MURPHY
Reach gala Saturday
Reach of Cherokee County is presenting its 2024 Black & White Ball from 5-9 p.m. Saturday at The Ballroom, 51 Hiwassee St. downtown.
There will be dancing, dinner and auctions. Tickets are $100. To buys yours and RSVP, call Matthew at 828-247-7910 or Dana at 828-247-2466.
Details: Visit reachofcherokeecounty.org.
UNAKA
Town hall on internet
The Unaka Community Development Club will host a town hall meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday at the community center, 14945 Joe Brown Highway.
Sherry Raines, director of operations for Peachtree Broadband Fiber (formerly Murphy Cable Co.), will share plans to extend its broadband fiber network to the community this year. All are welcome to attend, ask questions and get on the installations list for high-speed internet service.
Details: Visit cabletvonline.net.
MURPHY
Working on the waterline
Town contractors continue work on the downtown waterline rehab project this week, according to a release.
Work will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday. Scheduled work includes the connection of fire hydrants to new water mains, and cutting asphalt to prepare for the future tie-in of services. With the work, about 4-5 parking spaces will be blocked temporarily each day.
Details: Visit townofmurphync.com.
RALEIGH
$7 billion for internet
Gov. Roy Cooper last week urged congressional leaders to support the bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Extension Act.
This legislation would provide $7 billion to continue the Affordable Connectivity Program and ensure millions of low-income U.S. households stay connected to reliable high-speed internet when funding is projected to end in mid-2024.
The program is funded by $14.2 billion from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides eligible households a monthly discount on high-speed internet service of up to $30 per month (up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands) and a one-time $100 discount toward a laptop, desktop computer or tablet.
Details: Visit ncbroadband.gov.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Cutting back on electricity
About 2,100 homes reportedly lost power during last week’s storms in Cherokee County, which is why the Tennessee Valley Authority at 2:15 p.m. Jan. 16 initiated Step 20 of the Emergency Load Curtailment Plan, a public appeal for voluntary load reductions by all customers.
Both Murphy Electric Power Board and Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corp. immediately alerted customers to TVA’s request. “This will help power providers across the Tennessee Valley to continue delivering reliable service during this period of exceptionally cold temperatures across the region,” Blue Ridge Mountain EMC said in a release.
Here are ways to make an impact and save money:
- Lower your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit or a temperature that is both comfortable and safe.
- Set your ceiling fan to spin clockwise, which pushes warm air down.
- Wear additional layers and bundle up to stay warm.
- Turn off everything when you leave a room.
- Open window coverings on the sunny side of your home. Close them overnight to retain that heat.
- Delay using washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and other large appliances until the warmest part of the day, when overall heating demand is lower.
ANDREWS
Mayor pro tem stays
Brandi Smith retained her position as mayor pro tem on the Andrews Board of Aldermen.
As mayor pro tem, she fills in for Mayor James Reid in his absence. She served in that role on the previous board, and was re-elected unanimously by the board at its Jan. 11 meeting.
MURPHY
Student has winning sign
Cherokee County is preparing a new sign for the recently renamed Konehete Veterans Park – a sign designed by a Murphy High School student.
Students from Murphy Middle and Murphy High schools submitted drawings for the competition in April 2023. Cherokee County Veteran Forces members voted and picked the winner in May 2023.
“Veteran Forces is all of our local military organizations who meet once a month here at the county Veterans Service Office,” said Danna Pash, director of Cherokee County Veterans Services. “It consists of members from American Legion and their auxiliary, Disabled American Veterans, Warrior Veterans Outreach, U.S. Marine Corps League, AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Patriot Guard Riders and Sons of the American Revolution.”
Abigail McKnight of Murphy High designed the winning entry. The sign is being produced by Signs Fast Inc. in Hayesville.
Konehete Veterans Park, previously called Konehete Park, had “veterans” added to the name in early 2023.
REGION
Blood supply low in area
Due to a significant decrease in blood donations related to the weather, and an increase in emergency use from several massive blood transfusions over the last 24 hours, Blood Assurance recommended to more than 70 hospitals around the region to hold off on elective surgeries until at least today to allow time for Blood Assurance to rebuild its inventory.
As of Thursday afternoon, the blood center had less than a half-day supply of most blood types on its shelves, including O-negative and O-positive, the two types most utilized for transfusions.
Blood Assurance is pleading with members of the community to donate blood or platelets as soon as they feel it is safe to travel to a donation center or mobile blood drive.
Details: Visit bloodassurance.org.
STATE
Absentee vote starts
On Friday, North Carolina’s 100 county boards of elections began sending absentee-by-mail ballots to registered voters who requested a ballot for the 2024 primary election.
