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Press photo/Vickie Carpenter. Veterans receiving Quilts of Valor from Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild on March 27. More photos are posted on The Franklin Press Facebook page.

Press photo/Vickie Carpenter. Veterans receiving Quilts of Valor from Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild on March 27. More photos are posted on The Franklin Press Facebook page.

Honoring veterans

News Staff
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Staff Reports The Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild presented six Quilts of Valor during the 828 Vets open house on Thursday, March 27. Receiving quilts were (seated) Nichole Garcia, Trina Pullian, Daniel Fenimore; (back row) Douglas Adams, Richard Cancellier, Michael “Oppie” Sewell and Bill Hutson.
Press photo - The front entrance of East Franklin Elementary, originally constructed in 1950.

Press photo - The front entrance of East Franklin Elementary, originally constructed in 1950.

New East Franklin School on capital project list

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
A plan for the senior center, rebuilding an elementary school and the first two phases of refurbishing the Macon County Recreation Park were part of a preliminary five-year Capital Improvement Plan presented last week to the Macon County Board of Commissioners.
Press file photo - Macon Early College senior Laura Covarrubias takes first place for Franklin in the 100-meter dash at the Western Carolina University Kickoff Invitational March 7. After more than three years of MEC athletes competing for Franklin, the school plans to field its own athletic teams beginning next school year.

Press file photo - Macon Early College senior Laura Covarrubias takes first place for Franklin in the 100-meter dash at the Western Carolina University Kickoff Invitational March 7. After more than three years of MEC athletes competing for Franklin, the school plans to field its own athletic teams beginning next school year.

Macon Early College ‘ready to play’

News Staff
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Ryan Hanchett - rhanchett@highlandsnews.com Athletics was the theme of the night during the Macon County Board of Education meeting at Highlands School on Monday, March 24.
Photo/Bob Scott - A group of Appalachian Trail hikers enjoyed a free pancake breakfast at First Baptist Church then gathered to sign and pose for a photo at the welcome sign next to the gazebo on the square. The Nantahala Hiking Club will host their annual Hiker Chow-Down on Saturday, March 29, as part of the annual AT Spring Celebration.

Photo/Bob Scott - A group of Appalachian Trail hikers enjoyed a free pancake breakfast at First Baptist Church then gathered to sign and pose for a photo at the welcome sign next to the gazebo on the square. The Nantahala Hiking Club will host their annual Hiker Chow-Down on Saturday, March 29, as part of the annual AT Spring Celebration.

Celebrating AT hikers

News Staff
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
The annual AT Celebration will feature a variety of events through Earth Day on April 22. The AT Celebration, which began on the first day of spring, is a way to welcome Appalachian Trail hikers to Franklin and connect them with people and businesses in the area.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Rec Park’s ballfield closest to Georgia Road, where the plan is to build pickleball courts.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Rec Park’s ballfield closest to Georgia Road, where the plan is to build pickleball courts.

Phase 1 of Rec Park plan has more pickleball courts

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
After debating how the first phase of the Macon County Recreation Park’s revitalization will look, the new idea is to just have pickleball courts at the site of a current ballfield.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High School construction as of March 14.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High School construction as of March 14.

‘Scalping’ of new FHS site to begin soon

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
The peak of the Franklin High School property will be lowered in the coming weeks as work crews begin removing up to 13 feet of soil. This was the word given to the school liaison committee at its March 13 meeting.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - N.C. Department of Information Technology Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione at the March 14 broadband town hall at Holly Springs Baptist Church.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - N.C. Department of Information Technology Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione at the March 14 broadband town hall at Holly Springs Baptist Church.

Broadband grant to connect 411 Sanderstown locations

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
A new broadband grant will bring high-speed internet to the Sanderstown area, connecting 411 locations. The announcement came Friday, March 14, during a broadband town hall at Holly Springs Baptist Church by N.C.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Manager Warren Cabe in his office.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Manager Warren Cabe in his office.

Cabe named Macon County manager

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
In finding its new permanent county manager, Macon County didn’t have to reach outside of its own offices. The Macon County Board of Commissioners unanimously and enthusiastically approved a contract to make Interim County Manager Warren Cabe the permanent manager at the March 11 meeting.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Young Tree Service cut down the trees around clock tower square and Rankin Square the morning of Wednesday, March 5.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Young Tree Service cut down the trees around clock tower square and Rankin Square the morning of Wednesday, March 5.

Time for Change on Town Square

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
In a few morning hours on Wednesday, March 5, seven trees in downtown Franklin were cut down and removed as part of a plan to revitalize and make the area safer for pedestrians.