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LOUISBURG -- A recount and canvass officially cemented the municipal election.
Franklinton Mayor Art Wright retained his seat by the slimmest of margins -- 166-165 -- withstanding a challenge and recount petition from Commissioner John Allers.
"I appreciate everything [the Board of Elections has done to certify the election]," Wright said in the moments following the Nov. 16 recount.

LOUISBURG -- It was a beautiful fall afternoon recently when visitors James W. Milner, his wife, Beverly, and Tommy Massey strolled across the grounds of the Person Place, the beautifully preserved home on the campus of Louisburg College that has deep ties to the early days of Louisburg.
Foremost on their minds was what happened near this site 244 years ago -- and how the Milner and Massey families were interconnected to this place and that time in history.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas -- and here's what's already scheduled:
• Alert
The 2023 Alert Christmas Parade is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. It's a free event and lineup starts at 1 p.m.
This is the Alert Community's 33rd Christmas parade and there will be a contest for the Best Christmas Decorated Entry.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Youngsville leaders said attempts to engage the State Department of Transportation in conversations to get truck traffic off its main thoroughfare have been a one-way street.
As a result, officials agreed to raise their collective voices.
During the board's Nov. 9 meeting, officials tasked Town Manager Nathan Page with drafting a resolution opposing 18-wheelers on the roadway.

Liz & John Seibel at Hops & Holly fundraiser

Well, we made it.
So, Happy Turkey Day and here's hoping you and your family find time to relax and enjoy, not only the good food but also the time together.
In this hectic, often frantic world, we sometimes forget to slow down, relax and just enjoy!
Don't know about you but it's difficult for me to believe that Thanksgiving is here -- and that it's just possible Santa Claus is peeking around the corner anxiously awaiting his return to the spotlight.

I suspect I'm in the minority, but I actually appreciate sideline reports in my professional sports.
I know you can't tell by looking at me now, but I used to be a sports reporter.
At North Carolina Central, my journalism career began as a sports reporter.
From there, I became sports editor until I graduated about two years later.

Dear editor:
"Symbolism with proven substance, stay true with the red, white and blue."
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our nation's military veterans, those living and deceased, for those serving during peacetime, wartime, through natural disasters and political and civil unrest.

LOUISBURG, NC--Arthur R. Breedlove, 74, passed away on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at his home after several years of failing health. He was born on December 9, 1948 to Mr. Willie Walter Breedlove Sr. and Mrs. Hazel Harper Breedlove.

LOUISBURG, NC--Betty Murphy May, 76, died Saturday, November 18, 2023 at her home in Louisburg, NC. She was born on July 20, 1947 in Franklin County to the late Paul and Beulah Wood Murphy.

WAKE FOREST, NC--Edmond H Wilson, Jr., 80, of Wake Forest died November 9, 2023. He was born on May 9, 1943, to the late Edd H Sr. and Beulah Becker Wilson. In addition to his parents, Edmond was predeceased by his wife, Joyce Wilson; his brother, Cecil Wilson; and his sister-in-law, Murrell Wilson.

ZEBULON, NC--Mary Sue Langley Vick, 76, of Zebulon, North Carolina, peacefully left this world on November 15, 2023. Born to Jack Holt "Jake" Langley Sr. and Gracie Bowden Langley of Spring Hope, North Carolina on April 17, 1947, Sue worked as a manager in retail for many years.

Lynchburg, VA--Janice Joyner Fleming, 83, passed away on November 15, 2023 at Westminster Canterbury in Lynchburg, Virginia.

RALEIGH, NC--Funeral services for Jeanne Hardy, age 81, formerly of Warrenton, NC, who died on Friday, November 17, 2023, will be held 12 p.m., Wednesday, November 22, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Thomas Richardson officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Grove Church Cemetery in Hollister.

LOUISBURG, NC--Funeral services for Lourine "Riney Biney" Alston, age 72, who died on Thursday, November 16, 2023, will be held on Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Kenneth M. Williams officiating.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Sam Junior Carpenter, 73, of Franklinton, died Sunday, November 19, 2023.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- From a team perspective, the Big East Conference volleyball scene was much-improved this fall as Northern Nash, Southern Nash and Bunn made great strides with their respective programs -- and Nash Central was able to maintain a level of success despite losing a strong graduating class from the year before.
That said, nobody in the league was able to touch the Franklinton Lady Rams -- a trend that is now three seasons old and shows no sign of slowing down.

WILSON -- Barton College has a long history of recruiting successful student-athletes from the area -- and several of them are currently starring for the Bulldogs in an array of sports.
But that cooperation was fostered long before now -- even back when the school was known as Atlantic Christian. The legacy includes a pair of Northern Nash alums who were recently saluted with spots in the Barton College Athletics Hall of Fame.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- What a way to go out -- that was the theme of the Big East Conference competitors at the recent Class 3-A State Cross County Championships in Kernersville.
In the boys event, Northern Nash capped off one of its greatest seasons in school history -- and there have been many -- by taking eight place overall in the team standings.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- It was quite the girls tennis season in the Big East Conference -- both from an individual and team standpoint.
The individual heroics were earned by Rocky Mount's McKinley Battle, who went undefeated in league action and earned a Nash County rarity when she claimed the Class 3-A State Singles Championship in Burlington with a three-set victory.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Here are last week's results and this Friday night's fourth-round quarterfinals schedule for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's Class 2-A and 3-A State Football Playoffs:

Thanksgiving Day is full of family get-togethers, giving thanks, lots of food and some turkey deep frying horror stories. From homes burning down to turkeys skyrocketing into the air, safely preparing and frying a turkey doesn't have to be dangerous. To avoid becoming one of these Thanksgiving Day horror stories, and to make sure you fry that centerpiece safely to avoid foodborne illness, USDA offers advice on properly preparing and frying your turkey safely.

