By JOHN NORTH
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BLACK MOUNTAIN —  The Second Annual Sensible Mountain Preparedness Seminar on May 4-5 recorded a near doubling of the crowd from its debut last year, perhaps indicating concern about being prepared for emergenies, event organizers Bill and Jan Sterrett said.

The Sterretts own Carolina Readiness Supply in Waynesville.

They expressed delight with the turnout of about 700 people on May 4 and about 1,100 people on May 5 at Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain. Last year, about 700 people attended the seminar at Haywood Community College in Clyde,

The keynote speaker for the second consecutive year was Dr William Forstchen, author of a New York Times bestseller, “One Second After,” and a military history professor at Monteat College, which adjoins Black Mountain. Forstchen’s book is set in Black Mountain,, with a number of references to Asheville and Ashevillians — ,many of them negative.

Among the other speakers were Tim Glance, who manages Old Grouch’s Military Surplus in Clyde.

Also present was Brooklyn Bagwell, casting director for “The Doomsday Preppers,” the all-time highest rated show on the National Geographic TV channel. Bagwell is from nearby Marion.

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Stories on the preparedness seminar elsewhere in this edition.