MURPHY
Rotary sets ‘Jail & Bail’
The Rotary Club of Murphy is holding a “Jail & Bail” fundraiser to support the Rotary Reads program in Cherokee County Schools.
Posters featuring the names and faces of 25 “rascals and scoundrels” have made it around social media, with each person having to raise a certain bail come Friday, Feb. 17. They are considered part of the notorious Valentine Gang.
Join the fun when local law enforcement officials are out “arresting” the lot of them in nine days. When they will hunt you down for bail money. For details, see the ad inside this edition or visit the Rotary Club’s page on Facebook.
TRI-COUNTY
Write essay to win $300
Calling all 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders in Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties. Do you have an opinion? Are you a writer? Want to win $300 cash?
The Tri-County Democratic Women Club is hosting an Essay Contest for students in the three-county area. The contest is open to all public, private and homeschooled students in grades 10-12.
The essay question is: “Why is freedom of speech an essential freedom for society?” Put on your thinking cap and get out your computer or tablet and start typing.
TCDW see this as a non-partisan way for them to become actively involved in their community as well as a way to see how our future leaders are thinking. The club is looking for excellent 500-word essays among eligible students. The essays will be judged by five people in the area. The Cherokee Scout is a co-sponsor.
There will be three prizes: first place, $300; second place, $100; and third place, $50. The Essay Contest opens Wednesday, Jan. 18, and closes at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15.
All entries will be via email. For the official rules and details, visit www.tricountydwc.org.
HIWASSEE DAM
Community backs Jones
Let’s talk about Eli Jones, a 14-year-old student at Hiwassee Dam Middle School who lives with his mother, Betty Jean Jones, and his sister, Sierra.
Eli loves singing country music. He is an avid storyteller, especially ones that include adventures with his grandfather. Eli is a member of Nottley River Baptist Church, who carries his Bible with him and studies it constantly.
Eli also has his own yard care service, along with a business raising Australian shepherd dogs. What he doesn’t have is good health.
Eli was diagnosed in June with chronic osteosarcoma, after an accidental fall resulted in the discovery of a tumor on his right leg. Eli has spent the last nine months undergoing intense chemotherapy treatment, amputation of the leg and physical therapy at a children’s hospital in Atlanta.
Hopefully, his last chemo treatment will be next week, and he will get to ring the bell and come home. He is looking forward to restarting his life with family and getting back to school with friends.
Throughout Eli’s journey, he has maintained an extraordinary outlook on life. He has encouraged his classmates and teachers with his strength and perseverance. The community is requesting prayers for him, his mother and sister as they continue this journey. The family appreciates any and all help you can give.
MURPHY
Alliance for food meets
The Cherokee/Clay County Food Alliance will meet at 6 p.m. Friday in the N.C. Cooperative Extension meeting room at 699 Connahetta St.
The Cherokee/Clay Food Alliance is a community food network, structure to apply for grants, forum for ideas and gathering of individuals drawn to community service. Stakeholders are local farmers/growers, community members, distributors, retailers, community services, public officials, educators, restaurateurs and health workers.
“We believe that sharing a meal can be the best way to build community,” the release says. To attend the dinner meeting, RSVP at https://forms.gle/AtmLH2Fd6jzgJ7cv9.
WASHINGTON
Missing money?
There’s a decent chance that your state is holding money or other assets that belong to you – and government officials want you to have it, according to CNBC.
About 1 in 7 people – 33 million altogether – collectively have an estimated $70 billion worth of unclaimed property being held by state treasurers, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. The types of assets that end up with states range from uncashed paychecks or rebate checks to inactive brokerage accounts and unpaid life insurance benefits.
The average value of each claim is $2,080, according to the group. Last year, about $4 billion in property was returned to rightful owners. To check if you have unclaimed property, visit missingmoney.com – a national clearinghouse for unclaimed assets that most states participate in – or an individual state’s unclaimed property website.
So how does property end up with the government? If a company, bank or other entity can’t find you after a certain amount of time – generally three to five years, – the asset is turned over to the state, CNBC reported.
RALEIGH
Gas prices fall 7 cents
Average gasoline prices in North Carolina have fallen 7.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.28 on Friday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 6,092 stations in the state.
Prices in North Carolina are 13.8 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and 7.6 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 5.2 cents in the last week and stands at $4.60 per gallon.
According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in North Carolina was priced at $2.63 per gallon Thursday, while the most expensive was $3.99, a difference of $1.36. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.44 per gallon Friday. For details, visit http://prices.GasBuddy.com.
COLORADO
Balloon statement
Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command at Peterson Space Force Base, released a statement concerning the balloon from China that has been floating over America.
“At the direction of the President of the United States and with the full support of the Government of Canada, United States fighter aircraft under U.S. Northern Command authority successfully brought down the PRC’s high altitude surveillance balloon at 2:39 p.m. Feb. 4, 2023.
“In accordance with the President’s direction, the military brought down the balloon within sovereign U.S. airspace and over U.S. territorial waters to protect civilians while maximizing our ability to recover the payload.
“American and Canadian personnel from all three North American Aerospace Defense Command regions tracked the surveillance balloon, and USNORTHCOM’s U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy service components integrated to successfully down the balloon and are working to recover the balloon and payload.
“Active duty, Reserve, National Guard, and civilian personnel planned and executed the operation, and partners from the U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, and Federal Bureau of Investigation ensured public safety throughout the operation and recovery efforts.
“Our U.S. Navy component is currently conducting recovery operations, with the U.S. Coast Guard assisting in securing the area and maintaining public safety. I am proud of the exceptional professionalism the NORAD and USNORTHCOM team displayed throughout this operation, and the dedication they bring every day to defending our homelands.”
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 counties.
The Senior Games Kickoff 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 included the Cherokee Scout and Clay County Progress.
For details, visit the website www.cherokeecountyseniorgames.org.
WESTERN N.C.
AmeriCorps goes 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.
CORRECTION
The article “Crisp murder trial to start 7 years later” on page 1A in the Feb. 1 edition of the Cherokee Scout misidentified the judge in the case.
Judge Steven Warren is presiding over the trial. Another judge had been scheduled to preside but was replaced due to illness, and the reporter covering the trial, who has never met either judge, arrived in court shortly after the change was announced. The Scout regrets the error.
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.
COMING SOON
- 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.
- 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.
- Cherokee County Department of Social Services Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, in the DSS conference room, 4800 U.S. 64 W. in Ranger.
- The Cherokee County Board of Health meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 13, at the Cherokee County Health Department.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, in the Facilities Building.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown.