CHEROKEE COUNTY
Conley joins Toys for Tots
John Evans, a longtime volunteer with Cherokee County Toys for Toys, announced Monday to the Rotary Club of Murphy that Cherokee County Schools Superintendent Jeana Conley has agreed to become local coordinator of the nonprofit organization, which serves more than 1,000 children every Christmas.
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Evans said Conley, who is retiring Nov. 1, called it “perfect timing. I’m looking for something to do next year.”
Conley will serve as the schools coordinator this year, then will shadow Evans and his wife, Susie, before becoming the local coordinator in 2023. She will be introduced to the team at an upcoming Toys for Tots volunteer meeting set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Penland Senior Center in Murphy.
MURPHY
County gets Purple Heart
The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved a $450 funding request on Sept. 19 to assist with the mounting of signs designating Cherokee County a “Purple Heart county.”
The Purple Heart medal is presented to service members who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action while serving in the U.S. military. Members of the Cherokee County Veterans Service Office spoke at the meeting and said signs will be placed at all entry points into the county – including from the states of Georgia and Tennessee.
The organization is working with the N.C. Department of Transportation and has received permission to have the signs drilled and mounted, primarily on existing signs. The Cherokee County Veterans Service Office is also in the early stages of planning a ceremony to honor local Purple Heart awardees.
ANDREWS
5 hired for police force
The Andrews Board of Aldermen approved the hiring of an evidence technician and four part-time officers for the Andrews Police Department on Sept. 13.
“Evidence is something we’d had a problem with in the past, and we’re glad to be getting everything on track there,” Mayor James Reid said. “Not in the past recently, but in the past.”
Reid and Alderman Steve Jordan both complimented the job being done and hours put in by Police Chief Rocky Burrell.
“I wish we could hire 10 more (officers) with the results like you’ve been getting,” Jordan said. Reid added, “If we could clone Rocky, we’d be fine.”
MURPHY
Schools fix costs $38K
The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved Cherokee County Schools’ request to use $38,638 of its Article 46 sales tax funds on Sept. 19.
The school system’s Article 46 sales tax account has a balance of just over $1.7 million. The withdrawal will be used to cover the purchase of a variety of materials needed for local schools, including playground mulch, playground fence repairs, softball field maintenance and playground border replacements.
HIWASSEE DAM
Local teen faces surgery
A love offering is being taken for Eli Jones, 14, a student at Hiwassee Dam School who is hospitalized.
Eli is going through major cancer surgery, then six months of chemotherapy treatment, and is suffering from depression as a result. If you would like to send him a card, or more, write to: Eli Jones, 133 Hillbilly Holler, Murphy, NC 28906.
MURPHY
More game lands here
The N.C. Land & Water Fund awarded grants last week totaling $70.3 million, providing funds for 117 projects that will protect North Carolina’s land and water from the mountains to the coast, Gov. Roy Cooper announced.
“Clean water is critical for the health of our families and our economy,” Cooper said in a release. “These grants will benefit local communities by enhancing water quality and providing open space for North Carolinians to gather and enjoy the outdoors.”
The funds will protect 27,157 acres, including 20,998 acres that will eventually be open to the public for hiking, hunting, boating, birding and other recreational uses. Funds were also granted for 37 projects to restore or enhance more than 36 miles of streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries and to restore 8,000 acres of drained wetlands.
This year’s grants will support North Carolina’s $3.3 billion outdoor recreation economy, including a local project to add more than 10,000 acres to N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission game lands in Ashe, Bertie, Bladen, Cherokee, Gates, Graham, Halifax, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Pamlico, Pender, Wilkes and Yancey counties.
ANDREWS
Oktoberfest set for Oct. 8
The annual Andrews Oktoberfest is back so mark your calendars for Saturday, Oct. 8, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a day filled with fun, food, music and entertainment.
Stop by and listen to some great live music from Struck by Lightning, The High Strangeness, Adrian Stover, George Asman & Friends and Sweet n Sourwood Honey.
More than 50 craft vendors will be displaying all kinds of handcrafted items in time for the holiday shopping season right along Main Street, and there will be plenty of food trucks on site as well. There will be picnic tables available for those who would like to sit and eat while enjoying the music.
Registration for the annual cornhole tournament starts at 11 a.m., and there is a $10 fee to enter. There will be cash prizes for first, second and third places.
The tournament starts at 2 p.m. If you’re not in the game, you can always stop by and cheer for your favorite contestants.
Other contests for the day include the best Oktoberfest costume – by popular vote, a mug holding and best beard. There will also be a kid’s zone, with plenty of things to do for the young ones and a fun photo booth.
Wristbands are just $5 for the beer and wine garden, which will include a chance to win a $20 gift certificate from one of the beer or wine vendors. Don’t forget to check out the leaves changing colors for the fall season.
This family friendly event, sponsored by the Andrews Chamber of Commerce, only comes around once a year. For details, visit www.visitandrewsnc.com.
MURPHY
Sock drive has started
The second annual Sock Drive has started in Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties, as socks are the No. 1 clothing item needed by homeless people. Organizers hope to surpass 1,200 pairs.
Residents are asked to donate new, unworn socks for men, women and children before Friday, Nov. 4. The following Cherokee County locations have boxes to accept donations: Old Town Brokers in Andrews, Appalachian Land Co. in Ranger and the Mountain Lakes Board of Realtors office, ReMax Mountain Realty, BIG Realty, Exit Realty and the Poltrock Team, all in Murphy.
Donations will help the Hurlburt-Johnson Friendship House, HAVEN Children’s Advocacy Center, Reach of Cherokee County Inc., Appalachian Angels and more. For details, call 837-5297.
WNC
Your voice is needed
A draft document designed to help guide economic development within the region is available for public comment, and citizens are urged to voice their opinions by Sunday.
The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy is designed to identify goals and objectives to advance the economy of the western North Carolina region over the next five years. The Southwestern Commission Council of Governments led the initiative and partnered with the U.S. Economic Development Administration to get input from leaders across the region. Their responses helped create the draft, which when complete can be used by all western North Carolina counties and towns as both a guiding document and tool to support funding.
Russ Harris, executive director of the Southwestern Commission, said in a release the CEDS is an effort to strategically guide investment that would have the most positive impact on the citizens who live here.
“We want to intentionally build stronger partnerships across county lines, coordinate collaborations, and avoid unnecessary duplication of services,” he said. “Our region is special, with strong people and unique assets. The CEDS is a chance to develop a plan that seeks to capitalize on our strengths and provides strategies for addressing our challenges.”
The draft may be accessed online at www.regiona.org/ceds. Comments will be accepted via email to becca@regiona.org until Friday.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- Murphy Town Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday at Murphy Electric Power Board, 5 Wofford St. downtown.
COMING SOON
- Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority meets at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10, in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in Murphy.
- Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, 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, Oct. 18, in the DSS conference room, 4800 U.S. 64 W. in Ranger.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown.