The leadership of Blocher Homes hastily called a meeting last week with the half-dozen loudest critics of plans to close the century-old residence for seniors in Williamsville.
kAms2?:6= ~V}6:== – AC6D:56?E 2?5 rt~ @7 q=@496C 2?5 :ED A2C6?E[ q6649H@@5 r@?E:?F:?8 r2C6 – EC:65 E@ 2==2J E96 8C@FAVD 4@?46C?D 367@C6 E96J >6E H:E9 2 qF772=@ }6HD C6A@CE6C =2E6C E92E 52J]k^Am
kAmw:=52 p==6?[ H9@ 2E `_b :D q=@496CVD @=56DE C6D:56?E[ H2D?VE 92G:?8 :E]k^Am
kAmQx E@=5 9:> E92E 96 H2D?VE E@ 5@ 2?JE9:?8 F?E:= x 925 <:4<65 E96 3F4<6E[Q D2:5 p==6?[ H9@ >@G65 :? 7@FC J62CD 28@ 27E6C 72==:?8 :? 96C %@H? @7 %@?2H2?52 9@>6]k^Am
People are also reading…
- Update: Old Fort man killed in motorcycle crash on I-40 identified
- 1 person killed in motorcycle crash on I-40 eastbound near Old Fort
- McDowell County Sheriff’s Office searching for missing classic car
- This WNC family lost their home in Hurricane Helene. 19 months later, they're getting a new one.
- Marion man charged with burglary and kidnapping after woman held against her will in home
- This new spot in Marion is offering locally grown food and beer, run by farmers and a brewer
- Morganton man charged with raping child; placed under $1 million bond
- McDowell Chamber of Commerce holds annual gala, awarding top businesses, leaders
- Duke basketball makes history with Amazon Prime deal, schedules marquee matchups
- U.S. Department of Agriculture declares 2026 drought a disaster for western NC
- McDowell high school victim testified before former guidance counselor pleads guilty to sex crimes
- Reports: NC Rep. Chuck Edwards under investigation for sexual harassment claims
- FEMA provides $1.4 million to rebuild from Old Fort’s Hurricane Helene damage
- Investigators allege friends of NASCAR's Greg Biffle stole from his home after plane crash
- 5 questions answered about the trial of former McDowell High counselor Jessica Finley
kAmQxV> 5625 D6C:@FD[Q D96 E@=5 %96 }6HD[ 49F4<=:?8 2E 96C F?:?E6?E:@?2= 82==@HD 9F>@C]k^Am
kAmq=@496C A=2?D E@ D6== :ED =@?8E:>6 9@>6 E@ !6@A=6 x?4][ H9:49 H@F=5 6IA2?5 E96 DECF4EFC6 2?5 C6@A6? :E 2D >:I65\:?4@>6 2A2CE>6?ED]k^Am
