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FRANKLIN COUNTY -- In Cary, officials there essentially deployed robots to test sewer water, trying to pinpoint areas where opioid abuse was high.
Next month, an agency that serves the poor and disadvantaged is hosting its second annual forum concerning the state's ongoing opioid epidemic.
Earlier this summer, Gov. Roy Cooper gave state health officials the go-ahead to ask for a $25 million grant to help combat the crisis.

LOUISBURG -- It looks like the battle for the sheriff's office will be a two-man race again.
Last week, retired Franklinton police officer and former sheriff's deputy Tim Strickland filed a petition to run as a write-in candidate for sheriff in the November general election.

Bunn Police Chief Joe King grabs a hot dog during National Night Out festivities in Bunn. Louisburg and Franklinton also took part in the event, designed to spur and encourage relationships and communication between residents, first responders and law enforcement.

Franklin County schools "broke even" in the assistant principal department this week, losing two and noting that two have been added recently.
Leaving the district will be Jessica Perry, who had been an assistant principal at Cedar Creek Middle School and Crystal Taylor Simon, who had been assistant principal at Franklinton Middle School.

LOUISBURG -- The town's Board of Adjustment issued the permitting necessary for Crosscreek Charter School to build a new facility.
The decision, school officials said, will allow them to build a school that meets their growing demand.
"We need to move to have more space and meet the demand of students on the waiting list," said School Director Robin Jackson, noting that the school on Sandalwood Avenue has a capacity of 250 students.

Eden and Cletus Simpson

Sometimes you just have to waive a white flag of surrender and move along!
Last week, reading Carey Johnson's story about the Franklin County commissioners' meeting -- especially the part about commissioner Harry Foy commenting on the local airport -- I envisioned a column disputing Foy's disparaging comments about what I believe is the most successful and best-run county department.

Whoa, there, Nelly. Let's not run wild and crazy, especially when it's going to cost a small fortune.
The already overpriced, overpriced at least for what we're getting, northeast Franklin County park project, needs to be reined in and, most likely, put in the "stable" until the overheated construction environment cools down a tad.

When September 15 comes around, Derrick Fuller hopes to be a face that gets lost in a crowd of hundreds.
Until then, though, he's been the face of a fundraising effort to raise money for a family that had their lives flipped when then 12-year-old Avery Cooper was diagnosed with brain cancer this summer.

Dear editor:
I read with great interest the criticisms leveled by Commissioner Harry Foy Jr. about the Triangle North Executive Airport (KLHZ) and its need for $169,000 in matching funds to install modern airport lighting. The matching funds dovetail with a grant from the NCDOT Division of Aviation of $1.52 million to fund the needed project.

LOUISBURG--Charles "Chuck" Edwin Lewis, 73, died Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018 at Wake Medical Center. Services will be private.

BRONX, NY -- Funeral services for Theodore "Teddy" Jackson, 65, formerly of Louisburg, who died Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, will be held Saturday, Aug. 18, at 4 p.m. at South Main Street Baptist Church in Louisburg, with Dr. David Rosby officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

FRANKLINTON -- A handful of jokes and good-natured teammate ribbing were on display as the Franklinton Red Rams prepared to kick off another football practice session Tuesday afternoon.
But once the whistle was blown, all of the chatter stopped -- and two hours of challenging work ensued.

BUNN -- Dale Murphy's first test as the Bunn High School football coach will be a contest this Friday that has been anxiously anticipated -- by the Wildcats' opponent.
Last year, Bunn defeated North Lenoir with a final-second field goal to cap a miraculous comeback that left many of the Hawks' faithful upset with everything from the officiating to the timekeeping.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg High School opened its 2017 football campaign in emphatic fashion with a lopsided victory against KIPP Pride.
LHS head coach Dontae Lassiter would love to repeat that scenario this Friday when the Warriors kick off their schedule with a rematch versus KIPP at Patterson Field on the LHS campus.

BALTIMORE, MD. -- Former Louisburg College standout Cedric Mullins is making quite the instant impact for the Baltimore Orioles.
Mullins, who starred at Louisburg for two seasons before moving on to Campbell University, made his debut with the Orioles last week and has already appeared in five games.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg High School wasted no time getting into the challenging portion of its volleyball schedule on Monday at the LHS Gymnasium.
That's when the Lady Warriors hosted Falls Lake Academy in a duel of area Class 1-A spike titans.
Last year, both clubs were knocked out of the postseason by eventual state finalist Roxboro Community School -- Louisburg in the Elite Eight and Falls Lake in the semifinals.

