Recent Articles

UNUSUAL SIGHTING. The eclipse which captured the nation's attention for several days recently, was visible from Louisburg even though the total eclipse was not visible from here. In the photo above, taken at about 2:15 p.m. Monday, April 8, by Louisburg photographer William "Bill" Reaves shows the beginning of the event.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County Commissioners agreed to form a Capital Committee to address capital needs for Franklin County schools.
The resolution establishes a committee made up of officials and staffs from both the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and the Franklin County Board of Education.

Mother Nature can certainly be fickle -- and this year has been no exception.
Despite some bright sunny days -- and even a few that were unseasonably warm -- we've been reminded lately that it can still get very windy, chilly and even a bit frosty in the early mornings.
And if you're like me and have a premature dose of spring fever -- and some allergic reactions to the pollen that is everywhere -- I guess all you can do is just wait a few more days and, hopefully, at least the temperatures will get a little more consistent.

If your memory works better than mine, you'll recall that earlier this year, as the country was celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I suggested that people could take more active steps to honor the man -- most significantly by helping their fellow man in the community.
Obviously, I think it's important to remember King's vision for a world where people are judged by the content of their character, not the shade of their skin tone.
Oppression damages us all and equality unites us.

Dear editor: As you may or may not have learned, it actually takes 364 and a quarter days for earth to completely orbit our sun.
This was rounded for convenience to 365 days and a whole day was added to our calendar every four years -- Feb. 29.
This came to be called Leap Year and a custom developed for that year.

Tomato planting season is upon us, leaving gardeners with a pretty big decision to make.
The tomato variety you select now will have a huge impact on your future success, but hundreds of different varieties are available.
Will you go with hybrids or heirlooms? Determinate or indeterminate?
Large or small fruits? Sorting through this confusing array will help you choose the right varieties for your garden.

The final installment of the 2023-2024 Allen De Hart Concert Series will feature Chapel Hill's own Paperhand Puppet Intervention. This family matinee performance is a show of puppetry of epic proportions. It is affordable, outstanding family fun and has something for people of all ages. Paperhand Puppet Intervention uses papier mâché, cardboard, bamboo, old house paints, cloth, and other assorted junk to create incredible giant puppets, masks, shadow plays, and spectacle performances.

Louisburg -- Franklin County Republicans focused on the May 14 North Carolina run-off election, current activities in local and state government, and upcoming district and state conventions during the party's annual convention, held in March.
During a run-off election May 14, Republican voters will select candidates for lieutenant governor, state auditor and the U.S. House of Representatives.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg's Armenta Eaton earned a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her volunteer service.
She received the 2023 award in recognition of her lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.
The award is presented to folks who contribute more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime.

LOUISBURG -- COVID cost Louisburg College's class of '71 its golden anniversary reunion, but alumni have a rock-solid plan to celebrate next weekend.
The Golden Anniversary Council, with the assistance of Martin Marietta, will unveil and dedicate a new historical marker for the Love House -- a college residence that once stood at the corner of College and Elm streets.

RJ Mcarthy, an author with local ties, has released another crime fiction novel.
Quis Auxilium Me (Somebody Help Me) is set in 1963. Shortly before his 17th birthday, Sean Thornton overhears a confession of an imagined crime by one of the town's bumper crop of bullies, Rocky Corcoran.

LOUISBURG -- Authorities arrested a Granville County man accused of drug dealing.
A week ago, according to Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White, Franklin County deputies traveled to Granville County to arrest Jeffery Blacknall on drug charges.
White said Blacknall has an extensive "rap sheet."

RED OAK -- The Big East Conference baseball race is still up for grabs, but one thing is certain after Tuesday night -- the league's Game of the Year has been played.
It's hard to fathom that Tuesday's thrill-a-minute showdown between Bunn and host Northern Nash could be topped -- at least from a dramatic entertainment standpoint.

BUNN -- That's more like it.
That was the theme from the Nash Central High School girls soccer camp after the Lady Bulldogs successfully rebounded from a tough loss one day earlier and defeated the homestanding Bunn Ladycats by a 9-0 margin on Tuesday in Big East Conference action at the BHS Soccer Complex.
The decision provided a solid bounceback for the Lady Bulldogs, who had been topped Monday by backyard rival Northern Nash in another key league showdown.

ROCKY MOUNT -- In a showdown with plenty of postseason implications, Bunn continued its storybook campaign Monday with a solid 7-2 victory over homestanding Nash Central in Big East Conference boys tennis action.
The Wildcats, under the direction of legendary head coach Dale Murphy, are now 10-2 overall to go with an 8-2 mark in the always-competitive Big East.

SALEM, VA. - The Carolina Mudcats (1-0) were down to their final strike last Friday night at Salem Memorial Ballpark.
However, Cooper Pratt delivered with a score-tying RBI triple as part of a three-hit Single-A debut to force a 10th inning where the Mudcats scored three times to take a 6-4 Opening Night victory over the Salem Red Sox (0-1).
Carolina has now won four straight season openers dating back to 2021.

LOUISBURG -- A man accused of killing his two roommates is slated to appear in court on Monday.
Following an hour-long standoff, Franklinton police arrested Christian David Webster during the early morning hours of April 5, alleging he shot and killed Matthew Johnson, 34, and William Hulme, 26 -- all of 24 Pine Street.
Investigators have yet to reveal a motive in the slaying, but officers arrested Webster on March 31, charging him with discharging a firearm within town limits.

VIEW OF THE ECLIPSE. These photos were taken Monday in Louisburg by photographer William "Bill" Reaves. He used a digital single lens reflex camera with a Neutral Density Filter. The ND filters reduce the amount of light coming into the camera allowing the photographer to control the shutter speed and aperture for special occasions such as an eclipse, he explained. The above photo is a three photo collage of the eclipse from start to finish going from left to right.

ZEBULON, NC--Hilliard J. Gay Jr., 82, of Zebulon, died at his home April 8, 2024.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Burnell "Burn" Hilliard, age 70, who died on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, will be held on Saturday, April 13, at 3 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Minister, Edwin Dean Jones officiating.

Youngville, NC -- Donita Maria Christina Scurti, age 67, of Youngsville, died November 26, 2023. Cremation was handled by Lancaster Funeral and Cremation Services, Louisburg.

FRANKLINTON, NC--William "Glenn" Davis, 53, of Franklinton, NC, passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. He was born in Wake County, NC on December 19, 1970.

LOUISBURG, NC--Jerry Wayne Champion, age 75, resident of Lake Royale, NC, passed away on March 31, 2024 at UNC Nash Regional Hospital in Rocky Mount, NC. Born on January 9, 1949, at Watts Hospital in Durham, NC, Jerry was the only son and eldest child of Mildred and Henry Champion.