Local

Shay Stewart poses with her high school equivalency diploma.

Shay Stewart poses with her high school equivalency diploma.

Program helps young people find alternatives to high school

News Staff
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Robbinsville – Whether it was long days of online classes, in-person masks and social distancing, or the prospect of adding another summer or even another school year to catch up, many high school students who have fallen behind in the age of COVID-19 are considering their options.

Grants to fix town’s ‘at risk’ system

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Robbinsville – “At risk” Town of Robbinsville utilities are in line for several million dollars in grant money to restore and retrofit systems, town engineerings Joel Storrow told the Board of Aldermen at its Feb. 2 meeting.
Navy Reserve Senior Chief Petty Officer Jerry Crisp delivers his retirement remarks at a ceremony in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Navy Reserve Senior Chief Petty Officer Jerry Crisp delivers his retirement remarks at a ceremony in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Hanging up the uniform

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Knoxville, Tenn. – After 26 years in the Navy, it is perhaps fitting that when it came time for Senior Chief Petty Officer Jerry Crisp to retire, he had to hurry up and wait.

Urgent care files lawsuit against county

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 10, 2022
Robbinsville – Smoky Mountain Urgent Care – which operates a county-owned urgent care clinic in Robbinsville and is facing eviction – has filed a restraining order against Graham County and is suing the county for breach of contract. Physician and Smoky Mountain Urgent Care President Dr.

Church restoration still underway

Koda Moody
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Robbinsville – The Old Mother Church is still raising funds for much-needed repairs. Robbinsville United Methodist Church Pastor Eric Reece sat down with the Robbinsville Tourism Authority at its Jan. 25 meeting, to discuss the progress made thus far with the restoration project.

School bus, truck involved in collision

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Snowbird – An inbound Graham County school bus and a pickup collided on Snowbird Road just west of I.U. Gap Road on Jan. 27. There were no injuries, but it delayed the start of the school day for the approximately 20 students riding the bus.
Peanut – a mixed miniature Doberman and deer head Chihuahua – was always present when The Graham Star was out for delivery. The beloved dog passed away Jan. 11.

Peanut – a mixed miniature Doberman and deer head Chihuahua – was always present when The Graham Star was out for delivery. The beloved dog passed away Jan. 11.

‘We spoiled that dog’

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Marble – A coyote took Peanut on Jan. 11, and shopkeepers throughout Graham County are heartbroken — but not as much as Neal Wachob.

Post-holiday spike worse than last year

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Robbinsville – The usual post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases was more than three times worse in Graham County this year than in 2021, according to testing data. Between Dec. 22 and Jan.
This graph shows COVID-19 trends from the outset of the pandemic. Graphic by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

This graph shows COVID-19 trends from the outset of the pandemic. Graphic by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Schools shift mask policy

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Robbinsville – The Graham County Board of Education on Tuesday warily voted to return to voluntary masks on school properties (except on buses, where masks are still mandatory), but is prepared to return to the table later in February if any school has a COVID-19 positive test rate of 10 percent or...