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Flat Rock Cinema to screen top movies of 2014

Henderson County News

Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning (31)

Don't miss this week's issue of Hendersonville Lightning, on the street a day early with our Top 10 stories of 2014, an in-depth look at the wall failure at the Asheville Regional Airport, news on the new $35 million Joint Health Education Facility at Pardee and lots more.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Pardee surgeon appointed to cancer advisory panel

Dr. Thomas L. Eisenhauer of Pardee Surgical Associates was recently appointed to the North Carolina Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control by Gov. Pat McCrory.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

No coal ash leak, airport says, as questions mount

MILLS RIVER — The calls starting coming early on the morning of Christmas Eve, and they were anything but merry.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: What's Oklawaha?

If you ask old-timers what Oklawaha means, they'll answer straight away: Mud Creek. The question came to mind with the news, reported in last week's Hendersonville Lightning, that the Housing Assistance Corp. wants to build an 84-unit development of homes and apartments on land off North Main Street near Mud Creek — literally, one might say, on the banks of the Oklawaha. The development would be called Oklawaha Village.One way or another, Oklawaha and Oklawaha Village and Mud Creek are going to be in the news as we raise the curtain on 2015. It occurred to us that we could perform a public service by spreading what's known about the word.We have Frank L. FitzSimons Sr. (1897-1980) to thank for popularizing the name Oklawaha. A Marine Corps veteran of World War I, teacher, Register of Deeds, farmer, Curb Market founder and radio broadcaster, "Mr. Fitz" was known universally in these parts for the broadcasts he made "From the banks of the Oklawaha" and the studio of WHKP. His three-volume collection of the same name is an essential ingredient in the libraries of consumers of history and lore about our corner of Southern Appalachia."I think that the name Ochlawaha (also spelled Oklawaha and Okliawhahah) is a pretty name," FitzSimons writes in Chapter 25 in Vol. I. "It is the Cherokee name for the creek that became the first southern and eastern boundary of what is now the city of Hendersonville."The Indian name Ochlawaha translated into English means 'slowly moving muddy waters.' When the early settlers began to file into our area, they found it hard to pronounce the name that the Indians called the creek and even harder to spell it, so they began to call the Ochlawaha 'Mud Creek.'"Before the turn of the century, the name 'Ochlawaha' was very popular in our city and county and was identified with a number of businesses. In 1885 and subsequent years, the leading real estate firm in Hendersonville was the Ochlawaha Land Company."Around the same time, "A.E. Fletcher was advertising for sale in carload lots grain and baled hay at his Ochlawaha Warehouse in Hendersonville," FitzSimons continued. A popular joke around the potbellied stoves at filling stations was this:"Do you know why the Ochlawaha always has plenty of money?""Because it has a bank on each side of it.""The name is too pretty to be allowed to vanish," FitzSimons concluded, "and it should be used more often."So, with gratitude to Mr. FitzSimons, there you have it.Humble though it is, the Oklawaha is the body of water defines us. It nourishes crops. It floods Greenville Highway. It meanders merrily along, the mother of tributaries like Wash Creek, King Creek and Clear Creek. It feeds the French Broad. It's our Mississippi, writ small and, of course, muddy.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Mom makes a special gift for Christmas

She is a 24-year-old mom who lives at Mainstay, the shelter for victims of domestic violence.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Playhouse puts YouTheatre on hiatus

FLAT ROCK — Flat Rock Playhouse has put its YouTheatre programs on hiatus for four months while administrators work with parents, teachers and other constituents to "make it right," the Playhouse's artistic director said last week.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS: 'Letters' at SAB, scarfs and barks

Local news briefs for Dec. 24-31.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Local group forms to shelter homeless girls

A local group has formed a new nonprofit organization to meet the needs to young people who have no stable home. Its first goal is to establish a home for teenage girls, the population considered the most vulnerable while living on the streets.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

LIGHTNING PHOTOS: Rain, dear, fails to foil first Jones fund run

More than a hundred runners turned out on Wednesday morning for the first Christmas Eve Reindeer Run to support the Jones Family Scholarship for  North Henderson High School seniors.   Read Story »

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