Cold Black Friday in the mountains
Cherokee County and the far western North Carolina mountains woke up to a cold, clear Black Friday morning, with temperatures in the twenties at sunrise and highs only reaching the low forties under sunny skies. Another dip below freezing is expected tonight, so anyone heading to parades, ball games, or Christmas lights will want winter layers once the sun goes down.
* Clear, cold start with morning lows in the twenties and highs around the low forties.
* Skies stay mostly sunny through the afternoon with a sharp cooldown after dark.
* Good travel weather for shopping, parades, and light displays, but bundle up for evening events.
Sources:
* https://www.weather.gov
* https://forecast.weather.gov
News as of: November 28, 2025
Shop Small Weekend and Downtown Dollars in Murphy
Downtown Murphy is turning Black Friday and Small Business Saturday into a Shop Small Weekend celebration built around the Downtown Dollars promotion. Shoppers who spend fifty dollars at participating locally owned shops, galleries, or restaurants earn a ten dollar Downtown Dollars coupon they can use later at those same downtown businesses, rewarding people for keeping their holiday money on the square instead of sending it to big box stores or online retailers.
* Shop Small Weekend runs Friday, November 28 through Saturday, November 29 in downtown Murphy.
* Spend fifty dollars at participating retailers and earn ten dollars in Downtown Dollars to spend later at local businesses.
* The promotion is part of the broader Murphy Mountain Christmas season, which highlights downtown shops, the art center, and more.
Sources:
* https://www.townofmurphync.com/main-street-murphy/page/shop-small-weekend
* https://www.townofmurphync.com/main-street-murphy/page/murphy-mountain-christmas
* https://www.facebook.com/downtownmurphync/posts/1220121323498586
* https://www.facebook.com/cherokeecountync/posts/1264560505713021
News as of: November 28, 2025
Regional holiday lights and parades in Blue Ridge and Highuhwahsee
Within about an hour of Murphy, families can step into some of the biggest small-town holiday events in the region. In Blue Ridge, Georgia, the Light Up Blue Ridge and Christmas Parade weekend brings Blue Friday shopping, live music, food vendors, and an evening parade capped by the lighting of the downtown Christmas tree. Over in Highuhwahsee, the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds have switched on Mountain Country Christmas in Lights, transforming the fairgrounds into a glowing Christmas village with displays, music, vendors, and visits with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Grinch on select nights through December 23.
* Light Up Blue Ridge and the Christmas parade run November 28–29 in downtown Blue Ridge with shopping, music, an evening parade, and a tree lighting.
* Mountain Country Christmas in Lights at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Highuhwahsee runs most nights from November 27 through December 23, opening around 6 p.m.
* Both are easy, drivable outings from Murphy, Hayesville, Blairsville, and surrounding mountain communities.
Sources:
* https://www.blueridgemountains.com/events/annual-events/light-up-blue-ridge
* https://blueridgecountry.com/events/light-up-blue-ridge-christmas-parade-2025
* https://georgiamountainfairgrounds.com/localevents/christmas
* https://georgiamountainfairgrounds.com/pageserver/christmas-info
News as of: November 28, 2025
Search for missing hiker Charles Hosch paused but not over
In Union County, Georgia, authorities have paused their intensive ground search for missing hiker and law professor Charles Hosch but stress that the case is not over. Hosch, a sixty-seven-year-old Dallas attorney and adjunct law professor, disappeared on Veterans Day after a solo hike on the Byron Herbert Reece Trail near Blood Mountain. His vehicle was found at the trailhead, and witnesses reported seeing him descending from the summit, but he never returned and has not answered his phone, which family members say is unlike him.
* Search teams have spent nearly two weeks using helicopters, drones, K-9 teams, and large ground crews to cover steep, rugged terrain around Blood Mountain.
* Union County officials say most target areas have now been thoroughly searched and daily field operations are being scaled back while they wait for new information or leads.
* Hikers, hunters, and cabin owners are being asked to review trail and game camera footage and contact authorities with any possible clues.
