Episodios

  • Appalachia Daily Update – November 27, 2025 (remix)

    Appalachia Daily Update – November 27, 2025 (remix)
    Nov 27 2025
    Holiday giving in Cherokee County: Shop with a Cop and Toys for TotsCherokee County’s holiday giving season is in full swing, with Shop with a Cop, the Sheriff’s Christmas Joy program, and Toys for Tots all working to make sure local kids and seniors are not forgotten this Christmas.* The Murphy Police Department partners with Walmart for its annual Shop with a Cop event, a tradition that started in two thousand four and now sends local children shopping with officers for gifts and essentials.* The Christmas Joy program run through the Sheriff’s Reserve collects donations from residents and businesses, then works with schools and the Senior Center to identify kids and older adults who need help.* Toys for Tots – Cherokee County, NC has donation boxes at local businesses and churches, plus special collection events and a cut off date shared by churches like Saint William in Murphy.News as of: November 27, 2025.Sources:https://www.townofmurphync.com/police/page/shop-cophttps://cherokeesheriffsfoundation.org/wp/christmas-joy/https://cherokeecountychamber.chambermaster.com/events/details/shop-with-a-cop-fundraiser-44433https://murphy-nc.toysfortots.org/https://www.cherokeescout.com/events/day-planner-298https://st-william.net/news/toys-for-tots-cut-offFrom bitcoin to AI: Marble data center powers upA former textile factory and later bitcoin mine near Marble is being transformed into a high-density data center for artificial intelligence, marking another big shift in how this huge facility fits into Cherokee County’s economy.* The roughly two hundred fifty thousand square foot plant, once part of American Thread, previously hosted industrial crypto mining and now is being retooled for AI and other compute-intensive workloads.* Operator Core Scientific markets the Marble campus as a secure, high-density data center with more than one hundred three megawatts of capacity on about seventy acres, built for AI and storage.* GPU cloud provider CoreWeave has signed multi year deals to lease significant data center capacity from Core Scientific, part of a larger national boom in AI infrastructure that analysts say is changing the company’s business model.* Commentators note that the Marble site could end up running massive clusters of Nvidia GPUs for generative AI, drawing power equivalent to tens of thousands of homes and raising long term questions about jobs, tax revenue, and grid capacity.News as of: Update of previous stories dated August 13, 2024, and December 17, 2024.Sources:https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/crypto-mining-aihttps://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/local-plant-turns-ai-expandhttps://corescientific.com/high-density-data-centers/marble-nc/https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/coreweave-to-lease-16mw-of-data-center-space-from-cryptominer-core-scientific/https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/10/28/bitcoin-miner-core-scientific-upgraded-to-buy-on-ai-data-center-boom-h-c-wainwrightThanksgiving travel and seat belt enforcementWith Thanksgiving travel in full swing, state and local law enforcement are stepping up seat belt enforcement on North Carolina highways, including the routes mountain families rely on to visit friends and relatives.* AAA projects about two point three million North Carolinians will travel fifty miles or more this Thanksgiving, the highest number on record for the state.* The N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program is running a statewide Click It or Ticket campaign from November twenty four through November thirty, stressing seat belt use and sober driving.* Extra patrols are out on interstates and mountain corridors, with agencies from Raleigh to Asheville and the far west focusing on unbuckled drivers, speeding, and impairment.* Nationally, AAA expects close to eighty million Americans traveling at least fifty miles, making this one of the busiest and riskier travel windows of the year.News as of: November 27, 2025.Sources:https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2025-11-24-thanksgiving-seat-belt-enforcement.aspxhttps://newsroom.acg.aaa.com/aaa-over-2-million-north-carolinians-expected-to-travel-for-thanksgiving/https://www.witn.com/2025/11/24/statewide-thanksgiving-click-it-or-ticket-campaign-underway/https://828newsnow.com/news/228822-use-your-seatbelt-apd-launches-thanksgiving-click-it-or-ticket-campaign/Thanksgiving help: free community meal and shelter optionsFor neighbors who are struggling this Thanksgiving, Cherokee County has options for both a holiday meal and a safe place to stay.* REACH of Cherokee County and the Rotary Club of Murphy are hosting a free community Thanksgiving dinner in downtown Murphy on Thursday, November twenty seventh, from eleven a.m. to two p.m. at eighty five Hiwassee Street. The event is open to everyone, with walk-through and drive-through service.* The Murphy Shelter / Cherokee County Homeless Shelter provides food, clothing, and shelter to men, women, and families in need, with a listed ...
