Local

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Board of Health meeting on Sept. 24 included several public comments about understaffing at the Macon County Animal Shelter.

Board of Health hears concerns over Macon County Animal Shelter

Thomas Sherrill

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Volunteers and supporters filled the meeting room for the Sept. 24 Macon County Board of Health meeting. They want the board to ease the strain caused by understaffing and undersized facilities at the Macon County Animal Shelter.

Press graphic

Locals criticize emergency management plan

Thomas Sherrill

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Criticism over the emergency management plan at the Macon County Board of Commissioners meeting led to an audience member ejected for verbally lashing out after a commissioner chided their public comment. During public comment at the Oct.

Press photos/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Emergency Services Director Warren Cabe sitting in the crowd during the announcement of his hiring as interim county manager during the Macon County Commissioners Oct. 8 meeting.

Cabe named interim county manager

Thomas Sherrill

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

After celebrating the outgoing county manager, the Macon County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted on Oct. 8 to hire Emergency Services Director Warren Cabe as the interim county manager. “It is humbling, flattering.