GrahamCountyNC

Workers finish extracting a 2016 Toyota Highlander that plunged into Lake Santeetlah on Jan. 19, 2023. Freddy Romero, 23, perished in the accident. Photo by Randy Foster/Community Newspapers, Inc.

Workers finish extracting a 2016 Toyota Highlander that plunged into Lake Santeetlah on Jan. 19, 2023. Freddy Romero, 23, perished in the accident. Photo by Randy Foster/Community Newspapers, Inc.

Top 10 of 2023: the Year in Review

News Staff
Thursday, January 11, 2024
It was another year chocked full of news around Graham County. Though it would be impossible to recap every newsworthy event of 2023, The Graham Star looks back at 10 of the most significant moments.

Items found lead to ID

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Deep Creek – The family of 88-year-old Donald Storey have accepted the findings of both evidence collected from an Aug. 18 discovery and DNA testing as confirmation of his death.

Need for speed

Ruby Annas
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Zito Media Internet speeds are not living up to what Graham County citizens paid for. “I am confident in the design of the network and that it is providing the speed advertised,” said Zito Media president Jim Rigas. “If there are any ongoing issues, we want to investigate and resolve them.
Authorities found Carley Walls’ vehicle burning on Tatham Gap Road roughly 12 hours before her body was discovered some 15 miles away in Robbinsville. Photo courtesy of Graham County Sheriff's Office

Authorities found Carley Walls’ vehicle burning on Tatham Gap Road roughly 12 hours before her body was discovered some 15 miles away in Robbinsville. Photo courtesy of Graham County Sheriff's Office

Autopsy shifts case to homicide

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Robbinsville – Almost 11 months after a local woman was found deceased, autopsy findings have finally be unveiled. Blunt-force trauma, methamphetamine toxicity and environmental hypothermia were cited as the causes of Carley Dunn Walls’ death on Feb. 5, 2023.

Christmas Eve fire burns 1 acre

Marshall McClung
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Atoah – Holidays are often a busy time for emergency personnel – including firefighters. This was the case on Christmas Eve, when a brush fire was reported on Atoah Road around 2 p.m.

More digging unveils more town errors

Ruby Annas
Thursday, January 4, 2024
* Conclusion of a 2-part report Raleigh – The Graham Star’s second part of an examination on the recently-released North Carolina Office of the State Auditor’s 2023 investigation report of the Town of Robbinsville includes comments from local officials about the non-issued W-2 corrected statements...
Senate 50 Rep. Kevin Corbin (left, holding check, R-Franklin) and District 120 Rep. Karl Gillespie (right, holding check, R-Franklin) spent several hours in Graham County on Dec. 20, presenting checks for various needs across the county. The tour began at the N.C. Department of Transportation’s office, where a check in the amount of $1.4 million was awarded. Photo courtesy of Kevin Corbin

Senate 50 Rep. Kevin Corbin (left, holding check, R-Franklin) and District 120 Rep. Karl Gillespie (right, holding check, R-Franklin) spent several hours in Graham County on Dec. 20, presenting checks for various needs across the county. The tour began at the N.C. Department of Transportation’s office, where a check in the amount of $1.4 million was awarded. Photo courtesy of Kevin Corbin

$4.895 million tour comes to Graham County

Ruby Annas
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Franklin) and District Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-Franklin) both visited Graham County on Dec. 20, presenting four checks totaling $4.895 million for various community needs. “Our job is to get money for our district and we’ve been very successful with that,” said Corbin.
A familiar face, Sheila Phillips is retiring after operating Town Florist for 33 years. Photo by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

A familiar face, Sheila Phillips is retiring after operating Town Florist for 33 years. Photo by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

Stopping to smell the roses

Latresa Phillips
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Robbinsville – On Jan. 1, 1991, two young ladies – Reba McCracken and Sheila Phillips – opened the doors to a new flower shop in Robbinsville. Two young business partners with a little skill, a little more talent and a lot of prayer, started out in the back of a gift shop at Five Point.