In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Dec. 26, 2012, Scout: Clay Logan, owner of Clay’s Corner, was keeping quiet about what was going to be dropped at midnight, but the annual Possum Drop was set to continue in Brasstown on New Year’s Eve despite protests by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
- A new copper eagle was positioned atop the Cherokee County Courthouse to replace the old one, which had been shot and was relocated to the nearby Cherokee County Museum.
- A local cartoon in the Cherokee Scout, “Boo-dacious,” highlighted the imaginary adventures of a real cat that lived at The Curiosity Shop bookstore in downtown Murphy.
Dec. 27, 2012, Journal: Archeological testing was being done in the Andrews Valley to assist Cherokee County in planning without damaging local history.
- Andrews celebrated the season with a gorgeous nighttime Christmas parade.
25 years ago – Dec. 24, 1997, Scout: Tony Alexander Dalrymple, 36, of Marble, was killed in a two-vehicle accident near Blairsville, Ga. His vehicle left Georgia 11 for an unknown reason.
- Arson was suspected in three out of five structure fires across Cherokee County over three weeks, including a blaze at the old Rainbow Motel.
- The Murphy High School girls basketball team improved to 3-0 on the season with a 55-33 win over Robbinsville. Lady Bulldog Kristy Whitaker finished with a team-high 12 points.
Dec. 25, 1997, Journal: Norm West of Andrews gained positive attention for his handmade wood folk instruments, including dulcimers, fiddles and banjos.
- The lowest of three bids for the Andrews water plant still came in at $100,000 over budget.
50 years ago – Dec. 28, 1972, Scout: A man dressed as Santa Claus who had been drinking was stopped in Hanging Dog. Since it wasn’t enough to blow .10 on the Breathalyzer, Cherokee County sheriff’s Deputy Kenneth Higgins showed some Christmas spirit by letting him off with a warning – after taking two pints of white liquor and a pistol from him, of course.
- A timber professing plant was set to be built between Andrews and Marble in the Coalville section of Cherokee County. The ValWood Corp. said this would not be “a conventional sawmill.”
Dec. 27, 1972, Journal: Six dogs were poisoned on Happy Top over a few months.
- Danny and June Mason of Andrews, a couple in their mid-20s, lost their home – and everything in it – due to a fire. The Andrews Rescue Squad started a drive to help them.
– Publisher David Brown