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About

Friday, December 31, 2021

Have a Safe and Happy New Year's Eve and New Years Day



 Have a Safe and Happy New Year's Eve and New Years Day


Be extra careful if you are traveling tonight and early tomorrow, as we could have some storms moving through the area around that time and be on the lookout for drunk drivers and potential accidents, along with debris in the roadway. There will also be extra traffic as people travel to and from various holiday events and parties. Some of them have already started.

Macon Media will post information about road conditions, traffic hazards, and accidents on Facebook at Facebook.com/MaconMediaNews, Twitter at twitter.com/WNCscan, and on Mewe at https://mewe.com/p/maconmedianews Other resources include Waze at https://www.waze.com/en/live-map/directions?latlng=35.18170079071401%2C-83.38129520416261 and the Google Maps Traffic Layer at https://www.google.com/maps/@35.18202,-83.38136,1432m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1 Both show traffic jams, accidents, and other traffic hazards to avoid or account for in your travels. Both have voice notifications of hazards if you install their apps on your phone or internet-connected tablet.

Remember to be safe, be kind, and be patient on the roads.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK

Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and tonight. One or two could be strong enough to produce damaging wind gusts, mainly along and near the Tennessee border. Cloud-to-ground lightning will be the main threat from any storms that develop.

New Years Day through early Monday...

A strong cold front is expected to cross the region on Sunday. Ahead and along the cold front, another round of thunderstorms and heavy rain can be expected, mainly Saturday night and Sunday morning.

A few severe storms may be possible Saturday night into Sunday, with the main threat being damaging wind gusts. Large hail and an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. Heavy rain could produce localized flooding. Any thunderstorms will produce cloud-to-ground lightning.

The precipitation that lingers into Sunday evening will change to snow across the mountains by late evening. A light accumulation of snow will be possible, mainly at high elevations along the Tennessee border. The threat for snow should end around daybreak Monday.

#WNCscan #MaconTraffic #MaconSafety #WNCnews

Published at 3:20pm on Friday, December 31, 2021

News and Weather Briefing for Friday, December 31, 2021



Here is an index to assist you in moving from section to section within the article.

Back to Top
Weather
Hazards and Tropical Weather
Almanac
Macon Calendar
Local and StateNews
National News Roundup
COVID-19 News and Updates
Science and Technology
On This Day
Support Macon Media


OUTLOOK

Light to moderate showers will continue across the area today into Friday. By Saturday night, a strong cold front will push into the area and move east through the weekend. Seasonally cool and dry high pressure builds in Monday through the middle of the next week.

If you are planning to atrtend an outdoor New Year's Eve celebration, take an umbrella and a weather app to keep you advised about thunderstorms.



---BEGIN SPONSOR SEGMENT---



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Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.

Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC

All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help you with your next project.



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Local Weather

National Weather Map for Today



General forecast through Saturday Night


Franklin Area Forecast

Today

A chance of rain between 1pm and 4pm, then a chance of showers after 4pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with highs in the mid-to-upper 60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

New Year's Eve

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 10pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 10pm and 3am, then showers likely after 3am. Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 50s. Light winds out of the south. Chance of rain is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except highser amounts possible in thunderstorms.

New Year's Day

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. highs near 70. Light winds out of the southwest early shifting to come out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph by midmorning. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except highser amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Lows in the mid 40s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain is 90%.

Sunday

Showers, mainly before 4pm. Highs in the lower 60s. Chance of rain is 80%.

Sunday Night

A chance of rain showers before 11pm, then a chance of snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 20. Chance of precipitation is 40%.



Highlands Area Forecast

Today

A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly after 2pm. Partly sunny, with highs near 60. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

New Year's Eve

Showers likely, mainly after 7pm. Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 50s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as highs as 20 mph. Chance of rain is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

New Year's Day

Showers. highs in the low-to-mid 60s. Winds out of the southwest 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as highs as 20 mph. Chance of rain is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1am. Lows around 50. Winds out of the southwest 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as highs as 25 mph. Chance of rain is 90%.

Sunday

Showers, mainly before 4pm. highs in the mid 50s. Chance of rain is 80%.

Sunday Night

A chance of rain showers before 10pm, then a chance of snow showers after 10pm. Partly cloudy, with lows in the mid 20s. Chance of precipitation is 40%.



Otto Area Forecast

Today

A chance of rain between 11am and 4pm, then a chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

New Year's Eve

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 50s. Winds out of the south around 5 mph. Chance of rain is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except highser amounts possible in thunderstorms.

New Year's Day

Showers. highs near 70. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Lows in the upper 40s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain is 90%.

Sunday

Showers, mainly before 4pm. highs near 60. Chance of rain is 80%.

Sunday Night

A 40 percent chance of showers turning to snow before midnight. Partly cloudy, with lows in the mid 20s.



