Recent Articles

LOUISBURG -- During a court hearing that produced emotional outbursts following a ruling, a Franklinton man remained in jail with no changes in his bond.
Youngsville and surrounding authorities arrested and charged DreShaun Branch with second degree murder ... without regard for human life in December -- almost a month after he was indicted on charges of killing his nine-month-old daughter.
The 27-year-old's arrest came nearly five years after Brianna Leigh Franklin-Branch died in January 2020.

LOUISBURG -- The attorney defending a Wake Forest woman against charges that she killed two Franklin County women in a wreck is calling upon the services of experts.
As such, the case against Jennifer Baker Pearce was continued until a subsequent Franklin County Superior Court session -- May 13.
According to authorities, the 44-year-old Pearce was driving north on U.S. 401 near Bennett Perry Road the afternoon of Nov. 29 when she crossed the center line.

YOUNGSVILLE -- A leader in the repurposed computer business cut the ribbon on its custom-built, 54,000-square foot Center of Excellence that, among other things, uses robots to run parts out to technicians and is beginning a pilot project of a fully automated disassembly line for servers.
But, PlanITROI CEO Paul Baum said the New Jersey-relocated company is about people and impacts.
"... The first thing that you think of when you think of used computers and recycling and all that is probably not the best image in your head," Baum said during the Feb. 19 ribbon cutting, with the building as backdrop and lightly falling snow providing carpeting.

If anyone had any doubt about how fickle the weather can be around these parts, these photos ought to ease those doubts just a little. In the photo above, across the county in the Mapleville Community, Cheryl Morris got bundled up against the chill and crafted a snowman complete with a red plaid winter scarf.

Crime fiction fans will be excited to know author RJ McCarthy has released a new novel, Entering Central Time.
The story is set in Los Angeles, circa 1999. It opens on a late night outside a diner where criminals attempt to rob two waitresses. Acting on instinct, little-known actor Tony Hearn intercedes.
The result, one of the robbers is killed by the other, who also wounds Hearn in the process.

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Barbara Long Everette Goswick, 80, passed away on February 19, 2025 at her home in Franklinton, NC. She was born on April 22, 1944 to the late Wesley Long Everette and Rosa Hazel Patterson Timberlake.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for Claude L. Dunston, age 94, who died on Monday, February 24, 2025, will be held on Monday, March 3, at 11 a.m. from the Allen Chapel Baptist Church in Louisburg with Pastor Stanley Dunston presiding. Burial will follow in the Allen Chapel Church Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for Mary "Lean" Richardson Johnson, age 86, who died on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, will be held on Friday, February 28, 2025 at 1 p.m. from the Pine Chapel Baptist Church in Hollister with Rev. Kenneth Richardson officiating. Burial will follow in the Pine Chapel Memorial Garden Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for Jermaine "Jaycee" Walker, age 51, who died on Monday, February 17, 2025, will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 11 a.m. from the New Hope Freedom and Deliverance in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Brodie Family Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for Consuela "Na" Graham, age 51, who died on Thursday, February 14, 2025, will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Brother Matthew Richardson officiating.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for George Allen "Buck" Johnson, age 69, who died on Saturday, February 22, 2025, will be held at noon, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, from the First Baptist Church of Louisburg with Rev. Janice Durr officiating. Burial will follow in the Oakwood Cemetery.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC -- Joyce Loyd Mitchell, a devoted servant of Christ, was called home to be with her Savior on February 23, 2025. She lived a life full of love, faith, and devotion to her family and the Lord.

FRANKLINTON -- A "State of the District" presentation last week offered an overview -- from a figurative 50,000 feet -- of the complex operations of Franklin County Schools as well as highlights of some of the district's "product," talented Franklin County young people showing the skills they have learned.
The presentation, held at Franklinton High School, was hosted by district Superintendent Rhonda Schuhler, who in 60 minutes, offered a look at school programs, finances, plans for the future and, of course, presentations by various age groups of local students.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners approved the terms of an agreement that clears the way for them to build a judicial complex downtown.
Without it, officials confirmed, they'd have had to look at building their complex elsewhere -- including moving courthouse annex and the main courthouse operations out of downtown.
Franklin County hired Oakley Collier Architects in the spring of 2019 to assess its current inventory of county government buildings and determine its needs moving forward.

YOUNGSVILLE -- An Arizona-based company set its sights on Franklin County -- planning an expansion that will bring new jobs to the Youngsville area.
Quail Run Building Materials, Inc. -- a leading manufacturer of cold-formed steel building components -- will expand its operations with a 10,000-square-foot manufacturing plant at 265 Northbrook Drive in Youngsville.
The development on the 3.33 acre site means a $1 million investment for the county and the creation of 5-10 full-time jobs.

FRANKLINTON -- When William Hunter joined the Franklinton Police Department in the spring of 1972, he was the first black officer with arresting powers in the unit.
He's most proud of the fact that he wasn't the only one, or the last.
"I felt very good about [being the first]," Hunter said, "and I encouraged some of the other black young men, especially the veterans, to join the police department ... and several of them did join the Franklinton Police Department and the Louisburg Police Department."

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners made swift work of a light agenda last week.
But, activity this week and next month piqued board members' interest.
Besides calling the Feb. 13 meeting to order and adjourning it, the board approved its consent agenda which, among other things:
• Ratified the board's Jan. 9 decision to increase Town Manager Nathan Page's salary to $140,000, annually -- a $7,500 increase over his current salary when factoring in an expected $3,300 cost-of-living increase for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Julia Holmes celebrated her 79th birthday this month

Louisburg Mayor Christopher Neal (left) congratulates the town's newest police officer, Samuel Marcum, shortly after swearing him in during a recent Town Council meeting. Shown here with the new officer are his wife, Heather Faircloth, daughter Anna Elizabeth and son Michael. The couple's youngest child, daughter Sophia, was "running laps" around the swearing in ceremony and evaded the photographer!

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners took steps to fill out their advisory board ranks, reaching enough members for quorums on a number of boards.
But, there are still holes to fill.
Going into Tuesday night's meeting, the Franklin County Animal Services Advisory Board had not been able to achieve a quorum since August, either for lack of interest or, most recently, a lack of members for the 10-person board.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklin County reported a sewage spill caused by grease and debris in the sewer line.
According to public utilities, about half of the 10,500 gallons of untreated wastewater spilled along an outfall adjacent to Cedar Creek got into the tributary on Feb. 13.
The discharge, the result of grease and debris in the sanitary sewer line, started at 10:15 a.m. and continued until 7:30 p.m.

LOUISBURG -- The family of a teen injured in a fatal wreck had to rely upon their own insurance for a semblance of a settlement and closure.
His family and a Superior Court judge, though, acknowledged that no amount of money would put Raymond Evans' life back to the way it was before the events of May 23, 2023 -- when he was severely injured and 12-year-old Madison Camptella was killed as passengers in a wreck while on an errand with Evans' mother.

Not sure when you might be reading this, so if something seems a bit dated, please blame Mother Nature.
As this was being written, the Raleigh TV stations were going nutzz predicting the weather -- and we decided to go to press a day early just in the rare instance when they might be correct.
But getting the paper prepared and printed is only part of the battle -- it still has to be delivered, first to the post offices then, by them, to the homes of subscribers.

On Monday night, Pilot resident Ricky Carroll shared a heart-wrenching story with Franklin County commissioners.
I'm certain he wished it wasn't a story he had to tell.
I can tell you for certain that it's a story I wasn't writing about.
And, quite frankly, I'm pretty sure it's a story that county commissioners wish they didn't have to hear.
But, they've heard it before.