GrahamCountyNC

Spring brush fires continue to spark

Marshall McClung
Thursday, May 2, 2024
The woods may be “greening up,” but spring fire season is not over just yet. The Graham County 911 Center received a report of a brush fire burning on Upper Tuskegee Road around 7 p.m., April 23. The caller had stated the blaze was the “size of a baseball field.

Trafficking; handgun possession nets arrests

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 25, 2024
In a span of two days, the Graham County Sheriff’s Office made a pair of arrests to both help combat local larceny and improve safety. Deputies were dispatched to the Cross Creek community April 14, after receiving a report about suspected larceny of utilities.

Lake clean-up returns May 4

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Lake Santeetlah – The annual effort to help keep one of Graham County’s main tourism draws aesthetically pleasing is just around the corner. The non-profit Lake Santeetlah Preservation Group has announced that its next clean-up will take place Saturday, May 4.

Trail hiker falls ill, rescued

Marshall McClung
Thursday, April 11, 2024
A hiker who had fallen ill was rescued from the Appalachian Trail on Saturday. The Graham County 911 center received a call from a woman around 10:45 a.m., saying her father was sick and might need some assistance in getting out of the woods.

Water loss astounds town

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Fontana Dam – Until the aging water lines are replaced, it seems the Town of Fontana Dam will have to make due with its multiple water leaks.
A fire that broke out Sunday afternoon in the Santeetlah area required the use of helicopters to help fight the flames overhead. Photo courtesy of Tory Lynnes/U.S. Forest Service

A fire that broke out Sunday afternoon in the Santeetlah area required the use of helicopters to help fight the flames overhead. Photo courtesy of Tory Lynnes/U.S. Forest Service

Separate debris fires wreak havoc

Marshall McClung
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Sunday was anything but a day of rest for local firefighters, as they were busy with two brush fires. The largest fire began shortly after 4 p.m., near Maggie Wachacha Road, in the Santeetlah area. It was started from a debris burn on tribal land.
The passing of beloved Robbinsville Elementary School custodian Mike Hyde ushered in a bevy of tributes. Here, a wall on the 4th/5th grade hallway surrounding his work closet is filled with cards from students who will always remember “Mr. Mike.” Photo by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

The passing of beloved Robbinsville Elementary School custodian Mike Hyde ushered in a bevy of tributes. Here, a wall on the 4th/5th grade hallway surrounding his work closet is filled with cards from students who will always remember “Mr. Mike.” Photo by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

Be like Mike

Latresa Phillips
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Known as a friend to all, it was not uncommon to see Mike Hyde conversing with a student in the halls of the elementary school. Here, Hyde strikes up a conversation with Strider Graves. * Editor’s note: The writer was a classmate of Mike Hyde.

GOP nominates Lynn to fill vacancy

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Robbinsville – The Graham County Republican Party acted swiftly to fill the void left by Debra “Hank” Dinschel’s sudden resignation from the board of education, publicly announcing a nominee for the seat Saturday. Andy Lynn will appear before the school board at 2 p.m.
As part of a training exercise, the Graham County Fire Department conducted a controlled burn on a kudzu patch behind the EMS base off West Fort Hill on March 25. Though this fire was monitored from the get-go, brush fires being set across the county have proved difficult to maintain in recent weeks. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

As part of a training exercise, the Graham County Fire Department conducted a controlled burn on a kudzu patch behind the EMS base off West Fort Hill on March 25. Though this fire was monitored from the get-go, brush fires being set across the county have proved difficult to maintain in recent weeks. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com

More dry weather, more brush fires

Marshall McClung
Thursday, April 4, 2024
The recent stretch of dry weather brought more brush fires over the last week. A resident was burning a brush pile near Mount Nebo Baptist Church when the fire got out of control around 4 p.m., Friday. Snowbird and Graham County Fire Departments, N.C. Forest Service, and U.S.