FRONT PAGE
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Franklin County sheriff’s deputies arrested an 18-year-old Louisburg man charged with killing his sister and critically wounding his mother Tuesday morning.
According to Franklin County Sheriff Pat Green, deputies arrived at 1036 Leonard Road to find Lydia Etanislao, 41, and her daughter, Juillinna Matthews, clinging to life.
LITTLE BOY BLUE. Four-year-old Tyrell Branch joined the dozens of residents who took part in a symbolic march from Franklinton High School’s gymnasium to First Baptist Church on Saturday as part a Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Franklinton
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Louisburg’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration returned a year after most organizers and attendees went to Barack Obama’s historic inauguration instead.
Commissioner Sidney Dunston, who spoke during a rally prior to this year’s celebration, said Obama’s installation as this country’s first black president was a vision in King’s dream.
But it’s not the final brush stroke of the picture.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
The State Bureau of Investigation is probing an apparent suicide at the jail.
According to Sheriff Pat Green, jailers found Ashley Ann Six, 24, dead inside her cell at about 7:15 p.m. on Monday.
Investigators said she used a bed sheet from her bunk to hang herself.
“The SBI was called in as standard procedure,” Green said on Tuesday. “They are still investigating and interviewing people.”
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
A man accused of killing a Rocky Mount woman last seen alive at a Franklin County massage parlor remains behind bars this week.
Officers arrested Ronald Carlton Ricks Jr., on Friday after staff at WakeMed recognized him from media accounts.
Ricks is charged with killing Melissa Jo Wise, a Rocky Mount woman who worked at Magic Touch Massage on U.S. 1 just north of Franklinton.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Lightning might not strike the same place twice, but a gas leak can.
Firefighters were dispatched to Britthaven of Louisburg on Saturday and Sunday as gas leaked from the same outside propane gas tank.
No injuries were reported, but the nursing center’s residents were inconvenienced for a few hours.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
The American Diabetes Association is preparing to recognize a local hospital with one of its top honors this weekend.
Franklin Regional Medical Center’s diabetes education program is slated to receive the ADA’s Provider of the Year Award, joining four other providers, including the Duke Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Diabetes Program.
The ADA’s mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of people affected by it.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Louisburg is having a minor issue with graffiti, but it’s not gang related, police and town staff say.
Since the weekend, graffiti was spray painted onto the back side of the Print Products building adjacent to the town’s skateboard park.
Police had not received a complaint about the incident by Tuesday, but Louisburg Police Chief Rick Lassiter said it’s not gang markings.
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
The news from Haiti changes minute-by-minute.
But regardless of what we learn, the latest bulletin always seems to be measurably worse than the previous one.
It’s been a week since the magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck and the numbers are becoming staggering.
While no one can yet know how bad the final tally will be, the estimates of those killed range from a known 50,000 to an anticipated 200,000 — and perhaps worse.
GOOD MORNING: With the Martin Luther King Day observance behind us, it will be awhile until the next break. Meanwhile we’ve got Groundhog Day coming up on February 2, Lincoln’s Birthday on the 12th, Valentine’s Day on the 14th, President’s Day on the 15th, Ash Wednesday on the 17th, and Washington’s Birthday on the 22nd, and that just takes us through the month of February.
My first thought was: “that would buy a lot of shots.”
According to published reports, New Hanover County Alcoholic Beverage Control administrator Billy Williams will get $100,000 a year in retirement.
This comes after tons of news coverage about the out-of-whack pay that Williams and his son received for their work.
LET MUELLER RESIGN?
Should the Board of Education let Phil Mueller resign?
NO: 42.7%
YES: 29.1%
RALEIGH – Back in the mid-1990s, when North Carolina first began to offer large incentive packages in an attempt to land economic-development deals, I wrote that such targeted incentives had never really been about creating jobs. They were about creating job announcements.
The distinction is important, and the passage of time has only made it more obvious.
OBITUARIES
FRANKLINTON —Eugene “Gene” Wesley Guthrie, 94, died Friday morning, Jan. 15, 2010 at his residence. A memorial service honoring his life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, at Franklinton Baptist Church, with the Rev. David Averette officiating.
YOUNGSVILLE - Valerie Ann Hyers, 54, died Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010. Funeral services were conducted Monday, Jan. 18, in the chapel of Bright Funeral Home, with her son, Michael Hartschenko, officiating.
WAKE FOREST - Ruby L. Davis, 62, died Jan. 15, 2010 at Rex Healthcare in Raleigh.
LOUISBURG - Barbara Dorsey Layton, 73, died at home Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010. Funeral services will be today (Wednesday, Jan. 20) at 2 p.m. at Duke Memorial Baptist Church, with the burial to follow in the church cemetery.
