News and Weather Briefing for Friday, July 17, 2026

(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 this morning, then partly sunny with showers and thunderstorms likely this afternoon. Highs in the mid 80s. North winds around 5 mph this morning, becoming light and variable. Chance of rain 70 percent.

.TONIGHT.…Mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms likely in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. North winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

.SATURDAY.…Patchy fog in the morning. Mostly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then partly sunny with showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

.SATURDAY NIGHT.…Partly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the mid 60s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

.SUNDAY.…Partly sunny. Showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

.SUNDAY NIGHT.…Partly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 50 percent.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER

Increased chances of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening could become strong, with torrential rains and flash flooding as the main concerns.

Showers and storms this weekend could possibly become strong to marginally severe. Torrential rains and flash flooding, especially over already saturated areas, will be the main concerns.

POLLEN REPORT

Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (3.1 out of 12) today with Grasses, Plantain, Chenopods being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low-medium range (2.8 out of 3.0).

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(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)

Benefit for Randy Drinnon
July 25th at 5pm
Learn more on Facebook

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

7-18-26—Two Troubadours…George James and Gary Gibson.

7-25-2026—Bill Petersen will be singing the blues along with maybe some originals. Then, up from Florida, hear John Bois and the Emotional Support Band.

To find out more about the Greenway and our organization, our website is: littletennessee.org.

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Record Weather Events for this date in Macon County (1872-2025)

Highest Temperature 98°F in Franklin in 1980
Lowest Temperature 41°F in Highlands in 1904
Greatest Rainfall 2.04 inches in Highlands in 1963

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 county to remove Flock license plate reader cameras | WLOS-TV Asheville, NC

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NCSBE approves change to how county boards of elections handle ballots without photo ID | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)

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Dangerous wildfire smoke blankets 19 states: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir – July 16, 2026 | ABC News

NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas – July 16 | Stomach illness, Bad air quality, Trump speechwriter | NBC News

President Trump Addresses the Nation | C-SPAN

• Fact-checking Trump’s address: What he said about China and 2020 election, what documents show [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Trump rails against China in new 2020 election claims disputed by critics [The Hill]
• AP Exclusive: ICE officer in Maine shooting has history of violent behavior, family and records say [AP News]
• Family believes substance in Houston ICE shooting van is salt, attorney says, countering FBI suspicion of drugs [Yahoo News]

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Targeting the Supply Lines (July 6-15): Imagery of All 136 Strikes | What’s Going on With Shipping?

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Chip Selloff Deepens as Oil Climbs | Horizons Middle East & Africa 7/17/2026 | Bloomberg Television

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A New Venus Life Panspermia Possibility | John Michael Godier

• Satellite Images of Pengiun Poo Reveal Climate Change’s Impact on the Species [Universe Today]
• This ancient sea worm has “bio-metal” jaws unlike anything scientists have seen [ScienceDaily]
• First Atmosphere Detected on a Terrestrial World [Sky & Telescope Magazine]

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Starship aborted launch, 16 July 2026 | FSciNews

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We Asked the Universe About Dark Energy Again. It Gave the Same Strange Answer | PBS Space Time

What Would It Cost to Keep The ISS Up? | Q&A 441 | Fraser Cain

Why the Lunar-Mass Primordial Black Hole Discovery Was Just Debunked | Anton Petrov

Nigeria’s mysterious art treasures | DW Documentary

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Bitcoin Market Cycles | Benjamin Cowen

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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.

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):

1. 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.
2. 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).
3. 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).
4. Any usage statistics, reports, or summaries on camera performance, alerts generated, cases assisted, or data shared (redacted as necessary for law enforcement sensitivity).
5. Location list or map of all deployed Flock cameras in Macon County.
6. 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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