Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 1

GIFT CARDS Preview hot holiday movies ASHEVUJLE Trees tell REMAIN POPULAR Wi stories, jr. mr-: raicp mnnpv 1 -i vsauZ Limited sun High 58, Low 37 WEATHER, E6 November 18, 2007 $1.50 VOICE OF THE MOUNTAINS i SUNDAY EDITION IN TODAY'S PAPER 0 on was nature 1 Mvf jrc miw 1 "vy marts Family, friends aghast hikers befell harm ft the Bryants' SUV was parked on a roadside in the Pink Beds area of Pisgah National Forest. Authorities say they have no suspects in the Wiling or in the disappearance of Jack Bryant, who is not suspected in his wife's death. "I keep hoping I will wake up, and it won't be real," Holly Bryant, the Please see BRYANTS on A5 By Mike McWilliams and Jon Ostendorff HORSE SHOE Irene and John "Jack" Bryant spent their first dates more than five decades ago hiking the mountains of western Montana. The love they shared for the outdoors brought them closer together in those early days and ran like a thread through their 55 years of marriage, eventually bringing them to the Horse Shoe community in Henderson County.

Investigators suspect the two had gone on another hike four weeks ago today when someone killed Irene Bryant with a blow to the head. Her body was found partially covered by leaves about 25 yards from where 1 SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES Irene and John "Jack" Bryant had a deep love of the outdoors. Authorities say they have no suspects In Irene's killing or In the disappearance of Jack, who is not suspected in his wife's death. STAYING IN SCHOOL: Students at North Buncombe High are matched with a faculty member who follows their progress over four years. The program has helped bring about a 25 percent decrease in dropouts each year over the past four years.

Page A2 ASHEVILLE LAUNCHES SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS CLIMATE CHANGE WARNINGS: Global warming is "unequivocal," and carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere commits the world to sea levels rising an average of up to 4.6 feet, the world's top climate experts warned Saturday in their most authoritative report to date. Page B6 DISCORD AT OPEC SUMMIT: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned the U.S. on Saturday that oil prices would further surge if the U.S. contemplates an attack against his country or Iran. Saudi King Abdullah rebuked him, insisting that "OPEC has always acted moderately and wisely." Page B6 BRIGGS LOSES FINALE: Shortly after losing to Furman in his last game as Western Missing evidence case in limbo Medford says he will be cleared By Clarke Morrison ASHEVILLE Former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford said law enforcement officials have not contacted him in the six months since the district attorney requested, a criminal investigation into evidence handling during his administration.

But a retired law enforcement official said he was interviewed by the FBI about guns he believes were stolen from the office's property room. "I trust that they have an investigation going," said former U.S. Marshal Ray Moore. "I'd like to flush these rats out myself." Moore also said he was told by a State Bureau of Investigation agent that the case of his long-missing guns has become part of the probe into the handling of evidence at the sheriff's office. It's unclear why the FBI would be involved.

District Attorney Ron Moore said it was the SBI he requested to investigate after an audit showed widespread mishandling of evidence under Please see EVIDENCE on A3 WEB EXTRA Visit for stories, video and documents related to the evidence room audit of the Buncombe County Sheriffs Office. Carolina's football coach, Kent Briggs discusses his firing publicly for the first time. Page Dl ounmc dv inuM ct ctpucd ict rrrucD(fiinm7CMTiir-c mm The Earth Fare float makes its way up Patton Avenue on Saturday afternoon during the 61st annual Asheville Holiday Parade. City may run parade next year HEELS COACH IN TOWN: The basketball game was between Asheville and Christ School, but UNC coach Roy Williams added to the drama. Williams returned to WNC to watch Christ School's Mason Roy Williams By Clarke Morrison and Jordan Schrader ASHEVILLE With a son, Nicholas, named for the jolly old elf, how could Andy Thorne not bring his Weaverville family to the parade? "I love the energy," he said.

"I like the way the parade infuses the holiday spirit into people. It brings out the best in all of us." Thorne, his wife, mother and two youngest sons were among the tens of thousands of people who lined Patton and Biltmore avenues Saturday afternoon to watch the 6ist edition of the Asheville WEB EXTRA Visit photos for a photo gallery from Saturday's parade and AshVid.net for video from the parade. Go to to send us your parade photos to be included in online galleries. INSIDE A list of holiday parades across WNC. Page A5 Holiday Parade.

This could be the last year the Asheville Merchants Corporation runs the Holiday Parade, with the City Council set to decide later this month Plumlee, who helped lead the Greenies to a win over the Cougars. Page El BILLY GRAHAM BOOK: A review of Cecil Bothwell's 'The Prince of War: Billy Graham's Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire." PageH2 NeWS Poll at TODAY'S POLL: What's Barry Bonds' future regarding baseball and the Hall of Fame? Go to and vote. We asked our readers what city-sponsored event in Asheville is the most entertaining. As of 8 p.m. Saturday, they said: Crowds cheer on the participants during the holiday parade.

some entries that were totally new this year. They were absolutely beautiful." Please see PARADE on A5 on whether to take over the annual parade from the business group. "I've been coming all of my life," said Rhonda DeBruhl, 49. "They had Couple ordered to leave farm under eminent domain Holiday parade 22.7 BeleChere 36.9 Asheville Film Festival 5 City Council meetings 35.5 Total votes 282 Index ARTS Hl-6 LOTTERIES A3 BUSINESS B12 MOUNTAINS A2 CLASSIFIED JH NATIONWORLD BU KHU-22 OBITUARIES AM CROSSWORD K2 REAL ESTATE FORUM Cl-6 SPORTS the landfill in 1998 and were already negotiating with the Terrells to buy their adjoining farm. The combined acreage would provide Surry County with adequate landfill space for the next 50 years.

In July, the Terrells asked for a jury trial in the civil action against them. Last month, the county filed a motion asking a judge for a determination. The Terrells have two homes on the property as well as a barn and several outbuildings, including a kennel where they keep about a dozen bird dogs. They estimate that the buildings alone are worth at least $300,000 and the land $712,500. The property south of Mount Airy borders the county's current landfill.

County officials opened we've got," said Terrell, a retired machine operator at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. The ruling was emotional for Faye Terrell, who is retired from the license plate agency in Mount Airy. "My husband was born here. He'll be 70 in June," she said.

"He's never lived anywhere else. We really don't have a place to go right now." their farm by Nov. 28. But Donald Terrell, 69, said he will not go. It's where he was born, he said.

And though Surry County paid him $653,000 for it in March, it's worth much more. "They will probably arrest me and take me to jail. I will not resist arrest. I'm just hoping the taxpayers will help me out, and they will look into these county commissioners that ASSOCIATED PRESS D0BS0N A Superior Court judge has ordered a Mount Airy couple to leave their 95-acre farm, ending a 10-year battle in which Surry County commissioners imposed eminent domain to purchase the property to expand the county landfill. Judge Richard Stone on Friday ordered Donald and Faye Terrell to leave Cl-6 YOUR NEWS FW UVING 2007 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER VOL 138 NO.

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