Recent Articles

Bunn quarterback Josiah Rice hands the ball off to teammate Trenten Pressley during last Wednesday's Middle Athletic Conference Championship Game against host Franklinton.

Franklinton Middle School's Caden Vann breaks into the clear on his way to a touchdown during last Wednesday evening's MAC Championship football game versus the Bunn Bulldogs on the FMS campus.

BUNN BULLDOGS -- 2021 MAC FOOTBALL CHAMPS

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Northern Nash's Chloe Harrington and the entire Rocky Mount High School team were the big winners during the 2021 Big East Conference girls tennis season this fall.
Harrington, a senior, once again went undefeated during Big East action on her way to yet another league singles championship.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Two Big East Conference clubs remain in the state football playoffs -- and one of them is coached by a former Franklin County skipper.
That squad would be the Nash Central Bulldogs under the direction of ex-Louisburg High School head coach Chris Lee.
The Bulldogs have exceeded all expectations this season, and the campaign continued last Friday night with a 13-6 home victory against South Granville in the second round of the Class 2-A State Playoffs at The Dawg Pound on the NCHS campus in Rocky Mount.

Northern Nash High School senior standout Chloe Harrington closed out her career by being named the Big East Conference Girls Tennis Player of the Year -- for the fourth consecutive season.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- It's been quite a year to date for Ty Howle and the Penn State University football program.
Howle, a former standout offensive lineman for PSU, is now in his first season as the tight ends coach for the Nittany Lions.
Howle is following in the footsteps of his father, David -- the long-time legendary coach for the Bunn Wildcats.

LOUISBURG, NC--Herbert Gene Leonard Sr., 79 of the Centerville Community passed away on Saturday, November 13, 2021.

BUNN, NC--Marlene Medlin Wood, 91, of Bunn, passed away on November 14, 2021. She was born on September 7, 1930 in Johnston County to the late Zollie Thomas and Allie Gray Medlin. In addition to her parents, Marlene was predeceased by her husband, Perry Lee Wood; a son, Thomas Wood; a daughter, Lee Ann Wood; a grandson, Walton Sullivan; a sister, Jennie Bell; and brothers, Jarvis Medlin, Coy Lee Medlin, and Troy Thomas Medlin.

CARY, NC--Roger Warren Jennings, 81, of Cary, NC died Monday, November 8, 2021 at his home. Roger was born in Speedwell, Virginia on February 25, 1940 to the late Robert Carl and Callie Davis Jennings.

OXFORD, NC--Funeral services for Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Seibert, age 80, who died on Sunday, November 14, 2021, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, November 19, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC--Funeral services for Keisha Brodie, age 46, who died on Saturday, November 13, 2021, will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, November 21, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Tyrone Davis officiating. Burial will follow in the Brodie Family Cemetery.

NEW BERN- Ruth Nowell Oliver, 74, of New Bern, North Carolina died on November 11, 2021.

DALLAS, TX -- Funeral services for James Edward Williamson, age 49, formerly of Franklinton, who died on Sunday, November 7, 2021, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, November 20, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Dr. William Threadgill officiating. Burial will follow in the Brown Family Cemetery.

FRANKLINTON, NC--Funeral services for Mary Elizabeth Sanders, age 82, who died on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, will be held on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 1 p.m. from the Emanuel Church of God in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Oakwood Cemetery.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- It was the Year of the Middle Hitter in the Big East Conference volleyball scene -- but Franklinton setter Emeli Colorado ultimately stole the show.
While several high-powered hitters stood guard at the net this fall, Colorado is the performer who has been tabbed as the Big East Conference Volleyball Player of the Year for the 2021 campaign.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County school students will be wearing masks for a bit longer thanks to the county's "high transmission" designation, a poor vaccination rate and a COVID-19 virus that just won't go away.
The decision came Monday night on a split, 4-to-2 vote by the Board of Education with the majority voting to continue the district's masking requirement and two, Meghan Jordan and Debra Brodie, voting to end it. The rule will again be reviewed at the board's December meeting.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Health Department is hosting extended pediatric vaccination clinics for those ages 5-11.
The first was Nov. 10 and the next two are slated for Nov. 17 and Nov. 24 -- both Wednesdays.
On Nov. 17, appointments are available from 4-6 p.m. so that children don't have to miss school, and parents won't have to miss work, health staff said.

FRANKLINTON -- A town institution is slated to close its doors after 72 years of service.
City Lunch closed for grieving after family patriarch Clyde Waiden passed away late last month -- about six months after his wife and business partner Sharon passed away in April.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County's municipal elections went final on Tuesday.
Elections staff tabulated provisional and absentee ballots, but none of the changes were enough to prompt a recount of the Louisburg mayor's race -- a battle that Councilman Christopher Neal won by nine votes against his closest competitor, Councilman Boyd Sturges.
Sturges would have to be within 1 percent of the vote to request a recount.

LOUISBURG -- Last week, the county's library system launched Franklin Voyager -- its multimedia, broadband-enabled bookmobile that they anticipate will take its information outreach program into the future.
Library Director Holt Kornegay, though, strongly acknowledged the pasts of three women that played integral roles in creating this present.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested a Franklinton man in an early morning shooting.
According to authorities, Christian Brooks, 23, was driving along Ag Drive when he and another man, Ronald Williams, got into an argument around 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 6.
Brooks pulled the vehicle over in the 100 block of Ag Drive, according to authorities, and shot Williams.

Chain Gang Legends Chris Blair, Joe Cartlidge and George Hale

NASHVILLE -- Authorities arrested a Louisburg man they allege was responsible for labor camp break-ins.
Nash County investigators charged 34-year-old Jose Antonio Linares Mojica, with 14 counts of felony breaking or entering and 14 counts of felony larceny after breaking and entering.

Becoming a substitute teacher in Franklin County Schools just became much easier.
The district has been having trouble finding enough "subs" to keep schools operating and the Board of Education lowered the bar for getting the job during Monday's meeting.