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Recently there has been discussion in our community on the issue of challenging books in our schools that may be considered controversial based on their content.
Although we have not had a book or instructional material formally challenged in a number of years (we have had none in the six years that I have been superintendent), we recognize the importance of providing our parents with the opportunity to review instructional materials, including library books, and bring concerns forward regarding use of those materials.

LOUISBURG -- A legal fight to shut down a corner store will continue through August.
On June 26, Superior Court Judge Cindy Sturges issued a temporary restraining order that prevented the owners and operators of the In N Out convenience store from doing business.
A preliminary injunction hearing was slated for July 5 and, during the session, it was determined that the order would remain in place until at least Aug. 18.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County spent the most of any county on lobbyists in 2022, according to a North Carolina non-profit policy organization.
Following a closed session in April 2022, Franklin County commissioners agreed to hire Columbia S.C.-based McGuireWoods Consulting "to represent the county as needed as the county seeks long-term water supply."
The agreement obligates the county to pay McGuireWoods $20,000 a month for lobbyist services in North Carolina and Virginia, in an effort to help the county acquire a long-term water resource solution.

LOUISBURG -- The filing period for this fall's municipal elections opened last week with some new names eying Louisburg council posts.
Political newcomers Dalita Woods, Kim Baker and Dr. Phillip Stover filed for seats on the Louisburg Town Council.
But, save for another political newcomer in Wake Forest, the other early filers for municipal seats have been incumbents, so far.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County's commission chair said efforts to craft an emergency medical responder program for firefighters continues to move forward.
But, he admitted, there are more hurdles than he initially thought.
In June, Franklin County Assistant Manager Ryan Preble proposed installing the Medical Responder Program Guidelines that would outline how fire departments could administer emergency medical care up to and including when county EMS units could arrive on scene.

Coaching legend Dale Byrns

Franklin County farmers must be eternal optimists!
A couple of weeks ago, I watched a neighbor plant a large field with soybeans -- in soil so dry a camel might have thought twice about crossing it, if we had camels in the county!
Then, sure enough, the thunderstorms we have come to expect in July began rolling through -- and already you can pick out rows of tiny bean sprouts peeking through, striving to reach the sunshine between the storms.

I remember when I was graduating college, plenty of professors -- all well-meaning, mind you -- warned us that journalism was dying.
Actually, more to the point, they noted that print journalism was dying.
That was back in the mid to late 1990s as I graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with a concentration in Media Journalism.

Dear editor: I am writing to express my distress at the inadequate and antiquated library in Louisburg.
It is hard to understand why, when new city and county facilities are built or planned, that this decrepit building is overlooked.
Apparently, our town and county leaders are unaware of or ignoring the tremendous value this library, even in its present condition, is to the citizens of Louisburg and Franklin County.

Dear editor: Some things other than politics are worth thinking about.
For instance, I wonder if regular dogs think "Oh crap, it's a cop!" when they see a police dog.

LOUISBURG, NC--Betty Feamster was born October 28, 1934. She died February 19, 2023.

Louisburg, NC--Charles O'Neil Christie, 40, of Louisburg died on July 7, 2023. He was born in Whitesburg, KY on August 5, 1982 to Maynard O'Neil Thomas and Jacqueline Christie.

Franklinton, NC--Funeral services for Lynnisha Allen, age 20, who died on Saturday, July 8, 2023, will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, July 15, from the Concord Baptist Church in Kittrell with Pastor Brian R. Floyd officiating. Burial will follow in the Concord Church Cemetery.

Castalia, NC--Funeral services for Mary Louise Johnson Horace, age 83, who died on Saturday, July 8, 2023, will be held 3 p.m., Sunday, July 16, from the Mitchner's Grove Baptist Church in Franklinton with Pastor Melvin Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in the Mitchner's Grove Church Cemetery.

Louisburg, NC--Raymond Theodore Hurst, 59, of Louisburg died Tuesday, July 4, 2023. He was born to the late Chester Hurst and Oriana Pierce Hurst in San Joaquin, California on November 14, 1963.

Henderson, NC--Vallerie Jane Boyd, 32, died July 8, 2023. She was born on April 6, 1991 in Vance County to Woodrow Irvin Boyd Jr. and Robbie Jo Davis. Vallerie was predeceased by her daddy, James Roberson.

