ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Town of Franklin Asks Residents to Observe Voluntary Water Restrictions [Macon Media]
• Nine N.C. counties in exceptional drought as statewide drought continues [Macon Media]
WEATHER OUTLOOK
1. Hot and humid conditions persist most of this week, with little relief until next weekend.
2. There is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms starting in the mid-to-late afternoon and a Slight Risk for Severe Weather across western North Carolina this evening. More seasonally-typical diurnal convection continues for most of the week.
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SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR
This space available
DAY SPONSOR
Young Tree Service is sponsoring Macon Media for today.
They provide complete tree care, are licensed and insured. Specializing in low ground impact. Danger tree removal. Crane Service, Pruning, Views, 24 hr emergency service. Call 828-421-0967 for more information.
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FORECAST
(since this is a quick forecast intended to cover the whole county, bear in mind that higher elevations may experience cooler temperatures than this and the lower elevations may experience higher temperatures than those in the forecast)
.TODAY....Sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. Highs in the mid 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
..TONIGHT....Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
..TUESDAY....Patchy fog in the morning. Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.
..TUESDAY NIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. North winds around 5 mph.
..WEDNESDAY....Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.
..WEDNESDAY NIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Slight chance of severe storms, mainly in the mid-to-late afternoon.
A few strong to severe storms will still be possible into Sunday.
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be n the medium-high (3.4 out of 12) today with Ragweed, Chenopods, and Grasses being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the medium-high range (8.0 out of 12.0)
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MACON CALENDAR
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
IMAGE
CULLASAJA GORGE FIRE AND RESCUE
New Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593295280100
All are welcome for an Open House on Aug 29th.
Hotdog dinner for donations only.
Come out to see the Firehouse with kid-friendly activities
and a state-of-the-art smoke trailer.
9 AM – 7 PM on 29th of August
3 PM VEHICLE TRAINING DEMO
HOTDOG DINNER ALL DAY
(828) 369-5010
104 River Rd
Franklin, NC 28734
Friends of the Greenway would like to invite you to our Christmas in July sale, July 22-25, 9-2 each day. Do some Christmas shopping early with 20% off everything in the Gift Shop. On Saturday, July 25th, have a Christmas cookie and enjoy great music from 11-1. Greenway Visitor Center/FROG Quarters, 573 E Main St, Franklin.
The many ways you can connect to Mountain Findings to arrange donation pick-ups, drop-off location, shopping hours, volunteering, and to learn more on our community grants programs and graduating seniors scholarships.
Facebook: @MountainFindings
Phone: 828-526-9929
Email: MountainFindings1@gmail.com
Webpage: MountainFindings.org
Location: 452 Spruce St, Highlands, NC
LIVE SATURDAY MIDDAY MUSIC CALENDAR FOR JUNE/JULY 2026
11a to 1p at Friends of the Greenway, Inc.
573 E Main St, Franklin, NC 28734
contact: frog28734@gmail.com; 828-369-8488
654:25 AM 7/28/2026 To find out more about the Greenway and our organization, our website is: littletennessee.org.
