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

Mini in ill I ijii mil i ii iiiii-nn in a' JS IPO i SPORTS ASHEVILLE times fl" clouds and sun High 58, Low 38 WEATHER, E6 IZEN-TIM VOICE OF THE MOUNTAINS January 6, 2008 $1.50 SUNDAY EDITION IN TODAY'S PAPER UNCA BEATS SOUTH CAROLINA: Kenny George's dunk with 26.8 seconds left gave UNC Asheville the lead for good as the Bulldogs scored the final 10 points to defeat South Carolina 61-58 Saturday night. Page Dl I- hi? YWCA CELEBRATION: Marking the Asheville organization's 100 years of work to empower women and fight racism, a new exhibit honoring the history of the YWCA opens later this month. Page Fl Inquest targets other sheriffs Gambling case could extend beyond Medford By Jon Ostendorff ASHEVILLE Even with 30 arrests made in the federal government's sweeping investigation into illegal video gambling in Western North CHESS MATES: 125 participants battled at the Pawndemonium XIX, a youth chess tournament held Saturday at the Montford Community Center. Page A2 A GRAND GREETER: Columnist Susan Reinhardt writes about a man who takes castoffs at the Goodwill with a kind word for all the donors. Page Gl LOCAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN READ-IN: The Asheville Art Museum will host a discussion of "Stigmata" by Phyllis Alesia Perry.

Rob Neufeld reviews the book. Page H2 JOHN From left, Kim Turner, Kendra Cathey, Samantha Carnahan and DeeAnne Lancaster of the Biltmore Baptist Church Lighten Up 4 Life team get psyched to begin the weight-loss challenge, which begins Monday. jw -r Vfl Carolina, court documents and statements made in hearings offer hints of unfinished business. The govern fUl ment has said it iru Bobby Medford has evidence of sheriffs "of vari months IT GETS CHILI IN FLETCHER: 19 contestants handed out samples at the packed annual Fletcher Chili Cook-Off. Page A2 By Nancl Bompey It all starts tomorrow.

On Monday, the four members of The Fab Four will get weighed, measured, set their weight-loss and fitness goals, and take their "before" Maureen Scullin said her phone has been ringing nearly nonstop since the new year with businesses looking to enter teams in the competition. "This has really taken off beyond our wildest dreams," she said. "Everyone I have SEAKAWKS WIN: The Seattle Seahawks overcame a rally by Washington, scoring three fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 35-14 NFC wild-card victory. Page Dl FLAG FOOTBALL CHAMPS: Two students from WNC who attend North Carolina are part of a flag football team that won the coed national championship. Page E3 GOP, DEMS HOLD DEBATES: Republican presidential rivals Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee squabbled at close quarters over Iraq on Saturday night in a high-stakes debate.

In the Democratic debate Sen. Hillary Clinton accused Sen. Barack Obama of changing positions on several issues. Page B6 ous counties" being involved in illegal gambling operations. In another example, prosecutors have brought no charges against a Henderson County restaurateur they said profited from video gambling.

Agents seized $1.8 million in cash during a raid of his home. Federal prosecutors, the FBI and Internal Revenue Service will not discuss the gambling cases beyond what's available in public court documents, making it difficult to determine what happens next. They also have declined to say whether other video gambling investigations may be under way. But there have been mentions of other evidence in the three cases resulting in indictments on wide-ranging charges against 30 people, including former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford and three former deputies who worked for him. Twenty people indicted already have pleaded guilty.

Only Medford, his former deputies and the owners and employees of his longtime friend and political supporter Jack W. "Jackie" Shepherd's business are still facing trial. Please see GAMBLING on A5 WEB EXTRA Visit videogambling for stories, documents, photos and video related to the illegal video gambling case. Starting today, the Asheville Citizen-Times will feature stories about the competition, weight loss and exercise and will profile community teams. THE FAB FOUR Company.

Biltmore Baptist Church Kim Turner, administrative assistant. I'm doing the competition to lose weight. (The team) will help us to have accountability and to keep each other in line." Kendra Cathey, event coordinator. "I already love fitness, but to me it's a way of life, and I want to help the others on my team. If we're representing the church, I know I'm going to stick to it" Samantha Carnahan, assistant to the married adults ministry.

