The Franklin County Library will be closed to the public on Monday and Tuesday in addition to the July 4, holiday. This closure is to complete catalog upgrades and recovery from a recent system failure.
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By CAREY JOHNSON / Times Staff Writer
The school system announced its second principal departure in as many weeks when Bunn High Principal George Kelley tendered his resignation on Thursday.
Kelley, who has led Bunn High School for the past eight years, will leave the high school on July 31 to become the new principal at West Brunswick High School in Shallotte.
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By JOHN BENNING / Times Intern
The Franklin County Boys and Girls Club is off to a strong start as it moves into its eighth month since opening in December. “Things are going very well,” Judy Johnson, executive director, said. The club has around 400 members, with 170 currently enrolled in the summer program.
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By CAREY JOHNSON / Times Staff Writer
The Franklin County Health Department is easing into a well-testing program that begins on Monday — a year before the state will make such a program mandatory.
In the past year and a half, published reports revealed inconsistencies in water well testing, prompting the legislature and Gov. Mike Easley to approve a bill last summer that requires county health departments to permit, inspect and test new or repaired drinking wells.
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By MASON RIZZO / Times Intern
The morgue problem is getting some attention. County commissioners, in a budget approved Thursday night, have OK’d roughly $75,000 for a county morgue. A temporary storage unit has been in the Sally Port of the Franklin County Jail for about 12 years, said Franklin County Sheriff Pat Green.
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By MASON RIZZO / Times Intern
Farmers mooo-ved in delight as Tuesday’s Five-County Beef Tour was a juicy hit.
The tour, which Agricultural Extension Agent Martha Mobley considered a “diversification of the beef cattle industry in Franklin County,” consisted of three beef farms in the county.
Law enforcement officers have issued arrest warrants for a man accused of making threats against one person and dousing another with diesel fuel. According to an incident report and warrant, Eric Alligood, 35, of Dukes Lake Road, called a woman on her cell phone at about 1 p.m. on Saturday and threatened to kill her.
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By MASON RIZZO / Times Intern
The “Bunn Warmer” restaurant is being reopened under a new name and new management. Former Franklin County Sheriff Jerry Jones and Jack Joyner, former chief deputy in Jones’ administration, are slated to open up “J. J.’s,” a new eatery, within the next four weeks, Joyner said Friday.
Residents and visitors to Franklin County will have plenty of options this holiday to soak up festivities.
First, the Amvets in Lake Royale are hosting a parade that begins in that private community at 10 a.m. on July 4.
It will include entrants in golf carts, on bikes, all-terrain vehicles and other modes of transportation, beginning at the Lake’s entrance and heading down Sagamore Drive to the community’s club house.
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By CAREY JOHNSON / Times Staff Writer
Educators and county leaders both approved a plan on Tuesday night that outlines when and how the county can address school improvements and new construction projects for the next six years. The 2008-2014 Capital Improvement Program was the work product of county and school system staff who were tasked with applying residential development fees toward increasing school capacity.
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By JOHN BENNING / Times Intern
The Franklin County Board of Education voted Thursday night to reject four construction bids offered for the Franklinton High School modular expansion project. The lowest of the four bids came to $949,600, which was $200,000 above the board’s most costly original estimation.
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By Geoff Neville / Times Sportswriter
BUNN — Franklin County once again fielded some competitive teams this week during the annual Dixie Youth Coach-Pitch District X Tournament. But none could match the prowess of the Oxford All-Stars, who took the area C-P title back to Granville County for the first time.
ZEBULON -- Four Carolina Mudcats were named to the North Division All-Star team, the Southern League announced earlier this week. RHPs Gaby Hernandez, Scott Nestor and IFs Lee Mitchell and Chase Lambin were named to the club, which will take on the South Division All-Stars on July 9 in Pearl, MS at Trustmark Park.
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By Geoff Neville / Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- The Finley YMCA Fliers -- living up to their name -- flew past Town and Country during a summer swim meet Thursday at the TC Pool. The Fliers pulled away early and went on to earn a convincing 251-124 decision over the Stingrays.
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Geoff Neville / Sports Column
After fielding offers from colleges far and wide, Bunn’s Brandon Barnes decided that his best option was right down the road. Barnes, BHS’ senior running back/defensive back, verbally committed Tuesday to play at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Barnes can finalize his commitment during National Signing Day next February.
SHALLOTTE -- This will be a busy weekend for the Bunn Youth Recreation League All-Stars at the Dixie Softball State Tournament in South Brunswick County.
Bunn will feature teams in the Darlings (Coach-Pitch), Angels (9-10) and Ponytails (11-12) age groups.
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By Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
BUNN - Diamond experts will readily tell you that pitching and defense win baseball games.
And in the Coach-Pitch scenario, pitching isn’t a factor. Which leaves defense -- something the Oxford All-Stars have flashed plenty of during action at the Dixie Youth District X C-P Tournament at Bunn Elementary School.
With a spot at the states at stake, Oxford has consistently thwarted opposing threats with strong leather. In fact, Oxford has only allowed six total runs while scoring victories over Youngsville and Bunn.
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By JOHN BENNING, Times Intern
Franklin County is holding its own in new residential home sales, while the nation’s average is near a five-year low at the end of the first quarter of 2007.
The rate of new homes sold in the county has remained steady with occasional increases, Pat Young, Franklin County planning director, reported.
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By MASON RIZZO, Times Intern
Franklin County is conducting a two-part survey to identify how communities view road conditions.
The state Department of Transportation planning branch and Franklin County have collaborated to appoint a nine-member committee that focuses on county road conditions, Planning Director Pat Young said.
ARMS WIDE OPEN. Trenston Williams stretches with arms wide open to catch a ball Saturday at Joyner Park. He was taking a break from a family picnic on the first weekend of the summer. (Times photo by Kathy Harrelson)
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By CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Commissioners will be presented with a chance this afternoon (June 27) to help guide growth and development in the county.
More importantly, when they’re done, they’ll be able to attach the dollar figures needed to design the kind of county they want.
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By CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Commissioners are scheduled to meet today with an eye toward adopting the 2007-08 budget.
Staff has presented commissioners with a range of budget scenarios, including a spending plan with no tax increase, one that proposes a 3-cent tax increase and one that proposes a 5-cent tax increase.
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By MASON RIZZO, Times Intern
Hams ran free in Roger Allen’s field this weekend.
Franklin County Amateur Radio Relay League members assembled for an annual field day operation.
Duane Tetterton, president of the club, said the event is as much a drill as a collection of people coming together for a hobby.
“We are taking part in an emergency preparedness drill,” Tetterton said as he pointed to the humming generators. “All of our power is being run independently.
The United Way of Franklin County’s board of directors has granted $112,341 to 18 local agencies for 29 programs that provide services to Franklin County residents.
The Franklin County United Way board of directors appointed three new members at its June meeting.
