As a result of last week's torrential rainfall accumulations, a portion of road on the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway connecting Cherokee and Tennessee, was swept away in a landslide. The first assessment of the landslide which occurred along Newfound Gap Road in North Carolina shows that the landslide is approximately 90,000 cubic yards of material or 350-400 feet — around the length of a football field — and 45-50 feet deep.

According to Molly Schroer with the National Park Service Public Affairs department, as of Tuesday, the slide is still active and an assessment team has observed debris continuing to fall.

In keeping with the goal of open, bi-partisan communication for the people of Macon County, commissioners held their mid-year review retreat last Saturday. The meeting, which is held midway through the fiscal year (which runs from July 1-June 30) is intended to evaluate the county's to-date progress and look toward planning for the upcoming year.

County manager Jack Horton began the meeting by giving commissioners a brief summary of on-going and new projects in the county. Horton noted that the upgrade to the water and sewer system, a project that has taken more than a decade since it began, is nearly complete, and other projects such as renovations to the Highlands School are just about to begin. “There are several projects both new and old that the county has taken on,” said Horton. “Regardless of the project, these things are necessary improvements to the infrastructure of our county.”

Franklin's Tourism Development Authority, (TDA) which has seen revisions to its operating procedures, will be developing a marketing strategy in 2013 to allow the board to better promote tourism and development in the Town of Franklin.

During the TDA's monthly meeting on Jan. 13, the board voted to table discussion of granting $10,000 to the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (SMCPA).

During the Dec. 10 meeting, Nikki and Scotty Corbin went before the TDA to request funds for advertising SMCPA events planned for March 2013. The pair explained that the March 2013 lineup was expected to enhance tourism in the Town of Franklin, drawing people from other areas to the community. Acts such as country music singer Easton Corbin, an Angelina Ballerina play and a performance by the Lovin Spoonful are all scheduled for March.

Beginning February 1, vehicles located inside the city limits will become subject to the Town of Franklin's new Junk Car Ordinance.

According to a fact sheet sent from the desk of Franklin's Town Planner Derek Roland, the newly established ordinance will allow law enforcement to dispose of three categories of vehicles left within the city limits.

The ordinance states that three types of vehicles, identified as abandoned, junked motor or nuisance vehicles will be subject to removal by town officials.

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