The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has called a special meeting for Wednesday, September 23, at 5:30 p.m. to consider a funding request from the Cherokee County Board of Education. The meeting was called at the request of the Board of Education. Commissioners previously discussed the funding request during their September 16 meeting but voted to table the matter. The special meeting will be held in the Commissioners Boardroom, Room 342, at the Cherokee County Courthou

Cherokee County News MURPHY, N.C. — Cherokee County has received a $61,000 offer to buy the Topton Community Center property and is advertising an upset-bid sale, according to a public notice posted Tuesday on the county website. The property is described as the Topton Community Center in Cherokee County, containing about 2 acres. The notice was published at 11:27 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2026. Anyone who wants to upset the current offer must submit a sealed bid to the County

SWAIN COUNTY, N.C. — Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputies took part in a multiagency narcotics operation in Swain County that resulted in three arrests and the seizure of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine, according to the Swain County Sheriff’s Office. The operation was conducted Friday and Saturday by the U.S. Forest Service, Swain County Sheriff’s Office, Macon County Sheriff’s Office and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies said. Arrested were Jessica Cris

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On September 12, 2026, members of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division conducted a traffic stop along U.S. Highway 19 in the Andrews area after observing a vehicle displaying an unlawful white light to the rear. During the traffic stop, Cherokee County agents and deputies, along with detectives from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, detected the odor of marijuana coming from the passenger compartment

Press Release Peachtree Broadband Fiber says it has confirmed that deliberate damage to its cable lines caused the ongoing service outage in the Airport Road area of Marble and Andrews. According to the company, photographs and physical evidence indicate that a shotgun was fired from below the lines, causing extensive damage to its equipment. Peachtree Broadband says it also has a witness and is turning the evidence and photographs over to law enforcement for investigation. C

Article Submitted A new mini-documentary offers an intimate, retrospective look into the life and quarter-century tenure of Jan Davidson, the longest-serving director of Brasstown’s John C. Campbell Folk School. “I’ve had so many adventures,” Davidson says in the film. “I don’t think anybody at the Folk School is aware of the previous life I had.” Born and raised in downtown Murphy, the documentary highlights how Davidson’s colorful upbringing—from learning the banjo, working

Press Release On Tuesday, Sept. 8, members of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office who are trained at the basic and advanced SWAT levels joined the Cherokee Tribal Police Department’s tactical team for specialized training in Andrews. The teams utilized a home that is scheduled for demolition by fire to conduct realistic training focused on room clearing, close-quarters tactics, and other skills necessary for safely responding to critical incidents in residential environments

Press Release MURPHY, N.C. — The list of “Dolly Good Deeds” planned for Dolly Parton Day on September 25 continues to grow, with businesses, organizations and individuals finding their own ways to help others. Dolly Parton Day is not about one big event happening downtown. The idea is much simpler: ordinary people doing good things for someone else or for their community, inspired by Dolly’s lifelong example of kindness and generosity. Here are the good deeds we know about so

MURPHY, N.C. — Cherokee County will hold a public hearing next week on its proposed Community Transportation Program application to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The hearing is set for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16 before the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners. County officials said the application must be submitted to NCDOT no later than Oct. 2. The Community Transportation Program helps coordinate existing transportation services in Cherokee County and provides

Press Release The Town of Murphy and Cherokee County will host a September 11 Remembrance Ceremony on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 8:40 a.m. at Center Stage at Town Square in Murphy. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The ceremony will honor the 2,977 people who lost their lives, including first responders, members of the military, passengers, flight crews, workers and civilians. It will also recognize the courage and service

Press Release The Town of Murphy is pleased to welcome Dallas Russ as its 2026–27 Lead for North Carolina/AmeriCorps Fellow. Russ will serve with the Town through next summer, working with staff and community partners on projects that strengthen local programs and public service. Russ is a recent graduate of Western Carolina University, where she studied both criminal justice and social work and was a member of the Brinson Honors College. She also brings previous experience w

RALEIGH — North Carolina public school students posted another year of gains in 2025-26, including a record four-year graduation rate and higher scores on most state tests, according to accountability results presented Wednesday to the State Board of Education. The four-year cohort graduation rate rose to 88.8%, up from a record 87.8% the year before. State officials said the increase moves public schools closer to a “Best in Nation” target in the Department of Public Instruc

Press Release The Town of Murphy will recognize Friday, September 25, as Dolly Parton Day, with Mayor Tim Radford issuing a proclamation encouraging the community to honor the Appalachian icon by doing something good for someone else. The date September 25, or 9/25, was chosen as a fitting tribute to Parton’s famous song and movie 9 to 5. More importantly, the day will celebrate the kindness, generosity, grace, and respect for others that Parton demonstrated throughout her li

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release Cherokee County, NC — On August 27, 2026, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (TN) that deputies were pursuing 33-year-old Thomas Lee Prince, who was operating an ATV on US 64. Polk County deputies subsequently terminated their pursuit on Pack Mountain, and deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division responded to the area. A Cherokee County deput

Prices across extreme northeast Georgia and far-western North Carolina have settled into a narrower squeeze: cheaper they are not, but the pain is now concentrated at the pump and in a few grocery staples. Consumer prices in the South, the Bureau of Labor Statistics region that includes Georgia and North Carolina, rose 3.2 percent in the 12 months ending in July. That is up from 2.3 percent a year earlier and down from a 3.9 percent peak in May. There is no separate index for

Press Release CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. — Cherokee County Sheriff Chris Wood is providing the following clarification regarding the investigation into the February 25 death of Diane Pellington of Cross Creek Lane. The Sheriff’s Office is aware of recent news reports stating that criminal charges are not expected to be filed against the owner of the dogs suspected of being involved in Ms. Pellington’s death. That characterization was based on a conversation between the case detect

Pictured from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Tristan Howard, Detective T. J. Major, Deputy Jesse Miller, Detective Nick Queen, Deputy Ryan Wilson, Sheriff Chris Wood, and Agent Hunter Wood. Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release Cherokee County Deputies Participate in Joint Training with Cherokee Tribal Police Department and Swain County Sheriff’s Office On August 25th, 2026, members of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office participated in a joint law enf

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release Cherokee County, NC — Cherokee County Sheriff Chris Wood and Swain County Sheriff Brian Kirkland, in coordination with the Western North Carolina DWI Task Force, are sponsoring a week-long specialty impaired driving enforcement training designed to enhance the ability of law enforcement officers across Western North Carolina to detect and apprehend impaired drivers. The training began Tuesday and will continue through Friday, bri

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On August 25, 2026, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division was investigating a report of a stolen motor vehicle and trailer when deputies received information that the property owner was following the suspect vehicle on Joe Brown Highway. An agent of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division was in the area and located the suspect vehicle. The agent attempted to conduct a traffic stop; however

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. — August 24, 2026 — The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office gathered today to honor Captain Chris Swanson, who officially retired from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office on August 1, 2026, following an extraordinary 30 years of credited service to the citizens of Cherokee County. A drop-in retirement luncheon was held today in Captain Swanson’s honor, bringing together a large group of current and former Sher