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    10 m
  • Appalachia Daily Update – November 27, 2025

    Appalachia Daily Update – November 27, 2025
    Nov 27 2025
    Holiday giving in Cherokee County: Shop with a Cop and Toys for TotsCherokee County’s holiday giving season is in full swing, with Shop with a Cop, the Sheriff’s Christmas Joy program, and Toys for Tots all working to make sure local kids and seniors are not forgotten this Christmas.* The Murphy Police Department partners with Walmart for its annual Shop with a Cop event, a tradition that started in two thousand four and now sends local children shopping with officers for gifts and essentials.* The Christmas Joy program run through the Sheriff’s Reserve collects donations from residents and businesses, then works with schools and the Senior Center to identify kids and older adults who need help.* Toys for Tots – Cherokee County, NC has donation boxes at local businesses and churches, plus special collection events and a cut off date shared by churches like Saint William in Murphy.News as of: November 27, 2025.Sources:https://www.townofmurphync.com/police/page/shop-cophttps://cherokeesheriffsfoundation.org/wp/christmas-joy/https://cherokeecountychamber.chambermaster.com/events/details/shop-with-a-cop-fundraiser-44433https://murphy-nc.toysfortots.org/https://www.cherokeescout.com/events/day-planner-298https://st-william.net/news/toys-for-tots-cut-offFrom bitcoin to AI: Marble data center powers upA former textile factory and later bitcoin mine near Marble is being transformed into a high-density data center for artificial intelligence, marking another big shift in how this huge facility fits into Cherokee County’s economy.* The roughly two hundred fifty thousand square foot plant, once part of American Thread, previously hosted industrial crypto mining and now is being retooled for AI and other compute-intensive workloads.* Operator Core Scientific markets the Marble campus as a secure, high-density data center with more than one hundred three megawatts of capacity on about seventy acres, built for AI and storage.* GPU cloud provider CoreWeave has signed multi year deals to lease significant data center capacity from Core Scientific, part of a larger national boom in AI infrastructure that analysts say is changing the company’s business model.* Commentators note that the Marble site could end up running massive clusters of Nvidia GPUs for generative AI, drawing power equivalent to tens of thousands of homes and raising long term questions about jobs, tax revenue, and grid capacity.News as of: Update of previous stories dated August 13, 2024, and December 17, 2024.Sources:https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/crypto-mining-aihttps://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/local-plant-turns-ai-expandhttps://corescientific.com/high-density-data-centers/marble-nc/https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/coreweave-to-lease-16mw-of-data-center-space-from-cryptominer-core-scientific/https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/10/28/bitcoin-miner-core-scientific-upgraded-to-buy-on-ai-data-center-boom-h-c-wainwrightThanksgiving travel and seat belt enforcementWith Thanksgiving travel in full swing, state and local law enforcement are stepping up seat belt enforcement on North Carolina highways, including the routes mountain families rely on to visit friends and relatives.* AAA projects about two point three million North Carolinians will travel fifty miles or more this Thanksgiving, the highest number on record for the state.* The N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program is running a statewide Click It or Ticket campaign from November twenty four through November thirty, stressing seat belt use and sober driving.* Extra patrols are out on interstates and mountain corridors, with agencies from Raleigh to Asheville and the far west focusing on unbuckled drivers, speeding, and impairment.* Nationally, AAA expects close to eighty million Americans traveling at least fifty miles, making this one of the busiest and riskier travel windows of the year.News as of: November 27, 2025.Sources:https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2025/2025-11-24-thanksgiving-seat-belt-enforcement.aspxhttps://newsroom.acg.aaa.com/aaa-over-2-million-north-carolinians-expected-to-travel-for-thanksgiving/https://www.witn.com/2025/11/24/statewide-thanksgiving-click-it-or-ticket-campaign-underway/https://828newsnow.com/news/228822-use-your-seatbelt-apd-launches-thanksgiving-click-it-or-ticket-campaign/Thanksgiving help: free community meal and shelter optionsFor neighbors who are struggling this Thanksgiving, Cherokee County has options for both a holiday meal and a safe place to stay.* REACH of Cherokee County and the Rotary Club of Murphy are hosting a free community Thanksgiving dinner in downtown Murphy on Thursday, November twenty seventh, from eleven a.m. to two p.m. at eighty five Hiwassee Street. The event is open to everyone, with walk-through and drive-through service.* The Murphy Shelter / Cherokee County Homeless Shelter provides food, clothing, and shelter to men, women, and families in need, with a listed ...
