Regional

Casino expansion underway in Murphy

By Randy Foster editor@cherokeescout.com   Officials led local and regional media on a tour of the unfinished casino portion of a three-part, $275 million expansion of Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy on Monday.

Candidate filing period closes with few contenders

By Becky Long Publisher   The candidate filing period closed at noon on Friday, Dec. 15 with few newcomers entering the local races. Regarding the school board, Reba Beck and Danny Jones will be seeking re-election and two new candidates have joined in the race, Josh Ashe and Jeanine Craig.

Candidate filing ends on Dec. 15

By Becky Long Publisher   Candidate registration for the 2024 election winds down at 12 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15 at the Clay County Elections Board. On the local level, all incumbents have filed to seek another term along with one new candidate.

Hunting trip turns tragic for Gilmer County teen

By Becky Long Publisher   A young man from Ellijay, Ga. drown in Lake Chatuge on Nov. 18 while duck hunting with his friend, according to a release from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Trenton Daniel Johnson, 18, was found by officers and volunteers around 11 a.m.

Traffic stop leads to multiple arrests

Press release submitted by Sheriff Mark Buchanan   A traffic stop near near Hayesville Nov. 20 resulted in the arrests of two Cherokee County residents. At  8:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20 Clay County Sheriff’s Office Sgt.

Sharing some history on this Thanksgiving holiday

By Richard Gilmer Guest Writer Clay County and the surrounding area is the ancestral home of the Cherokee. There was a large population of Indians here when De Soto passed by and European explorers discovered that Indians inhabited America from coast to coast.

Animal rescues hard at work helping our animal population

By Lorrie Ross Staff Writer   Local animal shelters are overflowing and the rescues are full, too. Social media posts are rampant with found animals, pets needing to be re-homed and more. So what can be done to help? Jeanne Strack, who operates The Senior Scenter in Warne offered this advice.

Andrews Police chief stricken ill

By Randy Foster Cherokee Scout   Police Chief Rocky Burrell, family and the town are enduring a multi-level crisis – the chief is gravely ill, but also faces felony criminal charges as Andrews struggles to fill his position with an interim chief.

Furry friends invade square

By Becky Long Publisher   Four-legged furry friends took over the Hayesville town square on Saturday and it was all for a good cause.

Damon Lee Fowler speaks Southern

By Marcia Barnes Feature Writer   From the beginning Damon Lee Fowler was imbued in the South’s way of looking at food. The food writer, cookbook author, culinary historian and also editor and recipe developer of “Dining in Monticello” was born in Georgia.