Nantahala Area Forecast

Today

A slight chance of rain between 11am and 1pm, then a chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

New Year's Eve

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 8pm and 3am, then showers after 3am. Patchy fog. Lows in the mid-to-upper 50s. Winds out of the southwest 3 to 5 mph. Chance of rain is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

New Year's Day

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. highs in the mid-to-upper 60s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except highser amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Lows in the upper 40s. Winds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain is 90%.

Sunday

Showers, mainly before 4pm. highs in the mid 50s. Chance of rain is 80%.

Sunday Night

A chance of rain showers before 11pm, then a chance of snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the low-to-mid 20s. Chance of rain is 40%.


Hazardous Weather Outlook

A few showers and isolated thunderstorms may develop this afternoon across northeast Georgia and the Upstate, tracking into western North Carolina south of the I-40 corridor. The main threats will be cloud- to-ground lightning, locally heavy downpours and gusty winds. A storm or two may become severe, producing damaging wind gusts.

Another round of showers with embedded thunderstorms is expected Friday, with a few strong storms possible across the area.

Another dynamic storm system will cross the area over the weekend, bringing yet another round of showers and embedded thunderstorms. A few severe storms may be possible Saturday night into Sunday, with the main threat being damaging wind gusts.





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Hazards and Tropical Weather

Hazardous weather is not expected for today.



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Almanac




Air quality is in the extreme upper range of green for most of the county, with the ridges and other higher elevations today being in the extreme upper range of green.

Fire and Smoke Map


Local Air Monitor



Pollen

Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (0.3 out of 12) today with Juniper being the main culprit. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (0.3 out of 12).




Record Weather Events for December 31st

Record weather events for this date in Macon County
(1872-2016)

Highest Temperature 78°F in Franklin in 1951 lowest Temperature 2°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1983 Greatest One-Day Rainfall 4.34 inches in Highlands in 2012 Greatest One-Day Snowfall 3.0 inches in Franklin in 1963

Record weather events for December in Macon County

Highest Temperature 78°F in Franklin on Dec 31, 1951
Lowest Temperature -12°F in Highlands on Dec 30, 1917
Greatest Rainfall 6.00 inches in Highlands on Dec 14, 1901
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 12.0 inches in Franklin on Dec 21, 1876

All-time record weather events for Macon County

Highest Temperature 101°F in Franklin on Jul 29, 1952
Lowest Temperature -19°F in Highlands on Jan 21, 1985
Greatest Rainfall 21.15 inches in Highlands on Jul 29, 1879
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 25.5 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Mar 13, 1993




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Macon Calendar
(send your event to calendar@maconmedia.com)




The 8th Annual NYE (New Years' Eve) Ruby Drop

It's time for the 8th Annual New Years Eve Ruby Drop on Main St. Franklin, NC. This event is hosted by Motor Company Grill and Crabtree General Store. Many Businesses will be open along Main Street offering shopping, dining, live music, and drinks! Motor Co. will be serving dinner inside, as well as heaters and corn hole (weather permitting) on the patio. [SOURCE]


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Local and State News

COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 15, 2021]

• Officials Encourage Boosters as COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rise [NCDHHS]

• NC reports highest number of new COVID-19 cases in one day [WNCT-TV (Greenville NC) ]

• Get Your Taxes Done for Free: AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Service Provided at Macon County Public Library [Macon Media]

• Asheville business owners see strong sales despite local and national concern over omicron [WLOS-TV Asheville]

• Lost Cove Fire: Rain arrives, firefighters start 'mopping up' remaining hot spots [Asheville Citizen-Times]


Back to Top
National and World News Roundup

• Anatomy of a death threat (Warning: Graphic Language) [Reuters]

Hundreds of homes destroyed in Boulder County wildfires



• 'Life threatening' wildfires raze at least 600 homes, a shopping mall and a hotel to the ground in Boulder, Colorado: State of emergency declared after 'historic' December blaze sparked 30,000 to evacuate [Daily Mail]

• Fast-moving wildfires burn at least 580 homes near Denver [AXIOS]

• DOE Awards Additional Strategic Petroleum Reserve Exchange Barrels to Bolster Fuel Supply Chain [US Department of Energy]

• Epstein settlement with Giuffre to be made public, affects Prince Andrew case [Reuters]

• Satellite images show Syria port damage after alleged Israel strike [Ynet News]

• To tell stronger stories, listen rather than ‘interview’ [Poynter]

In-Depth coverage of the Marshall Fire that destroyed more than 500 homes in Colorado



NBC Nightly News Full Broadcast - December 30th, 2021



PBS NewsHour Full Episode December 30th, 2021




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COVID-19 News and Updates

Since it looks like we may be in for a new wave of infections, here is a section on COVID-19. It will include local, regional, state, national, and global items.





COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 18, 2021]



• WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard [World Health Organization]

Globally, as of 4:14pm CET, 29 December 2021, there have been 281,808,270 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 5,411,759 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 28 December 2021, a total of 8,687,201,202 vaccine doses have been administered.
In United States of America, from 3 January 2020 to 4:14pm CET, 29 December 2021, there have been 52,543,602 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 812,577 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 23 December 2021, a total of 485,274,895 vaccine doses have been administered.

Dr John Campbell: Omicron, orientation and questions



• Emergence in Southern France of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of probably Cameroonian origin harbouring both substitutions N501Y and E484K in the spike protein [MedRxiv (PDF)]

• Omicron is ‘not the same disease’ as previous Covid variants, Oxford University scientist says [CNBC]

• COVID-19 Infections in Nursing Homes: New Simulation Model for Optimal Prevention and Vaccination Strategies [SciTechDaily]

• Times Square show will go on despite virus surge, mayor says [AP News]

• Studies indicate J&J Covid-19 vaccine booster protects people against severe illness from Omicron variant [CNN]

• Vaccine effectiveness against hospital admission in South African health care workers who received a homologous booster of Ad26.COV2 during an Omicron COVID19 wave: Preliminary Results of the Sisonke 2 Study. [MedRxiv (PDF)]

• Monitoring COVID-19 Variants

[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

[Outbreak.info]

• CDC Releases Emergency Guidance for Healthcare Facilities to Prepare for Potential Omicron Surge [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

• COVID-19 case rates by county in 2021 [AXIOS]




Back to Top
Science and Technology News Roundup

• Mass Food Poisoning Incident Leads Apple to Temporarily Shut Down iPhone Factory [Gizmodo]

• Scientists image atoms with record resolution close to absolute physical limits [ZME Science]

• Tesla recalls more than 475,000 US cars on technical issues [Al Jazeera]

• University loses 77TB of research data due to backup error [Bleeping Computer]

• Bitburner is an idle game about hacking that teaches real JavaScript [PC Gamer]


Tech Podcasts Challenges & Predictions for the Next 100 Years



The Biggest Science Stories Of 2021 | Answers With Joe



JWST Launches, Angara Fails, Octograbber Gets Into A Fight - Deep Space Update December 29th



• Million-Dollar Predictions [Linux Unplugged #438]

• Xcode X [Accidental Tech Podcast #462]

• Best and Worst of 2021 [Rocket #365]





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On This Day

December 31st is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; It is known by a collection of names including: Saint Sylvester's Day, New Year's Eve or Old Years Day/Night, as the following day is New Year's Day. It is the last day of the year; the following day is January 1, the first day of the following year. It is also the last day of the fourth and final quarter of the year.



Historical Events

(Please note that the Wikipedia articles often contain a bibliography and links to where you can learn more about a historical event)




406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gaul.

535 – Byzantine general Belisarius completes the conquest of Sicily, defeating the Gothic garrison of Palermo (Panormos), and ending his consulship for the year.

870 РBattle of Englefield: The Vikings clash with ealdorman ̠thelwulf of Berkshire. The invaders are driven back to Reading (East Anglia); many Danes are killed.

• [Wikipedia: Battle of Englefield]



1105 – Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV is forced to abdicate in favor of his son, Henry V, in Ingelheim.

1225 – The Lý dynasty of Vietnam ends after 216 years by the enthronement of the boy emperor Trần Thái Tông, husband of the last Lý monarch, Lý Chiêu Hoàng, starting the Trần dynasty.

1229 – James I the Conqueror, King of Aragon, enters Medina Mayurqa (now known as Palma, Spain), thus consummating the Christian reconquest of the island of Majorca.

1501 – The First Battle of Cannanore commences, seeing the first use of the naval line of battle.

1600 – The British East India Company is chartered.

1660 – James II of England is named Duke of Normandy by Louis XIV of France.

1670 – The expedition of John Narborough leaves Corral Bay, having surveyed the coast and lost four hostages to the Spanish.

1687 – The first Huguenots set sail from France to the Cape of Good Hope.

1757 РEmpress Elizabeth I of Russia issues her ukase incorporating K̦nigsberg into Russia.

1759 – Arthur Guinness signs a 9,000 year lease at £45 per annum and starts brewing Guinness.

• [Wikipedia: Guinness]
• [Arthur Guinness signed a 9000-year lease for an abandoned brewery in Dublin: Guinness is still brewed at St. James Gate]



1775 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Quebec: British forces repulse an attack by Continental Army General Richard Montgomery.

1790 – Efimeris, the oldest Greek newspaper of which issues have survived till today, is published for the first time.

1796 – The incorporation of Baltimore as a city.

1831 – Gramercy Park is deeded to New York City.

1853 – A dinner party is held inside a life-size model of an iguanodon created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and Sir Richard Owen in south London, England.

1857 – Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa, then a small logging town, as the capital of the Province of Canada.

1862 – American Civil War: Abraham Lincoln signs an act that admits West Virginia to the Union, thus dividing Virginia in two.

1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Stones River begins near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

1878 – Karl Benz, working in Mannheim, Germany, files for a patent on his first reliable two-stroke gas engine. He was granted the patent in 1879.

1879 – Thomas Edison demonstrates incandescent lighting to the public for the first time, in Menlo Park, New Jersey. 1901–present

1906 – Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar signs the Persian Constitution of 1906.

