Sales tax collection ahead of budget
The holiday season is close at hand, but county finance staff have welcomed an early Christmas present.
Through three months, the county’s sales tax collection is ahead of budget by a total of about $150,000.
“We’re showing small signs of growth,” said county Finance Director Chuck Murray. “That’s good news for us.”
According to finance statistics, the county has collected $751,279, $727,612 $712,316 through the first three months of the fiscal year beginning in July.
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CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer |
Coroner’s fate to be decided in appellate court
Whether or not charges against a former medical examiner proceed in state court will be determined by a three-judge appellate court.
Attorneys for Dr. J.B. Perdue argued in appeals court this week that Perdue is entitled to sovereign immunity, as well as public official immunity in the case.
The family of Larry Green filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Superior Court in December of 2007, claiming that Perdue, Franklin County and a host of firefighters and paramedics were responsible for poor health care which resulted in Green’s crippled state.
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CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer |
HOLIDAY FIXTURES
Franklinton Public Utilities Director Raymond Bragg, above, and his staff put up Christmas decorations along Main Street, which will be the site of the town’s Dec. 3 parade.
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EDC reports good news
There was a pinch of good economic news in the air Thursday morning as the Franklin County Economic Development Commission endorsed efforts to land a new company, learned that the county unemployment rate has stabilized and even dipped a little and was told that county staff members are ready with a new “toolbox” of ideas to help existing business and industry.
The EDC board endorsed a $750,000 matching grant application that county staff is helping prepare for Palziv North America, a company that is considering locating a new plant in the former HON building on NC 56 just west of Louisburg.
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GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher |
Committee of 100 to help Palziv
Palziv North America, Franklin County’s newest prospective industry, reaped up to another $20,000 in incentives Wednesday morning not long after receiving $250,000 from the county in an attempt to lure a factory here.
The state announced earlier this month that it would provide a $250,000 grant through its One North Carolina Fund to bring Palziv’s North America headquarters to the HON building on NC 56 just west of Louisburg -- a grant that Monday night was matched by Franklin County.
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GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher |
Local leaders meet to discuss 2010 census
A group of local leaders met for the first time on Wednesday with the goal of getting everyone in Franklin County counted.
For months, now, U.S. Census Bureau agents have been attending town, county and civic meetings trying to get the word out about the upcoming 2010 census.
Part of their effort has been urging communities to form Complete Count Committees because local people have the insight necessary to preach the importance of the census to their neighbors.
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CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer |
Franklintion bolsters Code of Ordinances
FRANKLINTON — The town’s board of commissioners worked through a fairly uneventful agenda Tuesday night, highlighted by an agreement that will bolster the town’s code of ordinances.
The town’s Code of Ordinances was adopted in 1989 and was last amended in 2006.
Since the original document was adopted, most significantly, the town switched to a town council-manager form of government, streamlining the line of authority within town government.
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CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer |
Macovitz receives Jimmy & Mary Charles Holmes Memorial Scholarship
Nash Community College recently awarded the 2009-2010 Jimmy and Mary Charles Holmes Memorial Scholarship to second-year Criminal Justice student Gary Macovitz of Louisburg. He is the first to receive the scholarship, which was established in 2008.
Upon graduation, Macovitz plans to pursue a career in juvenile justice or crime scene investigation. He has been a volunteer with Guardian Ad Litem in Franklin, Vance, Granville and Warren counties for the past few years.
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SAFETY CITED
The town of Louisburg’s Electric Department has been honored for having no lost-time accidents during 2008 by Electri-Cities, the town’s source of electrical energy. It’s not exactly a first-time honor for the local electrical workers. Louisburg’s department has had only two years since 1981 when there was time lost because of an accident. This year, electric department employees were presented a safety plaque during the regular Monday night town council meeting. Shown here are (left to right) Utility Director Ray Patterson, Colt Dickerson, Larry Perry, Mike Ayscue, Paul Jones, Jim Shill, the director of safety and training from Electri-Cities who presented the award, Donald Grice and Dominick LaFella. (Submitted photo)
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New VGCC Scholarship honors Pratt and Gwendolyn Winston
Vance-Granville Community College recently announced that a new scholarship has been established in honor of J. Pratt Winston and in memory of his wife, Gwendolyn Blackwell Winston. The Winstons are well-known Granville County business leaders who founded Winston International Ltd. in Oxford. Gwen Winston died earlier this year.
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Bethany Sledge is Pilot Lions Club poster contest winner
Bethany Sledge, a seventh-grade student at Bunn Middle School, won a recent local poster contest sponsored by the Pilot Lions Club.
Sledge’s poster was among more than 375,000 entries submitted worldwide in the 22nd annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Lions Clubs International is sponsoring the contest to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere.
