NORTH CAROLINA
State No. 1 for business
CNBC unveiled Thursday the results of the 2025 America’s Top States for Business, with North Carolina taking the No. 1 position.
The Tar Heel State was runner-up in 2021 before being crowned No. 1 in 2022 and 2023, and it narrowly missed first place last year, when neighboring Virginia claimed the top spot. North Carolina had a well-rounded performance in 2025, finishing in the top five in economy, workforce and business friendliness, and ranking sixth in education.
That momentum is being fueled by a wave of high-impact investments, including JetZero’s decision to build its first factory in Greensboro, which is expected to create 14,500 jobs, and Amazon’s $10 billion expansion of its data center footprint in the state. However, with a lack of basic worker protections, the state ranks 29th in quality of life, and its rapid growth is driving up costs.
CNBC reported the top five states for business are:
1. North Carolina.
2 Texas.
3. Florida.
4. Virginia.
5. Ohio.
Details: Visit cnbc.com/2025/07/10/top-states-for-business-americas-2025-the-full-rankings.html.
ASHEVILLE
Local intern earns award
Ona Elkins, a 2024 graduate of UNC Asheville, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to serve as a Fulbright English teaching assistant in Taiwan for the 2025-26 academic year.
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This award is given by the U.S. Department of State and Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Elkins will spend 11 months at an elementary or middle school in Chiayi County, located on the southwestern coast of Taiwan about two hours from the capital Taipei.
Since graduating, Elkins has been working in Murphy government through the Lead for North Carolina program as an Americorps fellow. This position, combined with her experience in Taiwan, she hopes will aid her on her journey through graduate school and work in public service.
While at UNC Asheville, Elkins majored in political science and international studies, with a minor in Asian studies. She also played volleyball and was the recipient of UNC Asheville’s 2024 Manly E. Wright Award, the university’s highest academic honor.
Details: Visit fulbrightprogram.org.
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga.
BRMEMC is all-fiber
Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corp. has received the Fiber Broadband Association’s All Fiber Certification for ensuring its customers can access the fastest, most reliable broadband connectivity available.
The All Fiber Certification is available to Fiber Broadband Association members who demonstrate a high-level of strategic commitment to fiber deployment by ensuring 90% or more of their networks rely on fiber optic infrastructure.
BRMEMC serves more than 19,000 fiber customers throughout its five-county service territory. BRMEMC has built out 2,200-plus miles of fiber line., with packages ranging from 250 Mbps to 8 gigabits.
“This signifies our commitment to provide our rural area’s residents and businesses with the market’s most reliable form of broadband,” BRMEMC Director of Broadband Alex King said in a release.
Details: Visit fiberbroadband.org/service-provider-network-certification.
WAYNESVILLE
Regional man wins $200K
Robert Patten of Waynesville took a chance on a $5 scratch-off and won a $200,000 top prize. He bought his lucky Prize Link Multiplier ticket from Southeast Energy.
Patten arrived at state lottery headquarters in Raleigh on July 9 to claim his prize. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $143,501.
The Prize Link Multiplier game debuted in April with five $200,000 top prizes. Two $200,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
Details: Visit nclottery.com.
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.
Home show coming soon
The Northeast Georgia and Western North Carolina Home & Garden Show is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 26-27S, at the Union County Sports Center, 519 Industrial Blvd.
The event will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free.
See the newest in home improvement products and services, plus furnishings, accessories, decorating and remodeling ideas – all the latest from floor to roof, patio to pool, inside and out.
The Cherokee Scout is a sponsor of the annual event.
Details: Visit facebook.com/ganchomeandgardenshow.
RALEIGH
2 more years to renew DL
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles announces that Senate Bill 391 has
been signed into law by Gov. Josh Stein, establishing a moratorium on the expiration of Class C driver licenses.
Under this legislation, Class C licenses (standard passenger vehicle licenses) expiring on or after July 1 will remain valid for driving purposes within the state for up to two years beyond the printed expiration date.
The moratorium, in effect through Dec. 31, 2027, applies only to Class C licenses and allows continued in-state driving privileges during the two-year grace period. Expired licenses will not be valid for any purpose other than establishing the license holder’s driving privilege, including identification purposes and air travel.
In addition, through Aug. 23, the DMV will offer walk-in services at 20 locations on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, with no appointment needed. Services include driver license and ID card renewals, duplicates, address changes, REAL ID issuance and road tests for those who have completed written tests.
WASHINGTON
ICE arrests up in N.C.
New data from U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement shows a 160% increase in the number of daily arrests across North Carolina compared to the same period last year.
According to data obtained through the Deportation Data Project, in the time frame since President Donald Trump began his second term through early June, ICE arrested nearly 1,600 people in North Carolina. A quarter of those arrests were tied to operations in the Charlotte region.
Becca O’Neill, an immigration attorney with Carolina Migrant Network, which provides pro bono legal services to those arrested, said attorneys have struggled to keep up with the uptick in ICE arrests, making it harder to ensure people have access to due process.
MARTINS CREEK
Help boy with medical bills
Local resident Brayden Shiflett – who was born with a heart condition known as Tetralogy of Fallot, which affects his pulmonary arteries – has already undergone open heart surgery, but more treatments are needed.
Brayden also had surgery to place rods in his spine due to severe congenital scoliosis, and a lung scan showed spots consistent with lung disease. He is fighting the good fight, but needs your help.
Brayden is at a hospital in Charlotte with his mother, Megan Shiflett. You can donate at PNC Bank in Murphy under his name.
Details: Visit gofundme.com/f/help-with-expenses-during-worsening-medical-needs or facebook.com/braydesstory.
RALEIGH
Bill to make hiring easier
N.C. Senate Bill 124, written and sponsored by state Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Franklin), has been signed into law by Gov. Josh Stein.
Corbin’s bill aims to modernize the state hiring process by removing unnecessary four-year degree requirements and allowing relevant experience, like military service or trade work, to qualify applicants.
The bill simplifies applications by enabling resume uploads and streamlines hiring with options like continuous postings, temp-to-permanent transitions and sign-on bonuses. Overall, the bill seeks to make state jobs more accessible, flexible and efficient, a release says.
WASHINGTON
Mailing letters will cost more
If you need to buy a stamp for sending a letter, the price just went up by about a nickel.
The U.S. Postal Service has enacted a rate hike on the cost of a first-class stamp, from 73 cents to 78 cents.
The change, which took effect Sunday, was originally proposed in April, and had to be approved by the Postal Regulatory Committee.
Similar 5-cent increases are also hitting postcards, metered letters and international mail.
This is the eighth increase in forever stamp prices since the start of 2019. There were two price hikes in 2024 and 2023. Like the 2024 increase from 68 cents to 73 cents, the postal service claims the additional cost is needed to achieve financial stability.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the ABC Store, 13934 U.S. 19 in Andrews.
- Murphy ABC Board meets at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the ABC Store, 818 U.S. 64 W. in Murphy.
- 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 Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 29, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown.