Recent Articles

LOUISBURG -- Bobby Wheless Davis, 88, of Louisburg, died on June 11 at Franklin Oaks Nursing.

WILKESBARRE, Pa. -- Bettie Mae Clax-Mangum, 82, formerly of Franklinton, died on June 3.

LOUISBURG -- The plan that will help guide Franklin County Schools for the next five years was formally adopted by the Board of Education Monday night following months of development. The Strategic Planning Committee was made up of students, parents, teachers, principals and district leaders, community and business leaders, and board members. Their work included reviewing survey data from over 1100 respondents, and qualitative data from the four zonal town halls.
Dubbed Blueprint 2030 the plan is built around the existing vision statement: "Building a stronger community one life-long learner at a time."

LOUISBURG -- An unusual confluence of events Monday night took most of the "wind" out of a request from the Franklin County Republican Party involving age-appropriate books in local school libraries -- leaving the request not formally presented and no vote was taken.
The GOP passed a resolution at its convention on March 15, 2025 -- and asked that the school board consider it as the Blueprint 2030 plan was developed.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council approved one action to make the town safer, but will place a financial burden on businesses.
And, a motion that died for lack of a second creates a delay for the county's judicial complex.
Fire Chief Russell Fuller and Planning Director Terry Satterwhite presented an ordinance change requiring all businesses in town to be outfitted with Knox Boxes -- a unique locked box where property owners would leave keys to their businesses on-site so firefighters can gain emergent entry on fire calls.

LOUISBURG -- A suspected killer was sent back to jail after a judge ruled that he violated the terms of his bonded release.
Authorities arrested Michael David Barnes in November 2021, weeks after they allege he shot his 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 -- Prosecutors revealed that a 69-year-old woman killed in a drive-by shooting was not the intended target -- her grandson was.
Assistant District Attorney Jamie Lamancusa said four suspects were responsible for gunning down Bernice Pender Massenburg inside her Bert Winston Road on April 1 -- killing her when they fired shots in retaliation for a shooting incident that took place in Warren County days before.
Lamancusa made the pronouncement during a June 6 bond hearing in Franklin County Superior Court, arguing against setting a bond for Anarie Ananias Brown.

Fonzie - Jr. and Sr. - Flowers

MARS HILL, NC -- Scott Thomas Casagrande of Bunn was among nearly 200 students to receive degrees from Mars Hill University during spring commencement on Saturday, May 10.
Casagrande received a Bachelor of Arts in History.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Jonathan Hall, a Management major from Youngsville, was named to Samford University's Dean's List for the spring 2025 semester.
To qualify for the dean's list, a student must earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average out of a possible 4.0 while attempting at least 12 credit hours of coursework.
The Dean's List is the highest academic recognition given by the school at the end of each semester.

Cedric K. Jones Jr. recently graduated from Boston University with a Master of Science degree in Health Communications. Cedric currently works at Lilly Pharmaceutical in Charlotte, NC. He is married to Merris Ross Jones of St. Louis, Mo. His parents are Cedric and Laureen Jones of Franklinton and his sister, attorney Lauren Sophia Jones, lives in Maryland.

You've probably heard the old saying about "averages working for a reason."
If that is the case, then some hot, hot, hot summertime days are in our near future because so far this spring, the temperatures have been very mild -- and enjoyable.
Although we're nearly to the middle of June, it's likely the temperatures are destined to rise soon -- and make those average temperatures work yet again.
In the meantime enjoy these beautiful late spring days!

It's been about seven years since I've had to make the commute from Durham to Franklin County.
But, for the good of my water bill, maybe I need to start making that drive again ... and in a bigger vehicle.
According to a recent WRAL story, reporters revealed -- via public records request -- that Durham loses nearly 4 million gallons of water per day, primarily due to pipe breaks and leaks.

Dear editor: I don't know how many people are still around who remember the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, and how wildly popular some of them, such as The King and I or South Pacific, were.
One of the South Pacific songs had these words:

Dear editor: When we dismiss our history and rich elders and ignore their wisdom and advice, we end up with Trumpian chaos and cruelty, not once but twice.
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

LOUISBURG -- A church family's case alleging wrongful arrest and wrongdoing by the sheriff's office has been moved to federal court.
In February 2024, Franklin County sheriff's deputies took out warrants against Kenneth Neil Jones, 64, of Beasley Road, Rachel Christian Jones, 41, of Dyking Road, and Imre Briscoe Balazsi, 46, of Williamson Street, charging them with misdemeanor assault of an individual with disabilities and false imprisonment.
Kenneth Jones is the pastor at Highest Praise Church in Louisburg.

LOUISBURG -- Youngsville police arrested a woman they allege assaulted a man and a child.
Cachet Chanell Perry was arrested on May 13 and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and child abuse -- both misdemeanors.
According to court records, the 29-year-old is accused of trying to stab a man in the stomach. The victim, according to court documents, was able to grab the knife blade, resulting in a small cut on his left hand.

LOUISBURG -- A downtown building was condemned last week when bricks came crashing to the ground and inspectors deemed the structure unsafe.
It's left a Louisburg attorney picking up the pieces of his practice and the property owner scrambling to find a structural engineer.
"Everything was moved to a storage location," said attorney Ed Bartholomew, who's used the 211 Court Street property as his law practice since 2017, but had to move out when the county condemned the property last week.

BUNN -- Town commissioners approved a budget that increases taxes and expands the police department.
Bunn's 2025-26, $948,580 budget did not generate any public debate, though.
Commissioners held a public hearing on June 2, prior to the board's regular session, soliciting input on the spending plan.
No comments were offered.

There's a brand new community in Franklin County -- and it's called "Stone Woods Box City."
The community boasts many of the amenities that folks find attractive in the 21st Century even if the architecture is a bit ... well, boxy.
There are drug stores, a gas station, small retail businesses, lots of housing including single family and multi-family, a pond complete with wildlife and, of course, big box stores -- in this case literally big box stores.

Franklinton High School has a new principal -- and he's a somewhat familiar face around the county school system.
Dr. David C. Westbrook was named the FHS principal Monday night, replacing Russell Holloman at the helm of the district's largest high school.
The new principal has more than 25 years of experience in education.

Funeral services for Leeroy "Lee" Richardson, age 88, who died on Saturday, June 7, 2025, will be held on Friday, June 13, at 1 p.m. at the Pine Chapel Baptist Church in Hollister with Pastor Robert Hedgepeth officiating. Burial will follow in the Pine Chapel Memorial Garden Cemetery.

Danville, VA -- Funeral services for Donna "Black" Winston, age 51, formerly of Franklinton, NC, who died on Friday, June 6, 2025, will be held on Monday, June 16, at 1 p.m. at the Pine Grove Baptist Church in Creedmoor with Rev. Timothy Green officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Vernon Church Cemetery.