News

Samuel Dewey “Pops” Wykle

News Staff
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
FRANKLIN - Samuel Dewey “Pops” Wykle, 76, passed away Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 at the chapel of Macon Funeral Home. The Rev. Barry Bowman will officiate. Burial will follow in the Locust Field Baptist Church Cemetery in Jackson County.
Press photos/Will Woolever - Laura Gamble revived a family tradition this year when she began canning vegetables from her home garden.

Press photos/Will Woolever - Laura Gamble revived a family tradition this year when she began canning vegetables from her home garden.

Preserving a tradition

Will Woolever
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
When the COVID-19 pandemic virtually shut down the nation’s economy and forced many Americans to shelter in place this spring, some worried how they might feed themselves and their families.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Crawford Center employee Coleman Buchanan unloads empty coolers from a drivers’ vehicle. Drivers deliver hot meals to Macon County seniors who are unable to pick them up at the drive-through five days a week.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Crawford Center employee Coleman Buchanan unloads empty coolers from a drivers’ vehicle. Drivers deliver hot meals to Macon County seniors who are unable to pick them up at the drive-through five days a week.

Senior center fights COVID hunger, isolation

News Staff
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Americans into stay-at-home orders this spring, the lack of face-to-face interaction sent the world economy into a tailspin.
press photo/Will Woolever - Bald Head Realty owner/broker John Becker checks the company website in his Franklin office.

press photo/Will Woolever - Bald Head Realty owner/broker John Becker checks the company website in his Franklin office.

COVID creates housing boom

Will Woolever
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic brought world markets to a standstill and forced millions of people out of the workforce earlier this year, many industries across the economy were left struggling.
Press photo/Linda Mathias - Tom Pruett, school resource officer at East Franklin Elementary, watches as students board buses.

Press photo/Linda Mathias - Tom Pruett, school resource officer at East Franklin Elementary, watches as students board buses.

Closed schools return to Plan B

Jake Browning
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
The Macon County Board of Education have decided to return closed schools to the schedules put in place at the beginning of the school year.
Press photo/Jake Browning - Ingles project manager Preston Kendall shows the Franklin Town Council a schematic of the store’s proposed new location at Holly Springs Plaza.

Press photo/Jake Browning - Ingles project manager Preston Kendall shows the Franklin Town Council a schematic of the store’s proposed new location at Holly Springs Plaza.

Town council green-lights new Ingles

Jake Browning
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Franklin’s Town Council approved development of a new Ingles at the former site of the Holly Springs Plaza Walmart. Representatives from Ingles presented plans to the town council at its Sept.
Press photo/Will Woolever - The Gazebo is a popular place to gather.

Press photo/Will Woolever - The Gazebo is a popular place to gather.

Town halts gazebo events

Jake Browning
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
The Town Gazebo will not be available for any public events until further notice. During the latest meeting of Franklin’s Town Council, town staff brought up concerns about public safety related to large public events during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo submitted - Local musicians (from left) Ron Van Beuning, Chuck Dorling, Jay Baird, Dave Stewart play a concert under the Big Bear shelter at the Little Tennessee River Greenway recently. For the past few months Macon Music has hosted weekly music gatherings at the greenway.

Photo submitted - Local musicians (from left) Ron Van Beuning, Chuck Dorling, Jay Baird, Dave Stewart play a concert under the Big Bear shelter at the Little Tennessee River Greenway recently. For the past few months Macon Music has hosted weekly music gatherings at the greenway.

New group aims to rev up local music scene

Will Woolever
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
A new organization is turning up the volume on local music in Franklin. For the last 50 years, Frank Smith has been writing, recording and performing songs in different acts across the country.
Davis, Cawthorn

Davis, Cawthorn

Election 2020: 11th Congressional District

News Staff
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Cawthorn: National debt is the top issue Lee Buchanan  editor@thefranklinpress.com  Madison Cawthorn burst on to the state and national political scene in March, when he trounced the favorite, Linda Bennett in a runoff to become the GOP candidate for the 11th Congressional District.
Press photo/Jake Browning - Patty and Steve Raby founded Kaylee’s Closet to provide essential items to foster families and children in need.

Press photo/Jake Browning - Patty and Steve Raby founded Kaylee’s Closet to provide essential items to foster families and children in need.

Kaylee’s Closet overflows with love and donations

Jake Browning
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Kaylee’s Closet isn’t at risk of being emptied out any time soon, which is good news for families coping with financial difficulties in the era of COVID-19. Patty and Steve Raby founded Kaylee’s Closet in honor of their foster daughter Kaylee, who came to live with them 13 years ago.