In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – July 16, 2014, Scout: Murphy Police Chief Justin Jacobs said a Neighborhood Watch program helped lead to the arrests of two people accused of operating a meth lab at 47 Dillard St. The homeowner was also awaiting disposition of several other cases.
- The son of Paul Pfleiderer Jr. of Murphy said his father was killed “from behind with a baseball bat.” John Anthony Hill, 43, of Peachtree – who had a lengthy criminal record – was facing a second-degree murder charge.
- “Everyone can be a kid” at WagonMaster Adventure Ranch, which opened to rave reviews in Hiwassee Dam and was still going strong after five years. Folks of all ages panned for gold, shot paintballs, enjoyed a bounce water house, played putt-putt golf and did some “sluicing” for gems.
July 17, 2014, Journal: Hundreds of people attended a meeting in Andrews held by the Coalition Against Fracking in Western North Carolina. Residents expressed concern about water being contaminated and their property rights being infringed upon if a bill allowing hydraulic fracturing of the earth was approved by the General Assembly.
- Joseph and Laralyn Riverwind of Marble, called The Blessed Blend as a musical group, were invited to perform their song about the “Trail of Tears” at a ceremony where the Tennessee Legislature officially apologized for the Indian Removal Act.
25 years ago – July 14, 1999, Scout: Two companies proposed leasing the former Levi’s building in Murphy. Neither Van Brown nor John Omar was able to reach a deal for the building. Update: Snap-on Tools came in later, struck a deal and has operated the plant since then.
- A series of stories called “For Your Tax Dollars” continued with an article about recreation plans made for both seniors and youth across Cherokee County.
- Jeff Howard of Youth in Christ ministry requested permission to add a pool table to the facility for faith-based local youths at 115 Tennessee St. downtown. However, council members declined to go against the existing ordinance, which forbids pool tables in a specific zoning area. Update: The anti-pool table ordinance is still out there.
July 15, 1999, Journal: Don Trueba was injured when a bobcat he was operating overturned, sending him 100 feet down a mountain. He was injured but still able to call 911 on his cell phone, then was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he was listed in critical condition.
- The Andrews Board of Aldermen passed a budget of $1,948,090 for the 1999-2000 fiscal year. The property tax rate of 57 cents per $100 of valuation remained the same.
50 years ago – July 18, 1974, Scout: The “poultry lab” in Murphy was closed by N.C. Department of Agriculture officials, who quietly removed all of the equipment and took it to a new regional laboratory in Asheville.
- The Murphy Town Council accepted bids on closing the old garbage dump site in Texana. Jack Wimpey was awarded the $11,100 contract. The highest bid was $18,800.
- A touring group of 12 youths ages 14-18 from Denmark performed traditional Danish folk dances before a good crowd at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, sweeping the ladies off of their feet.
July 17, 1974, Journal: Two felony cases – involving the shooting death of John Pendergrass and knifing of Mrs. Harvey Failen in Andrews – were scheduled for trial at Cherokee County Superior Court in Murphy. Their spouses – Mr. Failen and Mrs. Pendergrass – were accused of committing the crimes.
- A photo from 1912 showed a meeting of the group Andrews Young Men About Town. They included Frank Bristol, Wallace Colvard, Marvin Phillips and Carl Brown, younger brother of local merchant J.W. Brown.
– Publisher David Brown