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. NW snowfall is expected to begin later tonight and continue into Saturday morning across the higher elevations along the Tennessee border. No accumulation is expected for most of Macon County.
2. Expect gusty winds and colder temperatures behind a strong cold front beginning today and lingering through the weekend.
↑ 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....Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 50s. North winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
.TONIGHT....Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming 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 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.
.FRIDAY NIGHT....Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.
.SATURDAY....Sunny. Highs in the lower 40s.
.SATURDAY NIGHT....Clear, cold with lows in the mid 20s.
.SUNDAY....Sunny. Highs around 50.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Hazardous weather is not expected. today or tonight. A high wind field is expected to cross the region from mid morning through the overnight period. 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=12&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 (1.9 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 6°F in Highlands in 1894
Greatest Rainfall 3.78 inches in Highlands in 2022
Greatest Snowfall 1.0 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
↑ Back to Top
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 ]
Mayor Manheimer, Council Member Smith bid farewell after election defeat (full video) | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC
• Federal hemp rules take effect Thursday; Asheville dispensary warns of deeper cuts Dec. 12 [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• Murphy residents decry data center proposal as county works on ordinance [Asheville Citizen-Times]
• Sales tax vote narrows [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 ]
• First data center hearing in the books [ The Mountaineer ]
↑ Back to Top
NC News
What's behind falling vaccination rates in NC? | WRAL-TV (Durham, NC)
• What likely split control of NC chambers could mean for vouchers [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• New NC House leader vows to end a secretive practice. ‘That stops on my side.’ Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article318033051.html#storylink=cpy [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Hubbard appears to have ousted Foxx in NC-05 as provisionals, cured ballots counted [NC Newsline]
↑ Back to Top
National News
Deadly building collapse in New York City: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - Nov. 11, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - Nov. 11 | NBC News
Washington Today (11-11-26): Veterans Day:: POTUS at Arlington Cemetery, bipartisan US House tribute | C-SPAN
Did Jensen Huang Just Destroy America's AI Advantage? | Great Question | CBS Evening News
• Jensen Huang Met Alleged Chinese Spy Lover Through Her Own Husband: Report [Mediaite]
• Sentinel at Tomb of Unknown Soldier yells at Hegseth group to maintain decorum [The Hill]
• Mississippi elects Democrat Scott Colom as state’s first Black US senator since Reconstruction [AP News ]
• Elon Musk Calls Claude Opus 5.5 a 'Masterpiece', Admits Grok 4.8 Won't Match It Yahoo News]
• North Carolina is on the brink of a total Democratic sweep of state government Washington Post]
↑ Back to Top
Financial News
The Psychology of Inflation | Economics Explained
What 42 Interviews Reveal About Jensen Huang and China | Yahoo Finance
The Rise and Reckoning of Jensen Huang | The Circuit with Emily Chang | Bloomberg Originals
Anthropic Prepares to Market IPO as Nvidia Scandal Stokes AI Jitters | The Asia Trade 11/09/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• Nvidia reportedly preparing to oust CEO Huang after alleged affairs with spy, Nvidia exec [Yahoo Finance]
• The world’s super-rich are piling into alternative investments. Here’s why [CNBC]
↑ Back to Top
World News
Clashes erupt in Spain as thousands join general strike over living costs | BBC News
The Fate of SS United States: Answering Your Questions| What's Going on With Shipping?
Nvidia's Jensen Huang at heart of China spy scandal | France 24 English
• N. Korea unlikely to attend APEC or hold talks with U.S.: official [Yonhap News Agency]
• Nvidia CEO’s turmoil poses little direct risk to TSMC [Taiwan News]
• US, Russia, Ukraine wrap up Abu Dhabi talks with prisoner exchange [DW News]
Did Iran war cost Trump the Midterms? | This Is America | Al Jazeera English
• Iran war live: IRGC chief says sanctions won’t stop missile programme [Al Jazeera]
• IDF strikes Hamas terrorists planning attacks from Khan Yunis's Nasser Hospital [Jerusalem Post]
• Iran Update, November 11, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 11, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• What to know as European leaders meet in Dublin to discuss Ukraine’s security, and their own [AP News]
A day that unites: Poland celebrates 108 years of independence | 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
Did Gravity Change Over Time? New Study Has the Answer | Anton Petrov
STOP Using AI Wrong [The Chess Engine Rule] | 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]
↑ Back to Top
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
↑ Back to Top
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
↑ Back to Top
CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin Falls Below the 50W Moving Average | Benjamin Cowen
How to SURVIVE This Bear Market | Coin Bureau
• Nvidia-Backed CoreWeave Is Surging: Here’s What It Means for the AI Boom [Decrypt]
• Binance CSO unwittingly foreshadowed $6.3B hack tactic months before attack [Coin Telegraph]
• Bitcoin Faces Deeper Reset Risk as Bitfinex Warns of $70K Drop [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 Thursday November 12, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
Posts
0 comments :
Post a Comment