In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – June 19, 2013, Scout: The local newspaper’s In Focus page ran an award-winning photo package called “Snapshots of Salvation” about five residents of Christian Love Ministries in Peachtree who were being baptized in the Hiwassee River.
- Michael Owens, a graduate of Murphy High School, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., to become an officer. His father, Jeff Owens, is the founding pastor of MountainView Church in Murphy.
- Deborah Walling, 67, a six-year associate in the Cherokee Scout’s old press plant, was discovered dead in her room at Murphy’s Mountain Vista Inn. Her body was found by a concerned co-worker who went to check on her when she didn’t show up for work. Update: Law enforcement officials later said no foul play was suspected.
June 13, 2013, Journal: Jeffrey Dan Bennett, 43, of Marble, was killed during a two-vehicle crash in Granny Squirrel and two others were badly hurt. His vehicle was traveling about 85 mph on U.S. 19 around a bend near the Nantahala Gorge.
- The feature Hometown Heroes in the Andrews Journal put a spotlight on Nenia Thompson of Andrews, a longtime teacher who also volunteered with Boy Scout Troop 401.
25 years ago – June 17, 1998, Scout: Cherokee County had to set aside $55,490 in order to pay back the U.S. Treasury for equipment missing at the old farmers market, an audit found.
- Rex Kephart, a former employee in the Cherokee County tax office, filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming he was discriminated against because of a temporary disability. The lawsuit also alleged that county commissioners illegally altered property values. Update: Weeks later, county officials still had no comment.
- Safety on the track at Murphy High School was raised as a concern, with 59 local residents signing a memo saying the track was unsafe to use after dark, in part due to a lack of lighting.
June 18, 1998, Journal: Owners had 30 days to get their dogs leashed and licensed in the Town of Andrews after a new law was approved by the board of aldermen.
- John Dahdah, who was hired earlier in the year before later leaving the Andrews Police Department, was rehired and reinstated by the town. Dahdah appreciated Eddie Hardin being named police chief.
50 years ago – June 14, 1973, Scout: The Attorney General’s Office told the Cherokee Scout that it’s OK for a citizen to walk down a public sidewalk with an open beer in North Carolina, even though driving while doing the exact same thing was illegal and some municipalities had laws against consuming alcoholic in public. Update: Confused yet? So where they at the time.
- Tri-County Technical Institute in Peachtree received $175,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission to complete a new classroom building and buy land around the former prison camp. Update: The tech institute later became Tri-County Community College.
- A gas shortage had some local residents carrying a spare can of petrol in the trunk of their vehicles, which state officials said was a “bomb” just waiting to go off.
June 13, 1973, Journal: Miss Cherokee County – Beryl Jones, 20, of Andrews – was moving on to compete in the annual Miss North Carolina Beauty Pageant. Her talent was a classic ballet number.
- A called meeting of the Cherokee County Board of Education failed to come to order due to a lack of a quorum. Only three members of the seven-member board, which was already down one member, showed up.
– Publisher David Brown