HIWASSEE DAM
Open house set Saturday
The Hiwassee Dam Volunteer Fire Department will celebrate its grand reopening with an open house from noon-4 p.m. Saturday.
After a long year of construction, the contractor is putting the finishing touches on the new building, according to Fire Chief Chad McNabb. There will be a ribbon cutting and dedication service, followed by an open house with tours of the new station and equipment. There will be free food, a bounce house, dunking booth and other activities for all ages.
“We are extremely proud of our new headquarters and hope you will plan to check it out,” McNabb said. Everyone is invited to attend.
MURPHY
Art Walk set Friday night
The Valley River Arts Guild will present the monthly Murphy Art Walk from 5-8 p.m. Friday downtown.
There will be live music, food, shopping and more fun at the special event, which is held on the first Friday of every month from April through November. There will also be demonstrations and special kids activities at the Murphy Art Center, 33 Valley River Ave.
In addition, new classes are signing up at the MAC. For details, call 360-3038, email VRAGinc@gmail.com or visit valleyriverarts.com.
RANGER
Newest Dollar General open
Dollar General is excited to announce the store at 12546 U.S. 64 W., serving the western end of Cherokee County, is open for business, with 6-10 jobs available.
To commemorate the new store opening, Dollar General plans to donate 100 new books to a nearby elementary school to benefit students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade, according to a release. Through a partnership with the Kellogg Co., the donation will be part of more than 100,000 books given away across the country.
In addition, Dollar General strives to be a good neighbor with initiatives like the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Since its inception in 1993, the foundation has awarded more than $197 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 14 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education.
For details about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com.
ANDREWS
Chamber to open house
The Andrews Chamber of Commerce’s office at 955 Main St. downtown has been back open for eight weeks, and new Executive Director Nola Cooper is ready to invite the public to come in and see the newly rearranged space.
An open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, for folks to stop by. There will be door prizes, finger foods, soft drinks and lots of fun the entire day.
“I’m looking forward to discussing my vision for the chamber with you and with the residents of Cherokee County,” Cooper said. For details, call 321-3584.
RALEIGH
Under 16 can’t marry
Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 35 into law Thursday, outlawing the marriage of pregnant 14- and 15-year-olds and banning 16- and 17-year-olds from marrying someone who is four years older than they are.
“This legislation is an important step toward ending child marriage in North Carolina and instituting more protections for children,” Cooper said in a written statement. “While it falls short of raising the age of marriage to 18, it will make our state a safer place for children.”
North Carolina and Alaska were the only two states that allowed someone as young as 14 to marry, though nine states don’t have an age limit. State Rep. Kristin Baker (R-Concord) said she was grateful to the governor for signing the bill.
“As a conservative Christian, I am a strong supporter of the sacrament of marriage,” Baker said. “As a child psychiatrist, I am determined to protect our vulnerable youth, and to enhance their chances for happy, healthy futures. I believe this bill achieves both those measures, and I am honored to be a part of this critical effort.”
WASHINGTON
Postal rates go up Friday
The U.S. Postal Service raised postage rates Friday after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied a petition by National Newspaper Association, News Media Alliance and others to put a hold on it, according to a NNA release.
The court simply issued a statement that the petition was denied, without providing any reasoning for the decision. NNA and others had argued that the Postal Regulatory Commission’s decision to authorize the increase by USPS was flawed and that the rate increase should be delayed until the court decides whether the PRC was correct.
NNA argued that the increase would create immediate and irreparable harm to users of the mail. An affidavit to support the petition by NNA member Multi Media Channels, Milwaukee, provided evidence to the court on harm to its news coverage.
As part of the postage rate increase, according to usps.com:
- The first-class mail letter rate for postage purchased at the post office will increase 3 cents to $0.58 from $0.55.
- “Metered mail” rates for first-class mail letters, which includes online postage and postage meters, will increase 2 cents to $0.53.
- First-class mail flats/large envelopes rates will increase 16 cents to $1.16 from $1.
