August 26, 2021 • 24 Pages Volume 39 Number 15 FREE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER in THIS ISSUE
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The Macon County Read all of the MACON COUNTY NEWSOnline •Free Weekly• & Shopping Guide themaconcountynewsonline.com August 26, 2021 • 24 Pages Volume 39 Number 15 FREE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER www.themaconcountynews.com IN THIS ISSUE Page 4 County offers no satisfaction on garbage issue Franklin High School Football recognized three individuals who have spent the last two-plus decades calling football games at The Panther Pit. Donnie Clouse and his wife Angel have been the voice of the Panthers announcing JV games on Thursdays and youth games on Saturdays for the last 36 years. Guy Duvall and David Morgan have been announcing varsity games for the last 23 years. Pictured are (L-R) head coach Josh Brooks, Clouse, and athletic directors Matt Bradley and Ryan Haley. Individual plaques honor- ing Clouse and Duvall will be added to Morgan’s on the Wall of Honor at the west end of the stadium. For more on Friday’s game against the Murphy Bulldogs, see page 12. Photo by Vickie Carpenter Page 13 County steps up for Students go ‘all in’ for Totally Tacky Prom flood ravaged Canton Brittney Lofthouse – Contributing Writer Just a short drive from Franklin, folks in Haywood County are continuing to pick up the pieces after a devastating flood saturated the town last week as a result of Tropical Storm Fred. Parts of Western North Carolina received more than 10 inches from Sunday through Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. Rain exceeded five inches from Mon- day evening to Tuesday evening alone in the Haywood County community of Canton, swelling the Pigeon River to more than nine feet above flood stage and the highest level since 2004. Page 20 The death toll rose to five on Sunday afternoon when the fifth victim, Frank Lauer Sr., 74, of Cruso, was identified. Blaney puts Ford back in Victory Lane in Michigan The others confirmed dead as a result of the storm are Frank 828.369.6767 Mungo, 86, Franklin McKenzie, 68, Judy Mason, 73, Char- PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID lene Mungo, 83, all of Cruso. The Franklin Fire Department and the Franklin Police Depart- www.themaconcountynews.com PERMIT 22 [email protected] GOODER PUBLISHING CORP. men began collecting supplies for flood victims the day after FRANKLIN, NC 28734-3401 See FLOOD RELIEF page 2 heavy rains poured into Haywood County. 2 THE MACON COuNTy NEWS & SHOPPING GuIDE VOLUME 39 NUMBER 15 THuRSDAy, AuGuST 26, 2021 monetary donations after reaching a Multi-agency teamwork leads FLOOD RELIEF $5,000 goal. By Tuesday morning, the group Continued from page 1 was just shy of their $50,000 goal to be do- nated to families in need in Haywood to drug seizures and arrests Flooding and washouts have done signifi- County. cant damage to county roads – especially “We have received over $10,000 from folks North Carolina Highway Pa- around the community of Cruso – with 10 to in Macon County — we even had a young trol Trooper Michael Gerra ini- 15 bridges damaged or destroyed, the county boy stop to give us $2 and some change that tiated a traffic stop on emergency services department said. he had been saving up,” said Vanhook. “Then Wednesday, July 28, after ob- From the moment that news broke of the the VanDrake investment team started reach- serving a vehicle traveling on damage to Haywood County, communities ing out to our competitors around the region 441 business operating without across Western North Carolina stepped up to challenging them to match donations and tail lights. While conducting his help. First responders from neighboring agen- those guys stepped up.” vehicle stop, Trooper Gerra ob- cies travelled to Haywood County to assist in Vanhook said their competitors from Boone served drug paraphernalia search and rescue missions, local churches to Tennessee matched the locally donated within plain view of the vehicle. and fire departments collected needed sup- funds and by Tuesday afternoon, their efforts The Trooper called for further plies, and agencies set up makeshift shelters at totaled $46,500. assistance from the Macon local high schools. “We really want to surpass $50,000 to help County Sheriff Office. Sgt. Congressional leaders Rep. Madison these families begin to rebuild,” said Van- Nick Lofthouse and K9 Diesel Cawthorn and Sen. Thom Tillis toured the hook. immediately responded to as- devastation as did Gov. Roy Cooper — all According to Vanhook, they have been in sist. eager to complete a damage assessment in touch with Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers and Sgt. Lofthouse deployed K9 hopes of gaining assistance from FEMA. Sen- will be dropping off the supplies that have Diesel who quickly provided a ator Kevin Corbin and Rep. Karl Gillespie put been donated at the trailer located at the positive