International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Germans being confronted with their legacy of murder by Allied troops

The International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an international memorial day on January 27th that commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities between 1933 and 1945 by Nazi Germany, an attempt to implement their "final solution" to the Jewish question. January 27th was chosen to commemorate the date when the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in 1945.

Statement from President Joe Biden on International Holocaust Remembrance Day (released on January 26th)

Tomorrow, Jill and I will pause to mourn the six million Jews who were systematically and savagely murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust — and to grieve the Roma and Sinti, Slavs, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and political dissidents who were also killed. As we join nations around the world in bearing witness to this dark chapter in our shared history, we also honor survivors and their stories—pledging to always remember, and to keep faith with that sacred vow: “never again.”

“Never again” was a promise my father first instilled in me at our family dinner table, educating me and my siblings about the horrors of the Shoah. It’s a lesson I’ve passed on to my own children and grandchildren by taking them to Dachau to understand for themselves the depths of this evil—and the complicity of those who knew what was happening, yet said nothing. Seeing neo-Nazis and white nationalists march from the shadows in Charlottesville in 2017, spewing the same antisemitic bile we heard in the 1930s in Europe, drove me to run for president.

Sadly, we have seen over and over again that hate never goes away. It only hides—waiting to reemerge whenever it is given just a little bit of oxygen. And today, across our country, we are seeing swastikas on cars, antisemitic banners on bridges, verbal and physical attacks against Jewish businesses and Jewish Americans – even Holocaust denialism. It’s vile. It goes against everything we value as Americans. And each of us must speak out against this poison. Together, we must affirm, over and over, that hate has no safe harbor in America. 

That is exactly what my Administration is doing. Working with partners around the country, we held a historic White House Summit on combating hate-fueled violence. We appointed the first Ambassador-level Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. We are developing a national strategy to fight antisemitism. We’ve secured the largest increase in funding ever for the physical security of non-profits—including synagogues and Jewish Community Centers. We continue to support Holocaust survivors to ensure they can live the rest of their lives with dignity and security. And to mark this day of remembrance, the Second Gentleman of the United States, Douglas Emhoff, is participating in a commemoration ceremony at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland, and will be visiting Berlin, Germany to coordinate international efforts to combat antisemitism.

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day and every day, the United States stands with Holocaust victims, their families, and their descendants. We remember. We honor their stories. We will face down the hate and the lies that carry in them the terrifying echoes of one of the worst chapters in human history. And for generations to come, we will continue to defend our foundational values as a nation—freedom, equality, and dignity for all human beings.

US Holocaust Memorial Museum: Why We Remember the Holocaust



Auschwitz Selection and Disposal Scenes | War and Remembrance

May we never forget what happened...

May we never allow it to happen again...

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Commissioning Ceremony of the US Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denham

The Coast Guard accepts delivery of the 49th Fast Response Cutter Douglas Denman, in Key West, Florida, on May 26, 2022. The cutter will be homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Today, at 2pm Eastern Time, the US Coast Guard is commissioning the US Coast Guard Cutter USCGC-1149 Douglas Denman, a Fast Response Cutter, named after the father of a local resident, Donna Denman Harwell Odum. Her father received the Silver Star and Purple Heart medals for his actions during World War II.



If problems develop, vist the Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/USCGDouglasDenman

The commissioning of a ship is an age-old tradition where the vessel is assigned to active service and the crew ceremoniously reports aboard to accept their positions that will be passed on like a torch until the ship’s life comes to an end in the service and it is decommissioned.

The cutter was named for Douglas Denman who was born in Tallapoosa, Georgia, and joined the Coast Guard in 1940. He was eventually assigned to the USS Colhoun as a coxswain. On Aug. 30, 1942, the Colhoun was positioned off the coast of Guadalcanal when it was attacked by Japanese aircraft. Denman was seriously wounded during the attack, but remained at his duty station. When the order was given to abandon ship, Denman and another crewmember helped evacuate the crew and get life jackets to those already in the water. Because of Denman’s selfless actions, 100 of the 150 officers and crew survived the attack and sinking of Colhoun. For his heroic efforts, Denman received the Silver Star and Purple Heart medals. He served for 20 years in the Coast Guard, retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer in 1961.



