Archives

FRANKLINTON -- When commissioners selected Gregory Bethea as its interim town manager in September, the veteran public servant said his goal was to establish policies, practices and procedures that would help the town and its next manager direct growth that's coming its way.
On Tuesday night, residents learned that Bethea will be the one who gets to see those things to fruition.

LOUISBURG -- Although the numbers are not yet finalized, it appears that Franklin County Schools will be requesting $2 million in capital outlay funds from the county commissioners for the district's 2019-20 budget which begins on July 1.
That was the unofficial indication from the Franklin County Board of Education which held a special work session Monday to consider the district's pending capital expense needs. Since it was a work session, no vote was taken on the proposal, which will be considered formally at the April meeting.

FUN IS SPRINGING UP. Spring hadn't sprung until Wednesday, but some people took advantage of sunny skies on Tuesday to get out to Joyner Park in Louisburg. Above, Nadaje Hedgepeth, right, has her 9-month-old daughter, Elaina Minickene, mesmerized by Scooby Doo while on a swing set at the park. While it remained a bit chilly during the first few days of spring, temperatures were expected to hit 60 and into the 70s by Friday, before another chilly snap.

LOUISBURG -- The county's fiscal outlook -- if the view doesn't change much -- looks more like the county is heading toward a valley, not a cliff.
That was the message delivered by a financial advisor during a special meeting of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners on Monday afternoon.
According to Davenport & Company Senior Vice President Ted Cole, the county's debt will continue to go down and, in 10 years, 86 percent of the county's general fund debt will be retired.

LOUISBURG -- Most of the Louisburg Town Council's Monday night meeting was about routine business -- although toward the end of the session there was a hint of barbecue in the air -- and that's something that doesn't happen at most council meetings.
During the session, the council agreed to require that town residents mow that small strip of land between the sidewalks in front of their house or business and the street, something that some already do and many do not.

Franklinton runner Benjamin Hornyak

They say timing is everything -- and for once, my timing was pretty good.
I drink a lot of hot coffee, which isn't unusual for newspaper folks who work long, irregular hours.
Thankfully, I wasn't slurping down a cup of Java one evening last week when the news came on the boob tube.

Wow, what's going on?
The sun has been shining -- and the monsoon-like rains have ceased around here at least for a time.
The temperature is flirting with really comfortable levels, although it's still dropping seriously at night.

As the documentary opens up, flickering on a screen inside a packed room in downtown Louisburg, the focus is on a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., and the protesters who rose to challenge them.
A self-described white supremacist rammed his car into the crowd, killing Heather Heyer, essentially, putting a face, a white one, on the brutality that racism wrought.

Dear editor:
As the leaders of Maria Parham Health, one of the largest employers in Henderson and a rural hospital leader in our community, we strive daily to provide high-quality and cost-effective care to our local, rural community.

CHARLOTTE--Joyce Elaine Wilkins-Hicks, 72, died Thursday, March 14, 2019.

BUNN -- Jackson Anderson was seemingly destined to be a standout athlete at Bunn High School.
Anderson's parents Dusty and Geoufrey were both outstanding athletes in their high school days -- Geoufrey at Bunn and Dusty in Wilmington -- and his uncle, Bryant, is considered one of Bunn's truest sporting legends.

FRANKLINTON -- Undoubtedly, Trent Sanders would be proud of the way his namesake event has developed over the past five years.
After Sanders, Franklinton's long-time track and field coach, died suddenly five years ago, incoming FHS skipper Clennie Wilkins decided to create a spring invitational to honor Sanders' memory.

HENDERSON -- With several returning position players to go with standout pitchers Jaheim Brown and Cale Bolton, it was anticipated that Louisburg High School would enjoy a quality campaign on the baseball diamond this spring.
That's how things have played out to date as the Warriors are 4-0 after securing a 16-2 road decision Monday against Vance County in Northern Carolina Conference action.

MARTINSVILLE, VA. -- Louisburg College's softball winning streak is now at 15 after the Lady Hurricanes swept a weekend series at Region X opponent Patrick Henry Community College.
LC won the opening doubleheader last Saturday by scores of 4-0 and 11-3.

LOUISBURG -- Needing a final-game victory to earn a series split, the Louisburg College Hurricanes got one in clutch fashion during their Region X baseball weekend against the University of South Carolina-Lancaster.
Phillip Boykin's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning gave Louisburg the lead for good during a 4-3 decision over the Lancers on Sunday in the finale of the four-game set at Frazier Field on the LC campus.

BUNN -- It's an understatement to say that Bunn's girls soccer strength this spring will come from its high-powered front line.
That's where seniors Rachel Alford and Alex Husinko -- two of the highest-scoring Ladycats in school history -- are expected to add to their lofty career offensive numbers in prolific fashion.

