Recent Articles

RALEIGH -- Special Olympics North Carolina announced the team that will take part in the USA Games this summer, including a stalwart athlete from Franklin County.
Lorenzo Stancil will join nearly 50 other athletes to represent the state in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota.
Stancil, his coach said, has become a breakout star on the track and especially in the field as a shot put thrower.

Author Lewis Bowling will speak about Duke basketball in the Norris Theatre at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 as part of a Tar River Center for History and Culture program. A 1980 graduate of Louisburg College, Bowling has written more than 10 books on different topics including Granville County history. He also writes a weekly history column in the Oxford Ledger newspaper. During his visit here, he will discuss the history of Duke University Men's basketball. This event is free and tickets are not required. For more info, call 919-497-3251.

Here's betting that I'm not the only person crossing off the days until we can reasonably expect Spring-like weather.
You know, more than just some of the sunny blue sky days we've been enjoying lately -- but without the temperatures taking a nose dive every evening about sundown!
Hopefully one of these days, all this Arctic-like weather will get "deported" back into Canada -- and we'll start enjoying North Carolina-style weather again.

I'm going to have to sit here and say I agree with Commissioner Harry Foy.
And, I'm also going to have to say Commissioners Roxanne Bragg, Logan Davis, David Bunn and Mark Speed took some actions for which I'm happy.
So, let's start.
Monday night's meeting space was nearly filled with folks. And, that's a good thing -- because it means folks are concerned and engaged in their governance.

Dear editor: Everyone has heard of habeas corpus. But not everyone knows what it means.
The Latin phrase translates "You shall have the body."
It requires the government to physically present a detainee before a judge to evaluate the legality of their confinement.
It is the government's responsibility to prove the person's detention lawful, and if they cannot, the person must be freed.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners held off on shutting down four citizen-led advisory boards, agreeing to consider the matter more before taking action.
Including in the board's consent agenda on Monday night was an action that would have given the Historic Preservation Commission, the Economic Development Commission, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the Solid Waste Education Task Force 60 days to conclude their affairs before being shuttered.

LOUISBURG -- Back-to-back winter ice and snow storms -- accompanied by bone-chilling cold -- may create a positive outcome after all.
The Louisburg Town Council discussed how best to meet residents' needs in such inclement weather, noting that the White Flag shelter at the Louisburg United Methodist Church was open for almost two weeks, providing warmth and food for those in need.
And, it was noted, that Franklin County operated a shelter at the Health Department on Industrial Drive that also helped many in need.

IRS Tax Tip 2026-10, irs.gov
A tax credit reduces the amount a person owes in income taxes dollar-for-dollar. Some tax credits are even refundable, meaning if a person's tax bill is less than the amount of a refundable credit, they can get the difference back in their refund. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill has brought enhancements to some of these credits.
Here's a quick overview of some of the more common credits:

County Planning & Inspections Director Jason Rogers

Louisburg, NC -- Patricia Ann Branch, 70, of Louisburg, died February 3, 2026 at her home in Louisburg. Patricia was born on December 30, 1955 to the late Maurice and Ruby Marshall Colbert. In addition to her parents, Patricia was preceded in death by her husband, Wilson Branch.

Hollister, NC -- Funeral services for Lewis Richardson, age 86, who died on Friday, February 6, 2026, will be held on Saturday, February 14, at 2 p.m. from the Pine Chapel Baptist Church in Hollister, NC.

CASTALIA, NC -- Leslie Anne Leonard, 32, of Castalia, died in an automobile accident Sunday afternoon, February 8, 2026.

LOUISBURG, NC -- William "Bill" Jacob Qualk, Jr., 77, of Louisburg, passed away peacefully Tuesday night, February 3, 2026.

Spring Hope, NC -- Donna Matthews Miller, 64, of Spring Hope, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at her home. Donna was born on July 5, 1961, to Willis Warren and Esther Murray Matthews in Vance County, NC.

Mae Hale Pernell, 85, of the Alert Community, passed away peacefully Tuesday afternoon., February 3, 2026.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners will be asked to consider a rezoning that would make a nearly 1,000-acre development more dense.
Durham-based engineers Thomas & Hutton have petitioned Franklin County to rezone 990.78 acres on West River Road from Agricultural Residential to Residential-8, which allows for more dense development.
The primary differences between the two zoning categories are:

SNOWFALL. Franklin County was blanketed by snow last weekend, as precipitation began falling Saturday evening and into Sunday morning -- leaving a few inches of snow, depending on where you were. Above, Ellie McCoy goes flying down a hill at Luddy Park in Youngsville.

LOUISBURG -- Changes to the way Franklin County officials operate aspects of their meetings had to wait another week.
A snow storm prompted county officials and staff to cancel their Feb. 2 meeting, rescheduling it for Feb. 9 -- meaning a vote to change how and when the board can add new items to their agenda will wait a week.
And, that was after the board had already tabled the matter a month.

LOUISBURG -- A case apparently holding up a Youngsville development is slated to appear in court next week.
A Charlotte developer filed a complaint last April, alleging that attempts to enforce and collect a monthly assessment fee -- as part of a disputed restrictive covenants -- has put their residential development in jeopardy.
In December 2021, MTS RAL LLC in Charlotte bought two properties -- 29 acres off Holden Road between Horseman's Trail and Richland Drive -- from Bypass East LLC and Mosswood Partners LLC.

This male cardinal is perched in a cedar tree, either enjoying or at least tolerating the recent ice, snow and cold. Back-to-back storms rolled into Franklin County over the last two weekends, virtually shutting the county down. Temperatures have plunged, especially at night, although they have begun to moderate, making travel and outdoor activities a lot easier in recent days. But as weather prognosticators keep reminding, spring is still a long time off!

YOUNGSVILLE -- Plans for a corporate park still remain mired in litigation, nearly two years after town leaders approved a zoning change that allowed it to proceed.
The case has been assigned to mediation, though. And, failing an out-of-court resolution by April 7, the matter will go to trial in June.
In March 2023, Youngsville commissioners rezoned a 66.12-acre lot from residential to Corporate Park 1 -- the designation needed for Ichiban Fleming Road LLC to develop a 400,000-square-foot technical flex space at the intersection of Fleming Road and East Fleming Farm Drive.

Thanksgiving at Louisburg College volunteer Anne Stuchala

Two motorists escaped significant injury Monday afternoon following this two-vehicle wreck at the intersection of Bickett Boulevard and E. Nash Street. Authorities said a lack of witnesses and conflicting reports prevented them from determining who had the light and who was at fault in the wreck.