The WPC-1149 Douglas Denman was delivered to the US Coast Guard in May of this year and is now ready to be commissioned in a ceremony in Ketchikan, Alaska, after a 36-day journey from Key West, Florida.

Image provided by Donna Denman.

Following production of the ship in 2020, the first crewmember arrived in Ketchikan summer of 2021. Since then, the crew has undergone a year of administration and training in preparation to take ownership of the cutter. The engineering department alone attended a total of three months of school in addition to the crew’s seven weeks of familiarity training in Lockport, La., and seven weeks of Post Delivery Availability phase in Key West, Fla.


Building a Fast Response Cutter



April 12, 2022: The plankowners of the USCGC Douglas Denman (WPC-1149) spend their first week in Lockport, LA learning all about their new boat. They get a behind-the-scenes look at the different stages in building the Coast Guard's newest Fast Response Cutters.



“It’s been a long but extremely rewarding journey to get to this point,” said Chief Petty Officer Hayes Printy, the cutter’s engineering chief. “Seeing the crew’s growth throughout the process and being able to make this unit what we want is an experience I will cherish and not forget.”

The cutter will be commissioned at the end of September and fully operational in its area of responsibility in Southeast Alaska where the missions will include law enforcement, fisheries enforcement, search and rescue, and national security.

The Douglas Denman is scheduled to be permanently homeported in Sitka, Alaska, upon completion of required shore infrastructure improvements.

---

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Published at 10:00am on Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Author: Bobby Coggins

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US Navy to Name Aircraft Carrier After Pearl Harbor Hero

**update** Here is the video of the naming ceremony that took place in Pearl Hoarbor on January 20, 2020, for the CVN-81 USS Doris Miller.





Pictured, from left to right:

Left: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz pins the Navy Cross on Doris Miller, at a ceremony on board USS Enterprise (CV-6) at Pearl Harbor, May 27, 1942.

Center: 1943 US Navy recruiting poster featuring Doris Miller

Right: Doris Miller with his Navy Cross

US Navy to Name Aircraft Carrier After Pearl Harbor Hero

The US Navy will name the next aircraft carrier after Doris Miller later this morning in Pearl Harbor.

The Story Behind an American Hero, Ship’s Cook Third Class Doris Miller




PRESS RELEASE
Secretary of the Navy
January 20, 2020

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly will name a future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier in honor of World War II hero Ship’s Cook Third Class Doris Miller during a ceremony in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Jan. 20.

The announcement will be made at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony, highlighting the contributions of African Americans to the greatest generation.

This will be the second ship named in honor of Miller, and the first aircraft carrier ever named for an African American. This will also be the first aircraft carrier to be named in honor of a Sailor for actions while serving in the enlisted ranks.

“In selecting this name, we honor the contributions of all our enlisted ranks, past and present, men and women, of every race, religion and background,” said Modly. “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. observed, ‘Everybody can be great - because anybody can serve’. No one understands the importance and true meaning of service than those who have volunteered to put the needs of others above themselves.”

On Dec. 7, 1941, Miller was collecting laundry on the battleship West Virginia (BB-48), when the attack from Japanese forces commenced. When the alarm for general quarters sounded he headed for his battle station, an anti-aircraft battery magazine, only to discover that torpedo damage had wrecked it. Miller was ordered to the ship’s bridge to aid the mortally wounded commanding officer, and subsequently manned a .50 caliber Browning anti-aircraft machine gun until he ran out of ammunition. Miller then helped move many other injured Sailors as the ship was ordered abandoned due to her own fires and flaming oil floating down from the destroyed Arizona (BB-33). West Virginia lost 150 of its 1,500 person crew.

Miller’s actions during the attack earned him a commendation from then Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox and the Navy Cross, which was presented to him personally by Adm. Chester Nimitz, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet at the time.

Nimitz stated: this marks the first time in this conflict that such high tribute has been made in the Pacific Fleet to a member of his race and I'm sure the future will see others similarly honored for brave acts.