1907 – The first New Year's Eve celebration is held in Times Square (then known as Longacre Square) in Manhattan.

1942 – USS Essex, first aircraft carrier of a 24-ship class, is commissioned.

1944 – World War II: Operation Nordwind, the last major Wehrmacht offensive on the Western Front, begins.

1946 – President Harry S. Truman officially proclaims the end of hostilities in World War II.

1951 – Cold War: The Marshall Plan expires after distributing more than US$13.3 billion in foreign aid to rebuild Western Europe.

1955 – General Motors becomes the first U.S. corporation to make over US$1 billion in a year.

1956 – The Romanian Television network begins its first broadcast in Bucharest.

1961 – RTÉ, Ireland's state broadcaster, launches its first national television service.

1963 – The Central African Federation officially collapses, subsequently becoming Zambia, Malawi and Rhodesia.

1965 РJean-B̩del Bokassa, leader of the Central African Republic army, and his military officers begin a coup d'̩tat against the government of President David Dacko.

1968 – The first flight of the Tupolev Tu-144, the first civilian supersonic transport in the world.

1968 – MacRobertson Miller Airlines Flight 1750 crashes near Port Hedland, Western Australia, killing all 26 people on board.

1981 РA coup d'̩tat in Ghana removes President Hilla Limann's PNP government and replaces it with the Provisional National Defence Council led by Flight lieutenant Jerry Rawlings.

1983 – The AT&T Bell System is broken up by the United States Government.

1983 – Benjamin Ward is appointed New York City Police Department's first ever African American police commissioner.

1983 РIn Nigeria, a coup d'̩tat led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari ends the Second Nigerian Republic.

1991 – All official Soviet Union institutions have ceased operations by this date, five days after the Soviet Union is officially dissolved.

1992 – Czechoslovakia is peacefully dissolved in what is dubbed by media as the Velvet Divorce, resulting in the creation of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

1994 – This date is skipped altogether in Kiribati as the Phoenix Islands and Line Islands change time zones from UTC−11:00 to UTC+13:00 and UTC−10:00 to UTC+14:00, respectively.

1994 – The First Chechen War: The Russian Ground Forces begin a New Year's storming of Grozny.

1998 – The European Exchange Rate Mechanism freezes the values of the legacy currencies in the Eurozone, and establishes the value of the euro currency.

1999 – The first President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, resigns from office, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President and successor.

• [Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Boris_Yeltsin]
• [Wikipedia Bio: Vladmir Putin]
• [Russia under Vladimir Putin]
• [From spy to president: The rise of Vladimir Putin]
• [Inside Putin's Russia -- Watch the full documentary]



1999 – The U.S. government hands control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties.

1999 – Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacking ends after seven days with the release of 190 survivors at Kandahar Airport, Afghanistan.

2000 – The last day of the 20th Century and 2nd Millennium.

2004 – The official opening of Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper at that time in the world, standing at a height of 509 metres (1,670 ft).

2009 – Both a blue moon and a lunar eclipse occur.

2010 – Tornadoes touch down in midwestern and southern United States, including Washington County, Arkansas; Greater St. Louis, Sunset Hills, Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma, with a few tornadoes in the early hours. A total of 36 tornadoes touched down, resulting in the deaths of nine people and $113 million in damages.

2011 – Samoa and Tokelau skip the day of December 30, 2011 as they jump to the other side of the International Date Line, changing their time zones.

2011 – NASA succeeds in putting the first of two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory satellites in orbit around the Moon.

2014 – A New Year's Eve celebration stampede in Shanghai kills at least 36 people and injures 49 others.

2015 – A fire breaks out at the Downtown Address Hotel in Downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates, located near the Burj Khalifa, two hours before the fireworks display is due to commence. Sixteen injuries were reported; one had a heart attack, another suffered a major injury, and fourteen others with minor injuries.

2018 – Thirty-nine people are killed after a ten-story building collapses in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, Russia.

2019 – The World Health Organization is informed of cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause, detected in Wuhan. This later turned out to be COVID-19, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• [Nature: A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin]
• [COVID-19 - China]



2020 – The World Health Organization's issues its first emergency use validation for a COVID-19 vaccine.

