News

More jobs than employees as Macon rebounds

Jake Browning

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

When the pandemic first hit, many Macon County employers couldn’t afford to keep their full staffs on the schedule. Now, as North Carolina continues to loosen restrictions, employers face the opposite problem.

Press photo/Jake Browning - Volunteer Susie Ledford checks Faye Lansdell’s temperature before she goes into the service at First United Methodist Church on Sunday morning, Oct. 25.

Churches begin returning to indoor services

Jake Browning

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

As restrictions put forth by the state related to the COVID-19 pandemic begin to dial back, churches around Macon County are starting to resume their in-person services, albeit with far more precautions than they observed in March. Even with precautions in place, there is an inherent risk.

Press photo/Linda Mathias - Turnout has been heavy during early voting, which ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

Macon headed to polls

Lee Buchanan

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Thanks to a historic flood of absentee and early voting, about half of Macon County’s registered voters will have already cast ballots ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. As of Tuesday, Oct.

COVID cluster

COVID cluster found at church

Lee Buchanan

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Macon County has crept up after a cluster was reported at a Franklin Church and new cases were identified at county schools. Macon County Public Health identified a COVID cluster at Franklin Church of God on Friday, Oct. 16.

Press photo/Jake Browning - Work to reconfigure a section of Georgia Road got underway in 2019.

NCDOT: Georgia Road work should be done by August 2021

Jake Browning

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Officials with the NCDOT hope that the construction work currently snarling traffic on Georgia Road will be complete by August 2021. Crews have been performing major work on the highway since 2019 in an effort to alter Georgia Road from five lanes to four lanes and a median.

The Macon County Board of Education met on Oct. 19

School board hears concerns about virtual learning

Jake Browning

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

As the first grading period of the 2020-21 school year comes to a close, Macon County Schools officials and families share concerns that students aren’t learning enough during their in-person/digital hybrid schedule. The Oct.

Press photo/Linda Mathias Voters line up at the Robert C. Carpenter Community Building to cast ballots in early voting.

Early voting heavy

Lee Buchanan

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Macon County voters are turning out in unprecedented numbers to cast ballots in the early voting period. As of Tuesday morning, Oct. 20, 5,283 Macon County voters had cast ballots during the early voting period. Early voting opened on Oct. 15 and ends Saturday, Oct. 31. “It is very busy.

Gail Ruffner

News Staff

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

FRANKLIN - Gail Ruffner, 86, passed away Sunday, Oct. 4. She was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to the late Glenn H. Wright and Florence Anderson Wright.

Photo submitted - Officers seized $1,700 in cash, 90 grams of methamphetamine and six grams of heroin.

Seven arrested on drug charges

News Staff

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Officers with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 12 arrested four suspects and seized methamphetamine and heroin at a home in the South Skeenah community.

Press photo/Linda Mathias - Kuteka Lopez pours red sand outside the Macon County Courthouse to draw attention to victims of human trafficking.

Zonta pours sand for human trafficking awareness

Jake Browning

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

The Zonta Club of Franklin came together on Oct. 10 to conduct Franklin’s first event for the Red Sand Project, an event meant to draw attention to human trafficking.