The FranklinEstablished 1886 Pre## Volume 132, Number 22 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 www.thefranklinpress.com Franklin, North Carolina 28734 $1.00 Franklin man dies in house fire Ryan Hanchett [email protected] Fire ripped through a home on Moore Street in Franklin and claimed the life of a Macon County man on Saturday. Officials have confirmed that Dennis Daigle, 54, died in the blaze. “The Franklin Police Department has worked closely with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) and the Macon County Fire Marshal’s Office during the course of the investigation into the fire and we have determined that there is no sign of foul play,” Franklin Police Chief David Adams said. “The deceased, Dennis Daigle, was found inside the residence during the firefighting operations.” Daigle was identified on Monday follow- ing an autopsy. The initial call to Macon County 911 came in at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night. The caller reported a structure fire at 19 Moore Street. The caller indicated that one of the residents was possibly still inside the home and unable to get out of the building. “Please hurry, there is someone still inside and I can’t get in there to help get them out,” the caller said. “Send help, please.” A fire truck from Franklin Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene at 7:33 p.m. Press photo/Ryan Hanchett Dennis Daigle, was killed when fire gutted his Moore treet home on Saturday night. The cause of the fire is under investigation. according to the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) report. The first firefighters on scene to enter the residence they found Daigle in a ual from the residence through a window at and Cowee fire departments aided Franklin reported that the residence was fully involved back bedroom of the home. the rear of the structure. That male individual Fire and Rescue in stopping the fire. in flames and that a power line connected to “Firefighters were able to locate a down was assessed by Macon County EMS and was “We know where this fire started and the home had become dislodged and was arc- individual in the bedroom area as origi- determined to be deceased.” we are continuing to investigate what may ing in a nearby tree. nally reported in the 911 call,” Franklin The fire chief on scene requested response have caused it,” Macon County Fire Marshal The fire took approximately 25 minutes to Fire and Rescue Captain Justin Setser said. of the medical examiner’s office. Jimmy Teem said. “The investigation is ongo- get under control. Once firefighters were able “Firefighters were able to remove the individ- Clarks Chapel, West Macon, Cullasaja ing at this time.” High-tech learning ready for liftoff after NASA grant to Southwestern Tim Reaves [email protected] We’re going to be working with local K-12 educators to Thanks to a grant from NASA, help them deliver NASA content in their classrooms. Southwestern Community College offi- ~ Matt Cass, Southwestern Community College cials say they are bringing high-tech Photo submitted learning to K-12 and college classrooms. Local Benefits images and includes pre-loaded key SCC will use the $1.4 million Science The NASA grant will benefit the points, like the real locations fictional- Education grant to improve its STEM Smoky Mountains STEM Collaborative, ized in “The Martian.” Eclipse a tourist (Science, Technology, Engineering which includes the Macon, Jackson, “Our goal is to infuse the local K-12 and Math) curriculum, said Science Swain County and Cherokee Central schools with that material,” he said. “It’s Department Chair Matt Cass. SCC was school systems; Appalachian State free. It’s abundant. … A portion of the draw for Macon? the only community college out of 27 University; Great Smoky Mountains funds are set aside for workshops and grant recipients. National Park; NASA Marshall Space to train educators from all those coun- ties about where this information is and Tim Reaves Macon County Schools will receive Center; and Pisgah Astronomical [email protected] familiarizing them with the material so $7,700 per year for the next five years Research Institute, said Lynda Parlett, executive director of Institutional they will feel confident with it.” to fund instructional supplies, field Macon County could cash in on a dark day next Development at Southwestern MCS has several STEM programs year as tourists and locals look for a good spot to view trips and mini grants for local teachers, Community College. underway, and the NASA grant will a solar eclipse. said Nancy Cantrell, MCS director of “The biggest benefit is to the teach- help build the county’s programs, The entire county lies in the “path of totality” of a Secondary Education and Career and ers,” she explained after a kick-off event said Superintendent Chris Baldwin. A solar eclipse