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LOUISBURG -- A Youngsville businessman was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison after agreeing that there was enough evidence to convict him of murdering his girlfriend.
Authorities arrested Bradley Morris Hines in June 2021, alleging he shot and killed Heather Guild.
Authorities found the 30-year-old wrapped in a bed sheet inside a refrigerator at a Gilcrest Farm Road cabin rented by Hines.

BUNN -- Town commissioners have been presented with a budget that would raise taxes -- an expense necessary to round out the town's police force, officials said.
During a work session on April 22, Town Administrator Dottie Taylor presented the board with a 2025-26 spending plan that increases spending by about $70,000 more than the current budget.
The police department, which includes a new police chief, full-time sergeant and plans for another full-time position (and $60,500 spread over five years to buy and outfit a truck) to provide better law enforcement coverage would see their budget increase by more than $160,000.

Above, Monroe Richman doesn't mind doing the dirty work, providing some landscaping work at St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Louisburg as part of the Global Youth Day of Service on Saturday.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners updated its agreement with the Youngsville Fire Department that continues the southwestern unit's official partnership with the county as a wing of its EMS system.
There wasn't any discussion about the county's efforts to broker similar partnerships with other fire departments around the county.
Youngsville has had a medical responder program agreement with Franklin County since 2012 that allows its fire department to act as emergency medical response units on the county's behalf before county EMS units arrive on a scene.

LOUISBURG -- The county's Animal Services Advisory Board has decided to put some bite where their bark is concerning a policy manual for the shelter.
For nearly a year -- if not longer -- animal welfare advocates have pressed the board, staff and officials to update and enact standard operating procedures [SOPs] for the shelter.
Stakeholders across the animal welfare spectrum, with legal advice and expert input, were believed to have crafted standard operating procedures for the department and shelter during the mid to late 2000s.

Franklin County's Relay for Life event was last Friday evening at Bunn High School, the 40th annual event held to raise money to battle the scourge of cancer that affects so many people. In this photo, the Survivors begin their reverent walk around the school's track. This year, the event was striving to raise $80,000 to battle the dreaded disease -- and by press time had exceeded that goal, an effort spearheaded by a number of local churches and volunteer organizations.

Nabrika Bobbitt during Relay for Life Friday night in Bunn

Do you ever wake up on a spring morning and find yourself wondering -- even after a couple of cups of strong coffee -- if we're living in a Bizzaro World where things don't make much sense?
Consider this:
A few years ago, a group of us were standing just outside the Louisburg Town Hall, looking at the aging Louisburg Theater, remarking about all its potential uses, especially in light of the award-winning Orpheum Theater in downtown Oxford, which brings so much to that community.

If you're familiar with this column, then you know it's important to highlight folks taking the extra effort to clean up their communities.
This past Saturday proved to be a veritable cornucopia of cleanup opportunities.
The town of Franklinton hosted its annual and long-running Arbor Day celebration -- allowing folks to take part in planting activities at the Albion Academy Marker, at Town Hall and around town.

Dear editor: In this Easter Season I am reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul, who said, "We walk by faith and not by sight."
Grace is an offering of unconditional love and kindness from God, bestowed upon us even when we do not deserve it. God usually uses folks in our lives to make this gesture, but one of the most important presences of Grace in my life was not offered by a person, but instead was offered to me in a form of a simple moss and algae covered wooden ladder.

Dear editor: It's budget time again! At their April meeting, the Board of Education approved the school system's budget request with a 6-1 vote. Now, the future of that budget lies in the hands of our county leadership.
Over the past three years, our commissioners initially tried to slash the school system's operating budget, only to reverse course after overwhelming public pushback. Thanks to the voices of our community, they ultimately gave in -- but not without a fight.

RALEIGH, NC -- Harold Cooley Chamblee, 90, of Raleigh, NC, passed away on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Louisburg, NC -- Funeral services for Johnnie Willie Smith, age 84, who died on Sunday, April 27, 2025, will be held on Saturday, May 3, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Haywood Church Cemetery.

Louisburg, NC -- Funeral services for Pastor Jordan Herman Wilkins, age 79, who died on Friday, April 18, 2025, were held Saturday, April 26, at 2 p.m. from the Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Timothy Johnson officiating.

Franklinton, NC -- Rose Elizabeth Perry Nance, 81, of Franklinton, died April 28, 2025 at Zebulon Rehabilitation.

BUNN -- Veteran leadership has staked Bunn High School's boys tennis team out to a top spot this spring.
Seniors Elias Brown, Noah Reed, Tucker Mitchell and Jersain Barrios-Araujo anchor the squad Top 4 spots, with sophomore Alex Goodman and junior Josiah Clifton holding down the No. 5 and No. 6 slots, respectively.
The No. 7 spot is manned by senior Daniel Scoggins, who sacrificed a higher spot to serve as the team's doubles specialist.

A number of local students were honored by the Franklin County Board for best exhibiting the March character trait of perseverance.
The students and their schools are:

YOUNGSVILLE -- Residents who successfully championed efforts to get speed limits reduced on cut-through roads around downtown have asked commissioners to continue efforts to improve safety.
Folks who live in the northeastern block of downtown presented testimony and video proof of traffic dangers on their roads, convincing town officials to essentially reduce the speed limit on every downtown street -- save for state-controlled Main Street -- to 15 mph.

LOUISBURG -- The attorney for a suspected killer got a bit more breathing room to mount a defense against a motion that could send him back to jail.
Authorities arrested Michael David Barnes in November 2021, weeks after they allege he shot roommate James McLeod inside a residence on Elsie Marie Drive in Youngsville.
The 40-year-old McLeod died a day after the Oct. 28, 2021 assault and investigators said an autopsy confirmed homicide.

LOUISBURG -- In 1731 Benjamin Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia.
It is considered to be one of the United States of Americas first public libraries. Public libraries have always been a cornerstone of our republic.
A place where anyone can go and educate themselves making them effective participants in our Democracy and offering access to a plethora of resources to all who come.

LOUISBURG -- A Zebulon man who was convicted of driving while impaired weeks before authorities allege he killed a woman in a drunk-driving accident is slated to appear in court this month.
Authorities allege Justin Ray Bevins was driving along N.C. 39 near Bunn Lake in February 2024 when he crashed into a vehicle, head-on
Rocky Mount's Jessica Leigh Lyon, 33, died as a result of her injuries.

Carter Pitts, 2, was ready to walk as the 2025 version of Relay for Life kicked off

Artists Jordan Foster and Myles Tambling sold their art to help raise money

Ruby Williams (left) and her friend, Wanda Williams were all smiles at the get-together

JUDGED THE BEST CAMPSITE was the one from Walnut Grove Missionary Baptist Church. Shown with the booth are (left to right) Nicole Perry, Lakisha Green, David Wilkins, Mary Hicks and Tricia Preston.

For some, walking is solemn, for others, it's a time to celebrate!

Walking underscores theme of hope