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LOUISBURG -- Those trying to loosen the chokehold that the opioid epidemic has placed around Franklin County have used narratives about the personal toll the scourge has exacted to paint a picture of the problem.
On Monday night, Franklin County Health Director Scott LaVigne presented charts and tables, detailing in black and white just how devastating the plague has been on the county.

LOUISBURG -- The vice chair of the airport advisory council has asked his fellow board members to reconsider their decision to hand full authority of the airport over to the county.
In February, following limited public discussion, the board agreed that it would change from a commission to an advisory council -- meaning county staff and officials would be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Triangle North Executive Airport.

Local strawberries are here, delayed a bit by a finicky Mother Nature this year, but they are ripe and ready. At the recent Franklin County Strawberry Festival, little Deacon Wilder, 2, gets a sample treat from his grandmother Linda Pippin -- and quickly came back for more! Part of the annual festival is a recipe contest for young people and adults.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education will have a new face as challenger Meghan Jordan defeated incumbent Gil Johnson.
Incumbents Paige Sayles, Elizabeth Keith and Bernard Hall retained their seats.
School board races are non partisan, meaning the primary winners will be sworn in this fall.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners agreed to move forward with upgrades to its emergency communications system, largely paid for by state 911 money, but not before engaging in an inspired conversation about the cost of an equipment building in Youngsville.
In February, Emergency Communications Director Christy Shearin outlined a nearly $2.5 million upgrade to the county's radio system that will add more channels in an effort to further mitigate or eliminate issues with dropped calls and other issues -- primarily the result of a heavily used system with just three channels.

Well, at least four large pillars of this home on Louisburg's North Main Street have been replaced this week as restoration begins on what is known as the Hicks-Perry-Bland-Holmes House. The majestic house was designed by the prolific local architect, Marion Stuart Davis, for Brantley G. Hicks, who owned a dry goods store on the north side of East Nash Street (to the right of the current law offices of Williamson and Williamson as you face them).

Things are looking up for Eden Simpson

It's probably best described as a bittersweet moment, with a fair number of mixed emotions.
On one hand, the retirement of Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood represents the loss of a calm, reasoned and legally seasoned voice from the bench where he had served the Ninth District for the last 38 years.
On the other hand, Judge Hobgood certainly has earned his retirement with his record-breaking years of service that has sent him to 75 North Carolina counties, often to preside over some of the most difficult, complex and sometimes controversial cases in the state's system.

Beware of politicians riding white horses who storm onto the stage and appear to rescue voters' best interests at the last minute, saving them from the ravages of ... horror of horrors ... , a property tax rate hike.
Relax folks, this is just political theater and this "play" is staged every year with almost identical outcomes.

By the time you read this, the spring primary election will have come and gone, unless there was some cataclysmic event that somehow prevented ballots from being counted between Tuesday night and Thursday morning.
In the 20 years that I've covered elections, there have been some races that remained undecided for days after an election, but never a full election, so I feel confident that by the time you're reading this, elections in Franklin County will be final.

Work smarter, not harder is something I am sure someone has said to you along the way. It may be among the first bits of wisdom someone tried to impart upon you.
Knowledge is a body of information developed over time. What one does with that knowledge defines their potential.
If you categorically know there is a better, smarter, more productive way to do something and choose not to, then the result you get is what you deserve.

FRANKLINTON--Carolyn Pruett Baker, 71, a resident of Franklinton, died Sunday, May 6, 2018 at WakeMed Rehab.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for Julius Lee "Bay" Anderson, 83, who died Tuesday, May 8, 2018, will be held Monday, May 14, at 12 p.m. at Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg, with the Rev. Sidney E. Dunston officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

STANHOPE -- When the meet was complete, there was little doubt as to which athlete would be selected as the Girls Most Outstanding Performer at the Big East Track and Field Championships.
That honor was destined to go in a landslide to Franklinton's Shea Seward.

YOUNGSVILLE -- A season of firsts ended Tuesday with one final exclamation point for the Cedar Creek Middle School baseball squad.
The Jaguars capped off their amazing campaign with a 9-0 victory over Terrell Lane in the championship game of the Middle Athletic Conference Tournament at the CCMS Baseball Field.

BUNN -- The old adage about how difficult it is to beat a quality foe three times in one season -- lete alone in one week -- came into play Tuesday when Bunn hosted Roanoke Rapids in the opening round of the Class 2-A State Baseball Playoffs.
Last week, Bunn had defeated RR twice to close out the regular season -- and earn a tie for first place in the Northern Carolina Conference.

LOUISBURG -- One of the highlights of the Louisburg College sports season comes right at the end of the school calendar year. That's when LC honors its Student-Athletes of the Year as part of an on-campus awards ceremony.
Winners for the 2017-18 school year were sophomore softballer Monica Pepe and sophomore baseball player Jason Parker.

LOUISBURG -- For Eric Lee, last weekend's trip to Alabama was just as much a fact-finding mission as it was an opportunity for his Louisburg College softball squad to qualify for the NJCAA National Tournament.
That hope wasn't meant to be as the Lady Hurricanes dropped a pair of contests to homestanding Central Alabama in the two-team district tournament.

