10 years ago
* More than 400 people attended the first-ever Hometown Holiday event. One goal of the festival was to encourage shoppers to buy locally, as local businesses seemed to be the keys to the success of the event. According to research, the average consumer spent about $700 during the holiday season, so by shifting as little as 20 percent purchases locally, it makes a profound impact on local economy. “We were very pleased at the turnout, especially considering how cold it was,” said event coordinator Teresa Garland.
* Local firefighters got an early wakeup call around 5 a.m. on Thanksgiving. Members of the Graham County Snowbird and Santeetlah Fire Departments – along with the firefighters with the N.C. and U.S. Forest Service – responded to a brush fire on Santeetlah Dam Road. The fire was believed to have been intentionally set in at least two places and had spread into the woods. Firefighters were able to combat the fire, until the Forest Service was able to construct a line around it. A small brush fire that had been set on Deep Creek Road was also brought under control, after burning an area of Forest Service land.
25 years ago
* Terrence Leroy Wright, who was serving a 30-year prison sentence for first-degree burglary, in connection with the murder of Hoover Williams of Graham County, lost his first appeal to the Court of Appeals. Williams was stabbed 32 times in June of 1993. Wright’s appeal was based on a claim of three errors: the court excluded third-party guilt evidence; the court should have dismissed the charge of first-degree burglary, because there was insufficient evidence of felonious intent; and the court should not have allowed evidence that Wright had previously stolen from Williams, to show ill will between the two men. Judges Wynn and Smith joined Judge Walker in declaring “no error” in the original trial.
* “Tallulah Health Care entered into a joint venture with Western North Carolina Eye Care to provide space for visiting specialists,” said Dr. Patricia Johnson, director of the Center. Specialists from Western North Carolina Eye Association and Sylva Optical Center were on call every Thursday, and the pace was already steady. Full eye exams, glasses and help for most every eye diagnosis was available at the Tallulah Specialists Center. The joint venture between Western North Carolina Ophthalmology, and Tallulah Health Clinic was meeting the needs of people in Graham County.
* Editor’s note: An archive from 50 years ago was not available.
-Compiled by Diane West