Commentary Some sobering news I grew up in a dry town. Voters in


Asheboro, about five times the size of Weaverville, turned down the propo- sition at four different votes over 40 years. My entire time there you would


hear the whispers. Tis restaurant would come if alcohol passed. Excep-


Matt Tate


tional cuisine would be served next door to barbecue joints. A convention center waited in the wings for the al- cohol vote. While the pundits championed


growth as the primary benefit, the op- position was in full force detailing the devastating destruction alcohol sales would bring. Crime and drunkenness would


rise, while morality would decay. Is it that important to sell a city’s soul for an Applebee’s and a Holiday Inn, they asked. Te hometown paper took the reins


in the controversy during a 2008 elec- tion and printed a series of letters from both sides, some of which was, quite frankly, shocking in content. In July of that year, the referendum


passed in an election that turned out numbers usually reserved for a presi- dential election. So what has happened since? Town police say there has been a


few more DWI offenses, but not too many from which to conclude any- thing. Te mayor has received only a few complaints.


passage. Tis is a town at the cross- roads of several major highways and does not have a bigger city within 30 miles in all directions. Tis is not limited to Asheboro.


Similar scenarios are playing out in other Piedmont towns that voted in liquor such as Albermarle and Tom- asville. Debauchery and development are


relatively stagnant as a result of the vote. Yes, the economy is at play here, but


the bigger picture is this: Main Street will not become Bourbon Street or 42nd Street. My gut tells me Weav- erville will see no more than one major chain restaurant serving liquor come in the next few years if the vote passes. Why the debate rages on even


when there is ample evidence about the vote’s somewhat middling effects is interesting. If Weaverville passes liquor by the


drink, I think it’s fairly certain those on both sides of the issue will likely not see their hopes or fears material- ize.


Maybe Woodfin and Weaverville


ABC should have joined forces Woodfin and Weaverville ABC


stores are struggling to be profitable for their respective towns in order to fill the additional town revenue that they were established for. As of the


Clint Parker


first quarter of this year, neither sys- tem had made contributions to their town’s bank account. Why? Well, for Woodfin it’s because


Weaverville has cut into sales. Weaver- ville ABC wishes to retire as much of


However, Weaverville could have


already been seeing financial benefits from liquor sales without ever having bought one block for a building or sell- ing one bottle of alcohol and Woodfin ABC could have continued contribut-


its debt as quickly as possible with the threat of yet another mountain town, Burnsville, voting in an ABC system and bringing more competition to the table.


A couple of Johnny Come Lately


bars came and went. Several more- reputable businesses with non-corpo- rate ties have moved in and are mak- ing a go of it. Not one chain restaurant with li-


quor sales has moved into Asheboro in the nearly two years since the vote’s


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PO Box 2293 • Weaverville, NC 28787 Volume 8, Issue 17


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Letters to the Editor


A Fourth of July poem Dear Editor,


I’m wondering if anyone else is


as bummed about the changes and cancellations surrounding the In- dependence Day celebrations as I am. Te last few years have been depressing! I’ve sent an attachment contain-


ing a poem I wrote about it. It would be cool if you published it to see if there would be any response. With all of the changes that are tak- ing place now-a-days, am I the only one who takes comfort in tradition? Tanks for listening.


In the town where I now live a festival each year they give to celebrate our freedom here with fireworks and lots of cheer.


Tey close the main street into town


you bring your chairs and sit right down


in the middle of the street while friends and neighbors you can greet.


Commentary cont... Maybe Woodfin cont...


ing to the town’s bottom line. How? Trough Woodfin’s store. Woodfin understood that sales


would fall if Weaverville got its own ABC store and they certainly have by more than 50 percent during the first quarter of the year as opposed to 2009. So, before Weaverville decided to have its own system, Woodfin made an of- fer to share 25 percent of the profits


Papers look for interns Te Weaverville Tribune/Leicester Leader will be accepting interns this summer. Graduating high school seniors


and college students with an interest in community journalism will be considered. Interns will work one-on-one with the editor in a variety of capacities and be asked to write and photograph their own stories. Interns will be paid hourly up to 10 hours per week. Some weekend or night assignments may be included. Computing and writing skills are required. Access to a digital camera and knowledge of the North and West


Buncombe communities is preferred, but not necessary. To apply, send a resume or related information to wteditor@weavervilletribune.com. For more information, call 484-4203.


4 THE TRIBUNE - April 29 - May 5, 2010


Tey have games and prizes for the kids


and bands up on a stage a dance floor filled with people dancing


folks of every age.


Tere are funnel cakes and BBQ and people selling things. We all love the atmosphere this small town party brings.


When it’s fully dark outside and the children gathered up everyone looks to the sky and if there’s any luck you enjoy a good half hour of a really great display of bursting lights like gem stones what a way to end the day


Ten everyone climbs in their cars


and says farewell for now but knowing that next year it will come again somehow.


Well, this year our fair leaders have decided not to host the yearly celebration of which I often boast


from its store if Weaverville didn’t set- up its own system. Normal competition is a good


thing, but the ABC state-run monop- oly sets rules that do little to promote competition (the state seems to be the only one profiting from the hard work of both towns). Tis is not a good sce- nario for the towns trying to produce additional revenue.


Tey claim we can’t afford it that the budget has been stretched


but what they are forgetting is what this day has etched into the minds of people who grew up here and each year came into town and made their memories


of a lifetime here.


It’s sad to think that now their children


may not ever know traditions that were started back so many years ago


Tis year we’re going out of town


it makes me very glum to think I won’t be missing anything (for years to come)


Perhaps someone will do some- thing


so that this doesn’t last and make our Independence Day


a thing lost in the past. Charlene Geyer


Weaverville, NC Tere’s only a finite number of cus-


tomers for both systems and when they share them, it makes it hard to actually see any profit for either town. So, citizens will most likely continue to see two struggling systems that will provide the liquor that people want. But, the cost of doing business will keep each from being the revenue source the towns need.


Charter at it again Just a short update on my con-


tinuing trials with Charter Com- munications. For those that don’t know the back story, I will not bore those who do with going over the details. More can be found at our Web site: weavervilletribune. com/index.php/ihatecharter. Now, back to the update. Tis


week I received a letter from a collection company saying that I owed more than $300 in services I never received from Charter. I


immediately sent a reply refuting the claim and passed it on to my lawyer. It seems to never end with this


company, even after they said they would take care of the problem. If you have Charter, I hope your doing better in your relations and with their services than I am. If not send us an email or visit our Web site to air your problems. Let’s hold Charter accountable for good cus- tomer service.


www.weavervilletribune.com


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