In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Sept. 12, 2012, Scout: While the Voter Integrity Project claimed almost 30,000 deceased residents were still registered to vote in North Carolina, Marsha Stiles with the Cherokee County Board of Elections said she didn’t know of anyone in her 22 years with the office who attempted to vote by using the name of a dead person.
- Murphy High School Principal Boyd Shields was named Principal of the Year in Cherokee County Schools. (Publisher’s note: Shields will always have my appreciation for allowing me to write about Led Zeppelin for an English class assignment in 1982.) The other two top vote-getters were Andrews High School Principal Virginia Haynes and Hiwassee Dam High School Principal Tom Graham.
- The Scout’s series on local communities ventured to Bear Paw, which was a community long before the Tennessee Valley Authority’s construction on Hiwassee Dam and the area being used as a secret torpedo testing site in World War II.
Sept. 13, 2012, Journal: Bear Ridge Speedway, the new go-kart track at the former Hillbilly Mall, was revving the town’s economic engine as spectators flocked to see racing in the dirt. Update: It closed years later.
- The Andrews High School Marching Band was making great progress under director Joslyn Parker, as they prepared for upcoming competitions after doing “really well” at other events.
25 years ago – Sept. 10, 1997, Scout: Levi Strauss & Co. officials said no decision had been made on whether to close the Murphy plant. Update: That decision was made the following year. Snap-on Tools works in the former Levi’s location today.
- Two Polk County, Tenn., men were wanted in connection with a burglary off of U.S. 64 West in Cherokee County. All of the stolen items were recovered.
- Reach of Cherokee County Inc. opened its first thrift store, next to the Henn Theater in downtown Murphy. Update: Reach’s thrift store today is only a couple of miles away on U.S. 64 West.
Sept. 11, 1997, Journal: At an average of 984, Andrews High School’s Scholastic Aptitude Test – better known as the SAT – scores were the highest among Cherokee County students.
- A 17-year-old local boy was charged with felony breaking and entering, larceny, possession of stolen goods and damaging property by the Andrews Police Department.
50 years ago – Sept. 14, 1972, Scout: About a dozen officers raided an illegal drag race in Culberson, with six people arrested and two cars seized.
- Murphy merchants asked the town council for free parking downtown in an attempt to ward off competition from a shopping center that was planning to open soon.
- The movie Conquest of the Planet of the Apes opened at the Henn Theater in downtown Murphy.
Sept. 13, 1972, Journal: This edition is unfortunately missing from the archives.
– Publisher David Brown