Weather Briefing for Monday, April 06, 2026

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• ...OUTDOOR BURN BAN IN EFFECT...

• [Public Safety Notifications]

• [SEVERE WEATHER CHANNEL]

 
• You can now support Macon Media with a $1.99 monthly Facebook subscription at [LINK]

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NWS GENERAL OUTLOOK

Cooler and drier weather will be on tap today through tonight, as high pressure builds in from the northwest. Highs today will be a few degrees below normal, and lows will be near normal tonight. Despite a weak, dry cold front crossing the mountains tonight, the mountain valleys may decouple and cool down enough for some patchy frost.

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WEATHER SPONSOR

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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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GENERAL 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....Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

..TONIGHT....Mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s. North winds around 5 mph.

..TUESDAY....Patchy frost in the morning. Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. North winds around 5 mph.

..TUESDAY NIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph after midnight.

..WEDNESDAY....Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s.

..WEDNESDAY NIGHT....Mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.

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HAZARDOUS WEATHER



Local and state-wide burn bans are in place until further notice.



Hazardous fire weather conditions will be possible across parts of the area early to middle of this week.

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NEWS UPDATES
(Links aggregated to show what various news outlets are reporting)

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State and Local News

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• Paxton Media Group acquires nine titles from Community Newspapers, Inc. [Graham Star]

Officers honor passed NC representative and fire chief amid anti-speeding campaign | WLOS-TV (Asheville, NC)



• 'My heart grieved': Loved ones celebrate life of longtime politician Rep. Mike Clampitt [WLOS-TV (Asheville, NC)]

• NC joins lawsuit over Trump’s mail-in ballot order, calling it an unconstitutional power grab [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]

• Who paid to help oust NC’s Phil Berger? Voters may never know. Here’s why [Raleigh News and Observer]

• 2026 homelessness count results are in. But who make up the numbers? [Asheville Citizen-Times]

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Other News

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• Iran Beefs Up Defenses, Recruits Children as It Prepares for Ground War [WSJ]

Strait of Hormuz WEEK 5 Update | Is the Strait OPEN or CLOSED? | Have We Gone Full Looney Tunes?| What's Going on With Shipping?



• Iran Update Special Report, April 4, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]

• AP News Liveblog [AP News]

• Jerusalem Post Liveblog [Jerusalem Post]

• BBC Liveblog [BBC News]

• Al Jazeera Liveblog [Al Jazeera]

• Fox News Liveblog [Fox News]

Mission to rescue U.S. airman from Iran: What we know | CBS News



'You'll be living in hell': Trump warns Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz | Sky News



Meet the Press Full Episode — April 5 | NBC News



• How Pam Bondi lost her job [CNN]

• Satellite firm Planet Labs to indefinitely withhold Iran war images [Reuters]

• It’s time for Artemis II to break Apollo 13’s distance record. What to know about the moon flyby [AP News]

• Airman rescue shows US can penetrate enemy territory 'anywhere' in Iran, former Pentagon official warns [Fox News]

• How income and costs affect everyone differently [Yahoo News]

• Trump’s Iran ultimatum and signals of a possible deal keep investors on tenterhooks [CNBC]

Bloomberg This Weekend | Daring Rescue Mission, OPEC Meeting on Energy Crisis, TMZ Goes to DC | Bloomberg Television



ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - April 5, 2026 | ABC News



Pope Leo's political voice and how much influence he holds | PBS NewsHour



Q&A Podcast: Jennifer Levasseur, Space History Curator | C-SPAN



Pipeline scare before elections: Plot or political setup? | World News Tonight | TVP WORLD



• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 05, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]

• What we know so far about rescue of US airman in Iran [BBC News]

• Malaysia joins growing list of countries turning to WFH amid fuel crisis [News.com.au]

• Trump drops Easter Sunday f-bomb in new threat to Iran [The Hill]

• 'Simple' popular vote plan would mean chaos for 2028 election | Opinion [USA TODAY]

Assessing Iran's military power after a month of war | DW News



• Visible planets and night sky guide for April [EarthSky]

• Mars dust storms are sparking electricity and rewriting the planet’s chemistry [Science Daily ]

• I Regret to Inform You That the Artemis II Astronauts Are Having Lots of Screen Time [Gizmodo]

• Trump proposes steep cut to NASA budget as astronauts head for the Moon [Ars Technica]

• NASA's Artemis 3 mission: Practicing docking in Earth orbit [Space.com]

First Scientific Confirmation of Consciousness in a Tiny Fish | Anton Petrov



Artemis II: Was it Everything I Expected? | Scott Manley



• AI Giant Anthropic Files to Launch 'AnthroPAC' Amid Clash With Trump Administration [Decrypt]

• Rich Bitcoin traders lost $337M daily in first quarter of 2026 [Coin Telegraph]

Bitcoin: The Dangers of Complacency | Benjamin Cowen


xxx | xxx

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If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.

