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LOUISBURG -- Louisburg is the perfect location for a floor retail and installation company, owners of Zenith Flooring say.
And their business venture gives new life to a location that police and nearby residents allege had been a drain on the community.
"With the assistance of the town police and [agents with State Alcohol Law Enforcement] 806 S. Main Street has sold ...," Town Manager Sean Medlin told board members during a Dec. 18 meeting.

NEW YEAR. The community of Centerville in northern Franklin County brought in 2024 as it has routinely, with its (and Franklin County's) only New Year's Day Parade. Above, Youngsville's Otha Hill is festively dressed for the Centerville parade, driving a tractor down the community's main drag.

White Level Volunteer Fire Department Engine 93 was used as one of the parade's floats, as festive riders tossed candy for those who attended the Jan. 1 parade.

YOUNGSVILLE -- The Youngsville Fire Department is proud to announce that Chief Brian Christmas has been appointed to serve as the department's first full-time Fire Chief.
Chief Christmas spent 26 years with the Sumter, South Carolina Fire Department, retiring in November as Assistant Fire Chief and Chief Fire Investigator.
The Sumter Fire Department is a large combination fire department with municipal and unincorporated areas.

LOUISBURG -- Management noted that the new year could prove to be an economic boon for Triangle North Executive Airport.
During a Dec. 12 meeting, Airport Director Bo Carson advised TNEA's advisory board that management is zeroing in on a new tenant to replace the skydiving operation -- one of the airport's biggest economic development drivers.
He also shared that a nearly $90,000 grant could help turn an unused portion of the airport into hangar space for new business.

LOUISBURG -- Local historians have again asked county officials to hold off on tearing down the old Louisburg theater.
This time, they were armed with resources -- a preservation-minded engineer to look at the building with an eye toward restoration, not demolition.
"... That is an asset to our town that is ... just to let it be ... demolished; we've come to ask you to simply hold [off on tearing it down]," said Bobby Cooper, chair of Louisburg Historic District Inc.

Lisa & Emily Bennett

The number this week -- and probably for a few more weeks by forgetful people like me -- will be four.
As in 2024.
I'm making no predictions about how long it will take me to replace 23 with 24 but I'll do my best. Hopefully, the bank won't look too closely if a check of mine comes by dated 2023 -- or they will at least call me to rub in the fact that I don't even know what year it is.

You can call this column cliche, if you want, but as the calendar switched over to 2024, I could not help but think about the things that I "should" resolve to do in this new year.
Unfortunately, 2024 isn't magic, so I can't really say New Year, New Me ... that's because it's the old me ... and, by old me, I'm talking about the 50-year-old me.
And, the 50-year-old me requires much more maintenance than the 40-year-old version did.

Dear editor:
In 1923 five yellow ducklings began following nine-year-old Talmadge Edwards wherever he went on the family farm in the heart of Ingleside. The mother duck had been killed by some wild critter.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Avis Smith Pernell, 97, of Louisburg, NC was called to her Heavenly home on Sunday, December 31, 2023.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Joseph "Joe" Bullock of Franklinton, NC, age 80, died December 26, 2023 at Wake Med Health and Hospitals, Raleigh, NC.

Louisburg, NC--Memorial services for Larry Johnson, age 63, who died on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, will be held on Saturday, January 6, at 11 a.m. from the First Baptist Church in Louisburg, with Dr. Janice Johnson-Durr officiating.

Zebulon, NC-- Michael Forrest Privette, 86, passed away at home surrounded by the one he loved dearly.

RALEIGH, NC -- Funeral services for Nadie Alexander, age 84, who died on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, 2023 from the Living Word Family Church in Wake Forest with Pastor Micah Caronna officiating.

Louisburg, NC--Stanley Lee Hartsfield, age 63, of Louisburg, NC died December 19, 2023 at home.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Sylvester "Bud" Harris, age 85, who died on Monday, January 1, 2024, will be held on Monday, January 8, at 12 p.m. from the Nelson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Pastor Micah Mason officiating. Burial will follow in the Nelson Chapel Church Cemetery.

BUNN -- Zero victories and 12 defeats.
That was the combined record of Bunn and Granville Central before the clubs met last Wednesday in the opening round of the Bunn Holiday Invitational Girls Basketball Tournament at the Bunn Dome.
So one team was destined to break through during the contest -- and that squad proved to be the Bunn Ladycats.

BUNN -- And so a team may have been born last week at the annual Bunn Christmas Boys Basketball Tour -- and it couldn't have come at a more pertinent time.
All along, Bunn head coach Patrick Reynell felt like his club had the talent to take an upward step this season -- but inexperience and a lack of long-time continuity had kept the Wildcats from moving forward.

BUNN -- The center of the wrestling universe -- at least from an Eastern North Carolina perspective -- was in Bunn just before Christmas as BHS hosted the annual Wildcat Holiday Invitational at the Bunn Dome.
A whopping 25 schools from across the Eastern portion of the state -- and even one from Virginia (Colonial Heights), converged on Franklin County for the prestigious mat event.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Hints of future pitfalls and heroics can sometimes be spotted during the non-conference portion of the high school basketball scene -- but it's during league action that real-life scenarios are ultimately played out.
And until then, it's never clear how a club will fare at the most important time of the season.

BUNN -- Here is a list of team finishers and All-Tournament selections from the annual Bunn High School Christmas Basketball Tourney, which was held last week at the historic Bunn Dome:

RALEIGH -- North Carolina State University baseball head coach Elliott Avent announced the program's 2024 schedule recently.
The 54-game schedule includes 33 contests at Doak Field at Dail Park, highlighted by 21 home contests in the team's first 28 matchups of the season.
Opening Day for the Wolfpack's 2024 season is set for Feb. 16 when NC State welcomes VCU for a three-game series at The Doak.

Franklin County Firefighters Association announced their 2023 Firefighters of the year at the recent dinner. Five awards were given out, including one posthumously to Frank Johnson of White Level. Pictured above, Kelly Harris, right, presents the Firefighter of the Year award for the Justice Fire Department to Bobby Weathers.

GIVING BACK. Above, volunteers pose with donated coats, from left, Laura Dudley, Wayne Champion, Dorene Person, Cora Hawkins and Bryan Carey. You may still donate your coats by calling Wayne Champion at (919) 496-2051.

PROVIDING A COMMUNITY BOOST. Volunteers and partners with Youngsville's The Journey Ministry Pantry -- with the aid of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina -- prepared meals for the holidays. Above, Bishop Robert Henderson, Floyd Vick, Travis and Marie Larkin, Elders Hanson and Anderson, local Church of Latter Day Saints President Will Thornton, Angela Thornton, Helen Long, Diane Ferrari and Lisa Bennett took time out for a picture.

Floyd Vick, Paul Swartz, Helen Long, Brian Whitley, owner of The Victorian and Home Slice, which has donated space for the Pantry to store food, Carol Swartz, Melanie Floyd and Phyllis Vick.

Volunteers fill produce boxes for Thankful Tuesday distribution

Bailey Deans and Adriane Sullivan, partners with the Franklin County Health Department

CENTER OF ATTENTION. Residents in and around Centerville rang in the New Year on Jan. 1 with a parade. Tractors, like the one above, pulled New Year's Day floats.

Parade enthusiasts wait for candy to be tossed.

Vintage cars, like this Ford Model A, were included in the parade.