DealsGapNC

Area man charged with road rage

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

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’

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.
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

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

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.
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)

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)

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.