"I need accountability to lose, and I need a team to help me. You feel like you don't want to let our teammates down." DeeAnne Lancaster, director of accounting. "I'm way overweight, and I'm doing it for my health. I can't let my teammates down." pictures. "We're going out to eat this weekend, but Monday morning it all stops," said Kim Turner, an administrative assistant at Biltmore Baptist Church and one of the four members of the team.

Over the next five months, the Fab Four will compete against more than 70 businesses across the region as part of Mission Hospitals' weight-loss challenge, Lighten Up 4 Life. Since Jan. 1, the number of people talked to has embraced it." John Mikos, vice president of operations at the YMCA of Western North Carolina, said the high number of participants shows people across WNC are interested in leading a healthier lifestyle. "I think it's great for this community," he said. "I think it's great for this region." Mikos said he hopes the increased focus on health and wellness will lead to even bigger policy changes around the WHAT IS LIGHTEN UP 4 LIFE? The challenge is free and open to any business in the area.

The four-member teams will win prizes based on the percentage of weight each team loses. Teams can sign up at any time. However, they are encouraged to sign up by Monday. Call Maureen Scullin at 681-5534. For more information, visit www.lightenup4life.com.

NEVADA TOWN FLOODED: A ruptured levee sent a frigid "wall of water" from a rain-swollen canal into Fernley, a high desert town, early Saturday, flooding hundreds of homes and forcing the rescue of more than a dozen people. Page B6 i Poll at Urn signed up to participate in the competition has more than doubled, with more than 900 people entering the challenge to lose the greatest percentage of weight by June. Lighten Up 4 Life coordinator region like more greenways, more tobacco-free areas and businesses that offer other health and wellness benefits to their employees. Please see CHALLENGE on A4 TODAY'S POLL: Are you making an effort to be healthier in 2008? Go to CITIZEN-TIMES, com and vote. We asked our readers how much snow they think the region will get this winter.

As of 8 p.m. Saturday, they said: Less than 2 inches 23.7 2-5 inches" 40.8 Missing Ga. hiker believed dead; suspect held 5-10 inches 23.4 More than 10 inches 12.1 Total votes 380 eral custody near Atlanta, with kidnapping with bodi who was hiking with her dog in the Chattahoochee National Forest, is now focused on finding her Index ARTS Hl-6 LOTTERIES ci- iii 1 li i I LiA hV Md Mini body. fria "The search BUSINESS Bl-3 MOVIES H3 ru By Daniel Yee THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA Authorities said Saturday they believe a hiker who disappeared from the northern Georgia woods on New Year's Day is dead, and they charged the man who was reportedly last seen with her with kidnapping. Union County Superior Court Judge David Barrett signed a warrant charging Gary Michael Hilton, 61, held on a warrant for failure to appear in federal court for a charge of abandoning property in a national park.

The search continued into Saturday evening. Teams focused on a 5-square-mile area of rugged mountain territory about 90 miles northeast of Atlanta in the Chattahoochee National Please see HIKER on A5 ly injury the disappearance of Meredith Emerson, said Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead. Authorities were serving the warrant on Hilton on Saturday evening. The warrant was issued "based on evidence recovered in various locations," Bankhead said. He did not elaborate.

Bankhead said the search for the 24 -year-old woman, CLASSIFIED J1-J4, NAUONWORID B4.6 OBITUARIES H67 CROSSWORD K2 SPORTS P14LD-6 FORUM CM REAL ESTATE Ll-3 nas cnangeu from rescue to recovery, based on the evidence we've uncovered so Gary Michael Hilton THE ASS0CIA1ED PRESS In this photo, missing hiker Meredith Emerson is seen with her dog Ella in Flowery Branch, Ga. LIVING CM YOUR NEWS FM 2007 A GANNETT NEWSWPER VOL 139 NO. 6 134 pages far," Bankhead said. Hilton is already in fed- CIRCULATION QUESTIONS? CALL (800) 672-2472 GOT A NEWS TIP? CALL (828) 232-5883 Hi A I mm. 1 Airport Road East of 1-26 (828) 681-8811 4 '-1 '1 1 I I -1 I i i SI fm -T 1 MVtW4'.