Recent Articles

CULLOWHEE, NC -- A handful of local students were amongst the more than 1,000 named to Western Carolina University's Spring 2024 Dean's List.
To qualify for this honor, students must achieve a GPA of 3.5 or higher while completing 12 or more credit hours.
The following local students made this semester Dean's List:

LOUISBURG -- The case against a Wake Forest woman accused of drinking and driving and killing a Franklin County man -- and the Raleigh establishment that served her -- continues in civil superior court.
Wake Forest police arrested Kristen Hellier on Dec. 28, 2023 after she crashed head-on into Waleed Mohamed Abdelsattar while driving the wrong way along Capital Boulevard near Club Villas Drive -- about a mile south of the Franklin County line.

SERVICE. The Franklin County Board of Commissioners recognized Commissioners Danny Pearce and Kelli London for their service to the board. Both were elected to the board in 2024 when Pearce won the at-large District 7 seat and London won the District 1 seat. When redistricting occurred, London was double-bunked into District 3 with Commissioner Mark Speed. Both Pearce and London opted not to seek re-election. Above, Commission Chair Harry Foy, left, presented Pearce with a plaque and recognized Pearce for his service.

Lena Robertson at Nov. 7 Hunger & Homeless vigil

Rolesville, NC--Paul Logan Taylor, 68, of Rolesville, NC, formerly of Louisburg, died at his home on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services are incomplete for Magdalene "Jean" Perry Drake, age 62, who died on Friday, November 1, 2024.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC--Brenda Faye Williams Williamson, of Youngsville, age 65, died November 11, 2024.

BALTIMORE, MD--Vasco Wester, age 71, of Baltimore MD, died November 7, 2024, in Baltimore.

Hollister, NC--Funeral services for David "Big Jim" Williams, age 93, who died on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, were held Sunday, November 17, at 2 p.m. from the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Arcola with Rev. Ed West officiating. Burial followed in the Shiloh Church Cemetery.

CASTALIA, NC -- Funeral services for Estelle "Mama Stell" Wilkins, age 98, who died on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, were held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 1 p.m. from the Cedar Rock Missionary Baptist Church in Castalia with Pastor Sylvester White officiating. Burial followed in the Cedar Rock Church Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC--Teresa Ann Weathers, 52, of Louisburg, NC, passed away on Sunday, November 17, 2024.

LOUISBURG - Faye Strickland Griffin, passed away on November 17, 2024. She was a daughter of the late Staley and Lois Strickland of Louisburg. She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly fifty years, John W. Griffin, Sr.

LOUISBURG, NC--William "Billy" Nathaniel Farmer, Jr., 89, of Louisburg, passed away Friday, November 15, 2024 at his home.

LOUISBURG , NC--Barbara Leonard Perdue, 85, of Louisburg passed away at her home on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

FUN-RAISER. The Boys and Girls Club of North Central North Carolina's annual Hops & Holly fundraiser was a hit as folks filled The Carolina Manor House in Franklinton, above.

LOUISBURG -- The nation is set to recognize Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week starting on Sunday.
But, those who are fighting both problems here in Franklin County said the problem is worth recognizing for the whole month of November.
"Most places only do awareness for one week," said Beverly Kegley, who served as emcee for the candlelight vigil last Thursday on the Franklin County Courthouse steps.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council tip-toed right up to the point of approving several steps that would have cleared the way for a controversial courtroom building project by Franklin County -- but then tabled the whole matter for a month, apparently at the suggestion of Franklin County Commission Chair Harry Foy.
The non-action came after public hearings were held on several topics Tuesday night in a meeting which saw a number of other topics addressed.

In a surprise move Tuesday evening -- after an hour-long secret executive session -- the Louisburg Town Council agreed to eliminate the position of part-time fire chief held by Randy Lanham and begin the search for a full-time chief.
The move, which officials said was immediately effective, leaves the part paid, part volunteer department without a designated leader. No reason was given for such an abrupt change.

Above, members of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol posted the colors on the stage of the Seby B. Jones Performing Arts Center at Louisburg College, the site of Monday's Franklin County Veterans Day program.

Veteran Louisburg Police Chief Jason Abbott made it official Tuesday night. He told the mayor and town council that he is retiring, effective Jan. 31, 2025. Abbott began as a patrol officer with the Louisburg department in 1996 and "worked all the high spots in the department" until becoming interim police chief in April, 2017, following the retirement of Chief Rick Lassiter. The council named him chief of police in October, 2017.

Martin Dell & Steve Moore

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Elections is set to conclude its review of alleged ballot errors and tally its provisional ballots today.
That'll get the board one step closer to making the Nov. 5 election official. However, the race for County Commission District 3 might still be unresolved.
During early voting, at least four people told Franklin County Board of Elections staff that they believed they received and cast the incorrect ballot for District 3 -- which featured a race between incumbent Commissioner Mark Speed and Republican challenger Russell Bottoms.

YOUNGSVILLE -- A Youngsville business owner reported more than $25,000 worth of camera equipment was stolen from a warehouse.
Immediate attempts to contact the Youngsville Police Department were not successful.
According to published reports, the founder of PowerGPU reported that at least three people broke into the warehouse in the 700 block of Park Avenue during the early morning hours of Nov. 11.

A HALF CENTURY TOGETHER. Gary Carlton Faulkner and Connie Jo Gilliam Faulkner recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary alongside their family with lunch and cake. They were married on Nov. 10, 1974 in Louisburg, NC, where they also reside today. They have three daughters, Natalie, Carla Jo (Jonathan), and Whitney (Levi), and four grandchildren, Jackson, Perry, William, and Naomi.