Republican Chair in row over domestic-violence conviction

News from a WLOS report that Buncombe County Republican Party Chair Timothy Johnson pled guilty in 1996 to aggravated assault charges involving his former wife are now troubling his run for the state vice-chair position. Some party officials have said they should have known sooner, while Johnson has stated that the incident is behind him and is touting an endorsement from his ex-wife.

13 drug arrests related to Phish concert, crowds “mostly peaceful”; Mumpower judges show “fun”

Last night, Asheville police made 13 arrests related to the Phish concert, all involving drug charges. A police spokesperson emphasized that the crowd of some 10,000 people “was mostly peaceful and caused no major problems for police,” and City Council member Carl Mumpower also sent out a missive praising the event as “fun, safe and managed.”

Buncombe Commission­ers

County worries state may raid local mental-health funds City/county 911 agreement delayed The effects of a feeble economy keep trickling down, but not in the way the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners might wish. At their June 2 meeting, the commissioners unanimously approved a resolution asking state legislators not to raid local mental-health-agency fund balances—built […]

Mid-week at College Street

It’s early evening at College Street Pub & Grill in the middle of the week. Photo by Jonathan Welch Tuesday and Thursday are “Party Nights” at College Street, with a bevy of specials ($2 Margaritas, 35 cent wings, $5 Long Island Ice Teas, $4 Highballs, etc.). In these days of recession and belt-tightening, it’s a […]

Liberty Dollar indictment

In this indictment, Asheville resident William Kevin Innes, the regional head of the Liberty Dollar private currency operation is charged with counts of fraud and a conspiracy to circulate coins resembling official U.S. currency. Innes is charged along with Liberty Dollar creator Bernard Von NotHaus and two Liberty Dollar employees. Download a PDF of the […]

A problem of money: Commission­ers face mental-health shortfall, delay 911 agreement

At its meeting last night, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution condemning state attempts to raid local mental-health-fund balances to meet North Carolina’s own budget shortage. Such a loss would leave more mentally ill people in jails or hospitals for lack of proper treatment, county officials said.

Smoked out

In January, something once considered unthinkable will come to pass. Across North Carolina—once the heartland of tobacco—smoking will be banned in bars and restaurants. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em (for now): Hookah Joe’s owner Joseph McHugh and bartender Cara Diggins enjoy a puff. Hookahs fall under the new state smoking ban, which will take […]

URTV board approves new bylaws

In a special meeting May 28, URTV’s board of directors unanimously approved new bylaws that concentrate more power in the board’s hands while keeping the current membership structure intact. Revised: URTV Parliamentarian Bob Horn clarifies part of the new bylaws while board President Jerry Young looks on. Originally, the proposed bylaws would have done away […]

Sweeping changes to URTV bylaws proposed; board cancels meeting

The meeting was supposed to determine whether local public-access channel URTV would adopt sweeping changes to its bylaws, scrap the current membership structure and place more power in the hands of its board of directors. But assembled outside the offices of Buncombe County Television on May 21, those board members faced a more immediate problem: […]