BUNN -- Dale Murphy was determined to end his tenure at Bunn Middle School with an emphatic bang.
Murphy got his wish Tuesday as the outgoing BMS softball coach -- and new Bunn High School football skipper -- guided the Lady Bulldogs to their second consecutive Middle Athletic Conference Tournament Championship.

BUIES CREEK -- Astros starter Brett Adcock struck out seven over five scoreless frames and reliever Kit Scheetz struck out eight over four innings as Buies Creek shut out the Mudcats 2-0 on Tuesday night at Jim Perry Stadium on the campus of Campbell University in a Class A Carolina League baseball meeting.
The Carolina (15-17) offense was held to just two hits in the loss and combined to strikeout 15 times for the second straight game.

NEW ORLEANS -- Tyler Smith allowed one run over five innings of work and Bunn's Spencer Brickhouse hit a two-run homer in the first frame lifting No. 12 East Carolina University to a 6-1 baseball win over host Tulane Sunday afternoon at Greer Field inside Turchin Stadium in New Orleans.
With the win, the Pirates complete the series sweep and improve to 33-12 overall and 11-7 in American Athletic Conference action while the Green Wave falls to 22-27 on the season and 7-11 in AAC play.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton High School held a Fayetteville-themed signing event last Wednesday as two more senior Red Rams inked letters-of-intent to continue their careers on the college level.
And both will be right down the road from each other in Cumberland County as Nia Richardson will play volleyball at Fayetteville State University -- and Wade Jackson will join the men's basketball program at Methodist University.

CHAPEL HILL - The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced the winners of the Male and Female Athlete of the Year for the 2017-18 School Year.
The award is in its 33rd year and winners receive the Pat Best Memorial Trophy, presented at the NCHSAA's Annual Meeting in Chapel Hill.

Cedar Creek's Gavin Johnson (right) steals second base during the Jaguars' home victory over Terrell Lane in Tuesday's MAC Baseball Tournament Championship.

Louisburg High School sophomore wrestler Malikai Briggs (right) won third place in the Men's 175.5-Pound Blue Belt Division at a US Grappling event last weekend in Greensboro. Briggs was representing Gustavo Machado BJJ out of Rocky mount. US Grappling is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling Tournament.

Bunn's Davie Morgan makes solid contact during Tuesday's game against Roanoke Rapids in the Class 2-A State Baseball Playoffs on the BHS campus.

Gavin Johnson blasts a single for Cedar Creek as part of Tuesday's victory over Terrell Lane in the finals of the MAC Baseball Tournament.

Franklinton High School's Nehemiah Judkins (left) earned third place in the Boys 110 Hurdles at last Wednesday's Big East Conference Track and Field Championships, which were held at Southern Nash High School in Stanhope.

Bunn Middle School's Ashley Salter rips a single for the Lady Bulldogs during Tuesday's tournament championship softball matchup against Hawley Middle.

A big part of the fun at the annual Strawberry Festival in Louisburg each spring is the recipe contest where local folks show off their creative ideas for using the tasty, bright red berries that are currently in season.

RUN FOR FUN. Ben Alston leads an eager group of runners in the 1-mile race.

RUN FOR FUN. Brianna Acree does her best to hold off Ann Marie Campbell in the 1-mile race.

Three principals for Franklin County Schools -- Bunn and Louisburg High Schools and Bunn Middle School -- were selected last week by the Board of Education, and the selection includes a veteran Bunn High School assistant principal who will now take the top job at the school.
Daniel Wright was named BHS principal after serving there for 10 years as the assistant.

The Louisburg College Commencement 2018 celebration begins with a Baccalaureate service today, May 10, and concludes with a Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 11. Both events start at 3 p.m. and are open to the public.
The Baccalaureate service will be held at the Louisburg United Methodist Church located at 402 N. Main Street, Louisburg.

Dr. Jean Jackson, vice president for college programs at Meredith College, will be the principal commencement speaker for Vance-Granville Community College's graduation exercises on Friday, May 11.
Sovanny "Sophie" Taylor, president of the VGCC Student Government Association, will be the student speaker.

FRIENDLY COMPETITION. Above, Aimee McIlroy and her son, Jackson, celebrate his silver medal in a wheelchair racing event.

FRIENDLY COMPETITION. Members of the Louisburg High School honor guard present the state and national flags during opening ceremonies.

FRIENDLY COMPETITION. Carly Young unleashes a throw as part of the softball toss competition during the track and field events that made up the Special Olympics.

FRANKLINTON -- Deputies, acting on citizens' complaints, arrested 13 people on drug charges in the Franklinton area.
The May 2 arrests were carried out by the department's Drug Unit and Community Action Team.
"This drug enforcement concentration is part of our on-going effort to address drug activity in our county," said Sheriff Kent Winstead.

FRANKLINTON -- Police placed Franklinton Elementary School on lockdown Tuesday morning while responding to a call of shots being fired near the school.
The incident also briefly interrupted voting at the site -- it is a precinct location -- but no long-term problems arose, officials said.
The 11:30 a.m. shooting did result in a report of property damage to a home in the 400 block of S. Hillsborough Street, but no injuries were reported.