ANNOUNCEMENTS
Election Briefing (Focusing on Races Maconians could vote in) LINK to Liveblog: https://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2026/11/results2026110300.html
All results remain unofficial pending the canvass.
Roy Cooper won the U.S. Senate race 58.7% to 39.1% (about 823,000 votes), even though Macon went for Whatley 57.0% to 40.2%. NC-11 followed the same pattern: Jamie Ager carried the district 57.1% to 41.3% while losing Macon to Balkcom 56.9% to 40.9%. Republicans held the two legislative seats, with Kevin Corbin winning NC Senate 50 58.2% to 41.8% and Karl Gillespie took NC House 120 67.9% to 32.1%, both with even larger margins in Macon.
Locally, the sales tax is failing by just 9 votes (7,862 Against to 7,853 For) and could still flip at the canvass. Commissioner D1 was the closest candidate race, with Shearl defeating Lunn 54.6% to 45.4%. Burns and Castle won both District 2 seats, Shields took Education D02, and Breeden won D04 easily. The other five referendums all passed with 70–76% voting For.
• 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. Unseasonably warm and humid conditions are expected for the remainder of the week, with shower and thunderstorm chances increasing today and lingering through Friday.
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SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR
The weather is being sponsored by the Caleb for NC Campaign. Caleb would like to thank everyone who supported his campaign. 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....Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog this morning. A chance of rain this morning, then rain likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. Visibility one quarter mile or less at times this morning. Highs around 60. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.
.TONIGHT....Rain with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then rain likely after midnight. Widespread dense fog after midnight with visibility one quarter mile or less at times. Near steady temperatures in the upper 50s. South winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
.THURSDAY....Partly sunny. Widespread dense fog in the morning with visibility one quarter mile or less at times. Highs in the mid 60s. South winds around 5 mph.
.THURSDAY NIGHT....Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. Light and variable winds, becoming northwest around 5 mph after midnight.
.FRIDAY....Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.
.FRIDAY NIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 40s.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Showers and a few storms are expected today, especially during the afternoon hours. A few strong to marginally severe storms are possible with damaging winds as the main concern. A brief spin up tornado also can`t be ruled out. Also, a Wind Advisory is in effect through this evening. Southeast winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are expected.
SPACE WEATHER FORECAST
Hazardous space weather is not in the current forecast. [LINK] https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=04&month=11&year=2026
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (0.4 out of 12) today with Ragweed and Chenopods being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (0.4 out of 12.0)
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MACON CALENDAR
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
Preparing for Winter Weather Emergencies
Join us at the Crawford Senior Center located at 108 Wayah Street, at 10 a.m. on November 24, 2026, to learn how to prepare for winter weather emergencies. Call 828-349-2058 ext. 0 for more information.
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 NOVEMBER 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 83°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2003
Lowest Temperature 10°F in Highlands in 2006
Greatest Rainfall 2.39 inches in Highlands in 1923
Greatest Snowfall (no measurable snow fell on this date)
Record weather events for November in Macon County
Highest Temperature 83°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Nov 4, 2003
Lowest Temperature -3°F in Highlands on Nov 25, 1950
Greatest Rainfall 4.69 inches in Highlands on Nov 29, 1914
Greatest Snowfall 6.0 inches in Highlands on Nov 28, 1922
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of November
Highest Temperature 89°F in Asheboro, Randolph County on Nov 7, 2024
Lowest Temperature -12°F in Grandfather Mountain, Avery County on Nov 15, 1969
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 9.70 in Lake Toxaway, Transylvania County on Nov 19, 2003
Greatest Snowfall 13.0 inches in Mount Mitchell, Yancey County on Nov 1, 2014
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WNC News
• Press Release: Treasured Finds Get New Life: Mountain Findings Volunteers Tour Satolah Creek Farm [The Franklin Press]
Election 2026: Breakdown of voting results in western North Carolina | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC
• Early Voting Totals by Party Registration in Macon County [The Franklin Press]