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    10 m
  • Appalachia Daily Update – November 26, 2025

    Appalachia Daily Update – November 26, 2025
    Nov 26 2025
    Stay connected with the Appalachia Daily UpdateIf you enjoy the Appalachia Daily Update and want an easy way to keep up, here are all the places you can find the show.Substack – our home base and preferred way to listenThis is where each newscast is built and posted, with full show notes and links. If you do not have Substack yet, this is a great time to sign up. The Appalachia Daily will drop into your inbox as an email, and you can easily scroll back through previous newscasts.https://go.riverrun.digital/ADU-SubstackApple PodcastsIf you listen on your iPhone or iPad, you can follow the Appalachia Daily on Apple Podcasts and have new episodes waiting in your feed.https://go.riverrun.digital/ADU-AppleAmazon Music and AlexaFor Amazon Music listeners and anyone who likes to use Alexa, you can connect with the Appalachia Daily on Amazon Music and play the latest update hands free.https://go.riverrun.digital/ADU-AmzSpotifyIf you are a Spotify fan, you can follow the Appalachia Daily there and add it to your daily listening routine.https://go.riverrun.digital/ADU-SpotifyFacebookIf you have not already, find us on Facebook, then like, follow, and share to help neighbors across the mountains discover the Appalachia Daily.https://go.riverrun.digital/ADU-FBFire danger still elevated in Cherokee County and the mountain regionEven though recent rain allowed officials to lift local burn restrictions, fire danger remains elevated across Cherokee County and the far western North Carolina mountains. State wildfire reports and fire danger assessments show ongoing concern heading into Thanksgiving week, with dry leaves and low humidity keeping conditions ripe for fast-moving brush fires if people are careless with outdoor burning.* North Carolina Forest Service wildfire situation report highlights recent fire activity and ongoing risk.* November statewide fire danger assessment notes continued concern in the mountains.* Local coverage reports the Cherokee County burn ban being lifted as of November twenty second, but officials still urge caution with leaf burning and campfires.Sources:https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/fire-control-and-prevention/sit-reporthttps://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/fire-control-and-prevention/fire-dangerhttps://www.cherokeescout.com/regional-news-newsletter/burn-ban-lifted-nov-22News as of: November 26, 2025.Regional note: Search for missing Georgia hiker Charles HoschMany in Western North Carolina are watching developments in the search for sixty seven year old law professor Charles Hosch, who disappeared on Veterans Day while hiking near Blood Mountain in Union County, Georgia. After nearly two weeks of round-the-clock efforts along the Byron Herbert Reece Trail, authorities have scaled back full ground searches, but the case remains active and search teams say they will continue to pursue any new clues or credible leads. Officials are asking hunters and other hikers with trail cameras in the Blood Mountain area to review their footage and share anything that might help with investigators. WLOSSources:https://wlos.com/news/nation-world/family-clings-to-hope-as-search-for-missing-hiker-charles-hosch-suspended-in-georgia-hike-byron-herbert-reece-trail-blood-mountain-union-county-sheriffs-office-law-professor-clues-evidenceNews as of: November 26, 2025.Thanksgiving closures for Cherokee County government officesCherokee County’s official calendar shows county government offices in Murphy closed on Thursday, November twenty seventh, and Friday, November twenty eighth for the Thanksgiving holiday. The closure affects walk-in services such as in-person tax payments, permits, and other front desk business, so residents are encouraged to handle urgent tasks earlier in the week or use online options where available.* County calendar lists November twenty seventh and twenty eighth as full-day Thanksgiving closures.* Residents should double check court dates and state office hours, since many agencies follow similar schedules.Sources:https://www.cherokeecounty-nc.gov/Calendar.aspxhttps://www.cherokeecounty-nc.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=1014News as of: November 26, 2025.Murphy gears up for Shop Small Weekend, Art Walk, tree lighting, and Christmas paradeDowntown Murphy is rolling out a full slate of holiday events. Main Street Murphy’s calendar promotes a Shop Small Weekend and Downtown Dollars promotion on November twenty eighth and twenty ninth, encouraging shoppers to support local retailers. The Murphy Art Walk returns on Friday, December fifth, followed that evening by the Murphy Mountain Christmas celebration and town Christmas tree lighting. The annual Murphy Christmas parade is also on the holiday calendar, giving families, churches, and community groups a chance to line the streets and welcome the season together.* Main Street Murphy calendar lists Shop Small Weekend and Downtown Dollars details.* Town of Murphy event pages highlight the Murphy Mountain Christmas ...