• [World Health Organization]





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Support Macon Media

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 5:00am on Friday, December 31, 2021
Author: Bobby Coggins


Resources used to compile the information in this article include, but are not limited to the following websites or books: MaconMedia.com, youtube.com, weather.gov, airnow.gov, wikipedia.com, onthisday.com, ncdcr.gov, ncsu.edu, utah.edu, https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/, wolfram.com, biorxiv.org, aps.org, nejm.org, plos.org, cell.com, researchsquare.com, cureus.com, spc.noaa.gov, nhc.noaa.gov, ncdenr.org, medrxiv.org, archive.org, ncpedia.org, nasa.gov, https://ww2days.com, nih.gov, carolinapublicpress.org, microbe.tv, smokymountainnews.com, psypost.org, blogspot.com, pollen.com, franklinnc.com, maconnc.org, spaceweather.com, solarham.com, loc.gov, ncleg.net, senate.gov, house.gov, whitehouse.gov, drudgereport.com, politico.com, realclearpolitics.com, ushmm.org, This Day in North Carolina History, World War II Day By Day, The Holocaust Encyclopedia, The Timetables of History, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The World History and Book of Facts (multiple years), On This Day In History: Over 4,000 facts, The NASA Archives. 60 Years in Space, This Day in North Carolina History, The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From the Ancient World to the Extraterrestrial Future, Spaceflight, 2nd Edition: The Complete Story from Sputnik to Curiousity, The Story of Civilization (11 volumes), The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, American History, Volume 1: 1492-1877, American History, Volume 2: 1877 - Present, A Complete Chronolgy of the Second World War. Weather and Almanac data and information sources: Sources (except where otherwise credited): heavens-above.com, Ian Webster's Github, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, The National Weather Service, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center, Penn State University Electronic Wall Map, The State Climate Office of North Carolina, Storm Prediction Center, U.S. Naval Observatory, University of Utah Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and the Weather Prediction Center. Back to Top

Thursday, December 30, 2021

Get Your Taxes Done for Free: AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Service Provided at Macon County Public Library



 

(Macon County, NC) — AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest volunteer-based free tax preparation service. Volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year to ensure they understand the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code.

Volunteers will be able to assist with federal and state income tax preparation and filing from February 7th through April 12th. This service will be provided on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:40AM – 3:00PM by appointment. Masks are required. Appointments can be made on-line at wnctaxaide.as.me. Appointments can be made through the Library’s Reference Desk by calling (828) 524-3600 or visiting the library located at 149 Siler Farm Road, Franklin, NC.

After making an appointment, taxpayers are to stop by the library to pick up a packet of material to complete prior to their appointment. The packet also contains a list of items the taxpayer must bring with them to the appointment. These items include but are not limited to:


· For a married couple filing jointly, both spouses must be present

· Photo ID for you and your spouse (if married)

· Social Security Cards or ITIN documents for you, your spouse and/or dependents

· Birth dates for you, your spouse and/or dependents

· Tax Forms for 2021 (W-2, 1099, 1098, 1095 & Social Security Statement, etc.)

· Copy of 2019 AND 2020 Tax Returns

· 1095 forms if you purchased insurance through the Marketplace Exchange

· Information for other income

· Information for all deductions/credits

· Proof of savings or checking account and routing numbers (for direct deposit of refund)

We make it easy for you. In most cases, we will submit your forms directly to the IRS and state tax authorities.

There is no charge for the service. Taxpayers do not need to be a member of AARP or a retiree. Tax-Aide serves taxpayers of all ages.

The program is sponsored by the Macon County Public Library, the AARP Foundation, and the Internal Revenue Service.

For more information about AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, including what type of service is available where, and which documents you need to file your taxes, visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669).


About AARP Foundation


AARP Foundation works to end senior poverty by helping vulnerable older adults build economic opportunity and social connectedness. As AARP’s charitable affiliate, we serve AARP members and nonmembers alike. Bolstered by vigorous legal advocacy, we spark bold, innovative solutions that foster resilience, strengthen communities, and restore hope.

 

To learn more about AARP Foundation visit aarpfoundation.org.


Support Macon Media

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 3:21pm on Thursday, December 30, 2021
Author: Bobby Coggins


News and Weather Briefing for Thursday, December 30, 2021



Here is an index to assist you in moving from section to section within the article.

Back to Top
Weather
Hazards and Tropical Weather
Almanac
Macon Calendar
Local and StateNews
National News Roundup
COVID-19 News and Updates
Science and Technology
On This Day
Support Macon Media


OUTLOOK

Today will be marked by continuing showers and embedded thunder, before a brief period of drying takes place on Friday. Friday night and into Saturday, a more enhanced system will allow rain and thunder chances to return to the forecast through the weekend. Monday, cool high pressure builds in and keeps the forecast dry through the middle of the next workweek.



---BEGIN SPONSOR SEGMENT---



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Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.

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Local Weather

National Weather Map for Today



General forecast through Saturday Night


Franklin Area Forecast

Today

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Patchy fog between 9am and noon. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with highs in the upper 60s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Isolated showers before 9pm. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 20%.

Friday

A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with highs near 70. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Friday Night

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the low-to-mid 50s. Light winds out of teh south. Chance of rain is 70%.

New Year's Day

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Highs near 70. Chance of rain is 80%.

Saturday Night

Showers before 7pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 7pm and 10pm, then showers after 10pm. Lows in the mid 40s. Chance of rain is 90%.



Highlands Area Forecast

Today

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Patchy fog before 11am, then patchy fog after 4pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with highs near 60. Winds out of the southwest in the 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Isolated showers before 8pm. Patchy fog between 10pm and 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the upper 40s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain is 20%.