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Big Sweep cleans up Louisburg and Franklinton
The Franklin County Solid Waste Task Force (SWTF) recently sponsored “Big Sweep” events in two locations in cooperation with the N.C. Big Sweep organization’s annual cleanup.
Louisburg College students volunteered to clean up on North Main Street in Louisburg. This event netted a total of 30 bags of trash and eight bags of recyclables. Twenty students participated, including many football players, along with Louisburg College President Mark La Branche, Representative Lucy Allen, SWTF member Betty Edwards, Keep America Beautiful Director Ed Shearin and Nicholas Shearin.
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Domestic dispute turns into road rage and gunfire
Franklin County sheriff’s deputies are investigating allegations that a domestic dispute erupted into a fit of road rage and gunfire.
According to reports by Dep. Keith Jones, he was dispatched to a domestic dispute at 124 Browns Way the evening of Nov. 16 and Latashia Tucker told him that Tray Perry had come by her house to pick up his children.
Tucker told authorities that she denied Perry that opportunity because he appeared to be drunk.
In response, Tucker said she and Perry began to argue and had a physical altercation.
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Staff Reports |
CHECK PRESENTED
Wilbert Wilkerson, representative of D&J Automotive, presents a $500 check to Michelle Smith, recreation director with the Franklinton Recreation Department. Also present were Smith’s children, Cameron Smith, 9, and Baylee Smith, 6. The donation was part of the Chevy Youth Basketball program. In support of Franklin County youth basketball, D&J Automotive also provided the recreation department with basketball kits filled with equipment bags, practice pinnies, coaches’ clipboards, scorebooks and T-shirts.
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Exchange student’s success
You might recall a Sept. 17, 2005 Franklin Times article about the golf team at Louisburg College (LC). At that time, Charles Sloan, LC golf coach, had two exchange students playing on his team.
From Halmstad, Sweden was Jens-Roberts Berntson, and from Saltillo, Mexico was Josue Garza Corralas. Both were foreign students who helped the college win some victories. Garza was a co-captain for the Louisburg College golf team from 2005-2007.
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Alicia Eller |
County’s economy could be on upswing
Sh-h-h-h! Don’t say this out loud or at least, don’t say it very loudly.
Over the last several days, several public officials who are supposed to be in positions where they know this kind of thing, are saying that there are some “green shoots” becoming visible in Franklin County’s economy.
Following a long, brutal “winter” of economic problems, job losses, business closing, foreclosures and related stresses and strains, any bit of good news on the economic front is more than welcome.
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In Our Opinion |
The cloak and dagger of Black Friday advertising
It’s the silly season!
With “Black Friday” less than a week away -- and in a year when retailers are anticipating another bleak holiday shopping season -- some of the big guys are pulling out all the stops.
One retailer -- and you would instantly recognize the name -- shipped preprints (those advertising pieces that are included in newspapers) recently with several pages of instructions and warnings about security.
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Gary Cunard |
Committee takes widening 401 seriously, while county doesn’t
GOOD MORNING: A 10 percent chance of rain today (Saturday) that increases to a 70 percent chance on Sunday and Monday.
So much for the weather, which we can’t do anything about anyway, now here’s what’s happening: While awaiting action on the county’s application for US 401 funding, the County US 401 Action Committee is pondering its next step.
At a meeting Thursday night at Louisburg High School, the committee decided to investigate the cost and avenues of possible funding for an absolutely vital aerial survey of the route that can only be conducted while leaves are off the trees, that would give the county a year-long head-start on getting any authorized improvements underway.
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Asher Johnson |
Democrats hope for 2008 replay
RALEIGH – We are nearing the end of the year before a key U.S. Senate race with some awfully familiar items in the news.
Two years ago, several prominent North Carolina Democrats passed on the chance to challenge Sen. Elizabeth Dole. While Democratic insiders were looking at polling data and national trends suggesting she was beatable, they couldn’t get well-known politicians to take the plunge.
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JOHN HOOD |
Would Republicans rather fight than win in 2010?
By all accounts, 2010 should be another 1994 for Republicans. That year the GOP won the majority in the North Carolina House for the first time in almost a century and was approaching parity in voter registrations. But infighting, the inability to raise large dollars to conduct viable campaigns and sometimes lackluster candidates have always prevented Republicans from ever taking control. Will next year be different?
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TOM CAMPBELL |
Where’s the North Carolina economy headed?
It’s time to take the pulse of the patient again. In this case, the patient is the North Carolina economy, and the diagnosed condition is the recession.
By many standards the recession is the worst – both in the nation and in our state – in more than 70 years. Record declines in wealth, spending and jobs have made this recession one for the books. In fact, economists are now calling it the “Great Recession.”
