A year of rebuilding, reflection and renewal in the Swannanoa Valley

Looking back at the top stories of 2025

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
December 30, 2025

Owen senior Rio Obispo celebrates a Warhorse win on the road in Polk County. The program would go on to host the first postseason football game in the Swannanoa Valley since 2014. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

Most Swannanoa Valley residents were still reeling from the unsettled months following Helene, as calendars and mobile devices marked the first day of 2025. Although many were eager to move forward after the natural disaster, its aftermath loomed large throughout the year that followed.

As Black Mountain, Swannanoa and surrounding communities emerged from the storm, steadfast in their efforts to rebuild and recover, old traditions remained, the business landscape changed and a subtle sense of renewal commenced.

Of course, much work remains in 2026, and well beyond, but with families, neighbors and friends from Ridgecrest to Riceville preparing to ring in a new year, here is one last look at the biggest stories of each of the last 12 months from The Valley Echo.

Thank you to all of our advertisers and readers for your support these past five years, and a Happy New Year to the people who make this valley special.

January

Jack Slaughter, left, Kerner Long, center and Roger Brown take the court at Owen High School, representing the Owen Athletic Hall of Fame class of 2025. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

Deck the Trees began 2025 with a record-breaking announcement, after the annual holiday fundraiser that invites local businesses to display thematic Christmas trees throughout the community collected $126,000 to benefit the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. Currently in its 15th year, exhibited through Monday, Jan. 5, the event has raised approximately $460,000 to assist area residents with heating costs through the winter.

The month ended as a trio composed of a dedicated supporter, a longtime coach and a former athlete, became the latest members of the Charles D. Owen, Black Mountain and Swannanoa High Schools Athletic Hall of Fame. Jack Slaughter, a fixture on the Warhorses sidelines for more than three decades, exuded his characteristic wit while wearing his trademark vest to the induction ceremony in the school’s media center. Roger Brown, who served as the president of the Owen Booster Club for 15 years, described his induction into the hall as “humbling,” while Kerner Long, a two-sport athlete who played basketball under former Warhorse coach Roy Williams, reflected on the years he spent in the Swannanoa Valley and the lasting impact of the community.

February

Cheryl Hyde announces that membership to the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce increased from 256 to 324 in 2025. Hyde stepped into her role as the nonprofit organization’s director last February. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

New leadership arrived at the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, as Cheryl Hyde stepped into the role of executive director. The former membership director and event coordinator for the Cartersville-Bartow Chamber of Commerce in Georgia and longtime seasonal visitor to the Swannanoa Valley began her new position with the goal of strengthening the 102-year-old nonprofit organization’s relationships with area businesses. By December, when the chamber hosted its annual holiday dinner and gala, Hyde reported membership had increased from 256 organizations to 324, while crediting the organization’s new ambassador program and growing number of volunteers.

March

The outdoor stage at Silverados hosted names like Jelly Roll and Oliver Anthony before local volunteers established a vast relief and recovery operation in the days after Helene. The venue announced the closure of its outdoor music park last March, while the indoor bar remains open. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

Popular outdoor music venue Silverados, which began hosting concerts and festivals in 2021, before the facility was transformed into a massive recovery, relief and aid hub in the days after Helene, announced its closure. The local business, which once hosted artists like Jelly Roll and Oliver Anthony, became the birthplace of Valley Strong Disaster Relief, a nonprofit organization that continues to assist survivors of the natural disaster, while the indoor bar continues to operate.

Black Mountain residents were given a sneak peek into a newly renovated downtown building in late 2024, before the N.C. Glass Center began offering classes for glassworkers of all skill levels. The formerly vacant location, home to a shop known as the Rug & Jug for nearly half a century, was the second for the nonprofit organization, founded in Asheville in 2014. The facility on West State Street includes hot, cold and flame shop rentals and features the works of local artists.

April

Michael Burgin is one of several residents on Edwards Avenue in Beacon Village to receive support from Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders. The nonprofit organization has remodeled or rebuilt dozens of homes around WNC since Helene. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

Within the first six months after Helene, the Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders, a nonprofit organization established in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, had completed work on more than a dozen houses damaged or destroyed by the natural disaster. Multiple Swannanoa residents in Bee Tree and Beacon Village returned to their homes with assistance from the Fuller Center, which began assisting storm survivors in the days after the floodwaters receded. The nonprofit continues to work with families in Buncombe and Yancey Counties.

