News and Weather Briefing for Monday, August 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.…Sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. Highs in the mid 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

..TONIGHT.…Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 60s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

..TUESDAY.…Patchy fog in the morning. Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.

..TUESDAY NIGHT.…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. North winds around 5 mph.

..WEDNESDAY.…Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. Northwest winds around 5 mph.

..WEDNESDAY NIGHT.…Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER

Slight chance of severe storms, mainly in the mid-to-late afternoon.

A few strong to severe storms will still be possible into Sunday.

POLLEN REPORT

Pollen levels are expected to be n the medium-high (3.4 out of 12) today with Ragweed, Chenopods, and Grasses being the main culprits. Tomorrow is expected to be in the medium-high range (8.0 out of 12.0)

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(send your event to editor@maconmedia.com)

CULLASAJA GORGE FIRE AND RESCUE
New Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593295280100

All are welcome for an Open House on Aug 29th.
Hotdog dinner for donations only.
Come out to see the Firehouse with kid-friendly activities
and a state-of-the-art smoke trailer.

9 AM – 7 PM on 29th of August

3 PM VEHICLE TRAINING DEMO
HOTDOG DINNER ALL DAY

(828) 369-5010
104 River Rd
Franklin, NC 28734

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

Highest Temperature 94°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 2007
Lowest Temperature 48°F at the Coweeta Experimental Station in 1979
Greatest Rainfall 2.25 inches in Highlands in 1982

Record weather events for July 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

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Apple growers optimistic as crops recover from recent challenges | WLOS-TV (Asheville), NC

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Parents weigh in on Raleigh teen curfew proposal | WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)

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At least 7 killed after historic flooding: ABC World News Tonight with David Muir – August 16, 2026 | ABC News

NBC Nightly News Full Episode – August | NBC News

Lectures in History Podcast: The American Revolution Era and the Rest of the World | C-SPAN

• Trump directs Hegseth to reduce US joint exercises in South Korea [The Hill]
• US pulls last aircraft carrier in Asia as Trump focuses on Iran and the Western Hemisphere [AP News]
• ‘Uncharted territory’: Second-largest reservoir in US plunges to a record low [Yahoo News]

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Taliban celebrate as women kept ‘out of sight’ | Sky News

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US aircraft carrier on way to relieve USS Lincoln after issues reported on board | BBC News

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The Warehouse War – The “Wildberries” Strikes, Economics & Russian Response | Perun

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$55 Billion Was Invested Here… It Made the Locals Poorer | Economics Explained

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Never Before Seen Helium Nova Is Shooting Cosmic Cannon Balls At Stars | Anton Petrov

• The Sky Today on Monday, August 17: Mars at Gemini’s feet [Astronomy Magazine]
• The Brightened Night Sky Nobody Actually Wanted [Universe Today]
• Scientists turn DNA into a memory device that uses 100x less power [ScienceDaily]
• This Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 24 – August 2 [Sky & Telescope Magazine]

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Orange Pi Zero 3W: Octa Core Arm SBC | ExplainingComputers

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Sad News for Europa Exploration // Watching Pluto’s Atmosphere Fade Away // Auroras on Mars | Fraser Cain

Could We See Into Our Own Past? (And Other Questions) | Joe Scott

The First Exomoon/Exosatellite Discovered … And its Weird | John Michael Godier

Will non-alcoholic wine save the winemakers? | DW Documentary

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Bitcoin: The Winds of Winter | Benjamin Cowen

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Flock Cameras Are Not Even the Worst Part of the System | TREX LABS

• 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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