RALEIGH -- After throwing a career-long seven shutout innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts in the win against top-ranked Florida State last Friday, North Carolina State University baseball junior Jason Parker has been named the ACC Pitcher of the Week, the conference announced Monday.
Parker, a former standout at Louisburg College, continued his strong start to the season with another stellar performance on the mound to lift the Wolfpack to a 16-0 win in the series opener against Florida State.

BUNN -- Bunn High School improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in league play with a 5-0 home win over South Granville on Friday in Northern Carolina Conference baseball action.
BHS' Malakai Morrow pitched a complete game shutout, pitching around five hits, two hit batters, and two walks, while striking out four.

Bunn High School's Jaquwon Brake takes flight during the Boys High Jump competition at the annual T Sanders Track and Field Championships last Saturday at Franklinton HS.

Louisburg's Christian Allen seals second base during Monday's road matchup at Vance County.

Louisburg College's Phillip Boykin (right) is greeted by teammates after hitting a home run during Sunday's home doubleheader versus rival USC-Lancaster.

Louisburg High School pitcher Cale Bolton (left) tags out a Vance County runner at home plate during Monday's conference baseball showdown.

Bunn's MacKenzie Batton holds off a Granville Central player during Monday's Northern Carolina Conference girls soccer showdown on the BHS campus.

Dustin and Hope Moore are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Presley Ann Moore. She was born Jan. 14, 2019 at 2:13 p.m., weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 20.1 inches. She was greeted at home by her sister, Maylee, age 9, and brother, Brantley, age 5.
Maternal grandparents are Ricky and Teresa Brantley of Zebulon.

People may be familiar with physical therapy, which many are prescribed after suffering a sports-related injury or being injured in an accident. But less may know about occupational therapy, a form of therapy that can help individuals live full, happy lives even if they're dealing with permanent disabilities or chronic conditions.
The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., says that occupational therapy helps people perform daily tasks to reach goals.

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH. African Apparel Day was held at the Louisburg Senior Center during Black History month. Pictured above: Michelle Wilson.

SIP AND PAINT. Members of the Louisburg Senior Center show off their artwork. Standing, left to right: Christine Alston, Geraldine Robinson, Novella McGirt, Olivia Gupton, and Hanunah Habeeallah. Seated in front is instructor Linda Wade from the Franklin County Arts Council "Diversity Team."

UNDERSTANDING BACK PAIN. Jordan Holmes, from CORA Physical Therapy, conducts a seminar on back pain.

LOUISBURG -- Policy was the key word -- actually, about the only word -- when the Franklin County Board of Education met March 11 to handle a handful of relatively routine business items as well as personnel issues.
The board put its stamp of approval on three policies -- and then agreed to post several more on the district's website to give the public a chance to weigh in on each.

LOUISBURG -- County commissioners helped two organizations in their efforts to continue providing a stable housing option for some of the area's most vulnerable citizens.
Nearly 20 years ago, Housing and Urban Development supported housing units were established in Louisburg, providing housing and programs for people with severe mental illness.

FRANKLINTON -- School officials have suspended the athletic director at a local high school, pending an investigation by state and local authorities.
School staff confirmed that Jeremy Crawford has been suspended with pay, noting that an investigation is underway by the State Bureau of Investigation.
Franklin County Sheriff's Office staff also confirmed they have a role in the investigation, as well.

ZEBULON -- Franklin and Wake county authorities combined to arrest a 20-yera-old Zebulon man on a child sex charge.
Franklin County deputies issued a warrant to arrest David Alan Brantley, on the charge of indecent liberties with a child back in February.
On March 14, with help from Wake County deputies, officers arrested Brantley and placed him in the Wake County Jail in lieu of a $15,000 bond.

LOUISBURG -- Dr. Bert Kelling, who began his orthodontic practice in Louisburg in 1979, is retiring May 1 and has handed the reigns of the practice over to new owner, Dr. Dan Grossman, who established his Wakefield practice about four years ago.
Dr. Dan, as his patients call him, will maintain his Wakefield practice as well as all three locations for Raleigh Orthodontics in Louisburg, north Raleigh and Creedmoor/Butner.

LOUISBURG -- By acclamation, the Franklin County Republican Party elected Danny Pearce as chairman at their county convention held at the Hamilton Hobgood Courthouse Annex on March 9.
"I will do my very best to honor your confidence by doing all that I can to possibly make the Franklin County Republican Party a force to be reckoned with," Pearce said. "With an organized effort and help from party members, we can get this done."

FRANKLINTON --Even before they built it, the people would come.
Now that it's bigger, operators of the town's ABC store hope they come in droves.
The town and its ABC Board expanded its footprint by tearing through an adjoining wall and consuming the next-door space in the Franklinton Square Shopping Center.

YOUNGSVILLE -- This Friday, town commissioners will get their first look at a 2019-20 spending plan that proposes to put money where the board says it matters.
A year ago, the town approved a Capital Improvement Plan that outlined $3.4 million in needs in departments ranging from the ABC store, to the police department to parks and recreation.