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'Our ideas came out,' Griffin says of upset win

Henderson County News

Early College teacher to study water in Alaska

Tom Savage, a science teacher at Henderson County Early College High School, will sail on June 4 to assist scientists on an 18-day hydrographic survey in Southeast Alaska as part of NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program, which bridges science and education through real-world research experiences. “Through my experience with NOAA, my students will not only be able to learn first-hand about exciting research projects at sea, they will be witnesses to them, and on some level, participants in them,“ says Savage. “Making their learning relevant through my own hands-on experiences is vital to getting students excited about science.” Savage will board NOAA Ship Fairweather in Juneau, Alaska, and will work with scientists daily as they conduct an ongoing hydrographic survey in Southeast Alaska. Savage is writing a blog detailing his experience—photos from the blog are free and available for use by media with proper credit. "NOAA's Teacher at Sea Program gives teachers the professional opportunity of a lifetime with a chance to participate in cutting edge science, on the ocean, working side-by-side with world-renowned scientists,” says Jennifer Hammond, the program’s director. “Teachers describe this authentic research experience as transformative and one that allows them to bring new knowledge and excitement back to their classrooms.” Now in its 28th year, the program has provided nearly 750 teachers the opportunity to gain first-hand experience participating in science at sea. This year, NOAA received applications from nearly 300 teachers, and chose 35 to participate in research cruises. These educators are able to enrich their curricula with the depth of understanding they gain by living and working side-by-side with scientists studying the marine environment. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

McDonald and his team 'left everything on the field'

 Asked for his reaction to his stunning re-election loss on Tuesday, Sheriff Charlie McDonald repeated an interviewer’s question.   Read Story »