Friday Tonight A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 5pm. Increasing clouds, with highs near 60. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Lows in the mid 50s. WInds out of the southwest 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of rain is 80%.

New Year's Day

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 3pm. Highs in the low-to-mid 60s. Chance of rain is 80%.

Saturday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Lows in the mid 40s. Chance of rain is 90%.



Otto Area Forecast

Today

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid 60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Isolated showers before 8pm. Patchy fog after 11pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows in the upper 40s. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 20%.

Friday

A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly after 11am. Mostly sunny, with highs near 70. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Friday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Los in the mid 50s. Winds out of the south 3 to 5 mph. Chance of rain is 80%.

New Year's Day

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Highs near 70. Chance of rain is 80%.

Saturday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Lows in the mid 40s. Chance of rain is 90%.



Nantahala Area Forecast

Today

Scattered showers, mainly between noon and 3pm. Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid 60s. Light winds out of the southwest. Chance of rain is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tonight

Isolated showers before 8pm. Patchy fog between 1am and 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with lows around 50. Calm winds. Chance of rain is 20%.

Friday

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with highs in the mid 60s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Lows in the mid-to-upper 50s. Light winds out of the southwest. Chance of rain is 80%.

New Year's Day

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of rain is 90%.

Saturday Night

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 5am. Lows in the low-to-mid 40s. Chance of rain is 90%.


Hazardous Weather Outlook

A few showers and isolated thunderstorms may develop this afternoon across northeast Georgia and the Upstate, tracking into western North Carolina south of the I-40 corridor. The main threats will be cloud- to-ground lightning, locally heavy downpours and gusty winds. A storm or two may become severe, producing damaging wind gusts.

Another round of showers with embedded thunderstorms is expected Friday, with a few strong storms possible across the area.

Another dynamic storm system will cross the area over the weekend, bringing yet another round of showers and embedded thunderstorms. A few severe storms may be possible Saturday night into Sunday, with the main threat being damaging wind gusts.





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Hazards and Tropical Weather

Hazardous weather is not expected for today.



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Almanac




Air quality is in the extreme upper range of green for most of the county, with the ridges and other higher elevations today being in the extreme upper range of green.

Fire and Smoke Map


Local Air Monitor



Pollen

Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (0.3 out of 12) today with Juniper being the main culprit. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (2.3 out of 12).




Record Weather Events for December 30th

Record weather events for this date in Macon County
(1872-2016)

Highest Temperature 71°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1984
lowest Temperature -12°F in Highlands in 1917
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 1.706 inches in Highlands in 1912
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 3.0 inches in Highlands in 1997

Record weather events for December in Macon County

Highest Temperature 78°F in Franklin on Dec 31, 1951
Lowest Temperature -12°F in Highlands on Dec 30, 1917
Greatest Rainfall 6.00 inches in Highlands on Dec 14, 1901
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 12.0 inches in Franklin on Dec 21, 1876

All-time record weather events for Macon County

Highest Temperature 101°F in Franklin on Jul 29, 1952
Lowest Temperature -19°F in Highlands on Jan 21, 1985
Greatest Rainfall 21.15 inches in Highlands on Jul 29, 1879
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 25.5 inches at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Mar 13, 1993




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Macon Calendar
(send your event to calendar@maconmedia.com)




The 8th Annual NYE (New Years' Eve) Ruby Drop

It's time for the 8th Annual New Years Eve Ruby Drop on Main St. Franklin, NC. This event is hosted by Motor Company Grill and Crabtree General Store. Many Businesses will be open along Main Street offering shopping, dining, live music, and drinks! Motor Co. will be serving dinner inside, as well as heaters and corn hole (weather permitting) on the patio. [SOURCE]


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Local and State News

COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 15, 2021]

• NC hospitals report COVID-19 hospitalization spike of 20% over last three days [wlos-tv]

• Year in review: In 2021, readers shared thoughts on pandemic, growth, Vance Monument and more [Mountain Xpress]

• FAKE NEWS FREAKOUT! SEASON 6!! [Smoky Mountain News]

• Homeless encampment on French Broad reappears, grows; outreach manager fears its clearing [Asheville Citizen-Times]


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National and World News Roundup

• Ghislaine Maxwell found guilty after monthlong sex trafficking trial [Courthouse News Service]

• Hong Kong police charge two former Stand News editors with sedition [Reuters]

• Oklahoma bill gives parents the right to have a book removed from a school library [McAlester News-Capital]

• New Mexico tribes concerned about plan to power nuclear lab [KOB-TV 4]

NBC Nightly News Full Broadcast - December 29th, 2021



PBS NewsHour Full Episode December 29th, 2021




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COVID-19 News and Updates

Since it looks like we may be in for a new wave of infections, here is a section on COVID-19. It will include local, regional, state, national, and global items.





COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 18, 2021]



• WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard [World Health Organization]

Globally, as of 4:14pm CET, 29 December 2021, there have been 281,808,270 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 5,411,759 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 28 December 2021, a total of 8,687,201,202 vaccine doses have been administered.
In United States of America, from 3 January 2020 to 4:14pm CET, 29 December 2021, there have been 52,543,602 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 812,577 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 23 December 2021, a total of 485,274,895 vaccine doses have been administered.

• World hits record number of COVID-19 cases in a week: Tally [Al Jazeera]

• Wearing masks outdoors mandatory in Paris starting Friday [France 24]

• https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20211230-paris-mandates-wearing-masks-even-outdoors-starting-friday [South China Morning Post]

• Chinese Military Deploys Troops as Xi’an Covid-19 Worsens [Vision Times]

• Monitoring COVID-19 Variants

[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

[Outbreak.info]

• CDC Releases Emergency Guidance for Healthcare Facilities to Prepare for Potential Omicron Surge [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

• COVID-19 case rates by county in 2021 [AXIOS]




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Science and Technology News Roundup

• Former US Intelligence Analysts Sued For Hacking A Saudi Activist's Phone On Behalf Of The United Arab Emirates [TechDirt]

• Waymo unveils design for a robotaxi without a steering wheel [DigitalTrends]

• CES 2022 will introduce HDMI 2.1a, another confusing new spec [The verge]

• NASA clears Axiom crew for 1st private mission to International Space Station [Space.com]

The Biggest Science Stories Of 2021 | Answers With Joe



• Audio version links [LesFrifman.com]

• Can Matt Mullenweg save the internet? [protocol]

• Importance of the pig as a human biomedical model [Science Tranlational Medicine]

• Riot Games to pay $100m in discrimination case [BBC News]

• LastPass users receive warnings of compromised passwords [protocol]

• Forward Pallet Structure Lowered, Beginning Multiple-Day Sunshield Deployment [NASA: James Webb Space Telescope]


Tech Podcasts • Million-Dollar Predictions [Linux Unplugged #438]

• Xcode X [Accidental Tech Podcast #462]

• Best and Worst of 2021 [Rocket #365]





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On This Day

December 30th is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; one day remains until the end of the year.



Historical Events

(Please note that the Wikipedia articles often contain a bibliography and links to where you can learn more about a historical event)




534 – The second and final edition of the Code of Justinian comes into effect in the Byzantine Empire.

999 – Battle of Glenmama: The combined forces of Munster and Meath under king Brian Boru inflict a crushing defeat on the allied armies of Leinster and Dublin near Lyons Hill in Ireland.

• [Wikiepdia article]
• [Wikipedia Bio: Brian Boru]
• [King Brian Boru documentary]



1066 – Granada massacre: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in Granada, crucifies Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela and massacres most of the Jewish population of the city.

• [Wikipedia article]
• [On This Day Video]



1419 – Hundred Years' War: Battle of La Rochelle.

• [Wikipedia/a>]
• [
Kings and Generals: rench Resurgence - Hundred Years' War DOCUMENTARY]
• [Impregnable Fortress: The Siege of La Rochelle 1627 | Anglo-French Wars 1627-1629]



1460 – Wars of the Roses: Lancastrians kill the 3rd Duke of York and win the Battle of Wakefield.

• [Wikipedia: Battle of Wakefield]
• [VIDEO: The Battle of Wakefield, 30th December 1460]
• [Wikipedia: Wars of the Roses]
• [Wars of Roses 1455-1487 - English Civil Wars DOCUMENTARY]



1702 – Queen Anne's War: James Moore, Governor of the Province of Carolina, abandons the Siege of St. Augustine.

1813 – War of 1812: British soldiers burn Buffalo, New York.

• [Wikipedia: Battle of Buffalo]
• [History: The War of 1812 Documentary]



1816 – The Treaty of St. Louis between the United States and the united Ottawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi Indian tribes is proclaimed.

• [Wikipedia: Treaty of St. Louis (1816)]



1825 – The Treaty of St. Louis between the United States and the Shawnee Nation is proclaimed.

• [Wikipedia: Treaty of St. Louis (1825)]



1853 – Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest.

• [Wikipedia: Gadsden Purchase]
• [The History Guy Video]
• [History Snapshot: The Gadsden Purchase, 1853]



1890 – Following the Wounded Knee Massacre, the United States Army and Lakota warriors face off in the Drexel Mission Fight.

• [Wikipedia: Drexel Mission Fight]
• [US Army at Wounded Knee: Drexel Mission]



1896 РFilipino patriot and reform advocate Jos̩ Rizal is executed by a Spanish firing squad in Manila.

1896 – Canadian ice hockey player Ernie McLea scores the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup play, and the Cup-winning goal as the Montreal Victorias defeat the Winnipeg Victorias 6–5.

1897 – The British Colony of Natal annexes Zululand.

1903 – A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois kills at least 605.

• [Wikipedia]
• [The Iroquois Theater Disaster | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror]
• [C-SPAN Book TV]



1905 – Former Idaho Governor Frank Steunenberg is assassinated at the front gate of his home in Caldwell.

