Recent Articles

Several members of the Kerr-Vance Academy volleyball team recently spent time with author Nicholas Sparks during a match in New Bern. Pictured are (back, l to r) Emily Carr, Mr. Sparks, Bonnie Evans and Alexis Reese; (front, l to r) Abbey Boyd, Annie Wiggins, Ashley Dickerson and Sydney Tippett.

The Jeff Fields Scholarship Memorial Golf Tournament was held recently at Olde Liberty Golf Course in Youngsville. The Farm Bureau Team of Mike Rigsbee, Ben Britt, William Mitchell and Wayne Champion captured first place. At the conclusion of the event, Champion donated the $500 first prize back to members of the Fields family. Pictured are (l to r) Wayne Champion, Lisa Fields, Emily Fields, Dawn Jones and Cameron McGhee, the tournament organizer and member of the Youngsville Fire Department, which sponsored the tournament.

The Franklin County Farm Bureau Insurance Agents presented the Game balls to Omar Rosa (64) and Xavier Clifton (34) of the Bunn Wildcats football team for their outstanding performance on the field during the first two home games of the season against Northwest Halifax and Southern Nash High School. The Farm Bureau agents who visited the Wildcats during a recent practice were (l to r) Wayne Champion, Chris Slack and Jessica Cochran.

STEM -- Even without seven starters unavailable due to injury, Franklinton found a way to get past Granville Central last Friday in a non-conference football matchup.
The Red Rams, who were competing without starting quarterback Kyeon Spencer and running back Tyreese Williams -- among others -- rallied with 14 points in the third period to defeat the host Panthers by a 14-9 margin.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College's 2016-17 men's basketball season will begin Nov. 5 with a home game against Southside Community College at Taylor Center on the LC campus.
The Hurricanes, coached by Neil Dixon, will play their first seven outings at home.
LC's complete ledger is as follows, with home events listed in CAPS:

Louisburg High School quarterback Max Jones (left) receives a play call from Coach Dontae Lassiter during last Friday's home football decision against non-conference opponent Southern Vance.

Louisburg High School's Mackenzie Wood (right) elevates for a kill during the Lady Warriors' road volleyball decision Monday evening against the Franklinton Lady Rams.

Franklinton's Lizzy Tuton sends down a kill as part of her club's home volleyball meeting Monday evening against county rival Louisburg High School.

Kaylee Saunders served out the final handful of points for the Louisburg Lady Warriors in the first set of Monday's four-set road victory against the Franklinton Lady Rams. With the decision, the Lady Warriors remained undefeated for the season at 15-0 under veteran head coach Erica Wammock.

The Franklinton High School girls tennis squad is enjoying a solid campaign in 2016 under Coach Dale Byrns. Pictured are (back, l to r) Lydia Henry, Gabrielle Christos, Brook Pearce, Carter Gilliam, Rachel McDonald and Taiya Cox; (front, l to r) Geena Vondrand, Amy Nunnery, Olivia Wilson, Casey Alford and Emma Allbright.

COURT QUEENS. Bunn High School is enjoying a solid 2016 girls tennis season, thanks in part to the effective play of several standouts, including Carlye Wegenast (pictured). For more on the Ladycats, see next week's edition of The Franklin Times.

"Missions," what a wonderful word of peace, well-being, and hope for a better future. Many people from this country have that special heart that it takes to help others live a better life and open their hearts and spirits.
We know of many churches in this area who are constantly giving to contribute to the well-being of our fellow man.
There is a special mission trip that I would like to share with you, where three churches came together and made a difference in the lives of many people, especially children on the continent of Africa.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who hasn't been out of the country for the last several months, but it appears that Louisburg and Franklin County will soon enjoy vastly improved medical care.
As we have reported extensively, the county sought out proposals to re-open an emergency room and offer other medical services in the former Franklin Regional Medical Center and, lo and behold, three proposals are in hand.

Years ago there was a popular song that advised mothers not to let your sons grow up to be cowboys.
We can all debate whether that was good advice, but today's version might be more like "mothers don't let your sons (or daughters) grow up in law enforcement or any of the emergency services jobs that are so important to our safety!
For a moment, let's just focus on one aspect of law enforcement that, a decade ago, couldn't even be imagined.

I'm sure the ratings for the presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump can be found somewhere.
I have not searched for them, but I suspect they will probably approach Super Bowl level numbers.
Based upon social media trends, such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, the responses to the debates were overwhelming.
And based on the arm-chair quarterbacking that takes place via pundits on news stations after the fact, and based upon the headlines generated via traditional news sites, the mania surrounding this debate must have been epic.

Every close and suspenseful political race seems to have an October surprise.
This is the last edition of The Franklin Times for September and the October surprise in the Chad Barefoot-Gil Johnson race to represent Franklin County in the North Carolina State Senate appears as obvious as a 3-0 fastball in a baseball game of yesteryear.
Barefoot is going to claim credit for bringing a hospital back to Franklin County.

Dear editor:
I appreciate the supportive comments in your September 22, 2016, edition concerning the River of Yesteryear.
I wish to point out that this is a project of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, not the Tar River Center for History and Culture at Louisburg College.

LOUISBURG -- The United Way has moved forward with its mission to unite people and resources to build a strong community for the people of Franklin County.
The United Way community collected more than 2,000 school supplies for students in Franklin County to help each child succeed throughout the school year.
The United Way partnered with local businesses to raise and collect funds and supplies for the children.

In August, the Nu Epsilon Chapter took part in and gave a financial donation to the St. Paul Presbyterian Church Vacation Bible School and Back to School Community Day.
Vacation Bible School was held nightly, Monday through Thursday, Aug. 9-12, beginning at 6 p.m.
On Friday, the youth in attendance were given a presentation from the Louisburg Police Department.

Commander Dennis Mecum of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post Wake Forest Memorial Post 8466, announced the kick-off of the VFW's annual Patriot's Pen youth essay competition. Middle school students in grades 6-8 in this area have the opportunity to compete and win thousands of dollars in national awards.
The VFW enacted the Patriot's Pen competition in 1995 to encourage young minds to examine America's history, along with their own experiences in modern American society by composing a 300- to 400-word patriotic-themed essay. The theme for the 2015-2016 competition is "The America I Believe In."

LOUISBURG - William Richard DeMent (Ricky), 63, died suddenly on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016 from complications following surgery.

FRANKLINTON - Alvin Allen Strickland, 86 of Franklinton passed away Sunday, September 25, 2016 at Wake Medical Center. Born on April 23, 1930 to the late Ernest Edward and Leslie Harp Strickland. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wives, Helen May Strickland and Kay Moore Strickland; his sons, David Herman Strickland, Eric Kent Nelms, Harlan Stuart Nelms; and his daughter, Sharon Elaine Nelms.