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LOUISBURG -- During a county commissioners' meeting, a retired engineer pressed the county to start impounding its own water.
Later in the meeting, commission leadership noted that prospect was a dated idea.
The Army Corps of Engineers studied the Tar-Pamlico River Basin in the 1930s and 1960s, proposing measures to impound water that would offer two solutions:

LOUISBURG -- For the second time in three years, a Franklin County agriculturalist is a finalist for the state's Small Farmer of the Year award.
For the past decade or so, Julius Griffin has been working about 180 acres along N.C. 39, converting organic offerings into cold-pressed juices and wellness shots.
His main crop is watermelon.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested three people that led them on a short pursuit, resulting in gun and drug charges.
Franklin County authorities charged the driver, Tony Thomas, 18, of Selma with possession of firearm by felon, possession of a stolen firearm, felony flee to elude arrest, resisting a public officer, aggressive driving, no operators license, fail to heed blue lights/siren, following too closely, driving left of center, failure to maintain lane control, fail to stop at stop sign, fail to stop at red light, exceeding posted speed limit, improper passing and failure to wear seatbelt

LOUISBURG -- Two suspects in a Franklin County murder were slated to appear in court this week, but the case was continued until another superior court session.
Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested Gavin Miller and Dillon Piper on Jan. 29, shortly after investigators allege the duo was responsible for the death of 19-year-old Hamilton Woods Jr.

CHAPEL HILL -- Bunn's Anna Dodson was among the nearly 200 Carolina medical students who matched for their residency programs, signifying the end of their time in medical school and the start of a new chapter in their careers.
But Dodson hasn't always seen herself as a doctor.

LOUISBURG -- Friends, family and Franklin County staff said goodbye to its economic development director during a retirement event that celebrated Richie Duncan's nearly 20 years of service.
Her last official day is March 31.

Franklin County resident and cancer survivor Jean Lloyd at the Relay for Life Survivor Dinner

Even though Mother Nature is still flirting with us just a bit, it's become increasingly obvious that spring is definitely in the air -- and Old Man Winter is fading quickly.
The last few days have been a bit of a roller coaster as temperatures have reached into the mid 80s at times then dropped into the chilly 30s, with rain, from serious downpours to intermittent showers and drizzle.

The public comment portion of meetings don't always provide the give and take you'd want.
And, often, the public official comments portion of a meeting is just a general rundown of a list of bureaucratic meetings they attended.
Sometimes, though, they offer narratives that are just as important, if not more, than the items discussed and acted upon in a well-manicured agenda.
During the county's March 6 meeting, commissioners agreed to:

Dear editor: The General Assembly is now in the business of designing and mandating college curricula.
Talk about government overreach. Would we, their constituents prefer their efforts be spent on making The Old North State a better place to live and work tackling bigger and more vital issues like infrastructure, mental health issues, affordable housing and health, teacher and healthcare worker shortage, gun violence, prison reform, etc.?

Durham, NC--Funeral services for Janet Hill Lynch, age 89, formerly of Louisburg, NC, who died on Monday, March 27, 2023, will be held 12 p.m., Saturday, April 1, from the St. Mathias Episcopal Church in Louisburg with Father William E. Maddox III officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

Nashville, NC--Funeral services for Lee Artis Richardson, age 66, who died on Monday, March 27, 2023, will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, April 1, from the Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Warrenton with Pastor Willie D. Silver officiating. Burial will follow in the Haliwa-Saponi Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC - Margie Mae Estep Skarzynski, 90, of Louisburg, died Sunday evening, March 26, 2023.

Franklinton, NC--Ricky Isenhour of Franklinton, NC passed away on March 23, 2023. Ricky was born on November 26, 1962 to Allie Mae Young Isenhour and the late Guy Reid Isenhour. In addition to his father, Ricky is predeceased by a sister, Sharon Isenhour Waiden.

BUNN -- One team was guaranteed to earn a much-needed feel-good victory when Northern Nash traveled to Bunn on Tuesday for a Big East Conference boys tennis showdown of winless clubs.
That squad would turn out to be the Northern Nash Fighting Knights, who topped the homestanding Wildcats by a 6-3 total for their initial triumph of the 2023 campaign.

BUNN -- A talented core of veterans and a potential-rich group of newcomers has the Bunn Ladycats in the mix for one of the top spots on the Big East Conference softball scene this spring.
Certainly, Bunn's four seniors are all impact standouts and long-term stars for the Ladycats.
But those performers have been complemented by a strong freshman class that is paying immediate dividends.

STANHOPE -- On a sunny day, the stars of the Big East Conference were shining brightly last Thursday at Firebird Stadium as Southern Nash hosted fellow league powers Nash Central and Franklinton for a quad meet that also featured up-and-coming Roanoke Rapids.
Southern Nash, the defending Big East champion, ruled the boys standings by accumulating a prosperous 327 total points for legendary head coach Sterling Leonard. Nash Central was far back at 159 points, followed by Franklinton (85) and Roanoke Rapids High School (40).

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The 'Big Three' made some big noise this season on the Big East Conference boys basketball scene.
That trio -- Northern Nash, Franklinton and Rocky Mount -- battled for league supremacy the entire campaign, and played some memorable games along the way.
Most notable of those contests -- at least in the regular season -- was Franklinton's triple-overtime triumph over Rocky Mount.
But that wasn't the only thriller -- and the heroics would last into the Big East Tournament and the Class 3-A State Playoffs.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The 2022-23 girls basketball campaign was expected to be a prosperous one at Rocky Mount High School -- and the Lady Gryphons delivered.
Rocky Mount rolled through Big East Conference hoops action, winning the league's regular season and tournament championships. The Lady Gryphons would then claim the Class 3-A East Regional crown before falling to West Rowan in the 3-A state title showdown.

WAKE FOREST -- Roanoke Rapids' season-long control of the Big East Conference boys golf standings continued last Wednesday during an 18-hole match that was hosted by Franklinton at Brevofield GC in Wake County.
The talented Yellow Jackets cruised to yet another league victory by registering 323 strokes to get past runner-up Southern Nash (349) by 26 shots.
Franklinton was third overall at 362, followed by Northern Nash (403), Nash Central (405), Louisburg (411), Bunn (420) and Rocky Mount (435).

Bunn's Carlee Tart (right) makes a tag at second base during the Ladycats' home softball victory against Louisburg.

Bunn High School's Josiah Clifton sends a winner across the net at No. 2 Singles for the Wildcats during Tuesday afternoon's home boys tennis contest against the Northern Nash Fighting Knights in Big East Conference court action.

The Franklin County Arts Council is accepting applications for North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Arts Program ARPA Funding subgrants through April 15.
This is not the annual Grassroots Grants funds received annually from the State of North Carolina. The North Carolina General Assembly allocated additional American Rescue Plan Act Funding over and above the yearly Grassroots Grant allocation for each NC county for 2023 and 2024.

Louisburg Senior Center recently held their monthly cornhole tourney. Winners were Fred McGuinn; second place, JB Wheless; and third place, Steve Ragaglia. Cornhole participants in photo above: JB Wheless, Steve Ragaglia, Tommy Allen, Joe Wheless, Fred McGuinn, and Lucy Martin.

LOUISBURG -- A Raleigh woman was charged with driving left of center after causing a head-on collision that sent three people to the hospital, including one via helicopter.
According to the report by Trooper I.H. Alwadei, Alyssa Bunn was driving a Ford Escape south on N.C. 39 near Julie Pearce Road when she ran across the center line the morning of March 24.

ZEBULON -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested a South Carolina man on fugitive murder charges.
Deputies with the department's Special Operations Group arrested Robert Don Peoples Jr. on March 28, after receiving a request for assistance from the Wake County Sheriff's Office and the State Law Enforcement Division of South Carolina.

Franklin County Relay for Life held the Cancer Survivor Drive-through dinner Saturday, March 25, at Maria Parham Franklin, Louisburg. The main Franklin County Relay Event will be 6 - 10 p.m., Friday, April 28, at the Bunn High School football stadium. (Above) Armenta Eaton and Danette Cheatham take a quick break from volunteering.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg police are investigating allegations of a sexual battery.
The matter was reported to authorities on March 27.
According to Louisburg Police Chief Jason Abbott, the matter involves a six-year-old victim.

FRANKLINTON -- The American Legion Post 52 in Franklinton held its annual awards banquet on Saturday, March 11, to honor and recognize Franklin County first responders, community service volunteers, the county Veterans Service director, and their own Legionnaire of the Year.
During the banquet, the American Legion celebrated its 104th birthday as the foremost organization advocating for the American Veteran honoring our nation and being proud of what it stands for.

LOUISBURG -- Officers with the Louisburg Police Department arrested a man they allege led them on a chase.
Andrea Rogers, 40, was charged with fleeing to elude arrest, reckless and dangerous driving, failing to stop for a steady red light, unsafe passing, failing to maintain lane control and not having an operator's license.

Old Mill Printing and Design, 113 N. Main Street, in downtown Louisburg, held their ribbon cutting and grand opening on March 22.
The local chamber, above, was on hand to help with the festivities.
Old Mill is a locally owned and operated family business, providing all types of printing, as well as fax, notary, scanning and email services.