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PILOT-Delilah "Liza" Tant Ray, 88, went home to be with the Lord Wednesday night surrounded by her family. She was a good, kind, loving wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister and friend. Everyone was always welcome at any time at her home. She had a positive attitude and a great sense of humor.

BUNN -- Bunn High School's David Howle -- one of the most legendary figures in Franklin County prep football history -- has announced this will be his final campaign as the Wildcats' head football coach.
Howle has been at Bunn for 29 years, including 25 in charge of the school's gridiron program.
Heading into this Friday's game at Roanoke Rapids, Howle has put together a sterling 211-92 career record.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg rushed for a season-high 451 yards and scored the first 35 points of the game en route to a successful start to its Tar-Roanoke Athletic Conference schedule.
The Warriors, now winners of two in a row, were never threatened while defeating Southeast Halifax by a 58-20 total on Thursday as part of homecoming festivities at Patterson Field on the LHS campus.

CREEDMOOR -- Even after an early case of fumbleitis, Franklinton was still close to South Granville in the second half of Thursday's Northern Carolina Conference football opener for both squads.
But the Vikings would erupt for 20 unanswered points over the final 12:43 to get past Franklinton by a 37-14 margin at the SGHS Football Field.
South Granville upped its mark to 5-2 overall and 1-0 in the NCC, while the Red Rams fell to 4-3 and 0-1.

HENDERSON -- Bunn, the defending Northern Carolina Conference football champion, kicked off its 2016 league schedule in style Thursday by putting together a strong effort on both sides of the ball as part of a 51-14 road decision at Southern Vance.
The Wildcats are now 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the NCC, while the Runnin' Raiders remained winless on the campaign.
Bunn all but ended the suspense by soaring to a 30-0 advantage at halftime.

SUGAR HILL, N.H. -- Alton Kendall Betts of Sugar Hill, N. H., died Aug.16, 2016 after a brief illness. A service celebrating his life will be held in June of 2017 in New Hampshire. For further details please go to: info@horncamp.org.

LOUISBURG -- Residents were evacuated and traffic was redirected for hours while local and state emergency crews responded to a potentially explosive liquid oxygen spill triggered by a three-vehicle collision.
Fortunately, emergency officials said, the liquid oxygen, one of the fuel mixture ingredients used to launch space shuttles, didn't ignite last week.
"If oil was leaking from the truck and it mixed with the liquid oxygen, it would have exploded," said Louisburg Fire Chief Randy Lanham.

LOUISBURG -- Police, courthouse staff, community leaders and residents met over the weekend, hoping to begin the kind of dialogue necessary to prevent the kinds of police and community racial unrest that's blanketed the country from smothering Franklin County.
One of the focuses of the "Unity In Our Community" workshop at South Main Street Baptist Church focused on how people should respond to police during an encounter, but officers said the true path to improvement will take place through interactions that take place long before a traffic stop.

LOUISBURG -- During a 45-minute meeting on Monday night, county commissioners pushed back or delayed a vote on every action item, save for the benign consent agenda.
First, the school system presented the board with $11.29 million worth of renovations -- the balance of a $53 million school bond approved by voters in 2008 -- but commissioners said they wanted a joint meeting with the Board of Education to dive into the proposal before making a commitment.

GOOD TIMES. Above, Mamie Person, left, and Marie Morton, right, try their hand at cornhole during the county Department of Aging event.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County law enforcement officers and other anti-domestic violence agencies are getting closer to implementing a potential life-saving program.
The Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Task Force, made up of officers, Safe Space members and courthouse staff, has teamed up with the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence to install a Lethality Assessment Program.

LOUISBURG -- From the Louisburg College stage, local, state and federal candidates talked about their unique sets of skills, hoping to galvanize their supporters and sway undecided voters in time for the Nov. 8 election.
The forum was hosted by the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, giving candidates a platform for their ideas.

