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HENDERSON -- Vance County sheriff's deputies are looking for answers after finding three people dead over the weekend -- including a Franklin County man.
Going out to check on residents at 1064 Abbott Road -- between Kittrell and Epsom -- deputies found three people dead inside the home just after 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 6.
One of the deceased was identified as Juan Black, 47, of Southwood Drive, just outside of Louisburg.

FRANKLINTON -- For the second time in a row, Franklinton got a clean bill of fiscal health.
The news comes 19 months after the state auditor's office found that the town's previous manager purchased $37,900 in services in violation of the town's purchasing policy -- an error of procedure, not malice town management said at the time.
And it comes months after Joe Turchetti with Raleigh-based PT CPA's PLLC presented the town with a clean opinion for its 2021-22 fiscal year.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Crews are in the final stages of erecting towers at Youngsville and Royal elementary schools -- an effort to bolster the county's emergency radio system.
A tower in or around Bunn remains pending, though.
"To make people aware," County Commissioner Michael Schriver said during the board's Jan. 2 meeting, "we're having our public service towers starting to come up, or starting to come on site.

BUNN -- On the advice of legal counsel, Bunn commissioners opted not to sponsor a civic organization with emergency medical intentions.
In the summer of 2021, volunteers in Bunn reignited the Lions Club in town for the first time in 50 years, with an eye toward performing civic duties.
And, since a number of its members have a background in emergency medical response service, the group also offered its services when emergencies necessitate.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education learned Monday night that the district received an "unmodified" or clean audit report from its last fiscal year -- the best evaluation it could receive.
That was the word from Brandon Flinchum, managing director of Forvis, the High Point-based accounting firm the school district uses to conduct its annual audit.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town management and staff are urging motorists to find alternate routes through downtown.
Engineers with the State Department of Transportation have advised town officials and staff that contractors would begin mobilizing efforts to improve the Five Points intersection this week.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Utility crews were out Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, working to restore power to thousands of properties left in the dark following Tuesday's storm.
Before press time on Wednesday, a few hundred properties were still without power, with concentrations in Lake Royale, Centerville, east of Wood in Hollister, and in Justice and Castalia.

Nancy Davis, John Roberson, Liz Seibel, Adam Jackson & Page Sayles

Greetings fellow soggy Franklin Countians!
The fears of a long drought have been eased by Mother Nature over the past few weeks -- at least for the short term.
The good news -- for winter haters like me -- is that all that water fell in liquid form and then stayed liquid.
I hesitate to think what a mess we would be enduring now if the temperatures had been in the 20s during much of that time!

Bunn leaders and volunteers are looking to hop aboard the Momentum Train.
Fresh off the success of the Bunn's Hometown Christmas festivities, which included a market and parade, organizer Timothy Bryant is looking to do it again -- this time in the spring.
"I had a lot of people ask at the [Christmas] market if we were doing something in the spring," Bryant told commissioners during the board's Jan. 8 meeting.

LOUISBURG, NC-- Frances Long Murray, 81, of Louisburg died on January 5, 2024.

LOUISBURG, NC--John Astor Parrish Jr., of Louisburg, NC, 75 years of age, passed away on Tuesday January 9, 2024 surrounded by his family. John was a local legend. Known by many in not just Raleigh and Louisburg, NC- he was world renowned, according to him. He never met a stranger!

Orlando, FL--Kenneth James Finch, 64, of Orlando, FL, died Tuesday, December 26, 2023.

Franklinton, NC--Funeral services for Laketia "KetiaLee" Lee, age 39, who died on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, will be held Saturday, January 13, at 2 p.m. from the Franklinton Middle School Auditorium with Rev. Wilbert Williams officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC--Mark Anthony Ryder, 64, of Youngville, died December 21, 2023.

Rocky Mount, NC--Funeral services for Sharon Richardson, age 62, who died on Saturday, January 6, 2024, will be held on Friday, January 12, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Robert Hedgepeth officiating. Burial will follow in the Philadelphia Church Cemetery.