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    6 m
  • Appalachia Daily Update – November 25, 2025

    Appalachia Daily Update – November 25, 2025
    Nov 25 2025
    Record breaking drug trafficking sentence in Cherokee CountyA Cherokee County jury has convicted a Peachtree man in what local officials describe as a record breaking meth trafficking case, with a prison term approaching two decades. The case involved high level manufacturing and trafficking charges and a multi agency investigation, and the stiff sentence is meant to send a message about large scale drug operations in the county.* Jury found the defendant guilty on multiple high level meth trafficking counts.* Superior court judge imposed a sentence of roughly eighteen to twenty three years in state prison.* Officials say the case reflects ongoing efforts to crack down on meth labs and major distribution.Sources:https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/jury-finds-peachtree-man-guilty-drug-trafficking-record-breaking-casehttps://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/north-carolina-jury-convicts-man-record-meth-caseMurphy Police join Community Care social worker programMurphy Police have joined the Community Care program, a Western Carolina University initiative that embeds social workers with rural departments to handle complex, non criminal calls. Social workers help respond to or follow up on calls involving homelessness, addiction, mental health crises, and frequent nine one one use, connecting people with services and reducing repeat emergencies.* Program began in Sylva and has expanded to multiple western North Carolina agencies.* Social workers ride along or follow up after calls to connect people with housing, treatment, or counseling.* Goal is to lower repeat calls, reduce strain on officers, and improve outcomes for vulnerable residents.Sources:https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/11/19/police-social-workershttps://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/sheriff-seeks-grant-form-crisis-teamVeterans honored in Cherokee and new college benefitsIn Cherokee, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians hosted a Veterans Day tribute at Steven Youngdeer American Legion Post one four three, where community members gathered to thank those who served. At the state level, new laws are expanding in state tuition, tuition assistance, and flexible enrollment for veterans and military families across the UNC System, which now has more than twenty three thousand military affiliated students.* Veterans Day event highlighted gratitude and ongoing service among local veterans in Cherokee.* Military Tuition and Residency, Tuition Assistance, and Deferred Enrollment acts expand college access.* Western mountain campuses expect more veterans and family members to enroll under the new rules.Sources:https://wlos.com/news/local/eastern-band-cherokee-indians-host-veterans-day-tribute-steven-youngdeer-american-legion-post-commander-community-thankshttps://www.northcarolina.edu/news/new-laws-expand-college-access-for-north-carolinas-veterans-and-military-familieshttps://www.northcarolina.edu/students/militaryhttps://ckh.enc.edu/news/new-laws-make-college-easier-for-veterans-in-north-carolinaFire danger and mountain weather checkAfter a stretch of high wildfire concern across North Carolina, today’s fire outlook for Cherokee County is helped by clouds and periods of rain, which lower near term fire spread risk but do not remove it. State fire danger tools continue to show at least moderate risk across parts of the state, and the North Carolina Forest Service is urging residents to use caution with any outdoor burning.* North Carolina State Climate Office publishes a daily fire danger map based on national rating categories.* Recent statewide advisories have highlighted the risk of fast spreading wildfires in dry and windy conditions.* Today’s local forecast brings cooler temperatures and showers to Cherokee County.Sources:https://products.climate.ncsu.edu/fwip/nc_dangerhttps://nclocal.org/2025/11/19/wildfire-danger-is-high-across-nc-heres-what-you-should-knowhttps://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/fire-control-and-prevention/sit-reporthttps://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-servicehttps://www.weather.gov/gspMurphy Mountain Christmas and Shop Small weekendDowntown Murphy is gearing up for Murphy Mountain Christmas, a season of small town holiday events built around Shop Small Weekend. The program features an art walk, Christmas tree lighting, parade, Santa visits, and other activities that encourage residents to spend their holiday dollars with locally owned businesses.* Town of Murphy Main Street promotes the events as free and family friendly.* Shop Small Weekend kicks off the season by highlighting downtown merchants.* Posters and social posts point residents to local pages for event dates and details.Sources:https://www.townofmurphync.com/main-street-murphy/page/murphy-mountain-christmashttps://www.facebook.com/downtownmurphync/photos/remember-this-holiday-season-to-shop-small-shop-local-downtownmurphync-murphync-/1215412783969440Murphy Bulldogs aim for regional playoff tripThe Murphy Bulldogs football team is ...
