Enka High teacher gives
up license after allegations

ENKA — After allegedly having an unprofessional relationship with a female student, a male art teacher at Enka High School was “separated from employment” on Oct. 28.

Brian Bator, 23, who had taught at the school since August 2009, also gave up his teaching license, Buncombe County school officials said.

While no charges have been filed against Bator, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department is probing the allegations to see if any charges should be lodged against Bator, school officials noted.

According to Buncombe school board policy, teachers are required to adhere to the code of ethics for North Carolina educators. Also, they must comply with all board policies regarding appropriate and/or prohibited behavior with students, including electronic communications with students directly or through the Internet, Buncombe County Schools said in a statement.

APD chief issues apology for OK’ing Bible-reading

Bill Hogan, chief of the Asheville Police Department, recently issued a public apology after a Bible reading occurred at an APD employee meeting that prompted complaints.

The Gideons International had asked the APD if it could offer Bibles to the department’s employees.

While Hogan was not in attendance of the meeting, he said it was his understanding that a Gideon representative not only offered the Bibles, but quoted from them. Hogan said he did not authorize the reading of Scriptures.
At least one APD employee reportedly complained after the meeting.

As a result, Hogan, who said he harbored no intention of making anyone uncomfortable, sent an e-mail to every employee and apologized.

The chief said he has no interest in forcing a religious perspective on anyone and that, even if only one person was uncomfortable, the presentation was inappropriate.

He reiterated that he took full responsibility for the incident and apologized.

UNCA police report
recent campus incidents

The UNC Asheville campus police recently announced the following incidents, arrests and investigations:

• Mason M. Earp, 19, of Taylorsville was charged at 9:45 p.m. Oct. 30 with being drunk and disruptive and being less than 21 years old and possessing or consuming an alcoholic beverage.

The incident took place at the Miller Management Complex on Campus Drive. Earp was incarcerated at the Buncombe County Detention Center. His 1993 Toyota was towed by Asheville Wrecker.

• Nicholas Roberts Mathlowdis, 20, of Asheville was charged at 4:07 a.m. Oct. 31 at Miller Management Complex with driving while intoxicated and “all traffic, except DWI.”

• A shoplifting larceny, involving the theft of chicken fingers from the food service without paying was reported at 11 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Highsmith University Union Food Service.

Stolen were “consumable foodstuffs,” valued at $5.

• Mardi Clairene Jenkins, 46, of Weaverville reported that vandalism to her 2004 Mitsubishi Endeaver SUV about 7:29 a.m. Oct. 9 in the parking deck under the Dining Hall.

Someone used “a sharp object to damage the left-side driver’s door and left rear side of the vehicle, police said. The damage was estimated at $300.

• Cynthia Jean Pumphrey, 21, of Asheville reported that someone stole auto parts and accessories from her about 11:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at Zeis Hall.

Specifically, police reported that two wheels from her Acura TL, valued at $300.

• Cassidy Cooper, no age listed, of Asheville reported that somone stole cash from her about 7:50 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Health & Fitness Center.

Someone stole $50 in cash by opening her pocketbook and removing her billfold, police reported.

• A burglary of Rhodes Hall was reported about 12:30 a.m. Oct. 5. Glass was broken to gain entry. No other details, including a damage estimate, were released by the police.

• Adam Fred Smith, 28, of Asheville reported the theft of a bicyle about 9:44 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Dining Hall.
Smith’s Bianchi Road Bike was valued at $800.

• Three women reported a larceny from Room 122-C in the Health & Fitness Center about 6:46 p.m. Sept. 23.
The victims included Kate Henson, 20, Hallie Morse, 20, and Anna Beth Parlier, 19.

The theif took a number of items including cash, debit and credit cards, gift cards and a blue Nike bag, police noted. Among the values were $35 in cash, $10 in credit and debit cards and $40 in cash.

• Someone vandalized Mills Hall about 10:45 p.m. Oct. 20. Damage to an exterior door was estimated at $100.
• Matthew Alexander Thiel reported that somone had harassed him by texting and calling numerous times about 4:04 p.m. Oct. 20 at his home at Grove Apartments in Asheville.

• Robert Anthony Gooden, 26, of Asheville reported that he was a victim of larceny about 9:35 p.m. Oct. 20 at Ramsey Library.

Gooden told police that someone had stolen his Apple MacBook computer and charger, valued at $2,500. A desk door “was pried open” to steal the items, police said.

• Someone vandalized a bathroom stall in Lipinsky Auditorium about 3:23 p.m. Oct. 21. The damage was estimated at $100.

• Someone vandalized a telephone and telephone equipment, valued at $20, at an undisclosed located at UNCA about 1:19 p.m. Oct. 21.

• Someone vandalized Ridges Parking Deck about 2:17 p.m. Oct. 15.
The damage, which was structural, was estimated at $200.

• Someone vandalized a car owned by Sylvia Eleanor Farrington, 56, of Asheville about 9 a.m. Oct. 14.
The left driver’-side door of Farrington’s 2009 Honda Accord was cut with a sharp object. Damage was estimated at $30.

• Someone vandalized Mills Hall about 8:55 a.m. Oct. 18. The damage was done by marking surfaces with a blue marker and damaging the exterior of a machine, police said. Specifically, a Pepsi-Cola machine sustained $150 in damage.

• Nicholas James Scavo, 18, a UNCA student, reported that he was the victim of a larceny in he Highsmith University Union bike area about 5:45 p.m. Oct. 17. Someone removed and stole two wheels from his KHS Flight 220 bicycle. The wheels were valued at $200.