• Election 2026 live updates: Roy Cooper wins Senate, Jamie Ager wins NC-11 seat [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• Results roll in for North Carolina on Election Day 2026 | Live updates [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Early voting closes with more than 10K ballots cast [The Franklin Press]
• Franklin Christmas Parade Set for November 29; 828 VETS Named Grand Marshal [Macon Sense]
• Blue wave hits Jackson’s board of commissioners [ Smoky Mountain News ]
• Results are in: Who will represent NC in the U.S. Senate? [ The Mountaineer ]
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NC News
Former NC Gov Roy Cooper gives US Senate victory speech in 2026 Elections | WRAL-TV (Durham, NC)
• Democrats gain NC House majority for first time since 2010. GOP clings to Senate power, for now [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• President Trump persuaded these NC voters, but not the way he intended [Raleigh News & Observer]
• North Carolina Live Election Results 2026 [NC Local]
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National News
2026 Election Results: Democrats Win Control of House and Senate. What You Need to Know - November 4 | ABC News
Full speech: James Talarico projected winner in Texas Senate race | NBC News
House Democratic Leader Jeffries (NY) Delivers Remarks on Election Night | C-SPAN
WATCH: Speaker Mike Johnson delivers remarks after Republicans lose control of House | PBS NewsHour
• Five takeaways on a midterm rout for Democrats [The Hill]
• Democrats win the US House and Senate as voters deliver a strong rebuke to Trump and Republicans [AP News ]
• 'I wasn't on the ballot': Trump distances himself from midterm results Yahoo News]
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Financial News
Pension Ticking Time Bomb 11/4/26 | CNBC Television
Election 2026 Special Coverage | Part 4 | Bloomberg Television
• Democrats won control of Congress. Their economic agenda is set to target healthcare, tariffs, and Trump's allies [Yahoo Finance]
• 5 midterm election takeaways: Tech billionaires suffer as Democrats drub Republicans [CNBC]
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World News
Key moments from a night of midterm election firsts | BBC News
MV Espirito Santo Express: Tracking the Salvage & Fire in the South Atlantic | What's Going on With Shipping?
South Korea pushes digital detox for young people addicted to screens | FRANCE 24 English
• N. Korea fires multiple missiles toward East Sea: JCS [Yonhap News Agency]
• US Democratic tsunami: Three major challenges facing Israel after Republican defeat - analysis [Jerusalem Post]
• US midterms in charts: Democrats win majority in House and Senate [France 24]
• Iran war live: Khamenei warns of ‘broader retaliation’ if US renews attacks [Al Jazeera]
• Russian strikes disrupt water and power in Kyiv as rescuers still search for survivors in the south [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
Russia’s Oil Nightmare Just Returned IN FORCE | Paul Warburg
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
How Did We Miss This Massive Object in Our Backyard? | Anton Petrov
• Mars’ moon Phobos is destined to become a ring [Astronomy Magazine]
• TWiV 1370: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin [Microbe TV]
• TWiV 1371: How to Bat Away Marburg Virus [Microbe TV]
• New Research Resolves the Mystery Behind Van Gogh's The Starry Night [Universe Today]
• Even moderate drinking linked to cancer and early death, major study finds [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 30 – November 8 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
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Technology News
Americans Don't Want AI Data Centers Anymore. Here's Why. | 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
• Flesh-eating screwworms spread to third state and are attacking pets [Ars Technica]
• NASA’s Begging the Commercial Space Industry to Save the Doomed Hubble Telescope [Gizmodo]
• Ex-Meta Researcher Torrented Pirated Books Dataset, Deleted It ‘Due to All This Litigation’ [Torrent Freaks]
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Interesting Videos
Yugoslavia 1991: How the Wars Began | Kings and Generals
Charlie Brown and the Quiet Sadness of Growing Up | DoctorW42
Why Russia Thinks It Can Attack Europe and WIN | RealLifeLore
Nuclear War Myths: Would Civilization Really End? | Isaac Arthur
Why a Russia vs Europe Nuclear War would not be so one-sided | Fraser Cain
New York City Halloween Parade 2026 🎃 53rd Annual Village Halloween Parade NYC | The NYC Walking Show
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CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin: The Beauty of Mathematics (Part 74) | Benjamin Cowen
.Why AI Insiders Are Cashing Out | Coin Bureau
• Bitcoin ETF Investors Head for the Exits After Record Binance Hack [Decrypt]
• Binance net outflows surge to $5.8B as withdrawals resume after record hack [Coin Telegraph]
• This Week in Crypto Law (November 1, 2026) [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 Wednesday, November 04, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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