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Make America Safe

Dr. Glenn Mollette

I would love to go back to Washington, D.C. and feel like my wife and I could safely stroll the city at 9:00 or 10:00 at night. Actually, I would like to feel like we could safely walk the city at 10:00 in the morning. I am grateful that President Trump is taking a pro-active approach to making D.C. as safe as possible.

In 2024 there were over 14 million criminal offenses reported in the United States. (US Crime statistics, Bing.com)

How many cities, towns or even rural areas do you feel safe in today? My son and I were in NYC a few years back. We toured the Empire State building and it was almost 1:00 in the morning by the time we left the building and started looking for New York pizza. We walked back to Times Square and of course there were still people out but not that many. There wasn’t a minute that I wasn’t constantly looking around and wondering if we were safe. We had a good evening but it’s aggravating to have to be concerned.

What town or community in America can we go and not have to be concerned? Even in the smallest villages in America who knows if there is a mentally deranged person out and about looking for something bad to do or someone to hurt? Drunks and drug heads drive our roads. The mentally sick choose unpredictable times to unleash their problems on unsuspecting victims.

From just recent events, we know that you might be shopping at a Target store, sitting in a classroom, worshipping in your church or just walking down the street for something bad to happen to you or any of us. No one is immune in any place in America.

It hasn’t always been this way. I remember that I was a child when my parents started locking the doors of our house. There was a time we didn’t even lock the doors. That was another era. Wouldn’t you love to once again live in a country or an area where you felt so safe that you didn’t bother with locking your doors? Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to lock them during the day? What if you didn’t have to keep a loaded gun close by or even lock your car?
Wouldn’t that be a wonderful world?

Criminals stole 2969 cars in D.C. in 2024 and 2944 cars so far in 2025. This is bad for everyone, the victims, the insurance companies and the city.

God bless President Trump for trying to make America and D.C. safe again. I pray that God enables him to make every town in America a place where we feel safe.

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 Chimney Rock Village is making great strides nearly 11 months after Hurricane Helene nearly wiped the tourist town off the map.

Many shops along Main Street are open, and the village is now welcoming visitors back.

For this week's episode of "Helene: A Journey of Hope," News 13's Katie Killen revisited Chimney Rock to see what's next for recovery.

Chimney Rock Mayor Peter O'Leary owns Bubba O'Leary's General Store on the banks of the Rocky Broad. O'Leary says his store was destroyed by Helene in September 2024.

"The doors were blown literally off their hinges outside, so the water had come in through the side, through our general store, and through the opening between the buildings," O'Leary described. "It had blown the doors out and exited the doors."

Bubba O'Leary's General Store reopened in late July, about ten months after Helene.

"It was just great to be back somewhat back to normal," he said. "Main Street is still dusty. There's the wind blowing, the sun beating down, but you come in here and it's nice and cool and air-conditioned. And we've got the store set up sort of the way it was before the flood, so it takes you back to the way it was before the storm happened."

Gradually, more businesses in the small village are reopening. Chimney Rock State Park reopened seven days a week in July, and with that, more visitors are making their way to downtown Chimney Rock.

Mayor O'Leary says he's optimistic, but knows there are challenges ahead.

"There's a fear that people won't want to come back until everything is finished," he said. "For me personally, that's probably the biggest fear, is that we'll have an initial influx of people once we're open, but then that'll trickle off because, 'Well, let's wait until they're finished.'"

O'Leary encourages people to come see the progress regularly.

"Even the part of the river that was devastated by the flood, they're beautiful in a totally different way because you're seeing something that you've never seen before, because it is brand new," he said. "The river carved a new path and opened up new vistas."

Chimney Rock Village regularly posts updates and new openings on its Facebook page.

Visit RaiseTheRock.com for more information on Chimney Rock's plan going forward.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSHelene: A Journey of Hope (Return to Chimney Rock)

 Duke Energy Corp. says its move to combine electric utility subsidiaries in North and South Carolina into one entity could save customers more than $1 billion over a decade.

The Charlotte-based utility said it formally asked federal and state regulators on Thursday for permission to join together Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress, which have several million customers. The savings would come in part from streamlining operations and spreading out infrastructure expenses.

The two entities have operated separately since the 2012 merger of Duke Energy and Raleigh-based Progress Energy. Duke Energy, which likens the request to moving two company divisions into one, said in a news release that it wants the change to be effective Jan. 1, 2027.

The two entities combined own 34,600 megawatts of energy capacity, producing electricity for 4.7 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in service areas covering 52,000 square miles (134,680 square kilometers). Duke Energy is the dominant electric utility in North Carolina.

