The Franklin Press, Franklin, North Carolina

Dr. Ed Morris and his wife, Barbara, stand at the entrance to their new fitness center in 1988.

In 1985 Dr. Ed Morris made a calculated gamble: Would the little mountain town of Franklin support a state-of-the-art fitness facility? There was nothing like it Franklin or Macon County, but was there enough demand? Fitness was hardly the buzzword...

Press photo/Ryan Hanchett - The former site of the Chamber of Commerce was razed to make way for a roundabout.

Old Chamber site may ease senior center parking crunch

Macon County is staking its claim to a piece of property near the current Crawford Senior Services Center in hopes that adding a little land may alleviate added stress on the center’s parking situation. The board of county commissioners entered...

Press photo/Andy Scheidler-Franklin opens the season at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Asheville High. Kneeling, from left: Oakley Brooks, Bristol Brooks, Brock Bradley, Bryce Bradley. Front row, standing: manager Lexy Gibson, Noah Sitton, Seth Crupi, Dillon Cochran, manager Leighanne Handley, Eythan Hervey, Joseph Caiata, Bailey Watts, Tyler Harrison, manager Hannah Jennings. Second row: Blake Gibson, Coleman Saunders, Isaiah Grasty, Dillon Price, Sam Conway, Nick Apel, Cameron Peek, Seth Price, Mauricio Ramos.

FHS football ’18 opens season vs. Asheville

The first game is a prime chance to set the tone for the rest of the football season. It’s also an opportunity to prove naysayers wrong. That’s what Franklin’s football team is out to prove when it hosts Asheville High at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Pit...

Press file photo - The Makin’ Robots team prepared for a competition in February at TekTone.

STEM finds a home at industrial park

After two years of building a following among Macon County students, the STEM program will have a home of its own. On Tuesday night the board of commissioners approved a lease with the board of education for 1,100 square feet in the Macon County...

Photo submitted - The Franklin Tourism Development Authority approved funding for The Naturalist 25 and 50K trail race to be held on Saturday, Oct. 6. The race drew 80 runners to Franklin in 2017

Naturalist race earns TDA funding

An event that has become a fall tradition in Franklin received the go-ahead on a funding request from the Franklin Tourism Development Authority on Monday night. Outdoor 76 owners Cory McCall and Rob Gasbarro submitted a request for $1,800 to help...

Final warm-up

Franklin hosted Rabun County (Georgia) Friday night in the Panther Pit for a two-quarter, live-action scrimmage. Zane Horner attempts to deflect a throw from Rabun County’s quarterback. FHS also scrimmaged at A.C. Reynolds last week in anticipation...

News Stories

Keeping Franklin fit for 30 years

In 1985 Dr. Ed Morris made a calculated gamble: Would the little mountain town of Franklin support a state-of-the-art fitness facility?

By Lee Buchanan

Old Chamber site may ease senior center parking crunch

Macon County is staking its claim to a piece of property near the current Crawford Senior Services Center in hopes that adding a little land may alleviate added stress on the center’s parking situa

By Ryan Hanchett

STEM finds a home at industrial park

After two years of building a following among Macon County students, the STEM program will have a home of its own.

By Ryan Hanchett

Sports

Expectations remain high for Panthers

Expectations might vary depending on a person’s perspective and affiliation.

FHS football ’18 opens season vs. Asheville

The first game is a prime chance to set the tone for the rest of the football season. It’s also an opportunity to prove naysayers wrong.

Final warm-up

Franklin hosted Rabun County (Georgia) Friday night in the Panther Pit for a two-quarter, live-action scrimmage. Zane Horner attempts to deflect a throw from Rabun County’s quarterback.