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LOUISBURG -- COVID-19 cases and coronavirus-related deaths continue to climb in Franklin County, but that doesn't mean all events and gatherings have to be called off.
"One thing I say is 'before you think you can't, see if you can,'" said Franklin County Health Director Scott LaVigne.
Businesses and organizations have struggled coping with executive orders that have either wholly shut down events or limited capacities.

LOUISBURG -- Coordination with the health department and Maria Parham Franklin aided Louisburg College with its plan to open in-person classes last week.
The first stages have gone well, officials said, with enrollment at 430.
"We have no one that has tested positive as of this moment," college President Gary Brown said on Monday.

Normally about this time of the year, newspapers are shooting photos of youngsters heading off to school, boarding those big yellow buses, dealing with backpacks and school supplies while parents breathe (silently, of course) a sigh of relief. Not this year! Since many schools are starting virtually, avoiding face-to-face classes in this pandemic, parents are left to scramble to find desks for students to do their school work at home. To help with that, Franklin County Schools donated unused desks -- using the United Way of Franklin County as a conduit -- to get desks and chairs to students learning at home. Above, Kristy O'Hagan and her son James picked out just the right size desk for the five-year-old.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Elections worked out a plan to add Saturday voting back to an early voting site.
During an Aug. 11 meeting, the board agreed upon and voted on an early voting schedule that included a Sunday and a number of Saturdays -- coupled with weekday voting hours -- leading up to the Nov. 3 election.

LOUISBURG -- A hearing that could overturn a nearly 30-year-old conviction was postponed last week after court officials tracked down a key piece of information -- the court's account of the original trial that led to Kenneth Evans' conviction.
Evans was sentenced to three 40-year sentences in 1995 after a jury found him guilty of robbing and kidnapping then 61-year-old Euther "Ray" Andrews Manning on March 5, 1990.

Louisburg resident and Wake Forest man, Tim Gupton

It's been eons since those magical days when I was a rookie reporter, but there is one truth that is burned into the DNA of me and every newspaper reporter -- and that's the notion that elections are critically important to our democracy and must be held sacrosanct.
Those of us who have been in the business awhile -- and I have to admit to decades of experience -- know what it's like to await election returns and wonder why they always take so long.

I'm going to admit something that probably goes against everything you would expect from a working journalist: I do not watch the presidential nomination conventions.
It is certainly my job as a reporter -- actually, it's my job as a human -- to be abreast of current events in the world that impact me, both directly and indirectly.

Dear editor:
Well, the Confederate Monument is finally down. I still do not understand the point of it all but there will be hard feelings for years about the methods to remove the structure. The same people that were adamant about removing the monument will be the same people that talk about how our country is so divided. Go figure.

SPRING HOPE --Geraline Dare Hicks Mitchell, 77, of Spring Hope, died Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. A graveside entombment service will by held at Lancaster Memorial Park at 11 a.m. on Saturday Aug. 29.

RALEIGH--Minnie Ayscue Smith, 96, died Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020.

LOUISBURG- Theresia Striedinger passed unexpectedly on Sunday, August 23, 2020. She was the first born to Fritz and Marie Striedinger in Bremen, Germany on January 25, 1937.

LOUISBURG -- Of all the intangibles and life experiences needed for her new job, Timyra Staton didn't expect 'ability to overcome adversity' to be such an important prerequisite.
After four years of hard work at Louisburg College and North Carolina Wesleyan College, Staton earned a bachelor's degree and returned to LC as an admissions counselor.

LOUISBURG -- Cedric Mullins has always been able to take advantage of opportunities he has been presented with -- going back to his days as a member of the baseball team at Louisburg College. After starring at LC, Mullins continued to develop his elite-level skills at Campbell University, and was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 13th Round of the 2015 Major League Draft.

LOUISBURG -- Baseball is a game steeped in tradition, but some of that heritage is being tested this season as part of the shortened Major League Baseball campaign.
The MLB is experimenting with a variety of rules changes, and it's an unknown if some of those changes will eventually work their way down to the collegiate level.

