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LOUISBURG -- Commissioners approved a budget that adds 16 employees, boasts a better savings account, increases school spending (but not as much as school officials requested) and doesn't raise taxes.
It also includes an employee salary bump beyond the increase initially proposed.
"When we were in bad times, we rode on the backs of our employees ... with furloughs, and they helped us get through," said Commission Vice Chair Shane Mitchell. "... The lights are a little bit brighter. I think it's a good time [to provide a fair salary increase]."

LOUISBURG -- Town police arrested four people on methamphetamine charges, marking what authorities believe is the first meth lab bust in the town's history.
Louisburg Police Capt. Jason Abbott said officers got a tip that a meth lab was being operated at 306 Cedar Street and went to investigate at about 10 p.m. on June 20.
"Upon investigation," Abbott said, "we discovered they were operating a clandestine meth lab."

LOUISBURG -- There is a lot of good news in the budget that unanimously sailed through the Louisburg Town Council Monday night with barely any discussion.
The budget, which officials have been discussing since February, will lower the in-town property tax rate from the current 53.5 cents per $100 valuation to 51.5 cents per $100 after July 1. (A penny on the tax rate raises about $24,262 for the town.)
But the good news didn't stop there.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College, the oldest two-year college in the nation, has earned unequivocal reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the school announced.
School President Mark La Branche said the vote by SACS "affirms the passionate commitment and work of our staff, faculty, trustees, alumni and friends who have all been an integral part of the recent revival of our beloved college."

Candy Hatcher Gregor, a veteran journalist with Louisburg roots, is Louisburg College's new director of communications.
Gregor, most recently an editorial writer for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, will be overseeing news and marketing for the college.
Previously, she worked in Chicago, Seattle, West Palm Beach, Fla., Wilmington and Burlington as a reporter, editor and columnist.
She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Wake Forest University and a master of science degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Franklinton summer camper Joshua Webb

First, a confession of sorts about my preconceived prejudices, just so there won't be any misunderstanding.
I like dogs.
Some dogs I like better than some people.
Actually, most dogs I like better than some people -- maybe better than most people.
And, just like a sign I see frequently in a Louisburg business, I work so that our dog can have a better life!

Youngsville residents have reasons to feel good about decisions town leaders have made in recent months.
Most specifically, the decision to create a new town hall for a community that's almost certain to grow dramatically over the next few years should be applauded.
As you've read in previous editions of this newspaper, Youngsville town commissioners have approved a $1.8 million budget for the next fiscal year that raises the tax rate slightly.

I'll never forget.
One of my first student-teacher conferences was about geometry.
More importantly, it was about my inability to totally grasp geometry.
It was the first time that I had actually tried to do something and was still totally lost.

My attention has been focused on Raleigh of late.
The other day I decided to take a gander at what our Senior Senator Republican Richard "Bank Run" Burr was doing in Washington; the answer came back not his job.
To Burr's credit, unlike his fellow Republican George Holding, who is supposedly representing many of us in the House, (and is running to represent us all), at least he hasn't been caught napping on national TV.

BUNN -- Competition isn't the main reason that Bunn High School football coach David Howle sends his team to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Team Camp every June at Mount Olive University near Goldsboro.
"It's fun to do some things against other teams, but the big thing about going is the fellowship we are able to share with our kids,'' Howle said. "It does so much for them spiritually, and it always seems to bond our team together.

BUNN -- All along, Spencer Brickhouse was consistent in his stance that it would take a lot to change his mind about joining the baseball program at East Carolina University.
Brickhouse committed to ECU two years ago and signed a letter-of-intent to join the Pirates during a ceremony last November on the BHS campus.
Of course, there was always the option that Brickhouse could be drafted high and eventually sign with a Major League club -- thus ending his courtship with East Carolina.

BUNN -- One more time -- for old time's sake.
That was the theme at last Thursday's North Carolina-South Carolina All-Star Baseball Series at the USA Baseball Complex in Wake County.
The twinbill gave Bunn High School coach Chris Cullom one more opportunity to work with now-graduated Wildcat Spencer Brickhouse.
Cullom served as an assistant skipper for the NC squad in the contest, which is the diamond equivalent to the Shrine Bowl Football Game.

LOUISBURG -- After back-to-back 20-victory seasons, Louisburg College women's basketball coach Shay Hayes will be reloading next winter following the graduation of six talented sophomores -- five of whom will be playing in 2016-17 on the four-year level.
Three of those LC standouts have signed letters-of-intent, including Iresha Cooper, who has inked a deal with Coker College.
Cooper, a forward, paced the Lady Hurricanes in scoring and rebounding while earning Team Most Valuable Player honors.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College's Hurricanes will be true road warriors this fall as part of their 2016 football schedule.
The Hurricanes will play just two home games at Patterson Field on the Louisburg High School campus -- including their home opener Aug. 27 against Jireh Prep.
Louisburg College, which dropped just one game last season, will be guided by second-year head coach Trevor Highfield.
LC will play 10 games, with eight of them coming on the road.

