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HHS graduate shines on very big stages

Henderson County News

New Apple Country Cider Jam opens festival season

Hendersonville is gearing up for the first-ever Apple Country Cider Jam, a downtown festival that will bring bluegrass and Americana music to Main Street and showcase Henderson County’s apple crop.   Read Story »

Flat Rock News

Neighbors fight parking lot at Sandburg site

FLAT ROCK — Neighbors of the Carl Sandburg historic site say they hope to stop the National Park Service from building a parking lot across Little River Road from their homes, citing traffic concerns and the cutting of large trees.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Police shut down 'drug house' on Fifth Avenue

A year of fear and frustration on Fifth Avenue West came to an end on Monday afternoon when an attorney, surrounded by a half dozen law officers, tacked a notice on the front door of a light blue bungalow with white columns.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

County eyes HHS outside city, or no HHS

A new Hendersonville High School outside the city or no Hendersonville High School at all are among the options the Henderson County Board of Commissioners may consider if the City Council rejects a rezoning permit for HHS construction, the county manager said. In the latest salvo in the two-year battle over the future of HHS, county commissioners say they would look at options outside the city or even a plan to absorb the HHS student body at three other publc high schools if the City Council turns down a rezoning permit on May 4. "We're trying to identify whatever options are out there should the City Council turn down the rezoning," County Manager Steve Wyatt said Thursday. Other options include adding space to one or more of four other high schools or contracting with charter schools to add seats for HHS students. Another is buying property outside the city and building a new school. "It's not as simple as adding classrooms," he said. "You've got core capacity," which is the capacity of common areas everyone uses like the lunchroom, library and gym. "The other option was trying to find a place in the city," he said. That route raises a couple of other hurdles. Land in the city is expensive and it's hard to find a big enough tract. And any project in the city would still require the rezoning approval of the City Council. "We'll be right back where we are right here," Wyatt said. "So the other option is you look outside the zoning jurisdicton of the city." Chairman Michael Edney confirmed the board's decision to explore other options that it could act on if the city council votes no on the county's zoning request. "We’re looking at keeping all options open," Edney said. "We hope they do right thing but if not we need to be ready. We’re not going to identify them until we have options or something like that." The state Department of Public Instruction recommends 50 acres for a high school campus. In an interview on WLOS-TV, which first reported the county's decision to look at other locations for HHS on Wednesday, City Councilman Ron Stephens described the move as a threat. "I hate that anyone would take what we’re saying as any kind of threat or trying to intimidate or influence," Edney said. "But it’s important that parents know we’re putting the kids first and we’re going to do something to address the need. We’re going to focus on the kids and what’s best for them. Mr. Stephens made the comment about this being political suicide. I'm doing what's best for the kids. I make my decision based on what’s the right thing and not on politics." Wyatt said building a new HHS at the current school campus is still the commissioners' preferred outcome. "They're hopeful, I'm hopeful, that the city council will approve this plan because it's the best plan," he said. "It's not a perfect plan. It's the best plan." Wyatt said he read in the minutes that the Planning Board recommended the city council deny a rezoning permit on the grounds that the Boyd property was the wrong place for the new school as designed. If that's true, he said, the county should look for another location. "After the Planning Board meeting, I talked to commissioners individually and we talked about some of these options," he said. "You can always throw up your hands and walk away but that doesn't solve the problem. What it is is contingency planning."       Read Story »

Henderson County News

Fraud conviction yields 177-acre tract for Pisgah National Forest

Pisgah National Forest is growing by 177 acres thanks to federal prosecutors' seizure of property from a Mills River farmer convicted of a massive crop insurance fraud in 2003. “The acquisition of 177 acres of land connects approximately 100,000 acres of the Pisgah National Forest with a previously isolated 1,500 acres of national forest land. I want to thank the USDA and the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy for partnering with my Office to make this transfer possible," U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose said in a news release. "As a result of this collaboration, the added acreage of national forest land ensures the protection of viable natural resources. It will also bring enjoyment to visitors for generations to come.” The action resulted from the 2003 prosecution of Robert and Viki Warren, and others. In that case, the court sentenced the Warrens for their role in a massive crop insurance fraud. As a result of the fraud, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture paid millions of dollars to the conspirators for fraudulent crop damage claims by Warren Farms, including claims related to tomato damage. As part of the sentence, the Court ordered defendants to pay $9.15 million in restitution to USDA for its losses, as well as a $7.3 million forfeiture money judgment representing the proceeds of the fraud as agreed upon by the parties.In and around 2015 and 2016, in an effort to collect on the forfeiture money judgment and restitution, law enforcement identified that the Warrens owned the Hoot Owl Tract under the name of a limited liability company known as Mountaintop Farms, LLC. Ultimately, through negotiations with defendants, the United States obtained an agreement for transfer of the land from defendants, through CMLC, to USDA, in partial satisfaction of restitution owed as a result of the fraud. The so-called Hoot Owl Tract includes trout waters and tributaries to the Mills River, which supply drinking water to residents of Henderson and Buncombe counties. The deal reached in the criminal case to transfer the Hoot Owl Tract to USDA protects vital natural resources for this generation and beyond.In making today’s announcement, the U.S. Rose commended the work of the U.S. Forest Service, and CMLC.The Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office represented the United States in the forfeiture action. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Edwards and Don Gast handled the criminal prosecution of the defendants.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Sheriff's deputies seize pills with street value of $8,700

