News and Weather Briefing for Monday, July 13, 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.…Cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then thunderstorms with showers likely in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. Southeast winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.

.TONIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms likely in the evening. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. East winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

.TUESDAY…Partly sunny with a chance of showers. A chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. East winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s. East winds around 5 mph.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. Chance of rain 40 percent.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. A chance of showers andthunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 40 percent.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER

Increasing chance of storms today and this weekend.

POLLEN REPORT

Pollen levels are expected to be in the low range (0.5 out of 12) today with Grasses and Plantain being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low range (0.5 out of 12.0).

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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 96°F in Franklin in 1954
Lowest Temperature 39°F in Highlands in 1918
Greatest Rainfall 2.08 inches in Highlands in 1898

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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Over $3M in FEMA funds missing: western NC town | WLOS-TV Asheville, NC

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Cyclospora cases increase in NC; here’s how to protect yourself | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)

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ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast – July 12, 2026 | ABC News

Special Report: The political legacy of Senator Lindsey Graham | NBC News

Meet the Press Full Episode — July 12 | NBC News

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We Hacked Flock Safety Cameras in under 30 Seconds. 🫥 | Benn Jordan

• How Benn Jordan Discovered Flock’s Cameras Were Left Streaming to the Internet [404 Media]
• The Supreme Court Just Lit a Fuse Under Flock’s License Plate Camera Empire [Yahoo 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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