OXFORD -- It didn't take long for Franklinton to provide a solid opening chapter to what is expected to be a quality 2018 boys soccer campaign.
The Red Rams scored in the third minute and never looked back en route to defeating homestanding Falls Lake Academy in a non-conference meeting Monday at the Granville Athletic Park.

SALEM, VA. -- Cooper Hummel and Ryan Aguilar both had three hits, Trever Morrison hit a solo home run, Nick Roscetti drove in three with a bases loaded triple and Christian Taugner pitched through six scoreless frames in his debut as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the host Salem Red Sox 9-0 in a rain-shortened game on Sunday in a Class A Carolina League baseball showdown.

CHAPEL HILL - The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced the eight-member group of the Hall of Fame Class of 2018.
This year's class is the 32nd class to join the illustrious Hall of Fame dedicated to honoring those who "have done the most for high school athletics in North Carolina" throughout their careers.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College's 2018 women's soccer campaign will kick off Sept. 1 with a home match against Region X opponent University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie.
First kick is slated for 5 p.m. at Ronald May Field on the LC campus.
This will be the first season for new LC head coach Sierrah Soto.

New Franklinton High School defensive coordinator Darrin Stinson has plenty of coaching experience, most notably at East Wake and Knightdale.

After one season at Northern Vance, former Bunn High School assistant Donnie Ray has returned to Franklin County as a defensive backs coach for the Franklinton Red Rams.

Bunn's Joseph Smith escapes en route to a touchdown run during last Wednesday evening's high school football scrimmage against the host Rocky Mount Gryphons.

New head coach Jimmy Williams brings experience, credibility and plenty of intensity to the Franklinton High School football program.

Franklinton's Sam Gupton dribbles through traffic for the Red Rams during Monday evening's road triumph against Falls Lake Academy.

Louisburg High School offensive line coach Jerry Williams explains a blocking technique during a recent football practice session.

Talmadge and Betsy Renn Edwards celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018 at a dinner hosted by family and friends at Johnny Bull's. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards were married at Liberty Christian Church in the Epsom community.

LOUISBURG -- The keynote speaker for Louisburg College's Aug. 28 convocation ceremony is North Carolina acting and theater legend Ira David Wood III -- whose list of accomplishments should serve as inspiration for students and supporters as they commence the 2018-19 academic year, college staff said.
Wood, who grew up in Halifax County, developed his passion for theater in high school. He was a member of the 1965 inaugural class of the North Carolina School of the Arts.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County high school students who drive to school got a little financial gift from the county Board of Eduction Monday night.
In an unexpected move, the school board eliminated the $50 per student parking fee for all four high schools for at least the 2018-19 school year.
The school board had been considering standardizing the student parking fee at $50 a year for all four high schools, including the Early College High.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town staff said the State Department of Transportation is close to finding the funds needed to improve traffic flow through town.
Based on comments made during the Youngsville Board of Commissioners' Aug. 9 meeting, those fixes can't come fast enough.
In 2014, area transportation planners completed the Northeast Area Study, which identified transportation strategies for towns and cities in Wake and Franklin counties.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Youngsville's development -- both residential and commercial -- is trending upward, staff and officials have said.
But so are town costs.
Resident Keith Falt told commissioners during their Aug. 9 meeting that he's concerned expenses are rising faster than any revenue generated by new development.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies are looking for suspects in a weekend shooting that sent a woman to the hospital.
The injuries to the 39-year-old woman were not life-threatening, authorities said.
According to Franklin County Sheriff's Office Chief of Staff Terry Wright, Farren Burrell was inside her home on Midnight Lane just before 2 a.m. on Aug. 11 when shots were fired into her home.

LOUISBURG -- The Triangle North Executive Airport Advisory Board could not conduct business this week because they did not have a quorum.
The board meets the second Tuesday of each month, however, on Aug. 7, only three board members -- Dr. Philip Stover, Shelley Dickerson and David Bunn were in attendance. The seven-member board needs at least four members for a quorum.

EVENING SHADE. Louisburg, Bunn and Franklinton communities celebrated National Night Out on Aug. 7. The event is designed to build and strengthen relationships between neighbors, as well as improve the rapport between residents and the law enforcement and first responder community. Pictured above, Elaine Simpson concentrates on catching a flying hula hoop during festivities in Bunn, which were held at Town Hall. National Night Out in all three towns featured a combination of food, fun, games and fellowship.