In this week’s archives of the Cherokee Scout and Andrews Journal:
10 years ago – Jan. 1, 2014, Scout: The 20th annual Possum Drop was getting ready to be in the national spotlight at Clay’s Corner in Brasstown, despite People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ best efforts to stop the event. Update: More than 2,000 onlookers attended the event, including an opossum that was watching from a nearby tree.
- Bringing in natural gas was considered a potential economic boom to Cherokee County officials, but larger industrial users were needed to help make it affordable for residential homes. Update: Plans to bring natural gas to the area did not come to fruition.
- Repairs and renovations were underway at the historic H.T. Hackney building, which was more than 100 years old, next to the L&N Depot in downtown Murphy. Update: The Hackney building serves as a first-class event space today.
Jan. 2, 2014, Journal: The Andrews High School Wildcat Marching Band performed during the halftime show of the college football Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta. Update: Then band director Joslyn Parker serves as principal of Andrews Middle School today.
- The Valley River Humane Society set a record with 14 dogs and nine cats being adopted during a pre-Christmas event, which was part of a partnership with Best Friends Animal Society.
25 years ago – Dec. 30, 1998, Scout: Alex Bryant, 19, of Murphy, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for his part in the 1997 robbery and murder of local pawn shop owner Daniel Green. The other teenager charged in the incident – Ryan Shawn O’Keefe, 16, of Murphy – received more than 27 years behind bars
- Katherine McClure Elliott, 74, of Murphy, was killed when the vehicle she was driving collided head-on with a pickup on U.S. 19/129 in Bellview. Two teenagers in the truck were treated and released.
- John Russell Hensley, 18, of Brasstown, was charged with the first-degree rape of a female less than age 14. Update: Several readers pointed out Hensley’s smiling mug shot that accompanied the article.
Dec. 31, 1998, Journal: The Garden Restaurant burned despite the best efforts of local firefighters to stop the blaze, which began at a malfunctioning deep-fat fryer. Elsie Mail had operated the local restaurant for eight years.
- Darwin B. Solesbee, 31, of Topton, died in a single-vehicle accident south of Mill Creek Road in Graham County. His four-wheel-drive truck went off the road in the middle of a curve.
50 years ago – Jan. 3, 1974, Scout: Two projects – a new town garage in Andrews and a connecting link between the Town of Murphy and Texana’s water systems – received more than $80,000 in federal funds through grants.
- “Gasless Sunday” was becoming popular nationwide, as more drivers decided to not fill up on this day every week in an effort to cut costs while protesting the high price of petrol.
- A one-year subscription to the Scout was only $5.20 if you lived in either Cherokee or Clay counties, $10.40 for all other locations.
Jan. 2, 1974, Journal: The Town of Andrews received notice of approval for a $56,500 federal grant to build a $103,000 community facility building, primarily to store equipment.
- The District Memorial Hospital Board of Directors were considering plans to expand the facility by adding two floors on top of the existing two-story structure. The move would double the hospital’s size.
– Publisher David Brown