This marks the start of voting for North Carolina’s March 5 primary election. Voters who have already requested absentee-by-mail ballots should receive them in the coming days. In North Carolina, any eligible voter can request, receive and vote an absentee ballot by mail.
Through early Thursday, more than 5,000 voters had requested primary ballots across the state. The absentee ballot request deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 27.
Election officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot as early as possible to ensure there is time to receive it and then send it back to their county board of elections so that it is received no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day – March 5. State law previously provided for a grace period if your ballot was postmarked on or before Election Day and received up to three days after the election, but the ballot now must be at the county board office, not in the mail, by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
On Feb. 15, in-person early voting begins. The primary election will be held Tuesday, March 5.
FRANKLIN
Stein honors DA Welch
Attorney General Josh Stein last week traveled to Franklin to honor District Attorney Ashley Welch with the Attorney General’s Dogwood Award. These awards are given out annually to recognize people who are working to improve the health, safety and well-being of their fellow North Carolinians.
“Drug traffickers have flooded western North Carolina with illicit, deadly drugs,” Stein said in a release. “District Attorney Welch has made it clear that she will not tolerate these drugs on our streets and is fighting to hold accountable the criminals who traffic poison.”
Welch represents Prosecutorial District 43, which includes Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. A total of 34 people were honored with Dogwood Awards.
MURPHY
Radford is highlighted
America’s Service Commissions are highlighting Murphy Mayor Tim Radford, who has also been serving as a commissioner with Volunteer N.C. for two years.
“I serve as a commissioner to help to increase awareness of the importance of volunteering, to advocate for policies that support volunteerism, to connect volunteers with opportunities to serve and to celebrate the achievements of volunteers,” Radford said. “Volunteers make a tremendous positive impact on the communities they serve.”
Details: Visit statecommissions.org.
MURPHY
Help dogs to freedom
The Valley River Humane Society is hosting a Freedom Walk and Fill the Bus fundraiser Thursday, Feb. 1, at Konehete Veterans Park; look for balloon archway by the veterans memorial.
The humane society was rocked on Feb. 1, 2023, with the loss of animal shelter manager Kirsty Waller. For the Freedom Walk, each shelter dog paired with a shelter worker or volunteer will walk a mile at the park in honor of Waller. If you can’t join us in person, donations made in memory of Kirsty Waller can be sent online or via our Amazon wishlist.
All adoptions on that day will be half priced. Rain day is Wednesday, Feb. 7. Times are 10 a.m. to noon for Group 1 and 1-3 p.m. for Group 2.
Details: valleyriverhumanesociety.org.
RALEIGH
Gillespie on commission
Speaker Tim Moore of the N.C. House of Representatives has appointed state Rep. Karl Gillespie (R-Franklin) to the Environmental Review Commission. This announcement comes prior to the start of the legislative short session scheduled to begin in April.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Speaker Moore for the opportunity to serve on the commission,” Gillespie said in a release. “It is truly an honor to serve in this capacity, and I hope to be able to provide a unique perspective.”
The term of service on the Environmental Review Commission is effective immediately and extends until Jan. 15, 2025.
ASHEVILLE
BizWorks has grants
Mountain BizWorks, in partnership with the Rogers Slater Foundation, is thrilled to announce the “New Year, New Horizons” round of micro-grant funding.
This round of funding is dedicated to fueling the aspirations of marginalized creators, small business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those who have faced challenges in realizing their dreams. Applicants may apply through Feb. 16 for one of 20 grants of $2,500.
Details: Visit mountainbizworks.org/catalyst.
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.
Radio winter field day set
The Murphy chapter of the Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society is planning a winter field day event Saturday and Sunday at Fox Lake Club House, 101 Fox Shore Lane.
At this event, amateur radio operators will join each other in setting up equipment and operating for a two-day worldwide event. With the growing need for alternative and backup communications for emergencies, the local amateur radio club is continuing to grow in members of all ages and backgrounds.
Everyone is welcome to come learn more about the types of communications available, from talking on the radio via voice to data transmissions such as Morse code. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Details: Visit wcars-murphy.org.
CORRECTION
An item with the “2023 Year in Review” starting on page 1A in the Jan. 3 edition of the Cherokee Scout contained a reporting error. The May item, “Griggs, tax assessor at odds on land,” should have read: “Cherokee County Commissioner Jan Griggs and her husband, Joe, contested an unproven discovery penalty on property taxes that Tax Assessor Teresa Ricks was attempting to collect. The Griggses lost their first appeal and, when another appeal was presented to the board of commissioners, all but one member recused themselves. The Griggses have appealed to the N.C. Property Tax Commission and still have multiple options available.” The online article has been updated. The Scout regrets the error.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- There are no public meetings planned this week.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown.