ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Back to School Safety Tips for the 2026-2027 School Year [Macon Media]
• 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. Dry through at least Saturday. Trending drier Sunday through Tuesday so confidence on rain returning is now very low. Temperatures remain mostly above normal, with the exception of Sunday.
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SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR
The weather is being sponsored by the Caleb for NC Campaign. Caleb is running for the NC House in District 120. Read more about his campaign at https://calebbrownfornc120.com. DAY SPONSOR
This space available
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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....Areas of fog this morning. Sunny. Visibility one quarter mile or less at times this morning. Highs around 70. East winds around 5 mph this morning, becoming light and variable.
.TONIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s. Light and variable winds, becoming north around 5 mph after midnight.
.FRIDAY....Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. North winds around 5 mph in the morning, becoming light and variable.
.FRIDAY NIGHT....Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. Light and variable winds, becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
.SATURDAY....Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 60s. East winds around 5 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the morning.
.SATURDAY NIGHT....Cloudy. Lows in the upper 40s.
.SUNDAY....Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Highs in the upper 50s.
.SUNDAY NIGHT....Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Lows in the upper 40s.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Low relative humidity could result in fires getting out of control this afternoon, so please exercise care when burning outdoors.
SPACE WEATHER FORECAST
Hazardous space weather is not in the current forecast. [LINK] https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=29&month=10&year=2026
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (3.1 out of 12) today with Ragweed, Chenopods, and Grasses being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (2.2 out of 12.0)
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MACON CALENDAR
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
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 OCTOBER 2026
11a to 1p at Friends of the Greenway, Inc.
573 E Main St, Franklin, NC 28734
contact: frog28734@gmail.com; 828-369-8488
TBA
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 81°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2016
Lowest Temperature 16°F in Highlands in 1903
Greatest Rainfall 5.98 inches in Highlands in 2020
Greatest Snowfall 0.5 inches in Highlands in 1910
Record weather events for October in Macon County
Highest Temperature 91°F in Franklin on Oct 5, 1954
Lowest Temperature 12°F in Highlands on Oct 30, 1910
Greatest Rainfall 1.0 inches in Highlands on Oct 4, 1964
Greatest Snowfall 1.0 inches in Highlands on Oct 20, 1913
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of October
Highest Temperature 103°F in Wadesboro, Anson County on Oct 3, 2019
Lowest Temperature 8°F in Banner Elk, Avery County on Oct 21, 1952
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 12.53 in Lumberton, Robeson County on Oct 8, 2016
Greatest Snowfall 11.0 inches in Mount Mitchell, Yancey County on Oct 25, 1990
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WNC News
• Man charged in fight at Early Voting [The Franklin Press]
AI is changing the look of political attack ads in North Carolina | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC
• Macon County Sheriff’s Office Terminates Deputy Named in Outside Criminal Investigation [The Franklin Press]
• Search underway for missing man near Jackson-Macon county line [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• Maggie Burleson retires as Asheville's city clerk [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Another fired by Sheriff, criminal investigation launched [Macon Sense]
• Two Macon deputies fired for misconduct [ Smoky Mountain News ]
• Waynesville's new town manager brings wealth of local knowledge [ The Mountaineer ]
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NC News
NC races, particularly U.S. Senate contest, fuel surge in political betting, prediction markets say | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
• There are only a few days left for early voting in NC. What to know before heading to the polls [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Vice President JD Vance rallies NC for Republicans with a notable shift in focus [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Purple Primer: Your Guide to the 2026 Elections in North Carolina [NC Local]
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National News
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - Oct. 28, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - Oct. 28 | NBC News
Washington Today (10-28-26): Fed holds interest rates steady | Trump campaigns in OH, Obama in GA | C-SPAN
• Hackers identify thousands of DHS employees in massive data breach [Washington Post ]
• Right-wing activist James O’Keefe charged with unlawful voting, identity theft [The Hill]
• Stolen election rhetoric from Trump isn’t new. His ability to act on those claims is [AP News]
• Trump and Obama trade barbs in closing week of US midterm election Yahoo News]
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Financial News
FOMC Press Conference, October 28, 2026 | Federal Reserve
Jeffrey Gundlach: Fed should be raising rates based on the two-year and yield curve steepening | CNBC Television
Fed Holds Rates With a Hawkish Edge| The Close 10/28/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• Fed votes in split decision to hold interest rates steady despite sticky inflation [Yahoo Finance]
• Trump methane policy rollback may have minimal impact on crude prices, EPA says [CNBC]
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World News
What are the US midterm elections and why are they crucial to Trump? | BBC News
Mein Schiff 3 Collision in Bremerhaven: What Happened? | What's Going on With Shipping?
