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The final installment of the 2023-2024 Allen De Hart Concert Series will feature Chapel Hill's own Paperhand Puppet Intervention. This family matinee performance is a show of puppetry of epic proportions. It is affordable, outstanding family fun and has something for people of all ages. Paperhand Puppet Intervention uses papier mâché, cardboard, bamboo, old house paints, cloth, and other assorted junk to create incredible giant puppets, masks, shadow plays, and spectacle performances.

Louisburg -- Franklin County Republicans focused on the May 14 North Carolina run-off election, current activities in local and state government, and upcoming district and state conventions during the party's annual convention, held in March.
During a run-off election May 14, Republican voters will select candidates for lieutenant governor, state auditor and the U.S. House of Representatives.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg's Armenta Eaton earned a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her volunteer service.
She received the 2023 award in recognition of her lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.
The award is presented to folks who contribute more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime.

LOUISBURG -- COVID cost Louisburg College's class of '71 its golden anniversary reunion, but alumni have a rock-solid plan to celebrate next weekend.
The Golden Anniversary Council, with the assistance of Martin Marietta, will unveil and dedicate a new historical marker for the Love House -- a college residence that once stood at the corner of College and Elm streets.

RJ Mcarthy, an author with local ties, has released another crime fiction novel.
Quis Auxilium Me (Somebody Help Me) is set in 1963. Shortly before his 17th birthday, Sean Thornton overhears a confession of an imagined crime by one of the town's bumper crop of bullies, Rocky Corcoran.

LOUISBURG -- Authorities arrested a Granville County man accused of drug dealing.
A week ago, according to Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White, Franklin County deputies traveled to Granville County to arrest Jeffery Blacknall on drug charges.
White said Blacknall has an extensive "rap sheet."

RED OAK -- The Big East Conference baseball race is still up for grabs, but one thing is certain after Tuesday night -- the league's Game of the Year has been played.
It's hard to fathom that Tuesday's thrill-a-minute showdown between Bunn and host Northern Nash could be topped -- at least from a dramatic entertainment standpoint.

BUNN -- That's more like it.
That was the theme from the Nash Central High School girls soccer camp after the Lady Bulldogs successfully rebounded from a tough loss one day earlier and defeated the homestanding Bunn Ladycats by a 9-0 margin on Tuesday in Big East Conference action at the BHS Soccer Complex.
The decision provided a solid bounceback for the Lady Bulldogs, who had been topped Monday by backyard rival Northern Nash in another key league showdown.

ROCKY MOUNT -- In a showdown with plenty of postseason implications, Bunn continued its storybook campaign Monday with a solid 7-2 victory over homestanding Nash Central in Big East Conference boys tennis action.
The Wildcats, under the direction of legendary head coach Dale Murphy, are now 10-2 overall to go with an 8-2 mark in the always-competitive Big East.

SALEM, VA. - The Carolina Mudcats (1-0) were down to their final strike last Friday night at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
However, Cooper Pratt delivered with a score-tying RBI triple as part of a three-hit Single-A debut to force a 10th inning where the Mudcats scored three times to take a 6-4 Opening Night victory over the Salem Red Sox (0-1).
Carolina has now won four straight season openers dating back to 2021.

LOUISBURG -- A man accused of killing his two roommates is slated to appear in court on Monday.
Following an hour-long standoff, Franklinton police arrested Christian David Webster during the early morning hours of April 5, alleging he shot and killed Matthew Johnson, 34, and William Hulme, 26 -- all of 24 Pine Street.
Investigators have yet to reveal a motive in the slaying, but officers arrested Webster on March 31, charging him with discharging a firearm within town limits.

VIEW OF THE ECLIPSE. These photos were taken Monday in Louisburg by photographer William "Bill" Reaves. He used a digital single lens reflex camera with a Neutral Density Filter. The ND filters reduce the amount of light coming into the camera allowing the photographer to control the shutter speed and aperture for special occasions such as an eclipse, he explained. The above photo is a three photo collage of the eclipse from start to finish going from left to right.

ZEBULON, NC--Hilliard J. Gay Jr., 82, of Zebulon, died at his home April 8, 2024.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Burnell "Burn" Hilliard, age 70, who died on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, will be held on Saturday, April 13, at 3 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Minister, Edwin Dean Jones officiating.

Youngville, NC -- Donita Maria Christina Scurti, age 67, of Youngsville, died November 26, 2023. Cremation was handled by Lancaster Funeral and Cremation Services, Louisburg.

FRANKLINTON, NC--William "Glenn" Davis, 53, of Franklinton, NC, passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. He was born in Wake County, NC on December 19, 1970.

LOUISBURG, NC--Jerry Wayne Champion, age 75, resident of Lake Royale, NC, passed away on March 31, 2024 at UNC Nash Regional Hospital in Rocky Mount, NC. Born on January 9, 1949, at Watts Hospital in Durham, NC, Jerry was the only son and eldest child of Mildred and Henry Champion.

LOUISBURG --Funeral services for Wanda M. Hunt, 62, who died on Tuesday, April 2, will be held on Monday, April 8, at 11 a.m. from the Perry's Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Pastor Randolph Alston officiating.

LOUISBURG --Funeral services for Matthew James Hardy, 65, who died on Wednesday, April 3, will be held on Sunday, April 7, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners took several actions to bolster animal services.
Monday night's decisions to fill out its advisory board, task management with extending adoption hours, re-emphasize spay and neuter efforts, rush the hiring of a community outreach liaison and volunteer coordinator, and banning inhumane heart stick euthanasia came after months of pleas from animal welfare advocates.
Animal Services management has said that it uses intracardiac injections -- commonly called heart stick euthanasia -- to put animals down when necessary.

RALEIGH -- An officer-involved shooting that left a Bunn man dead now rests with the district attorney's office.
State Bureau of Investigation Public Information Director Anjanette Grube confirmed that the Dec. 21 shooting is now under the review of the district attorney's office, which is ultimately responsible for determining whether criminal charges are appropriate.
District Attorney Mike Waters noted that his office generally takes a month or two to issue a determination in the matter.

EGG-STATIC. Hundreds of kids made short work of several thousand plastic Easter eggs that were the subject of the Bunn CERT Lions Easter festivities last Saturday. Above, Nora Lewis gets a closer look at the handful of eggs that Logan Williams snatched up during the event set up beside the Walmart parking lot on Retail Way.

BUNN -- The United Way of Franklin County is putting the ball in the courts of Bunn, Franklinton and Louisburg -- literally.
Andrea Bell Wright, executive director of the civic organization has approached management and leaders in Bunn, Franklinton and Louisburg with an offer of $35,000 to put toward building a basketball court and companion [Science Technology Engineering & Math] recreational space in each town.

CASTALIA -- The Northeast Franklin Revitalization Committee has long held agritourism as one of the area's best economic draws.
On Monday night, one of the biggest contributors to the industry shared his success story.
About a decade ago, Jason Brown and his family started First Fruits Farm, a heady endeavor for someone who didn't study agriculture and never ran a farm.
However, the former professional football player took to Youtube for tips and then a farming neighbor -- Len Wester -- who took him under his wings.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County cleared up the legal hurdles necessary to close on land, warehouse and office space deal.
In September 2022, county commissioners agreed to buy five acres and the accompanying office and warehouse space at 424 T. Kemp Road, with plans to, among other things, renovate the property to house facilities maintenance staff and equipment.
In May 2023, though, Franklin County filed a lawsuit alleging that property owners -- 424 T. Kemp Road LLC -- among other things, breached the contract by not properly closing on the property and conveying the title to Franklin County.