Henderson County Sheriff’s deputies charged a 40-year-old Fletcher man with six felony drug charges on Tuesday and seized more than 300 narcotic pills with a street value of almost $9,000. Charged was Robert Nathan Wells of 31 Shadow Ridge Drive. Deputies seized 185 dosage units of Oxycodone, 76 dosage units of Morphine, 41 dosage units of Ecstasy or MDMA and 2 strips of Suboxone in addition to an undisclosed amount of cash. The narcotics have a street value totaling $8,720. Wells was charged with: · Felony Trafficking Opiates by Possession Level II · Felony Trafficking Opiates by Transportation Level II· Felony Trafficking Opiates by Possession Level I· Felony Trafficking Opiates by Transportation Level I· Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver MDMA· Felony Maintaining a Vehicle for Controlled Substance· Misdemeanor Possession of Schedule III CS Wells is being held in the Henderson County Jail under a $74,600 secured bond. In an unrelated case sheriff's detectives last Thursday assisted North Carolina Public Safety Probation Officers with a probationary search at 468 King Creek Blvd. Probation Officers and Detectives allegedly found illegal narcotics inside the residence of Dustin Earl Jones, 37. Jones was charged with: · Felony Possession Methamphetamine · Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Marijuana· Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Cocaine· Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule IV CS· Felony Maintaining a Vehicle for Controlled Substance· Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Jones was released from the Henderson County Jail on a $57,500 secured bond.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

New Ingles open on Spartanburg Highway

Ingles Markets Inc. opened its Henderson County seventh supermarket on Thursday, establishing a beachhead at ground zero of the south gateway grocery war. The new store, 26,000 square feet bigger than the 35-year-old store it replaces, is upgraded throughout, offering a deli counter and meat department, flower department, pharmacy, hot bar and other prepared foods and a Gas Express. It includes Starbucks, Chopsticks Asian Express, Boar's Head deli meats and Chef's Pizzeria. Hours are 6 a.m.-11 p.m. The new Ingles competes with Harris-Teeter across Spartanburg Highway and Fresh Market across Greenville Highway and, in the next couple of years, Hendersonville's first Publix, on Greenville Highway at White Street. The Black Mountain-based grocer strung pennants between light poles, displayed flats of colorful spring flowers at the front doors and offered goody bags during a grand opening. The parking lot was nearly full although a fair number of the people inside were Ingles executives and managers and suppliers. Ingles replaced the 46,000-square-foot store, one its oldest ones in Henderson County, with the new 72,000-square-foot store that offers extra features beyond the conventional grocery items. Ingles operates 201 supermarkets in the South, including 70 in North Carolina, 71 in Georgia, 36 in South Carolina, 21 in Tennessee, two in Virginia and one in Alabama. It operates stores on U.S. 64 East Flat Rock, Spartanburg Highway and Asheville Highway, and in Laurel Park, Mills River, Etowah and Fletcher. "The company’s strategy is to locate its supermarkets primarily in suburban areas, small towns and neighborhood shopping centers," the corporation said in its latest 10-K form filed with the SEC. "The Company remodels, expands and relocates stores in these communities and builds stores in new locations to retain and grow its customer base with an enhanced 'one stop' product offering while retaining a high level of customer service and convenience. Ingles supermarkets offer customers a wide variety of nationally advertised food products, including grocery, meat and dairy products, produce, frozen foods and other perishables, and non-food products. Non-food products include fuel centers, pharmacies, health and beauty care products and general merchandise. The Company also offers quality private label items.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Education Foundation expands Leader in Me

The Henderson County Education Foundation is partnering with Henderson County public schools to expand The Leader in Me program to more elementary schools. Two Henderson County schools, Sugarloaf Elementary and Dana Elementary, currently incorporate “Leader in Me,” Franklin Covey’s process designed to transform and uplift an entire school. The nationally acclaimed program teaches 21st century leadership and life skills to students and creates a culture of empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader. HCEF is hosting breakfast tours for the community to learn more about “Leader in Me” at Sugarloaf Elementary on two different dates: Friday, April 28 and Friday, May 19, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Last year, Sugarloaf Elementary was named a Lighthouse School by the FranklinCovey Institute, the highest honor a “Leader in Me” school can achieve. To RSVP for one of the breakfast tours or to learn more about “The Leader in Me” program, visit http://hcefnc.org/ourwork/leaderinme/ or contact HCEF Executive Director Summer Stipe at 828.697.5551 or summer@hcefnc.org. The mission of the Henderson County Education Foundation is to develop resources to support educational excellence in the Henderson County Public Schools.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Bidding war produces $114,000 gain for county

After five bounces between two bidders, Henderson County sold property on Sixth Avenue West to a physician who made the initial offer last November. The Henderson County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday authorized the sale of the property to Dr. Leon Elliston for $286,000 — $114,000 more than Elliston's initial offer of $172,000 in November. Elliston and Lemuel Oates, the owner of Manual Woodworkers and Burntshirt Vineyards and a commercial real estate investor, raised the price over several months in an upset bid process required under state law for the sale of public property. The property, at at 714 Sixth Avenue West, contains a two-story 5,436-square-foot house that was home to the Sixth Avenue Clubhouse, a facility operated by Thrive, a mental health provider. The 112-year-old house is valued at $171,200 and the entire tract has a tax value of $372,400.   Read Story »

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