Woodfin Elementary welcomes fall See story and pictures on page 13


See page 15 for The Leicester Leader weaverville WEEKLY


COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER


October 28 - November 3, 2010 Vol. 8 • No. 43


Woodfin • Weaverville • Barnardsville Leicester • Erwin Hills • Alexander • West Buncombe • Newfound


Fifty Cents


Police uncover marijuana operation


By Matt Tate Police seized 43 marijuana plants


Oct. 19 from a growing operation on Reeves Street in Weaverville during a bust. Erich William Sonderegger, 36, is


charged with manufacturing a sched- ule IV substance and maintaining a dwelling for manufacturing a sched- ule IV substance. Sgt. Stacy Wyatt said the depart-


ment responded to an anonymous call advising there was an indoor marijuana growing operation at 8 Reeves Street. While walking around the resi-


dence, officers noticed a newly framed room in the center of the basement that had a ventilation sys-


tem separate from the duct work. After smelling marijuana on the premises, officers made contact with Sonderegger who confessed to grow- ing marijuana. “Sgt. Wyatt and Officer Price re-


acted quickly and in doing so took a large amount of marijuana out of cir- culation,” Chief Greg Stephens with the Weaverville Police Department said. “As always, I encourage citizens’ involvement. You know your neigh- borhood better than anyone else.” According to the report, Wyatt


found Sonderegger in possession of 18 mature plants in a growing room and 25 smaller plants in a separate room. Stephens said a private company


was responsible for the rental prop- erty at the location.


Erich Sonderegger faces two charges after an Oct. 19 bust.


Sonderegger was released on a written promise to appear.


Bomb threat evacuates Thermo Fisher


By Matt Tate Officials from the Weaverville and


Waynesville Police Departments as well as the State Bureau of Investi- gations did not find any suspicious devices when responding to a bomb threat Tuesday morning (Oct. 26) at the Termo Fisher Scientific plant in Weaverville.


Chief Greg Stephens with the


Weaverville Police Department said the department received a call at 5:39 am to report a bomb in the building. Weaverville police evacuated the


building and conducted an exterior search. Te Waynesville Police De- partment and the State Bureau of Investigation responded with bomb- sniffing dogs who did not uncover


PETE


any suspicious devices inside the plant. Stephens was not sure how many


employees were at the 40,000 square- foot plant at the time of the call. “Employee safety was our con-


cern,” he said. Te case is still under investiga-


tion, and Stephens said officers will be looking for the source of the phone call.


See story on page 8


HELPING OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!


Fire guts house, injures fireman


50¢


Phone 645-6300 • Fax 645-0065 • www.brankinsurance.com 9 Georgia Avenue “Just off Main Street” Weaverville, North Carolina


Megan


PATTY


LAUREN


PAUL


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