Local and State Headline for Thursday, June 21st, 2018

Asheville Man Arrested After Running Over Three (Asheville, NC)

An Asheville man is being accused of running over three people with his Jeep this week.  Asheville Police say Jon Webber was knocked to the ground near his home after approaching three people for picking flowers.  Webber then reportedly followed the group to Hilliard Avenue, where he drove onto the sidewalk and struck all three.  He was arrested on counts of assault with a deadly weapon.  The victims suffered leg and back injuries.  

Trooper Cleared In Fatal Crash (Haywood County, NC)

Haywood County's district attorney is clearing a state trooper who was involved in a deadly crash last summer.  Trooper Hunter Hooper had accelerated his patrol car up to over 100-miles-an-hour near Waynesville when he struck an RV with a Florida couple inside.  The trooper was attempting to make a traffic stop on another car.  The DA says Hooper didn't commit any infractions in the case.  

Commissioner Salaries Not Going Lower (Asheville, NC)

Buncombe County commissioners don't want to lower their salaries despite the chairman's request to do so.  Brownie Newman suggested dropping his own salary as chairman more than 13-thousand-dollars for the year, while dropping regular commission salaries more than seven-thousand-dollars.  The board voted down the request by a vote of five-to-two.  Newman says Buncombe County commissioners shouldn't be the second-highest paid in the state.  

Parking Fees Going Up In Buncombe (Asheville, NC)

Parking garage fees are going up in Asheville in order to help the city balance its budget.  The hourly rate, daily maximum and monthly fee at the city's four garages are all increasing.  Last night's adopted change by the city council is expected to generate almost one-million-dollars in revenue.  Metered rates on the street remain the same price.  

Landslide Clean-Up Expected To Last Until Late July (Bat Cave, NC)

The state DOT expects a massive landslide on Highway Nine to be cleaned up by late July.  Contract workers have been on site from sunrise to sunset each day since the contract for the clean-up was awarded last week.  The 110-thousand cubic yards of dirt and debris that slid down the mountainside is said to be the equivalent of more than nine-thousand dumptruck loads.  A 50-mile detour is in place for Highway Nine travelers near Bat Cave.  

Paving Causes Delays On Blue Ridge Parkway (Asheville, NC)

Paving restorations along portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway will cause slower traffic this summer.  Single lane closures are scheduled to be in place between mileposts 393 and 413 through mid- to late-July.  It's part of a larger project to update the road for a total of 65 miles into Cherokee. 

Teen Accused Of Stabbing Brother To Death (Matthews, NC)

A teenager accused of killing his brother in Matthews is behind bars.  Matthews Police found Assim Johnson with a stab wound in his chest at his home on Candlelight Woods Drive Wednesday night.  He later died at the hospital.  His brother Shameir Johnson tried running from police, but he was later arrested.  He now faces a charge of first-degree murder.


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