MARBLE
Man guilty of beating
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A Cherokee County man who kidnapped and broke a woman’s jaw has pleaded guilty in Superior Court, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said in a release.
Nathaniel Jared Raper, 37, of Murphy, admitted to assault inflicting serious bodily injury and second-degree kidnapping.
On Feb. 20, 2021, Cherokee County sheriff’s deputies were called to a home in Marble, where a woman reported Raper, her estranged boyfriend, had punched her in the face. Raper was under a domestic violence protective order at the time.
Earlier, Raper had climbed into the woman’s vehicle as she was picking up her child from a school bus. He forced his way into her home and held the woman captive for three hours.
She escaped by fleeing to a neighbor’s house and phoning law enforcement. Superior Court Judge Peter Knight ordered Raper serve 54-84 months in the Division of Adult Corrections.
PEACHTREE
Changes on bear hunting
State Rep. Karl Gillespie and Sen. Kevin Corbin (both R-Franklin) have invited the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to discuss the state’s proposed changes that would allow hunting on three western bear sanctuaries.
The rule change would permit limited bear hunting beginning in fall 2022 in sanctuaries in the Pisgah National Forest, Standing Indian and the Panthertown area in the Nantahala National Forest. Officials indicate they support the change at the request of the U.S. Forest Service, which has reported increasing numbers of “negative human-bear interactions” in recent years.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, in the McSwain Building Lecture Hall at Tri-County Community College off U.S. 64 East. The meeting is open to the public.
TOPTON
Sex offender is captured
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Rubin James Jump, 60, of Murphy, surrendered to the Cherokee County Detention Center on March 14 for failing to return to court on a sex offender registration charge.
Jump was released from the N.C. Department of Corrections in June 1997 for a conviction of indecent liberties with a child, according to a release. Upon release, Jump failed to complete the registration process until December 2010.
In January 2017, Jump moved and, without notifying the registering sheriff, an indictment for the violation was issued. Jump was arrested in December 2019 and posted bond, but failed to return to court.
Two weeks ago, new information was received concerning a possible location of Jump. Working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshall’s Service and with the Special Victim’s Unit of the Macon County Sheriff’s Office Jump was found at an address in Topton.
When confronted, Jump voluntarily surrendered and was incarcerated in the county jail on a $25,000 secure bond. He has a Superior Court date of Monday,
May 2.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Only 4 new with COVID
Only four local residents tested positive for COVID-19 from March 14 through Monday, according to the Cherokee County Health Department.
Of the 26,076 tests handled through the department since the pandemic began in March 2020, 18,967 were negative, seven are pending and 7,102 were positive. Of those cases, only one is active, 6,982 were released and 119 are deceased.
About 50 percent of the county has received at least one vaccination shot. Health Director David Badger encourages everyone who has not been vaccinated or needs a booster to set an appointment online at https://novelhealth.ai/practice/cherokee-county-health-department-287668.
Last week, Gov. Roy Cooper outlined steps on moving North Carolina forward from COVID-19.
“Over the last two years, we’ve written a history of hardship and resilience, setbacks and successes,” Cooper said. “But now, we enter the next phase. One of individual responsibility, preparedness and prosperity. This virus will still be with us, but it won’t disrupt us.”
The N.C. Department of Health & Human Services will stay ready to respond should new and more dangerous variants emerge. Officials say vaccines are still the best protection for ourselves and our communities. Learn more at myspot.nc.gov.
SCALY MOUNTAIN
Meadows’ fraud case
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said in a March 14 letter that her office has a conflict of interest with investigating voter fraud allegations concerning former chief of staff and U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-Highlands).
Meadows is accused of misrepresenting his residency in Macon County when he voted in 2020. However, since Meadows made a financial contribution to Welch’s campaign and endorsed her in several political advertisements, she has asked for her office to be recused from the investigation.
“The allegations in the case involve potential crimes committed by government official,” Welch said in the letter. “Historically, I have requested the Attorney General’s Office to handle prosecutions involving alleged misconduct of government officials. It is in the best interests of justice and the people of North Carolina that the Attorney General’s Office handles the prosecution of this case.”
CHEROKEE
Schools get electric bus
Gov. Roy Cooper joined Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians last week to unveil the first electric school bus in North Carolina and highlight the state’s transition to a clean energy economy.
The purchase of this bus was made possible by an award from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality using funds from the Volkswagen Emissions Settlement.
“This electric school bus is better for the environment and our children’s health, and it was made right here in North Carolina. That’s a win-win-win for our state,” Cooper said.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan also announced that the tribe has been awarded an EPA Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant to buy four all-electric school buses.
DUCKTOWN, Tenn.
Rape charge at Life Care
Neil Kevin Collis, 50, of 550 Austin St. in Blue Ridge, Ga., is free under bonds totaling $150,000 after his arrest March 11 by Polk County authorities.
Collis is charged with one felony count each of rape and sexual battery and two misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure. The charges result from incidents that allegedly occurred at Life Care Center of Copper Basin.
Capt. Keith Barker of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said a call was received Feb. 17 from the staff at the facility reporting that one of the residents had been sexually assaulted. After the victim was interviewed, it was determined the assault was committed by Collis, who was employed in maintenance at the facility.
Collis is charged with one county of sexual battery in connection with this first victim. He has also been charged with rape and indecent exposure in connection with a second victim, and indecent exposure in connection with a third victim, Barker said. The alleged incidents all occurred on the same day.
ANDREWS
‘Wizard of Oz’ playing soon
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is coming to the Valleytown Cultural Arts Center, 125 Chestnut St. downtown, this weekend.
The Community Youth Players/ACT 2 is producing the play, with help from the Andrews Chamber ofd Commerce. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday as well as 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at 828-361-2781.
BRASSTOWN
Arts & crafts show coming
The first Brasstown Arts & Crafts Spring Fling Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday at 811 Settawig Road.
Admission is free. Come on down for arts, crafts, face painting, games, helicopter rides, bounce houses, axe throwing and all the food you can eat.
Vendors are welcome. For details, call Crystal McGrath at 828-371-7717.
CORRECTION
An article on page 3A in the Feb. 16 edition of the Cherokee Scout, “23 Marines, 23 years and local legacy of Devil Dogs,” contained reporting errors that included transposing the names of two veterans. The corrected article is available to read free of charge at www.cherokeescout.com/local/local-marines-celebrate-turning-23. The Scout regrets the error, and thanks the men for their dedication to our country.
MURPHY
Worship Tent coming down
The last service under The Worship Tent at the entrance to Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel was held Friday night. But it’s not over.
Organizer Rachelle Castellana said the tent is scheduled to come down starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. However, an even bigger tent is going to be set up Saturday, April 9, in the same location.
If you would like to help with the tents or are interested in the ministries, email mjrefuge@gmail.com.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- No public government meetings are scheduled.
COMING SOON
- Murphy Town Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday, April 4, at Murphy Electric Power Board, 5 Wofford St. downtown.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 4, in the multi-purpose room of the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- The Learning Center Board of Directors meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, at 945 Connahetta St. in Murphy.
- Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority meets at 2 p.m. Monday, April 11, in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 13, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in Murphy.
- Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 18, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
- Cherokee County Department of Social Services Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, in the DSS conference room, 4800 U.S. 64 W. in Ranger.
From staff reports.