ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Back to School Safety Tips for the 2026-2027 School Year [Macon Media]
• 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. Precipitation chances increase Wednesday night and linger into early Saturday across the mountains. Temperatures become cold enough for snow, mainly over the higher elevations along the Tennessee border.
2. Gusty winds and colder temperatures linger behind a strong cold front Thursday through the weekend.
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SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR
This space available
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....Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. West winds around 5 mph.
.TONIGHT....Partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy with a chance of showers after midnight. Lows in the mid 40s. West winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
.THURSDAY....Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
.THURSDAY NIGHT....Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
.FRIDAY....Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 40s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 35 mph, decreasing to 25 mph in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT....Partly cloudy. Cold with lows in the upper 20s.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Hazardous weather is not expected. today or tonight. A high wind field is expected to cross the region tomorrow and tomorrow night. Winds will gust into the 20s and 30s mph.
SPACE WEATHER FORECAST
image
THE SOLAR WIND CONTINUES TO BLOW: For the second day in a row, a stream of solar wind is buffeting Earth's magnetic field. Pressure from the onrushing (700 km/s) plasma is causing polar regions to glow with non-stop auroras. The lights could spill south if a gust sparks a geomagnetic storm. [LINK] https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=10&month=11&year=2026
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (1.9 out of 12) today with Ragweed and Chenopods being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (2.0 out of 12.0)
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MACON CALENDAR
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
Preparing for Winter Weather Emergencies
Join us at the Crawford Senior Center located at 108 Wayah Street, at 10 a.m. on November 24, 2026, to learn how to prepare for winter weather emergencies. Call 828-349-2058 ext. 0 for more information.
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 NOVEMBER 2026
11a to 1p at Friends of the Greenway, Inc.
573 E Main St, Franklin, NC 28734
contact: frog28734@gmail.com; 828-369-8488
TBA
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 80°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2006
Lowest Temperature 13°F in Franklin in 1957
Greatest Rainfall 2.88 inches in Highlands in 1998
Greatest Snowfall 2.0 inches in Highlands in 1968
Record weather events for November in Macon County
Highest Temperature 83°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Nov 4, 2003
Lowest Temperature -3°F in Highlands on Nov 25, 1950
Greatest Rainfall 4.69 inches in Highlands on Nov 29, 1914
Greatest Snowfall 6.0 inches in Highlands on Nov 28, 1922
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of November
Highest Temperature 89°F in Asheboro, Randolph County on Nov 7, 2024
Lowest Temperature -12°F in Grandfather Mountain, Avery County on Nov 15, 1969
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 9.70 in Lake Toxaway, Transylvania County on Nov 19, 2003
Greatest Snowfall 13.0 inches in Mount Mitchell, Yancey County on Nov 1, 2014
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WNC News
• November 2026 Meeting of the Macon County Board of Commissioners [Macon Media ]
• Flock Audit Report Now Public as 159-Page PDF; Data Converted to Searchable Excel and HTML Formats [Macon Media ]
Freezing temperatures, snow at higher elevations coming to WNC | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC
• North Carolina reports 9 deaths so far in 2026-27 flu season [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• NASA confirms sightings of fireball above NC-TN border [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Sheriff's Office employees clear investigations [The Franklin Press]
• One vote separates passage, defeat of Macon 1/4 cent sales tax proposal [Macon Sense]
• Wildlife wonders: WNC Nature Center [ Smoky Mountain News ]
• (Jackson) County voters speak out in a loud, blue voice [ The Mountaineer ]
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NC News
Mark Robinson files for bankruptcy, claiming less than $800 in the bank and $800k in debt | WRAL-TV (Durham, NC)
• Marijuana, data centers, redistricting: NC House leader shares vision for new Democratic majority [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Rep. Virginia Foxx narrowly trails Democratic challenger as lead in race flips back and forth in NC [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Democratic wave in NC flips a sixth Congressional seat as counting wraps up [NC Newsline]
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National News
Nvidia CEO caught in suspected spy scandal: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - Nov. 09, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - Nov. 9 | NBC News
Washington Journal Primetime Premiere - Monday, November 9, 2026 | C-SPAN
FULL REMARKS: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) Moves to Impeach Secretary Pete Hegseth | C-SPAN
• Fox’s Brit Hume Flags Trump Family’s Exploding Wealth as a Problem for Republicans: ‘People Are Hurting’ [Mediaite]
• Returning to Washington, Republicans vent anger, frustrations after midterm drubbing [The Hill]
• Here's a list of the individuals, including James Comey, targeted by the Trump administration [AP News ]
• Supreme Court clears the way for border wall construction in Texas’s Big Bend to resume [AP News ]
• GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert will lose reelection to Democrat Eileen Laubacher in Colorado, CNN projects Yahoo News]
• 5 things to know about Rep. Massie, who introduced articles to impeach Hegseth Washington Post]
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Financial News
Chip War author: This is now about Trump's relationship with Nvidia | The 8:30 | Yahoo Finance
Anthropic Prepares to Market IPO as Nvidia Scandal Stokes AI Jitters | The Asia Trade 11/09/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• Jensen Huang’s wife is a co-trustee to more than 500M of his Nvidia shares. Here’s what his affair could cost him [Yahoo Finance]
• Jensen Huang affair puts Nvidia’s future at risk, with no clear successor to the renowned CEO [CNBC]
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World News
North Korea's rise to cyber-hacking superpower | The Global Story | BBC News
What The Ship: Hormuz Crisis, War Risk Spikes, Cruise Chaos, Cable Sabotage & SS United States | What's Going on With Shipping?
