COMMUNITY NEWS

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 Governor's Volunteer Service Award. The awards program, created by the Office of the Governor in 1979, recognizes North Carolina's most dedicated volunteers.
Each county selects up to 10 individuals, businesses, groups/teams and one paid director of volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities.

The Gamma Kappa Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc will be celebrating the 111th anniversary of the founding of the fraternity on Sunday, Jan. 12. The service will commence at the Olive Grove Missionary Baptist Church 915 Eaton Ferry Road, Littleton, at 3 p.m. The Reverend Dr. Jeffrey B. Robinson senior pastor of the Juniper Level Missionary Baptist Church in Raleigh will be the guest speaker. Additionally, Dr. Dudley Flood, past regional director, will give a charge to the congregation.

30TH YEAR AND THE BIGGEST COAT DRIVE YET! While it may look like John Faulkner (left) and Wayne Champion are having fun, they are actually unloading more donated coats as part of the annual Coats for Christmas drive to provide warmth in the cold winter months. Champion, who has been spearheading the drive for 30 years, said this year has turned out to be the largest drive yet -- and it runs until mid-January or so.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Animal Services Advisory Board closed out 2024 with a peek into 2025.
After a significant change in leadership, dealing with hiccups in maintaining an outreach coordinator, and troubles filling shelter staff ranks, Interim Animal Services Director Jerry Jones said that future looks promising.
But, there's still some fog to fight through.

FRANKLINTON -- Firefighters doused an apartment fire that displaced one family and damaged multiple units, but resulted in no injuries.
Franklinton fire crews and authorities responded to the Lofts at Sterling Mill on E. Green Street before 2 p.m. on Jan. 2 to find an upper-level apartment on fire.
With the assistance of firefighters from Mitchiner's, Kittrell and Youngsville, they were able to knock down the fire and clear the apartment of smoke.
A mother and three children, ages three to 13, were in the apartment when the stove caught fire, but no one was injured, said Franklinton Fire Chief Darrell Chalk.