“Doris Miller stood for everything that is good about our nation, and his story deserves to be remembered and repeated wherever our people continue the watch today,” said Modly.

In 1943, Miller died aboard USS Liscome Bay (CVE 56) when the ship was hit by a torpedo and sank off Butaritari Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.

The future USS Doris Miller and other Ford-class carriers will be the premier forward asset for crisis response and humanitarian relief, and early decisive striking power in a major combat operations. The aircraft carrier and the carrier strike group will provide forward presence, rapid response, endurance on station, and multi-mission capability throughout its 50-year service life.

For more information about Doris Miller, visit https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/biographies-list/bios-m/miller-doris.html

For more information about aircraft carriers, visit https://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/carriers/carriers.asp

For more news from Secretary of the Navy, visit http://www.navy.mil/secnav/index.asp 

Published on Monday, January 20, 2020

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Seaman 2nd Class Frank Woods Laid to Rest with Full Military Honors

Seaman 2nd Class Class Frank Wood, a native of Jackson, Ohio, was laid to rest in Carson Cemetery 76 years after his death aboard the USS Oklahoma in Pearl Harbor. A casket containing comingled remains from the USS Oklahoma was exhumed in 2015. The US Navy contacted the closest remaining relatives, niece Jill O. Overly Lee of Franklin, NC, and nephew Jack R. Overly of Estes Park, Colorado, who both submitted DNA samples for testing. The Navy then identified Wood’s remains.

An aircraft transporting Wood landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday, and a small escort accompanied the body from Atlanta to Franklin, NC just after 6 pm after a short ceremony at the Airport honored the fallen sailor. As many as 10,000 people gathered along overpasses and the roadways to pay their respects as the escort passed through Georgia. The escort arrived at Macon Funeral Home just before 8:30 pm.

The obituary notice for Seaman 2nd Class Frank Wood is on the Macon Funeral Home website. [LINK]

Video and photos from the arrival of Wood at Macon Funeral Home to the Graveside Rites are posted below. Both a color video and a black and white version of the video are embedded below.

VIDEO







Flickr Photo Album




CROWDFUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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.

If you have a business or event you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or underwriting coverage, send an email to editor@MaconMedia.com for more information. Serious inquiries only. Macon Media rewards early sponsors/underwriters with lifetime guaranteed low rates while newer sponsors/underwriters pay higher rates based on the date they first support Macon Media.

Thank You to the people who have been sending in donations and those businesses who are underwriting coverage of news and events. You have kept Macon Media online. You have made it possible for Macon Media to begin purchasing state of the art equipment and begin work on building a real website with features not employed by any local news outlets.

You can find out more information on how to do that and some of what I plan to accomplish if I reach certain levels of funding at https://www.patreon.com/MaconMedia

3:04 am on April 17, 2018

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Daily Weather Briefing for Saturday, April 14, 2018

LOCAL NEWS

Navy Seaman 2nd Class Frank Wood, who died as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, will be laid to rest with full military honors today in Carson Cemetery just west of Franklin. Wood, who was from Jackson, Ohio, died during his service aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma and, as his remains could not be identified, was buried in Honolulu. New DNA and dental analysis in 2015 of the exhumed remains recently identified the sailor.



The USS Oklahoma being right in March 1943
When the USS Oklahoma was hoisted upright in 1943, officials removed the remains of the crew to bury them, putting Wood’s among the unidentified ones in graves marked unknown. In 2015, as part of the USS Oklahoma Project, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, through a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, exhumed all of the unknown remains from the USS Oklahoma and began the lengthy identification process.

The closest living relative, a niece, Jill O. Overly Lee, was identified as living in Franklin, NC so Frank Wood will be buried here instead of his hometown.

Frank Wood Arrives at Macon Funeral Home



Yesterday, the remains of Frank Woods was flown to Atlanta and, after a brief ceremony, was escorted by various local law enforcement officers in the counties he passed through on his way to Franklin. People in various communities lined the roads and overpasses in a show of respect for the sailor. The above video shows his arrival at Macon Funeral Home.

