News and Weather Briefing for Monday, August 03, 2026
sunday • 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. Above average rain chances and below normal temperatures continue through much of the week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SPONSORSHIPS
WEATHER SPONSOR
This space available
(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)
FORECAST
.TODAY.…Areas of fog this morning. Mostly sunny this morning, then partly sunny with showers and thunderstorms likely this afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain 70 percent.
..TONIGHT.…Mostly cloudy with thunderstorms likely with a chance of showers in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. Light and variable winds, becoming east around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 70 percent.
..TUESDAY.…Mostly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then mostly cloudy with showers with thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Light and variable winds. Chance of rain 90 percent.
..TUESDAY NIGHT.…A chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Lows in the mid 60s. East winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
..WEDNESDAY.…Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning, then showers with thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. Light and variable winds, becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 90 percent.
..WEDNESDAY NIGHT.…Mostly cloudy with showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 80 percent.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER
Additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected through at least mid-week. Locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds will be possible each afternoon.
POLLEN REPORT
Pollen levels are expected to be in the low-medium range (4.2 out of 12) today with Grasses and Nettle being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the low-medium range (4.2 out of 3.0).
(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)
MACON CALENDAR
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
To find out more about the Greenway and our organization, our website is: littletennessee.org.
WEATHER ALMANAC
Record Weather Events for this date in Macon County (1872-2025)
Highest Temperature 94°F in Franklin in 1957
Lowest Temperature 46°F in Highlands in 1998
Greatest Rainfall 2.80 inches in Highlands in 2018
Record weather events for August in Macon County
Highest Temperature 99°F in Franklin on Aug 9, 1980
Lowest Temperature 40°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station on Aug 29, 1968
Greatest Rainfall 9.68 inches in Highlands on Aug 13, 1940
Greatest Snowfall no measurable snowfall has been recorded since records started being kept in 1873
Weather Extremes for North Carolina for the month of August
Highest Temperature 110°F Fayetteville, Cumberland County Aug 21, 1983
Lowest Temperature 31°F Banner Elk, Avery County Aug 23, 1930
Greatest One-Day Rainfall 12.43 in Morehead City, Carteret County Aug 12, 1955
Western NC festival delayed until 2027 | WLOS-TV Asheville, NC NC Democrats’ sold-out Unity Dinner in Raleigh hosts Elizabeth Warren as headliner | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
WNC News
• Flyover ramp to Westgate Parkway reaches scheduled closure date [WLOS-TV Asheville, NC ]
NC News
• Should felons be allowed to own guns? Yes, advocates tell NC Supreme Court [WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)]
• Post-election legislative session is one to watch when it comes to Gov. Stein veto [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Balancing public safety and privacy [NC Local]
Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, July 31, 2026 | Washington Week PBS
Sunday and Weekend News Shows
As Iran war enters 6th month, details are sparse | Face The Nation/CBS News
Meet the Press Full Episode — August 2 | NBC News
This Week with George Stephanopoulos Full Broadcast – Sunday, August 2, 2026 | ABC News
Rand Paul EJECTS Fauci lawyer from hearing; DSA co-chair says ABOLISH ICE, Senate, borders | RISING | The Hill
Melat Kiros | Full Episode 7.31.26 | Firing Line with Margaret Hoover | PBS
Fareed Zakaria GPS 8/2/26 | CNN Breaking News Today August 2, 2026 | CNN
Inside Politics With Manu Raju 8/2/26 | CNN Breaking News Today August 2, 2026 | CNN
↑ Back to Top
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir – August 2, 2026 | ABC News
National News
NBC Nightly News Full Episode – August 2 | NBC News
After Words: Stuck – How Money, Media and Violence Prevent Change in Congress | C-SPAN
