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Franklin County school children attending traditional calendar schools went back to classrooms this week to be greeted with enthusiastic staff members like Edward Best Elementary School teacher Mary Murphy. And with teachers that excited, how could the kids help but look forward to learning? Taking a slightly different approach was Rebecca Watts (above photo), a teacher at Long Mill Elementary School. She and a group of her students were using elongated toothpicks and marshmallows as a first-day icebreaker.

LAKE ROYALE -- Investigators allege Shannon Anderson shot and killed Michael Cahoon inside his Pawnee Drive home, but no charges have yet been filed.
That decision, said District Attorney Mike Waters, will come after some consultations take place.
"I met with the detective and the chief of police last week," Waters said on Monday. "I also spoke with the assigned [State Bureau of Investigations] supervisor who visited the scene.

A series of lectures on building communities through historic preservation begins Sept. 16 at Louisburg College, part of ongoing work to leverage history and architecture to improve the local economy.
The first lecture features two experts in downtown revitalization. Liz Parham, director of the North Carolina Main Street Center, will talk about the state's Main Street program, which has helped selected communities, including Warrenton, to restore economic vitality to downtown while preserving historic sites.

The Vance-Granville Community Band started rehearsals for the 2016-2017 academic year on Aug. 22, with a new conductor, Brian D. Miller of Louisburg.
Miller has been a member of the Community Band for several years as a trombonist and has served as associate conductor for the past three years.
He is most well-known for his 20-year career as band director at Louisburg High School. The Louisburg band under Miller's direction grew to become one of the largest high school bands in North Carolina, though in one of the state's smallest schools; consistently, between 20 and 25% of the entire population of LHS was in the band.

LOUISBURG -- Devon Whaley admitted he was in a criminal fight for his life this week and asked the court to appoint him an attorney that would take on his case with fervor.
Judge G. Wayne Abernathy denied Whaley's petition, though, telling the man accused of shooting his estranged girlfriend and kidnapping their daughter that attorney Buzzy Gardner was one of the best in the area and Whaley shouldn't judge his attorney's passion and ability just yet.

Volleyball fanatic Hudson Blake

The Broken Needle, located at 219 NC Hwy. 98 East, Bunn, held its ribbon cutting last Thursday. The ribbon cutting was held by the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. The Broken Needle, according to its owners, Matt and Wendy Kruskie is a hybrid shop-more quilt shop than anything, but also offering a large selection of yarn and accessories for all of the thread arts, including needle felting, cross stitch, hand embroidery and even tatting. They also offer classes in quilting, sewing, knitting, crochet, cross stitch, hand embroidery, needle felting, wet felting, tatting and spinning and have established contact with local instructors.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested a Louisburg man on charges of attempted rape.
The morning of July 5, deputies responded to a field in the 800 block of Sutton Road to find a 44-year-old man assaulting a woman.
According to Franklin County Sheriff's Office Chief of Staff Terry Wright, the man, later identified as Ricky Collier of Raymond Tharrington Road, had picked up a 26-year-old woman, an acquaintance, to give her a ride.

LOUISBURG -- One of two women whom police found in a compromising situation involving drugs will avoid jail time and a criminal charge if she keeps her nose clean.
On the evening of March 9, Franklinton police arrested Page Csonka and Sarah Sims in the Walgreens parking lot after responding to a call of indecent exposure.
When officers arrived, according to investigators and the court's summary of events, the two appeared to be having sex in the car and were in various states of undress.

LOUISBURG -- A status conference on the county's murder cases provided clarity on a number of matters moving forward.
• After reviewing a forensic mental evaluation, Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood ruled that James Marshall Small Jr., of Henderson, was competent to stand trial.
Franklin County sheriff's investigators arrested Small on Oct. 23, alleging he killed Ronald Davis Jr., 20.

Hometown Cafe owner Garland Hudgins, right, and his son, Corey, left, present Twig Wiggins, with the Franklin County Education Foundation, with a check for $500 -- money raised during a three-day fundraiser at the 5-year-old restaurant where 10 percent of proceeds went toward the organization. The Foundation, which has a goal of promoting better educational opportunities for local students and helping teachers, has scheduled a number of fundraisers in the coming weeks. The foundation's ultimate goal, Wiggins said, is to raise $1,000 for every teacher in Franklin County.

Time is running out for teachers to apply for funding from Wake Electric's Bright Ideas education grant program.
The co-op will give out a total of $50,000 this year.
Educators with creative ideas for hands-on classroom projects must submit their application by final deadline, which is Sept. 13.
Public school teachers in Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Nash, Vance and Wake counties are eligible to apply.

Will Davis (left), owner of G&B Auto in Louisburg, accepts the Crystal Eagle award from Billy Threadgill, president of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA) in Las Vegas in June. NIADA developed the Crystal Eagle award to reward those who recruit 100 or more new members to their association within a 24-month period. The Crystal Eagle award signifies a drive to increase association membership and connect with others. The NIADA was created in 1946 to assist its members in becoming more successful within the used motor vehicle industry.

LOUISBURG -- Chief District Court Judge Daniel Finch banged his last gavel this week.
Finch had been a district court judge in the 9th district, which includes Franklin County, since 1995.
The Oxford native became chief district court judge in 2009, but held his last session this week as North Carolina law requires judges to retire at the end of the month in which they turn 72.

LOUISBURG -- Police are looking for a suspect who stole a gun from an apartment.
According to the report, someone broke into a home in Franklin Court apartments, taking cash and a 9-mm semi-automatic handgun sometime between the afternoon of Aug. 21 and Aug. 24.
The case remains under investigation.

Safe Space Inc. was the special recipient of a check for $8,930.20 from the SAFCAB Club of Garner. SAFCAB is a motorcycle club that sponsors an annual Poker Run and Benefit for Safe Space. The Poker Run started in Garner and finished at Krafty's Burgers and Brews. Pictured are SAFCAB Club Member Melissa Weisman presenting the donation to Safe Space Executive Director, Monica Kearney, left. The event included local vendors, raffles, bands, and over 100 motorcyclists. SAFCAB's goal is to raise awareness about domestic violence to the public through this annual event and to financially support shelters that provide safe havens.

HENDERSON -- Classes to train area residents for jobs in the growing biotechnology manufacturing field are scheduled to start soon at both Vance-Granville Community College's Franklin County Campus near Louisburg and at the Main Campus in Vance County.
Both campuses have state-of-the-art biotechnology labs in which to conduct the "BioWork" Process Technician training course.
A BioWork class will be held in the lab on the Franklin Campus on Tuesdays, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Sept. 20 through Nov. 12, with additional coursework completed online.

HENDERSON -- Kittrell Job Corps Center is seeking career-motivated applicants for its free training program in fall 2016. Application is open to ages 16 through 24.
Job Corps is an education and vocational training program that provides eligible young people with the skills and educational opportunities they need to take the first step toward establishing real careers.
Job Corps students receive comprehensive career development services that also include employability and personal development skills, as well as various personal support services.

RED OAK -- Charles Haley thinks the time is now for his Bunn Wildcats to push through toward the top of the Northern Carolina Conference boys soccer standings.
Haley is in his fourth campaign in charge of the BHS pitch program, so he has grown with the job -- along with 12 members of the current Wildcats' senior class.
Haley has coached those performers all the way through toward their final campaigns -- and he sees the potential for a grand finale.
"I've been with these guys for four years now,'' Haley said. "This team is as near to perfect as we are going to have.''

LOUISBURG -- Long-time rival Jireh Prep wasn't the only formidable opponent for the Louisburg College Hurricanes during last Saturday's regular season football opener.
In addition to Jireh, Louisburg had to deal with temperatures that were nearing 100 degrees -- and certainly went over that level in the heat index.
But the Hurricanes were red-hot from the outset and rolled to an impressive 57-7 triumph over Jireh in action at Patterson Field on the campus of Louisburg High School.

FRANKLINTON -- A pre-game banner, which was soon burst through by Franklinton's players, spoke to a new era in FHS football history in JeVar Bransome's initial season in charge of the program.
But while this is indeed a new chapter in the Franklinton football legacy, one area of status quo remained in force last Friday -- the Red Rams' recent dominance over backyard rival Louisburg.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton offered a sneak peek of things to come with its boys soccer program on Monday -- and even set an almost-unbelievable precedent in the process.
That's when the Red Rams hosted future Big East Conference rival Southern Nash for what is now a non-league matchup at the FHS Football Field.
After falling behind by two goals early in the contest, the Red Rams stunned just about everyone in attendance by delivering four goals in a five-minute span.

BUNN -- By halftime, Bunn had already piled up 56 points during the Wildcats' regular season home football opener last Friday against the Northwest Halifax Vikings.
The Wildcats were dominant literally from the opening kickoff en route to delivering a 70-6 triumph over the Vikings in a non-conference football showdown.
Just four days after its clutch decision at Wilson Fike, Bunn upped its mark to 2-0 overall. The Vikings slipped to 0-2 -- and have given up 70 points in each of the setbacks.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College's women's soccer season opened last weekend with a pair of victories in neutral-site action in Spartanburg, S.C.
The Lady Hurricanes, coached by veteran skipper Andy Stokes, earned decisions over Andrew College (last Saturday) and Georgia Military (Sunday).
"Playing through the heat was quite a challenge for our team,'' Stokes said. "It was 97 degrees with a heat index of 104. It is still early in the year, so we aren't where we want to be yet from a conditioning standpoint.''

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The Franklin County Democratic Women will be hosting a 14th Annual Golf Tournament on Sept. 21 at The River Golf and Country Club in Franklin County.
Entry fee is $220 per four-person team or $55 for individuals.
Sponsorships are also available.
Fee includes lunch, snacks, awards and door prizes.