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Local News
Weather
Hazards and Tropical Weather
Almanac
Macon Calendar
National News Roundup
COVID-19 News and Updates
Science and Technology
On This Day
Support Macon Media
OUTLOOK
Cool high pressure will build into the region from the north today. Moisture will return late this evening as a warm front moves in from the south and pushes east through Wednesday. Dry high pressure returns Thursday into Friday, before an active cold front arrives from the west on Saturday.
**Weather Alert**
...OUTDOOR BURN BAN IN EFFECT...
The state of North Carolina has issued a state-wide burn ban.
[Press Release]
Town of Franklin Declares a Fire Danger Emergency
Town of Franklin Declares a Fire Danger Emergency
[Press Release]
---BEGIN SPONSOR SEGMENT---
Weather Sponsor
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.
---END SPONSOR SEGMENT------
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Local and State News
COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 15, 2021]
• Filing Opens for the 2022 Elections [Macon Media]
• Franklin Town Council - December 2021 Regular Meeting [Macon Media]
• Flags Lowered to Half-Staff to Honor Bob Dole [Macon Media]
• Flags Lowered to Half-Staff for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2021 [Macon Media]
Toyota Selects North Carolina Greensboro-Randolph Site For New U.S. Automotive Battery Plant
• Brasstown Ringers to Perform Christmas Concert Series [Macon Media]
• Cooper vetoes election bill that would end grace period for NC’s mail-in ballots [News and Observer/a>]
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Local Weather
National Weather Map for Today
General forecast through Thurssday Night
Franklin area
Today
Increasing clouds, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s. Calm winds becoming south around 5 mph.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 30s. Calm winds. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly before 11am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the lower 50s. Calm winds in the morninging increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around 30. Calm winds.
Thursday
A 20 percent chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 50s.
Thursday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers after 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40.
Highlands Plateau
Today
Mostly sunny, with highs in the mid 40s. Calm winds becoming south around 5 mph.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 30s. WInds out of the south 3 to 5 mph.
Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly before 11am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the mid 40s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around freezing. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 40s.
Thursday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40.
Otto area
Today
Mostly sunny, with highs in the lower 50s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 30s. Light winds out of the southeast.
Wednesday
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around 30. Light and variable winds.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 50s.
Thursday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40.
Nantahala area
Today
Mostly sunny, with highs near 50. Light and variable winds.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40. Calm winds.
Wednesday
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the mid 40s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around freezing. Light and variable winds.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s.
Thursday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the low-to-mid 40s.
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Hazards and Tropical Weather
Hazardous weather is not expected today.
...OUTDOOR BURN BAN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE...
The state of North Carolina has issued a state wide burn ban due to the very dry conditions and exceptionally dry fuels. This burn ban is expected to remain in place until significant rain occurs.
Outdoor burning is prohibited. Please refer to your local burn permitting authorities for further information. [Press Release]
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Almanac
Air Quality
Air quality is in the middle range of GREEN for most of the county, with the ridges and other higher elevations today being in the middle range of GREEN.
Fire and Smoke Map
Local Air Monitor
Pollen
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (2.0 out of 12) today with Ragweed and various Grasses being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (1.2 out of 12).
Record Weather Events for December 7th
Record weather events for this date in Macon County
(1872-2016)
Highest Temperature 74°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1998
lowest Temperature 0°F in Highlands in 1937
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 3.98 inches in Highlands in 1909
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 1.0 inches in Highlands in 1900
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 POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is back in 2021! The 1¼ hour round-trip passenger excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot. For tickets, see [GSMR.com]
Dillsboro Lights & Luminaries
Adapted from an old Scandinavian custom of lighting the way for the Christ child, more than 2,500 candles in small white bags line the streets and every storefront is aglow with Christmas lights and decorations. Shopkeepers and restaurants are open late. See Santa and Mrs. Claus as they ride through town in their pickup truck. Write a letter to Santa and drop it off at his special mailbox. Live music on Front Street. For more information, see [Visit Dillsboro]
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National and World News Roundup
