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LOUISBURG -- After another long, secret meeting on Monday, this one lasting about six hours, the Louisburg Town Council emerged to say it has not found a new town clerk but is offering the job of town administrator to Steven W. Hicks, who most recently was town manager of Front Royal, Va.
Mayor Christopher Neal made the announcement about Hicks after the council re-convened in public shortly after 4 p.m. Monday.

LOUISBURG -- At press time, more than 21 percent of voters had cast a ballot in Franklin County.
That was double the number of voters who -- just a week prior -- had gotten a head start on the Nov. 8 election.
Franklin County has 50,478 registered voters at press time and 10,703 ballots -- including absentees -- had been accepted by the Franklin County Board of Elections.

GHOSTS, GOBLINS AND assorted other creatures of the night have been a common sight around Franklin County the last few days -- including Brandon and Jessica Vajanyi's popular haunted home on Louisburg's North Main Street, one of several featured this Halloween.

LOUISBURG ­-- Louisburg's new planning and zoning administrator was introduced to the town council during a special Monday morning meeting -- and on her third day in Franklin County.
Amy Weiser has been tabbed as the successor to Philip Slayter who plans to retire by June of next year -- and told council he will be helping his replacement get acclimated to her new community and job challenges over the next several weeks.

LOUISBURG -- Farm City Week began nearly 70 years ago with a simple purpose: Promote agriculture and the important connection between those on the farm and its primary consumers in urban centers.
Shawn Harding, president of the NC Farm Bureau and guest speaker during the Cooperative Extension's annual Farm City Week luncheon, said those connections are even more important as the apparent divide between the two appear to be increasing.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Two people were killed in separate crashes over the weekend.
On Oct. 29, 22-year-old Margaret Ray was killed when the car she was riding in ran off the road, overturned several times and struck a tree just outside of Youngsville.
On. Oct. 30, Laval Leak, 34, died following a single-vehicle wreck just outside of Franklinton.

LOUISBURG -- A sergeant with the Franklin County sheriff's office resigned his position on Monday, a day after the State Highway Patrol arrested him on charges of driving while impaired.
According to court records, a trooper with the State Highway Patrol arrested Zackary Dylan Proctor on Oct. 30, after stopping him for doing 86 mph in a 70 mph zone.

Dexter and Makenna Robinson during Frankenfest in Franklinton

The last, mostly beautiful October days of 2022 saw Louisburg all atwitter last week -- and it had nothing to do with billionaire Elon Musk's acquisition of the social media disaster known as Twitter.
The purchase left Musk with the moniker of "Chief Twit" -- and somehow that seemed most appropriate, although it didn't have much relevance to what was going on around here.

This summer, there were signs suggesting that the housing market had finally started to slow down.
And, even when that was the case, in Franklin County, the median home sold price in April was $420,000, according to Realtor.com.
And, since I was nosy, I checked the WRAL TechWire story for the most expensive listed home in Franklin County and there was a $1.8 million asking price for a four bed, seven bath home in Youngsville.

Dear editor:
When we went to do maintenance on our Family Cemetery on 10-11-2022 we found vandalism damage had been done to our about a year old Cemetery Fence.
We had fence put up because of previous vandalism to Cemetery Grounds!

LOUISBURG, NC--Bertie Lyvonne Arbogast Durham, 79, of Louisburg and formerly of Elkins, WV died October 25, 2022.

HENDERSON, NC - Jonathan Daniel Wester, 50, of the Epsom Community, died Wednesday night, October 26, 2022.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Rev. Robert Arthur "Bobby" Piper Sr., 84, of Franklinton, died Saturday, October 29, 2022.

LOUISBURG -- Last Friday's annual football grudge match between Bunn and host Louisburg featured plenty of defense -- at least inside the red zone.
Both clubs moved the ball at a consistent rate throughout the thriller, but stumbled once in scoring position.
Opportunities went uncapitalized, but Louisburg made the most of one more trip downfield en route to securing a 13-6 decision over the Wildcats in the Big East Conference regular season finale for each squad at the LHS Football Field.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Ben Snelling has learned to appreciate every birthday since he was diagnosed with cancer several years ago.
With that in mind, Franklinton High School cross country and track and field coach Clennie Wilkins has started the Ben Snelling Classic every October to raise funds for the Jimmy V Foundation with Snelling's blessing.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- It's on to the second round for both Franklin County squads participating in the NCHSAA Boys Soccer State Playoffs.
On the Class 2-A level, Bunn, the No. 2 finisher in the Big East Conference in the regular season, opened its playoff action Monday with a 3-1 home decision over Elizabeth City Northeastern at the BHS Soccer Complex.

FRANKLINTON -- Two playoff-bound teams met in a regular season football finale in the Big East Conference last Friday -- with both Southern Nash and Franklinton looking to find a momentum-boosting triumph heading into the postseason.
Both clubs entered the showdown on two-game losing skids, but it was the visiting Firebirds who stopped their skein with a 53-28 triumph over the Red Rams at the FHS Football Field.

RALEIGH -- The National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, in conjunction with Greater Raleigh Merchants Association and Shop Local Raleigh, have announced the Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest in Downtown Raleigh on February 17 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
The family-friendly event will be open to the public, free of charge.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Listed are the first-round pairings for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's Class 2-A and 3-A State Football Playoffs, which will begin this Friday night:

LOUISBURG'S AUSTIN ROBERSON PICKS UP GOOD YARDAGE

LOUISBURG'S ZAIRE GUPTON HANGS ON TO BHS QB DAMARION WATKINS

LOUISBURG'S SHAMIR SHEPPARD FOLLOWS THE BLOCKING OF TEAMMATE MICHAEL EPPS

TRICK-OR-TREATERS "AMONG US." Tommie Batista and Caleb Batista (a.k.a. Imposter) get into the spirit in Downtown Louisburg

IS THERE A DOC IN THE HOUSE? Madelyn Case, 2, dressed as Doc McStuffins, poses with Franklin County paramedic Madison Henterly

Mia Figueroa, 5, reaches for treats in Youngsville during Trick or Treat on Main on Friday

Sean and Christina Haney play cornhole that was set up at Frankenfest on Main on Saturday

Minions Melissa Avery & Emily Miller in Youngsville

DANCE TIME. A cheer squad entertains a crowd during Frankenfest on Main in Franklinton Saturday

The Franklinton Area Community Theatre, including Emily Hanson as JoJo, front, center, has a production of Seussical Jr! coming up. Shows are set for Nov. 3, Nov. 4, Nov. 5 and Nov. 6. at Franklinton High School's auditorium. Show times will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, Nov. 4 and Nov. 5. A matinee showing will take place at 3 p.m. on Nov. 6. To get tickets or more information, visit factnc.org.

The Louisburg town council will meet in a special session at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in the council chambers, at Town Hall, 110 West Nash St.
On the agenda are a formal vote to offer the town administrator's job to Steven Hicks and a preview of the study of Depot Hill by GWP Developers, LLC.

Ben and Luke Barrett take part in the Frankenfest on Main costume parade in downtown Franklinton.