Recent Articles

LOUISBURG -- A rescue team pulled the body of a missing seven year old from the Tar River Tuesday afternoon -- concluding a more than week-long search that gripped Franklin County and beyond.
Sheriff Kevin White confirmed in a Facebook post that the body of Ronald Lamar Brodie Jr. was recovered from the river on Tuesday afternoon.

FRANKLINTON -- Joe Cutchins has shared his family's special connection to Jack Johnson and where the heavyweight boxing champion's life ended.
This Sunday, he'll be going to Galveston, sharing his story in the place where the Galveston Giant's life began.
He will be the featured speaker and entertainer at the Nia Cultural Center on March 30, celebrating the life and legacy of the famed boxer.
"I am so honored," said Cutchins, who was a toddler when Johnson crashed his car not far from his father's funeral home on June 10, 1946.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County didn't have to search far to find its newest assistant county manager, tabbing its former planning and inspections director to fill the post.
The county announced Scott Hammerbacher's elevation on Monday.
"I am looking forward to expanding my service to Franklin County as an assistant county manager," Hammerbacher said.

LMHS Athletic Director Erica Wammock, a National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Certified Master Athletic Administrator

Warrenton, NC -- Funeral services for Bennie "Fent" Francis, age 76, who died on Monday, March 24, 2025, will be held on Sunday, March 30, at 2 p.m. at the St. Gideon Baptist Church in Hollister, NC with Pastor Hieley Richardson officiating. Burial will follow in the B. Francis Family Cemetery.

Jamaica, NY -- Funeral services for Margaret A. Wilkins, age 78, of Jamaica, NY, formerly of Louisburg, NC, who died on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 2 p.m. from the Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Dr. James Walker Smith officiating. Burial will follow in the Jones Chapel Church Cemetery.

Henderson, NC -- Funeral services for Alexandriana Tanisha Scott, age 40, who died on Saturday, March 22, 2025, will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025 at 2 p.m. from the Shady Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Christopher Edwards officiating. Burial will follow in the Shady Grove Church Cemetery.

Seat Pleasant, MD -- Funeral services for Minnie Ruth Strickland Wiggins, age 78, of Seat Pleasant, MD, formerly of Louisburg, NC, who died on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, were held on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 1 p.m. from the Nelson Chapel Baptist Church in Louisburg with Elder Harvey L. Rice officiating. Burial followed in the Nelson Chapel Church Cemetery.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC -- Vivian Stroud O'Neal, 74, passed away on March 18, 2025 at her home in Youngsville, NC. She was born on Dec. 2, 1950 to the late Ralph Walter and Darlene Watkins Stroud. In addition to her parents, Vivian was predeceased by her sister, Sylvia Stroud Stanton.

KITTRELL, NC -- Dianne Wells Bowen (née Fabri) of Kittrell, NC, died in her home on March 4, 2025. Dianne was born on Aug. 10, 1952, in Lakewood, Ohio.

KITTRELL, NC -- Diane Elaine Pierson McCraney, 81, of Kittrell, NC passed away on March 11, 2025. Born in Delaware on September 30, 1943, she was the daughter of the late Dorothy Caruso Pierson and George Pierson Jr.

Louisburg, NC -- Betty Robertson Holmes, 89, of Louisburg passed away on Monday, March 17, 2025. She was born to the late Johnnie Doyle and Clellie Kearney Robertson in Franklin County, NC, on May 5, 1935.

Louisburg, NC -- Memorial services for John Wesley Perry, age 79, who died on Saturday, March 15, 2025, will be held Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 2 p.m. at the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Geraldine Reynolds officiating.

Youngsville, NC -- Michael (Mickey) Ryland Rogers, 63, of Youngsville, NC passed away on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at Hospice House in Raleigh, NC.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Geraldine (Gerry) Owen Parsons, 101, of Louisburg passed away peacefully at Franklin Oaks Nursing Home on March 20, 2025.

FRANKLINTON -- Rescue and recovery crews continued to look for a missing youngster, feared to have drowned in the Tar River.
Emergency crews began searching as early as 5:30 p.m. on Monday when they responded to a call that a seven-year-old was missing around the Tar River near Hodges Road -- a farmland area that backs up to the river about half a mile to a mile away.
The boy was believed to have been out playing with friends when he fell into the river.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Youngsville commissioners got a preliminary look at the town's spending plan for 2025-26 -- and already had to make some cost-cutting measures.
During the board's budget work session March 14, Town Manager Nathan Page presented the board with $6.2 million in requests with only $5.9 million in projected revenues.

LOUISBURG -- Almost a year ago, the pastor of a church in the Wood community asked commissioners to help restore the tranquil nature of the neighborhood -- primarily by quelling gunfire.
Wood Baptist Church pastor Steve Nobles told commissioners on Monday night that he's had informal conversations with Commissioner Mark Speed, but nothing has changed to improve the quality of living for he and his neighbors surrounding the church.

CENTERVILLE -- Henry Nelms has spent a lifetime helping his community as a firefighter.
His efforts have not gone unnoticed.
This past Saturday, during the fire department's semi-annual plate sale fundraiser, representatives with the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal presented him with their Lifetime Achievement Award -- recognizing his 65 years of service to the Centerville Volunteer Fire Department and the community.

FRANKLINTON -- A Virginia-based bank has applied for a permit to open a branch in Franklinton.
If successful, it'll be the first bank in town since First Citizens closed its doors more than a decade ago.
Benchmark President and CEO Neil Burke said by email that the Kenbridge, Va.-based bank applied to the Federal Reserve Commission in early March to open a branch in downtown Franklinton.

Stuart May, Roxanne Bragg and Tommy Piper

SPRING HOPE -- A Spring Hope man has been jailed on felony charges after reportedly admitting that he shot at a car allegedly involved in a burglary at his home. The car contained four young men, one of which was shot in the head and is now in critical condition.
Zachary Bryant, 30, of 7949 Savage Road, Spring Hope is charged with four felonies: assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury, and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Bond was set at $500,000 after Bryant had a court appearance Monday, March 17.

LOUISBURG -- The case against a second defendant in a Dollar General store crime spree where suspects shot at officers was declared exceptional.
As such, Shamyah Battle won't appear back in court until such time as motions or other court business is requested by prosecutors or defense attorneys.
The designation takes the matter off the case management calender and, most often, places it under the authority of a singular judge.
It's a designation most often used in complicated or multiple-party matters.

FRANKLINTON -- Town officials silenced a business opportunity before petitioners got a legit chance to fire their shot.
Jason Mendieta and Matthew Stutzman had proposed opening a retail gun store at 102 E. Green Street.
To do that, though, they needed two actions from Franklinton commissioners: