In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – July 10, 2013, Scout: An environmental disaster was narrowly averted when a tractor-trailer carrying 5,000 gallons of fuel overturned on N.C. 141 near the intersection of Fairview Drive. The Valleytown Volunteer Fire Department contained a small leak and sprayed the tank with a protective foam.
- Proposed tax reforms in the N.C. General Assembly sparked concerns due to the fact that most of the benefits would be going to corporations and wealthy individuals, and there was a new proposed tax on utilities.
- The Scout continued its Celebrate Cherokee County series about county government with the Informational Technology Department, which was headed by IT director Dustin Stalcup and Kevin Creasman.
July 4, 2013, Journal: John B. Mitchell III, 22, of Nantahala, a special forces soldier with the U.S. Army, was recovering from injuries received fighting in Afghanistan. He was at a hospital in Germany.
- The Andrews Board of Aldermen approved a $2,799,504 budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year, with the property tax rate set at $.515 per $100 of valuation.
25 years ago – July 8, 1998, Scout: Local firefighters with the N.C. and U.S. Forest Service offices hit the road to help battle blazes in central Florida.
- Local resident Garry Williams, who was disgusted with Cherokee County’s low voter turnout of about 20 percent, proposed that politicians restore faith in government by signing a “contract of accountability” with the people they serve.
- Cherokee/Ranger Cable TV, run by David Daniel, was approved to serve the former territory of Kudzu Cable, though county commissioners expressed concerns about service charges. Update: The company added six new channels just a week later. Today, Daniel is still serving that area, and more.
July 9, 1998, Journal: New Andrews High School football head coach Tom Sargent said he was here to say, which was good news since the Wildcats had about 14 coaches in the last 40 years.
- Sean Wood, 13, of Andrews, was taken to District Memorial Hospital after he was struck by a car while riding his bike on U.S. 19/74. No charges were filed.
50 years ago – July 5, 1973, Scout: The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved a $2.3 million budget for the 1973-74 fiscal year. The property tax rate – $1.10 per $100 of valuation – was kept the same as the year before.
- After a Cherokee County Board of Education meeting erupted into the typically political turmoil, the Scout wrote in an editorial: “As usual, politics are alive and kicking in Cherokee County, infesting the (supposedly nonpartisan) school board as bad as anywhere else. The Democrats have won the latest round, but the end is not in sight, and apparently never will be.” Update: Sadly, we were right.
- Mr. and Mrs. Bill Dyer announced the birth of a daughter at Providence Hospital, but we didn’t get to know her name yet. Mrs. Dyer is the former Miss Phyllis Hughes. Update: Dyer, a chiropractor, later served on the Murphy Town Council. And I’m pretty sure I swam in their pool during the 1982 Murphy baseball team’s season-ending party.
July 3, 1973, Journal: The Andrews Board of Aldermen approved a budget of $232,500 for the 1973-74 fiscal year. The property tax rate remained the same.
- Gibson’s IFA Foodliner in Andrews had sirloin steak on sale for $1.59 per pound, which is just about enough to make me want to get into a time machine for dinner tonight. And in the best thing to ever happen to eating, you could buy a pound of salt for 10 cents.
– Publisher David Brown