News

Henderson County Public Schools' Meals On the Bus summer food assistance program has a new grab-and-go aspect meant to make free meals more accessible for children for families on the go.

With rising grocery bills, school staff said they want this program to ease food costs for all families across the county, not only lower-income households.

Children can take home both a hot lunch for the current day and breakfast for the following morning. Parents at Tuxedo Park, one of nine meal locations, said these convenient meal packages are helping them save time having to prepare less meals.

"For me personally, it's going to be great," said Allison Cole, a mother and finance coordinator at the Henderson County Education Foundation. "We are here at the playground all of the time, and so it's going to be easy to not have to plan lunch, swing by, play, and then grab lunch from the bus."

The county’s dietary team said it has been working all year on this USDA-funded program to provide “non-congregate” food assistance to those ages 2 through 18. School officials said all a child has to do is stand in line and state their name.

I hope that we will have lots of parents take advantage of this, because those grocery bills are not getting any smaller, and this is something that is free for the taking," said Stephanie Hall, child nutrition director for Henderson County Public Schools. "We're not asking for anything, no documentation, anything like that."

Hall said they are serving more than just sandwiches — one hot meal included a corndog, tater tots, fruit and milk. She said students were a part of the program's planning process, handpicking some of their favorite foods to craft these menus.

The HCPS Mobile Library will also rotate through select meal stops, providing children and families access to books and library resources alongside meal service.

Meals On the Bus is making its rounds at public locations, chosen by need-based areas, across Henderson County through July 29.

To find more locations, days and times, click here.

 

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOS.

 

The City of Hendersonville is launching Bike Hendo, a new bicycle plan that will help shape the future of biking and rolling in Hendersonville.  
Bike Hendo steers the course of strategies and projects to make Hendersonville safer, more connected, and more bike-friendly for people who bike or roll for transportation, recreation, and everyday trips. The plan will build on successes like the Ecusta Trail and help guide future investments in the city’s bicycle network. 
“Bike Hendo will help us create a safer, more connected transportation network,” said City of Hendersonville Long Range Planning Manager Matthew Manley. “Community input is essential to making sure this plan reflects where people want to go, what challenges they face, and how we can make biking and rolling in Hendersonville more accessible for everyone.” 
Community members are invited to share their input at a drop-in public meeting or through an online survey. 
Be part of the movement: 
What: Bike Hendo Community Meeting 
When: Thursday, June 25, 2026, drop in anytime from 4:00 to 7:00 PM 
Where: Trailside Brewing, 873 Lennox Park Drive 
Who: Anyone who lives, works, visits, bikes, or rolls in Hendersonville 
Attendees will be able to share where they currently bike, where they want to bike, and what makes biking difficult.  Community feedback will help identify existing  conditions, challenges, opportunities, and priorities for the bicycle plan. 

Those who ride their bike to the meeting can also enter to win a raffle prize. 
For those who cannot attend in person, an online survey will launch on June 25th and remain open until the end of July. 
The Bike Hendo steering committee, affectionately known as the ‘Pedal Committee,’ held a kick-off meeting in May. This group of volunteers is guiding the planning process alongside City staff and planning consultants with McAdams.  
The final Bike Hendo plan is expected to be completed in the summer or fall of 2027 with community input opportunities spread throughout the process. Once adopted, the City and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) can use the plan to guide future projects, policy decisions, programs, events, and funding opportunities.  

Bike Hendo is made possible through a grant from the NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division and support from the City of Hendersonville. 
To learn more, visit www.hvlnc.gov/BikeHendo  

SALUDA, N.C. (WLOS) — Eight days into the investigation into the deaths of Saluda couple Robert and Wendy Peck, both 80, neighbors are learning a lead detective with the Polk County Sheriff's Office briefed the couple's church congregation on the investigation during service on Sunday.

News 13 spoke with two people familiar with the briefing at the United Methodist Church in Saluda.

According to a congregant, the detective told the group investigators have made hundreds of contacts since the investigation started and believe the crimes were pre-meditated. But the homicides remain unsolved. The detective also confirmed no person of interest has been identified.

Emergency responders were called to the Pecks' home on the night of May 24 at approximately 8:30 p.m. after the house burned. Four days later, the Polk County Sheriff's Office announced on Facebook the couple had been victims of homicide but didn't provide a cause of death.

The Pecks were well known in the community. Married for more than 50 years, they were credited with starting a free meal program in Saluda and were active in area schools with reading programs for elementary students. Neighbors around the rural area where they live remain concerned knowing the sheriff told people to stay vigilant since no one's been arrested.

MAY 29, 2026 - A Polk County Sheriff's Office vehicle sits in front of the home of Wendy and Robert Peck, who were found dead on Sunday, May 24. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
MAY 29, 2026 - A Polk County Sheriff's Office vehicle sits in front of the home of Wendy and Robert Peck, who were found dead on Sunday, May 24. (Photo: WLOS Staff)

"I'm afraid for him to go in the woods. I'm scared to death," said neighbor Teresa Pace about her husband Sherman Pace.
"I worked for him [Robert Peck] some," said Sherman Pace. "We rebuilt their house. I just know he was in the Navy for like 35 years."

