Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
After a wild start to the week in news, it’s been the same stories, over and over. There have been some hot ones, but WLOSers can keep them going only so long. How many different ways can they tell us that John “Woody” Woodring is still on run? Let’s have a look…
But first – a new set
Many of you have been asking us what’s goin on with WLOSers anchoring the news the last few days from cubicle-land in their so-called “newsroom.” Well, we all know that they’ve been pimping the hell out of their 6:30 p.m. show which starts on Monday, and in conjunction with that, they’ll unveil a new set.
Anybody got any sneak peek photos to share with us? If so, send ’em along so we can all have a look. In the meantime, let’s speculate. What would you do if you could build a new set for teevee readers?
Seems like they always go for some shot of Ashvegas and the mountains in the background – a lame skyline or something. The big network news folks go all high-tech, with massive plasma screens all over the place, and people in the shadowy background sitting and staring at computers.
But this is Asvegas, the land of freaks and geeks. We thinks WLOSers should build one of those morning news show-type sets with four glass walls right down on Pack Square, so any loony or protester or thong-wearing mayoral candidate can stroll by and wave hello. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Car chase
WLOSers followed up Thursday on a Wednesday night wreck on Biltmore Avenue in front of Asheville High School. The wreck was caused by some dude who was fleeing police at speeds of up to 100 mph, WLOSers said. It all started in McDowell County, when the dude went to a convenience store to buy a cheap cigar, then grabbed the cash drawer. Holly Headache interviewed the store clerk, who said she cussed the dude out, reported his tag number to police, and sure would like to shove that cigar up where the sun don’t shine if she ever sees the guy again. You don’t mess with mountain convenience store clerks.
AnimalLogic mess
WLOSers have to acknowledge in their reporting that the guy at the center of the investigation into a Hendersonville center for exotic animals has been featured every week on one of their programs. (Thanks to you early risers for that info.) Police are investigating whether there is any evidence of animal abuse or neglect because they found a dozen dead animals in a Dumpster at AnimalLogic.
Cherub Charu told us yesterday that police were looking into whether or not AnimalLogic had the proper permits to be holding the animals it was holding, including hedge hogs and poisonous snakes and such. Some government official somewhere said no, no proper license. But Jungle Joe said it’s all a big misunderstanding, the proper license and paperwork is just under a different name. Jungle Joe has also said that a friend dropped off animals that were in bad health, and those were the dead animals that were found.
Woodring still on the run
WLOSers are determined to keep the John “Woody” Woodring story alive until Saturday, when it will be featured on America’s Most Wanted. This is the story of the guy who shot and killed his estranged wife in a Jackson County domestic abuse shelter, then fled.
Police found the car Woodring was driving at a Greyhound bus station in Knoxville. After that, the trail has gone cold. So on Thursday, Terrie Foster got a criminalogist to speculate wildly about John “Woody” Woodring and what might make him tick. The criminologist said there might be clues in the weird book he wrote called “The Convict Speaks,” in which he claims to have corresponded with Eric Robert Rudolph and other killers.
The criminologist said it’s very possible that Woodring will want to “go out in a blaze of glory.”
Marc, you have no clue it terms to how the weather dept is and has been treated at WLOS. Until Accuweather came in a couple summers ago, WLOS was using a basic WSI weather computer that dated back to the early 1990’s. Why do you think Gary Stephenson, Bob Child and Mike Bettes depearted Asheville? It had a lot to do with the lack of dedication to weather by station management.
No real time or near real-time doppler has ever been installed at WLOS. They are light years behind the other stations in the Asheville-GSP market. Do you think we’ll ever get to see 3D radar (i.e. WYFF’s doppler) at WLOS? Heck no we never will. Even the current Accuweather "Neighborhood Doppler" has a 3-5 minute delay. And even though they do have street level mapping, it is of a basic nature. But for WLOS standards, it is top knotch.
BTW just to update the issue at hand. WLOS does have a new station logo and colors and the "News 13" monaker has been dropped and now WLOS will be known as "ABC 13". There were promos shown during tonight’s football game that showed the new logo.
Methinks "always" must be a pretty short time, MM. WLOS used a daytime/nightime Asheville background for a few years, starting when they moved out to Biltmore Park. And with the major investment they put into all the new equipment for the weather area when they moved to the new building, then all the other stuff that accompanied the switch to AccuWeather, I don’t know how you could possibly say weather is the last priority. Even in Bostic and the Goob’s days, weather and the equipment to guess it has been pretty much top priority, to the detriment of other areas of news equipment needs and coverage.
Anyone catch a glimpse of the new reporter, Butterfield? He looks about 15… and a little flush.
This set "renovation" will not be major. New logo here, new paint color there… and I don’t think the morning/daytime/night background will be around come Monday.
Personally I would like to see a new WLOS logo with new color scheme and everything. An Asheville daytime and nighttime baackground would be neat. Also, a big plasma screen used for sports somewhat similar to what another local station in the market uses. And please, with the fact that WLOS has a contract with Accuweather, lets change up the weather-set. Of course, Weather has always been a last priority for the station management.
Whatever the new set is, I hope they do away with that god-awful sofa and backdrop Bob Caldwell and Victoria Dunkel lounge around on. Blech.
I’m thinking the new set is going to be something more in the Sinclair mold, to further the homogenizing of the few remaining SBG news departments. Something kind of like the general theme that’s behind Mark Hyman, and that they used on their "News Central" sets at SBG World Headquarters and the News Central stations before that grand experiment crumbled like the brain cells of anyone who listens to Hyman for more than 30 seconds.
mayoral, guy.