News

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Early Voting begins Feb. 12

News Staff
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Early voting for the 2026 Primary Election begins on Thursday, Feb. 12, and continues through Saturday, Feb. 28. Early voting will be conducted in two locations and you can vote in either one: • Robert Carpenter Community Building, 1288 Georgia Rd., Franklin • Highlands Civic Center, 600 N.
Press photo/Rachel Hoskins - Citizen of the Year Dr. Jennifer Brown speaks at the Chamber of Commerce banquet on Feb. 3.

Press photo/Rachel Hoskins - Citizen of the Year Dr. Jennifer Brown speaks at the Chamber of Commerce banquet on Feb. 3.

Brown named Citizen of the Year

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Dr. Jennifer Brown has served children and Macon County for decades as a pediatrician and as a founding member of KIDS Place. On Feb. 3, she was awarded Citizen of the Year from the Franklin Chamber of Commerce.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - New CHSA director Kim Dills (left) attends her first board meeting as Garrett Higdon is selected as the board’s chair.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - New CHSA director Kim Dills (left) attends her first board meeting as Garrett Higdon is selected as the board’s chair.

Consolidated board holds first meeting

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
The Macon County Consolidated Human Services Agency (CHSA) Board held its first meeting Jan. 27, which was also the first meeting for new CHSA Director Kim Dills.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Students from Franklin High School Student Leadership dropped by the Macon County Schools office to deliver gifts to the school board for School Board Appreciation Month. From left: Jim Breedlove, Hilary Wilkes, Arlene Perez, Ashlee Hernandez, Stephanie Laseter, Meliah Mason, Diedre Breeden and Josh Lynch.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Students from Franklin High School Student Leadership dropped by the Macon County Schools office to deliver gifts to the school board for School Board Appreciation Month. From left: Jim Breedlove, Hilary Wilkes, Arlene Perez, Ashlee Hernandez, Stephanie Laseter, Meliah Mason, Diedre Breeden and Josh Lynch.

BOE renews contract for student mental health services

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
The Macon County Board of Education started off the new year on a high note, voting to expand a mental health contract to allow a nonprofit to conduct counseling sessions on-campus.
Photo/Bob Scott - John Bueck scraping Summit Drive in Franklin.

Photo/Bob Scott - John Bueck scraping Summit Drive in Franklin.

First snowfall of 2026

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
The snowstorm that never came the weekend of Jan. 24 finally arrived, delivering five to seven inches of powder to Franklin.  Macon County saw its first good snowfall of 2026 over the weekend, seeing precipitation start late in the evening on Friday, Jan.
Press photo/Shelby Powell Dan Bolick with his winning entries from the Creative Arts Festival. He won first place for the spoon carving (right).

Press photo/Shelby Powell Dan Bolick with his winning entries from the Creative Arts Festival. He won first place for the spoon carving (right).

Bolick wins national carving competition

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Macon County veteran Dan Bolick carved out a first place win in a national competition presented by the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Foundational damage to the now-condemned attendant building at the Carson center.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Foundational damage to the now-condemned attendant building at the Carson center.

Date for new Carson Convenience Center unknown

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
A new site for the Carson Convenience Center has been a project six years in the making. After years of complications and delays, development of the center remains in limbo with Interim Solid Waste Director Jamie Picou unwilling to commit to a projected date.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Dustin Pendergrass speaks to the Cowee, Burningtown and Iotla community members Cowee Volunteer Fire and Rescue now serves.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Dustin Pendergrass speaks to the Cowee, Burningtown and Iotla community members Cowee Volunteer Fire and Rescue now serves.

Fire Dept. seeks better insurance rating

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Cowee Volunteer Fire and Rescue held the district’s first official community meeting following the 2025 merger of Burningtown-Iotla and Cowee fire districts, touting training numbers and response times to residents.
Photo/Bob Scott - Macon County escaped the worst of Winter Storm Fern, but people were preparing for the possibility of icy roads and power outages over the weekend. A line of folks was waiting to fill up propane tanks at Tractor Supply on Saturday.

Photo/Bob Scott - Macon County escaped the worst of Winter Storm Fern, but people were preparing for the possibility of icy roads and power outages over the weekend. A line of folks was waiting to fill up propane tanks at Tractor Supply on Saturday.

County responds to cold snap

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
The winter storm that swept across the midwestern United States mostly diminished into a rain event by the time it crossed into Macon County, but the county still saw power outages and closures from the storm.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Macon County librarian Abby Hardison answers questions about Jackson County proposals to change the FRL Interlocal Agreement during the Jan. 13 Board of Commissioners meeting.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Macon County librarian Abby Hardison answers questions about Jackson County proposals to change the FRL Interlocal Agreement during the Jan. 13 Board of Commissioners meeting.

Commissioners approve library amendments

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
The Macon County Board of Commissioners approved two of three amendments to the Fontana Regional Library Interlocal Agreement proposed by Jackson County.