Louisburg, NC--Wayne Perry Bartholomew, 79, died July 7, 2023. He was born on September 15, 1943 to the late George and Tempie Davis Bartholomew.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Willie James Johnson Sr., age 81, who died on Thursday, July 6, 2023, were held 12 p.m., Wednesday, July 12, from the Mitchner's Grove Baptist Church in Franklinton with Pastor Melvin Jackson officiating. Burial followed in the Mitchner's Grove Church Cemetery.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Laine Barefoot's dream of being a Division I softball pitcher has been realized and more during her three years at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.
And she's not done yet. Not even close.

RALEIGH -- Louisburg native Ozzy Peralta helped lead his NCFC ECNL RL U18/19 men's soccer team to its second consecutive championship as they claimed the ECNL RL Regional Championship earlier this summer.
The squad previously won the ECNL RL Regular season and The Carolinas Cup in 2022.

RALEIGH -- After their first match of the season was rained out, the Town and Country Stingrays returned to the pool on June 29 and came up with a 146-135 victory over the Stonecreek Tsunamis.
Results from the event were as follows:

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton High School has put together yet another challenging volleyball schedule this fall as the Lady Rams look to defend their Big East Conference Championship with a group loaded with returning talent.
FHS, which went 18-8 last season, will open its 2023 campaign on August 17 at home against West Johnston.

FRANKLINTON -- Changes will be abundant -- at least from a coaching perspective -- when Franklinton High School begins its 2023-24 athletics calendar season next month.
Several sports will feature new or reassigned coaches, with the most notable news coming with the retirement of the legendary Dale Byrns.

ZEBULON -- Jadher Areinamo started the seventh with a double and went on to score the only run in a 1-0 Carolina Mudcats victory versus the visiting Fayetteville Woodpeckers in Game 1 of Sunday's de facto doubleheader at Five County Stadium.
Starter Logan Henderson and relievers Patricio Aquino and Yerlin Rodriguez combined on a five-hit shutout of the visiting Woodpeckers while leading the Mudcats to their third straight victory.

Once a star at Louisburg High School, Laine Barefoot is continuing her softball career at Division I Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.

In this month's article we are going to look at a member of the nightshade family (the eggplant) that many people may not eat regularly and most do not grow.
The plant is kin to such crops as the Irish potato, tomato, tomatillo and pepper.
The eggplant is thought to have originated in Asia, and the first record of the vegetable was from the fifth century.

The Arts Council of Franklin County is offering a "tour" and information session about the Quilt Trails of the Tar & Roanoke Rivers -- and you don't even have to leave Louisburg.
The event is slated for 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 21, at the Gallery on Nash, 213 East Nash Street, in downtown Louisburg. Featured at the event will be a presentation about the trail's history and stories about it.

LOUISBURG -- The agenda for Monday night's Board of Education foreshadowed a brief meeting with little substance, but two Youngsville residents and Schools Superintendent Rhonda Schuhler changed all that.
One of the residents outlined for the school board the continued need for "low wealth" funding for county schools, often called Leandro funding, and the second person cautioned the school board to beware of what he saw as misguided efforts to ban books in the district.

LOUISBURG -- Police arrested a Louisburg man in a shooting incident.
Officers arrested Kevin Linzey Brown the afternoon of July 9, charging him with shooting Gabriel Bennett Joyner a few days before.
According to authorities, officers responded to 301 Ford Circle to investigate calls of shots being fired.
They located Joyner suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his lower body.

RALEIGH -- Franklin County is set to see new transportation improvements in the coming years.
Several Franklin County transportation and bridge improvement projects that will improve mobility in the county were included in the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) 2024-2033 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
The North Carolina Board of Transportation officially adopted the STIP on June 6, which identifies transportation projects that will receive funding during the STIP's timeframe.

American Legion Unit 52, Franklinton, had the honor of recognizing Teagan Bowman of Wake Forest, at the 2023 North Carolina American Legion Department Convention, held on June 9 and 10, in Raleigh, with the Good Deed Award.
Teagan, a rising senior at Heritage High School, is the daughter of Don and Christina Bowman, of Wake Forest. At HHS, Teagan is a member of the Cheer Squad and the National Honor Society.

RALEIGH -- The General Assembly approved Youngsville's new charter right before Independence Day.
At today's meeting (July 13) Youngsville commissioners are slated to formally update the powers and authorities of its manager and mayor, bringing them in accordance with their newly approved charter.

BUNN -- Town commissioners gave developers some flexibility, agreed to rebid its automated water meter service, learned that efforts to de-clutter the town are progressing and took action to save customers some money.
The decisions and updates came during the board's special called meeting on June 26.