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LOUISBURG -- Franklin County elementary school students will have the option of heading back to the traditional classroom for four days a week beginning April 12 following a unanimous decision by the county board of education Monday night.
The move follows a recent state mandate that all North Carolina school districts must operate under Plan A or B, eliminating the option for Plan C or remote learning only.

LOUISBURG -- The trend that allowed the Franklin County Health Department to get vaccines to educators sooner than expected is the same trend that worries its director.
The state opened vaccinations up to those in Group 3 -- essentially, educators -- on Feb. 24.

James Scott Perry has long had a special place at Franklinton Elementary School but now it's official, he's their hero. Perry's regular job is head custodian at the school but he has assigned himself a lot of other duties, including helping kids tie their shoes, rescuing the ones who forgot their lunch money, rewarding kids, walking them to class, giving them "high fives," and encouraging those with behavioral or developmental needs.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested two detention officers, three inmates and the wife of an inmate in what investigators have called a "pyramid scheme" to smuggle drugs into the jail.
Detention officer Chase Garnett Strickland, 28, was charged with one count of providing contraband to an inmate the morning of March 8.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education made one major change Monday night and also paved the way for other significant changes in the near future.
The board changed the time of its meetings from the long-standing 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. beginning in April although in the past that change has been avoided because it makes it difficult for some parents who work out of the county to attend meetings.

LOUISBURG -- The Army Corps of Engineers will begin sharing information and soliciting input in an effort to mitigate flooding along the Tar-Pamlico River Basin.
The Corps' Pittsburgh District is set to host a series of virtual public meetings, starting with a March 22 session focusing on the town of Louisburg and Franklin County.
"We're excited about the session and hearing what they have to say," said Louisburg Town Administrator Jonathan Franklin.

Former Louisburg spike star Brandi Pinnell

Oh, no, they are back! Here we go again with another of those studies that likely will not amount to much but will cost a bunch -- although the potential is so great we have to be involved.
Remember a few weeks ago we carried a big story about a study of flood control issues along the Tar River? That study recommended four dams be built along the Tar to control flooding downstream -- but for reasons that we've not been able to figure out, those dams were never built.

Even before I decided to write this column, I know what most of you would be thinking or saying: "Nosy reporter got arrested. Well, she got what she deserved. Cry me a river."
But, here's a question for you: How many people go into work, legitimate work, mind you, expecting to get arrested for simply doing their job?
Why do I tempt comment black hole fate by bringing up this issue, you might ask.

Dear editor:
A great look back at the last 30 years. I hate you missed the 30 to 40 years before that.
You could buy a Ford or a Chevrolet in downtown Louisburg or a Pontiac or Oldsmobile on the corner of the Bunn Road and South Main Street.

ZEBULON, NC - Barbara Ann Denton Wright, 82, of Zebulon, died March 7, 2021. She was the daughter of Madie Glen Medlin and Henry Kearney Denton and married to Julius Wright.

LOUISBURG, NC - Graveside services for Bessie J. Kelly Thorne, age 73, who died on Thursday, March 9, 2021, will be held on Monday, March 15, at 2 p.m. from the Thorne Family Cemetery in Louisburg with Rev. Ron Clifton officiating.

WARRENTON, NC - Funeral services for Milton Alston, age 63, who died on Monday, March 1, 2021, were held Wednesday, March 10, at the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Elder J. Joyner officiating.

HOLLISTER, NC -- Funeral services for Nancy Williams, age 88, who died on Saturday, March 6, 2021, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 13, 2021 from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Robert Hedgepeth officiating. Burial will follow in the Pine Chapel Memorial Garden Cemetery in Hollister.

FRANKLINTON - Finish strongly, and hope for a possible wild-card position for the upcoming Class 3-A Boys Soccer State Playoffs.
That's the quest for the Franklinton Red Rams as they wrapped up their regular season schedule this week.
The Red Rams carried a 6-2-1 record into Wednesday's finale at home versus rival Southern Nash -- and a victory in that match would sew up second place in the league for Franklinton.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Even without its expected full roster, the Rocky Mount Gryphons had more than enough to roll through their Big East Conference boys basketball schedule during the 2021 season.
The Gryphons went 10-0 in Big East action to claim the league championship under the direction of veteran head coach Mike Gainey.

FRANKLINTON -- As a testament to its dominance, consider the fact that Rocky Mount High School girls basketball squad won all but one regular season game by double digits during the 2021 campaign.
That lone nail-biter was on the road at Franklinton, and RM still managed to pull away late for an eight-point decision.

ROCKY MOUNT -- The North Carolina Wesleyan College baseball team used a Jackson Murray grand slam and a Davie Morgan walk-off RBI double to knock off second-ranked Randolph-Macon College 8-7 in 10 innings in game three of their series on Sunday afternoon at Bauer Field on the NCWC campus.
The thrilling win was the Bishops' 7th win in their past 8 games as they improve to 8-2 on the year.

ROANOKE RAPIDS -- Louisburg High School's young football team continues to flash its potential, but the Warriors ran into another talented underclassmen Monday night.
That's when Roanoke Rapids sophomore running back Austin Geary rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns as the homestanding Yellow Jackets defeated LHS by a 38-21 margin in Northern Carolina Conference gridiron action at historic Hoyle Field.

FRANKLINTON -- For the second consecutive outing, the Franklinton Red Rams put together a strong performance on both sides of the ball -- and the result was another impressive victory.
One week after rolling past Southern Lee, the Red Rams continued to build their early-season momentum with a 27-0 shutout victory over Bunn last Friday night in non-conference gridiron action at the FHS Football Field.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College will kick off its Region X baseball schedule this weekend with a four-game series against long-time rival Spartanburg Methodist College.
Doubleheaders will begin at 1 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday at historic Frazier Field on the LC campus.
The Hurricanes will enter the series with a 7-2 overall record and on a four-game winning streak under the direction of veteran head coach Blake Herring.

Franklinton's Landon Heller (4) attempts to secure a header for the Red Rams despite being triple-teamed during last Monday's boys soccer matchup versus Fike.

RALEIGH -- A Youngsville teen has been recognized as a Gold Award Scout for her humanitarian efforts.
Madison Jacobs received the honor by building a food pantry donation box at the food pantry at Pilot Baptist Church.
The box allows those in need to access food whenever they need it.