Farming is not just a hobby for Joe Deal and his father, Butch Deal, but it is a way of life. Deal Farms of Franklin has been a consistent local source of food for the people of Macon County since the early 1950s, and the family has farmed for seven generations and counting. With over 500 acres of farmland and over 30 different types of vegetables and various fruits made available at their local fruit stands, the locally owned family farm does in fact have a stellar reputation among Maconians and in the surrounding area.

Since 1951, the family has ran a commercial farm in Macon County , and have since expanded their market share to Atlanta and Asheville. Locally, Deal Farms supplies Ingles stores with their products, freshly made and supplied–something competitors simply cannot match.

On March 29, all members of the Fontana Regional Library system will be closed in order to implement new library software. Our libraries are participating in the NC Cardinal project, a new library cooperative funded by the State Library of North Carolina. During the month of March, Fontana Regional Library is doing lots of staff training and computer maintenance to serve the public more efficiently and effectively with this new software.

Western Carolina University students coordinating the Cullowhee Voter Initiative, a nonpartisan effort to improve voter education and participation in Jackson County, hosted a bipartisan, bicameral debate on Monday in which members of the North Carolina General Assembly debated issues ranging from education cuts, to the government’s role in restricting religion in public schools.

The debate included North Carolina Republican Senators Jim Davis and Ralph Hise, and Democratic House Representatives Ray Rapp and Rick Glazier. Gibbs Knotts, interim dean of WCU’s College of Arts and Sciences, served as the moderator for the event.

Issues included distortion of Constitution, gay marriage.

Last Saturday afternoon, March. 3, Macon Republicans were given the opportunity to meet and greet with six candidates for the 11th Congressional district seat of North Carolina. The forum was put together by Chris Murray, Chairman of Macon County’s Republican Party, and the Gem Country Republican Women’s Club. The two hour long event was held at the Macon County Community Building.