Recent Articles

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Mirenia Massenburg Strickland, age 106, who died on Monday, February 27, 2023, will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, March 4, 2023 at from the Nelson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Dr. Harvey Chip Rice officiating. Burial will follow in the Nelson Chapel Church Cemetery.

HENDERSON, NC- Elaine Cole Vaughan Smith, 65, of Henderson, passed away on Friday afternoon.

PARIS, TN--Betty Lois Baldwin Feamster, age 88 of Paris, TN, died peacefully at The Farms of Puryear in Puryear, TN from complications of Parkinson's Disease.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC--Jody Brendle Pait, age 71 of Youngsville passed away after a long illness at Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C. on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

Franklinton, NC-- Funeral services for Willie Thomas Perry, age 96, who died on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, will be held 1 p.m., Friday, March 3, 2023 from The Greater Ransom Way of the Cross Temple in Kittrell with Bishop Craig Brown officiating. Burial will follow in the Manasseh Chapel Church Cemetery.

Louisburg, NC--Graveside services for Doris E. Greene, age 86, who died on Friday, February 24, 2023, will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. from the Haywood Baptist Church Cemetery in Louisburg with Pastor Douglas Harris officiating.

Raleigh, NC--Funeral services for Margaret Fogg Price, age 69, who died on Sunday, February 19, 2023, will be held 12 p.m., Thursday, March 2, 2023 from the Allen Chapel Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Dr. Carl Wardrett officiating. Burial will follow in the M. H. Jones Cemetery.

LOUISBURG -- In an unexpected and abrupt change of direction, the Louisburg Town Council voted to utilize part (perhaps most) of the existing Depot Hill building for a new town hall.
The idea, as it was presented Monday, is to use part of the building for an event hall and most of the rest of the building for town offices, allowing the current town hall on Nash Street downtown to be occupied by the police department.

LOUISBURG -- Last month, mechanic Wayne Williams got to live out a dream -- re-building a car from bare bones, having it scrutinized by some of the best wrench turners ever, and seeing if the blood and sweat he put into building a 1971 Chevelle would be up to the snuff of one of the best car auctions in the world.
He didn't get much sleep the night before, though.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County educators have to put on their thinking caps to provide student athletes with the highest level of health and safety.
That was the conclusion Franklin County School Board members reached at their Feb. 13 meeting after School System Chief of Auxiliary Services Larry Webb updated them on efforts to secure more athletic trainers for football and wrestling practices and games.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education approved a school bus drop-off policy intended to bolster safety.
In November, a school bus driver told staff and officials that dropping off young students without a parent or older person to receive them gave drivers anxiety.
That prompted central office staff to examine their policy that allowed students as young as first graders to be let off the bus without an older student, sibling, parent, guardian or designated person to receive them.

FRANKLINTON -- During it's most recent meeting, Franklinton commissioners cleared hurdles for a mental wellness and spiritual guidance operation to do business in town.
And, the board adopted two ordinances that would keep some unwanted activities out of town.
First, as the Board of Commissioners, officials rezoned nearly 15 acres at 200 Korea Street from Residential Single-Family Low [density] to Civic Recreational and Institutional during the Jan. 17 meeting.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council voted 6-to-1 Monday night to "test the market" for downtown real estate by putting the town-owned building at 109 North Church Street up for sale.
The building, which once housed a dentist's office and, later, a medical clinic, was purchased and rehabilitated by the town a few years ago and has been used as a business incubator called "Workspace."

NEW BERN -- A bullet to the head sparked a Franklin County and federal investigation that resulted in a 13-year prison sentence for a Louisburg man considered a career criminal.
Jermaine Carlton Jones, 45, was sentenced Feb. 15 to 160 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Louisburg has a new finance director, Justice native Reuben Carden. He replaces Sean Medlin, the town's long-time finance director who recently was named Louisburg's town administrator. Carden is a Bunn High graduate who received his accounting degree at North Carolina State University in 2011. Carden has experience in town government and finance after stints in various roles at Oxford, Creedmoor and Zebulon.

Recent experience is proving the old saying correct!
If you don't like North Carolina's weather, just wait a few minutes.
We've been on that typical February roller coaster in recent days but who is complaining since, underlying it all, is a hint of springtime?

There are milestone moments or ages in life.
For most folks, the first and most important is their birth -- so much so that they celebrate its anniversary each and every subsequent year.
The next moments, in order, usually include the first day of school and graduating high school.

Dear editor: In "Balloon incidents concerning" (2/16/23), the writer references international news (Chinese spy balloons), NORAD, Santa Claus, and several national figures and debate points about climate change.

When considering worthy examples of lives lived doing what one oughta, don't overlook Georgia peanut farmers Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter.
Moral exemplars indeed.
Enough said.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Sheriff's Office and two state entities continue to investigate an apparent inmate suicide at the Franklin County Detention Center.
According to Sheriff Kevin White, staff found Zachariah Mounce unresponsive in his individual cell at about 7:15 a.m. on Feb. 15.
Detention officers and medical staff worked to resuscitate the 36-year-old until EMS arrived.

Members of the Louisburg Senior Center enjoy a meal and fellowship together. Left side: Senior Services Activities Specialist Shelby Cash, Patsy Douglass, Barbara Oram, Wilbert Wilkins, Ann Washington and Brenda McNeil.

Pete Perry sizes up his shot at the Franklinton Senior Center.

FRANKLINTON -- Coaches love to say that it is difficult to beat a high school basketball team three times in a given season.
Conversely, it's just as difficult to beat a good team just once -- something the Southern Nash Firebirds found out during their campaign-long rivalry this winter with the Franklinton Red Rams in Big East Conference boys hoops action.