Recent Articles

Kids' Costume contest winners from left: Marion Carter (first); Jabryan Scott (second) and Ayden Adams (third)

Relay winning team reps pick up their ribbons, from left: first place Walnut Grove, Nicole Perry and Tricia Preston; second place Mitchiner's Grove Baptist Church, Milltrene Newell; third place Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Clara Alston; fourth place New Hope Freedom Deliverance, Hope Wright.

FRANKLINTON -- Town officials, Tree Committee members, staff and interested historians plunged a weeping willow into the earth last week, expecting it to be as resilient and significant as a world heavy weight champion whose life ended in Franklinton.
But, it's Jack Johnson's legacy that the gathered mass wanted to remember.

Ed Alston and Russ Reid pick up trash along Bert Winston Road in Youngsville.

Ruby Martin, Ann Marie and Ray Arout, and Rick Martin grab trash along S. Nassau Street in Youngsville.

Rick Peterson and Gregg Harris sort out litter grabbers at the litter sweep starting point in Youngsville.

Novonesis employees Brandon Jones and Emily Hon join Franklinton employees Destiny Russell and Chris George as they happily pick up trash.

Franklinton Town Manager Zach Steffey, Town Clerk Lauren Chandler and resident Yvonne Dalton are joined by residents and Novonesis employees, including Rebecca Replogle, Erica Shoaf, Bernardo Vidal Jr., Commissioner Judy McArn, Nicole Nudelman, Andrea Belford, Town Planner Chris George, Nicole M. Bowling, resident Jennifer Johansson Felicia Scott, resident Kyrie Thames, Brandon Jones, Julie Gattaz, Kathy Humphrey and Arlan Peters.

Can you hear me now?
Once, that was a semi-famous line in an advertisement but these days, it's often a comment we are forced to make to callers who just want to tell us something.
In fact, it's not unusual that the background noise is so great that I have to pause a conversation to let an especially loud vehicle -- often a truck -- pass by our office on Bickett Boulevard.

LOUISBURG -- A contingent of Franklin County officials led by county Manager Kim Denton appeared before the Louisburg town council during a public hearing Monday night as part of a fact-finding mission on the county's proposed judicial center.
The meeting, Denton said, "is the next step in this project" which is construction of a new judicial facility in downtown Louisburg.
After more than an hour and a half, two main facts emerged:

LOUISBURG, NC -- Sam J. Hight, 79, passed away peacefully on April 26, 2024 at home, surrounded by his loving family. He leaves behind a legacy of strength, dedication and kindness.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC--Jaden Willow Groves, 24, died April 3, 2024. Jaden was born on April 12, 1999 to Jonathon Groves and Melinda Pendley.

CHARLOTTE, NC -- Funeral services for Zaray Hernandez, age 25, who died on Monday, April 22, 2024, was held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, 2024 from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel, Louisburg, NC with Rev. Thomas Betts, officiating.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC--Jaden Willow Groves, 24, died April 3, 2024. Jaden was born on April 12, 1999 to Jonathon Groves and Melinda Pendley.

FAYETTEVILLE, NC --Denny Davis, 71 of Fayetteville died at his home Friday, April 26, 2024.

Denny was born on June 22, 1952 to the late Max and Sara Davis. In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by his twin brother, Kenny Davis.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Charles Graham Hicks, 75, passed away after a tragic accident on April 22, 2024.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC -- Thomas Davie "Tommy" Dean, age 81, was born on October 30th, 1942 in Wake County North Carolina. He passed away peacefully on April 28th, 2024, to be with his Lord and Savior.

Franklinton , NC--Joseph Patrick (Joe) Olivieri, 51, of Franklinton went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. He was born on March 19, 1973, in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Dr. Vincent Paul Olivieri and Anna Louise (Casertano) Olivieri. He was a loving husband to Kerry McCarthy Olivieri and a dedicated father to Joey Olivieri.

LOUISBURG, NC --John McGruder Benton, 62, of Louisburg died Friday, April 26, 2024. He was born on June 13, 1961 to the late William James "Bill" and Mary Elizabeth "Betsey" Barnes Benton of Louisburg.

Franklinton, NC--Memorial services for Leoncio "Leo" Guerra, age 59, who died on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, May 4, from the Old Liberty Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Cullus Dunston officiating.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC -- Lewtisha Pendergraft Baker, 71, of Youngsville, died Wednesday afternoon, April 24, 2024, at the S.E.C.U. Hospice House.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Denise Terry Harris, 69, of Franklinton, died Tuesday evening, April 23, 2024 at Wake Med North.

LOUISBURG -- Court documents reveal that animal services officers received a complaint about a kennel operation days before a dog was found dead.
Anne Marie Green is alleged to have tormented and deprived of necessary sustenance more than 20 dogs at her Green Meadow Kennels -- which was apparently being operated out of her Tarboro Road home.
She had a court appearance scheduled for last week, but the matter was continued until July 3.

LOUISBURG -- On a day when Special Olympians were collecting glory on the track and field, one of its leaders continued to wrack up his own hardware.
Last year, Lorenzo Stancil was named the 2023 Special Olympics North Carolina Athlete of the Year.
Before the start of the Special Olympics of Franklin County's Spring Games on April 18, Stancil got one more honor -- the Laurel Wreath Award, given out by the Governor's office to those who have made outstanding contributions to sports or athletics.

Special Olympics Local Coordinator Oliver Greene gets the teams ready to go.