Cherokee County News

Mayor Tim Radford Press Release A planned firefighter training burn in downtown Murphy has been postponed by one week. The exercise, originally scheduled for Saturday, November 7, will now take place on Saturday, November 14, at the AgSouth Farm Credit office at 105 Hiwassee Street. AgSouth is making the existing building available to Tri-County Community College’s Public Safety Program for training before constructing a new office on the property. Fire departments and emerge

Roy Cooper becomes the first Democrat senator to represent North Carolina since, 2008. Staff Report Voters in Clay and Cherokee counties backed Republican candidates up and down the ballot Tuesday, even as Democrats captured North Carolina's biggest prizes — flipping a U.S. Senate seat and the mountains' own congressional district and sweeping the statewide judicial races. In the U.S. Senate race, former Gov. Roy Cooper defeated former Republican National Committee chairman M

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On October 2, 2026, deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division responded to a residence in the Town of Murphy to serve outstanding arrest warrants on William Duren. Duren was wanted on multiple misdemeanor, and felony warrants from Cherokee and Macon counties. While at the residence, deputies heard someone running inside. Several individuals exited the home, but Duren was not among them. After

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division began investigating Verena Jane Mosteller and Derek James Liberty late last week in connection with the sale of illegal drugs. During the investigation, agents quickly determined that three children, ranging in age from two months to four years old, were living in the residence where the suspected drug sales were occurring. Investigators gathered evidence indicating

Staff Report Murphy High School has been awarded a $7,300 Youth Sports Grant from the North Carolina Amateur Sports Youth Sports Grant Fund to install new sideline covers on its football field. The project, titled “Safe Sidelines & Sustainable Field Upgrades,” funded covers for both the home and visitor sides of the field. School officials said the covers will help protect the playing surface, support ongoing field maintenance and create a safer environment for student-athlet

A Veterans Day ceremony and flagpole dedication will be held Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 12:30 to 1 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial on Town Square in downtown Murphy. The event will honor America’s veterans and dedicate the new Town Square flagpole in memory of Oscar Valdes, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Korean War and received the Purple Heart, according to Murphy Mayor Tim Radford. The program will include a presentation of colors, a Veterans Day message, a tribute to th

Families are invited to downtown Murphy on Saturday for A Murphy Haunting, a free community Halloween event featuring trick-or-treating, a costume contest and family-friendly music. The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m. along the sidewalks in downtown Murphy. Downtown businesses will hand out candy, and additional businesses and individuals from the surrounding area will set up throughout the downtown to distribute more treats. There is no admission charge. Organizers describe it a

Office of North Carolina Governor Press Release On Monday, Oct. 26 Governor Josh Stein addressed the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Annual Gathering, recognizing the leadership of faith-based organizations in the state and sharing his commitment to lowering costs for families. “It was a pleasure to be with faith leaders from across our state who are dedicated to serving their fellow North Carolinians,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Together, we can build a s

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of two individuals following a traffic stop conducted by the Special Operations Division on October 23, 2026, that resulted in the discovery and seizure of suspected methamphetamine. During a proactive criminal interdiction operation, investigators observed a vehicle leaving a location believed to be associated with illegal narcotics activity. Information regarding the veh

(Photo: Infrogmation / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0) The Mountain Buzz Staff Report With a week left before Election Day, mountain voters are casting early ballots at rates that are outrunning the state around them — and shattering midterm records on both sides of the state line. In Towns County, 4,024 people — 35 percent of the county's registered voters — had already voted by this weekend, among the highest turnout rates in Georgia, according to state elections data. Nex

MURPHY, N.C. — The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has moved its November regular meeting and scheduled a work session. The regular meeting, originally set for Nov. 17, will now be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12. Commissioners have also scheduled a work session for 5 p.m. Nov. 10 to discuss a proposed High Impact Land Use Ordinance and animal control. Both meetings will take place in the Commissioners’ Boardroom at the Cherokee County Courthouse in Murphy.

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Young Harris College will open its campus to the public Thursday, Oct. 29, for Fall Fest, an evening of costumes, haunted attractions, food trucks, local vendors, face painting, dancing, candy, treats and games. The free event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on the Young Harris College campus. Organizers encourage attendees to bring friends and family and wear costumes. Fall Fest returns as a community celebration of the season in the North Georgia mountains.

Downtown Murphy is transforming into a Halloween destination this month, with decorated storefronts, family-friendly activities, and a few good scares for those brave enough to seek them out. From Thursdays through Sundays, The Asylum is operating upstairs at 13 Peachtree Street. Organizers are billing it as a cinematic nightmare experience, with the tagline “Murphy, are you brave enough to enter Asylum?” Admission is $20 per person. The attraction is not recommended for youn

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Early voting for the 2026 midterms is running far ahead of the last midterm cycle on both sides of the state line — and mountain voters are part of the rush. Georgia set a midterm record on opening day, Oct. 13, when 188,667 voters cast ballots in person, a 40 percent jump over the first day of early voting in 2022 and more than double the 2018 figure, according to the Secretary of State's office. By Saturday night, the statewide early total was approachin

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release MURPHY, N.C. – A collaborative effort between the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Andrews Police Department has resulted in the arrest of David Allan Hughes, 38 of the Topton Community, following an investigation that revealed he had allegedly been residing in Cherokee County for several years without complying with North Carolina’s sex offender registration requirements. On October 12, 2026, proactive patrol efforts by

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release Shortly after midnight on October 14, 2026, a member of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division conducted a traffic stop in the Ranger community. During the stop, the driver provided law enforcement with a name and date of birth. Agents quickly determined that the individual was attempting to conceal his true identity and worked to establish his identity. The individual was identified as Ashton Blake Will

Young Harris, Ga. — A strong cold front will end a stretch of summerlike weather Friday, dropping weekend temperatures into the 30s across the mountains just as peak fall color arrives and two of the region's biggest festivals hold their second weekends. Highs will reach the mid-80s Wednesday and Thursday before the front moves through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday's highs will top out only in the low 60s, and Saturday night lows will fall to the

Reach of Cherokee is inviting everyone to a free Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 26, emphasizing that no one has to spend the holiday without a warm meal or a sense of community. The meal will be served at Main Street USA as drive-thru or walk-thru service only. Distribution times are set for first responders from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by the broader community from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Organizers say the event is open to all — families celebrating togethe

Advance voting begins Tuesday in Georgia and Thursday in North Carolina, giving mountain voters three weeks to cast ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. In Georgia, advance in-person voting runs Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Friday, Oct. 30. Voters may cast ballots at any advance voting site in their county. Georgia voters must bring a photo ID. The Oct. 5 registration deadline has passed, so voters should confirm their registration status on the secretary of state's My V

(Photo by Corryn Young Reynolds) Brasstown native and historian Johnny Scroggs receives the key to the city from Becky Mauney Wright in a special presentation. By Travis Dockery Staff Writer BRASSTOWN, N.C. — Johnny Scroggs was named honorary mayor of Brasstown on Sunday, Oct. 12, during the Scroggs family reunion at the Brasstown Community Center. Family members presented him with the key to Brasstown, previously held by Fred O. Scroggs, and the doorknob from Fred O. Shop, a