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It was January of 2019.
Franklin County was about to award McGill Associates a $166,000 contract to update its comprehensive development plan -- a document to help plan for and guide growth in the county.

Bunn native Charles Batton learned to imitate the sounds of barking dogs while out in the woods deer hunting with his father and grandfather.
He put that skill to good use when he was crowned the "Best Yeller" at the Spivey's Corner Hollerin' Contest back on June 20, 1987.
Batton, who was 35 at the time, won the annual contest in the tiny town of 49 residents.

LOUISBURG -- The company hired to bring broadband service to unserved and underserved segments of Franklin County told commissioners they are ready to explore the next areas where they can provide service.
But, at the time of the April 5 meeting, they had hooked up only 39 residential customers and three businesses.

Evelyn Nicholson Bracknell turned 100 years old on April 11, 2021. She was born April 11, 1921 in Franklinton, NC. She graduated from Franklinton High School in 1939. She has lived all her life in Franklin County except for a short time, during WWII, when she lived at various military bases with her husband, Walter, before he was deployed.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education went on record unanimously Monday night in its opposition to a request to move the proposed Wake Preparatory Academy (a charter K-12 school) from Wake Forest to Franklin County.
At issue are two main concerns: 1) The potential resegregation of schools as a result of expansion of charter schools in the county and 2) Finances, since dollars follow students from traditional public schools into charter schools.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education agreed to make what one member called a "reasonable request" of county commissioners for next year's school funding.
The school board tentatively agreed to request $22,721,872 for next year, including $1.5 million for capital projects and the remainder to fund operations.

COVID-19 suspended the Miracle League of Franklin County's 2020 season, but the spring 2021 season kicked off this past weekend with baseball and an Easter egg hunt. It's also the first time that visitors got a look at the newly finished field house, equipped with a concession stand, public restrooms and a family room. The games and hunt took place with social distancing rules and other protocols to keep players and spectators safe during the pandemic.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners met in closed session last week to discuss its troubled emergency radio system, those close to the situation have said.
However, no public action was taken following the roughly three-hour meeting.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Residents get a chance to chime in on the town's proposed budget next month.
Town Manager Phil Cordeiro presented commissioners with a fairly status quo budget proposal last week that plans to keep the town's tax rate at 65.5 cents per $100 of valuation.

Newborn Riley Rae Underwood

The Miracle League of Franklin County shook off the doldrums of COVID-19 an kicked off its spring 2021 season this past Saturday with games and an Easter egg hunt for participants. Above, Laci Wade wacks a base hit during a game on Saturday morning.

The NC Charter Schools Advisory Board will meet remotely Thursday, April 22, from 9 to 10 a.m. in a special called session to discuss Wake Preparatory Academy's request to relocate to Franklin County.
The agenda for this meeting is available online. The meeting will be live streamed.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Developers behind a charter school project that was denied in Wake Forest are apparently looking at a Youngsville-area location for its 1,600-student academy.
In the summer of 2019, the State Board of Education approved Wake Preparatory Academy's petition to open a charter school and the group planned to open a K-12 school on 35 acres of Harris Road in Wake Forest, near Joyner Park.

WAKE FOREST -- A Spring Hope man made his initial appearance in court this week and is slated to appear in court in the summer to face road rage charges in an incident near the Franklin County line.
No injuries were reported.

YOUNGSVILLE -- The town is in the process of bringing trash collection inhouse, but the cost of solid waste service will remain the same.
That didn't stop one property owner from asking the town to consider making changes that he said could help lower income residents and those who don't generate much trash.

LOUISBURG -- Any legal remedy to the relocation of a confederate monument will take even more time.
In June of 2020, Louisburg attorney Larry Norman filed a complaint on behalf of a dozen clients, challenging the town's decision and action to remove the long-standing monument from N. Main Street and place it in Oakwood Cemetery off Bickett Boulevard.

LOUISBURG - Playoffs baby!
That was the emphatic message resounding from the Louisburg High School sideline during last Saturday's key Northern Carolina Conference home football showdown against Warren County.

Louisburg quarterback Jaheim Brown escapes the Warren County defense during last Saturday's game.

(L to R) Jhamier Bland, Ja'Queize Williams and Derrick Alston were among the standouts for the Louisburg Warriors during last Saturday's gridiron victory.

BUNN -- Rematch rivalry games, regardless of the sport, don't often go the same way as the initial meeting of a season.
For reinforcement of that assessment, simply consult the outcome of last Thursday's Northern Carolina Conference softball contest between ultimate rivals Louisburg and Bunn.

Bunn High School third baseman Gracie Hanna attempts to field a grounder as teammate Haley Hagwood looks on during last Thursday's softball contest.

STANHOPE -- Two years later, not much has changed within the burgeoning Southern Nash-Franklinton softball rivalry.
Back in 2018, the clubs tangled in a pair of fierce, high-level matchups as Franklinton was working its way up toward the top of the Big East Conference standings -- a spot usually reserved for Southern Nash.

Franklinton's Shelby Sykora (left) steals second base as Southern Nash's Taylor Bailey tries to reel in the throw during Tuesday's Big East Conference softball contest in Stanhope.