Hendersonville News and Current Events

04.03.13
Cradle Of Forestry To Open April 13 With Living history Event

The Cradle of Forestry in America historic site will begin the 2013 season on April 13 with a living history event, “Old Time Plowing and Folkways.” David and Diane Burnette from Haywood County will demonstrate how their Percheron draft horses work the land the old way. Weather permitting, they will plow the Cradle’s vegetable garden along the Biltmore Campus Trail and teach a skill that was once familiar to many. The Cradle of Forestry’s living history volunteers will interpret wood carving and spinning among the historic buildings. Visitors can also learn how to make their own corn husk doll. Toward the end of the day, fiddle tunes will fill the air by the garden. The Cradle of Forestry will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 13 until Nov. 10. At various times during the season, living history volunteers will demonstrate wood crafts, fiber arts, blacksmithing, open hearth cooking, broom making and candle making. The Giving Tree Gift Shop at the Cradle offers many of their creations. Other events planned in 2013 include a June 15 Twilight Firefly Tour, the Songcatchers Music Series Sunday afternoons in July and Forest Festival Day on Oct. 5. Visitors can enjoy guided trail tours, interpretive programs and rotating exhibits through the season. Admission to the Cradle of Forestry is $5 for adults and free for youth under 16 years of age and those with Federal Recreation passes and Golden Passports. Access is free on Tuesdays, sponsored by the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association.

04.03.13
Plugging In: Installing an Electric Vehicle Charging Station

As more electric vehicles (EV) hit the road, an increasing number of businesses are installing charging stations to serve drivers who will be plugging in instead of filling up.Charging stations not only present an opportunity to serve the community and make a little extra profit, they also help to draw more customers in to purchase your products and services and keep them coming back. Installing a charging station These key factors should be kept in mind when considering a charging station installation: Mounting options. Pedestal mounts are ideal for sidewalks or open parking areas, providing easy access to charging equipment from parking spaces. Pole- and wall-mounted equipment can be used in areas with space restrictions or in parking garages. Lighting and shelter. Shelter is not necessary when Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) approved charging equipment is used, but adequate lighting and shelter is recommended for convenience, safety and as an incentive for use. Signage. Signs are recommended to alert drivers as to the location of charging equipment and to restrict parking. Access. Control systems can limit access to pre-approved vehicles, which is useful for limiting access to employees or fleet vehicles. Facilities with public stations can use this equipment to track usage. Standards. Article 625 of the National Electric Code (published by the National Fire Protection Association) covers the installation and operation of charging stations. Charging receptacles and connectors should be compliant with the Society of Automotive Engineers standard J-1772. Local building codes and access to power supplies must also be considered since they can have a substantial impact on the time and cost of installation.

04.03.13
Bio/renewable Diesel Fuel Plant May Be Coming To Penrose

Transylvania County could become home to a bio/renewable diesel fuel plant, the first of its kind in Western North Carolina, an agent for the proposed project's developers said Tuesday. Renewable Developers LLC is looking at possibly locating a $22.3 million facility in Penrose at the site of the Transylvania Community Airport, on Old Hendersonville Highway five miles east of Brevard, said Matthew Ross, an attorney listed as the business owner's agent on applications filed with the N.C. Utilities Commission. Several locations in North Carolina and other states are under consideration, but Penrose is the strongest contender, he said. The proposed power plant would use biomass to generate gas that would fuel electric generators, Ross said. The developers would pursue a potential agreement with Duke Energy to sell the utility energy, he explained. The technology that would be used to generate electricity at the plant is being seen as a viable source of renewable energy, said Transylvania County Planning and Economic Development Director Mark Burrows. TCPED, along with the county, the Transylvania Partnership and other economic allies, have worked for the past two years to hopefully bring the new power plant to the area, he said. The process for creating the bio/renewable diesel fuel entails using feed stock, such as wood, agriculture waste or other materials that can be placed in a closed container, and putting it through a gasification system that converts the material into a synthetic gas, similar to natural gas, Ross and Burrows said.

