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LOUISBURG -- At press time, forecasts had Franklin County emergency staff preparing for wind and rain damage, but Hurricane Dorian's most significant impacts were expected to skip this area.
Emergency Services Director Jeff Lewis said residents could expect to begin seeing and feeling the impacts from the Category 2 storm as early as Thursday morning, going through Friday.

LOUISBURG -- County commissioners heard some potentially good news about a traffic project that could impact, among other things, emergency response.
During the same Sept. 3 meeting, commissioners also heard some disappointing news about backup plans for its 911 operations.
During the board's Aug. 19 meeting, State Department of Transportation area Engineer Joey Hopkins updated the board about bridge repair projects on Pete Smith and Person roads.

LOUISBURG -- Guardians of the county's water recommended how Franklin County's governing board should parse out the last of its annual allocation.
And Public Utilities Director Chris Doherty teased that county staff may be able to eke out more allocation this calendar year for developments that are currently left out.
"I'll have my numbers [of additional allocation] done by the end of September," Doherty told Utility Advisory Committee members.

LOUISBURG -- Unrelated charges against a Franklin County man implicated in a Raleigh homicide were put on the backburner while the more serious murder charge works its way through the Wake County court system.
Franklin and Wake county officers arrested a trio of suspects this spring, alleging they were responsible for the shooting death of Darrell Travonne Willie Greene, 21, of Louisburg.

FRANKLINTON -- Town commissioners approved a text amendment that would allow residents to bury loved ones on their property.
They also approved a rezoning that could grow the town, bring a new store to the area and provide a residence for those with special care needs.
Each decision was approved by unanimous vote during the Aug. 20 meeting, but they did spur some dialogue.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County citizens will have an opportunity this fall to learn more about Open Broadband's plans to expand broadband internet service in Franklin County.
The Oct. 22, Community Information Meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room at the Franklin County Vance-Granville Community College Campus -- 8100 N.C. 56 West in Louisburg.

Super Cool Charleston Wilder, Lake Royale

Just in case you hadn't noticed, that's Labor Day in your rear-view mirror and suddenly, believe it or not, we're in that crazy time of the year when the seasons seem to accelerate relentlessly toward -- dare we even think it yet? -- Christmas!
The kids are back in school, football, from high school to the pros, is all the rage and even that danged hurricane reminds us that fall is near and changes are inevitable.

It almost never fails.
Each summer, I tell myself that I'm going to get out and catch some minor league baseball games.
It always sounds like a great idea at the time. Spring has generally taken full effect, which means that winter and its dreadful weather has long gone.
The smell of fresh-cut grass is intoxicating and the idea of sitting outside is still fresh and new.

LOUISBURG--Agnes Gupton Leonard, 95, of Louisburg transitioned peacefully into eternal rest on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at Louisburg Nursing Center. She was born on November 23, 1923 to the late Dewey and Mary Lou Brewer Gupton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Ollie W. Leonard; son, Tommy B. Leonard, whom she loved dearly; and her sister, Marie Gupton. After graduating from Gold Sand High School she worked and retired from Westinghouse after 30 plus years.

HENDERSON--Ruth Vivian Gray McCamey, 97, of Henderson, NC went to be with her Lord on Sunday, September 1, 2019. She was born on August 20, 1922 in Mifflin, PA to the late Charles and Ruth Harper Gray. Ms. McCamey was also preceded in death by her husband, Charles McCamey; and her son, Dennis McCamey.

FRANKLINTON-Travis Lee Hayes, 49, of Franklinton. Travis' suffering ended on Friday, August 30, 2019. He was born on March 27, 1970 to Carlin Parker Barrett and the late Jerry Eugene Hayes. Travis was also preceded in death by his stepfather, James Edward Barrett.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for Tyroma Smith Gantt, 51, who died Sunday, Sept.1, 2019, will be held Friday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, with the Rev. Larry Keith officiating. Burial will follow in the Oakwood Cemetery.

LOUISBURG -- Untimely mistakes doomed Louisburg in its home football opener last Thursday against Hobbton -- and made a winner out of HHS head coach Joe Salas in his return to Franklin County.
Salas was the skipper at Franklinton during a successful stretch in the early-2000s before embarking on a career that has taken him to several schools, with Hobbton being his latest stop for the past two campaigns.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton's new-look offense got things going, but it was the Red Rams' defense that came through in the clutch down the stretch to preserve a 31-21 home victory over rival Bunn in non-conference prep football action last Friday night.
FHS, behind wide receiver-turned-quarterback Lyeshon Parker, scored on its first two plays from scrimmage and help the Red Rams (1-0) build a comfortable lead before the Wildcats rallied to within three points in the second half.

BUNN -- Coach Erica Wammock was quick to make a few lineup changes for her Louisburg High School volleyball squad after an unheard-of 0-5 start to the campaign.
Those changes, which have proved to be quite effective, were on display Tuesday as the Lady Warriors traveled to Bunn to tangle with the Ladycats in a key early-season Northern Carolina Conference matchup.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Last Saturday, the North Carolina Wesleyan College Cross Country teams traveled to Methodist University to compete in the 1st invitational of the season.
The women finished the day with a runner-up finish to conference rival Methodist.

SALEM, VA. -- Leugim Castillo went 2-for-4 with a RBI double and starter Scotty Sunitsch struck out six over five scoreless innings for the Carolina Mudcats, but Salem's Triston Casas hit a three-run homer in the sixth as the Red Sox defeated the Mudcats 3-1 in Carolina's final game of the 2019 season on Monday afternoon at Haley Toyota Field in Salem.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Due to the threat of poor weather, there will be no high school football games in Franklin County this Friday.
Instead, both games were played Wednesday night as Franklinton traveled to Louisburg for a rivalry game and Bunn hosted area titan Southern Nash.
Stories on both contests will be available at www.thefranklintimes.com.

Bunn High School's Lavadous Bolden (with ball) embarks on a kickoff return as teammate Jaylen Perry attempts to block during last Friday night's road game at Franklinton.

Bunn's Mallori Darnell comes through with a kill Tuesday against rival Louisburg HS.

Louisburg's Abby Nelms (right) offered a spectacular performance for the Lady Warriors during Tuesday's road volleyball triumph at rival Bunn.

Franklinton's Ethan Chapman hangs on to the ball for the Red Rams following a reception during last Friday night's non-conference football matchup against rival Bunn.

The Rev. Dr. Earlie Lenward Brodie lived more than nine decades in Franklin County, and he devoted most of his life to the educational, spiritual, and civic betterment of African Americans in Franklin and surrounding counties.
The son of Willis and Elizabeth Smith Brodie, he was born on August 8, 1905. The large family -- the Brodies had nine children in 1920 -- lived on a farm in Goldmine Township.

The Happy Camper Program of Franklin County received a statewide 2019 Best Practice Award for Profiles in Community Collaboration at the North Carolina Social Services Institute held in Hickory, recently.
Counties nominated throughout the state were those which have programs or policy changes that have resulted in forging relationships between community partners.

HENDERSON -- A regional government advocacy organization received money they can use to help residents bolster their homes.
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency awarded the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments $200,000 to assist residents in Franklin, Granville, Vance, Warren and Person counties with home repair needs.

HENDERSON -- The Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging has formed a partnership with local assets to quickly provide first responders with life-saving information.
The Henderson-based organization and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office are taking part in the File of Life project, which can provide paramedics and others with nuggets of information about a patient -- such as medical conditions, medications, emergency contacts and allergic information -- that would prove useful in an emergency response.