LOUISBURG - Margaret Streett Grafton Groom, 98, died Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010. Funeral service was Tuesday, Jan. 19, at Grace Baptist Church, with the Rev. Wes Bailey officiating.
ROANOKE RAPIDS- Hubert Ray Parrish, 92, died Monday, Jan. 18, 2010. A memorial service with military honors will be held at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday, Jan. 20) in the Askew Funeral & Cremation Services chapel in Roanoke Rapids, with the Rev. Henry Stephens officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. A private family burial will be held at a later date.
SPORTS
ON A (FINGER) ROLL. Louisburg College’s Jeremy Atkinson scores on a finger roll in the paint during Monday’s home victory against Catawba Valley.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- A rare weekday matinee game brought forth a familiar scene Monday afternoon -- another Louisburg College victory in Region X action.
The Hurricanes have lost only once in league play this season, and they continued their success with a 95-53 conquest against Catawba Valley College at historic Holton Gymnasium on the LC campus.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sports Writer
LOUISBURG -- Most signs pointed to it only being natural that Chase Ragland would sign a letter-of-intent to play baseball at Louisburg College.
After all, the LC campus is just a few miles from Ragland’s home, and he grew up following the Hurricanes at picturesque Frazier Field.
This was a busy weekend for the sports department, as there were plenty of important things going on.
You can read all about them in this section. But unfortunately, you won’t have any pictures to go with it.
Either my memory card or camera went on the fritz Saturday afternoon, and every picture I had taken to that point was lost.
That includes the following events that I had attended:
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
FRANKLINTON -- Zach Beale found the ball -- and the outcome of the game -- in his hands last Friday night.
And Beale delivered, canning a free throw with one second left to give the Franklinton Red Rams a key 62-61 victory in a crucial Northern Carolina Conference showdowon in front of a sellout audience at the FHS Gymnasium.
The Red Rams are now 8-6 overall and 5-0 in the NCC, and FHS is the lone undefeated club remaining in league play. Bunn dropped to 4-7 and 1-3.
BUTNER -- Five Terrell Lane Middle School mat standouts earned medals last Saturday at the annual Middle Athletic Conference Wrestling Tournament, which was held at Butner-Stem Middle School.
First-place finishers for Terrell Lane were Paulo Sanchez (214) and Cooper Bolton (135).
Austin Mitchell was the runner-up in the 105-pound weight class, and Travius Foster also claimed a second-place finish for the Tornadoes.
Louisburg College’s Marcellous Perez (with ball) grabs a rebound between a pair of Catawba Valley players during Monday afternoon’s Region X men’s basketball showdown at Holton Gymnasium.
LIFESTYLES
Sonya L. Shearin and Jon R. Shearin of Louisburg announce the engagement of their daughter, Jody Nicole Shearin, to Corell Johnnie Pittman, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Corell G. Pittman of Spring Hope. A May wedding is planned.
Bob and Laura Wagner of Wake Forest announce the engagement of their daughter, Nicole Lynn Wagner, to Brandon Moran, the son of Mark and Deborah Moran of Louisburg. The wedding will take place Jan. 1, 2011 at Faith Baptist Church, Youngsville.
Mr. and Mrs. Silous Wilkins celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by having a vow renewal ceremony on Dec. 19, 2009 at 2 p.m. at Gospel Unlimited Church, with Bishop Johnny Alston performing the ceremony. The couple’s daughters were their bridesmaids, maid of honor, and matron of honor. Their son was the best man, with the groom’s brother, son-in-law and nephew serving as groomsmen. Their grandson and granddaughter were ring bearer and flower girl. The reception was held at the senior citizens building.
SCHOOLS/EDUCATION
Two Franklinton schools received grants from the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program. Above photo, Franklinton High School teacher Tommy Kemp received $5,000 to move forward with a landscaping project at FHS that will include plants and materials for items such as steel decorations and benches. In addition, roots from the plants grown will be used at the new FHS. There also will be an herb garden planted in a combined effort with the FHS Foods II class.
Dr. Elva Johnson Jones, formerly of Franklin County, was selected to the 50 most Important African-Americans in Technology List.
She is the chair of the Department of Computer Science at her alma mater, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), and is known for her work in education, outreach, and research. On Sept. 16, 2005, the new computer sciences building on the campus was named in her honor.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Louisburg police arrested a Salisbury man on charges of moving drugs.
According to a report by Officer Travis Lincoln, he performed a traffic stop at N. Main Street and Franklin Street at about 12:20 a.m. on Tuesday when he came upon a green Ford Taurus with a bad tail light.
During the stop, Lincoln searched the vehicle and inside clothes and a duffle bag, he found nearly 20 grams of marijuana.