Nvidia: honeypot may have been aimed at 'lobbying Jensen Huang to lobby the US government' | France 24 English
• Chances of Trump-Kim summit 'go up' after U.S. midterms: expert [Yonhap News Agency]
• Taiwan cancels trade talks with Malaysia after Anwar's 'one China' remarks [Taiwan News]
• Why South African voters are abandoning the ANC [DW News]
Trump says Iran war is militarily ‘effectively over’ after Qatar talks | Al Jazeera English
• Iran war live: Iran demands US ‘surrender’ to its conditions [Al Jazeera]
• Saudi-led coalition intercepts drone over oil-rich Eastern Province [Jerusalem Post]
• Iran Update, November 9, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 9, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Trump envoys aim to persuade Russia to include Europe in negotiations on ending war with Ukraine [AP News]
What does Trump mean by a Ukraine with a "different shape"? | World News Tonight | TVP World
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Iran War News
Israel's political puzzle and what it could mean | DW News
• The Israel Netanyahu Made: Why Bibi’s National Security Vision Will Endure [Foreign Affairs]
• US warns allies to prepare for possible Iran strikes, retaliation after elections, AP sources say [AP News]
• Iran Update, October 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Iran war live: Trump says he approved Vance outreach over medical supplies [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: Netanyahu's Likud maintains lead with 91% of votes in as counting of double envelopes continues [Jerusalem Post]
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Russo-Ukraine War
Russia’s Oil Nightmare Just Returned IN FORCE | Paul Warburg
Ukraine under fire ahead of planned Abu Dhabi talks | World News Tonight | TVP World
• Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine by attacking its energy grid, UN-backed inquiry says [AP News]
• Putin’s Strategy Is Working: Trump Could Salvage the Kremlin’s Objectives in Ukraine [Foreign Affairs]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russia’s alleged sabotage campaign in Europe raises fears of escalation [Al Jazeera]
• Ukraine and Russia begin Oleshky ceasefire for aid mission [DW News]
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Science News
This White Dwarf Spins So Fast It Acts Like a Cosmic Propeller | Anton Petrov
SpaceX’s $2 Trillion Bet Has a Physics Problem | Astraveo
• Mysterious gas on Mars suggests magma below [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
• TWiV 1372: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin [Microbe TV]
• TWiV 1373: Challenging Dengue and RIGging Flu [Microbe TV]
• Using Vibrations and AI, Future Robotic Missions Could Handle Buried Rocks Autonomously [Universe Today]
• Scientists finally discover why we learn to love bitter coffee [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 6 – 15 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
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Technology News
The €500 billion cost of survival | Yuval Noah Harari
• Anthropic releases new Mythos and Fable models amid RSI concerns [Tech Crunch]
• SpaceX now fundamentally an “infrastructure company,” senior official says [Ars Technica]
• Lawyers Are Flying in Circles Above Nvidia’s Head After Jensen Huang’s Affair With Alleged Spy [Gizmodo]
• Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 11/09/2026 [Torrent Freaks]
Most downloaded movies via torrent sites
1 (…) Resident Evil
2 (…) The Odyssey
3 (…) Heart of the Beast
4 (1) Spider-Man: Brand New Day
5 (…) Primetime
6 (3) The Dog Stars
7 (2) Verity
8 (5) Obsession
9 (6) Project Hail Mary
10 (…) Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
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Interesting Videos
Carthage vs the Greeks: The Sicilian Wars - Before the Punic Wars | Kings and Generals
Ten Unsettling Alien Space Necrosignatures | John Michael Godier
Why You Exist Comes Down to 2 Strange Quantum Rules | Arvin Ash
The Uranium Problem | Maxinomics
Mindscape Ask Me Anything, Sean Carroll | November 2026 | Sean Carrol
The AMSAT CubeSatSim: A Functional Satellite Model for Education | Ham Radio DX
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CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin Falls to the Bull Market Support Band | Benjamin Cowen
AI Millionaires Are Moving Into Crypto | Coin Bureau
• This Bitcoin Developer’s Idea Would Make Quantum Attacks a Losing Bet [Decrypt]
• Binance France emails announce closure of its users’ accounts on Dec. 31 [Coin Telegraph]
• Binance CFO Exits After 5 Years to Pursue AI and Crypto Tokenization [Bitcoin.com]
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Flock Cameras and Constitutional Rights
Flock Cameras Are Not Even the Worst Part of the System | TREX LABS
• 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 Wednesday November 11, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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