10 years ago
* Two brothers were rescued by the Graham County Rescue Squad in the Joyce Kilmer-Slick-Rock Wilderness area. Kyle and Curt Rogers of Greenville, S.C. and Charlotte, N.C., took the Hangover Bald Lead Trail expecting to take a round trip and loop back to Big Foot Gap. After much information from Rogers’ wife, Rhonda Rogers, the rescue squad started the search. On the third day, Tory Lynnes and Drew Ford found the hikers at Buckeye Branch and escorted them to safety. The area was drenched with 2-3 inches of rain for two days.
* Zack Waldroup and Kadey Phillips were chosen for 2011 High School Heisman Trophy Award winners for Robbinsville High School. The students applying for Heisman are judged based on academic achievements, athletic accomplishments, community leadership and involvement in various extracurricular activities during grades nine through eleven. ACT, Inc. determined the school winners. This scholar athletic program inspires students to continue to do their best.
25 years ago
* Santeetlah’s investigation into the amount of money embezzled by Noel Marsh was closing in on being ready for bonding companies. All documents dating back to Marsh’s hire date as town clerk had been copied and put in order, according to attorney Zeyland McKinney. “The Sheriff’s Department has all those records now,” McKinney said. “I believe that Marsh will be tried by both federal and state prosecutors.”
* The Robbinsville Knights Marching Band competed in the Alcoa Invitational Marching Band Festival in Alcoa, Tenn. Out of 20 bands, Robbinsville drum major Adrian Blackney placed third. The band closed the 1996 marching band season with 100 percent superior ratings in every competition, and thanked the Black Knights football team for a great year and the fans for their support and enthusiasm.
50 years ago
* Calvin Jenkins received a call to investigate some trouble on Upper Sawyers Creek. He immediately called State Highway Patrolman A.Z. Phillips to assist him and meet him at Johnson Gap. Upon reaching the home of Ollie Williams, it seems that eight men – which had been tearing up the house – had left in a 1960 Chevrolet. One of the men, James McArthur Moore, was an escapee from the Mecklenburg Department of Corrections, where he was serving time. As Moore headed up the mountain on foot, he veered and fired two shots at Deputy Bryce Holder and Jenkins, grazing Jenkins in the left arm. Moore escaped in darkness.
* Lowell Snider – who was voted as All-Western North Carolina defensive end for Robbinsville High – had just finished his freshman year of competition at Western Carolina University. Snider played for the freshman team as a starting linebacker and was runner-up for the season in total number of tackles. All of the Catamount varsity coaches were impressed with his play and agreed that he had the quickness, agility and size to operate as a varsity defensive linebacker. “Looks like he has a strong future in collegiate ball,” said Catamounts Coach Steve Curtis.
– Diane West