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LOUISBURG -- Kathy and Robbie Quinn are continuing their efforts to battle the ravages of opioid addiction and they're giving the community a platform to join them.
The Quinns appeared before commissioners in April, telling the story of how they lost their son, Austin, to a heroin overdose, and trying to shine a light on a problem that is too often left to fester in darkness.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Dillon Baldridge stood out.
On the little league baseball field, he was often the smallest kid out there, but he had the biggest smile, friends said.
In a tough situation with soldiers, he was the one who was quick with a joke to lighten the mood, but he was also a standup guy you could go to with any problem and he was the glue that held them together, his military brethren said.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Democratic Party nominated Mark Speed, the son of a former state senator to fill the District 3 vacancy on the county's Board of Commissioners.
The county's governing board will decide on Monday whether Speed will join their ranks.
The seat became vacant earlier this month with the death of long-time public servant John May, who was elected to his second term in 2016.

LOUISBURG -- The county's airport commission agreed to a concession on a lease agreement that's expected to spur a couple into building a hangar -- adding a bit more money to the airport's coffers.
And, they heard about a potential industrial development project at the airport that could provide a much bigger infusion of cash to the county, while also bolstering health care.

LOUISBURG -- Last week, Commissioner Michael Schriver and the Republican party sent out a press release with the headline: "Republican County Commissioners Secure Property Tax Relief for Franklin County Taxpayers."
On Monday night, Commission Vice Chair Sidney Dunston called the release fake news, and found a reference the release made to deceased Commissioner John May to be despicable and disrespectful.

LOUISBURG -- A long-time educator, college baseball hall of famer, a lover people, and World War II veteran died this week.
Harold Green was 92.
"Many of us were touched by him," said Brent Cardwell, a former student at Louisburg Elementary School. "He had a huge impact on our lives as our principal.
"... [Green] was a heck of a man," he said. "He was the best principal here, ever, but more importantly, he was a role model to everyone."

Bailee Robinson and Amelia Deprimo

Perhaps what we Franklin Countians need most right now are some explanations -- but the guy who can best provide them is nowhere to be seen.
Few things our government does touches our lives like health insurance coverage -- but that seems to be forgotten in the chaos that has become our nation's capital in recent days.
You'll remember, the U.S. House passed a new health care bill -- without much debate, in a big hurry and without any idea of what it might cost -- and the White House almost immediately held a big party to celebrate this legislation.

The action was as simple as it was misguided.
A man with rather obvious mental issues picked up a couple of guns and opened fire on what he thought was "the enemy" as they practiced for a charity baseball game.
As far as the actions go, it was a simple, unprovoked attack carried out by a man who was angry over political issues that he probably didn't even fully understand.

There are people who probably think that I and this newspaper take delight in writing stories that reveal the issues that law enforcement users have had and are having with the county's roughly $11 million emergency radio system.
They would be wrong, but I don't lose any sleep over it.
What has been true is true.

Dear Editor: Bullying allowed in school?
Where my family member attends, it does. Bullying started shortly after the school year began and it continues to go on. He has been pushed, kicked, grabbed by his neck, cursed at and gotten a busted lip too.

LOUISBURG--Funeral services for David Lee Alston, 83, who died Monday, June 19, 2017, will be held Sunday, June 25, at 3 p.m. in the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, with the Rev. Rodney Wayne Alston officiating. Burial will follow in the Cedar Rock Church cemetery.

LOUISBURG - David Wayne Satterwhite, 22, a resident of 13 Dement Lane died Monday, June 19, 2017. Born in Vance County on December 12, 1994, he was the son of Amy Bowden of Norlina and the late David Eugene Satterwhite. He was an employee of Rider Construction Co., and was a member of Mt. Ararat Pentecostal Holiness Church.

FRANKLINTON--Leah Wilder Wright, 81, died Thursday, June 15, 2017. A memorial service to celebrate her life was held Monday, June 19, at Perry's Chapel Baptist Church, 894 Perry's Chapel Rd., Franklinton.

