News

Town of Lake Santeetlah Council Member Ralph Mitchell could not contain his excitement while on Zoom for the Sept. 14 meeting after being presented with a certificate recognizing Mitchell, 94, as the oldest public servant in North Carolina.

Town of Lake Santeetlah Council Member Ralph Mitchell could not contain his excitement while on Zoom for the Sept. 14 meeting after being presented with a certificate recognizing Mitchell, 94, as the oldest public servant in North Carolina.

Mitchell recognized for service

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Lake Santeetlah – Still sharp as a tack, Ralph Mitchell had one inquisitive comment when asked to speak on his special recognition at the Sept. 14 Lake Santeetlah Town Council meeting. “That I’m old?” Mitchell asked dryly, before laughing.

Driver airlifted after crash

Ruby Annas
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Fontana Dam – At 9:22 p.m. Monday, state troopers Ty Gibbs and Johnathan Jones responded to a crash in the 1500 block of Fontana Dam, on Hwy. 28. The crash involved a 73-year old female, driving a Ford Fiat, who collided into a guardrail, slid across the embankment and overturned.
The “Black Knight Swarm” that has made waves all year – this time, compromised of Bryce Adams (6), Quinn Jumper (12), Kellen Ensley (54) and Chase Calhoun (2) – combines forces to stop Rabun Gap’s Anthony Quinn, Jr. on Friday night. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

The “Black Knight Swarm” that has made waves all year – this time, compromised of Bryce Adams (6), Quinn Jumper (12), Kellen Ensley (54) and Chase Calhoun (2) – combines forces to stop Rabun Gap’s Anthony Quinn, Jr. on Friday night. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

Black Knights handed first loss of season

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 22, 2023
Robbinsville – All things considered, Friday’s loss can easily be viewed as a win for the Black Knights. For the first time since 2018, Robbinsville was paired against Rabun Gap, Ga. The Knights won the last showdown between the programs 43-34, on the road Sept. 14, 2018.
JV Black Knight Elijah Kirkland (7) attempts to slow down the efforts of Murphy’s Blake Davis on Sept. 7. Kirkland scored on the second play of Sept. 14’s road game at Andrews, which opened the floodgates in a 34-0 shutout of the Wildcats. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

JV Black Knight Elijah Kirkland (7) attempts to slow down the efforts of Murphy’s Blake Davis on Sept. 7. Kirkland scored on the second play of Sept. 14’s road game at Andrews, which opened the floodgates in a 34-0 shutout of the Wildcats. Photo by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

4 down, 2 to go for JV Knights

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 22, 2023
Andrews – Visits to Hayesville and Swain County are all that stand between the JV Black Knights and a conference title. Robbinsville gnashed the Andrews Wildcats from the opening kickoff Sept. 7, taming the hosts’ efforts in a 34-0 shutout at Hugh Hamilton Stadium.
Cuttler Adams finds an open hole during Sept. 1’s game at Mountain Heritage. Adams has recently been selected to play in a pair of prestigous showcases after his high-school career wraps up. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Cuttler Adams finds an open hole during Sept. 1’s game at Mountain Heritage. Adams has recently been selected to play in a pair of prestigous showcases after his high-school career wraps up. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

‘Believe and have faith’

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 22, 2023
Robbinsville – Cuttler Adams has been a busy man as of late. Realizing his potential to play at the next level, the perennial Black Knights running threat has turned up the heat on his quest to improve throughout 2023.
Lady Knights senior Aubrie Wachacha has finely-tuned her service game throughout her career and is peaking at the right time: her 68 aces at press time lead the Smoky Mountain Conference. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights senior Aubrie Wachacha has finely-tuned her service game throughout her career and is peaking at the right time: her 68 aces at press time lead the Smoky Mountain Conference. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Ace in the hole

Kevin Hensley
Friday, September 22, 2023
Robbinsville – There’s a reason Aubrie Wachacha is the first Lady Knight to step behind the service line in the rotation.
Thanks to a grant, the Graham County Sanitation Department has received two new Kenworth’s to haul garbage to the current dump site in Ball Ground, Ga. Photo by Ruby Annas/news@grahamstar.com

Thanks to a grant, the Graham County Sanitation Department has received two new Kenworth’s to haul garbage to the current dump site in Ball Ground, Ga. Photo by Ruby Annas/news@grahamstar.com

Cleanin’ in style

Ruby Annas
Friday, September 22, 2023
Milltown – The Graham County Sanitation Department received a pair of new Kenworth trucks, in a much-needed upgrade to the current method of hauling refuse to Ball Ground, Ga.
Sue and Bill Clark became one Sept. 1, 1961. Just over 62 years later, the couple has carved out a life based around carnivals – and still relish every moment together. Photo by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

Sue and Bill Clark became one Sept. 1, 1961. Just over 62 years later, the couple has carved out a life based around carnivals – and still relish every moment together. Photo by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

Step right up, for the Ride of a Lifetime

Latresa Phillips
Friday, September 22, 2023
Tallulah – When 12-year-old Sue Sherrill met a friend of her older brother, 14-year-old Billy Clark, the two had no idea where fate would take them. On Sept. 1, 2023, Sue and Billy celebrated 62 years of marriage at their home in Graham County.
Winners of the second annual “Graham County’s Got Talent” were (from left): Megan Brooks, gospel; Ariana Roberts, dance; Aidan Holder and Ryan Lynn, instrumental; Gracie Anderson and Will Phillips, pop/rock; and Mandy Millsaps, Keith Rogers and Anderson, country/bluegrass. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Winners of the second annual “Graham County’s Got Talent” were (from left): Megan Brooks, gospel; Ariana Roberts, dance; Aidan Holder and Ryan Lynn, instrumental; Gracie Anderson and Will Phillips, pop/rock; and Mandy Millsaps, Keith Rogers and Anderson, country/bluegrass. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

$8.8K raised for cancer group

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Robbinsville – The back of Saturday’s program for the second installment of Graham County’s Got Talent featured two selections from the New Testament.
Graham County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Stewart confiscated this bag of suspected meth off a suspect during a Sept. 2 traffic stop, after K-9 Sam indicated the presence of narcotics orders in the vehicle. Photo courtesy of Graham County Sheriff's Office

Graham County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Stewart confiscated this bag of suspected meth off a suspect during a Sept. 2 traffic stop, after K-9 Sam indicated the presence of narcotics orders in the vehicle. Photo courtesy of Graham County Sheriff's Office

K-9 delivers perfect strike

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Robbinsville – A routine traffic stop yielded one of the largest meth busts in Graham County history. On Sept. 2, sheriff’s Deputy Justin Stewart pulled over a vehicle operated by John Mark Jenkins, 54, a native of Bryson City who listed 149 Maggie Wachacha Road in Snowbird as his address.