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Junior Graylen Orr picked up his fifth win of the season Tuesday, posting a complete-game effort in Robbinsville’s 5-3 win over Hiwassee Dam. Photo by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Quite a pickle

Kevin Hensley

Monday, May 1, 2023

Robbinsville – Just one week ago, the Black Knights were eyeing a return to the .500 mark. But after a tough 3-game skid ended with a victory in Game 2 of a doubleheader with Hiwassee Dam, Robbinsville is simply trying to tread water and hope for the best.

Memory Frapp, Claire Barlow and Zoie Shuler (from left) ripped a combined four homers in Friday’s 12-1 win over Andrews. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Fate rests in their hands

Kevin Hensley

Monday, May 1, 2023

Robbinsville – If Tuesday’s game is any indicator, the Lady Knights are going to have to work extra hard to retain their monopoly on the Smoky Mountain Conference championship.

Zoning enforcement in township questioned

Kevin Hensley

Monday, May 1, 2023

Lake Santeetlah – It’s only an issue in one of Graham County’s three incorporated areas, but it’s a biggie for residents of Lake Santeetlah: zoning ordinances. In fact, the town is the only one in the county with zoning. Neither Fontana Dam nor Robbinsville have it on the books.

Vicki Walsh had not been retired from the Graham County School System long before she quickly found another calling – tutoring children that need help in certain subject areas. Her tutoring program has grown significantly since its launch.

Anchored in Hope

Latresa Phillips

Monday, May 1, 2023

Tallulah – What do you get when you take 40 students, 12 tutors and one retired educator with a desire to help children? Mathematically, you could say the answer is 53. However, if you are a resident of Graham County, the real answer is a new tutoring center.

David Artiss, owner of Mountain Manor Hotel in Robbinsville, discussed an alternative location for the long-discussed Graham County Justice Center at the the board of commissioners meeting April 18. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Owner pitches new site for justice center

Kevin Hensley

Monday, May 1, 2023

Robbinsville – After a public hearing about a planned justice center drew scattered attendance, one local business owner is claiming his concept was “misconstrued” by the county. David Artiss owns Mountain Manor Hotel on Ford Street.

All the speculation concerning where Lady Knights senior Desta Trammell would play college basketball was resolved April 11, when she announced her commitment to Lenoir-Rhyne University. Photos courtesy of Faith Trammell/Contributing Photographer

Another college, another Trammell

Kevin Hensley

Friday, April 21, 2023

Lady Knights senior Desta Trammell officially made her choice known April 11, opting to continue her basketball career at Lenoir-Rhyne University. With Trammell is Bears assistant coach Mikayla Ray (left) and head coach Graham Smith. Hickory – Desta Trammell will play on.

Black Knights grappler Willie Riddle became the third Robbinsville wrestler to sign a letter-of-intent in a span of 28 hours April 10, opting to join the Montreat College Cavaliers. Photo by Anna Riddle/The Graham Star

Riddle solved

Kevin Hensley

Friday, April 21, 2023

Joining Willie Riddle (seated, right) when he signed to wrestle at Montreat College on April 10 were close family, including (clockwise, from Willie): father, Ben Riddle; sister, Anna Riddle; and grandmother Hettie Riddle.

Senior first baseman Lathan Buchanan recorded two doubles and drove in five runs for Robbinsville in Tuesday’s 14-3 road win over Andrews. Photo courtesy of Fala Welch/Contributing Photographer

Knights continue hot run

Kevin Hensley

Friday, April 21, 2023

Andrews – By the end of the week, Robbinsville could be a .500 ball club – for the first time this year. Nearly faded is the memory of the ugly 0-6 start to the campaign: since March 28, the Black Knights have amassed a 6-2 record and with return contests against Copper Basin, Tenn.

All Smoky Mountain senior Bailey Cloer (8) could do was watch as outfielders madly attempted to field a ball driven to the outer reaches by Lady Knights senior Kensley Phillips. Phillips doubled on the second-inning drive and recorded her Knights-leading fifth triple at Andrews on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Bentley Riggs/Contributing Photographer

‘Re-build’ ahead of schedule

Kevin Hensley

Friday, April 21, 2023

Robbinsville – This was supposed to be the rebuilding year. The Lady Knights graduated eight seniors (six of which started) and had just two when the season began – Kensley Phillips and Fala Welch. Both combined for exactly one at-bat in 2022. Sure, the core threats were still on the roster.

After 24 years of service, Wilma Carver Aiken clocked out at the Robbinsville Post Office for the last time Monday. A member of her family has worked the same route in Graham County since the 1940s. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail …

Kevin Hensley

Friday, April 21, 2023

Robbinsville – Wilma Carver Aiken could not help but smile when the cake was unveiled. “I don’t know how they did it, but this is my favorite picture,” Aiken said of the photo, which had the words “Happy retirement Wilma! We’re cheering you on!” above the memory.