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Henderson County News

Windy Knoll Acres would add 30 homes on N. Allen Road

A developer won tentative approval from Henderson County building officials to build 30 homes on North Allen Road north of the Classic Oaks subdivision. Smith Gilchrist Properties has submitted a development plan for Windy Knoll Acres, which would be served by the city of Hendersonville water system and individual septic tanks. The subdivision on 18 acres would have lot sizes of about a half-acre each and 1½ acres of common space, according to plans submitted to the Henderson County planning department. The number of units is below the standard density of four units per acre and does not require a change from the current R-1 residential zoning. The developer has designed a loop road serving the property to NCDOT standards, meaning it would be conveyed to the state for upkeep once the project is done. The county Technical Review Committee last week OK’d the development under the county’s land-use code for major subdivisions, provided the developer receives NCDOT approval for a driveway cut, said Zoning Enforcement Officer Toby Linville. The application goes to the county Planning Board on March 15.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Planners recommend quarter-acre lots at Sylvan Terrace project

Neighbors are concerned that a rezoning to allow up to six single-family homes would add traffic to the winding and narrow Sylvan Boulevard.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Developer peeling back history on East Allen Street

What’s old is new again in the 100 block of East Allen Street, where contractors have literally peeled back history.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

MAKE WAY FOR SHARKS: Team ECCO getting new tank on Monday

Moving crews will block off parking on the west side of the 500 block of North Main Street on Sunday night to make room for the unloading of a giant new shark tank for Team ECCO Ocean Center and Aquarium. The tank will be unloaded the next morning and moved into the aquarium in a process that's projected to take 2 to 2½ hours. Interior installation of the 2,000-gallon tank involves intricate plumbing and motor connections. The tank will begin to add water toward the end of next week and will need 10-14 days of “curing” before sharks can be acclimated into the new space. Team ECCO has hand raised all three of their sharks. Once the new shark study tank is in, Team ECCO will also be moving roughly two dozen other fish and animals from holding tanks and into new exhibits.  Their previous homes had to be removed to allow for the tank to be rolled directly through the front doors and over the main floor then into place. This requires the rebuild of five reptile habitats, enlarging the tortoise exhibit, reset of the touch tank, new puffer fish habitat, new extended filtration for the puffer and the 400-gallon eel tanks, new lighting and a complete overhaul of the classroom.    Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (161)

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

Henderson County News

Education Hall of Fame announces 2018 inductees

The Henderson County Education Foundation on Wednesday announce the recipients of the 2018 Education Hall of Fame. Each year, individuals who have demonstrated measurable influence or made significant contributions to the grown and development of education in Henderson County are honored with the Hall of Fame Award. Since 2003, 124 individuals have been honored with induction into HCEF Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include: Norma Welch Bridges began her teaching career in Henderson County in 1969 at Dana Elementary where she taught until her retirement in 1999. She returned to Dana as a tutor from 2003 to 2010 and served the children and families of Henderson County for 37 years. Mrs. Bridges was as leader in schoolwide initatives and also helped other districts improve by leading on School Accrediation Teams across Western North Carolina. Additionally, during her tenure she was awared the honor of Teacher of the Year. Lynn Alta Clark, a North Carolina mountain native, began her teaching career in Cherokee County before joining Henderson County Public Schools in the early 1980’s. Mrs. Clark held various roles in the county including teacher, Leader Teacher and finally as County Office Coordinator. She was instrumental in the growth of technoglogical instruction in Henderson County Public Schools. Lynn Clark was a teacher’s teacher; mentoring and and providing demonstrations of high quality instruction to Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers. James (Jim) Laughter Jr. started his career in 1959 at Hendersonvill High School before moving to Hendersonville Junior High in 1964. Mr. Laughter then began the Physical Education program at Bruce Drysdale School in 1972 where he worked until his retirement in 1991. He continued to volunteer coach and substitute until his full retirement in 2010, serving for 51 years. Jim Laughter was instrumental for his contributions to race relations, coaching the first integrated sports team in the 1964-1965 school year and he continued to impact the lives of his students and players throughout his career. Tom McCrary began working in Henderson County in 1977 at Flat Rock Junior High, later Flat Rock Middle School, where heworked until his retirement in 2007. Mr. McCrary held various roles throughout his career at Flat Rock: English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and in his last four years as a Reading Specialist. Tom was a teacher leader and a champion of students, serving on various committees and clubs throughout the school and also at the local state and national levels. The inductees will be honored at the 16th annual Education Celebration, formerly the Hall of Fame Dinner, presented by Pardee Hospital, on May 1, 2018 at the Boone Building at the WNC Ag Center. In addition to celebrating the 2018 Hall of Fame inductees, Henderson County’s Principal of the Year, Chad Auten, and Teachers of the Year will be honored at the event. A reception will begin at 5:30 with dinner and program to follow at 6:00. Education Celebration tickets can be purchased online at hcefnc.org/events/educationcelebration or by calling the Foundation at 828.697.5551. For more information about the 2018 Education Celebration or the Hall of Fame, please contact Summer Stipe at summer@hcefnc.org.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Coren won't seek re-election to School Board

