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Commentary – Don’t stop Digging – June 17 – 21, 2019
By: Lloyd Eckberg

There is a truism in political strategy: When your competition is digging a hole, don’t take the shovel out of their hands.

On June 5th and 6th we witnessed a replay of the 75th anniversary of the Allies D-Day landing on Omaha and Utah Beaches in France. As it was on the 25th and 50th celebrations this year’s event was another solemn and emotional experience especially for anyone remotely connected in any way with World War II and its horrendous consequences.

President Trump, as did other Presidents in the past gave a gripping and compassionate remembrance to those who sacrificed so much during that incredible conflict.
As tens of thousands of British and French citizens expressed their admiration and appreciation for America, its leaders and its continued concern for those who gave their all, Democrats and their socialist media folks were here at home calling for President Trump’s impeachment.

In a disgraceful show of contempt, among a backdrop of thousands of white crosses on graves of fallen Americans, U.S Representative Nancy Pelosi said, “President Trump should be in prison.”

The Democrat Party under Pelosi has developed a despicable attitude toward America’s leadership as they refuse to address the urgent problems of our day.

It is my patriotic duty to say to Ms. Pelosi, stop digging and help fill the “empty holes” in our nation’s fabric: Worn out roads and bridges, removal of trash and excrement on the streets of cities in your own legislative district, drug addiction of the homeless in hundreds of cities in America and a legion of other nasty problems besetting our republic.

Your party is bereft of an agenda to move our people into the future. My political hat says, “Keep digging that hole”, but Shakespeare’s character Falstaff said, “Discretion is the better part of valor”.
What part of that message do you not understand? It’s not possible to have it both ways: either keep neglecting your duties as an elected representative for the people or get out of the way and let someone else do the job which you seem to be incapable of executing.

America deserves better leadership than you are providing.

For Straight Talk this is Lloyd Eckbergth

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A ministry that has made a true mark in WNC since 1993, and the purpose is to spread the gospel to as many places as co-founders Randy Shepherd and Jamie Johnson can, and that's exactly what they do.

Spreading their love of Christ, they also love Basketball as well. The duo travel around the world every year, but somehow always make it back to where they both began the ministry some 25 years ago, here locally in our area.

From June 24-28, Crossfire will be back in town at Hendersonville First Baptist Church to conduct it's 29th annual Crossfire Camp.

Times are 1-4:30PM June 24-27 and then from 2-5:30PM June 28th. The camp is for boys and girls ages 6-12, and cost is $100 per camper.

For more info go to http:\\crossfireministry.com.

 Pardee UNC Health Care has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

      Pardee earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

      “Pardee is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our stroke patients by implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke initiative,” said Jay Kirby, president and CEO of Pardee. “The tools and resources provided help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes.”

      “We are pleased to recognize Pardee UNC Health Care for their commitment to stroke care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairperson of the Quality Oversight Committee and Executive Vice Chair of Neurology, Director of Acute Stroke Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement initiative can often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”

      According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and nearly 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

      Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with tools and resources to increase adherence to the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 6 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

Pardee UNC Health Care is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and is managed by UNC Health Care. 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.

A Discover STEM camp next week will be illuminating girl power in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers for elementary age girls, thanks to an $11,350 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation’s Powerful Communities program. Designed by the Henderson County Education Foundation(HCEF) and the district’s Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) department to empower rising 4th and 5th grade girls and introduce them to STEM career options and pathways, the camp will be led entirely by women and feature instructors from Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS), the Zaniac Learning Center in Asheville, and Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC). The Powerful Communities grant awarded to HCEF allows two students nominated from each of HCPS’ 13 elementary schools to attend the one-week camp for free, and covers the costs of instruction, materials, meals, and transportation. Zaniac instructors from the local STEM enrichment center will kick off each morning of camp at Bruce Drysdale Elementary, teaching students 21st century skills, focused on custom coding using Scratch programming. The district’s AIG specialists will lead the girls in team-building exercises, as well as discussions and activities themed around goal-setting, resilience, divergent thinking, confidence, and more. Afternoon sessions will include field trips and exploration of STEM career paths. At BRCC, Chair of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Programs Sharon Suess will take students on a tour of the Mechatronics Engineering Technology classrooms, where they will experience coding skills in action. Students will also explore the Henderson County Early College and learn about its associate degree program through BRCC. Throughout the week, students will build career “dream boards” and learn about the college research process as well as the middle and high school courses and extracurriculars that will help put them on the paths toward their STEM career goals. About Duke Energy Foundation The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy’s customers live and work. Its Powerful Communities program makes strategic investments to build powerful communities where natural resources thrive, so students can excel and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all. The Foundation annually funds more than $30 million to communities throughout Duke Energy's seven-state service area. ### Discover STEM camp will take place June 24-28.