alert indicating the odor out a call for help for surrounding counties for Patrick Jenkins Farm Bureau Office on the of illegal substances coming supplies — and the Macon County commu- Highlands Road. The funds that have been from within the vehicle. A more nity sprang into action. donated will be given to a Haywood County thorough search of the inside of The Franklin Police Department and church or non-profit and will be specifically the vehicle was initiated. The Franklin Fire Department began collecting used to help children and families impacted search led to the recovery of ap- supplies such as cleaning materials and water by the flooding. proximately 18.5 grams of the day after the flood. A group of Macon “We want to help families get school sup- methamphetamine and 14 grams County farmers even reached into their own plies and school clothes. We know they lost of mushrooms. supplies to collect desperately needed hay for everything so we want this money to be used Terri Bolin was immediately livestock in Haywood County. to help those children and families,” said Van- arrested and is currently being A group of Macon County residents led by hook. held in the Macon County De- Kevin McCall, Mike Gibson, Benjamin Van- Donations can be made at the Farm Bureau tention Center with a secured hook, Ben Koszczepki, and Josh Drake orga- Office on the Highlands Road, or online at the bond of $15,000 for the follow- nized a donation drive that promised to match GoFundMe page organized by Vanhook. ing charges: Sgt. Nick Lofthouse and K9 Diesel – Possess with intent to man- ufacture/sell/deliver methamphetamine drug paraphernalia. – Possess drug paraphernalia Other deputies from the MCSO, patrol, – Maintain vehicle/dwelling/place for and investigations, assisted with the search controlled substance of the vehicle and also the vehicle occu- – Possess Schedule I controlled sub- pants. During the search, approximately 2.5 stance grams of suspected heroin was located. – Possess with intent to Nicholai Lamb was arrested with posses- manufacture/sell/deliver Schedule I con- sion of heroin and drug paraphernalia and trolled substance booked into the Macon County Detention – Failure to appear on felony Center on a $5,000 secured bond. On the same day, Trooper Gerra initiated “These arrests are yet another example of a traffic stop on another vehicle operating why it is so important for us to continue without proper registration. Following this building and maintaining good working re- traffic stop, Trooper Gerra again requested lationships with our counterparts through- assistance from the Macon County Sheriff’s out western North Carolina and Georgia,” Office. said Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland. Sgt. Lofthouse and K9 Diesel arrived on “No matter what agency, our local, state, or scene and once again K9 Diesel indicated a federal partners we are all a team with one positive alert on the vehicle. An initial common goal… keeping and ensuring our Local farmers took from their own supply of hay to help Haywood County farmers whose hay may search of the vehicle by the officer found communities remain safer places to live.” have been lost or damaged in the flood or grazing lands compromised by the flood waters. 11 t hAnniversary Celebration Coming Saturday, October 2nd 179 Highlands Road, Franklin, NC • 828.634.0080 LIVE MUSIC • HUGE DISCOUNTS • FREE FOOD “Offering dignity & purpose through service” 292 NE Main St., Franklin, NC 28734 • (828) 369-7227 THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021 VOLUME 39 NUMBER 15 THE MACON COUNTY NEWS & SHOPPING GUIDE 3 School Board decides to continue requiring face coverings in school THIS AREA’S Diane Peltz – Contributing Writer dropped from 51% last week, to 26%, it is still at a dangerous level." LARGEST The Macon County Board of Education In the last week – from Aug. 17-Aug. 24, announced, at its continued board meeting Macon County Public Health recorded an SELECTION OF on Monday night, that they will continue to average of around 220 active positive cases require face coverings for teachers and stu- per day and from 3609 recovered to 3812 re- dents. Once COVID cases in the community covered and 43 deaths. More than 10,500 LA-Z-BOY drop to a level that the Macon County Health tests have been conducted in the county, with Department deems safe, the school board 133 pending results on Tuesday. COMFORT FOR will convene and reconsider the face cover- The School Board also honored the ing mandate. Macon County Teacher of the Year, Thomas YOUR HOME! The decision was based on the fact that the Graham, Music/Band Teacher at Macon positivity rate here in Macon County is still Middle School; Mark Sutton, Principal of at a dangerously high rate. Kathy McGaha, the Year, Macon Early College; and Macon County Health Director, stated at the Christina Tallent, Support Person of the meeting, "although the positivity rate has Year, Cartoogechaye Elementary School.