In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Jan. 20, 2016, Scout: A short chase resulted in a stolen car and drug arrest, as Cherokee County sheriff’s deputies apprehended a local man who was allegedly trying to get away by throwing debris at law enforcement vehicles.
- Peachtree residents were angered by the poacher who shot and killed a rare 14-point buck. The deer was illegally killed out of season, bringing at least one nearby family who had seen the buck to tears over the incident.
- The theme of the 24th annual Martin Luther King Prayer Jr. Breakfast was to celebrate “The Courage to Love.” One sign at the event in Texana read, “Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand.”
Jan. 21, 2016, Journal: The Andrews Rescue Squad was ready to go on, despite Cherokee County’s plan of consolidating the county’s rescue squad with more than a dozen fire departments.
- Junior Kayla Postell was crowned Nantahala High School’s 2016 homecoming queen. “I am shocked it is me,” she said with a smile. She was escorted by junior Jorden Crosby.
25 years ago – Jan. 24, 2001, Scout: No problems were found in Cherokee County’s annual audit, but an increase in the tax collection rate was recommended by the Crisp Hughes Evans accounting firm.
- A $106,000 grant from the Governor’s Crime Commission was awarded to Cherokee County to fund two officers working full time on domestic violence cases. A county match of 25% was required.
- Andrews took down Murphy 68-51 in a boys basketball matchup, with Joel Creasman dominating inside to score 23 points. Meanwhile, the Hiwassee Dam girls team beat the Lady Bulldogs 73-49, led by Ashley Craig with 22 points.
Jan. 25, 2001, Journal: Mitch Rhinehart of Hiawassee, Ga., handed a $300,000 check to town officials for the purchase of the former Owenby building in Andrews. Update: A couple of years later, Rhinehart was elected mayor.
- The first Leadership Cherokee County class kicked off at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, with 16 existing and future leaders attending. Brenda Blount, Pat Love and Bill Vespasian were part of that initial class.
50 years ago – Jan. 22, 1976, Scout: Members of the Cherokee County Board of Education expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of some local school campuses and declining state of local tax dollars going to education.
- A 16-year-old boy who ran away from a juvenile home in Florida hanged himself in the Cherokee County Jail in downtown Murphy, saying he did not want to go back. Update: The book and movie The Nickel Boys is fiction, but it is based on the horrific true story of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, a notorious reform school in Marianna, Fla.
Jan. 21, 1976, Journal: Sadly, this edition is missing from our files.
– Publisher David Brown