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LOUISBURG -- In what has become almost a late November tradition, Santa Claus came early to the Louisburg Town Council Monday night, bringing a raft of good economic development news.
Here's a rundown of Santa's "gifts":

SERVICE. Above, Thomas Denton and the Justice Volunteer Fire Department and its auxiliary group served about 200 meals to veterans during the county's recognition of the holiday last Thursday.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners included the funding mechanism for the preliminary work on a new county administration building and judicial complex.
However, Commissioner Harry Foy continued his objection to spending more than $2 million for the necessary site surveys, geotechnical testing and building design work.

LOUISBURG -- County commissioners agreed to accept a $1.6 million grant that airport operators will use to fill out the northern quadrant of their airport improvement plans.
In January 2019, the county's governing board commissioned a master layout plan to guide growth and development of its Triangle North Executive Airport.

HOLLY SPRINGS --Authorities arrested a Youngsville man in a weeks-old homicide case.
Franklin County sheriff's deputies and Holly Springs police arrested Michael David Barnes, 41, charging him with first degree murder and felony obtaining property by false pretenses.

The Franklinton community came out, en masse, last Friday and Saturday as operators served their last meals at the venerable City Lunch Cafe, also known as the hotdog stand. The restaurant had been in operation for more than 72 years, with Sharon and Clyde Waiden, and one of their daughters, Michelle Ayscue running the place. Sharon died in April and Clyde died in October, prompting the restaurant's closure. Above, Michelle Ayscue, on steps, listens to, from left, former mayor Elic Senter, Sen. Sarah Crawford and Sheila Allers talk about the restaurant and the community after the proclamation was read on Friday, Nov. 12.

Ethan Abbott and Vicky & George Phelps Jr

Ready for a little tee-shirt philosophy to start things off today?
While wandering around the campus of Duke Medical Center one day recently, I encountered a man wearing a tee-shirt that my late dad, who was a lifelong math and science teacher, would have loved.

The morning of Nov. 2, authorities allege former Las Vegas Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs was driving 156 miles per hour down a Vegas road.
During the early morning hours of Nov. 14, authorities allege the grandson of legendary Coach K, Michael Savarino, was driving along a Hillsborough road when he committed a stop sign violation.
The common denominator?

LOUISBURG, NC--Herbert Gene Leonard Sr., 79 of the Centerville Community passed away on Saturday, November 13, 2021.

BUNN, NC--Marlene Medlin Wood, 91, of Bunn, passed away on November 14, 2021. She was born on September 7, 1930 in Johnston County to the late Zollie Thomas and Allie Gray Medlin. In addition to her parents, Marlene was predeceased by her husband, Perry Lee Wood; a son, Thomas Wood; a daughter, Lee Ann Wood; a grandson, Walton Sullivan; a sister, Jennie Bell; and brothers, Jarvis Medlin, Coy Lee Medlin, and Troy Thomas Medlin.

CARY, NC--Roger Warren Jennings, 81, of Cary, NC died Monday, November 8, 2021 at his home. Roger was born in Speedwell, Virginia on February 25, 1940 to the late Robert Carl and Callie Davis Jennings.

FRANKLINTON -- Following a pandemic-shortened mini-season in 2020, middle school football is alive and well once again in Franklin County -- albeit with a slight twist.
This fall, the Middle Athletic Conference resumed a full football schedule, but opted for the 8-man version in a transition year following the effects of COVID-19.
But one thing remained unchanged in the MAC -- Franklin County schools were once again major players.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Northern Nash's Chloe Harrington and the entire Rocky Mount High School team were the big winners during the 2021 Big East Conference girls tennis season this fall.
Harrington, a senior, once again went undefeated during Big East action on her way to yet another league singles championship.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Two Big East Conference clubs remain in the state football playoffs -- and one of them is coached by a former Franklin County skipper.
That squad would be the Nash Central Bulldogs under the direction of ex-Louisburg High School head coach Chris Lee.
The Bulldogs have exceeded all expectations this season, and the campaign continued last Friday night with a 13-6 home victory against South Granville in the second round of the Class 2-A State Playoffs at The Dawg Pound on the NCHS campus in Rocky Mount.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- It's been quite a year to date for Ty Howle and the Penn State University football program.
Howle, a former standout offensive lineman for PSU, is now in his first season as the tight ends coach for the Nittany Lions.
Howle is following in the footsteps of his father, David -- the long-time legendary coach for the Bunn Wildcats.

Northern Nash High School senior standout Chloe Harrington closed out her career by being named the Big East Conference Girls Tennis Player of the Year -- for the fourth consecutive season.

BUNN BULLDOGS -- 2021 MAC FOOTBALL CHAMPS

Franklinton Middle School's Caden Vann breaks into the clear on his way to a touchdown during last Wednesday evening's MAC Championship football game versus the Bunn Bulldogs on the FMS campus.

Bunn quarterback Josiah Rice hands the ball off to teammate Trenten Pressley during last Wednesday's Middle Athletic Conference Championship Game against host Franklinton.

HENDERSON --Franklin Vance Warren Opportunity, Inc., has partnered with The Bridge Tech LLC, of Greenville, S.C., to offer artificial intelligence and machine learning training.
Participants will learn cutting edge technology applications, agile project management, Python for data science, JIRA software and other emerging and widely -used tools.

LOUISBURG -- A former employee's case against Louisburg College has been dropped.
Attorneys on behalf of Sequoia Sady filed a lawsuit in October 2020, alleging that the school promised to pay her an additional $20,000 a year to serve as the school's web designer -- a role she filled from January 2018 until November 2018.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg police made two weekend arrests in separate domestic violence assaults involving motor vehicles.
First, authorities allege that during the early morning hours of Nov. 13, Christy Holden tried to hit Alvin Swinney with her vehicle.
The incident was reported at about 2:43 a.m. in the 300 block of Ridley Street.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Phi Zeta Chapter recently presented cancer care packages to the Maria Parham Cancer Center in Henderson in honor of Best Cancer Awareness Month.The care packges contained such items as lip balm, cozy socks, hard candies, and other items to bring comfort to patients undergoing cancer treatments at the center.

FRANKLINTON -- Authorities continue to investigate a vandalism near a black-owned business, but authorities said the matter does not appear to be racially motivated.
On Nov. 1, the proprietors of The Jamaican Patty Shack reported that someone had written "Get the hell out of Franklinton" in chalk on the sidewalk outside of the building.