Hendersonville News

GRIFFIN STUNS McDONALD; MCCALL EDGES WARD

Challenger Lowell Griffin defeated Sheriff Charlie McDonald Tuesday in the Republican primary after a campaign that swung on issues that included a law enforcement training center, arming schoolteachers and the use of body cameras. “We don’t know yet,” McDonald said with almost 90 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night. “It’s not looking real good. I would tell you I'm surprised.”Earlier in the evening, Griffin said the campaign had been a rewarding experience.“I’ve been able to meet people I would never have met before and that part has been really worthwhile regardless of the outcome,” he said at a campaign gathering at Grandad’s Apples on U.S. 64. He did not know then the outcome three hours later would be a stunning upset of the incumbent that he had worked for before his termination in November 2014. “I really didn’t expect to have this much support. We’ve got a crowd here. I’m overwhelmed with the amount of support we’ve had in this campaign.”Appointed to the office in February 2012 after Sheriff Rick Davis resigned the previous November, McDonald ran as a reformer in 2014 and continued to talk about modernizing the department throughout his four-year term. “We have buried once and for all the good ol’ body system that inevitably leads to inefficiency and corruption,” McDonald said during a campaign forum. “Despite what’s being said by those with axes to grind, I would submit that we can’t afford to turn back. We’ve shown Henderson County what can be accomplished when an agency comes together as a team to accept necessary change, embrace best practices and organizational management. Morale is high, our staff is well-trained.”Among the issues that separated the challenger from the incumbent were body cameras — Griffin favors them, McDonald resisted them — and animal control in cities. But the issue that produced power at the polls and peril for McDonald was his proposed law enforcement training center — an idea that was both a three-year goal and ultimately a political liability. While McDonald had quietly dropped the idea of a $20 million training center at Blue Ridge Community College, he continued to look for a site for a center. The announcement in April that he had found a new site in Saluda revived the controversy just two weeks before early voting started and fired up hundreds of motivated single-issue voters. Griffin shellacked McDonald in the two precincts closest to Saluda — winning 72 percent of the vote in Green River and 84 percent in Raven Rock, the would-be home of the proposed Macedonia Road firing range. During a forum last month, McDonald defended the facility.“We’re asking our men and women to do more and more and to be trained to a higher level of efficiency,” he said. “I think everybody understands law enforcement needs to have the ability to train realistically in rapidly evolving situations so they can practice critical decision skills and combat tactics.”Griffin argued against the training center but for a broader outdoor training facility that would cost less and involve all first-responders.“If we do this right, we can create a village that becomes a total emergency services training area. … If we decide to go with an outdoor training center, we’ve got to have transparent studies that show the effect on the quality of life of everyone that may be around or affected by that. There are a lot of options," he said. "I think we really need to slow down and discuss and choose what’s right.” McCall edges Ward   The Republican primary for the District 4 Board of Commissioners seat was a contest between two county natives, both graduates of East Henderson High School — Ward in 1970 and McCall in 1974 — both with grandfathers who served on the Board of Commissioners.McCall pulled away for the win, becoming the first woman to serve since 2002.“I think most of the people probably thought I was the incumbent,” Ward said. “I knew Lowell was gonna win. I think the people just wanted somebody new on all counts, in the sheriff’s race and the commissioners. I think the people wanted change. They’re tired of the same old politicians in office and I think the people spoke and I respect their opinion. “Rebecca’s going to do a good job,” he added. “I've got total confidence.” Ward was an early vocal opponent of the law enforcement training center and also came out against the Balfour Parkway. McCall opposed the parkway. She said she favored a training center but not one at the Saluda site. “They need to have scenario training … to be able to mimic what is going to happen in schools or any area they have to be able to set up these scenarios. … There is money to pay for that,” she said. Ward called for shifting that investment to schools.“With $6 million, if I choose between a law enforcement center that’s a year off and the immediate need that’s in the schools, I will pick the school and teachers,” he said.Both opposed arming schoolteachers.“It’s a whole different thing being armed and pulling the trigger and killing somebody,” Ward said. “If you hesitate for a second, you’re dead and might be somebody dead besides you.”“My daughter-in-law is a teacher,” McCall said. “She teaches fifth grade. She’s very strong-willed. I asked her that question and she said she would not want to carry a gun. She has enough to do as a teacher to deal with that.” Newman turns back challenger District Attorney Greg Newman easily defeated Mary Ann Hollocker. Hollocker, a magistrate, said on the campaign trail that law enforcement officers had asked her to run.“This is not a personal attack against Mr. Newman. I just think with my skill set I can do a better job,” she said.A county magistrate for the past four years, she said she hears “first-hand how upset they are about how their cases are being handled. And I think with the skill set I have and experience I can fix those problems.”Newman scoffed at that. Gathered at the Elizabeth Leigh Inn on Fifth Avenue West Tuesday night, Newman said he’d never heard law officers express any concerns about his office.“She claimed law enforcement was supporting her and were afraid to come forward,” he said. “The ones that I know aren’t afraid. If there was a problem they would have told me.”“I think merit matters,” he said of his decisive win. “I think results matter.” Sheley takes Democratic nomination In a Democratic primary for the District 1 seat held by Michael Edney, Pat Sheley defeated Michelle Antalec with 70 percent of the vote. Sheley had become active in the contentious issues that drew voters' interest down the stretch, coming out against the Saluda firing range and against the Balfour Parkway.       Read Story »

Henderson County News

Carriers will collect food donations at mailbox Saturday

Saturday is the day to fill a bag and help feed needy families. Residents are asked to bad healthy nonperishable food and place it by their mailbox for pickup by mail carriers. Examples of items to donate include pasta, cereal, canola oil, peanut butter and canned goods including beans, fruit, vegetable, soup, tuna in water, meat and sauce. Avoid glass containers. Donations stay in the community.   Read Story »

Laurel Park News

In judicial role, town boards have limited fexibility

Coming off a contentious and emotional public hearing on a widely opposed zoning application, Laurel Park Town Council members got a tutorial from its attorney on their role as decision-makers in judicial-like setting.   Read Story »

Laurel Park News

Town dedicates reborn Rhododendron Lake Park

LAUREL PARK — From written or filmed history, Carey O’Cain recalled the resort-like amenities that Laurel Park founder Walter H. Smith built around Rhododendron Lake.   Read Story »

Henderson County News

COUNTY VOTES TO KILL BALFOUR PARKWAY

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners voted Monday night to ask the state to kill the Balfour Parkway, handing a major victory to hundreds of homeowners who had organized an intensive campaign to stop the project and likely dooming the first major new highway in the county in a generation. In a 4-1 vote, commissioners approved a motion by Chairman Michael Edney directing the NCDOT to abandon the parkway and some back with "reasonable and realistic alternatives to address legitimate local traffic concerns." An overflow crowd again packed the meeting room of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners on Monday, calling on commissioners to stop the proposed roundabouts on U.S . 64, block the proposed Balfour Parkway and kill the proposed Macedonia Road law enforcement training center and outdoor shooting range. Residents whose homes could be removed for the four-lane Balfour Parkway were there in part expecting the county to act on a resolution demanding that the NCDOT drop proposed Balfour Parkway corridors that would take homes in any of nine specific neighborhoods. Fifty people had signed up to speak — on the shooting range, U.S. 64 roundabouts and Balfour Parkway. The effect of the county's resolution would be to remove from state consideration a large number of proposed corridors from Grimesdale to along Stoney Mountain Road and along N.C. 191, likely forcing the proposed bypass to the northern-most corridors. In a meeting last month, board Chairman Michael Edney suggested that a path roughly following Mountain Road would have the least negative impact on neighborhoods. Commissioner Tommy Thompson made a disclosure of his ownership among five partners in the Westside Village (Dollar General) retail center and then became the first of four commissioners to express opposition to the parkway, which had proposed corridors that caused an uprising of almost 2,500 homeowners. "I'm also very concerned about these sub but also other the subdivisions and also the farming areas," he said. "Personally, because of what I've heard, I would go as far as say maybe we should vote to kill it," he said, to an eruption of applause. "I agree with Tommy 100 percent," Charlie Messer added. "This is my district. We've had a lot of communications with DOT. I've talked to a lot of people at length about this project." The resolution protecting specific neighborhoods would not be enough, he added, because "if we remove all these developments there's other people that's going to be disturbed." He said the county should "kill the whole project, start over" with new traffic studies "and get something done." Commissioner Grady Hawkins commented on the NCDOT response to one homeowner that "they didn't control it, we control it. I want to call their hand on it." If that's the case, then the Board of Commissioners can and will kill the project, he added. Moments later, it did. Only Commissioner Bill Lapsley defended the project, saying it had been a highly ranked county priority for 10 years, recommended by the county Transportation Advisory Committee that "believed this was a priority project. For a number of reasons it has moved through the funding cycle of NCDOT." The DOT has identified some 24 alternative corridors, all 1,000 feet wide, four times the actual width of the proposed northern bypass. "The potential impact in any of those corridors can snake its way through any of the corridors." By the resolution, the county would have directed the DOT to eliminate any of the named subdivisions and since the resolution was originally drafted the county added language seeking to protect any subdivision. "The process is taking too long because the anx and impact shouldn't happen," he said. "With all that in mind, it seems to me it comes down to the question is whether we want to stop the project altogether. DOT will listen to what this board dcides to do. How can I say that. I've dealt wth DOT for 44 years in my engineering career and I can tell you DOT and the DOT staff work for the state government." "DOT in Raleigh will say thank you and they will move on," moving the money elsewhere. "I believe the project should continue. It should be expedited to come to ares of where the final route would be and then at that point if it impacts any of these subdivisions we can kill the project at that point. But if this board decides to kill the project tonight I want to make sure it knows that DOT will hear it loud and clear and they will move on and the project will be dead." "In my mind what happened with Balfour Parkway," engineers came up "with some octopus looking thing." If they can narrow it down within six months, that would be great." The commissioners on Friday afternoon released a resolution that says the county "will not support, in fact will oppose any Balfour Parkway proposal that has a direct negative impact on the