Main Street in Downtown Hendersonville is a slice of American from our past.  Here is a short video of Main Street:  Hendersonville

Water Conservation Update

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The Hendersonville City Council met Thursday evening, August 7th and voted to adjust some water restrictions in order to help water-dependent businesses remain operational during the drought. Original restrictions created hardships for nurseries, car washes, landscapers, garden centers and others. Actions taken by the Council will help these businesses.    Garden Centers, Nurseries & Commercial Car Washes - All are required to reduce water usage by 20%. The base-line for comparison is last month's water bill. Business owners should record usage by checking and recording water meter readings.    Swimming Pools - As a point of clarification, swimming pools are currently and have always been able to operate during the water restriction period. Pools are not allowed to be drained and re-filled and new pools cannot be filled.    Landscaping - At this time the watering of existing and new landscaping is not permitted. The City Council may reconsider this at another time if enough data can be pulled together to support an alternative solution.    Currently, the Mills River flows at 24 cubic feet per second. The normal flow for Mills River is 40 cubic feet per second during the summer months. The City of Hendersonville's normal draw is 12-18 cubic feet per second. The current restrictions will be in place until rainfall or conservation reduction increases the flow of Mills River. These numbers do not include the water purchased from Asheville.    The Chamber will continue to work with City officials to help water-dependent businesses during this mandatory water restriction period.

Kidding Around Downtown"
Saturday, April 26 at 11:30 AM
Main Street, Hendersonville at the Gazebo between 4th and 5th Avenues Sponsored by Downtown Hendersonville, Inc.

This Saturday, April 26, 2008 come to Historic Downtown Hendersonville and see the new "kids" on the block as fifteen delightful, friendly, artfully decorated goats grace the downtown sidewalks for the next six months.  This year's exhibit is sure to "get your goat!"

Some may wonder why the move from bears to goats. 2008 marks the 40th Anniversary of  Connemara, the Carl Sandburg Home becoming part of the National Park System and we thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce folks to the heritage the prize winning Nubian Goats have with the historic site in Flat Rock.

The downtown family-friendly-fun public art exhibit began in 2003 with Bearfootin' in Hendersonville and this year we are pleased to introduce KIDDING AROUND DOWNTOWN.The festivities to showcase this year's KIDDING AROUND DOWNTOWN will begin at 11:30 am on Saturday morning at the Gazebo in the 400 Block of Main Street.  A ribbon cutting will occur, 15 beautiful goats will be unveiled for public viewing and a guided tour throughout the historic district will provide visitors a close up view and feature "Goat Quotes." Goat quotes will give visitors behind the scenes information and sponsors along with the artists will be available to give some insight on the design concept and materials used.

Sponsors for 2008 include: Shelley's Jewelry, Kilwin's of Hendersonville, Pardee Hospital, Private Mountain Communities, LLC, Macon Bank, Pinnacle Falls, The Perry Fisher Law Firm, Hannah Flanagan's Pub, Mast General Store, Four Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care, Carolina Ophthalmology, PA, Jane Asher Antiques, Community Foundation of Henderson County, Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, and Downtown Hendersonville.

Several folks work behind the scenes each year to make our public art display a success and often go unmentioned including The City of Hendersonville, Hendersonville Public Works Department, Hendersonville Police Department, Henderson County Travel & Tourism, Hendersonville Times-News and the Auto Body Repair Students & Faculty at Blue Ridge Community College.

The goats will remain on permanent display through Saturday, October 25 at which time a public auction will occur with a portion of the auction proceeds benefiting local Henderson County charities.

  HENDERSONVILLE FEATURED AS LOW-TAX RETIREMENT TOWN

PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULED FOR PROPOSAL TO WIDEN U.S. 64

Public Meeting To Be Held This Tuesday, February 5th

The N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT) will hold a public meeting Tuesday, February 5th, on a proposal to widen U.S. 64, Sixth Avenue West, to three lanes between Blythe and Buncombe streets.  The meeting will include information regarding the need to relocate graves in Oakdale Cemetery.  WHEN:  February 5th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. WHERE:  Henderson County Public Library, 301 N. Washington Street FORMAT:  Residents may drop in and speak indiviuallly with DOT officials, review project plans and comment about the possible relocation of graves in Oakdale Cemetery.  You may also send comments to engineer Paul White at paulwhite@dot.state.nc.usor via fax at 828.586.4043.  You may also write, referencing Transportation Improvement Program project number U-4428, to:           White           NCDOT Division 14 Design Construction Engineer           253 Webster Road           Sylva, NC  28779 Comments received will be considered as project plans are finalized.  We encourage members to voice their opinions to NCDOT.

Hendersonville prepares for the holidays:

“Tis the Season”: The Hendersonville Community Band presents “Tis the Season,” a concert of holiday music, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in Hendersonville High School auditorium. Admission is $10. Students 18 and younger are admitted free. Advance tickets are available in Hendersonville at Foxfire Gallery, Opportunity House and the Visitors Center. Call 696-2118.

Christmas at the Farm: Historic Johnson Farm will hold its holiday open house, “Christmas at the Farm,” from noon-5 p.m. Dec. 1. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children. Historic Johnson Farm is at 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville. Call 891-6585 for more information.

Christmas parade: Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association presents the 2007 Hendersonville Christmas parade at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 1 in downtown Hendersonville.

