In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – July 17, 2013, Scout: The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to abolish the Western Carolina Regional Airport Advisory Board. Meanwhile, a safety inspection showed the airport could be out of compliance with federal safety regulations.
- The N.C. Bomb Squad ages 10-and-under softball team took second place at the Dizzy Dean World Series, with players like Taylor Ledford, Grace Nelson, Kaiya Pickens, Allison Wells, Kennedy Colbert-Carr, Annie Kate Dalton, Sydni Addison, McKenzie Seabolt, Heyli Colbert, Hailey Bowman and Gracie Burchfield.
- The Cherokee Scout continued its Celebrate Cherokee County series about county government with Geographic Information System Department, which was headed by administrator Debbie Weatherly.
July 11, 2013, Journal: The Andrews Board of Aldermen approved a grant application to train and handle a K-9 unit (a Dutch shepherd) as well as an accompanying officer.
- Kandy Barnard’s Journaling column focused on the medicinal history of the old Bradley Hotel on Main Street in downtown Andrews, which included a series of drugstores.
25 years ago – July 15, 1998, Scout: Federal officials stepped up their search for bombing fugitive Eric Rudolph after they believe he stole a truck and food from a residence on Junaluska Road in Nantahala.
- Dr. William Sugg was named principal of Murphy High School, replacing Bob Hendrix, who resigned. Assistant principal Bill Gaither helped Sugg get acquainted with the campus, students and staff.
- The Murphy Town Council was reconsidering an old ordinance that barred downtown restaurants from placing tables on the sidewalks. Update: Good thing they did that, as such things are commonplace today.
July 16, 1998, Journal: Herman H. “Bull” West, 87, passed away after a lifetime of service to the community. Despite only having a seventh-grade education in Andrews, West built a national land-clearing business before serving in both the N.C. House of Representatives and Senate. Update: His son, Roger West, also served in the state House.
- Officials said Tri-County Community College and Cherokee County Schools should work together – not in competition with one another – during their pursuits of state and federal dollars.
50 years ago – July 12, 1973, Scout: Major improvements were being planned at Cherokee Hills Golf Course in Murphy, including new greens, cart paths and fairways. Update: That look back will undoubtedly sadden the players who no longer get to enjoy it since the golf course closed several years ago.
- Renovations at the Cherokee County Jail in downtown Murphy got under way in earnest, with all staff and inmates temporarily evicted from the 50-year-old building. The sheriff’s office worked in the Murphy Police Department in the meantime. Update: That jail was torn down more than a dozen years ago to make room for the courthouse expansion and renovation project, as a new detention center had been built on Regal Road.
- Family Dollar has men’s jeans on sale for $2.99, with short-sleeve dress shirts going for just $1.99. Update: That’s $4.98 for an entire outfit, which is just about the same cost as a plain undershirt today.
July 11, 1973, Journal: The inspection of the new Andrews Elementary School building was set for the next week, with the new building replacing one that burned more than three years earlier.
- Work on the historic chapel at Valleytown Cemetery was set to begin, with $6,160 collected of the $11,000 needed to pave the cemetery road and more requested to repair the chapel grounds.
– Publisher David Brown