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. Seasonably cool and dry conditions continue, with frost likely across portions of the area again tonight.
2. Temperatures warm again into midweek before another frontal system increases precipitation chances and ushers in much colder weather late in the week.
↑ Back to Top
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
↑ Back to Top
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 lower 60s. Light and variable winds, becoming west around 5 mph this afternoon.
.TONIGHT....Clear. Lows in the mid 30s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.MONDAY....Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.MONDAY NIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s. North winds around 5 mph.
.TUESDAY....Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. Light and variable winds.
.TUESDAY NIGHT....Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Hazardous weather is not expected.
SPACE WEATHER FORECAST
image
CHANCE OF X-FLARES TODAY: Unstable sunspot AR4566 has doubled in size this weekend, and it is directly facing Earth. With a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field, it harbors energy for strong explosions. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of M-class solar flares and a 20% chance of X-flares on Nov. 8th. [LINK] https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=08&month=11&year=2026
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (2.0 out of 12) today with Ragweed and Chenopods being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (1.8 out of 12.0)
↑ Back to Top
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.
↑ Back to Top
WEATHER ALMANAC
Record Weather Events for this date in Macon County (1872-2025)
Highest Temperature 81°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2024
Lowest Temperature 15°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1960
Greatest Rainfall 2.00 inches in Franklin in 1996
Greatest Snowfall (no measurable snow fell on this date)
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
↑ Back to Top
WNC News
• Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the All-Inclusive Playground at Sunnyside Park [Macon Media ]
NC property tax amendment concerns | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC
Ghosts in the Forest: Exploring Paleontology in the Southern Appalachians of Tennessee & Virginia | Watch BTN-TV
• Smoky Mountain Toy Run rides again, funding gifts for kids this holiday season [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• Smoky Mountain powers past North Buncombe, 58-34 [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Election 2026 Results [The Franklin Press]
• Election Day: Republicans dominate locals, County ends dry spell, and a crazy close referendum [Macon Sense]
• Coming home: Amie Owens takes over as Waynesville town manager [ Smoky Mountain News ]
• (Jackson) County voters speak out in a loud, blue voice [ The Mountaineer ]
↑ Back to Top
NC News
Man killed, 20 injured in DWI bicycle crash; Apex driver faces felony charges. What we know so far. | WRAL-TV (Durham, NC)
• 'Beyond our control': Local cyclists react to deadly crash that killed Cary man, injured 20 others [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Rep. Virginia Foxx, trailing in NC election, wants observers for ballot counting [Raleigh News & Observer]
• N.C. political journalists share what North Carolinians should take from the 2026 elections [NC Local]
↑ Back to Top
National News
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - Nov. 6, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - Nov. 6 | NBC News
Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, Nov. 6, 2026 | The Atlantic
How the world is reacting to America's midterm results | Compass Points | PBS NewsHour
• White House and DOJ Considering Arresting Journalists Over Leaks and Stephen Miller Is All Aboard the Plan: Report [Mediaite]
• Sotomayor says she hopes Supreme Court will overturn presidential immunity decision [The Hill]
• Trump’s grip on his party is in question as Republicans reel from the midterm wipeout [AP News ]
• Schumer faces skepticism among some Democrats over majority leader role Yahoo News]
• First openly gay sheriff in Alabama is Navy SEAL who vows to cut ties with Flock Washington Post]
↑ Back to Top
Financial News
OpenAI could become the 'WeWork of AI,' says NYU Professor Gary Marcus| CNBC Television
Wall Street Week | Blue Wave Economic Impacts, European Welfare Woes | Bloomberg Television
• IRS announces 2027 income tax brackets. Here's what's changing. [Yahoo Finance]
• Meta chief strategy officer Dave Wehner leaves to join AI infrastructure startup Fireworks as CFO [CNBC]
↑ Back to Top
World News
Krakow shooting suspect 'fascinated by far right' | DW News
What The Hormuz: High Risk, High Reward & the Strait of Hormuz Clause | What's Going on With Shipping?
King Charles leads Remembrance Sunday service | Full Sky News coverage
• U.S. reaffirms commitment to conditions-based OPCON transition to S. Korea: lawmaker [Yonhap News Agency]
• Taiwan receives second batch of three F-16V Block 70 Fighters [Taiwan News]
• As COP31 Antalya kicks off, can world move beyond big promises? [DW News]
Israel’s coalition maths after Eisenkot’s endorsement: Analysis | Al Jazeera English
• Iran war live: US moves to block land supply routes; UAE rescues 22 sailors [Al Jazeera]
• Drone and missile attacks wound 9 in Ukraine as country prepares for talks with Russia and US [AP News]
Shocking shooting in Poland leaves 6 dead, attacker shot by police | World News Tonight | TVP World
↑ Back to Top
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]
↑ Back to Top
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]
↑ Back to Top
Science News
Scientists Found a Human Brain Gene Inside a Virus (Here's Why It Matters) | Anton Petrov
• Curiosity captures a martian dawn [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
• TWiV 1372: Clinical Update with Dr. Daniel Griffin [Microbe TV]
• TWiV 1373: Challenging Dengue and RIGging Flu [Microbe TV]
• 'Big Bang' Fix Puts Voyager Across the 'One Light-Day' Mark [Universe Today]
• Stronger flu shot linked to nearly 55% lower Alzheimer's risk [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 6 – 15 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
↑ Back to Top
Technology News
AI Policy Moves From Washington to the States | Bloomberg Tech
The tech industry is waiting for returns on AI investments (with Daniel Howley) |
• Nvidia hardware worth $11.4M vanished between Oakland and Texas [Ars Technica]
• European Union Regulators Tell TikTok to Plug ‘Rabbit Holes’ or Else [Gizmodo]
• Mexico’s Senate Approves ISP Rules to Disconnect Persistent Online Pirates [Torrent Freaks]
↑ Back to Top
Interesting Videos
Not only Janissaries - The Ottoman Empire’s Elite Army | Kings and Generals
5th Generation Warfare | The Battle You Were Born Into | Dirty Civilian
Learjet Engine Found in Crater, What Went Wrong With Radar? | jeffostroff
The Uranium Problem | Maxinomics
Vera Rubin Delivers Even More BIG Discoveries | Fraser Cain
Black Holes. Explained. For 2 More Hours. | PBS Space Time
↑ Back to Top
CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin: The Bears Strike Back | Benjamin Cowen
AI Millionaires Are Moving Into Crypto | Coin Bureau
• Apple Completes the Set: Every Magnificent Seven Stock Opts Out of OKX-ICE Venue [Decrypt]
• US sanctions Canadian money-exchange firms over Iran ties [Coin Telegraph]
• Crypto Market-Making Agreements: What Token Projects Should Negotiate Before Signing [Bitcoin.com]
↑ Back to Top
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
↑ Back to Top
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]
↑ Back to TopSupport Macon Media
• You can now support Macon Media with a $1.99 monthly Facebook subscription at Facebook Subscription
• Become a Patron: patreon.com/MaconMedia
• PayPal: paypal.me/MaconMedia
Published at 6:00am on Sunday November 08, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
Posts
0 comments :
Post a Comment