Macon approves loan fund for small businesses
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Macon County Economic Development Commission has established the Reopening Macon Fund. The program, funded by a $257,500 appropriation from the Macon County Board of Commissioners, will provide low-interest loans to severely impacted small businesses in Macon County, helping them to remain open.
Macon sees largest COVID-19 spike in the region
Macon County has seen the largest spike in COVID-19 cases recently, with 230 confirmed cases as of June 15.
Two COVID clusters cause spike in Macon cases
Updated 6/4/20: Macon County now has 109 positive COVID-19 cases, 94 of those are active.
Macon County has seen a surge in positive COVID-19 cases within the last week as two clusters were identified and testing capabilities increased.
Macon budget priorities change amid pandemic
When Macon County officials started their 2020-21 budget process back in early February, COVID-19 was barely a blip on their radar.
County COVID-19 updates
On May 24, Macon County Public Health announced a cluster of cases centered around the Evangelical Ebenezer Church. As of press time on May 26, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services had reported 18 cases in Macon County, up from four cases May 15. One Macon resident died from the disease, reported April 6.
Crawford named 2020 Macon Matriarch
Dorothy Rose “Dot” Crawford was recently honored with the title of “Macon Matriarch” by the Women’s History Trail, a project of the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County.
Community spread confirmed in Jackson
Proactive testing by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has revealed community transmission of COVID-19 in Jackson County.
Overnight storms bring flooding to WNC
Heavy rains and high winds associated with strong storms last Sunday night led to plenty of headaches Monday morning, as downed limbs cut power and closed roads while swollen streams slipped their banks, flooding businesses and residences across Western North Carolina.
Firefighters make progress containing wildfires
Macon passes a Second Amendment resolution of sorts
Since the beginning of the year, the Second Amendment sanctuary movement has swept through North Carolina, with the majority of counties passing resolutions in opposition to any potential measures that might infringe upon the right to bear arms.
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Cross-contamination is the term used when pathogens (bacteria, viruses, parasites) that may result in food borne illnesses (food poisoning) are transferred from:
1. a surface to another surface - e.g. using the same cutting board to prepare raw meat and cooked meat
2. equipment to a food - e.g. using the same knife to cut raw meat as you use to cut up fresh vegetables for a salad
3. a food or beverage to a person – e.g. drinking raw milk that hasn’t been pasteurized.
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These days there’s a lot of negativity about “seed oils”. According to some of the social media “influencers”, seed oils are ones made from: canola, corn, cottonseed, soybeans, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, flaxseed, and sesame seeds.
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Often we see articles in magazines, posts on social media, reels or videos that feature a celebrity talking about what they eat in a day or week. This person may be an actor, an athlete, or an influencer-- but in most all cases the message is, ‘Eat like me and you could look/perform like me’.
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Question: I have some difficulty with chewing and swallowing. What are some soft foods with protein that won’t cause me too many issues?
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