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Tuesday, 17 April 2007 18:05 |
4 arrested on drug charges
at concert; leader mocked
Four people were arrested on drug violations and local leader Carl Mumpower was mocked during the Widespread Panic concert last Friday night at the Asheville Civic Center.
Two Colorado teenagers were charged with trafficking heroin, according to warrants, while other arrests included charges for possession of marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Twenty officers worked within the arena during the show, while a separate unit patrolled outside on foot with drug-sniffing dogs.
Meanwhile, a number of concertgoers held up a reported 250 enlarged
cutout photos of Mumpowerís face ó attached to sticks, resembling
protest signs.
As the lone Republican and conservative on Asheville City Council,
Mumpower has spearheaded a well-publicized campaign to spotlight drug
use at the civic center during large concerts. He also has actively
pushed for a more extensive drug crackdown by police in the cityís
public housing projects.
In particular, Mumpower triggered the ire of some concert-goers when he
said a recent RatDog concert at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in the Civic
Center complex ìsmelled like an Amsterdam hash bar.î
Homeless man accused
of burglary, kidnapping, rape
Asheville police arrested a man last Thursday on charges of
first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree rape.
Willie Lee Garnett Jr., 56, who, according to arrest warrants, lives at
the Western Carolina Rescue Mission, was being held in lieu of a
$300,000 bond.
The warrants did not provide further details of Garnettís alleged crimes.
Tourists report 2 break-ins, missing equipment at park
Two break-ins have caused several thousand dollarsí worth of damage to the Asheville Touristsí property at McCormick Field.
An automated teller machine was pried open and a glass door to a
storage room broken on March 12. The ATM does not contain any money
during the off-season, however.
The baseball team earlier filed a claim on Feb. 2 that audio and computer equipment was stolen from its press box.
The combined damage and stolen property from the two break-ins was reportedly $3,260.
Alexander man accused
of taking indecent liberties
ALEXANDER ó A 34-year-old resident of Buncombe County was arrested last Monday on indecent-liberties charges.
Kelly Matthew Prestwood of Pinetop Drive is accused of taking indecent
liberties with a child under age 16 over a nine-month period starting
in June.
He was released on a written promise to appear in court.
Residents to be trained
for neighborhood security
Crime prevention through environmental design training will be held
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Thursday at the Pisgah View Community
Center in West Asheville.
The National Crime Prevention Council will provide on-site training
program that will help residents improve the security of their
neighborhoods.
Today, attendees and Asheville Police Department representatives will
meet with program trainers, and then will tour areas of West Riverside
to point out areas prone to crime and discuss concerns.
Tomorrow, program participants will create strategies and a specific
crime-prevention action plan aimed at improving neighborhood safety and
security.
The training is free. Call Dawa Clark Hitch at 258-2813 or
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
to find out if your neighborhood is within the
service area and to make reservations.
Asheville police department
promotes four of its officers
The Asheville Police Department promoted four of its officers in a
ceremony on Jan. 12 in the auditorium of the Simpson Building at
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Lt. Wade Wood was promoted to captain and is now in charge of Administrative Services.
Sgt. Sean Pound was promoted to lieutenant and is now the commander of the South/Central District.
Officer Ernie Welborn was promoted to Sergeant. He remains in Criminal Investigations as a supervisor.
Officer Mike Hensley was promoted to sergeant and has been assigned to the West District.
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