Local

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Former Franklin youth pastor arrested

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
A man who was a youth pastor in Franklin for eight years until last summer is facing a felony charge of indecent liberties with a child from an alleged 2016 incident. According to the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, on Feb.
Press file photo. The Town of Franklin recently conducted a feasibility study of the old Angel Medical Center on Riverview Street. Givens Communities says renovating the building would be too costly to develop affordable senior living apartments.

Press file photo. The Town of Franklin recently conducted a feasibility study of the old Angel Medical Center on Riverview Street. Givens Communities says renovating the building would be too costly to develop affordable senior living apartments.

Senior apartments not feasible at old hospital

Mia Overton
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
The fate of the old Angel Medical Center on Riverview Street remains undetermined following a feasibility study of the building. HCA Healthcare, which bought Angel Medical Center in 2019, opened a new hospital off the 441 Bypass in September 2022.
Press photos/Thomas Sherrill - Marianne Martinez, executive director of Vecinos, speaks Jan. 24 to the Macon County Health Board on the Community Health Hub that is slated to open in 2024.

Press photos/Thomas Sherrill - Marianne Martinez, executive director of Vecinos, speaks Jan. 24 to the Macon County Health Board on the Community Health Hub that is slated to open in 2024.

Health Board to vote on new tobacco-free policy

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
The Macon County Board of Health will have a Medicaid/Medicare required tobacco-free policy to approve at its next meeting in March, shortly before the state’s deadline to approve the changes. The board heard a presentation on the need to update its tobacco-free policy at its Jan. 24 meeting.
Press photo/Mia Overton - Construction of a six-classroom addition at East Franklin Elementary is set to begin this summer.

Press photo/Mia Overton - Construction of a six-classroom addition at East Franklin Elementary is set to begin this summer.

East Franklin work to start this summer

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
The addition of six classrooms at East Franklin Elementary is going out to bid in mid-February with the hope to finish by the end of the year. Macon County Schools Personnel Director Todd Gibbs gave the update during the January Board of Education meeting.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Election workers try out the new HART Verity Touch Writer ballot counting machines during an election simulation on Jan. 25. The Macon County Board of Elections has requested the purchase of new voting machines and the simulation was part of the required process before buying the machines.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Election workers try out the new HART Verity Touch Writer ballot counting machines during an election simulation on Jan. 25. The Macon County Board of Elections has requested the purchase of new voting machines and the simulation was part of the required process before buying the machines.

No issues during election simulation

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Macon County’s first wholesale election hardware change in nearly two decades passed its big test last week. The election simulation with the HART Verity Touch Writer ballot counters was originally scheduled to take up to three days starting Jan. 25.
File photo The Macon County Board of Commissioners have approved a $634,000 renovation project for Highlands Middle School.

File photo The Macon County Board of Commissioners have approved a $634,000 renovation project for Highlands Middle School.

Highlands Middle renovation project approved

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
By a unanimous vote, the Macon County Board of Commissioners approved a $634,000 project with LS3P to renovate the Highlands Middle School wing, with a hope to have it finished by the start of the 2024-25 school year.
Graphic/Macon County Schools. The approved 2023-24 calendar; the full calendar can be found on the Macon County Schools website.

Graphic/Macon County Schools. The approved 2023-24 calendar; the full calendar can be found on the Macon County Schools website.

2023-24 school calendars approved

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
A first semester ending days before Christmas, spring break the first week of April and a start date complying with state law are some parts of the 2023-24 Franklin area and Highlands school calendars unanimously approved by the Macon County Board of Education on Monday night.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill New stoplights on poles are about to be unveiled at multiple Georgia Road intersections near the U.S. 64 interchange as part of the soon-to-be-complete construction work on the 1.113-mile stretch of road.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill New stoplights on poles are about to be unveiled at multiple Georgia Road intersections near the U.S. 64 interchange as part of the soon-to-be-complete construction work on the 1.113-mile stretch of road.

Georgia Road construction slowing down

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Newly installed overhead signs and new traffic lanes means the four-year widening project along Highway 441/Georgia Road is nearing completion. “We anticipate being complete April 31, 2023,” N.C. Department of Transportation Spokesperson David Uchiyama said last week.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill The unused X-ray and scanning station at the second-floor public entrance to the Macon County Courthouse.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill The unused X-ray and scanning station at the second-floor public entrance to the Macon County Courthouse.

Courthouse scanners not always used

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Despite a security budget that increased four-fold over the last eight years, X-ray and scanning stations at the Macon County Courthouse’s public entry points are only staffed on a limited basis.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Abigail Hardison is the new director of the Macon County Public Library.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill Abigail Hardison is the new director of the Macon County Public Library.

Library welcomes new director

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
For the first time in 30 years, Macon County has a new head librarian as Abigail Hardison takes over for the retiring Karen Wallace. “It’s very exciting to me because this is a truly gorgeous facility to work in,” Hardison said after the December library board meeting.