Local

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Winds knock out power, spark forest fire

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
High winds on Saturday led to falling trees and power lines, leaving people without power, damaging homes and debris blocking roadways. A fallen power line sparked a 75-acre fire in the Piney Grove area that threatened several houses.
Press file photo Two business owners approached the Franklin Town Council Monday night about establishing a social district downtown. They say a social district would help draw people downtown and keep them there longer and would be a welcome addition to festivals and events.

Press file photo Two business owners approached the Franklin Town Council Monday night about establishing a social district downtown. They say a social district would help draw people downtown and keep them there longer and would be a welcome addition to festivals and events.

Businesses request downtown social district

Mia Overton
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Three people spoke in support of a downtown social district during the public comment period of the Franklin Town Council meeting on Monday night.
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Medicaid expansion signed into law

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
After years of waiting, expansion of Medicaid to roughly 600,000 North Carolinians is now state law but has a caveat before it goes into full effect. “First of all, unquestionably great news.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County school buses enter the roundabout at Depot Street on their way to Franklin High School for the afternoon pickup.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County school buses enter the roundabout at Depot Street on their way to Franklin High School for the afternoon pickup.

Bus driver shortage a constant problem for school system

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
About once a week a bus route for Macon County Schools is missed due to a lack of available drivers. “We’ve hit a critical point,” MCS Personnel Director Todd Gibbs said. “We’ve been dwindling over the last five to eight years.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Seniors participate in a tai chi class at the Crawford Senior Center.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Seniors participate in a tai chi class at the Crawford Senior Center.

Senior Crawford Center now fully open

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
While the drive-thru lunch program is no more, the Macon County Crawford Senior Center is back to offering a full array of services, programs and much more. Kim Crawford, Senior Center coordinator, spoke about the center with a group of mostly seniors at the St.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Board of Education members attend a budget workshop on March 14. Pictured (from left) are Diedre Breeden, Hilary Wilkes, Chair Jim Breedlove and Vice Chair Melissa Evans.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Board of Education members attend a budget workshop on March 14. Pictured (from left) are Diedre Breeden, Hilary Wilkes, Chair Jim Breedlove and Vice Chair Melissa Evans.

School Board faces fund balance woes

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
A $1.9 million fund balance for Macon County Schools could be whittled down to nearly nothing 16 months from now due to anticipated teacher pay raises and electricity rate hikes, according to a March 14 Board of Education budget workshop presentation. “It’s not that we’ve been irresponsible….
Press photo/Will Woolever - Grading for the new skatepark on the Whitmire property in East Franklin is expected to be completed by the first week of May with construction starting in late May or early June. Construction is expected to take about 120 days.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Grading for the new skatepark on the Whitmire property in East Franklin is expected to be completed by the first week of May with construction starting in late May or early June. Construction is expected to take about 120 days.

Commissioners fund remaining skatepark construction costs

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Electing to go above its previous pledge, the Macon County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on March 14 to pay off the last $60,576 of construction costs to make the Whitmire property skatepark a reality.
Photo submitted The Friends of the Greenway and the Franklin Police Department have partnered to provide officers with a satellite office at FROG Quarters in East Franklin.

Photo submitted The Friends of the Greenway and the Franklin Police Department have partnered to provide officers with a satellite office at FROG Quarters in East Franklin.

FROG offers satellite quarters for FPD

Mia Overton
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
The Franklin Police Department will have a greater presence in East Franklin through a partnership with the Friends of the Greenway.
Map/Town of Franklin PZC1, including Iotla Street, White Oak Circle, Ridgewood Drive, is one of the three areas the Franklin Planning Board will review for possible rezoning.

Map/Town of Franklin PZC1, including Iotla Street, White Oak Circle, Ridgewood Drive, is one of the three areas the Franklin Planning Board will review for possible rezoning.

Town Planners to review zoning

Mia Overton
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
The Franklin Planning Board is beginning the process of rezoning several areas in town. During the Town Council’s retreat last month, Town Planner Justin Setser presented maps of seven areas where he said the current zoning does not match how the neighborhoods are currently being used.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill A recovery crew prepares to transport the helicopter that crashed March 9 on Middle Burningtown Road. (Note: The rotors were removed from the helicopter to prepare it for transportation.) Two representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Charlotte office were on site Friday investigating, according to Macon County Emergency Services. The cause of the crash remains under investigation and a representative from Erlanger Health System said it could be “some time” before

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill A recovery crew prepares to transport the helicopter that crashed March 9 on Middle Burningtown Road. (Note: The rotors were removed from the helicopter to prepare it for transportation.) Two representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Charlotte office were on site Friday investigating, according to Macon County Emergency Services. The cause of the crash remains under investigation and a representative from Erlanger Health System said it could be “some time” before

Medical helicopter crashes

Mia Overton
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
The first of multiple calls reporting a possible helicopter crash started coming into the Macon County 911 Center shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday. At 7:02 p.m. a woman called 911 and said her children had been outside and came running inside saying “Mama a helicopter just crashed.