FRONT PAGE
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Franklin County received a $750,000 grant from the state, which meant the difference between bringing 72 new jobs here or not, said Palviz North America’s executive officer.
The Israeli polymer foam manufacturing and distribution company received a $250,000 One North Carolina Fund grant to help bring them to Franklin County.
By:
GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher
Although he admits with a wry grin that he doesn’t yet always find the hospital’s conference room on his first try, Franklin Regional Medical Center’s new president, Jason Proctor, is quite sure about a number of more important issues.
Pictured (Above): LOCAL PERSPECTIVE. Jason Proctor (right), the new president of Franklin Regional Medical Center, gets a local perspective from these stalwarts of the local business community (from the left) Rickey Raynor of Raynor Builders; Linda Cottrell, Earl Perry and Paul Kilmer, all of Rustic Building Supply. The Business After Hours gave Proctor a chance to learn a little about the community and its residents during his first week on the job at FRMC.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Earlier this month, the court of appeals released certified documents, ruling that a superior court judge was right to dismiss Darryl Wright’s lawsuit which alleged that Zebulon police were wrong to wiretap his vehicle.
The ruling ended a two-and-a-half year legal saga, but Wright, who’s running to seek the Democratic nomination for sheriff on May 4, said it was a fight he was eager to be part of.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Prosecutors dismissed domestic violence charges against a former Louisburg department head at the request of the victim.
Louisburg police officers arrested Brent Cardwell on Christmas eve after his wife, Kate, alleged that her husband physically and verbally assaulted her.
According to the police report, Mrs. Cardwell had apparent bruising on her face and head.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
A Franklin County deputy seriously injured during a melee outside a Louisburg gas station was making improvements this week.
James Williamson suffered severe head injuries while helping Louisburg police officers make an arrest the evening of Feb. 27.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Back in the spring of 2009, the community rallied behind the Mathis family, providing the support they needed to care for Monika — a then 21-month-old battling a form of kidney cancer.
Ever since that outpouring of support, Monika’s family has been looking for a way to repay the community.
The result is more than ‘Thank-You’ cards.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
The list of delinquent Franklin County taxpayers takes up just more than five pages in the paper and accounts for a more than $2.3 million loss in revenue, but County Tax Assessor Jim Tanner said it has been worse in the past.
And under such a fragile economy, the county’s tax collection rate is actually 2 percentage points ahead of last year.
Tanner said it is the result of innovative thinking.
Bunn’s Quinton Cannady and D.L. Burroughs
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
It was extremely sad to see North Carolina’s senior U.S. senator playing childish games with our tax dollars this week.
Maybe he needs a timeout to reconsider what it takes to act like an adult.
We fully understand — and even underscore — some of the doubts being expressed about health care reform that passed earlier this week along a straight party-line vote.
Boy, it’s been quite a week.
It’s either that things are picking up a little business wise or I’m getting old(er) and slow(er).
Although I’d prefer it to be the former, I suspect the latter plays a bigger role!
Oh well, the alternative doesn’t hold much appeal for me, so we’ll forge ahead.
GOOD MORNING: We’re expecting sunny, but cool, temperatures locally today with highs in the mid 50’s. Look for partly cloudy and a tad bit warmer weather on Sunday and Monday with a chance of rain.
Sunday is Palm Sunday and the Passover begins on Monday. Easter can’t be far behind.
RALEIGH – With budget deficits, recession, and both chambers of the General Assembly up for grabs this fall, North Carolina voters have a lot to think about. But right now, it looks like the single-biggest factor shaping state politics will be the U.S. House vote to nationalize health care.
Dear Editor,
Not that long ago the taxpayers were told of the critical need to infuse millions into Franklin County Schools. They were told fiscal accountability would guide the spending. At the time there was great debate and concern due to the county debt ratio.
OBITUARIES
LOUISBURG – Margaret Christine Bartley, 80, died Tuesday, March 23, 2010. A funeral service was conducted Friday, March 26, by Father Scott McCue in the chapel of Strickland Funeral Home in Louisburg.
BUNN - Odessa Moore, 58, died Sunday, March 21, 2010. Funeral services will be today (Saturday, March 27) at 2 p.m. at Zion Spring in Bunn.