Senior Fun Day at the Park participant Jerry Williams

What started with a fire alarm Wednesday morning ended up closing Royal Elementary School for the day -- and possibly longer.
After the fire alarm sounded and children evacuated from the building, workers discovered that a possible electrical problem in the building triggered the alarm.
There was no fire or smoke but school officials said they wanted to track down and repair any problem before putting children back into the school.
The decision to dismiss the school for the day came about 11:30 a.m. and the word went out that parents or guardians could begin picking up the students.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Opponents of House Bill 2 say it's been a black eye for North Carolina.
Economists estimate it has cost the state $500 million in lost revenue.
Without a doubt, it's been controversial.
Last week, though, State Secretary of Commerce John Skvarla came prepared to refute its negative impact on the economy while speaking during the annual Committee of 100 banquet. The Committee serves as a local resource to help attract industry and retain existing business.

Wester's Front End and Brake was honored with the Small Business Award at this year's Small Business Luncheon. The award was given in partnership with the Franklin, Henderson-Vance, Granville and Warren County chambers. Pictured (l to r) are Brenda Fuller, Chamber administrator; Bobbie Jo May, Chamber chairperson; Betty Lynn and Tommy Wester, award recipients, and Tanya Evans, district manager at Duke Energy. This is the second award of the year for Wester's. They won the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award in January.

LOUISBURG -- A Castalia couple is slated to appear in court next week on child abuse charges.
At the end of September, Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested Renee M. Perry, 20, and Billy W. Perry, 31, alleging they were responsible for injuries that required medical attention for a five month old.
Renee Perry was charged with felony child abuse inflicting serious physical injury and filing a false police report.

ZEBULON ­-- The state Department of Transportation said it could evaluate the safety of a Franklin County intersection that was the site of a fatal crash last weekend.
Tachina Smith, 18, of Zebulon in Wake County died in the wreck that occurred just over the county line at Williams-White and Pilot-Riley roads.
According to reports, the driver, identified as Makel Breece, 18, also of Zebulon, was driving north on Williams-White Road and ran a stop sign the evening of Oct. 1.

BUNN -- There are two ways to look at a tie in soccer, and it's safe to say that North Carolina School of Science and Math left the field feeling the best after last Tuesday's Northern Carolina Conference showdown at Bunn.
The match, which was for first place outright in the NCC, was dubbed as the biggest contest for BHS since the Kevin Strassburger Era five years ago.
The matchup lived up to its billing, but nothing would be settled after 80 minutes as the event ended in a 1-1 tie as both teams remained undefeated in NCC action -- and still tied atop the league standings.

BUNN - Given the subpar nature of the Tar-Roanoke Athletic Conference in volleyball -- aside from Granville Central -- Louisburg puts plenty of stock in its non-conference spike matches, especially its four annual contests against Franklin County rivals Franklinton and Bunn.
So LHS head coach Erica Wammock considered it quite a feat when her club, which is undefeated overall, finished its county grudge match schedule with a 4-0 mark.

GREENSBORO -- There was a play in North Carolina A&T's 31-9 MEAC football win over Hampton last Thursday night at Aggie Stadium that explained Aggies senior running back Tarik Cohen's rise to collegiate stardom while at the same time, it was the catalyst that helped the Aggies pull away.
In front of a national television audience watching live on ESPNU, Tarik went for 256 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries.
In the process, he added his name to two more N.C. A&T records.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Louisburg College's undefeated and nationally ranked football squad can be quite a juggernaut when the Hurricanes put things together on both sides of the ball.
That was exactly what happened Sunday when the Hurricanes tangled with the North Carolina Wesleyan College Junior Varsity Team at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Louisburg was supposed to be the only Franklin County football squad in action last week, but the Warriors were foiled by the weather.
Instead, the week ended up serving as a bye for Louisburg, Franklinton and Bunn as the squads prepared for their respective conference openers this week.
Louisburg's schedule featured a homecoming meeting with Warren County last Friday, while Bunn and FHS were off as planned.
But the game between LHS and Warren County was postponed to this Monday due to poor weather.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College will begin its 2016-17 women's basketball slate on Nov. 4 with a home contest against Combine Academy.
Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Taylor Center on the campus of Louisburg College.
LC's complete ledger is as follows, with home games listed in CAPS:

ZEBULON -- The Carolina Mudcats have announced a new player development contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The agreement is for two years, covering Carolina's 2017 and 2018 Carolina League, Class A Advanced seasons at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.
"Having met with the Brewers, and in looking at their system, we are confident that we are getting an organization that is loaded with young, talented prospects that we feel will enhance our program" said Carolina Mudcats President and Majority Owner Steve Bryant.