MURPHY
Ceremony set on 9/11
A 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony is being planned from 11 a.m. to noon Monday in the memorial area at Konehete Veterans Park, 699 Connahetta St.
Everyone is invited to attend the special event. Here’s the schedule:
- 11 a.m. – Open with prayer by Chaplain J.D. Baker.
- 11:05 a.m. – Pledge of Allegiance; the Honor Guard with American Legion Post 96 will present the Colors.
- 11:15 a.m. – Speaker: Murphy Fire Chief Al Lovingood.
- 11:30 a.m. – Speaker: Ranger Fire Chief Mike Taylor.
- 11:45 a.m. – Speaker: Cherokee County Commissioner Jan Griggs.
MURPHY
Walking for Alzheimer’s
A Freedom from Alzheimer’s Walk will be held at noon Monday in the pavilion near the Rock Gym, 699 Connahetta St., as part of Celebrate Community Week.
The purpose of the walk is to create awareness and generate funds for Alzheimer’s care, assistance and research. All proceeds are donated to the Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust.
The Rotary Club of Murphy and the Lions Club of Andrews are sponsoring the event, which will include refreshments. Everyone is invited.
PEACHTREE
TVA to host info session
The Tennessee Valley Authority is holding an in-person public information session from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday in the multi-purpose room of the Enloe Building at Tri-County Community College, 21 Campus Circle.
The meeting provides the community with an in-person opportunity to learn about the Appalachia Area Improvement project and speak with TVA representatives to address concerns or questions.
TVA says the project would provide power system improvements that would meet growing demand and increase power reliability in the Appalachia area of Polk County, Tenn., and Cherokee County. The preferred route would begin at the Apalachia Hydro Plant Substation and extend to the Tap to Ranger Transmission Line and the future Martins Creek Switching Station site.
“This alternative effectively meets the electric power supply needs of our customers and minimizes overall project impacts. TVA is committed to working with landowners and the community throughout this process,” TVA announced in a release.
Details: tva.com/transmissionprojects.
MURPHY
Meeting set on sheriffs
“The County Sheriffs: America’s Last Hope,” with retired Sheriff Richard Mack of Arizona, is coming to Murphy First Baptist Church, 517 Hiwassee St., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
All citizens are invited to attend this special event. Learn how sheriffs and peace officers, as well as any public office holder who has taken the oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution – including aldermen, commissioners, council members and school board members. Learn how the Constitution applies in today’s world, protecting your rights and freedoms, ending tyranny and corruption in our community and across the country, why our sheriffs are so important and much more.
Mack, founder and president of the Constitutional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association, and Sheriff Dar Leaf of Michigan will be the featured speakers. Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith will introduce.
Details: For questions, call 678-372-3212. To register for a fee of $70, visit form.jotform.com/231725784551158.
MURPHY
Win a bike, beat cancer
The Pediatric Cancer Treatment Foundation is selling tickets for a drawing to win a Moose Racing 16-inch electric kids bike valued at $840.
You can buy tickets and see the wheels Farley Insurance, 1004 U.S. 64. Tickets are one for $20 or five for $40. All proceeds benefit the foundation.
The drawing will be in October. You don’t have to be present to win.
Details: pctf-foundation.org.
MURPHY
Job fair & resources
The Tri-County NCWorks Career Center is hosting a Back to School Job Fair & Resource Event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, under pavilion 3 at Konehete Veterans Park, 699 Connahetta St.
Details: 828-837-7407.
PEACHTREE
Chamber sets annual meet
The annual dinner meeting for the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce will he held from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at McGuire’s Millrace Farm, 600 Hendrix Road.
The dress code is to “cowboy or cowgirl it up with your best duds.”
There will be appetizers and drinks while networking at 5:30 p.m., followed by a dinner of homemade fried chicken or slow-cooked brisket, creamy mashed potatoes, buttermilk Southern-fried okra, squash casserole and Miss Linda’s savory yeast rolls at 6:30 p.m. There will be door prizes, awards will be given out and the keynote speaker is state Treasurer Dale Folwell.
Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased at the chamber office, 805 U.S. 64 W. in Murphy, or online at business.cherokeecountychamber.com/events/details/annual-member-dinner-meeting-for-cherokee-county-chamber-of-commerce-38939.
MURPHY
Hearing on comp plan
The Cherokee County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, in Room 342 of the Cherokee County Courthouse.
The public hearing will be to receive public input on the proposed Cherokee County Comprehensive Plan. The proposed plan is available for inspection in person in the office of the clerk to the board at the courthouse or online at cherokeecounty-nc.gov.
MURPHY
Help kids on internet
MountainView Church is hosting a free seminar designed to give parents, grandparents and caregivers the tools they need to help their children use technology responsibly.
The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the church, 169 Smith Hollow Drive. The Protect Young Eyes team has a list of tips to navigate the risks of using the internet and social media.
Details: 828-837-7407.
RALEIGH
Money for bus drivers
Cherokee County Schools is advertising the need for more school bus drivers, and the state wants to help.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced last week an investment to help tackle North Carolina’s school bus driver shortage crisis by allocating $1 million in federal funding to the Division of Motor Vehicles to enhance school bus driver training capacity. A release says the shortage of school bus drivers is a serious concern for school districts, causes problems for families, and impacts student well-being and learning.
One of the primary challenges identified by both school districts and DMV is the extended time it takes to train newly hired bus drivers due to trainer staffing shortages and an increased number of trainees. In response, Cooper proposed almost $1 million in recurring funding in his budget to employ 10 additional school bus driver trainers within the DMV.
In addition, he proposed a 9.5 percent salary increase across two years for bus drivers and an 8 percent increase for school bus driver trainers at DMV. The Governor’s budget also included a $1,500 retention bonus for school bus drivers and school bus driver trainers making less than $75,000 and a $1,000 bonus if they make more than $75,000.
Read Cooper’s declaration of a state of emergency for public at governor.nc.gov/public-education-crisis.
RALEIGH
$1.5 billion broadband
The N.C. Department of Information Technology Division of Broadband & Digital Equity’s five-year action plan for the state’s Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment program funding has been approved by both the National Telecommunications & Information Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The division made the draft plan available for public comment earlier this summer, refined it based on comments received, and then submitted to NTIA in late July as part of the process required for North Carolina to access its $1.5 billion federal BEAD funding allocation.
The Division of Broadband & Digital Equity will host a digital equity update webinar on workforce planning at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18. Advance registration is required.
Details: ncbroadband.gov/workforce.
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.
- Cherokee County Board of Health meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Cherokee County Health Department, 228 Hilton St. in Murphy.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page.
- Cherokee County NASA Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Ranger Community Center, 165 Little Ranger Road.
COMING SOON
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown and Editor Randy Foster.