Local

Shari Birchfield is set to retire this month, after spending over 20 years serving residents at Robbinsville Town Hall. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Shari Birchfield is set to retire this month, after spending over 20 years serving residents at Robbinsville Town Hall. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Retirement triggers new generation

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Robbinsville – Shari Birchfield began the last month of a 20-year career with the Town of Robbinsville by training her two replacements. On Jan. 27, Birchfield will step down as the town’s long-time water clerk – as well as interim finance director, a position she has held since July.

Health director resigns

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Tallulah – The Graham Star confirmed late-Tuesday morning that Graham County Public Health Director Beth Booth has turned in her resignation, effective Feb. 3. No reason was made public about why Booth is resigning from a position that she has held since 2017.
Citing costly repairs, Cable Cove Campground was shuttered in February and has yet to re-open. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Citing costly repairs, Cable Cove Campground was shuttered in February and has yet to re-open. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

2022: The Year in Review

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Robbinsville – These are some of the top stories covered by The Graham Star in 2022. January * COVID-19: The year started the way one would expect over the past couple of years — with an Omicron-led spike in COVID-19 numbers.
Smoky Mountain Urgent Care will soon be vacating the property the Bryson City-based medical provider has leased from Graham County. However, the county is already working on bringing in another provider and reviving the use of several pieces of medical equipment that have sat dormant for some time. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Smoky Mountain Urgent Care will soon be vacating the property the Bryson City-based medical provider has leased from Graham County. However, the county is already working on bringing in another provider and reviving the use of several pieces of medical equipment that have sat dormant for some time. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Provider leaving at end of January

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Robbinsville – Smoky Mountain Urgent Care will be closing its Robbinsville practice at the end of January, ending a year-long conflict between the provider and its landlord, Graham County Government.

Commissioner seeks fire-station funding

Randy Foster
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Robbinsville – Considering that two fire chiefs serve on the five-member Graham County Board of Commissioners, you might not know it from the condition of the county’s fleet of fire engines.

Aldermen pick new hire to complete staff

Randy Foster
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Robbinsville – The Robbinsville Board of Aldermen voted to fill the second of two vacancies in its office staff on Dec. 20, voting to hire Amanda Gyongyos for the Robbinsville Water Department Town Clerk – pending drug test.
Roadside clearing for the upcoming Corridor K expansion has progressed quickly on N.C. 143, with crews beginning at the U.S. 129 intersection and already reaching this location near Nathan Garland Road. A local contractor was awarded the third planned segment of the improvements Dec. 20. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Roadside clearing for the upcoming Corridor K expansion has progressed quickly on N.C. 143, with crews beginning at the U.S. 129 intersection and already reaching this location near Nathan Garland Road. A local contractor was awarded the third planned segment of the improvements Dec. 20. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Local company awarded 3rd ‘K’ section

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Raleigh – Bids for the now-third planned section of Corridor K improvements through Graham County were unsealed Dec. 20. And for the first time since “letting” (awarding of contracts) began Aug. 16, a local contractor is in the mix. Adams Contracting Company, Inc. outbid Sevierville, Tenn.
With temperatures in Graham County hovering in the single digits for much of the Christmas weekend, Sweetwater resident Brenda Williams captured this telling photo of mist rising off Beech Creek on Friday.

With temperatures in Graham County hovering in the single digits for much of the Christmas weekend, Sweetwater resident Brenda Williams captured this telling photo of mist rising off Beech Creek on Friday.

Bitter cold keeps people inside

Randy Foster
Thursday, December 29, 2022
The Christmas weekend of 2022 will long be remembered for wind chills well below zero and snow blanketing higher elevations. Power and internet outages were widespread during a plunge of polar air that affected much of the nation.
With a vote in favor of beer and wine sales passing on the 2021 municipial ballot, retailers across Robbinsville have began stocking the beverages – including this corner at the Sunoco station at the intersection of U.S. 129 and Massey Branch Road. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

With a vote in favor of beer and wine sales passing on the 2021 municipial ballot, retailers across Robbinsville have began stocking the beverages – including this corner at the Sunoco station at the intersection of U.S. 129 and Massey Branch Road. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Forward progress

News Staff
Thursday, December 29, 2022
* 2022 Year in Review From the first legal alcohol sales within Robbinsville since 1948, to newly-elected officials; individual state champions to lawsuits with widespread impact, The Graham Star ends 2022 by digging deep into its recent archives and looking back at 10 of the most-significant...

Report provides insight into Ella vote

Randy Foster
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Robbinsville – In November, the Graham County Board of Commissioners was split over whether to continue providing the emergency contraceptive called Ella through the Public Health Department.