Quick Reads

  • Sam Jokich/Staff Correspondent The action was fast, but not too furious, during the bowling for Big Brothers & Big Sisters fundraiser on March 26 at the Multi-Tainment Center that’s part of Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy.
    Sam Jokich/Staff Correspondent The action was fast, but not too furious, during the bowling for Big Brothers & Big Sisters fundraiser on March 26 at the Multi-Tainment Center that’s part of Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy.
  • Johnny Strawn/Contributing Photographer Workers with Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corp. used a helicopter last month to trim vegetation from the right of way around power lines in Boiling Springs.
    Johnny Strawn/Contributing Photographer Workers with Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corp. used a helicopter last month to trim vegetation from the right of way around power lines in Boiling Springs.

    BRASSTOWN

    First Farmers Market opens

    The first Brasstown Farmers Market of the 2022 season will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, continuing every Wednesday through October.

    There will be a little bit of everything grown or created on hand at the market. If you would like to be a vendor, call Pam Silva at 835-9413.

    BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.

    New Home & Garden Show

    The spring 2022 Home & Garden Show is coming to the Union County Sports Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday, April 24.

    See the newest in home improvement products and services, furnishings, accessories and all the latest from patio to pool, inside and out. There is free admission and parking.

    The center is at 519 Industrial Blvd., across from Union County High School. The Cherokee Scout is one of the sponsors. For details, visit hgshows.net.

    ROCKY MOUNT

    Settlement on licenses

    Over the next 60 days, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles will be contacting by mail and email more than 185,000 drivers whose licenses were revoked for their failure to pay fines, penalties, and court costs, according to a release.

    Those drivers will be informed in a special notice about their ability under General Statute 20-24.1 to have the DMV lift those revocations if the sentencing court finds their failure to pay was not willful and was instead due to their inability to afford the amount due. A driver may make this showing of inability to pay by filing with the sentencing court a motion for relief from fines and fees.

    The DMV has also revised the official notice it will send to drivers who will face future license revocations for failure to pay court debt. The revised notice will inform drivers that state statute 20-24.1 permits them to prevent the revocation of their license by filing with the sentencing court a motion for relief from fines and fees. Previously, the NCDMV revocation notice indicated that full payment of the amount of fines, penalties and court costs due was the only option to prevent an indefinite driver’s license suspension.

    The DMV agreed to these changes as part of a settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed in May 2018. For details, visit www.resolvetrafficdebtNC.org.

    ANDREWS

    Church gives away clothes

    The Andrews First Baptist Church Operation Help/Hope ministry is giving away clothes at 9 a.m. Saturday.

    The ministry site is in White’s Plaza, 13970 U.S. 19/74. For details, email ntaylor11@frontier.com.

    MURPHY

    New worship tent going up

    The Worship Tent is installing a new, bigger tent that can hold 10 times as many people at 11 a.m. Saturday near the entrance to Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel.

    If you would like to help with the tents or are interested in learning more about the ministries coming to town via The Worship Tent, email mjrefuge@gmail.com.

    SYLVA

    Flight from justice ends

    Johnson

    A Sylva man who arrived an hour late to court, appeared to nap through his trial, admitted to using methamphetamine and smoking marijuana during the three-days of proceedings, then attempted to bolt from the courtroom after jury members returned guilty verdicts, will spend at least the next 14 years in prison.

    District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said a Jackson County jury on Thursday found Christopher Michael Johnson, 43, guilty on two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, one count possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver methamphetamine and possession of drug
    paraphernalia.

    After the guilty verdicts, the jury found Johnson guilty of being a habitual felon. Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Kuehnert imposed his sentence based on the penalty enhancer. Prosecutors can seek habitual felon status for defendants who have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to three felony offenses in federal or state courts.

    Johnson’s attempted flight from justice was short-lived, as he managed just a few steps before a bailiff grabbed him. The defendant spent the remainder of his time in court shackled.

    SYLVA

    Knife user goes to jail

    Sims

     Tuckasegee man who twice used knives to slash the necks of two men on separate occasions is headed to prison, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said.

    David Ray “Q-Tip” Sims, 46, pleaded guilty last week in Jackson County Superior Court to two counts assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Kuehnert sentenced Sims to serve 96-128 months in the N.C. Division of Adult Corrections.

    Both assaults took place in Tuckasegee community, one on April 15, 2021, and the other on Oct. 20, 2019. An emergency room doctor told law enforcement that the victim “had been very fortunate to have not been fatally injured as the cut had barely missed severing a major artery, by millimeters,” according to the incident report.

    MURPHY

    Egg hunt, duck race

    An Easter Egg Hunt & Rubber Ducky Race will be held at 11 a.m. and noon Saturday, April 16, at Konehete Park.

    There will be cash prizes, food trucks and more. The event is sponsored by the United Way of Cherokee & Clay Counties. For details, call 828-644-3290.

    ANDREWS

    Sheriff’s forum set

    A forum for Cherokee County sheriff’s candidates will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday, April 22, at the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.

    The event is sponsored by the Republican Party, Andrews Precincts North and South. Organizers say they look forward to giving the candidates a platform to tell local voters their plans and ideas as to what’s ahead in Cherokee County’s law enforcement.

    For details, email ray@living2daywell.com. The GOP is planning other debates as well this month.

    CORRECTION

    There was a reporting error in the contributed article “$1 billion available for internet expansion” on page 8A in the March 30 edition of the Cherokee Scout. The correct phone number to call about the broadband survey is 919-750-0553. The Scout regrets the error.

    LOCAL GOVERNMENT

    Public meetings

    THIS WEEK

    • Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority meets at 2 p.m. Monday in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
    • Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.

    COMING SOON

    • 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.