Local

Mainspring

Mainspring

New director plots Mainspring’s future

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
The new executive director of Mainspring Conservation Trust plans to stay the course after the retirement of current director Sharon Taylor, but that doesn’t mean the organization is standing still.
Early Voting

Early Voting

Macon going to polls March 3

News Staff
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Lee Buchanan editor@thefranklinpress.com Early, one-stop voting ends at 3 p.m. Saturday ahead of primary election day on Tuesday, March 3. As of Tuesday morning, Feb. 25, a total of 1,888 voters had cast ballots during the early voting period.
News

News

Local officials weigh needs of homeless

News Staff
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com On Wednesday, Jan. 29, charitable organizations all over North Carolina participated in the annual Point In Time count to evaluate the status of homelessness in the state.
Press photo/Jake Browning Macon County commissioner Gary Shields, left, interim public health director Carmine Rocco and sheriff Robert Holland preside over an appeal on a ruling about a potentially dangerous dog.

Press photo/Jake Browning Macon County commissioner Gary Shields, left, interim public health director Carmine Rocco and sheriff Robert Holland preside over an appeal on a ruling about a potentially dangerous dog.

Dealing with dangerous dogs not simple

Jake Browning
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
It’s been a rough few months for Macon County pet owners. Last July, Franklin residents reported three separate instances of unattended dogs attacking people on public property.
Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Some county residents are impatiently waiting for a decision on whether or not Macon County will become a Second Amendment Sanctuary. More than 400 local governments in 20 states have adopted resolutions to become Second Amendment sanctuaries, resolving to protect gun owners’ rights regardless of laws passed by state and federal governments. The concept has gained popularity in 2020 following the rise of a sweeping gun control agenda in Virginia’s new state legisl

Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Some county residents are impatiently waiting for a decision on whether or not Macon County will become a Second Amendment Sanctuary. More than 400 local governments in 20 states have adopted resolutions to become Second Amendment sanctuaries, resolving to protect gun owners’ rights regardless of laws passed by state and federal governments. The concept has gained popularity in 2020 following the rise of a sweeping gun control agenda in Virginia’s new state legisl

Sanctuary resolution sparks debate

Jake Browning
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Some county residents are impatiently waiting for a decision on whether or not Macon County will become a Second Amendment Sanctuary.
Press photo/Linda Mathias - Saturday’s snowfall quickly covered roads, triggering numerous accidents.

Press photo/Linda Mathias - Saturday’s snowfall quickly covered roads, triggering numerous accidents.

Wild Weather

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Flooding after several days of rain, followed by a surprise snowfall caused plenty of problems for Macon County residents, but no injuries were reported “We actually fared really well,” said Warren Cabe, director of Macon County Emergency Services.
Press photo/Jake Browning - The 100-unit subdivision is planned for this 40-acre site off Highlands Road.

Press photo/Jake Browning - The 100-unit subdivision is planned for this 40-acre site off Highlands Road.

New subdivision planned

Jake Browning
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Franklin is going to start feeling a lot homier. Providence Builders plans to develop the Scenic Ridge residential subdivision. The project would build about 100 new dwellings with an average of three bedrooms each on a 40-acre tract off Highlands Road behind Smoky Mountain Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM.

Franklin man charged with sexual exploitation of children

News Staff
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
  A Franklin man has been arrested and charged with possessing photos of sex crimes involving children. Mark Wayne Saffran was arrested following an investigation conducted by the Macon County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation.
Danny Bates

Danny Bates

Bates named interim chief

News Staff
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Danny Bates has been named Franklin’s interim police chief. Bates has lived in Macon County for his entire life. He graduated from Franklin High School and Southwestern Community College, where he earned his associate of applied science degree in criminal justice.
Press photo/Jake Browning The Macon County Board of Education ran out of room to hold everyone who came to support arts education at their monthly meeting on Monday night.

Press photo/Jake Browning The Macon County Board of Education ran out of room to hold everyone who came to support arts education at their monthly meeting on Monday night.

Group proposes three-year arts education plan

News Staff
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
A community organization calling itself Arts for MCS is proposing a three-year plan to expand the role of the arts in Macon County Schools. Teachers Maggie Jennings and Sara O’Neal told school board members at their Jan.