MURPHY
Water lines nearly done
The town’s water line rehabilitation project is nearly completed. All services are tied in, and all but one main tie-in is complete.
The next phase of the project will be for N.C. Department of Transportation to resurface Peachtree, Hiwassee and Tennessee streets along with Valley River Avenue. The project includes a reconfiguration of the intersection of those four streets from a traffic signal to a traffic circle, also known as a roundabout.
The project includes new curbs, which will be installed in coming weeks, will milling. Resurfacing and restraining is expected to take place in May and June.
RALEIGH
Sellers gets to Superior
Gov. Roy Cooper announced April 3 that Judge Tessa Sellers has been appointed to Superior Court in Judicial District 43A, serving Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon and Swain counties.
As previously reported in the Cherokee Scout, Sellers will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William Coward.
“Judge Tessa Sellers and Gus Willis bring a variety of legal expertise to the Superior Court, and they both have served North Carolina and their communities with distinction for many years,” Cooper said in a release. “I appreciate their willingness to step up and keep working for the people of our state in these new roles.”
Sellers serves as a District Court judge in North Carolina’s 43rd Judicial District. Previously, she served as an assistant district attorney in North Carolina’s 30th Prosecutorial District and as a general practitioner in private practice. She received her bachelor of arts from Mars Hill College and Juris Doctor from Campbell University’s Norman A. Wiggins School of Law.
MURPHY
Town by numbers
In March, the town’s waste water treatment plant treated just shy of 20.9 million gallons.
Meanwhile, the Murphy water department pumped 27.6 million gallons of drinking water, of which 10.8 million gallons were accounted for. Some of the town’s water lines leak, which is why the town is replacing water lines downtown to partially address the problem.
In addition, the Murphy Public Library checked out 2,836 books and 917 movies/television series.
MURPHY
Town gets $10K grant
The town received a $10,000 grant to create a heritage mural on the side of 13 Tennessee St.
As reported in the April 3 edition of the Cherokee Scout, the grant was awarded by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. It will be supplemented by a $5,000 grant awarded to the Cherokee County Arts Council awarded by the Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority.
The side of the building where the mural will be created faces the pocket park containing the Veterans Monument. Completion is expected in April 2025.
The mural will portray significant residents who have played pivotal roles in shaping the community. A committee will be formed to determine who will be included on the mural and to create a request for proposals that will be distributed to the community.
MURPHY
Stansell and Main Street
Town council member Gail Walker Stansell was honored as a “Main Street Champion” during the annual N.C. Main Street Conference held in Goldsboro in March.
Stansell was a driving force behind Murphy becoming a downtown associate community, which led to the town becoming a Main Street Community.
Stansell also chairs the Main Street Murphy board of directors.
“She is the “biggest cheerleader for all activities in downtown Murphy,” Murphy Main Street Director Laura Lachance said in a report to the town council on April 1.
RALEIGH
State seeks federal funds
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has accepted the N.C. Digital Equity Plan, making the state eligible to apply for more than $22 million in federal digital inclusion funds to implement it.
The plan aims to address digital disparities so all state residents can participate in today’s increasingly digital world, according to a release.
The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband & Digital Equity developed the plan, which identifies digital equity needs for all state residents with a focus on aging individuals; incarcerated individuals; individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group; individuals who live in low-income households; individuals who primarily reside in a rural area; individuals with a language barrier; individuals with disabilities; veterans; and individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Details: Visit ncbroadband.gov.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. today at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the ABC Store, 13934 U.S. 19.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page, if possible.
- Cherokee County Department of Social Services Board meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the DSS conference room, 4800 U.S. 64 W. in Ranger.
COMING SOON
- Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in Murphy. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page, if possible.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 18, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St. Live-streamed on the Town of Andrews’ Facebook page, if possible.
- Cherokee County Planning Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at the Cherokee County Courthouse.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown and Editor Randy Foster.