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Published at 6.00am on Sunday, April 05, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins







Both are in drydock for maintenance. Comfort is due out in April, Mercy in July. There was an incident a US Navy submariner was airlifted by a Danish Defense Seahawk helicopter, deployed from the Vædderen, a Danish military patrol ship. Maybe he's upset that we required medical assistance from them. That's funny, because the Mercy won't be available until July 2026 and the Comfort won't be available until at least April 2026. 42m Reply Top fan Bobby Coggins There was an incident a US Navy submariner was airlifted by a Danish Defense Seahawk helicopter, deployed from the Vædderen, a Danish military patrol ship. Maybe he's upset that we required medical assistance from them. -->

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He Is Risen!

 

Matthew Chapter 28

He Is Risen

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

The Women Worship the Risen Lord

9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

The Soldiers Are Bribed

11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. 

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Weather Briefing for Good Friday, April 03, 2026

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• ...OUTDOOR BURN BAN...

• [Public Safety Notifications]

• [SEVERE WEATHER CHANNEL]

 
• You can now support Macon Media with a $1.99 monthly Facebook subscription at [LINK]

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NWS GENERAL OUTLOOK

1. Well above normal and humid with scattered showers and thunderstorms possible during peak heating hours Saturday.

2. The passage of a cold front Sunday will bring the best chance for rainfall at any time over the next week. The risk of flooding rain or severe weather appears to be low.

3. Cold air could bring frost or a freeze to parts of the NC mountains, foothills, and northwest Piedmont in the early to middle part of next week, particularly Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Protection of sensitive vegetation might be necessary.

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WEATHER SPONSOR

This space available

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DAY SPONSOR

Macon Media is being underwritten today by Bourbon & Bacon. (Formerly Franklin Office Supply)
Visit their store at 161 Highlands Road in Franklin or check out their website at bourbonandbaconfs.com

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GENERAL 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. Highs in the lower 70s. South winds around 5 mph.

..TONIGHT....Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. South winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

..SATURDAY....Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. A chance of showers in the morning, then showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

..SATURDAY NIGHT....Showers. Lows in the mid 50s. South winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.

..SUNDAY....Cloudy with showers in the morning, then partly sunny with a chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 90 percent.

..SUNDAY NIGHT....Partly cloudy. Cooler with lows in the upper 30s.

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HAZARDOUS WEATHER



Local and state-wide burn bans are in place until further notice.



Friday through Sunday will bring daily chances for isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms. Widespread severe weather is not expected at this time.

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NEWS UPDATES
(Links aggregated to show what various news outlets are reporting)

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State and Local News

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Does this road really need 318 curves in 11 miles, or could we have done it better? | TheGeoModels



The 1776 expedition that shaped western North Carolina, left lasting impact on Cherokee | WLOS-TV (Asheville, NC)



• NCDEQ: Drought intensifies in North Carolina [Macon Media]

• WNC wildfire updates for Thursday, April 2, 2026 [WLOS-TV (Asheville, NC)]

• NC Supreme Court throws out Leandro lawsuit [Macon Media]

• NC Supreme Court throws out multibillion-dollar plan, ends long-running Leandro lawsuit [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]

• Why some oppose NC Supreme Court decision to throw out school funding lawsuit [Raleigh News and Observer]

• Forest Service plan violates Endangered Species Act, judge rules [Asheville Citizen-Times]

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Other News

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Are Ships Breaking Out of the Strait of Hormuz | Report from A Ship in the Persian Gulf | What's Going on With Shipping?



US Army chief ousted mid‑war as Trump ramps up strikes on Iran | Al Jazeera



• Iran Update Special Report, April 2, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]

• AP News Liveblog [AP News]

• Jerusalem Post Liveblog [Jerusalem Post]

• BBC Liveblog [BBC News]

• Al Jazeera Liveblog [Al Jazeera]

• Fox News Liveblog [Fox News]

Watch: Artemis II astronauts take questions on their way toward the moon | CBS News



The world's next global chokepoint? | Iran War Briefing Day 34 with Sean Bell | Sky News



Florida sheriff releases video showing Tiger Woods’ DUI arrest | NBC News



• Trump unveils 100% tariff on some patented drugs on ‘Liberation Day’ anniversary [AP News]

• US Interim Attorney General Todd Blanche calls speculation surrounding Bondi's firing 'simply not true' [Fox News]

