Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Sorry that blogging has been light this week. Such is life. It’s not that I’ve been overwhelmed. It’s been more like yo-yoing through life, with super-crazy days, then not so much. So here’s a round-up:
–Happy Days is the name of the new incarnation of what lately has been a dive Mexican joint on Patton Avenue. If you’re headed toward Asheville, it’s the restaurant just before the exit to get on I-240 headed south. Back in my day, the place was the best Western Sizzlin’ steakhouse around. In the ’90s, it was the site of a near-riot, with multiple shots fired, that spilled into Patton one night. More recently, it’s been a string of bad eateries. Who dares be the first to eat at the new Happy Days and report back?
-Also on the restaurant scene, I noticed that the windows of the coffee shop next to Steak and Wine on Patton Avenue right in downtown and across the street of Pritchard Park have been covered with brown paper. Was it the Cornerhouse or something? I don’t know, but it’s gone under. Makes me worried about the Steak & Wine, and the bar above in the old S&W Cafeteria building.
-It’s been too cold for late April. That said, it’s warming up nicely. And I noticed today that Ray’s Weather, the absolute best source for local weather reports, has an hour-by-hour weather report posted for MerleFest. How cool is that? Waaay cool.
-I’m waiting for the next shoe to drop over at the Grove Park Inn. Last year, owner Elaine Sammons passed away. That event, I predict, will put into motion a series of events that will lead to the inn being sold or spun off as the flagship of a new line of boutique hotels. Some might say that putting E.W. Grove on Twitter is cool marketing, but I say it smacks of desperation.
–Wilco. Everyone’s talking about Wilco. Did you see the show? They apparently rocked people’s faces off.
-I’ve been all about some urban chickens lately. More to come.
-While I’m making predictions, let me add another: The Asheville Citizen-Times will stop publishing a newspaper on at least one or two days a week by July 1.
That’s all I’ve got right now. The rest is open to you.
I find the continuing comments about the Cit-Times interesting. As a long time subscriber and lover of a "real paper" newspaper, I am highly disappointed in the current format and negative changes in the paper. There is so little local news, little local take on national matters, and most articles I already read the previous day online, word for word. The ONLY reason I don’t cancel my subscription are the few remaining excellent long time writers left at the paper. If any of them are canned I will can the ACT. Most of my friends feel the same.
Hey "Pick on," do you work for Gannett? Or the Citizen-Times?
Because I know plenty of people who do and they say there’s nothing but bad news on the horizon. And there WAS a "D-Day" for many Gannett employees in April, but it was actually more like a "D-Month," because they laid people off slowly and without the attention that came with previous layoffs. (Do you expect them to report this stuff? Really?)
Since late March, Gannett has laid off AT LEAST 310 more people and has announced plans for more temporary layoffs. They call it "furlough," but that’s bullshit. If you are forced to go home, without pay, for a week, every quarter, that is a damn layoff.
Add my prediction to the list: the Citizen-Times and most of its dwindling workforce will be folded into the Greenville paper, probably by the end of this year.
These are the last gasps of our once-great Asheville-based paper, and it’s due to the leadership, not the workers in the trenches.
Gannett is greedy and heartless. So if you do work there, may God truly bless you, because it may not be for long.
Leave the Asheville Citizen-Times alone already. You also predicted a "D-day" in April.
Ash I read a lot of smaller upstate SC papers for marketing research (GVL News and S’burg Herald not included in my reading) and I’ve noticed that many of these papers have reduced their sectioning to 1 or 2 – meaning less runs & cheaper print costs. Many are lumping sports & features & classifieds in one section and dropping classifieds several days a week. Many are also reducing their broadsheet size. Some also go ALL black and white on certain days.
So, I’ll predict the C-T folds sections into each other and reduces its width again!
I agree with the prediction. I suspect that they will drop Saturday and Monday as they are typically low readership days. Does anyone have the official ABC report from 2008? One of the insiders says circulation is at an all time low. Before Gannett bought the paper, circulation was in the high nineties.
Matt, yes, they did. Made no sense.
Mel, thanks!
anon, we’ll see…
Frank, i should have known you were there! Thanks for the added info. They sound like some really nice guys, and yeah, they rock hard.
Cornerhouse Cafe was the name of the place next to Steak & Wine. There’s a sign up now for a seafood restarurant, can’t remember the name (Sadie’s maybe?) but it’s opening at the end of the month.
I think the coffeeshop in question has big screens with sports on them or something. I mean, seriously. In Asheville?
I dunna think ACT will drop a day. Home delivery rates have gone up.
Although, 4 months ago I would have bet with ya.
Hey Jason, I was among the many who had their faces rocked off by Wilco at Thomas Wolfe Tuesday night. Had never seen them before or even listened to much of their stuff, but I am now hooked. Great band and frontman, Jeff Tweedy. Also from my hometown of Chicago. They played a benefit for my sister’s non-profit there and she says they are really stand-up guys, as well as talented, rockin’ musicians. Don’t miss `em next time in Ashvegas! FJK