kAmq=@496C C6D:56?ED D2J E96J H6C6 3=:?5D:565 3J E96 AC@A@D65 4=@D:?8 2?5 E96J 5@?VE H2?E E@ =62G6 2 724:=:EJ H96C6 E96J 2AAC64:2E6 E96 D6CG:46D[ E96 2EE6?E:G6 DE277 2?5 E96 D6?D6 @7 4@>>F?:EJ] p D>2== 8C@FA >2J A:4<6E @FED:56 E96 tG2?D $EC66E 9@>6]k^Am
kAmq=@496C 2?5 q6649H@@5 @77:4:2=D D2:5 E96J 92G6 EC:65 E@ 36 EC2?DA2C6?E :? 255C6DD:?8 C6D:56?EDV 4@?46C?D] %96J D2J E96 :?E6?565 D2=6 :D 5C:G6? 3J E96 492?8:?8 64@?@>:4D @7 D6?:@C 42C6]k^Am
kAm%96 C6D:56?ED 2C6?VE 2=@?6 :? @AA@D:?8 E96 D2=6] }6:893@CD 2=@?8 tG2?D $EC66E 2?5 :? E96 DE2E6=J 9@>6D @? ':==286 !@:?E6 {2?6[ 369:?5 E96 q=@496C AC@A6CEJ[ 5@?VE H2?E E96 D6?:@C C6D:56?46 4=@D65[ 6:E96C]k^Am
kAmk6>mkDEC@?8m,#6=2E65i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3F772=@?6HD]4@>^a_`h^_g^`_^A6@A=6\:?4\9@FD:?8\A=2?D\5C2H\:C6\@7\?6:893@CD\:?4=F5:?8\6I4=FD:G6\2>96CDE\DF35:G:D:@?^Qm!6@A=6 x?4]VD A=2?D 7@C q=@496C w@>6D 2?86C ?6:893@CD :? FAD42=6 6?4=2G6k^2m.k^DEC@?8mk^6>mk^Am
kAmx? C6DA@?D6[ q=@496C :D 2D<:?8 H92E :ED C6D:56?ED H2?E E@ D66 :? 2? 2DD:DE65\=:G:?8 724:=:EJ 2E q6649H@@5 2?5 !6@A=6 x?4] :D H6:89:?8 492?86D E@ E96 AC@;64E D:E6 A=2?]k^Am
kAmQ(6 H:D9 H6 4@F=5 ;FDE A:4< FA q=@496C 2?5 A9JD:42==J >@G6 :E E@ E96 v6EKG:==6 42>AFD[Q ~V}6:== D2:5[ 3FE :?DE625 96 H2?ED E@ 6?DFC6 C6D:56?ED 42? 92G6 E96 D2>6 BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 2E E96 ?6H 724:=:EJ]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8mVp ;@=E E@ E96 DJDE6>Vk^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAm%96 C646?E=J C6G62=65 A=2? 42==D 7@C q6649H@@5 E@ D6== E96 q=@496C w@>6D AC@A6CEJ :? (:==:2>DG:==6 E@ !6@A=6 x?4] %92E 286?4J H@F=5 C6?@G2E6 E96 6I:DE:?8 3F:=5:?8[ H9:49 92D df 365D[ 2?5 3F:=5 2? 255:E:@? 5@F3=:?8 E96 D:K6 @7 E96 DECF4EFC6 2?5 4C62E:?8 2 E@E2= @7 gf 365D[ 2E 2 4@DE @7 Sah >:==:@?]k^Am
kAm~77:4:2=D H:E9 E96 ?@?AC@7:ED D2J E96J EC:65 E@ 4@@C5:?2E6 E96 AC@;64E 2??@F?46>6?E E@ E6== q=@496CVD d_ C6D:56?ED 7:CDE H:E9@FE @G6C=J DEC6DD:?8 E96>]k^Am
