The Saturday news

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Rockslide
A rockslide has closed a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Two people were injured slightly when their car was hit with some of the falling rock near mile marker 452 in the Balsam Gap area. A parkway ranger said it with take two or three weeks to clean up the rock, then they’ll have to look at the road condition and may have to redo road.

Restaurant business slump
Julie Blunder hit the streets to see if a recent report about a restaurant industry slump was true in our area. She said gas prices have people staying home.

One restaurant (Michael’s, said Julie – never heard of it) said sales are indeed down. Another (Southside Cafe – been there and it’s over-rated) said people are still going out, just eating less. Another restaurant (Urban Burrito – love it!) said no change in business, but they’re mailing out more coupons and starting other promotions to keep people coming.

Julie ended her report with emotion, saying the restaurants are “hoping people return to food.”

No arson arrest
Carolyn “Little Red” Ryan said there’s still no arrest in the suspected arson at the recruiting station in West Asheville’s Regent Park.

Investigators told Carolyn that a dog sniffed out flammable liquid at the scene of the fire earlier this week that closed down the office but didn’t injure anybody. Investigators also say it may have been set by somebody with a key to the office, because it didn’t look like anybody broke into the place.

Anyone notice how we see a lot more of Carolyn in her stories than any other reporter? There are shots of her listening, shots of her walking, shots of her backside (which one loyal Ashvegas reader liked). What’s up with that? Maybe her new nickname should be Carolyn “Camera Hog” Ryan…

Furniture company follow-up
Cherub Charu, whose jackets continue to be waaay too tight, had a follow-up report on the sudden closing of the Rooms for Less furniture store on Hendersonville Road.

Charu’s follow-up was that WLOS talked to the company owner, Keith Burnette, who said the company is experiencing some “financial difficulties.” Duh. Burnette had absolutely no answers as to when people might see furniture they paid for, or when he might open, or even a phone number people could call to stay up to date on things.

But Charu failed consumers by not telling us what people could do. Can a consumer file a lawsuit? File a complaint or charge? What do you do when a company closes and not delivered goods or services you’ve already paid for? People are super frustrated here and want help.

One woman told Charu, “I might slap him,” if she saw the store owner – she was that frustrated.

DSS poser
Some dude driving a Lexus in McDowell County (that should have been a warning sign right there) posed as a DSS worker, lured a 4-year-old girl away from her grandmama, and took nude photos of the little girl, said Michelle Boudin.

Boudin, who finds a sex fiend behind every frickin’ bush, said cops are looking for the imposter.

In other news…
A car hit the Federal Building on Patton Avenue. The driver apparently passed out or something and drifted over, onto the sidewalk, and crashed. No serious injuries… A couple of Haywood County dufuses pleaded guilty to making a porno movie with a 14-year-old girl… A coal train derailed in Mitchell County. Some 25 cars derailed, five flipped over… A military unit of Pave Hawk helicopters will be conducting training the next two weeks out of the Asheville Regional Airport. The Pave Hawk is a modified Black Hawk helicopter… And Sheraldo says students are moving back into UNCA. This is the college student of today: riding bike, wearing Ipod, wearing ugly Crocs.