In the midst of a dry spring, Swannanoa firefighters battled a 15-acre wildfire in Bee Tree. Though contained within 24 hours, the department initially focused on protecting nearby homes in the community, where fallen trees and storm debris served as potential fuel. A Chinook helicopter, bulldozers, hand crews and wildland firefighters assisted in extinguishing the flames.

May

Short Sleeves Coffee debuted last May in Beacon Village. The Swannanoa business operates out of a remodeled 1920s era service station. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

With much of Swannanoa’s commercial district along U.S. 70 heavily impacted or destroyed by Helene, the owners of Short Sleeves Coffee became some of the newest merchants in Beacon Village. Montreat College graduates Daniel and Emily Lancaster created a buzz in the downtown district of the unincorporated community when they launched a casual café in a long-vacant structure and former service station, built in the 1920s, on Whitson Avenue.

The first of many residents along Edwards Avenue in Beacon Village returned to her home, as Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders hosted a homecoming celebration for Melissa Butler. The retired teacher received support from several local organizations, including ReGroup WNC and the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, while dozens of Fuller Center volunteers assisted in rebuilding her home.

June

The Black Mountain Monster returned for its 19th year, nine months after Helene. The ultramarathon featured 167 endurance athletes competing in concurrent races in which participants travers 3.1-mile for six, 12 or 24 hours. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

Many local traditions were disrupted in the months after Helene, but 167 athletes could not be deterred from facing down an ultra-endurance challenge on the trails that wind through the IntheOaks estate in Black Mountain for the 19th year. The Black Mountain Monster included a repeat champion in Brian Beal, of Lincolnton, who traversed 110.25 total miles in the 24-hour race.The event, hosted by local race organizer Relentless Running Events, features concurrent six-, 12- and 24-hour races on a 3.1 miles of trail through the historic property owned by Montreat College.

A town facility, operating since 1929, partially reopened for public use for the first time since Helene, as the Black Mountain Golf Course welcomed players back to holes 10 through 18. The course sustained significant damage during the storm, rendering the front 9 inoperable. Town officials anticipate the entire course will be open by the spring of 2026.

July

Owen graduate and WCU film student Will Lance captures footage for his directorial debut, “The Jewel of the Town,” which explores the community’s support the Black Mountain Golf Course, which reopened its back 9 holes last June. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

While local residents advocated for the return of the golf course, Black Mountain native, Owen High School graduate and Western Carolina University film student Will Lance pointed his camera and captured audio and video of the discussions surrounding the historic venue. He premiered his directorial debut—”The Jewel of the Town”—to a sizable audience in the Owen auditorium, weeks after the reopening of the back 9 of the course. Produced by Lance and his longtime friend Knox Moussette, the documentary highlighted the community’s fondness for and the impact of the 96-year-old establishment. The proceeds from the movie, which is now available on YouTube, benefitted the Owen High School golf program.

While a former local student was exploring a community athletic facility, a current multi-sport star for the school was representing the Swannanoa Valley among the top high school softball players in the country. Mia Roland, reigning back-to-back Owen High School Overall Athlete of the Year, was one of the top 44 rising sophomores and juniors selected to compete in the Premier Girls Fastpitch Futures All-American Game in Irvine, California. The shortstop, who batted .561 with 18 home runs, 40 runs batted in and 48 stolen bases in two seasons for the Warlassies, recorded 2 hits, including a home run, in the contest, which was broadcast on ESPN+.

August

A carefully crafted totem, honoring victims and survivors of Helene, was unveiled in downtown Black Mountain. “Wings of Resilience,” carved by Brian Carter, utilized a section of a white oak tree that stood for two centuries before it was toppled in May of 2024 by a rare tornado. Carter, a longtime woodcarver who owns and operates InnerVision Chainsaw Creations, drew inspiration for the design from a piece he completed for his friend and benefactor, Lyn McFarland, who was one of 43 Buncombe County residents lost in the natural disaster. The totem is displayed outside of the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center.

The Owen football team opened the season with a victory for the first time in five years, as second-year head coach John Faircloth led his team to a 35-0 victory over Rosman in Warhorse Stadium. The Warhorses would go on to return to postseason play for the first time since 2021, before the program hosted its first playoff game in more than a decade.

September

One year to the day after Tropical Storm Helene destroyed homes and businesses across the Swannanoa Valley, area residents observed a day of remembrance, Sept. 27, 2025. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

A somber day of remembrance was observed across the Swannanoa Valley, one year after Helene inflicted severe and widespread damage on local communities. The Swannanoa Fire Department hosted a community altar, allowing residents to share messages or leave objects in remembrance or symbolizing resilience. The station also served as a gathering place before the Swannanoa River Blessing, in which local residents walked to the Whitson Avenue Bridge in commemoration of the day. In Black Mountain, Lookout Brewing Co., which served as one of several relief hubs in the aftermath of the storm, hosted a community day, including live music, while the town offered a community tree giveaway at the town hall.

A Beacon Village family celebrated a blessed homecoming, as Michael Burgin was presented with keys in a ceremonial gathering, which included a prayer from Black Mountain Presbyterian Church Pastor Mary Katherine Robinson and was attended by Fuller Center volunteers from around the country.

Current Owen junior student-athlete Mia Roland continued a big year, as the multi-sport standout committed to continue her softball career at University of S.C. Roland, who helped lead the Warlassies to a 12-0 Western Highlands Conference record and championship in 2024, will compete in her junior season at Owen next spring.

October

Hundreds of pets strutted along the downtown sidewalks before gathering in town square, as the Black Mountain Pet Parade returned for its 24th year. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

While her granddaughter was celebrating her own athletic milestone, Swannanoa native Debbie Hinson was honored as a member of the 2025 Warren Wilson College Athletic Hall of Fame. Known then by her maiden name of Adams, the Owen alumnus who played under head coach Bill Rucker, earned National Little College Athletic Association All-American recognition following her freshman season with the Owls.

Cute costumes and cuddly contestants filled the town square, as the Black Mountain Pet Parade returned for its 24th year. The event, which features a downtown sidewalk parade and culminates in a costume contest, hosted more than 200 people and pets.

November

Steve Dunning prepares to reopen Okie Dokies Smokehouse, with his wife Jody, more than a year after Helene. The popular Swannanoa restaurant has been in its current location since 2007. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

A popular Swannanoa restaurant prepared to reopen its doors for the first time since severe flooding from Helene forced its temporary closure. Okie Dokies Smokehouse, which returned to full operation in December, offered a peak inside its remodeled space days before Thanksgiving. The eatery has been serving the community in the location since 2007.

A former Owen basketball star returned to coach her former program, as Ann Marie Hammond took the reigns for the Warlassies. The former high school star, who played at East Tennessee State and Milligan Universities, is focusing on providing stability and restoring pride and intensity in the storied program during her first season on the sideline at her alma mater.

Area veterans marched through downtown Black Mountain, where Black Mountain Salutes presented the WNC Veterans Day Parade along State Street for the seventh year. The procession was led by retired U.S. Army Colonel John Hoffman, who served as a helicopter pilot in south Vietnam, following the withdrawal of the majority of American troops in the early 1970s. The event included local JROTIC programs and Veterans of Foreign Wars members.

December

Ole and Elena Delatorre celebrate the reopening of Ole’s Guacamoles on East State Street. The popular Black Mountain dining destination returned to its longtime location after temporarily relocating in the weeks after Helene. *Photo by Fred McCormick*

More than one year after Helene flooded nearby Flat Creek, Ole’s Guacamoles cut the ribbon, as the popular Black Mountain restaurant returned to its longtime location on East State Street. Owners Ole and Elena Delatorre were joined by family, friends, supporters and representatives from the chamber of commerce for the celebration. The couple held a soft opening immediately following Thanksgiving, before marking the grand reopening that included a blessing from Father John Allen of St. Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church in Swannanoa.

A new elegant dining experience downstairs from Cherry Street debuted, as Jake and Ali Whitman introduced Bev’s Steak. The Japanese-influenced steakhouse, described the owners as “cozy, but refined,” offers dry-aged cuts marinated with koji, with sides that include whipped sweet potato.

Black Mountain Town Manager Josh Harrold announced his resignation, effective Jan. 26, following seven years in the position. Elected officials announced a search for an interim manager in mid-December.

The Swannanoa Valley kicked off the holiday season with Holly Jolly and the Black Mountain Christmas Parade, presented by the chamber of commerce. The traditional events, held the first Friday and Saturday and Saturday of December, brought thousands of residents and visitors to downtown.

Community NewsFred McCormickDecember 30, 2025