Millions of people insist no holiday meal is complete without some pie for dessert. Pie served with coffee certainly makes for a fitting end to a holiday meal, and hosts can serve any type of pie and still end up with some satisfied guests.
Though pie aficionados typically have their own go-to pie, pumpkin pie is especially popular at the holiday dinner table. Hosts who want to cater to the masses can serve up the following recipe for "Pumpkin Pie" courtesy of Emily Luchetti's "Classic Stars Desserts" (Chronicle Books).

A number of things can be expected during the holiday season. Children will anxiously await visits from Santa and travelers recognize there is bound to be traffic on the roadways and crowds at the airport. And if you're opening your home to guests, those visitors will be expecting some delicious food.
Meals are a big component of holiday entertaining, so much so that holiday hosts may spend weeks pondering what to serve guests. These guidelines can help simplify cooking for a crowd.

Hosting is a significant part of the holiday season. From late November until New Year's Day, millions of people across North America welcome friends and family into their homes.
Whether you're hosting a small gathering with locally based loved ones or welcoming distant relatives into your home for several days, the following are some planning pointers to ensure your home is ready and guests feel welcome this holiday season.

Kwanzaa is a traditional holiday that is celebrated by Black Americans, Afro-Caribbeans and others of African descent around the world. Kwanzaa was the creation of Maulana Karenga, a college professor who was inspired by South African first-fruits celebrations and other Swahili traditions. There are many components of Kwanzaa, but the culmination of the celebration is a feast known as Karamu on December 31.

LOUISBURG -- A senior manager with a statewide resource for broadband access and digital inclusion said a number of efforts are underway to bring Internet to unserved and underserved parts of the county.
But, local and state leaders said old-fashioned methods of communication are still key in bridging the digital divide.

LOUISBURG -- A superior court judge agreed to continue a legal case against the operator of a troubled convenience store until February.
The expectation is that, by then, the location could have a new owner and a new purpose.
In June, Superior Court Judge Cindy Sturges issued a temporary restraining order, temporary closing the In N Out convenience store at the intersection of S. Main Street and Bunn Road -- agreeing with Louisburg police and nearby residents that the store was a haven for illegal and illicit activity, including a homicide.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County and its historic preservation partners are slated to release a book chronicling the county's history through building.
"The Architectural History of Franklin County North Carolina" is set to be released in December.
The book was created based on the work of Catherine W. Bishir, E. Megan Funk, Vickie E. Mason, Thilbert Pearce, Michael Southern, Jeroen van den Hurk, Drucilla York and others and was edited by J. Daniel Pezzoni.

UP FOR FUN. Above, Taylor Smith jumps for joy taking advantage of the landscape around the mill, which rests in north central Franklin County.

FRANKLINTON -- The American Legion Post 52 held its annual Veterans Day Ceremony in Franklinton, for the first time ever at the newly named Franklinton Veterans Memorial Park at the intersection of Main Street and Front Street in downtown.
With the donation of labor, materials and expertise from Randy Bright of Bright Memorials in Wake Forest, Post 52 recently moved its Veterans monument from Fairview Cemetery to the park so it can be the center piece for the aptly named park.

LOUISBURG -- The case against a Henderson man accused of causing the wreck that killed a Franklinton man has been dismissed.
Attorneys for the estate of James Feely filed notice of dismissal with prejudice on Nov. 17.
Dismissal with prejudice means they cannot refile the same claim in Franklin County Civil Superior Court against Jeffrey Thomas Clopton or Lisa Marie Clopton.
The terms of the settlement were not included in the case file. Immediate attempts to reach the Feely's attorneys were not successful.

THE BEFORE. Sign painter and designer Joseph Giampino was in Youngsville in late October, restoring this Coca Cola sign on a building at the corner of Main Street and SE Railroad Street. First, Giampino did measurements and placed stencils on the side of the building before beginning the painting process. Giampino, with Spclsigns, a sign painting and mural company in Raleigh, will be back to complete the sign in a few weeks.

YOUNGSVILLE -- The county's chief medical examiner has ruled a shooting at a local gun club a suicide.
The victim has been identified as 26-year-old Mrinal Chandu of Raleigh.
According to authorities, Youngsville police, along with Franklin County emergency responders, Franklin County sheriff's deputies and county crime scene deputies responded to the Youngsville Gun Club & Range on Franklin Park, finding Chandu suffering from a gunshot wound at about 4:15 p.m. on Nov. 15.

CHRISTMASTIME. Above, Brian Gordon with the town of Louisburg's Electric Department installs a decorative Christmas snowflake aloft a utility pole on S. Main Street in town. The lights were placed along Main Street and Bickett Boulevard to add some Christmas cheer in the county seat of Franklin County.