Kudzu Project

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...

Drop us a line. SPECIAL EPISODE DROP! I had the opportunity to sit down with Adam R. Smith , congressional candidate in North Carolina's 11th District , who took time out of his busy campaign schedule to join me on the Kudzu Project . Adam is a U.S. Army Green Beret veteran with nearly 17 years of service. He's a man of commanding stature, deep faith, and profound conviction — and in thi...

Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , I sit down with storyteller Mary Davis Gage, co-host of the Getting to Know Hendo podcast. Mary has a gift for spinning a yarn — whether she's sharing a story on stage or helping spotlight the people who make Henderson County, NC, special, she understands something powerful: stories shape communities. We talk about the art of storytelling...

Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , I sit down with Hendersonville City Council Member Gina Baxter to discuss her path to public service, her love of the region and its culture, and the issues that matter most to her. Gina brings a background in nonprofits and a people-first attitude to her role on City Council. Her central focus is affordable housing — one of the most urgent ch...

Drop us a line. More than eight decades after he was killed in action on Guadalcanal and declared MIA during World War II, the remains of Marine Corps Private Luther Rhodes are finally coming home to rural Henderson County, North Carolina. In this follow-up conversation, I welcome back retired Army Major Bob Johnson — first introduced in Episode 3 of the Kudzu Project — for a remarkable update on...

Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , I sit down with Barbara Volk , the first female and second longest-tenured mayor of Hendersonville, North Carolina , for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, legacy, and love of place. Having served the city for nearly four decades — first on City Council and then as mayor — Volk has helped guide the city through growth, challenges, and...

Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , I sit down with Stacy Fields , owner of Mini Batch Bakery in Hendersonville, NC, to talk about why food is love — and how baking is her love language. Stacy shares her journey from small-town mountain girl to successful small-business owner, the role her family and faith play in her life, and the challenges she has faced along the way. We also...

Drop us a line. In this short episode of the Kudzu Project , host Nick Lucey reflects on the quiet, unsettling space between Christmas and the New Year — the pause before everything resumes moving again. As 2026 rapidly approaches, we look back on a year marked by loss, growth, and unexpected momentum. This episode explores why meaningful change rarely begins on a date on the calendar, but grows f...

Drop us a line. In this episode, I sit down with Cheryl Stuller, owner of Stuller Power Solutions in Hendersonville, North Carolina, for an honest and inspiring conversation about resilience, perseverance, and rebuilding life from the ground up. Cheryl shares her humble beginnings and opens up about surviving domestic violence, a journey that ultimately led her to get involved with Safelight, a lo...

Drop us a line. In this episode of The Kudzu Project , I sit down with Rev. Anthony McMinn , President and CEO of the Hendersonville Rescue Mission , for a powerful and raw conversation about leadership, faith, and community. Rev. McMinn reflects on his roots in Hendersonville, N.C., what it was like growing up Black in a small Appalachian town, and ultimately, returning home to become the first A...

Drop us a line. Dr. Jennifer Hensley has spent more than two decades helping people feel more aligned — as a chiropractor and wellness professional, Hendersonville N.C.’s Mayor Pro Tem and now — candidate for Mayor in 2026. In this episode, we explore the backbone of her leadership philosophy, adjustments she believes the city needs as it grows, and the values that keep her grounded in service. Fr...

Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project , we sit down with Bryan Byrd — a Hendersonville resident for the past two decades, a local realtor, jovial emcee, and owner of the Flat Rock Cinema, a beloved neighborhood movie theater off the Greenville Highway. Bryan shares what first drew him to Western North Carolina, how his life has become rooted in community, communication, connection,...