News

It has been 24 years since the 'cross town' higway - known as Signal Hill Road was constructed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation in requests by local civic leaders.  It was seen by this group as a way to 'shortcut' traffic coming and going from the busy Highway 64 East (aka Four Seasons Boulevard) to and from Higway 25, known as the Asheville Highway.

 It has well lived up to it's 'moniker' and carries hundreds, if not thousands of vehicles daily along this route. 

NCDOT has not released any official 'traffic counts' on this road but are quick to say it is one of the fastest growing roads, traffic wise, in the area.

More traffic always computes into more accidents, one of which occurred on Monday morning at the intersection of Signal Hill Road and Linda Vista Drive, another heavily traveled road, an extension to Signal Hill Road from Four Seasons Boulevard.

If traffic and collisons are any indicator of signal lights, NCDOT will surely install one at this busy intersection in the near future.

Lewis Campbell “Cam” Boyd, Jr., 79, of Flat Rock, NC passed away on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 in Hendersonville. A lifelong resident of Flat Rock, he was the son of the late Helen McGarry Boyd and Lewis Campbell Boyd, Sr. Cam graduated from Hendersonville High School and has been recognized in the HHS Hall of Fame as an outstanding alumnus supporter. He attended Gardner Webb University and is a graduate of the General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan. During his four years in the United States Air Force, he served three years in Minot, North Dakota, and one year in Vietnam. Upon his return to Hendersonville in 1969, Cam entered the family business, Boyd Pontiac Cadillac and Buick, Inc, which he purchased from his father in 1982.

Cam has served the Hendersonville community as an active supporter and member of the Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce, St James Episcopal Church, Elks Club, Masonic Lodge and the American Legion. He was on the Board of Directors for Flat Rock Playhouse, Historic Flat Rock, Pardee Hospital, First Federal Savings and Loan, First Citizens Bank, NC Automotive Dealers Association, Shrine Club, Rotary, Hendersonville Country Club, Lake Summit Property Owners and an avid supporter of other numerous organizations. Cam established the Boyd Scholarship, honoring his father, which offers scholarships each year to students focusing on automotive technician programs at Blue Ridge Community College.

Cam’s happiest moments in life have been time spent with his family and friends, the many memories he made traveling, golfing and spending time with those he loved most. Cam’s zest for life, positive outlook, and meeting new people made everyone feel like a friend. A gregarious personality, he never met a stranger.

Cam was most proud of his involvement and partnership with the Henderson County Board of Commissioners to help facilitate the expansion of Hendersonville High School.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis Campbell Boyd Sr and Helen McGarry Boyd and his in-laws, Alexander Bayard and Betty Clark.

Surviving is his wife of 54 years, Sarah “Sally” Clark Boyd; daughter Emery Boyd Bettis and husband Christopher “Chris” Bettis of Winson Salem, NC; Lewis “Les” Campbell Boyd III and wife Paige Greene Boyd of Hendersonville; grandchildren Sarah Emery Bettis, William “Ames” Bettis, Campbell McGrady Boyd, and

Cooper Thomas Boyd; sisters Mary Helen Boyd Zimmerman of Hendersonville; Paula Boyd Irving of Hendersonville; brothers-in-law Robert Irving, Bayard Clark, Emery Clark; nieces and nephews; Beth Zimmerman Thelen, Erin Flynn Dunnuck, Natalie Clark, Jennifer Johnstone, Nadia Clark Hempen, Mills Clark Hall, Emmy Clark and Alex Clark.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Boyd Family Fund c/o The Community Foundation of Henderson County.

 Start your Thanksgiving morning with a fun-filled dash through downtown Hendersonville at the City’s 12th Annual Turkey Trot 5K! Whether you're a seasoned runner, a casual walker, or just in it for the costumes, this all-ages event is open to everyone.

The race kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on November 28, 2024, outside City Hall at Fifth Avenue East and King Street. You’ll trot through charming downtown Hendersonville and loop around to end the race back at City Hall. Runners and walkers should plan to be off the course by 10:30 a.m., leaving you plenty of time to feast. The race goes on rain, shine, or snow – so dress for the weather, and let’s make it memorable!

Registration is just $15 and includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. If you register by November 6th at 5 p.m., you’re guaranteed your preferred shirt size. We also need volunteers to put on a great event; volunteers can register online and get a free t-shirt for helping out. 

Race packets can be picked up on November 25th and 26th from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on the first floor of City Hall (160 Sixth Avenue East). Unclaimed packets will be redistributed by 9 a.m. on race day.