Hendersonville will officially kick off the holiday season Nov. 23 with the annual Downtown Holiday Lighting Celebration taking place at the gazebo on Main Street.

As the crowd counts down from 10, Santa will flip the switch and turn on the lights decorating downtown buildings and trees in a 16-block area.

“We all join in and sing those favorite holiday carols. To me that just evokes the sense of community. To me, that brings back the good old fashioned feel of Christmas,” said Lee Henderson-Hill, executive director of Downtown Hendersonville Inc., which sponsors the event.

In years past, the downtown lighting featured one large tree.

But, “This year, we’re going to have multiple trees throughout the downtown,” Henderson-Hill said.

Santa will arrive in a special vehicle, and he will give out about 500 candy canes to the children who can’t wait to tell him their wish list.

“It’s always a big surprise to see what Santa’s mode of transportation for the year will be,” Henderson-Hill said.

The crowds will fill the 400 block of Main Street, which will be closed for the event.

HENDERSONVILLE — Three Western North Carolina elementary schools were recently recognized as being some of the country’s most successful schools.

The U.S. Department of Education named Henderson County ’s Hendersonville Elementary, Polk County ’s Tryon Elementary and Yancey County ’s Bee Log Elementary schools as 2007 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools.

These schools were among 237 public and 50 private schools recognized for helping all students achieve at very high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap.

Hendersonville Elementary is a year-round, magnet school and has been designated a School of Excellence for six consecutive years and an Honor School of Excellence since the designation was established three years ago.

Two representatives from each Blue Ribbon school will be honored during a National Recognition Ceremony on Nov. 12-13 in Washington where they will receive a plaque and a flag signifying their Blue Ribbon School status.

Blue Ribbon School assessment criteria

Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests.

Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests.

For private schools, students, regardless of background, who achieve in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally normed tests.

Of the schools submitted by each state, at least one-third must meet the criterion of having 40 percent of the students from disadvantaged backgrounds and showing dramatic improvement.

State education departments nominate public schools for consideration.

Once all nominations are received, the U.S. Secretary of Education invites the nominated schools to submit applications for possible recognition as a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School.

SOURCE: N.C. Department of Public Instruction

Urban Designer's work on Exhibition

Hendersonville - Michael Singer,  Artist/Designer/Urban Planner, will have his work in the public realm relating to large scale infrastructure projects exhibited from now through Oct 20th at the Center for Craft Creativity & Design Gallery (1181 Broyles Road).  The designer has worked on Power, Waste Treatment and Educational Facilities along with affordable housing and urban parks.  His ideas have become models for successful urban and ecological renewal. 

The exhibition will include enlarged photographic images, drawings and models of projects throughout the world that illustrate creative solutions to urban infrastructure demands. 

www.craftcreativitydesign.org  

Located on the UNCA Kellogg Center 1181 Broyles Road
PO Box 1127 Hendersonville, NC 28793
Phone: 828.890.2050 Fax: 828.890.2060

Registration under way for YMCA soccer clinic

HENDERSONVILLE — The Henderson County YMCA is registering participants for its Little Kicks Soccer clinic for ages 4-6.

The clinic starts Sept. 11.

Children will learn the basic fundamentals of soccer, and parents will learn how to properly teach and support their children in an athletic atmosphere.

Registration for the Little Kicks Soccer Clinic is required. The cost is $40 for YMCA members and $50 for non-members. The clinic meets from 4:15-5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Berkeley Mills Park.

For more information and to register, contact Brandon Winecoff at 692-5774.

Henderson County Chamber of Commerce will hold the area’s premier health and retirement event, the Healthy Lifestyles Expo, at the Blue Ridge Mall on Four Seasons Blvd. on Thursday, May 15, 2008 from 1-6 PM

The goal of the Expo is to encourage residents of all ages to get healthy, get active and therefore enhance their quality of life by exposing them to services and goods offered by Henderson County business.

This year the Expo will feature a sneak preview and reception for area health related office managers. The sneak preview provides us an opportunity to thank those who manage healthcare facilities throughout our community, and to allow them an early opportunity to experience the Healthy Lifestyles Expo. This will be open to health care related business in our community and invitations will be mailed.

The health care providers, retirement and assisted living communities, financial institutions, and other pillars of this event will be exhibiting at the expo. This year’s goal is to include golf courses, racquet and fitness clubs, travel agencies, relocation companies and other businesses that represent a wider array of services sought by people of all ages. In keeping with the tradition started years earlier, a variety of free health screenings and great prizes will continue to be part of this year’s event.

A low overall tax rate is one of the five most important factors in choosing a place to retire according to a survey of Where To Retire magazine readers.  Hendersonville is featured in the third edition of America's Best Low-Tax Retirement Towns, written by Eve Evans and Elizabeth Niven, and published by Where To Retire magazine.

For more information go to www.wheretoretire.com.

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY AT LAKE POINTE LANDING  

Construction has begun on Henderson County's first erosion control permitted project at the Independent Living Plus Facility at Lake Pointe Landing located behind the Epic Theatre on Thompson Street.  The two-story, 92,000 sf structure will be completed in approximately 480 days based on a site work start last November.

The project has the unique distinction of being the first ever project permitted under the new Henderson County Erosion Control Ordinance.

While exact total costs are not known due to the design and furnishings being under separate contracts, the project's overall costs should approach 15 million dollars.  Henderson County's own Cooper Construction Company, Inc. was awarded the project.