kAmp yF=J ad =6EE6C E@ E96 C6D:56?ED 56D4C:365 E96 QA@DD:3:=:EJ @7 C6AFCA@D:?8Q q=@496C w@>6D 2?5 AC@>:D65[ :7 C6BF:C65 2AAC@G2=D 2C6 8C2?E65[ 2 QC6DA64E7F= EC2?D:E:@? A=2? 7@C 2 ?6H V9@>6]V Qk^Am
kAm%96 =6EE6C :?G:E65 C6D:56?ED E@ 2 >66E:?8 E@ 36 96=5 2 D9@CE E:>6 =2E6C :? q=@496CVD 2F5:E@C:F>]k^Am
kAmxE 5:5?VE 6IA=:4:E=J D2J E96 D6?:@C C6D:56?46 H@F=5 36 D@=5 2?5 4=@D65[ ?@C 5:5 ~V}6:== FD6 E9@D6 H@C5D H96? 96 255C6DD65 E96 q=@496C 4@>>F?:EJ E92E 52J] u@C E9@D6 C6D:56?ED H9@ 5:5 F?56CDE2?5 H92E H2D 92AA6?:?8[ E96 ?6HD 42>6 2D 2 3=@H]k^Am
kAmQ%@ 36 E@=5 J@F 92G6 E@ >@G6 :D 2 ;@=E E@ E96 H9@=6 DJDE6>[Q D2:5 y@J46 {] (:=D@?[ ge[ 2 7@C>6C ?6HDA2A6CH@>2? H9@ 92D =:G65 2E q=@496C 7@C 7@FC >@?E9D]k^Am
kAmp==6?[ 2 7@C>6C D49@@=E62496C[ DA62<D 4=62C=J :? 2 G@:46 E92E C6E2:?D 96C ?2E:G6 (6=D9 2446?E]k^Am
kAmQx H2D 5:D8FDE65] p3D@=FE6=J 5:D8FDE65[Q D96 D2:5] QxEVD =:<6 2 56D64C2E:@?] w@?6DE=J[ :EVD =:<6 AF==:?8 5@H? 2 49FC49[ E@ >6]Qk^Am
kAmx? 2? :?E6CG:6H =2DE H66< :? E96 =:3C2CJ[ 2 D>2== 8C@FA @7 C6D:56?ED D2:5 q=@496C :D 2 DA64:2= A=246 E92E 42?VE 36 C6A=:42E65 H:E9:? q6649H@@5VD DAC2H=:?8 42>AFD :? v6EKG:==6]k^Am
kAm%96 C6D:56?ED AC2:D65 E96 8C@F?5D[ 24E:G:E:6D 2?5 6?E6CE2:?>6?E[ :?4=F5:?8 +F>32 4=2DD6D 2?5 4=2DD:42= >FD:4] %96J D2:5 E96 ?FCD6D 2?5 @E96C DE277 @776C A6CD@?2=:K65 2EE6?E:@? 2?5 C6>:?5 E96> H96? E96J D<:AA65 E96:C >65:42E:@?]k^Am
kAmQr9:=5C6? 42? 766= D276 E92E E96J <?@H E96:C A2C6?E :D 36:?8 E2<6? 42C6 @7[Q D2:5 |2CJ uC@?E6C2[ hb[ 2 q=@496C C6D:56?E 7@C EH@ J62CD]k^Am
kAmp?5 E96J C2G65 23@FE E96 7@@5[ :?4=F5:?8 AC:>6 C:3[ G62= >2CD2=2 2?5 2? 2>A=6 3C62<72DE >6?F] vF6DED 42? 4@>6 7@C 5:??6Cj C6D:56?E pC=6?6 w] q@=E@? 92D 2 D@?\:?\=2H H9@ E:>6D 9:D G:D:ED E@ =:G6C 2?5 @?:@?D ?:89E]k^Am
kAm(96? q@=E@? C6BF6DE65 82KA249@[ E96 4@@<D 25565 :E E@ E96 >6?F]k^Am
kAmQ*@F >:89E D2J H6VC6 2 =:EE=6 DA@:=65[Q D2:5 $J5 |24s@F82==[ fd 2?5 q=@496CVD J@F?86DE C6D:56?E[ H9@ 2CC:G65 :? y2?F2CJ 27E6C 2 D6C:6D @7 DEC@<6D]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8mq=@496C 4:E6D :?5FDECJ k^DEC@?8mkDEC@?8m492==6?86Dk^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAm#6D:56?ED D2J >2?286>6?E 92D?VE E@=5 E96> 6?@F89 23@FE H96C6 E96J H@F=5 8@ :7 q=@496C 4=@D6D]k^Am
