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LOUISBURG -- "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." Or so the mythical Babe Ruth told Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez in Twentieth Century Fox's 1993 film The Sandlot.
This past Saturday night, Louisburg Magnet High School enshrined its first Athletics Hall of Fame, which included three legends who will never die.
The inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 includes Eddy Boyette, Freddie Edwards, and Thomas Riggan. The school hosted a banquet in the cafeteria to honor and enshrine the recipients. Inductees received a royal blue jacket, and plaques will be displayed in their honor at the school in a location to be determined.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners agreed to issue a special use permit for a self-storage facility at the corner of NC 56 and Peach Orchard.
Jeremy May petitioned the board for permission to build the facility on 11 acres.
His uncle, Commissioner Stuart May, recused himself from the Tuesday vote, but the matter passed by unanimous decision -- despite some queries from a couple of nearby residents.

With a rising graduation rate and continued academic growth across its schools, Franklin County Schools (FCS) is encouraging families to take a closer look at the opportunities available to students in their own community.
FCS achieved a 90.6 percent four-year graduation rate in 2026, up from 88.9 percent the previous year and above the state average. Twelve of the district's 16 schools met or exceeded state academic growth expectations, including all four high schools.
But behind those numbers are the educators who work with students every day, helping them build confidence, discover their strengths, and prepare for what comes next.

The Louisburg College 'Canes trounced the Myrtle Beach Collegiate Academy 74-8 during the Louisburg College's homecoming game last weekend. The 'Canes are now 7-0 this season.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Ernest Howard Smith, Jr., 76, of Louisburg, passed away on October 20, 2026.

Bunn, NC -- William Carey Rau, Sr., 89, of Bunn, NC, passed from this life to a new one in heaven with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on October 16, 2026.

Franklinton, NC -- Funeral services for Haywood Lawrence Jr., age 75, who died on Thursday, October 8, 2026, were held on Saturday, October 17, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC.

Hollister, NC -- Funeral services for Clinton Sch-Tron Washington age 52, who died on Monday, October 12, 2026, were held on Sunday, October 18, at 2 p.m. from the White Rock Baptist Church in Hollister, NC.

Franklinton, NC -- Funeral services for Rasheka Danielle Crudup, age 36, who died on Monday, October 12, 2026, were held Tuesday, October 20, at 12 p.m. from the Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville, NC.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Roy Charles Keffer, 86, of Louisburg, died Thursday morning, October 8, 2026, at his home surrounded by his family.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklin County investigators and the Franklinton community are trying to make sense of three murders in three days.
A double homicide on Saturday morning remains under investigation. An arrest was made in an apparent domestic-related homicide on Monday afternoon.
Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a report of two gunshot victims at 201 Carver Street just before 4 a.m. on Oct. 10.
According to police scanner traffic captured by the CrimeRadar app, the 911 caller said there were several people at the scene and that two people were dead.

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 Tornado swept between Louisburg and Franklinton on Sunday, causing downed trees, like the one seen above in the 7000 block of N.C. 56. Franklin County Emergency Management staff said there were no injuries or major damage reported as a result of the storm. A portion of NC 56 was shut down during the storm and crews with the State Department of Transportation were out Monday, clearing tree and other debris from the area. An EF-1 Tornado demonstrates winds between 86 and 110 mph.

LOUISBURG -- Could there be a data center in Louisburg's future? Maybe -- or maybe not -- but Mayor Christopher Neal told the town council Tuesday night flatly that "no data center has been approved in Louisburg. None has been proposed for a vote. And I have not endorsed one."
The mayor's comments came after two anonymous fliers were mailed to Louisburg residents recently accusing the mayor and town leaders of a clandestine effort to locate a data center here.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners took steps to make it easier to build new churches in town.
The actions were taken following debate about whether the rezoning changes were too liberal, or whether removing parking restrictions and allowing churches in more zoning districts was too accommodating.

LOUISBURG -- Early voting starts this week, but prior to the casting of any ballot this fall, a county resident asked Franklin County commissioners to take a stand against two constitutional amendments she says could stymie county growth.
Three constitutional amendments are set to appear in the Nov. 3 ballot and two have to do with taxes:

LOUISBURG -- The Rev. Sidney Dunston went to the Franklin County Courthouse last weekend, expecting to show up for someone else's big moment.
Instead, they all had shown up for his ... presenting him with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine -- the highest honor a civilian in the state of North Carolina can earn.
It was a chance to return a favor for Dunston, who has served the public for decades, as a champion for education, his constituents and his parishioners.
"... To me, a leader is someone with a sense of selflessness," said former Franklin County Schools Superintendent Eddie Ingram.

Louisburg Town Administrator Sean Medlin

LOUISBURG -- A superior court judge entered a consent order this month, ending a more than three-year legal battle that held up a corporate park development in Youngsville.
In March 2023, Youngsville commissioners rezoned a 66.12-acre lot from residential to Corporate Park 1 -- the designation needed for Ichiban Fleming Road LLC to develop a 400,000-square-foot technical flex space at the intersection of Fleming Road and East Fleming Farm Drive.

Pianist Dmetri Vorobiev and flutist Tadeu Coelho will return to Cherry Hill in Inez on Sunday, Oct. 18, for a performance beginning at 3 p.m. It will include music by J.S. Bach, Sergei Prokofiev, and Robert Schumann. Both musicians are professors of music at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. A reception will follow the performance. Admission will be taken at the door, with adult admission at $10, students at $5, and children 12 and under at no charge. The entire 1858 plantation house will be open for touring. For more information, visit www.cherryhillconcerts.com or telephone 252-257-5259.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Planning Board recommended rezoning one property that would allow owners to expand its operation.
They couldn't, though, provide clarity for another rezoning that developers say would open up their U.S. 401 property to a wider range of commercial uses.
During their Tuesday night meeting, the board considered two rezoning requests:
• LeAnn Swanson petitioned the county to rezone 6.71 acres along Youngsville Boulevard -- Bud's Tavern -- from Residential to Neighborhood Business.

RALEIGH -- A superior court judge has ordered a Franklinton-based photography company to end deceptive trade practices and pay more than $1.7 million in penalties and restitution to 142 clients.
Superior Court Judge Craig Croom issued the ruling against Holly Christina Photography on Oct. 8.
"It was filed in Wake County Civil Superior Court a day later.

Starting off this week with a plea: Please go vote!
It matters not whether you vote early, vote absentee or wait until election day to mark your ballot, just go vote!
Don't be intimidated -- and don't believe for an instant that your vote doesn't count.
You shouldn't be intimidated, not even a little bit.
We have plenty of law enforcement officers in this county to ensure that voting is safe and orderly.

I'm not a person who likes to pile on.
Some of my favorite people are in Rocky Mount.
But, even for someone who prides himself on reading beyond the headlines, it's hard to overlook the successive black eyes that city has sustained in the past few months.
If you recall, back in May, two city council members got into a fight during a budget session.

Every September, North Carolina releases a report card for its public schools. This year I read ours twice.
The first time, I read it as a superintendent.
The second time, I read it as someone who started her career teaching chemistry and still remembers what it feels like when a student finally gets it.
Here is what our students accomplished last school year.