TARBORO -- For the Carden Family, the love affair with baseball began back in the 1960s, when Howard Carden Sr. would pile his kids into a car for road trips to Major League cities such as Baltimore, New York and Washington, D.C.
Howard Carden Jr. would become a successful youth league coach in Franklin County, and two of his sons -- Joseph and Reuben -- would play baseball at Bunn High School.

LOUISBURG -- With the pending start of a track and field program to go with the school's successful cross country squad, Louisburg College coach Jay Koloseus knew he needed to search for some help.
He didn't have to look far.
That's because LC has hired Franklinton High School cross country/track and field head coach Clennie Wilkins to serve as an assistant under Koloseus.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Concerning basketball, bodies may age, but ingrained fundamental lessons never go away.
Twig Wiggins was a hoops star at Youngsville High School back in the 1950s and was part of the Phantoms' team that won a state championship in 1956 under legendary coach Al DePorter.
Wiggins went on to enjoy a standout career at Wake Forest University and has maintained a love for basketball ever since.

LOUISBURG -- As a young head coach, Neil Dixon's philosophies continue to evolve as he prepares for his third season in charge of the Louisburg College men's basketball program.
Last year definitely provided a positive learning experience for Dixon as he took a deep team without a true superstar all the way to a runner-up finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Tournament in Illinois.

ZEBULON -- Brandon Diaz hit a three-run home run in the second, Troy Stokes Jr. led off the third with a solo home run and Weston Wilson had a three-run homer in the sixth while driving in a career-high five RBI as the homestanding Carolina Mudcats slugged their way to an 11-10 first-half finale victory against the Nationals at Five County Stadium in Zebulon on Sunday afternoon in a Class A Carolina League baseball game.

RADFORD, VA. -- Radford University's Director of Athletics Robert Lineburg announced on Monday the appointment of Hope Creasy as the ninth head coach of the Highlanders' softball program.
Creasy has spent the past two seasons as assistant coach of the Highlanders after a successful one-year tenure at Louisburg College.
"Hope Creasy is a Highlander through and through. I am so happy that she will be our new softball coach," Lineburg noted.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Cooperative Extension held its annual Strawberry Festival earlier this spring, celebrating the season and the opening of the Farmers' Market.
The May event featured a cooking contest, pitting resident chefs against each other, competing for prizes in the categories of cakes and pies, breads and muffins, and novelty items.

Teressa Cagle (right) received the Grant-in-Aid from the Gamma Tau Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma during a recent Franklin County Board of Education meeting. Presenting the award is Crystal Williams, the district's K-5 mathematics specialist. Each year Gamma Tau selects one classified employee of Franklin County Schools who is pursuing a degree in education to receive the award. This is to help with educational costs. Cagle has worked with FCS since 1996 and will graduate from NCCU in 2019 with a degree in K-6 Elementary Education with a concentration in Literacy.

The Franklin County Board of Education handled a number of personnel items during its meeting on June 12.
The school board:

YOUNGSVILLE -- The maintenance of a cemetery just outside of town has given rise to spirited debate.
After listening to the pleas of a room full of residents and interested parties during a June 8 meeting, town officials and staff recommitted themselves to its current upkeep while also agreeing to explore a long-term maintenance plan.

RALEIGH -- Duke Energy has selected six North Carolina properties -- including a Franklin County site -- for participation in the first half of its 2017 Site Readiness Program to prepare them for business and industrial development.
The Site Readiness Program has helped prepare properties that have won 11 major projects in North Carolina since the program started in 2005, resulting in more than 2,400 new jobs and $3.3 billion in capital investment.

LOUISBURG -- It's official -- Louisburg property owners are getting a small property tax cut.
In a quick, unanimous vote Monday night, the town council adopted a budget that decreases the property tax rate, gives town employees a raise and raises the trash collection fee by a buck a month.
The 2017-18 budget, which goes into effect July 1, calls for a 2-cent per $100 of valuation tax decrease.