04.03.13
Pisgah Brewing Drops USDA Organic Certification

A North Carolina brewery is dropping its federal organic certification because of difficulty in finding organic hops and other ingredients. Pisgah Brewing of Black Mountain is dropping its organic certification from the U.S. Agriculture Department. Pisgah Brewing President David Quinn says the USDA changed its requirements for organic certification about five years ago and no longer has an exception for breweries that use non-organic hops. He says Pisgah Brewing had to become 100 percent certified organic or drop the USDA organic symbol. Pisgah has made the organic certification part of its brand since the brewery opened in 2005. Most of Pisgah's beers are sold on draft. Quinn says the brewery will discontinue using the USDA organic seal on its growler bottles.

04.03.13
Fountain Taking Shape at Sixth Ave. and Main St.

A copper dome, hammered out by hand in the form of three local mountain ranges, now sits atop a foundation of native boulders in a 15-foot-wide basin at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Main Street in Hendersonville. The structure, still in creation, will spring to life May 1 as a mountain of waterfalls and a fountain of whimsy the artist hopes will be enjoyed for generations to come. Arden artist Berry Bate and her assistant, Jeff Payne, began assembling the massive 10-foot fountain at the downtown intersection on March 20. Steve Haun, owner of Tanbark Landscape Company Inc., was on site Monday working with Bate to integrate native boulders into the metal structure. Haun added large, weathered boulder of granite stone, weighing in at about 500 pounds apiece, to the fountain one at a time. Each piece has “to be set just right,” he said, for the fountain to flow fluidly. It “has to all tie together,” he added. When complete, waterfalls will flow down the mountains in several places, over a cropping of stones, illuminated by artificial and natural lights to add life to the piece. The fountain is capped with a U-shaped copper mountain range depicting the peaks of Pisgah, Pinnacle and Sugarloaf mountains. “I wanted to convey the feeling of the mountains surrounding us,” Bate said. Most of the people around here love the mountains and the waterfalls, she added, and the fountain will tie those two loves together in a special tribute to the area. “I really wanted to make it an art piece, but realistic to the mountains,” Bate said, a piece that can breathe a life of its own. “That’s the trick as an artist, to make the piece alive.”

04.03.13
Brevard College Music Education Major Receives National Scholarship

Brevard College student Brandilyn Davidson is one of only four college musicians in the nation selected to receive a Women's Band Directors International (WBDI) scholarship. Davidson, a post-baccalaureate teacher license candidate studying music education, is the recipient of the WBDI's prestigious Patricia Garren Scholarship. "I am honored to receive this scholarship," said Davidson. "Patricia Garren, the band director for whom the scholarship is named, is a highly regarded retired music educator who received state, regional and national recognition throughout her career." The talented clarinetist is also the winner of the Brevard College Concerto Competition and will solo with the College's Symphonic Wind Ensemble concert on April 9 in the Porter Center for Performing Arts. In addition to her studies at Brevard College, Davidson is both a performer and private teacher within the community. She teaches private clarinet lessons at Brevard High School and Hendersonville High School, and private saxophone lessons at Rosman Middle School. The Texas native plans to teach middle school band as well as pursue a master's degree in woodwind performance once she graduates. Brevard College Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Miller Asbill said Davidson represents "the best of the best" in the College's Music Department. "Very few students in the country receive such a prestigious recognition," said Dr. Asbill. "We are extremely proud to have Brandilyn as our first student to receive this honor." WBDI is an organization in which every woman band director is represented at the international level regardless of the length of her experience, or the level at which she works. It is the only international organization for women band directors, and is intended to serve as an association which supports, promotes, and mentors women in the band field.

04.03.13
CarePartners Becomes Affiliated Member Of Mission Health

At the invitation of CarePartners Health Services, Mission Health has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding for CarePartners to become an affiliated member of the Mission Health system. The signed MOU symbolizes the beginning of a collaboration that will ultimately enhance patient care in Western North Carolina, according to a CarePartners news release. “We are honored to enter into a formal affiliation with Mission Health,” said Tracy Buchanan, PT, MBA, president and CEO of CarePartners Health Services. “As a trusted partner and leader in health care, Mission Health’s goals align with our vision of improving the delivery of healthcare for our patients and communities. This affiliation will enhance our ability to extend our network of care while working with a nationally recognized Top 15 Health System.” The MOU outlines the major terms of the proposed relationship between CarePartners and Mission Health. The due diligence process will begin immediately and a definitive contractual agreement will be finalized at the completion of the process. "The emerging health care environment requires providers to explore more integrated delivery systems for the best possible patient care," said Dr. Myron Smith III, a member of the CarePartners Board of Directors and an orthopedic surgeon with Blue Ridge Bone and Joint. "Together, CarePartners and Mission will discover and pursue opportunities for more timely, efficient and appropriate care delivery systems to help achieve exceptional clinical outcomes."

