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Articles by Jake Browning
Clinic brings methadone treatment to Macon
Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Drug users seeking help in their fight against opioid addiction have a new ally in Franklin in the form of Hazelwood Healthcare. The new clinic is the first treatment facility authorized to prescribe methadone and suboxone, prescription opiates that helps addicts ease off of their dependence on heroin and other illegal opiates. While the drug can go a long way toward treating addiction, its potential for abuse makes it difficult to come by.
Ingles plans a new store
Franklin’s Town Council has approved a water and sewer reallocation request for the Holly Springs Plaza shopping center, apparently paving the way for construction of an Ingles superstore. The shopping center off US 441 Bypass was previously anchored by a now-vacant Walmart store and is the site of an existing Ingles store, Papa’s Pizza to Go and Win Nails salon. Other storefronts in the complex are vacant.
Retailers make space for social distancing
Many retailers have had to close their doors in accordance with new regulations concerning coronavirus, and those who are still open find that they’re doing business in completely new ways. With more and more calls coming from political leaders and citizens alike, stores are embracing social distancing measures, such as marking off spots in check-out lines that are six feet apart.
New laws protect patient visitation rights
A pair of bills passed by the North Carolina General Assembly and signed by Gov. Roy Cooper last month will ensure nursing home residents and hospital patients greater access to visits from family ... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Gillespie running for NC House
Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Macon County commissioner Karl Gillespie will officially announce his bid for the N.C. House of Representat... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Summer meal program set for kick-off at Clemmons Middle - clemmonscourier
DINE WS/FCS will kick off another year of its summer meal program with a public event at Clemmons Middle School from 5 p.m.-7 pm on Friday, April 24. For many kids, summertime means food, friends and fun. For families who count on school breakfast and lunch, however, the summer months can be stressful, as families have to stretch their food budgets even further. To combat this, WS/FCS provides free summer meals to kids aged 18 and younger at sites across the community.
Sellers seek to clear smoke on vaping
Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com As more and more states start to crack down on vaping, vape sellers in Macon County say their businesses ha... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
East Franklin principal resigns
East Franklin Elementary School principal Landon Holland will be leaving his position at the end of the month. Macon County Schools Superintendent Chris Baldwin announced the resignation ... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Survivors: Early detection saves lives
Press photo/Linda Mathias - Breast cancer survivors in Macon County are sewing heart shaped drainage tube pillows for current patients. From left: Rita McElroy, Lori Smith, Gwen Bradley-Stanfield. Press photo/Linda Mathias - Breast cancer survivors in Macon County are sewing heart shaped drainage tube pillows for current patients. From left: Rita McElroy, Lori Smith, Gwen Bradley-Stanfield.
Visitors and locals flock to PumpkinFest
Last Saturday’s PumpkinFest was a damp one, but the weather didn’t keep the crowds away. The annual festival in downtown Franklin started off dry, but the afternoon saw much-needed ra... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Schools weigh reopening options
Schools are scheduled to reopen on Aug. 17, but no one knows yet how that will happen. On June 11, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and Board of Education agreed on a guidebook o... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
MVI raising money for solar energy station
Press photo/Jake Browning - Mountain View Intermediate School’s solar power station would function similarly to an array that was installed on the roof at First United Methodist Church. Press photo/Jake Browning - Mountain View Intermediate School’s solar power station would function similarly to an array that was installed on the roof at First United Methodist Church.
Band returns triumphant from New Orleans
Photo/Rebecca Martin The Franklin High School Marching Band impressed the crowd – and the judges – at a performance in Jackson Square. Photo/Rebecca Martin The Franklin High School Marching Band impressed the crowd – and the judges – at a performance in Jackson Square. Previous Next Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Franklin High School’s Band tasted sweet victory at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Year’...
Big changes coming for Medicaid recipients
Macon County residents will start seeing major changes to the way they receive Medicaid later this year. Due to legislation that was passed by the General Assembly in 2015, Medicaid will ... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Justice center tops list of needs
A new justice center complex topped the list of recommendations when Moseley Architects presented a space needs assessment at the Macon County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday night. ... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Mini-budgets fill gaps as deadlock drags on
As the General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper continue to debate a state budget months after the deadline, state legislators have been passing “mini budgets” to fund initiatives ... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Broncos vs Bengals: Nix’s 326 yards fuel 28–3 rout
DENVER, Sept. 29 — A night that began with a Cincinnati field goal ended with a Denver reset. The Broncos throttled the Bengals 28–3 at Empower Field at Mile High, a complete performance that finally paired Sean Payton’s sequencing with a credible run game and a defense that squeezed the air out of every Cincinnati drive. Second-year quarterback Bo Nix completed 29 of 42 for 326 yards with two touchdowns and a rushing score, and J. K.
Commanders vs Bengals match player stats — who owned the night
In a preseason showcase built on quick strikes, special packages, and roster battles on the margins, the Cincinnati Bengals beat Washington 31–17 in Landover, a result that read less like August and more like a checklist of jobs won and lessons learned.
