Gym floor's condition at YES causes town officials to pause YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners urged staff to look more keenly at Youngsville Elementary school's gym floor before committing to necessary repairs. That discussion took place during the board's Aug. 13 meeting. In January, Youngsville commissioners and the Board of Education approved an agreement that would give the town access to Youngsville Elementary School's gym and ballfields.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

EVENING OUT Above, Scott Strickland and Jerry Jones manned the grill during National Night Out festivities in Louisburg on Aug. 4.   Read More | Post Comment

Youngsville puts police fleet back on track YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners adjusted their spending plan to keep the police department's vehicle fleet on track. Town Manager Will Doerfer admitted that he forgot to account for the annual expense the board has agreed to include in its budget to get two new police vehicles -- a fleet management practice that began with the 2022-23 budget. "This is just something that was missed," Doerfer said. "It's critical to keep the vehicle fleet fresh.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

FRANKLIN FACE Mason H at Bunn's National Night Out   Read More | Post Comment

Figs definitely deserve a place in your home garden In this month's article we are going to look at how to grow figs in the home garden. The fig is native to the Mediterranean Basin. Members of the fig family include the Osage orange, hedge apple and the mulberry. Figs are grown throughout the Piedmont and Eastern NC. Some challenges for growing figs in NC are our cold winters and soil nematodes, but if you have reasonably well drained and fertile soils you will have success growing figs.   Read More | Post Comment Charles Mitchell

Editorial Cartoon: Safety Net  Read More | Post Comment

Dare we be optimistic about keeping our kids at home? Here's to trying to be positive and optimistic. Trust me, for a long-time reporter who was trained to be skeptical and has become cynical by experience with the political and judicial process, being positive and optimistic is no simple task. But I've been trying -- especially after a couple of local events have become public in the last several days.   Read More | Post Comment Gary Cunard

Sounding the alarm for future and fate of old courthouse bell Time surely does fly. If only there was some kind of sonic device to mark the passage of time. Oh, wait, there is. It's called a bell. If you live in a town small enough, you will hear it ring out to mark significant hours during the day, such as noon and, quite frankly, dinner time.   Read More | Post Comment Carey Johnson

Trump's Medicare, Medicaid cuts reach classrooms Dear editor: This year marks 61 years since Medicare and Medicaid became law. These programs established a fundamental principle: public policy dismantles barriers and ensures that wealth does not determine access to care. School-based Medicaid delivers care directly to students during the school day, helping families overcome unequal access to providers, transportation, paid time off, reliable insurance, and other resources shaped by generations of racial and economic injustice.   Read More | Post Comment Letter to the editor

Editorial Cartoon: Big Bend  Read More | Post Comment

Wrongful death lawsuit moved to Franklin County LOUISBURG -- A wrongful death lawsuit filed against Franklinton, its police department, Maria Parham Health, Duke Lifepoint and about two dozen physicians has been transferred to Franklin County. Administrators of the estates of William Hulme and Matthew Johnson originally filed suit in Granville County Superior Court in March, alleging the actions of plaintiffs cleared the way for Christian David Webster to kill Hulme and Johnson inside their Franklinton home in April 2024. The case was transferred to Franklin County Civil Superior Court on Aug. 10.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Just-approved development could triple Franklinton LOUISBURG -- County commissioners committed to an agreement that streamlines a 609-acre, mixed use development that could nearly triple the size of Franklinton in 15 years. "We're real excited about this project," Franklinton Town Manager Zach Steffey told county commissioners during a public hearing on the matter during Monday's special called meeting.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Convicted murderer given life sentence with no parole LOUISBURG -- Deliberating for less than a lunch break, a jury found a Youngsville man guilty of killing his roommate in the fall of 2021. On Monday afternoon, Superior Court Judge Shamieka Rhinehart sentenced Michael David Barnes to life in prison without the possibility of parole -- his punishment for killing James McLeod. "The jury's verdict holds the defendant accountable for the deliberate taking of the life of James McLeod," the district attorney's office said in a statement.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Hugh "Brian" Ray Jr. RANKLINTON, NC -- Hugh "Brian" Ray Jr., 43, died unexpectedly Saturday, August 15, 2026. Brian was born on June 14, 1983 to Hugh Brian Ray Sr. and Cathy Foster Ray.   Read More | Post Comment

Daniel Raymond "Dan" Cone ZEBULON, NC -- Daniel Raymond "Dan" Cone, 72, of the Pilot Community, died Saturday, August 15, 2026.   Read More | Post Comment

Shamee E. Dozier Franklinton, NC -- Funeral services for Shamee E. Dozier, age 33, who died on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, were held on Sunday, August 16, at 2 p.m. from the Allen Metropolitan AME Zion Church in Franklinton, NC, with Rev. Marcus Dunston-Johnson presiding. Burial followed in the Fairview cemetery.   Read More | Post Comment