Colby Coren, elected to the School Board for the first time four years ago, announced Monday that he will not seek re-election this year. "Three and a half years ago, I made a commitment to the people of Henderson County that I would be a voice for students, parents, and taxpayers," he said in a news release. "That has been my drive and my compass behind every decision I have made. It has been my honor to serve the students, parents, staff, and residents of Henderson County."My deepest gratitude goes out to my fellow board members and the senior staff of Henderson County Public Schools. It has been a privilege to serve alongside each of you. I am grateful for the relationships that I have built over the last three years and the friendships I will carry with me for years to come." He thanked his family. "At times this has been more stressful on them than it was on me. I am blessed to have a close family who continues to support each other," he said."The future is bright for Henderson County Public Schools and I look forward to what is in store. While I will not be seeking re-election next term, I will always carry a piece of HCPS in my heart. I will continue to support and advocate for public education in Henderson County, even after my term expires. I believe in public education and in the people who lead it in Henderson County."     Read Story »

Laurel Park News

Friends of Laurel Park gift covers repair of historic wall

Mark Morse, vice president of Friends of Laurel Park and past Laurel Park Civic Association president; Friends of Laurel Park President Mindy Collins and Laurel Park Mayor Carey O’Cain celebrated the completed repair work on the historic rock wall along Laurel Park Highway. The Friends of Laurel Park covered the $7,300 contract with Jeff Cosgrove’s Southwind Landscaping Co. to repair and rebuild the historic Civilian Conservation Corps wall from Hebron Road to Echo Mountain Inn. “It’s a beautiful thing,” O’Cain said. “We haven’t repaired that wall for 80 years. They had been put back together after a car ran into them by the maintenance crew but the maintenance crew are not professional stone layers.” Created at the start of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first term in March 1933, the CCC formed “a peacetime army to battle against destruction and erosion of natural resources.” At its peak enrollment, the New Deal agency deployed 505,782 single young man ages 17 to 25 throughout the country, according to research by Laurel Park Town Councilman Paul Hansen. CCC workers received $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to families. The workers planted 3 billion trees, built thousands of miles of fire roads, erected 3,470 fire towers and protected 20 million acres from erosion. In North Carolina, 70,000 young men enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps, including 387 from Henderson County. In this area, the agency had camps in Asheville, Black Mountain, Pisgah Forest, Brevard and Hendersonville. Besides the rock walls along Laurel Park Highway, CCC projects included picnic tables and outdoor fireplaces at Jump Off Rock. “The Friends of Laurel Park support of the town’s effort to repair our CCC walls and memorialize them with historic markers assures that the trials, tribulations and efforts of the ‘Greatest Generation’ will not be lost to history books,” Hansen said.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Magistrate challenges Newman for D.A. job

Henderson County Magistrate Mary Ann Hollocker announced that she will seek the Republican nomination for District Attorney of Judicial District 42, which covers Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties. With over a decade working as a Deputy Prosecutor in Hawaii, Hollocker has a background in prosecution and criminal law. Prosecuting all types of offenses from traffic tickets to murder, Hollocker also handled her own appellate work and argued before the Hawaii Supreme Court. In April of 2012, she relocated her family to Henderson County to be closer to her parents and to ensure her son, who was diagnosed with autism, received the services he needed. She was appointed to serve as a magistrate in 2014. Her strong knowledge of criminal law and procedure have earned her the respect of the legal and law enforcement communities, so much so that in 2016 she was reappointed to another four-year term. Hollocker sees opportunities to make changes in the District Attorney’s office. Currently assistant district attorneys are assigned to specific courthouses. Hollocker advocates for specialized assistant district attorneys to travel throughout the three counties dedicated to specific crimes. For example, teams might be focused on drug offenses, violent crimes, property crimes and domestic violence among others. “I would like to see specialized task forces consisting of Law Enforcement Officers and Assistant District Attorneys working together throughout the three counties on specific types of crimes,” she said in a news release. “The citizens and victims of crime are entitled to strong representation from the District Attorney’s office. I believe it is time for a positive change in our three counties and I am confident I can lead that charge.” Hollocker will face District Attorney Greg Newman, who is also a Republican, in the May 8 primary election.     Read Story »

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