Hendersonville Sister Cities is awarding a total of $4,000 to five local students through its annual “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” Travel Scholarship. Members of the second annual cohort of Hendersonville Student Ambassadors will be living and learning in Japan, Jordan, Costa Rica, and Spain throughout the 2019 Summer, 2019 Fall, and 2020 Spring semesters. Peyton Upchurch, 19, double-majoring in Pre-law Political Science and Spanish at UNC–Greensboro, is currently spending 3 weeks this summer in Costa Rica through UNCG’s School of Health and Human Sciences and in cooperation with the Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI). Through the language and culture immersion program, Peyton will be studying and communicating almost entirely in Spanish – both in class and at home with her host family. Peyton grew up in Fletcher, and graduated from North Henderson High in 2018. Skylar Smith, 20, double-majoring in Political Science and Global Studies and minoring in Spanish at UNC–Chapel Hill, will be furthering her language studies this summer through UNC’s 6-week Spanish for Business program in Sevilla, Spain. Skylar has lived in Henderson County all her life, and graduated from West Henderson High in 2017. Alex Ramirez, 19, is double-majoring in Human Development & Family Studies and Education at UNC– Chapel Hill and is enrolled in Master of Arts in Teaching graduate level courses through the Pre-MAT program, with goals of earning a Ph.D. in education. Alex will further his education studies abroad in the fall, spending the full 2019 Fall semester in Nagoya, Japan at Nanzan University studying Japanese and observing education practices in the Eastern culture. Alex is a first-generation North Carolinian raised in Hendersonville, and a first-generation college student, after having graduated from Henderson County Early College in 2017. Mohammed Khalafalla, 19, is an International Business major at UNC–Greensboro looking forward to a career in international affairs and/or politics, with a keen interest in Japan and its history and culture. To better understand the country’s economic role in the global economy and its relationship with the United States, Mohammed will spend the full 2019-20 academic year at Okayama University in Japan. Originally from Egypt, Mohammed was raised in Hendersonville and graduated from Hendersonville High in 2018. Maria Morava, 21, is double-majoring in Journalism and Global Studies at UNC–Chapel Hill, and will spend the Fall 2019 semester in Jordan studying the regional refugee crisis and humanitarian response through the SIT Jordan: Refugees, Health & Humanitarian Action program. After graduating from East Henderson High in 2015, Maria apprenticed at an NGO in Senegal with Global Citizen before interning the organization in India. Maria’s international experience has informed her desire to pursue a career in international journalism, on which she’ll conduct an independent field research project in Jordan.

