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For some, walking is solemn, for others, it's a time to celebrate!

Walking underscores theme of hope

BUNN -- Veteran leadership has staked Bunn High School's boys tennis team out to a top spot this spring.
Seniors Elias Brown, Noah Reed, Tucker Mitchell and Jersain Barrios-Araujo anchor the squad Top 4 spots, with sophomore Alex Goodman and junior Josiah Clifton holding down the No. 5 and No. 6 slots, respectively.
The No. 7 spot is manned by senior Daniel Scoggins, who sacrificed a higher spot to serve as the team's doubles specialist.

LOUISBURG -- A Zebulon man who was convicted of driving while impaired weeks before authorities allege he killed a woman in a drunk-driving accident is slated to appear in court this month.
Authorities allege Justin Ray Bevins was driving along N.C. 39 near Bunn Lake in February 2024 when he crashed into a vehicle, head-on
Rocky Mount's Jessica Leigh Lyon, 33, died as a result of her injuries.

LOUISBURG -- A Youngsville businessman was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison after agreeing that there was enough evidence to convict him of murdering his girlfriend.
Authorities arrested Bradley Morris Hines in June 2021, alleging he shot and killed Heather Guild.
Authorities found the 30-year-old wrapped in a bed sheet inside a refrigerator at a Gilcrest Farm Road cabin rented by Hines.

Nabrika Bobbitt during Relay for Life Friday night in Bunn

If you're familiar with this column, then you know it's important to highlight folks taking the extra effort to clean up their communities.
This past Saturday proved to be a veritable cornucopia of cleanup opportunities.
The town of Franklinton hosted its annual and long-running Arbor Day celebration -- allowing folks to take part in planting activities at the Albion Academy Marker, at Town Hall and around town.

Franklinton, NC -- Rose Elizabeth Perry Nance, 81, of Franklinton, died April 28, 2025 at Zebulon Rehabilitation.

Louisburg, NC -- Funeral services for Johnnie Willie Smith, age 84, who died on Sunday, April 27, 2025, will be held on Saturday, May 3, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Haywood Church Cemetery.

Louisburg, NC -- Funeral services for Pastor Jordan Herman Wilkins, age 79, who died on Friday, April 18, 2025, were held Saturday, April 26, at 2 p.m. from the Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Timothy Johnson officiating.

RALEIGH, NC -- Harold Cooley Chamblee, 90, of Raleigh, NC, passed away on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

FRANKLINTON -- Each year, American Legion Post 52 holds a banquet to honor First Responders that are nominated by their supervisors to be the "Best of the Year."
First Responders, like Veterans, know what it means to sacrifice themselves and their families over the mission of public safety and emergency medical care.
Post 52 shows its appreciation or these critical community members by holding a banquet in their honor while that the same time celebrating The American Legion's Birthday.

LOUISBURG -- A majority of Franklin County commissioners threw a bucket of cold water on the prospects of a public pool.
Residents have engaged in a social media, letter writing and public campaign, calling for Franklin County officials to provide a public pool -- following through on what a public survey revealed that a majority of respondents desired.
During the "other business" portion of Monday night's board meeting, Commissioner Mark Speed suggested the county should seek federal funds to build a recreation center and olympic-sized pool.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners agreed to negotiate with a bidder that's proposed tearing down the old Louisburg Theater property for $1.3 million.
Franklin County bought the 109 W. Nash Street property in August 2022 for $202,112 -- with plans to destroy the building and make way for a new judicial complex.
The county has secured $15 million in state funding to put toward the estimated $31 million project.

Artists of all types put their talents and their creations on display last Saturday in Louisburg. In the above photo, Amie Mason paints the face of Brodan Bottoms, 9.

LOUISBURG -- At the urging of a dog park champion, county commissioners agreed to look into the spending for the facility at Pilot Lions Park.
Parks and recreation and county officials and staff hosted a ribbon cutting for the dog park back in March -- about 10 months after commissioners agreed to spend up to $130,000 to complete the project.
While dog park advocates, like Wendy Perry, were happy to have the park open and available, it did lack adequate benches and, most importantly, shade.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Motorists have been given a chance to weigh in on improvements to the U.S. 1 Corridor, including whether a toll road is built from I-540 into Franklin County.
In December 2023 and January 2024, Franklinton and Youngsville governing boards joined others along the route in support of studying the feasibility of making that segment of the highway a toll road.

Relay for Life volunteers David and Hope Benton

EASTER MIRACLE. Paula Romaine helps McKenna grab eggs last Saturday at the Miracle League field in Youngsville.

Cooperative Extension Director and Governor's Volunteer Service Award Coordinator Charles Mitchell, back left, with Governor's Volunteer Service Award winners Rachelle Deats, Patricia Adams [also a Governor's Medallion Award for Volunteer Service winner], Zack Myers, Silvia Kramar, DJ Faircloth, Perry Faulkner, Caleb Oldham, Haley Glick, and Commissioners David Bunn, Roxanne Bragg, Stuart May, Harry Foy, Mark Speed and Michael Schriver, and County Manager Ryan Preble. Not pictured is Earl Oldham, who is part of the Louisburg Baptist Church Ramp Ministry.

PLANET POWER. Franklin County, the United Way, Novonesis and a host of other partners combined to host Franklinton Middle School students for Earth Day at Franklinton Park on Tuesday. All three combined to transform the park into a Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) site and students spent time at seven different stations, learning about items ranging from biosolutions to careers in STEM. Above, Donna Nguyen, Renata Hyczy and Dee Sanders talk with students about Novenesis techniques.

Now that Easter is a few days behind us, I trust that everyone -- except maybe some of the kids who reaped a huge harvest at egg hunts -- is coming down off their sugar high!
This year, even more than most, there seemed to be an abundance of Easter egg hunts -- and the youngsters had a ball. I'd love to know just how much candy was distributed but I'd bet the total would be astounding!

Fictional Jerry Seinfeld once famously said: 'Boy, I miss the days they made toys that could kill a kid.'
I don't always need a reason to quote "Seinfeld," and this one is a bit of a stretch, but bear with me.
When I was a kid, they made cartoons that, well, maybe they didn't kill a kid, but they made every kid want to run outside, grab a stick, pretend it was the Sword of Omens, He-Man's Power Sword, a Star Wars lightsaber or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle nunchucks and whack their friends upside the head with them.

Dear editor: As a breast cancer survivor, I'm aware more than most of how important it is to have a strong healthcare program like Medicare Advantage (MA) supporting us in times of medical crisis.
Our leaders must ensure Medicare Advantage remains a stable healthcare option for North Carolina's seniors.