Exploring the Valley

What does it take to move from emergency response to real, lasting recovery—and why would a relief worker choose to stay long after the chainsaws go quiet? We sit with Operation Blessing’s Bob Burke, who arrived after the storm to clear trees, tarp roofs, and deliver water, then found a home in the Swannanoa Valley. Bob opens up about the pivot from short‑term aid to a two‑year plan restoring more...

A hometown can change your taste—and your life. Cheryl sits down with Black Mountain native Ali Whitman to trace a winding path from teenage restlessness to culinary roots, from Atlanta classrooms to Asheville kitchens, and finally to a Japanese-influenced steakhouse that’s reimagining what “fine dining” feels like in the Swannanoa Valley. We dig into Black Mountain’s transformation from a few fam...

What if the place that raised your curiosity also raised your confidence? We sit down with Jack to trace a path from creek-stomping summers in Montreat to choosing Black Mountain as an adult, and the story is full of unexpected lessons about freedom, belonging, and everyday access to nature. This is a portrait of the Swannanoa Valley as both a sanctuary and a springboard, where spontaneity thrives...

We meet Treselyn, a Montreat senior and basketball player from Texas, who finds unexpected home and purpose in the Swannanoa Valley after storms, loss, and a major change to outdoor recreation. We talk about real outdoor skills, community resilience, and how the Visitor Center connects people to authentic adventures. • deciding to transfer from Texas to Montreat after a call from a former coach •...

Start with a bike, stay for the community. We sit down with Michael of Epic Cycles to explore how a beloved Black Mountain shop became a crossroads for locals, visitors, students, and families who want to ride safely, see more, and feel connected to the Swannanoa Valley. Michael shares the shop’s journey from its founding under Alan Hightower to a COVID-era ownership handoff, then opens the doors...

A small mountain town can feel bigger than any city when the gym lights come up and the whole valley shows. We sit with Fred McCormick, founder of The Valley Echo, to trace how a stay-at-home dad found journalism, begged his way into a newsroom job, and ultimately launched a hyperlocal site three days before the world shut down. What kept it alive? The same spirit that fills Owen High bleachers an...

Some places find you before you realize you’re looking. That’s how Scott Kelts tells it—a Mississippi native who came to the Blue Ridge for a summer camp job, fell for a chef named Catherine, and never quite left. We share how a picnic turned into a partnership, how a storefront on State Street became a living room for locals and visitors, and why Black Mountain still feels like a town that looks...

Few people embody the spirit of Black Mountain like Fire Chief Coffey, whose roots in emergency services stretch back to his teenage years as a volunteer firefighter. Driven initially by the classic teenage motivation of escaping high school classes during fire calls, his career evolved through paramedic training, law enforcement, and ultimately to his current leadership role serving the Swannanoa...

Sarah Sunshine of Sarah Sunshine Pottery shares her journey from environmental chaplain to pottery business owner in Black Mountain's vibrant downtown. Her serendipitous path includes taking a pottery class for fun, buying a house with a studio from another potter, and eventually purchasing her Cherry Street storefront after overhearing a conversation in a changing room. • Originally a chapla...

Cheryl Hyde, director of the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, introduces "Exploring the Valley" podcast dedicated to sharing the people, places, and stories that make the Swannanoa Valley special. This new show aims to highlight local businesses, hidden gems, and community stories while fostering collaboration over competition. • Podcast will feature local businesses, entrep...