Bob Scott makes motion to be included in censure.

During last week's Board of Aldermen meeting, Franklin's Town Board voted in a 5-1 vote to censure Mayor Joe Collins for issuing a personal letter of apology to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for the town's actions regarding spraying herbicide on the mound.

The town sprayed herbicide on the mound’s grass earlier this year with intentions of replanting it with an eco-grass that would require less maintenance, but the use of a poisonous chemical on a sacred mound site offended the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

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The Franklin Police Department is working on a program that will offer self-defense training for women. Franklin's new police chief, Chief David Adams, is bringing the R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) program that was implemented at his former post in Hendersonville.

“R.A.D. was developed over 20 years ago,” explained Adams. “The program’s primary function is the practical development of self-defense options for women, before and during situations of imminent or adductive assault. And this type of training teaches employable tactics designed for women that work without the time investment of complicated martial arts training. This program has provided training to more than 275,000 women nationwide.”

Chief Adams explained that as a police officer and former Army solider, out of all of the training courses he has experienced, he believes that R.A.D. stands to be the most beneficial for women.

At its Monday meeting, the Tourism Development Authority got an update from biker event promoter Sylvia Cochran on the Smoky Mountain Rumble.

According to Cochran, all public safety and health needs will be met, as all codes are being complied with including fire, emergency, public safety, etc.

However other facets of the festival are not going exactly according to plan, she explained. Cochran was obliged to have vendor insurance policies ready as of the date of the meeting, but did not, leaving a dearth of prospective vendors and 19 committed vendors that are not yet officially part of the event. “We’re estimating between 20 and 30 vendors,” she assured board members, adding that up to 300 bikes are expected to attend the Rumble this year.

Macon County Board of Commissioners held their regularly scheduled July meeting Tuesday night at the Macon County Courthouse. After having a moment of silence to remember several county employees and their relatives who had passed away in the weeks prior to the meeting, Vice-chairman Bobby Kuppers led the meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The meeting began with a public hearing regarding the Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) application. Although no one signed up to speak for or against the application Transit Director Kim Angel informed the board that the application was for funding to cover three individual transportation programs involving a total of $133,374 in funding for the county. With no one present to speak to the motion, commissioners unanimously voted to approve the application.

Lightning illuminated the sky Sunday near Western Carolina University as thunderstorms rumbled through the area bringing much needed rain.

Weather has made the news across the nation as record high temperatures have produced sweltering conditions in the Southeast and the mid-Atlantic region.

Locally, Sunday night’s storm resulted in power outages for more than 2,000 homes and some downed trees.

During their June meeting, Sylva's Town Board said good-bye to two-term Commissioner Stacy Knotts. Knotts, who informed the board in January she would be leaving in June, is leaving the board to move with her husband Gibbs Knotts who accepted a position as a Political Science Department Chair at the College of Charleston.

“I want to thank my fellow board members, the outstanding staff at the Town of Sylva, and the residents of Sylva for the support,” said Knotts. “It has been an honor to serve in this position.”

According to Knotts, she first campaigned to work toward making Sylva an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. “I accomplished many of my goals during my time in office,” said Knotts. “My three proudest accomplishments were the roles I played in getting curbside recycling, the much needed sidewalk from Sylva to Dillsboro, and the Bridge Park, which has been a great gathering place for the community.”

Colonel Michael Gilchrist, commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol announced the No Texting, Just Driving educational awareness campaign at a press conference recently at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The new campaign is a safety initiative designed to educate the motoring public on the dangers of distracted driving, particularly texting while driving with the hopes of reducing traffic fatalities and injuries.

Troopers across the state will focus on the dangers of texting while driving to the public through various means such as radio and television public service announcements, “No Texting, Just Driving” presentations, as well as the distribution of educational awareness literature to include campaign specific posters, windshield stickers, pledge cards and other informational items.

After six years in Macon County, Superintendent Dr. Dan Brigman sat with members of the Macon County Board of Education for the last time during Monday night's regularly scheduled board meeting.

Dr. Brigman, who has served as superintendent since 2006, will assume his new position in Catawba County as their superintendent on July 1.

On behalf of the board, School Board Chair Tommy Cabe presented Dr. Brigman with a plaque Monday night recognizing his dedication and service to the students and school system.

“Thank you Dr. Brigman for everything that you have done for the students in Macon County,” said Cabe. “I came to the board right before Dr. Brigman and under his leadership this board has been able to make great strides for public education in our community.”

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Two candidates for the Macon County Board of Education filed with alacrity in hopes of grabbing one of the three seats on the board that are up for election this November.

The seats up for election this fall are District I (Highlands) currently held by Stephanie McCall; District III (Nantahala) currently held by Tommy Baldwin; and District IV (Franklin) currently held by Jim Breedlove. The board's five members, which are elected to four-year staggered terms, represent the three school districts and the county at large.

As of press time on Wednesday, according to the Board of Elections, incumbents Jim Breedlove of District IV Franklin and Tommy Baldwin of District III Nantahala, are the only residents who have filed for school board. McCall spoke with the Macon County News Wednesday morning and said she plans to file for re-election before the July 6 deadline.

According to Macon County's dispatch CAD report, Tuesday afternoon at approximately 2:21 p.m. a four-year-old child from Andrews was injured in a car accident that resulted in a DWI arrest.

According to a report from the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the toddler was “in the door” of a parked vehicle driven by Susan Klocke of Otto at Loafer’s Glory when a second vehicle, driven by Jamie Gregory of Franklin, backed up and collided with the parked vehicle. The CAD report states that the caller “advises child has been hit by a vehicle at Loafer’s Glory. Caller advises she [the child] is awake and her dad is carrying her and she looks to have a leg injury.”