The Franklin Press, Franklin, North Carolina

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Franklin High School graduate Samuel Roots accepts his diploma from Principal Blair King during the commencement ceremony June 5 at WCU. Roots wears a braided cord symbolizing his achievements in project management. See more photos on page on The Franklin Press Facebook page.

FHS graduate: ‘We all made it.’

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

The newest slate of Franklin High School seniors completed the last milestone of their high school journeys Friday with a commencement ceremony held at the Western Carolina University Activity Center in Cullowhee.

Local

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Carmen Waite, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau, pitches a partnership between the club and Macon County Schools to use the Bartram Academy building for a new location.

Boys & Girls Club eyes Bartram building

Shelby Powell

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

The Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau is looking to expand into Franklin and is eying the...

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Macon County School Chief Financial Officer Alayna Ledford and Superintendent Josh Lynch speak to the Macon County Board of Commissioners during a May 21 budget work session.

County gives modest boost to MCS budget

Shelby Powell

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Education in particular will see significant cuts from local funding requests in the 2026-27 county...

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Ann Hungerford adds her ideas to the Main Street Transformation project. During the workshop people had a chance to propose tradeoffs and rank their support. Many visitors were happy to trade sidewalk space for street trees and public restrooms, diagonal parking for parallel parking. Fewer were comfortable with trading free parking for metered parking.

Transforming Main Street

Mia Overton

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Wider sidewalks. More landscaping. Event space. Exchanging angled parking for parallel parking.

Regional

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Mark Masters of Masters Architecture proposed four options to build a new Highlands soccer field, ranging in cost from $1 million to $3.4 million to build an Astroturf soccer field on site at Highlands School or at Zachary Park.

School Board hears Highlands soccer field options

Shelby Powell

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Masters Architecture, an Asheville firm working with Macon County Schools to help replace East...

Highlander photo/Mitch Stone - FRL Board Chair Bill McGaha and Cynthia Womble discuss whether Swain County should receive a higher percentage of net surplus funds due to the free rent it has provided for FRL headquarters.

FRL discusses surplus funds, budget, property distribution

News Staff

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Mitch Stone - reporter@highlandsnews.com

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Teams participating in the Smoky Mountain Relay stopped for a free breakfast hosted by Cowee School volunteers. Each member of this team was from the Southeast, with members from Bryson City, Chattanooga, Nashville, Sylva and Asheville.

Smoky Mountain Relay stops at Cowee School

Shelby Powell

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

More than 573 runners passed through Macon County April 24-25 as part of the annual Smoky Mountain...

Sports

Members of MMS boys track and field show off their various medals at the NCRunners Middle School All-State meet in Concord May 2. (Photo submitted)

MMS track earns conference titles, statewide medals

Will Woolever

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

It’s been a good year for Macon Middle School track and field.

Kamden Reis competes in the long jump at the Mountain Eight Conference Championships at North Henderson April 30. The junior was named the meet’s Women’s Field Event MVP, placing first in the long jump, first in the triple jump and second in the high jump. (Press photo/Will Woolever)