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 muggy conditions persist through the end of the week. Some relief arrives this weekend.
2. Diurnal showers and storms return Thursday, and persist through the end of the week. Drier conditions arrive again by Sunday.
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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....Patchy fog in the morning. Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. North winds around 5 mph.
.TONIGHT....Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s. Northwest winds around 5 mph in the evening, becoming light and variable.
.THURSDAY....Mostly sunny with a chance of showers. A chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT....A chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Partly cloudy with a chance of showers. Lows in the mid 60s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent. .FRIDAY....Showers likely. A chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
.FRIDAY NIGHT....Mostly cloudy. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Hazardous weather is not expected today or tonight.
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be n the medium-high (8.8 out of 12) today with Ragweed, Chenopods, and Grasses being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the medium-high range (8.1 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 95°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1999
Lowest Temperature 48°F in Highlands in 1919
Greatest Rainfall 2.19 inches in Highlands in 1935
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
Lightning caught on camera during severe storms (VIEWER VIDEO) | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC
• State board to weigh Jackson County early voting plans amid new documents presented [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• County debates nonprofit funding [The Franklin Press]
• Data center moratoriums and nonprofit funding dominate commissioner meeting [Macon Sense]
• Stein vetoes controversial changes to North Carolina court system [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Highlands Nature center temporarily closes [Smoky Mountain News]
• Global finance leaders to descend on Asheville for G20 summit [Asheville Watchdog ]
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NC News
Parents weigh in on Raleigh teen curfew proposal | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
• Stein vetoes election bill that would cut early voting, ramp up voter purges [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• NC violated duty to protect fish populations from collapse, judge rules [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Egg-static: NC food bank receives first delivery from 3 million egg antitrust settlement [NC Local]
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National News
Police report in Panettiere's death: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - Aug. 18, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News Full Episode - August 18 | NBC News
Washington Today (8-18-26): Spkr. Johnson campaigns in MI, MN sues TX to force ICE agent extradition | C-SPAN
• Democratic socialist notches surprise win in Florida Senate primary: 5 takeaways [The Hill]
• Preservation group urges Supreme Court to suspend Trump’s White House ballroom project [AP News]
• USS Benfold went days without power in the South China Sea [Yahoo News]
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World News
Russia has threatened the UK again. This is Why | Sky News
Moscow’s drone nightmare gets worse | Military Mind | TVP World
• N. Korea warns of 'self-defense' measures despite Trump's order to reduce drills with S. Korea [Yonhap News Agency]
• Iran reportedly weighs attacks on U.S. targets in Europe as UAE severs trade with Tehran [CNBC]
• Middle East live: Iran army chief warns Gulf countries not to help US military [France 24]
• Top US commander visits aircraft carrier, Gaza talks in Egypt and other Mideast news [AP News]
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Financial News
The Market is Wrong About the US Dollar | Benjamin Cowen
Unitree Shares Jump After $904M Shanghai IPO | The China Show | 8/19/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• 50% tariffs on Canadian goods paused as Trump and Canada reach last-minute deal [Yahoo Finance]
• Goldman studied where AI is squeezing labor markets. Here’s what it found [CNBC]
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Published at 6:00am on Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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