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LOUISBURG -- Students in Franklin County Schools will be wearing masks for at least another month as the county's COVID vaccination rate has stalled at 44 percent, far short of the estimated 70 percent health care experts say is needed to achieve herd immunity.
Even worse are two other metrics that officials are monitoring to determine when masking and social distancing requirements can be eased.

After getting off to a relatively slow start this year, enrollment in Franklin County School is now showing a modest, 10 student increase over last year.
On the 10th day of school -- the day official attendance totals are calculated, FCS recorded 7,921 students, up 10 students from the 7,911 recorded on the 10th day last year.

LOUISBURG -- There is soon coming a generation for whom the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will be a history lesson.
And, not forgetting the devastation of that day will not be enough, said members of the Franklin County Firefighters Association -- organizers of this past weekend's annual memorial service.

BUNN -- Town commissioners agreed to bring back a resolution that would provide for COVID-related sick leave to be paid from federal funds.
Town Clerk Pamela Perry said the matter was discussed during the last clerk's convention, noting that a lot of towns had adopted the modified way of handling sick leave.

YOUNGSVILLE -- A project that aims to transform downtown got the approvals it needed last month.
However, a desire to streamline the construction process means that work on the project will be delayed a few months.
Town officials and staff have been putting the pieces in place to resurface its streets, bolster its sidewalks, improve curbs and gutters, make more robust and efficient its street crossings and improve modality through downtown for the better part of a decade.

Peyton Woodlief of Franklinton makes sure that every last piece of the hog he spent all night cooking is utilized. Downtown Louisburg was the place to be for barbecue lovers last Saturday morning as the second BBQ in the Burg contest wrapped up -- and the air was filled with the aroma of cooking pork. Woodlief is working to open a restaurant soon in Franklinton, which he plans to call Peyton's Place Open Pit Cooked BBQ and Fried Chicken.

LOUISBURG -- A northern Franklin County man accused of impersonating an officer is slated to appear in court in November.
Louisburg police arrested Robert Gary Separk on Sept. 8, a day after a woman alleges that Separk followed her for 10 minutes before pulling her over in town in the middle of the afternoon.

Louisburg's Luci May

For the last year and a half or so, lots of reporters have struggled to figure out how to cover and analyze this thing called a pandemic that has turned all our lives upside down.
Most of us weren't prepared, and that certainly includes me.

Most often, when commercial development is pitted against residential interests, concerns usually center around how such development will infringe upon people's quality of life.
It's usually a conversation that inflames passions on both sides.

LOUISBURG, NC-- Funeral services for Bessie Adell Nicholson, age 74, who died on Monday, September 13, 2021, will be held on Monday, September 20, at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. David Rosby officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Grady C. Inscoe, 88 of Louisburg passed away Sunday morning at his home. He was a son of the late Philip R. and Josephine Inscoe of Castalia.
Grady graduated from NC State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and was also a registered Land Surveyor.

HENDERSON, NC -- John Scott Ayscue, 83, of Henderson, NC died Thursday, September 9, 2021 at Maria Parham Health.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Richard Franklin "Rick" Shirey passed away on September 10, 2021. Rick was born on January 30, 1950 to the late James and Nellie Duke Shirey. In addition to his parents, Rick was predeceased by a sister, Cindy Price; and his brother, Terry Shirey.

Ruby Louise Rudd, aged 81, passed on from this life on Saturday, September 11, 2021, surrounded by family and friends.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA--Thomas Kincaid Barnes, 83, of Virginia Beach, VA, passed away peacefully August 22, 2021 (on his and Claudy Tucker Barnes' 56th anniversary). He is the son-in-law of the late John A. "Zula" Tucker and Hazel Johnson Tucker, of Louisburg, NC.

LOUISBURG, NC-- Funeral services for Thurman Lee "Snoot" Johnson, age 74, who died on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, will be held on Sunday, September 19, at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

WARRENTON - With so many starters returning, it was a given that the Louisburg Warriors would be strong on both sides of the ball during the 2021 high school football campaign.
But it was LHS' excellent special teams work that turned the tide in the Warriors' favor during last Friday's non-conference road matchup at long-time rival Warren County.

BUNN -- Bunn literally saved its best for last during last Friday's home gridiron matchup against Erwin Triton.
With the Hawks driving for a potential go-ahead touchdown in the final minute of the fourth quarter, the Wildcats came up with a fourth-down stand just short of the goal line with 21 seconds remaining to preserve an emotional 20-16 decision in non-conference action at the BHS Football Field.

BUNN -- Coming into Tuesday's Big East Conference volleyball showdown at Bunn, Nash Central had yet to lose a match -- and had dropped only two sets -- during its prolific start to the 2021 season.
But things were about to get interesting for the Lady Bulldogs beginning Tuesday as they were set to begin a 48-hour gauntlet featuring key Big East matches against long-time Franklin County powers Bunn and Louisburg.

LOUISBURG -- Even with a short turnaround time, the Louisburg Warriors were still able to get the job done during Monday night's regular season home matchup against KIPP Pride.
Just 72 hours later, the Warriors had secured a road victory at Warren County in a tough, physical matchup.

FRANKLINTON -- Not since the days of Deran Coe has Franklinton gotten off to this strong of a start to the boys soccer season.
Through nine matches, the Red Rams are a perfect 9-0 to go with a solid 3-0 worksheet in the Big East Conference.
Franklinton has been a force in the Big East over the past four seasons, but the league split up before this year and long-time powerhouses Wilson Fike and Wilson Hunt have moved up.

Bunn's Keagan Osika rises for a kill for the Ladycats during Tuesday's home victory against Nash Central in Big East Conference volleyball action.

(L to R) Louisburg High School gridiron standouts Ornikey Pressey, Jeremiah Eddie, Shamir Sheppard and Tymar Kearney.

Louisburg High School defender Jaqueizw Williams makes a sure tackle for the Warriors during last Friday night's road football decision against long-time rival Warren County in Warrenton.

The Tar River Center for History and Culture has announced its lineup of events for 2021-2022.
This year's programs start on Thursday, Sept. 30 with News & Observer political columnist Rob Christensen, who will be discussing his book "The Rise and Fall of the Branchhead Boys."

The annual NC State Fiction Contest is a free literary competition open to all North Carolina residents, including out-of-state and international students who are enrolled in North Carolina universities. It remains one of the largest free-to-enter fiction contests in the South.
This year's guest judge is Gabriel Bump, author of the award-winning novel Everywhere You Don't Belong.