Oakley Collier Architects provided the county with a rendering of the judicial complex Franklin County's judicial complex plans tear down theater, close Johnson Street LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners agreed to move forward with judicial complex plans that will close a Louisburg street and take down an arguably historic structure. A 2019 facilities review and space assessment study revealed a need for more and better judicial space. As a result, Oakley Collier Architects presented commissioners with options to add 14,000 square feet of renovations to the current Hamilton Hobgood Courthouse Annex, and build a 55,000-square-foot, three-story building immediately behind it.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Louisburg opposes street closure LOUISBURG -- While Franklin County officials were trying to put the finishing touches on a planned $13 million-plus grandiose courtroom building in downtown Louisburg Monday night, the town council was meeting a short distance away and was reining in those plans. The town's main issue -- other than a perceived lack of communication from county officials -- is a proposal to close the portion of Johnson Street west of Main Street and use that space for parking.   Read More | Post Comment Gary Cunard, Times Publisher

County appraiser planning a complete assessment fix LOUISBURG -- The appraisal company responsible for Franklin County's revaluation has pledged to examine every parcel they valued. The decision essentially came under a subtle threat from county officials. On Monday, Richmond, Va.-based Pearson's Appraisal Service Inc. owner Fred Pearson advised commissioners that he and his staff had heard 700 appeals and had another 1,500 written appeals to address regarding assessed property value notices that went out in March.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Progress on Youngsville's road projects is like stop & go traffic YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners and management provided updates on traffic projects that will have an impact on motorists. Improvements to a major intersection, Main Street traffic congestion and the prospect of faster access to the state's capital have all been subject to stops and goes, leaders said. First, at the request of Commissioner Larry Wiggins, Town Administrator Nathan Page provided an update on the Five Points project in town.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Schools seek $33.1 million in operating, Cap-X funds LOUISBURG -- After listening to a detailed, 42-page budget report from Franklin County Schools' Chief Finance Officer Quinnley Coley on Monday night, the school board agreed to seek $33,152,424 from the Franklin County commissioners for next school year. The request will provide education for an estimated 11,114 students in both traditional and charter schools. That's up about 12 percent from the 2020-21 school year.   Read More | Post Comment GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher

Flowers Youngsville's development plan for its future gets national recognition YOUNGSVILLE -- The Town of Youngsville's comprehensive plan has turned out to be more than just a guiding plan for its future. In the present, it won the 2024 Vernon Deines Award from the American Planning Association's Small Town and Rural Planning Division. The national award is given annually to an outstanding comprehensive plan or special project plan that addresses the development of a neighborhood, community, county, or region.   Read More | Post Comment Staff Reports

Connie Price, right, with her mother, Cassie, having fun during the Light it up Blue event at Long Mill Elementary School last Saturday. Below, Clerk of Superior Court Shelley Dickerson, center, spoke with families about how the courts can help with guard Miracle League made sure event was special, indeed YOUNGSVILLE -- The Miracle League of Franklin County, along with community partners, held a special needs community day, offering fellowship and a chance for people to learn about special needs resources in the community. The Light it up Blue Special Needs Community Day, held at Long Mill Elementary School on April 13, was part of efforts to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Correction A story in the April 11 edition of The Franklin Times incorrectly identified the affiliation of a community organization that was co-founded by Armenta Eaton. Eaton, through her volunteer work and efforts received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. Among many things, Eaton co-founded the State Concerned Women for Justice.   Read More | Post Comment

Editorial Cartoon: Putin  Read More | Post Comment

As wish lists grow, so does pressure on your wallet Okay, you were warned but now it's happening! All you armchair financial annalists need to sit up and take notice. It's been local budget season for some time and the "crop" is about to be "harvested" in a way that will affect all of us. There has been a fair amount of jockeying around in recent weeks -- and on Monday night the school board presented its budget request to the county commissioners.   Read More | Post Comment Gary Cunard

Prospect of a noise ordinance provides county with an earful It wasn't that long ago that I attended Franklin County meetings and it was like driving along a back road, midday, during the height of COVID lockdown -- there was no one there. I could walk in 30 seconds before the meeting started, never have to worry about having a seat and, if I wanted to, I could lay down along the first row of seats if I was feeling kind of plucky.   Read More | Post Comment Carey Johnson

School libraries are in need of our help! Dear editor: Franklin County School employees were notified last week that Franklin County Schools are eliminating school librarians beginning next school year. The current media coordinators will be offered other classroom-based jobs in the district, and instructional assistants will be placed in libraries. The decision is being blamed on budget cuts and the ending of the COVID relief ESSER funding.   Read More | Post Comment Letters to the editor

Tax revaluation process requires accountability Dear editor: It's great that at least one commissioner acknowledges the problem with the recent re-evaluation. I appreciate Commissioner Michael Schriver's candor. However, wouldn't it be reasonable for the county commissioners and/or the appraisers to also take responsibility for FIXING the problem? Why should individual property owners be required to appeal their evaluations when there is so much evidence that the appraisal process is badly flawed?   Read More | Post Comment Letters to the editor

State failing local schools Dear editor: Recently, Franklin County Schools Superintendent Dr. Rhonda Schuhler and the Board of Education made the very difficult decision to eliminate the media center coordinators' (school librarians) position for next school year and move them into classroom positions. Understandably, this was unpopular among many citizens of Franklin County.   Read More | Post Comment Letters to the editor

