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A look back at 2007 - a year of change
A year that brought tragedy--a plane crash, death on the highway and sudden fatal heart attacks. A year to celebrate. A year to mourn, and most of all, a year to reflect on and remember. New sheriff Calling it a challenge to update the sheriff's office and bring it into the 21st Century, Joe Shook took over the reins from outgoing Tony Woody, who was the longest serving sheriff in the history of the county. Woody retired and moved to a new farm/ ranch in Kentucky. Accepting the challenge facing him as sheriff, Shook said, "I want to do it. It's not like a job to me. I want to provide outstanding law enforcement for the people of Clay County. I love law enforcement and this my county." Shook, an ex-highway patrol officer, brought with him another NC State Highway Patrol Officer, Jerry Hall, who was sworn in as Chief Deputy. hall said the first step in creating an excellent department is people. He stressed that for men and women who serve to be effective in their jobs they must have the proper equipment and training.
"We're short about two cars, but the ones we have are in good condition," he said. Shook said he felt the top issue in the county was drugs and alcohol. He said he would put more emphasis on the school, calling it the place to stop problems, when they are young. He said he wanted to increase the visibility of the sheriff's department throughout the county. "We're going to enforce the law," he said. In January, the Multiple Agency Narcotics Unit and the Clay County Sheriff's Department teamed up for a major drug bust. Later in the month, operating on an anonymous tip, they made five arrests at a house on Piney Road, where they found Meth, Marijuana and pills believed to be Ecstasy. More arrests followed on Pounding Mill Road on Shooting Creek.
In May, Shook called prescription drugs the biggest problem in the county. Other drug busts followed throughout the year. New courthouse In August, county and state officials along with a large gathering of Clay County citizens attended a ceremony for the dedication of a new courthouse. Commissioner Hub Cheeks opened the ceremony by proclaiming that the courthouse belonged to the people of the county, lamenting the loss of a bygone era. Commissioner Steven (Doc) Sellers, who had been chairman of the board of commissioners for the past eight years and a driving force behind building the courthouse against much opposition, including this newspaper, said, "I perceived this day coming for the last two or three years, and I often stopped and wondered if I was going to be here." NC Representative Roger West said, "I would like to congratulate the former county commissioners and the present ones for having the vision to bring this building into being."
New Development Early in the year, Tighe and Linda White announced plans for a large quality housing development just north of Hayesville. White said he was developing a 42 acre residential project to include more than 150 individual craftsman style homes in a gated community, complete with indoor swimming pool, fitness center, clubhouse and a large common green space with walking trails and high-tech amenities. White said he envisioned a community for active retirees in their 50's, 60's and 70's. By mid-year, White along with co-developer Garland Hogsed watched their dream grow into reality. Nine houses had been built and a grand opening was held in celebration of the new Riverwalk of Hayesville. While there has been a downturn in the sale of residential homes across the nation, some of Riverwalk homes have been sold and are occupied. A beautiful rock wall entrance greets homeowners and visitors entering the development.
This was a year of the long hot summer. A summer without much rain. While initially, the Sentinel's take on the weather condition was that it should right itself later in the fall, that has not happened. Perhaps, the winter of 2008 will bring more rain to replenish the earth, but it's an iffy projection. A lot of folks have their fingers crossed and are praying for rain, and/or snow. In November, we talked to Glen Love the official weather man of Clay County and he told us that he hadn't seen much rain in the past couple of year. "The little rain we had is not enough," he said. "We're still about 15 inches below normal." Other folks we talked to told us their spring and wells had just about dried up. John Miller, who owns Miller Well Drilling, said that by and large the drought has not adversely affected homeowners with drilled wells because they drill down into the bedrock where water has accumulated over many years and is not much affected by a few dry seasons. He said the winter time is when we need rain to build up the water table.
