News

COST ALMOST 2 MILLION DOLLARS   

OVER 600 TONS OF LEAVES COLLETED IN THE CITY THIS FALL   

Concrete is being poured this week...as construction continues on the City of Hendersonville’s new public works building on Williams Street.

City spokeswoman Allison Nock says the $!.98 million building is being built by Cooper Constructions Company.,

The new building will provide office space for the public works department, and space for the ground and building maintenance crews for the city plus workshop space for maintenance crews and space for equipment repair.

A wood-working area and storage space will also be included in the new building. Lockers and a small training area for public works employees will also be included. A shed will be included to park city equipment under as well as a wash bay for that equipment.

Nock says the new public works building should be completed by this July, and fully up and running by mid-summer.

Hendersonville Public Works was busy this past fall with their annual leaf collection, collecting in October, through December a total of 605.8 tons of leaves, grass and debris. That collect ion is continuing, so if people have some that needs to be picked up, they can leave it curb side.

The spring leaf pick-up starts in March when city residents can leave their leaves, separate from their brush and city crews will be by to pick them up.

All that of course will be ground up into mulh and made available for the public. The dates for this yeaar’s mulch pick-up have not yet been set, but whtn they area they will be announced, on WHKP, on the city’s web site, and on social media and the public can pick up some.

Trauma Intervention Program of WNC Seeks Volunteers      

The Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Western North Carolina has announced the dates of their 2019 Spring Training Academy. TIP is seeking people from Henderson and Buncombe Counties to join their team of volunteers who provide emotional and practical support to citizens experiencing trauma.

“The Trauma Intervention Volunteers are so valuable on an emergency scene,” said Hendersonville Fire Chief Joseph Vindigni. “They assist first responders with providing support and compassion to family members and bystanders. This allows our members to concentrate on the patient during traumatic and life-threatening incidents.”

Both the Hendersonville Fire Department and Hendersonville Police Department partner with TIP to bring in support to individuals experiencing traumatic events.

“The TIP program volunteers have been consummate professionals,” said Hendersonville Police Chief Herbert Blake. “Our partnership with TIP has been one of the top five signature initiatives of my eleven plus years tenure as Hendersonville’s Police Chief.” Both the Police Department and the Fire Department have appreciated the compassionate service provided by TIP volunteers over the years.

TIP will hold their Spring Training academy on February 28th to March 9th at Skyland Fire Department for individuals wanting to join their group of compassionate citizens. The academy is a ten-day training that is comprised of national trainers and outside speakers who ensure that the citizens are ready to respond to scenes of tragedy. There is no experience required; however, recruits must be 16-years-old or older, pass a background investigation, have a clean driving record, and be flexible and willing to respond anywhere in Buncombe County and the City of Hendersonville.

More information on TIP and the Spring Training Academy can be found in the attached document, online at www.tipofwnc.org or by contacting Denise Gonzalez at (828) 513-0498 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

City of Hendersonville Recognized for Distinguished Budget Presentation

City of Hendersonville Recognized for Distinguished Budget Presentation

The City of Hendersonville was awarded the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget for fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018.

According to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), this award represents a significant achievement by the City of Hendersonville and reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive this award, the City of Hendersonville had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines and be rated ‘proficient’ in how well the budget serves as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device.

“I would like to congratulate Adam on a great job preparing the budget document,” said Hendersonville City Manager John Connet. “The preparation of this 367 page document takes a large of amount time and energy and Adam makes it look easy.”

During the council meeting on February 7, 2019, Adam Murr was presented with a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation for having achieved the award. Adam is the City of Hendersonville’s Budget and Management Analyst whose primary responsibilities include the preparation and administration of the City's operating and capital budgets. City Manager John Connet recognized Adam Murr as well as Assistant City Manager Brian Pahle for their work on the budget document.

The GFOA established the Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program to encourage and assist state and local governments to prepare budget documents of the very highest quality that reflect both the guidelines established by the National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting and the GFOA's best practices on budgeting. The awards program also recognizes individual governments that succeed in achieving that goal. The City of Hendersonville has been recognized with this award every year since 2014.

