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Henderson County News

Ask Matt ... what those silver convoys are hauling

Q. I have noticed many tractor trailer trucks traveling through Henderson County on I-26. They all look the same, silver with white cabs marked “WM.” I often see them in convoys of a dozen or more. Where are they going and what are they hauling? It’s coal ash – what’s left after burning coal at Duke Energy’s Skyland power plant in South Asheville. According to Craig DeBrew, Duke’s community relations manager, most of the ash is being trucked to a lined landfill in Homer, Ga. That landfill has been fully permitted to accept the coal ash but the hauling distance is 132 miles. DeBrew said that the ash is not a hazardous waste nor is it “toxic” but it does contain very low levels of trace elements — levels similar to what you find in soil and municipal solid waste. Duke has already moved several million tons of ash from the Skyland site to be used as fill material at the Asheville Regional Airport. With that runway project complete, the next best repository was the Georgia landfill. The State has given Duke until 2022 to remove the remaining ash piles, some 3.8 million tons. Removal will also make room for Duke’s new natural gas generators.The trucks you see on the Interstate are owned by Waste Management, which has a contract with Duke. A Waste Management spokesperson told me their trucks carry up to 21 tons. Based on that, I roughly calculated that to move all of the coal ash by 2022 would take 91 trips per day hauling five days a week. Duke Energy has its own permitted landfill at its Cliffside power plant location in Mooresboro, near Shelby. The hauling distance is only half of that to the Georgia site. Duke has a contract with Charah, a Kentucky-based company to help move ash to the Cliffside site. Using both landfills will help the power company meet its goals.DeBrew pointed out that each truck is washed before leaving the site. They also have a tightly fitted tarp that covers the ash and trucks are monitored for speed. Waste Management is similarly focused on safety. It has partnered with Duke Energy to remove coal ash piles from two other power plant sites, one in Anderson County, S.C., and another in Gaston County. Yes, they are hauling a lot of ash. Send questions to askmattm@gmail.com.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Sheriff's office seeks help finding runaway

The Henderson County Sheriff’s Department and Department of Social Services asked for the public’s assistance in locating a runaway juvenile.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Red Price retires clippers after 51 years

Few people who have gone to work every day for five decades walk out the door with as many good memories as Red Price.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Tourism grants available

Organizations seeking a grant from the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority must attend a grant workshop at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 5, in Kaplan Auditorium at the Henderson County Public Library.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

Five Points property could see development

An Etowah businessman has purchased the old Boyd Chevrolet used car lot at Five Points. Residents could see car sales there again or maybe a chain restaurant or store.   Read Story »

Edneyville News

LOCAL BRIEFS: Free chamber music, tractor pull, 'Art in Bloom'

Brevard Music Center presents free performance The Brevard Music Center will present a chamber music concert as part of its free Community Concerts series. On Tuesday, April 5, at 12:30 p.m., flutist Dilshad Posnock and pianist Craig Nies will perform an exquisite program of chamber music at First United Methodist Church in Hendersonville. Chamber Music Tuesdays in Hendersonville is made possible, in part, through a grant from the Perry N. Rudnick Endowment Fund of the Community Foundation of Henderson County.April’s program will include CPE Bach’s “Hamburger” Sonata, Pierre Sancan’s Sonatine for flute and piano, a solo keyboard Intermezzo by JS Bach, and “Sonata for the Emerald Isle” by BMC alum Jack Coen. The final Chamber Music Tuesdays concert performance of the spring 2016 season will feature Scott Rawls (viola) and Jihye Chang (piano) on May 3 in Hendersonville. Flat Rock studio hosts first Art in Bloom The Studios at Flat Rock will host the first annual Art in Bloom May 27 through May 30. “Art in Bloom is an event that originated in 1976 at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston,” says Suzanne Camarata Ball, organizer of the event. “Floral designers study artwork and create imaginative floral interpretations based on what they experience. The fresh floral arrangements are then exhibited next to the piece that inspired the designer, thus creating a dynamic visual display for the viewing public.”Twenty artists are juried to participate in Art in Bloom, based on submissions to The Studios at Flat Rock before the deadline of April 24. Entries will be judged by Michael Bauermeister of Augusta, Mo., whose evocative wood sculptures grace collections from the Smithsonian American Art Museum to the Mesa Museum of Contemporary Art in Arizona. Original submissions can be in either 2D or 3D artwork in any medium, including painting, photography, mixed media, sculpture, glass, wood, fiber and jewelry.A preview gala will launch Art in Bloom on Friday, May 27, from 5 to
8 p.m. Tickets are $25 individual/$40 couple. Best in Show and People’s Choice awards will be announced at the end of the evening. All proceeds from the celebration will benefit the Open Studio Tour of Henderson County September 17-18, thanks to the effort of Advocates for the Arts, the underwriter for the event.Art in Bloom is held in conjunction with Art in the Garden, a design competition for Henderson County high school and Blue Ridge Community College students to create art sculptures for local gardens. The self-guided tour takes place on Saturday, May 28. Admission is $10/person. Tickets to the events are available at The Studios at Flat Rock, Flower Market, Hendersonville Tourism Center, and Raymond’s Garden Center.For information email info@studiosflatrock.com, visit studiosflatrock.com or call 828-698-7000. Antique Tractor Pull April 9 in Edneyville An Antique Tractor Pull will be held the second Saturday of each month through August.The next event will take place at 11 a.m. April 9 at the Apple Co-op on South Mills Gap Road in Edneyville. From Hendersonville, follow Highway 64 East to left on South Mills Gap Road at Griffin's Store then follow signs to the pull on the left. Admission is free. Bring your own chair. Lunch will be available for purchase from the Barnyard Bandits 4-H Club.The fee for competitors with antique tractors that weigh 3,000-12,000 lbs. is $10 per hook. The Apple Country Antique Engine and Tractor Association sponsors the monthly competition. The pull will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. For more information, contact Larry Phillips at 674-6649.     Read Story »

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning. (7)

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

Henderson County News

Criminals reverting to snail mail theft, sheriff says

As a result of increased attention paid to online and internet based frauds, some criminals are reverting to older methods of crime, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has seen a rise in thefts from mailboxes, Sheriff Charlie McDonald said in a news release. Below are some recommended steps to help protect your personal and financial identity from being stolen: • Do not place checks, letters, or packages with your financial information in your mailboxes at home. The raised flag is a sign to would-be criminals that something of value may be inside. It is better to mail these items at USPS ‘blue box’ or at the post office. • Have financial information or other sensitive mail delivered to a Post Office Box instead of your home mail box. Criminals will only need to spend a few seconds outside of your home to get access to your accounts or your identity. • Request the USPS hold your mail when away from home for extended periods. This will help disguise your absence and not leave personal information in reach of thieves. • Many victims do not know they have be targeted until thousands of dollars turn up missing from their accounts. If you believe you have been a victim of theft from your mailbox, contact your financial institution so they can be alert for suspicious activity. Contact your local law enforcement or the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at 828.697.4911 to file a report.   Read Story »

Flat Rock News

Benefit concert re-creates sound of the Beatles

FLAT ROCK — The Namaste Center for Spirituality, Healing & the Arts is holding a Music of The Beatles benefit concert at the Grand Ole Hall at Highland Lake Inn in Flat Rock at 7 p.m. Friday.   Read Story »

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