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LOUISBURG -- Architects presented county commissioners with a $63 million, 12-year plan to address their facilities needs.
The biggest chunk -- nearly $22 million -- is for a new county administration complex proposed to sit right behind the Franklin County Courthouse Annex.
"Without a doubt, we all know that this county is growing," said Assistant County Manager Kim Denton. "Our departments are all feeling the growing pains, so, it is only realistic that the physical facilities where we serve residents and customers would feel that impact, as well.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners agreed to accept a $3.9 million state grant and cough up nearly $850,000 of its own money to build a new emergency dispatch center.
In August, Emergency Communications Director Christy Shearin informed commissioners that the State 911 Board awarded Franklin County $3,958,873 to use for a new 911 center.

LOUISBURG -- Those who entered Louisburg College's Norris Theater last Thursday evening heard impactful words, inspiring music and the names of those who have died as a result of domestic violence.
They also witnessed candles being lit and watched motivational dancers.
As they exited, Safe Space Executive Director Monica McInnis wanted them to take action.

LOUISBURG -- An aquatics/swimming facility was the top recreation amenity ranked by Louisburg residents in a recent survey to determine what local residents want to see in their community.
In addition, a significant number of those residents said they were willing to pay entry or user fees (37 percent) and 41 percent said they were willing to pay increased taxes to develop assets like new greenways/walking trails.

Bunn HS girls tennis player Maecie Corbett

It's hard to believe it's just a week until ghosts and goblins will be running amok in Franklin County -- and especially in downtown Louisburg -- but at least Mother Nature is making it seem a lot more like October than it felt just a few days ago.
Other than the dust and pollen, this is a great time of the year; chilly mornings where the sun quickly warms up into really nice days and evenings that are great to mess around outside, go for a walk or maybe even toss something good on the grill. And, of course, there are always Football Fridays!

At its last meeting, the county commissioners voted unanimously to give its "top dog" a $20,000 raise.
On Monday night, Commissioner Harry Foy said it's time to spread the wealth to the rest of county employees.
"I look at this organization as a team approach," Foy said, referring to County Manager Angela Harris who sits atop the county's employee structure.

Dear editor: It has occurred to me over the last couple of years that this is the most wonderful time to live in the United States. We can at any time, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, turn on our TV and find someone that is far smarter than our current president. These cable news experts can tell you what he did wrong yesterday, what he will do wrong today and what he will do wrong tomorrow.

WARRENTON - Darnell Kent "Otis" Cyrus, 57, died Tuesday morning, Oct. 22, 2019 at his home.

LOUISBURG - William Maurice Hill, Jr. of Louisburg died October 23, 2019. He was born August 11, 1935 in the Royal Community, Franklin County, NC to the late William Maurice Hill and Beatrice Barham Hill. He was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Frances Jones Hill, in April 2019.

CREEDMOOR -- Louisburg High School volleyball coach Erica Wammock is the first to admit that it's difficult to defeat a quality opponent three times in a season -- let alone one that is a fierce county rival.
But that was Louisburg's lofty task during Tuesday's semifinal action of the Northern Carolina Conference Volleyball Tournament at the South Granville High School Gymnasium.

BUNN -- Heads were held high last Thursday for the Bunn High School girls tennis team -- and for a very good reason.
Bunn's best-ever girls court campaign didn't exactly end as anticipated as the Ladycats were defeated by a strong South Columbus club in first-round action of the Class 2-A State Playoffs on the impressive refurbished BHS Courts.

BUNN -- Senior Night always provides one of the most important, emotional matches of the high school volleyball season -- but the Bunn Ladycats upped the ante last Thursday against Northern Carolina Conference opponent Roanoke Rapids.
Shortly after honoring their four seasons (Jessica Sosa, Taylor Whitley, Bri Pippin and Kyla Sherian), the Ladycats tangled with the Yellow Jackets, and things didn't start exactly as planned.

FRANKLINTON -- For much of the game, the end zone seemed like the forbidden zone for Franklinton and Wilson Fike during last Friday's Big East Conference football showdown.
Both clubs made numerous trips inside the opposing 20, but would eventually be thwarted by turnovers or yellow flags as part of the sloppy, penalty-filled outing.

