Elections fraud, econ professors and Erwin High in the news

Voter fraud investigated
WLOSers said Tuesday that the state board of elections is investigating allegations of voter fraud in Swain County.

Terrie Foster told us this story: Swain County Chairman Glenn Jones, a Democrat, who won a narrow victory in November, was seen at least three times going to the post office with eight to 10 absentee ballots each time and mailing them in. It’s a felony for anyone but a guardian or close relative to handle somebody’s ballot. The sightings come from a post office employee who signed a statement to that effect, Foster said.

Another couple also said in a written statement that a friend of county commissioner Jones demanded that the couple vote a straight Democratic ticket. The guy happened to be their landlord and said he’d evict them if they didn’t vote for Jones and other Dems, according to Foster.

Foster said she couldn’t reach Jones for comment, and the landlord dude declined comment. She said the state board did receive a letter signed by 23 people stating that Jones and the landlord were trying to help underprivileged people vote.

WCU professor arrested
WLOSers said a Western Carolina University professor was arrested in a classroom last week on charges of child abuse. On Tuesday, WLOSers said the alleged child abuse happened last year and involved 11 and 13-year-old children. The charges against Paul Jacques include contributing to the delinquence of a minor, WLOSers said.

Rutherford murder trial
WLOSers are covering the murder trial of Stevie Palmer down in Rutherford County. He’s charged with stabbing his wife to death in a parking lot last year as the couple met to exchange children. Tuesday, Palmer’s mother took the stand to testify that she had no idea her son would do what he did. Palmer has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder, saying his actions were not pre-meditated.

Erwin High School fire
Erwin High School was evacuated Tuesday as firefighters responded to a fire call. Somebody stuffed plastic bottles, trash and rags into an opening in a wall and set the stuff on fire. The cops have interviewed two students and will interview one more to try to figure out who set the fire. Nobody was injured.

In other fire news…
There was a house fire on Dogwood Road in Arden. It was blamed on a faulty heater. Nobdy was in the rental home at the time.

Hooterville construction
WLOSer Sheraldo went down to Hendersonville Tuesday to use his action verbs on a story about construction crews digging up part of Main Street to repair underground electrical wires. The bad wiring meant that street lamps and Christmas lights on one side of the street have been dark.

Sheraldo said stuff like: crews used a big machine to “bite” and “chew” the upper crust of the road. Sheraldo talked to business owners, who said the work was dusty, but now was a good time for the work because there aren’t any tourists around.

In other news…
Weaverville annexed 86 acres that are going to be developed along future I-26. The Northridge Commons area will be home to a Lowe’s and a Super Wal-Mart… The city of Ashvegas is going to revitalize the Easter River district area by selling 10 acres to Mountain Housing Opportunities and the Green family. The nonprofit wants to pump in $15 million to build 80 townhomes… You need a passport to fly now… President Bush prepared to give his State of the Union address and WLOSers went out and talked to local people about it. Nothing original.

The weather
Tuesday saw a high of 38, below the normal high of 46. It was a low of 31.

Local man with ‘so much to gain, and so much to lose’
WLOSers said the YMCA donated a heavy duty treadmill to Matthew Riddle of Deaverview Apartments to help him lose weight. Riddle weighs in at about 400 pounds and wants to lose at least 100. He’s 21 and has a leaky heart valve. His mom e-mailed city councilman Carl Mumpower, who helped organize the donation and everyting.

In a little sports news…
Roberson High Schools has a new baseball coach. Donnie Suttles has replaced Tom Smith, who has built quite a program at the high school. Suttles, a former WCU player, was an assistant at McDowell High. He also played professional ball.

In other news…
Julie Blunder asks people what’s on their minds as the president prepared his State of the Union address. People didn’t have anything original… The *Oscar nominations were announced Tuesday. We haven’t seen any of the films nominated, so we have no idea what’s good… Dogs now have their own beer. Somebody in Amsterdam made it out of beef extract and malt or something. Tallahasee Tammy said her dogs would eat anything.