Foster grandparents share love at schools
• Photo submitted Bonnie Berk and her 3-year-old foster “grandchildren” at Long’s Chapel UMC in Waynesville. Photo submitted Bonnie Berk and her 3-year-old foster “grandchildren” at Long’s Chapel UMC in Waynesville. Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Mountain Projects is searching for volunteers to become “foster grandparents” and make a difference in ... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Beegle marks 30 years with EMS
Lora Beegle took a job with Macon County’s Emergency Services department on Oct. 7, 1991, and 30 years later, she’s still doing all she can to keep Macon County residents healthy and safe. ... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Two new town board members sworn in
Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Monday night’s Franklin Town Council meeting was the first for incoming members Michael Lewis and Jack Ho... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
FBLA plays Santa at Macon Citizens Habilities
• Press photo/Jake Browning - Mike (left) gets a Christmas gift from Abby Carpenter at Macon Citizens Habilities’ Christmas party. Press photo/Jake Browning - Mike (left) gets a Christmas gift from Abby Carpenter at Macon Citizens Habilities’ Christmas party. Christmas came early to Macon Citizens Habilities this year with a visit from Franklin High School’s Future Business Leaders of America last Friday. Every year at the peak of the holida... Premium Content is available to subscribers only.
Where We Live puts spotlight on women who helped shape Macon
Jake Browning reporter@thefranklinpress.com Monday night’s installment of Cowee School’s Where We Live speaker series provided a glimpse into the l... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
PumpkinFest ready to roll
PumpkinFest, the pride of Franklin and one of Western North Carolina’s favorite fall festivals, rolls off on Saturday, Oct. 16. This year’s festival is shaping to be the biggest and b... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Skaters grasp opportunity for new park
The movement to build a new skate park in Franklin is picking up a lot of speed, as well as a lot of supporters. Macon County skaters have been hard at work for the last few months, talki... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
all treats, no tricks on Bidwell Street
Press photo/Jake Browning - Bidwell Street residents put up elaborate Halloween scenes to welcome thousands of trick-or-treaters. Press photo/Jake Browning - Bidwell Street residents put up elaborate Halloween scenes to welcome thousands of trick-or-treaters. Previous Next This Halloween, thousands of children will flock to Bidwell Street, the trick or treat capital of Macon County. Bidwell Street has gone all out for Halloween for longer than most resident...
Veterans flock to Stand Down
Press photo/Linda Mathias - Dr. LeRoy Roberson performs an eye exam for a veteran during Thursday’s Stand Down. The Robert C. Carpenter Community was packed to the brim with veterans and volunteers on Thursday during the sixth annual Smoky Mountains Veteran Stand Down. Veteran Stand Downs have been ar...
Anti-vaping seminar visits MVI
Press photo/Jake Browning - Fifth grader Cam English holds up a case of mechanical pencil graphite. English was surprised to learn how similar a vape pen can look to this common school supply, but anti-smoking advocates say that’s an intentional design choice meant to facilitate vaping for younger consumers. Press photo/Jake Browning - Fifth grader Cam English holds up a case of mechanical pencil graphite.
New dog park finally goes to the dogs
More than a year and a half after the project was approved, Macon County pet owners and their dogs are finally using the new dog park on Phillips Street. The Macon County Board of Commissioners… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Hospital on track for fall opening
Press photo/Jake Browning - A view of the new Angel Medical Center under construction on One Center Court, off Sylva Road. Press photo/Jake Browning - A view of the new Angel Medical Center under construction on One Center Court, off Sylva Road. Previous Next Mission Health and HCA Healthcare invited media members to the future site of Angel Medical Center last weekend to show off progress on the new hospital. The $68 million, 82,500-square fo...
Active Mutual Conjoint Estimation of Multiple Contrast Sensitivity Functions
The authors have declared no competing interest. This study was funded by R21EY033553. I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The human data in this manuscript is limited to the openly available data originally located at: https://github.com/michaeljigo/JigoCarrasco2020.
WHT honors Cherokee woman
• Press photo/Jake Browning - Marty Greeble, Juanita Wilson and Mary Polanski at the July 31 dedication ceremony for the Na’ha Rebecca Morris plaque on the Women’s History Trail. The newest installment in the Women’s History Trail is a plaque at the Nikwasi Mound dedicated to Na’ha Rebecca Morris, one of the most famed women of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian to ever… Premium Content is available to subscribers only.
Cold for a Cause helps those in need stay warm
Cold for a Cause organizers hope 13 won’t be an unlucky number as they seek another successful clothing drive to kick off 2022. As in years past, participants in Cold for a Cause will take shifts… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Jake Browning, Cut Three Times By The Vikings, Beats Vikings In Overtime
We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE. Jake Browning was cut by the Minnesota Vikings in August of 2019. And after being re-signed to the practice squad he was cut again in September of 2020. And after getting yet another shot on the practice squad, he was cut again in August of 2021. Then on Saturday, the quarterback who was cut three times by the Vikings beat the Vikings in overtime. Life is something, folks. Bengals 27. Vikings 24.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3 SU, 8-3 ATS) are 8-2 SU and 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 home games against the Cincinnati Bengals (5-6 SU, 4-6-1 ATS). The Jaguars will look to continue their home dominance with another win over the Bengals in Jacksonville this Monday night. Jacksonville is 5-0 SU and ATS in its last five games against AFC opponents. The Bengals enter this matchup with a 6-0 SU and ATS record in their last six games played in December including a 2-0 SU and ATS record as an underdog.
