Snowbird

Hiker found on Big Snowbird

Marshall McClung
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Snowbird – Graham County dispatch received a call from a worried father in Charlotte around 5:25 p.m., Saturday. He had not heard from his son, 18-year-old Samuel McMasters, since 1:30 p.m., Friday.  McMasters was camped on Big Snowbird Creek.
Cherokee County/Snowbird Tribal Council Rep. Adam Wachacha (far left) and Roger Smoker (far right) gather around the six latest graduates of the Dadiwonisi Language Program, all of whom were recognized at a Monday ceremony. In-between Wachacha and Smoker (from left) are language instructor Cassidy Galaviz, Callie Bush, Malakai Littlejohn, Lauryn Rattler, Rachel Ballou, Lakoda Bird, Troy Jones and Mike Wachacha. Photo courtesy of April Johnson/Contributing Photographer

Cherokee County/Snowbird Tribal Council Rep. Adam Wachacha (far left) and Roger Smoker (far right) gather around the six latest graduates of the Dadiwonisi Language Program, all of whom were recognized at a Monday ceremony. In-between Wachacha and Smoker (from left) are language instructor Cassidy Galaviz, Callie Bush, Malakai Littlejohn, Lauryn Rattler, Rachel Ballou, Lakoda Bird, Troy Jones and Mike Wachacha. Photo courtesy of April Johnson/Contributing Photographer

'Be the voice’

Latresa Phillips
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Snowbird – In 1872, Graham County took action to create a school system for the Cherokee on the Snowbird Reservation. On Sept. 6, 1880, a school district was established and the Cherokee attended a one-teacher schoolhouse.
This comparison of the same bridge over Little Snowbird Creek shows the work completed by Adams Contracting: before (July 28, 2021) and after (June 27, 2023).

This comparison of the same bridge over Little Snowbird Creek shows the work completed by Adams Contracting: before (July 28, 2021) and after (June 27, 2023).

County shores up Little Snowbird

Kevin Hensley
Thursday, September 5, 2024
Snowbird – All the paperwork has been filed – and the Little Snowbird Watershed is much improved as a result. Damage sustained by Hurricane Micheal’s contribution to Graham County on Oct.
Uhura Lim (left) and Journey McEntire perform a skit at Friday’s Snowbird Cherokee Language Summer Graduation. Photos by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

Uhura Lim (left) and Journey McEntire perform a skit at Friday’s Snowbird Cherokee Language Summer Graduation. Photos by Latresa Phillips/The Graham Star

29 graduate from Cherokee summer camp

Latresa Phillips
Thursday, August 8, 2024
Robbinsville – Bear season may be closed for many, but there were several bear sightings in Graham County on Friday. Students, staff and family members of the Snowbird Cherokee Traditions Summer Language Camp attended the annual graduation at Robbinsville High School Auditorium.
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.
Participants of the Snowbird Breast Cancer 3K Walk create a ribbon shape inside the Jacob Cornsilk Community Complex on Monday, as an ode to breast-cancer survivors and fighters. Photo by Ruby Annas/news@grahamstar.com

Participants of the Snowbird Breast Cancer 3K Walk create a ribbon shape inside the Jacob Cornsilk Community Complex on Monday, as an ode to breast-cancer survivors and fighters. Photo by Ruby Annas/news@grahamstar.com

Uniting to raise awareness

Ruby Annas
Friday, October 20, 2023
Snowbird – Among the cloudy and cold Monday morning, raindrops fell on pink signs along the road where 100 people walked a mile and a half to shine a light on breast cancer awareness. “I didn’t realize at the time how important support from friends, family, people in the community was.
Robbinsville Black emerged as champions of the 2023 Smokey Mountain Youth Conference Volleyball Tournament, which was held Saturday at Cherokee. Robbinsville Black swept another Graham County program – Snowbird – to capture the gold. From left are assistant coach Allison Rogers, Mercy Nelms, McKynlee Adams, Natalie Swimmer, Kamry Rogers, Amiyah Collins, head coach Holly Jackson and Lexi Crisp. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville Black emerged as champions of the 2023 Smokey Mountain Youth Conference Volleyball Tournament, which was held Saturday at Cherokee. Robbinsville Black swept another Graham County program – Snowbird – to capture the gold. From left are assistant coach Allison Rogers, Mercy Nelms, McKynlee Adams, Natalie Swimmer, Kamry Rogers, Amiyah Collins, head coach Holly Jackson and Lexi Crisp. Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Lady Knights; Lady Warriors; oh my!

Kevin Hensley
Friday, October 13, 2023
Cherokee – All told, three different teams from Graham County suited up for Smokey Mountain Youth Conference volleyball action this season: two from Robbinsville and one representing Snowbird.
Dadiwonisi Language Program graduates stand in recognition at the end of Tuesday’s ceremony. From left are Jazlyn “Wadulisi” McEntire, Cailon “Uwodsdi” Garland, Kirstie “Tsayga” Frady and Gina “Amage” Myers. Photo by Ruby Annas/news@grahamstar.com

Dadiwonisi Language Program graduates stand in recognition at the end of Tuesday’s ceremony. From left are Jazlyn “Wadulisi” McEntire, Cailon “Uwodsdi” Garland, Kirstie “Tsayga” Frady and Gina “Amage” Myers. Photo by Ruby Annas/news@grahamstar.com

Dadiwonisi

Ruby Annas
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Snowbird – The first graduating class of the Dadiwonisi Adult Language Program embodied the meaning of the program’s name – “We are all going to speak” – as they spoke in Cherokee, thanking their community and accepted their certificates in a moving ceremony Tuesday.
Snowbird native Ty Teasdale stands on the podium after winning the Grand National Cross Country Series’ Life Time Sea Otter Classic. Surrounding Teasdale are his teammates, Mitch Hawkins (left) and Ali Cardoza.

Snowbird native Ty Teasdale stands on the podium after winning the Grand National Cross Country Series’ Life Time Sea Otter Classic. Surrounding Teasdale are his teammates, Mitch Hawkins (left) and Ali Cardoza.

Teasdale earns top spot in national competition

Kevin Hensley
Monday, July 24, 2023
Monterey, Calif. – It is not too often that a Graham County native gets to boast that they won a gold medal in a national competition. Leave it to Ty Teasdale to change the narrative.

Woman rescued from woods

Marshall McClung
Monday, May 15, 2023
Snowbird – Graham County Sheriff’s Deputy David Moore and Graham County Rescue Squad members were involved in rescuing a young woman from the woods in the Snowbird area Sunday night.  The woman was reportedly first heard calling for help at the Snowbird Picnic Area on Snowbird Road around 8:30 p.m.