Under the current setup, Duke Energy must maintain four different retail-rate structures - two for each subsidiary in each state - and produce four annual filings for state regulators who approve rates - creating confusion for the public. If the combination is approved, the company said, rates would blend gradually between the sets of customers.

The company says a combination means fewer resources would be needed to meet electric demands compared to if the two entities remained separate. They could run fewer energy production units, using less fuel and spending less on maintenance, the release said. The two entities already work together on managing electricity demand and other efficiencies.

"Combining our two utilities reduces customer costs, simplifies operations, supports economic growth and promotes regulatory efficiencies, all of which will create value for customers in both states," said Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, executive vice president and CEO at Duke Energy Carolinas. "There will be no immediate changes to retail customer rates or services."

Duke Energy, one of the nation's largest electric holding companies, said it projects retail customer savings from the combination to reach more than $1 billion through 2038. That's after any expenses, with additional savings expected after that.

Duke Energy Carolinas' coverage area spans much of central and western North and South Carolina, including Charlotte and Durham in North Carolina, and Greenville and Spartanburg in South Carolina.

Duke Energy Progress generally covers eastern and central North and South Carolina -- including Raleigh, Fayetteville and Wilmington in North Carolina and Florence and Sumter in South Carolina. But its coverage area also includes Asheville, North Carolina, in the west.

The combination needs approval from North Carolina Utilities Commission, the Public Service Commission of South Carolina and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. They would all continue to regulate the combined utility.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSDuke Energy seeks to merge Carolina utilities, projecting $1B+ in customer savings

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Only Hope Announces Leadership Changes to Safeguard Mission Serving Homeless Youth
August 18, 2025 (Hendersonville, North Carolina) – The Board of Directors of Only Hope
WNC, Inc., a Hendersonville nonprofit dedicated to providing support, housing, and life skills
training for homeless youths, announced today that Michael Lee Absher, its former Chief
Executive Officer, has been formally removed from all positions of authority. This decision
follows his recent arrest. Mr. Absher is no longer affiliated with the organization. While the legal
process has not yet been resolved, Only Hope’s Board recognized the need to act swiftly to
ensure the continued stability and integrity of the nonprofit’s operations.
“The safety, well-being, and trust of our clients and the community are our highest priorities,”
said Kyle Barker, Interim Chair of the Only Hope Board of Directors. “While this is a difficult
moment, it is necessary for Only Hope to completely separate itself from Mr. Absher. We are
committed to transparency, stability, and moving forward with purpose.”
In addition to removal from employment and involvement in Only Hope programs, the former
CEO will no longer reside at nor have contact with Only Hope’s residential facility. The Board of
Directors has begun development of short- and long-term plans for Only Hope programs,
implementation of safeguards to prevent future issues, and potential expansion of staff to provide
additional oversight. The Board will meet weekly to actively manage daily operations, to engage
with community partners, and to ensure that the organization remains a safe, supportive, and
trusted community resource.
The Board of Directors urges community members to continue supporting Only Hope’s mission
during this transition period.
About Only Hope WNC Inc.
Only Hope WNC, Inc. is a Hendersonville-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity whose mission is to
promote the value of education, honor individuality and diversity, nurture respect for self and
others, and provide hope for young people in need in the community. Since 2010, Only Hope has
aided more than 19,000 young people, including the estimated 300+ homeless students in
Henderson County

Henderson County officials warn of rising indoor bat encounters, urge safety measures

County officials in Henderson County are warning residents of an increase in bat sightings indoors.

According to Andrew Mundhenk, the spokesperson for the Henderson County Department of Public Health, the county is seeing an increase in calls from residents in the Hendersonville area.

Numerous bat encounters are now prompting officials to highlight safety reminders when it comes to the potential risks of bat exposure, no matter what county you live in.

“Exposure reports we’ve received were from summer camps,” Mundhenk said. “During the summer camp season, when a camper would wake up and find a bat flying around in their cabin.”

Bats are a rabies vector species and are primarily nocturnal, but can be seen foraging for food around dawn and dusk.

Mundhenk tells News 13, human-bat encounters are on the rise.

STORY COURTESY OF WLOSTV-13

FIRE AT MOE'S BBQ IN HENDERSONVILLE AUGUST 13, 2025
On Wednesdayafternoon, the Hendersonville Fire Department responded to a smoker fire at Moe's on Asheville Highway. The fire was stopped from spreading into the building thanks to some quick responses by the crews. Fortunately, there were no injuries and the fire was quickly contained.

