FRONT PAGE
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Investigators arrested a Raleigh woman accused of robbing a nursing home resident.
Louisburg police developed a suspect in the case that led to the arrest of Kelli Monique Awuonda, 28.
Initial reports indicated two suspects in the matter, but Louisburg Police Det. G.C. Stephens said Awuonda was the sole person responsible for stealing a ring from Louisburg Manor resident Doris Evans.
LEGACY ALIVE. A number of events are scheduled, beginning on Saturday, in honor of slain Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Above, residents took part in a ceremonial march in Louisburg in 2010. (Times file photo)
Celebrations honoring slain Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. will kick off this Saturday, running through the first of the week.
First, organizers in Franklinton will host their fourth annual event slated to begin this Saturday at 11 a.m.
A ceremonial march, symbolic of Dr. King’s March on Washington, will begin at the Franklinton High School gymnasium, ending at First Baptist Church in Franklinton with a service to begin at noon.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
YOUNGSVILLE — Signs were on the minds of an angry resident and town commissioners Thursday night.
Resident Kenneth Thorne began the meeting, expressing his anger over a digital billboard on U.S. 1 that has been up since December.
He was upset about how the commissioners could allow such a detraction in town.
By:
GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher
There was an air of cautious economic optimism when the Franklin County Economic Development Commission met Friday morning for its first meeting of 2011 -- as well as the unanimous endorsement of two small grants to two businesses.
The grants that the EDC recommended -- and which must be approved by the Franklin County commissioners -- included $17,819 for Carolina Resource Corporation and $9,434 for Triangle Metalworks, Inc.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
The county’s economic development staff is expected to update commissioners on progress being made on a strategic plan formed last February.
During a two-day retreat, commissioners met with staff, educators, municipal, regional and state leaders developed a plan that focused on six goals:
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Poor weather led attorneys to postpone the start of a trial against a man accused of injuring a deputy.
Prosecutors were prepared to proceed with its trial against Joe Williams during the superior court session that began Monday, however, the threat of inclement weather forced the trial back to the next superior court session.
Williams’ defense attorney requested the postponement.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Franklin County’s legislative leaders will host a public forum this coming Wednesday focusing on the future for tax reform and charter schools.
Sen. Doug Berger, Rep. Glen Bradley and Rep. Michael Wray are hosting the event to hear comments from the public about two key issues in the coming General Assembly session and beyond.
Franklinton Public Works Director Raymond Bragg does some earthwork at the site of the town’s planned pocket park. The park, when finished, will be lined with trees, paths and bench areas, giving visitors and residents a natural area respite. The town received an $11,537 state Department of Environment and Natural Resources grant to develop a pocket park near the magistrate’s office.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Emergency dispatch staff and a Virginia firm hired to overhaul the county’s emergency communications system plan to present commissioners with good news — they’ve saved $1 million.
Commissioners agreed late last year to hire Harris Corporation to improve a system that has been a topic of conversation regarding its flaws since the 1960s.
Shanece Joyner and Ebone Holloway
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
By:
Jay Lamm, Times Editorial Cartoonist
Just as the snow and ice is beginning to finally disappear outside, it was apparent Friday morning that the economic climate may have begun thawing a little as well.
Let’s hope so!
The most obvious example of that is the fact that two area industries, both small, are attempting to grow and create new jobs.
Our midweek edition reported on the death of a man who helped shape the Franklin County we know today — and especially the county school system.
Warren Massenburg passed this week at age 83 after a period of declining health that took him out of the public spotlight in recent years.
GOOD MORNING: The weather: Definition, something just about everyone talks about, but few can do anything about except possibly move to a different location. And as a result of the weather we’ve been experiencing for the past several weeks, which has led to governmental and even some business shutdowns, cancellations and the like, that’s about all we’ve had to talk about.
Dear Editor:
I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Bob Etheridge for over 20 years. His goal was working to serve all our people. He worked hard to provide our children with top education. He worked hard to help raise funds to build new schools. He was always with the county in all the positive support we needed. He spent a great deal of time in our county when he was at home.
OBITUARIES
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Pattie Clemons, 77, who died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, at Faith Missionary Baptist Church, with the Rev. Gregory Hall officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Lucelendia Massenburg-Tabb, 77, who died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011, will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17, at Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, with Dr. James W. Smith officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
HENDERSON - Martha Stanley Currin, 80, died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011 at her home. A private burial will be held in Elmwood Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. today (Saturday, Jan. 15) at West End Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Ralph McGowan.
WAKE FOREST - Oaksia Bradley Tilson, 89, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2011 at Universal Healthcare. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today (Saturday, Jan. 15) in the chapel of Bright Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Montlawn Memorial Park.
WAKE FOREST - Nancy G. King Sanger (nee Peck), 78, died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 at Hillside Nursing Home in Wake Forest. The family will hold a visitation 5-6:30 p.m. today (Saturday, Jan. 15) at Bright Funeral Home. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Park in North Olmstead, Ohio.
STUART, Va. - Clyde Walmer Willard, 78, died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011 at the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson. Funeral services will be held Sunday, Jan. 16, at 2 p.m. at Moody Funeral Home in Stuart, Va., with the Rev. Tommy Shepherd officiating. Burial will follow in Patrick Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
LOUISBURG —Richard Earl Hobaugh, Jr., 50, of Louisburg, died Thursday, January 13, 2011, at Wake Medical Center. Richard was a dedicated coach to his players in T-Ball, softball, basketball and football and an avid hunter, fisherman and a breeder of lab puppies. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
LOUISBURG - Thomas Darion King, 45, of Louisburg died Wednesday, January 12, 2011. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Dolphus Elmer Medlin and Iantha “Tiny” Jeffreys Lewis; paternal grandfather, Preston King; and his uncle, Douglas Cornell Medlin.