• Bob Dole to lie in state at Capitol as nation honors senator [AP News]
Russian Troops Massing on Ukraine Border
Bushcraft Bear: La Palma Volcano Report for December 6th, 2021
• Here’s Why You Aren’t Allowed to Watch the Ghislaine Maxwell Trial [Foundation for Economic Freedom]
• Armed with plastic shields, White nationalists march on Lincoln Memoria [CNN]
• Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit dies after suffering heart attack following a workout [CBS News]
NBC Nightly News Full Broadcast - December 6th, 2021
PBS NewsHour Full Episode December 6th, 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]
• South Africa Hospitals Jammed with Omicron Patients [Voice of America]
• Virtual care companies rush to ease access to Covid-19 antivirals [STAT]
• NYC Will Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines For All Private Sector Workers [Gothamist]
• New 10-minute test detects Covid-19 immunity [MIT News]
• Germany plans to make vaccination compulsory for some jobs [Reuters]
• Study: Risk of dying from COVID 50% higher in red states [WKRC-TV]
• Covid-19: Italy tightens restrictions for unvaccinated [BBC NewsE]
• A zoo’s three ‘beloved’ snow leopards die of Covid-19 [Washington Post]
• Hospitals refused to give patients ivermectin. Lockdowns and political pressure followed. [Idaho Capital Sun]
Back to Top
Science and Technology News Roundup
Level1 News December 7 2021: Kick-Tok
Launch of NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration — LCRD Official Launch Coverage
Watch the liftoff of our Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The two-hour launch window opens Dec. 7, 2021 at 4:04 a.m. EST. Laser communications offer data rates higher than traditional radio frequency systems, allowing more data per transmission. Once in orbit, LCRD will demonstrate the benefits of using infrared lasers to communicate information from space, including reduced size, weight, and power requirements for a communications system on a spacecraft. A smaller size means more room for science instruments. Less weight means a less expensive launch. Less power means less drain on the spacecraft’s batteries. All of this enables further exploration. LCRD is a NASA payload aboard the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program Satellite-6 (STPSat-6). STPSat-6, part of the Space Test Program 3 (STP-3) mission, will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. STP is operated by the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command. For more information on LCRD, visit [https://nasa.gov/lasercomms]
• The Popular Family Safety App Life360 Is Selling Precise Location Data on Its Tens of Millions of Users [The Markup]
• The Top 9 Websites and Blogs to Learn Excel Tips and Tricks [Make Use Of]
• New type of earthquake discovered [Science Daily]
• Firefox 95.0 update comes with beefed up sandbox security [PC Gamer]
• 50 years on Mars [Astronomy]
• Ep. 623: NEOs: Concern or Nah [AstronomyCast]
• Maybe “Boson Clouds” Could Explain Dark Matter [Universe Today]
• Cordkillers 387 - VCR and Chill [Cordkillers]
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On This Day
December 7th is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 24 days remain 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)
43 BC – Marcus Tullius Cicero is assassinated in Formia on orders of Marcus Antonius.
574 – Byzantine Emperor Justin II, suffering recurring seizures of insanity, adopts his general Tiberius and proclaims him as Caesar.
1703 – The Great Storm of 1703, the greatest windstorm ever recorded in the southern part of Great Britain, makes landfall. Winds gust up to 120 mph, and 9,000 people die.
1724 – Tumult of Thorn: Religious unrest is followed by the execution of nine Protestant citizens and the mayor of Thorn (Toruń) by Polish authorities.
1732 – The Royal Opera House opens at Covent Garden, London, England.
1776 – Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, arranges to enter the American military as a major general.
1787 – Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the United States Constitution.
1837 – The Battle of Montgomery's Tavern, the only battle of the Upper Canada Rebellion, takes place in Toronto, where the rebels are quickly defeated.
1842 – First concert of the New York Philharmonic, founded by Ureli Corelli Hill.
1904 – Comparative fuel trials begin between warships HMS Spiteful and HMS Peterel: Spiteful was the first warship powered solely by fuel oil, and the trials led to the obsolescence of coal in ships of the Royal Navy.
1917 – World War I: The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary.
1922 – The Parliament of Northern Ireland votes to remain a part of the United Kingdom and not unify with Southern Ireland.
1930 – W1XAV in Boston, Massachusetts telecasts video from the CBS radio orchestra program, The Fox Trappers. The telecast also includes the first television advertisement in the United States, for I.J. Fox Furriers, which also sponsored the radio show.
1932 – German-born Swiss physicist Albert Einstein is granted an American visa.
1936 – Australian cricketer Jack Fingleton becomes the first player to score centuries in four consecutive Test innings.
1941 – World War II: Attack on Pearl Harbor: The Imperial Japanese Navy carries out a surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet and its defending Army and Marine air forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. (For Japan's near-simultaneous attacks on Eastern Hemisphere targets, see December 8.)
1942 – World War II: British commandos conduct Operation Frankton, a raid on shipping in Bordeaux harbour.
1946 – A fire at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia kills 119 people, the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history.
1949 – Chinese Civil War: The Government of the Republic of China moves from Nanking to Taipei, Taiwan.
