The Read all of the Macon County MACON COUNTY NEWSOnline •Free Weekly• & Shopping Guide themaconcountynewsonline.com March 18, 2021 • 24 Pages Volume 38 Number 43 FREE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER www.themaconcountynews.com IN THIS ISSUE Page 6 3H Thrift Store offering a helping hand Last Thursday at 3:18 p.m., Macon County dispatch received a call for assistance due to an airplane on fire at the Macon County Airport. First responders arrived on scene to find a plane at the east runway engulfed in flames after crashing on the runway. No injuries were reported and all passengers were able to exit the aircraft prior to the arrival of first responders. Responding were Franklin Fire & Rescue, Burningtown Fire Department, the Cowee Fire Department and Squad 4, who assisted in extinguishing the fire. The crash is now under investigation and the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the incident. Photo by Vickie Carpenter Page 11 Board votes to help FROGs planning major 30 Hour Famine goes on despite pandemic fund WHT sculpture projects for greenway Deena C. Bouknight – Contributing Writer Deena C. Bouknight – Contributing Writer Anne Hyder said she was “thrilled” that monies were al- Friends of the Greenway, or FROGs, which is a volunteer located to help pay for the Women’s History Trail (WHT) organization overseen by a board of directors, presented sculpture that will eventually be installed near the bridges at plans, projects, and needs of the Little Tennessee Greenway the entrance of Franklin on Main Street. Hyder is the chair- for the foreseeable future to Macon County commissioners person of the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County, at their March 9 meeting. The current state of the Greenway the 501c3 nonprofit that serves as the umbrella organization was also a part of the presentation. for the Women’s History Trail. “This past year’s been very difficult, with projects and At the March 9 meeting of the Macon County Commis- plans being on hold, so we’re working to jump in for 2021,” sioners, a motion made by Commissioner Ronnie Beale and said Rita St. Clair, FROG board’s secretary. seconded by Gary Shields resulted in a decision to allocate FROG’s 2021 goals for the Little Tennessee Greenway, $19,000 out of the county's contingency fund to make a pay- which winds along the river and past wetlands, meadows, ment for the sculpture. woodlands, gardens, and more, include: Page 12 “The contribution was made in memory of Barbara 1. To hold two arts and crafts fairs as fund raising events McRae,” said Hyder. “She established Women’s History 2. To establish the Delores “Dee” Beamish Garden at Photos from Friday’s Panthers comeback win Trail and worked tirelessly on that effort. McRae, former FROG Quarters 828.369.6767 vice mayor for Town of Franklin and a local historian, 3. To add educational signage to explain the history of the PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID passed away March 2 after a long battle with cancer. “We Tassee, Nickajack, and Nonah bridges on the Greenway www.themaconcountynews.com PERMIT 22 [email protected] GOODER PUBLISHING CORP. FRANKLIN, NC 28734-3401 See SCULPTURE page ? See GREENWAY page 2 2 THE MACON COuNTY NEWS & SHOPPING GuIDE VOLUME 38 NUMBER 43 THuRSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 She said volunteers will be needed to prepare the site and plant the seedlings, GREENWAY and donated funds and monies from Continued from page 1 grants, especially from Blue Ridge Na- 4. To secure the boundary of the Car- tional Heritage Association and Ferebee toogechaye Creek Bluff, designated as a Endowment, are covering the cost of the North Carolina Natural Heritage Pro- project. When the trees produce fruit in gram Natural Area, and provide educa- a few years, it will be collected and sev- tional signage eral ideas are being discussed about 5. To implement the American Hops what to do with the apples. Project St. Clair said members were “ex- 6. To partner with Nikwasi Initiative cited” to learn that plans are underway with the Heritage Apple Project to continue the trail under the Main St. Clair elaborated on the 2021 sched- Street bridge, and make it handicap ac- ule of activities. cessible, so that people walking and bik- “We had such a successful arts and ing on the trail do not have to cross the crafts fair last November, which included busy roads to continue from the Big some food sales as well, that we decided Bear portion of the Greenway to the to host two this year, one on May 8 and Shops at Riverwalk Greenway segment another in the fall. Hopefully, we will by the butterfly garden. make additional funds at these fairs to “We are hoping this will bring more use toward our