spending increase for school security. Sheriff Charlie McDonald, the Henderson County School Board and Henderson County Board of Commissioners have all agreed that all 23 public schools will have armed guards in the upcoming school year. Two commissioners warned that the increased expense could require a tax increase, although County Manager Steve Wyatt said he thought by prioritizing spending the county could avoid a tax increase.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Debt 'keeps me up at night,' Tillis says

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis pulled no punches last week in a wide-ranging business roundtable that covered local, national and world issues — and, of course, President Trump.   Read Story »

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