kAm~V}6:== D2:5 E96 @C82?:K2E:@? :D D92C:?8 2D >F49 2D :E 42? 23@FE H92E H@F=5 92AA6?[ H96?[ E9@F89 E96 AC@;64E 2H2:ED DE2E6 2?5 =@42= 2AAC@G2=D]k^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 E96J D4965F=65 >66E:?8D H:E9 C6D:56?ED 7@C uC:52J 2?5 E9:D 4@>:?8 %9FCD52J E@ 86E E96:C :?AFE @? H92E E96J H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D66 2E 2 ?6H 2DD:DE65\=:G:?8 724:=:EJ 2E q6649H@@5VD |:==6CDA@CE w:89H2J 42>AFD]k^Am
kAmpE E96 >66E:?8 H:E9 E96 D>2== 8C@FA @7 @FEDA@<6? 4C:E:4D – @?6 E6?2?E 4@>A2C65 :E E@ 36:?8 42==65 E@ E96 AC:?4:A2=VD @77:46 – ~V}6:== 8@E 6>@E:@?2= 2E @?6 A@:?E] p C6D:56?E 244FD65 q=@496C @7 AFCDF:?8 E96 D2=6 2D 2 Q>@?6J 8C23[Q ~V}6:== C642==65]k^Am
kAmQ%92E C62==J 9FCE[Q 96 D2:5[ 255:?8[ Q%9:D 92D ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 >@?6J]Qk^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 E96 AC@A@D65 D2=6 @7 q=@496C w@>6D :D 5C:G6? 3J :?5FDECJH:56 492==6?86D :? E96 56=:G6CJ @7 D6?:@C 42C6 2?5 2 56D:C6 E@ 3C:?8 2== @7 q6649H@@5VD D6CG:46 =:?6D @?E@ E96 v6EKG:==6 42>AFD]k^Am
kAmq=@496C 92D 366? 36=@H 7F== 42A24:EJ 7@C J62CD[ AC:>2C:=J @? :ED =6DD\56D:C65 D64@?5 7=@@C] ~44FA2?4J 76== E@ fbT =2DE J62C[ E96 @C82?:K2E:@? C6A@CE65[ 2D D6?:@CD =:G6 =@?86C 2E 9@>6]k^Am
kAmq=@496C w@>6D 92D =@DE >@?6J 6249 @7 E96 =2DE 7@FC J62CD[ H:E9 E96 =@DD C:D:?8 E@ ?62C=J Sbb_[___[ @? Sa]g >:==:@? :? C6G6?F6[ :? a_`g] ~V}6:== 6>A92D:K65 q6649H@@5 :D 2 ?@?AC@7:E[ 3FE :E 92D E@ 36 2 D6?D:3=6 DE6H2C5 @7 :ED 7:?2?46D]k^Am
kAmQ&?56CDE2?523=J[ E96C6 2C6 C6D:56?ED E92E 2C6 4@>A=6E6=J 282:?DE E96 AC@A@D65 C6AFCA@D:?8 @7 E96 724:=:EJ[Q ~V}6:== D2:5] Q%96C6 2C6 @E96CD[ x E9:?<[ :?E6C6DE65 :? =62C?:?8 >@C6 23@FE E96 AC@A@D65 :?:E:2E:G6] p?5 E96? E96C6 2C6 567:?:E6=J @E96CD E92E 92G6 D92C65 E96:C 4@>A=6E6 F?56CDE2?5:?8 2?5 DFAA@CE @7 E96 :?:E:2= 4@?46AE]Qk^Am
kAmq@=E@?[ H9:=6 F?D6EE=65 2E E96 AC@DA64E @7 =62G:?8 q=@496C[ D2:5 D96 =:<6D E96 :562 @7 62D:=J 2446DD:?8 2 3C@256C C2?86 @7 >65:42= D6CG:46D]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6 2C6 25G2?E286D =:<6 E92E E@ 36:?8 F?56C E96 D2>6 C@@7[Q D2:5 q@=E@?[ ha[ AC6D:56?E @7 E96 C6D:56?E 4@F?4:=[ H9@ =:G6D 2E q=@496C H:E9 96C 9FD32?5[ #2=A9]k^Am
