Kudzu Project

Drop us a line. Of six siblings who served their country, Staff Sergeant Charles Ray Smith was the only one who never returned home. 83 years later ... that is finally changing. Major Bob Johnson, U.S. Army Retired, and Commander of VFW Post 5206 in Hendersonville, returns to the Kudzu Project for a third conversation. Johnson helps account for Henderson County's missing service members, incl...

Drop us a line. Sometimes, the key to understanding our own backyard lies in understanding what exists beyond it. Michael Arrowood of Explore Henderson County joins Nick on the Kudzu Project for a conversation about Henderson County, North Carolina's history and character, and how travel helps us see familiar places with fresh eyes. What begins close to home opens into a broader discussion ab...

Drop us a line. Brett Werner isn't running a conventional campaign — his daughter's chalk art downtown begs voters to "Bet on Brett." The political outsider, father, and downtown Hendersonville resident is taking a grassroots, low-tech approach to his bid for City Council. He's doing it the old-fashioned way: meeting people face to face, hanging out at farmers' market...

Drop us a line. Travel is about more than the places we visit. It's about the people we meet, the experiences we carry with us, and the ways in which a journey changes how we see the world around us, literally and figuratively. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , Nick talks with Marilyn Ball, host of the Speaking of Travel podcast. Together, they reflect on their own adventures and explore...

Drop us a line. Few communities have been tested like Canton, North Carolina. In just a few short years, the mountain town endured the shuttering of its century-old paper mill, devastating floods, and the widespread destruction brought on by Hurricane Helene. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Nick sits down with Mayor Zeb Smathers to talk about this Appalachian town's crisis, resilience,...

Drop us a line. Austin Rhodes says he never expected to lead a movement. But the Edneyville berry farmer and beekeeper has found himself at the center of the growing local debate over Flock Safety camera systems in Henderson County, North Carolina. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , Austin tells Nick why he believes the license plate readers raise serious questions about privacy, surveillance,...

Drop us a line. Jerry Smith has spent much of his life serving Hendersonville, North Carolina ... from teaching and coaching generations of students to representing the community for 14 years on City Council, including a term as mayor pro tem. Now, the longtime public servant and lawyer is making his case to become Hendersonville's next mayor. Jerry joins Nick to discuss the lessons he carrie...

Drop us a line. For more than six years, Mike Andress has been helping to unearth the people, places, and stories that make the Southern Appalachian Mountains so unique. As the host of the Exploration Local podcast, he has taken listeners into mountain towns, along winding trails and rivers, and into conversations with the people whose lives and missions are deeply rooted in this region. Mike join...

Drop us a line. Originally from Austin, Texas, Jason Livengood now calls Asheville, N.C., home, and works with AMP Sales & Marketing Solutions, helping businesses reach local audiences through WLOS and an evolving mix of television, streaming, and digital media. In this episode, Jason joins Nick for a wide-ranging conversation about life, happiness, and his belief that we shouldn’t postpone jo...

Drop us a line. Nobel Prize-winning economist Peter Howitt joins the Kudzu Project for a fascinating conversation about technology, obsolescence, and the forces that shape our ever-changing world. The Canadian-born economist received the prestigious prize in 2025 for his work on the theory of "Creative Destruction," the necessary but often painful process by which new ideas, technologies...

Drop us a line. Jeff Groh has never held elected office, yet he believes that's exactly what Hendersonville needs. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , Nick sits down with the City Council candidate to discuss why he's entering local politics after a career in engineering, technology, and small business ownership. Groh shares his thoughts on limited government, fiscal responsibility, l...

Drop us a line. Recovery is about much more than breaking free from addiction. It's about rebuilding a life with purpose, connection, and hope. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , Nick sits down with Patrick Davis, Program Manager of Hope Coalition in Hendersonville, N.C., to talk about the realities of substance abuse recovery and the transformative power of peer support. A North Carolina...

