News

Press photo/Mia Overton - The owner of this property in Heritage Hollow is requesting that it be rezoned from C-1 commercial to C-2 so that she can open a medical clinic there.

Press photo/Mia Overton - The owner of this property in Heritage Hollow is requesting that it be rezoned from C-1 commercial to C-2 so that she can open a medical clinic there.

Franklin Planning Board hears rezoning request for medical clinic

Mia Overton
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
The Franklin Planning Board recommended two rezoning requests be sent to the Town Council for a public hearing and vote. One of the projects would allow the opening of a medical clinic in Heritage Hollow. On Nov.
Press photo/Mia Overton - The Town of Franklin has decided not to buy this property on Carolina Drive for a new ABC store. The Town Council had voted in September to begin due diligence on purchasing the property with the possibility of closing on it this month.

Press photo/Mia Overton - The Town of Franklin has decided not to buy this property on Carolina Drive for a new ABC store. The Town Council had voted in September to begin due diligence on purchasing the property with the possibility of closing on it this month.

Town cancels contract for new ABC store

Mia Overton
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
After meeting in closed session during a called meeting on Nov. 13, the Franklin Town Council voted 4-1 not to move forward with purchasing the building on Carolina Drive as a new location for the ABC store. Council member David Culpepper cast the nay vote.
Press photo/Mia Overton - Crews are working on the county’s Phillips Street property as the initial stages of construction for the new Franklin High School begins. The school will be built on the current upper practice field on Panther Drive, on the hill above the Frogtown property. Carroll Daniel Superintendent Joey Cain says they are doing slope work to be followed by erosion control on the Frogtown property.

Press photo/Mia Overton - Crews are working on the county’s Phillips Street property as the initial stages of construction for the new Franklin High School begins. The school will be built on the current upper practice field on Panther Drive, on the hill above the Frogtown property. Carroll Daniel Superintendent Joey Cain says they are doing slope work to be followed by erosion control on the Frogtown property.

FHS construction gets underway

Mia Overton
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Drivers on Wayah Street will soon spot something at the Franklin High School football stadium: a new chain-link fence with a windscreen. And it’ll be there for the next two years.
Photos/Franklin Fire & Rescue - After landing at the Macon County Airport, the pilot of the twin-turboprop reported the plane was not responding to controls; the nose gear broke off as the plane veered off the runway.

Photos/Franklin Fire & Rescue - After landing at the Macon County Airport, the pilot of the twin-turboprop reported the plane was not responding to controls; the nose gear broke off as the plane veered off the runway.

Plane veers off runway after landing

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
A pilot walked away after their twin turboprop plane careened off the runway when landing at the Macon County Airport on Thanksgiving morning. No one else was onboard the Beechcraft Super King Air 350 twin-turboprop.
Press file photo - A litter of puppies rescued and taken to the animal shelter earlier this year.

Press file photo - A litter of puppies rescued and taken to the animal shelter earlier this year.

Animal Services needs help

Thomas Sherrill
Monday, November 25, 2024
Five priority areas were identified in a report that aims to improve Macon County Animal Services, leading to an immediate ask for a new kennel worker.
Press file photo - A house under construction in the Scenic Ridge neighborhood earlier this fall. A recent housing study showed a need for more homes priced between $195,468-$289,200 to be more in line with local household incomes.

Press file photo - A house under construction in the Scenic Ridge neighborhood earlier this fall. A recent housing study showed a need for more homes priced between $195,468-$289,200 to be more in line with local household incomes.

Local housing market ‘out of whack’

Mia Overton
Monday, November 25, 2024
A recent housing study confirmed what many families already know: affordable housing is scarce in Macon County. The study was conducted by Bowen National Research through a Dogwood Health Grant that the county’s housing department received.
Press photo/Mia Overton - Jim McInnes and Sandy Geary prepare food for First Presbyterian Church’s free Thanksgiving meal. The church will begin serving at noon on Thursday.

Press photo/Mia Overton - Jim McInnes and Sandy Geary prepare food for First Presbyterian Church’s free Thanksgiving meal. The church will begin serving at noon on Thursday.

Thanksgiving & Fellowship

Mia Overton
Monday, November 25, 2024
On Thanksgiving morning when most of us are snug in our beds – maybe dreaming of turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie – Jim McInnes will arrive at Franklin First Presbyterian Church around 3 a.m. to begin preparations for the day ahead.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Lake Emory Dam as photographed on Nov. 15. The Macon County Board of Commissioners has directed the county Planning Board to study the possibility of removing the dam and the impact that would have. Currently the dam is privately owned.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Lake Emory Dam as photographed on Nov. 15. The Macon County Board of Commissioners has directed the county Planning Board to study the possibility of removing the dam and the impact that would have. Currently the dam is privately owned.

Planning Board to study Lake Emory Dam removal

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
While stressing they were not advocating one way or another, the Macon County Commissioners unanimously voted on Nov. 12 to have the county Planning Board research the possibility and effects of removing the Lake Emory Dam.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Board of Commissioners was the last government entity to approve the updated inter-local agreement with Fontana Regional Library. The agreement was unanimously approved at the commissioners’ Nov. 12 meeting. At that meeting they also approved spending $410,210 to repair the damaged porte-cochere at the Macon County Public Library.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - The Macon County Board of Commissioners was the last government entity to approve the updated inter-local agreement with Fontana Regional Library. The agreement was unanimously approved at the commissioners’ Nov. 12 meeting. At that meeting they also approved spending $410,210 to repair the damaged porte-cochere at the Macon County Public Library.

County approves new regional library agreement

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Over 18 months after starting the process of revising its agreement with Fontana Regional Library, the Macon County Board of Commissioners quickly and without comment approved a new agreement with minimal changes at its Nov. 12 meeting.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Board of Election members Lynne Garrison and John VanHook feed absentee votes into a machine that tallies the totals during canvass on Friday, Nov. 15. Approved absentee and provisional ballots were added to the totals and the board made the 2024 General Election official.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Board of Election members Lynne Garrison and John VanHook feed absentee votes into a machine that tallies the totals during canvass on Friday, Nov. 15. Approved absentee and provisional ballots were added to the totals and the board made the 2024 General Election official.

Provisional, absentee ballots added to election totals

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
By approving 112 of the 211 provisional ballots and 45 absentee ballots during canvass on Friday, Nov. 15, the Macon County Board of Elections signed off on the 2024 election.