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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.

On Sunday, March 15, Pardee UNC Health and Henderson County Government, working with the Henderson County Department of Public Health, Henderson County Emergency Management, and the Mountain Area Healthcare Preparedness Coalition began operating a drive-through COVID-19 screening site on the main campus of Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, NC. An offsite, mobile screening site like this is an extremely important step in preventing community spread and minimizing patient surges within the hospital setting. 

“We are so grateful to our partners,” said David Ellis, chief medical officer for Pardee UNC Health. “They all, without hesitation, quickly stepped forward to help in whatever way that they could to make this endeavor come together for our community.” Ellis notes that the screening site will continue to evolve and asks that the community have patience with all parties involved as they navigate uncharted territory to address a global pandemic here at home.

The drive-thru COVID-19 screening site, located at 180 West Campus Drive on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College, will be open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The screening site is set up for community members that are exhibiting symptoms of cough, fever greater than 100 degrees and shortness of breath, and have already spoken with the Pardee COVID-19 Helpline (828-694-8048) to determine if symptoms qualify for flu and / or COVID-19 testing. Please note that no one under the age of 12 will be screened for COVID-19. The Pardee COVID-19 Helpline is open from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. The Helpline is handling a high volume of calls and ask the public to be patient with the process. 

Patients are being asked to refrain from showing up at the site without first being screened by phone. If a patient meets screening criteria, they will be asked to drive to Blue Ridge Community College and follow the signs for screening. If patients arrive without having met screening criteria, they will be asked to pull out of the line and call the Pardee COVID-19 Helpline.

Once approved to continue, patients will drive through a series of screening stations, the first of which will include additional, more detailed screening questions beyond the initial call and temperature taken. If that additional criteria is met, the patient will pull forward to the next screening station for a flu test. Patients will wait in the car for test results. If the flu test is positive, patients will be provided guidance and/or treatment for in-home care and asked to exit the drive-thru screening site. 

If the flu test is negative, patients will be directed to the third and final screening station for a COVID-19 specimen collection. Staff, using appropriate precautions, will collect specimens on-site. Unlike the rapid flu tests given on site, COVID-19 test results can take several days to be verified. Staff from the Henderson County Department of Public Health will be on hand to offer guidance for self-isolation and symptom management to those who do receive a COVID-19 test. Patients who receives a COVID-19 test will be expected to self-quarantine at home for five to six days while awaiting the results of the test. If and when a case is confirmed, the Department of Public Health will announce.

            There is no charge for the drive-thru service. If medication is warranted for flu or to manage symptoms at home, fees may apply. No medication will be dispensed on site. 

As a reminder for the community, if you suspect that you have COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath, you should first:

• Call the Pardee COVID-19 Helpline (828-694-8048) between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. to determine if symptoms qualify for flu and / or COVID-19 testing.
• Do not go to the emergency department.Emergency Departments need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs.

If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and inform the dispatcher if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. 

For general questions, you can call the UNC Health COVID-19 Helpline at 1-888-850-2684 or the North Carolina Coronavirus Hotline at 1-866-462-3821. All residents are encouraged to continue to follow the precautions offered by the CDC to protect themselves and others from the spread of all respiratory illness, including flu and COVID-19. 

• Stay home when sick.
• Avoid contact with people that are sick. 
• Practice frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use hand sanitizer that is at least 70% alcohol if there is no access to soap and water.
• Practice safe coughing and sneezing etiquette - utilize a tissue that is immediately thrown away or cough/sneeze into your elbow.
• Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces with household cleaners. 

Pardee UNC Health is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and is managed by UNC Health. The hospital is licensed for 222 acute care beds. Pardee has several locations separate from the main campus, including a comprehensive physician practice network, a cancer center, three urgent care locations and five orthopedic clinics. For more information or to find a physician, visit www.pardeehospital.org.

In a surprise move, President Donald Trump on Friday named U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows his new chief of staff, replacing acting chief Mick Mulvaney.

Trump also announced on Twitter that Mulvaney would become U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland.

Trump did not give a reason for why he replaced Mulvaney, who technically remains the director of Office of Management and Budget.

....I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well. He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2020

A request for comment from Meadows, who represents North Carolina, was not immediately returned Friday night.

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Meadows is considered one of Trump’s staunchest congressional allies. Meadows announced in December that he would not seek re-election in 2020. At the time, Meadows suggested that he could have a role in helping the president.

