News

LOCAL BRIEFS: Piano concert, craft beer, tastes of the world, Helene radio doc

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 12, 2025

 

Kevin Ayesh opens BRCC's 29th concert season

The 29th season of the Blue Ridge Community College Concert Series open Tuesday, Sept. 30, with a performance by master pianist Kevin Ayesh. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. in Bo Thomas Auditorium on the Henderson County campus. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students, available at the door.

Dr. Ayesh, retired BRCC music instructor and founder of the series, has performed in concerts across the U.S. and abroad. In addition to selections by Beethoven and Brahms, he will perform George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in celebration of the work’s 100th anniversary.

“I am honored that Blue Ridge continues to sponsor this tradition of world-class piano performances for our community,” he said. “After last year’s unexpected pause due to Hurricane Helene, I am especially excited to share this new season with our loyal patrons, as well as all who will be attending our concerts for the very first time.”

The 2025–2026 season will also feature pianist Dr. Grigorios Zamparas on Tuesday, March 31. Dr. Zamparas, professor of music and head of the piano program at the University of Tampa, has received international acclaim as a recitalist, orchestra soloist, and chamber musician. His versatile career has taken him to stages in Greece, Bulgaria, Austria, Russia, Brazil, South Korea and across the U.S.

Each year, BRCC sponsors this series of outstanding classical piano concerts. All performances are held in the Bo Thomas Auditorium, an elegant performance hall seating just over 400. Concert seating is non-reserved, and proceeds benefit the College’s Personal Enrichment Program.

Hendersonville craft beers win Brewers Cup medals

Three Hendersonville craft breweries won medals, including two gold, in the 2025 Brewers Cup competition, the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild announced Wednesday.

Now in its 14th year, the premier competition attracted a record 935 entries from 123 independent craft breweries, making it the South’s largest commercial beer competition. 

Awards were given in 36 beer categories, including the distinctive NC Homegrown category, which requires at least 55 percent of the beer’s dry-weight to be sourced from North Carolina. The largest categories of this year’s competition were American-Style IPA with 83 entries, Pale European & International Lager with 66 and Juicy/Hazy Style IPA with 63.

The winning beers were:

• American Pale Ale: Oklawaha Brewing Co., Dead West, gold.
• Juicy or Hazy IPA: Trailside Brewing Co., Trail Hazer, bronze.
• European Hybrid Styles: Guidon Brewing Co., Guidon Kölsch, gold.
• North American Style Amber and Dark Lager: Guidon Brewing Co., Bandera Mexican Amber Lager, honorable mention.

Pisgah Legal fundraiser showcases tastes from 'Our Global Table'

Pisgah Legal Services will showcase a variety of food and drink in “Our Global Table,” a fundraiser from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Cooperative Coffee, 210 Haywood Road in West Asheville. The fundraiser supports the Justice For All Program, which provides free legal aid to improve the lives of immigrants in 18 Western North Carolina counties.Guests will sample international flavors from Gypsy Queen, J Chong Eats, Luis Martinez, Master BBQ, Olga Jimenez of Short Street Cakes, and more.

Tickets are $35 in advance at cooperativecoffeeroasters.com or $40 at the door on the day of the event. Kids ages 8 and under are free. For more information, contact Lori Nierzwick at 828-818-5474.

Donor matches Conserving Carolina grants through Sept. 20

Nearly one year after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, Conserving Carolina will host its annual Conservation Celebration on Sept. 20, with the theme of Growing Resilience. This year, the event comes with a powerful opportunity to make twice the impact. Thanks to a generous $35,000 matching gift from Greg and Shannon McFayden, donations to the Future Fund made now through Sept. 20 will be doubled, up to the $35,000 match.

The Growing Resilience theme reflects the strength and recovery of both our natural spaces and our communities. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, habitat restoration and land protection are more critical than ever before. Healthy forests, wetlands, and native plant habitats don’t just provide beauty and biodiversity, they buffer floods, clean our water, store carbon, and create a foundation for resilient communities.

“The Future Fund is essential for ensuring that our natural places can bounce back stronger,” said Kieran Roe, executive director of Conserving Carolina. “By protecting land and restoring habitat, we’re building resilience into our landscapes, which in turn safeguards the well-being of our communities for generations to come. This matching gift means every contribution will have double the power to create a better future for all.”

“This is a chance to invest in the health and resilience of a beautiful area that we are fortunate enough to call home,” said Greg McFayden, who made the matching challenge possible, along with his wife Shannon. “We invite everyone who loves these mountains, rivers, and forests to step up and be part of the solution.”

Donations to the Future Fund support Conserving Carolina’s three-part mission:

• Protecting over 49,000 acres of cherished lands, from working farms and forests to iconic parks and trails.
• Restoring habitats to bring back wetlands, meadows, and biodiversity lost to storms, invasive plants, and development.
• Inspiring people of all ages to connect with and care for the natural world through education, volunteerism, and outdoor experiences.