Sources:
* https://nowhabersham.com/missing-hiker-search-underway-in-union-county
* https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/formal-searching-professor-missing-from-blood-mountain-ends
News as of: Update of previous story dated November 11, 2025, latest update November 28, 2025
Justice update in the killing of Cherokee County Detention Officer Francisco Paul Flattes
Federal prosecutors are spotlighting the case against Kelvin Wayne Simmons, the inmate charged in the June 30 killing of Cherokee County Detention Officer Francisco Paul Flattes II in Murphy. A recent update from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina lists United States v. Kelvin Simmons as one of its major ongoing prosecutions, reinforcing that the case remains a top priority at the federal level alongside any state charges.
* Simmons is charged in federal court with first-degree murder of an officer, along with escape, attempted carjacking and carjacking charges, using a firearm during a crime of violence, assaulting and impeding officers, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
* Officer Flattes, a fifty-six-year-old detention officer from Hayesville, was killed while transporting Simmons to a medical appointment, leading to memorials across the region and a statewide flag-lowering order.
* The federal case is proceeding in U.S. District Court in Asheville as part of a broader focus on violent crime and attacks against law enforcement officers.
Sources:
* https://www.odmp.org/officer/27435-detention-officer-francisco-paul-flattes
* https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2025-06-30/cherokee-county-detention-officer-killed-in-murphy
News as of: Update of previous story dated June 30, 2025, latest update November 28, 2025
Holiday toy drives and giving season around the mountains
As the Christmas season ramps up, local fire departments and sheriff’s offices across the mountains are launching toy drives and giving programs that listeners can support within an easy drive of Murphy. Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services in Georgia is collecting new, unwrapped toys at fire stations through mid-December to support organizations like Toys for Tots and MUST Ministries, while Towns County’s Sheriff’s Christmas parade in Highuhwahsee is tied to its Shop with the Sheriff program, which helps local children shop for gifts. Many holiday parades and light displays are also encouraging donations of toys, food, or funds.
* Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services is hosting its annual toy drive, with drop-off boxes at county fire stations through December 14.
* The Towns County Sheriff’s Christmas parade in Highuhwahsee supports Shop with the Sheriff for local kids.
* Mountain Country Christmas in Lights, downtown Murphy events, and other regional festivities are encouraging charitable giving as part of their holiday programming.
Sources:
* https://cherokeecountyfire.org/_common/news-read.php?newsitem=2609
* https://www.cherokeecountyfire.org
* https://georgiamountainfairgrounds.com/localevents/christmas
* https://www.townofmurphync.com/main-street-murphy/page/shop-small-weekend
News as of: November 28, 2025
Supporter Spotlight
Big Head’s Grub in Murphy
Today’s supporter spotlight shines on Big Head’s Grub in Murphy, one of the local businesses sharing the Appalachia Daily Update with their customers. This food truck is well known for its signature one hundred percent brisket smash burgers and popular barbecue fries and will soon be rolling out an updated menu. Starting in December, Big Head’s Grub will be parked full-time at Buck Bald Brewery on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, giving locals and visitors a regular spot to grab a burger and a brew.
Sources:
* https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572944639879
News as of: November 28, 2025
Wagner Worx Co-Working Bar in Murphy
Today’s supporter spotlight shines on Wagner Worx Co-Working Bar in downtown Murphy, one of the local businesses helping remote workers, creators, and small-business owners find a home base right in the heart of town. Billed as the first ever co-working bar in Murphy, Wagner Worx blends a relaxed bar and coffeehouse vibe with a professional twist, offering tables and private rooms for getting work done, along with snacks and beverages to make the day more enjoyable. Located in The Mill Building at 104 Tennessee Street, it gives locals and visitors a convenient spot to plug in a laptop, meet clients, and be part of a growing creative community just steps from other downtown shops and restaurants.
Sources:
* https://shopmurphync.com/wagner-worx/
* https://www.townofmurphync.com/main-street-murphy/page/food-drink
* https://www.facebook.com/p/Wagner-Worx-Co-Working-Bar-61576193198614/
News as of: November 28, 2025
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