FRONT PAGE
KEARNEY
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Franklin County sheriff’s deputies wrapped up a months-long drug investigation that resulted in one of the suspects facing federal charges.
Officers with the Multi-Agency Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant the afternoon of Jan. 27, seizing just more than 7 grams of cocaine and nearly 1.7 pounds of marijuana from a home on Hazel Lane in the Zebulon area of the county.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Accountants with an Oxford firm will present commissioners with an audit report indicating weaknesses in internal controls within the sheriff’s office — highlighted by allegations that former sheriff Pat Green stole more than $200,000 in undercover drug funds.
The audit also reveals an apparent end-run around protocol that the sheriff’s office made during Green’s tenure to secure a planning contract for the jail.
Ben Killinger, left, and Andrew Poole, contractors with Pennsylvania-based B Moyer, are making the rounds, installing new radio equipment in emergency response vehicles. The new equipment is designed to be compatible with the multi-million-dollar overhaul to the county’s emergency communications system.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
The race for new government housing added one new contestant this week when former Congressmen Bob Etheridge announced he was running for governor.
Last week, Gov. Bev Perdue announced that she would not seek re-election, opening the door for Democrats to seek the party’s nomination.
Veteran Franklin County Commissioner Robert Lee Swanson will receive the highest honor the North Carolina governor can bestow on a citizen, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, in a special ceremony on Monday, Feb. 6.
The event will begin at 5 p.m. in the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Service annex at 103 S. Bickett Boulevard, Louisburg, with the presentation set for 5:30 p.m.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Franklin County’s Gray Bar hotel has made itself more hospitable to outsiders this year.
The Franklin County sheriff’s office volunteered to take part in the Statewide Misdemeanant Confinement Program — which allows them to house state inmates, earning $40 a day for each inmate through the state.
Louisburg College student Augie Ayers
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
By:
Jay Lamm, Times Editorial Cartoonist
There is both good news and bad news regarding the diets and eating habits of Franklin County residents these days.
For longer than most of us can remember, “experts” have been making vague, often contradictory suggestions about what we should and should not eat.
GOOD MORNING: Although it was not noted on my desk calendar, Thursday was Groundhog Day and judging by the weather locally, it’s a pretty good chance that old Punxsutawney Phil or whoever, saw his shadow, which supposedly indicates that we can expect six more weeks of winter.
But if the local weather for the ensuing six weeks is anything like that of the previous six, we don’t have anything to worry about.
When a local judge found a former Franklin County school teacher not guilty of being aggressive with a student recently, that shined a spotlight on a problem that we’ve been writing about for years.
The issue is as simple -- and as complex -- as finding a way to deal with students who cause disciplinary problems, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not -- in classrooms.
RALEIGH – If North Carolina were a country, our level of taxpayer funding for education would be near the top – but the performance of our public schools would be mediocre.
These are among the findings of a new study by the John Locke Foundation’s education analyst, Dr. Terry Stoops.
Dear Editor:
I can appreciate reporting on crime and informing the community is the charge of the media, and personally I feel The Franklin Times does a good job by providing this service.
Not having given the subject or the role The Franklin Times plays in it, I would have to say it is a service that is under appreciated; they have been doing it so long it is now taken for granted.
The need for education reform grows more obvious daily. We claim to have learned that if we keep doing what we’re doing we are going to keep getting what we are getting, but our talk about providing a world-class education to all students is unsubstantiated boasting.
OBITUARIES
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Richard Trader Jr., 45, who died Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at Rocky Chapel Baptist Church with the Rev. Rory Sneed officiating. Burial will follow in the M. H. Jones cemetery.
BUNN - Shirley Cone Dement, 76, died Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012, at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m. at Harris Chapel Baptist Church, with the Rev. Bill Haley officiating. Interment will follow in Bunn Cemetery.
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Alex C. Hilliard, 80, who died Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at Nelson Chapel Baptist Church, with the Rev. Emma Solomon officiating. Burial will follow in the Davis family cemetery.
ZEBULON - Cynthia Ann O’Neal, 37, died Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. A memorial service was held Friday, Feb. 3, at First Baptist Church, Raleigh.
ROCKY MOUNT - Don Scarboro, 92, died Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. A worship service celebrating his life will be held at Lakeside Baptist Church on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m. Following the service, interment will be held at Pineview Cemetery in Rocky Mount.
LOUISBURG - Lee McGhee, 76, died Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Strickland Funeral Home, Louisburg.