Funeral Procession and Graveside Rites

The family will gather at Macon Funeral Home between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. A funeral procession escorting the remains of Frank Wood will leave Macon Funeral Home at around 1:30 pm today after a period of time. The route is expected to be from the Funeral Home to Depot Street Extension, up town hill, and down Main Street and then west on the Old Murphy Road to Carson Chapel Cemetery where a Graveside Service will be held at 2 pm. Full Military honors will be conducted by the US Navy, VFW Post 7339 and American Legion Post 108.

People are asked to line Main Street when the procession passes.

The obituary notice is on the Macon Funeral Home website. [LINK]


LOCAL OUTLOOK

High pressure will dominate our weather the rest of the week, with generally dry conditions expected. Expect a gradual warming trend through Saturday, with temperatures climbing above normal on Thursday. A strong and vigorous cold front arrives on Sunday bringing showers and thunderstorms. Expect much cooler weather behind the front going into the first half of next week.


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 with your with your next project.





Weather Almanac for April 14th (1872-2016)

Record weather events for this date in Macon County 2001

Highest Temperature 84°F in Franklin in 1981
Lowest Temperature 14°F in Franklin 1940
Greatest Rainfall 3.90 inches in Highlands in 1994
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 3.0 inches in Highlands in 1913

Record Weather Events for April (1872-2017)

Highest Temperature 91°F in Franklin on April 26, 1986
Lowest Temperature 13°F in Highlands on April 1, 1987
Greatest Rainfall 7.00 inches in Highlands on April 7, 1895
Greatest One-Day Snowfall 9.5 inches in Franklin on April 4, 1987



THREE DAY OUTLOOK

The images below represent the daily forecast at 8 am for today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Click on any of them to enlarge.




----------------------------------
FRANKLIN AREA

TODAY

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s. Winds out of the south 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

TONIGHT

A chance of showers and thunderstorms then showers likely after 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s. Winds out of the southeast around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

SUNDAY

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible afternoon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Highs in the mid-60s. Winds out of the southeast 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 7pm, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. West northwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

MONDAY

Partly sunny, with highs in the low-to-mid 50s.

MONDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with lows near freezing.

-----------------------------------------
OTTO AREA

TODAY

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Winds out of the south 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.


TONIGHT

A chance of showers and thunderstorms then showers likely after 8pm. Cloudy, with a low around 57. South southeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

SUNDAY

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 64. South southeast wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 7pm, then a chance of showers. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. West northwest wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

MONDAY

Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

MONDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with a low around 33.

---------------------------------------------
HIGHLANDS AREA

TODAY

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

TONIGHT

A chance of showers and thunderstorms then showers likely after 7pm. Cloudy, with a low around 53. South wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

SUNDAY

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 9am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 59. Breezy, with a south wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Rain showers likely before 4am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 4am and 5am, then a slight chance of rain showers after 5am. The rain could be heavy at times. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Northwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

MONDAY

Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

MONDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear, with a low around 29.

--------------------------------------------
NANTAHALA AREA

TODAY

A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. South wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

TONIGHT

A chance of showers and thunderstorms then showers likely after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

SUNDAY

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible afternoon. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 60. South wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Rain showers likely before 3am, then a chance of rain and snow showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. West northwest wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

MONDAY

A slight chance of snow showers before 10am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 10am and noon, then a slight chance of rain showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 45. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

MONDAY NIGHT

Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.

----------------------------------------


GOES 16 GeoColor - True Color daytime, multispectral IR at night
12:27 am this morning to 3:22 am this morning


HAZARDS

Hazardous weather is not expected today.

Severe weather is possible on Sunday. The main line of storms is expected to pass through Macon County sometime between 5 am and 2 pm.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for potential severe thunderstorms that may produce damaging winds and large hail. More information from the NWS is posted below.

NWS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK

..SUNDAY...Severe weather and flooding possible. A strong cold front, accompanied by a line of showers and thunderstorms, will cross the region from west to east on Sunday. Some thunderstorms may be capable of producing damaging winds, hail, and perhaps a few brief tornadoes. High rainfall rates could produce flash flooding across the area as well.