BUNN -- Want to know which team will be the Big East Conference girls basketball regular season champion?
That's an easy one -- simply show up at Rocky Mount on January 19 and Franklinton on February 13, and the answer will become readily apparent.
Certainly, FHS and RM have distanced themselves from the rest of the Big East pack -- and their respective fates are destined to collide during those two ultra-important outings.

BUNN -- With two top players out and opposing Franklinton playing at a high level, a chance for a Bunn victory began to dwindle in the fourth quarter of last Friday's key Big East Conference boys basketball matchup at the Bunn Dome.
With 3:30 remaining, BHS lost leading scorer Jameir Strickland to fouls -- and second-leading scorer Domantea Cooke had already fouled out two minutes earlier.

BUNN -- Pressure can come in many facets during a high school basketball game -- but none are more lethal than when an opponent unleashes a furious, effective full-court press defense.
Such was the case last Wednesday when the Bunn Ladycats stepped out of Big East Conference action for a non-league showdown against the Wilson Beddingfield Lady Bruins at the Bunn Dome.

BUNN -- Coming off a strong runner-up finish at their own tournament the week before, the Bunn Wildcats were hoping to keep that momentum going last Wednesday when they resumed their schedule with a home, non-league matchup.
But the opponent wasn't about to cooperate as the Wildcats had no answer for Wilson Beddingfield's speed, size, transition work and long-range shooting effectiveness -- at least in the initial half of action.

RED OAK -- Many are the challengers to Bunn's throne atop the Big East Conference wrestling standings -- but none of them have been able to break through the Wildats' victory defense since Coach Parker Haake's talented club joined the league in 2021.
Since then, BHS has claimed back-to-back Big East Conference crowns -- and is well on its way to a three-peat.

Diet and exercise are the key components of maintaining a healthy weight and protecting yourself against chronic disease. According to the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, eating smart and being active have similar effects, including reducing risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some cancers, and diabetes. In addition, these healthy living strategies can improve personal appearance and improve overall well-being -- helping people live longer and maintain their independence.

Scores of people insist that exercising with a partner is a great way to remain committed to a fitness regimen, and now research is beginning to support that assertion. A 2023 study from researchers in Japan published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics found that exercising both alone and with a partner two or more times a week helped to lower risk of cognitive impairment, but the risk was decreased by a more significant margin among those who exercised with others.

The dawn of a new year marks a great time to turn over a new leaf. Many people begin a new year by making resolutions, and aspiring to eat healthier is annually among the most popular pledges health-conscious individuals make.
A recent Statista survey of hundreds of people across the globe found that eating healthier was the second most popular New Year's resolution of 2023. In fact, 50 percent of respondents indicated they set goals to eat healthier in the year ahead.

Bunn Commissioner Don Mitchell takes the oath to serve as the town's mayor pro tem from Mayor Marsha Strawbridge during the board's Monday night meeting. The mayor pro tem assumes the duties and responsibilities of the mayor when the elected mayor is not available.

"The world needs more kindness," commented Franklin County Board of Education member Tommy Piper as the district honored students from each school who best exemplified that trait.
The district focuses on one character trait each month -- kindness in December -- and then each school selects the student who best exhibits that trait.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners recognized the Civil Air Patrol at its most recent meeting.
During the Jan. 2 meeting, County Commission Chair Harry Foy noted that the Civil Air Patrol is known as America's premier public service organization for carrying out emergency services and disaster relief missions nationwide.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) recently presented Wayne Champion, agent with Farm Bureau Insurance in Louisburg, the Life Insurance and Annuities 2023 NAIFA Quality Award, in recognition of commitment to exceptional client service, professional education, industry volunteerism, and adherence to the NAIFA code of ethics. The award represents nine years of excellence in serving clients and industry.