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WEATHER ALMANAC
Record Weather Events for this date in Macon County (1872-2025)
Highest Temperature 94°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2007
Lowest Temperature 48°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1979
Greatest Rainfall 2.25 inches in Highlands in 1982
Record weather events for July in Macon County
Highest Temperature 99°F in Franklin on Aug 9, 1980
Lowest Temperature 40°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Aug 29, 1968
Greatest Rainfall 9.68 inches in Highlands on Aug 13, 1940
Greatest Snowfall no measurable snowfall has been recorded since records started being kept in 1873
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of August
Highest Temperature 110°F Fayetteville, Cumberland County Aug 21, 1983
Lowest Temperature 31°F Banner Elk, Avery County Aug 23, 1930
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 12.43 in Morehead City, Carteret County Aug 12, 1955
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WNC News
Apple growers optimistic as crops recover from recent challenges | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC
• 'Strategy is still the same': Jamie Ager campaigns in Asheville after GOP opponent change [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• Candidates meet for Nantahala forum [The Franklin Press]
• Data center moratoriums and nonprofit funding dominate commissioner meeting [Macon Sense]
• Same knee surgery, twice the price: Hospital monopolies push up healthcare costs [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Highlands Nature center temporarily closes [Smoky Mountain News]
• Opinion: Where do all the apartment dwellers come from around here? [Asheville Watchdog ]
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NC News
Parents weigh in on Raleigh teen curfew proposal | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
• Safety and affordability: Why NC’s U.S. Senate candidates keep hitting the same themes [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• NC governor’s latest approval rating + Stein’s record on Cabinet confirmations [Raleigh News & Observer]
• No more ‘hypothetical situations’: States move to fortify elections against Trump [NC Local]
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National News
At least 7 killed after historic flooding: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - August 16, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News Full Episode - August | NBC News
Lectures in History Podcast: The American Revolution Era and the Rest of the World | C-SPAN
• Trump directs Hegseth to reduce US joint exercises in South Korea [The Hill]
• US pulls last aircraft carrier in Asia as Trump focuses on Iran and the Western Hemisphere [AP News]
• ‘Uncharted territory’: Second-largest reservoir in US plunges to a record low [Yahoo News]
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World News
Taliban celebrate as women kept 'out of sight' | Sky News
Ukraine hits Wildberries warehouse in Moscow region in one of largest strikes | World News Tonight | TVP World
• Trump orders Pentagon to 'substantially' reduce S. Korea-U.S. military exercises [Yonhap News Agency]
• North Korea conducts second ballistic missile test in less than a week [France 24]
• After killing hundreds in boat strikes, US military expands campaign on land in Latin America [AP News]
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Iran War News
US aircraft carrier on way to relieve USS Lincoln after issues reported on board | BBC News
• Iran Update Special Report, August 14, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Iran war live: Tehran warns of shift to offensive posture as US MoU expires [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: Trump praises Mecca defense agreement, Iraqi PM pledges to monopolize arms [Jerusalem Post]
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Russo-Ukraine War
The Warehouse War - The "Wildberries" Strikes, Economics & Russian Response | Perun
Ballistic missiles hammer Kyiv as Ukrainian drones strike Russia | Morning Report | TVP World
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 16, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• At least six people killed in Ukrainian missile attack on Russia’s Belgorod [Al Jazeera]
• Ukraine launches one of its largest aerial attacks of the war, killing at least 6 people in Russia [AP News]
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Financial News
$55 Billion Was Invested Here… It Made the Locals Poorer | Economics Explained
Massive Oil Spill Threatens Oman Coast | Horizons Middle East & Africa 8/17/2026| Bloomberg Television
• Key checks from Walmart and the big box stores: What to watch this week [Yahoo Finance]
• Strait of Hormuz shipping grinds to a halt ahead of U.S.-Iran ceasefire expiry [CNBC]
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Science News
Never Before Seen Helium Nova Is Shooting Cosmic Cannon Balls At Stars | Anton Petrov
• The Sky Today on Monday, August 17: Mars at Gemini’s feet [Astronomy Magazine]
• The Brightened Night Sky Nobody Actually Wanted [Universe Today]
• Scientists turn DNA into a memory device that uses 100x less power [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 24 – August 2 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