More than a dozen students in high school, community college, and four-year universities applied for the 2019 “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” Travel Scholarship. In awarding the final recipients, consideration was given but not limited to: student’s financial need, foreign language immersion, study abroad programs’ alignment with/support of stated academic or career goals, program location, and individual’s international experience. As part of their scholarship recipient agreement, each “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” will provide video, photo, and/or written updates throughout their travel, which will be shared with the public on Hendersonville Sister Cities’ Facebook page and website. Upon returning from their travels, each scholarship recipient will also deliver a community presentation through Hendersonville Sister Cities’ Speaker Series, to share how studying abroad and cultural immersion impacted their academic and personal lives, and to encourage others to make international connections. About the “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” Travel Scholarship Created in November 2017, the scholarship was designed to provide assistance to local students and facilitate the exchange of ideas and culture globally, and to foster awareness and appreciation of international relations among Henderson County youth. Scholarships can be awarded for Spring, Summer, or Fall semester travel, and are open to students with residency in Henderson County who are in the process of applying to or have been accepted for a study abroad, internship, or work study program. To donate to the “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” fund, or to learn more about Hendersonville Sister Cities, visit http://www.hendersonvillesistercities.com/. About Hendersonville Sister Cities Hendersonville Sister Cities is part of Sister Cities International – a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between U.S. and international communities to increase global cooperation and understanding through education, exploration of other cultures, travel, and social interaction.

 The Music on Main Street concert series presents a Special Fireworks Celebration Concert on July 4th, featuring the music of Wishful Thinkin’.  A festive Independence Day fireworks display will take place at sundown. The new launch site will ensure prime viewing of the display from South Main Street and the Music on Main concert area. Enjoy the concert and fireworks from the comfort of your chair at Music on Main Street from 6:00-9:30pm.

As part of the July 4th Celebration there will be a patriotic tribute to all branches of the United States armed forces. Military veterans will be recognized and those currently serving in our armed forces. People having served in the military are requested to attend wearing a cap, t-shirt, or some other source of military identification and those actively serving are asked to wear their uniform to be honored and recognized. Bring an American flag to wave to show your patriotism.

Wishful Thinkin’ is a four-piece band playing beach music and oldies rock. They have worked with such performers as: Percey Sledge, Marty Stuart, Band of Oz and The Embers. 

The Independence Day Fireworks Display may be viewed from downtown Hendersonville and the south side of town near the intersection of Hwy. 225 South and Hwy. 176, a large red balloon will be launched the morning of the 4th to signify visibility of the fireworks show, if you can see the "Big Red Balloon", you can see the fireworks from your location. The new fireworks launch site is off of South Grove Street.

Izzi Hughes and Cole Jenkins will be playing a pre-concert show, starting at 6pm, followed by a patriotic tribute and Wishful Thinkin’ performing from 7-9:30pm.  Enjoy the concert and fireworks from the comfort of your chair at Music on Main from 6:00-9:30pm.

Bring a chair and sit back, relax and enjoy the music & fireworks from 6:00-9:30pm. The seating area opens after 5:30pm, early admission is strictly prohibited.  A Hendersonville City ordinance allows event organizers to exclude animals from the event space for the health, safety and welfare of the community, dogs, and patrons.  Alcoholic beverages, pets, backpacks and coolers are prohibited. Admission is free. The blocks located in front of the Visitor Center, between Allen Street and Caswell Street, will be closed to traffic.

In case of inclement weather, the concert will be postponed until 8:00pm; if the weather does not improve by 8:00pm the performance will be cancelled.

For additional information or a concert schedule call Henderson County Tourism Development Authority at 828-693-9708, 800-828-4244 or go online to visithendersonvillenc.org.

The Music on Main Street concert series & Fireworks Display is an event of Henderson County Tourism Development Authority.

Entertainment Sponsored by

Carolina Ace Hardware

 

Concert Series Sponsors

Burger King, Firehouse Subs, Mast General Store, Kathy Watkins of Preferred Realty & Henderson County Tourism Development Authority

The Raymonds Garden Center event this past Saturday to raise money for the Henderson County Boys & Girls Club netted almost $3000.This was the money from the raffle won by Mrs.Ellis and 10% of the total sales that was donated by Raymonds.Folks were buying plants by the wagon load,and WHKP FM & AM was live on location from Raymonds Garden Center as they celebrated their 26th year in business.

LIASON OUTREACH COORDINATOR HIRED BY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

Sheriff Lowell Griffin and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department would like to introduce the newest addition to our staff: Stephanie Barbosa. Stephanie will be the first Liaison Outreach Coordinator for the department. As Liaison Outreach Coordinator, she will be focused on building and improving communications through community outreach in Henderson County.