projects,” she said. people to stop at FROG Quarters The Delores “Dee” Beamish Garden Among the many projects and updates planned this year for the Little Tennessee Greenway, is the placement Wednesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 will be located behind the FROG Quar- of informational signage to be installed at the three bridges along the trails. p.m.” ters at 573 E. Main Street. The under-the-bridge trail is “hap- “It will allow people to sit a while, the plants to verify they are American hops. We want to fence pening soon,” added St. Clair. She also noted that interaction look down the river, and enjoy some quiet time,” said St. Clair. that area off for cultivating and demonstrating the history of with Macon County Commissioners, with Gary Shields as a “We are interested in maintaining the continuation of the area’s hops growth. So Stan and Jim Clink, chairman of the FROG liaison, is win-win in that, “We continue to function as an in- beautification, especially since Mainspring Conservation Trust board, have been working on the area to identify hops that are dependent nonprofit, but we provide commissioners with in- is right next door. And in this East Franklin area … a lot is hap- coming up. It would be fun to eventually work with a local formation about issues and concerns, such as erosion along the pening, so we want to partner with folks to beautify the area.” brewery, if there is enough hops to initiate a beer named after river, for the benefit of anyone using the Greenway.” Three bridges exist along the extensive Greenway paths, and the Little Tennessee Greenway.” Plus, three area Rotary Club groups have taken on the proj- FROG members explained to commissioners that it behooves The other main project, Heritage Apple, will involve ect of repairing the dilapidated shelter, which is located by the the public to understand why the bridges are there and how Nikwasi Initiative and will be located, according to St. Clair, butterfly garden, taped off for many months due to its condi- they came about – just as it is important for Greenway users to “halfway between Big Bear and Suli Marsh on the north end tion. be provided information about how the Greenway was devel- of the Greenway.” Franklin Rotary Daybreak club is taking the lead on the proj- Heritage Apple Project is planned for the northern end of the trail between Big Bear Shelter FROGs plans major renovations to the shelter near the Airport Trail portion of the Greenway. Local Ro- and Suli Marsh, in which 20 Cherokee apple trees will be planted. The Cherokee apple trees tary clubs will assist with the repairs. Photos by Vickie Carpenter is a variety cultivated by the Cherokee before the Trail of Tears. oped. “Elaine Eisenbraun, executive director of Nikwasi Initiative, ect, but two other clubs are assisting as well: Rotary Club of “Additional signage will be going up along the Greenway to is spearheading the project and we will provide volunteer as- Franklin and Franklin Rotary Satellite club. Rotary clubs paid provide more information,” explained St. Clair. sistance,” said St. Clair. “There will eventually be memorial for the construction of the shelter originally. New signage will also call attention to the area behind the signage in honor of Barbara McRae because she was also in- “But it now has rotten planks and the trees have overtaken Macon County Public Library. volved in this idea and she was part of the original group of the shelter,” said Luke Smith, a Rotarian and the owner of “It is a natural heritage area because there are plants there FROG.” In fact, McRae, according to Little Tennessee River Highlander Roofing. “We hope to replace all the decking, wash that are unusual,” said St. Clair. history “wrote two major grants to bring in the cash to restore the roof and railings, cut the overhanging branches to let in One of FROG’s two main projects, American Hops was ini- the riverbanks, build trails, picnic shelters, and bridges across sunlight. In about four weeks, Highlander Roofing will be tak- tiated by Barbara McRae, Town of Franklin vice mayor, who the river.” ing the heavy lifting lead on the tree removal, deck replace- passed away on March 2. “Yes, we will call the area the Barbara McRae Cherokee ment, and cleaning with hopefully material funding by Rotary “Barbara discovered wild hops growing in a section going Heritage Apple Trail,” said Eisenbraun. “We will plant at least clubs.” south beyond the butterfly garden, so this project is important 20 heritage Cherokee apple trees, which is a variety originally Smith said Rotary members will help with debris clean to us,” said St. Clair. “Stan Polanski, who writes plant-related cultivated by the Cherokee before the Trail of Tears, so we are up.