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LOUISBURG -- Sean Medlin, Louisburg's veteran finance director, was beginning to unwind at home last Friday evening after a long week when a surprise telephone call changed his life.
On the other end of the call was Louisburg Mayor Christopher Neal and he had an important message for Medlin: the town administrator's job was his if he chose to accept the offer.

LOUISBURG -- More than 54 percent of Franklin County's voters cast a ballot during this midterm election, selecting a new county commissioner and sheriff -- both Republicans.
And, Republicans had sweeping victories in Congress and in judicial races, too.
Sheriff's Office Capt. Kevin White received the most votes for sheriff, besting a challenge by Democrat Troy Wheless, who also works within the department as a major.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg police are investigating two shootings at convenience stores -- one of which proved fatal -- within a week's time.
Authorities arrested and charged 41-year-old Thomas Lee Hicks Jr. with first degree murder on Nov. 3, a day after Louisburg police allege he shot and killed Ricky Shipman.
Hicks is being held in the Franklin County jail without bond.

LOUISBURG -- An activist group from Franklinton High School asked county commissioners to take the first step toward mitigating destructive acts to the environment.
About a year ago, FHS students became part of the national Action for the Climate Emergency [ACE] network, which encourages young people to advocate for solutions to the climate emergency, which is most often reflected through climate change

BUNN -- Town commissioners hope to shut down a "drag strip" by installing new stop signs.
On Monday night, Commissioner Nicole Brantley encouraged the board to install some speed controlling measures to slow traffic along N. Franklin Street near W. Carolina Avenue.

Bunn HS football legend Tevin Perry

Perhaps we need to rein in this Depot Hill "horse" before we lose another iconic part of our historical heritage in Louisburg.
Frankly, I couldn't find much to celebrate in the recent report outlined for the Louisburg Town Council regarding the future of Depot Hill and the vintage train station/depot on the hill along South Main Street just south of the Tar River bridge. (See story beginning on Page 1.)

What I'm about to say is not sacrilege, I promise.
But, even as someone who makes their very living based on businesses and other entities' willingness to advertise, one of the best days in recorded history is the day after an election.
No longer are my favorite television shows interrupted with political ads that, let's be honest, sound more ominous than the latest horror feature.

SOUTH CAROLINA-- Esther Simmons Eury, 88, of Summerville, SC, formerly of Franklinton, NC died Friday, November 4, 2022. A graveside service was held 1 p.m., Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at at Fairview Cemetery in Franklinton.

LOUISBURG, NC --Funeral services for Geraldine Fowler, age 81, who died on Monday, November 7, 2022, will be held 2 p.m., Sunday, November 13, 2022 from the Ambassadors For Christ Ministry in Louisburg with Pastor Jamaal Brodie officiating. Burial will follow in the Mary Helen Jones Cemetery.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Mr. James "Buddy" Albert Ross Jr., 71, of Franklinton died Wednesday, November 2, 2022. He was born on January 3, 1951, to the late James Albert Ross Sr. and Edith Wall Ross.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Joyce Breedlove Harrison Fuller, 87, of Louisburg, died Monday morning, November 7, 2022 at her home.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The band Chicago's epic 1960s rocker 'Beginnings' might now be 53 years young, but it certainly typifies the current state of the Franklinton High School volleyball program.
For the 2022 Lady Rams, it was only the beginning of what looks to be a continuation of Franklinton's recent dominance of the Big East Conference as FHS didn't have a single senior on its roster this fall.

MEBANE -- Franklinton didn't exactly have the most favorable draw for the first round of the Class 3-A State Football Playoffs as the Red Rams had to travel to Mebane to take on the Eastern Alamance Eagles -- one of the state's most tradition-rich gridiron programs.
FHS hung tough with the Eagles through the first half, but EA delivered three unanswered touchdowns in the second half of action en route to defeating the Red Rams by a 41-7 margin last Friday night.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Four Franklin County standouts, led by Big East Conference Class 2-A Singles Champion Carlee Tart, have earned spots on the all-league team for the 2022 girls tennis season.
Bunn's Tart, a senior who was only in her second year as a member of the BHS court squad, claimed the singles title with two convincing victories before advancing to the Class 2-A East Regionals.

VANCEBORO -- Even with their less-than-sterling finish, few could argue against the fact that the Bunn Wildcats made significant progress on the gridiron this fall under first-year head coach Dennis Burton.
Despite fielding one of the youngest rosters in school history, the Wildcats won their first four outings, including a monumental upset over perennial Big East Conference powerhouse Rocky Mount.

LOUISBURG -- Terrell Lane Middle School has featured its share of strong boys soccer squads through the years -- and the 2022 campaign proved to be no different for the Tornadoes.
TLMS, coached by Keith Lynch, dropped its first match of the season and its last -- but won every outing in between while reaching the Middle Athletic Conference Championship.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Listed are the first-round results and second-round pairings for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's Class 2-A and 3-A State Football Playoffs:

ZEBULON -- The Carolina Mudcats, the Class-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, have announced several front office promotions as well as the addition of two new front office hires ahead of the 2023 season at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.

FRANKLINTON -- Deputies arrested a Franklinton-area man they allege perpetrated a knife attack.
Deputies responded to a home in the 100 block of Timberline Drive at about 10 a.m. on Nov. 5 -- meeting a man on the front porch who alleged Gregory Williams was inside attacking a woman at knifepoint.

LOUISBURG -- A Zebulon area man was convicted on death by distribution charges in Franklin County Superior Court.
During a court hearing in October, Tyree Montrel Person pled guilty to death by distribution and three counts of selling a Schedule I controlled substance for his role in the overdose death of Kenneth Harris nearly a year ago.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County's Register of Deeds received a few awards at a recent N.C. Register of Deeds conference.
Brandi Brinson, Register of Deeds for Franklin County, received the Outstanding Register of Deeds Award - presented to her by Kevin Leonard, executive director of N.C. Association of County Commissioners - at the 70th Annual N.C. Register of Deeds conference.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council and its mayor got their first peek at a 28-page report on the controversial Depot Hill project last Friday evening -- and promised to hold at least one public informational meeting before a decision is made on how the project should proceed.
The report was done by GWP Developers, LLC, at a cost of about $45,000, after some members of the council began to question the long-standing plans for the former railroad depot and property along South Main Street, just south of the Tar River Bridge.

BUNN -- Authorities allege a Bunn Middle School student made a threat of mass violence.
According to authorities, a student threatened to "shoot up" the school the afternoon of Oct. 26.
No injuries were reported and at no time were students or staff in danger, School Principal Eric Lockard said in a letter sent to parents and guardians.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Sheriff's deputies are investigating an apparent kidnapping attempt.
A child less than 15 reported to their mom on Nov. 6 that someone tried to lure him into their vehicle.
The attempt was not successful and the matter was reported to authorities.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Sheriff's deputies arrested a Raleigh man they allege held a woman at knifepoint.
Christopher McCullogh, 28, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and assault on a female following the Nov. 4 incident.
Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance on Holden Court, meeting a woman outside claiming that her boyfriend, McCullogh, was inside the home choking her aunt.

YOUNGSVILLE ­-- Deputies and prosecutors are trying to determine if charges will be filed in a shooting incident.
Deputies responded to the 100 block of Ridgewood Drive to find a 32-year-old woman suffering from a minor gunshot wound.
Apparently, authorities said, neighbors were target shooting in the backyard when a round from a 9-mm rifle traveled into the house and hit the woman in the thigh.