In the meantime, town officials are notifying the affected businesses of the council’s schedule.
Weaverville Police Chief Greg Stephens visited five businesses within the town’s zoning district, four of which had sweepstakes units, to deliver information. He said he found 16 machines between the four businesses.
Some local businesses are not pleased with council’s direction.
“It’s just a shame this has to hurt small businesses,” said Nancy Brank, store manager for a BP gas station on Merrimon Avenue.
Council voted to increase the licensing fee for these machines to $2,600 per business. Weaverville Town Manager Mike Morgan said the fee will affect any machine in place and any future machine as well. The fee runs from July 1-June 30.
The basic premise for sweepstakes games allows participants to buy a prepaid phone card with an awarded premium of entering what the sponsoring companies are calling a sweepstakes.
The legality of these machines has been debated since their inception, but a Guilford County injunction in 2008 allowed for their continued use.
Part of the legal defense against the sweepstakes is the pre-determined set of prizes. Participants buy Internet or long-distance phone time and in addition, they are allowed to play games that award prizes. However, there are a finite number of winners and the games require no skill or element of chance. Odds are based, in part, on number of plays.
Weaverville Town Attorney Patsy Brison said it is akin to a soda with a contest under the cap. Users are buying the soda for a set price and in addition, they have a chance to win a prize.
Users can send in a form to the  companies to request a free play, bypassing the need to purchase a prepaid phone or Internet card.
Points are awarded in the games and each point value is determined by the employed software. A business with these games may pay out up to $575 in winnings. Games are limited to individuals 18 years and older.
Councilman Gene Knoefel discussed the machines at a January council meeting, hoping the town  could jump ahead of the issue before it becomes a potential nuisance.
Hendersonville has at least one business that is solely dedicated to the Internet sweepstakes machines.
Howard Cole of Cole Vending in Weaverville said he has machines in six or seven area counties but Weaverville is not currently a hot spot for these types of activities.
“I haven’t seen a proliferation of them in the area,” Cole said.
Councilman Walt Currie has suggested businesses with these machines could register them with the town’s police department. The matter will be referred to the Weaverville Planning and Zoning Board for consideration of zoning regulations for the location of businesses that have these machines before council discussion.
Inclement weather cancelled Tuesday’s (March 2) zoning meeting.
When the moratorium ends, all video sweepstakes machines or similar machines will have to comply.
The ordinance defines an “Internet access business” as any “for-profit business having a substantial part of its operation the running of one or more games or processes with any of the following characteristics: (a) For payment, directly or as an intended addition to the purchase of a product, the customer receives one or more electronic sweepstakes tickets, cards, tokens or similar items entitling or empowering the customer to enter a sweepstakes, and without which item the customer would be unable to enter the sweepstakes; (b) For payment, directly or as an intended addition to the purchase of a product the customer can request a no-purchase necessary free entry of one or more sweepstakes tickets or other item entitling the customer to enter a sweepstakes.”

Navitat Canopy Adventures is nearing completion of a course that will take participants as high as 200 feet off North Buncombe soil and carry them as much as 1,100 feet across the sky.
“This is going to be an experience unlike anything you’ll find in this part of the country,” said Ken Stamps, managing partner of Navitat. “It will be thrilling and enlightening, and will give our guests a new perspective on their natural surroundings and, hopefully, on themselves.”
The course is situated off Poverty Branch Road in Moody Cove on a 240-acre tract owned since the mid-1800s by the Anders-McDarris family, according to Lydia Carrington of Brucemont Communications. Navitat is leasing the property from the family to operate the tour, which plans to open in mid-April.
Bonsai Design, based out of Grand Junction, Colo., is designing the course. According to a company press release, the Navitat site will have platforms nestled in the trees and will be connected by a series of sky-bridges, zip lines and rappels. The engineering is guided through sustainable practices and construction. Guests will be escorted at all times by experienced guides as they move through the course.
A tour will last more than three hours and costs adults $85. In addition to the zip-line excursions, participants will learn about the area’s wildlife nature at a welcome center. Carrington said no experience is necessary but the course is for reasonably healthy individuals 10 years and older.
Canopy tours are thought to have originated in Costa Rica during the 1970s to guide individuals through forest tops while learning about the area’s biodiversity. The Barnardsville site has numerous tree, plant and animal species. It ranges in elevation from 2,400 to 3,600 feet.
“This course site is just awesome &mdash its size and topography, the views it provides, and just how pristine and peaceful it is,” said John Walker, Navitat partner and president of Bonsai Design Inc. “We’re taking great care in designing all the course elements so that we’re not only highlighting the land’s natural beauty, but also protecting it.”
Walker is joined in partnership by his father and Asheville resident Sam Walker as well as Stamps and Dylan Burt, also an Asheville resident. The site will eventually employ approximately 30 people.
“From the moment they arrive, our guests can expect great service and a great adventure,” said Burt, Navitat’s general manager. “We’re excited to be introducing them to an amazing canopy-tour experience, whether they’re looking for that adrenaline rush or just wanting to take in nature in a whole new way.”
The Navitat course is the first course Bonsai has done in WNC. Bonsai is a leading designer and builder of canopy tours in the U.S., with nearly a dozen courses in New Hampshire, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, California and Alaska.
To make a reservation, go to navitat.com. For more on Bonsai, go to bonsai-design.com.

He thought he would concentrate on his contracting venture and put law enforcement in his past. But, he kept the notion of running for sheriff in his head and last week, he filed to run against Van Duncan in the May 4 primary.
“I figured when I got out of law enforcement, I’d stay out,” he said. “But, I finally gave into it and decided to run after putting a lot of thought into it.”
A career that took him from the jail to the detective’s office and eventually patrol captain, Owenby has first-hand experience with the key points of his platform.
He would like to see the budget trimmed and some of the top-level positions reduced to balance out the weight of power in the office. Owenby also stresses the importance of a sheriff maintaining an open-door policy with the public.
“The sheriff is an elected official. They need to be available,” he said.
Owenby said the personal contact should also be extended to patrol units working with victims.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people and they expect to see a deputy at their house when they need one,” he said. “I think one should be there.”
For employees, Ownby feels 12-hour shifts are eroding morale and alterations to the schedule are needed.

Guitar, vocal, piano and accordion selections by Pastor Jim McCoy, Rev. Wendell Brittain and Pastor Hank Jackson with additional guest performances by previous scholarship winners. Free will offering.  For more information contact Harriet Burnette at 645-5798.     

  Guest Preacher will be Dr. LC. Ray, Pastor of Greater New Zion Baptist Church in Fletcher, and we are honored to welcome the Choir from his church as well.  The Worship Leader is Mr. David Butzu, Worship Minister of Hopwood Christian Church in Johnson City.  For more information, contact FBCW at 645-6720.