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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Stancils left space in their luggage for some hardware.
Thanks to Lorenzo Stancil's efforts at the Special Olympics USA Games, they came back fully filled.
The stalwart Franklin County athlete left with one gold and two bronze medals in the 100-meter walk, 400-meter walk and shot put competitions, respectively.
"... I had a lot of fun being with my teammates and winning a big gold medal!" Lorenzo Stancil said of the national competition, which took place June 20-26 at the University of Minnesota, the official host venue.

Louisburg Magnet High School was the perfect place to watch fireworks last Saturday as the culmination of festivities hosted by the Franklin County Parks and Recreation Department. The July 4 event featured music, games and food to celebrate the country's 250th birthday.

RALEIGH -- Federal authorities arrested a Youngsville man last month, alleging he was responsible for millions of dollars in healthcare fraud.
On June 16, a grand jury indicted James Thomas Foley, alleging the Irish national, along with conspirators, pulled off a scheme that bilked Medicare, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), TRICARE, and other insurance programs for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, such as braces and pneumatic compression devices.

LOUISBURG -- Meeting in special session last week, the Franklin County Board of Education named Leigh Jones as the district's new deputy superintendent.
Jones brings more than 23 years of educational leadership experience spanning the school, district, and executive cabinet levels.
Throughout her career, she has served in a variety of leadership roles, including chief academic officer, area superintendent, executive director of secondary curriculum, principal and teacher, leading efforts to improve student achievement, strengthen school leadership, and support organizational excellence across North Carolina public schools.

Although the northern Franklin County community of Alert celebrated the Fourth of July with a parade, the event was bittersweet this year without its iconic Uncle Sam in the person of Kenneth Radford. Radford passed away earlier this year and this parade entry was in memory of him. Driving the truck was Charles Bobbitt who drove the truck carrying Radford as Uncle Sam for 20 years in the annual July 4th parade. Bobbitt and Radford were co-workers and friends for 40 years.

Brenda Bailey attends the Alert 4th of July parade

America's 250th birthday celebrations have largely come and gone, although there likely will be a few more this fall when temperatures cool off just a bit.
Here in Franklin County, the celebrations in Franklinton and the county's in Louisburg came off well, despite the heat, and drew respectable crowds willing to risk heat stroke, dehydration and more to watch the "rockets' red glare" and all those "bombs bursting in air."
This year, the most comfortable place to watch the celebrations was at home, preferably with the air conditioning operating as it should.

We live in time where it's wildly strange to be a teenager.
Of course, I feel like every generation of teenagers feel like they came of age during wicked upheaval, whether they be considered Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z or, yeah, I just found this out a little while ago, there is a Generation Alpha -- folks born between 2010 and now.
And, while it's not a competition, this generation has some wild swings.

In his recent piece, "Mayor encourages honest debate," Mayor Christopher Neal extended a welcome invitation for civil discourse regarding our town's fiscal operations. I want to thank the Mayor for his response, and more importantly, for the vital public commitments he made within it.
Specifically, Mayor Neal shared that our backlogged audits are on track to be completed within the next month. Furthermore, he pledged that the town is implementing new financial management software to produce regular monthly financial reports.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Douglas McAuthur "Whit" Goodwin, 83, passed away on June 29, 2026 at Zebulon Health and Rehab in Zebulon, NC.

RALEIGH, NC -- Gladys Lewis Branche, age 107, was born on August 20, 1918, in Louisburg, NC, to the late Richard and Ethel Cooke Lewis. She died in the morning of June 25, 2026.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Karen Eason Kearney, 56, of Franklinton, passed away at her home on July 5, 2026.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Michael Shane Ferguson, 54, of Franklinton passed away on June 22, 2026 at Duke University Hospital in Durham, NC.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Spencer Duke "Bud" Lowery, 83, of Franklinton passed away on July 3, 2026.

In this month's article we are going to look at a member of the legume family (the southern pea) that is from Africa.
Southern peas are also known as cowpea, field peas, blackeye or pinkeye.
They take the heat and poor fertile soils better, but they still need water to grow, something we have been limited with so far this growing season.
If planted in fertile soil or fertilized too much you will end of up with just vines instead of the plant setting pods.

Gracie Lewis and Katelyn Gill show off the artwork they received at the Cyndi's Faces booth set up at the old Louisburg Magnet High School football field, the site of Franklin County's Independence Day festivities last Saturday.

Cyndi McKnight adorns Jaxon Richardson's face with paint.

Lorenzo Stancil sang the National Anthem before fireworks were launched.

TRAFFIC ALERT IN ALERT. There were many different modes of transportation during the annual Alert July 4th parade, including these golf carts and four-wheelers.

GOOD FRIENDS WATCHING A GREAT PARADE. These friends enjoyed the Alert parade on July 4th. From left: Vicki Phelps, Charles Faulkner, George Phelps, Deanna Adkins and Donnie Finch.

GOLD SAND SWEET TREAT. Dana Ayscue tosses out candy from the Gold Sand Fire Department fire truck during the annual 4th of July parade.

LOUISBURG -- Police arrested a Franklinton woman accused of charging hundreds of dollars to a debit card stolen from a local elected official.
And, Sabrina Renee Williams was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of minors.
According to a July 1 arrest warrant, investigators allege Williams used the credit card to make purchases at Family Dollar, Bojangles, Moss Foods, Walmart, Subway and O'Reilly Auto Parts -- Williams is alleged to have involved two teens in her effort to use the stolen debit card at the auto store.

BUNN -- Police arrested a woman on drug charges.
During the town's most recent board meeting, Police Chief Justin noted that he and surrounding departments were cracking down on drug sales.
Heather Leigh Whitehurst, 32, was arrested on June 11 and charged with possession with intent to manufacture sell and deliver methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to manufacture sell and deliver a schedule four controlled substance -- essentially Ambien and Xanax

A tree fell onto a home in southern Franklin County during a storm late Monday afternoon. However, no injuries were reported. According to authorities, the tree fell onto a home in the 600 block of Carlyle Road -- about two miles southeast of the N.C. 39 U.S. 64 Business intersection. The Pilot Fire Department and Franklin County Emergency responded to the scene just after 6 p.m. And, the American Red Cross North Carolina was called in to provide assistance to the family.

LOUISBURG -- Police are investigating a property damage report at a local school believed to have been caused by a motorist firing shots into another vehicle.
No injuries were reported at Crosscreek Charter School on Sunday night.
However, the matters are under investigation by Louisburg police and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
According to Louisburg authorities, it was reported just before 9:30 p.m. that shots were fired from one vehicle into another near the intersection of E. River Road and N.C. 56.

LOUISBURG -- Police charged the operator of a Virginia underground utilities and construction company with stealing water from a public fire hydrant.
According to a magistrate's order, authorities allege Tito Angel Risco took about 300 gallons of water from a hydrant at the corner of Commerce Street and Kenmore Avenue the morning of June 27.
The 56-year-old was charged with misdemeanor larceny and violating the town's local ordinance of taking water from a public fire hydrant.

American Legion Post 105 of Louisburg recently elected a new slate of officers. From the left are Donnie Finch, Sgt. at Arms; David Crafton, first vice commander; Buddy Hinds, commander; Grant Johnson, adjutant; Wayne Rigsbee, historian and Craig Jackson, finance officer. Not pictured are Kert Southerland, service officer; and Wayne Stallings, chaplain.