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. Near-normal temperatures with unseasonably low humidity and no threat for afternoon/evening storms continues today.
2. Another frontal system is expected to arrive from the west this weekend, possibly stalling across our area early next week, bringing back high rain chances, below-normal temperatures, and some potential for locally heavy rainfall.
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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
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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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 this morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds around 5 mph.
.TONIGHT....Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds around 5 mph.
.SATURDAY....Partly sunny. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. South winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
.SATURDAY NIGHT....A chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Showers. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.
.SUNDAY....Showers. A chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. South winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.
.SUNDAY NIGHT....Mostly cloudy. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 90 percent.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Hazardous weather is not expected today or tonight.
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the medium range (5.0 out of 12) today with Grasses and Nettle being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low-medium range (4.7 out of 3.0).
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MACON CALENDAR
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
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 96°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1999
Lowest Temperature 47°F in Highlands in 2014
Greatest Rainfall 3.00 inches in Highlands in 1879
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
If the ground is slowly moving underneath you, how would you know? | The Geo Models
• Tornado hit western NC during severe storms, National Weather Service confirms [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• New program helps families find stability [The Franklin Press]
• The Bascom to host annual Community Barn Dance [Macon Sense]
• Judge clears path to trial for NC attorney general lawsuit against HCA [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Sylva greenlights Pride parade [Smoky Mountain News]
• Jamie Ager’s NC-11 campaign hits unexpected turbulence over ‘Promise to America’ [Asheville Watchdog ]
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NC News
'Peace Street Peeler': Trucks continue to strike, get stuck under Raleigh's notorious bridge | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
• NC court interpreter walkout begins Friday. Could court proceedings be affected? [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Two NC congressional districts moved from leans Republican to toss-ups [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Balancing public safety and privacy: WNC wrestles with surveillance issues [NC Local]
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National News
Hundreds rescued from waves, rip currents - ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - July 30, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News Full Episode - July 30 | NBC News
Washington Today (7-30-26): Sen. Cornyn's Demand to Pres. Trump Keeps AG Blanche Nom. on Hold | C-SPAN
• Cornyn, Tillis become fighting faces of quiet Republican concerns over Blanche [The Hill]
• ‘Pleading the Fifth’ invokes a constitutional amendment that has a long history in US society [AP News]
• Wiles tries to break the logjam [Yahoo News]
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World News
What’s in the U.S. weapons package for Taiwan and why China is angry | PBS NewsHour
How Ukrainian attack drones are striking deep inside Russia | The Security Brief | BBC News
How Does The UK Fight Wildfires? | BBC Newscast | BBC News
• Spain deploys military as hundreds cross into Ceuta from Morocco [France 24]
• Colombian deported from Poland for Nazi salute at Auschwitz [TVP World]
• What to know about the conflict in Mali and the world’s most terrorized region [AP News]
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Iran War News
US military carries out fresh strikes on Iran | BBC News
• Iran Update Special Report, July 30, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Gaza live: Hamas reportedly agrees to ‘historic’ disarmament agreement [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: Trump announces 'historic' Hamas disarmament deal, which US officials say will prevent next Oct. 7 [Jerusalem Post]
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Russo-Ukraine War
How Ukrainian attack drones are striking deep inside Russia | The Security Brief | BBC News
Russian missile crashes into Poland without casualties| World News Tonight | TVP World
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 30, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• How US Senate Russia sanctions could spell 100% tariffs for India, China [Al Jazeera]
• Russian strikes across Ukraine kill 10 and NATO scrambles jets after a missile falls in Poland [AP News]
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Financial News
FOMC Press Conference, July 29, 2026 | Federal Reserve
Fed's Credibility Questioned, ‘Bond Vigilantes’ Return | Real Yield 7/30/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• Korean Stocks Jump Record 14% on Renewed AI Trade Optimism [Yahoo Finance]
• Oil prices ease as recovering Hormuz Strait traffic tempers war premium [CNBC]
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Science News
The Universe's Most Impossible Planets Just Set a New Record | Anton Petrov
• Astronomers just found the first atmosphere on a rocky exoplanet in the habitable zone [Astronomy Magazine]
• What Killed Galaxies in the Early Universe? [Universe Today]
• AI can tell if your brain is aging faster than you are [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 24 – August 2 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
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Technology News
The Level1 Links with Friends Show July 31 2026: Front Row May Get Wet
• Trump FCC faces blowback in attempt to police speech on broadcast TV [Ars Technica]
• The Pentagon’s Case Against Anthropic Isn’t Going Well [Gizmodo]
• HBO’s Blocking Order Takes Out Popular Pirate Streaming Domains Including Streamzy.to [Torrent Freaks]
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Interesting Videos
Interview: The Future of AI and Us | Particles of Thought | NOVA PBS Official
Could We See Into Our Own Past? (And Other Questions) | Joe Scott
The First Exomoon/Exosatellite Discovered ... And its Weird | John Michael Godier
Will non-alcoholic wine save the winemakers? | DW Documentary
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CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin: The End of July | Benjamin Cowen
• US senators sent revised ethics rules to White House for CLARITY Act: Report [Decrypt]
• Telegram founder Pavel Durov internationally wanted, Russia’s FSB says [Coin Telegraph]
• AI Economy Can Jumpstart Dollar Stablecoin Dominance [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 Friday, July 31, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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