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Technology News
Orange Pi Zero 3W: Octa Core Arm SBC | ExplainingComputers
• Wildfire smoke now bigger prenatal threat than human sources of air pollution [Ars Technica]
• Dude Reportedly Hides Prompt Injections in Legal Filing, Just in Case Judge Is Really That Lazy [Gizmodo]
• Researchers Hunt Telegram Pirates with AI Tool, Flag Hundreds of Channels [Torrent Freaks]
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Interesting Videos
Sad News for Europa Exploration // Watching Pluto’s Atmosphere Fade Away // Auroras on Mars | Fraser Cain
Could We See Into Our Own Past? (And Other Questions) | Joe Scott
The First Exomoon/Exosatellite Discovered ... And its Weird | John Michael Godier
Will non-alcoholic wine save the winemakers? | DW Documentary
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CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin: The Winds of Winter | Benjamin Cowen
Wall Street Just Chose Ethereum OVER Bitcoin | Coin Bureau
• US senators sent revised ethics rules to White House for CLARITY Act: Report [Decrypt]
• Telegram founder Pavel Durov internationally wanted, Russia’s FSB says [Coin Telegraph]
• AI Economy Can Jumpstart Dollar Stablecoin Dominance [Bitcoin.com]
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Flock Cameras and Constitutional Rights
Flock Cameras Are Not Even the Worst Part of the System | TREX LABS
• Brickbat: Unlicensed Search [Reason Magazine]
• Police say Flock cameras help solve crimes, but critics call them an invasion of privacy [PBS News]
• Schmidt v. Norfolk [ACLU]
• Chatrie v. United States [SCOTUSblog]
• Under Surveillance: Constitutional Concerns Surrounding Flock Cameras [North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology]
• Research Report on Automatic License Plate Readers: Legal Status and Policy Recommendations for Law Enforcement Use [Brennan Cebnter for Justice]
This Flock Camera Leak is like Netflix For Stalkers | Benn Jordan and 404 Media
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Public Records Request for Macon County Flock Safety Cameras
As an independent citizen journalist covering local government in Macon County for over 16 years, I have submitted a public records request to the Macon County Sheriff’s Office for documents related to the Flock Safety automated license plate reader system. This request seeks contracts, board approvals, usage policies, camera locations, performance data, and related correspondence to promote full transparency and public accountability in how this surveillance technology is funded, deployed, and operated with taxpayer resources. By making these records available, we can separate facts from myths, address community concerns about privacy and effectiveness, and ensure informed civic dialogue about tools that impact public safety and individual rights in our rural mountain community.
| from: | Bobby Coggins robertcogginsjr@gmail.com | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| to: |
| ||
| cc: |
| ||
| date: | Jul 11, 2026, 2:13 AM | ||
| subject: | Public Records Request – Flock Safety Cameras / ALPR / License Plate Reader Contract & Related Documents – Macon County Sheriff’s Office | ||
| mailed-by: | gmail.com |
Sheriff’s Office Public Records Custodian,
Pursuant to the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. Chapter 132), I request the following records related to Flock Safety (or any automated license plate reader/ALPR system):
- All contracts, agreements, amendments, proposals, invoices, payment records, and correspondence between Macon County Sheriff’s Office (or County) and Flock Safety (or Flock Group, Inc.), including any subscription, installation, maintenance, or data access terms.
- Board of Commissioners agendas, minutes, resolutions, motions, or approvals authorizing the purchase, funding, or use of Flock cameras (including budget line items from FY 2023–2024 onward).
- Policies, procedures, manuals, training materials, or guidelines for use of the Flock system by Sheriff’s Office personnel (including access controls, data retention, audit logs, and privacy protections).
- Any usage statistics, reports, or summaries on camera performance, alerts generated, cases assisted, or data shared (redacted as necessary for law enforcement sensitivity).
- Location list or map of all deployed Flock cameras in Macon County.
- Any privacy impact assessments, legal opinions, or correspondence regarding compliance with NC law or data sharing.
Preferred format: Electronic copies (PDF/email) where possible. I am willing to pay reasonable costs; please notify me in advance if fees will exceed $50.
Please provide these records as soon as practicable. If any portion is denied, please provide a written explanation with the specific legal basis and contact information for appeal.
Thank you for your assistance. I can be reached at robertciogginsjr@gmail.com.
Sincerely, Bobby Coggins, Publisher Macon Media [robertciogginsjr@gmail.com]
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Published at 6:00am on Monday, August 17, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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