In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – July 30, 2014, Scout: A construction mishap knocked out Cherokee County’s 911 system for almost eight hours. Thankfully, there were no major emergencies during that time.
- A 9-year-old girl locked herself inside a bathroom and called 911 in a frightened voice. Officers were dispatched to her home in Murphy, and she later told Cherokee County Department of Social Services workers that she had been sexually abused.
- David Vowell, a well-known artist who operated an art gallery in downtown Murphy, was named president of the Cherokee County Arts Council. He replaced Kathleen Nolte, who moved from the area. Update: Vowell is still on the job today, and his passion for the arts has never wavered.
July 31, 2014, Journal: An Andrews police car was totaled when Officer Brendlyn Phillips left the roadway en route to assisting Cherokee County sheriff’s deputies at Healy Fields, where a prowler had been reported.
- The Upper Highlands American Viticultural Area for western North Carolina and north Georgia was formed with 20 vineyards, eight with wineries. Eric Carlson, owner of Calaboose Cellars in Andrews, played a big part in making the designation happen. Update: Alas, Calaboose Cellars is no longer open.
25 years ago – July 28, 1999, Scout: Richard Rice, 19, of Murphy, was the third teenager indicted for his involvement in the August 1997 murder of Shamrock Pawn Shop owner Daniel Green, 55.
- A flashing yellow light at the intersection of Hanging Dog Road and Joe Brown Highway was considered a hazard by many local residents, who say drivers only stop on the red light side.
- Claude Douglas Laney of Murphy was sentenced to 13-16 years in the N.C. Department of Corrections after he pleaded guilty to four felonies, including second-degree murder from a stabbing incident in Nantahala, as well as four misdemeanor charges. Laney was either age 24 or 29, depending on the document viewed.
July 29, 1999, Journal: The Andrews Chamber of Commerce’s Watermelon Festival was coming to town, complete with a Great Lawnmower Race, live entertainment and a grand finale melon eating contest.
- Local tennis players were unhappy with policies at Andrews Recreation Park, which kept them from being able to play after dark, when it’s cooler, with one group being told to leave by a police officer at 11:15 p.m. Resident Nancy Purser said replacing a gate with fencing wouldn’t stop an ongoing vandalism problem.
50 years ago – Aug. 1, 1974, Scout: Western Carolina Telephone operators from Murphy to Marion with the Communication Workers of America went on strike. The company brought in workers from elsewhere to help out.
- Herman West of Murphy was named to the N.C. Board of Transportation. The “Bull of the Woods” also held an auction of bulldozers and heavy equipment in Marble that brought in a total of $2.1 million.
- During the grand opening of King’s Pharmacy in Murphy, a box of 200 Kleenex could be had for only 39 cents, while a roll of Northern paper towels would just set you back 49 cents.
July 31, 1974, Journal: Myrtle (Gibby) Rogers, 90, of Bolin Branch, was out patching the tin roof of the cabin she and her late husband built more than 40 years ago. However, she still wished she could hunt for raccoons.
- Gary Patton, alias Gary Stephens, the shotgun murderer of prominent Asheville businessman and former Andrews resident J. Ray Orr during a robbery attempt, was sentenced to life imprisonment, plus 30 years. Update: You know it was a bad crime when you get sentenced to decades in prison after you die.
– Publisher David Brown