Local

Jay Patel of Jonesboro, Ga., Chris Meaker of Charlotte, Jeff Millsaps of Graham County Rescue Squad and Mayur Malde of Sewanee, Tenn. (from left) attend a check presentation at Blue Waters Resort on Lake Santeetlah on Saturday. The group, Smokies GT, donated $5,000 to the rescue squad. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Jay Patel of Jonesboro, Ga., Chris Meaker of Charlotte, Jeff Millsaps of Graham County Rescue Squad and Mayur Malde of Sewanee, Tenn. (from left) attend a check presentation at Blue Waters Resort on Lake Santeetlah on Saturday. The group, Smokies GT, donated $5,000 to the rescue squad. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Car club donates $5,000 to county rescue squad

Randy Foster
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Lake Santeetlah – A car club of Porsche GT enthusiasts that regularly raises money for cystic fibrosis research donated $5,000 to the Graham County Rescue Squad on Saturday at Blue Waters Resort, where members of the group were staying.
Town of Robbinsville employee Bud Carpenter stands at the intersection of Rodney Orr Bypass and Bud Carpenter Drive. The previously-unnamed private street, which leads to the town’s maintenance yard, was named in his honor about four years ago. At age 95, Carpenter is one of the oldest municipal employees anywhere. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Town of Robbinsville employee Bud Carpenter stands at the intersection of Rodney Orr Bypass and Bud Carpenter Drive. The previously-unnamed private street, which leads to the town’s maintenance yard, was named in his honor about four years ago. At age 95, Carpenter is one of the oldest municipal employees anywhere. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Age is just a number

Randy Foster
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Robbinsville – There aren’t many people who can say they have worked at the same job for only 40 years. Bud Carpenter has worked for the Town of Robbinsville since he was in his 50s. He just recently turned 95.
Tom Orr is an old-school gardener who works his 2-acre garden by himself and sells his produce from his house. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Tom Orr is an old-school gardener who works his 2-acre garden by himself and sells his produce from his house. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

1 man, 2 acres

Randy Foster
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Atoah – Tom Orr started his latest garden just three years ago, but he’s been putting seed to soil his whole life. He has two plots located on the banks of Atoah Creek – two acres in all that could more rightly be described as a small farm.
Graham County Jail Adminstrator Marlon Jackson (left) looks on as Bryan Aaron Berryman turns in his necklace and watch in Graham County Superior Court on July 13. Berryman had just been sentenced to between 11-15 ½ years in prison for a litany of charges obtained in an April 2021 arrest. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Graham County Jail Adminstrator Marlon Jackson (left) looks on as Bryan Aaron Berryman turns in his necklace and watch in Graham County Superior Court on July 13. Berryman had just been sentenced to between 11-15 ½ years in prison for a litany of charges obtained in an April 2021 arrest. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

‘3 strikes’ and you’re out

Randy Foster
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Robbinsville – A 52-year-old Robbinsville man with a long criminal history from his youth was convicted of theft-related felonies from last year and will spend up to 15 ½ years in prison.

Robbinsville ‘releases’ finance officer

Randy Foster
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Robbinsville – Town Finance Director Sonya Webster was “released” by the Robbinsville Board of Aldermen on July 14, during a special-called meeting at Town Hall. During that meeting, the board went straight into closed session, along with Town Attorney Ellen Davis.
Robbinsville native Ashton Massey has opened a speech-therapy clinic at Tallulah Community Health Center. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville native Ashton Massey has opened a speech-therapy clinic at Tallulah Community Health Center. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Speech therapist opens clinic in hometown

Randy Foster
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Tallulah – Ashton Massey said local health care providers were asked about unmet needs in Graham County and a common response was speech therapy. Massey was raised in Graham County, but was putting her education in speech therapy to use at PT Solutions at its locations in Bryson City and Sylva.

Local man convicted for beating girlfriend

Randy Foster
Thursday, July 14, 2022
Robbinsville – A Graham County man beat his girlfriend so severely that he realized she needed medical attention, but then beat her some more so that he could convincingly say her injuries were from a traffic accident.