Editorial Cartoon: Trump Bible  Read More | Post Comment

Youngsville announces budget public hearing for next month YOUNGSVILLE -- Commissioners have set a May 9 public hearing to allow residents to weigh in on the town's 2024-25 spending plan. During the board's March 8 work session, Town Manager Nathan Page presented commissioners with a budget that included significant projects -- including the beginning stages of funding a bypass, parks and recreation upgrades and capital expenses, such a s a $450,000 automated trash truck.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

TURNING TWO. Bunn High School second sacker Trevor Norton finishes off a double play against Northern Nash during last Wednesday's showdown. FAVOR RETURNED BUNN -- It took just 21 hours for the rematch of the 'Game of the Year' in the Big East Conference to be played -- and that brought a few key intangibles into play. With rain in the forecast for last Thursday, Round Two of the Bunn-Northern Nash baseball showdown was moved up one day -- and the first game of the series had been staged Tuesday, with host Northern Nash rallying from a huge deficit to force extra innings before finally earning the tough victory in the bottom of the 11th stanza of action.   Read More | Post Comment GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter

JUST UNDER THE TAG Northern Nash's Tristan Murray slides safely into home plate as Bunn's Jared Hagwood attempts to apply the tag during last Wednesday evening's key Big East Conference diamond matchup at the historic BHS Baseball Complex.   Read More | Post Comment

FRANKLINTON HIGH SCHOOL GOLFER CARTER KALEEL STAY ON COURSE FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The first Big East Conference boys golf match after Spring Break culminated in the same result as all of the previous ones this spring -- with the Roanoke Rapids Yellow Jackets taking first place in the overall team standings. Roanoke Rapids, also the defending league champion, saw its margin of victory drop, but the Yellow Jackets still got the job done by finishing with 347 team strokes to take the 18-hole competition last Wednesday at The River Golf Course near Bunn.   Read More | Post Comment GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter

BUNN HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS STANDOUT ADRIAN ALEMAN-GOMEZ (Photo Courtesy Frank Quinlan Photography) Bunn making a racket in Big East boys tennis BUNN -- Forget the 'Q's, minding the 'P's has brought the most dividends to the surging Bunn High School boys tennis program this spring. Patience. Perseverance. Persistence. Practice. All of those intangibles have helped deliver the biggest 'P' of all -- the Payoff. And it's been quite a big one for the once-downtrodden Wildcats, who have risen to become one of the top team standings in the solid Big East Conference under great head coach Dale Murphy.   Read More | Post Comment GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter

LOUISBURG HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SUPERSTAR WILLIAM DEMENT Tracking A Title LOUISBURG -- A shift to a new league and a strong blend of players has added up to a potential championship season for the Louisburg High School golf squad. After two years in the Big East Conference, the Warriors have moved to the Northern Lakes Athletic Conference, and Coach Michael Sheldon's squad is ruling the NLAC heading into the second half of the league's links schedule.   Read More | Post Comment GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter

Mudcats defeated in home opener ZEBULON - The Carolina Mudcats (4-1) saw three leads disappear throughout last Wednesday night's contest at Five County Stadium, but a big Cooper Pratt two-run single in the eighth gave the Mudcats just enough of a cushion to hand the Down East Wood Ducks (4-1) their first loss of 2024 by a final score of 7-6. Despite the several surges from Down East, Carolina never trailed in the ballgame.   Read More | Post Comment Staff Reports

FRANKLIN FACE Winner Willie Bell Taylor at the Senior Games in Vance County   Read More | Post Comment

Dorothy "Dot" Davis Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Dorothy "Dot" Davis, age 82 who died on Saturday, April 13, 2024, will be held on Friday, April 19, at 12 p.m. from the First Baptist Church in Louisburg with Minister Russell Miles officiating. Burial will follow in the Cedar Street Cemetery.   Read More | Post Comment

EMMA JEAN BULLOCK LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for Emma Jean Bullock, age 89, who died on Friday, April 12, 2024, was held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, 2024 from the Jones Chapel Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Jones Chapel Church Cemetery.   Read More | Post Comment

MARY GARNET BURCHETT DRIVER FRANKLINTON, NC -- Mary Garnet Burchett Driver, 92, died April 13, 2024. Mary was born on May 17, 1931 in Granville County, NC to the late Battle and Lee Bert Morton Burchett. In addition to her parents, Mary was predeceased by her husband, Curtis Driver.   Read More | Post Comment

QUENTIN PETER GREEAR LOUISBURG NC -- Quentin Peter Greear, 42, of Louisburg died on April 9, 2024. He was born in Carteret County on September 5, 1981, to Deborah West and Jessie Greear.   Read More | Post Comment

ARIE JANE RICHARDS HORTON BUNN, NC -- Arie Jane Richards Horton, 105, of Bunn, died Sunday, April 14, 2024. She was born on May 12, 1918 in Wake County and was the last living child of the late Buck and Nellie Robertson Richards. In addition to her siblings and parents, Arie Jane was predeceased by her husband, Curtis Duke Horton; and her son, Ted Duke Horton.   Read More | Post Comment

Edna Murphy Knight October 10, 1954 - April 11, 2024 LOUISBURG, NC --Mrs. Edna Murphy Knight, 69, of Louisburg passed away peacefully at her home on April 11, 2024 surrounded by her family. She was born on October 10, 1954 to the late Paul "PB" Murphy Jr. and Beulah Wood Murphy in Franklin County, NC.   Read More | Post Comment

Charles Lee "Chuck" Allman April 25, 1941 - April 10, 2024 Spring Hope, NC--Charles Lee "Chuck" Allman, 82, of Spring Hope, passed away, on April 10, 2024. He was born on April 25, 1941, the son of the late Tressie Asbury Allman.   Read More | Post Comment