News

City Council appointed Brian Pahle as Hendersonville's new City Manager at their regularly scheduled August meeting. This shift comes as previous City Manager, John Connet, takes a new role serving the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) as its Director of City Relations. 

"Brian has served in several leadership roles and brings extensive knowledge of the organization and community to this position," said John Connet. "As I step away from this role, I do so with confidence, knowing the City is well-positioned for continued success with Brian's leadership. He is also fortunate to be supported by an exceptional team." 

Pahle has served as Hendersonville's Deputy City Manager and Assistant City Manager for the last nine years, with an additional three years of service as the City's Budget & Evaluation Director Manager, Assistant to the City Manager, and Budget & Management Analyst. He is a Credentialed Manager (CM) with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and serves as the Treasurer on the Carolina Public Entity Cooperative Board of Trustees. Pahle has served as the President and in other leadership roles with the NC Local Government Budget Association and is a Certified Local Government Budget Officer. He is also a graduate of the Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA), Municipal and County Administration, and Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) Fellows programs. He earned his Master of Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Professional Legal Studies from Appalachian State University.

Pahle will assume the role of City Manager beginning October 1, 2026, leading a team of approximately 330 employees across multiple departments. Working in partnership with City Council, Pahle will advance the City's strategic priorities, guide long-term planning efforts, manage the City's operations and budget, and continue fostering a culture of excellent public service for the Hendersonville Community. 

"Council has full confidence in Brian's ability to lead our organization," said Mayor Volk. "His leadership, experience, and commitment to serving our community has earned the trust of Council, and we look forward to working together as Hendersonville continues to move forward." 

FAA Opens New Asheville Air Traffic Control Tower to Support Record Growth in Western North Carolina

Modern facility provides next generation of air traffic technology

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The FAA today announced the opening of Asheville Regional Airport’s (AVL) new 121-foot air traffic control tower, which replaces the old facility built in 1961. The new facility provides controllers with a modern workspace to support growing air traffic demand across western North Carolina.

“Air traffic controllers need modern infrastructure and technology to keep up with growing demand,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in 2024, our controllers managed a dramatic increase in traffic to support recovery efforts. They deserve a modern facility and 21st century tools to continue providing safe and efficient air traffic services to western North Carolina.”

Over the past decade, air carrier operations at Asheville Regional Airport have increased by more than 300 percent, making it the third-busiest airport in North Carolina. The new tower provides controllers with improved visibility and workspace while positioning the airport for continued growth.

The FAA provided $31.7 million through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to construct the new tower. The FAA also awarded $10 million through IIJA to expand and modernize the airport’s terminal, increasing gate capacity from five to 12.

Additional modernization efforts:

Through the Brand New Air Traffic Control System, the AVL tower will receive key equipment upgrades which will be installed by the end of 2028. These include:

New radars. These will provide controllers an aircraft's position, altitude, flight number and if the aircraft is in an emergency status. These state-of-the-art radars will also make future repairs easier to identify and solve, which will reduce flight delays and cancellations.
Modern voice switches. These replace analog systems from the 1990s and enable controllers to more easily switch channels and connect faster than ever before. That means improved communication with aircraft, adjacent facilities and internal phone systems.
Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI). It enables air traffic controllers to track aircraft and vehicles in real-time in any weather condition, and where aircraft may be out of sight from the control tower. This vital technology will reduce delays and improve runway safety efficiency.

Additionally, the FAA recently installed a new Tower Simulation System (TSS) at Asheville. This allows controllers to train in a controlled environment by projecting airport-specific operations and scenarios. TSS can speed up training times by almost 30 percent.

 

 Downtown Hendersonville will once again come alive with music, food, and family-friendly fun as Rhythm & Brews, presented by Horizon Heating & Air, returns to South Main Street on Thursday, August 20. Asheville-based rocker Andrew Scotchie will headline the evening with his high-energy performance, while Random Animals opens the concert.