The lawmaker said then that his “work with President Trump and his administration is only beginning."

"This President has accomplished incredible results for the country in just 3 years, and I'm fully committed to staying in the fight with him and his team to build on those successes and deliver on his promises for the years to come," Meadows said in the December statement.
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney listens during a cabinet meeting held by President Donald Trump at the White House on Oct. 21, 2019.Leah Millis / Reuters file

Mulvaney became Trump's chief of staff in December 2018, after the president announced that John Kelly, his second chief of staff, was to leave at the end of that year.

Trump’s first chief of staff, Reince Priebus, was removed by the president in July 2017 after six months on the job.

Trump was asked in early February whether Mulvaney would stay on as chief of staff, and the president responded “That was a false report. I have a great relationship with Mick,” according to a White House transcript.

In December, Mulvaney seemed to admit that the withholding of military aid to Ukraine was tied to demands that the country investigate a conspiracy theory about the 2016 election.

"We do that all the time with foreign policy," Mulvaney said at that news conference.

"Get over it," he said. "There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy."

Mulvaney later tried to walk back the remarks. "There was absolutely no quid pro quo between Ukrainian military aid and any investigation into the 2016 election," he said.

But Mulvaney's admission angered and confused Trump allies inside and outside the administration, according to two people familiar with the matter. One of them called Mulvaney’s comments in the White House briefing room "an unmitigated disaster."

The withholding of military aid to Ukraine and alleged pressure to investigate the 2016 theory and announce investigations into Joe Biden and his son were central to the impeachment of Trump by the House. Critics accused Trump abusing the power of his presidency for personal political gain.

The articles of impeachment charged Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Republican-held Senate acquitted the president in February.

Trump Friday night thanked Mulvaney “for having served the Administration so well."

Meadows was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus. Fellow leading caucus member Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who is also a vocal defender of the president, tweeted Friday night that Trump “couldn’t have picked anyone better for the job.”

Asheville-based White Duck Taco Shop owner Ben Mixson Dead at 42

According to WLOS-TV and the Asheville Citizen-Times, Ben Mixson, co-owner of the White Duck Taco Shops died whie on vacation in Florida on February 17.

His business partner and ex-wife, Lura Reuss, together owned nine White Duck Taco Shops and were partners in Broth Lab, managed by Camp Boswell. 

Four additional White Ducks were in the planning stage at the time of Mixson's death. 

One of the new White Duck Taco Shops is planned for Hendersonville in the Seventh Avenue East Historic District across from the old depot train station.  It appears by all looks to be almost ready for an opening.  

Reuss says the 'show will go on' ....as in continuing to operate the current locations as well as the ones on the drawing board.  Reuss says she is hiring more staff which will include human resoures personnel and controller. Also being added to the mix are attorneys and accountants.

The cause of Mixson's death is still under investigation, according to the Wildwood, Florida Police Department, which is handling his case. 

Stay tuned to WHKP RADIO for further information on the status of the company and the operation planned for here in Hendersonville.

AdventHealth Hendersonville President and CEO Announces Retirement

 Feb. 20, 2020, HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. – AdventHealth Hendersonville President and CEO, Jimm Bunch, shared with the health system’s team members and board that he will be retiring at the end of March. Mr. Bunch has served in this role since May 2006.

“I have prayed through this decision, and it has been a great honor to work in this community for almost 14 years,” Bunch shared. “I have enjoyed working with every person on the AdventHealth Hendersonville care teams and seeing how this organization has prospered and been blessed, as we have endeavored to provide exceptional care to this community. I have truly loved being part of AdventHealth Hendersonville and know it will continue to be incredibly successful in the future.”

Bunch has been part of the AdventHealth organization for more than three decades.

“During his time with AdventHealth, Bunch has consistently lived out our mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ both inside and outside the organization,” said Terry Shaw, AdventHealth President and CEO. “Over the past 30 years, his passion for people has been evident. I have been richly blessed by Jimm’s ministry and friendship. I know we will greatly miss his leadership, positive spirit and enthusiasm.”

Bunch and his family have made the mountains their home and will continue to be part of this community.

He will also maintain a presence with AdventHealth serving as a member of its new Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance team. In this role, Bunch will serve as a coach and mentor to members of leadership and leadership candidates across the AdventHealth system, which includes hospitals and care facilities in nine states.

