Recent Articles

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town officials said they're still diligent about fixing a neighborhood traffic problem before it becomes deadly.
But, a traffic circle/roundabout is not the solution, engineers, staff and officials concluded.
Back in April, residents in the area of E. Franklin and N. Cross streets repeated their calls for town staff to address the speeding and stop-sign running they say routinely takes place at the intersection -- essentially a cut-through for folks trying to avoid backups on Main Street.

LOUISBURG -- A northern Franklin County family of three was displaced Tuesday night after a fire torched their home.
No injuries were reported, according to emergency responders.
Gold Sand Fire Chief Chris Ayscue said got an 8:47 p.m. call to respond to a structure in the 100 block of Brian's Way off of Pete Smith Road.
Crews arrived to find the doublewide mobile home fully involved. Three people were inside, but they were able to get out without injury.

There is an old saying that probably every father raising a teenage son has used at one time: "If you go looking for trouble, you're going to find it!"
In other words, if you head out of the house with a chip on your shoulder, with that certain over-confident swagger and a bad attitude, you're going to find trouble -- and maybe more than you can handle.
In my experience during years of being a reporter, nowhere is that situation more evident -- or more dangerous -- than when it applies to law enforcement.

Municipal government, much like local journalism, is a small world.
So, it was no surprise that when Youngsville Mayor Fonzie Flowers swore in William "Will" Doerfer as the town's newest manager, the town's meeting room was packed with colleagues.
And, even though Youngsville is more than 150 years old, I feel safe saying that there were more former Franklin County assistant managers and staff in attendance than have ever been within the town's meeting walls.

Dear editor: Early in 2025 I was shocked when Elon Musk and his 20-year-old computer guys could walk into any government agency and take over their operation.
But that was just the beginning. There was one controversial event after another, from sending National Guard troops into our cities, to tearing down part of the White House and now invading Venezuela.

Dear editor: We are facing a healthcare catastrophe in this country. This catastrophe is entirely due to Republicans' stubborn and cruel insistence that some people should not have access to healthcare.
I want Americans to understand that it doesn't have to be this way.

Dear editor: When President Trump began his tariffs policy, many on the Left reacted in their usual manner of setting their hair on fire, running into the streets reciting their cult's chant, "Orange Man baaaad!"
They warned Trump's tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from places around the world would drive prices through the stratosphere causing high inflation.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Following a two-year review, the Youngsville Police Department proved it was one of the best.
And, the law enforcement agency has proven to be the one and only in Franklin County.
During the Youngsville Board of Commissioners' Jan. 8 meeting, Police Chief Greg Whitley presented town officials with the North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation, a certification his agency earned through the State Department of Justice.

FRANKLINTON -- When community advocate Lether Young died last January, officials encouraged its citizens to remember and celebrate her contributions to the town.
A year later, her family has tried to do just that.
"We are grateful to the town for acknowledging and respecting Mom's dedication and love for Franklinton," said Young's daughter, Letha Annette Young, remarking about the town of Franklinton's decision to proclaim Jan. 4 as Lether Yarbrough Young Day.

Spring Hope, NC -- JoAnn Swaney Allman, 81, of Spring Hope died December 31, 2025. JoAnn was born on December 20, 1944 in Penn-Craft, PA to the late Henry and Geraldine.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Charles Leslie "Chuck" Shearin, 67, died on January 12, 2026 as a result of an accident. Chuck was born on February 25, 1958 to the late Bobby Bruce and Shirley Griffin Shearin. In addition to his parents, Chuck was preceded in death by a brother Alton Shearin.

Henderson, NC -- Funeral services for Tashi Brodie, age 48, who died on Monday, January 5, 2026, were held Tuesday, January 13, at 1 p.m. from the Haywood Baptist Church in Louisburg with Pastor Benjamin Jenkins officiating.

Warrenton, NC -- Pag-asa "Hope" Baltazar Barrientos, 93, of Warrenton, died Monday, January 5, 2026 surrounded by her family. She was born on August 16, 1932 to the late Tomas Baltazar and Pilar Del-Corro in the Philippines.

Whitakers, NC -- Services for Dennis D. Harrison age 60, who died on Saturday, January 10, 2026 will be held on Saturday, January 17, at 12 p.m. at the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel, in Louisburg, with Rev. Linda Taybron officiating.

Tony Brooks Pearce, a cherished patriarch and respected community member, passed away peacefully on January 5, 2026, in Wake County, NC. Tony was born on December 24, 1937, in Franklin County, NC, to the late Dorothy and Elbert Pearce. Tony's life was marked by his dedication to family, his passion for the outdoors, and his commitment to preserving history.

CASTALIA, NC -- Curtis Wayne Daniel, Sr, 89, of Castalia, N.C. passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, January 11, 2026. He was the husband of the late Eva Jean McCulloch Daniel.

LOUISBURG, NC -- James Barnhill "J.B." Hunt, 84, of Louisburg, passed away peacefully Tuesday, January 6, 2026, surrounded by family at his home after a long courageous battle with cancer.

LOUISBURG -- A portion of the Franklin County Commissioners' agenda purposely designed to eschew dialogue prompted a fair amount of discussion ... and confusion.
According to UNC School of Government, consent agendas are useful for disposing of routine and non-controversial items of business -- allowing a board to efficiently approve several items simultaneously using only one vote.

FIRST NIGHT. Revelers in Franklinton rang in the new year in style with its First Night Funkytown, the first New Year's Eve celebration sponsored by the town. Above, Town Manager Zach Steffey is at the center of the ball being dropped at 9 p.m. to help younger folks celebrate the new year without ruining their bedtime

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County witnessed a spike in rabies cases during 2025.
And, 2026 brought the county's first positive test for avian flu.
The state confirmed that a bird, part of a backyard flock, tested positive for H5N1 on Jan. 1. The state, county staff said, did not release the location of a reported case for privacy reasons.

LOUISBURG -- Following a closed session on Monday, commissioners denied a request by Williams Communications to change an aspect of their radio upgrade project.
The details of the request are not clear, though.
In January 2022, Franklin County hired Florida-based Williams Communications to upgrade its emergency radio system at a cost of about $22 million.

The community of Centerville holds Franklin County's only New Years Day parade and greeting 2026 was no exception on a beautiful, unseasonable warm New Year's Day. In this photo Centerville Fire Chief Allen Nelms drives a Centerville Fire and Rescue truck past the front of the Centerville Fire Department Station.