Recent Articles

YOUNGSVILLE -- Sheriff's deputies arrested a Louisburg man in a shooting that may have been accidental.
Demeterious Diquon Taylor, 26, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
According to authorities, Taylor, Elijah Wright and some other people were at a home in the 100 block of Elsie Marie Drive just after midnight on June 7 when the incident occurred.

A seven-point call to action was issued this week by the Franklin County Democratic Party, according to Lucy T. Allen, chair of the group.
The seven points call upon government leaders to "establish an aggressive reform agenda that allows for increased transparency and accountability, including, but not limited to:

Safe Space will hold virtual classes for teens on healthy relationships, problem solving and conflict resolution without violence into our youth.
For ages 12-14: Shifting Boundaries is a program designed to reduce abuse in relationships and harassment among middle school students. These classes will be held on Zoom twice a week at 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for 30 minutes. This is a certification program lasting for two consecutive weeks.

Many businesses were forced to close their facilities to the public as local governments implemented measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Businesses deemed "non-essential" could no longer welcome customers into their offices and stores, prompting many people to wonder just why some businesses are considered "essential" while others are not.

The immune system is a powerful component of the human body. The immune system recognizes when viruses, bacteria and other foreign invaders enter or compromise the body, and then takes action to prevent illnesses from taking over. The average person can help his or her immune system do its job more effectively by making the immune system as strong as it can be.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Even as the world begins to unpause, wearing masks seems likely to continue.
According to Penni Watts, Ph.D., RN, an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, masks are designed not to prevent the wearer from getting ill, but to protect other people from getting the virus.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Deran Coe's career was on the path to success literally from the moment he began teaching in Franklin County two decades ago.
Coe would become the first-ever head coach for the Franklinton High School boys and girls soccer program -- building the Red Rams and into one of the area's top powerhouses in a short period of time.

BUNN -- Bunn High School capped off another exceptional -- albeit shortened -- sports year by handing out its annual postseason awards recently.
The honors would have usually been presented as part of the school's Athletic Awards Ceremony at the BHS Auditorium, but that was not possible this spring.
Instead, a virtual ceremony was held online, with coaches offering a speech before announcing their winners.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced a Phase One for resuming athletic participation on Monday -- but also gave individual school systems the opportunity to reopen at their own discretion.
The NCHSAA's press release listed June 15 as an opening day for limited off-season workouts in all sports.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College women's basketball head coach Jason Rasnake has announced the signing of Destini Abramson-Lee out of Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School.
Last season, the 5'7 guard helped her team reach the 4A state championship game for the 4th year in a row.

ROCKY MOUNT -- North Carolina Wesleyan College has announced that all home football games are scheduled to be played on campus for the 2020 season due to a generous donation from alumnus Vernon T. Bradley, Jr.
The college recently received Bradley's gift of $150,000 to be used for bleachers, a scoreboard and other signage.

HAZARD, KY--The Reverend Thomas Otey Feamster Jr., age 89, husband of Betty Baldwin Feamster, passed away on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at the Greg and Noreen Wells Hospice Care Center in Hazard, KY. Born in Warwick, VA on October 23, 1930, Tom was the son of the late Thomas Otey and Gladys Kincaid Feamster. Tom attended William & Mary and Florida State University. In 1955, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and traded to the Baltimore Colts in 1956.

HENDERSON- John Lee "Buck" Kearney, 72, a resident of 341 Ridge Circle Road, died Friday, June 5, 2020 at Maria Parham Health from injuries received in a tractor accident. Graveside funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Sunset Gardens by the Rev. Allen Ayscue.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for Carolyn Ann Crudup, 52, who died Wednesday, June 3, 2020, will be Thursday, June 11, at 2 p.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, with Apostle Francine Boone officiating.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for Joseph "Lil Joe" Tucker Jr., 50, who died Sunday, June 7, 2020, will be held Friday, June 12, at 2 p.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

BOONE--Robert Thomas "Tom" Speed, age 68, of Howard's Knob Road, Boone, passed away Friday morning, June 5, 2020.

HIGH POINT--Pattie Winstead Pennewell, 86, formerly of Wilson, died Friday, June 5, 2020.

FRANKLINTON--Dennis Grey Brown, 72, of Franklinton passed away on Thursday, June 4, 2020 at his residence.

HOLLISTER--Funeral services for Chaunda L. "Nookie" Johnson, 45, who died Tuesday, June 2, 2020, will be held Saturday, June 6, at 3 p.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, with the Rev. Robert Hedgepeth officiating. Burial will follow in the Pine Chapel Memorial Garden cemetery.

NASHVILLE--Funeral services for Devin Akee'm Lewis, 31, who died Monday, June 1, 2020, will be Saturday, June 6, at 12 noon at Greater St. Delight Baptist Church in Castalia, with the Rev. Cicil Harris Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Delight Baptist Church cemetery.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County reported its first COVID-19-related death in weeks, but health officials say the congregate care facilities where outbreaks were reported were well on their way to being out of danger.
Overall, though, positive coronavirus case numbers are increasing as restrictions on movement and gatherings have lessened.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Health Department has begun offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing, giving residents another avenue to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
Beginning on June 2, the health department began offering the tests -- by appointment only -- on Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m.
For an appointment, call 919-496-2533.

LOUISBURG -- Discord prompted by the most recent incident of police brutality in Minneapolis has flamed protests around the world -- prompting two protests in Louisburg streets early this week.
No damage or arrests were reported, but passions were high.
Minneapolis police officers arrested 46-year-old George Floyd on May 25 after responding to a call that a man used a counterfeit $20 at a deli.

Three local officials knelt with demonstrators in downtown Louisburg Tuesday night, including Louisburg Town Councilman Christopher Neal (grey shirt in front), Louisburg Police Chief Jason Abbott to his right; and Franklin County Sheriff Kent Winstead, (in the light shirt to Abbott's right).

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners agreed to disburse funds to the corporation that markets and promotes industrial hubsites in the region, a small financial windfall for Franklin, Warren, Granville and Vance county governments that have invested in the economic development program.
Beyond that, county commissioners also adopted a Comprehensive Development Plan that could guide how the county grows in the next 20 years.