News

Press photo/Jake Browning - KIDS Place executive director Alisa Ashe said the county funding cut comes on the heels of a decrease in state funding.

Press photo/Jake Browning - KIDS Place executive director Alisa Ashe said the county funding cut comes on the heels of a decrease in state funding.

Nonprofits face cut in county funding

Jake Browning
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
With money matters still complicated by the pandemic, Macon County’s nonprofits can’t count on quite as much help from the county government and their community funding pool this year.
Photo/Macon County Public Health Macon - County EMT Joey Gibson receives his first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Jennifer Garrett, the county’s director of nursing.

Photo/Macon County Public Health Macon - County EMT Joey Gibson receives his first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Jennifer Garrett, the county’s director of nursing.

3,000 on wait list for vaccine

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
A shortage of COVID-19 vaccine doses has forced Macon County Public Health to reschedule vaccination appointments.  With more than 3,000 Macon County residents on a vaccination waiting list, the county is scheduled to receive just 300 doses per week from the state over the next three weeks.
Photo submitted - A fisherman shows off his catch – a brown trout – caught in a local stream.

Photo submitted - A fisherman shows off his catch – a brown trout – caught in a local stream.

Finding refuge in fishing

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
One of Macon County’s most prized assets has gotten a surprising boost. Between its picturesque setting, relatively clean waterways, and abundance of trout, Western North Carolina has long been considered one of the country’s foremost trout fishing destinations.
Press photo/Jake Browning - Little food pantries, including this one at Cowee School, have popped up across the county.

Press photo/Jake Browning - Little food pantries, including this one at Cowee School, have popped up across the county.

Feeding neighbors in need a community effort

Jake Browning
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
The coronavirus pandemic made 2020 a devastating year for the American economy. As jobs were lost and bills piled up, millions of Americans found themselves without the resources they need to get by.
Press photo/Linda Mathias - Vaccination clinics are now being held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in the parking lot of Macon County Public Health at 1830 Lakeside Drive.

Press photo/Linda Mathias - Vaccination clinics are now being held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in the parking lot of Macon County Public Health at 1830 Lakeside Drive.

Short supplies limit vaccinations

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Macon County Public Health has expanded its schedule for COVID-19 vaccinations, but there are currently not enough doses to meet demand. From Jan. 20 through Jan. 26, the health department administered about 1,490 first doses of the Moderna vaccine, according to public health director Kathy McGaha.
Submitted photo/Habitat - John Wert of Habitat for Humanity removes a sidewalk at Vaughn Sanders’ home as part of the Healthy Home Initiative. The sidewalk was sunken and too narrow for Sanders’ wheelchair, so the construction crew replaced it with a front porch and ramp.

Submitted photo/Habitat - John Wert of Habitat for Humanity removes a sidewalk at Vaughn Sanders’ home as part of the Healthy Home Initiative. The sidewalk was sunken and too narrow for Sanders’ wheelchair, so the construction crew replaced it with a front porch and ramp.

MPP, Habitat partner to repair homes

News Staff
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Macon Program for Progress and Habitat for Humanity have joined forces to help 10 Macon County residents feel safer in their homes. Last February, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina invested $8 million into expanding rural health ventures, including the Healthy Home Initiative.
Stimulus

Stimulus

Where’s my stimulus check?

Jake Browning
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
If you were a customer at Entegra Bank before it closed and you haven’t received your $600 stimulus check yet, you may need to wait awhile before clearing things up with the IRS.  First Citizens Bank acquired Entegra on Dec.
News

News

County funds overtime, health dept. staff

Jake Browning
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
The Macon County Board of Commissioners approved several measures to help the Department of Public Health better combat COVID-19 during their monthly meeting Jan. 12. It was a particularly busy week for the health department. On Jan.