• Mortgage rates rise for 5th straight week above 6%: Mortgage and refinance interest rates today [Yahoo News]

• The March jobs report will be released on Friday. Here’s what to expect [CNBC]

Trump Removes Bondi After Chaotic DOJ Tenure | Balance of Power 04/02/2026 | Bloomberg Television



ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - April 2, 2026 | ABC News



PBS News Hour full episode, April 2, 2026 | PBS NewsHour



Washington Today (4-2-26): AG Bondi ousted; WH ballroom approved; UN Sec Gen warns of 'wider war' | C-SPAN



Does Trump’s NATO criticism weaken European security? | World News Tonight | TVP WORLD



• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 02, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]

• Hegseth asks US Army's top general to step down [BBC News]

• Bondi’s stormy tenure ends with her dismissal [The Hill]

Macron rejects Trump on Iran and NATO | DW News



• Visible planets and night sky guide for April [EarthSky]

• SpaceX Starship could slash travel time to Uranus in half [Science Daily ]

• 5 Things You May Have Missed During NASA’s Historic Launch of Artemis 2 [Gizmodo]

• SpaceX tries to convince FCC that Amazon put satellites into wrong altitude [Ars Technica]

• Lucky airplane passengers capture NASA's Artemis 2 moon launch from the sky [Space.com]

The Space Habitat Diaspora – Humanity Spreads Without Planets | Isaac Arthur



New Species Uncovered in Egypt Redefines Human Origins | 7 Days of Science



• Elon Musk's X Is Making Big Changes to Combat Crypto Scams [Decrypt]

• CFTC sues 3 states over prediction market regulatory authority [Coin Telegraph]

Bitcoin: The Beauty of Mathematics (Part 69) | Benjamin Cowen


xxx | xxx

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Support Macon Media


• [SEVERE WEATHER CHANNEL]

 
• You can now support Macon Media with a $1.99 monthly Facebook subscription at https://www.facebook.com/MaconMediaNews/posts/pfbid0sraDv94aqwTXUA5KqivnmL3U4H5bhjgkZkYdmknBUx5fedENQXAWuQZqndTyNhUel?comment_id=1161740932841534

If you receive value from what Macon Media provides to the community, please consider becoming a supporter and contribute at least a dollar a month. Those who support Macon Media with at least a dollar a month receive early access to video of some events and meetings before they are made public on the website. Videos and news involving public safety are not subject to early access.

Become a Patron!


Or, if you prefer Pay Pal, try PayPal.me/MaconMedia


Published at 6.00am on Friday, April 03, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins







Both are in drydock for maintenance. Comfort is due out in April, Mercy in July. There was an incident a US Navy submariner was airlifted by a Danish Defense Seahawk helicopter, deployed from the Vædderen, a Danish military patrol ship. Maybe he's upset that we required medical assistance from them. That's funny, because the Mercy won't be available until July 2026 and the Comfort won't be available until at least April 2026. 42m Reply Top fan Bobby Coggins There was an incident a US Navy submariner was airlifted by a Danish Defense Seahawk helicopter, deployed from the Vædderen, a Danish military patrol ship. Maybe he's upset that we required medical assistance from them. -->

Read More

NC Supreme Court throws out Leandro lawsuit

NC Supreme Court throws out multi-billion dollar plan in long-running Leandro lawsuit | WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC) 

The North Carolina Supreme Court on Thursday threw out the multi-billion dollar plan to improve North Carolina’s public schools in the long-running lawsuit known as Leandro.

The 111-page ruling invalidates most of the last decade's worth of work in the case. In particular, it vacates the 2022 state Supreme Court decision that authorized the funding of the plan in a method that bypassed the state General Assembly, prompting challenges from legislative leaders and the state's controller. [Read More] 

Read the ruling [PDF] 

Macon Media Summary

The Leandro case is a long-running North Carolina lawsuit (started in 1994) that says the state constitution requires every child to receive a "sound basic education." This includes enough qualified teachers and principals, proper classroom resources, and extra support for students who need it—especially in lower-wealth or rural areas like many parts of western North Carolina.

Over the years, courts developed a comprehensive plan to fix these problems. It called for billions of extra state dollars statewide for higher teacher pay, more counselors and support staff, better services for students with disabilities, and other improvements to help public schools.

Earlier court orders (including a 2022 Supreme Court decision) had said the state must fund this plan, even if the legislature didn't want to spend that much. This would have sent additional money to school districts across North Carolina, including Macon County Schools.

What the April 2026 Ruling Changes

On April 2, 2026, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to largely reject that multi-billion-dollar court-ordered plan and the requirements forcing the state to pay for it.