Fantasy Football Hot Takes: DeVonta Smith, Alvin Kamara, Tyreek Hill, Jake Browning (Week 13)
Buying something for myself has never been a problem. I am pretty impulsive when I come across things that suit me. This trait of mine naturally means I’m often labeled as “difficult to buy for.” I also put up an awkward shell when someone asks me what I would like as a gift. “Oh, that’s not necessary” is the go-to response. Gone are the days when I had to pray to every imaginable higher power for my mom to get me a Sega Genesis.
LBJ Job Corps students are returning to campus
COVID-19 pushed them out of the campus, but students and staff at the Lyndon B. Johnson Job Corps Center never stopped working. When the virus shut down schools and businesses last March, the staff… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Ash sees opportunities to bridge the gap
Pastor D’Andre Ash with his wife and daughter. The Smoky Mountain District of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church has 65 churches. Among those 65 churches, there is one black pastor. One might expect that… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
County discusses 2022 budget priorities
Body As the 2021-22 fiscal year winds down, the Macon County Board of Commissioners sat down to talk budget priorities in their continued session Thursday, Feb. 3. In years past, the county has provided a recommended budget by the time the commissioners meet in May so that there is plenty of time to make edits if necessary before the fiscal year resets in July. That gives the commissioners time to evaluate capital needs and decide what projects are most in need of funding.
Mainspring celebrates 25 years of conservation
Last month, Mainspring Conservation Trust acquired the Klatt Wetland, a 46-acre tract with 1,830 feet of river coverage off Highway 28. As the “largest unconserved wetland on the free-flowing Little Tennessee,” it’s a property that Mainspring officials have had their eyes on since before the organization was even formally founded. Land conservancy takes time and dedication, and Macon County residents have had a reliable source of that dedication for nearly a quarter of a century.
Pre-K enrollment opens for 2022-2023
Press photo/Jake Browning Macon County Schools is currently accepting applications for the Pre-K program for the 2022-2023 school year. The Board of Commissioners and Macon County Schools are exploring ways to expand the program so more children can attend. Pictured are Pre-K students at South Macon Elementary School enjoying a sunny winter day on the playground for Pre-K students.
Macon County hits 100 COVID-related deaths
Press graphic Two deaths reported on Friday, Feb. 11 brought the COVID-19 death toll in Macon County to 100. On Friday, Macon County Public Health said it was notified that two COVID-19 patients had passed away,… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Omicron variant causes surge in Macon County
Press photo/Eric Braham- Specialist Ryan Nizolek and Staff Sgt. Hampton with the National Guard help distribute free N95 masks at the Macon County Health Department. Masks may be picked up in the drive-thru COVID testing lane in front of the jail on Lakeside Drive. To avoid wait times, do not go to pick up masks on Wednesdays when they are giving vaccines. To request a mask pick-up time, call 828-349-2081.
Progress steady on South Macon broadband
Press graphic The project to bring reliable internet access to all of Macon County is coming along in Otto and Scaly Mountain, despite a less than favorable climate for construction. Jason Maples of BalsamWest… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Masks remain optional at schools
Press graphic Despite surges in COVID-19 cases brought on by the Omicron variant, the Macon County Board of Education chose not to return to a mask mandate during the monthly meeting on Monday night. On Friday,… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Chick-fil-A opens Jan. 13
After months of anticipation, Franklin residents will welcome Chick-fil-A to their roster of local restaurants starting on Thursday, Jan. 13. Chick-fil-A Franklin operator Caleb Peters has been… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
CDC reduces quarantine guidelines
Press graphic The Centers for Disease Control are now recommending that people who test positive for COVID-19 quarantine for five days, a reduction from their previous 10-day guideline. The CDC update was issued… Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Holly Springs Shopping Center renovations
Signs of progress at the old Walmart site are now visible as Ingles prepares to build a new store in the Holly Springs Shopping Center. Ingles purchased the shopping center in 2016. Vannoy Construc... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Animals relocated north for adoption
Macon County animal shelters try their best to find a safe home for every animal they take in, but sometimes, those homes aren’t in Macon County. Sometimes a dog or cat makes it all the way up th... Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.
Policy update opens field for student athletes
A recent change in policy will allow Macon County students to play at schools other than the one where they are enrolled. This would allow students such as those at Macon Early College and Union Academy that do not have athletic teams to play sports at another county school. A recent change in policy will allow Macon County students to play at schools other than the one where they are enrolled.
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