1906 – The All-India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India (later Dhaka, Bangladesh).

1916 – Russian mystic and advisor to the Tsar Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is murdered by a loyalist group led by Prince Felix Yusupov. His frozen, partially-trussed body was discovered in a Moscow river three days later.

• [Wikipedia Bio: Grigori Rasputin]
• [Grigori Rasputin: The Devil Incarnate]
• [VIDEO: The Real Rasputin (Imperial Russia Documentary) | Timeline]



1916 – The last coronation in Hungary is performed for King Charles IV and Queen Zita.

1922 – The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is formed.

• [Wikipedia: Treaty on the Creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]
• [HistoryPod Video]
• [VIDEO: How Did the Soviet Union Begin?]



1927 – The Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opens in Tokyo, Japan.

1935 – The Italian Air Force bombs a Swedish Red Cross hospital during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War.

1936 – The Flint sit-down strike hits General Motors.

1943 – Subhas Chandra Bose raises the flag of Indian independence at Port Blair.

1944 – King George II of Greece declares a regency, leaving the throne vacant.

1947 – Cold War: King Michael I of Romania is forced to abdicate by the Soviet Union-backed Communist government of Romania.

1952 – An RAF Avro Lancaster bomber crashes in Luqa, Malta after an engine failure, killing three crew members and a civilian on the ground.

1958 – The Guatemalan Air Force sinks several Mexican fishing boats alleged to have breached maritime borders, killing three and sparking international tension.

1972 – Vietnam War: Operation Linebacker II ends.

1993 – Israel establishes diplomatic relations with Vatican City and also upgrades to full diplomatic relations with Ireland.

1996 – Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers who shut down services across Israel.

1997 – In the worst incident in Algeria's insurgency, the Wilaya of Relizane massacres, 400 people from four villages are killed.

2000 – Rizal Day bombings: A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines within a period of a few hours, killing 22 and injuring about a hundred.

2004 РA fire in the Rep̼blica Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, kills 194.

2005 – Tropical Storm Zeta forms in the open Atlantic Ocean, tying the record for the latest tropical cyclone ever to form in the North Atlantic basin.

2006 – Madrid–Barajas Airport is bombed.

2006 – The Indonesian passenger ferry MV Senopati Nusantara sinks in a storm, resulting in at least 400 deaths.

2006 – Former President of Iraq Saddam Hussein is executed.

• [Wikipedia: Execution of Saddam Hussein]
• [VIDEO: Celebrations after execution of Saddam Hussein]
• [VIDEO: The Trial of Saddam Hussein]



2009 – A segment of the Lanzhou–Zhengzhou–Changsha pipeline ruptures in Shaanxi, China, and approximately 150,000 l (40,000 US gal) of diesel oil flows down the Wei River before finally reaching the Yellow River.

2009 – A suicide bomber kills nine people at Forward Operating Base Chapman, a key facility of the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan.

2013 – More than 100 people are killed when anti-government forces attack key buildings in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.



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Published at 5:30am on Thursday, December 30, 2021
Author: Bobby Coggins


Resources used to compile the information in this article include, but are not limited to the following websites or books: MaconMedia.com, youtube.com, weather.gov, airnow.gov, wikipedia.com, onthisday.com, ncdcr.gov, ncsu.edu, utah.edu, https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/, wolfram.com, biorxiv.org, aps.org, nejm.org, plos.org, cell.com, researchsquare.com, cureus.com, spc.noaa.gov, nhc.noaa.gov, ncdenr.org, medrxiv.org, archive.org, ncpedia.org, nasa.gov, https://ww2days.com, nih.gov, carolinapublicpress.org, microbe.tv, smokymountainnews.com, psypost.org, blogspot.com, pollen.com, franklinnc.com, maconnc.org, spaceweather.com, solarham.com, loc.gov, ncleg.net, senate.gov, house.gov, whitehouse.gov, drudgereport.com, politico.com, realclearpolitics.com, ushmm.org, This Day in North Carolina History, World War II Day By Day, The Holocaust Encyclopedia, The Timetables of History, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The World History and Book of Facts (multiple years), On This Day In History: Over 4,000 facts, The NASA Archives. 60 Years in Space, This Day in North Carolina History, The Smithsonian History of Space Exploration: From the Ancient World to the Extraterrestrial Future, Spaceflight, 2nd Edition: The Complete Story from Sputnik to Curiousity, The Story of Civilization (11 volumes), The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, American History, Volume 1: 1492-1877, American History, Volume 2: 1877 - Present, A Complete Chronolgy of the Second World War. Weather and Almanac data and information sources: Sources (except where otherwise credited): heavens-above.com, Ian Webster's Github, National Centers for Environmental Prediction, The National Weather Service, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center, Penn State University Electronic Wall Map, The State Climate Office of North Carolina, Storm Prediction Center, U.S. Naval Observatory, University of Utah Department of Atmospheric Sciences, and the Weather Prediction Center. Back to Top