News

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Centennial Park remains closed as Macon County waits for clearance to begin work. Repairs have been delayed due to endangered species in the area.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Centennial Park remains closed as Macon County waits for clearance to begin work. Repairs have been delayed due to endangered species in the area.

Centennial Park work delayed

Thomas Sherrill
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
A section of the Little Tennessee River Greenway that has been closed could likely soon see work done to repair and reopen it. The river has undercut a section of the trail at Centennial Park, where the trail splits into two for a few hundred feet.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Workers are putting the finishing touches on the new skatepark on First Street in Franklin. The town hopes to have a ribbon cutting for the park in September.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Workers are putting the finishing touches on the new skatepark on First Street in Franklin. The town hopes to have a ribbon cutting for the park in September.

Skatepark nears completion

Mia Overton
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Work on the new skatepark is nearing completion and the Town of Franklin hopes to have a ribbon cutting for the park in September. Franklin Town Manager Amie Owens and Streets Supervisor Chris Waldroop gave an update on the park during the Aug. 7 Town Council meeting.
Press photo/Will Woolever - Sloan Street and First Street in East Franklin were among the areas the Franklin Town Council approved for rezoning. The property along those streets will now be R-1 residential rather than R-2.

Press photo/Will Woolever - Sloan Street and First Street in East Franklin were among the areas the Franklin Town Council approved for rezoning. The property along those streets will now be R-1 residential rather than R-2.

Town Council approves rezoning

Mia Overton
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
The Franklin Town Council approved rezoning five residential areas but will ask the Planning Board to further study the area along Old Murphy Road that was also recommended for rezoning.
Press photos/Mia Overton - The “80s stars of Wrestlemania” float won the grand prize for the 80s Flashback Parade on Aug. 5.

Press photos/Mia Overton - The “80s stars of Wrestlemania” float won the grand prize for the 80s Flashback Parade on Aug. 5.

80s Flashback Weekend largest ever

Mia Overton
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
This past weekend, folks celebrated the music and fashion of the 1980s while supporting a good cause. Dave Linn, organizer of the 80s Flashback Weekend, attended Monday night’s Franklin Town Council meeting to give a report on the event held Aug.
Press graphic

Press graphic

Legislators: State budget vote coming soon

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Since early July, Franklin’s two state legislators have been awaiting word to return to Raleigh and the N.C. General Assembly to vote on the biennium state budget. It looks like that vote won’t come until mid-August at the earliest, but it needs to happen before the month ends. Rep.
File photo - Macon County Transit offers the local Gem Route as well as door-to-door transportation and out-of-county trips.

File photo - Macon County Transit offers the local Gem Route as well as door-to-door transportation and out-of-county trips.

Transit to expand out-of-county service

News Staff
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Trinity Wimberly-Mann Intern thefranklinpressnews@gmail.com   Macon County Transit (MCT) is a public transportation service provided for Macon County. Two services are offered through MCT: a local route and door-to-door transportation.
Press graphic

Press graphic

Voter gap widens in Macon County

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
The gap between the number of registered Republicans and Democrats has widened several times over the last 20 years in Macon County and across rural North Carolina while the number of unaffiliated voters has also been climbing. According to voter registration data from Jan.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - New FHS Band Director Daniel Ball leads band camp on July 31.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - New FHS Band Director Daniel Ball leads band camp on July 31.

Ball takes reins of FHS Marching Band

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
For the first time in more than two decades, Franklin High School marching band members began their annual band camp with a new face leading them. This fall, Daniel Ball, formerly the music teacher at East Franklin and Cartoogechaye and FHS percussion assistant, will lead the Marching Panthers.
Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Jeff Gillette, John Vanhook, Kathy Tinsley, Lynne Harrison and Gary Dills take the oath of office for another term on the Macon County Board of Elections prior to the board’s July 18 meeting. Tinsley was re-appointed as board chair for another year.

Press photo/Thomas Sherrill - Jeff Gillette, John Vanhook, Kathy Tinsley, Lynne Harrison and Gary Dills take the oath of office for another term on the Macon County Board of Elections prior to the board’s July 18 meeting. Tinsley was re-appointed as board chair for another year.

Board sets 2023 municipal election schedule

Thomas Sherrill
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
The Macon County Board of Elections approved the plan for the 2023 municipal elections during its July 18 meeting, According to Macon County Board of Elections Director Melanie Thibault, early voting will start Thursday, Oct. 19 and continue through Saturday, Nov. 4.
File photo - Filing for the Town of Franklin elections closed July 21. The race for mayor and three town council seats will be uncontested.

File photo - Filing for the Town of Franklin elections closed July 21. The race for mayor and three town council seats will be uncontested.

Franklin mayor, council races uncontested

Mia Overton
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
With no contested races, the results of this fall’s Town of Franklin election are set, barring any unforeseen changes in the ballot. Filing for the Franklin and Highlands municipal elections closed at noon on July 21.