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Dear editor:
How much unlike the original Jesus can anyone possibly be?
Does anyone come to mind?
If so, does that person profess to be a Christian?

The WPTF Weekend Gardener is an award-winning radio talk show that has been on the air for over 30 years and answers your gardening questions. Mike Raley (left) and Rufus Edmisten will broadcast their weekly Saturday morning live radio show in Louisburg College's Jones Performing Arts Center Holt Lobby (JPAC) from 8 - 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. This event is free to the public, and tickets are not required.

LOUISBURG -- Fall is upon us, which means high school football fields are lighting up the sky every Friday night.
Through four games, the Louisburg Warriors might consider saving money on the power bill by turning off the lights because their football team is shining very bright.
This is not home town bias, either, as the Warriors are currently ranked No. 4 in the state in the NCHSAA Football RPI Standings in the 3A Classification.

BUNN, NC -- Jasper F. White, 96, of Bunn died Friday morning, September 19, 2025 at Wake Med with his daughter Debbie by his side. He was born on January 15, 1929 in Franklin County, a son of the late James R. and Victoria Gay White.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Macon Dale Pleasants, 66, of Franklinton, died September 25, 2025. Dale was born in Vance County on January 18, 1959 to the late Coy and Margie Medlin Pleasants. In addition to his parents, Dale was preceded in death by the mother of his daughter, Tracy Chapman; his brother-in-law, Ron Phillips; and his grandmother, Viola Medlin.

Warrenton, NC -- Memorial services for George "Jimmy" Stokes, age 71, who died on Saturday, September 27, 2025, will be held on Saturday, October 4, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Dr. Carl Wardrett officiating.

Rocky Mount, NC -- Funeral services for Linda Faye Wilkins, age 64, who died on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, will be held on Saturday, October 4, at 1 p.m. from the Allen Chapel Baptist Church in Louisburg with Elder Patricia Harrison officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

NASHVILLE, NC -- Funeral services for Leah Mae Whitehead, age 77, who died on Friday, September 26, 2025 will be held on Friday, October 3, at 12 p.m. from the Union Hill Baptist Church in Nashville, NC.

CHAPEL HILL, NC -- Funeral services for Angela M. Dozier, age 55, who died on Thursday, September 18, 2025, will be held on Sunday, October 5, at 2 p.m. at the Allen Metropolitan AME Zion Church in Franklinton, NC with Rev. Dr. William Williams officiating and Pastor Marcus Dunston Johnson, eulogist.

MANSON, NC -- Funeral services for Cora Mae Alston, age 88, who died on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC with Associate Min. Bernice Richardson officiating.

CASTALIA, NC -- Raymond Herbert Coppedge, died September 14, 2025, at the age of ninety-one, peacefully at his home.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners issued a special use permit to a Virginia-based company that wants to build a solar farm on about 1,100 acres in north central Franklin County.
If Duke Energy chooses the project and the State Utilities Commission deems the solar farm a public convenience and necessity, the Diamond Solar farm could begin providing power to the grid in maybe half a decade, said Chad Essick, an attorney with Poyner and Spruill, representing Hexagon Energy in their effort to secure the special use permit and complete the project.

LOUISBURG -- A Louisburg man was sentenced to as much as nearly 30 years in prison for killing a man outside a corner store.
In Franklin County Superior Court on Monday, Thomas Lee Hicks Jr. pled guilty to second degree murder in the Nov. 2, 2022 shooting of 40-year-old Ricky Shipman.
Hicks's plea was part of an agreement that allowed him to plea to the lesser included offense, not the first degree charge -- which carries a penalty, including life in prison and up to the death penalty.

JOY RIDE. Above, Bunn Police Sgt. Maria Jocys takes Bryson Blacknall for a ride on a vehicle, when the rider is equipped with special goggles, is designed to simulate impaired driving. During Bunn Fun Day last Saturday, though, the two were just out for a joy ride.

Voters in Louisburg have an opportunity to make an important decision in the next few weeks -- selecting the town's next mayor.
It's an unusual election this year because of a state-mandated change to Louisburg's mayoral election process when there are more than two candidates.
Prior to the change, Louisburg's mayor was elected by majority win, no matter how many candidates were on the ballot.
The change requires that when there are more than two candidates, the winner has to secure more than 50 percent of the vote.

Just as summer was winding down late last week, we received a gift that was not only timely and appropriate but also thought-provoking in this troubled political climate.
The gift, with a face value of 8 cents, served as a priceless reminder of what America is supposed to be about -- and what is under threat today.
The gift was a postage stamp -- and the image on it was an 18th Century vision of a man with a printing press, obviously printing something of interest, as four men, clad in period finery of the day, were reading and discussing what was printed.

I must admit I was caught pretty flat-footed at Youngsville's last board meeting when it was announced that Town Manager Nathan Page had resigned -- effective Jan. 2.
It made me think about all the relationships I've had as a reporter with our town and county managers during my two-decade tenure here at The Franklin Times.
So, I decided I'd take a trip down memory lane which, quite frankly, is paved with good memories, littered with missteps and has some potholes -- such is the nature of governance.

Dear editor: In Orwell's famous novel 1984, protagonist Winston Smith lives in Oceania and works for the Ministry of Truth in the Records Department, where his job is to rewrite history to conform with whatever the Party wants it to be at the moment.
People who used to exist, even Party heroes, are erased from history or turned into villains, and people who never existed are created ex nihilo.
Winston has to create a news account saying the chocolate ration has been "raised" to 20 grams a week, when it was really reduced from 30 grams per week.

Dear editor: Here is a picture of a sign beside eastbound Walter Grissom Road approaching sharp down hill curve in front of Concord Baptist Church.
Continuing on Walter Grissom Road once you pass Church Concord Community Center is on left then another sharp curve in advance of General Green Road.
There isn't advance curve warning signs or the other curve signing along this stretch of Charlie Grissom Road.
Numerous people have reported the signing issues to NCDOT over the last 20 odd years and never got a response!

Dear editor: I wanted to commend employees at our local Louisburg DMV.
We are fortunate to have personnel who are willing to help folks with their licenses.
Because of all of the negative publicity, I dreaded getting my license renewed. People at our DMV could not have been more pleasant and efficient.
There was a large crowd there. A lady came out and asked for 65 and older people to come up. Our local office does this frequently to accommodate older people.

DIRECTION. Bunn Middle School Choir Director Samantha Robertson guides a performance.

LEADER. Bunn Commissioner Sherry Mercer drove the barrel train around the Bunn Fun Day grounds.