In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Oct. 9, 2013, Scout: Dawn Graves of Murphy shared what it was like to suffer domestic abuse over 10 long years. She escaped with the help of Reach of Cherokee County.
- In an attempt to mitigate hearing loss, the General Assembly approved allowing hunters to use silencers on rifles and shotguns.
- About 75 citizens gathered at Tri-County Community College to take part in the Southwestern North Carolina Opportunity Initiative, a $1.3 million effort to help plan for the future. Update: Cherokee County didn’t adopt any plans.
Oct. 10, 2013, Journal: Andrews High School retired the No. 10 volleyball jersey honoring former Wildcat player Shannon Christy, who died in a kayaking accident on the Potomac River in Virginia.
- Working on classic cars was helping Bobby Davis of Nantahala fight back against lupus disease.
25 years ago – Oct. 7, 1998, Scout: Dennis William Engelskind of Clay County was sentenced to a maximum of 43.3 years in prison for rape and other sex charges against a defendant less than 6 years old.
- A beagle puppy mix found injured and its missing siblings were probably attacked by coyotes, not wolves, as the dogs’ owner on Caney Creek Road in Murphy originally feared, according the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
- Murphy native Ray Cook picked up his first two career wins on the Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series, taking home $15,500 after winning the fourth annual Super Nationals in Missouri.
Oct. 8, 1998, Journal: The Andrews Police Department was investigating after a juvenile said a man in a truck twice approached him with an offer to take a ride. School officials were put on alert.
- Pat Dockery of Andrews said she wanted her water meter read every month, claiming town workers were “just guessing” instead of coming out to homes on a regular basis.
50 years ago – Oct. 11, 1973, Scout: The U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation granted Murphy a $8,570 grant to help build a little league baseball field in Murphy. The rest of the money was coming from Cherokee County and Murphy, which put up $1,500 each, along with $2,000 in cash.
- Cherokee County Schools Superintendent John Jordan was encouraging voters to support a statewide bond issue that would give local schools $950,942 for new construction, upgrades and equipment.
- Since the state already had laws on the subject, Cherokee County and Murphy officials decided against pursuing an anti-smut ordinance regulating adult magazines and movies.
Oct. 10, 1973, Journal: Hundreds of people lined Main Street for the second annual Andrews High School Homecoming Parade. That night, senior Kay Jackson was named queen.
- Grier Ivie, 21, a graduate of Murphy High School who attended Western Carolina University, was joining his family’s business at Ivie Funeral Home. Update: Grier can still be found today working at the business.
– Publisher David Brown