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YOUNGSVILLE -- Planning consultants presented the public with a new zoning map to guide growth down the road.
Residents, property owners and business representatives suggested the town slow its roll a bit.
In the spring of 2018, town leaders tasked N•FOCUS Senior Planner Richard Flowe with developing a Comprehensive Land Use & Master Plan, which incorporates every facet of how the town will develop into the future, from infrastructure planning to zoning regulations and priorities in between.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County is in the midst of a shake-up as one department head has been placed on leave, another abruptly retired and another is resigning after less than two years on the job.
County Manager Angela Harris on Oct. 23 placed Emergency Services Director Jeff Lewis on paid leave.

The River of Yesteryear Festival in Louisburg, shown here through a handcrafted wreath, drew more than 700 people to Louisburg's Riverbend Park last Saturday to view exhibits, enjoy various craft demonstrations, listen to a historical debate and enjoy nearly perfect weather for the annual event.

A public meeting next week will give local officials, residents and business owners a chance to comment on the North Carolina Department of Transportation's plans for changing Bickett Boulevard in Louisburg.
In a nutshell, the DOT wants to convert Bickett from four lanes plus a center turn lane into a four-lane, limited access highway with a central median from Burke Boulevard to Nash Street (NC 56 East).

LOUISBURG -- It took less than five minutes for the Louisburg Town Council to unanimously agree to sell the property at 107 North Church Street as part of a revitalization project.
The action came during a special, noon-time council session on Monday during which no one spoke at a public hearing on the council's proposed action.

Kacey Anthony at Frankenfest on Main

We, and through us, our readers, got a double-barrelled shot of silliness last week in the form of two studies which, frankly, are much ado about very little.
The most that we can hope is that they spark some serious discussion about local issues before anyone starts signing checks with lots of zeroes.
Anyone who is a regular reader of this column has figured out long ago that I'm skeptical ... well, maybe cynical ... about these costly studies which usually use up lots of paper but end up sitting on a shelf, ignored, unloved and unrealized.

In a week's time, my faith in community engagement has been restored.
On Oct. 22, the company that Franklin County hired to bring better Internet service to the underserved and some semblance of service to those without it held an information session on the matter.

Dear editor: I would like to thank Rock Spring Baptist Church for providing such a nice atmosphere for donating blood in October.
The Red Cross works very hard in collecting blood and most of us do our best in donating when possible.

YOUNGSVILLE--Lessie Parham Hilton-Fogle died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at Eakes Funeral Home Chapel, Clement Avenue, Oxford, with visitation preceding the service from 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. Interment will follow in the Mountain Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.

RALEIGH--Willie Perry Pernell, 84, died Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 at his home in Raleigh. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m. at Mountain Grove Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Under normal circumstances, at least one Franklin County school -- and sometimes even more -- makes a deep run in the state volleyball playoffs.
But it wasn't meant to be this season as Franklinton, Louisburg and Bunn have all been knocked out of the playoffs in their respective classifications.

STANHOPE -- Southern Nash controlled its own destiny heading into the final two matches of the Big East Conference's regular season in boys soccer.
Southern needed to defeat Franklinton last Wednesday and Hunt on Thursday in order to secure the conference title, which has featured a three-way dance down the stretch between the Firebirds, Franklinton and Wilson Fike.

OXFORD -- Momentum swings, and the haphazard way they seem to develop, are one of the hardest intangibles to explain in sports -- and that aspect was on display last Thursday in the championship match of the Middle Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament.
It was difficult to understand some of the shifts in the match, with both top-seeded Terrell Lane and second-seeded Cedar Creek taking turns holding the precious cup of momentum.

LOUISBURG -- This wasn't the way the Louisburg Warriors wanted to say farewell to Patterson Field.
Playing possibly for the last time at their long-time home facility, the Warriors were steamrolled by Granville Central last Friday night by a 57-6 margin in a key Northern Carolina football matchup.

BUNN -- With first place at stake in the Northern Carolina Conference football standings, the Bunn Wildcats were foiled during a wild fourth quarter during last Friday's home thriller against South Granville.
Both clubs entered the showdown with unblemished records in the NCC, but that status now belongs only to the visiting Vikings, who rallied on three occasions during the game to secure a 27-26 victory.

LOUISBURG -- Last Saturday, Louisburg College's football team hosted Jireh Prep.
Louisburg (2-4) finished the day with the victory by a 31-26 margin at Patterson Field on the campus of Louisburg High School.
In October, the Hurricanes did not practice for two weeks, but instead used extra time in the weight room so that when they returned to practice there was a lot of renewed energy and excitement.

FRANKLINTON -- In front of an impressive homecoming crowd last Friday night, Franklinton High School looked to pick up its first Big East Conference football win of the 2019 season.
However, Coach Andrew Farriss' Northern Nash Knights spoiled the homecoming festivities with a 42-14 win over the Red Rams.

ROCKY MOUNT -- The North Carolina Wesleyan College football team's comeback attempt fell just short as they lost 26-20 to Brevard College in conference action at Rocky Mount Stadium last Saturday.
Wesleyan scored 20 straight points in the fourth quarter to get within six points, but their onside kick attempt fell a half-yard short of going the required 10 yards before the kicking team could recover.

Northern Nash High School running back Amir Pittman-Williams has been one of the top gridiron performers this season in the Big East Conference.

Louisburg High School's Jarule Hartsfield speeds upfield for the Warriors during last Friday night's Northern Carolina Conference football meeting at home versus Granville Central.