Opposition to quarry expansion In April, a large gathering of Clay County and surrounding counties showed up for a public hearing regarding the expansion of a quarry on Shewbird Mountain. The hearing was conducted by Dr. Kenneth Taylor, Chief of the NC Geological Survey along with other mining specialists. More than 20 people spoke up giving oral statements for the record, mostly opposing the mining expansion by Harrison Construction Company. Issues included such things as to whether or not the operation would have adverse effects on potable groundwater supplies, wildlife, and whether or not it would violate standards of air quality, water quality and present a physical hazard to public health and safety. Carl Moore, who had been county manager at the time the quarry was granted a permit to operate in 1989, said while he had approved of the quarry's initial operation, he had been assured at the time it would only affect 18 acres at the foot of the mountain. He said since that time, the company had encroached further and further up on the Shewbird. Two individuals spoke in favor of the quarry's expansion, saying it was needed for the area in that it provided lower-costs gravel than that which would have to be brought in from far away. It is important for jobs and the economy, they said. Airplane crash In April, a Murphy Medical Center surgeon survived a fiery plane crash that killed two Franklin men at the Andrews/ Murphy Airport. Dr. Larry Opoliner, of Cherokee County, was listed in "critical condition" at Erlanger Medical Center Burn Unit in Chattanooga and was later transported to the Brook Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he received treatment for several months requiring skin grafts from other parts of his body. After extensive rehabilitation, he returned to MMC and his practice. The April 9 crash killed both Dr. Damien O'Neill, an MMC emergency room physician and Allen Martin, a physician's assistant from Macon County. The single-engine Piper Lance was trying to land at the airport but clipped power lines and skidded across Airport Road about 400 to 500 feet north of the western end of the runway. The plane had been traveling from Orlando, Florida, where Opoliner was visiting his children. School commemorates coach and student In October, Hayesville High School held an assembly commemorating the 10th anniversary of another tragic event, the death of a Hayesville High School student and a coach. It happened on a dark mountain in the dead of night as the 1997 Hayesville girls volleyball team was returning home from an away game. Their bus was struck from a flying concrete culvert broken loose from a truckload of culverts on a vehicle drien by an intoxicated driver who had lost control of the vehicle. The two-ton culvert smashed into the activity bus injuring several of the girls and killing young Rochelle Edwards as well as coach and bus driver Paul Maliska. At the commemorative service, Rochelle's mother, Regina, and Paul's son, Jared, spoke to the student body reminding them of how one person's decision to drink and drive changed the lives of their families forever. Principal Gail Criss opened the assembly. She said the event was about healing, but that it was also about living. She wanted the students to realize how one person's decision to drink and drive had had such devastating consequence on so many other people. New high school principal Matt Rogers was selected to become the next principal at Hayesville High School, beginning in January 2008, taking over from Dr. Gail Criss, who retired after 14 years on the job. Rogers, a Graham County native and graduate of Robbinsville High School, taught math for 12 years at Murphy High School and worked in the Cherokee County Central Office as Technical Director, was an assistant principal of Murphy Elementary School and principal of Marble and Martin's Creek before coming to Hayesville as principal of the elementary school. Rogers said moving to the high school brings new challenges to him. "Hayesville High School has been at the top in academics and athletics in this part of the state," he said. "Dr. Criss has hired excellent teachers. I hope I can step in where she left off." Superintendent Scott penland said, "He's got some big shoes to fill taking over from Dr. Criss, but he's up for it. Matt is level headed and makes good sound decisions. he has 25 years experience as teacher, principal, coach and administrator in three different schools." New college president After an extensive search involving more than 40 applicants, Dr. Donna Tipton-Rogers was elected by the Board of Trustees to be president of Tri-County Community College. "I am very honored that rthe trustees have chosen me," Tipton-Rogers said. "I look forward to serving the community and advancing the mission of the college." Previously, Tipton- Rogers served as Vice- President of Graham County Operations for the college, a position she held since 2001. She is the first woman elected to the presidency in the college's 43-year history. She succeeds Dr. Norman Oglesby, who was president from 1996 until 2006. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