Taking place on the third Thursday of each month from June through October, Rhythm & Brews is a free outdoor concert series that transforms downtown Hendersonville into a lively gathering place. Guests are invited to enjoy outstanding live music, locally crafted beer, cider, and wine, a diverse selection of food trucks, and activities that make the event fun for all ages.

Headliner: Andrew Scotchie is born and raised in Asheville, NC, and is everything rock-n-roll was meant to be: sweaty, soul-stirring, a little dangerous, and absolutely alive. With the fire of the Stones, the blues of Lightnin’ Hopkins, and the message of a punk-fueled preacher, Scotchie and his band have become a staple of the Southeast music scene. He’s shared stages with legends, crowd-surfed dive bars, and continues to craft his unique sound. His latest record, Love Is Enough, is a love letter to connection, chaos, and keeping your heart open in a world gone sideways.

Opening Act: Random Animals is an Asheville, North Carolina based Indie-Soul quartet that formed in 2016.  Their sound is defined by dreamy vocal harmonies, a driving rhythm section, thoughtful lyrics, and guitar arrangements that are tight yet melodic.  Weaving together elements of indie-rock, funk, R&B, jazz and soul music, Random Animals puts on a dynamic show that’s aimed at pleasing a diverse audience.  

Opening acts will kick off each evening at 5pm. followed by the headliner performance from 7:30-9pm.

As Hendersonville's premier outdoor concert series, Rhythm & Brews showcases a diverse mix of musical styles and performers. From soul and rock to bluegrass, country, and funk, each concert delivers a unique experience while highlighting both nationally touring acts and talented regional musicians.

For the youngest in the family, Mike’s on Main Street will provide kid-friendly fun at the Kid’s Zone. While the kids stay entertained, adults can relax and enjoy the Rhythm & Brews beer, cider, and wine garden, featuring a selection of locally crafted beverages from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Bold Rock Hard Cider, Guidon Brewing Co., Oklawaha Brewing Co., Dry Falls Brewery, Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards, and Flat Rock Cider Company.

Please leave your pets and coolers at home. Chairs are allowed on the Wells Fargo side of the event near the Kids Zone. There are several free and paid parking options available near the show, with the closest paid parking in the private lot at Barnwell and Main (access only from King Street), and free on-street parking outside of Church and King Streets.

The concert series is made possible through the generous support of We Sell WNC, Parks Ford, Spinx, Van Winkle Law Firm, BGW Advisors, Mast General Store, Mini Batch Bakery, Four Seasons Plumbing, Rock Creek Containers, Yoga and Massage, The Salty Landing, The Community Foundation, WTZQ, Mountain Inn & Suites, and Discover Hometown Magazine.

All net proceeds from adult beverage sales will benefit the Friends of Downtown Hendersonville 501c3 nonprofit, whose mission is to identify, preserve and enhance the key factors that contribute to the authentic small town urban character of historic downtown Hendersonville.

For more information, visit downtownhendersonville.org.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — After Rep. Chuck Edwards announced his withdrawal from his re-election campaign, the Republican Party of North Carolina (NCGOP) said it will work to select a new nominee for the state's 11th Congressional District race.

Edwards won the Republican primary in March and was set to face Democratic nominee Jamie Ager in November. But in the early morning of Wednesday, Aug. 5, Edwards ended his bid for re-election for a third term following a lengthy investigation and report by the U.S. House Committee on Ethics.

The committee ultimately decided that Edwards be censured after concluding there is "substantial reason to believe" he violated House rules related to sexual harassment and maintaining a hostile workplace. These committee findings followed months of reports regarding claims of improper behavior by the Republican congressman, largely related to the treatment of young female staffers.

Now, the NCGOP said it will move forward with filling the nomination vacancy left behind by Edwards.

"The people of western North Carolina deserve a strong conservative voice on the ballot this November, and our party is prepared to move through this process quickly and efficiently," said NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons.

Merry Guy, chair of the 11th Congressional District Republican Committee, announced that the committee will meet Monday, Aug. 10, to select a replacement.

