District attorney candidates address CIBO

Security, crime and justice took center stage during a  Council of Independent Business Owners breakfast April 1. The Asheville-based trade group’s meeting served as a forum for the three Democratic Buncombe County district attorney candidates: current DA Todd Williams, prosecutor and former Assistant DA Doug Edwards and assistant public defender Courtney Booth. (Attorney Joe Bowman […]

Former Asheville police evidence manager to be sentenced

Carolina Public Press reports: Lee Smith, the Asheville Police Department’s longtime evidence manager who resigned under a cloud of suspicion in early 2011 and last year pleaded guilty to stealing drug evidence, will be sentenced Tuesday, June 17, according to the federal prosecutor’s office in Charlotte. In an interview this week with Carolina Public Press, Buncombe […]

Signature events: Scales, Knight mount petition drives in DA race

In the wake of Todd Williams’ historic victory over District Attorney Ron Moore in the May 6 Democratic primary, two unaffiliated candidates are mounting petition campaigns to get their names on the November ballot. Ben Scales, a local attorney in private practice, and Rebecca Knight, a former Buncombe County District Court judge, are each seeking […]

Election analysis: Buncombe voters make changes, set up fall battles

The May 6 primary proved historic, as Buncombe County voters propelled district attorney candidate Todd Williams to a landslide victory over Ron Moore, who had held the position for 24 years. Voters also outed incumbent Buncombe Commissioner David King and set up several battles going into the fall general election. Here’s a rundown of some of the key local races and results.

Debated: The race for District Attorney

The results of the May 6 Democratic primary will send either incumbent District Attorney Ron Moore or challenger Todd Williams to the fall election unopposed. Both men are North Carolina natives; both attended UNC Chapel Hill. Moore has been DA since 1991. In the past several years, however, he’s come under scrutiny in connection with […]

Buncombe County District Attorney debate: Challengin­g questions before May 6 primary election

In front of a crowded, chandeliered courtroom on the fifth floor of the Buncombe County Courthouse, incumbent District Attorney Ron Moore fought for the continuation of his elected position in a debate with challenger Todd Williams on Friday, April 11. Three debates were held during the evening: a debate between Moore and Williams for District […]

District Attorney’s race still unclear

With about a week left to file, no one has stepped into the Buncombe County District Attorney’s race, including incumbent Ron Moore, leaving the shape of the race for one of the county’s most important offices unclear. Moore’s staying mum about his plans, the local Republican party chair says he doesn’t know of any GOP challengers and the local Democratic Party chair has no information to offer. (File photo by Jonathan Welch)