Appalachia Daily Update - March 13, 2026

Cherokee County Election ResultsVoters in Cherokee County made some significant changes this week. Dan Eichenbaum and Cal Stiles lost their reelection bids for county commission seats. School board races were also decided. These results will influence local policies on schools, infrastructure, and services across Murphy, Andrews, and the surrounding areas.Weekend Weather and St. Patrick’s Day ParadeClear skies and mild temperatures are forecast for the next couple of days. Highs near 64 degrees today and low 70s tomorrow make it perfect for outdoor plans. Tomorrow brings the free St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Blue Ridge with bagpipers, floats, classic cars, and costumed dogs. Many head to the Boro Inn afterward for more festivities.Soundcheck Friday: Braden Rumfelt TonightMurphy native Braden Rumfelt, now in the Top 20 on American Idol Season 24, is performing tonight at 7 PM in the Anderson Music Hall at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee. Tickets are twenty dollars plus handling. Come support one of our own.Supporter SpotlightAct 1 of The ReAwakening, titled The Depopulation, is a gripping original audio mini-series set right here in the North Carolina mountains, starting this very month. It follows everyday neighbors facing a world where artificial intelligence begins rewriting reality itself, erasing identities from every database and forcing people back to analog ways of living.Right now, the entire series is half off its normal price because Act 2 drops in May.https://media.riverrun.digital/Act1-of-the-reawakeningSources* 2026-03-03 | https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-news/voters-toss-incumbent-cherokee-county-commissioners* This week | https://www.blueridgemountains.com/events/st-patricks-day-parade/* Current | https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/murphy/28906/march-weather/334789* Tonight | https://georgiamountainfairgrounds.com* 2026 | https://media.riverrun.digital/Act1-of-the-reawakeningWhere 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