MURPHY
Art Walk year ends looking up
The streets were busy downtown Friday night, when folks were out and about for the final First Friday Art Walk of the season, presented by the Valley River Arts Guild.
The sounds of music adorned the festive setting, and sidewalks shared space with vendors showing off their crafts. Some of the creative works on hand included artwork, home decor and hand-painted winter gloves, as well as tiny box dollhouses and festive-themed top hats.
Sherry McCollum displayed handcrafted brooms along with soy and beeswax candles. She plans to open a frame shop on Hill Street in late spring 2022 called Smoky Mountains Memories.
“It’s great that this was on Friday instead of Saturday, as so many other things are going on Saturday,” she said.
John Nikas was there with his leather goods, including hand bags, belts, wallets and keychains. He’s been working and creating with leather since 1968, when in college he had to repair his own boots. He got the “bug” for leather, and the rest is history.
“It’s great,” said his wife, Deb Nikas. “The weather’s good, people are friendly and it’s just good to be out with people again.”
There was live music at the Murphy Art Center, and the EKG Quartet was singing at Marketplace Antiques, where a variety of wine samples and snacks were offered. Area restaurants were open for dining, with no shortage of hungry people out, and the event closed with happy locals and visitors alike.
Historic downtown Murphy offers something for everyone. The First Friday Art Walk will begin again in May 2022.
RALEIGH
Open burning ban in state
Due to increased fire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide, which started at 5 p.m. Monday and continues until further notice.
“It is fall wildfire season in North Carolina, and we are seeing wildfire activity increase due to dry conditions,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a release. “With these ongoing conditions, a statewide burn ban is necessary to reduce the risk of fires starting and spreading quickly. Our top priority is always to protect lives, property and forestland across the state.”
Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted.
Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine, plus $183 court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.
Local fire departments and law enforcement officers are assisting the N.C. Forest Service in enforcing the burn ban. For details, visit ncforestservice.gov.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
44 cases of COVID
A total of 44 local residents tested positive for COVID-19 last week, according to the Cherokee County Health Department.
Since the pandemic started through Monday, the health department has conducted 21,892 tests, 17,072 which were negative. Of the 4,791 positive tests, 4,650 have been released, 99 are deceased and 42 are active.
To help keep those numbers down, Health Director David Badger reminds local residents that boosters for all three vaccines, as well as vaccines for children, have been approved. For details, call 837-7486.
Gov. Roy Cooper provided an update on the state’s COVID-19 key metrics and trends last week. The state’s overall vaccination rate increased from 65 percent in mid-September to 76 percent at the end of November, and 13 percent of children ages 5-11 have already received their first dose.
To date, North Carolina has administered more than 13.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 68 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. At least 72 percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 94 percent of ages 65 and over.
NANTAHALA
Mask optional at libraries
The Nantahala Regional Library is changing entry requirements due to the community spread of COVID-19.
Masks are optional at all our branches unless social distancing isn’t possible, according to a release. This means that masks are required if you need individual help from library staff or if you plan to meet with other individuals in our facilities.
In addition, meetings are permitted in all locations. Meeting room use is limited at certain locations. Please call the library to make those arrangements. For details, visit www.nrlibrary.org.
ANDREWS
Winners at Magic parade
The Magic on Main electric Christmas parade was a hit on Nov. 27, as the Andrews Chamber of Commerce gave out all 900 candy bags that volunteers put together, there was a great crowd and more than 35 entrees put on a show.
The winners were:
- Best in Show: Andrews Elementary Mascots.
- Schools & clubs: Andrews High School Marching Band. Runner-up: Andrews HOSA.
- Nonprofit: Andrews Second Day Adventist Church. Runner-up: Grace Fellowship Baptist Church.
- Resident: Chastity Ledford. Runner-up: Floyd Sherrill.
- Business: Erlanger Primary Care of Andrews. Runner-up: State Employees Credit Union.
Recognition and awards will be given out during the Andrews Board of Aldermen meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Facilities Building.
MURPHY
McDonald’s owners retire
Skip and Barbara Sharer, owners of the McDonald’s restaurants in Murphy, Robbinsville and Blairsville, Ga., are hanging up the spatula after 11 years of ownership.
Sharer has been with McDonald’s for 45 years, how wife for 35. They both plan to be even more involved in the community during their retirement.
“Thank you for all of your community support over the years, and we are happy to know you are spending your retirement years in our community,” Mayor Tim Radford said during a ceremony.
RALEIGH
State ranked ‘16th freest’
North Carolina ranks as the 16th most free state in the country in the CATO Institute’s latest index measuring states’ freedom. The report by the libertarian think tank found North Carolina has a “reasonably good economic freedom profile and an even better record on personal freedom.”
According to CATO, North Carolina has improved in fiscal policy over the past nine years but has dipped slightly in regulatory policy. State and local taxes fell between fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2020.
State taxes dropped from 6.1 percent of adjusted personal income to 5.6 percent, and local taxes fell from 3.5 percent of income to 3.2 percent, which is below the national average. On the other hand, North Carolina’s government consumption and employment fell but still stayed above the national average. The state’s debt and financial assets are also below the national average at 10.2 percent and 9.5 percent.
To improve fiscal freedom, CATO analysts recommend that North Carolina cuts spending on hospitals and build up its rainy-day fund or trim individual income taxes further. Lawmakers increased investments in the state’s rainy day fund and cut billions of dollars in taxes in the current biennium budget.
According to CATO, North Carolina’s weak spot is occupational freedom. Licensing requirements have “consistently” grown, they said. North Carolina is also one of the worst states for insurance freedom.
The state scores low on the scale for alcohol freedom because of its Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Board. The N.C. ABC Commission, a state agency, has control over the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, consumption and possession of all alcoholic beverages in North Carolina, along with 171 local boards. The local boards get a portion of the profits from the alcohol sales.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. today at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in Murphy.
- 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.
From staff and The Capital Square reports.