2018 Tree Lighting and Candlelight Service in Franklin

The annual lighting of the Town of Franklin Christmas Tree and the Candlelight Service at the Town Merchants Nativity Scene took place this past weekend in Franklin on Saturday night. Video of both events was recorded in 4K and are posted below for those who could not be in town Saturday night.

DAY SPONSOR

Carrion Tree Service is underwriting Macon Media for today. they are a fully licensed and insured tree service, specializing in dangerous tree removal, view clearing, pruning, and crane services with a 24 Hour emergency response.

Their phone number is 371-4718. They are located at 120 Depot Street.

They can handle all your tree removal needs in good or bad weather.

Tree Lighting



Candlelight Service

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Published at 3:20 am on November 26, 2018

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Speeches at the 2014 NCGOP State Convention

This past weekend, a once in a generation political event occurred in western North Carolina...a political party held it's annual state-wide convention here. Over 600 delegates gathered at the Convention Center at Harrah's Cherokee Casino to conduct their annual business, to take workshops to assist them learn how to win elections, and to hear from candidates for public office.

I was credentialed as a member of the press and covered the activities that took place on Saturday. I would have recorded the entire thing, but could only afford the fuel to attend one day, so I chose the day with the most happening.

I recorded several speeches and most of the general session that took place that day, minus part of the morning session.

Here are the speeches that I recorded from lunch onward. Tomorrow and Wednesday, I will post speeches from the District/County Chairman's Annual Breakfast and the activities on the convention floor as viewed from my position in a suite reserved for the press.

I hope this gives you an insight on the political process that I believe it is our civic duty to participate in if we wish to remain a free society.

It is also my belief that this is the most complete and neutral coverage of the convention you'll find anywhere in North Carolina.


LUNCHEON WITH BILL BENNETT

A luncheon was held in the Council Fire Ballroom that featured speeches by Dr William Bennett, former Secretary of Education, and Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana and presumed to be a candidate for President in 2016. The event was sponsored by Congresswoman Renee Ellmers and here are the videos from that event:





SPEECHES DURING THE AFTERNOON SESSION

After delegates had returned from lunch in the convention center, they were welcomed by Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians Michell Hicks, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. Jim Snyder, Heather Grant, Ted Alexander and Mark Harris, who ran in the US Senate primary, all gathered on stage and endorsed Thom Tillis, won won the Republican primary. Thom Tillis then spoke. Here are those videos:





DINNER WITH FORMER US SPEAKER DENNIS HASTERT & GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE

At 7pm, delegates and guests gathered in the Council Fire Ballroom in Harrah's Cherokee Hotel to eat and hear Former Governor or Arkansas Mike Huckabee speak. He was a candidate for President in 2008 and there is speculation he could be positioning himself for another run in 2016. Dennis Hastert, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, spoke last on the program. The videos from this event are below:



Maybe next year, the Democratic Party of North Carolina will hold their convention in Cherokee and I'll get to cover that event, too. They were holding their annual convention this weekend in Raleigh.

PATREON CAMPAIGN

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Mike Huckabee and Speaker Dennis Hastert To Keynote 2014 NCGOP Convention in Cherokee, NC

Macon Media will be covering the 2014 Convention of the North Carolina Republican Party since it is happening practically in our backyard in Cherokee, NC on June 7th. The statewide convention of the Democratic Party is happening in Raleigh, NC...too far away for me to cover. It is also occurring on June 7th.

I expect to be receiving my press credentials soon to cover the event, and as part of the process of applying to cover the event, I have started receiving press releases regarding next weekend's event. Here is one regarding the lineup of speakers.

PRESS RELEASE
North Carolina Republican Party


Raleigh, NC - The North Carolina Republican Party is pleased to announce that former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will be keynote speakers for the 2014 North Carolina Republican Party Convention dinner to be held on Saturday, June 7th in Cherokee, NC.

"It's a great honor to have Speaker Hastert and Governor Huckabee join us at our convention this year,” said North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Claude Pope. “Momentum is steadily building across North Carolina for Thom Tillis, with Republicans organizing the strongest grassroots effort in our state’s history. Speaker Hastert and Governor Huckabee will help make the 2014 NCGOP Convention a strong launching pad for Tillis' general election campaign, with the Republican Party united and energized to defeat liberal Kay Hagan in November."

Dennis Hastert served as the 59th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999-2007. Mike Huckabee served as the Governor of Arkansas from 1996-2007 and was a candidate for President in 2008.

The NCGOP Convention will also feature Republican U.S. Senate Nominee Thom Tillis, Governor Pat McCrory, Lt. Governor Dan Forest, Former U.S. Education Secretary Bill Bennett, Congressman Mark Meadows and Dr. Mark Harris.

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Macon County Commissioners meet with the Towns of Franklin and Highlands in Cowee

On Thursday, May 1, 2014, the Macon County Commissioners hosted a joint meeting with the Franklin Town Board of Aldermen and the Highlands Board of Commissioners at the Macon County Heritage Center located in the old Cowee School.

The local governing bodies discussed what they'd been up to since they last met and item of mutual interest, then took a tour of the Heritage Center. I tagged along with the tour that was conducted by Bobby Kuppers. Videos of the meeting and the tour are below. There was no agenda for this meeting.



GOVERNING BOARDS -- MISSING MEMBERS
Macon County Commissioner Paul Higdon
Franklin Town Manager Warren Cabe
Highlands Town Commissioner Brian Stiehler

MEDIA (PRESENT)
Macon Media (me)
The Franklin Press
The Macon County News and Shopping Guide
WNCC-FM/WFSC-AM
The Smoky Mountain News

THE JOINT MEETING




THE TOUR

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