By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
As he raced to the right centerfield wall, leaping to make one of the most iconic plays in sports history, Otis Nixon seemed to go as high and far as he could possibly go.
This past weekend, he came back to the place where such dreams were nurtured and made possible.
Nixon, who played at Louisburg College under legendary coach Russ Frazier before going on to a 17-year Major League Baseball career, was a special guest this weekend at the college’s annual Alumni Weekend.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
JUSTICE — Fifty years ago, residents from within a close-knit community decided they wanted to be able to do more than gather around and lament the loss of life or property because of fire.
They started the county’s first rural volunteer fire department.
Bernice Harris, who’s husband Baxter was one of the founding members, said the department gave the community hope.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Commissioners told the Franklin County School Board to move forward with bidding the new Franklinton High School project.
They’re still not ready to stick any shovels in the ground, though.
The board’s unanimous decision on Monday night meets the school system’s bid advertising schedule, which was coming up against a Wednesday deadline.
The two boards have been meeting in joint sessions for the past few months figuring out the best approach for the project — do it now in a ripe bidding market or wait until economic conditions improve.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
A Louisburg man turned himself in Tuesday to face charges and allegations that he shot and killed his girlfriend.
David Bishop, 24, had been on the run since early Sunday after shooting Gabrielle Lucinda Reece in the face.
Deputies Allen Batchelor and Sgt. Gerrod Gay found her body inside a camper behind a residence at 609 Fox Ridge Road.
After talking with a witness and arresting an accomplice, Christopher Rose, investigators say Bishop induced terror both before and after the shooting.
Posted on:
April 20, 2009
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Authorities are looking for a Louisburg man that investigators say shot his girlfriend and tried to cover up his crime before eluding deputies early Sunday morning.
High School Baseball
TUESDAY
Northwest Halifax at Franklinton 5 p.m.
Southern Vance at Bunn 7 p.m.
Gates County at Louisburg 5 p.m.
GREENVILLE -- Freshman Kevin Brandt tossed a career-high 6 2/3 innings of shutout ball and combined with three other hurlers as No. 17 East Carolina took the season series from in-state foe North Carolina State 7-0 Wednesday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Brandt, who made just his second start of the season, improved to 5-1 on the year for the Pirates (27-10) allowing just three hits, fanning four and walking three.
Citing a lack of players, Louisburg College has opted to suspend its 2009 fast-pitch softball season.
The Lady Hurricanes, under the direction of first-year head coach Monica Gordy, were down to eight players due to injuries, defections and disciplinary issues.
“We explored all options, but we didn’t see how we could make it work the rest of the season,’’ said LC Athletic Director Mike Holloman. “We had hoped to find some additional players, but were unable to do so.’’
LOUISBURG -- With just eight league games remaining, the Louisburg College Hurricanes will be on the road this weekend for a key Region X, four-game series at the University of South Carolina-Lancaster.
Doubleheader action will begin both today and Sunday at 1 p.m.
LC will then return home next week for its region finale series against USC-Sumter at Frazier Field.
By:
Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
BUNN -- The father-daughter team of Greg and Whitney Bunn has proven to be a formidable one for the Wake Forest Wizards.
With Greg Bunn coaching from the sideline and Whitney Bunn running the show at point guard, the Wizards won the championship last weekend at the 15-Under AAU Eastern Regional Girls Basketball Tournament in Durham.
In the final game, Whitney Bunn, a current eighth-grader at Bunn Middle School, scored the winning basket with 12 seconds remaining as the Wizards defeated the Carolina All-Stars by a 69-67 margin.
By:
Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
STANHOPE - Because of Spring Break, Louisburg was missing five starters -- and had only the minimum of 11 players -- for Thursday’s road, non-conference girls soccer showdown at Southern Nash.
The host Ladybirds weren’t in the best of shape, either, as three starters were unavailable because of a Beta Club event, including midfield standout Hannah Brock.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners will be asked on Monday night to give the School Board some direction on moving forward with a bond project that includes a new Franklinton High School.
School Board Chairwoman Paige Sayles sent county staff a letter earlier this month, reminding them that if they want to keep the project on schedule to open for the 2011-12 school year, the architect needs to know by this coming Wednesday whether he can put it out to bid.
