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BUNN -- In many ways, Franklin County and Bunn are a lot like Burlington for Joe King.
The north central North Carolina city is where he was born and its where he spent days on the farm as a kid, helping with the tobacco harvest.
The rural setting was home.

Louisburg College professor and artist Will Hinton (left) watches as craftsmen turn his vision for downtown Louisburg art into a reality. Joining him is Kurt Carlson, vice president for institutional advancement at Louisburg College. When completed about Aug. 1, the 20 by 100 foot graphic will feature the words Esse Quam Videri which, translated from Latin, means "To Be, Rather Than To Seem." The background will use the colors of all three high schools in a way that echoes the heritage of those communities, Hinton said last spring when he explained his vision.

LOUISBURG -- We've all heard them -- and most of us have complained about the racket they make once large numbers emerge to "sing" in the trees for a few days to a few weeks in the summertime.
And probably every "country kid" has collected the dried shells left on trees and utility poles, silent reminders to one of the unusual events of nature.

Louisburg resident Jasmine Durham, 6

T'aint funny, McGee!
Borrowing that well-worn line from an old radio comedy show is perhaps the best -- or most politically correct -- response to what happened during last week's county commission meeting.
You know, the one where they locked everyone out for about half an hour while they discussed a plan for a proposed park -- and blamed it on an "accidental" closing of a new, electronically controlled security door.

For most people, most of the time, having a uniformed police officer walk up on the front porch and knock on the door is not something to look forward to because, more often that not, it means bad news.
Either the officer is looking for someone to question -- or is the messenger of bad news.
But in Youngsville, that's not necessarily the case these days.

When I was in school, I was never a big fan of my history class.
To me, it seemed like a boring task of remembering stuff that happened a long time ago to people I didn't know and places I couldn't find on a map.
That was, at least, until I got older and discovered a better appreciation for the discipline.
History is about more than remembering that the War of 1812 took place in, well, 1812.

The Franklin County budget is history for another year.
Like most residents, there are aspects I like and some I dislike.
Unlike most, I attended every budget session the county commission held.
Of all the participants, Emergency Communications (911) Director Christy Shearin had the most germane and valuable presentation.

Owen's Park: Volumes have been written on it, untold man hours have been expended, and well over a million dollars are involved. Literally, many years have passed since the people of Franklin County became the benefactor of Edgar Owens' estimated over $965,000 gift.
Controversy swirls over the purchase of Bull Creek golf course. The property was in foreclosure. Somehow it was taken out of it before a possibly better price could have been obtained on the courthouse steps.

Dear editor:
I must answer the call about the Confederate Flag and the way we are making it go away with a voice of hate for it just because of one person. We now have everyone on the bandwagon to take it down and put it away from our sight.

NORFOLK, VA - Fred Horace Dale, 77, formerly of Louisburg, died Tuesday, July 14, 2015.

WINSTON-SALEM - Mrs. Helen Hoxie Lloyd Tomlinson, age 94, passed away on Saturday, the 11th of July, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center due to complications from injury sustained with a fall.

FRANKLINTON-Kay Moore Strickland, 80, died at her home Tuesday, July 14, 2015. A memorial service will be held Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. at Franklinton Baptist Church.

FRANKLINTON--Shirley Hagwood McGhee Pendleton, 81, died Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at Hillside Nursing Center. A memorial service honoring her life will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, July 17, at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church with the Rev. Carl Hunter officiating.

WENDELL -- Louisburg gained a quick reputation as the Comeback Kids during the club's two-day appearance at the Tar Heel League Coach-Pitch Softball District Tournament at Carver Elementary School.
The All-Stars fell behind in both of their contests with Wendell, only to rally late in furious fashion.
But both comebacks would come up just short as Louisburg was knocked out of the double-elimination tournament.

WENDELL - With state tournament berths already sewn up, there didn't need to be a sense of urgency when Louisburg and Wendell White tangled in last Friday's semifinals of the Tar Heel League District 6 Coach-Pitch Tournament.
Try telling that to the parties involved, as the clubs put on quite a show as part of a spirited, well-played showdown that wasn't decided until the final out.

BUNN -- Coach Chris Cullom came up with a novel ideal to get more at-bats for Bunn High School diamond slugger Spencer Brickhouse.
Put him at the top of the lineup.
It was a strategy that worked as Brickhouse, a junior in this third varsity campaign, enjoyed another strong season at the plate while helping the Wildcats to a share of the Northern Carolina Conference Championship.

KNIGHTDALE -- An extra-inning victory over Zebulon proved to be the highlight -- both mentally and physically -- for the Louisburg All-Stars at the Tar Heel League 9-10 District 6 Baseball Tournament.
That emotional triumph helped Louisburg continue into the winner's bracket following back-to-back decisions.
But the All-Stars wouldn't win again, falling 12-0 last Wednesday to eventual champion Wendell before being knocked out of the event last Thursday by an 11-7 margin against Garner Baseball Inc.

RED OAK -- A self-professed small-town person at heart, Leonard Allen couldn't resist the temptation of taking over one of the top baseball programs of that ilk in North Carolina.
Allen, who spent the last two years in charge of the diamond squad at Northern Nash, has accepted a similar position at Williamston Riverside High School in Martin County.

