Macon planners seek high-rise moratorium
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer
The Macon County Planning Board wants county commissioners to enact a moratorium on any construction over 38 feet in height to temporarily stop construction of a 10-story high-rise condominium just outside of Highlands.
Cowee Mound preserved for future generations, historic interpretation
Cowee Mound, a 71-acre site in Macon County and once a major Cherokee village, will be preserved thanks to a joint conservation effort between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee.
Planning issues dominate Macon election
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer
Macon County commissioner candidates fielded several questions about growth and the county’s future during a forum conducted by the League of Women Voters last Thursday night (Sept. 28).
Silent Segways lead to noisy debate
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer
Reviews on the on the Zerve.com Web site all rave about Mountain Glides’ Segway tours of the Macon County Greenway.
Watching for what’s in the water
By Michael Beadle
It’s mid-morning at Cartoogechaye Creek just below the Macon County Recreation Park’s tennis courts in Franklin.
Bill McClarney, a veteran aquatic biologist, instructs a dozen volunteers to put on waders and descend into the cool, foot-high waters of the Cartoogechaye to see what’s living there.
FERC ruling favors Duke’s proposals
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s final decision on Duke Power’s relicensing applications for its Western North Carolina hydropower plants heavily favors the proposals developed by the utility in a multi-year stakeholder process.
Trash statistics skewed by second-home residents
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer
Macon County’s trash is a growing problem, says Chris Stahl, director of the Macon County Solid Waste Department.
Franklin residents to help design new neighborhood
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer
Macon County residents have the opportunity to help design the first New Urbanist traditional neighborhood in Western North Carolina — a neighborhood that will rely on mixed use and smart growth development practices to create a 22-acre housing complex just outside downtown Franklin.
Art partnership: Swain County couple Dee Dee and Robert Triplett share a love for creating and sharing one-of-a-kind art pieces
By Michael Beadle
Dee Dee Triplett is a woman of the cloth. Her husband, Robert, is a man of strong metal.
Work of hired consultant causes confusion among lodging community
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer
Late last month Macon County consultant Gary Nicholson sent out 351 letters to local accommodations owners to begin building a database of who is supposed to pay the county’s 3 percent tax on overnight lodging aimed at tourists.