The Civic Center at Vance-Granville Community College was the scene of a world of food, fun and entertainment on March 25, during the college’s annual Cultural Fair. The VGCC Global Awareness Committee stages the event each year to expose students, faculty and staff to a variety of cultures from around the world. The theme for this year’s event was “Creating Cultural Connections.”
YOUNGSVILLE - Jasmyne Moré Russell, 15, died Tuesday, April 14, 2009. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. today (Saturday, April 18) in the chapel of Bright Funeral Home in Wake Forest.
LOUISBURG - Elizabeth Christine Daniels, 72, died Wednesday morning, April 15, 2009. A graveside service was conducted Friday, April 17, at the Faulkner family cemetery, with the Rev. Luke Smith officiating.
HENDERSON - Vallie Harper Dickerson, 88, formerly of Henderson, died Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at Britthaven of Louisburg. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. today (Saturday, April 18) at Calvary Baptist Church, conducted by Dr. Gene Wood. Burial will follow in Sunset Gardens.
FRANKLINTON - Gary Louis Foster, 39, died Saturday, April 11, 2009. Funeral services were conducted Thursday, April 16, at Hawkins Chapel Baptist Church, Franklinton, with the Rev. W. S. Taylor officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
A last minute budget trick by our Senate would move the state’s public television network from the University of North Carolina to the NC School of the Arts. While Senator Linda Garrou’s slight-of-hand isn’t likely to slip through the House, a move to the School of the Arts would be disastrous. Nevertheless, the subject is worth discussing.
Andrea Leonard with the Franklin County Department of Social Services recently spoke to Louisburg Lions Club members regarding the Care and Share Program in Franklin County. She advised the club members that Care and Share’s primary mission is to provide emergency food assistance for those less fortunate in the community.
The Louisburg Lions Club recently enjoyed a program on Camp Dogwood, which is a summer vacation experience for the visually impaired and blind citizens from all over North Carolina. The program was presented by Dr. John Owens, Lions District 31-G representative for Camp Dogwood.
Since 1967, the North Carolina Lions Foundation has operated and upgraded the 56-acre facility, located on Lake Norman in Catawba County.
Dear Editor:
April 19 – 25, 2009 is National Volunteer Week. The purpose of this week is to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers at the local, state and national levels. This year’s theme is “Celebrating People in Action.” One volunteer group that demonstrates this spirit is SCORE.
Dear Editor:
I read an article by John Deans of Greenpeace of North Carolina congratulating Congressman Etheridge because he voted to keep important language in a bill addressing the so-called Global Warming, AKA the Climate Change.
GOOD MORNING: Hey Mack. What’s with our boy Richard up thar in Washington? You know which Richard I’m referring to. That dumb-a_ _ we elected to represent us in the United States Senate, who else?
It’s one thing to be thought stupid, but you don’t have to open your big mouth and remove all doubt.
One would have thought he’d had enough after angering vets all across the nation by holding up the nomination of a legless Iraqi War vet to be Asst. Sec’y. of Veteran Affairs.
I don’t know if this is a warning, a threat or a promise, but if I hear one more politician extoll the virtues of small business and pledge to “help,” I may go postal! The same thing may happen when I hear them laud the effects of t
In almost every case I’ve come across, the government “help” comes with so many strings and is so poorly planned that only the truly desperate or the wildly optimistic would give it a second thought -- and they will likely live to regret it.
Of course, mingled with those pledges of help are instances where the whole exercise is mere grandstanding, a cynical attempt to baffle the voters with baloney while doing little or nothing to help anyone.
First Citizens Bank officially opened its Youngsville branch office Thursday afternoon with a snip of the ribbon. Those helping make the opening official were (left to right) Ed Willingham, president of First Citizens; Sam Hardwick, mayor of Youngsville; Brenda Robbins, Youngsville town administrator; Scott Padalecki, who will manage the Youngsville bank; Darrell Smith, area executive for First Citizens and Heather Wood, a First Citizens employee. The bank, located along U.S. 1 in front of the new shopping center, has been under construction for about a year.
