FRONT PAGE
SHOPPING FOR THE SECRET SANTA. Above, Wal-Mart Associate Shelia Miller collects the “Secret Santa” gifts.
By:
KATHY HARRELSON, Managing Editor
This year’s angel tree for Franklin County foster children was looking a bit too decorated just more than a week away from Christmas.
Of the 70-plus angels placed on the tree, more than half were still there.
It was enough to concern social services workers, who saw that most of the remaining names for the tree were the older children and for more expensive gifts — among them a pink ladies’ bike and a dollhouse with furniture included. Many of the angels selected first are typically for the younger children, they said.
But then, a Christmas miracle, of sorts, happened.
Janel Jones, caseworker for the Franklin County Department of Social Services, wraps a “Secret Santa” Barbie boom box. The angel tree presents were given to foster children on Monday.
I WANT ONE OF THESE AND... Brianna Percy shows Deputy Philip Wheless one of the items she has chosen for Christmas during the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office second year of its Shop-With-A-Cop program.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
As Deputy Matthew Tharrington pulled up on C.J. Percy, you could hear the rumble of an engine and sirens blaring.
Percy didn’t stop, though.
A slow-speed chase ensued the rest of the morning as Percy, 2, went from aisle to aisle inside Wal-Mart, seemingly getting his hand on every toy that made noise, including those that made engine and siren sounds.
Hello All:
Being that Christmas is upon us, I thought I would share this little story with you all about a series of events which took place just this morning (Dec. 19), events which touched my heart and changed my holiday season for the better.
I woke up this morning around 7 am. Half-heartedly, I pulled my uniform from my closet and began to get dressed for this year’s Shop-with-a-cop Program which I had volunteered to help with, a uniform which has only been worn three times in the past five years.
OBITUARIES
FRANKLINTON - David “Rudolph” Perry, 67, died Friday, Dec. 19, 2008. A memorial service was conducted Sunday, Dec. 21, at Hall-Wynne Funeral Service, Franklinton Chapel (formerly Franklin Funeral Service) in Franklinton.
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Margaret W. Perry, 73, who died Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008, will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, with Bishop Ralphel Holloman officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
ANGIER - Kourtney Elizabeth Rose, 31, died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008, from injuries received in an automobile accident. Funeral services were Sunday, Dec. 21, at Bryan-Lee Funeral Chapel in Garner.
SPORTS
By:
Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
ROCKY MOUNT - Long-time friends and former cohorts Rick Ruffin and Gerald Melton used to trade strategies when both were coaching basketball at Southern Nash.
During that time in the late 1990s, Ruffin (boys) and Melton (girls) experienced plenty of success at SN before Melton moved to Franklin County to become the head boys coach at Bunn.
A few years later, Ruffin also switched jobs, becoming in charge of the boys program at Northern Nash.
AURELIAN SPRINGS -- Franklinton opened its 2008-09 Northern Carolina Conference boys basketball schedule last Friday with a key 61-50 victory at Northwest Halifax.
Forward Pierre Hunter delivered a career-high 24 points for the Red Rams, who improved to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in the NCC under head coach Clarence Walker.
Franklinton moved to a 31-24 lead at the close of the first half, which featured 16 points from Hunter.
LOUISBURG -- Louisburg High’s best-ever wrestling season continued last Friday as the Warriors swept to the title at the LHS Super Six Quads Meet.
The Warriors racked up five straight victories to claim their third consecutive tourney championship under veteran head coach Phil Mueller.
Louisburg is now 21-1 overall, with its lone dual-meet loss coming earlier in the campaign against Pittsboro Northwood.
Even the busy Franklin County sports world takes a few days off every December so we can celebrate Christmas with our families.
The celebration, in many ways, has already started. Being a part of the Shrine Bowl was, as always, a positive experience -- even if the weather didn’t cooperate once again.
While spending time with him on the sidelines during the game, it struck me how much I’m going to miss David Howle, who is retiring after 21 years at Bunn.
By:
Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Of the 44 players selected for each team at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, only four of them are eventually picked as captains.
That honor usually goes out to the performers -- two on offense and two on defense -- who have displayed the most leadership, talent and work ethic during the week of practice heading up to the annual game.
By:
Charles Alston, Times Correspondent
ROCKY MOUNT -- With Rocky Mount’s boys out of the way this season, it’s one more reason Nash Central could win the annual Nash County Holiday Basketball Tournament in their own gym.
The defending champion Gryphons, who won the title last year at Nash Central, are in Raleigh this Christmas for the GlaxoSmithKline Invitational. Rocky Mount’s tournament title propelled it to the NEW 6 Conference tournament crown.
GREENVILLE -- The East Carolina University baseball team has been ranked No. 31 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s Fabulous 40 pre-season NCAA Division I baseball poll.
The Pirates, who finished with a 42-21 overall record in 2008, made its ninth NCAA Regional appearance in the last 10 years advancing to the regional finals against Coastal Carolina.
LOUISBURG -- Here are the latest results from action during the Town of Louisburg Recreation Department’s 2008-09 Winter Basketball League:
COMMUNITY NEWS
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
FRANKLINTON — A curious speeder led Franklinton police to arrest two men and confiscate more than 40 grams of cocaine.
According to a report by Franklinton Police Sgt. W.B. Bulloch, he was patrolling in town when he saw a 2004 Buick Century speeding west on N.C. Highway 56 just after 11 p.m. on Thursday.
The vehicle entered an area known for drug activity, so Bulloch parked his vehicle in the area to do surveillance.
The Franklin County Chapter of the Concerned Women for Justice presented its annual Miss and Master Justice extravaganza on Nov. 21 at Terrell Lane Middle School.
Youth and teens displayed their talents and vied to see who could raise the most money to be crowned the next Little Miss and Master Justice for 2008.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
At this time of year, County Tax Administrator Jim Wrenn is preparing to send out tax listing forms, but after much consternation, he found himself sending out a letter of resignation, instead.
Wrenn, 56, is leaving the Franklin County tax office to take a similar role in Nash County after 12 years of service.
The state Highway Patrol is encouraging motorists to take it easy on the roads this Christmas holiday.
Last year during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday week, 27 people were killed and 1,118 people were injured in traffic collisions.
The leading cause of those accidents was speed.
Franklin County and town municipal offices will be closed the remainder of this week in observance of the Christmas holiday.
Offices will also be closed on Jan. 1 in observance of New Year’s Day.
County libraries will be closed the remainder of the week, as well, including Saturday. The branches are normally closed on Sunday.
CHRISTMAS PLAY FROM THE PAST. In 1955, the Bunn School Christmas play is performed above, grades first through fourth. This photo is contributed by Lynn Ray Whitley, then first-grader. Whitley now lives in the Riley community. W. H. Kelly was the principal.