This isn’t your typical race – it’s all about fun! Costumes are encouraged, so break out your best turkey, pilgrim, or pumpkin getup. While it’s a non-sanctioned event, we’ll still hand out four fun prizes: farthest traveled, first male, first female, and a mystery time prize. Well-behaved pets (and well-behaved owners who clean up after them) are welcome at the race.

Before sitting down to your Thanksgiving meal, bring the entire family to the 12th Annual Hendersonville Turkey Trot!    

For more info or to register, visit www.hendersonvillenc.gov/turkeytrot 

Got questions? Contact Lu Ann Welter at (828) 233-3204 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

- Blue Ridge Humane Society (BRHS) invites the community
to participate in their 4th Annual Historic 7th Avenue District Pup Crawl, presented by Hunter Subaru, on
Saturday, October 19th, from 12-5 pm. Participants will purchase “Pawsports” and enjoy a pet giveaway
or treat and a unique pet-themed activity at participating dog-friendly food and beverage businesses,
earning stamps at each stop for a chance to win a grand prize.
The Brandy Bar + Cocktails, Celtic Creamery, Guidon Brewing Co., M&T Distilling, Southern Appalachian
Brewery and White Duck Taco Shop are the host businesses participating in Pup Crawl. Each business is
also generously donating 10% of sales on October 19th

, and the community is encouraged to support
these businesses by purchasing food, drinks and/or gift cards regardless of whether they have a
Pawsport.
“Pup Crawl is a fun and interactive event for dog owners, and we get to witness firsthand the bond
between dogs and their owners at each stop,” said BRHS Executive Director Angela Prodrick. “Not only
can community members come out to help raise funds for our mission to save lives, it is an opportunity
to support these 7th Avenue businesses who are hosting events, donating treats and sharing a portion of
proceeds during these difficult months of construction.”
Pawsports are $20 for one dog and $40 for 2 or more dogs from the same household, if purchased by
October 16th. After that date, Pawsports can only be purchased on the day of the event and pricing
increases to $30 for one dog and $50 for 2 or more dogs from the same household. Human-only
Pawsports can be purchased for the same price that will allow participants to collect all six stamps and
be entered into the grand prize drawing. Dogs must be leashed at all times and current on vaccinations.
Event will be held rain or shine.

Pawsports are available on the BRHS website, https://www.blueridgehumane.org/get-
involved/events/pupcrawl or by calling (828) 692-2639 ext. 304.

Special thanks to event sponsors Fletcher Animal Hospital, Veterinary Emergency Group (Asheville) and
Western Carolina Regional Animal Hospital and Veterinary Emergency Hospital and BRHS Ally Sponsor
Wag! A Unique Pet Boutique.
Blue Ridge Humane Society, Inc., is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization started in 1950 and dedicated
to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and neighboring communities.

BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption at the Adoption Center or in foster volunteer homes; offers low-
cost vaccine clinics, animal education programs, pet training classes, and youth education and projects;

coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive
Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the
Henderson County Animal Services Center.
If you believe in our cause, consider donating or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge
Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or calling (828) 692-2639.

 Retired UNC-Chapel Hill men's basketball coach Roy Williams and his wife, Wanda, are Western North Carolina natives, and they love being home in the mountains.

During his nearly two decades as the bench boss in Chapel Hill, Williams won three national titles. He is, simply, a college basketball coaching legend.

Over Labor Day weekend, the Williamses were presented the honor of being grand marshals of the King Apple Parade during the finale of the North Carolina Apple Festival in downtown Hendersonville.

"Well, when somebody asked me if we’d be the grand marshals, I wanted to make sure I knew what that meant,” Roy Williams said. “Little Hendersonville’s going to be pretty busy, but it’s a neat thing for us."

Festival organizers expected around 60,000 people at the parade with over 60 participating groups, some on floats, some on foot.

For Coach Williams, being honored alongside his wife just down the road from where they met in freshman Algebra 1 at T.C. Roberson High School made this occasion extra special.

“Wanda is still the most intelligent person I’ve ever known in my life and has done so many things for every team that I’ve ever coached. She's allowed me to do the things that I felt like I needed to do as a coach, and I missed a lot of things with my kids. She was always the one that took care of everything and so this is home for her. too," he said.

"It’s not just Ol’ Roy coming back home, it’s 'Wicked' Wanda coming back home, too,” he said.

