Swain County Commissioners have made an informal request to the Swain County Department of Social Services that they suspend four more employees associated with a case of aggravated neglect that led to the death of a 15- month old little girl on Jan. 10.

Commissioner David Montieth said he made the request that the employees be suspended while an investigation into the actions of the DSS staff is still under way, the employees are charged, proven innocent or convictions made. The request was not a formal one because it was not on the agenda at the regular meeting Monday, Monteith said.

Seventy five Franklin area youth and more than 60 adults participated in this year’s 30-Hour Famine event, a worldwide movement to help fight global hunger, collecting a record amount of food and funds for local and global relief agencies.

By the final count, participants collected $2,247 for World Vision, a national relief agency that focuses on feeding the world’s poorest children. On a local level, the students raised $1,031 in donations and more than 8,000 cans of food for Franklin relief agency CareNet — all on an empty stomach.

The Highlands Town Board met at 4:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 2, in a special called session to once again discuss a revision to Town ordinances and the Town Charter. The revisions would, in essence, give the Town Manager the authority to hire and fire the Police chief and the Planning Director/Zoning Administrator. The decision to call the special session was made too late to publish in local media but was posted, however, in Town Hall.

Discussion about these changes has been ongoing for several months. Currently, the Town Manager has hiring/firing authority over all Town personnel with the exception of those two. The Police Chief and the Planning Director/Zoning Administrator serve at the pleasure of the Town Board.

The Franklin Main Street Program is moving forward with plans recommended by a 2010 market analysis.

Program members discussed the objectives in establishing downtown signage along major corridors, way-finding for visitors and a shop crawl for district business owners.

A shop crawl is an initiative that would familiarize downtown retailers on what other businesses have to offer, so they can better provide references for customers. MSP chair Janet Greene said no definite plans had been made yet.

Authorities in Jackson County are investigating the discovery of human remains in Cashiers. The Sheriff’s Office is trying to determine whether the body is that of a man who was reported missing last winter.

On Feb. 21, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of possible human remains discovered in the Mill Creek area of Glenville. The call came in at approximately 12:33 p.m. by Sallie Clawson, who advised that a human skeleton was found in the yard of 2396 Mill Creek Road, according to initial dispatch reports.

A Jackson County woman was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Feb. 18 by her uncle, who allegedly mistook her for an intruder, according to Jackson authorities.

Sometime before 3:30 a.m., 24-year-old Hannah Kathryn Frey entered her uncle’s residence on 62 Southview Meadow in the Whittier community. According to a statement by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, officers were notified that she was accidentally shot by her uncle in the neck upon entering the home.

The Little Tennessee Watershed Association is one step closer to protecting the Little Tennessee River from the threat of losing its headwaters. On Feb. 22, the Rabun County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution in favor of regulating interbasin transfers.

With the declaration, the river stands a chance at remaining a water source for the communities through which it flows, rather than becoming a source of water for rapidly developing cities, such as Atlanta, LTWA executive director Jenny Sanders said on Tuesday.

As the extension of the Macon County Airport runway moves forward, the Macon County Airport Authority has received estimates for the construction of aircraft hangars as part of the expansion of the airport.

Airport Authority member Harold Corbin reported at last Tuesday’s meeting that the cost to construct 13 hangars would be an estimated $861,000. That estimate includes three 65’ by 60’ hangars and ten “T” hangars for smaller, single engine airplanes. Corbin said that the cost for the three large hangars would be approximately $151,000, while roughly $710,000 would be needed to build the smaller hangars.

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North Carolina lawmakers are looking at a bill that would ban cell phone use for people driving a motor vehicle.

The bill is akin to previous laws passed that were designed to raise highway safety. Last year the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law that made it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to talk on a cell phone while driving. During the same session, the General Assembly also passed a bill that prohibits all drivers from texting while driving.

The Mr. and Miss FHS Court has been selected for the 2010-11 school year.

The court was nominated by the teachers of Franklin High School and voted on by the student body to represent each grade level.