Jeff Egolf, local Hendersonville area Auto Dealer for many years has sold his Brevard Ford-Jeep-Dodge and Ram dealerships.

The store has been managed for a number of years by Jay Egolf, the son of Jeff Egolf.

The new owner is Rich Mayhon from Morrow Georgia. Mayhon has operated successful Toyota, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram stores in the area.

Mayhon plans on relocating to the Brevard area to manage the two stores.

Blue Ridge Community College Announces Summer 2025 Dean's List
HENDERSONVILLE, NC – Blue Ridge Community College recognized outstanding academic performance by announcing its Summer 2025 Dean’s List this week, which includes high-achieving students from five Western North Carolina counties. To earn this distinction, full-time students achieved a semester grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Each honoree received a personal letter of congratulations from Blue Ridge President Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood.

“The Dean’s List at Blue Ridge Community College honors students who are not only excelling academically, but also making a meaningful investment in their careers and communities,” said Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood, president of Blue Ridge. “Their hard work and determination prepares them to soon step into critical roles in our local and regional workforce.”

The following students, listed with program of study and county of residence, were named to the Dean’s List for Summer 2025:

Buncombe County

Madisyn Ballard, Cosmetology AAS, Business Administration - General Business Admin Pathway

Kelly Burgess, Associate in Arts

Sydney Cooper, Business Administration - General Business Admin Pathway

Henderson County

Robert Adams, Business Administration - General Business Admin Pathway

Dillon Baker, Public Safety Administration - Emergency & Fire Management, Fire Protection Technology AAS

Deitrice Buckner, Associate in Arts

Donovan Buddo, CCP College Transfer Pathway - AA

Joselynn Corn, Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation

Mika Edenfield, Information Technology - Artificial Intelligence

Heather Fisher, Surgical Technology Combined Pathways AAS

Annabelle Gilliland, Associate in Science - Transfer Program

Brian Hales, Associate in Arts

Noah Hart, Associate in Science - Transfer Program

Milo Jones, Information Technology - CyberSecurity Pathway AAS

Dylan King, Automotive Systems Technology Diploma CCP

Benjamin Land, Mechanical Engineering Technology - Pre-Engineering - Degree

Cameron Ledbetter, Associate in General Education

Diego Lopez Alejandro, Business Administration - General Business Admin Pathway

Charisma Mayfield, Physical Therapist Assistant 1+1

Logan McCreary, Welding Technology AAS

Sydney Moore , CCP College Transfer Pathway - AA

Yahir Moreno Guevara, CCP College Transfer Pathway - AA

Stacy Perez-Ibarra, Associate in General Education - Nursing

Brooklyn Posey, Cosmetology AAS

John Runkel, Associate in Science - Transfer Program

Darren Russell, Associate in Science - Transfer Program

Grace Simms, Surgical Technology Combined Pathways AAS

Noah Stepp, CCP College Transfer Pathway

Darby Sutton, Associate in Arts

Caleb Triplett, Welding Technology AAS

Ethan Wolfe, Associate in General Education - Nursing

McDowell County

Elizabeth Harrison, Associate in General Education - Nursing

Cassandra Hicks, Information Technology - Computer Programming & Development AAS

Polk County

Oviance Jackson, Business Administration - General Business Admin Pathway

Transylvania County

Kinslee Clark, Associate in Science - Transfer Program

Salem Jackson, Associate in General Education

Abbey Riddle, Associate in Arts

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A five-month investigation led to charges for nine people in what Buncombe County detectives call one of the county's largest fraud rings.

Detectives say ringleaders Angela Queen and Wesley McCrary were arrested in Marion on June 4. The two, along with seven others, are accused of targeting mailboxes in some of Buncombe County's most vulnerable neighborhoods after Hurricane Helene, including Swannanoa.

A five-month investigation led to serious charges for nine people tied up in one of Buncombe County's largest fraud rings. 

According to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the operation involved checks, IDs, and debit cards that were stolen from the mail. In some instances, those checks were washed, retyped on a typewriter, or stamped with one of the suspect’s names and cashed at area banks and businesses.

When the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Queen and McCrary, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office recovered a large amount of stolen mail, checks and credit cards.

"Identity theft and fraud can have serious financial consequences for members of our community and may go unnoticed for a long time," said Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office District 1 Captain Dustan Auldredge. "We encourage everyone to avoid leaving mail unattended for extended periods. If you are away or out of town, please find alternative methods to collect your mail. Additionally, we recommend checking your credit reports and financial records regularly for any suspicious transactions. I appreciate the hard work of our investigators, who dedicated significant time to investigating these crimes.”

STORY COURTESY OF WLOS-TV-13