Political experts and Republican Party insiders say the following people are potential candidates for the new nominee:

Tim Moffitt, a Republican member of the North Carolina Senate.
Jennifer Balkcom, a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Jake Johnson, a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Kevin Corbin, a Republican member of the North Carolina Senate.
Ralph Hise, A Republican member of the North Carolina Senate.

Other possible contenders are Adam Smith, who ran in the NC-11 Republican primary in March but lost to Edwards, and Christian Reagan, who ran in the NC-11 Republican primary in 2024 but lost to Edwards.

STORY COURTESY OF WLOS-TV13

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards is ending his re-election campaign.

“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign. I will complete my current term,” the second-term congressman from Flat Rock announced early Wednesday in a post on X. “Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life. Thank you for your trust, prayers, and support.”

Millions of pounds of debris have been removed from western North Carolina's rivers in the nearly two years since Helene, but cleanup crews say the work is far from over.

On Monday, Aug. 3, MountainTrue led an effort to remove four vehicles and a motorcycle from the Hungry River in Henderson County, marking another milestone in the region's long recovery from the storm.

"We're not only just pulling out debris, we're pulling out people's livelihoods," Erica Shanks, Green Riverkeeper with MountainTrue, said.

The twisted metal sitting in the Hungry River tells a story that many families in western North Carolina are still living.

Before equipment could begin the recovery, crews spent weeks planning how to safely access the remote site while protecting the river.

"We were able to then get UTVs, and now get an excavator down that way, not only to scout beforehand to make sure that we wanted to tackle this project in this way, but also to gather more information on how to safely remove these cars from the river," Shanks said.

Crews also installed protective measures to prevent contaminants from entering the water during the operation.

"We have booms downstream that will collect any gas or oil runoff that was left over in the cars," Shanks said.

Since Helene, MountainTrue says it has removed roughly 5.5 million pounds of debris from rivers across western North Carolina.

Helping with that effort is Jake Jarvis, owner of Precision Grading, who has volunteered both his equipment and his time since the days immediately following the storm. His daughter, Maya, has often joined him on cleanup efforts.

"It's crazy that we're still so busy working on, you know, devastated areas and pulling things out of the rivers and helping people try to get back in their homes. It's pretty wild that two years later it's still very much a need," Jarvis said.

For Maya, lending a hand has become a lesson she'll carry long after the cleanup is finished.

"You need to take care of yourself, too, but you need to help other people no matter," she said.

While progress continues, organizations leading the recovery said the work is far from finished.

"Our main funding source has been from the $10 million from House Bill 47, and that funding ends at the end of this year. And so we are applying for more funds to keep this work going because, as you can see, there's a lot left over that we still need to get out after the hurricane," Shanks said.

For those leading the cleanup, every vehicle pulled from the river is another reminder of the devastation Helene left behind.

"I think the cars being in the river still two years later is a testament to the power and force that came through the gorge area up here, and so what we're seeing is the remnants of people's property and homes that were washed downstream from the flood, and that's what we're seeing here in the river from those impacts," Shanks said.

 

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOS.

 The Hendersonville Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is inviting residents, neighborhood leaders, local historians, property owners, and anyone interested in preserving Hendersonville's history to participate in a new Historic Preservation Training Series as part of the Neighborhood History Project.

The free training series is designed to provide practical information about documenting, preserving, and sharing Hendersonville's historic resources and stories. Whether participants are interested in researching their neighborhood, recording oral histories, or learning about historic designation, the series offers opportunities to gain valuable knowledge from preservation professionals.

All sessions are free and open to the public. While attendance is free, RSVPs are appreciated to assist with planning. Each program will be held in the City Hall Second Floor Meeting Room, located at 160 6th Avenue East,  from 1:00–2:30 p.m.

