The 20th annual Mountaintop Art & Craft Show will be held June 27-28 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park in downtown Highlands.

The annual event is a two-day, one-weekend gathering that brings over 120 artisans from the region to Highlands for demonstrations, fine art, crafts, live music, kids’ zone and more. 

A “Community Contra Dance” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 18, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Contra dance is a form of social folk dancing from which square dancing evolved, so it shares many of the same movements. As always, no partner is necessary, generations mix. All are welcome, including beginners. No dance experience or fancy clothing are necessary. Those who would like to come out just to listen to the music are welcome, too. 

The 27th annual Taste of Scotland Festival will be held June 19-21 at a variety of locations around Franklin.

The festival is a celebration of the heritage brought to these mountains, that of the Scots and Scots-Irish, along with celebrating the historic relationships with the Cherokee.

The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane.

Walks are about two and a half hours. The public is welcome. All walks are weather dependent. Additional information, including directions to each location and a bird club checklist  can be found at  littletennessee.org/franklin-bird-club. 

To the Editor:

I write as someone with more than 30 years of experience facilitating transparent, evidence-based decision-making across diverse stakeholders, and as a pro-democracy advocate who believes local governance is essential to community health. 

Even as it sees its own demise over the horizon, the Fontana Regional Library Board of Trustees is moving fast to make its agenda into policy. 

Swain Librarian Jeff Delfield learned through a text that Macon commissioners had voted to begin the process of leaving the Fontana Regional Library system in 2027. 

The June 9 decision follows in the footsteps of Jackson County. Though Jackson commissioners cited concerns about LGBTQ+ material as justification, Macon County framed the vote as a financially prudent move. 

Macon commissioners voted to notify the Fontana Regional Library system of the county’s withdrawal. 

While the item wasn’t included in the agenda for the June 9 meeting that went out to the public, it was added near the beginning of the meeting on a motion by Commissioner Barry Breeden, who spearheaded the withdrawal discussion. 

Macon commissioners voted to notify the Fontana Regional Library System of the county's withdrawal.

Hello from Room 107 at the Skyline Lodge in Highlands. I’m here on assignment for the Bear Shadow Music Festival. But, my mind keeps drifting elsewhere. It wanders to the fact I’m not back home for the memorial service for the recent passing of my best friend. That, and the last time I stayed here was with the woman I thought that I’d spend the rest of my life with.