In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – June 3, 2015, Scout: The mother of a Cherokee County teenager who took her own life filed a lawsuit against Polk County (Tenn.) Schools, saying officials didn’t do enough to stop her daughter from being bullied by other students. The girl died from a self-inflicted .22 caliber gunshot wound two days before her 14th birthday.
- Joni Lynn Clark, 51, of Hanging Dog, died from injuries sustained in a two-vehicle, head-on collision on U.S. 129 North in Blairsville, Ga. She left behind a husband, two children and six grandchildren. The Georgia Highway Patrol said the driver whose car hit hers was under the influence of medications, drugs or alcohol.
- Murphy police Officer Sky Beaver was forced to shoot and put down an aggressive dog at Konehete Park. One woman reported that the dog bit her, and it was also acting aggressively toward two other women walking in the park before moving menacingly toward Beaver.
June 4, 2015, Journal: The entire Valley was saddened at the death of 3-year-old “Baby Korbin” Smith of Andrews, who courageous fought cancer until his little body couldn’t take it anymore. Stacy Van Buskirk wrote for the Cherokee Scout, “We were all blessed to have played a part in a divine miracle – the life of Korbin Smith – a boy destined to become a guardian angel for a community and bring a little piece of heaven to Cherokee County.”
- The Andrews Board of Aldermen was all-in on opening the Andrews Town Pool, with Director Cindy Raxter saying “horseplay” among past employees around the pool area has been stopped.
25 years ago – May 31, 2000, Scout: A new species of mussel in the Hiwassee River forced the proposed new two-lane U.S. 64 East highway to be rerouted. Eight mussels were found in the river in 1998, four years after the project was supposed to be under construction. Delays came when U.S. Fish & Wildlife officials were not satisfied with the N.C. Department of Transportation’s environmental analysis.
- Memorial Day weekend races were called off after severe thunderstorms and tornadoes were reported near Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown. The clear was cleared in 20 minutes, moments before the inclement weather arrived. Update: Unfortunately, rain also called off this year’s Memorial Day race at the local track.
- The Cherokee Scout marked Memorial Day with a full page of photos from a service at the veterans memorials in downtown Murphy.
June 1, 2000, Journal: After calling 911 and threatening to commit suicide, David Nelson, 29, of Topton was shot twice by troopers from the N.C. Highway Patrol. Nelson leveled a shotgun on the troopers and had one pinned with no safe place to retreat. Nelson was listed in critical condition from his injuries.
- Cherokee Cable purchased Andrews Cable Board, which was owned by former Andrews mayor Mitch Rinehart. As a result, local cable television viewers’ monthly bill went up from $15 to $20.86. Update: Cherokee Cable owner David Daniel since then has expanded the company to become Peachtree Broadband Fiber.
50 years ago – June 5, 1975, Scout: Gary Welch, 21, of Murphy, escaped from the Cherokee County Jail downtown by cutting his way out of a first-floor cell with a smuggled hacksaw. He then cut off a padlock from a window security screen and was free. He was serving a sentence for breaking and entering.
- The first bids to build the long-awaited four-lane bypass highway between Andrews and Murphy were going to be opened. After that, officials expected three years of construction. Update: U.S. 19/74/129 today is still referred to by local residents simply as “the four lane.”
June 3, 1975, Journal: James Scott Gallion, 18, of Marble, died and five other young men were injured when a speeding car and a pickup collided on Whitaker Lane in Andrews. Two other local residents were charged with spontaneous racing in the tragic incident.
– Publisher David Brown