In this Issue of Hey Cherokee County…

✅ Conley, Coleman Win as Cherokee County Elects Three Women to Commission for First Time

✅ Murphy to Fulfill Late Korean War Veteran's Wish With Flagpole Dedication on Veterans Day

Cherokee County Events

November 6th

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November 11th

November 20th

November 21st

December 4th

December 5th

December 18th

December 19th

Cherokee County voters elected three women to serve simultaneously on the five-member Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Nov. 3, a first in the county's recorded history. 

According to unofficial results, Republicans Jeana Conley and Steve Coleman won their contested races by wide margins, each garnering 71 percent of the vote against their respective Democratic opponents, Rex Cable and Judith Bodley.

Republican commissioners Sue Lynn Ledford, Jan Griggs and Mark Stiles faced no opposition in the general election, with Griggs and Stiles elected to complete unexpired terms.

“I’m overwhelmed, honored, and grateful that the people of Cherokee County have placed their confidence in me,” Conley said after results were announced Tuesday evening. “I’ve loved politics for as long as I can remember. When I was little, I would listen to my dad and grandpa argue politics, and I was absolutely fascinated. But deeper than that lifelong interest is my genuine love for this community and the people who call it home. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving Cherokee County, and I don’t take the trust of its citizens lightly. I intend to work hard every day to earn the confidence they’ve placed in me.”

Although three women were already serving together on the Board of Commissioners before the election, Tuesday’s results mark an important distinction: For the first time in the county's documented history, voters have elected three women to serve concurrently on the board.

Conley, Ledford and Griggs formed a majority on the board earlier this year after each was appointed to fill a vacancy. Conley and Ledford joined the board following the resignations of commissioners who had lost their Republican primary races. Griggs, who previously served as a commissioner, was appointed later in the year to fill the vacancy left by Alan Bryant, who resigned midterm in June.

Tuesday's election means all three women will continue serving through terms authorized by voters. 

“I look forward to serving our county and having a great board to work with,” Griggs said via message to Hey Cherokee County. 

Griggs has made county history before. When she was first elected in 2020, she became just the fourth woman to serve on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, following Emogene Matheson, Barbara Vicknair and Lorraine Meltz. 

The election also marked the first time in at least a decade that two Democrats challenged Republicans for seats on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners in the same general election. The last Democratic challenger was Vicki Bauman, who lost to Jan Griggs in 2020. Republican commissioner candidates ran unopposed in both 2022 and 2024. 

“Thank you to everyone who came out and voted,” Coleman said Tuesday evening. “I consider it an honor and privilege to be able to represent each and every one of you. I also want to thank Mrs. Bodley for putting her name on the ballot and running a good campaign. Now it’s time to get to work.”

In the Cherokee County Board of Education races, Republican Randy Phillips won the at-large seat with 55 percent of the vote, defeating unaffiliated candidates Philip "Flip" Watson and Tom Beasley.

In District 3, where four candidates competed for two seats, Republicans Jason Murphy and Shannon D. Raper won with 37 percent and 33 percent of the vote, respectively. 

Republican David Ricks ran unopposed for the District 2 school board seat.

Other unopposed county candidates included Sheriff Chris Wood, Clerk of Superior Court Amanda Anderson Carroll, and Register of Deeds Karen Wright.

In the nonpartisan Cherokee Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor race, Colby Davis and Jamie Lance were both elected to the two available seats.

Three Constitutional Amendments Receive Majority Support

North Carolina voters favored all three proposed constitutional amendments, according to unofficial statewide results Tuesday night. With 94 percent of precincts reporting as of 10:53 p.m., the amendment expanding photo identification requirements for voting received 60 percent support, the proposal lowering the maximum allowable state income tax rate to 3.5 percent received 62 percent support, and the amendment addressing limits on property tax levies received 60 percent support.

The results remain unofficial pending the official canvass.

More than a year after his death, a Korean War veteran's wish to see a new flagpole on Town Square in downtown Murphy will become a reality this Veterans Day.

The Town of Murphy will dedicate a new three-flag flagpole Wednesday, Nov. 11, in memory of Oscar Valdes, a Purple Heart recipient and longtime supporter of local veterans who died Oct. 4, 2025, at age 93.

Valdes had hoped to see a flagpole installed on Town Square that would include the POW/MIA flag, honoring American service members who were prisoners of war or remain missing in action. The town will fulfill that wish during a public ceremony at the Veterans Memorial beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Born Jan. 17, 1932, in Manhattan, New York, Valdes enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 and served with the 1st Cavalry Division during the Korean War. He was wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart before receiving an honorable discharge in 1953.

He later spent more than 20 years in the Florida National Guard while building a career with the U.S. Postal Service, where he worked for more than three decades.

Valdes and his wife, Nancy, moved to Murphy in 1999, where he continued his commitment to military veterans and community service. He became active in American Legion Post 96 and served with its Honor Guard, holding the position of sergeant-at-arms, and supported efforts to rename Konehete Park as Konehete Veterans Park.

His community involvement extended beyond veterans' organizations. Valdes also served his community through Meals on Wheels and contributed his time and resources to charitable organizations, including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Ronald McDonald House and the Shriners.  

Now, the town plans to recognize his military service and contributions to the community with a permanent memorial on Town Square.

The Veterans Day ceremony will include a presentation of colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, a message honoring America's veterans and remarks remembering Valdes. A memorial plaque will also be unveiled as part of the flagpole dedication.

Town officials are working to contact Valdes' family in hopes that relatives can participate in the ceremony.

The event is free and open to the public and is expected to conclude at approximately 1 p.m.

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