News

Press photo/Eric Braham - Students in Miss Evers first grade class begin the day coloring at Iotla Valley Elementary.

Press photo/Eric Braham - Students in Miss Evers first grade class begin the day coloring at Iotla Valley Elementary.

Back to School

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
A total of 4,461 Macon County students headed back to school on Monday, Aug. 26 for the first day of the 2024-25 school year. Superintendent Josh Lynch, who is visiting all 11 schools this year, described the first day as “phenomenal” and “fantastic.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Schools’ Nutrition Director David Lightner (standing, center) is joined by Board of Education members Hilary Wilkes and Jim Breedlove in asking for county funds to cover free lunch for students at Franklin High School and Highlands School for the coming school year.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Macon County Schools’ Nutrition Director David Lightner (standing, center) is joined by Board of Education members Hilary Wilkes and Jim Breedlove in asking for county funds to cover free lunch for students at Franklin High School and Highlands School for the coming school year.

Free lunches for all

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
By a 3-2 commissioners’ vote, Macon County will fund up to $200,000 for free lunches for Franklin High School and Highlands K-12 School in the 2024-25 school year.
NEWS Graphic - County passes change to erosion control plan

NEWS Graphic - County passes change to erosion control plan

County passes change to erosion control plan

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
After cutting public comment short due to reaching the time limit and telling roughly a dozen attendees that they could voice their thoughts on proposed changes to the Soil and Erosion Sediment Control plan at next month’s meeting, the Macon County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to loosen those...
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Commissioners Danny Antoine, Gary Shields and Josh Young were the three votes needed to pass the new Franklin High financing plan on Aug. 13. At right is Commissioner John Shearl, who voted against the funding, along with Paul Higdon.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Commissioners Danny Antoine, Gary Shields and Josh Young were the three votes needed to pass the new Franklin High financing plan on Aug. 13. At right is Commissioner John Shearl, who voted against the funding, along with Paul Higdon.

Macon County approves FHS financing plan

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
After years of crunching numbers, disagreements, site visits, planning, hopes and dreams, the new Franklin High School project got the last local approval needed at the Macon County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Junior running back Zavion Ensley reaches for the pylon in a scrimmage versus Rabun County Aug. 9.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Junior running back Zavion Ensley reaches for the pylon in a scrimmage versus Rabun County Aug. 9.

Football scrimmages Rabun

Will Woolever
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Panther football has seen its first live game action of the year. Scarcely a week after their first official day of practice, on Aug. 9 Panther football traveled to Rabun County for a preseason scrimmage with the Wildcats. Ahead of their first regular-season game Aug.
Press file photo - The Nikwasi Mound and kiosk is downtown Franklin.

Press file photo - The Nikwasi Mound and kiosk is downtown Franklin.

Preservation and education at Nikwasi Mound

Mia Overton
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
The Nikwasi Initiative came before the Franklin Town Council on Aug. 5 to make requests as part of its new Mound Stewardship Plan and to give an update on some of the organization’s activities.
Press photo/Mia Overton - Crews from Chase Environmental Group and the Town of Franklin were working on Stewart Street Monday to remove potentially hazardous waste.

Press photo/Mia Overton - Crews from Chase Environmental Group and the Town of Franklin were working on Stewart Street Monday to remove potentially hazardous waste.

Radioactive waste removed from Stewart Street

Mia Overton
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Crews were working at the end of Stewart Street in downtown Franklin on Monday unearthing “potentially hazardous waste” believed to have been buried there decades ago.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High FFA Instructor Jenny Collins with Magnolia during a July 31 work session at the Macon County Fairgrounds.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Franklin High FFA Instructor Jenny Collins with Magnolia during a July 31 work session at the Macon County Fairgrounds.

Collins continues FFA stewardship

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
As many students took a long exhale this summer, Franklin High School’s Future Farmers Association students and their instructor Jenny Collins have been hard at work preparing for fair season. “We started off, graduation hit, and then we went to FFA camp and came back for practices,” Collins said.
Graphic/Town of Franklin - The Franklin Town Council has approved these expenditures using its remaining American Rescue Plan Act Funds.

Graphic/Town of Franklin - The Franklin Town Council has approved these expenditures using its remaining American Rescue Plan Act Funds.

Franklin Town Council approves spending plan for ARPA funds

Mia Overton
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
The Franklin Town Council has approved a plan for spending the remainder of its American Rescue Plan Act funds received during the COVID-19 pandemic. The town received $1.3 million and has $416,025 remaining. According to federal regulations the funds must be allocated by Dec.
Graphic/LS3P/Macon County Schools - A rendering of the new Franklin High School.

Graphic/LS3P/Macon County Schools - A rendering of the new Franklin High School.

Public hearing set for FHS financing plan

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Public hearings and possible votes on a $75.6 million Franklin High School bond and the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance are slated to highlight the Macon County Board Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13. The commissioners approved both public hearings at the July 9 meeting.