Regional

County closing in on new urgent care contract

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Robbinsville – Graham County commissioners were expected to make final decisions after Wednesday’s press deadline on a contract with Dr. David Booth to take over urgent care operations in the county. The board of commissioners were scheduled to meet in closed session at 5 p.m.
Robbinsville Middle School Principal Tonia Walsh (right) leads a tour of officials Tuesday, including county project manager Jason Marino, county finance officer Becky Garland and interim county manager Kim Crisp (from back). Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville Middle School Principal Tonia Walsh (right) leads a tour of officials Tuesday, including county project manager Jason Marino, county finance officer Becky Garland and interim county manager Kim Crisp (from back). Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

$4.5 million well spent

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Robbinsville – School officials officially unveiled the new Robbinsville Middle School addition Tuesday, a $4.5 million structure intended to relieve overcrowding at the high school/middle school complex off Sweetwater Road.

Smith named interim health director

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Robbinsville – Graham County commissioners appointed Meggan Smith – a Robbinsville-based family nurse practitioner – to fill in as interim public health director, following Beth Booth’s impending departure from the Public Health Department on Feb. 3. The Board of Commissioner recessed from its Jan.

Big Brothers Big Sisters emerges from pandemic

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Robbinsville – In Graham County, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina has been in a COVID-19-induced hibernation over the past couple of years. But that’s coming to an end. The organization has a new Graham County program coordinator for the first time in a number of years.
U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (left) is given a tour of the newly-completed wing at Robbinsville Middle School by Graham County Schools Superintendent Angie Knight (center) and middle school principal Tonia Walsh on Tuesday morning. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (left) is given a tour of the newly-completed wing at Robbinsville Middle School by Graham County Schools Superintendent Angie Knight (center) and middle school principal Tonia Walsh on Tuesday morning. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Congressman visits new middle school wing

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Robbinsville – Freshman U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards spent part of Day 2 of his first tour of his sprawling 17-county congressional district with a visit to Robbinsville Middle School on Tuesday.
Graham County acting manager Kim Crisp, commissioners Natasha Williams, Jacob Nelms, Connie Orr (seated), Lynn Cody and Keith Eller (from left) appear with Dr. David Booth and his wife Cora Booth (right), following contract negotiations Monday. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Graham County acting manager Kim Crisp, commissioners Natasha Williams, Jacob Nelms, Connie Orr (seated), Lynn Cody and Keith Eller (from left) appear with Dr. David Booth and his wife Cora Booth (right), following contract negotiations Monday. Photos by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Plans for new provider underway

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Robbinsville – Graham County commissioners are in final negotiations with a physician to take over urgent-care services, after Bryson City-based Smoky Mountain Urgent Care closes its Robbinsville practice at the end of this month.
John Colwell has served as executive director of REVVED UP since August 2020, but recently announced his intent to step down from the post. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

John Colwell has served as executive director of REVVED UP since August 2020, but recently announced his intent to step down from the post. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

REVVED UP starts year surrounded by questions

Randy Foster
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Robbinsville – John Colwell, chairman of the board of REVVED UP, did more than plan the organization’s annual Christmas dinner in December; he was planning his future.

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.