Quick Reads

  • Photos by Abigail Blythe Batton/Staff Correspondent Bill Vespasian entertains the chili-eating crowd during the annual Fire in the Valley chili cook-off hosted on Jan. 21 by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7620 in Andrews. Read the article in the Jan. 25 edition of the Cherokee Scout.
    Photos by Abigail Blythe Batton/Staff Correspondent Bill Vespasian entertains the chili-eating crowd during the annual Fire in the Valley chili cook-off hosted on Jan. 21 by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7620 in Andrews. Read the article in the Jan. 25 edition of the Cherokee Scout.
  • Photos by Abigail Blythe Batton/Staff Correspondent Bill Vespasian entertains the chili-eating crowd during the annual Fire in the Valley chili cook-off hosted on Jan. 21 by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7620 in Andrews. Read the article in the Jan. 25 edition of the Cherokee Scout.
    Photos by Abigail Blythe Batton/Staff Correspondent Bill Vespasian entertains the chili-eating crowd during the annual Fire in the Valley chili cook-off hosted on Jan. 21 by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7620 in Andrews. Read the article in the Jan. 25 edition of the Cherokee Scout.
  • Kevin Sargent wins for Longest Mustache.
    Kevin Sargent wins for Longest Mustache.
  • Mike Mills wins for Best Groomed Mustache in the annual contest sponsored by Bigfoot Refinery Beard Co. on Jan. 21 during the Fire in the Valley event.
    Mike Mills wins for Best Groomed Mustache in the annual contest sponsored by Bigfoot Refinery Beard Co. on Jan. 21 during the Fire in the Valley event.

    MURPHY

    Comment at county meet

    The public comment period at the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday night will be reserved for comments only related to the draft noise ordinance, according to a release from assistant county manager Maria Haas.

    The regular public comment period, which is required monthly, will resume at the board’s meeting Monday, Feb. 20. Commission meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. in Room 342 of the Cherokee County Courthouse downtown.

    MURPHY

    Bills backed by Edwards

    U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) visited Murphy on Jan. 17, including a stop at the Cherokee Scout, after being sworn in as a member of Congress for the first time.

    In Washington, Edwards was assigned to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, which deals with issues of major importance to the mountain counties of the 11th District. He sought out membership in the committee to “better serve the people here.”

    Edwards has sponsored one piece of legislation and co-sponsored seven other bills. His sponsored bill, H.R.413, would establish requirements for the labeling and user agreements of internet-connected toys for children and other purposes.

    Co-sponsored bills include a ban on federal funds to implement executive orders relative to reproductive health services; a ban on federal agencies from banning gas-burning stoves; the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act; Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act; Strategic Production Response Act; and a bill expressing of Congress condemning recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups and churches.

    Edwards also co-sponsored the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023, which seeks to increase accountability for and transparency in the federal regulatory process.

    CHEROKEE/CLAY

    Senior Games start in April

    The Cherokee/Clay County Senior Games will be held from Saturday, April 22, through Saturday, May 20, with games, sports and SilverArts Showcase events planned across the two westernmost counties.

    The Senior Games Kickoff ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. April 22 at the Clay County Recreation Center in Hayesville.

    Look for the upcoming special section on the Senior Games this spring with all the details inside the Cherokee Scout and Clay County Progress.

    ASHEVILLE

    New tower at airport

    Asheville Regional Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration joined together Jan. 25 to break ground on a new air traffic control tower, according to a release.

    The new ATCT will replace the existing 62-year-old tower, which is one of the oldest in the country and located within the airport terminal. The new ATCT is a $55 million project ($44 million construction, plus $11 million for equipment and technology) and will be located on the west side of the airport, across the runway from the airport terminal.

    “It isn’t every day that an airport gets the opportunity to build an air traffic control tower,” said Lew Bleiweis, president and CEO of the Greater Asheville Regional Airport.

    “Control towers are iconic and vastly important to the nation’s aviation system – key infrastructure that allows aviation of all kinds to operate more safely and efficiently.”