More information about the City of Hendersonville’s budget can be found at: https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/budget-2

The inductees will be honored at the 17th annual Education Celebration, presented by AdventHealth Hendersonville, on April 30, 2019 at Jeter Mountain Farm. In addition to celebrating the 2019 Hall of Fame inductees, Henderson County’s Principal of the Year, Luke Manuel, and Teachers of the Year will be honored at the event. A reception will begin at 5:30 with dinner and program to follow at 6:00.

The Henderson County Education Foundation (HCEF) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Education Hall of Fame. Each year, individuals who have demonstrated measurable influence or made significant contributions to the grown and development of education in Henderson County are honored with the Hall of Fame Award. Since 2003, 128 individuals have been honored with induction into HCEF Education Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include:

Dr. Donald C. Jones, graduate of Wofford College and The University of Tennessee in Knoxville with his Masters and Ed. Doctorate degree, spent 20 years in education and 20 years as a National Motivational Speaker and Executive Coach and served seven years at Kanuga as their Camp Director. He served on the Henderson County Education Foundation board for six years before he became the Executive Director in 2006 and served until his retirement in 2014. Dr. Jones was a visionary and substaintially grew the fundraising efforts of the Education Foundation and increased the services to students and teachers. Dr. Jones received the Chamber’s prestigious Education Champion award in 2011.

Lemuel Carl Jones began his career at 9th Avenue School in 1962 teaching Physical Eduation. He then moved to the Central Office of Hendersonville City Schools and played a key role as an ambassador for African American students during the integration of schools. Mr. Jones went on to teach Physical Education and Health at Hendersonville Junior High and then Hendersonville High School until his retirment in 1991. Known by his athletes as Coach Jones, he coached football and basketball for many years and made an impact on countless young men.

Jan Erickson Stanley spent the entirety of her 35 year career at West Henderson High School as the Physical Education and Health teacher and served as the Assistant Athletic Director for the final five years of her tenure before her retirement in 2010. Beyond the classroom, Coach Stanley was known for her exemplar coaching career – both women’s basketball and volleyball. She was a trailblazer and began the women’s volleyball program in 1975 at West Henderson during the Title IX era. Mrs. Stanley has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career including the first recipient of the Kiwanis Lifetime Acheivement Award and NC High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Joseph George Tamer began his teaching career in South Carolina and joined Flat Rock Middle School as a teacher in 1989. He continued his career in Henderson County at Apple Valley Middle School as a teacher and later became assistant principal. Mr. Tamer then had the honor of serving as the first principal of Glenn C. Marlow Elementary School where he worked for eight years until his retirement in 2007. Under his leadership, Glenn C. Marlow was named a School of Distinction in its first year and this honor continued for many subsequent years. Marlow was also named a School of Excellence from 2002 to 2005.

Virginia Dale Thompson, native of Henderson County, began her teaching career in Greenville, South Carolina and came back to Henderson County as a teacher at Balfour Elementary for two years before her role as the Unit Wide County Counselor. In 1968, Ms. Thompson started her 26 year tenure at Hillandale Elementary where she taught second grade. One year later, she became one of the first female principals in the district where she served Hillandale as their principal until 1993. She spent one year in the Central Office before her retirement in 1994. Ms. Virginia Thompson received many awards during her career for her outsanding service to Henderson County.

The inductees will be honored at the 17th annual Education Celebration, presented by AdventHealth Hendersonville, on April 30, 2019 at Jeter Mountain Farm. In addition to celebrating the 2019 Hall of Fame inductees, Henderson County’s Principal of the Year, Luke Manuel, and Teachers of the Year will be honored at the event. A reception will begin at 5:30 with dinner and program to follow at 6:00.

Education Celebration tickets can be purchased online at hcefnc.org/events/educationcelebration or by calling the Foundation at 828.697.5551. For sponsorship opportunities or for more information about the 2019 Education Celebration, please contact Summer Stipe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The mission of the Henderson County Education Foundation is to develop resources to support educational excellence in the Henderson County Public Schools.