Members of the Terrell Lane Middle School volleyball team rejoice after the final point of last Thursday's contest against Cedar Creek in the championship match of the Middle Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament in Oxford.

TERRELL LANE MIDDLE SCHOOL
MAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS

CEDAR CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL
MAC TOURNAMENT SECOND PLACE

Rebekah Smith (left) was exceptional this fall for the Franklinton High School volleyball squad, which reached the second round of the Class 3-A State Playoffs.

HAMMERIN' AWAY. Blacksmith Eric Cartwright demonstrated the age-old craft of shaping iron into useful items during the River of Yesteryear Festival held last Saturday in Riverbend Park.

Louisburg artist Dee Parks didn't have to look very hard for inspiration as she demonstrated painting skills during the River of Yesteryear events. She set up her easel and went to work creating the scene in Louisburg's Riverbend Park that unfolded right before her on a picture-perfect October day.

Seniors and Franklin Co. Dept. of Aging staff pose with a cast member of the show, left to right: Brenda McNeil, Activities Specialist Katrina Williams, cast member of Mary & The Boys, Ilean Mattocks, Della Hodge, Social Worker Shelia Mitchell, and Martha Davis.

Members of the Louisburg Senior Center completed a computer class. Pictured left to right: Instructor Tammy Ball, Olivia Gupton, Mildred Lucas, Instructor Lisa Rodwell, Elmar Holmes, Mary Livingston, Rose Grissom and John Nicholson.

The Louisburg Senior Center members painted pumpkins at their last class. Showing off their creations are (left to right): Linda Beasly, Alice Alston, Tyrone Sanders, Earl Cost, Olivia Gupton, Instructor Linda Wade, Christine Green and Kitty Basham.

Franklin County schoolchildren will have a special opportunity to learn about the history of powered flight in a live performance titled "The Wright Brothers: Those Daring Young Men & Their Flying Machine."
This musical biography for young audiences follows the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright, America's pioneers of aviation. With courage, ingenuity and determination, they make their dream of flying come true.

Viola Wolfe wasted no time getting ready to join other creatures of the night as Halloween looms. She sat still for a few moments during the Friday Night on the Tar event last week while artist Amanda Hearsh made sure she was ready for the fun. Downtown Louisburg's Halloween night haunting and other activities run from 6-8 p.m. in downtown where part of Main Street will be closed to keep the haunting creatures safe.

SPRING HOPE -- Franklin and Nash county authorities are investigating to see if there is anything to link two decade-old cases, other than coincidence.
Nash County authorities on Oct. 24 arrested Kimberly Hancock, alleging she was responsible for the death of Deborah Deans -- a woman who was last seen in 2004.
Investigators got a break in the case after receiving a tip, which led them to locate remains at a property in the 1400 block of Wiley Road.

LOUISBURG -- Architects gave Franklin County leaders another look at their proposal to expand, rehab and renovate county facilities.
After examining the county's existing facilities and projecting future needs, representatives with Oakley Collier Architects presented commissioners on Oct. 21 with its 12-year Facilities Master Plan and Space Needs Assessment, detailing $63 million in upgrades -- including more than $21 million for a new county administration complex.

Franklin County sheriff's deputies concluded the second phase of a six-month drug operation, arresting more than a dozen people, racking up nearly 90 charges.
Phase One of Operation Impact resulted in 15 arrests and 86 drug charges last month, focusing on areas in and around Franklinton, Youngsville and Wake Forest.
On Oct. 18, authorities announced they arrested 16 people on 88 felony drug charges in Phase II.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Election day is less than a week away and those looking to take the reins of town leadership are promising bigger and better things moving forward.
Residents in Bunn, Franklinton, Louisburg, Youngsville (and parts of Wake Forest inside Franklin County) will get to select new leaders in contested races in each town.

FRANKLINTON -- Authorities arrested and charged two teens last week with a summertime spree of vandalism that authorities feared could be hate-related.
The arrest of two 17-year-olds on Oct. 24, though, revealed the acts were spurred by mischief, not hate.
With the assistance of a school resources officer, Franklinton Police Chief John Green on Thursday arrested Jessica Cardona and Timothy Anderson, charging them with property damage found at three buildings on Aug. 6.

BUNN -- Charges against a former Bunn High teacher were dismissed.
The State Highway Patrol charged Kristen Earsley with driving while impaired in the parking lot of Bunn High School the morning of Oct. 5, 2017. She departed the school shortly thereafter.
According to authorities, officers were called to Bunn High School after Earsley was asked to leave because they believe she had been drinking.

BUNN -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested a Bunn area man and seized drugs and cash during a search warrant.
James Edward Bullock Jr., 51, of Dead Road, was charged with five counts of possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine, five counts of selling cocaine, five counts of maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/place for selling controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Vidant Health in Greenville announced that 11 of their nurses have been named to the North Carolina Great 100 Nurses Class of 2019. All 100 were recognized at a formal gala in Concord recently.
One of the recipients is Kelly Leonard Allis, a graduate of LHS and the daughter of Taylor and Cindy Leonard of Louisburg.

Franklin County Farm Bureau held its annual Customer Appreciation Day last week at the Louisburg location. (Above) Retired Farm Bureau employee Kay Sims (at left) poses with Katrina Gilliam, Gilliam's daughter, Avery Gilliam, age 4, and Gilliam's nephew, Will Church, one year old. The event also included performances by Crosscreek Charter School band and Willis Gupton, food and prizes.