Recent Articles

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Caleb Garcia of Castalia, a student from Kenny Buffaloe's Kyokushin Karate Class in Roanoke Rapids, recently competed and won 1st place in the "2023 North Carolina Kyokushin Karate Inter-Dojo Kumite (Fighting) Competition" in Roanoke Rapids on April 22
Local North Carolina students earned 1st and 2nd place awards (trophies) in several categories in Kyokushin Karate Kumite (Contact Fighting) in male and female divisions.

Franklin County 4-H'er, Emma Haynes attended the National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C. in April.
Emma said, "National 4-H Conference 2023 was a trip to remember! From getting 10 million blisters on my feet to meeting our senators and representatives, including Senator Ted Budd, it was a trip I will never forget."
"My roundtable topic was 'Accurate & Inclusive History Education,' so we presented our thought-out presentation to the Smithsonian Institution on Monday, April 17.

Henderson, NC--Donald Wayne Ray, died May 21, 2023. He was born on September 22, 1966, to the late John "Skeeter" and Margie Lindsey Ray.

VIENNA, VA--Herman (Reggie) Tharrington Jr., 84, of Vienna, Virginia, died Thursday, May 18, 2023 at his home.

Kittrell, NC--Howell Lee Jones of Kittrell peacefully passed into the arms of Jesus on Tuesday evening May 2, 2023. Though battling various aggressive cancers, he celebrated his 93rd birthday this year and lived each day as fully as possible with a joke and a smile. He was able to spend his last days at home with friends, family, aides, and his beloved little pup, Sweetie, by his side.

Castalia, NC--Funeral services for Hayward "Toby" Lynch, age 63, who died on Monday, May 22, 2023 will be held 1 p.m., Saturday, May 27, 2023 from the Sarepta Missionary Baptist Church in Warrenton with Rev. Ricky Battle eulogist. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Grove Church Cemetery.

Louisburg, NC--June Pearce, 88, of Land Farm, 6413 Pearces Road, Louisburg, NC went peacefully to her Lord and Savior Saturday afternoon, May 20, 2023. June was the daughter of the late Everette and Estelle Land of Franklin County.

Highland Springs, VA-- Funeral services for Harold Perry, age 75, formerly of Louisburg, NC, who died on Sunday, May 7, 2023, will be held 2 p.m., Friday, May 19, 2023 from the Mitchner's Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Pastor Melvin Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in the Mitchner's Grove Church Cemetery.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Funeral services for Mary "Louise" C. Harris, age 81, who died on Saturday, May 20, 2023, will be held 1 p.m., Thursday, May 25, 2023 from the First Baptist Church in Franklinton with Rev. Andre Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.

LOUISBURG -- The North Carolina National Guard's 440th Army Band will perform in the Jones Performing Arts Center (JPAC) at Louisburg College 7 p.m., Thursday, May 25.
The band was activated in World War II as the 30th Infantry Division Band along with the rest of the North Carolina National Guard as the "Old Hickory Division."

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town officials took two actions at is last meeting, one that expands their revenue base and one that reduces revenue.
During the May 11 meeting, commissioners agreed to annex a more than 66-acre development along Fleming Road. Developers intend to use the site for 400,000-square-foot in technical flex space to create jobs.

BERRY GOOD. Kara Dinker from Cary enjoyed a fresh picked organic "Ruby June" strawberry at one of the Women in Ag Local Farms Food Tour last Sunday.

LOUISBURG -- The popular and expanding food truck business got a major boost Monday night from the Louisburg Town Council which broadly expanded the places where such trucks can operate in town.
Previously food trucks could operate only in one place -- a lot behind the Tar Banks Brewery in downtown.

LOUISBURG -- During his tenure at Louisburg College, art professor Will Hinton has been as solid as clay in his studio, as vibrant as the artwork that lines galleries and as large a personality as the wall-sized murals adorning downtown.
After 40 years, he's taking his paint brushes and going home.

GREENSBORO -- Franklinton native Mariela Hernandez-Jaramillo was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Hernandez-Jaramillo was initiated at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Hernandez-Jaramillo is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year.

LOUISBURG -- The county's proposed 2023-24 budget would bolster the county's workforce and resources.
Budget highlights include:
• The addition of 20 new positions spread across EMS, the sheriff's office, animal services, human resources, the library system, the tax office, facilities maintenance, social services, airport operations, and includes a new assistant county manager.

Martin and Mattie Thorne celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on May 8, 2023. They were married by Taylor Boones, Justice of the Peace, near Edward Best community. They have always resided in Franklin County, and have two adult children, one grandson and one great granddaughter.

Don't look now but we're quickly approaching the Memorial Day Weekend, and the unofficial beginning of summer.
Before we know it, the kids will be out of school -- some graduating and off to begin their lives -- and others beginning that dreaded countdown to the beginning of another school year.
It's been a beautiful spring this year, sunny, cool and only hints of humidity, but if the long-range forecasts are correct, that may be about to change.

What a difference a year makes.
Last year at this time, Franklinton officials tasked its newly hired town manager, Zachary Steffey, with balancing the town's budget.
If I remember correctly, Steffey was slated to come on board in late June, but with a roughly $1 million difference between proposed revenues and expenditures, let's just say Steffey didn't get an early summer vacation.

The current Franklin County 2023-24 budget recommendation, presented by County Manager Kim Denton to the Board of Commissioners on Monday evening, demonstrates that Franklin County is growing rapidly and funds are being directed towards this growth.
Surplus tax revenues collected ($3 million over projections), the proposed addition of 20 new county positions, competitive employee compensation and benefits...

The Franklin County Missionary Baptist Association sponsored a Chill, Chat, and Chew on April 29 at New Liberty Baptist Church. Area youth were able to meet and greet each other as well as listen to presenters. Treasure Perry, a member of South Main Street Baptist Church, presided. Evangelist Carolyn Thompson, a lawyer and former judge, spoke on proper police procedure. She discussed what to do when you are stopped by the police.

WARRENTON -- The Cherry Hill concert series will feature outstanding pianists from the East Carolina University School of Music on Sunday, May 21.
Professors Keiko Sekino and Kwan Yi will perform, as will three of their students.
The program will include works of Beethoven, Chopin, and Brahms, and the professors and two students will present duets by Schubert.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Residents can weigh in on Youngsville's newly proposed zoning boundaries that will define its demarcation with Franklinton.
Youngsville has proposed changing its charter to extend its extraterritorial jurisdiction to two miles outside its corporate limits, instead of one.
Franklinton is planning to do the same thing.