Day: December 16, 2009
Choking off the smoke
A statewide ban on smoking in all workplaces, including bars and restaurants, takes effect Saturday, Jan. 2. But that same legislation, passed by the General Assembly in May, also boosts local governments' ability to restrict smoking in public areas such as parks — a move Asheville is already mulling over. Airing it out: Smokers at … Read more
Tiger by the tail
In Tiger Town, everything was supposed to be first-class. The stunning, 50-mile views high atop craggy mountains. The luxurious $3 million home sites. Private parkland, walking trails, a helipad. And a golf course designed by none other than Tiger Woods, the man many consider the greatest golfer who ever lived. Photo by Jonathan Welch Officially … Read more
Teed off? The shifting state of the Tiger Woods brand
Tiger Woods has been in high demand among top-dollar corporate clients seeking a celebrity to help peddle their products. But amid the mounting scandal and media frenzy surrounding his personal travails, various national authorities are assessing and debating the current standing and value of his personal brand, and those opinions are all over the map. … Read more
Volvo plant to close in March, slashing 278 jobs
The Volvo Construction Equipment plant in Skyland will shut down March 31, 2010, according to a Dec. 11 press release from the Stockholm-based company. An estimated 228 employees will lose their jobs in a facility that both Buncombe County and the city of Asheville had earmarked for millions in economic-incentive grants just a few years … Read more
Bothwell atheism "controversy" echoes around the Web
It seems the only place people aren't shouting about the Dec. 8 swearing in of new Asheville City Council member Cecil Bothwell is Asheville. Blogs, including one on the Washington Post's Web site, have lit up about the "controversy" over Bothwell, a "post-theist" who earlier identified as an atheist, taking his seat. The controversy began … Read more
Sweet Peas Hostel set to open in downtown Asheville
During an era when most new hotel-style lodging in Asheville has veered toward the higher end, a downtown business is poised to open a decidedly cheaper opportunity for overnight visitors: Sweet Peas Hostel, at 23 Rankin Ave., is slated to open on Saturday, Dec. 26. Bunks on the cheap: Steve Wilmans, co-owner, shows off some … Read more
Former Medford deputy asks judge to set him free
A reserve captain who was convicted of collecting protection money from illegal video-poker operators for imprisoned former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford is asking a federal judge to set aside his five-year prison sentence, saying he didn't receive proper legal representation. In papers filed from the minimum security prison in Kentucky where he currently resides, … Read more
New Council members, re-elected mayor take their seats
Applause isn't typically allowed inside the Asheville City Council chamber, and those attending the regular Tuesday-night meetings are asked to refrain from emotional outbursts. But loud cheers and claps punctuated a special Dec. 8 session at which three new Council members and a re-elected mayor were sworn in. The new lineup: Following a short ceremony, … Read more