1962 – Prince Rainier III of Monaco revises the principality's constitution, devolving some of his power to advisory and legislative councils.
1963 – Instant replay makes its debut during the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
1965 – Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I simultaneously revoke mutual excommunications that had been in place since 1054.
1971 – The Battle of Sylhet is fought between the Pakistani military and the Mukti Bahini.
1971 – Pakistan President Yahya Khan announces the formation of a coalition government with Nurul Amin as Prime Minister and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as Deputy Prime Minister.
1972 – Apollo 17, the last Apollo moon mission, is launched. The crew takes the photograph known as The Blue Marble as they leave the Earth.
1982 – In Texas, Charles Brooks, Jr., becomes the first person to be executed by lethal injection in the United States.
1982 – The Senior Road Tower collapses in less than 17 seconds. Five workers on the tower are killed and three workers on a building nearby are injured.
1983 – An Iberia Airlines Boeing 727 collides with an Aviaco DC-9 in dense fog while the two airliners are taxiing down the runway at Madrid–Barajas Airport, killing 93 people.
1987 – Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771, a British Aerospace 146-200A, crashes near Paso Robles, California, killing all 43 on board, after a disgruntled passenger shoots his ex-boss traveling on the flight, then shoots both pilots and steers the plane into the ground.
1988 – The 6.8 Ms Armenian earthquake shakes the northern part of the country with a maximum MSK intensity of X (Devastating), killing 25,000–50,000 and injuring 31,000–130,000.
1993 – Long Island Rail Road shooting: Passenger Colin Ferguson murders six people and injures 19 others on the LIRR in Nassau County, New York.
1995 – The Galileo spacecraft arrives at Jupiter, a little more than six years after it was launched by Space Shuttle Atlantis during Mission STS-34.
1995 – Khabarovsk United Air Group Flight 3949 crashes into the Bo-Dzhausa Mountain, killing 98.
1995 – An Air Saint Martin (now Air Caraïbes) Beechcraft 1900 crashes near the Haitian commune of Belle Anse, killing 20.
2003 – The Conservative Party of Canada is officially registered, following the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.
2005 – Rigoberto Alpizar, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 924 who allegedly claimed to have a bomb, is shot and killed by a team of U.S. federal air marshals at Miami International Airport.
2015 – The JAXA probe Akatsuki successfully enters orbit around Venus five years after the first attempt.
2016 – Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661, a domestic passenger flight from Chitral to Islamabad, operated by ATR-42-500 crashes near Havelian, killing all 47 on board.
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Published at 5:00am on Tuesday, December 07, 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
---BEGIN SPONSOR SEGMENT---
Weather Sponsor
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.
---END SPONSOR SEGMENT------
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Local and State News
COVID-19 Numbers for Macon County: [November 15, 2021]
• Filing Opens for the 2022 Elections [Macon Media]
• Franklin Town Council - December 2021 Regular Meeting [Macon Media]
• Flags Lowered to Half-Staff to Honor Bob Dole [Macon Media]
• Flags Lowered to Half-Staff for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 2021 [Macon Media]
Toyota Selects North Carolina Greensboro-Randolph Site For New U.S. Automotive Battery Plant
• Brasstown Ringers to Perform Christmas Concert Series [Macon Media]
• Cooper vetoes election bill that would end grace period for NC’s mail-in ballots [News and Observer/a>]
Back to Top
Local Weather
National Weather Map for Today
General forecast through Thurssday Night
Franklin area
Today
Increasing clouds, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s. Calm winds becoming south around 5 mph.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 30s. Calm winds. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly before 11am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the lower 50s. Calm winds in the morninging increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around 30. Calm winds.
Thursday
A 20 percent chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 50s.
Thursday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers after 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40.
Highlands Plateau
Today
Mostly sunny, with highs in the mid 40s. Calm winds becoming south around 5 mph.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid 30s. WInds out of the south 3 to 5 mph.
Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of rain, mainly before 11am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the mid 40s. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around freezing. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 40s.
Thursday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40.
Otto area
Today
Mostly sunny, with highs in the lower 50s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 30s. Light winds out of the southeast.
Wednesday
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around 30. Light and variable winds.
Thursday
Partly sunny, with highs in the mid 50s.
Thursday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40.
Nantahala area
Today
Mostly sunny, with highs near 50. Light and variable winds.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 40. Calm winds.
Wednesday
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10am. Cloudy through midmorning, then gradual clearing, with highs in the mid 40s. Calm winds in the morning increasing to come out of the northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with lows around freezing. Light and variable winds.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s.
Thursday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the low-to-mid 40s.
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Hazards and Tropical Weather
Hazardous weather is not expected today.