subdivisions and neighborhoods" — Grimesdale, Carriage Park, Greystone, Foxwood, Stoney Mountain Estates, Dogwood Forest, The Boulders, Hickory Hill and Sycamore Hill. “I was thrilled that my neighborhood was included but I am skeptical that this resolution will make a difference," said a resident of Carriage Park. Efforts to oppose the project "has been a like a child who wants something and asks his mother," who tells the child to ask his father. "The NCDOT has told me to contact you, you have told me to contact NCDOT." The NCDOT, in a response to a letter her husband wrote, said, "This project was locally conceived, studied and prioritized," she said. "That’s what's frustrating to those of us who have been trying to be heard." Here's the Balfour Parkway resolution:   WHEREAS,   The North Carolina Department of Transportation has undertaken the planning process for the “Balfour Parkway” project; and   WHEREAS,   The planning process has identified several potential routes with significant negative impacts on established residential subdivisions and neighborhoods within Henderson County; and WHEREAS,   The neighborhoods are identified as Grimesdale, Carriage Park, Greystone, Foxwood, Stoney Mountain Estates, Dogwood Forest, The Boulders, Hickory Hills and Sycamore Hill; and WHEREAS,   The Henderson County Board of Commissioners being the duly elected representatives of the citizens living in these residential neighborhoods and subdivisions have methodically and thoroughly evaluated the proposed routes; and WHEREAS,   The Board of Commissioners desire is to communicate, in no uncertain terms, that the Board will not support, in fact, will oppose any “Balfour Parkway” route that has a direct negative impact on these subdivisions and neighborhoods;  NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Henderson County Board of Commissioners do hereby resolve that the Board will not support, in fact will oppose any “Balfour Parkway” proposal that has a direct negative impact on the subdivisions and neighborhoods herein identified. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the County of Henderson to be affixed.   Glen Englram, who lives in a neighborhood just off U.S. 64, submitted a petition with more than 1,200 signatures opposed to the proposed improvements on U.S. 64 that includes three roundabouts. The petition represents hundreds who want "three lanes not a record-setting amount of roundabouts, bike lanes to nowhere and a 17-foot median," he said. Jim Durfee, who lives off U.S. 64 just west of the Laurel Park town limits, called the improvements "overkill" that are widely opposed by "people who drive here every day, live here every day. ... We can save millions of dollars by doing a three-lane" and more limited improvements. Sarah Bell, owner of the Gorge Zipline and Green River Adventures, urged the board to drop the Saluda shooting range. She recommended that the county leaders communicate with neighbors and understand their concerns. "I think you'll find your jobs are easier and you'll spend a whole lot less money," she said. The opposition was not a "not in my backyard" movement, another speaker said, but "not at Blue Ridge, not in Green River, not on Pinnacle Mountain, not in Edneyville, not on Macedonia Road. Henderson County citizens have voiced their concerns, loud and clear. We join them and we hope we are the last."   Read Story »

Henderson County News

Hendersonville one-stop voting site is second busiest

Hendersonville's one-stop voting site is the second busiest in that state, according to VoteTracker, a service of the Civitas Institute.As of Monday morning, 3,770 people had voted at the Henderson County Board of Elections, ranking second in the state behind the Robeson County Board of Elections. Statewide, 229,129 votes had been cast, with Democrats carrying a wide lead — 108,104 to 64,943 Republicans and 55,886 unaffiliated voters.One-stop voting sites in Henderson County are the Board of Elections, 75 E. Central St., and Fletcher Town Hall, 300 Old Cane Creek Road, Fletcher. Early voting ends at 1 p.m. Saturday at both sites. Elections board hours are 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday through May 4, and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 5. Fletcher Town Hall hours are noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday through May 4 and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 5. All 35 polling places will be open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.   Read Story »

Mills River News

NC 191 N. widening, last I-26 segment picked as priorities

Years from now, when homeowners along N.C. 191 from N.C. 280 to Long Shoals Road demand to know the origins of a four-lane widening project, someone may refer them to a little-noticed meeting of the Henderson County Transportation Advisory Committee on April 18, 2018.   Read Story »

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