KITTRELL - Funeral services for Stephen “Lee Thomas” Turrentine, 72, who died Monday, March 22, 2010, will be held at 3 p.m. today (Saturday, March 27) at Hawkins Chapel Baptist Church, 2199 Grove Hill Road, Franklinton, with the Rev. W. S. Taylor officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
CLINTON - Christine Strickland Hayes, 90, died Thursday, March 25, 2010 at Hospice of Wake County in Raleigh. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today (Saturday, March 27) at First Baptist Church, 408 College St., Clinton, with the Rev. Ron Cava officiating. Interment will follow at Grandview Memorial Park.
CLAYTON - Belinda Lynch Johnson, 54, died Wednesday, March 24, 2010. A private family funeral service is planned.
YOUNGSVILLE —Joseph W. Lee, 74, died Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Arrangements by Feggins & Feggins, Wake Forest.
SPORTS
ANOTHER RUN SCORES FOR SN. Taylor Braswell (left) crosses the plate for Southern Nash as Louisburg catcher Phoenix Mangum awaits a throw during Thursday afternoon’s non-conference fast-pitch matchup at the LHS Softball Field.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Louisburg High School came within one run of pulling off an upset against Southern Nash when the clubs met earlier in the season.
But it wasn’t as close the second time around, as Southern rolled to a 13-2 decision over the Lady Warriors during non-conference softball action Thursday on the LHS campus.
SENDING IT THROUGH. Louisburg High School’s Selene Rivera (right) delivers a ball to a teammate during the Lady Warriors’ home victory Wednesday over Southern Vance. Louisburg rallied in the second half to outlast SV by a 4-2 margin.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Even with his team facing a two-goal halftime deficit, Louisburg girls soccer coach Dominic Petrosillo thought it was only a matter of time before his Lady Warriors would eventually break through.
For Louisburg, persistence paid off as the Lady Warriors rallied with a quartet of second-half goals and went on to defeat Southern Vance by a 4-2 margin in non-conference action Wednesday at Patterson Field on the LHS campus.
LOUISBURG -- Louisburg’s offense was up to a hefty challenge during Thursday’s home baseball matchup against the Southern Nash Firebirds.
Taking the hill for Southern was ace Kyle Shields, who is regarded as one of the area’s top pitchers. Shields, a senior, has already signed with Francis Marion University.
EYEING A RETURN. Bunn High School’s Charlie Matthews sends a forehand return toward Louisburg’s Y-Monh Eban during Thursday afternoon’s prep tennis matchup at the LHS Courts.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Louisburg and Bunn will always be backyard rivals, regardless of the sport -- including boys tennis.
But over the past decade, the matches between the schools have basically been for bragging rights, as Bunn and LHS have not been in the same conference.
RALEIGH -- Bunn picked up its much-needed first baseball victory of the season Wednesday as part of a non-conference showdown against Enloe -- a club that had defeated th e Wildcats earlier in the schedule.
This time around, the Wildcats never trailed after delivering six runs in the top of the first frame en route to an 8-6 conquest.
Bunn carried a 1-7 overall record into Friday’s key home league game against Roanoke Rapids.
Louisburg High School batter Morgan Foster looks over a pitch and eventually draws a walk during Thursday afternoon’s home softball game against Southern Nash.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- When looking to finalize his gimmick for Gouge Wrestling, Lamont Richardson wanted a character that was as close to his real-life persona as possible.
That’s how ‘Redman’ was born.
Richardson, 31, is a Franklin County native who graduated from Louisburg High School in 1998.
High School Baseball
TUESDAY
Louisburg at Bunn 7 p.m.
Franklinton at Durham Arts 5 p.m.
FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton High School will host a Spring Break Soccer Camp from April 6-8 at the FHS Football Field.
Ages 4-14 are welcome to participate in the event, which will run from 9 a.m.-noon each day.
Cost is $50 per camper, which includes a T-shirt.
For more information or to register for the camp, call FHS soccer coach Deran Coe at 494-2332.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Even though her team is in the middle of a competitive season, Monica Gordy is also busy planning for the future of the Louisburg College fast-pitch softball program.
