Stepping up to a lone microphone on a side lawn in Franklin, Dalton Mills plucked a couple guitar chords and said a few words before launching into his performance — the early evening sunset reflecting off Mills’ glasses, his voice echoing into the nearby mountains cradling the small town.

Americana/bluegrass artist Darren Nicholson will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the gazebo in downtown Franklin.

After months of back and forth, the Macon County School Board has approved a lease agreement for the Higdon property, purchased by the county earlier this year for use by the school system. 

The Town of Franklin has modified the basketball court at Memorial Park to include two new pickleball courts.  

The Franklin Bird Club leads weekly birding walks along the Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin at 8 a.m. Wednesday mornings, with the public welcome to join.

Learn how to live safely with black bears during a program at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

With a hot sun falling behind the mountains, rock legend Tommy Stinson strapped on his Gibson acoustic guitar and stood behind a microphone on the side lawn of Yonder Community Market in Franklin. 

The series “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture” will host the Women’s History Trail program “Voices from the Past” at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 17, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.

The candidate filing period for November’s municipal elections that opened on July 7 ends this coming Friday, July 21, at noon, and although things are starting to solidify in some races, there have been and may continue to be some surprises. 

The start date for construction of the Franklin Skatepark is approaching quickly, and now the project has all the funding it needs.