...OUTDOOR BURN BAN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE...
The state of North Carolina has issued a state wide burn ban due to the very dry conditions and exceptionally dry fuels. This burn ban is expected to remain in place until significant rain occurs.
Outdoor burning is prohibited. Please refer to your local burn permitting authorities for further information. [Press Release]
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Almanac
Air Quality
Air quality is in the middle range of GREEN for most of the county, with the ridges and other higher elevations today being in the middle range of GREEN.
Fire and Smoke Map
Pollen
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (2.0 out of 12) today with Ragweed and various Grasses being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (1.2 out of 12).
Record Weather Events for December 7th
Record weather events for this date in Macon County
(1872-2016)
Highest Temperature 74°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1998
lowest Temperature 0°F in Highlands in 1937
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 3.98 inches in Highlands in 1909
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 1.0 inches in Highlands in 1900
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 POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is back in 2021! The 1¼ hour round-trip passenger excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot. For tickets, see [GSMR.com]
Dillsboro Lights & Luminaries
Adapted from an old Scandinavian custom of lighting the way for the Christ child, more than 2,500 candles in small white bags line the streets and every storefront is aglow with Christmas lights and decorations. Shopkeepers and restaurants are open late. See Santa and Mrs. Claus as they ride through town in their pickup truck. Write a letter to Santa and drop it off at his special mailbox. Live music on Front Street. For more information, see [Visit Dillsboro]
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National and World News Roundup
• Bob Dole to lie in state at Capitol as nation honors senator [AP News]
Russian Troops Massing on Ukraine Border
Bushcraft Bear: La Palma Volcano Report for December 6th, 2021
• Here’s Why You Aren’t Allowed to Watch the Ghislaine Maxwell Trial [Foundation for Economic Freedom]
• Armed with plastic shields, White nationalists march on Lincoln Memoria [CNN]
• Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit dies after suffering heart attack following a workout [CBS News]
NBC Nightly News Full Broadcast - December 6th, 2021
PBS NewsHour Full Episode December 6th, 2021
Back to Top
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]
• South Africa Hospitals Jammed with Omicron Patients [Voice of America]
• Virtual care companies rush to ease access to Covid-19 antivirals [STAT]
• NYC Will Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines For All Private Sector Workers [Gothamist]
• New 10-minute test detects Covid-19 immunity [MIT News]
• Germany plans to make vaccination compulsory for some jobs [Reuters]
• Study: Risk of dying from COVID 50% higher in red states [WKRC-TV]
• Covid-19: Italy tightens restrictions for unvaccinated [BBC NewsE]
• A zoo’s three ‘beloved’ snow leopards die of Covid-19 [Washington Post]
• Hospitals refused to give patients ivermectin. Lockdowns and political pressure followed. [Idaho Capital Sun]
Back to Top
Science and Technology News Roundup
Level1 News December 7 2021: Kick-Tok
Launch of NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration — LCRD Official Launch Coverage
Watch the liftoff of our Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The two-hour launch window opens Dec. 7, 2021 at 4:04 a.m. EST. Laser communications offer data rates higher than traditional radio frequency systems, allowing more data per transmission. Once in orbit, LCRD will demonstrate the benefits of using infrared lasers to communicate information from space, including reduced size, weight, and power requirements for a communications system on a spacecraft. A smaller size means more room for science instruments. Less weight means a less expensive launch. Less power means less drain on the spacecraft’s batteries. All of this enables further exploration. LCRD is a NASA payload aboard the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program Satellite-6 (STPSat-6). STPSat-6, part of the Space Test Program 3 (STP-3) mission, will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. STP is operated by the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command. For more information on LCRD, visit [https://nasa.gov/lasercomms]
• The Popular Family Safety App Life360 Is Selling Precise Location Data on Its Tens of Millions of Users [The Markup]
• The Top 9 Websites and Blogs to Learn Excel Tips and Tricks [Make Use Of]
• New type of earthquake discovered [Science Daily]
• Firefox 95.0 update comes with beefed up sandbox security [PC Gamer]
• 50 years on Mars [Astronomy]
• Ep. 623: NEOs: Concern or Nah [AstronomyCast]
• Maybe “Boson Clouds” Could Explain Dark Matter [Universe Today]
• Cordkillers 387 - VCR and Chill [Cordkillers]
Back to Top
On This Day
December 7th is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 24 days remain 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)
43 BC – Marcus Tullius Cicero is assassinated in Formia on orders of Marcus Antonius.
574 – Byzantine Emperor Justin II, suffering recurring seizures of insanity, adopts his general Tiberius and proclaims him as Caesar.
