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LOUISBURG -- The State Division of Aviation said Franklin County's airport doesn't have the activity necessary to justify a $12 million grant to extend the runway and bolster the airport.
In 2017, the county received a $12 million aviation grant through the State Transportation Improvement Program that primarily would have paid to extend the runway from 5,500 feet to 6,500 feet, while bolstering its weight load to handle larger, more expensive planes.

LOUISBURG -- Voters can get an early start to casting their ballots for a slew of races, from the president's office, to the judicial bench to the county commission.
Early voting for the March 3 primary began today (Feb. 13).
Early voting hours will be 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, from Feb. 13 through Feb. 28.

LAKE ROYALE -- Representatives of the National Weather Service confirmed strong winds ripped through eastern Franklin County, but no tornado touched down.
Heavy rains and straight-line winds downed trees and power lines and overwhelmed the county's sewer system, leaving residents in the dark, cancelling school and sending sewage into nearby tributaries following a storm the afternoon of Feb. 6.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Sitting as the Board of Adjustment, town commissioners approved a new apartment complex and the expansion of another that its developer says will diversify housing options.
There was no denying, though, that one of the developments could create more traffic headaches, officials feared.

LOUISBURG -- Since 2014, euthanasia rates at the animal shelter have fallen.
Sheriff Kent Winstead said that with a renewed focus by staff, a re-charged partnership with volunteers and rescue groups, and an infusion of county resources, his office wants that trend to continue.

Louisburg resident Calvin Manley

Admittedly the weather this February has been ... well, February-like. Temperatures bouncing all over the place, enough cold rain to drown a frog and, unfortunately, a good dose of high winds last week which, for many of us and our neighbors, caused prolonged power outages.
That all was entertaining, more or less, but for real entertainment, you can't beat the politicians as they begin to jockey for the chance to be president of these dis-United States.

A wise old soothsayer once said: "Don't press send."
Okay, maybe it wasn't a soothsayer. Maybe it was a football coach.
Still, the advice holds true.

Dear editor:
It certainly has been an interesting two weeks.
While delivering his concluding remarks in the Senate trial Adam Schiff said this; "If abuse of power is not impeachable ...

Dear editor:
Anthony Johnson was a most remarkable Black man, who may hold the record for the most firsts in Virginia. Yet, most likely, one may never hear about this extraordinary man.

LOUISBURG--Memorial services for Joseph "Joe" Tucker, 72, who died Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, will be held Sunday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg.

YOUNGSVILLE--Luda Kathleen Perry, 90, died Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 at Hillside Nursing Center in Wake Forest. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today, Thursday, Feb. 13, at Beulah Christian Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

BUNN -- Bunn High School's boys basketball team enters the final game of the regular season -- and the upcoming Northern Carolina Conference Tournament -- with a dose of uncertainty concerning its possible ability to qualify for the Class 2-A State Playoffs.
The Wildcats are currently listed as making the postseason by the slimmest of margins in the latest expert projection.

BUNN -- Every victory counts down the stretch as the Bunn Ladycats attempt to earn a spot in the Class 2-A Girls Basketball State Playoffs -- and BHS earned a huge one Tuesday at home against Northern Carolina Conference foe Granville Central.
Bunn is listed on the bubble for the postseason during the latest expert projections, so the Ladycats need a strong finish in the final week of the regular season -- along with the upcoming NCC Tournament.

LOUISBURG -- Four All-Americans. A Region X Tournament Championship for the third consecutive year. A journey to the Elite Eight of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Tournament as part of a 38-11 overall record.
Certainly, the 2019 campaign was one to remember for the Louisburg College softball squad.

BUNN -- Given Southern Nash's unexpected, near-miss struggles in the Big East Conference this season, it was almost a relief when the Firebirds stepped out of league play last Wednesday for a backyard rivalry matchup against the Bunn Wildcats.
The clubs were supposed to play back in early-December, but the game was postponed due to Southern Nash's deep run in the Class 3-A State Football Playoffs.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Calvin Manley is making his senior season one to remember as a member of the Methodist University men's basketball squad.
Manley, a former standout at Louisburg High School and Vance-Granville Community College, is averaging 9.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per outing as the Monarchs are enjoying a strong campaign in the always-tough USA South Conference.

RED OAK -- Louisburg College's football program closed out National Signing Day last Wednesday by securing a formal commitment from local defensive talent Chris Reynolds.
Reynolds, who totaled 75 tackles this year as a major contributor on the defensive line at Northern Nash High School, spent most of the season playing defensive tackle, helping the Knights reach an 8-5 record and their first playoff win since the 2010 season.

FRANKLINTON -- Several members of the Franklinton High School girls track and field team had already left the facility, figuring there was no way the Lady Rams would claim first place at the annual Big East Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.
But that assessment proved to be incorrect as Franklinton repeated as the girls indoor champs during the recent conference finals at the FHS Football Field.

ZEBULON -- The 2020 baseball season is fast approaching and the Carolina Mudcats are looking to add to the club's game day staff by hosting a job fair hiring event on February 20 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. inside the Cattails Club at Five County Stadium.
Interested job seekers ages 16 and over wishing to work for the Mudcats are highly encouraged to attend the event.

LOS ANGELES -- Christian Buffaloe, local Kyokushin Karate fighter, won the United States title(Lightweight division) at the Japan sponsored "16th Kyokushin Karate USWC Championships" in Los Angeles on January 26.
Two months earlier, Buffaloe competed in the prestigious "12th Kyokushin Karate World Open Championships" in Tokyo, Japan among the best 200 elite fighters in the world.

STANHOPE -- Most long-time observers considered Julius Peppers' induction into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame to be a mere formality.
But that didn't diminish the importance of the moment when Peppers, the former Southern Nash High School multi-sport great, received word that he will be a member of the NCSHOF's latest enshrinement class.

Hard-hitting LeeAnn Nobles returns for her sophomore campaign for Louisburg College.

SPRING ARRIVES. The spring season of concerts at Cherry Hill will begin Sunday, Feb. 16, with the quartet Aurora Musicalis which features Elizabeth Beilman, cello; Rebekah Binford, violin; Jimmy Gilmore, clarinet; and Kent Lyman, piano. The group will play the Trio in G Minor by Clara Schumann, Café Music by Paul Schoenfeld, and the famous "Archduke" Trio in B Flat Major by Beethoven. Aurora Musicalis, now celebrating its 29th year, is a diverse chamber music ensemble composed of members of the North Carolina Symphony.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Plans to expand the town's recreational facilities -- and lure a Wake County athletics program -- have been put on hold.
This past summer, the North Wake County Baseball Association approached the town about bringing their program to Youngsville.

LOUISBURG -- A former Franklin County school employee was convicted of child sex offenses.
On Jan. 28, Matthieu Robert Tanner, 36, pled guilty to one count of second degree exploitation of a minor and one count of third degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

YOUNGSVILLE -- U.S. Senate candidates have been invited to a town hall meeting focused on health care hosted by a trio non-partisan identified groups.
The Indivisible Groups Triangle Daily Call, Indivisible Progressives of Franklin County and Swing Left are hosting the Feb. 20 event at the Youngsville Community House, from 6-8:30 p.m.

LOUISBURG -- Police are looking for a suspect who stole items from a vehicle parked at a hotel.
Louisburg officers responded to the Days Inn on Sandalwood Avenue when someone reported the theft shortly after midnight on Feb. 11.
The incident remains under investigation.

A pair of Mallards enjoys paddling around the 10th hole at The River

Overhead door at Bunn Fire Department was torn up by the storm's high winds