10 years ago
* North Carolina’s top U.S. Agricultural Department Leader, director Randall Gore, presented Robbinsville officials with a $4.8 million ceremonial check at a luncheon at Lynn’s Place. “The $4.8 million is part of the $6.1 million that the town will get to build a new wastewater treatment plant on a 12-acre tract on Sanhole Road. The new facility will allow the town to become compliant with its operating permit and will benefit about 450 residential and 150 commercial users,” Robbinsville officials said.
* Robbinsville offered soccer as part of the sports program for youth players. Recreation Director Jason Sawyer had instructors from Challengers Sports come to Graham County to help teach budding soccer players, ranging between ages 5-15.
25 years ago
* Preparations for the 1996 Heritage Festival were drawing near completion, as artists and craftsmen set up their booths, ready to share their skills. The wagon train was set to roll out of Tellico Plains, Tenn. and on July 3, a host of people from Graham County joined the wagon train at Santeetlah Gap for the ride into Robbinsville. On Independence Day, Principal Chief Joyce Dugan took her place as Grand Marshal of the festival parade.
* Coach Ronnie Carringer’s track team had one of its better seasons, scoring 414 points, with 34 first-place finishes for the year. Bucky Ayers had a sensational year. He was going to the regional meet in Cherokee, undefeated in the triple jump and 100-meter dash and tied the school record in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 11 seconds flat. Ayers finished ninth at the state meet in the 100-meter dash. “With just five seniors leaving, I am very excited about next year,” said Carringer.
50 years ago
* Wages of an estimated $50,000 of North Carolina’s lowest paid workers was increased on July 1, 1971, when $1.45 an hour became the legal minimum wage in establishments covered by the State Minimum Wage Law. State Labor Commissioner Frank Crane pointed out that the law applied to establishments employing four or more persons. Affected by this increase were approximately 80,000 workers. Crane explained that part-time employees that work 16 hours or less are exempt from the $1.45 wage, if their employer has three or less full-time employees at any time.
* The Annual Fourth of July Flag Parade was held at Fontana Village Resort. The attendance of families and youngsters was approximately 150. Following the Flag Parade was a Country and Western Gospel Singing. Also, as a part of the Fourth of July celebration, softball games were held on the village green in the morning and evening of July 5. Finally, there was a Fourth of July Great Smoky Mountain Square Dance Celebration in the Fontana recreation hall.
-Diane West