that will occur on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, Technical Education. at SCC’s Jackson County campus on Golden Leaf grant, if approved, would according to information from NASA. For a couple of SCC also will provide professional Friday. “They will get professional help pay for a STEM coordinator to minutes in the early afternoon, the moon will com- development opportunities for Macon development. They will be linked to make sure the students and teachers pletely block the sun. County teachers and a “STEM Camp” just a multitude of NASA educational receive the resources they need. Total solar eclipses are rare events that draw tourists this summer, Cass said. resources. Those are at no cost to them.” Franklin High School is starting a “We’re going to be working with NASA and its partners have made STEM Pathway through its Career and from all over the world, said Lynda Parlett, executive Technical Education program, Cantrell director of Institutional Development at Southwestern local K-12 educators to help them deliv- great strides in data visualization, Cass er NASA content in their classrooms,” said. Mars Trek, for example, maps the said. See Eclipse on page 2A he said. Martian surface with high-resolution See NASA on page 2A GOP faithful rally at county convention Lee Buchanan state judges on the November ballot. [email protected] Edmunds is the only Supreme Court jus- tice on the ballot this year after the state legis- Macon County Republicans gathered lature changed the the process for re-election Saturday to elect delegates and listen to ral- to the high court in 2015. Under the new lying cries from candidates and state party process, if a sitting justice had previously won officers ahead of the March 15 primary. a contested election, which Edmunds has, he The GOP precinct meetings represented or she could be re-elected with a simple up or the business of the day at the Macon County down vote, without an opponent. Republican Party’s annual precinct meetings But in February, a three-judge panel ruled and annual convention, as party members the new “retention” process unconstitutional, elected the delegates who will represent their leaving the status of the Edmunds reten- precincts at the district and state GOP con- tion election unclear. Unless that decision is ventions. overturned by another court, Edmunds could After welcoming remarks from Macon suddenly find himself in a contest. County Republican Chair Carla Miller, the Edmunds ticked off a list of important GOP faithful gathered for precinct meet- issues that came before the court over the past ings, with red, white and blue signs marked year and urged Macon Republicans to look the seating areas for the 15 Macon County for his name on the ballot come November, precincts. or earlier if a court rules that another primary With the precinct meetings done, N.C. is needed. Supreme Court Justice Robert Edmunds took Press photos/Linda Mathias the podium to rally support for conservative See GOP on page 2A Macon County Republicans meet by precincts during Saturday’s county convention. Rants & Raves (Call 369-0568 after 5 p.m.) Index Subscribe Today! The new brewery will what it needs is more jobs homeless people sleeping Classifi ed....................3B help Franklin finally come and more people with in the bathrooms at the Deaths.........................7A out of the dark ages. common sense. Rec Park. Legals..........................3B ••• ••• ••• Opinion......................4B The Franklin bike/walk People driving on Main An upscale golf course plan is already one french Street need to stop for would be great, both for Sports..........................1B fry short of a happy meal, pedestrians in the cross- local golfers and guests and it’s not even done yet. walk. It’s the law. to Franklin. Unfortunately, ••• ••• nice things in Macon Franklin doesn’t need The county needs to County are reserved for an upscale golf course, do something about the See Rants on page 5A © 2016 The Franklin Press/Community Newspapers Inc. Page 2 Section A — Wednesday, March 9, 2016— THE FRANKLIN PRESS Franklin men biking across America for Rotary Tony Fortier-Bensen touring bikes that can handle gone back to the bicycle, Smoky Mountain Times off-road and pavement. logging 100 miles at Tsali They’ll be carrying 40 Recreational Park in one year DIRECTORY Forrest Gump once said, pounds of baggage for extra among his many rides. “That day, for no particular clothes, camping gear, bike He gives much credit for HOURS & LOCATION reason, I decided to go for a repair tools and other neces- his preparation and readiness 40 Depot Street in Franklin little run.” And he ran clear sities, trying their best to use to take on this cross-country Open Monday through Friday across the country, coast to two-lane U.S. highways and challenge to Cycle, North 8:00 a.m.