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    8 m
  • Appalachia Daily Update for November 24, 2025

    Appalachia Daily Update for November 24, 2025
    Nov 24 2025
    North Carolina dwelling insurance hike worries mountain homeowners and rental hostsA new filing from the North Carolina Rate Bureau asks for an average sixty eight point three percent increase in dwelling insurance rates over the next two years, which could hit mountain homeowners and short term rental owners especially hard. Local rental hosts say they may be forced to raise rates or rethink their business plans, while the State Insurance Commissioner prepares for a formal hearing process that could approve, reduce, or reject the proposal.* Dwelling policies often cover cabins and second homes commonly used as rentals in Western North Carolina.* Higher premiums could put pressure on tourism economies that depend on affordable lodging.* The public will have opportunities to comment as the review process moves forward.Sources* https://wlos.com/news/local/north-carolina-proposed-68-percent-insurance-hike-stirs-concern-short-term-rentals-wnc-western-airbnb-vacation-rental-investment-economy-tourism-homes-house-condo-crews-money* https://www.facebook.com/News13/posts/a-request-from-the-north-carolina-rate-bureau-to-raise-dwelling-insurance-premiu/1146838104319588Fire danger check and safe leaf burning guidance for Cherokee County areaDry and mild weather continues across far Western North Carolina to start the week, with highs in the sixties and light winds ahead of a wetter system arriving Monday night into midweek. While there are no statewide burn bans in effect, the North Carolina Forest Service continues to warn that debris burning remains the leading cause of wildfires, and state fire danger tools show conditions that can allow fires to start from many accidental causes.* Use only natural yard waste in small piles when burning leaves.* Keep water and tools nearby, and never leave a fire unattended.* Check the daily fire danger map and local forecast before striking a match.Sources* https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=NCZ060* https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=CI&glossary=1&issuedby=mrx&product=AFD&site=NWS* https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/fire-control-and-prevention/sit-report* https://products.climate.ncsu.edu/fwip/nc_danger* https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/air-quality/air-quality-compliance/open-burningLake Lure marks completion of major Helene debris cleanup missionIn Lake Lure, town leaders and the U S Army Corps of Engineers have announced the completion of a large scale debris removal and lake restoration mission following Hurricane Helene. The effort included months of work pulling storm debris from the lake surface and bottom, and officials describe it as one of the biggest and most complex debris missions in Western North Carolina since the storm.* A final walk through at Morse Park marked the formal closeout of Corps operations.* Debris removal improves safety for boaters, anglers, and lakefront property owners.* Town officials say the work sets the stage for long term restoration of recreation and tourism.Sources* https://www.townoflakelure.com/community/page/lake-lure-storm-recovery-updates-and-more-112025* https://www.townoflakelure.com/news* https://www.facebook.com/USACESAD/posts/1306890074811691* https://www.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsHelene recovery grants rebuild business infrastructure across Western North CarolinaA fresh wave of Helene recovery grants is sending more than a dozen million dollars into nineteen projects across Western North Carolina, aimed at repairing sidewalks, streets, utilities, and other infrastructure that local small businesses rely on. Administered through the state’s Small Business Infrastructure Grant program and related Helene initiatives, the funding is meant to help downtowns and commercial districts fully recover from storm damage.* Grants support projects such as sidewalk reconstruction, sewer and water repairs, and streetscape improvements.* Local governments in Helene impacted areas can still apply for certain disaster relief and mitigation funds.* These new awards build on earlier rounds of small business infrastructure grants announced this summer.Sources* https://www.wncrecovery.nc.gov/recovery-resources/small-business-infrastructure-grants-local-governments-smbiz* https://www.wncrecovery.nc.gov/catalog-category/local-governments* https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/nc-helene-grants-will-cover-infrastructure-repairs-in-biltmore-village-other-communities* https://www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/40519-14-million-in-wnc-small-business-grants-announced* https://www.commerce.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/07/10/governor-stein-announces-73-million-will-help-small-business-recovery-western-north-carolinaAmerican Legion Post 317 reopens one year after Helene damageIn Madison County, American Legion Post three seventeen is open again after Helene severely damaged its building and forced a long closure. The post, which has served veterans and the local community since the nineteen fifties, relied on ...
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    13 m