Curfew imposed in certain areas of Paris every night until Monday morning | FRANCE 24 English
• N. Korea fires nearly dozen ballistic missiles after S. Korea's dialogue offer [Yonhap News Agency]
• 'Desolation, despair': Spain begins three days of mourning after deadly train crash [France 24]
• What to know about Brazil’s Bolsonaro’s departure to the US after his electoral defeat [AP News]
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Iran War News
Israel's political puzzle and what it could mean | DW News
• The Israel Netanyahu Made: Why Bibi’s National Security Vision Will Endure [Foreign Affairs]
• US warns allies to prepare for possible Iran strikes, retaliation after elections, AP sources say [AP News]
• Iran Update, October 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Iran war live: Trump says he approved Vance outreach over medical supplies [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: Netanyahu's Likud maintains lead with 91% of votes in as counting of double envelopes continues [Jerusalem Post]
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Russo-Ukraine War
Bonus Episode: Russian recruitment and sabotage | Call Sign Condor | DW News
Ukraine under fire ahead of planned Abu Dhabi talks | World News Tonight | TVP World
• Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine by attacking its energy grid, UN-backed inquiry says [AP News]
• Putin’s Strategy Is Working: Trump Could Salvage the Kremlin’s Objectives in Ukraine [Foreign Affairs]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russia’s alleged sabotage campaign in Europe raises fears of escalation [Al Jazeera]
• Ukraine and Russia begin Oleshky ceasefire for aid mission [DW News]
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Science News
The 50/50 Paradox: Why All Life on Earth is Left-Handed | Anton Petrov
• The weird science behind Mars’ weirdest cloud [Astronomy Magazine]
• TWiV 1368: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin [Microbe TV]
• TWiV 1369: Florida Model Makes Measles Great Again [Microbe TV]
• Moon Habitats May Use Layered Mylar to Block Extreme Heat [Universe Today]
• Your blood pressure could be dangerous even when your numbers look normal [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 23 – November 1 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
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Technology News
Only 5% of People Use AI Agents, and the Boom Is Just Starting | Yahoo Finance
Apple and Meta's AI gamble: The end of data centres? | AI Decoded | BBC News
Most AI News Is Useless for Developers. These 3 Stories Aren’t. | Educative
• The last, best hope for space tourism just rolled onto a runway in Arizona [Ars Technica]
• There Are 15,000 Ant Species on Earth. Blame the Asteroid That Killed the Dinosaurs [Gizmodo]
• Chile Blocks 1,954 Pirate TV URLs to Protect Citizens’ ‘Privacy and Personal Data’ [Torrent Freaks]
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Interesting Videos
The Forgotten Viking War That United England | Kings and Generals
The Theranos Trap | Hank Green
How Are Americans Affording $80,000 Trucks on $70,000 Salary | The Infographics Show
The Strange Case for Dark Matter Aliens with Daniel Whiteson | Event Horizon
Going Beyond Hubble and Roman to Find Planets With Atmospheres | Fraser Cain
New York City 4K LIVE Manhattan on Thursday Evening (October 22, 2026) | The NYC Walking Show
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CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin Bull Market Support Band | Benjamin Cowen
The Rise and Fall of Crypto's Flashiest Founder | Coin Bureau
• Is the Internet Safe Again After the PHP Nightmare? What You Need to Know [Decrypt]
• Bitcoin Core changes security policy as AI makes bugs easier to find [Coin Telegraph]
• Colombian Police Dismantle $42M Crypto Drug Laundering Ring [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 Thursday, October 29, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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