10 years ago
* Graham County Commissioners voted to fire county attorney David Sawyer, in a 3-2 vote. Sawyer was the county attorney for almost four years. Commissioner Raymond Williams asked the attorney to submit all invoices over several months. Per Williams, “Sawyer didn’t fully comply with the request.” Williams’ motion had required Sawyer to turn over paperwork involving Graham County by Feb. 28, 2011.
* The junior varsity Lady Knights fought back from a 10-point deficit against Swain to win the conference tournament, 41-40. “It was a a great finish to a great season,” said coach Brian Beasley. “The girls played their hearts out and I couldn’t be prouder. I just want these girls to know how much I appreciate their efforts in the games.”
25 years ago
* Graham County students were spared their first day of Saturday school when a blizzard covered the county with snow. Superintendent Lowell Crisp scheduled Saturday for a make-up day when he cancelled school on Friday. The Friday before made the 16th snow day of the school year.
* The Robbinsville High School wrestlers placed seventh overall in the Western Regional Tournament. This victory put them in first place, over all of the 1A schools. Three members of the team, Kyle Orr, Bucky Ayers and Dustin Millsaps qualified for the state tournament. “Overall, our kids wrestled well,” said coach Ritchie Trammell. “It’s a tough region.”
50 years ago
* A Tennessee escapee was apprehended by highway patrolman W.R. Boyles on Hwy. 129, north of Robbinsville. No tag or inspection sticker was his charge, but when they arrived at the sheriff’s office, they quickly learned of an alert that had been put out for the arrested escapee, Ronnie Lee Conners, of Maryville Tenn. After Conners’ settlement with the magistrate, he was turned over to Maryville officers.
* Reaching the finals of the Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament for the second year in a row, the Black Knights varsity basketball team defeated the Sylva-Webster Golden Eagles, 78-61 and the Swain County Maroon Devils, 56-50. Robbinsville played one of its best games this season against Swain, which began in the first half when Mark Manuel and Lowell Snider scored 11 and 12 points from the floor and three points from the foul line.
-Diane West