Recent Articles

Castalia, NC--Funeral services for James Matthew Anstead, age 69, who died on Sunday, October 22, 2023, will be held 2 p.m., Sunday, October 29, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC. Burial will follow in the Anstead Family Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC --Helen Montague Wadford, 67, died Wednesday, October 18, 2023, after an extended illness.

She was born April 26, 1956 in Raleigh, NC, the daughter of the late Pete and Frances Montague.

LOUISBURG, NC--Marie Harper Smith, 96, of Louisburg, passed away Friday afternoon, October 20, 2023, at Franklin Oaks.

Marie was a native of Franklin County, and was the daughter of the late Forrest Harper and Beatrice Aycock Harper. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Smith, Sr.; and son, Kenneth Smith.

GREENSBORO, NC -- Funeral services for Flora Kingsberry Alston, age 81, formerly of Kittrell, who died on October 16, 2023, were held at 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 23, from the Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Thomas Richardson officiating. Burial followed in the Kingsberry Family Cemetery.

We are heartbroken to announce the death of Claude Everette Hicks, better known as Eddie. He passed away peacefully on Monday, October 9, 2023 at the age of 61.

Graveside Service: 11 a.m., Saturday, November 4, 2023 at New Hope Christian Church, 2779 NC - 98, Louisburg, North Carolina.

LOUISBURG - Phyllis Diane Lancaster, 68, of Louisburg, passed away Tuesday morning at Franklin Oaks.

LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Levie Alston, 81, who died on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, will be held on Saturday October 28, 2023 at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg.

LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Lela Mae Bowden, 58, who died on Sunday, October 15, will be held on Tuesday, October 24, at 2 p.m. from the Ambassadors For Christ Ministry in Louisburg with Rev. Geraldine Reynolds officiating.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County management is trying to arrange a more constructive meeting between county officials and animal rescue representatives, perhaps as early as next week.
But, on Monday night, the county's meeting space was packed with folks criticizing the shelter's operations amid continued calls for the shelter director's job.
Animal welfare advocates have been calling for change at the shelter going back to 2019 and, in recent months, have amplified their demands for improvements.

LOUISBURG -- The town of Louisburg grew by about 40 acres this week after the town council approved the annexation of the Forest Hills Subdivision along NC 561 at the former town limits.
If the project develops as planned it will add about 64 single-family homes to the town's tax base and the town also will provide water and sewer service to the development.

CENTERVILLE -- In 2016, Katelyn and Brandon Welch bought their first two steers with a simple goal -- provide better meat for their family and friends.
The innocent venture soon became bigger than their close-knit group and the pair decided to turn their passion into a business -- christening the 13-acre property Hidden Acres Farm in 2020.
Slightly before, but definitely since then, they have produced grass-fed beef, chicken and eggs, grass-fed lamb, forested pork and homemade soaps.

LOUISBURG -- State legislators presented commissioners with a $44 million ceremonial check, symbolizing the bounty they brought back to Franklin County.
The announcement came a week after Rep. Winslow was unable to provide the Board of Education with a presentation on the state's budget.
But, on Monday night, Winslow and Sen. Lisa Barnes touted the state budget's benefit to Franklin County.
"It's always exciting when we're bringing money back to the district," Winslow said.

WARRENTON -- Warren County sheriff's deputies arrested an adult and three juveniles that Franklin County authorities allege were responsible for a string of armed robberies at Dollar General -- including an attempted robbery that resulted in them shooting at officers.
No injuries were reported during the Oct. 11 incident.

Boy Scout Troop 555 member Troy Moser

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg police officers arrested a man wanted for a Vance County murder.
According to Louisburg police and published reports, the Vance County Sheriff's Office alleges Eric Ryan Hill was responsible for shooting two people in the area of Gillburg Lane in Henderson just before 8 a.m. on Oct. 12.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg police arrested Henderson teenager who led them on a chase before wrecking his car.
The 17-year-old was charged with felony fleeing to elude an officer, leaving the scene of an accident, possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of marijuana, resisting an officer, no operator's license, careless and reckless driving, improper passing, expired registration, expired inspection and not wearing a seat belt.

LOUISBURG -- A 22-year-old Louisburg man was killed in a single-vehicle wreck over the weekend.
According to a report by Trooper C.R. Lanham, Tyler White was driving east on East River Road when he ran off the road to the right at about 11 p.m. on Oct. 14.
The vehicle struck some rocks, went airborne and struck an embankment.

When we travel, which we don't do nearly as much as we'd like, I'm always on the lookout for the ways other folks do things that are successful and which we might be able to bring home and adapt.
Rolling into the small town of Red Bay, Ala., last Friday morning, I found one of those examples that really stood out.
Located conveniently in downtown Red Bay, a small northwest Alabama town of about 3,232 people, was a beautiful red brick two-story hotel called, appropriately, Hotel Red Bay.

After presenting Franklin County with a ceremonial check for $44 million, Rep. Matthew Winslow took time to recognize a group whose impact is priceless.
Long-time law enforcement officer Wayne Daniels, and group of first responders and dedicated citizens started the Big and Small Peer Support Group in January 2021 -- as a way to help officers cope with some of the terrors of the job, whether that be through quarterly communal meals they offer, at no charge, or through peer counseling or establishing funds to help officers cover costs of therapy sessions or other resources they might need to deal with the trauma that comes with the job.

Dear Editor: I would like to thank Franklin County Board of Education member Tommy Piper for addressing a glaring problem with the recently passed state budget, albeit 3 months late. In the meeting he was very vocal about the lack of pay and blatant disrespect to veteran teachers. Over the next two years, teachers in their early years will receive as much as a 10.8 percent well-deserved raise, while veteran teachers with 15-plus years of experience will get a 3.6 percent raise.

Dear editor: I have been registering citizens to vote since 2007. I have registered at all venues including but not limited to colleges, barber shops, at various town events, etc. As a registrar I have registered both parties.
Even though I am married, and married to the mayor, I still retain certain rights, as all spouses of elected officials do.

Dear editor: It was a beautiful afternoon recently as The Thundering Herd from Marshall University met the NC State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium.
You can pick up a good dose of melancholy as you remember the plane crash in 1970 that killed players, coaches and staff of the football program at Marshall. James Robert "Crow" Patterson of Louisburg was one of the players that lost his life that day.

Name:
Jeffrey Scott Brame
Age: 39
Occupation:
Professional Engineer for North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives (Title: Manager, Reliability Compliance)