LOUISBURG -- J. Enid Drake's former players, associates and friends are invited to attend a get-together this Saturday for the legendary Louisburg College men's basketball coach.
Drake, a native of Castalia, coached at Louisburg College for five decades before retiring in 2007. He is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

CREEDMOOR -- Through eight games, the South Granville Vikings have earned two distinct football milestones in the Northern Carolina Conference -- the league's most deceiving record and a share of first place in the always-competitive league.
The deception portion comes from a grueling non-conference schedule that saw the Vikings, now 5-3 overall, drop three of their first four outings.

OXFORD -- The final 15 minutes of Bunn's key Northern Carolina Conference football game at Oxford Webb last Friday were certainly memorable for the visiting Wildcats.
Trailing by 14 points, Bunn rallied for 22 unanswered tallies as part of an amazing comeback that sent the Wildcats past Webb by a stunning 36-20 margin -- and put BHS into a first-place tie with South Granville in the NCC.

WATERVILLE, MAINE -- Kayla Sellars has gotten off to an outstanding start to her women's soccer career at Thomas College.
Sellars, one of the best all-around players that Bunn High School has ever produced, is currently a sophomore for the Terriers, who competed in the Division III North Atlantic Conference.

A pair of Franklinton High School defenders team up to make a tackle for the Red Rams during last Friday night's home football showdown against Big East Conference opponent Wilson Fike, which won the key league outing over FHS.

Bunn's Rebecca Tyson (23) prepares a block attempt against a kill from LHS' Greenleigh Gleason during Tuesday's volleyball matchup.

Bunn High School's MacKenzie Batton (right) goes up for a kill attempt as Louisburg's Abby Nelms defends during Tuesday evening's matchup in the semifinals of the Northern Carolina Conference Volleyball Tournament in Creedmoor.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church will host the Raleigh Convocation Choir on Sunday, October 27th. The choir is a ministry of the Raleigh Convocation of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina and will sing choral evensong from the 1600s at 5 p.m. Formed in 2008, the ensemble performs music from the Anglican choral tradition and sings for church services in the Triangle and beyond. Their members are from churches and communities throughout the state.

Long-time Louisburg College Visual Art Professor Will Hinton has recently returned from a two and a half week sabbatical from his teaching duties and is planning to share his experiences at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30 in the Jones Performing Arts Center at Louisburg College.
Billed as "my Pilgrimage Lecture," his talk will focus on his pilgrimage to Lisbon and Porto, Portugal on the north coast of Galatia in Spain.

The 1967 Class of Bunn High School gathered recently to celebrate its 52nd reunion. Classmates and guests met at Vicky Baker Denton and Van Denton's "Red Barn" in Bunn for hours of fellowship and a catered meal.
Class members expressed their memories while attending Bunn High School, in addition to catching up with friends about the last 52 years.

RALEIGH - The State Highway Patrol continues to investigate a crash involving a Franklin County-assigned state trooper who was hit by a vehicle on US 1 in Vance County.
Just before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, a 2012 Buick traveled off U.S. 1 in Vance County -- just past the Franklin County line -- and struck the Trooper Craig Hundley from behind as he was conducting a traffic stop.

LOUISBURG -- A company hired to bring better Internet service to Franklin County anticipates starting a three-year rollout of service by the end of the year.
Franklin County approved an agreement with Open Broadband in June whereby the Charlotte-based company would work to bring their service to the entire county while targeting unserved and underserved areas.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a request that allows the sheriff to hire close kin.
Sheriff Kent Winstead said there won't be nepotism, though.
State statute requires that the sheriff's office, as well as the Register of Deeds, get county commission approval before they can hire someone of nearer kinship than a first cousin.

A 4-H'er and Franklinton resident took honors at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in West Friendship, MD.
Tia Iversen, 12, was the recipient of a Bluefaced Leicester yearling ewe awarded by the Youth Conservationist Program at this spring's Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

SAN ANTONIO -- A recent Bunn High School graduate completed Air Force basic training.
U.S. Air Force Airman Taylor M. Bunn graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
Bunn completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.