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FRANKLIN COUNTY -- A nationwide distribution chart indicates Franklin County and its municipal governments will pull down more than $16.2 million they can use to help offset losses incurred by COVID-19.
President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act last week, providing most Americans with at least $1,400 in personal stimulus funds.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education unanimously agreed Monday night that all the district's schools will be open for four days a week of face-to-face classroom instruction beginning Monday, April 12. Included in the return to the classroom are all EC students in the system.
The move to essentially reopen schools came after Gov. Roy Cooper decided, under pressure from the North Carolina Senate, that all the state's schools should be open under either Plan A or Plan B -- four days of face-to-face instruction for Plan A or two days under Plan B.

LOUISBURG -- A Lotta Love has gone into renovations at Safe Space's domestic violence shelter.
The Executive Director of the Franklin County organization tasked with helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault get back on their feet via the shelter said securing assistance from the Chapel Hill-based organization has been a blessing.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County's animal control director presented commissioners with changes she wants to make to services, as well as the document that governs its operations.
None of that, though, should change the county's decision to re-establish an animal control advisory board, Commissioner Danny Pearce said.

BUNN -- A state Highway Patrol trooper with local ties has died from COVID-19 complications. It's one of three deaths recognized locally by the state, including two Franklin Correctional Center inmates.
Brent Montgomery battled the coronavirus and had been in intensive care for more than a month before officials announced his death on Monday.

Franklinton's Joe B. Cutchins Jr.

Wanted: A few good arms.
Well, okay, maybe more than a few ... but you get the idea.
As we're beginning to turn the corner on this @#$%@#!!! COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves with a vaccine that will help curtail its spread and save lives but, right now, there aren't enough available arms to put it in.

Franklin County switched over to its new, $10.7 million dollar emergency radio system in the fall of 2012 and, from the very beginning, crews have worked to correct issues that caused garbled audio, volume issues and dropped calls.
Nearly a decade later, depending on who you speak with, nothing's changed.

Dear editor:
I was sitting in a chair near a window that looks out over a tree in my yard, under which is a (typically bone-dry) birdbath, that I had surprisingly taken the time to fill up a couple days before due to the warmer weather we've had during the daylight hours.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC -- Memorial services for Charles Preston Eaton, age 65, who died on Monday, March 15, 2021, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 18, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg.

BUNN - Despite boasting a young roster, the Bunn Ladycats enjoyed an exceptional girls basketball campaign this winter.
The Ladycats, coached by Matt Keith, finished second in the Class 2-A Northern Carolina Conference and narrowly missed making the shortened North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Playoffs.

FRANKLINTON -- Capitalizing on opportunities is one of the hallmarks of a tradition-rich program, and that's exactly what the Rocky Mount Gryphons were able to achieve during last Friday's Big East Conference road football showdown at Franklinton.
Statistically, the game was fairly even, with both clubs sprinkling in some offensive excellence with timely defensive work.

BUNN -- It took three weeks, but the Bunn Wildcats have broken into the victory column for the 2021 Spring football season.
The Wildcats struggled offensively for the first two weeks of the campaign, but that wasn't an issue last Friday as Bunn roared to a 38-30 decision over Warren County in a Northern Carolina Conference gridiron matchup at the BHS Football Field.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Veteran Bunn High School boys basketball coach Patrick Reynell was expecting to field a strong team during the 2020-21 season -- and then COVID-19 hit. One key starter transferred for the Wildcats, and some other expected rotation performers were not part of the team this year.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College's softball and baseball squads continued their respective strong seasons with excellent performances last weekend on the LC campus.
Last Friday, the LC softballers swept a doubleheader from Region X opponent Southeastern Community College out of Whiteville.

OXFORD -- Louisburg High School took charge early and never relented en route to delivering a key 48-14 road victory at Oxford Webb last Friday night in Northern Carolina Conference football action.
LHS, now 2-1 overall, used the talents of senior quarterback Jaheim Brown to roll to the impressive decision.

ZEBULON -- For the first time ahead of the 2021 season, the Carolina Mudcats have announced that season tickets, group ticket options and mini plan packages, including the Grand Slam Package featuring three replica jerseys and more, are all now on sale at carolinamudcats.com and at (919) 269-CATS (2287).
The newly released ticket plans provide fans their first chance, and best opportunity, to purchase Mudcats tickets for the upcoming 2021 season.

Rocky Mount High School's Elijah Battle (with ball) eyes some space to head upfield during last Friday night's Big East Conference football matchup at Franklinton.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council held three public hearings which drew no comment from the public and then proceeded to adopt three sets of rules designed to update town regulations, some of which have been on the books for decades.
A 19-page set of subdivision regulations was adopted, updating those which were adopted back in 1977 and amended only occasionally since then.

LOUISBURG -- Three Franklinton residents were charged in a series of thefts from construction sites.
Between February and March, the trio is alleged to have stolen from or possessed more than $35,000 worth of construction materiels from construction sites around the county.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- A vehicle checkpoint led Franklin County sheriff's deputies to arrest two Wake County residents -- including the daughter of a county commissioner.
Rhiannon Marie Foy, 42, and William John Thomas, 40, were arrested on March 9 and each charged with possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

FRANKLINTON -- A Franklinton man is slated to appear in court in May on charges that he went to a middle school, armed with a gun, looking to settle an earlier dispute between his son and another student.
No injuries were reported during the March 10 incident.

RALEIGH -- A Franklin County man and convicted sex offender was deported after it was revealed he lied on a passport application.
Saul David Aquino was issued a naturalized citizen certificate in August 2009, a process that required him to answer truthfully whether he had ever committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested.

The Little Free Library program is a way to promote reading for children, literacy for adults and libraries around the community.
It's a "take a book, return a book" gathering place where people share their favorite literature and stories.
In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share.

Supporters of FGV Smart Start gathered at Louisburg's Joyner park recently to celebrate the opening of another "Take a Book, Share a Book" Little Free library.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Republican Party will hold its annual county convention Saturday, March 27, at the Louisburg Moose Lodge, 191 Moose Loop Road.
Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.
According to Franklin County Republican Party Chair Ed Strickland, all Republicans are invited to attend. There is no fee to attend, Strickland added.