Recent Articles

ROCKY MOUNT -- In line with recent actions regarding fall sports, combined with a continued focus on the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and athletics staffs, the Presidents of the USA South Athletic Conference have voted unanimously to postpone all men's and women's basketball conference competition until the spring 2021 semester.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for Helen Marie Cooper, 71, who died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, were held Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 2 p.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg. Burial followed in the Walnut Grove Church Cemetery.

LOUISBURG--James Larry Grice, 79, of Louisburg died Friday, Sept. 4, 2020 at Wake Medical Center. A memorial service was held Sunday, Sept. 6, at Lancaster Funeral and Cremation Services, 804 N. Bickett Blvd., Louisburg, with Pastor Jerry Fuller officiating.

ZEBULON--Katherine Scott Bell Moore, 78, of Zebulon died Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 at Duke Medical Center. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Lancaster Funeral and Cremation Services Chapel, with Father Marcos Leon officiating. Burial followed in the Mills Family Cemetery, 808 N. NC Hwy 581, Spring Hope.

LOUISBURG--Kevin-Edward Kenneth Matthews, 21, of Stroud Township, returned to God on Wednesday, August 26, 2020.

LOUISBURG--Joan Marie Grissom Murray, 79, of Louisburg left us to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at Autumn Care. She was born on May 27, 1941 to the late Baldy Henry and Polly Stevenson Grissom. Joan was a classy lady and always took pride in looking her best. She was a member of Duke Memorial Baptist Church and taught 2nd grade at Laurel Mill Elementary School until her retirement. After her retirement, she enjoyed the social aspect of working the polls, she loved children and especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and family.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for Beatrice "Ma Bea" Ward, 94, who died Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, will be held Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m. at Richardson Funeral Home in Louisburg, with the Rev. Jamaal Brodie officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

KITTRELL--Eugene C. Burroughs Sr., 84, died Saturday Sept. 5, 2020 at his residence.

CREEDMOOR--Patricia Ann Mangum, 70, died Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. A graveside service was held on Sunday, Sept. 6, at Rock Spring Memorial Gardens, Creedmoor, with the Rev. Veola Johnson officiating.

YOUNGSVILLE--Michael Jose Delapaz, 30, of Youngsville died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, at 1 p.m. at Bunn Chapel Church of God, 567 MC Wilder Road, Louisburg.

MIDDDLESEX--Faye Morgan Cone, 90, formerly of the Pilot community in Zebulon, died Wednesday night, Sept. 2, 2020. A graveside funeral service will be held Sunday, Sept. 13, at Samaria Baptist Church cemetery, with the Rev. Tyler Cone officiating.

FRANKLINTON--Margaret Rosie Lee Davis, 88, affectionately known as "Ms. Margaret," died Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. A graveside service was held Friday, Sept. 4, at Shiloh Baptist Church cemetery, Kittrell, with the Rev. André Johnson officiating.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for James Junior "Rooster" Edgerton, 65, who died Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, will be held Sunday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Friendship Chapel Church cemetery.

LOUISBURG--Clellan Wilbur Southall Jr., 81, died Tuesday Sept.1, 2020 at Duke Medical Center. A graveside service will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Maple Springs Baptist Church cemetery, with the Rev. Doug Moore officiating.

LOUISBURG -- A former Franklin County inmate is suing Franklin County, the sheriff, the jail's health care provider and everyone else connected to what he alleges was negligence that led to a heart attack.
Attorneys for Charles Phelps filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Civil Superior Court on Aug. 17 alleging that indifference amongst Southern Health Partners and jail staff led to Phelps not receiving the prescribed aspirin he needed to combat heart disease.

WHITE LEVEL -- Some say farming gets into your blood -- but for White Level's Billy Wood, farming seems to be built into his DNA and he's passing it along to future generations.
Billy, who will turn 79 later this month, has been farming since he was a youngster helping out his dad, Bryant Wood, on a farm growing mostly tobacco.

That's local farmer Billy Wood checking out his cucumber crop in a greenhouse that helps him get his product to market early each spring. This photo was taken a few years ago ,but cucumbers, especially the English variety have long been a popular item at Wood's Produce.

Raising money to fight the scourge of cancer is serious business ... very serious business. But there is no reason those involved can't have a little fun along the way. The COVID-19 restricted annual American Cancer Society's Relay for Life Survivors' Dinner was a drive-in event this year and that gave Linda Frederickson, Relay co-chair and survivor at right, a chance to joke around with her mother, Dorothy Wester, one of those survivors.

Frances Freeman, Relay for Life volunteer and Relay team captain for White Level Baptist Church

LOUISBURG -- A trio of Ohio residents are slated to appear in court next week on drug charges.
The Franklin County Sheriffs Office Special Operations Group arrested Sivad Xavier Boykin, Cadiz Jon Harper, and Jerron Smith on multiple drug charges after executing a search warrant on their hotel room at the Days Inn on Aug. 25.

HENDERSON -- Vance-Granville Community College held a Pinning Ceremony for 22 students in the Practical Nursing Class of 2020.
Students successfully completed the program in the summer semester and took part in the recent ceremony via Zoom.
Family and friends were able to watch the ceremony live, and the recorded ceremony can be viewed on Youtube using this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO9cFSz74sU.

LOUISBURG -- A Youngsville man is slated to appear in court later this month on drug charges resulting from a vehicle wreck investigation.
Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested Grey Harris Winn on Aug. 28, charging him with two counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver drugs, felony possession of drugs, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of isolated THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon and simple possession of scheduled six controlled substance.

A couple of stories and a handful of photos in last week's edition were a stark reminder of just how different 2020 has been from a normal year -- and just how numb we have come to the reality we're dealing with.
Normally at this time of the year, community newspapers like this one are writing stories and taking photos focused on the annual "back to school" rite that marks the end of summer for kids.

In July, the Franklin County Parks and Recreation Department held its first virtual run/walk challenge.
And, this October, they plan to conduct a second challenge.
This time, folks will be able to participate in a run or walk challenge, or, if they have the equipment, people can compete in challenges on a treadmill or elliptical machine or on a bicycle.