Local

Back to the drawing board for finance officer

Robbinsville – The Robbinsville Board of Aldermen’s pick for finance officer turned down the job offer. The board met in closed session during its Oct. 4 meeting to go over candidates for the job left vacant with the “releasing” of Sonya Webster amid a restructuring of the job in July.

Charges dropped in dog-barking case

Robbinsville – Charges were dismissed in the case of a Robbinsville man whose neighbor called the sheriff about his dog’s loud, frequent barking. Michael Eddings was scheduled to appear for trial in Graham County District Court on Monday.

Stranded couple rescued

A local couple was rescued Sept. 27, after their car broke down on a remote mountain road. The Cherokee County 911 Center received a call around 2:30 p.m. from a female, stating she and her boyfriend had their car break down and that they were lost.

Hiker rescued after ankle injury

Slickrock – A dispatcher with Graham County 911 received a call about an injured hiker in the vicinity of Bob Bald – elevation 5,431 feet – shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday. Julie Martin, 39 of Evansville, Ind.
Graham County Schools Superintendent Angie Knight (left) shows representatives from Blue Cross NC Robbinsville High School’s Black Knights mobile food truck on Friday. Among Blue Cross NC officials were Dr. Tunde Sotunde, a pediatrician who is president and CEO of Blue Cross NC (center). Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Graham County Schools Superintendent Angie Knight (left) shows representatives from Blue Cross NC Robbinsville High School’s Black Knights mobile food truck on Friday. Among Blue Cross NC officials were Dr. Tunde Sotunde, a pediatrician who is president and CEO of Blue Cross NC (center). Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Blue Cross NC officials visit Graham County leaders

Robbinsville – The state of health in Graham County was of keen interest to executives of Blue Cross NC, who stopped in Robbinsville on Oct. 7 at the midway point of a tour of all North Carolina’s 100 counties. Graham County was the 51st stop in the statewide tour that began in January 2021.

Road rage ends with gunfire

Wolf Creek – An Alabama man is facing charges when a road rage incident escalated to gunfire between Stecoah and Wolf Creek on Friday. Graham County Sheriff Jerry Crisp said 71-year-old John O’Banion of Wetumpka, Ala.
Duane Wilkey looks at the silt-filled raceway at his trout farm on Hunting Boy Branch on Aug. 25. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Duane Wilkey looks at the silt-filled raceway at his trout farm on Hunting Boy Branch on Aug. 25. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Out of business

Snowbird – For more than 30 years, Duane and Linda Wilkey operated a trout farm in western Graham County on Hunting Boy Branch, a stream that feeds into Little Snowbird Creek. In June 2017, they noticed the creek was unusually muddy following a light rain. The problem grew worse.
Almost two dozen members of the Noble Knights, a group that looks out for the welfare of fellow students, leads the Graham County Board of Education in the Pledge of Allegiance at the board’s meeting on Tuesday. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Almost two dozen members of the Noble Knights, a group that looks out for the welfare of fellow students, leads the Graham County Board of Education in the Pledge of Allegiance at the board’s meeting on Tuesday. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Funding, test scores punctuate meeting

Robbinsville – Tuesday’s meeting of the Graham County Board of Education reflected hard financial times, recovery from low school scores – and a glimmer of hope for the future.