Across Franklin County in recent days, telephones have been ringing and when folks answer, they are greeted by the pleasant, well-rehearsed voice of our new representative to the U.S. Congress, Renee Ellmers.
So far, so good.
Obviously reading from a carefully prepared script (or, at least well-rehearsed) she explains that she is seeking input from residents of her district about the goings-on in our nation’s capital.
Spring is always a busy time in Franklin County but every couple of years, two things make the schedule even more hectic than usual.
And this is one of those years.
First, there will be an Historic Homes Tour and, second, there will be a new edition of the Franklin County Guidebook published by your friends here at The Franklin Times.
GOOD MORNING: Although the weather has been a bit on the cool side for the past couple of mornings, dropping into the low 40’s around daybreak out my way, they’ve rebounded nicely, climbing to the lower 80’s by noontime.
Temperatures today (Saturday) look to be a tad warmer with something like a 90 percent chance of thundershowers. And it looks like it will be Tuesday before we see temperatures in the 80’s once again.
North Carolina’s political parties are like the relic you stumble over in your attic – you pick it up and dust it off but aren’t sure what to do with it. You can’t and won’t use it, but you hate to throw it away because of the emotional attachment.
Time was being either a Democrat or Republican meant something. We were proud to belong to the party. There was this sense you were part of something doing big things, making life better.
If you place importance on Earth Day, April 22 (and you should), then salute a Franklin County farmer when you celebrate!
Why?
The men and women who put food on your supper table have made incredible advances since that first Earth Day in 1970. Each year, these producers developed better methods to protect our land, water and air.
Wake Electric held its 2011 annual meeting recently and more than 543 members, plus their guests, attended the meeting held in the Louisburg College auditorium.
Attendees heard reports on current plans and progress of Wake Electric, and also had the chance to ask senior management questions about Wake Electric.
The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) Division of Principals and Administrators named Linda Gail Piper Frederickson, director of Elementary Education and Title I for Franklin County Schools, as the NCAE Central Office Administrator of the Year for 2011.
Frederickson was given this honor at the 2011 NCAE Awards Banquet March 17 at the Marriott Hotel in Raleigh.
The East Carolina University College of Human Ecology in Greenville is proud to announce that Dawn Valentine-Barrow was an Honorable Mention Graduate Award winner for her oral presentation at the College of Human Ecology Research and Creative Activity Forum on March 23.
YOUNGSVILLE - Mary Ray Allred, 88, formerly of Bland Road in Raleigh, died Monday, April 11, 2011. Graveside services were held Friday, April 15, at Montlawn Memorial Park.
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Helen Perry Rogers, 89, who died Tuesday, April 12, 2011 will be held Monday, April 18, at Faith Missionary Baptist Church, with the Rev. Gregory Hall officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
LOUISBURG - Helen Louise Mayberry Kincaid, 88, of Louisburg, formerly of Lenoir, died Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at Franklin Oaks in Louisburg. A graveside service will be held Sunday, April 17, at 2 p.m. at Blue Ridge Memorial Park in Lenoir, with the Rev. Renee Easter officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. at Pendry’s Funeral Home prior to the graveside service.
LOUISBURG – Cherry Hart Adair, 47, died Wednesday afternoon, April 13, 2011 at her home. A private memorial service will be held Saturday, with the Rev. Frank Eatmon officiating.
FRANKLINTON - Jacqueline “Jackie” Wheeler Hedrick Oakley, 70, died Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at WakeMed. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. today (Saturday, April 16) at Franklinton Baptist Church. Entombment will be held at Fairview Cemetery.
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Sarah “Ann” Johnson, 72, who died Tuesday, April 12, 2011, will be held at 2 p.m. today (Saturday, April 16) at Jordan Chapel Baptist Church, with the Rev. Quinton Alston officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
PILOT - Lucy Thomas Broadway, 95, died Tuesday, April 12, 2011. Funeral service was Friday, April 15, at Massey Funeral Home in Zebulon. Burial followed in Gethsemane Memorial Gardens.
KNIGHTDALE - Kenneth “Ken” Russell Whidby, 53, died Monday, April 11, 2011 at his residence. A graveside service was held Friday, April 15, at Pine Forest Memorial Gardens.
RALEIGH - Margaret Broughton Dale, 88, formerly of Raleigh, died Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at her daughter’s home in Raeford. Private graveside services will be held Saturday at Raleigh Memorial Park.
The Louisburg air was once again filled with beautiful whistling of classical and popular tunes. Even if you are not fond of whistlers, the experience can be awesome.
The International Whistlers Convention (IWC), which took place April 6-10, was the celebration of the 38th anniversary of the competition. As you may recall, the convention was also held in Louisburg in 2009.
Vance-Granville Community College instructor Marian C. Dillahunt-Andrews of Durham was recently named the recipient of the 2011 North Carolina Community College System Excellence in Teaching Award, the highest honor for an educator in the 58-college system. She will be formally recognized at the North Carolina Community Colleges Excellence Event, called “The Great Within the 58,” on April 14 in Raleigh.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
KENLY -- North Johnston has established itself as the team to beat in the Northern Carolina Conference softball standings -- and the Lady Panthers accentuated that fact Wednesday during a home league meeting against Louisburg.
The powerhouse Panthers scored 10 runs in each of the first two frames en rout to posting a 20-0 decision over Louisburg.
The event was called after Louisburg’s team at-bat in the top of the third stanza.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Tim Sparks, an assistant men’s basketball coach at Louisburg College, checked the clock when Jeremy Atkinson and Ariel Phelps walked into his office Thursday -- both sporting their No. 11 jerseys.
“It was 11:11 a.m., and here come the two No. 11s through the door,’’ Sparks said. “I thought that was symbolic.’’
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
KENLY -- A topsy-turvy season in the Northern Carolina Conference baseball standings took yet another abrupt turn Wednesday at North Johnston’s Doug Parnell Field.
Louisburg entered the outing looking for a sweep of homestanding North Johnston -- and the opportunity to remain tied with Roanoke Rapids in the ultra-competitive league.
Aaron Denton left Louisburg College to build a men’s basketball program at Sandhills Community College -- along with being the school’s first-ever Athletic Director.
After three successful seasons, Denton, a Bunn native, has stepped down from his hoops position to fully concentrate on his AD duties.
High School Baseball
MONDAY
Louisburg at Franklinton 6 p.m.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
KENLY -- Louisburg High School entered Wednesday’s road girls soccer contest at North Johnston with a short-handed roster -- and it got even shorter as the match progressed.
With only 11 players available, there was no margin for error for the Lady Warriors. But in the second half, a roster member succumbed to a serious headache, meaning LHS had to go the rest of the way with just 10 performers.
