Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
On Monday, did y’all see Diva Darcel’s right eye go all watery on the 11? What was up with that? The Diva must have had an allergy attack or something. We don’t know what was bothering her (ragweed? chenopods?) but she soldiered on.
Democrat wins
WLOSers told us that Republicans in three counties couldn’t come up with a candidate at the last minute to challenge state Rep. Ray Rapp of Madison County, so Rapp wins. That was easy, huh?
Rapp’s challenger, Chris Gowan, recently moved to Tennessee for a job and didn’t really tell anyone until about a week ago. That left the GOP scrambling to find someone from Rapp’s district, which covers Madison, Yancey and Haywood counties. Gowan’s name will remain on the ballot for the upcoming election, but if you vote for him, it won’t count, WLOSers said.
North Korean nuke test
WLOSers talked to a local political scientist who said something insightful about the North Korean nuke test on Monday.
Mount Mitchell landmark levelled
Sheraldo took us atop the highest peak east of the Mississippi – Mount Mitchell – to tell us that a landmark had been demolished.
The landmark was a 30-foot tower that people could climb up to get an even better view of the beautiful mountains. The tower had fallen victim to the wear and tear of the weather and needed replacing, Sheraldo said, so parkway officials had it demolished.
The new tower
A new, 10-foot-tall, 30-foot-wide stand will take the tower’s place, and handicapped people will be able to get up it, Sheraldo said. The work should be finished next summer.
Could the lettuce kill you?
Not the lettuce from Ingles, WLOSers said.
In other news…
WNCW has started its annual on-air fund-raising event. Actually, we think they do this twice a year, but whatever – support your public radio… A 39-year-old female teacher’s assistant at Blue Ridge School in Jackson County was arrested and charged with having sex with a 16-year-old. WLOSers said the school has had three or four sex-related incidents over the past few years. Crazytown… Two wrecks killed three people in Transylvania County last week… The state DOT is holding a couple of meetings to get residents’ input on the I-26 connector project… And people in the Beaverdam Valley are upset about a 120-home development on Town Moutain, called Town Mountain Cove. People there now way increased traffic, possible landslides and ruined mountain views will all result.
A few years ago I climbed Mount Mitchell with a buddy of mine from New York. We hiked up from Black Creek campground (I am sure I got the name wrong) Anyway it was about an 8 mile walk.
I was completely finished when we reached the top and it took all I had to make it to the top of the tower.
It was humurous to be up there all sweaty and huffing and puffing and standing next to these ladies in sandles with walking sticks who had made the trek from the parking lot.
They must of thought I was way out of shape (which I was, but not like they thought). Anyway, another buddy met us at the top to give us a ride home – we needed to get to Barley’s in a hurry – we bought a RC Cola and a Moon Pie at the summit snack bar and headed home.
What about "Special K" mispronouncing the word Carolinians? Who let that one slip?
Kaboom… rumble, rumble, rumble.. the Lightnin’ didn’t stutter.
-WL-