LENA MAE TABOR PLACE September 23, 1939 - August 17, 2026 Lena Mae Tabor Place, 86, passed away peacefully on August 17, 2026 after an extended illness. She was born on September 23, 1939 to Earl and Clara Ruth Tabor. Lena was the beloved wife of the late William Milton Place and a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her family was the center of her life, and she cherished the time she spent with each of them.   Read More | Post Comment

Jeffrey Le Roy Hildreth May 28, 1949 - August 12, 2026 LOUISBURG, NC -- Jeffrey Le Roy Hildreth, 77, passed away on August 12, 2026 in his home.   Read More | Post Comment

Dennis Braxton Barbour July 24, 1949 - August 16, 2026 Dennis Braxton Barbour, age 77, succumbed to complications from Agent Orange exposure on August 16, 2026. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and proud United States Marine whose life was centered around hard work, family, and the people he loved.   Read More | Post Comment

'Experienced hands' take over Louisburg College basketball LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College has gone to an experienced hand for its next men's basketball coach. Assistant Athletic Director Jason Rasnake announced that assistant coach Ray Hartsfield has been elevated to head coach, effective this week. Hartsfield has been with the Hurricanes since the spring of 2023. And, he's been in coaching and administration for more than 30 years -- most significantly with East Chapel Hill High -- building successful programs and developing student-athletes, the college said.   Read More | Post Comment Staff Reports

COACH AT WORK Ray Hartsfield, Louisburg College's newly named basketball mentor, encourages and instructs players at a practice session. Before joining the Louisburg College staff, Hartsfield spent 31 years coaching high school basketball -- serving 27 years as the head boys' basketball coach at East Chapel Hill High School, where he was the only head coach in the program's history from the school's opening in 1996 until his retirement in 2023.   Read More | Post Comment

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DOWNLOAD THE FRANKLIN TIMES Click on the headline link below to download the entire version of each edition of the The Franklin Times in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader or a similar PDF reader program is needed to view the pages.   Read More | Post Comment

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RECENT READER POSTED OPINIONS Trump's Medicare, Medicaid cuts reach classrooms By: tcallen on 8/21/26 Where does the Constitution delegate to the federal government the power to implement Medicaid and M... Just-approved development could triple Franklinton By: tcallen on 8/21/26 Thus, Franklinton becomes Holy Springs North.... By: GAC on 8/20/26 One minute our leaders are trying to sneak through legislation to essentially steal water from other... By: kgbunc on 8/20/26 Nothing mentioned about where they'll get the water for these units. It's not mentioned in the artic... Proposed amendments are bad government By: Charade on 8/20/26 That doesn’t address a single point I made. This is not about the government “extracting” m... By: tcallen on 8/13/26 If Tammy Raynor Petrosillo believes the county is not already extracting enough money from property ... Higher education's higher purpose: Our shared path forward By: boykinn89 on 8/17/26 Rethinking the Role of Communication Platforms in Today’s Classrooms Conversations about tech... By: localhistory on 8/13/26 This is a most welcome and encouraging essay. ... How many spy cameras are we willing to tolerate? By: tcallen on 8/16/26 How many spy cameras are we willing to tolerate? Too many! By the way, Mr. Cumard writes like a righ... Facing growth pressures, Louisburg ups utility fees By: u1706190584 on 8/13/26 Great more sidewalks in town. I wonder how many years of neglect it will take before they look like ... State GOP sending message to 'Burg' By: peacemaker on 8/7/26 Bury the Lines... By: u1706190584 on 8/6/26 The proceeds used to go towards electrical line maintenance such as tree trimming. The town had a co... Proposed legislation would hamper local governments By: B52s on 8/6/26 Sure, why don't you file to serve? Bring you "large mind" into the mix. ... By: u1706190584 on 8/6/26 I personally understand. I wouldn't allow Louisburg to raise taxes either. They are scrambling aroun... By: u1706190584 on 8/6/26 If the Louisburg Town Council would stop spending money on frivolous projects that take money away f... What's worse: Understanding seasons or political minds? By: tcallen on 8/12/26 Anyone mature enough to vote is mature enough to gamble on cell phones. Moreover, anyone mature enou... By: peacemaker on 8/7/26 You really should buy a water Filter pump like hikers use. Storming large amounts Of water for any... Officials say answers to airport questions will be forthcoming By: dam on 8/6/26 Do county airports contaminate well water? Google it!! The lady is correct!... Louisburg's Zoning Board slates meeting By: peacemaker on 7/30/26 If it’s behind Walmart why does it need to look like a pine tree……... Proposed tax cap is bad idea for several reasons By: peacemaker on 7/30/26 Everyone hates taxes until the power goes out, the water is not clean, the toilets don’t flush, th...   Read More | Post Comment

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