For residents of Macon County, this means:

• The big, guaranteed increases in state funding that Macon County Schools were counting on (or hoping for) under the Leandro plan are no longer required.
• Local schools will not automatically receive the extra money that could have gone toward raising teacher salaries, adding support staff like counselors or nurses, improving special education services, or other upgrades.
• Funding for Macon County public schools will now go back to the usual process: the North Carolina General Assembly decides how much money to send to schools through the regular state budget. Local county commissioners also play a role in supplementing that with local funds.

In short: Macon County Schools won't get the forced statewide Leandro money boosts that some districts had been planning around. Any improvements will depend on what state lawmakers in Raleigh choose to fund in future budgets, plus decisions made by the Macon County Board of Commissioners.

Why This Matters for Local Education in Macon County

Macon County is a rural county in the mountains of western North Carolina. Rural districts like our face extra challenges, such as:

• attracting and keeping qualified teachers (especially in subjects like math, science, or special education)
• serving students who may need more support due to poverty, transportation issues, or other local factors
• operating with tighter budgets compared to larger urban districts

Because of this, the Leandro plan would have directed relatively more help to areas like Macon County. With the court order mostly thrown out, those specific extra resources are off the table for now.

The core idea from older Leandro rulings—that every child in North Carolina, including those in Macon County, has a right to a sound basic education—still stands. However, without the detailed, expensive fix being enforced by the courts, progress on school improvements will rely more on politics-as-usual in the state legislature and your local county government.

Education groups are disappointed by the ruling, while leaders who argued the courts shouldn't override the legislature are pleased. For families and educators in Macon County, this likely means continued budget pressures and no big new influx of state money in the short term. Future improvements will depend on what the legislature and county commissioners decide to prioritize.

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NCDEQ: Drought intensifies in North Carolina

 

RALEIGH – Drought conditions have worsened across North Carolina, with 15 counties now experiencing extreme drought, and most counties experiencing severe drought or moderate drought, according to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC).

Based on data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center, precipitation totals for the last six months are almost 10 inches below normal for many areas across the state, with some areas experiencing greater deficits. Rainfall stations at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, at Hickory and in the Charlotte area have recorded their driest six months on record. Many streams and rivers are at all-time low levels, according to U.S. Geological Survey data.

“Winter is usually the time when North Carolina’s water supplies get replenished due to good rains and low-water demand, but those good rains did not happen this winter,” said Klaus Albertin, chair of the DMAC. “The rain we’ve had so far has not been enough to make up for the precipitation deficit. The snowfall that we had this winter had lower-than-normal water content, with snow-to-water equivalents of more than 20 inches of snow to 1 inch of water.”

While impacts from drought have been limited due to lower water demand in the winter months, more significant effects are expected for water systems, agriculture and water recreation if the drought continues, Albertin said.

“We could see poor growth for farmers at the start of the growing season, or delays in planting, low reservoir levels and closed boat launches,” Albertin said.

For counties in extreme drought, or D3 conditions, water systems are advised to follow their Water Shortage Response Plan and adhere to water use reduction measures. They must report weekly water use and conservation status online through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resource’s Local Water Supply Plan website.

“The public should follow any local water supply restrictions,” Albertin said. “Municipal websites are usually the best place to look for information on restrictions that are in place.”

Due to increased wildfire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide effective 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28, until further notice.

DMAC is a collaboration of drought experts from various government agencies in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina, and organized by DWR. DMAC members meet weekly and submit their drought condition recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Drought Mitigation Center for updates to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a map of the nation’s drought conditions. DMAC’s drought map is updated weekly on Thursdays, based on conditions through the previous Tuesday. To view North Carolina’s drought map, visit www.ncdrought.org.

To learn more, visit our drought education page.

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Lowering U.S. & NC Flags in Honor of North Carolina Rep. Mike Clampitt

Governor Josh Stein today ordered all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, April 4 in honor of North Carolina State House Representative Mike Clampitt, who died on Wednesday, March 18, after a long battle with cancer.

 

Before his passing, Rep. Clampitt was serving his fourth term and recently won the GOP primary to run for a fifth term in office. A native of Swain County, Rep. Clampitt represented North Carolina's 119th District including Transylvania, Jackson and Swain Counties. Services for Rep. Clampitt will be held in Cullowhee, North Carolina on April 4.

 

 

"Before I was sworn in as Governor, Representative Mike Clampitt was one of the first people I called as we worked to rebuild western NC after Hurricane Helene," said Governor Josh Stein. "He was a steadfast public servant for his community in WNC, and today I am saddened by the news of his passing. May his memory be a blessing."

  

Join us   

Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties, and other government subdivisions are also
encouraged to fly flags at half-staff for the time indicated. 

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