DURHAM -- The Durham Bulls are once again offering a Mystery Box through its website.
Contents of the boxes are as follows:
• One Mystery Cap
• One Mystery Commemorative T-Shirt

NASHVILLE -- The Nash Community College Foundation is planning its 31st Annual Student Scholarship Golf Classic.
Players will have a choice of a morning or afternoon tee time on, October 1 or 2.
The tournament will be held at Benvenue Country Club in Rocky Mount. Proceeds from the tournament support scholarships for students attending Nash Community College.

Katrina Williams and Christy Southall prepare for the Franklinton Senior Center Volunteer Appreciation Drive-Thru, Tuesday, August 18.

Activities Specialist Katrina Williams decorates the display just before the volunteer event began.

Rachelle Deats, home-delivered meals volunteer

Volunteer Harold Dickerson

Volunteers Earnest & Emma Richardson

Volunteers Carol & Sunny Day

The validity of the adage "necessity is the mother of invention" was on full display during the COVID-19 outbreak. People quickly had to learn to adapt to a new way of life, including an educational system that was transformed dramatically by social distancing guidelines.
More than 76 million students are enrolled in United States schools, per the latest Census Bureau information. In 2018, 2.12 million students were in Canadian postsecondary institutions alone.

The classrooms of yesteryear are distant memories. Gone are chalkboards, which have made way for smartboards. Even textbooks are slowly being phased out in deference to online curriculums. Modern classrooms are outfitted with digital devices that connect students to the internet. Each of these changes might surprise parents who haven't stepped foot inside a classroom in decades.

Get on board with back-to-school safety with these smart online tips

•Exercise caution when sharing information like your name, address, phone number, and other personal data online. Check with a trusted parent or teacher before sharing private data.
•Report any online activity that makes you feel uncomfortable, scared or confused, whether it is directed at you or a classmate.

An increased reliance on virtual home instruction has many students rethinking their organizational strategies and daily school schedules. Learning at home is different from being in a traditional classroom environment, but with some effective strategies, students can persevere without missing a beat.

Meeting in a virtual session earlier this month, the Franklin County Board of Education made the following personnel decisions. The board:

The following Franklin County students were named to the NC State Dean's List for the spring 2020 semester:

Parents helped clear out storage space as the school system and United Way coordinated to donate desks and chairs for students doing remote learning. Parents picked up items at Franklinton Middle School and the school system's main office on West River Road in Louisburg. Above, Monique Crudup and Makia Price pick up desks. "This generous donation will provide an optimal setting for students to focus and learn," said United Way Executive Director Andrea Wright.

LOUISBURG -- A Warrenton man is slated to make a first appearance in court next week on sexual assault and weapons charges.
According to Franklin County Sheriff's Office Chief of Staff Terry Wright, Marcus A. Burchette, 34, was driving in the area of N.C. 561 the evening of Aug. 13 when he got into an argument with a passenger.

FRANKLINTON -- Authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a man to the hospital.
Sheriff's deputies and Franklinton police responded to Peach Street after getting a report of a gunshot victim around 2 p.m. on Aug. 21.
Officers arrived in the 200 block of Peach Street to find Kasey Deshon Greene, 23, suffering from a gunshot to the arm.

HENDERSON -- Maria Parham Health announced the completion of a new cardiovascular catheterization (cath) lab within its hospital in Henderson.
Leadership recently celebrated the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony with physicians, employees and board members.
Maria Parham's team of cardiologists began performing procedures in the new cath lab the following day.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies are investigating a shooting incident that sent a man to the hospital.
Injuries sustained by Terrance Strickland were not life-threatening.
According to authorities, Strickland was inside his home in the 300 block of Harris Jones Road just before 4:30 a.m. on Aug. 17 when he was hit in the arm by gunfire.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Recent Heavy rains again overwhelmed the county's sewer system.
Franklin County Public Utilities reported that more than 20,000 gallons of untreated wastewater spilled from the Youngsville regional pump station, with about 10,000 gallons making its way into Richland Creek, a tributary of the Neuse River Basin on Aug. 15.