GREENSBORO -- Rosters have been finalized for the 2016 North Carolina Coaches Association East-West All-Star Basketball Games, which will be played July 18 as part of a doubleheader at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Tickets for the hoops twinbill will be available at the gate.
Rosters for the event are as follows:

CHAPEL HILL -- Wells Fargo, along with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, has announced the final standings in the Wells Fargo Conference Cup competitions for the 2016 spring sports season.
The Wells Fargo Cup award recognizes the schools that achieve the best overall interscholastic athletic performance within each of the state's four competitive classifications.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg's All-Stars will be busy in July with four tournaments as part of local Tar Heel League District 6 Baseball and Softball action.
Louisburg will serve as the host for the District Boys 9-10 Tournament, which will be held July 6-11 at the Louisburg High School Softball Field.
Louisburg will have a first-round bye as part of the seven-team, double-elimination format.
The All-Stars will open play July 7 at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of the Nash County-Wendell White showdown.

ZEBULON -- The Carolina Mudcats finished their first-half schedule one win shy of 30 in the Class A Carolina League after losing 4-3 to the Blue Rocks in Sunday's baseball series and first-half finale at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.
Ryan Clark allowed his league worst 12th home run of the season in the loss.
The loss came in front of a Father's Day crowd of 4,988 at Five County Stadium and in game six of a six-game series between the Mudcats (29-41) and Blue Rocks (27-42) in Zebulon.

FUTURE BUCS. Sadie Outhouse and Tanisha Wall (above) have been long-time teammates for both Franklinton High School and the Franklin County Royal Knights. The players will remain together for the next two years as they recently signed letters-of-intent to join the women's basketball program at Catawba Valley CC out of Hickory.

BUNN -- The 28th Annual Bunn High School Youth Football Camp will be held June 27-30 on the BHS campus.
Bunn head coach David Howle will oversee the event, along with Wildcats' players and assistant coaches.
Times will run from 9 a.m.-noon each day. Cost is $75 per person, which includes a field trip to the North Carolina State University football facility.
Ages 6 through rising ninth graders are eligible to participate. The festivities will conclude with a punt, pass and kick competition.

Louisburg College women's basketball sophomore standout Keechell Johnson signs a letter-of-intent to continue her hoops career at Elizabeth City State University.

The end of the Civil War ushered in decades of hard times for farmers in the South and those in North Carolina shared the suffering.
A variety of economic and political factors made it difficult for farmers to make a good living. The Patrons of Husbandry, a national organization founded in 1867, tried to improve the lives of farm families.
A chapter of the Grange, as the organization came to be known, began operating in Guilford County in 1873, and in February 1875, the North Carolina General Assembly incorporated the state-level organization.

Allison Fobes of Castalia graduated from Barton College on May 13, 2016 with a degree in Political Science.
Fobes credits her participation in Delta Zeta sorority at Barton with the formation of many friendships which she says will last a lifetime.
Allison is the daughter of Rodney and Lisa Fobes of Castalia and the granddaughter of Kay Dorsey of the White Level Community.

HENDERSON -- A group of 18 students from Vance-Granville Community College, including a Franklinton resident, recently received scholarships through the Golden LEAF Scholarship program for the North Carolina Community College System.
The scholarship program, designed to help North Carolinians attend the state's community colleges, is funded through a $750,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation.

Kurt Carlson, who spearheaded Louisburg College's revival in development, communications, marketing and alumni affairs, is r etiring June 30.
As vice president for institutional advancement since 2009, Carlson oversaw external affairs for Louisburg College, including fundraising, alumni relations, donor relations, a performing arts series, and marketing and communications.
He managed Louisburg's Great Futures Campaign, launched in 2010, which reached its $15 million goal two years early, and concluded last December at $18.8 million.

LOUISBURG -- A paramedic and two volunteers were recovering from injuries this week after their ambulance was broadsided during an emergency transport.
According to reports, the crew was transporting a patient to WakeMed the morning of June 19 and they were near a crossover near Falls of the Neuse Road when the driver of a Nissan Sentra crashed into them.
The ambulance overturned. The driver of the Nissan Sentra, whom authorities allege caused the wreck, was still at large.

LOUISBURG -- A Youngsville man is slated to appear in court next week on child sex charges.
Wake County authorities served Miguel Angel Dutra-Duarte with a Franklin County warrant, charging him with first degree rape, sexual activity by a substitute parent and indecent liberties with a child.
Franklin County officers began their investigation in November 2015 after the Wake County Child Protective Services notified them of potential wrongdoing.

STEM -- Girl Scouts, including members from a local troop, cleared 1,200 feet of trails, raked smooth about 600 feet of trail, collected trash and built a picnic table in recognition of National Trails Day earlier this month.
Conservation Trust for North Carolina AmeriCorps members, along with Tar River Land Conservancy (TRLC), led crews of scouts who worked on various projects to prepare the future Ledge Creek Forest Conservation Area.

LOUISBURG -- The following could be important information and deadlines for those in the agricultural community.
• The COC Nomination Period: The nomination period for farmers and ranchers to serve on the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee began June 15.
This year's election will be held in Local Administrative Area 2, consisting of Cedar Rock, Cypress Creek, Gold Mine and Sandy Creek townships.

American Legion Post 52 in Franklinton installed officers for 2016-17 at its May 31 meeting. Officers from left to right, front row; Ricky Nowell, Renchor Wright, Ansel Greenwood, Anthony Kerensky, and Joe Dillehay. Back row, left to right; Harvey Satterwhite, Robert Hobgood, Michael Donnelly, George Tracy, Ed Wilson, Ernie Dimeler, Steve Ijames, the current District 5 Commander Richard Vining who performed the installation. Missing from the picture is Bill Cox.