Macon Media maintains a Severe Weather Preparedness Page at http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/p/breaking-news-hub.html for those who are interested.

As always, you can check to see what advisories, watches, and warnings are in effect for Macon County by visiting http://is.gd/MACONWARN



GOES-16 ABI CONUS - 11.20 um (Precipitation)
3:22 am this morning



MACON CALENDAR

If you have an event you wish to be added to this calendar, please send the information, along with a flyer in pdf format or a high-quality photo, to editor@maconmedia.com. If you want text published, please include a paragraph with your photo, flyer or graphics. Please include date(s) and time(s).
There is no charge for civic, educational or nonprofit groups, except for groups or events that receive funding from the TDA, TDC, and EDC, where full rates apply.


COMMUNITY WALK ON THE GREENWAY

The Friends of the Greenway invites the community to participate in a "Walk on the Greenway" on April 21, 2018 at 10:30 AM beginning at the Macon County Library (on Siler Rd). Sunny Himes will lead about a 2 mile walk, highlighting several natural communities including a Red Cedar-Hardwood Woodland, Montane Alluvial Forest, and Floodplain wetlands. Discussion points will be historic and current uses of the land around the Greenway, how these uses shaped today's terrain and plant community compositions, and the challenges of wildland restoration in a popular urban park. Ms. Himes is a lecturer at Western Carolina University in botany, ecology and introduction biology. She is a past FROG Board member and continues to manage restoration projects on the Greenway. A $5 donation is suggested for this benefit walk. Send email of your interest in participating on the walk to: frog28734@gmail.com.




From Bully to Buddy, A Community Forum
Please note this forum is now taking place on the 26th of April

Bullying affects us all in different ways. Let’s work this out together.
Sincere invitations to the bully, the bullied and those in between — all ages — all genders Featuring: interaction, role playing, dialogue, discovery and direction (and some fun!)

This forum will be taking place on Wednesday, April 26 at 6 PM - 8 PM
pin in Tartan Hall at First Presbyterian Church, 26 Church Street, Franklin, NC

Join the event page on Facebook to find out more and to receive updates. [LINK]


Series of Dementia Workshops Coming in March and April

A campaign to tackle the stigma and lack of understanding around dementia is underway in Macon County with the support of area churches, the Southwestern Commission Area Agency on Aging, Macon County Public Library, Angel Medical, Macon County Senior Services, and Macon County DSS.

Hickory Knoll United Methodist Church has partnered with a growing list of area churches throughout Macon County to host a workshop series, ‘Dementia Friends NC’ beginning on Tuesdays, March 20, 2018. Designed to help build awareness about dementia and identify ways local citizens can help people who are living with it in our community, the four-session workshop series is being made possible through a Missional Engagement Team Grant of the Smoky Mountain District of The United Methodist Church.

The 90-minute sessions will take place on four consecutive Tuesdays, beginning March 20, 2018, with both afternoon and evening sessions offered, as well as choice of venue.  All 2:00 p.m. sessions will be offered at the John & Dorothy Crawford Senior Center.   All 7:00 p.m. sessions will be offered at the Macon County Public Library.

ALL WORKSHOPS WILL BE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

More information, including a schedule of meeting locations and times, are on the blog. [LINK]

Uptown Gallery classes
(These are on-going classes – repeat weekly)

Free classes and open studio times are being offered at the The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Join others at a painting open studio session every Tuesday from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm or on Thursday from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. 

Bring your own materials and join an on-going drawing course led by gallery artists on Fridays, from 11am – 2 pm. For information on days open, hours and additional art classes and workshops, contact the gallery on 30 East Main Street at (828) 349 – 4607.




National Alliance on Mental Illness
Appalachian South

Meets each Thursday at 7pm
The First Methodist Church Outreach Center
at the intersection of Harrison Ave. and West Main Street
(directly across from Lazy Hiker Brewery)

Come join our weekly support group for anyone suffering from mental illness and their family or friends. This includes Depression, Bipolar,8chizophrenia, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Etc.

Here you will find:
— others living with mental health challenges YOU ARE NOT ALONE
- learn coping skills and ?find hope in shared experience
- help learning how to break down stigma and guilt surrounding mental health
- how to live life with the expectation of a better a better future

Kay (706)970-9987 Denise (828)347-5000)

SYRINGE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

On January 1, 2017, the Syringe Exchange Program of Franklin began operating a comprehensive harm reduction program to address the opioid epidemic that is impacting western NC. Opioid overdose reversal kits including naloxone are available free of charge. If you have any questions about our services or if you know someone interested in volunteering, please contact Stephanie Almeida at 828-475-1920.



Sun and Moon

Sun

Begin civil twilight 6:37 a.m.
Sunrise 7:03 a.m.
Sun transit 1:34 p.m.
Sunset 8:05 p.m.
End civil twilight 8:32 p.m.


Moon

Moonrise 6:30 a.m.
Moon transit 12:35 p.m.
Moonset 6:47 p.m.


Phase of the Moon on April 14, 2018: Waning Crescent with 3% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
Closest Primary Moon Phase: New Moon on April 15, 2018 at 9:57 p.m. (local daylight time)

Sky Guides for this week


Sky and Telescope Magazine 
Astronomy Magazine


There will be three solar and two lunar eclipses in 2018. [LINK]

Heavens Above has an Android App that will assist you in observing the sky and even has a satellite tracker that will let you know when the International Space Station and dozens of other satellites are overhead. [LINK]

Stellarium is also an app that will assist you in observing the sky. It is available in both Android [LINK] and iOS versions. [LINK]

CROWD FUNDING OR DAY SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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.

If you have a business or event you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or underwriting coverage, send an email to editor@MaconMedia.com for more information. Serious inquiries only. Macon Media rewards early sponsors/underwriters with lifetime guaranteed low rates while newer sponsors/underwriters pay higher rates based on the date they first support Macon Media.

Thank You to the people who have been sending in donations and those businesses who are underwriting coverage of news and events. You have kept Macon Media online. You have made it possible for Macon Media to begin purchasing state of the art equipment and begin work on building a real website with features not employed by any local news outlets.

You can find out more information on how to do that and some of what I plan to accomplish if I reach certain levels of funding at https://www.patreon.com/MaconMedia

4:37 am on April 14, 2018

#WNCscan #MaconWx #MaconSafety

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, Penn State University Electronic Wall Map, The State Climate Office of North Carolina, Storm Prediction Center, U.S. Naval Observatory, and the Weather Prediction Center.

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Remembering Pearl Harbor 76 Years Later

Seventy-Six Years ago today, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Navy. Four years later, the bulk of the Japanese Imperial Navy was on the bottom of the ocean and Japan lay in ruins.

May we never forget the men and women who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and may we never forget to honor those who answered the call to go to war in the aftermath. We owe them a debt that can never be repaid, we can only be grateful for their sacrifice and remember them for as long as our civilization lasts.

I have embedded some audio from that day to give you a flavor of how the news broke back then. Americans began hearing about the attacks around 1:30 pm Eastern Time. There are also some films made after the attack to show you how America responded.



The next video is a short newsreel, produced for the home market with no narration, shows the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Footage shows the wrecked seaplane base on Ford Island, the destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373) wrecked in its drydock, the battleship USS Utah (BB-13) capsized, and the mighty USS Arizona (BB-39) a twisted mass of smoldering metal.



Here is the John Ford classic "December 7th" produced for the US Navy. "December 7th," directed by John Ford, begins with the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, nicknamed "the Navy's hundred million dollar fist." Authentic footage of the invasion is mixed with reenactments to provide a complete portrait of the events of that fateful day. An extended sequence pays tribute to the American soldiers killed in the attack, many of whom are individually profiled, complete with testimonials offered by surviving family members. American bravery is not only embodied by the fallen, it is proven by the resolve that comes in response to the attack. The film culminates in a profile of the Navy's recovery of one sunken vessel, in particular, employing the effort as a metaphor for the American cause, "a symbol of the fighting spirit of our men who build and man our ships." Much like this successful refitting, the film suggests that American forces will rise from destruction, stronger than they were before.


