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Press photo/Thomas Sherrill. The Macon County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education held a joint meeting on May 28 to discuss school improvement projects and the budget in the coming year.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill. The Macon County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education held a joint meeting on May 28 to discuss school improvement projects and the budget in the coming year.

Sticker Shock: $137 million price tag on new FHS

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Sticker shock from higher-than-expected price tags didn’t stop votes on the Franklin High School and Highlands School projects at a May 28 joint meeting of the Macon County Commissioners and Board of Education in the Franklin High School Fine Arts Center.
Press photos/Thomas Sherrill. Franklin High School graduates toss their caps at the conclusion of the commencement ceremony on May 30.

Press photos/Thomas Sherrill. Franklin High School graduates toss their caps at the conclusion of the commencement ceremony on May 30.

Franklin High School Class of 2024 graduates

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Cheers, tears, flowers and a copious amount of airhorns serenaded more than 200 Franklin High School graduates as they received their diplomas in the twilight of Thursday, May 30.
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Stock graphic

Backlog cut

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
The Macon County Health Department is continuing to address the permit application backlog in the environmental health program.
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Press graphic

Opioid funding options heard

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Macon County has multiple options for spending its opioid settlement funding, as explained during the Macon County Board of Commissioners meeting on May 14.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill. All five Macon County commissioners vote in favor of funding the Macon Middle School track during the May 14 meeting.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill. All five Macon County commissioners vote in favor of funding the Macon Middle School track during the May 14 meeting.

MMS track gets green light

News Staff
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
After multiple bid processes, debates over track specifics, back and forth between the commissioners and school board, interventions by the liaison committee and inaction for more than a year, the Macon County Board of Commissioners voted to accept a $930,180 bid to rebuild the Macon Middle School...
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Press graphic

Proposed sales tax increase to benefit schools

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
The quarter-of-a-cent sales tax hike, if approved this November by voters, will go toward “operating and capital needs” in the Macon County school system, as unanimously approved by the Macon County Board of Commissioners at its May 14 meeting.
A summary of the proposed 2024-25 Town of Franklin budget. A public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. June 3 during the regular monthly Town Council meeting.

A summary of the proposed 2024-25 Town of Franklin budget. A public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. June 3 during the regular monthly Town Council meeting.

Franklin Fire Dept. requests tax rate increase

Mia Overton
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
The Town of Franklin is looking at an $11,941,449 budget for the coming 2024-25 fiscal year that begins on July 1. The budget is an 8% increase over the current year’s budget. Despite the increase, the property tax rate for town residents will remain at 33 cents per $100 valuation.
Press photo/Mia Overton. Flooding just below the Lake Emory Day following heavy rains this past January.

Press photo/Mia Overton. Flooding just below the Lake Emory Day following heavy rains this past January.

Commissioners debate floodplain fill

News Staff
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
With discussions continuing about the use of fill dirt in the floodplain, the Macon County Board of Commissioners will hold public hearings on July 9 to get input on allowing RV parks in the county watershed and changing the mandate for a soil erosion and sedimentation control plan.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill. Highlands Police Capt. Leah McCall and N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper H.W. Gass lay a wreath at the Macon County Courthouse during the Fallen Officers Memorial on Friday, May 17.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill. Highlands Police Capt. Leah McCall and N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper H.W. Gass lay a wreath at the Macon County Courthouse during the Fallen Officers Memorial on Friday, May 17.

Fallen Officers Memorial

News Staff
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Law enforcement officers across Macon County gathered in a rainy downtown Franklin to remember fallen officers at noon on Friday, May 17. Al Caiata, past president of the Fraternal Order of Police, conducted the event.
Graphic/NC Board of Elections - Macon County results in the second Republican primary held May 14.

Graphic/NC Board of Elections - Macon County results in the second Republican primary held May 14.

Weatherman, Boliek top vote getters in second Republican primary

Thomas Sherrill
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Macon County’s second Republican primary saw 648 people successfully cast a ballot, with four more possibly to be counted. The special second primary happened after no candidate in two Republican party primaries got the necessary 30%, necessitating a runoff between the top two.