Mayor Volk Proclaims “Rotary Day” in Hendersonville     

Hendersonville Mayor Barbara G. Volk proclaimed February 23, 2019, as “Rotary International Day” during a recent meeting of the Hendersonville City Council. On hand to receive a copy of the proclamation were representatives from both local Rotary clubs, including Milton Butterworth, President of the Rotary Club of Hendersonville, and Melissa Johnson, President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Four Seasons.

The first Rotary meeting was held February 23, 1905, when founder Paul Harris invited three business acquaintances to join him in downtown Chicago. The name Rotary was decided based on the early practice of ‘rotating’ the meeting location between the different members’ offices.

Today, Rotary International is comprised of more than 30,000 clubs worldwide with 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries. Hendersonville hosts two clubs, the Rotary Club of Hendersonville and the Rotary Club of Four Seasons, with a combined membership of 175.

Following The Rotary Foundation motto of “Doing Good In the World,” Rotarians focus their volunteer and philanthropic efforts on six primary causes: Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Providing Clean Water, Saving Mothers & Children, Supporting Education, and Growing Local Economies. Rotary’s flagship program is PolioPlus, an effort to protect children against the disease with the goal of eradicating the disease from the three remaining endemic countries in the world.

The two Hendersonville Clubs have a day full of activities scheduled to celebrate this year’s Rotary Day including: Cheering on special needs athletes in an 8:30am basketball game at the Henderson County Activity Center, Volunteering at the Smart Start Book Sale at Grace Lutheran Church (sale is 8-4), and co-hosting a 6pm networking event at Bold Rock.

The Rotary Club of Hendersonville meets every Tuesday at noon at The Chariot on Church Street. Information on how to join, volunteer, support or donate can be found on Facebook and at www.hendersonvillerotary.com.

The Rotary Club of Four Seasons meets every Monday, 5:30-6:30 p.m., at Olive or Twist on Barnwell Street. They also host a “satellite” meeting on the second and fourth Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m., at Mountain River Tap & Growlers next to the Asheville Regional Airport. For more information, follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

AFTER A 10 YEAR STUDY    

The Henderson County School Board is looking to prioritize $150 million in facility needs over the next decade, which includes millions in upgrades to the district’s oldest schools.

The School Board was briefed on the 10-year facility needs study by Emily Kite of Novus Architects, whom the board hired last year to walk the 1.8 million square feet of school facility space and come up with a list of needs.

The all-encompassing assessment covers facility and school safety needs throughout the county as well as whether each schools meets current capacity needs recommended by the N.C. Department of Instruction. It also works to connect buildings together and replace modular classroom units.

That adds up to a $149.9 million list of needs over the next 10 years, covering renovations, new construction and overall maintenance needs at the schools. About $44.4 million is recommended in the 2019-20 fiscal year.

At this point the list is only an assessment of the school system’s needs, not necessarily what the School Board plans to ask of county commissioners this year.

“It’s not if these projects need completed, it’s just when,” said Superintendent Bo Caldwell. “We certainly want to work together with the county commissioners to let them know of our needs and work together with them for the funding.”

But the board did put replacing the HVAC systems at Flat Rock and Rugby middle schools in the fast lane, two $2 million projects to replace the four-pipe heating and cooling systems at the end of their useful lives

The deal is expected to close later this year, pending regulatory approval.   

STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON HOW LOCAL BRANCHES WILL BE AFFECTED.   

Following the original announcement of the merger, David White of BB & T told WHKP News ro expect a new name and brand for the banks...and that will come prior to closing which is set for later this year:  "In a reflection of the equal contribution both banks bring to the new institution, the combined companies will operate under a new name and brand, which will be determined prior to closing. The combined company’s board of directors and executive management team will also be evenly split between the two institutions. A new corporate headquarters will be established upon close of the transaction in Charlotte, N.C., including an Innovation and Technology Center to drive transformative initiatives."

Two of the largest US regional banks are joining forces in a bid to compete with the nation's biggest players.

