What’s in the news: Horrible home invasion, mystery still over missing couple, trouble at Ham’s, diaper-free babies, Veterans Day and John Le high on gingerbread

Here’s what we saw on the news from WLOSers. So many intriguing stories, we don’t know where to start!

Horrible home invasion
Friends and nieghbors of a mother and son murdered in Hendersonville over the weekend remain stunned at their loss. The 81-year-old mother and her 56-year-old “mentally challenged” son were killed in their home on Connor Avenue and their car was missing. Police in Pitt County arrested two Hendersonville men and charged them with murder. They were driving the missing red Cadillac DeVille.

Kassandra Pride had the story early in the day, and said it was “an emotional day” for the family members she talked to. Later, Frank Fraboni went knocking on doors and got a “no comment” from one dude behind a door and a “we didn’t these guys could do something like that” from a cousin.

Police haven’t discussed a motive. The suspects were supposed to have their first court appearance Tuesday in Pitt County.

Search for missing couple cancelled
The week-long search for John and Irene Bryant has been suspended, WLOSers said, with searchers saying they figured the two were dead. That upset friends and family, who want people to keep looking.

Here’s what we know of the story. Aspects of it really bother us. What is going on here? Would someone please get to the bottom of it?

The couple went hiking Oct. 20 in Pisgah National Forest. There was an incomplete 911 call that day. Nobody hears from the couple. Then two weeks later, their son from Texas gets worried and comes up to search. He finds their car on Yellow Gap Road, near the Cradle of Forestry. He gets emergency workers to search for a week.

Last Friday, they found a dead body about a mile from the missing couple’s car. Officials haven’t identified the body that was found. That’s it.

Woman dies in wreck, dog goes missing
WLOSers said a Jackson County woman died in a car wreck on Highway 19 in Haywood County over the weekend and the family is distraught over that and the fact that a dog in the car at the time ran away.

Becky Ensley had two dogs and two children in the car at the time of the wreck. She died, but everybody else was OK. Now her boyfriend really wants to find Junior the boxer because family says the dog will help him get through his loss.

In other news…
An Ashvegas firefighter was hit by a vehicle when he was out on a call on Vanderbilt Road in Biltmore Forest. His back and legs were injured… A Ford Escort left out of gear rolled through the parking lot of the Texas Roadhouse on Hendersonville and crashed into a fence.

Veterans Day observed
WLOSers covered a couple of the usual Veterans Day observances, and put Pat Simon on the story of a funderal for an 80-year-old who served two years in the Navy during World War II. The fact that he was buried on Veterans Day was special to the family, who said every veteran is a hero who should be respected for their effort and valor.

Then Simon pulled out the stat we knew was coming – 1,000 WWII veterans die every day. Seven vets in WNC died since Friday, Simon said.

Trouble at Ham’s
The owner of the Ham’s restaurant on Tunnel Road said people will get paid. The restaurant was shut down suddenly over the weekend. One worker said that first he saw a sign about the need for remodeling. Then there was a sign saying the restaurant couldn’t pay its bills.

But WLOSers got the restaurant owner on the phone, and he told everybody to go across the street to Hooter’s to pick up their checks. WLOSers followed a worker over and he got his money, although WLOSers said somebody said checks have bounced in the past. The restaurant owner said he’d check into that.

The owner is the same dude who suddenly shut down Coral Bay restaurant in the very same location last year. He said business has been off because of demolition work on an old hotel next door. WLOSers noted that several other restaurants in Ashvegas have closed recently – Ruby’s BBQ, Souper Sandwich, Rio Burrito, etc. WLOSers also noted the opening of Dunkin Donuts on Merrimon.

To make matters worse for Ham’s, WLOSers said somebody through a brick through a back window to gain entry and ran off with 12 flat screen televisions.

The race for governor
Russ Bowen continued his extremely premature series of profiles on the candidates running for North Carolina governor in elections that are a year away. Monday, he profiled Beverly Perdue, our lieutenant governor now running for guv. She’s all about improving education and reducing the costs of health care.

Le on the gingerbread beat
John Le did his annual report from the Grove Park Inn to tell us about the annual Gingerbread house competition. He talked to the big winner, who was the big winner last year. And he interviewed some kids who said they made a house.

Almost forgot diaper-free babies
Victoria Dunkle did a story about a small movement (no pun intended) of moms who are raising their babies “diaper free.” This is nothing new, but hey, it’s sweeps.

Victoria said it’s all about “elimination communication” between parent and child. A local advocate said it’s a wonderful way to learn to communicate with your baby. You watch the body language, listen to the sounds, and when you think Junior is ready to let loose, you grab him and hold him over a bucket or something. You can also learn sign language. Apparently the universal sign for “I need to take a dump” is a fist with forefinger laying on top of thumb. Who knew?

Victoria talked to a pediatrician, who said yeah, it could work, but it would really take up a lot of time. And you have to be careful in handling the baby because they’re necks are weak and they can’t even sit up to sit on a pot until six months.

Victoria ended the report with the caveat that we’re really sick of hearing. She told parents, this is all about you and your baby, so you shouldn’t feel any pressure about this topic. Do what you feel is right, OK?, because we’re all winners here. What_ever.

In big sports news
Western Carolina University “re-assigned” football coach Kent Briggs, who has compiled one losing season after another the past several years.