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A nearly standing-room-only crowd came out to see a candidate forum for seats on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on Thursday at the Cherokee County Courthouse in Murphy.

A nearly standing-room-only crowd came out to see a candidate forum for seats on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners on Thursday at the Cherokee County Courthouse in Murphy.

Candidates give their pitches for commissioner seats

Randy Foster
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Body This story contains a correction and information that wasn’t in the print edition.
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4 spots open for schools

News Staff
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Body Murphy – Six of the seven candidates seeking Republican nominations to run for Cherokee County Board of Education seats appeared at a candidate forum Friday.
Randy Foster/editor@cherokeescout.com This plant off of Airport Road in Marble owned by Core Scientific is undergoing an expansion to support generative artificial intelligence.

Randy Foster/editor@cherokeescout.com This plant off of Airport Road in Marble owned by Core Scientific is undergoing an expansion to support generative artificial intelligence.

Crypto moratorium ends in county

News Staff
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Body Murphy – A moratorium on high-impact land use was allowed to expire, two Cherokee County commissioners revealed during a candidate forum Thursday night.
Justin Jacobs, right, chief deputy of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, will fill in for former sheriff Dustin Smith, who resigned effective Friday. At left is Chris Wood, who is running for sheriff in the March GOP primary. About a dozen people attended Saturday's special called meeting of the board of commissioners.

Justin Jacobs, right, chief deputy of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, will fill in for former sheriff Dustin Smith, who resigned effective Friday. At left is Chris Wood, who is running for sheriff in the March GOP primary. About a dozen people attended Saturday's special called meeting of the board of commissioners.

Chief Deputy Jacobs leading Cherokee County Sheriff's Office while replacement sought for former sheriff Smith

Randy Foster
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Body Murphy – Chief Deputy Justin Jacobs will perform former Cherokee County sheriff Dustin Smith's duties over the next month while the Cherokee County Republican Party Executive Commi
District Attorney Ashley Welch, left, and Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith confer privately before a press conference following the death of Detention Officer Francisco Flattes allegedly at the hands of an escaped inmate in June 2025 at Tri-County Community College.

District Attorney Ashley Welch, left, and Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith confer privately before a press conference following the death of Detention Officer Francisco Flattes allegedly at the hands of an escaped inmate in June 2025 at Tri-County Community College.

Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith resigning after DA 'loses confidence'

Randy Foster
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Body Update: Sheriff Dustin Smith is resigning, effective Friday. His full statement is below. Also, his resignation followed a request for him to resign from the district attorney.