Training Schedule

National and Local Property Designation
Friday, August 28, 2026 | 1:00–2:30 p.m.
Learn about the differences between National Register listing and local historic landmark designation, the benefits of designation, and the nomination process.
Oral History and Community Archives
Friday, October 2, 2026 | 1:00–2:30 p.m.
Explore best practices for conducting oral history interviews, preserving community stories, and creating archives that document local history for future generations.
Historic Markers, Exhibits, and History Trails
Friday, October 30, 2026 | 1:00–2:30 p.m.
Discover how communities can share their history through interpretive markers, public exhibits, and history trails that educate residents and visitors alike.
 

The Historic Preservation Training Series supports the goals of the Neighborhood History Project by providing educational resources that empower residents to document and preserve the stories, places, and people that have shaped Hendersonville's history.

To RSVP, please visit the Historic Preservation Training Series website or contact Sam Hayes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 828-341-7081.

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The CBS network featured on Spartanburg's WSPA-CHANNEL 7 was discontinued as of August 1.

WYFF - Channel 4 - in Greenville picked up CBS and is programming it on their digital channel 4.3 over-air reception with a home based antenna.

Optimum cable in Hendersonville is now featuring WYFF, digital channel 4.3 on their channel 10 which features the CBS Network.

FLAT ROCK, N.C. – July 28, 2026 – Flat Rock Playhouse is proud to present Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, the legendary Broadway comedy that inspired the Academy Award-winning 1968 film and the beloved television series. This timeless classic takes the Playhouse stage Aug. 28 through Sept. 19, promising audiences a production filled with unforgettable laughter and heart.

Neil Simon's The Odd Couple is one of the most celebrated comedies in American theater. The story follows Felix Ungar, impeccably neat and suddenly single, and Oscar Madison, charmingly disheveled and blissfully indifferent to housekeeping. When Felix moves in with Oscar after a marital split, their opposite personalities collide, creating nonstop laughs, memorable mishaps, and an endearing celebration of friendship, forgiveness, and finding common ground.

Directed by Lisa K. Bryant, Flat Rock Playhouse's production brings fresh energy to this iconic comedy with sharp direction, exceptional performances, and the Broadway-quality production values audiences have come to expect from the State Theatre of North Carolina. Whether you're experiencing The Odd Couple for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, this production offers a fresh take on one of the funniest plays ever written.

The production features an outstanding cast of favorites including Scott Treadway as Oscar Madison, Scott Cote as Felix Ungar, Phillip Brandon as Speed, Paul Vonasek as Murray, Alex Gossard as Roy, Pasquale LaCorte as Vinnie, Lilly Nelson as Gwendolyn Pigeon, and Glenna Grant as Cecily Pigeon.

Originally premiering on Broadway in 1965, The Odd Couple earned four Tony Awards, including Best Author, Best Actor, Best Direction, and Best Scenic Design. More than six decades later, Neil Simon's witty dialogue and unforgettable characters continue to delight audiences around the world, making the play one of the most enduring and frequently performed comedies in theatrical history.

Tickets for The Odd Couple are on sale now. Don't miss your chance to experience this laugh-out-loud comedy live at Flat Rock Playhouse. Performances run Aug. 28 through Sept. 19. For tickets and more information, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org or call the Flat Rock Playhouse Box Office.

TICKETS AND SCHEDULE

For more ticket information, call the Flat Rock Playhouse Box Office at 828.693.0731 or purchase online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org

Thank you to production sponsors - Forvis Mazars
A Big Thank You to our 2026 Season Sponsors:

Mainstage Season Sponsors - Charlotte & Bob Otto

Apprentice Program Lead Sponsors - Paul M. Simons & Reid B. Hughes, Jr. (“Buddy”)

Music On The Rock™ Sponsors – Nancy & Alan Sawyer

Mainstage Theater Sponsors - David & Sharon Leiman

Season Sponsors: North Carolina Arts Council, Optimum, WHKP, WTZQ

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. www.NCArts.org.

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Flat Rock Playhouse Leiman Mainstage is located at 2661 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock, NC, 28731.