Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Refer madness
Jon “Punnyman” Le got in his monthly quota for puns Wednesday on a story about how Warren Wilson College ranked tops in the “refer madness” category of the Princeton Review’s new book, “Best 361 Colleges,” which just went on sale.
The category rated the liklihood that kids on campus were rolling their own and toking. The book’s rankings come from student votes, by the way.
So Le hit the campus to talk to students and teachers and dream up his puns. Here’s a sample of some of his fascinating word play: something about higher education; the school takes a hit; and the ranking was of doobie-ous distinction.
O well. At least Le got some good quotes. One kid said he’s pretty sure college students in California smoke more then they do at Warren Wilson. One young woman said the ranking doesn’t surprise her because, yeah, everybody does it. And another young woman, who insisted that she does not partake, said look, maybe all the smoking is a good thing, because look at all the great things us college kids do around here. One teacher said she was disgusted, noting that the ranking will make the college a laughing stock.
The college also scored high for “Students most nostalgic for Bill Clinton”; for “Birkenstock-wearing, tree-hugging, clove-smoking vegetarians”; for “most beautiful campus” and for “most politically active.”
Youth prison probe
Buncombe County District Attorney Ron Moore has ordered a probe into all the assaults at the Swannanoa Valley Youth Development Center, essentially a prison for young rapists, murderers and such.
Moore’s action comes after news from last week of at least one “riot” involving a number of students, and at least one attack on a teacher at the prison. The attack sent the teacher to the hospital.
Moore said he smells a cover-up, or at least a “gross under-reporting.” For years, acts of violence have gone unreported because the prison officials don’t want people to know how bad things are there, he said. “I think the attitude is if they don’t report it, it didn’t happen.” Moore wants Sheriff Bobby Medford to look into this and pull all assault records. WLOSers said they didn’t get a comment from the head of the center.
In other news…
The guy that police shot earlier this year in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrell had four bullet holes in him. Police said the dude was going to run them down… The kid charged with setting fire tot he old Beacon mill in Swannanoa a couple of years ago was finally sentenced to 10 years in prison… Tryon wants to ban sex offenders from parks… Part of the Blue Ridge Parkway that had been closed due to a rockslide has been reopened… State environmental officials have cited the city for violations regarding construction on the new Richmond Hill park. The state said crews weren’t properly controlling soil erosioon… And rescue workers helped out some old man who twisted his knee on a hiking trail.