AUG. 23, 2024, GAMES:

Pisgah: 0
Brevard: 35
FINAL

Andrews: 42
Rosman: 14
FINAL

Watauga: 14

TC Roberson: 0
FINAL

North Buncombe: 22
East Henderson: 28
FINAL

North Henderson: 7
Hendersonville: 20

West Forsyth: 19
AC Reynolds: 13
FINAL

Daniel Boone: 0
Erwin: 56
FINAL

Tuscola: 6
Asheville: 42
FINAL

Mountain Heritage: 54
Chase: 0
FINAL

McDowell: 16
RS Central: 21

Asheville School: 49
Hayesville: 7
FINAL

Avery County: 18
Cherryville: 20
FINAL

Charlotte Latin: 28
Mitchell: 14
FINAL

Cherokee: 21
Smoky Mountain: 34
FINAL

Christ School: 26
East Burke: 0
FINAL

East Rutherford: 45
Bessemer City: 0
FINAL

Enka: 34
Owen: 0

FINAL

Franklin: 33
Murphy: 7

FINAL

Polk County: 30
Madison: 0
FINAL

Robbinsville: 19
East Surry: 21
FINAL

Swain County: 11
Charlotte Country Day: 21
FINAL

Thomas Jefferson Classical: 21
Greenville Hurricanes: 25
FINAL

The Tryon Riding and Hunt Club canceled the 2025 Blockhouse Steeplechase, an event that's been a part of the Town of Tryon since 1947.

Several locals News 13 spoke with said they were sad but not surprised to see the event be canceled.

Kevin Parker has lived and worked in Tryon for the last 10 years and remembered the Blockhouse being a blast the first time he and his wife went.

"Blockhouse was like an institution. I mean, it's an annual thing. It was like a put-on-you-calendar, plan-around type thing," he said.

Parker said that they used to park on top of the hills and were able to see all of the activities happening on the infield.

"The tailgate contest, the best hat contest," he recalled.

He said that it was fun for people who weren't even horse fans and a fun way for the community to come together.

Another resident, Katie Doyen, has lived and worked in Tryon for over 20 years and said the Blockhouse Steeplechase used to be an event she never missed.

You just paid for the truckload of people to go, and we had tailgates," she said. "Everyone did different foods. It was so much fun."

However, Doyen and Parker said things changed when the event changed locations. The races were previously held at Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. In 2017, the club partnered with Tryon International Equestrian Center, which started hosting the event at the Green Creek Race Course.

"It was all spread out. It wasn't as friendly as it used to be," Doyen said.

She said that she felt that the event turned into something else.

"It was more for the elite people to do it rather than us locals," she said.

Parker said that he felt like the event stopped having the same feeling that it did in the past.

"It wasn't the type of gathering it had been. It wasn't as broadly community attractive," he said.

Doyen said that she wasn't surprised that the event is unable to keep going.

"The prices they were charging for the entry fee and all that stuff, and I heard you couldn't bring your own food, had to buy the food there," she said. "The best part of it was bringing out all the foods and sharing it."

The club said it plans to implement a thorough analysis to evaluate possibly bringing the event back at a future date.

Both Doyen and Parker said that they would love to see the Steeplechase come back, but only if it was able to go back to the way it used to be.

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF A BC 13 WLOSResidents reminisce about Blockhouse Steeplechase, but aren't surprised by cancelation (wlos.com)

Debby to bring flooding rains to parts of the Carolinas.

Debby is getting stronger in the eastern Gulf of Mexico this Sunday afternoon.

The National Hurricane Center predicts Debby will become a Category One Hurricane before making landfall along the Big Bend of Florida early Monday morning. From there, the storm will turn to the northeast and stall over coastal Georgia and South Carolina.

Tropical storm force winds from 39 to 57 mph are likely across coastal Georgia and South Carolina starting Monday morning, continuing through Thursday afternoon. A threat for a 2' to 4' storm surge begins Monday afternoon.

Also concerning is the threat of a 2' to 4' storm surge coinciding with a New Moon in Charleston, which could mean higher-than-normal high tides.

This storm will bring a life-threatening flooding situation due to slow movement and tropical rain for much of the upcoming week. The highest totals from 10" to 20" can be expected along and west of the I-95 corridor in South Carolina and Georgia. Local amounts approaching 30" of rain are possible!

Hendersonville City Council held a meeting on Thursday to delay a considering request to re-zone property located in close proximity to historic Druid Hills, making room for a rehabilitation facility for the homeless veteran women population. The Council has decided to take up request for the Felicia Reeves Home, coming up at it's September 5th council open meeting. This delay will however allow for additional time to address other concerns, one in particular regarding property location in floodplain. A public hearing wiill also take place on September 5th as well. Council has voted unanimously to continue the hearing for a re-zoning request, coming up in September. WHKP will continue to follow this story, as we learn more in the weeks ahead.

STORY BY WHKP's TYLER SAMS.