In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Aug. 31, 2011, Scout: The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved an employment contract with Randy Wiggins, which is notable since the county was being sued by the former manager over an alleged breach of contract.
- Olivia Paige Stanley, 27, of Murphy, pled guilty to federal child pornography charges and was sentenced to almost four years in prison.
- “Unreasonable” charges for local radio stations to cover high school football games led to that week’s Bulldogs’ game against Franklin not bring aired in Murphy.
- Susan Fredrichs of Marble was honored by the N.C. Department of Transportation for picking up more than 16,020 pounds of litter over 13 years.
Sept. 1, 2011, Journal: The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office seized a substantial amount of synthetic marijuana from Topton Store.
- In 1982, Natalie Wilson was saved as a small child thanks to the quick action of neighbors after her father’s truck rolled into the Nantahala River.
25 years ago – Aug. 28, 1996, Scout: Lonn Taylor of Murphy was hoisted in critical condition after being stabbed during a barroom brawl at the Whitewater Cantina in Tennessee.
- Bulldozers began clearing trees and demolishing a building to make way for a new Murphy Middle School next to the high school off Bulldog Drive.
- Murphy tuned up for the regular-season football openers with a scrimmage against 3A Asheville, with fullback Jonathan Collins leading the way.
Aug. 29, 1996, Journal: A mobile home wound up on its top on U.S. 19/74 near Andrews-Murphy Airport after thunderstorm-driven gust of wind picked up the home and cartwheeled it onto the roadside, according to the truck driver.
- The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners asked the N.C. Department of Transportation for $250,000 to build a bridge connecting the new landfill and current facility in Marble.
50 years ago – Aug. 26, 1971, Scout: Consolidation of Cherokee County Schools cropped up again for lengthy discussion, as 153 parents of Hiwassee Dam High School students asked to have them transferred to Murphy High School.
- The 53rd annual Cherokee County Fair began its six-day run with a new emphasis on mountain arts and crafts.
- The Scout published an editorial encouraging the formation of a Consolidation Study Commission composed of residents from across Cherokee County. Update: Local residents have again encouraged the formation of such a committee in the last year.
Aug. 25, 1971, Journal: The town’s new 30-feet-high, 500,000-gallon water reservoir was nearing completion.
- Coy Brown, Carroll Mathis and Bill Moore were tri-captains of the Andrews football team.
– David Brown