Appalachia Daily Update - February 24, 2026

Tri-County Public Safety College Training Wraps Up in MurphyVolunteer firefighters, EMS personnel, and first responders from Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties completed hands-on training at Tri-County Community College in Murphy. The sessions ran February 18 through 22.This work directly strengthens the teams that keep our mountain communities safe.News as of: February 22, 2026Sources:* 2026-02-22 | https://www.tricountycc.edu/2026-public-safety-college/Clay County Recovery Leaders Earn State Dogwood AwardsDoctor Travis Williams and Stacie Ledford of Rock Bottom Recovery and Support received the North Carolina Attorney General’s Dogwood Award for their opioid recovery efforts.Their dedication continues to help families right here in western North Carolina.News as of: February 19, 2026Sources:* 2026-02-19 | https://www.claycountyprogress.com/local-newsletter/locals-receive-dogwood-awardsTelepsych Grant Approved for Clay and Cherokee County SchoolsA five hundred thirty thousand dollar grant will expand board-certified child psychiatry via telemedicine for students in Clay and Cherokee County schools.The funding closes mental health access gaps for rural families in our area.News as of: February 19, 2026Sources:* 2026-02-19 | https://www.claycountyprogress.com/local-newsletter/telepsych-grant-unc-approved-clay-county-schoolsFannin County Board of Commissioners Regular MeetingFannin County commissioners held their regular meeting today in Blue Ridge. The public session covered local roads, services, and other county decisions.Residents can stay involved in the issues that affect our north Georgia and western North Carolina neighbors.News as of: February 24, 2026Sources:* 2026-02-24 | https://fannincountyga.com/board-of-commissioners/Where to listenhttps://go.riverrun.digital/ADU-PodcastsNotes, methods, and rightsThis Appalachia Daily Update was created with the help of AI tools working alongside a human editor. All information is drawn from publicly available sources listed above. Rights for the Appalachia Daily Update are reserved by River Run Digital, which produces hyperlocal news for small towns across Appalachia and beyond. To learn more about River Run Digital and its local news projects, visit https://go.riverrun.digital This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adu.riverrun.digital