BUNN – Dorothy Cornelia Winstead Nicolai, 87, of Bunn, died Thursday morning.
LOUISBURG - Edward Eugene Boone, 83, of Louisburg died Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at his home. Mr. Boone was preceded in death by his wife, Nell Bennett Boone; his parents, Taylor Webb and Grace May Boone; and his brother, William Taylor Boone. Funeral services were held Friday at 11:00 a.m. at Lancaster Funeral and Cremation Services Chapel, with the Rev. Robert Ricks Boone officiating. Burial followed in the Boone Family Cemetery.
SPORTS
ON THE MOVE. Guard Rashod Chavis has played a key scoring role this season for the Louisburg College men’s hoops team, which has lost just once.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- They’re now ranked No. 6 nationally, but the Louisburg College Hurricanes aren’t about to rest on their ever-increasing list of laurels.
At least if first-year head coach Mark Vanderslice has his say.
BUNN -- The undefeated Bunn Ladycats have garnered some statewide recognition in the first www.ncpreps.com Class 2-A Girls Basketball Poll for the 2010-11 campaign.
Bunn, coached by Chuck Mann, is in the No. 6 position with an 8-0 mark.
Salisbury is No. 1, followed by Shelby, North Surry, East Bladen and Newton-Conover.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportssriter
ROCKY MOUNT -- Louisburg went 1-1 during prep wrestling action last Friday as part of a three-team event at the Nash Central High School Gymnasium.
LHS, coached by Jason Crawford, defeated Hertford County by a 60-12 score, but was topped by the host Bulldogs 46-33.
Louisburg’s individual total records from the tri-match were as follows:
After shaking the rust off, Troy Wheless once again proved that he has a penchant for making big shots.
Wheless made a late 3-pointer to tie the score and helped his Gold Team claim a victory during last Saturday’s Bunn High School Alumni Game at the Bunn Dome.
“It was a great experience,’’ said BHS Athletic Director -- and former player -- Chuck Mann.
High School Wrestling
WEDNESDAY
Franklinton at Corinth-Holders 7 p.m.
THURSDAY
Bunn at Louisburg 6 p.m.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
FRANKLIN COUNTY -- J.T. Finnegan of Louisburg has earned the top prize in The Franklin Times College Football Bowl Picks Contest.
The runner-up spot went to long-time prognosticator Jack Stone of Louisburg.
Winners are asked to come by The Franklin Times office during regular business hours to receive their cash prizes.
LIFESTYLES
How grateful we are to have been invited by Clark and Betty Nanney to visit them at their summer home in Hudson, Fla. They are a lovely couple who attended college with my husband, who has enjoyed their friendship since.
Our trip started on Jan. 3, arriving in Savannah, Ga. that night to continue to Hudson, Fla. the very next day.
Late winter is a difficult time for the local bluebird population. Food supplies for bluebirds are less available as winter progresses, and it gets harder for bluebirds to find food until the bugs start flying again. It is especially difficult when the ground is snow or ice covered. Northern bluebirds also come down here for the winter, so the population increases as food supply decreases.
SCHOOLS/EDUCATION
Michael S Forrest, of Youngsville, was named with Highest Honors to the spring semester dean’s list at Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minn.
The dean’s list includes full-time students with a grade point average (GPA) during the semester of 3.65 (out of 4.0) or higher. Forrest is pursuing a degree in Graphic Design at Northwestern.
COMMUNITY NEWS
The sign-up for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program for 2009 crop losses began on Jan. 10, 2011. SURE is one of five disaster programs included in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) that provides assistance to farmers and ranchers who have suffered losses due to natural disasters.
Members of Pride of Labor Chapter #142-B, Order of the Eastern Star prepared and delivered boxes containing food for meals during the Christmas holidays for 10 needy families here in Franklin County.
“January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and this is an important reminder to women to be conscious of the risk factors for cervical cancer,” said J. Weldon Hampton, MD, at Franklin Regional Medical Center.
If a woman is overdue for her regular Pap test, she is increasing her risk of cervical cancer, a disease that affected approximately 11,000 women in 2007.
Children and parents participating in Franklin County’s Parents As Teachers program recently gathered at the Franklin County Schools International Center to celebrate Sixth Night with a traditional King’s Party.
In Mexico, children celebrate the last day of Christmas when the King arrives with toys for all. This year, he also came to Franklin County and distributed gifts from the St. Stephen’s Angel Tree project to everyone at the party.
The Franklin County Horsemen’s Association met Dec. 30 at the NC Cooperative Extension Office on Bickett Boulevard. The meeting was a pot luck supper with representation from several Franklin County equestrian facilities, including Cattolica Farm, Double D Boarding Facility, Magnolia Creek Farm, Sa-Lyn Pony Farm, Town & Country Feed Store, Two Bridges Farm and Wildwynn Ponies.
Louisburg police continue to look for a man reported missing from a local rest home.
Police and the state Department of Crime Control and Public Safety issued a Silver Alert for Tommy L. Thompson on Monday.
The 52-year-old was a resident at Louisburg Gardens. He was last seen on N. Main Street near Louisburg College.
