Local

Press photo/Rachel Hoskins - The Town of Franklin was the second municipality statewide to pass a Resolution Pledging to Practice and Promote Civility. Council members and Town Manager Amie Owens attended a two-hour webinar on the Commit to Civility program, signed the pledge and adopted the resolution. In passing the resolution, Mayor Jack Horton expressed his appreciation to the council on their professionalism toward each other and the public.

Press photo/Rachel Hoskins - The Town of Franklin was the second municipality statewide to pass a Resolution Pledging to Practice and Promote Civility. Council members and Town Manager Amie Owens attended a two-hour webinar on the Commit to Civility program, signed the pledge and adopted the resolution. In passing the resolution, Mayor Jack Horton expressed his appreciation to the council on their professionalism toward each other and the public.

Franklin Town Council approves holiday bonus

(not verified)
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Rachel Hoskins - rhoskins@thefranklinpress.com  Following a positive annual audit report by auditing firm Martin Starnes and Associates, members of the Franklin Town Council voted on a budget amendment that will put some extra cash in the pockets of town employees just in time for the holidays.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - More than three dozen community members showed up for the Macon County Planning Board meeting on Nov. 7. However, no business could be conducted because there was not a quorum of the board members.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - More than three dozen community members showed up for the Macon County Planning Board meeting on Nov. 7. However, no business could be conducted because there was not a quorum of the board members.

Presenters advise against floodplain change

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Being two members short of a quorum, the Macon County Planning Board couldn’t officially hold a meeting as scheduled on Thursday, Nov. 7, but did listen to 90 minutes of public comment and presentations from those who showed up and one of their members.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Board of Elections members read off the early-voting results from the ticker tape prior to entering them into the statewide database. Pictured (from left) are Board of Elections members Lynne Garrison, Chair Kathy Tinsley, John Vanhook and Vice Chair Gary Dills while Sheriff Brent Holbrooks looks on.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Board of Elections members read off the early-voting results from the ticker tape prior to entering them into the statewide database. Pictured (from left) are Board of Elections members Lynne Garrison, Chair Kathy Tinsley, John Vanhook and Vice Chair Gary Dills while Sheriff Brent Holbrooks looks on.

Sales tax hike narrowly defeated, Breedlove keeps school board seat

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
In the closest Macon County contest of the night, a referendum to raise the local sales tax by a quarter of a cent looks to have failed by 487 votes. Not counting the roughly 60 provisional ballots left, 10,213 votes (51.22%) were cast “Against” the referendum compared to 9,726 “For” votes, or 48.
The Franklin High School seniors and kindergarten students from around county participated in the Panther Legacy handoff on Nov. 1.

The Franklin High School seniors and kindergarten students from around county participated in the Panther Legacy handoff on Nov. 1.

Panther Legacy

News Staff
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Friday, Nov. 1 was a day to honor the Panther Legacy and celebrate 75 years of football in the Panther Pit. Friday night’s game against Pisgah was the last regular-season home game.
Press file photo - School buses in the Depot Street roundabout.

Press file photo - School buses in the Depot Street roundabout.

School bus driver shortage impacts families

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Single mother Danielle Sewell waits every week during the school year for a message. The message will determine her schedule for the entire week and that of her three children, aged 15, 13 and 7. But this message doesn’t have to do with work. It’s if her kids’ school bus has a driver that week.
Photo submitted - A photo showing flooding of farmland following Hurricane Helene. The photo is include in the Water Quality Advisory Committee’s report that will be presented ot the Macon County Planning Board.

Photo submitted - A photo showing flooding of farmland following Hurricane Helene. The photo is include in the Water Quality Advisory Committee’s report that will be presented ot the Macon County Planning Board.

Floodplain fill on Planning Board agenda

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
The Macon County Planning Board will take up the third of three proposed watershed and floodplain changes on Thursday, Nov. 7, but with the meeting at a new location.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Board of Education and Superintendent Josh Lynch during the Oct. 18 special called board meeting to discuss capital outlay.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Board of Education and Superintendent Josh Lynch during the Oct. 18 special called board meeting to discuss capital outlay.

School Board lists capital outlay requests

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
The Macon County Board of Education will ask its principals to prioritize their capital outlay requests after an Oct. 18 special meeting where the board made a preliminary list. The Oct. 18 special meeting started around 12:30 p.m., following the groundbreaking for the new Franklin High School.
Press graphic

Press graphic

Early voting hits 11,00 and counting

News Staff
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Early voting in Macon County has reached the five-figure mark going into the last week before Election Day. As of Tuesday morning, there have been 11,873 votes counted in Macon County. While no single day has eclipsed the 1,608 votes on the first day, Thursday, Oct.
Photo/Smoky Mountain Host - Smoky Mountain Host is partnering with Allison Outdoor Advertising, which donated billboard space to advertise the towns in Western North Carolina that are accepting visitors.

Photo/Smoky Mountain Host - Smoky Mountain Host is partnering with Allison Outdoor Advertising, which donated billboard space to advertise the towns in Western North Carolina that are accepting visitors.

Helene’s impact on local tourism

Mia Overton
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
The Oct. 14 Franklin Tourism Development Authority meeting included an update on the local tourism industry following Hurricane Helene. Morgan Stewart, owner of Stewart Communications, which manages the TDA’s marketing efforts, was living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.
Press photos/Thomas Sherrill - People stand in line while waiting to vote on the first day of early voting, Oct. 17.

Press photos/Thomas Sherrill - People stand in line while waiting to vote on the first day of early voting, Oct. 17.

More than 1,600 cast ballots on first day of early voting

News Staff
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Around a dozen people braved the first freezing temperatures of the season to stand outside the community building before doors were opened for the first day of early voting on Oct. 17. William Nightingale, who moved to Franklin this year and is retired, was the first person in line to vote.