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Mike Walden |
HARD WORK PAYS OFF. Louisburg College’s Elijah Smith (with ball) scores in the paint for the Hurricanes during Thursday night’s home victory against the Mount Olive College Junior Varsity Team at historic Holton Gymnasium on the LC campus. |
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PRESS THE ISSUE
LOUISBURG -- Even though his team was up by 18 points -- just a few minutes into the game -- head coach John Meeks was hardly overwhelmed by the performance of the Louisburg College men’s basketball squad.
Meeks wanted to stress to his players a long-time basketball fundamental -- that you never showboat against an overmatched opponent.
That’s what Meeks felt like the Hurricanes did at times during Thursday’s 99-35 home decision over the Mount Olive College Junior Varsity at historic Holton Gymnasium on the LC campus.
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GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter |
LC women win versus Wake Tech
WAKE FOREST -- Deficiencies can be exposed even in the biggest of blowouts.
That was evident Wednesday as the Louisburg College Lady Hurricanes drubbed Wake Tech by a 71-37 margin in a women’s basketball showdown at the historic Southeastern Bapist Theological Seminary Gymnasium.
Louisburg rolled the convincing victory against the first-year program, but LC head coach Mike Holloman was hardly thrilled.
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Staff Reports |
LC advances to 2nd round
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. -- Dave Sexton hasn’t been in the favorite’s chair too often during his storied tenure as Louisburg College’s men’s soccer coach.
But it’s always a role he relishes.
Friday afternoon, Sexton and his Hurricanes were scheduled to meet top-seeded Tyler Junior College in the semifinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association National Tournament.
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Staff Reports |
Cheating outrage is stupid
World outrage followed the revelation that France’s Thierry Henry cheated to help his club win an important World Cup Qualifier against Ireland.
Earlier this week, Henry deliberately used his hand -- a soccer no-no -- to gain possession in the box in overtime. Henry then controlled the ball and passed it to a teammate, who scored the winning goal.
The response was of epic fury, with some experts even calling for the match to be replayed after Henry admitted he touched the ball with his hand on purpose.
To which I ask -- are y’all crazy?
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Geoff Neville |
NCC’s FINEST. Bunn High School senior hitter Katie Jones has been saluted as the Northern Carolina Conference Volleyball Player of the Year for the 2009 campaign. (Times photo by Geoff Neville) |
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Jones Just Fine At BHS
FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Only the great unknown kept Bunn’s Katie Jones from having the perfect high school volleyball career.
After three incredible varsity seasons, Jones was ready for the ‘Match of Her Life’ as Bunn was getting ready to tangle with eventual state finalist Cedar Ridge in the third round of the Class 2-A State Playoffs.
Jones was hoping to have the opportunity to challenge herself against Cedar Ridge’s top net standouts -- and draw her Ladycats closer to a berth in the state finals.
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GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter |
LC softball squad releases schedule
LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College will begin its 2010 fast-pitch softball schedule with an appearance at the Pitt Community College Tournament in Winterville. The event will be held Feb. 19-21, with pairings to be announced.
LC will have a scrimmage Feb. 7 on the road at Methodist University, and the Lady Hurricanes first home twinbill will be March 14 versus Patrick Henry Community College.
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Staff Reports |
INSIDE CROWD
Louisburg College’s Jeremy Atkinson (left) and Elijah Smith (with ball) try to gain possession off a rebound during the Hurricanes’ home victory Thursday night over Mount Olive JV.
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CYNTHIA G. CURRIN
RALEIGH - Cynthia “Cindy” Graham Currin, 56, died Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 at her home. Funeral services were held Friday, Nov. 20, at First Assembly of God, Raleigh. Burial followed in Brier Creek Memorial Gardens.
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LARRY PERRY
KITTRELL - Funeral services for Larry Perry, 53, who died Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, will be conducted at 2 p.m. today (Saturday, Nov. 21) at Concord Baptist Church, with the Rev. Samuel Blalock officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
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ZENORA Y. MCKNIGHT
PERTH AMBOY, NJ—Funeral services for Zenora Yarborough McKnight, 84, formerly of Louisburg, who died Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Allen Chapel Baptist Church, Louisburg. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
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BOBBY W. JONES SR.
ZEBULON - Bobby Wess Jones Sr., 75, died Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 at his home. Funeral services were conducted Friday, Nov. 20, in the L. Harold Poole Funeral Service chapel in Knightdale, with Dr. Alfred Wright officiating. Burial followed in the Jones family cemetery, Rolesville Road, Wendell.
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INEZ D. WHEELER
WAKE FOREST - Inez Davis Wheeler, 86, died Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Funeral services were held Friday, Nov. 20, at Mary’s Chapel Baptist Church. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
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CYNTHIA PENA
ZEBULON - Cynthia Ann Pozzi Pena, 50, died Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. today (Saturday, Nov. 21) at Strickland Funeral Home, 211 W. Third St., Wendell.
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BILL ALSTON
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Bill Alston, 94, who died Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at Richardson Funeral Home in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Mary Helen Jones cemetery.
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