In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Aug. 22, 2012, Scout: Willard Waters, his wife Wanda and their son Doug of Copperhill, Tenn., were shot to death in an ongoing family dispute. Steven Waters was charged with committing the crimes.
- The Scout’s series on local communities highlighted Hot House, which was named after Cherokee winter homes and called a “bootlegger’s haven.”
- Shirley Wilson of Murphy was driving on U.S. 64 West when her sunglasses fell off and got stuck behind the brake pedal, leading to a wreck involving three vehicles. A Marble man was injured in the accident.
Aug. 23, 2012, Journal: Andrews Middle School language arts and social studies instructor Fallon Rider was named the 2012 Teacher the Year for Cherokee County Schools.
- The Conley-West family of Topton have a long, distinguished history of U.S. military service.
- Andrews High School showed the most improvement countywide in students’ test scores on the SAT college entrance exam.
25 years ago – Aug. 20, 1997, Scout: Mary Queen, 40, of Cherokee County, was arrested on child abuse charges one week after Jason Jeremy Queen, 16, was charged with first-degree rape, sexual offense and incest.
- The law firm Schwartz & Shaw of Raleigh was hired by Cherokee County to defend the Department of Social Services and Director Lisa Davis against claims made by former caseworker Pat Hardin to the federal Equal Opportunity Commission. Update: An appeals clerk ruled that DSS supervisors were guilty of harassing Hardin.
- The Scout held a subscription campaign, with $1 for every one sold going to Cherokee County Special Olympics. Update: The local newspaper ended up giving even more than that, a check for $1,000.
Aug. 21, 1997, Journal: Samuel Lyes, 46, of Flowery Branch, Ga., died while rafting in the Nantahala River. He was with a church group.
- The Andrews Board of Aldermen decided against selling 2.54 acres in the town’s industrial park to Dick Strahan, instead proposing a lease agreement.
- James Harris, Frank and Erla Jones, J.R. Marr, Patricia Postlethwait and Eva Wood of Andrews – along with Lois Lenz and Sabrina Payne of Murphy, plus Jeanne Barnwell of Brasstown – were honored for Outstanding Volunteer Service by Gov. Jim Hunt.
50 years ago – Aug. 24, 1972, Scout: Beryl Jones, 19, of Marble – a rising junior at Western Carolina University – was the winner of the Miss Cherokee County beauty pageant.
- Max Chambers, 50, of Warne, was killed and 10 people were injured when the automobile he was driving on U.S. 64 at N.C. 69 in Hayesville was struck in the side by another vehicle.
- Murphy purchased 45 acres on the Valley River in Marble, which council members were planning on selling to Cherokee County to create a new landfill.
Aug. 23, 1972, Journal: Andrews Mayor Ty Burnette was happy to report that the town received a second $10,000 surplus from the ABC Store.
- DeeWhitt Sharpe, owner of an ambulance service in Andrews, was not happy to report that there had been 32 wrecks in the last four months on U.S. 19, including two fatalities.
– Publisher David Brown