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ALL DRESSED UP. Senior Fun Day was even more fun since it was just before Halloween. In costumes, from left: Katrina Williams, Carolyn
Peters, Cindy Jones, Christy Southall and Shelia Mitchell.

Showing off their Fun Day shirts, left to right: Activities Specialist Katrina Williams, Social Worker Shelia Mitchell, Adult Day Program Manager Wendy Hunter, Senior Center Administrator Pattie Collins, Nutrition Site Aide Joyce Still, Nutrition Site Manager Beatrice Davis and Custodian Carolyn Peters.

FRANKLINTON -- Abigail Fagan and Shelby Sykora made a bit of softball history last week during a ceremony at the entrance to the Franklinton High School Gymnasium.
Franklinton's list of Division I fast-pitch softball signees is quite short -- as in one person. Former Lady Ram Morgan Tharrington enjoyed an All-American career at Louisburg College before competing for two seasons in the Atlantic Coast Conference as a member of the North Carolina State University Wolfpack.

Franklinton High School's Abigail Fagan (front, second from right) signs a letter-of-intent to continue her softball career at Radford University. Also pictured are (back, l to r) FHS Athletic Director Jimmy Williams, FHS assistant coach Sarah Harkey Korinna Fagan (sister), Sarah Fagan (sister) and FHS head softball coach Ashley Bauer; (front, l to r) Alana Fagan (sister), Janet Fagan (mother), Lorna Fagan (sister) and Robert Fagan (father) Not pictured is Taylor Lee (sister).

Franklinton High School's Shelby Sykora (front, second from right) signs a letter-of-intent to continue her softball career at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

WILSON -- Northern Nash High School's boys cross country squad is off to another strong start -- as evidenced by last Thursday's showing during a Big East Conference Tri-Meet at Gillette Park.
The multi-time defending league champion Fighting Knights cruised to a first-place team finish during an event that also featured Franklinton and host Wilson Fike.

RALEIGH -- Zonovan Knight and Ricky Person Jr. continued to pile up the ground yardage, and a key blocked field-goal attempt would help North Carolina State edge Liberty University last Saturday in a non-conference college football game.
Knight and Person combined for 230 yards on offense, and Vi Jones swatted a way a potential game-winning field goal in the final two minutes as the Wolfpack survived by a 15-14 margin at Carter-Finley Stadium.

RALEIGH -- North Carolina State University has extended the agreement of long-time baseball coach Elliott Avent, as the Board of Trustees approved a new deal recently that will keep him in the dugout through the 2025 season, with options beyond that.
Avent, a former assistant at Louisburg College, is set to begin his 25th season at NC State in the spring of 2021, and is the school's all-time leader in victories with a career mark of 889-531.

Franklinton High School volleyball coach Tom Harris speaks about Shelby Sykora during last week's signing ceremony. Though Sykora signed to join the softball program at the University of North Carolina, she has also been a key spiker for the Lady Rams under Harris' direction.

Have you ever wondered whether those are yams or sweet potatoes on your Thanksgiving plate and just what is the difference between them?
Well, if you're eating something moist, sweet, and just downright delicious then you're probably feasting on a sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are root vegetables that are naturally sweet and most of the potatoes for consumption have orange-colored flesh.

This year has been quite different from what we consider to be "normal." COVID-19 has brought about many changes and cancellations of events and gatherings, and as the year continues to go by and the holidays are upon us, a lot of questions, concerns and differences of the usual holiday gatherings come along as well. Below are suggestions on how to safely celebrate Thanksgiving in the midst of COVID.

OXFORD--James Henry Dickerson, 80, of Oxford reached his heavenly home on Saturday, November 21, 2020. There to greet him were his parents David Gill and Dulcie Hailey Dickerson; four brothers, David Junior, Russell Edward, Archie Gill, and Charlie McCoy; two sisters, Margarite Dickerson Proctor and Linda Dickerson Woods Smith; and a granddaughter, Victoria Joy Harris.

LOUISBURG - Patsy Harris Ayscue, 86, of Louisburg, passed away on Saturday, November 21, 2020 at her home.

HENDERSON--Funeral services for William Marcel "Bill" Davis, 86, who died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020 will be held Wednesday, November 25, at 1 p.m. in the Alston-Davis family cemetery in Louisburg, with the Rev. Kenneth M. Williams officiating. Burial will follow in the Alston-Davis cemetery.

BUNN--Funeral services for Felecia Hobgood-Crudup, 62, who died Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, will be held Monday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Elder Paulette Alston officiating.

LOUISBURG -- Ben Snelling sped his Gator about 20 yards ahead of the start line, grabbed his whistle and prepared for the moment that Franklin County high school sports fans have been awaiting for the past eight months.
And with a quick blow of the whistle, along with a push to the pedal as the lead vehicle, Snelling signaled the beginning of Monday's Big East Conference Cross Country Meet, which was hosted by Franklinton High School at the Owens Park Course.

LOUISBURG -- The county's utility attorney reminded commissioners why they need a long-term water solution.
Engineers recommended six options or ways to meet that need.
And financial advisors revealed ways that the county can pay for it.

LOUISBURG -- Effective this week, all Franklin County children in the public school system are back in class in the hybrid Plan B scheme which means they attend face-to-face classes two days a week, virtual classes two days a week and have Wednesdays to work on classwork and special projects.
So far, that seems to be working fine, according to Supt. Rhonda Schuhler who gave the Board of Education a detailed status update at the board's Monday night meeting.

MOMENT OF APPRECIATION. Every Nov. 11 is set aside to honor the service of America's veterans and Franklin County went all out this year. In the photo above, members of the Justice Volunteer Fire Department ready meals that were distributed to a long line of veterans who drove through the event because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's event, held at the new Crosscreek Charter School in Louisburg, was coordinated by Brenda L. Wilkins, county veterans service director, who received a lot of help from volunteers wishing to say "thank you for your service."

LOUISBURG -- The annual community Thanksgiving dinner is being replaced this year.
St. Paul Presbyterian Church, First Fruits Farms, the Franklin County Interfaith Council, Franklin Area Clergy Ecumenical Society [FACES], the Youth Division of the Franklin County Missionary Union, The Crown Vic Boys and Girls, and Bunn native and Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen have combined to host a Thanksgiving Food Distribution & Coat Distribution this Saturday.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners have called a special meeting for tonight (Nov. 19) to vote on two rezoning matters -- the first of which prompted a more than hour-long public hearing where dozens of residents and environmental advocates told commissioners they don't want a sand quarry to be allowed to expand its operations.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Youngsville's holiday plans have come, to a degree, under fire.
But the town has no intentions of changing its Christmas tradition.
Franklin County Health Director Scott LaVigne confirmed that a town resident complained that the town's plans for a Christmas parade violates Gov. Roy Cooper's updated Executive Order 176 -- which limits indoor and outdoor gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pitching greats Holden Laws, Abigail Fagan

When organizers of the county's Veterans Day drive-through luncheon were planning this year's unusual event, they quickly realized that having expert assistance in the form of volunteers was a must. And this group of Girl Scouts from local Troop 508 was ready to jump in and greet arriving veterans.