The Henderson County Health Department reported 92 Covid-19 related deaths since the first coronavirus death last March. Of the 1,563 deaths, the coronavirus accounted for 6 percent of the total or one death in seventeen. According to a recent CDC report, in 94 percent of Covid-19 deaths, an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, respiratory failure or cardiac arrest was a contributing factor. While I was pulling death figures, I looked at the average number of deaths in the county for the past three years (1,525 per year) and compared that to the comparable number of births (916). At the rate of 609 more deaths than births each year one can surmise that eventually there would be no one left alive in the county. But we of course have the in-migration factor. So although more residents are passing away than new ones being born, our county still grows at the annual clip of 1.3 percent. That’s more “little pink houses for you and me.”
Each year the merchants become more creative with their festive storefront displays. This was the first year that the tourism agency sponsored a Home Decoration Contest, which proved to be a very popular activity with families offering eye-catching presentations.
This holiday season has been hampered by concerns of Covid-19, which has caused the cancellation or modification of several annual Christmas events. The Decoration Contests quickly became the preferred way for people to celebrate the season while practicing social distancing by viewing the displays by car or safely spread out on foot.
The first-place winner was the Fletcher family at 318 Pressley Road. They have been lovingly adding to their display for over 30 years, which has now grown to 75,000 lights. The second-place winner was the Hudson family at 301 Whispering Hills Drive and the third-place winner was the Noblett family at 351 Old Dana Road. To drive to the homes, click here.