News

APPLE MARKETS REPORT RECORD SALES

WHKP -  after speaking with several of Henderson County roadside markets -  has learned Labor Day Weekend was the best ever for sales here in Henderson County, the 7th largest apple-producing county in America.

The demise of the Apple Festival...with no Main Street events, no vendors, and no entertainment  - boosted roadside traffic tremendously.

Grandads Apples, Jimmy Nix Apple House, Barnwell and Sons Apples all reported their very best Labor Day Weekend sales ever!

WHKPs 36-page Apple Harvest Magazine assisted the growers,  by promoting their on-location-sale of apples, apple related products and local goods such as jams, jellies, local honey, it appears the non Apple Festival Festival did the exact same thing moving Garden Jublilee did..by moving off Main Street...customers got out to the actual points of purchase for apples and plants.

WELLS FARGO has just announced the closing the Laurel Park branch, located on Highway 64 West. The branch will permanently close on November 18, 2020, at 12:00 p.m.with no plans to reopen.
The bank's main Hendersonville office is located at the corner of Main Street and Barnwell Street..  No reason was given by Wells Fargo for the closing of the Laurel Park branch, which had hosted other banks including First Union and Wachovia.  The facility is located in the Laurel Park Shopping Center and was constructed by the Pete Green Consruction Company.  There was no word as to whether the building will be sold to another area bank.

 City Manager John Connet has named Bill Hollingsed as the Interim Chief of Police for the Hendersonville Police Department. The former longtime Chief of the Waynesville Police Department is currently serving as Executive Director of the NC Association of Chiefs of Police. The announcement comes as Chief Herbert Blake transitions to his new role as Chief Deputy with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.

“Bill Hollingsed brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position,” said City Manager John Connet. “We believe he will be a great fit for the department and the community as we begin our search for a permanent successor.”

Chief Hollingsed retired from the Waynesville Police Department in 2019 after more than twenty years of service as Chief. He previously served as Western Carolina University’s Police Chief after more than a decade of law enforcement experience with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. He is known throughout the state for his professionalism, community policing innovations, and continued support of strengthening relationships between officers and the people they serve.

"I am looking forward to working with the men and women of the HPD, local officials, and the community at large,” said Chief Holllingsed. “The transition period between Chiefs in a Police Department can be looked at as an opportunity to examine and analyze ways to increase communication and cooperation between the agency and the community that we serve. I truly look forward to meeting and working with individuals throughout the City of Hendersonville." 

Chief Hollingsed is scheduled to begin as Interim Chief on August 24. Details regarding the selection process for Chief will be presented to City Council at their meeting on September 3.

Republican North Carolina Representative Mark Meadows tendered his resignation from Congress Monday in order to become the new White House Chief of Staff.

Meadows replaces acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney who will become the U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland.

"Serving the people of North Carolina's eleventh congressional district for these last seven years has been the honor of my life," Meadows wrote Monday in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "I will forever be grateful for the opportunity."

"I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff," President Donald Trump tweeted in March. "I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one...."

Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff. I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one....

Johnson Family Farms on Kanuga Road is now open for the season.

Currently South Carolina strawberries are in and all the other fresh produce is from the Johnsons farms in Florida.

They are open Tuesday through Friday 10 till 6 and Saturdays 9 till 3.

New this year..you can pick up your order curbside..and place your order through the Johnson Family Farms FACEBOOK app.

Commentary

A Sad Affair  - March23-27, 2020
By: Lloyd Eckberg

When press time rolled around this week, I had to change gears quickly as the Recovery Bill for the workers of America emerged from the Democrat House of Representatives. It was anything but a recovery bill.
It is a bill, if passed would become the biggest boondoggle for Waste, Fraud and Abuse in the history of the United States Congress.
The content of the bill should shock every American to the core. It is Pork Barrell politics all over again and the most disgraceful attempt by the Democrat House to install the great Green Deal which has been completely unmasked as an attempt to weave pure Socialism in the government of the United States.
This attempt to spend four to six trillion dollars would be a travesty to our citizens like no other legislation has ever attempted to do.
Reports by the media (I have not read or seen the bill) it has every rule and regulation possible covering every aspect of the Green New Deal and very little to do with attacking the main problem of this nation as it pertains to the economic collapse of our system due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
According to Tucker Carlson, a Fox News Anchor, the word diversity is used 46 times in the document. Money is set aside for Climate Control, Carbon Emissions and nearly every progressive idea that has been promoted by the Democrat Party during this election cycle.
Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi know very well their progressive agenda is going nowhere and their only hope of getting some of it through the Congress is to paste it on a bill that has bipartisan support for American workers who face the most devastating economic condition of this Republic’s existence.
Everyone needs to read this bill and then send a message to their Congressman to stop the partisan bickering and pass a bill entirely dedicated to the workers and families
suffering from the problem caused by Coronavirus.
Senator Schumer and Representative Pelosi need to lay aside their hatred and despicable actions against President Trump and join the health alliance and United States Governors who are helping lead the country away from this abyss.
It truly is a Sad Time for American politicians not to promote unity as fellow Americans are dying for something they do not know or understand. Following our national leaders in their valiant attempts to save American lives is the nation’s number one priority and Congress needs to do its part.
For Straight Talk, this is Lloyd Eckberg.

https://www.visithendersonvillenc.org/latest-news/breaking-news

 Buncombe County Health and Human Services (BCHHS) has identified additional cases of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in Buncombe County residents. A release sent out on March 22, 2020 said these additional cases add up to now three known cases of COVID-19 in Buncombe County residents and one COVID-19 case associated with a traveler to Buncombe County.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOS.https://wlos.com/news/local/additional-covid-19-infections-in-buncombe-county-residents-health-officials-confirm

WHKP news spoke with several gun store owners in Henderson County and all report above normal sales of handguns and long guns too. WHKP spoke with Horse Shoe Guns,Fruitful Seasons Pistol Packing,and Dixie gunhouse....at least one owner expected to be sold out of guns soon. National panic over release of inmates, some cities vowing not to prosecute breaking, and entering, and vandalism has fueled the rush to get a gun. One store owner said ammo prices doubled last Thursday and its hard for them to order ammo now.

One store owner Jeff Drake at the Dixie indicated he did not raise his ammo prices.The biggest issue gun stores have other than lack of inventory is having to call in to the federal government everytime they want to sell a long gun. One store owner reported being on hold over three hours just to give them the info.If a person has a concealed carry permit they do not have to wait to purchase a gun.