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Editorials - 01/02/03Looking back over 2002's news |
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While 2002's news was not dominated by one cataclysmic event as was the case in 2001, it's always an interesting year-end exercise to compile the traditional summary of the top news stories from 52 weeks of front pages.
As we proceeded through the stacks of papers, we found the expected chronicles of local government meetings. Some stories hinge on citizen complaints and officials' responses to those concerns. A recent example is Sylva's late-October, 120-day moratorium on modular housing in R-1 residential districts, which was triggered by neighbors' concerns that planned homes would look too much like doublewide trailers. Lawsuits involving government officials have been frequent headliners in recent years, and 2002 was no exception. This year's ongoing legal skirmish grew out of a story that dominated several front pages last year - a June 2001 sex scandal at Blue Ridge School. Early in 2002 the mother of one of the teens involved filed suit against the Jackson County Board of Education, Blue Ridge Principal Lib Balcerek and then-Sheriff Jim Cruzan, as well as the three men who faced criminal charges as a result of the incident. That suit will apparently proceed to trial now that Superior Court Judge Marlene Hyatt has denied motions to dismiss brought by several defendants. One of 2002's most troubling stories came at year's end with the news that for the third time in less than two years a county teacher stood accused of sex-related charges. SMHS band director Mike Sanford was arrested for his alleged improprieties with a female band student. As we continued our trip through the back issues, we found ourselves saddened by the July death of school board Chairman Martha Queen and the May drowning of 4-year-old Jordan Monteith. On a more positive note, we rediscovered happy stories like Sol Schulman's 90th birthday, Martin Cook's gospel music award and two Smoky Mountain High students placing nationally in a Health Occupation Students of America competition. 2002 will be remembered as the year church news took on a broader meaning than revivals and gospel singings. Controversy within Tuckaseigee Baptist Association, which began with the April criticism of Cullowhee Baptist for calling a woman pastor, continued through the association's July adoption of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. By summer's end, five churches had left the 173-year-old TBA, and the association's October decision to bar the TBA Women's Missionary Union from TBA headquarters (rescinded in December) led to more dissension. The year closed with Scotts Creek Baptist suspending its ties and financial support to TBA. Like its predecessors, Jackson County's 2002 had its share of ups and downs. Some news was surprising, while other stories seemed so familiar we felt like we'd written them many times before. However, whether good or bad, local news remains captivating, and, as always, we're grateful for the opportunity to write our community's history. Happy New Year! |
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