Recent Articles

BUNN -- The Bunn Holiday Invitational Wrestling Tournament has become one of the area's premier Pre-Christmas mat events -- and the recent success of the host Wildcats has added even more exceptional intrigue to the day-long showcase.
That was evident once again last Thursday as a total of 34 teams -- 21 boys and 13 girls squads -- convened on the Bunn Dome for the star-studded festivities.

BUNN -- Dennis Burton has stepped down as the head football coach at Bunn High School after just one season.
Burton, who was hired back in the spring after a successful tenure as an assistant at Pittsboro Northwood, submitted his resignation before the Christmas Break.
Burton's time at Bunn began in style as the Wildcats won their first four games of the 2022 campaign, including a stunning upset victory against long-time Big East Conference powerhouse Rocky Mount.

ZEBULON - Back by popular demand, the Carolina Mudcats are have announced the return of the souvenir-centric Grand Slam Ticket Package for the 2023 season. Starting at just $85, the Grand Slam Ticket Package guarantees plan holders each of the five pre-determined Grand Slam level souvenir giveaway items and a ticket to each of the five Grand Slam giveaway games scheduled throughout the upcoming season at Five County Stadium.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County's airport is looking for a new tenant after one of its stalwart businesses departed for another airport.
Triangle Skydiving Center (TSC) began jump operations at the county's airport in the spring of 2009, but those operations officially came to a close on Nov. 30.
TSC, now has a new name, Cadence Sky Sports, and a new location -- the old Carolina Sky Sports and Rampart Aviation airport on N.C. 56 between Louisburg and Franklinton.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg officials agreed to add a human resources position to its employee roster.
The position would become effective with the 2023-24 budget.
Back in August, the town brought in retired and former Wake Forest Human Resources Director Ginny Jones as its interim HR director -- who, among other things, helped the town navigate the hiring process for its town administrator position.

BUNN -- A community and town official passed way last week.
Bunn Commissioner Freddie Mack Jones was 72.
"He was a good man," said Bunn Mayor Marsha Strawbridge, who went to school with Jones and served on the town's governing board with him.

Barbara Perry during Christmas sweater day at the Franklinton Senior Center

YOUNGSVILLE, NC--Robert Henry Holmes, 82, of Youngsville died at home surrounded by his family on Monday morning, December 26, 2022.

BUNN, NC--Freddie Mack Jones, age 72 of Bunn, NC, died Monday, December 26, 2022.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Johnnie Lee Goodwin, 69, of Franklinton died December 22, 2022. He was born on January 4, 1953, the son of the late Eddie Lee and Frances Wood Goodwin. In addition to his parents, Johnnie was predeceased by his wife of fifty years, Shelby Tippett Goodwin; and his brothers, Michael Delrow Goodwin, William Stanley Goodwin, and Marty Goodwin.

FRANKLINTON, NC-- Dallas Gene Jones, 73, of Franklinton passed away on December 22, 2022. He was born to the late William and Ava Wolfinger Jones on April 19, 1949.

HENDERSON, NC--Isham "Ted" Hedgepeth 89, of Henderson died December 26, 2022. He was born on November 6, 1933 to the late Isham Guy and Minnie Perry Hedgepeth. In addition to his parents, Ted was predeceased by his siblings, Rose H Burgess, Darrell Hedgepeth, Janie Ellington, Lester Hedgepeth, Jack Hedgepeth, and Ermand Hedgepeth; and several nieces and nephews.

Youngsville, NC--Melissa Gayle Jones Morris, 51, of Youngsville died December 23, 2022. She was born on August 13, 1971 the daughter of the late Rupert Perry and Melrose Fergerson.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Magnora Lemay Moore, of Franklinton, age 84, died December 23, 2022

Wake Forest, NC--Funeral services for Richard Lee Stallings, age 58, who died on Sunday, December 18, 2022, will be held on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at 1 p.m. from the Friendship Chapel Baptist Church in Wake Forest with Rev. Joshua Carmichael officiating.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC--Mary Hudson Turner (Snooks), 85, of Youngsville, passed away Friday, December 23, 2022, at her home. She was born September 30, 1937, in Youngsville, the daughter of the late Joe Willie and Myrtha Davis Hudson. Her husband, Eugene Grissom "E.G." Turner, Jr., also preceded her in death.

Franklinton, NC-- Funeral services for Mozell Allen Kearney, age 89, who died on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, will be held 1 p.m., Thursday, December 29, from the Friendship Chapel Baptist Church in Wake Forest. Burial will follow in the Manasseh Chapel Church Cemetery.

YOUNGSVILLE -- A Henderson man has been charged with killing a Clayton woman in a two-vehicle wreck at one of the area's busiest intersections.
According to Trooper J.T. Southerland, 36-year-old Shannon Patrice Floyd was traveling west on N.C. 96 at about 1:45 a.m. on Dec. 11 when a Buick Lacrosse, driven by Antavious J. Williams, ran a red light on U.S. 1 and crashed into her Ford Escape.

HUGS FROM SANTA. Sisters London Collins (left), age six, and three-year old Emerson Collins were dressed up in their Christmas-best during a visit with Santa at the Louisburg UMC bazaar recently.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg's police chief urged officials to boost pay 20 percent to stave off a "staffing crisis" and pull the department back from the brink of disaster.
Jason Abbott made the remarks Monday night after anecdotally sharing how residents support the department.
Then, he asked town officials to step up.

YOUNGSVILLE -- The town's auditors gave Youngsville a clean bill of wealth.
"We have really good news to report," said Lee Grissom, with S. Preston Douglas & Associates, who presented the audit to commissioners during the board's Dec. 8 meeting.
"The financial trends that we'll look at ... are really positive," he said.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Following a closed session, Youngsville commissioners committed to its attorney, full-time.
Katie Barber-Jones, a senior associate with Hartzog Law Group, has represented the town as its attorney for the past two and a half years.
During that time, she served in an on-call capacity, as the town budgeted $42,000 a year for those services.

Laurel Mill Elementary School Principal Genie Faulkner helps Maddox Hughes, Caden Jarman and Harper McCarter pick out the best gifts. With community help, Chris Edwards, The Northern Sportsman, organized the Christmas bounty.

Donna Wade at Bunn Christmas parade

YOUNGSVILLE -- Police are investigating reports of shots being fired into an occupied dwelling over the weekend.
No injuries were reported in the late-night, Dec. 17 incident, authorities said.
Officers responded to 115 Thompson Circle in reference to several shots being fired into the occupied house from an adjacent street.