MURPHY
Celebrating Main Street
Murphy earned its spot as a designated North Carolina Main Street Community on July 1. It took an entire team of community leaders and neighbors over two years to meet the rigorous standards set by the state Department of Commerce.
That explains why the town is ready to celebrate. Prepare to attend the festivities from 6-8 p.m. Friday in the newly closed and upgraded alley off Valley River Avenue, between the Black & White Market and Urban Salon & Spa. Downtown Development Director Laura Lachance said there will be a short presentation to honor those who worked so hard for the designation.
“Afterward,” she said, “we will have live music and refreshments.” To double the fun, the First Friday Murphy Art Walk will be taking place at the same time.
MURPHY
Art Walk set Friday night
The Valley River Arts Guild will present the Murphy Art Walk from 5-8 p.m. Friday, with dozens of arts and crafts vendors and musicians flocking to downtown to showcase their art, perform music and have a good time.
Everyone is invited to the free event. For details, call 360-3038 or visit @valleyriverartsguild on Facebook.
PEACHTREE
Go Big on Saturday
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cherokee County are going to Paris, and the community is invited to join them Saturday night.
The nonprofit will host its fundraising event, “An Evening in Paris,” at McGuire’s Millrace Farm off Hendrix Road. Cocktails and hors D’oeuvres will be served at 5 p.m., with dinner to follow.
A silent auction will be open throughout the evening. The organization strives to help youth reach their full potential through one-on-one mentoring.
For tickets, contact the local Big Brothers Big Sisters office at 828-361-0989 or go online to secure.QGIV.com/event/paris.
ANDREWS
Talk about lazy gardens
Brady Hall will be the special guest speaker at the Andrews Garden Club meeting set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at the Andrews Chamber of Commerce office on Main Street downtown.
Hall is founder of Shades of Green Permaculture, which builds regenerative landscapes for homes, businesses, farms and schools. She was featured in the online article “In praise of lazy landscaping,” which can be viewed at gardenandgun.com.
The public is invited to attend. Pre-registration is not required.
MARBLE
Landlord town hall
A Landlord Town Hall meeting hosted by Four Square Community Action will be held at noon Thursday, Sept. 8, in Tri-County Community College’s Center for Applied Technology at 2415 Airport Road.
The event is being held to share information regarding the federal HUD program and discuss how to increase affordable housing in Cherokee and surrounding counties. The event is free, and lunch will be provided.
Please RSVP by Friday by calling Daniel Ferreira at 321-4475, Ext. 6, or via email at daniel.ferreira@foursq.org.
RALEIGH
Fall Litter Sweep set
The N.C. Department of Transportation is looking for volunteers for the Adopt-A-Highway Fall Litter Sweep, which runs from Sept. 10-24.
Each April and September, the department calls on volunteers to help remove litter from roadsides. Volunteers from local businesses, schools, non-profits, churches and community groups play an important role in keeping North Carolina’s roads clean.
Volunteers can request gloves, safety vests and bags from their local county maintenance office during the sweep. People looking to participate should contact their local litter management coordinator. For details, visit the website www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/environmental/litter-management/Pages/litter-sweep.aspx.
ASHEVILLE
Congress debate set
The candidates for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District seat – Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, Libertarian David Coatney and Republican Chuck Edwards – have been invited to appear at a joint forum from 7-9 p.m. today.
A diverse panel of guests will join Blue Ridge Public Radio Regional Reporter Lilly Knoepp and Smoky Mountain News Politics Editor Cory Vaillancourt for the “Best in the West: North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District forum.”
Questions will come from Dr. Edward Lopez, director of Western Carolina University’s Center for the Study of Free Enterprise; Richard Sneed, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Dewana Little, executive director of YMI Cultural Center; and Susan Mim, CEO of Dogwood Health Trust.
The event will be broadcast live on Blue Ridge Public Radio as well as at BPR.org and live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
GREENVILLE
Write-in for Senate race
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Michelle Estelle Lewis has qualified as an unaffiliated write-in candidate for North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race.
Lewis’ petitions were certified by the State Board of Elections on Aug. 11, making her the only unaffiliated candidate to make it past the petition process for the seat held by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.). She believes it’s necessary to put partisan politics aside to focus on the people of the state and nation first, according to a release.
Lewis’ platform includes working to make sure veterans receive the care they need through the VA (like streamlining accessibility to care and increasing patient care options), creating economic opportunities in rural and black communities, education and criminal justice reform. She is a former federal law enforcement officer, has done conflict work in the Middle Wast and spent time as an advisor at the United Nations, where she worked on climate policy and climate finance.
Today, she grows and distributes food to families in need and teaches at Duke Divinity School. For details, visit MichelleLewisforSenate.com.
WILMINGTON
A new area code coming
The N.C. Utilities Commission announced Thursday that the 472 area code will serve the same geographic area served by the 910 area code. Assignments in the new 472 area code will commence once the 910 area code has been exhausted.
On June 25, 2021, the commission issued an order in docket No. P-100, Sub 137D to approve an overlay as the method of area code relief for the 910 area code. That calling area serves southeast North Carolina.
According to the North American Numbering Plan Administrator, the remaining supply of available telephone numbers in the 910 area is estimated to be exhausted in the first three months of 2023. That required establishing a new area code to support future demands in the region.
CLARIFICATION
The article “Recycling Rails into Trails” on page 1A in the Aug. 24 edition of the Cherokee Scout made it unclear what right of way was established by the General Assembly in 2020 along railroad tracks in Cherokee County. The legislation reduced the right of way from as much as 200 feet on either side of the tracks to only 25 feet on either side of the tracks, or 50 feet total.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
Local, state and federal government offices, as well as the Cherokee Scout, will be closed Monday, Sept. 5, for the Labor Day holiday. The Scout will reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Murphy Town Council meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Murphy Electric Power Board, 5 Wofford St. downtown. (Watch live via the Cherokee Scout’s Facebook page.)
COMING SOON
Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in Murphy. (Watch live via the Cherokee Scout’s Facebook page.)
Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority meets at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St. (Watch live via the Cherokee Scout’s Facebook page.)
Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, in the multi-purpose room of the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy. (Watch live via the Cherokee Scout’s Facebook page.)