• Blanche rescinds Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ amid AG confirmation pressure [ABC News]
• Senate GOP looks for ‘chorus’ of Republicans to fill void left by Graham [The Hill]
• Senate leaders reach funding deal to avoid shutdown during campaign season [AP News]
• Armed bystander distracted gunman in fatal In-N-Out shooting [Yahoo News]
Two die after helicopters collide mid-air in Greece while battling wildfires | BBC News
World News
• Morocco blames Ceuta migrant rush on ‘misleading information’ on social media [France 24]
• Spain’s wildfires: Counting the economic cost [DW News]
• Army’s 1st Corps commander relieved of duty over unloaded weapons directive: military [Yonhap News Agency]
• Polish patrol aircraft helps EU board Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker [TVP World]
• Japan and US confirm rare joint intervention to prop up yen [Al Jazeera]
• Ceuta grapples with aftermath of border surge after most migrants leave the Spanish territory [AP News]
Hamas says it agrees to disarm in Gaza as at least eight killed in overnight strikes | BBC News
Iran War News
• Iran Update Special Report, August 2, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Iran war live: Trump says talks to resume; Tehran, Oman near deal on Hormuz [AL Jazeera]
• Live Updates: Trump says canceled strikes against Iran would have been ‘biggest attack since World War II’ [Jerusalem Post]
Deadly Explosion at Moscow Restaurant: What do we know? | DW News
Russo-Ukraine War
Russia faces bombing in Moscow and attacks on key infrastructure | World News Tonight | TVP World
• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 2, 2026 [Institute for the Study of War]
• Russian and Ukrainian strikes kill 14 on both sides [Al Jazeera]
• Ukrainian drones kill 5 in Russia and set fire to Wildberries warehouse [AP News]
New DeepSeek, Alibaba Models Take On Anthropic, OpenAI | The China Show | 8/3/2026 | Bloomberg Television
Financial News
• Yen’s sudden jump puts traders on alert for further intervention [Yahoo Finance]
• Why the U.S. stepped in after decades to prop up Japan’s yen — and what’s at stake [CNBC]
Sky & Telescope’s Sky Tour Podcast — August 2026
Science News
• August 2026: What’s in the sky this month? Solar and lunar eclipses, plus the Perseid meteors [Astronomy Magazine]
• It Took a Century, but Astronomers Imaged Betelgeuse’s Companion [Universe Today]
• Two deadly flowers could inspire powerful new medicines [ScienceDaily]
• This Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 31 – August 9 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
When Pilots Used Sounds To Guide Planes | Scott Manley
Technology News
• Not just Neanderthals: Ghost lineage in Africa left its mark on our DNA [Ars Technica]
• OpenAI Smuggled the Announcement of Astra, Its Next AI Model, Into a Blog Post About Math [Gizmodo]
• World Cup Piracy Crackdown Shows Limits of Domain Seizures, MPA Pushes Site Blocking [Torrent Freaks]
Quantum Computing 2026 Update | ExplainingComputers
Interesting Videos
How ADSL Quietly Built the Modern Internet | Asianometry
The First Exomoon/Exosatellite Discovered … And its Weird | John Michael Godier
Ray Dalio: I Predicted The 2008 CRASH, I Know What Comes Next! | The Diary Of A CEO
Bitcoin: The Beauty of Mathematics (Part 72) | Benjamin Cowen
CRYPTO & AI NEWS
• Coldcard Bitcoin Exploit Balloons to $88 Million as Attackers Keep Draining Wallets [Decrypt]
• Here’s what happened in crypto today [Coin Telegraph]
• Ordinary WiFi Can Now Identify People With Near-Perfect Accuracy [Bitcoin.com]
We Hacked Flock Safety Cameras in under 30 Seconds. 🫥 | Benn Jordan
Flock Cameras and Constitutional Rights
• 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
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): 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]
from:
Bobby Coggins
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
Support Macon Media
• You can now support Macon Media with a $1.99 monthly Facebook subscription at Facebook Subscription
• Become a Patron: patreon.com/MaconMedia
• PayPal: paypal.me/MaconMedia
Published at 6:00am on Monday, August 03, 2026
Author: Bobby Coggins
font-size: medium;
Source: http://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2026/08/wx20260803.html
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
LION'S MANE PRODUCT
Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules
Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.
Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
| Visits: | 1,826,836,586 |
| Stories: | 8,680,773 |
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
