Murphy NC 28906

Jo Crowe, owner of Appalachian Land Co. and new member of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, recently presented a check for $1,000 to immediate past Chamber board president Marvin Raper for the Chamber’s building fund.

Framing on the conference room and office space addition began the week of January 16, 2006.

Attending the presentation were Chamber board member Bill Vespasian; Barbara Hughes, Chamber ambassador; Jo Crowe; Chamber board member Betsy Lane; Marvin Raper; and Chamber Executive Director Sande Kimball.

The Chamber’s building fund has reached $60,000, including cash and donations.

For more information, call 828-837-2242.

Tri-County Community College honored 13 of its employees with a presentation of service awards. President Norman G. Oglesby led the brief ceremony and congratulated each recipient on behalf of TCCC and its board of trustees.

The employees receiving awards included:

• Dan Goff, twenty years, chair of the Science Department
• Linda Howell, twenty years, coordinator of counseling, special needs, and student activities
• Frank Galloway, fifteen years, business administration/real estate instructor, recently retired from Tri-County Community College
• Joe Hogg, ten years, director of the Small Business Center/TeleCenter
• Suzann Ledford, ten years, English instructor
• Keith Marcus, ten years, automotive technology instructor
• George McCabe, ten years, information systems/networking technology instructor
• Johnny Outen, ten years, maintenance/custodian, Graham County Center
• Roy West, five years, maintenance/custodian, main campus
• Scott Sherill, five years, division chair, vocational/technology programs
• Ronnie Whitener, five years, chemistry instructor
• Bill Trotter, five years, biology instructor
• Kathy Rathbone, five years, business administration instructor

(Peachtree Community) The North Carolina law requiring evidence of continuing competence for all licensed registered nurses and licensed practical nurses becomes effective on July 1, 2006, with full implementation effective July 1, 2008.

The goal of continuing competence is to ensure, through the use of a reflective practice model, that North Carolina’s licensed nurses maintain essential skills, continue to add to their knowledge base, and become safer practitioners.

A workshop explaining the law and requirements in detail will be presented from 10:00 am until 11:00 am on Friday, March 3, 2006, in the Travis E. Green Conference Room at Murphy Medical Center.

This is a free workshop, but seating is limited. Call Monique Matheny, registered nurse and Murphy Medical Center’s staff education coordinator, at 828-835-3640 to reserve a seat.

Johnny Prather, owner of Western Carolina Real Estate Co., Inc., recently presented a $1,000 check to Glenda Stiles, local Special Olympics coordinator.

The money will be used for the 2006 Spring Games, which start at 10:00 am on Friday, April 28, 2006. This is the first time in eight years that the games will be held in Cherokee County and the first time Andrews, NC will host the Spring Games.

Special Olympics is the second recipient of the company’s designated “Giving Back to the Community” budget for 2006.

For more information the Special Olympics, call Glenda Stiles at 828-837-2722, ext. 216.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will offer a hunter safety course from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm on Monday through Wednesday, March 6-8, 2006, at the Murphy Public Library.

Students must attend all three nights to become hunter safety certified.

The course is free and there is no minimum age limit to attend or pre-registration.

For more information, call wildlife officer Tim Lominac at 828-837-0388 or go to www.ncwildlife.org.

The Murphy, NC Police Department will be raising funds for the NC Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics 2006 through February 24, 2006.

Local police officers are offering Torch Run hats, shirts, and magnets for minimum donations. These items are available at the police department.

Donations can also be made by placing change in jars that are on the counter tops of several local businesses.

There will also be a spaghetti dinner offered from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm on Friday, February 24, 2006, in the Murphy Elementary School cafeteria. Tickets are on sale for $5 a person at the police department.

For more information, call Charles Kilby at 828-837-2214.