And here is the first episode in the "Why We Fight" series called "Prelude to War" that gives a wider perspective on what was going on in the world at the time.

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On the 70th Anniversary of D-Day

The above photo is an aerial view of the Normandy American Cemetery maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. More than 9,000 Americans are buried here.

70 years ago today, the Allies launched an invasion of Europe to liberate her from the clutches of Nazi Germany. Learn more about this momentous day in world history at the National D-Day Memorial.

The Allied casualties figures for D-Day have generally been estimated at 10,000, including 2500 dead. Broken down by nationality, the usual D-Day casualty figures are approximately 2700 British, 946 Canadians, and 6603 Americans. However recent painstaking research by the US National D-Day Memorial Foundation has achieved a more accurate - and much higher - figure for the Allied personnel who were killed on D-Day. They have recorded the names of individual Allied personnel killed on 6 June 1944 in Operation Overlord, and so far they have verified 2499 American D-Day fatalities and 1915 from the other Allied nations, a total of 4414 dead (much higher than the traditional figure of 2500 dead). Further research may mean that these numbers will increase slightly in future. The details of this research will in due course be available on the Foundation's website at www.dday.org.



Source: UK D-Day Museum FAQs


Here is a little background on the Normandy Landings on D-Day via Wikipedia:

The Normandy landings were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (D-Day), beginning at 6:30 AM British Double Summer Time(UTC+2). In planning, D-Day was the term used for the day of actual landing, which was dependent on final approval.

The assault was conducted in two phases: an air assault landing of 24,000 American, British, Canadian and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6:30 AM. There were also subsidiary 'attacks' mounted under the codenames Operation Glimmer and Operation Taxable to distract the German forces from the real landing areas.^[4]

The operation was the largest amphibious invasion of all time, with over 160,000^[5] troops landing on 6 June 1944. 195,700^[6] Allied naval andmerchant navy personnel in over 5,000^[5] ships were involved. The invasion required the transport of soldiers and materiel from the United Kingdom by troop-laden aircraft and ships, the assault landings, air support, naval interdiction of the English Channel and naval fire-support. The landings took place along a 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

This is the entire broadcast day on the radio from June 6, 1944. This will give you a feel for how people back home learned of the invasion of Europe. You can download the audio for yourself at the Internet Archive.

And here are some documentaries about D-Day, including a prayer by President Roosevelt that was broadcast over the radio to Americans, and a speech by President Ronald Reagan at the 40th Anniversary of D-Day.


























D-Day: The Normandy Invasion by crazedigitalmovies

















And here is FDR offering a prayer on national radio for the troops invading Europe.


Transcript:




My Fellow Americans:

Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.


And, on the 40th Anniversary of the invasion, President Ronald Reagan gave an unforgettable speech paying tribute to those boys who stormed a beach and began the liberation of Europe...

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Marking Yom HaShoah 2013

Germans being confronted with their legacy of murder by Allied troops

Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah (יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה; "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day"), known colloquially in Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah (יום השואה) and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day, is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust as a result of the actions carried out by Nazi Germany and its accessories, and for the Jewish resistance in that period. In Israel, it is a national memorial day. It was inaugurated in 1953, anchored by a law signed by the Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion and the President of Israel Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. It is held on the 27th of Nisan(April/May), unless the 27th would be adjacent to Shabbat, in which case the date is shifted by a day. In other countries there are different commemorative days—see Holocaust Memorial Day.

Source: Wikipedia

Yesterday, Israel came to a stop for two minutes to mark the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust and remember the Jewish resistance.

The theme this year is 'Honoring Righteous Gentiles.' 

Learn more about the Righteous Gentiles at Yad Vashem. 

Here is a video from yesterday:




And here is an excerpt from Dan Curtis' adaptation of Herman Wouk's "War and Remembrance" depicting the gassing of a group of Jews by the Germans in the Second World War. It is a thing that we must never allow to happen again, or die trying to prevent happening to these people.

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