ANNOUNCEMENTS
• 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. Near-normal temperatures but low humidity through Friday, with near-zero chance of rain.
2. Another frontal system is expected to arrive from the west this weekend, bringing back rain chances but also below-normal temperatures. The system may stall near our area, and thus this pattern is likely to linger into early next week.
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SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR
This space available
This half price sale is for those who sign up during July and remains effect for the rest of the year. Current sponsors receive the half price discount automatically.
DAY SPONSOR
This space available
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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....Patchy fog this morning. Sunny. Visibility one quarter mile or less at times this morning. Highs around 80. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TONIGHT....Mostly clear. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the evening.
.THURSDAY....Patchy fog in the morning. Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. North winds around 5 mph.
.THURSDAY NIGHT....Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s. North winds around 5 mph.
.FRIDAY....Mostly sunny. Highs around 80. East winds around 5 mph, becoming southwest in the afternoon.
.FRIDAY NIGHT....Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Hazardous weather is possible this afternoon and early evening. Be sure you have multiple ways of receiving weather alerts.
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the medium range (5.1 out of 12) today with Grasses, Plantain, and Nettle being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low-medium range (5.1 out of 3.0).
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MACON CALENDAR
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
Friends of the Greenway would like to invite you to our Christmas in July sale, July 22-25, 9-2 each day. Do some Christmas shopping early with 20% off everything in the Gift Shop. On Saturday, July 25th, have a Christmas cookie and enjoy great music from 11-1. Greenway Visitor Center/FROG Quarters, 573 E Main St, Franklin.
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 JUNE/JULY 2026
11a to 1p at Friends of the Greenway, Inc.
573 E Main St, Franklin, NC 28734
contact: frog28734@gmail.com; 828-369-8488
654:25 AM 7/28/2026 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 101°F in Franklin in 1952
Lowest Temperature 40°F in Highlands in 1911
Greatest Rainfall 21.15 inches in Highlands in 1879
Record weather events for July in Macon County
Highest Temperature 101°F in Franklin on Jul 29, 1952
Lowest Temperature 34°F in Highlands on Jul 27, 1911
Greatest Rainfall 21.15 inches in Highlands on Jul 29, 1879
Greatest Snowfall no measurable snowfall has been recorded since records started being kept in 1873
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of July
Highest Temperature 109°F Albemarle, Stanly County Jul 28, 1940
Lowest Temperature 32°F Celo, Yancey County Jul 10, 1961
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 21.15 in Highlands, Macon County Jul 29, 1879
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WNC News
• PHOTOS: Severe storms down trees, leave thousands without power in North Carolina [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
• Public officials receive threats over Flock cameras [The Franklin Press]
• Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center names new leader [Macon Sense]
• A-B Tech lands $29M Helene recovery investment for new 'Futures Factory' [Asheville Citizen-Times]
•Ramp closed from U.S. 74 east to I-40 west in Haywood County [Smoky Mountain News]
• Dogwood notifies attorney general’s office that HCA is in “potential noncompliance” with Mission sale contract [Asheville Watchdog ]
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NC News
Durham hunger center opens as food insecurity rises, SNAP benefits lost across NC | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
• NC Senate votes to shorten early voting, purge more voters [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• NC lawmakers already proposing changes in power, cuts and funding in new budget [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Here’s how three changes by the NC State Board of Elections might affect your ballot [NC Local]
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National News
Northeast faces system that damaged Midwest: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir - July 28, 2026 | ABC News
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas Full Episode - July 28 | NBC News
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Arrival & Memorial Service at U.S. Capitol | C-SPAN
Washington Today (7-28-26): Memorial services for late Sen. Graham; Israeli, Ukrainian ldrs. at WH | C-SPAN
• 5 takeaways on Fauci’s diaries during COVID-19 response [The Hill]
• Teleprompter operator accused of betting on Trump speeches is out of a job [AP News]
• Blanche nomination uncertain as key GOP senator says DOJ ‘radio silent’ on demand to spike controversial fund [Yahoo News]
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World News
What America Needs to Know About the US Merchant Marine | What's Going on With Shipping?
US President Donald Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at White House | BBC News
• Middle East live: US and Saudi Arabia launch strikes on Iraq, target Iran allies [France 24]
• Iran Update Special Report, July 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 28, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russia should end ‘criminal misadventure’ in Ukraine ‘before it’s too late’: Polish FM [TVP World]
• FIFA plan for Kushner-backed $20 billion operation to run World Cup meets fury from Europe’s UEFA [AP News]
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Iran War News
War threatens fragile Gulf-Iran diplomacy | DW News
• Iran Update Special Report, July 19, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Iran war live: US military completes ninth night of strikes on Iran [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: US completes round of strikes against Iran, Gulf State citizens condemn Iranian aggression [Jerusalem Post]
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Russo-Ukraine War
Ukraine's Naval Blitz - The Azov Sea Escalation, Russian Retaliation & Export Economics | Perun
Kyiv hit by Russia’s biggest ballistic missile strike yet | World News Tonight | TVP World
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 19, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russia launches largest ballistic missile attack on Kyiv since start of war [Al Jazeera]
• Russian attacks kill 6 in Kyiv and other cities and expose gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses [AP News]
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Financial News
Where Has Venezuela's Oil Gone? | Economics Explained
Chip Selloff Deepens as AI Fears Hit Asian Stocks | Horizons Middle East & Africa 7/28/2026 | Bloomberg Television
• Trump admin's proposed prediction market rule faces public pushback [Yahoo Finance]
• Oil extends losses as a pause in U.S.-Iran hostilities raises de-escalation hopes [CNBC]
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Science News
New Method Finally Confirms the Age of the Universe | Antob Petrov
• There are already 16,000 satellites in Earth’s orbit. How will we manage the next 100,000? [Astronomy Magazine]
• Chang'e-6 Samples Provide an Ancient Record of the Moon's Far Side. [Universe Today]
• These insect submariners survive depths that should crush them [ScienceDaily]
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 24 – August 2 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
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Technology News
The Level1 Links with Friends Show July 28 2026: We Did It, Reddit!
• Trump admin exempts SpaceX’s Starlink from FCC ban on foreign-made routers [Ars Technica]
• Someone Was Arrested at a Public Meeting For the Crime of Anti-Data Center Clapping [Gizmodo]
• Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 07/27/2026 [Torrent Freaks]
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Interesting Videos
Flock is Tracking People, Not Just Cars | 404 Media
Could We Detect Other Universes? | Q&A 443 | Fraser Cain
The First Exomoon/Exosatellite Discovered ... And its Weird | John Michael Godier
Will non-alcoholic wine save the winemakers? | DW Documentary
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CRYPTO & AI NEWS
Bitcoin’s $70K Breakout Will Be DECIDED in the Next 72 HOURS | The Wolf of All Streets
Bitcoin: Bear Market Resistance Band | Benjamin Cowen
• GPT-5.6 vs Fable 5 Review: Which One You Pick Depends on These Factors [Decrypt]
• Binance co-founder CZ backs crypto license passporting across ASEAN [Coin Telegraph]
• IMF Sounds the Alarm: Why Brazil’s Booming Crypto Market Needs Urgent Oversight Up [Bitcoin.com]
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Flock Cameras and Constitutional Rights
We Hacked Flock Safety Cameras in under 30 Seconds. 🫥 | Benn Jordan
• 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, July 29, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
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