Recent Articles

HENDERSON, NC- Earnest Don Davis, 64, of Henderson, NC died Sunday, January 31, 2021 at his home.

Louisburg - James "Jimmy" Robert Shearin, Jr., 64, went home to be with the Lord Thursday afternoon. Jimmy was the son of the late James Robert Shearin, Sr. and Lula Moon Shearin.

LOUISBURG, NC - Graveside service for Arthur "Newsome" Strickland, age 77, who died on Friday, January 29, 2021, will be held on Wednesday, February 3, at 1 p.m. at the Cedar Rock Church Cemetery in Castalia with Pastor Sylvester White officiating.

LOUISBURG, NC - Joseph John Ransdell Jr., age 67, of Louisburg, NC passed Wednesday, January 26, 2021 in his sleep and at peace.

RALEIGH, NC -- Funeral services for Jacob Lee Williams, age 94, who died on January 28, 2021, will be held on Wednesday, February 3, at 3 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC. Burial will follow in the Mitchell Family Cemetery in Louisburg.

WHITEVILLE, NC- Kitty Arnold Holmes, 73, of Whiteville, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2021, surrounded by her family in Garner, NC. She was born November 4, 1947, in Wake County, a daughter of the late Thomas "T.K." and Sarah (Hunt) Arnold. Kitty was predeceased by her husband, Roger Holmes, in 2003; her sister, Karen Crowder and her brother Danny Arnold.

FRANKLINTON, NC- Funeral services for Eric Brooks, age 43, who died on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, will be held on Saturday, January 30 at 2 p.m. at the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Rory Sneed officiating. Burial will follow in the Shady Grove Church Cemetery.

RED OAK - Betty Jane Moore Robinson, age 93, passed away s Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Born in Mecklenburg County on December 3, 1927 she was the daughter of the late Raymond and Virginia Carter Moore. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin Robinson.

ROCKY MOUNT - Barbara Wester Harris, age 87, passed away on Sunday, January 24, 2021. Born in Franklin County on September 21, 1933, she was the daughter of the late Hugh Glenn Wester and Gladys Beddenfield Wester. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Vester Thomas Harris; her brother, Glenn Wester; and her sister, Brenda Barefoot (Tommy).

NASHVILLE - Ernestine "Tine" Dozier Jenkins, age 94, passed away on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. Born in Nash County, on December 25, 1926, she was the daughter of the late William "Coon" Ernest Dozier and Maggie Armstrong Dozier. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd Jenkins; her sisters, Pat Baker, Willie Batchelor, and Ruth Whitley; and son-in-law, Sam Pulliam.

BATTLEBORO - Ronald "Ron" Clare Smith, age 69, passed away on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Born in Wayne County, MI on January 1, 1952, he was the son of the late Clifford Andrew Smith, Sr. and Helen Marie Zurna Smith. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Robert "Bob" Smith.

Frances Hinton Smith, 91, passed away on January 27, 2021. She was born September 13, 1929 in Nash County to the late Percy and Lucy Dorsey Hinton. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband William Andrew Smith; brothers Leroy and Earl Hinton; sister Christine Walker.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Is there at least a partial solution to Franklin County's increasing water shortage crisis collecting dust in a Corps of Engineers' file drawer somewhere, ignored and mostly forgotten?
Although The Franklin Times has so far failed to obtain original copies of a years-long study of the Tar River Basin by the Corps, there was significant coverage of the issue in several 1960-era editions of this newspaper.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County Health Department staff has expended all of its first dose vaccinations.
But Health Director Scott LaVigne said anyone who got their first dose in Franklin County is assured of getting their second.
"The state has not allocated Franklin County, and two-thirds of counties in the state, additional first dose vaccinations," LaVigne said on Jan. 25, expecting to have used up the county's allotment of first dose vaccines during a clinic the following day.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County planners are set to host their second virtual workshop today, soliciting input on a bike and pedestrian master plan.
Planning and Inspections Director Scott Hammerbacher, along with consultants from Alta Planning + Design, hosted the first workshop on Tuesday.
Today (Jan. 28), they're planning to host their second workshop, allowing for more input, but also showing off what they've got so far.

Fisherman Sawyer Bishop, 6, shows off his catch

LOUISBURG -- Renovations to the county's new office space are slated to begin next month.
In December, commissioners awarded Apex-based MLB Construction Services a $2.2 million contract to upfit the old Walmart building into leased county office space.
As proposed, 17,658 square feet would become the new home for the Louisburg Senior Center.

LOUISBURG -- Next month, county commissioners could decide to reinstate its animal control advisory board, which dissolved a decade ago.
And they could start one -- a youth advisory board -- that never quite got off the ground.
During the board's Jan. 4 meeting, animal welfare advocates petitioned commissioners to re-create its animal control advisory board.

We've made it almost all the way through January and by next Monday it'll be February, my least favorite month of the year.
February, while it's the shortest month, just can't make up its mind what it is. Some years, we get a taste of early spring and hope for better weather. Other years, snow, ice and sleet are common and, most years, the rain, usually accompanied by chilly weather, makes the month downright miserable.

There's still time.
Franklin County and its consultants held the first of two virtual workshops, soliciting input for the county's Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan.
The plan will serve as a guide or outline for how the county, its communities and towns, goes about developing specific pedestrian trails in and around the county, connecting them to all sorts of outposts in and around Franklin County.

Dear editor:
In order to get the COVID-19 shot I called the Franklin County Health Department. A lady I talked with was so very nice and said I would get a call when my appointment was set.

Dear editor:
I am responding to recent columns on the lackadaisical vaccine pace and Carey's freedom of speech column.
Does anyone hear God calling us?