10 years ago
* Storms caused nearly $1.3 million in damage to roads in Graham County. The biggest repair was replacing a missing chunk of the Cherohala Skyway, which wasn’t calculated in the cost at the time. More than 20 landslides and road problems were generated in the county by pounding rains, when more than 10 inches fell in a four-day period. Preliminary damage estimates for cleanup in Robbinsville amounted to $72,000, according to Mayor Bobby Smith. Joel Setzer, District Engineer with the Department of Transportation, said that an investigation team of geologists were studying the washed-out section of the skyway to see if it could be repaired using the existing road footprint.
* Students returning for the 2013-14 school year were in for an extra-long summer. The prior waiver – which allowed them to start at the beginning of August – was in place due to inclement weather. The new law mandated that schools would open no earlier than Aug. 25 and end no later than June 10 of each year. School districts were required to have a 185-day calendar – or 1,025 hours of instruction – covering at least nine calendar months. “For the last couple of years, we’ve had only two missed school days due to inclement weather,” said Superintendent Chip Carringer.
25 years ago
* Graham County’s charitable support group United Services was dedicated to raise money for the county’s organizations. Their goal in 1998 was $30,000. Sixteen organizations were supported by this group and the kickoff was planned for March. Two kinds of donors were eligible for these awards: individuals contributing $100 or more, who would receive special recognition through the $100 Club Award; and clubs, businesses or organizations whose entire membership made donations to United Services.
* Seven residents threw their hats in the political ring before filing closed. This left 12 candidates running for sheriff, 11 for three commissioner seats, seven running for two seats on the board of education, three for register of deeds and two for clerk of court.
-Compiled by Diane West