ANDREWS
Food Truck Friday back
After being rained out in its first attempt to kick off the 2024 season, the fourth annual Food Truck Fridays season will end with a makeup day at Hall Memorial Park on First Street downtown this week.
The free event, which is run by the Andrews Chamber of Commerce, will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday with food trucks, vendors and live music. The Hollering’ Frogs are scheduled to perform on the Gazebo Stage.
In addition, there will be picnic tables set up in the park as well as and a beer and wine garden. An expanded children’s area will include a bouncy house, plus there will be a “doggie station” to help keep furry friends hydrated and happy.
Details: Call 828-321-3584 or visit visitandrewsnc.com/food-truck-fridays.
MURPHY
Shop & Sip downtown
Shop & Sip, held from 2-5 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month through December, returns to downtown this weekend.
This series of events is presented by the retailers of Downtown Murphy and Main Street Murphy. Retailers will be providing refreshments, special sales, raffles and fun. Everyone is welcome, as small, locally owned retailers cannot survive without you.
Details: Visit townofmurphync.com/main-street-murphy/page/second-saturday-shop-sip.
ANDREWS
New wine tasting set
FernCrest Winery is releasing its new Fiddlehead Red, a dry, full-bodied
Cabernet Franc Blend on Saturday at the Tasting Room, 1060 Main St. downtown.
Co-owner Jan Olson said they are proud to announce that this wine received a Double Gold Medal at the 2024 N.C. Wine Competition. The grapes were grown at a vineyard in Reems Creek.
This is the Third Double Gold Medal that wine maker Kurt Olson has received since opening the tasting room in 2016. You can receive a free taste of the wine Saturday.
Details: Visit ferncrestwinery.com.
MURPHY
Let’s taco on Rotary
Members invite people interested in learning more about the Rotary Club of Murphy to join them for a Let’s Taco ‘Bout Rotary event from 5:45-7 p.m. Tuesday.
The event will be held at El Manzanillo Mexican Restaurant, 1370 U.S. 64. There will be a free appetizer. The local club is a part of Rotary International.
Details: RSVP by email to jackyregli@gmail.com and visit rotaryclubofmurphy.com.
ANDREWS
Bateman to chair board
Gov. Roy Cooper announced last week that William Ray Bateman of Andrews has been appointed to serve as chair of the Cherokee County Board of Elections.
Bateman has 37 years of experience as an election day precinct official, judge, chief judge and one-stop voting site worker, according to a release
RALEIGH
Poll workers and ballots
Election workers often do write on ballots for different reasons as required by law and does not invalidate the vote, even though there are social media posts alleging the opposite.
According to a release from the N.C. Board of Elections, election workers write an identifying number on the ballots of voters who vote by mail or during the in-person early voting period. This is a special number assigned to each ballot and voter. This number allows the ballot to be retrieved and not counted if necessary due to a voter challenge, such as if the voter dies before Election Day or votes more than once.
The number can also be used to retrieve ballots in the event of a successful election protest, such as if several voters are given the wrong ballot style and the margin for a contest is less than that number of voters.
Stray marks on a ballot should not prevent the ballot from being tabulated, as long as the bars on the margin of the ballot and the selection ovals are not affected. Once the ballot goes into the tabulator, the machine uses the bars and the shading of ovals to determine the selections on that ballot, and that ballot will be tabulated just like any other ballot that gets inserted into the tabulator, regardless of any writing in the white space.
The 2024 general election is 95 days away Tuesday, Nov. 5. The first absentee ballots are expected to be sent out on Sept. 6. In-person early voting runs from Oct. 17 through Nov. 2.
Details: Visit NCSBE.gov.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Public Meetings
THIS WEEK
- Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St. Live-streamed on the Town of Andrews’ Facebook page.
- Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority meets at 4 p.m. Monday in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
- Murphy Town Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday at Murphy Electric Power Board, 5 Wofford St. downtown. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page, if possible.
- Cherokee County Board of Health meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Cherokee County Health Department, 228 Hilton St. in Murphy.
COMING SOON
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, at Central Office, 2230 Airport Road in Marble. Live-streamed on the school district’s YouTube channel.
- Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, in the ABC Store, 13934 U.S. 19.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St.. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown.