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SPRING HOPE -- Two Hollywood filmmakers and a local contractor have joined forces to build in Spring Hope the largest movie studio in the state, according to a press release from Ascent Studios.
Award-winning filmmaker Robert Rippberger, filmmaker Devin Keaton, and business magnate Nathan Edwards recently announced the groundbreaking of the studio.

Franklin County Relay for Life event, held Friday, April 28, exceeded all expectations, especially being held inside this year due to predicted rain. The event, at Bunn High School, raised more than $73,000, exceeding their $65,000 goal. Pictured above, Brenda Williams sells raffle tickets for Bunn Middle School team.

BUNN --Town commissioners agreed to raise rates for water, sewer and garbage, as well as fees for zoning permits.
The May 1 decision to raise water and sewer rates, officials said, was to keep up with the increased cost of the service.
Garbage rates, officials said, were raised to keep up with rising cost and to keep the town from going in the hole on the enterprise service.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners agreed to cement their deal with Brightspeed, providing more of the area with access to broadband Internet.
Last March, Lumen, now Brightspeed, announced that it was seeking $4 million in Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant funds to roll out Phase II of its plans to expand Internet service in the county.

LOUISBURG -- County management updated commissioners on its plans to use Opioid settlement funds to combat the deadly issue.
Broadly, it appears that the county will take a 'help them where they are' approach.
In June 2018, Franklin County -- by a partisan, Democrat-majority vote -- agreed to join a class action lawsuit in an effort to hold pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors liable for the opioid epidemic across the country.

Franklin County Relay for Life Event Chair Volunteer, Danette Cheatham

Let's start off by trying something a little different this week.
In past weeks, we've used enough ink to float a small ship trying to explain the details of the proposed Franklin County Schools' budget for the upcoming fiscal year, 2023-24.
We've presented a huge amount of detail -- including a long message from School System Superintendent Rhonda Schuhler in last week's edition.

In the last few weeks, I've used this very column space to highlight folks who have appeared before our county Board of Commissioners and asked for help.
Distinctly, and specifically, Commission Vice Chair David Bunn noted how brave it was for folks, particularly a group of youngsters, to appear before the board and share their concerns.

Dear editor:
It's budget time. The Franklin County Board of Education has sent their funding request to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners.
Education is one of the state's and Franklin County's most important responsibilities.

Dear editor:
John Edwards asks us to "do some research yourself" in his recent letter calling man-made climate change a hoax. He claims that ".5 percent," or 1 of every 200 scientists believe that humans are causing it, which is ridiculous. Maybe he meant to say ".5" instead of ".5 percent," or half of scientists believe it, which would still be a large number.

Dear editor:
Just about every day on the TV news, social media, radio news and in newspapers there is a story about some horrific event that affects many Americans!
I think the way people are educated has a big effect on what's happening in America now! People say you can be anything you want to be and do what you want to do!

Dear editor:
It has been interesting to follow the indictment of former President Trump by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. President Trump has been charged with 34 felonies. Wow, Al Capone was charged with only 5 counts of tax evasion. This must be serious. Go figure.

Dear editor:
The women's roundtable for social affairs invites me to sit down and to shut up. I just sit there, muted and clueless, gazing at an empty coffee cup.
Seeking a warmer reception and pertinent discussion, I move to a table of old bucks, seriously weighing the virtues and faults of the newest and latest pickup trucks.

Butner, NC--Gerald Ramey, 78, of Butner, NC, passed away suddenly Tuesday, May 2, 2023.

Barbara Bunn Tetterton died peacefully on May 1, 2023 at the age of 86. Barbara was raised in the New Hope Community by her parents, Bertis and Voncille Bunn. Barbara grew up appreciating the value of hard work, the love of family, and the importance of serving God and others.

FRANKLINTON, NC --Bettye Lane Gupton Smiley, 83, of Franklinton, passed away Thursday afternoon at WakeMed.

LOUISBURG, NC--Cora "Elaine" Robbins, 69, of Louisburg passed away on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at her home surrounded by her family. She was born on October 7, 1953 to the late Parker Robbins and Vivian Carter Robbins in Franklin County, North Carolina.

NASHVILLE, NC--Julian Michael Philips, 72, of Nashville, died Sunday, April 30, 2023 at his home. Mike was born in Rock Hill, SC on July 4, 1950 to the late Julian Farris and Laura King Phillips. In addition to his parents, Mike is predeceased by a sister, Joan Bass.

APEX, NC--Martha Ann Bright, 51, of Apex North Carolina passed away Wednesday, April 26, 2023 unexpectedly at her home.

LOUISBURG--Thadeus "Ted" Polzin, 89, of Louisburg, died Tuesday morning, May 2, 2023, at his home.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The least suspenseful season in Big East Conference boys golf history came to a conclusion last Wednesday -- with the same finish as always.
Powerhouse Roanoke Rapids claimed a first-place finish in every league match this spring, so it was no surprise when the Yellow Jackets took the top spot at the annual Big East Championships at The River GC near Bunn.

FRANKLINTON -- Northern Nash's boys and Rocky Mount's girls were the big winners at last Tuesday's annual Big East Conference Track and Field Championships on the campus of Franklinton High School.
The Fighting Knights ended Southern Nash's recent control of the top trophy by securing 165 total points to take first place in the hotly contest standings.

STANHOPE -- Louisburg might be building for the future, but Southern Nash had some right-now business to take care of during last Thursday's Big East Conference girls soccer showdown.
Needing a victory to remain atop the league standings, the Ladybirds got the job done in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 9-0 decision over LHS at historic Firebird Stadium on the SNHS campus.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg-Bunn softball rivalry is always an intense one -- even during a regular season finale matchup with not much to play for in the Big East Conference standings.
But the visiting Ladycats, fresh off a string of recent tough losses, were fired up from the get-go and went on to defeat Louisburg by a 19-3 margin last Wednesday in league action at the LHS Softball Field.

ZEBULON -- With a season-high 4,252 fans on hand at Five County Stadium, the Carolina Mudcats finished with a de facto doubleheader split with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers last Saturday afternoon at Five County Stadium.
Carolina (11-8) took the first game 1-0, but fell in the second 8-1 to the visiting Cannon Ballers (12-7) in Zebulon.

The Franklin County Arts Council is planning its annual spring writers retreat for Saturday, June 3 at Rolling View State Park's community building. The retreat runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
People of all stages of writing experience are invited.

LITTER GETTERS. Town Manager Zachary Steffey, Rebekah McPhetridge, Melody and Mark Lemmon, Rhonda Carper, Nathan Chandler, Samuel Chandler, Rebekah Chandler, Town Clerk Lauren Chandler, Commissioner Judy McArn and Public Works employee Lance Alley get ready to work.

CENTERVILLE -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies continue to look for suspects in a Sunday night armed robbery.
According to authorities, three men, two of them armed with guns, entered the Dollar General in the 5900 block of N.C. 561 at about 9:40 p.m. on April 30.
Authorities allege they stole an unknown amount of cash and several packs of cigarettes before fleeing the area on foot.

EPSOM -- Franklin County hired a familiar engineering firm to navigate its next steps to develop Epsom Park.
Alfred Benesch & Company developed the county's overall Parks and Recreation Master Plan, they developed the Epsom Park Master Plan and they're the firm that submitted and helped the county secure the $434,625 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant that's making the Epsom Park development possible.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Youngsville's newly proposed charter continues to wind its way through the General Assembly with some changes.
Taking the advice of counsel, the Legislature removed three powers that Youngsville commissioners hoped to be able to wield under its new charter:
• The authority for board members to form forums and vote, remotely;