Macon School leaders ask county for bailout, or harmful cuts are imminent
Macon County Schools are facing a $2 million budget shortfall and are hoping the county will come to the rescue.
That leaves county commissioners with a difficult decision: inject substantial amounts of money into the school system or force the school board to make difficult cuts.
Sweepstakes industry chalks up tiny victory with uncertain bearing
A convenience store owner in Macon County was let off the hook by a judge for four misdemeanor charges of operating illegal sweepstakes machines — but it will have little or no bearing on the state’s ban on the machines.
New high-tech training center to be a feather in Franklin’s cap
A state-of-the-art training facility built by Drake Software is the latest addition to Macon County’s economic landscape.
No good deed goes unpunished in state’s domestic violence funding formula
The domestic violence nonprofit REACH of Macon County is facing a more than $80,000 shortfall next year due partly to state budget cuts and partly to repercussions of stepping up to the plate when assault victims in neighboring Jackson County had no one else to turn to.
Neighborly lifeline for domestic violence victims could fray at the edges unless Jackson steps up
Nearly a year has passed since a domestic violence support agency in Jackson County abruptly shut down under financial duress, and so far there’s no sign on the horizon of a new nonprofit to fill the void.
In the meantime, however, the domestic violence agency in Macon County stepped in and picked up the torch on an emergency — and presumably interim — basis.
Macon forges ahead with $1.1 million ballpark
Macon County commissioners narrowly voted last week to buy a 50-acre tract for $550,000 to create a sprawling baseball and recreation complex. It would take another $550,000 to put in the first two baseball diamonds and a parking lot.
Macon County pledges suite of raises all around
Macon County government employees will have a fatter paycheck now, thanks to a new pay plan approved last week by commissioners. Three of the five commissioners voted in support of the pay raises.
A cut above the rest
You get what you pay for, and a haircut is quite possibly the finest example of that timeless concept.
Slowing sales of inscribed bricks spells trouble for veteran’s memorial
After struggling through a year of poor fundraising, the veterans’ memorial in Franklin desperately needs to sell some bricks.
Study says Macon employees underpaid compared to counterparts
A study that revealed that most Macon County government employees were underpaid compared to counterparts in other North Carolina counties is catching flack from some critics for alleged design flaws, as well as calling into question the worth of a public servant.