AUTOPSIES RULE POLK COUNTY HOUSE FIRE DEATHS AS HOMICIDE, SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS

Unlike his wife, Sherman Pace said he isn't worried about his safety or that someone might try to set his home on fire. He acknowledged that some homicide investigations go unsolved but said he hopes this case won't be one.

People familiar with Sunday's briefing said the detective told church members that, in addition to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the FBI is now assisting.

"The Pecks were active in some after-school programs in Saluda, and she was a quilter," said neighbor Randy Smith.

MAY 25, 2026 - Pictured: The home on West Fork Creek Road in Saluda that caught fire on Sunday, May 24, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. (Photo credit: Randy Smith)
MAY 25, 2026 - Pictured: The home on West Fork Creek Road in Saluda that caught fire on Sunday, May 24, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. (Photo credit: Randy Smith)

Smith said his family sold the property to the Pecks years ago. From the edge of his property, he photographed the interior of the home that had extensive fire destruction that spread along the roof.

"I don't know where the bodies were found or any of that," Smith said as he reviewed the photos.

'IT'S A HUGE LOSS': COMMUNITY SEEKS ANSWERS AFTER ELDERLY COUPLE FOUND DEAD IN HOME

Smith understands investigators like to keep specific details secret to verify leads if and when someone comes forward with a tip. But he also feels sheriff Wright should provide a public update to neighbors beyond only briefing the victim's congregation.

"I understand it's not like 'Murder, She Wrote' where it's solved in an hour," said Smith. "But what do you have? Tell us. Where are you looking? Are there persons of interest? Are there suspects? Just what do you know?"
JOIN THE CONVERSATION (7)
The Polk County Sheriff's Office Facebook post last Thursday May 28, identified the Pecks as homicide victims. That remains the latest update from sheriff Wright publicly. Investigators continue to ask anyone with information related to the case to contact the Polk County

STORY COURTESY OF WLOS-TV13Sheriff's Office.

Henderson County Commissioners raised taxes in Henderson County Wednesday night when they approved a $244.8 million budget.

The raised budget includes pay raises for sheriff’s deputies and teachers while also funding debt service to the county’s courthouse and detention center building project.

This came after commissioners in an early meeting approving the construction of the new courthouse indicated that there was not a tax increse likely.

In May, County Manager John Mitchell presented a $227.2 million fiscal year 2026-27 budget that kept the tax rate at 43.1 cents per $100 valuation. It included more than $9 million in debt service to the JCAR project that was paid for through the county’s capital reserve fund.
But Commissioners in their vote on Wednesday decided to fund the debt service through increased property taxes instead.

 

The Hendersonville Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in  locating a runaway juvenile. 

Iveen Michael Langston-Lopez is a 14-year-old Hispanic male, approximately 5’6”, 140 pounds, and has braces on his teeth. He was last seen at his home on Walnut Tree Circle early this morning, on June 3, 2026. Iveen is possibly traveling on a blue mountain bike. 

Anyone with information on Iveen’s whereabouts is encouraged to call the Hendersonville Police Department at (828) 697-3025. 

30-Day Ecusta Trail Closures Needed for U.S. 64 Modernization
First short stretch to close on July 6 at White Pine Drive

LAUREL PARK – The N.C. Department of Transportation, in coordination with Henderson County and the Town of Laurel Park, will implement two Ecusta Trail closures this year as part of a project to modernize and improve traffic flow on neighboring U.S. 64.

The Ecusta Trail will close where it intersects White Pine Drive for up to 30 days starting July 6. A similar 30-day closure will occur this fall at the intersection with Daniel Drive.

The trail closure is coordinated with a transportation project to improve congestion and safety on U.S. 64 in Laurel Park resulting in improved facilities for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and trail users. During the closure, a roundabout will be constructed along U.S. 64 and the trail will be raised 6 feet in elevation.

“We were excited to help develop the Ecusta Trail, and have the same enthusiasm for U.S. 64 improvements,” Division 14 Engineer Wesley Grindstaff said. “We have worked with Henderson County and other stakeholders to consider various options to minimize the impacts of these closures. We all feel the best move forward is to complete all the trail work in two operations instead of multiple short-term closures.”

After the trail reopens at the intersection of White Pine Drive, road construction will continue for up to another 35 days to finish roundabout construction and raise White Pine Drive more than 6 feet to the same elevation as U.S. 64 and the trail. U.S. 64 will remain open with intermittent lane closures during construction.

Specific dates for construction at the Daniel Drive intersections with the trail and U.S. 64 will be determined after construction is complete at White Pine Drive.

The Ecusta Trail opened in the summer of 2025 accommodating more than 7,000 combined pedestrians and cyclist. Its modern development has been a collaborative effort of community volunteers, nonprofit partners, and local and state governments who share a vision of a corridor that will connect us all.

For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.

