ANDREWS
Welcome to vets in 2026
The annual Welcome Home Veterans: A Tribute to All Who Serve event will return Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Western Carolina Regional Airport.
Due to various factors and scheduling conflicts with other regional fall events, there will not be an event in 2025. By shifting to spring 2026, organizers aim to secure an even stronger lineup of static aircraft displays and veteran resource vendors and extended fundraising opportunities to enhance the experience for all attendees.
More details will be announced as the event approaches.
Details: Call the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce at 828-837-2242 or email director@cherokeecountychamber.com. If you are interested in being a vendor, call Danna Pash, director of Cherokee County Veteran Services, at 828-835-8663, Ext. 1899, or email danna.pash@cherokeecounty-nc.gov.
WESTERN N.C.
Keep track of recovery
The Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina shared progress on Hurricane Helene recovery and launched a public dashboard last week.
The new website features updates, resources and information detailing progress of Helene recovery efforts, including rebuilding safe housing, restoring infrastructure and revitalizing the economy.
“My commitment to the people of North Carolina is this: I will bring urgency, focus, transparency and accountability to everything my administration does as we work to rebuild,” Gov. Josh Stein said in a release. “This new resource will allow us to provide regular updates on our progress along with information and resources for our neighbors in western North Carolina.”
Details: Visit WNCRecovery.nc.gov.
BRASSTOWN
Empty Bowls ready to fill
Artists at John C. Campbell Folk School are hard at work crafting beautiful handmade bowls for this year’s Empty Bowls event, which is set for Saturday.
Each unique bowl represents the dedication and generosity of the community to raise awareness about hunger in Cherokee and Clay counties, according to a release.
Here is the event schedule:
- 4-5 p.m. – Stop by the Craft Shop for a 15% off sale on all pottery.
- 5 p.m. – Doors open in the Community Room for bowl preview, selection and the Brown Bag Raffle.
- 6 p.m. – Dinner is served in the Dining Hall.
- 6:15 p.m. – Additional bowls and raffle tickets will be available for sale.
- 6:45 p.m. – Brown Bag Raffle winners announced.
Tickets are $53.65 and include a delicious meal featuring soup, salad, bread, beverage and a handmade bowl to take home.
Details: To purchase tickets, visit folkschool.org/events/empty-bowls.
ANDREWS
Federal staff at town hall
The mobile office of U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.), the Carolina Cruiser, will be at Andrews Town Hall, 188 Main St., from 4-5 p.m. today.
Edwards’ representatives will be available to assist constituents with federal agencies and address concerns.
RALEIGH
Delay set on disaster help
The deadline to timely apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance has been extended to April 7 for 39 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina. The previous deadline was March 10.
The disaster assistance period, or the period in which DUA benefits can be paid, ends Saturday. DUA is available in these counties for weeks of unemployment effective Sept. 29, 2024, and may last for up to 26 weeks.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance benefits are available for residents of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey counties as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.
Details: Call the DUA Hotline at 919-629-3857 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to apply or visit des.nc.gov/dua.
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.
Home show set for July
The Northeast Georgia Home & Garden Show scheduled for April 5-6 at the Towns County Recreation & Conference Center has been canceled.
Instead, officials will focus their efforts on the July 26-27 Home & Garden Show set in Blairsville, Ga.
Details: Visit expomanagementinc.com.
TRI-COUNTY AREA
Realtors hold drive for pets
The Mountain Lakes Board of Realtors is having a Pet Drive to support the local animals in need.
The drive will continue through March. Realtors will be collecting animal food, treats, toys, beds and cleaning supplies.
Items can be dropped off at any of these locations:
- Old Town Brokers in Andrews.
- Appalachian Land Co. in Ranger.
- Poltrock Team Office in Murphy.
- Adventure Realty in Murphy.
- BIG Realty in Murphy.
- ReMax Town & Country in Murphy.
- Allen Tate in Murphy.
- Mountain Lakes Board of Realtors office in Murphy.
- Sonja Silvers Realty in Hayesville.
- Kirkpatrick Realty in Robbinsville.
RALEIGH
Private roads and bridges
Gov. Josh Stein and emergency management officials are encouraging western North Carolinians to apply for assistance to repair private roads and bridges.
Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented damages due to western North Carolina’s unique topography, including to more than 8,000 private roads and bridges. This program aims to assist property owners repair privately owned roads and bridges to reinstate access to emergency services, school buses and transportation.
The N.C. Private Road & Bridge Program was established to provide that assistance. Disaster survivors are encouraged to also contact the N.C. Disaster Case Management Program if they need other resources and assistance with their recovery.
Details: Visit ncdps.gov/helene/dcm.
CORRECTION
Due to incorrect information provided to the Cherokee Scout, there were errors in the article “Contest teachers students & others about wetlands” on page 9A in the March 19 edition of the local newspaper.
One of the winners of wetlands posters and speeches through the N.C. Soil & Water Conservation Program was Kade Garrett of Peachtree Elementary School. Another winner,
Caitlin Tinsley, is no longer a student in Cherokee County Schools.
In addition, Kinley Roberts and Nevaeh Breazeale are the first-place poster winners for fourth and fifth grades, respectively, and will go on to the regional competition with their posters.
The Scout regrets the errors. The online version of the article has also been corrected.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- Tri-County Community College Board of Trustees meets at noon Thursday in the college’s Hospitality Suite, 21 Campus Circle in Peachtree.
COMING SOON
- Cherokee County Board of Education meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at Central Office, 2230 Airport Road in Marble. Live-streamed on the school district’s YouTube channel.
- Murphy Town Council meets at 5 p.m. Monday, April 7, at Murphy Electric Power Board, 5 Wofford St. downtown. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Chairman’s Forum meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 7, at the Tri-County Community College Center for Applied Technology, 2415 Airport Road in Marble.
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 9, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
- Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority meets at 4 p.m. Monday, April 14, in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
- Cherokee County Board of Health meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 14, at the Cherokee County Health Department, 228 Hilton St. in Murphy.
- Murphy ABC Board meets at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, at the ABC Store, 818 U.S. 64 W. in Murphy.
- Cherokee County Department of Social Services Board meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in the DSS conference room, 4800 U.S. 64 W. in Ranger.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen will hold a work session at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 17, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
- Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 21, in the ABC Store, 13934 U.S. 19 in Andrews.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 21, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St. Live-streamed on the Town of Andrews’ Facebook page.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Chairman’s Forum meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 5, in the Texana Community Center, home of District 3 Commissioner Ben Adams.
Compiled by Publisher David Brown and Editor Randy Foster.