k9bmkDEC@?8m#6D:56?ED A=2? AC@E6DEk^DEC@?8mk^9bm
kAmq=@496C 2=D@ 92D e_ 6>A=@J66D[ 2?5 E96:C 72E6D 2C6?VE <?@H? 2E E9:D A@:?E]k^Am
kAmp?5 ?6:893@CD 2=@?8 tG2?D $EC66E 2?5 @? ':==286 !@:?E6 {2?6 92G6 @3;64E65 E@ 6IA2?5:?8 E96 q=@496C 3F:=5:?8 2?5 4@?G6CE:?8 :E E@ >:I65\:?4@>6 2A2CE>6?ED[ H:E9 D@>6 D6E 2D:56 7@C A6@A=6 =:G:?8 H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D]k^Am
kAm%96J 5@?VE H2?E E96 25565 A2C<:?8 2?5 A2C<:?8 =@E =:89E:?8[ E96 2446DD C@25 @?E@ ':==286 !@:?E6[ =@DD @7 8C66? DA246 2?5 E96 762C65 :?4C62D6 :? ?@:D6 2?5 4@?86DE:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 2EE@C?6J C6AC6D6?E:?8 !6@A=6 x?4] 2?5 q=@496C w@>6D[ $62? w@A<:?D[ D2:5 E96 @C82?:K2E:@?D 2C6 4@?D:56C:?8 492?86D E@ E96 4@?46AE A=2? E@ 255C6DD ?6:893@CDV 4@?46C?D]k^Am
kAmw6 D2:5 E96 A@DD:3=6 492?86D 4@F=5 :?4=F56 6=:>:?2E:?8 E96 2446DD C@25 E@ ':==286 !@:?E6 {2?6[ D9:7E:?8 E96 A2C<:?8 DA246D @? E96 D:E6 2?5 >2<:?8 >@5:7:42E:@?D E@ E96 D:?8=6[ =2C86 255:E:@? A=2??65 7@C E96 tG2?D $EC66E D:56 @7 E96 6I:DE:?8 DECF4EFC6]k^Am
kAm!6@A=6 x?4] 2?5 q=@496C H@F=5 D92C6 2?J C6G:D65 A=2?D H:E9 ?6:893@CD ?6IE >@?E9 367@C6 E96 AC@;64E C6EFC?D E@ (:==:2>DG:==6VD !=2??:?8 q@2C5 2?5 +@?:?8 q@2C5 @7 pAA62=D :? ~4E@36C[ w@A<:?D D2:5]k^Am
kAm$E:==[ E96 >@DE 5@8865 @AA@?6?ED 2C6?VE ;FDE H2:E:?8 7@C >@G:?8 52J] p D>2== 8C@FA @7 C6D:56?ED 8@E E@86E96C E@ 4C62E6 D:8?D C625:?8[ Qw6== ?@[ H6 H@?VE 8@[Q Q%96 D:=6?E 86?6C2E:@? :D D:=6?E ?@ >@C6Q 2?5 Qp== H6 H2?E :D 9@?6DEJ]Qk^Am
kAm%96J H@F=5 2EE249 E96 D:8?D E@ H966=492:CD 2?5 H2=<6CD 2?5 E2<6 E96:C AC@E6DE @FE 7C@?E @7 E96 q=@496C w@>6D]k^Am
kAmQ%92E D9@F=5 >2<6 E96 %' ?6HD] xE >:89E 6G6? 9:E E96 ?2E:@?2= ?6HD[ H9@ <?@HDnQ (:=D@? D2:5] QtDA64:2==J :7 H6 92G6 2 `_b\J62C\@=5 A:4<6E:?8]Qk^Am
kAm|24s@F82== H@?56C65 23@FE E96 9@DE @7 pqrVD Q(@C=5 }6HD %@?:89EQi Q%9:?< s2G:5 |F:C H:== 4@>6 96C6nQk^Am
kAmk6>m}@E6i p? 62C=:6C G6CD:@? @7 E9:D 2CE:4=6 :?4@CC64E=J DE2E65 9@H =@?8 w:=52 p==6? 92D C6D:565 2E q=@496C w@>6D]k^6>mk^Am
kAm k^Am