***NCDOT***

After Helene, I heard from orchardists and nursery operators across the district who were desperate to replant but couldn't access the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). They faced one common obstacle: TAP required producers to cover costs upfront before receiving any reimbursement. After a disaster, that money simply wasn't there.

I introduced the Advance TAP Payments Act to fix the problem, and the provision has officially moved forward in the Farm Bill. For apple growers in Henderson County, Christmas tree farms in Avery, and nurseries still rebuilding across our region, this means accessing the relief they've earned without having to front money they don't have.

Historic Investments for NC-11 Farmers

The House-passed Farm Bill supports Western North Carolina farmers by strengthening crop insurance and dairy safety nets, expanding access to loans, and investing over $1 billion in research and protections for fruits, vegetables, and nursery crops. It also invests in rural broadband, clean water, and local infrastructure to strengthen communities.

On the issue of food security, the Farm Bill requires schools to source most meals from U.S. farmers and strengthens oversight of foreign ownership of American farmland.

The bill also includes nearly $200 billion in SNAP reforms to improve accountability, reduce payment errors, reinforce work requirements for able-bodied adults, and ensure benefits are directed to those who need them most.

FY2027 Agriculture Appropriations: More Wins for NC-11

As the only North Carolina member of the House Appropriations Committee, I worked to advance the FY27 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act — a $26.27 billion bill that puts American farmers and rural communities first while cutting $380 million in unnecessary spending.

Here's what the bill delivers:

$1.16 billion for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to protect American agriculture from foreign pests and diseases — a direct priority for NC-11's specialty crop and livestock producers.
Continued investment in agriculture research and rural development loan programs.
Increased funding for frontline meat and poultry inspectors and state inspection programs.
Buy American provisions maintained across federal agriculture programs.
Grant Opportunity for NC-11 Farmers and Conservation Organizations

The EPA’s Gulf of America Division is offering up to $50 million in Farmer-to-Farmer grants to support conservation efforts that improve water quality and habitat across EPA Regions 3–8, including Western North Carolina. Grants range from $1.5 to $2.5 million and are available to eligible organizations, with farmers able to participate through partners.

Applications are due June 19 and can be found at grants.gov or epa.gov/gulfofamerica.

If your organization is considering applying, my office is happy to help. Please reach out at 865-EDWARDS or visit Edwards.house.gov.

 The City of Hendersonville is launching Bike Hendo, a new bicycle plan that will help shape the future of biking and rolling in Hendersonville.  
Bike Hendo steers the course of strategies and projects to make Hendersonville safer, more connected, and more bike-friendly for people who bike or roll for transportation, recreation, and everyday trips. The plan will build on successes like the Ecusta Trail and help guide future investments in the city’s bicycle network. 
“Bike Hendo will help us create a safer, more connected transportation network,” said City of Hendersonville Long Range Planning Manager Matthew Manley. “Community input is essential to making sure this plan reflects where people want to go, what challenges they face, and how we can make biking and rolling in Hendersonville more accessible for everyone.” 
Community members are invited to share their input at a drop-in public meeting or through an online survey. 
Be part of the movement: 

What: Bike Hendo Community Meeting 
When: Thursday, June 25, 2026, drop in anytime from 4:00 to 7:00 PM 
Where: Trailside Brewing, 873 Lennox Park Drive 
Who: Anyone who lives, works, visits, bikes, or rolls in Hendersonville 
Attendees will be able to share where they currently bike, where they want to bike, and what makes biking difficult.  Community feedback will help identify existing  conditions, challenges, opportunities, and priorities for the bicycle plan. 

Those who ride their bike to the meeting can also enter to win a raffle prize. 
For those who cannot attend in person, an online survey will launch on June 25th and remain open until the end of July. 
The Bike Hendo steering committee, affectionately known as the ‘Pedal Committee,’ held a kick-off meeting in May. This group of volunteers is guiding the planning process alongside City staff and planning consultants with McAdams.  

The final Bike Hendo plan is expected to be completed in the summer or fall of 2027 with community input opportunities spread throughout the process. Once adopted, the City and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) can use the plan to guide future projects, policy decisions, programs, events, and funding opportunities.  
Bike Hendo is made possible through a grant from the NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division and support from the City of Hendersonville. 
To learn more, visit www.hvlnc.gov/BikeHendo  

The lender of a $32 million construction loan for the building of the Cedars condominium project in downtown Hendersonville has filed a lawsuit seeking the appointment of a receiver to take control of the property, declaring in the suit that the loan was in default as of Dec. 31 and asserting that the developer is insolvent or “in imminent danger of insolvency.”

The court action by Fuse 10 LLC comes as the site of the grandly planned development sits idle. The general contractor, pulled off the job in March and has sued the Cedars Lodge & Spa for $7 million in unpaid invoices for work and materials. Fuse 10 is part of Fort Lauderdale-based Fuse Group Investment Companies, a bridge and construction lender.

The property was purchased in the mid-fifties by the late Cliff Shipman and became a Cedars event venue along with Clifton's Cafeteria - a most popular eating place over the years.

Some of the Shipman family continues ownership of the property - at the corner of 7th Avenue West and Church Street -  in this planned development.