DealsGap

Area man charged with road rage

Ruby Annas
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Deals Gap – A road rage incident near the Graham County/Swain County line led to shots firing on Nov. 4. In the aftermath, David Glen Taylor – 52 of Bryson City – was arrested and charged with misdemeanor going armed to terror of the public and misdemeanor impersonation a law enforcement officer.

Indiana man killed in motorcycle wreck

Kevin Hensley
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Deals Gap – A multi-vehicle accident just inside the North Carolina line Saturday afternoon claimed one life. First responders were unable to revive 51-year-old Darren Ege, after Ege went left of the center line and struck a vehicle head-on. The collision occurred around 4 p.m. on U.S.
Flanked by officers and representatives from both North Carolina and Tennessee, Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran speaks during the “Border to Border” Tail of the Dragon Education Campaign Launch at Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort on June 13. Photos by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

Flanked by officers and representatives from both North Carolina and Tennessee, Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran speaks during the “Border to Border” Tail of the Dragon Education Campaign Launch at Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort on June 13. Photos by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

‘1 fatality is too many’

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, June 22, 2023
This map provides both an overview of the curves on the Tail of the Dragon – as well as a 26-year summary into the number of fatalities incurred on the road. Map courtesy of tailofthedragon.
Dave Crouch of Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, drove for three days to make it to Fontana Village in his 2011 Miata. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Dave Crouch of Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, drove for three days to make it to Fontana Village in his 2011 Miata. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com

Alotta Miata!

Randy Foster
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Fontana Dam – Undeterred by waves of heavy rain and a power outage spread over several days, Mazda Miata enthusiasts converged on Graham County for an annual four-day weekend of thrilling drives, camaraderie and opportunities to buy parts for their fiercely-loved, compact sports cars.
Local crews had to extinguish two separate brush fires over a span of four days, including this one Monday at Deals Gap.

Local crews had to extinguish two separate brush fires over a span of four days, including this one Monday at Deals Gap.

Brush fires threaten local homes

Marshall McClung
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Robbinsville – Firefighters with the N.C. Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Graham County Fire Department responded to a brush fire near a home on Five Point Road around 1 p.m. Friday.

Three injured in weekend crash

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, November 11, 2021
Deals Gap – A two-vehicle collision Saturday morning sent three individuals to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn.  Around 10:30 a.m.
Graham County Rescue Squad Commander Jeff Millsaps (left) accepts a $12,000 donation to the rescue squad from Miatas at the Gap organizer Josh Hankins on Saturday. The annual event alternates donations between the Graham County and Blount County, Tenn. rescue squads. Photo by Charlie Benton/news@grahamstar.com

Graham County Rescue Squad Commander Jeff Millsaps (left) accepts a $12,000 donation to the rescue squad from Miatas at the Gap organizer Josh Hankins on Saturday. The annual event alternates donations between the Graham County and Blount County, Tenn. rescue squads. Photo by Charlie Benton/news@grahamstar.com

Car event raises $12K for rescue squad

Charlie Benton
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Robbinsville – A longtime regional event has continued its support of the Graham County Rescue Squad. In a brief presentation Saturday at the Graham County Travel and Tourism office in Robbinsville, Miatas at the Gap organizer Josh Hankins donated three checks totaling $12,000 to the rescue squad.
The Leary’s (couple at right) were frequently asked by travelers who stopped at Deals Gap to pause for a photograph in front of the sign outside their store, Crossroads of Time. Photos courtesy of Cathy Mathews

The Leary’s (couple at right) were frequently asked by travelers who stopped at Deals Gap to pause for a photograph in front of the sign outside their store, Crossroads of Time. Photos courtesy of Cathy Mathews

The Real Dragon (Part 2 of 2)

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Cathy Mathews remembers her father Pete Leary waking up to cook for the anglers staying at the Deals Gap motel around 5 a.m. each day. He also reached out to fishing publications, spreading the word about the nest-egg sitting in the northwestern corner of North Carolina.
The Tail of the Dragon attracts thousands of riding enthusiasts each year. But in 1980, a Florida family began leaving their mark on the famous stretch of highway. Photos courtesy of Cathy Mathews

The Tail of the Dragon attracts thousands of riding enthusiasts each year. But in 1980, a Florida family began leaving their mark on the famous stretch of highway. Photos courtesy of Cathy Mathews

The Real Dragon (Part 1 of 2)

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 3, 2020
It was 1975. Peter and Doris Leary, residents of Sanibel Island, Fla., were searching for a mountain retreat.  Recently retired, former owners of a remodeling business, the Leary’s wanted an escape from the south Florida sun, but Pete had a requirement.