In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – June 5, 2013, Scout: The third annual Art, River & Music Festival was held at the L&N Depot in Murphy, thanks to the Cherokee County Arts Council and Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition.
- The Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour was preparing for as many as 3,000 cars to rumble down the four-lane highway in Cherokee County on a trip from the Ocoee Gorge to Concord.
- The Hiwassee Dam baseball team earned three honors, as Chance Roberts was named Pitcher of the Year, Orrin Moore was named Player of the Year and Daniel McNabb was named Coach of the Year by the Smoky Mountain Conference. In addition, Murphy softball star Kenda Henry was named Pitcher of the Year.
May 30, 2013, Journal: Andrews police Officer Jeremy Widman acted fast to help save the life of 2-year-old Carleigh Holden after she was severely injured on Fairview Road and lost a lot of blood.
- The Andrews Police Pals Cruise-In set a new record with 141 vehicles registered for the annual event, which raised money to help local children in need at Christmastime.
25 years ago – June 3, 1998, Scout: Lightning strikes were blamed for a fire at the Coats America plant in Marble, but no one was injured. Update: Core Scientific operates in that building today.
- The Culberson Volunteer Fire Department filed a lawsuit against the Ranger Volunteer Fire Department to settle a years-long boundary dispute. Cherokee County commissioners also canceled a hearing on whether Culberson should become its own fire service tax district.
- Murphy High School sophomore Amanda Champion, daughter of Bill and Cecilia Champion, won the 1998 James Hunt Young Citizen Award. Amanda was active in the community and wrote the Murphy High School News that appeared in the Cherokee Scout. Update: Cecilia Champion later operated Joanna Cornerstone Ministries in Murphy, helping students obtain college scholarships.
June 4, 1998, Journal: Former deputy Eddie Hardin was named Andrews’ interim police chief after Chief Junior McGaha was revealed to be suffering from peripheral vision problems.
- Items fugitive bomber Eric Rudolph left at Cal’s Mini Storage in Andrews were set to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Owner Cal Stiles also planned to auction off four search warrants served by federal officers.
50 years ago – May 31, 1973, Scout: Cherokee County received a state grant worth $62,575 to renovate the jail next to the Cherokee County Courthouse. Update: That jail was replaced in 2008 by one built in combination with the new sheriff’s office on Regal Street in Murphy.
- Heavy rains brought flooding to Cherokee and Clay counties, with widespread damages worth an estimated $1 million reported across the area.
- The Cherokee County Fair Association, which had been in operation for about 30 years, dissolved and would no longer play an active role in the annual event since the Lions Club had taken over operations.
May 31, 1973, Journal: Capt. Frank Swan, president of the Western North Carolina Wagon Train, announced the rules for the 15th annual trek. This one went from Andrews to Robbinsville, which was turning 100 years old.
- Martha Johnson’s column, “Ravelings from American Thread,” included that Sue Queen has returned to her job in the finishing department after taking a sick leave. “It’s good to have her back in the fold.”
– Publisher David Brown