Drop us a line. Just west of Hendersonville sits the residential community of Laurel Park, a town known for its scenic beauty, tranquility, and rich history. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , Nick sits down with Laurel Park Mayor Carey O'Cain for a wide-ranging conversation about the past, present, and future of one of Western North Carolina's most distinctive communities. A Henders...

Drop us a line. In this latest episode of the Kudzu Project , I sit down with Lauren Wilkie, CEO of Safelight, an organization that's been helping survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and exploitation rebuild their lives for more than four decades. Lauren shares her journey into nonprofit leadership, the challenges facing families in Western North Carolina, and how Saf...

Drop us a line. Each spring, Hendersonville, NC's Main Street blossoms into a flowery wonderland during Garden Jubilee — one of the largest gardening shows in Western North Carolina and one of the biggest annual events in the city. Nick sits down with local celebrity and tomato extraordinaire Terrye Jacobs to talk about the grandeur of Garden Jubilee, what it takes to organize the event that...

Drop us a line. Phill Hanson has lived a life most people only read about. A retired U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant major, he spent decades operating at the highest levels of military and national security — from Southeast Asia to Central America, to some of the most clandestine missions in American history. In short, Phill has seen some s---. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , we sit down...

Drop us a line. It's not every day you get to interview your own father on your podcast. So when my dad, William Lucey, came to visit us in Hendersonville recently, I didn't want to squander the opportunity to capture his story — and his voice — on tape. At 94 years old, he's lived a life marked by loss, hard work, and success. After losing both of his parents by age 11, he was, for...

Drop us a line. There's no such thing as sibling rivalry at Holt Orchards in Flat Rock, North Carolina ... just a whole lot of teamwork and family pride. Brother-and-sister duo Tracy Cavagnaro and Todd Kirmss are carrying on their stepfather’s legacy, working to maintain the 45-acre apple farm he built from the ground up. In this episode, they share how fate brought them from Long Island to W...

Drop us a line. The Blue Ridge Honor Flight didn't start as a national movement. It began as a local effort to do something simple, and honestly, long overdue. The mission: Give Veterans the opportunity to visit the memorials built in their honor. Jeff Miller, a former Hendersonville dry cleaner, was at the center of that effort two decades ago, and he helped launch what started in Western No...

Drop us a line. Six months ago, the Kudzu Project started with a simple idea: sit down with good people and have great conversations. No roadmap. No strategy. No script. Just a belief that the stories of folks here in Henderson County, across Western North Carolina and around the South, deserve to be heard. Now, two dozen episodes in, something unexpected has taken root. In this special solo episo...

Drop us a line. Long before YouTube tutorials and Instagram reels, Georgia Bonesteel was teaching America how to make quilts — one stitch at a time. Georgia helped spark a nationwide quilting revival through her PBS series Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel , introducing a technique that made quilting more accessible to everyday people.  In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with a tru...

Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , Nick sits down with Congressman Chuck Edwards , a Western North Carolina native whose story begins right here in Henderson County. Born in Waynesville and raised in Hendersonville, Edwards got his start in the labor force as a teen behind the counter at McDonald’s. Years later, he would go on to purchase the very same restaurant where he began...

Drop us a line. If you live in Henderson County, North Carolina, chances are you've seen Tiffany Lucey before. As the Social Media Coordinator for the County, she's become a familiar face on Instagram reels and Facebook videos, helping tell the story of local government and the people who serve our community. In this episode of the  Kudzu Project , Nick sits down with a very unique guest...

Drop us a line. Daniel Conway knows addiction from both sides of the table. Today, he serves as the Program Coordinator for Henderson County's Adult Recovery Court (ARC), a program designed to help individuals break the cycle of addiction and incarceration by providing structure, treatment, and accountability. The ARC exists to reduce recidivism and give people the tools they need to maintain...

Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , I sit down with fellow Marine and podcaster Steve Pettis , Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Henderson County. Steve helps farmers, gardeners, and landscapers make sense of the soil, plants, insects, and growing seasons that make this area unique. We talk about his upbringing in small-t...