Regional

Black Knights reach finals

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Hayesville – As expected, Robbinsville Middle School’s strong regular-season campaign cultivated high championship tournament seeding. The Black Knights (13-2) grabbed the No. 1 East seed, while the Lady Knights (10-5) were awarded the No. 2 East seed.

Redemption time is here

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Andrews – Robbinsville’s chance to both avenge a loss and shake up the Smoky Mountain Conference standings awaits them. The Lady Knights (11-3, 3-3) knocked off Andrews (1-13, 0-7) on Friday, but fell to Cherokee (10-5, 5-2) on Tuesday evening. Up next is Friday, Jan.

Read between the lines

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Andrews – Take one look at Robbinsville’s win/loss record and on paper, it looks like a night off for opponents. But how foolish it would be to take the Black Knights (1-11, 0-6) lightly, as the group is clicking and becoming a dangerous foe as the second-half of the season dawns.
Robbinsville’s Justin Stewart has full control of Rabun Gap, Ga.’s Aidan Loring during the 160-pound finals of Saturday’s James Orr Invitational. Stewart won the bout 3-0 to seize the bracket. Photo by Jenny Millsaps/Contributing Photographer

Robbinsville’s Justin Stewart has full control of Rabun Gap, Ga.’s Aidan Loring during the 160-pound finals of Saturday’s James Orr Invitational. Stewart won the bout 3-0 to seize the bracket. Photo by Jenny Millsaps/Contributing Photographer

Smith, Stewart win James Orr Invitational

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Robbinsville – Known regionally as one of the toughest tournaments of the season, Saturday’s James Orr Invitational certainly lived up to the hype. The annual showcase – hosted by Robbinsville – brought 15 teams into Graham County, including schools from Georgia and Tennessee.
Pinto beans are a pivotal part of any Appalachian diet. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Pinto beans are a pivotal part of any Appalachian diet. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Pinto beans, the winter staple

Robbi Pounds
Thursday, January 23, 2020
“No matter the day, no matter the weather, no matter what else was happening in the world, I was sure of this: cracklin’ cornbread and pinto beans with fat back would always be found in her house.
A tobacco barn on Hwy. 143, captured after snow fell in Graham County in Jan. 2018. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

A tobacco barn on Hwy. 143, captured after snow fell in Graham County in Jan. 2018. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Fading barns harken simple times

Robbi Pounds
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Half a million tobacco barns once sat in North Carolina fields.  In recent decades, many states have actively discouraged tobacco production, while industrialized farming methods rendered tobacco barns largely irrelevant to the modern farm.
Madison Coffey, Isabelle Handy, Daniella Giese, Ashley Ruston, Catherine Cloutier, Matthew Griffin, Craig Bucci and Slesha Tuladhar (clockwise from bottom left) work on Valentine’s Day cards for troops stationed overseas Friday at the Snowbird Community Library. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Madison Coffey, Isabelle Handy, Daniella Giese, Ashley Ruston, Catherine Cloutier, Matthew Griffin, Craig Bucci and Slesha Tuladhar (clockwise from bottom left) work on Valentine’s Day cards for troops stationed overseas Friday at the Snowbird Community Library. Photo by Art Miller/amiller@grahamstar.com

Love from afar

Robbi Pounds
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Snowbird – The Snowbird Community Library hosted the second annual Valentine’s Cards for our Troops event Friday, which saw nearly a dozen visitors from all over the world crafting Valentines for soldiers deployed overseas.