Recent Articles

LOUISBURG, NC--Foy Ray Mozingo, 77, of Louisburg, passed away Thursday morning, August 31, 2023, at his home, surrounded by his family.

LOUISBURG, NC--James Arthur Hedgepeth, 59, of Louisburg, passed away Saturday evening, September 2, 2023, at his home, surrounded by his family.

LOUISBURG, NC--John Ethan Shearon died Wednesday, August 30, 2023.

He was born November 29, 1965 in Raleigh, NC.

LOUISBURG -- A judge disposed of two murder cases during a special session of superior court.
As part of a plea agreement, Xavier Vishal Billups was given credit for two years in jail and sentenced to 60 months of probation -- which includes psychiatric oversight in an effort to re-introduce him to society through the group home system.

LOUISBURG -- One simple change to the setup of the downtown Louisburg Friday Nights on the Tar event triggered more controversy in one night than the event has sparked over its multi-year history.
Last week, the council decided not to block off Main Street downtown which had traditionally been done to control traffic in the area around the concert, food trucks and children's play items.

DURHAM -- The state named a Franklin County resident as its Special Olympics Athlete of the Year.
Lorenzo Stancil was presented the honor for 2023 at the 2023 Special Olympics of North Carolina (SONC) Leadership Summit, which joined Special Olympics leaders from across the state.
More than 14 years ago, Stancil began competing in athletics and has grown to become a leader in the Special Olympics movement.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies continue to investigate a homicide.
Sheriff's deputies arrested Matthew John Harris on Aug. 25, alleging the 25-year-old killed Jaxon Williams, 17.
The details of the incident were not immediately clear, and remained that way this week.

LOUISBURG -- Residents with an eye toward preservation, again, asked county commissioners to hold off on tearing down what could be an historic property.
On Aug. 7, structural engineers and architects hired to oversee a judicial complex renovation deemed the adjacent 109 W. Nash Street property a safety hazard and said restoration was impractical.
At that same meeting, commissioners voted by unanimous decision to demolish the multi-story structure.

LOUISBURG -- The legal cases against a Youngsville man who killed a mother and injured her child in a wreck concluded this month.
In June, 38-year-old Salvador Sanchez Aguilar pled guilty to second degree murder without regard for human life, negligent child abuse causing serious bodily injury and two counts of negligent child abuse causing serious physical injury for his role in the January 2022 wreck that killed 21-year-old Brittany Hancock and injured her two-year-old daughter.

COLORFUL CREATIONS. Franklinton Senior Center members enjoy craft time at the center, creating July 4th decorations. Pictured above: Selma Hobson.

COLORFUL CREATIONS. Franklinton Senior Center members enjoy craft time at the center, creating July 4th decorations. Pictured above: Ella Bolden.

COLORFUL CREATIONS. Franklinton Senior Center members enjoy craft time at the center, creating July 4th decorations. Pictured above: Sylvia Farley.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg Police and Franklin County sheriff's deputies combined to arrest one suspect in an armed robbery at an Internet cafe Tuesday morning. The search for the second suspect is ongoing.
Officers responded to an armed robbery in progress at MGM Sweepstakes on Bickett Boulevard just after 1:30 a.m. Officers determined two people entered the business fully covered with long clothing and masks.

FAMILY AFFAIR. The Franklin County Cooperative Extension hosted its 4-H Fun Livestock Show, giving youngsters a chance to test their showmanship and knowledge of animals. Above, the family of the late Phylis Grice, who was an "outstanding" 4-H volunteer were on hand as a 4-H Memorial Fund was established in her name.

FUN SHOW. Plenty came out for the Cooperative Extension's 4-H Fun Livestock Show at Wildwynne Stables in Youngsville on Aug. 18. Above, Patricia Hill and Jason Brown share some pointers with Troy Brown and Noah Brown.

FUN SHOW. Plenty came out for the Cooperative Extension's 4-H Fun Livestock Show at Wildwynne Stables in Youngsville on Aug. 18. Above, Judah Brown shows judge Laura McPherson his skills.

FUN SHOW. Plenty came out for the Cooperative Extension's 4-H Fun Livestock Show at Wildwynne Stables in Youngsville on Aug. 18. Above, Joseph and Holly Thornburg show a chicken.

FUN SHOW. Plenty came out for the Cooperative Extension's 4-H Fun Livestock Show at Wildwynne Stables in Youngsville on Aug. 18. Above, Meredith Poole is all smiles while showing her chicken during the show.

Maybe it's been the heat or more likely, the humidity, but I've been feeling a bit confused in recent days.
First, I just realized that by the time you read this, we'll be on the verge of the Labor Day Weekend or, perhaps, into it already!
Hard to believe we're talking about September but we are, despite whether we're ready for that headlong rush into fall, the days of ghosts and goblins and the focus on Turkey Day and beyond!

As witnessed by our front page, the past week has been pretty depressing.
And, couple that with the news that came out of UNC Chapel Hill earlier this week, it serves to only compound this depression.
It started on Friday when authorities announced that 17-year-old Franklinton-area resident Jaxon Williams was killed.
Details about the homicide are few, right now, but what we all know -- and what we all feel -- is that a life was snuffed out too soon.

Dear editor:
First question: To whom can Franklin County taxpayers report that we have a corrupt county management system that is wasting tax monies and destroying yesteryear relics?
Do we have a recourse?

Dear editor: I believe registering people to vote is a noble volunteer community service which should be encouraged and supported at every public event and in every public space by every elected official and community leader.
I also believe it is reprehensible that any Council member would try to prohibit voter registration at a public event in the town and I don't think the citizens will look kindly to any of us if we try to do this.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Franklin County authorities continue to investigate a house fire that killed a family pet.
Youngsville fire crews responded to 325 Fleming Road at about 2:45 p.m. on Aug. 24, finding the home nearly fully engulfed in flames.
Youngsville fire was assisted by crews from Franklinton, Brassfield, Wake Forest, Mitchiners Crossroads and Louisburg firefighters to knock down the conflagration.