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 Masks will be optional in Henderson County Public Schools starting Tuesday morning after a unanimous school board vote on Monday.

The Henderson County Board of Public Education voted 7-0 to make masks optional during its Feb. 14 meeting.

Several Western North Carolina school districts are set to reconsider their masking policies Tuesday. It comes as the latest COVID-19 surge, fueled by the omicron variant, begins to subside and case numbers decline.

A spokesperson for HCPS says the district plans to communicate the changes that are effective tomorrow immediately following the conclusion of Monday's board meeting.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSMasks optional for Henderson County schools after unanimous vote | WLOS

Pardee UNC Health Care announced Tuesday they will be reopening two Urgent Care locations that were forced to close Monday due to staffing issues.

On Monday, Jan. 10, it was announced the Urgent Care locations in Fletcher and Mills River had been temporarily closed for a variety of health reasons.

“As a result of staffing issues, Pardee has temporarily closed both the Mills River and Fletcher Urgent Care locations in order to reallocate resources. We hope to re-open these locations within a few days. Both the Brevard and Hendersonville locations remain open. However, due to limited testing supplies, these locations are testing symptomatic patients only.”

As of Tuesday morning, the organization announced they had reopened both locations, with Pardee Urgent Care Fletcher is back open with a full spectrum of urgent care services while Mills River is open to COVID testing only for symptomatic patients.

For those seeking COVID tests, they did note, to preserve limited supplies, all of the urgent locations will only be testing patients demonstrating symptoms.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOShttps://wlos.com/news/local/pardee-urgent-care-locations-in-fletcher-mills-river-reopen

A group of North Carolina voters has filed a legal challenge against U.S. Representative Madison Cawthorn’s 2022 candidacy for reelection.

Nonprofit organization Free Speech for People, a "nonpartisan, non-profit legal advocacy organization with constitutional law expertise," which is serving as lead counsel in the matter, announced on Monday that the challenge was filed before the North Carolina State Board of Elections. The challenge "alleges that Cawthorn is constitutionally disqualified from public office under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution based on reasonable suspicion that he helped facilitate the January 6, 2021 insurrection," the nonprofit described in its press release.

The legal challenge brought against Rep. Cawthorn cites Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, known as the Disqualification Clause, which states, in part, “No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress. . . who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress . . . to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

Monday's release adds that no criminal conviction is required under the clause, and that "Cawthorn would be able to seek judicial review of an adverse decision."

“As set forth in our complaint, the publicly available evidence, including Representative Cawthorn’s own statements and reports that he or his office coordinated with the January 6 organizers, establish reasonable suspicion that Representative Cawthorn aided the insurrection, thereby disqualifying him from federal office," Ron Fein, legal director of Free Speech For People, said in the press release. "We look forward to asking him about his involvement under oath.”

Monday's release cites North Carolina's candidacy challenge statute, which states any registered voter can challenge someone's candidacy based on “reasonable suspicion or belief” that the "candidate does not meet the constitutional or statutory qualifications for the office.” Once a challenge is filed, the burden of proof shifts to the candidate, who “must show by a preponderance of the evidence . . . that he or she is qualified to be a candidate for the office.” The statute authorizes “depositions prior to the hearing, if requested by the challenger,” and “subpoenas for witnesses or documents . . . including a subpoena of the candidate.”

Fee Speech for People says the challenge will first be heard by a multi-county panel, which will be appointed by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. After the hearing, the panel will issue written findings of fact and conclusions of law. Its decision can be appealed by either side to the State Board, and the State Board’s decision can be appealed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

In addition to Free Speech for People, the group of voters who filed the complaint are also represented by Wallace & Nordan, a North Carolina law firm specializing in election law, and Robert F. Orr, a former Republican Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. The organization says James G. Exum, Jr., a former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, serves as Of Counsel in the matter.

Luke Ball, communications director for Congressman Madison Cawthorn, sent News 13 the following statement in regards to the legal challenge:

Over 245,000 patriots from Western North Carolina elected Congressman Cawthorn to serve them in Washington. A dozen activists who are comically misinterpreting and twisting the 14th amendment for political gain will not distract him from that service.

The challenge filed against Congressman Cawthorn is part of a larger, national campaign urging Secretaries of State to "bar elected officials who engaged in the January 6, 2021 insurrection from appearing on any future ballot," according to Free Speech for People's Jan. 5, 2022 announcement.

Cawthorn currently represents North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, but he has filed a notice for candidacy in the state's newly redrawn 13th Congressional District. The North Carolina Supreme Court has ordered the state to delay its primary from March 8 to May 17 while judges hear litigation on the redrawn maps. Appeals are expected afterward.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOShttps://wlos.com/news/local/madison-cawthorn-14th-amendment-disqualification-clause-legal-challenge-free-speech-for-people-north-carolina-district-13

 Tryon Elementary School is closed to students on Friday, Jan. 7, due to a significant increase in COVID-19 cases among staff members, as well as other illnesses.

Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene told News 13 that they're seeing a rise in COVID-19, the flu, strep throat, and a stomach virus among staff members there, from teachers to bus drivers to nutritional service workers.

School officials say a substantial number of staff members at Tryon Elementary are currently sick or quarantined.

The Polk County School system has already been impacted by staff shortages, making it extremely difficult to find additional substitutes and replacement staff on short notice.

District officials expect enough staff members to return to school on Monday, Jan. 10 so that students can return to class at Tryon Elementary.

Friday is still a required workday for staff there.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOShttps://wlos.com/news/local/elementary-school-closed-friday-after-significant-increase-in-covid-19-cases-among-staff

 Jill Hart, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Council on Aging for Henderson County, announced today that Ruth Birge was named interim executive director of the local nonprofit organization.  Effective immediately, Birge will fill in for Keith Logan who is leaving the organization after five years to pursue employment along the lines of his original career in software development.  Birge will lead an organization that, among other things, runs the Meals on Wheels program for 400 residents of Henderson County, provides liquid nutrition, congregate meals, and caregiver services to aging adults in the community. 

“We are fortunate to have someone of Ruth’s caliber, experience, and local knowledge to lead the Council on Aging while we take the next couple of months to conduct an extensive search for a permanent director,” said Jill Hart.  Birge serves on several areas boards and leads Vision Henderson County (a collaboration of the Chamber of Commerce and Blue Ridge Community College), a comprehensive leadership program designed to develop community leaders and promote networking. 

The Council on Aging is a nonprofit organization established in 1969 to provide and coordinate services to engage, connect, and support adults in our community as we age.  It currently serves meals to 400+ homebound clients each week in all parts of Henderson County.  In addition, they host congregate meals at the Sammy Williams Center, provide liquid nutrition to seniors who cannot get sufficient nutrition from solid food (many of whom are getting cancer treatment), and counsel aging adults and their families on helpful resources to navigate the aging process.  COAHC’s vision is, “No One Ages Alone.”  For more information on the Council on Aging, including how you can volunteer or contribute, visit coahc.org.

Hendersonville police ask for the public's help to identify the person suspected of multiple breaking and enterings in Hendersonville and neighboring counties.

Police released photos of a man and a suspect vehicle from a Dec. 8, 2021, break-in. Authorities say the man has a large tattoo on his left hand, and the Jeep used had fake license plates that were stolen from a car dealership the same evening.

If you have information regarding this case or the man's identity, you're asked to contact Detective Zeff Childress at 828-697-3071. Tips may also be submitted through the Hendersonville Police Department App, which can be downloaded in the iOS App Store or Google Play Store by searching "Hendersonville PD."

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOShttps://wlos.com/news/local/photos-man-suspect-accused-break-ins-hendersonville

A section of Interstate 26 East in Henderson County will be closed each of the next three nights with traffic diverting to roads with longer green lights.

A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will close the section from Airport Road (Exit 40) to U.S. 25 Business (Exit 44) in order to set beams for a new bridge on I-26 over Cane Creek.

A press release from NCDOT says starting around 8 p.m. each night, drivers will be directed to Airport Road (N.C. 280 East) then Hendersonville Road (U.S. 25 South) before rejoining I-26.

Traffic signals will remain green longer on this route to allow for movement of additional traffic. The interstate should open by 6 a.m. each of the following mornings.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSSection of I-26 East in Henderson County closing next 3 nights for construction | WLOS

First, an unseasonably warm December. Now, a cold snap to kick off the new year.

Western North Carolina has been on a rollercoaster of temperatures over the last month.

Tyler Hunsader, a co-owner of Jeter Mountain Farm in Henderson County, said the cold temperatures we're seeing are actually coming at a good time.

"It's kind of a sigh of relief, the fact that we do have some cold temperatures," Hunsader said.

He said his apples, peaches and blueberries need "chilling hours." They need time between 32 and 45 degrees to regulate their growth. If they don't get enough chill hours in the winter, the flower buds may not open at all in the spring or may open unevenly. Because of this, Hunsader said the warm December we just experienced could have been worrisome -- if it had continued.

While we have seen large fluctuations in temperatures over the last month or so, he said it's not a big worry for him right now, since these colder temperatures are what they needed.

"The two weeks of warm snap, now we have cold. It's not a big cause for concern, but it could be if it continues," Hunsader said. "If we were to continue, say 70 degrees through the next long two months, we'd have big issues."

He said last year, they had a late cold snap during flower production. He said that's the most susceptible stage for their crops, so the cold snap killed a lot of their blooms, causing them to lose anywhere from 75% to 95% of their crop.

This year, he's hoping they'll be in a much better position come harvest time, though he said it's too early to tell.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOShttps://wlos.com/