Gordy hopes to bring in eight players for the 2010-11 school year, and she signed three of them last weekend during a ceremony on the LC campus.
Bunn High School No. 2 Singles player Grayson Dodson volleys at the net during his match Thursday afternoon against Louisburg’s Elmer Rayo.
LIFESTYLES
Denise Beale cut off 12 inches of her hair to donate to Locks of Love. A close friend’s child had just been diagnosed with cancer.
Last February 21, I was invited by my son-in-law, my daughter, and granddaughter to attend the performance of the “Folkloric Ballet of Mexico.” It was an unbelievable treat, a super bicultural program with a lot of history, and a great music and dance showcase.
SCHOOLS/EDUCATION
Second graders at Franklinton Elementary have been working on a reading unit about fossils. In order to assist the students in making connections to the stories they are reading, the students are completing a fossil dig on the campus. With the help of Mrs. Sasser, a former Franklin County teacher, the students received hands-on experience as a paleontologist. They were ecstatic about digging in the dirt to find a variety of fossils.
COMMUNITY NEWS
With a snip of a ribbon, Pam Hutcheson opened her new McDonald’s Restaurant in Youngsville Thursday morning. This McDonald’s is her fourth and joins one in Fuquay Varina, one in Raleigh and one in Wake Forest that are owned by Hutch Restaurants LLC of Fuquay-Varina. This restaurant is in front of Youngsvile Crossing Shopping Center along U.S. 1 in Youngsville. Helping with the ceremony were (from the left) Franklin County commissioner Don Lancaster, Youngsville commissoner Joe Johnson, Hutcheson, Youngsville Mayor Sam Hardwick and Janice Cyrus of the Youngsville Area Business Association.
Mayor Hardwick and Hutcheson are all smiles at the new McDonald's Restaurant opening in Youngsville Thursday morning. (Times photos by Donna and Gary Cunard)
Heritage is about remembering the past — often through fond memories.
It’s those memories that the Heritage Society of Franklin County would like to publish in Volume II of the county’s heritage book.
“The first Franklin County Heritage book was very successful and has continued to stir many memories as people read and re-read the stories,” said Annette Goyette, one of the volunteers helping with the latest project.
Investigators arrested a Louisburg man who had been on the lam since an undercover drug sting last summer.
Officers worked on the case for about six months last year, making drug buys from dealers after residents along South Main Street complained of the open-market drug scene.
Jerry Moore, 23, was one of the suspected dealers that officers targeted in the summer of 2009.
Glenn Mitchell, former resident of Youngsville, was recently honored as the 2009 George Almond Officer of the Year. The award was presented by the Cary Chapter of the NC Police Benevolent Association.
Mitchell is a 1991 graduate of Bunn High School. He attended East Carolina University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. While earning his degree, Mitchell interned with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
The staff of the Franklin County Library and members of the Friends of the Franklin County Library are spending Saturdays getting some cleaning and sprucing up done in the main library in Louisburg. Work includes painting, replacing light fixtures and some rearranging — as well as some general cleaning as evidenced here by Friends of the Library members Karen Drake (left) and Pamela Andrejev.
Lance Corporal Dylan Sayles of Louisburg graduated from the USMC Atlas HMLA Air Crew Member Training School March 12 at Camp Pendleton, California. Sayles graduated as the leader of his class and now is a designated crew chief aboard the UH-1Y Super Huey Venom Helicopter.
The Volunteer Auxiliary of Franklin Regional Medical Center collected new and gently worn closed-toe shoes to send to Haiti.
The collection was organized by Share Our Shoes (SOS), a non-profit organization located in Raleigh, in an effort to aid the citizens of Haiti after the recent earthquake devastation.
“We were excited to participate in Share Our Shoes,” said Dottie Wrenn, volunteer coordinator at Franklin Regional.
BUSINESS
WAKE FOREST - Pittman Properties (formerly Ammons Pittman GMAC Real Estate) has announced that it is becoming Real Living Pittman Properties in order to offer even more services to Wake Forest, Rolesville, Louisburg, Youngsville, Creedmoor, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon and Franklin County home buyers and sellers. Real Living is an award-winning brand with 10,000 agents operating across the country.
