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. Another round of scattered convection with a few severe storms possible today. Less convective coverage is anticipated on Tuesday, but a few severe storms remain possible. A weak cold front brings increased coverage and the potential for more severe weather on Wednesday. ↑ Back to Top
SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR
This space available
This half price sale is for those who sign up during July and remains effect for the rest of the year. Current sponsors receive the half price discount automatically.
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....Patchy fog this morning. Mostly sunny this morning, then partly sunny with showers and thunderstorms likely this afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Light and variable winds, becoming southwest around 5 mph this afternoon. Chance of rain 70 percent.
.TONIGHT....Partly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. Light and variable winds, becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 50 percent.
.TUESDAY....Patchy fog in the morning. Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT....A chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Lows in the upper 60s. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
.WEDNESDAY....Showers likely in the morning, then showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Humid with highs around 80. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT....Showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then showers likely after midnight. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 90 percent.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Scattered showers and thunderstorms possible this afternoon and evening. A few storms may become strong to severe, producing strong gusty winds and localized flooding.
Thunderstorm activity to be more confined to the higher terrain Monday afternoon and evening. Heavy downpours and gusty winds could accompany any storms.
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (2.9 out of 12) today with Grasses, Plantain, Chenopods being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low-medium range (2.4 out of 3.0).
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MACON CALENDAR
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
Benefit for Randy Drinnon
July 25th at 5pm
Learn more on Facebook
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
7-25-2026---Bill Petersen will be singing the blues along with maybe some originals. Then, up from Florida, hear John Bois and the Emotional Support Band.
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 96°F in Franklin in 1986
Lowest Temperature 46°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2009
Greatest Rainfall 2.35 inches in Highlands in 1959
Record weather events for July in Macon County
Highest Temperature 101°F in Franklin on Jul 29, 1952
Lowest Temperature 34°F in Highlands on Jul 27, 1911
Greatest Rainfall 21.15 inches in Highlands on Jul 29, 1879
Greatest Snowfall no measurable snowfall has been recorded since records started being kept in 1873
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of July
Highest Temperature 109°F Albemarle, Stanly County Jul 28, 1940
Lowest Temperature 32°F Celo, Yancey County Jul 10, 1961
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 21.15 in Highlands, Macon County Jul 29, 1879
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WNC News
Shoppers change habits amid parasite concerns | WLOS-TV Asheville, NC
Reporter Denied Entry At Whatley Campaign Event on Public Property
NC News
NC protesters in Raleigh targets ICE policies, conduct | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
• Mass surveillance authorized on NC highways, all other state roads [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Under the Dome: Stein celebrates ongoing Helene recovery, hopes for increased housing supply [Raleigh News & Observer]
• NC AG Jackson calls on residents to weigh in on Chemours’ ‘backroom deal’ over PFAS [NC Newsline]
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National News
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - July 19th, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News Full Episode - July 19 | NBC News
• Trump defends data centers, slams New York's 'terrible' moratorium [USA TODAY]
• Political parties boast new clout and cash in midterms thanks to US Supreme Court [NC Newsline]
• State Department issues warning to Americans living and traveling abroad [The Hill]
• A wave of student loan borrowers have entered default since pandemic-era protections lapsed [AP News]
• Three deaths reported in New York City Legionnaires’ disease cluster [Yahoo News]
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World News
Black Sea Escalation: Ukraine Shifts Tactics to Target the Dark Fleet | What's Going on With Shipping?
The nuclear fusion rocket that could take humans to Mars faster | BBC News
• World Cup 2026: Spain crowned champions after extra-time thriller against Argentina [France 24]
• Iran Update Special Report, July 19, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 19, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• From e-waste to early warning: Lithuanian start-up turns old phones into drone detectors [TVP World]
• Video circulating appears to show moment Iran missiles hit Jordan base, killing 2 US service members [AP News]
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Iran War News
War threatens fragile Gulf-Iran diplomacy | DW News
• Iran Update Special Report, July 19, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Iran war live: US military completes ninth night of strikes on Iran [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: US completes round of strikes against Iran, Gulf State citizens condemn Iranian aggression [Jerusalem Post]
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Russo-Ukraine War
Ukraine's Naval Blitz - The Azov Sea Escalation, Russian Retaliation & Export Economics | Perun
Kyiv hit by Russia’s biggest ballistic missile strike yet | World News Tonight | TVP World
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 19, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russia launches largest ballistic missile attack on Kyiv since start of war [Al Jazeera]
• Russian attacks kill 6 in Kyiv and other cities and expose gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses [AP News]
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Financial News
Alibaba's Qwen Model Raises Stakes in AI Race | The China Show | 7/20/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• As defaults on student loans surge, millions are trying to get their lives back on track [Fortune Magazine]
• Big Tech earnings test tech's big rotation: What to watch this week [Yahoo Finance]
• From ‘Super El Niño’ to Europe’s extreme heatwave: How this year’s weather shocks are rattling commodity markets [CNBC]
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Science News
What Are the Limits of Human Knowledge? | Isaac Arthur
• The Case of the Sun's Missing Silver [Universe Today]
• Scientists found two powerful new ways to destroy forever chemicals [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 17 – 26 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
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Technology News
What's The Difference Between Dolby Cinema And IMAX? | Engadget
• India’s first privately-developed rocket reaches orbit on dramatic debut launch [Ars Technica]
• Zoox Issues Recall After Heavy Smoke Caused a Robotaxi to Enter an Active Emergency Scene [Gizmodo]
• FIFA World Cup Triggers a Global Anti-Piracy Crackdown [Torrent Freaks]
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Interesting Videos
We Asked the Universe About Dark Energy Again. It Gave the Same Strange Answer | PBS Space Time
What Would It Cost to Keep The ISS Up? | Q&A 441 | Fraser Cain
Why the Lunar-Mass Primordial Black Hole Discovery Was Just Debunked | Anton Petrov
Nigeria’s mysterious art treasures | DW Documentary
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CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Ethereum: Dubious Speculation | Benjamin Cowen
• GPT-5.6 vs Fable 5 Review: Which One You Pick Depends on These Factors [Decrypt]
• Will the US get CLARITY this week? Bitcoin’s new $80K target: Hodler’s Digest, July 19 [Coin Telegraph]
• The Man Who Threw Away $900 Million and Spent 12 Years Trying to Dig It Back Up [Bitcoin.com]
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Flock Cameras and Constitutional Rights
We Hacked Flock Safety Cameras in under 30 Seconds. 🫥 | Benn Jordan
• 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, July 20, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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