More about Jimm Bunch’s leadership at AdventHealth Hendersonville:
Jimm Bunch has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of AdventHealth Hendersonville (formerly Park Ridge Health) since May 2006. During his time in this role, he has overseen the acquisition or opening of nearly 10 multispecialty medical group facilities, including the construction of the AdventHealth Medical Group multispecialty complex in South Asheville. He oversaw the expansion of The Baby Place and Outpatient Surgery centers at the main hospital campus and expanded the Imaging Center with state-of-the-art CT and mammography technology. Most recently, under Bunch’s leadership, AdventHealth Hendersonville earned national recognition for an overall five-star rating in quality from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and established AdventHealth as a leader in orthopedic care through The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for five orthopedic centers of excellence.

Bunch also served as market champion for the implementation and rollout of system-wide service standards through The Whole Care Experience, a foundational initiative to prepare team members for the brand unification to AdventHealth in January 2019.

Bunch is very active with community partners, serving on various boards and volunteering on multiple projects, including Habitat for Humanity home builds. He has served as Chair of the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the United Way of Henderson County. He currently serves on the board of directors for Western Carolina Industries (WCI) and the Western North Carolina Health Network (WNCHN).

“I consider it an honor to join the AdventHealth team members who make it a priority to get into the community to serve, because we love our community and the people who make it such an incredible place to work and live,” said Bunch.

Bunch has also participated in international mission trips to Haiti and Lebanon to set the groundwork for the AdventHealth Clinical Mission Integration program, which empowers team members to live out the organization’s mission in the communities where they care for patients, and through domestic and international mission trips.

Prior to joining AdventHealth Hendersonville as CEO, Bunch held executive leadership roles across the AdventHealth system including what is now AdventHealth Gordon and AdventHealth Manchester.

AdventHealth has begun the search for a new president/CEO of AdventHealth Hendersonville and expects to name Bunch’s successor in coming weeks.

About AdventHealth Hendersonville: Founded in 1910, AdventHealth Hendersonville, formerly Park Ridge Health, is dedicated to meeting the health care needs of our growing communities, providing high-quality, compassionate care in a not-for-profit, Christian environment.

In 1984, AdventHealth Hendersonville became a member of Adventist Health System. With a sacred mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, AdventHealth is a connected system of care for every stage of life and health. More than 80,000 skilled and compassionate caregivers in physician practices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies and hospice centers provide individualized, wholistic care. A shared vision, common values, focus on whole-person health and a commitment to making communities healthier unify the system's nearly 50 hospital campuses and hundreds of care sites in diverse markets throughout almost a dozen states.

Leading the way in many medical firsts for the region, AdventHealth Hendersonville is the first hospital in Western North Carolina to earn The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for five orthopedic specialties including Spine Surgery, Total Ankle Replacement, Total Hip Replacement, Total Knee Replacement and Total Shoulder Replacement. It is also the first to use the Mazor X™ and Navio™ Robotic Guidance Platforms. AdventHealth Hendersonville consistently earns national ranking for its commitment to patient safety, earning seven consecutive “A” grades in Leapfrog Group’s Safety Grade survey and the 2019 Award for Excellence in Patient Safety Across the Board from Premier, Inc.

AdventHealth Hendersonville includes cardiac care & rehabilitation, emergency services, nationally awarded cancer care, state-of-the-art surgical care, full-service orthopedic care, an award-winning labor & delivery experience, and a full range of imaging services to help people across our region experience whole health. For more information about AdventHealth Hendersonville or to find a physician, please visit AdventHealthNC.com or call 855-774-LIFE (5433).
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On Monday, WHKP RADIO became the owner of a BRAND NEW HI-INTENSITY LED MESSAGE CENTER, located at their BROADCAST STUDIOS on Four Seasons Boulevard at Dana Road. 

This display is 6 feet high and 16 feet wide and is the very latest in sign technology, such as that seen in Times-Square in New York. 

It is not a newly permitted LED sign for the City of Hendersonville, but rather is replacing the current LED, which has been in service for the past thirteen years at the same location.

This unit is capable of dispaying messages, pictures and artwork in a 9mm resolution, comparable to the images seen on the TV set in ones living room. 

According to WHKP General Manager Art Cooley, the sign is used to promoteand dispense radio station information and is shared by local merchants with their store information.  Messages are programmed by a computer inside the radio station and new technology allows messages to be changed from any location through 'cloud' technology on the internet.  Messages change every 8-seconds and this Message Center, over the years, has become known as a 'landmark' for the east side of Hendersonville.

