Recent Articles

(L to R) Bunn's Erin Collier and West Johnston's Grace Jones try to gain the ball during Tuesday evening's volleyball meeting at the Bunn Dome.

Franklinton, which was incorporated in 1842, three years after the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad reached what was first called Franklin Depot, grew quickly in the 1840s and 1850s.
The new town attracted residents, businesses, churches, and schools. Two private academies, Franklinton Male and Female Institutes, flourished for a brief period in the mid-1850s.

POETRY WORKSHOP. Franklin County Arts Council's Diversity Team will sponsor a poetry workshop titled "Finding the Words-Making Them Work" with facilitator, Dasan Ahanu from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug 27. The workshop will include preparing for spoken word performances and poetry slams. Ahanu is a public speaker, organizer, workshop facilitator, poet, performance artist, songwriter, playwright, writer, educator, and recording artist born and raised in Raleigh. He has performed, spoken, and facilitated workshops across the country and been featured on both radio and TV.

All reporters develop an ability to tolerate political advertising, statements and arguments that not only boggle the imagination but show a great deal of ingenuity at abusing facts to support a position.
But when a political advertisement is demonstrably misleading about a very important point, it's time to say that.
A recent political mailing sent out on behalf of State Sen. Chad Barefoot by the North Carolina Republican Party is misleading. It creates a false impression. It attempts to deflect the blame from Barefoot and his fellow GOP lawmakers, where it belongs, to Barefoot's political opponent!

Here's a thought to ponder as you prepare for the deluge of political messages that are certain to bury us this fall:
When exactly did freedom of information come to mean dissemination of disinformation?
That has happened over the last two decades, first with the blossoming of talk radio then with the abolition of the Fairness Doctrine that once tried to keep television messages balanced and, most recently, with the proliferation of the internet and social media.

Army veteran Mike Boncek served two tours in Iraq. However, two trips across the state weren't enough.
Back in March, Boncek began a roughly 2,200-mile trek back in Jockey's Ridge, hiking across the state along the Mountain to Sea trail in an effort to raise awareness of the alarming number of veterans committing suicide every day -- 22 by many estimates.
He reached Clingmans Dome, Tenn. after 88 days on the trail and he made his way back to the North Carolina coast after passing through his native Youngsville in July.

You would think after the 2012 Republican National Convention Republicans, would have learned that empty chairs don't work very well for them.
It may just be a case of history repeating itself in the 2016 campaign of Republican State Senator Chad Barefoot.
In his first attempt at office in 2012 Barefoot, backed by a ton of out-of-the-district money, distorted the record of his opponent on his way to victory in a gerrymandered district that he had just moved into.

Dear editor:
"Our goal is to work for the people of Franklin County in providing you with an equal and fair opportunity to elect your representatives in government."
This is a quote from the Franklin County Board of Elections website. However, this goal has been forgotten as the Republican members of the Board of Elections proved during the last meeting.

LOUISBURG -- As the summer winds down and teachers prepare to get back in their classrooms, school officials welcomed newcomers last week at the district's annual New Teacher Institute.
The three-day event was hosted at Franklinton High School from August 16 to 18 and provided just short of 85 beginning and veteran teachers new to Franklin County Schools with professional development opportunities and a head start as they begin their first year in FCS.

The Shocco Creek Chapter NSDAR, a newly formed chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Louisburg, held their organizing meeting Sunday, Aug. 21, at the historic Person Place. Cricket Crigler, state organizing secretary, joined the group for their meeting and inducted nine new members and the officers.

WINSTON-SALEM -- A 4-H'er from Franklin County attended the seventh annual North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Youth Summit earlier this month.
North Carolina 4-H and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service partnered for the seventh year with the NCACC on a multi-year initiative to increase youth involvement in county government.

William and Brittini DeJesus of Castalia are proud to announce the birth of a daughter, Adalyn Parrish DeJesus, born on July 5, 2016 at UNC Nash Health Center in Rocky Mount. She weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces and was 17 1/4 inches long.
Adalyn also has three siblings, Melayna Brooke, Meredith Claire, and Cohen William DeJesus.

SOUTH HILL, Va. - CCB Bankshares, Inc., has announced that Christy F. Quesenbery was named executive vice president and chief operating officer.
In this capacity, she will have oversight of Loan and Deposit Operations, E-Banking, Information Technology, and Compliance.
President and CEO James R. Black said, "Christy joined our team originally as Enterprise Risk Manager and her contributions have strengthened our infrastructure and contributed to staff development and operating efficiencies.

Six leaders with ties to Louisburg College have been tapped to be members of the Board of Trustees of the school, joining 26 others to oversee the only residential two-year college in North Carolina.
Trustees serve four-year terms. Their responsibilities include setting educational and financial policies and ensuring sound resource management of Louisburg College.

The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) has announced that Mykel T. Yancey of Louisburg has been selected to become a member the NSHSS. The Society recognizes top scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship and community commitment. The announcement was made by NSHSS Founder and Chairman Claes Nobel, senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes.

Bunn High School running back D.J. Jones sheds a tackle during Monday night's road football decision against the Wilson Fike Golden Demons.

LOUISBURG - Lorene Marks Bartholomew, 83, of the Sandy Creek community, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 20, 2016. She was born in Franklin County on June 14, 1933, to the late James Paul, Sr., and Nellie Hicks Marks, and was the widow of James Howell Bartholomew.

FRANKLINTON- Herbert "Lee" Cahoon Jr., 72, formerly of Franklinton, died Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016.

HENDERSON - Funeral services for Lymuel Holmer Rodwell, 68, who died Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, will be held Saturday, Aug. 27, at 10 a.m. at Mitchell Baptist Church, Louisburg. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

LOUISBURG - James Benjamin Finch, 75, died Monday, Aug. 22, 2016 at Franklin Oaks Nursing Home.

LOUISBURG - Lorene Marks Bartholomew, 83, of the Sandy Creek community, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 20, 2016. She was born in Franklin County on June 14, 1933, to the late James Paul, Sr., and Nellie Hicks Marks, and was the widow of James Howell Bartholomew.

BENSON -- Whatever adjustments the South Johnston Trojans made in a 72-hour span certainly paid off during Monday's regular season football opener against the Franklinton Red Rams.
Franklinton, considered an underdog in the contest, led by three points over the Trojans in the second quarter last Friday before storms forced the rest of the event to be moved back to Monday.