Stephanie was born in Mexico City, Mexico. She moved with her family to the U.S. at one year of age, when her parents made the decision to migrate in order to provide a lifestyle and opportunities for Stephanie that they would not be able to provide in Mexico.

Stephanie was enrolled in Immaculata Catholic School, where she eventually taught herself how to speak English. She later graduated from Immaculata and attended Hendersonville High School. Despite the challenges she had, she graduated high school and achieved one of her dreams of becoming a U.S resident. After graduation, she began working for a local attorney as a secretary/translator. There, she was introduced to the judicial system, and later offered a job at the District Attorney’s Office. Stephanie comes to us with the experience of being a Victim Witness Coordinator and Criminal Judicial Management assistant (CJM) from the District Attorney’s Office.

As the Liaison Outreach Coordinator, Stephanie’s goal is to build relationships and foster a mutual bond with the community. She plans to maintain a community alliance and partnership by participating in community events and by helping the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office to overcome the cultural and language barriers in our community.

 

Major Frank T. Stout
Support Services/PIO
Henderson County Sheriff's Office
100 North Grove Street
Hendersonville, N.C. 28792-5027
828.694.2750 (Office)

 

Senator Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson), recently announced that the 2019-2021 state budget would provide some much-needed relief to Henderson County farmers. Five other counties, Buncombe, Transylvania, Haywood, Polk, and Rutherford, could also receive desperately needed financial assistance after experiencing significant crop losses in 2018 that resulted from severe flooding.

Earlier this year Sen. Edwards authored Senate Bill 268- Ag Disaster Fund/Excessive Rain & Flooding, which was written to include Western North Carolina counties in the state’s disaster relief efforts initiated after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. Rep. Chuck McGrady then inserted the language that Sen. Edwards wrote into the House budget, while Sen. Edwards’s continued his research and negotiations with other state officials regarding providing mountain assistance. Both chambers have now passed this provision. To become law, it must now be signed by the governor.

$754 million in assistance has been allocated by the state, and $1.2 billion by the federal government after the eastern part of the state was devastated by a one-two punch from Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, then Hurricane Florence in September of 2018.

Western N.C. was struck by Tropical Storm Alberto in May 2018, then experienced unprecedented levels of rainfall throughout the remainder of the year. Many farmers lost their crops, replanted them, then lost them again. Henderson County farmers suffered significant crop losses. Some of the hardest hit were strawberries 90%, con for grain 89%, soybeans 86%, blackberries 81%, sod 75%, beans, and peppers 80%. The loss of apples, one of the largest crops, was 40%. 

“Natural disasters come in many forms,” said Senator Edwards. “While helping those in the east whose lives were so tragically disrupted by hurricanes was the right thing for us to do, I couldn’t sit idly by and allow our farmer’s needs in the west go unnoticed. I appreciate my partnership with Rep. McGrady who was a tremendous help to ensure that we didn’t miss any parliamentary deadlines, and for ensuring that the members of the House bought into the idea of relief for the mountains” Edwards went on to say.

Kenny Barnwell, a well know Henderson County farmer, said, “Henderson County is very fortunate that Chuck Edwards is so willing to listen to us, and that he can so naturally apply his business acumen to public service. Chuck McGrady adds much legislative experience to the equation. They make a great team for the west.”

In February this year, Henderson County received a secretarial disaster declaration from the United States Department of Agriculture for excessive rain and flooding that occurred from May through December of 2018. The five other western North Carolina Counties are included in this designation because they are contiguous to Henderson County.

Hunter Automotive Group broke ground Friday for their all new dealership in Fletcher beside Broadmore Golf Links.,Tom and Randy Hunter who manage the dealerships will be building a brand new dealership to house Volvo,Subaru,and Hyundai.The Nissan store will remain on Spartanburg Highway.The Asheville Highway Hunter store will in effect be moved to the all new location once completed.