Supporters can contribute at weblink.donorperfect.com/ffmatchinggift, send a check with “Matching Gift” in the memo to Conserving Carolina, 847 Case St., Hendersonville, NC 28792, or in person at the Conservation Celebration on Sept. 20 (you must already have a ticket to the sold-out event).

Lead sponsors of the Conservation Celebration are Larry and Nancy Pellegrini, Pat and Eileen Cafferty, Hunter Subaru and Jerry McAninch.

City calls for Stream Cleanup of Mud Creek volunteers

The city of Hendersonville’s Stormwater Division, in partnership with Asheville Greenworks, invites volunteers to help protect and restore local waterways following Hurricane Helene by participating in a Stream Cleanup 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, along Mud Creek. 

“Spending a few hours paddling down Mud Creek and picking up trash is both enjoyable and rewarding,” city Stormwater Director Michael Huffman said. “Stream cleanups offer a fantastic way to enjoy the outdoors, improve our local waterways, and see a positive impact right away.” 

Volunteers in the past have removed thousands of pounds of trash from streams, contributing significantly to the health and cleanliness of the environment. This is an excellent opportunity to make a tangible difference in just a few hours. 

What to expect: 

• Volunteers will be tasked with removing trash and debris from the stream. 

• The city will collect and properly dispose of all trash after the event. 

• Participants are advised to wear outdoor attire, including clothes that can get muddy, and closed-toe shoes. 

Materials provided: 

• Garbage bags 

• Gloves 

• Safety vests 

• Water - (participants need to bring their own re-usable water bottles) 

• Waders (upon request) 

• Canoes for up to 12 people (participants with their own canoes/kayaks are encouraged to bring them) 

B&B on Tiffany Hill adds glampground next year

Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill, the award-winning B&B off Ray Hill Road in Mills River, diversifying the guest experience by creating The Woods at Tiffany Hill, a glamping campground.

The Woods are expected to open in spring 2026 for guests of all ages (and their pets) to camp under the stars while still enjoying a curated hospitable experience.
“With Tiffany Hill’s stunningly beautiful property and its proximity to Dupont State Park, Pisgah National Forest, and the Ecusta Trail, we wanted to expand our offerings to encourage more outdoor enthusiasts, families, and those traveling with pets to join us,” co-owner Karen Verm said.

The new experience will include:

• Three private glamping sites on private property owned and operated by Tiffany Hill.
• A propane fire pit area with comfortable seating
• A domed sitting “room” for covered dining, games, etc.
• An elevated bathhouse.
• Renowned gourmet breakfast and fresh-brewed coffee delivered to guests every morning.

Helene documentary to air Sept. 23 on WNCW

The Center for Cultural Preservation, WNC’s cultural history and documentary film center, will air its newest project, a radio documentary commemorating Hurricane Helene’s impact on WNC, on Sept. 23.

The program, From Helene And Back: Nature’s Wakeup Call will focus on the storm’s impacts, how the community came together to help each other and what we’ve learned about historic storms to help us be better prepared in the future.

The program will air on WNCW 88.7 FM or via livestream at www.wncw.org at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23. WNCW will also rebroadcast the center’s radio documentary on the 1916 Flood one week earlier, at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16. 

“Everyone living in Western North Carolina was traumatically impacted by the storm, whether we suffered actual losses ourselves or witnessed the devastation around us,” said David Weintraub, the program’s producer and the center’s director. “It was heartening how neighbors arose from the rubble and stepped up to do what was needed, helping all of us slowly get back on our feet. With a year gone by, this is a good time to ask, what can we learn from Helene and how can we rebuild a more resilient community that can overcome any challenges we face.”

The program will include stories of Helene survivors and what they faced, discussions with emergency managers, resilience experts, landslides experts and those involved in relief work. Of particular interest to listeners might be the seventh-generation natives whose families have been through other major floods before, including the Great Flood of 1916.

“Our culture here in the mountains is stewardship of the mountains and being good neighbors,” said Rick Wooten, a leading expert on landslides who worked for the North Carolina Geologic Survey for decades. “What we do on mountainsides and in floodplains not only affects you but all your neighbors downslope and downstream. Helene brought a comparable amount of rain to WNC as the Great Flood of 1916. What was different this time was all of the infrastructure that was built, some of which made vulnerable areas even more susceptible to flooding and landslides.”

Mandy Forbes to manage First Bank's Brevard branch

Henderson County native Mandy Forbes has joined First Bank as the new manager of its Brevard branch.

Forbes’s extensive community service includes mentoring a new generation of local leaders, supporting neighbors in need through United Way and helping shape educational opportunities through the Henderson County Education Foundation.

“You can truly feel the joy coming out of every person who works at First Bank,” she said. “The culture comes through every person you interact with, and the customers really comes first.”