News

Press photos/Shelby Powell - Brent Martin of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy talks about the Franklin tree (in foreground) during a tree planting ceremony on Oct. 22.

Press photos/Shelby Powell - Brent Martin of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy talks about the Franklin tree (in foreground) during a tree planting ceremony on Oct. 22.

Extinct Franklin tree planted downtown

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
The Franklin tree is extinct in the wild. All living trees are cultivated from descendants of specimens collected by William Bartram in Georgia in the 1700s. Last week, one was planted in Franklin.
SNAP graphic

SNAP graphic

SNAP benefits set to expire

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture posted a notice to its website saying it would not draw on contingency funds to extend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits as the now month-long government shutdown continues.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Superintendent Josh Lynch and Macon County Schools Finance Officer Alayna Ledford speak to commissioners about the school’s budget shortfall.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Superintendent Josh Lynch and Macon County Schools Finance Officer Alayna Ledford speak to commissioners about the school’s budget shortfall.

Boards discuss school budget shortfall

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
The Macon County Board of Education held a joint meeting with the Board of Commissioners last week to discuss how the county’s budget left the system with a $1.7 million budget shortfall but stopped short of making a formal request for more money.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Meg Kremer presents a proposal from Pawsitive Shelter Volunteers about the organization taking over operation of the Macon County animal shelter.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Meg Kremer presents a proposal from Pawsitive Shelter Volunteers about the organization taking over operation of the Macon County animal shelter.

Pawsitive nonprofit proposes animal shelter takeover

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Pawsitive Shelter Volunteers, a Franklin nonprofit, has proposed to take over the management of the Macon County Animal Shelter from the Health Department through a contract with the county.  Meg Kremer, representing Pawsitive Shelter Volunteers, presented the proposal at the Oct.
Photo/Franklin Police Department - A Georgia woman driving a U-Haul led police on a chase through Macon County and into Mountain City, Georgia, on Saturday. According to FPD, the incident began when she hit a gas station employee with the truck door after being asked to move the truck away from the gas pumps.

Photo/Franklin Police Department - A Georgia woman driving a U-Haul led police on a chase through Macon County and into Mountain City, Georgia, on Saturday. According to FPD, the incident began when she hit a gas station employee with the truck door after being asked to move the truck away from the gas pumps.

Moving violation: Chase ends in Georgia

Mia Overton
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
What started as an assault call led to a woman driving a U-Haul leading officers on a chase through southern Macon County and into Georgia, where the truck flipped on its side. Franklin Police Department received a call around 3:41 p.m. Saturday, Oct.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Franklin High School students Reid Laseter, Samantha Wilson and Arianna Soto speak against the Macon County Board of Education’s bell-to-bell cell phone policy.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Franklin High School students Reid Laseter, Samantha Wilson and Arianna Soto speak against the Macon County Board of Education’s bell-to-bell cell phone policy.

School board recalls cell phone ban

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
On Sept. 22, the Macon County Board of Education banned cell phones during school hours. On Oct. 20, it changed its mind.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - School board members Stephanie Laseter, Hilary Wilkes and Jim Breedlove discuss capital projects for the school system.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - School board members Stephanie Laseter, Hilary Wilkes and Jim Breedlove discuss capital projects for the school system.

Macon school board approves capital projects

News Staff
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
The Macon County Board of Education met in a special meeting last week to approve funding for time-sensitive and important capital outlay projects.  Projects with bids set to expire soon and projects that could pose a hazard for students, visitors or faculty were discussed.
Press graphic

Press graphic

Early voting for town elections starts Oct. 16

Mia Overton
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Early voting for the Franklin and Highlands municipal elections begins Thursday, Oct. 16, and will continue through Saturday, Nov. 1 Voters can cast their ballots at the Robert Carpenter Community Building (1288 Georgia Rd.) or at the Highlands Civic Center (600 N. 4th St.).
Press photo/Mia Overton - An Amazon delivery truck parked at the Franklin facility in the Macon County Industrial Park. The company has been leasing the space from Tek-Tone but plans to close the delivery hub before the end of the year as a new facility opens in Hayesville.

Press photo/Mia Overton - An Amazon delivery truck parked at the Franklin facility in the Macon County Industrial Park. The company has been leasing the space from Tek-Tone but plans to close the delivery hub before the end of the year as a new facility opens in Hayesville.

Amazon closing Franklin delivery hub

Mia Overton
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Workers at the Amazon delivery center in Franklin were notified on Oct. 8 that the facility would be closing. The closing, expected to happen before the end of the year, coincides with a new facility opening in Hayesville.