BB&T (BBT) and SunTrust (STI) on Thursday announced a $66 billion merger, forming the sixth-largest US bank based on assets and deposits.

"It's an extraordinarily attractive financial proposition that provides the scale needed to compete and win in the rapidly evolving world of financial services," BB&T CEO Kelly King said in a statement.
The combined company will operate under a new name, though the banks have not yet decided what it will be called. Its headquarters will be in Charlotte, North Carolina, but the bank will also have significant operations in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Atlanta.

Together, BB&T and SunTrust will have about $442 billion in assets, $301 billion in loans, and $324 billion in deposits, the companies said.

The deal is expected to close later this year, pending regulatory approval.

King will serve as chairman and CEO of the new company until September 2021, but will stay on the board through 2023. William Rogers, SunTrust's CEO, will serve as president and chief operating officer until September 2021, then he will step into the CEO role and later the chairman position.

The merger marks the first major banking sector deal since the 2008 financial crisis. But analysts and industry members have predicted mergers and acquisitions would soon heat up in the financial industry.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last month that it would take a round of US bank mergers to produce a new rival to his firm.
Large US banks keep growing. JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), Citigroup (C), Goldman Sachs (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS) brought in more than $120 billion combined in profit last year, the result of President Donald Trump's corporate tax cuts and a booming economy.

Banks also have to contend with rising technology costs, which can make scale look more appealing.
Mary Callahan Erdoes, JPMorgan's head of asset and wealth management, noted at Davos that her bank has 50,000 people working in technology, which is "the size of most firms, in total."
"Today, it is really hard to imagine not being a bank at scale," she said. "I can't imagine having to figure out how to protect yourself from a cyber perspective, or a technology perspective. We spend $10 billion a year on technology."

Hendersonville Fire Department Announces Medium Rescue Certification

The Hendersonville Fire Department has been certified as a Medium Rescue Provider through the North Carolina Association of Rescue and Emergency Medical Services (NCAREMS). This designation certifies that the department is operating with the required number of personnel holding rescue certifications as well as operating with the complement of technical rescue equipment outlined by the NCAREMS.

“We continue to enhance our service delivery to the Citizens of Hendersonville and surrounding communities through a continuous improvement process,” said Hendersonville Fire Chief Joseph Vindigni. He explained the decision to pursue the Medium Rescue certification resulted directly from community input.

During the creation of the fire department’s strategic plan, a business and community feedback session was held in 2016. Community members were asked to rank what services were most important for their fire department to provide. Fire and EMS service ranked number one, but the category receiving the second highest number of votes were basic and technical rescue services.

“We want to be able to provide the services our citizens expect from us,” said Chief Vindigni. “We have been pursuing this certification because it is important to the community, and it allows our members to be better prepared to respond to a wider variety of emergencies.”

The Hendersonville Fire Department was congratulated by Stephen C. Smith, Membership Coordinator of NCAREMS for meeting the high professional standards required by this certification. Smith said, “Your department, personnel, and the citizens of Hendersonville and Henderson County should be very proud of this high achievement. It is indeed an honor to be recognized at this level of professional Rescue and EMS Service.”

The Hendersonville Fire Department has been actively working for more than a year toward this certification. Some of the requirements include having a minimum of eight personnel who hold rescue certifications in disciplines such as Emergency Response Training or Vehicle Machinery Rescue. In order to be certified, a department must also have an extensive list of equipment and tools such as hydraulic rescue tools, pulling equipment, harnesses, ropes, protective clothing, lighting equipment, ladders, water rescue equipment, Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units, medical equipment and more.

Being certified as a Medium Rescue Provider ensures that personnel have the equipment and training necessary to provide for safe and effective victim management related to highway vehicle accidents, high and low angle rope rescue and water rescue.