LOUISBURG - Mr. Maryland Williams, 91, died Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at St. Stephen’s Missionary Baptist Church of Warren County. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
SPORTS
BMS LEADER. Precious Walker paced the Bunn Lady Bulldogs during Tuesday’s victory over Northern Granville in the championship game of the Middle Athletic Conference Girls Basketball Tournament.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Precious Walker has quite the basketball pedigree -- her sister, Lakenzie, was a standout at Bunn High School in the early 2000s.
The younger Walker has quickly established a name for herself, and next season she is expected to follow her sister’s footsteps to BHS.
LITTLE NAME, BIG ROLE. Freshman outfielder Bill Little from New Bern will play a key role this season for the Louisburg College baseball squad, which is being guided by first-year head coach Mike McGuire.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Connections, grunt work, persistence and luck -- those are usually the intangibles associated with baseball recruiting success at Louisburg College.
First-year head coach Mike McGuire has used them all during his initial off-season recruiting campaign at LC -- and his harvest has folks on campus talking about a potential return to the diamond program’s glory days.
LOOSE BALL. Bunn Middle School’s Spencer Brickhouse (right) tries to come up with a loose ball during Tuesday’s title game vs. Northern Granville.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- Just because they dropped their final game doesn’t mean that all was lost this season for the Bunn Middle School boys basketball squad.
Not after BMS went 11-1 overall and won the regular season crown in the Middle Athletic Conference.
Bunn also reached the finals of the MAC Tournament before falling by a 55-49 margin against Northern Granville on Tuesday at the Terrell Lane Middle School Gymnasium.
LC BOARD WORK. Louisburg College’s Tyquan Roberts (with ball) grabs a rebound during Wednesday’s home win vs. Johnston CC.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- ‘Know Your Personnel’ is a theme taken into every game by Louisburg College men’s basketball coach Mark Vanderslice.
A devotee of matchups and preparations, Vanderslice wants his players to know everything possible about upcoming opponents -- and he hopes that strategy pays off with a pile of victories.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
ROANOKE RAPIDS -- Bunn remained undefeated in both the Northern Carolina Conference boys and girls basketball standings with a pair of victories Tuesday at Roanoke Rapids.
In boys action, Bunn took a seven-point lead after one quarter and went on to defeat the Yellow Jackets by a 51-33 score.
High School Basketball
TUESDAY
Northwest Halifax at Franklinton 6 p.m.
Bunn at North Johnston 6 p.m.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
ROCKY MOUNT -- Youngsville resident Dickie Schock has announced his resignation after three seasons as the head football coach at Rocky Mount High School.
“It was a family decision,’’ said Schock, the former coach at Franklinton High School. “It was really for family reasons.’’
(L to R) Koty Nixon, Chris King and the rest of the Louisburg College Hurricanes will begin the 2012 baseball season this weekend with a home series versus Catawba Valley.
Bunn Middle School’s Janasha Green (left) drives during Wednesday’s victory over Northern Granville in the MAC Tournament Finals.
Bunn’s Kenan Epps (with ball) drives for two points during the Bulldogs’ matchup Tuesday against Northern Granville in the finals of the MAC-9 Boys Basketball Tournament at Terrell Lane MS.
SCHOOLS/EDUCATION
Franklin County Schools is participating in the 2012 National STEM Video Game Challenge.
The challenge invites students to create video games that not only excite, but also educate game users about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
High school students in grades nine through 12 from any school can enter the contest.
Emily Williams, a 2008 graduate of Louisburg High School, graduated on Dec. 15, 2011 from the University of NC at Greensboro. She graduated (cum laude) with a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Health and Human Services.
East Carolina University has announced the names of students recognized by the University Recognition Program for the fall semester of 2011. This program consists of the Chancellor’s List (4.0 GPA), the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA and above), and the Honor Roll (3.0-3.4 GPA). To be named to either list, the student must be a full-time undergraduate who meets these grade requirements with no grade below C.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Franklin County sheriff’s deputies are investigating an armed home invasion.
No injuries were reported.
Staceye Dale reported the morning of Jan. 31 that an acquaintance forced his way inside her Bunn area home, using a nightstick.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Franklin County’s unemployment rate inched back up to double digits for December, following a trend shared by 92 other counties.
According to information released by the state Department of Labor, unemployment rates increased in 93 of the state’s 100 counties in December.
