Home Care In Mills River, NC

MILLS RIVER, N.C. (WLOS) — An early morning fire claimed not only the home of one Mills River couple, but also their beloved pet as well.

A GoFundMe that was created in support explained that Mason and Lily Crofut’s home ignited in flames early Monday morning, Nov. 27, with their belongings and animals inside.

While they rushed to get all of their animals downstairs and out of the house, they lost their two-year-old beagle, Fred.

Mills River Fire Chief Rick Livingston said that they were dispatched to the fire at 12:07 a.m. on Monday morning. The home on Boylston Highway in Mills River was in flames upon arrival.

“My first arriving unit found heavy fire, it was a two story home and we found heavy fire coming from the first floor, also the second floor,” Chief Livingston said.

He added that they were able to rescue the couples’ two goats; one of the goats, Norman, neighbors said actually woke the couple up to the fire.

While both Mason and Lily did make it out of the home without serious injury, they did lose an important member of the family.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY AFTER HOUSE FIRE CLAIMS THE LIVES OF TWO PEOPLE

“Our hearts go out to them," Chief Livingston expressed. "You know that dog was obviously just like a member of their family."

He said that one of the owners did have some first-degree facial burns.

“He attempted to go back inside the residence I believe to attempt to rescue the dog,” he said.

Chief Livingston said that he had moderate burns but nothing serious.

The home, Livingston described is a large burn that has been converted into a home.

“The living area was on the upstairs of the second floor area of the structure, it’s destroyed for the most part,” he explained.

He said that there is also heavy water and smoke damage to the first floor as well.

“Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to them. It's something that in the fire service we hate to deal with, any loss of life, whether it’s pets or humans, either one,” the chief added.

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He said that they have found what they believed to be the cause of the fire.

“It was a chimney fire which basically ignited the wall of the home,” he explained.

As the weather gets colder, Chief Livingston said that they typically see more structure fires from heating sources and that chimney fires are no exception.

He advised people to have their chimney inspected and cleaned by a certified chimney sweep.

Livingston also encouraged the community to help the Crofuts’ if they’re able.

“We’re closing in on the holiday time of the year, we just wanna help these folks all we can,” he expressed.

There has been a GoFundMe page created to help the couple rebuild. You can find the link to donate here.

Mills River Fire Department's Moore honored

Mills River Fire Department Public Fire Educator Jeannie Moore recently received the BT Fowler Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Carolina Fire and Life Safety Educators.

According to a news release, Moore has been a Fire Life Safety Educator for over 23 years. This past year she was the North Carolina State Council of Fire and Life Safety Educators Chairperson.Moore has served in all positions with the Western Regional Association of Fire and Life Safety Educators, the release said, and received the award at the FLSE conference on Feb. 28.

Conserving Carolina, Blue Ridge Humane Society teaming up

Conserving Carolina and Blue Ridge Humane Society will be teaming up at 11 a.m. April 24 for an approximately 2-mile hike up Bearwallow Mountain. Conserving Carolina’s Community Engagement Director, Pam Torlina, will lead the hike from the trail head off of Bearwallow Mountain Road, and the Blue Ridge Humane Society will bring several adoptable dogs for people to walk with.

This will be an opportunity to give the dogs a break from the Adoption Center and allow them to enjoy a socializing walk outdoors. There is a limit to the number of dogs that can come from BRHS, so those interested in walking a dog can contact Cameron Davis, volunteer manager for BRHS, by April 1 to arrange a time for training orientation, pairing with the appropriate dog and to sign a volunteer waiver. Davis can be reached at [email protected].

Participants may also bring their own dog on the hike so long as they are kept on leash and do not have any nose-to-nose meetings with the BRHS dogs. If bringing your own dog, there is no need to go through orientation at BRHS. Pre-registration is mandatory for the Conserving Carolina/BRHS hike at Bearwallow Mountain, and space is limited to 20 participants. To RSVP and sign up for the hike, visit Conserving Carolina’s website calendar event at conservingcarolina.org/calendar.

Prescribed burn to be held in Holmes Educational State Forest

The N.C. Forest Service is planning to conduct a prescribed burn in Holmes Educational State Forest in Hendersonville during the week of March 11.

According to a news release, prescribed fire is the carefully planned use of fire under strict, predetermined weather and fuel parameters to obtain specific management objectives. This critical tool remains one of the most efficient and cost-effective forest management practices, helping North Carolina forests remain healthy and thrive, the release said.

The goal of the prescribed fire is to benefit the forest environment by improving wildlife habitat and the overall health of the forest while reducing vegetative fuels.mVisitors to the forest may see and smell smoke in the air during and after the prescribed burn operation.

While the forest will remain open to the public during prescribed burns, forest areas and trails near the burn areas may be closed. For more information about closures, contact the Holmes ESF office at 828-692-0100. To learn more about the benefits of prescribed fire, visit www.ncforestservice.gov/goodfire.

Council on Aging's March for Meals event set

The Council on Aging for Henderson County will host its annual March for Meals event, part of a nation-wide campaign aimed at raising awareness and funds to combat senior hunger, at 9 a.m. March 18. The event will kick off at the Council on Aging office, 105 King Creek Blvd. in Hendersonville.

The annual event commemorates the historic day in March 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 and established a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. The event will feature staff, volunteers and community leaders speaking about the importance of addressing senior hunger and isolation, followed by a proclamation from the Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk.

The event will conclude with packing that day’s meals for drivers to deliver to homebound seniors throughout the county. Participants have the opportunity to take part in a ride-along with a Meals on Wheels driver and get a hands-on look at the impact of this program. For more information visit coahc.org.

AAUW to host program for Women's History Month

In observance of Women’s History Month, Hendersonville's American Association of University Women branch will present “Great Women of the Suffrage Movement: Black Suffragists” during its general meeting at 11:30 a.m. March 15 at the First Congregational Church Fellowship Hall.This original program is narrated by women here in Hendersonville. Princess Ferguson, author of the program, will be presenting.

To reserve for the meeting, send an email to [email protected] and indicate ‘Yes’ if you’d like lunch, about which you’ll receive details. For more information see https://hendersonville-nc.aauw.net/.

MILLS RIVER, N.C. (WLOS) — Early morning package drop-offs have led to safety concerns for some drivers who work independently for Amazon.

The program, Amazon Flex, allows for independent contractors to sign up to deliver Amazon packages. But, when these packages are delivered in the early morning hours, it can lead to dangerous situations as homeowners may not know who is showing up to their door.

Charles Boyer, an Amazon Flex driver, explained how the program works.

"You're able to take certain blocks at certain portions of the day, different hours, and you're able to work that for a set amount of money, so it's more of a guaranteed amount," he explained.

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He said drivers pick up packages at the Mills River Amazon facility but don't know where they're going until they've accepted the route.

Crystal Carter, another Amazon Flex driver, added that while they are able to set their own schedules, it's all happening in the early morning hours before the sun comes up.

"Nine times out of 10, they have no porch light," she said. "They don't have numbers on their houses. It'll be a black house with a black number."

Boyer explained how it's a tricky balance because, on one hand, you don't want to make enough noise to wake people up, but at the same time, if you're too quiet, it can be seen as sketchy.

"No matter the amount of clothing you wear, from the Amazon vests to having your hazards on, you know, headlights on, whatever it may be, it's still not going to prevent someone from freaking out in the middle of the night," he said.

Amazon Flex driver Kelly Bruce remembered an instance when she tried to deliver a package when a dog was outside.

"He started growling, still wagging his tail. I got back in my car as quickly as I could, drove into their driveway and tossed that package onto their front step," she said.

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Carter added that drivers are just trying to do their job, and many people don't even turn on a porch light for them when it's pitch black in the middle of the night. It can lead to a range of issues with animals or even a gun being pointed at their face.

Boyer remembered he pulled into a driveway with his hazards and headlights on to ensure his presence was known.

"Next thing I know, I looked up, and it felt like someone was looking at me, and he just had a gun pointed at me," he recalled.

Luckily, the man calmed down after he realized that Charles was there to deliver a package, but it was still a scary situation.

"I don't think when I took this job, I ever thought in a million years that somebody would pull a gun on me 'cause I was delivering an Amazon package," Bruce expressed.

Amazon said Amazon Flex delivery partners sign up for delivery blocks that fit their schedule and do not have sign up to deliver in the early morning hours. Also, if a driver arrives at the delivery location and does not feel safe, Amazon said they're not expected to deliver their route and will not be penalized for refusing. Customers can also choose their delivery preferences at check-out and pick the delivery time that's most convenient for them.

Carter expressed how drivers need help getting the word out about flex drivers because they're just trying to provide for their kids and families.

"Flashers weren't enough, his vest wasn't enough, a sign on our car isn't enough. I mean, I get it we're not showing up in 30-foot vans, but we only have so much at our disposal," Crystal explained.

Carter said that's another issue of people finding it odd when they show up in their personal vehicles instead of an Amazon van.

"Please, please tell your friends, tell your family we are out here. If you are getting a delivery after 5 p.m. and before 10 o'clock in the morning, you're going to see me. You're not going to see your normal van delivery driver," she explained.

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Boyer added that especially going into the holiday season, if you've ordered a lot of Amazon packages, know that there could be many Amazon drivers delivering them, even some not in Amazon vans.

All three flex drivers advised those living in gated communities to put gate codes on their Amazon accounts.

"Most of these people don't get their packages because we're at a gated community at 5:45 in the morning," Bruce said. "We can't call you because Amazon says we can't call until after 8, and then your package gets sent back."

Another helpful thing that homeowners can do is to put a box at the edge of their driveway for Amazon deliveries. If you're unable to do that, they said not to be surprised when a car shows up in the middle of the night to deliver your package.

With the holiday season on the horizon, Amazon deliveries will ramp up, and flex workers ask community members to be aware and to please leave a porch light on.

Steve Kelly, a spokesperson for Amazon, released the following statement on behalf of the company:

"The incidents detailed in this story are unfortunate and—while they affect most companies and communities—we’re thankful that they’re exceedingly rare across our network. Safety is always our top priority, and we continuously invest in protecting drivers and community members—those efforts have decreased violent incidents, year over year, and incidents like this comprise a tiny fraction of all deliveries completed by Amazon Flex delivery partners in the United States. Nonetheless, we will continue to invest in this area because even a single incident is one too many."

