What’s been in the news: Pool hall shootings, plea bargains postponed, curbside clutter and more

Jason Sandford

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

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Let’s get you caught up on what WLOSers have been working on the past couple of days:

Plea postponed
Kassandra Pride said an expected plea bargain in the case of Leonard Smith, the former choir director at Sycamore Temple, was delayed. Smith was charged with statutory rape and taking indecent liberties with children. Pride said family members of the alleged victims were upset that a planned plea bargain would lead to a much lighter sentence than what they thought Smith deserved. Don Yelton and Carl Mumpower a few others stood outside the courthouse to protest. The DA’s office said Monday’s court date was just to be sure Smith had an attorney.

Pool hall shooting, two dead
WLOSers said two mean were shot dead Sunday night about 9:30 p.m. at a billiard room a couple doors down from Burgermiester’s on Haywood Road.

Firefighters like the rain
Firefighters in rural areas that depend on creeks, streams, ponds and lakes for water to fill up their tankers liked the rain we got on Monday, though it’s not enough to bring water levels up to where they need to be, said Sheraldo, who reported the story. In other drought news, another boat ramp at Lake James has been closed.

Plea deal in racing case
WLOSers said Billy Taylor reached a plea agreement with the Buncombe County district attorney’s office that will result in him spending 45 days in jail. Taylor was in one vehicle that was racing with another vehicle driven by Bracken Shue down Mills Gap Road earlier this year when that vehicle crashed. The crashed killed a passenger in Shue’s vehicle. Jennifer Williams died, and her family told WLOS they were satisfied with the plea deal. Taylor had been charged with second-degree murder.

Have you noticed the satellite maps?
WLOSers have started using those cool satellite maps to zero in on locations. Pretty cool, although the resolution on their maps looks a little soft.

Denise Mathis speaks out about embezzlement charges
WLOSers interviewed Denise Mathis, the former director of the Haywood County Council on Aging, who had been charged with embezzling $100,000 in state flood relief money a year or so ago. All charges against Mathis were recently dropped.

WLOSer Heather Graf had Mathis on camera saying the situation was “emotionally trying.” She’s now working as a receptionist in her attorney’s office. She said no money was ever missing, and she’s got the paperwork to prove it.

Mathis said somebody was out to get her. She said more information will come out in several civil lawsuits that she has filed against local newspapers and members of the council on aging.

In other news…
There’s a new parks director in Henderson County… There was a stabbing on Deaverview Road… Police are still looking for potential witnesses who might have information in the case of John and Irene Bryant, an older couple from Henderson County who went missing in Transylvania County a few weeks ago. Searchers found the body of Irene Bryant and they say the case is a homicide.

Downtown Dumpster issue
WLOSers interviewed a Bistro 1896 restaurant manager who said the landlord over several Pack Square properties is doing away with a Dumpster in a back alley, and that’s forcing six restaurants on the square to figure out a new way to deal with their trash.

The landlord claimed the Dumpster wasn’t getting emptied enough and was causing a mess and a stink. But the restaurants don’t know what to do – hire a private hauler to come, or work out some sort of deal with the city.

In still other news…
A former school resource officer in Transylvania County pleaded guilty to child sex offenses involving a 14-year-old boy… The FBI is looking for a man who robbed a bank on Main Street in Franklin…. It rained Monday… And a Board of Elections recount in the Asheville City Council election showed that Councilman Bryan Freeborn still lost his seat to Bill Russell.