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NC 191 bridge work creates one-lane passage over French Broad

Henderson County News

Barry Manilow tribute kicks off Music on the Rock

Flat Rock Playhouse will launch its 2016 Music on the Rock concert series with “The Music of Barry Manilow” on Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Playhouse Downtown.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

KnollsCam: Gray fox on white snow

Thomas Brass's wildlife camera in the woods at the top of Haywood Knolls caught a good shot of a gray fox after last weekend's snowstorm.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Movie starring Josh Brolin filming in area

A production crew has been in Hendersonville off and on over the past several weeks filming a movie starring Josh Brolin and Danny McBride.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Ask Matt ... about eye in the sky

Q. Is that a webcam or a security camera that sits high on the green metal pole at the corner of Church Street and Sixth Avenue West in Hendersonville? It’s a camera all right but it’s not the city’s. According to Tim Kirk, an NCDOT transportation engineer, that camera is one of many that are part of their Traveler Information Management System (TIMS). Here’s how it works. Our highway folks measure and manage traffic movement on state roads using three methods: induction loops in the road, microwave detection and traffic videos. Those video feeds originate from some 650 cameras across the state. The camera on Sixth Avenue at Church Street is just one of those and its video feed can actually be accessed by the public. Each camera takes a still snapshot once every five minutes. These are “smart photos” that can detect traffic movement. There are actually seven cameras at work in the Hendersonville area. To view these street shots, just go online and search for “NCDOT-TIMS-Asheville” and click on any camera icon.So where does this data all go? NCDOT feeds all the traffic data including the loop sensors and microwave reports into one of three traffic management centers — in Raleigh, Greensboro or Charlotte. Those centers also receive data from some of the major trucking lines. Yup, those pesky truckers help us manage our traffic. According to Kirk, mobile phones are another source of data. Each cell phone sends out intermittent pings. A private company named INRIX somehow collects and processes that information and sells it to DOT. “If there are 5,000 cell phones in cars going down the highway at 70 mph and all of a sudden they are only going 20 mph, we know that there is a problem. We see it live on the big video map on the wall here in Charlotte and we can dispatch someone to see what’s going on,” Kirk said.So yes, we are being watched, listened to and recorded on the highways and byways. Welcome to the 21st century. Q. Why did they close the First Citizens Bank in Etowah? The bank closed last October after less than two years in operation. The Etowah branch was acquired in January of 2014 following a merger with 1st Financial Services Corporation (Mountain 1st) as reported here in the Lightning (9/9/13). First Citizens does not own the now-vacant building. According to bank officials, closing the branch was a business decision. First Citizens’ departure leaves Etowah with United Community Bank on U.S. Highway 64. * * * Send questions to askmattm@gmail.com.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Forest closes soggy single-track trails

The N.C. Forest Service has closed all single-track trails in DuPont State Recreational Forest temporarily because recent snow and wet conditions make the trails extremely susceptible to damage. Forest roads and two-track trails such as Triple Falls, High Falls and Hooker Falls trails will remain open.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Henderson Oil awards $7,000 to schools

Henderson Oil Company awarded a total of $7,000 in ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants to 14 Henderson County public schools on Thursday, supplying elementary, middle and high school principals with extra funds for necessary materials and programming.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Asheville Tea Party sets candidate event

The Asheville Tea PAC, the political action committee of the Asheville Tea Party, is hosting a candidate fair at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Skyland Fire Department, 9 Miller Road, in Asheville.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Deputies looking for shooter in East Flat Rock incident

Henderson County sheriff's deputies are looking for a man who drove away in dark-colored Lincoln Town Car this afternoon after shots were fired at a house on Lamplighter Lane in East Flat Rock. No one was injured as a result of the altercation and the alleged shooter fled the scene before deputies arrived. He was described as a black male. Due to the close proximity of the altercation, both Flat Rock Middle and Hillandale Elementary schools were placed on a soft lockdown with increased Sheriff’s presence. There was no direct threat to students and the lockdown was lifted at approximately 1:10 pm., the sheriff's office said in a news release. Anyone with information on the driver of the Lincoln or its whereabouts is asked to contact the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 697-4911 or Crimestoppers at (828) 697-STOP.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Meadows endorses Cruz

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows on Wednesday endorsed Ted Cruz for president, calling the Texas senator "the best-positioned leader to restore power to the people and uphold the Constitution."   Read Story »

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