“Being a Medium Rescue Provider allows us to be a more operative department when we collaborate with other agencies on technical rescue incidents,” said Chief Vindigni. He explained that our area is fortunate to have agencies such as the Henderson County Rescue Squad responding to calls involving swift water, confined space and trench rescues. By expanding HFD’s rescue capabilities, the department will be able to further supplement personnel during technical rescues occurring within the city limits, assist other departments through mutual aid agreements and work jointly to complete rescues when multiple calls happen simultaneously, as in the case when multiple areas within the county and the city flood following large rain events.

In the future, Chief Vindigni hopes to pursue the Heavy Rescue Provider certification which allows the capabilities to respond to more technical rescue incidents. On behalf of the fire department, he also recognized Captain Dustin Nicholson and Fire Engineer Paul Kaplan for their invaluable assistance in achieving this certification.

Burntshirt Vineyards' Eric Case wins NC Winegrower of the Year!

Eric Case of Burntshirt Vineyards became the first winegrower in the Western Mountains of North Carolina to be honored with the Wine Grower of Excellence Award during the 2018 banquet of the North Carolina Winegrowers Association (NCWA) annual conference on Feb 1. Vineyard Manager Eric Case accepted the award with Derek Pross - GM/Winemaker - in attendance.

UNC Assistant Professor Dr. Mark Hoffman presented the award in recognition of Eric’s leadership and dedication to North Carolina’s grape growing and wine industry. Dr. Hoffman commented that Eric Case has one of the most meticulously cared for vineyards he has seen in the state. He added that Eric is teaching others how to grow wine and goes out of his way to help the extension service.

Winning a winegrower of the year award is a high honor for Burntshirt Vineyards and a win for the new American Viticultural Area of the mountains of Western NC as it enters its final part of the approval process.

Derek Pross stated that linkage between the vineyard and winery cellar is crucial to crafting a high quality wine program. The quality grapes that Eric’s vineyards delivers to the cellar gives the winemaker a strong foundation to build upon and express the terroir utilizing modern methods with minimal intervention.

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The Oates Family’s Burntshirt Vineyards is an award winning winery utilizing 100% estate grown grapes from their two vineyards which are among the highest elevations on the East Coast. Featuring two tasting locations, one in Hendersonville NC offers grounds, tasting room, event spaces for rent and food truck while the Chimney Rock, NC loaction offers a bistro, large deck with stunning views of Chimney Rock State Park. There’s something for everyone.

About NCWA

The North Carolina Winegrower’s Association was formed in 1993, primarily through the efforts of people like Steve Shepard, then at Westbend Vineyards and Earl Mitchell, Professor of Physics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The focus of the group was then, and remains today, the open interchange of information among both professional and amateur winemakers, with a focus on education, research, and professional development. To learn more please visit www.ncwinegrowers.com.

9.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago.     

Gasoline prices inHendersonville and  Asheville have fallen 1.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.25/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 259 stations in Asheville and Hendersonville. This compares with the national average that has increased 0.7 cents per gallon versus last week to $2.28/g, according to GasBuddy.

Average gasoline prices on February 11 in Western North Carolina have ranged widely over the last five years:
$2.54/g in 2018, $2.25/g in 2017, $1.76/g in 2016, $2.19/g in 2015 and $3.30/g in 2014.

Including the change locally during the past week, prices yesterday were 28.4 cents per gallon lower than a year ago and are 9.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has increased 3.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 28.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Areas near Asheville and their current gas price climate:
Spartanburg- $1.95/g, down 0.8 cents per gallon from last week's $1.96/g.
Knoxville- $2.00/g, up 4.0 cents per gallon from last week's $1.96/g.
Greenville- $1.95/g, unchanged from last week's $1.95/g.

"The national average price of gasoline barely nudged higher last week, driven primarily by stations hiking prices notably in the Great Lakes early last week, pushing the national average to $2.30 per gallon mid-week before those states saw stations again cutting prices and chiseling away at the nation's average price over the weekend," said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "With oil prices sinking last week to $51 per barrel on concerns over a slowdown in trade talks with China, many states saw a respite in gas prices. However, as pipeline specifications begin to shift towards the first step towards summer gasoline requirements in the weeks ahead, the overhang in gasoline inventories will likely start to dry up and push gas prices higher."