Recent Articles

There are not too many hills I'll die on, but here's one: Winter generally stinks and the folks who "claim" to love it are primarily the folks who enjoy it from the comfort of a warm living room -- they don't have to get out in the elements.
That's not what this column is about, though.

READY TO FARM? Young Bryant Nelms doesn't seem the least bit intimidated by a large tractor as he negotiated the New Year's Day parade in Centerville. The parade is an annual event and is the only New Year's Parade in the county.

RIDIN' IN STYLE. There's nothing like a 1960s vintage Chevrolet Impala to provide a great ride in any parade. In the photo to the right, Rex Foster waves to the crowd watching Centerville's parade on Jan. 1

NOT GOOD FOR SNOWMEN! "Floating" through Centerville on a balmy New Year's Day was especially difficult for a snowman who, some said, looked a lot like Carson Leonard. Wearing a big smile while keeping a watchful eye on her brother is Chaney Rae Leonard.

LOUISBURG -- Investigators were still trying to put together the pieces of an incident that involved a wreck and ended with a gunshot victim at a Virginia hospital.
No arrests had been made by press time.
According to authorities, deputies responded to reports of a vehicle wreck at Sid Champions Grocery in the White Level Community at 6 a.m. on Dec. 30.

BUNN -- For Louisburg High School boys basketball coach Michael Sheldon, it's all about trying to put together the pieces of a potentially talented puzzle this season.
Certainly, Louisburg has a strong nucleus to go with a solid roster. But what Sheldon is looking for is consistency and continuity. If those two intangibles come to fruition, Louisburg should make a run at the automatic Class 2-A State Playoff berth in the strong Big East Conference.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton hopes its ultra-challenging non-league schedule will pay dividends as the Red Rams continue to work their way through the rigors of the competitive Big East Conference boys basketball standings.
FHS head coach Darrin Stinson certainly hasn't shied away from tough foes early in the 2021-22 campaign -- as evidenced by Franklinton's work last week at the annual South Granville Christmas Tournament in Creedmoor.

BUNN -- It was a Wake Forest kind of day last Wednesday in the championship round of the Bunn Christmas Basketball Tournament at the Bunn Dome.
The Cougars claimed a clean sweep of the annual event, beginning with the WF girls earning the title with a 53-29 victory over the homestanding Bunn Ladycats.
The contest was tight through the first quarter, which ended with the Ladycats ahead 12-10. But WF outscored the hosts 28-5 in the middle periods on its way to picking up the girls championship.

BUNN -- Final team results and the All-Tournament Teams lists from the annual Bunn High School Christmas Basketball Tournament were as follows:

HENDERSON, NC-- Mr. William T. Allen (Bootie), 80, passed away January 4, 2022. Bootie was born June 9, 1941, in Franklinton, NC to the late Tom and Hazel McGhee Allen. His final days were spent surrounded by the family and friends he loved so much.

ZEBULON, NC-- Sharon Loraine Trusty Jobe, 77, died December 29, 2021.

HENDERSON, NC--Garran Zachary Howard, 20, died December 24, 2021.

LOUISBURG, NC-- Funeral services for Walter Alston, age 97, who died on Thursday, December 30, 2021, will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, January 6, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Elder Esther Daniels officiating. Burial will follow in the Perry's Chapel Church Cemetery.

William Harrison (Bill) Fleming, age 85, died December 30, 2021 in Lynchburg, VA.

BUNN, NC-- Ila Barnette Medlin, 93, of Bunn, went home to be with her Lord Friday morning, December 31, 2021. She was born in Franklin County, a daughter of the late Jasper L. and Beatrice Rogers Barnette.

Mrs. Susie Lee Wilson, formerly of Raleigh, NC, passed away on December 26, 2021 in Greenacres, FL.

LOUISBURG, NC - Mary Janice Denton Southerland, 79, of Louisburg, passed away Wednesday morning, December 29, 2021 at her home.

RALEIGH, NC-- Funeral services for LaSheira "Sheira" Smith, 28, who died on Friday, December 31, 2021, will be held 2 p.m., Wednesday, January 5, from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. James Evans officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners are slated to meet next week, perhaps setting a course for its new radio system.
By the end of October, Franklin County received two bids to install an 800 MHz digital simulcast trunked radio network.
By December, County Emergency Communications Director Christy Shearin and Tusa Consulting representatives presented proposals by Florida-based Williams Communications and Chicago-based Motorola Solutions to meet current and future needs.

State Rep. Matthew Winslow (center) brought an early Christmas gift to Louisburg last week -- and it came at the perfect time for newly installed Mayor Christopher Neal, right, who had just taken the oath of office for his new job. The giant check is for $700,000 in state aid for the Depot Hill project in south Louisburg. Keeping a firm grip on the check is Town Administrator Jonathan Franklin, left.

LOUISBURG -- Triangle North Executive Airport is set to undergo a much-needed foundational shift after the first of the year that will shut down a bulk of operations.
Between now and the start of construction, airport staff and advisors are working to make the blow as soft as possible.

LOUISBURG -- Police arrested a Greenville man they allege was responsible for a sweepstakes cafe robbery.
Investigators are looking for two more suspects in the armed robbery.
According to investigators, T'Marcus Daquan Ballard, 27, and two other suspects robbed the MGM Cafe at 326 Bickett Boulevard the afternoon of Dec. 9.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- A leader in the field of science and technology has teamed up with United Way of Franklin County to bolster children's educational opportunities.
Novozymes donated $100,000 to Franklin County United Way to fund the creation of an Innovation Mobile Lab.