- Postcards will increase by 4 cents to $0.40 from $0.36.
- Certified mail will increase by 15 cents, to $3.75 from $3.60.
- Special services such as registered mail, signature confirmation and return receipt will also increase.
MURPHY
Closed road set to reopen
Hiwassee Street – also known as U.S. 19 Business, which has closed to all traffic from the intersection with U.S. 64 West to the entrance of Murphy First Baptist Church – is expected to reopen by Friday morning.
The N.C. Department of Transportation said in a release that the closure is necessary to excavate, grade and pave the new alignment. The detour route for motorists will be from U.S. 64 West to Peachtree Street, then back to Hiwassee Street in the middle of downtown.
RALEIGH
Senate bans ‘race theory’
The N.C. Senate has approved legislation that prohibits kindergarten through grade 12 schools from promoting more than a dozen concepts about racism and discrimination.
The legislation bans school districts from pushing critical race theory, which is centered around the idea that race is a social construct used to oppress people of color. The theory, developed by legal scholars in the late 1970s and 1980s, concludes that racism in America is systemic.
Backers of the bill, which passed the Senate 25-17 on Thursday, said the theory and liberal ideologies are being "indoctrinated" at public schools. Democrats in the Senate said the measure would censor how history is taught in schools.
House Bill 324 prohibits schools from teaching race superiority, and that people and the country are inherently racist or sexist. It blocks schools from teaching students to stereotype others as morally corrupt or prejudice based on skin color or sex.
ANDREWS
Airport party set
Western Carolina Regional Airport will celebrate its 75th birthday with a party from 11-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2.
This free event is open to the public, and children are welcome. Rib Country barbecue will cater the party, which will includes live music, daring formation flyovers, a brief talk on the history of the airport and hangar tours, including access to the aircraft. Gayland Trull, manager of the airport, hinted that there may even be a helicopter on display.
The airport originated in 1946 and has been vital to Cherokee County’s economy. Saturday’s celebration will be its first birthday party, and the airport won’t host another one until it turns 100.
This is an outdoor event and will proceed with or without rain. Several professional aviators will be on hand to answer questions and assist with tours.
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga.
Blue Ridge EMC meets Sept. 23
The annual meeting of the Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corp. is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, in the Towns County Recreation & Conference Center off U.S. 76.
The terms three members of the board of directors expire with the meeting. The nominating committee has recommended the following members – all incumbents – to serve another three-year term:
- Fannin County – Gayland Trull, who retired from Southwest Airlines in 2014 and today operates of Western Carolina Regional Airport in Andrews.
- Towns County – Roy Perren, who serves as principal of Towns County High School.
- Union County – Jack Lance Jr., a lifelong local resident and licensed real estate attorney.
Registration will begin at 4 p.m. The High Country Harmonizers will be providing entertainment, and there will be prizes, food and drinks available at the meeting.
ANDREWS
Oktoberfest set Oct. 9
The Andrews Chamber of Commerce is accepting vendor applications and inviting residents to attend Oktoberfest, which is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, downtown.
For details, call Jan Olson at 321-1600 or email Jan@FernCrestWinery.com. And save the date for a day of fun.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Public meetings
THIS WEEK
- All local, state and federal government offices and the Cherokee Scout will be closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday. The Scout will reopen from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
- Murphy Town Council will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Murphy Electric Power Board, 5 Wofford St. downtown.
- The Learning Center Board of Directors will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 945 Connahetta St. in Murphy.
- Cherokee County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the multi-purpose room of the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy.
COMING SOON
- Cherokee County Veteran Forces will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, at the Veterans Building, 63 Drew Taylor Road in Peachtree.
- Cherokee County Board of Education will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, at Central Office, 911 Andrews Road in Murphy.
- Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority will meet at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13, in the Murphy Visitors Center, 20 Tennessee St.
- Andrews Board of Aldermen will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
- Andrews ABC Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, in the Facilities Building, 85 Fourth St.
From staff and The Center Square reports.