Local

Rendering/Town of Franklin - Rendering of the Scott-Griffin Hotel on Main Street shows the exterior view of the building.

Rendering/Town of Franklin - Rendering of the Scott-Griffin Hotel on Main Street shows the exterior view of the building.

Town seeks investors for hotel project

Town Planner Justin Setser gave an update on the Scott-Griffin Hotel project during the May 1 Franklin Town Council meeting.
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Town considers ‘no camping’ policy

The Franklin Town Council will hold a public hearing for input on a proposed ordinance amendment regarding camping on public property. The hearing will be held as part of the regular council meeting beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 1. Town Attorney John Henning Jr.
Press photo/Mia Overton The Franklin Town Council and department heads met Monday for a budget workshop.

Press photo/Mia Overton The Franklin Town Council and department heads met Monday for a budget workshop.

Town mulls budget options for new fire trucks

he need for two new fire trucks was the primary discussion during the Franklin Town Council budget workshop on Monday evening. Town Manager Amie Owens presented a list of capital requests that included a new pumper truck and a new pumper/tanker for Franklin Fire and Rescue.
Photo/Bob Scott It was a standing-room only crowd at the April 11 Board of Commissioners meeting. Most attendees were there to speak about the library. Due to the size of the crowd the meeting had to be moved from the commissioners’ board room to the courtroom on the fourth floor of the courthouse.

Photo/Bob Scott It was a standing-room only crowd at the April 11 Board of Commissioners meeting. Most attendees were there to speak about the library. Due to the size of the crowd the meeting had to be moved from the commissioners’ board room to the courtroom on the fourth floor of the courthouse.

Macon library to remain in Fontana system

The Macon County Commissioners will not pull the county out of the Fontana Regional Library (FRL) System at this time but will look into provisions to restrict what minors can check out as well as the governing structure itself.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Town of Franklin, Macon County, Sk828 and other representatives, community members and youngsters all take part in a ceremonial groundbreaking of the Whitmire property skate park during a ceremony on Friday, April 14.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Town of Franklin, Macon County, Sk828 and other representatives, community members and youngsters all take part in a ceremonial groundbreaking of the Whitmire property skate park during a ceremony on Friday, April 14.

Town breaks ground on skate park

Dodging raindrops, local leaders got together with local skate park advocates to officially break ground on the Town of Franklin’s skate park the afternoon of Friday, April 14.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Macon County Board of Commissioners Chair Paul Higdon and LS3P Architect Paul Boney speak about Phase One of the Franklin High School project during a site vision on Thursday, April 13.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Macon County Board of Commissioners Chair Paul Higdon and LS3P Architect Paul Boney speak about Phase One of the Franklin High School project during a site vision on Thursday, April 13.

County approves $1.3 million for Higdon property

The Macon County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on April 11 to allocate $1.35 million for the potential purchase of 10+ acres of property, known as the Higdon property, located across the street from Franklin High School. The action includes the 2.54-acre tract at 195 Wayah St.
Photo/Cherokee Scout - The crypto mine off Harshaw Road near Murphy. 

Photo/Cherokee Scout - The crypto mine off Harshaw Road near Murphy. 

Planning Board approves crypto mine regulations

The Macon County Planning Board unanimously recommended adding cryptocurrency mining or similar server-based computer facilities to its high-impact land uses in order to prevent those operations from coming to Macon County and being a noise pollutant.
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Crime in Macon County schools on decline

Mental health providers, counselors and school resource officers are given as the reason why criminal acts in Macon County Schools are staying low by more than half compared to pre-pandemic years.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Jen Germain of the Macon County Health Department gives a presentation to the Board of Health regarding the State of the County Health Report during the board’s March 28 meeting.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Jen Germain of the Macon County Health Department gives a presentation to the Board of Health regarding the State of the County Health Report during the board’s March 28 meeting.

Macon one of healthiest counties in WNC

Macon County is the 30th healthiest county in the state of North Carolina, according to recent rankings presented to the Macon County Board of Health at its March 28 meeting.