Regional

Vaccines

Vaccines

Vaccine clinic set for 16 and 17 year olds

(not verified)
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
With the help of regional partners, Macon County Public Health will host a special vaccine event April 23 to provide Pfizer vaccines to those who are 16 and 17 years old. Currently, Pfizer is the only vaccine approved for use for individuals as young as 16 years of age.
Photo/Eric Haggard - Highway 64 at Bridal Veil Falls will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day and will operate in a one-lane pattern with a traffic signal overnight from March 29 to April 16.

Photo/Eric Haggard - Highway 64 at Bridal Veil Falls will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day and will operate in a one-lane pattern with a traffic signal overnight from March 29 to April 16.

Safety repairs needed on U.S. 64 at Bridal Veil Falls

News Staff
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
N.C. Department of Transportation crews will perform a difficult repair on U.S. 64 at Bridal Veil Falls in Macon County from March 29 to April 16. The highway will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Photo submitted - A fisherman shows off his catch – a brown trout – caught in a local stream.

Photo submitted - A fisherman shows off his catch – a brown trout – caught in a local stream.

Finding refuge in fishing

Will Woolever
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
One of Macon County’s most prized assets has gotten a surprising boost. Between its picturesque setting, relatively clean waterways, and abundance of trout, Western North Carolina has long been considered one of the country’s foremost trout fishing destinations.
press photo/Will Woolever - Bald Head Realty owner/broker John Becker checks the company website in his Franklin office.

press photo/Will Woolever - Bald Head Realty owner/broker John Becker checks the company website in his Franklin office.

COVID creates housing boom

Will Woolever
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic brought world markets to a standstill and forced millions of people out of the workforce earlier this year, many industries across the economy were left struggling.
Earthquake

Earthquake

Earthquake shakes Macon

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Macon County residents had their quiet Sunday morning shaken when an 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Sparta, 230 miles away. The quake, which hit shortly after 8 a.m. on Aug. 9, shook houses and rattled windows throughout Macon County.
Unemployment

Unemployment

Macon’s unemployment rate lowest in region

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Macon County’s jobless rate fell to 6.6 percent in June, down from 10.9 percent in May. The county’s unemployment rate is the lowest in the seven far-western counties. Graham County had the highest rate at 9.3 percent, followed by Haywood and Jackson counties at 8.1 percent, Swain at 8.
Photo submitted - The $68 million replacement hospital, shown here in an artist’s rendering, is designed for efficiency and better access for patients, families and staff.

Photo submitted - The $68 million replacement hospital, shown here in an artist’s rendering, is designed for efficiency and better access for patients, families and staff.

New hospital set for 2022 opening

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
HCA Healthcare is putting the finishing touches on the design of a hospital in Franklin that will replace the current Angel Medical Center facility. HCA acquired property for the replacement hospital at One Center Court in November 2019.
David and Dawn Head

David and Dawn Head

Deputy, wife killed in crash

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Macon County is in mourning after a crash Saturday near Clayton, Georgia claimed the lives of sheriff’s deputy David Head and his wife, Dawn.
Press photo/Jake Browning - The Comfort Inn has been operating at about 20 percent capacity.

Press photo/Jake Browning - The Comfort Inn has been operating at about 20 percent capacity.

Hotels, campgrounds focused on survival

Jake Browning
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Gov. Roy Cooper’s three-phase plan to reopen the state doesn’t specifically mention hotels, campgrounds and other lodging sites, but owners of such businesses in Macon County are largely in agreement – they want to open back up as soon as possible.
Press graphic

Press graphic

Macon on track to reopen

Lee Buchanan
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Macon County has lifted the regulations put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19, effective May 8, and will allow hotels and other temporary lodging to open in time for Memorial Day. That news comes as Macon County reported its third COVID-19 case on April 29.