In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Jan. 18, 2012, Scout: Clayton Homes, the last mobile home dealership in Cherokee County, merged its Marble location with Waynesville.
- Local residents recalled the day the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot in 1968 during the annual MLK Prayer Breakfast at the Texana Community Center.
- The Andrews boys basketball team earned a big win over Murphy, with Jordan Collins’ 18 points helping beat the Bulldogs 60-44.
Jan. 19, 2012, Journal: Faith Snipes of Marble faced several charges after driving the wrong way on U.S. 19/74, causing two vehicle collisions.
- Andrews High School was selected as the site for a school-based health clinic paid for by a state grant. Update: The clinic is no longer open.
25 years ago – Jan. 15, 1997, Scout: The jury only took a little more than two hours to convict Barbara Geiger of first-degree
murder in the death of her husband, James Raymond Geiger. She was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison.
- The North American Free Trade Agreement, better known as NAFTA, was blamed for the closing of General Textiles in Peachtree as well as Lee Jeans in
- Andrews.
- A gas explosion was narrowly avoided after 100 gallons spewed from a storage tank at Vengeance Creek Country Store in Marble.
Jan. 16, 1997, Journal: District Memorial Hospital in Andrews and Murphy Medical Center in Peachtree were holding talks about the possibility of a merger. Update: Murphy Medical later bought District Memorial, only to close it a few years later.
- Rates for Andrews commercial water customers went up by more than 50 percent.
50 years ago – Jan. 20, 1972, Scout: Providence Hospital in Murphy operated at a net loss of $33,750 during the previous fiscal year.
- James Stalcup of Martins Creek was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, while his brother Lloyd Stalcup was charged with possession of drugs.
- A General Electric range with a “giant size oven” could be had for only $188.95 – exactly $11 off the usual price – at Carolina Tire Co. in Murphy, complete with a two-year warranty!
Jan. 19, 1972, Journal: The Valleytown Fire District was approved by the state, Valleytown Rural Fire Department Chief Hugh Rayburn announced.
- Western Carolina Telephone Co. asked the state for permission to raise rates by 33 percent overall.
– David Brown