July 10, 1997
* Rob Mason was announced as the new executive director of the Graham County Chamber of Commerce. Also an instructor of economics and marketing at Tri-County Community College, Mason was assigned to a six-month term. He emphasized revitalizing downtown Robbinsville and providing a voice for small businesses in his introduction to the public.
* Tri-County Community College made an offer to utilize the Graham County Public Library as its Graham County Center library, which was accepted immediately. College representative Marcia Clontz said Tri-County planned to install computers at the library and offer salaries that would allow the library to stay open several nights a week.
July 10, 1986
* Unable to abandon the aging Long Creek water system, the Town of Robbinsville was forced to increase its water and sewer rates. Mayor Frank Rodgers said the new residential rates would be $5 for the first 3,000 gallons and 50 cents for each 1,000 gallons, while out-of-town rates would be $8 for the first 3,000 gallons and 70 cents for each 1,000 gallons used after. Commercial rates were schedule to be $8 for the first 2,000 gallons consumed (in-town) and $10 (out-of-town).
* A house explosion in the Stecoah community killed a 7-year-old boy and critically injured his mother. According to Graham County Rescue Squad member Tom Ward, Patricia Williams Daniels had removed a rubber-backed carpet from her living room and placed it in the carport. Daniels then used gasoline to remove rubber bits from the floor, before plugging either a vacuum or a floor buffer into an outlet. The spark from the outlet ignited the gasoline, which led to an explosion that blew out both the front and back door, as well as most of the windows in the living room. Rodney Dale Holder perished instantly due to the reaction, while Daniels was listed in poor condition following surgery at a burn unit in Augusta, Ga. Three other children were in another part of the home when the accident occurred and were uninjured.
July 10, 1970
* A single-engine plane crashed into Snowbird Creek, killing 40-year-old Celina, Ohio doctor Joseph Skaggs upon impact. Skaggs' wife Yvonne and their 12-year-old son were en route to Orlando when the plane began "losing speed and altitude," according to eyewitnesses Harold and Hugh Williams, who were fishing nearby. The Williams' were able to remove the bodies from the wreckage before the plane exploded. Yvonne was listed in critical condition.
* Local resident Roscoe Orr passed away due to injuries sustained in a tractor accident. He was working to get the tractor cranked while in gear when the machine rolled over him. Roscoe's son Herbert was working nearby and saw the wheels of the tractor turning in the air, which led him to dash over and investigate. Roscoe passed away at District Memorial Hospital in Andrews.
-Compiled by publisher/editor Kevin Hensley.