By:
GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher
Although he admits with a wry grin that he doesn’t yet always find the hospital’s conference room on his first try, Franklin Regional Medical Center’s new president, Jason Proctor, is quite sure about a number of more important issues.
Pictured (Above): LOCAL PERSPECTIVE. Jason Proctor (right), the new president of Franklin Regional Medical Center, gets a local perspective from these stalwarts of the local business community (from the left) Rickey Raynor of Raynor Builders; Linda Cottrell, Earl Perry and Paul Kilmer, all of Rustic Building Supply. The Business After Hours gave Proctor a chance to learn a little about the community and its residents during his first week on the job at FRMC.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Earlier this month, the court of appeals released certified documents, ruling that a superior court judge was right to dismiss Darryl Wright’s lawsuit which alleged that Zebulon police were wrong to wiretap his vehicle.
The ruling ended a two-and-a-half year legal saga, but Wright, who’s running to seek the Democratic nomination for sheriff on May 4, said it was a fight he was eager to be part of.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Prosecutors dismissed domestic violence charges against a former Louisburg department head at the request of the victim.
Louisburg police officers arrested Brent Cardwell on Christmas eve after his wife, Kate, alleged that her husband physically and verbally assaulted her.
According to the police report, Mrs. Cardwell had apparent bruising on her face and head.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
A Franklin County deputy seriously injured during a melee outside a Louisburg gas station was making improvements this week.
James Williamson suffered severe head injuries while helping Louisburg police officers make an arrest the evening of Feb. 27.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Back in the spring of 2009, the community rallied behind the Mathis family, providing the support they needed to care for Monika — a then 21-month-old battling a form of kidney cancer.
Ever since that outpouring of support, Monika’s family has been looking for a way to repay the community.
The result is more than ‘Thank-You’ cards.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
The list of delinquent Franklin County taxpayers takes up just more than five pages in the paper and accounts for a more than $2.3 million loss in revenue, but County Tax Assessor Jim Tanner said it has been worse in the past.
And under such a fragile economy, the county’s tax collection rate is actually 2 percentage points ahead of last year.
Tanner said it is the result of innovative thinking.
Bunn’s Quinton Cannady and D.L. Burroughs
With a snip of a ribbon, Pam Hutcheson opened her new McDonald’s Restaurant in Youngsville Thursday morning. This McDonald’s is her fourth and joins one in Fuquay Varina, one in Raleigh and one in Wake Forest that are owned by Hutch Restaurants LLC of Fuquay-Varina. This restaurant is in front of Youngsvile Crossing Shopping Center along U.S. 1 in Youngsville. Helping with the ceremony were (from the left) Franklin County commissioner Don Lancaster, Youngsville commissoner Joe Johnson, Hutcheson, Youngsville Mayor Sam Hardwick and Janice Cyrus of the Youngsville Area Business Association.
Mayor Hardwick and Hutcheson are all smiles at the new McDonald's Restaurant opening in Youngsville Thursday morning. (Times photos by Donna and Gary Cunard)
It was extremely sad to see North Carolina’s senior U.S. senator playing childish games with our tax dollars this week.
Maybe he needs a timeout to reconsider what it takes to act like an adult.
We fully understand — and even underscore — some of the doubts being expressed about health care reform that passed earlier this week along a straight party-line vote.
Boy, it’s been quite a week.
It’s either that things are picking up a little business wise or I’m getting old(er) and slow(er).
Although I’d prefer it to be the former, I suspect the latter plays a bigger role!
Oh well, the alternative doesn’t hold much appeal for me, so we’ll forge ahead.
GOOD MORNING: We’re expecting sunny, but cool, temperatures locally today with highs in the mid 50’s. Look for partly cloudy and a tad bit warmer weather on Sunday and Monday with a chance of rain.
Sunday is Palm Sunday and the Passover begins on Monday. Easter can’t be far behind.
Heritage is about remembering the past — often through fond memories.
It’s those memories that the Heritage Society of Franklin County would like to publish in Volume II of the county’s heritage book.
“The first Franklin County Heritage book was very successful and has continued to stir many memories as people read and re-read the stories,” said Annette Goyette, one of the volunteers helping with the latest project.
Investigators arrested a Louisburg man who had been on the lam since an undercover drug sting last summer.
Officers worked on the case for about six months last year, making drug buys from dealers after residents along South Main Street complained of the open-market drug scene.
Jerry Moore, 23, was one of the suspected dealers that officers targeted in the summer of 2009.
Glenn Mitchell, former resident of Youngsville, was recently honored as the 2009 George Almond Officer of the Year. The award was presented by the Cary Chapter of the NC Police Benevolent Association.
Mitchell is a 1991 graduate of Bunn High School. He attended East Carolina University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. While earning his degree, Mitchell interned with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
The staff of the Franklin County Library and members of the Friends of the Franklin County Library are spending Saturdays getting some cleaning and sprucing up done in the main library in Louisburg. Work includes painting, replacing light fixtures and some rearranging — as well as some general cleaning as evidenced here by Friends of the Library members Karen Drake (left) and Pamela Andrejev.
Second graders at Franklinton Elementary have been working on a reading unit about fossils. In order to assist the students in making connections to the stories they are reading, the students are completing a fossil dig on the campus. With the help of Mrs. Sasser, a former Franklin County teacher, the students received hands-on experience as a paleontologist. They were ecstatic about digging in the dirt to find a variety of fossils.
Denise Beale cut off 12 inches of her hair to donate to Locks of Love. A close friend’s child had just been diagnosed with cancer.
Lance Corporal Dylan Sayles of Louisburg graduated from the USMC Atlas HMLA Air Crew Member Training School March 12 at Camp Pendleton, California. Sayles graduated as the leader of his class and now is a designated crew chief aboard the UH-1Y Super Huey Venom Helicopter.
The Volunteer Auxiliary of Franklin Regional Medical Center collected new and gently worn closed-toe shoes to send to Haiti.
The collection was organized by Share Our Shoes (SOS), a non-profit organization located in Raleigh, in an effort to aid the citizens of Haiti after the recent earthquake devastation.
“We were excited to participate in Share Our Shoes,” said Dottie Wrenn, volunteer coordinator at Franklin Regional.
Last February 21, I was invited by my son-in-law, my daughter, and granddaughter to attend the performance of the “Folkloric Ballet of Mexico.” It was an unbelievable treat, a super bicultural program with a lot of history, and a great music and dance showcase.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Sheriff’s deputies arrested four more men they allege are responsible for the death of a Kittrell-area man.
And they are looking for as many as three more people who had a role in the March 16 death of Anthony Perry.
On Monday, deputies arrested Damien Lamont Cruduip, 20, of Kittrell, Antavious Green, 18, and Jemel Davone Bullock, 24, both of Henderson, charging all three with first-degree murder, first-degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
BUNN — Those who usually fill Bunn High’s bleachers are used to seeing winning efforts.
Friday was no different as athletes competed in the third consecutive Franklin County Special Olympics.
The first two years, the event was held at Franklinton Park, an incredible venue for competition, but moving the event to Bunn High’s football field proved to be an asset because of its spectator-friendly appeal.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
County animal control officers say dead dogs found behind a pen in the Justice community was the result of poor judgement, not abuse.
A resident reported to the animal control office on Sunday that they discovered five dead puppies and three dead beagles in and behind a pen behind a home on Edward Best Road.