A TINY home community in Mills River, North Carolina holds 92 houses with residents paying just $550 a month in rent.

Each home is unique in this rural village with multiple generations of tiny homeowners.

Situated among the Blue Ridge mountains is a 50-acre plot of former vegetable fields that’s now a community.

While Acony Bell does not build or sell tiny homes, its residents rent plots on which they can settle their unique own houses.

Residents pay around $550 a month in rent to live at Acony Bell, and that includes bills like water, sewage, recycling, and common area maintenance.

There’s also a beautiful community center and a community garden with a chicken coop and edible blueberry plants.

Among the 92 homeowners, there are newly-wed couples, middle-aged residents who were looking for a change of life, and retirees.

“This is, we feel, a better option for a lot of people who wanna have their own space and still be able to live within a reasonable means,” said community owner Mark in a video for the YouTube channel Tiny House Giant Journey.

Each individual plot has room to park a car, and residents are encouraged to build their own outdoor spaces such as decks, plantings, and hot tubs.

If you’re curious about trying the tiny home lifestyle, there are nine Airbnbs available to rent at Acony Bell.

‘BEST DECISION’

One resident, Cindy Bolero, told Tiny Home Giant Journey how happy she is since transitioning to the tiny home lifestyle.

Bolero initially received some skepticism when she told her friends and family about her plan to move into the tiny home, but she has never regretted her choice.

"I think this is probably one of the best decisions I made in my life," she said.

OTHER TINY HOME VILLAGES

But Acony Bell is far from the only community of its kind.

A coastal tiny home village, Tiny Tranquility, has 43 residents living in unique homes in Waldport, Oregon.

Like Acony Bell, each resident brings their own home and rents a plot of land.

They can also enjoy the village’s many amenities, which in this case, include a 12,000-square-foot greenhouse with a community garden, bike racks, and storage facilities.

In other communities, tiny home villages are being used as a solution to the housing crisis.

Just outside of Austin, Texas, Mobile Loaves and Fishes is a village of 328 tiny homes for formerly homeless residents.

And over in Detroit, Michigan, a village of 25 affordable tiny homes has been created for low-income residents thanks to donations by Jon Bon Jovi, Ford, and General Motors.

The City of Hendersonville is improving the water storage capacity of the North Fork Mills River Reservoir. The watershed and reservoir are located on completely forested, public lands within the Pisgah National Forest and have provided water to Hendersonville and surrounding areas for approximately 100 years. Over time, sediment has naturally accumulated within the reservoir which has begun to infringe on the water intake structure's ability to receive water.

“We recognize the importance of protecting our natural resources and are committed to ensuring that the North Fork Reservoir continues to provide clean water for our community," said Lee Smith, Water and Sewer Utilities Director for the City of Hendersonville. “Protecting natural water resources and working with partners like the U.S. Forest Service allows our community to enjoy life-sustaining natural water sources while protecting and sustaining our forests for future generations.” Utilities Director Smith explained the project is a proactive step to preserve the water source.

To ensure this pristine water source can continue to serve the community, the reservoir's water level will be temporarily lowered and accumulated sediment removed. The sediment will be temporarily stockpiled and then transported outside of the national forest for proper disposal. This process is known as "dredging," and will increase water volume along with improving water quality. Construction work will begin the week of April 24, 2023, and is expected to last several months until August 2023.

The construction area within Pisgah National Forest will be surrounded by safety fencing, and signage will be posted in the area. Forest users are advised to avoid entering construction zones for their safety and should exercise caution on the national forest roads due to increased construction traffic. Motor vehicle access to Wash Creek Road (FS 5000) from the North Mills River Campground to the Wash Creek Group Camp and Hendersonville Reservoir Road to the Trace Ridge Parking Area will be restricted during certain construction work activities that present safety hazards on weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

“The U.S. Forest Service has partnered with the City of Hendersonville for many years to achieve sustainable, multiple-use land and resource management to meet the diverse needs of the community,” said District Ranger Dave Casey, Pisgah National Forest. “Dating back to 1911, the legislation that authorized the federal government to purchase lands in the east, such as Pisgah National Forest, was focused on protecting the headwaters of our rivers and streams that had been decimated at the time. After 100 years of water supply to Hendersonville, we’re proud to continue that access to this remarkable resource for our local communities.”

The City of Hendersonville has provided clean, high-quality drinking water for over one hundred years. Currently, approximately 75,000 people across Hendersonville and Henderson County utilize the water system for affordable, trusted drinking water. The City currently sources water from three locations - the North Fork Mills River Reservoir and Bradley Creek located in Pisgah National Forest, and the main stem of the Mills River. A similar dredging project was completed in 2019 to remove accumulated sediment from Bradley Creek. Water travels from these sources to Hendersonville's water treatment facility where treatment occurs before traveling through pipes to homes and businesses across the community.

Additional information on the North Fork Reservoir Dredging Project is available at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/projects/north-fork-reservoir-dredging