02.14.13
Tryon couple finds love in golden years

Phil Goree sat on his couch at Tryon Estates with a big smile on his face. Why was he smiling? The answer sat under his right arm, snuggled up next to him. Phil and Joyce Goree celebrated their first anniversary together in December and are consumed with that “lovesick puppy” feeling. The newlyweds, however, aren't puppies. Phil, 89, and Joyce, 73, married in December 2011. The couple had spent nearly 60 years married to other people before losing their spouses within weeks of each other in 2010. Neither of the Tryon Estates residents planned on remarrying. But that all changed one day when Phil, sitting in the lobby of the retirement complex, saw Joyce walk through the corridor. “I thought, ‘who in the world is that striking woman,” he said and described her as “tall and statuesque.” He didn't talk to her then. The initial meeting took place months later at a dinner. The two hit it off and began dating. Their first date was a movie at Epic Theater, but neither can recall the movie. “Who was interested in the movie?” Phil joked. Joyce echoed those sentiments. “I felt like a teenager again,” she said. The couple sat near the back and held hands the entire time, she said. That was early in 2011. In May of 2011, the couple went on a cruise on the Columbia River. That's when their love blossomed into the forever kind. Before the cruise was over, Phil ushered her onto the deck. With beautiful scenery surrounding them, he began to express his undying love. “She said, ‘are you proposing to me?'” he said. “I said, ‘well, I guess I am.' Then I got down and made an official proposal.” Despite her initial feelings that she didn't want to remarry, Joyce gave in. “He just won my heart,” she said. They married in December of that year in front of family and friends. Phil sang “September Song” by Frank Sinatra at their wedding. “Everyone was in tears after that,” Life Care Consultant Carmen Jackson said. Since their wedding day, they spend their time going to the movies, walking and working in their flower garden. They sing together in the church choir and the Tryon Estates choir. They attend service at Tryon United Methodist Church and both serve on committees. “It's been wonderful,” Joyce said. “I feel as though we've been married a long, long time,” Phil added. For their first anniversary, Phil gave Joyce a gold cross. She gave him golf balls and a retrieval tool to get his ball out of a water trap. “That tells you about my golf game,” he joked. While Phil may be unlucky on the golf course, he is lucky in life and in love, he said. Their first year of a marriage has been a good one. “It's fantastic,” Phil said. “It's as if I've known her all my life.”

02.14.13
Members of the Flat Rock Village Council support a proposed municipal park

Members of the Flat Rock Village Council voiced overall support for a proposed municipal park Thursday, but expressed concern about how to pay for the estimated $160,000 to $170,000 in annual maintenance costs the park would require. Weighing in on the matter publicly for the first time during Thursday's monthly meeting, the council scheduled a special-called public meeting for 2 p.m. Feb. 25 to continue its discussion regarding the potential purchase of the Highland Lake Golf Club property for development of a future Highland Lake Park. “We're not about to rush into a decision whether or not to buy the property,” Mayor Bob Staton said. “We're going to consider it and take the time that's necessary, but we can't delay it a lot because it would be unfair to the owners of the property who need to continue the operation of the golf course” as it prepares for high school golf season and individual club membership renewals beginning April 1. Staton added that the village would have to be under contract to purchase the property in order to qualify for a $500,000 grant that the Highland Lake Park Exploratory Committee applied for from the N.C. Parks and Recreational Trust Fund, which is expected to make its decision by June 1. The committee has given the council an estimate of $1.5 million to develop the property into a passive-use park – with no organized activities such as baseball, softball or golf – in addition to the purchase price. The course is on the market for $1.3 million, and Henderson County optioned the property in 2011 for $1.1 million before abandoning plans for its own park and soccer complex there after citizens objected.