    Also significant, the AVL ATCT is one of only two such projects nationwide that received grant funds approved by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. AVL received $15 million toward the project. Asheville Regional Airport is the third-busiest airport in the state. For details, visit www.flyavl.com.

    WESTERN N.C.

    AmeriCorps go to MARS

    AmeriCorps is calling all volunteers for Project MARS.

    Serve children across the region by providing mentoring, academic assistance and resources for success. Full-time members can reeve many benefits, such as health insurance, child care and a living allowance.

    For details, contact Katie Snow at 336-354-3325 or katies@bbbswnc.org.

    RALEIGH

    Stein to run for governor

    Attorney General Josh Stein has announced that he will run for governor in 2024.

    Stein is the first Democrat to enter the race to succeed outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper, who is term-limited. He updated his joshstein.org campaign website and his Twitter profile. In a three-minute video clip posted on Twitter, Stein promised to “fight for our future.”

    “As your AG, I have taken on big fights for you and won, time after time,” he said. “That’s what I’ll do as your next governor. Together, we can build a better and brighter North Carolina.”

    Critics argue Stein eschews his role as the state’s top prosecutor – and constitutional defender – by placing politics ahead of enforcing the laws created in the General Assembly. Stein, who is Ivy League educated at Dartmouth and Harvard, won election to the state Senate in 2008. He resigned the post in March 2016, successfully campaigning and winning election as the attorney general.

    Stein in 2020 defeated Republican Jim O’Neill by 13,622 votes out of more than 5.4 million cast. His campaign war chest, per Ballotpedia, was more than $11 million. In 2016, Stein triumphed over Republican Buck Newton by 20,232 votes out of more than 4.5 million cast.

    RALEIGH

    Poll: Expand Medicaid now

    A new poll from the American Cancer Society shows a majority of North Carolina voters want the state to expand Medicaid, including most Republicans.

    Strategic Partners Solutions LLC on Jan. 17 published the results of a poll conducted in mid-December on behalf of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network that gauged voters’ attitudes. Pollsters posed a series of leading questions to 500 likely voters Dec. 10-12, with half contacted by cellphone and half by land line. The results include a margin of error of 4 percent.

    “Both the N.C. House and the N.C. Senate passed versions of Medicaid Expansion during 2021 in a bi-partisan fashion but ultimately did not agree on the final version. How important is it to you that they come together and get the job done in 2022?” the poll questioned.

    A total of 82 percent responded “important,” while 13.6 percent responded “not important” and only 4.4 percent didn’t know or refused to answer. Other polls have had much less support, some with different explanations on what “coverage” means and for whom.

    Health & Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley told lawmakers last year expansion would bring more than $500 million per month in federal funding to North Carolina. Support in this most recent poll topped 95 percent for Democrats, while 69 percent of Republicans agreed.

    CORRECTION

    Due to incorrect information on the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s website, there was an error in the article “Andrews set to honor all-time greats” on page 1B in the Jan. 18 edition of the Cherokee Scout. Tiffany McGaha won the state shot put and discus championships in 2003, 2005 and 2006, but she also won the shot put in 2004. The Scout regrets the error.

    LOCAL GOVERNMENT

    Public meetings

    THIS WEEK

    • Murphy Town Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday at Murphy Electric Power Board, 5 Wofford St. downtown. (This meeting will be live-streamed via the Scout’s Facebook page.)
    • Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the multi-purpose room of the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy. (This meeting will be live-streamed via the Scout’s Facebook page.)

    COMING SOON

    • Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority meets at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
    • Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St. (This meeting will be live-streamed via the Scout’s Facebook page.)
    • Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
    • Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in Murphy. (This meeting will be live-streamed via the Scout’s Facebook page.)
    • Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
    • The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, in the multi-purpose room of the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy. (This meeting will be live-streamed via the Scout’s Facebook page.)

    Compiled by Publisher David Brown.