Reclaiming the tastes of home: Apple Trail effort resurrects legacy of Cherokee orchardists

The capital of Kazakhstan, Alma Ata, translates to “full of apples” — an homage to the country’s heritage as the birthplace  of the now-ubiquitous fruit. In the approximately three-quarters of a million years since people first discovered wild sour crab apples in a central Asian forest, the apple has traveled the world, splitting into 7,500 varieties as diverse as the orchardists responsible for breeding them, separated by miles and millennia.

Mountain Synagogue: Jewish community growing in WNC

There aren’t many synagogues in Western North Carolina, just one west of Asheville. Mountain Synagogue in Franklin is a community of Jews practicing their faith in the All Saints Episcopal Church of Franklin. And as with most Jewish communities around the world, safety is top priority.

Retailers move into Franklin

Despite the pandemic, the town of Franklin has seen an influx of new retailers in the last year. 

Franklin Town Council fills vacant seat

Adam Kimsey will join the Franklin Town Council after the board unanimously appointed him to fill a two-year unexpired term. 

Cherokee supports Nikwasi grant effort

Tribal Council voted Dec. 9 to support the Nikwasi Initiative’s  efforts to land $5 million in grant funds for a cultural corridor around the Nikwasi Mound in Franklin, but the precise details of the tribe’s involvement have yet to be determined. 

Franklin approves premium pay policy

Franklin Town Council has agreed on how to spend $73,000 of the town’s $1.3 million allocation from the American Rescue Plan. 

Movement to memorialize lynching victim in Franklin gains momentum

Exactly 123 years to the day after a Black man was dragged from his cell in Franklin and hung from a bridge at the edge of town, a group of activists took the first step in attempting to reckon with Macon County’s most infamous lynching. 

Franklin elects incumbent, two newcomers

The Town of Franklin elected one incumbent and two newcomers to the town council board during the Nov. 2 municipal election. 

Franklin to hire code enforcement officer

The Town of Franklin is moving forward with plans to hire a code enforcement officer after adding the new position to this year’s budget. 

Franklin candidates: Town is moving in the right direction

The tone of this year’s Franklin Town Council election is much different than it was four years ago, making for a quieter and more cooperative campaign season for the community. 

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