Quick Reads

  • Sam Jokich/Staff Correspondent The fields were green and shouting “hay” recently in Hiwassee Dam off N.C. 294, which is always a picturesque drive between North Carolina and Tennessee.
    Sam Jokich/Staff Correspondent The fields were green and shouting “hay” recently in Hiwassee Dam off N.C. 294, which is always a picturesque drive between North Carolina and Tennessee.
  • Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com Graham County Travel & Tourism has been working to reopen Cable Cove Campground, which the U.S. Forest Service shuttered earlier this year because of low usage, deteriorated facilities, flooding vulnerability and lack of electrical power. The process is still in the early stages, and participants are still brainstorming, Travel & Tourism Director Daniel Allison said. The campground’s occupancy rate averaged only 17 percent over the last 10 years.
    Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com Graham County Travel & Tourism has been working to reopen Cable Cove Campground, which the U.S. Forest Service shuttered earlier this year because of low usage, deteriorated facilities, flooding vulnerability and lack of electrical power. The process is still in the early stages, and participants are still brainstorming, Travel & Tourism Director Daniel Allison said. The campground’s occupancy rate averaged only 17 percent over the last 10 years.
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  • David Brown/dbrown@cherokeescout.com The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Member Dinner Meeting was held Aug. 25 at McGuire’s Millrace Farm in Peachtree. Everyone seemed to have a good time celebrating accomplishments and awards over the last year. For details, see the article in the Aug. 31 edition of the Cherokee Scout.
    David Brown/dbrown@cherokeescout.com The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Member Dinner Meeting was held Aug. 25 at McGuire’s Millrace Farm in Peachtree. Everyone seemed to have a good time celebrating accomplishments and awards over the last year. For details, see the article in the Aug. 31 edition of the Cherokee Scout.

    MARTINS CREEK

    GREAT grant adds internet

    Gov. Roy Cooper announced Aug. 31 that nearly 85,000 households and more than 2,400 businesses in 69 counties are set to receive access to high-speed internet thanks to more than $206 million of Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology grants.

    This is the state’s largest round of GREAT grant awards to date. With this announcement, more than $260 million in GREAT grants have been awarded to internet service providers since July 2022. Additional grants are expected to be announced this fall.

    In Cherokee County, Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corp. received a grant worth $5,252,279.50 – and it will match 30 percent of the total, or $1,575,683.85. This brings BRMEMC’s GREAT grant funding total to $12.5 million, according to a release from the state. The money came from American Rescue Plan Act State Fiscal Recovery Funds.

    “High-speed internet access is critical for people to work, learn, access telehealth and connect with one another,” Cooper said in a release. “Thanks to this significant GREAT grant award funding, many more North Carolina families and small business owners will have the tools they need to succeed in today’s digital world.”

    Funds from this grant will be used to expand BRMEMC’s fiber-optic network in the general area of south central Cherokee County, including Martins Creek, adding around 96 miles of mainline fiber. At project completion, about 1,778 additional largely-unserved residences and small businesses will have access to fiber-optic internet service.

    CHEROKEE COUNTY

    Schools get $20K repairs

    Cherokee County Schools requested and received $20,623 from their designated sales tax fund during the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meeting on Aug. 29.

    The school system received $4,117 for a bus breezeway metal roof and $7,785 for an elevator roof replacement – both at Murphy Elementary School – as well as $8,721 for soccer goals at Andrews High School.

    MURPHY

    Walking for Alzheimer’s

    In a spirit of togetherness, members of the Rotary Club of Murphy, Clay County Rotary Club and Andrews Lions Club will host a “Freedom from Alzheimer’s Walk” from 2-4 p.m. Sunday along the Murphy River Walk.

    This fundraising walk will begin at the L&N Depot, then go to Konehete Veterans Park and back. Walk at your own pace.

    There’s no registration fee to participate, but donations to Alzheimer’s research are appreciated. A suggested donation is $10 for adults, $5 for kids; maybe the kids will enjoy emptying their piggy banks to contribute to a worthy cause.

    More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million. And 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, killing more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

    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 Saturday through Sept. 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.

    “North Carolina is a wonderful place thanks to the thousands of volunteers who donate their time every year,” said David Harris, state roadside environmental engineer. “The Litter Sweep is a great opportunity to get outdoors with family and friends and work alongside the DOT to ensure North Carolina remains a beautiful place to live and work.”

    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.

    MURPHY

    Gathering a local chapter

    The National Ladies Homestead Gathering is considering whether to launch a new local chapter for ladies interested in becoming more self-reliant. This chapter would be the only one of its kind in North Carolina.

    To see if there is interest in moving forward with this organization, a meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Extension Education Room, 699 Connahetta St., behind Murphy Health & Fitness in the white building.

    The National Ladies Homestead Gathering is for all ladies ages 16 and up; nursing babies are welcome. It covers a full array of self-reliant skills, including food preservation, gardening, raising animals, seed saving, starting seeds, rain barrels, being more self-sufficient and “any host of activities that we do at HOME inSTEAD of running to the store,” according to a release.

    For details, call Tammi Smith at 770-688-4911.

    BLUE RIDGE, Ga.

    Blues & BBQ Festival nears

    The 2022 Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Festival us set from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the downtown Blue Ridge Play Park, 400 W. Main St.

    Cost is $10, with ages 12 and under free, to “get out of the houser, soak up some sun, and join us for funky blues, cold brews and tasty barbecue,” according to eventbrite.com. The five-band musical lineup start playing at 11:30 a.m., and there will be a Kids Korner sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club.

    MURPHY

    Eat at Tasty Tuesdays

    Tasty Tuesday will be held at the L&N Depot, 4 Railroad St. downtown, from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday.

    There will be food trucks and craft beer, with live music, tables and chairs in the depot. The event will be held, rain or shine, on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.

    Sponsors include the Town of Murphy, Olive’s Porch, Exit Realty-Murphy and the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce.

    ANDREWS

    4th Welcome Home event

    The the fourth annual Welcome Home – A Tribute To All Who Serve event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Western Carolina Regional Airport, with a crowd of more than 10,000 people expected.

    This year, the event includes an air show as well as several classic airplanes on display for viewing. There will be classic cars, motorcycles and military paraphernalia from the past. There will also be a chili cook-off,  food vendors and free ice cream.

    The day begins with a parade, leaving Andrews at 9 a.m. and arriving at the airport about 10 a.m. in time for the opening ceremonies. Annie Lloyd of Hayesville will open with the song “God Bless America.”

    At 12:30 p.m., the Benghazi/Twin Towers Memorial Riders will present a memorial ceremony. At 1 p.m., the North Star Airshow group will kick off the event with aerial maneuvers.

    There will be a presentation of the colors and flag-folding demonstration. Stephen Phillips and Sherry Raines will be masters of ceremonies for this event.

    John Ivie of Ivie Funeral Home sponsors this event each year, while American Legion Post 532 of Hayesville and Post 96 of Murphy will host the event. There will be a Stand Down Service as well as veteran service officers on hand to talk with about benefits.

    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, Sept. 14, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
    • Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in 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.
    • Cherokee County Department of Social Services Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the DSS conference room, 4800 U.S. 64 W. in Ranger.

    Compiled by Publisher David Brown.