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 challenges facing Hendersonville, Henderson County, and North Carolina today as the region continues to grow. She explains why housing accessibility is so important to the city's long-term success and how thoughtful planning helps working families remain in the community they love. Gina also talks about the importance of accessible leadership, listening to local voices, and finding common ground as Hendersonville prepares for its bright future.

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The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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 the long and determined effort to locate Henderson County's missing servicemembers. What once felt like an unresolved chapter from the Battle of Guadalcanal has now reached a moment of long-awaited closure for the Rhodes family of Edneyville.

Bob shares how years of research, advocacy, and coordination with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency helped turn history into resolution, honoring a young Marine who gave his life in the South Pacific in 1942. This episode is a testament to remembrance, persistence, and a community that refuses to let its heroes fade into the past.

Some stories take generations to finish. This is one of them.

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The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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 change. Our conversation goes beyond policy and politics. We talk about what it means to steward a community you care deeply about, how Hendersonville has evolved over the years, and the delicate balance between progress and preservation. Volk reflects on her journey in public service, the responsibilities of local leadership, and her hope for the future of the city she has called home for more than half a century.

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The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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 talk about her next exciting chapter: Mini Batch Cafe, opening soon just across the street, serving breakfast and lunch. This is a conversation about food, faith, perseverance, and the power of community — one meal at a time. Learn more at minibatchbakery.com

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The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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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 from moments of listening, introspection, and inner resolve. It's been a fun, strange trip on the Kudzu Project podcast in 2025, and we look forward to whatever — and whomever — 2026 brings. Thanks for listening.

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The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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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 local nonprofit dedicated to supporting and uplifting survivors and their families in our community. Her story is a powerful reminder of how pain can be transformed into purpose. We also discuss how Cheryl and her husband Brian, a U.S. Navy veteran, moved to Western North Carolina to build their business, which has become a trusted name in backup power — especially during times when WNC needs it most. It’s about survival, small business, family, and giving back, and the quiet strength it takes to turn adversity into success.

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The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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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 African-American CEO in the Mission’s history. We also talk candidly about the challenges facing the Rescue Mission today, including the local drug epidemic, the mental health crisis, and the realities of homelessness in Henderson County.

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The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

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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. From small-business insights to housing, green spaces, and the future of Hendersonville, she shares how her work in holistic health and role as a wife and mom have shaped her approach to community wellbeing.

Support the show

The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.