The simple task of replacing an empty seat on the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen has turned into a process rife with finger pointing and faultfinding after the board failed to lay out a clear process for how the new alderman would be chosen.

Just two weeks ago, longtime alderman and Maggie resident Phil Aldridge resigned before moving back to his hometown in Alabama to get married, leaving it up to the four remaining board members to name his replacement.

Greg Snyder was perturbed when he addressed the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen in June.

In March, Snyder had plunked down $4,625 to connect five new RV sites at Twinbrook Resorts to the town’s sewer system. Less than two weeks later, the town board voted to change its sewer tap fee rates.

Longtime alderman and Maggie Valley resident and business owner Phil Aldridge resigned from the town board last week.

Aldridge was a staple around town and owned Phil’s Grocery on Soco Road — the only grocery store in the valley for years. He was elected to the town board nine years ago and was currently serving his third term.

The Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen will vote this week whether to relax restrictions on sweepstakes machines for businesses that plan to make their money mostly from the controversial mechanisms.

If the ordinance passes as is, sweepstake-specific businesses can have one machine per every 50 square feet. Video sweepstakes parlors will be required to be at least 1,500 feet away from each other and any established religious institution, school, daycare, library, museum and public park, and the gaming-specific business must also be housed in a building that is a minimum of 2,500 square feet.

Regular patrons of Joey’s Pancake House will notice a different view when they enter the restaurant that is a social center of Maggie Valley.

Maggie Valley will celebrate one of its most infamous moonshiners with the third annual Popcorn Sutton Acoustic Jam Aug. 3-4.

Friends and family of Popcorn Sutton are holding a reunion from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Aug. 3-4 at the Stompin’ Ground in Maggie Valley.

Maggie Valley town leaders plan to relax the town’s strict limits on video sweepstakes machines despite the town planning board’s recommendation to maintain the status quo.

Ghost Town in the Sky opened last Wednesday — sort of.

The once-popular amusement park in Maggie Valley opened its chairlift and a new zipline just in time for the July 4 holiday and is offering rides on both attractions.

Maggie Valley’s planning board voted by a narrow margin last week to keep strict regulations on video sweepstakes machines in place even if it means giving up money the town could reap by taxing the machines.