1703 – The Great Storm of 1703, the greatest windstorm ever recorded in the southern part of Great Britain, makes landfall. Winds gust up to 120 mph, and 9,000 people die.
1724 – Tumult of Thorn: Religious unrest is followed by the execution of nine Protestant citizens and the mayor of Thorn (Toruń) by Polish authorities.
1732 – The Royal Opera House opens at Covent Garden, London, England.
1776 – Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, arranges to enter the American military as a major general.
1787 – Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the United States Constitution.
1837 – The Battle of Montgomery's Tavern, the only battle of the Upper Canada Rebellion, takes place in Toronto, where the rebels are quickly defeated.
1842 – First concert of the New York Philharmonic, founded by Ureli Corelli Hill.
1904 – Comparative fuel trials begin between warships HMS Spiteful and HMS Peterel: Spiteful was the first warship powered solely by fuel oil, and the trials led to the obsolescence of coal in ships of the Royal Navy.
1917 – World War I: The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary.
1922 – The Parliament of Northern Ireland votes to remain a part of the United Kingdom and not unify with Southern Ireland.
1930 – W1XAV in Boston, Massachusetts telecasts video from the CBS radio orchestra program, The Fox Trappers. The telecast also includes the first television advertisement in the United States, for I.J. Fox Furriers, which also sponsored the radio show.
1932 – German-born Swiss physicist Albert Einstein is granted an American visa.
1936 – Australian cricketer Jack Fingleton becomes the first player to score centuries in four consecutive Test innings.
1941 – World War II: Attack on Pearl Harbor: The Imperial Japanese Navy carries out a surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet and its defending Army and Marine air forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. (For Japan's near-simultaneous attacks on Eastern Hemisphere targets, see December 8.)
1942 – World War II: British commandos conduct Operation Frankton, a raid on shipping in Bordeaux harbour.
1946 – A fire at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia kills 119 people, the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history.
1949 – Chinese Civil War: The Government of the Republic of China moves from Nanking to Taipei, Taiwan.
1962 – Prince Rainier III of Monaco revises the principality's constitution, devolving some of his power to advisory and legislative councils.
1963 – Instant replay makes its debut during the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
1965 – Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I simultaneously revoke mutual excommunications that had been in place since 1054.
1971 – The Battle of Sylhet is fought between the Pakistani military and the Mukti Bahini.
1971 – Pakistan President Yahya Khan announces the formation of a coalition government with Nurul Amin as Prime Minister and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as Deputy Prime Minister.
1972 – Apollo 17, the last Apollo moon mission, is launched. The crew takes the photograph known as The Blue Marble as they leave the Earth.
1982 – In Texas, Charles Brooks, Jr., becomes the first person to be executed by lethal injection in the United States.
1982 – The Senior Road Tower collapses in less than 17 seconds. Five workers on the tower are killed and three workers on a building nearby are injured.
1983 – An Iberia Airlines Boeing 727 collides with an Aviaco DC-9 in dense fog while the two airliners are taxiing down the runway at Madrid–Barajas Airport, killing 93 people.
1987 – Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771, a British Aerospace 146-200A, crashes near Paso Robles, California, killing all 43 on board, after a disgruntled passenger shoots his ex-boss traveling on the flight, then shoots both pilots and steers the plane into the ground.
1988 – The 6.8 Ms Armenian earthquake shakes the northern part of the country with a maximum MSK intensity of X (Devastating), killing 25,000–50,000 and injuring 31,000–130,000.
1993 – Long Island Rail Road shooting: Passenger Colin Ferguson murders six people and injures 19 others on the LIRR in Nassau County, New York.
1995 – The Galileo spacecraft arrives at Jupiter, a little more than six years after it was launched by Space Shuttle Atlantis during Mission STS-34.
1995 – Khabarovsk United Air Group Flight 3949 crashes into the Bo-Dzhausa Mountain, killing 98.
1995 – An Air Saint Martin (now Air Caraïbes) Beechcraft 1900 crashes near the Haitian commune of Belle Anse, killing 20.
2003 – The Conservative Party of Canada is officially registered, following the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.
2005 – Rigoberto Alpizar, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 924 who allegedly claimed to have a bomb, is shot and killed by a team of U.S. federal air marshals at Miami International Airport.
2015 – The JAXA probe Akatsuki successfully enters orbit around Venus five years after the first attempt.
2016 – Pakistan International Airlines Flight 661, a domestic passenger flight from Chitral to Islamabad, operated by ATR-42-500 crashes near Havelian, killing all 47 on board.
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Published at 5:00am on Tuesday, December 07, 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
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