The 96 Square Foot double-side sign was installed by Superior Sign Company of Hendersonville.

On Monday afternoon, the City of Hendersonville received a request for conditional rezoning fron Flatiron Partners, LLC.  The applicant is requesting to rezone the eight acres at the intersection of Duncan Hill Road and Signal Hill Road from R-20, Low Density Residential to PRD, Planned Residential Development Conditional Zoning District, for an 80-unit multi-family development. Projects subject to a rezoning to a Conditional Zoning District must undergo a neighborhood compatibility meeting at which the developer and affected property owners and residents can participate in a discussion about th eproposed rezoning.

A site plan was displayed and a number of questions, mostly about increased traffic as a result of the complex were discussed.  No objections to the project were voiced.

The 80-units were described as an affordable housing project and would be held by the petitioning group over a period of 25-years.  The twelve, one bedroom apartments would be priced from $290 to $915 per month. The forty-eight, two bedroom units would be priced from $340 to $1,000 per month and the twenty, three bedroom units would be priced from $390 to $1,250 per month.

If approved, construction would not begin until May of 2021 an dtake approximately twelve months to build and would be known as the Duncan Hill Apartments. 

The group applying for this rezoning also built th e80-unit Lakewood Terrace Apartments, near Sam's Club in Hendersonville.

United Federal Credit Union (United) has named Todd Sharpe to the position of Branch Manager at its new Hendersonville South branch located at 203 Greenville Highway in the Fresh Market Shopping Center.

As branch manager, Sharpe will be responsible for maintaining the performance of the branch, and providing leadership and supervision to staff.

Sharpe brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including serving as a financial services representative, personal banker, and branch manager at banks and credit unions in North Carolina. Most recently, he has served as a Member Service Advisor at United Federal Credit Union beginning in 2016. 

Sharpe holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics and business management from North Carolina State University.

In the community, Sharpe has volunteered with a variety of organizations including being a member of the Kiwanis Clubs in Greenville and Hendersonville, a member of the North Carolina Apple Festival board of directors, and serving on the finance committee at Oakmont Baptist Church in Greenville and Biltmore Church in Arden.

United will open the doors to its new 5,000 square foot branch in April. The Hendersonville South branch is a full-service extension of United, offering personal and business banking services including loans, mortgages, and investment planning.

About United

United Federal Credit Union has served its Members since 1949 by helping them to build a sound financial future. United consists of more than 177,000 Member/owners worldwide and manages assets in excess of $2.9 billion. Its corporate offices and main branch are in St. Joseph, Mich., with additional branches in Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, and Ohio. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal opportunity lender. Equal housing lender. For more information visit www.unitedfcu.com

Hendersonville's Sam Gash recently announced that his son, Isaiah Gash, has committed to play football at the University of Michigan.

Isaiah - who lives in Wisconsin - was a member of the 2019 all-state football and was recently named offensive player of the year there.

Sam - a graduate of Hendersonville High and member of the Bearcat football squad, earned a scholarship to  Penn State, playing there for four years.  After graduating, Sam had a very successful NFL career with the Buffalo  Bills; New England Patriots, and Baltimore Ravens.

Congratulations to Isaiah and the entire Gash family on this 'signal' honor.

Sam's brother Eric also played football at Hendersonville High and earned a scholarship to UNC in Chapel Hill whre he played football for the Tar Heels.  Eric was recently name principal of Bruce Drysdale here in the city.

 State environmental officials have issued a permit for a Duke Energy coal ash landfill at the utility's plant in Skyland.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality permit allows Duke Energy to move forward with plans to construct and operate a lined industrial landfill to store coal ash now contained in an unlined impoundment on the same property. The issuance of the permit aligns with the designation of the Asheville Steam Plant as high priority under the Coal Ash Management Act of 2014. This designation mandated full excavation of the onsite coal ash impoundments.

The coal plant was replaced by one that burns natural gas.

In addition to the protective liner, the landfill will be constructed with a system to collect wastewater. Duke Energy also will be required to conduct regular environmental monitoring of water quality around the landfill and correct any problems if they are identified.

STORY COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOS. https://wlos.com/news/local/duke-energy-gets-permit-to-build-landfill-at-asheville-steam-plant-site