BUNN -- This season, David Howle will have the most veteran team he's enjoyed during his three-year second term as Bunn High School's head football coach.
And maybe even longer than that.
Howle will boast a club with 18 seniors, including all five starting returnees along what should be one of the best offensive lines the Wildcats have boasted in recent memory.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College will host a Youth Baseball Camp from July 27-30 at Frazier Field on the LC campus in Franklin County.
There will be two different age groups:
• Ages 6-12 from 9 a.m.-Noon each day
• Ages 13-18 from 1-4 p.m. each day

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Myrtle Beach pitchers Paul Blackburn, Brad Markey, Juan Paniagua and James Pugliese shutout the Carolina Mudcats offense for the second time in three games and helped lead the Pelicans to a series clinching 5-0 win at TicketReturn.Com Field in Myrtle Beach on Monday night in a Class A Carolina League baseball contest.
Seth Webster (L, 4-6, 3.27) started for the Mudcats (43-45, 9-10) and took the loss after allowed five earned runs on 10 hits over five and 2/3 innings pitched.

Louisburg's Rashad Coppedge rips a single during his club's matchup versus Wendell last Friday evening at the Tar Heel Coach-Pitch District Baseball Tournament.

Louisburg All-Stars infielder Lacey Medlin makes a play during last Wednesday's action at the Tar Heel League District 6 Coach-Pitch Softball Tournament in Wendell.

Louisburg's Hayli Jane Highfield prepares to take a big cut for the All-Stars during last Wednesday's game against Wendell at the Tar Heel Coach-Pitch District 6 Softball Tournament. The event was held at Carver Elementary School in Wake County.

Louisburg All-Stars shortstop Will Champion (right) tries to tag out a Wendell baserunner at second during last Friday's action at the Tar Heel League District 6 Coach-Pitch Baseball Tournament in Wake County.

Louisburg's Will Champion (right) can't avoid this tag by Wendell White third baseman Jordan Fuentes during last Friday's semifinal contest of the Tar Heel League District 6 Coach-Pitch Baseball Tournament at Carver Elementary School.

Junior quarterback Quenten Wright is healthy heading into fall practice drills at Bunn.

We are living in a time where, in my opinion, love, positive thinking, and tolerance need to be a priority in the lives of all of us. And to me, positive thinking and hope go hand in hand. Being positive about our thoughts cannot but bring positive results.
Emphasis placed in these types of thoughts is a must in our schools, and some schools are doing a good job.

The monthly Bluegrass Jammin' will be held Tuesday, July 21, 7-10 p.m., at the Person Place, Louisburg. Drop-in pickers welcome. Refreshments served. For more information, call (919) 539-7868.

Directors of the Cherry Hill Historical Foundation are sponsoring a special summer concert at the 1850's ancestral plantation home of the Alston family this Sunday, July 19.
The Ra family, parents and three children, will perform selections by Rossini, Dvorak, and Mozart, among others. Ranging in age from rising 6th grade to high school sophomore, the Ra children have received competition awards for performance on a variety of instruments.

Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Thomas Wright of Louisburg announce the engagement of their daughter, Sarah MacKenzie Maggie Wright, to Daniel Christopher Sims, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gary Sims of Louisburg. The wedding will take place Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015 at The Sutherland in Wake Forest.

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Reagan C. Bracknell, a rising junior at Princess Anne High School's International Baccalaureate Program in Virginia Beach, was recently selected to attend the Sorensen Institute's High School Leaders Program at the University of Virginia.
The High School Leaders Program (HSLP) offers concentrated study in Virginia politics and government for high school students from across the state.

FRANKLINTON -- Weekend traffic stops led police to make three drug and gun arrests.
On July 10, Officer Jason Tate and Sgt. Andrew Bishop stopped a pickup truck that was traveling west on N.C. 56, locating 7.5 mg of Percocet pills that were not prescribed to anyone in the vehicle.
Rodney T. Thornton, 26, of Franklinton, was charged with trafficking narcotics, possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Commissioners agreed to solicit more professional input before moving forward with plans to either renovate or build a new town hall/police department facility.
When the board met in April, Town Administrator Bill Tatum informed the board of structural issues at town hall and the police department building, the most significant of which were the roofs.

The William Robert Mills School Class of 1955 held their 60th reunion Saturday, June 13, at the Wolfpit, the lovely plantation home of Mr. and Mrs. Fleet Benning.
Upon arrival, the class members and their guests were greeted by tunes from the fifties, enhanced by the saxophone playing of Alfred Roberson, husband of class member Kay Kerley Roberson.

RALEIGH -- A delegation of Franklin County 4-H members attended 4-H Citizenship North Carolina Focus -- a forum designed to share knowledge and experience.
The Franklin County delegation returned home from three days in which more than 125 youth and adults representing over 60 4-H programs across the state gathered to exchange ideas, gain knowledge and learn through hands-on experiences about the importance of being an active and engaged citizen.

LOUISBURG -- Investigators recovered the body of a man with Louisburg ties who was involved in a fatal airplane collision last week.
Former Louisburg baseball player Joe Johnson and his father, Michael Johnson, 68, died on July 7 when the Cessna plane they were in crashed into an F-16 in midair in South Carolina.
According to reports, Joe Johnson worked for Delta and was a real estate appraiser in South Carolina.

LOUISBURG -- The filing period for November's municipal elections ends Friday. And while there will be contested races for the Franklinton post and the three seats on the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners, elections officials might have to extend the filing period to find enough residents interested in running for some available seats in Bunn, Youngsville and Centerville if no one else comes forward by the deadline.