FRONT PAGE
By:
GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher
The all-volunteer Franklin County Committee of 100 stepped up Friday morning to help a new local industry forge ahead with its expansion plans.
The move to help Palziv, which operates in the former Hon facility on the west side of Louisburg, came after the town declined to help with the project.
CONSERVATIVE MESSAGE. Rep. Bobbie Richardson, center, speaks with Elizabeth Shearin and Derek Halberg with the Tar River Land Conservancy.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
LOUISBURG — On Friday, Sen. Chad Barefoot and Rep. Bobbie Richardson brought government to the people.
During a meet and greet at the county’s Cooperative Extension office, a standing-room-only crowd gave them a sack of diverse issues to take with them back to Raleigh.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
LOUISBURG — The shake-up in the county’s Board of Elections continues.
Last month, Board of Elections Chair Larry Tetterton tendered his resignation, citing health issues.
At the same time, Director Amy Southerland announced that she would be retiring after more than 30 years of public service.
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Investigators continue to probe the cause of a fatal house fire, but evidence so far points to an accident.
Fire crews responded to 2637 Rocky Ford Road the afternoon of March 4 to find the two-story home fully engulfed in flames.
Louisburg resident Jeremy Coburn
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
GOOD MORNING: As for snowfall, that brief dusting we received Wednesday morning wasn’t much, but that March wind that followed for the rest of the day Wednesday and Thursday as well, more than made up for the lack of snow as far as I’m personally concerned.
It was, in a word, simply brutal. It appeared that Mother Nature was attempting to make up for an otherwise relatively mild winter.
It’s interesting how some things work out — especially in a small town where you know the story behind the story.
That happened last Saturday evening in Louisburg when the Louisburg Lions Club and the Happy Camper organization jointly sponsored a fund-raising concert featuring Elvis tribute artist Keith Henderson and his “Illusions of the King” performance.
A young woman lost her life this week in a house fire, a tragedy that seems to happen less frequently these days — but a tragedy nonetheless!
In this case, authorities believe a space heater may have sparked the blaze that quickly spread in the story and a half house in the Rocky Ford community, trapping her on the second floor.
OBITUARIES
LOUISBURG - Perry Dale Tharrington, 59, died Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at his home. The family will receive friends Saturday at 12 p.m. at Mountain Grove Baptist Church where services will follow at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Daren Smart Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in the Tharrington/Bobbitt family cemetery.
WAKE FOREST - Rosa Lee Smith King, 57, died Sunday, March 3, 2013 at her residence. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. today (Saturday, March 9) at Friendship Chapel Baptist Church in Wake Forest. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1-1:30 p.m. Saturday at the church.
FRANKLINTON —Memorial services for Alexander “Uncle Notty” McKnight, 80, who died Saturday, March 2, 2013, will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Richardson Funeral Home in Louisburg. Burial will follow in the Manasseh Church cemetery.
LOUISBURG - Elizabeth Britton-Manns, 72, died Saturday, March 2, 2013 at Nash General Hospital in Nashville. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at St. Delight United Church of Christ, Louisburg. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
LOUISBURG - Funeral services for Minister Ella Richardson Coley, 73, who died Wednesday, March 6, 2013, will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, March 11, at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, with the Rev. Linda Tayborn officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
YOUNGSVILLE —Celeste Murphy, 68, died Monday, March 4, 2013 at Franklin Regional Medical Center. A private memorial service honoring her life will be held at a later date.
OCEAN ISLE BEACH - Jean Thrower Hasty, 84, of Ocean Isle Beach died Thursday, February 28, 2013. She was born to the late William and Pearl Thrower on July 17, 1928 in Laurinburg, NC. Jean received a degree in Business Administration from UNC-Greensboro in 1948.
SPORTS
IN THE LANE. Bunn’s Deshawn High (with ball) heads to the bucket during Thursday night’s East Regional playoff loss against the Kinston Vikings.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
FAYETTEVILLE -- Bunn entered Thursday’s Class 2-A East Regional Boys Basketball Playoff matchup with Kinston as a prohibitive underdog -- just like almost every opponent the Vikings have encountered during the illustrious history of their program.
But despite Gerald Melton’s assessment that the Vikings were as good as any team in the state this year, the veteran coach thought his Wildcats had an opportunity to secure a possible victory -- but only if Bunn played a perfect game by Melton’s standards.
FAYETTEVILLE -- The Bunn Ladycats found out Friday if they had taken another key step in the Class 2-A Girls Basketball Playoffs -- or saw their campaign come to an end.
That’s when Bunn tangled with Kinston for the second time in a one-year span in the Elite Eight of the Class 2-A East Regionals at Crown Arena in Fayetteville.
CLOSE CALL. Southern Nash’s Ayessah Hall (right) steals a base as Bunn’s MaKenna Ebert tries to apply the tag during Thursday’s prep softball game.
By:
GEOFF NEVILLE, Times Sportswriter
BUNN -- Bunn has only one senior on its 2013 softball roster -- but she came through in the clutch during Thursday’s non-conference home matchup with backyard foe Southern Nash.
Upperclassman Caitlin Ackerman delivered an RBI single to cap a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth as the Ladycats clawed back to stop SN by a 4-2 margin.
The Franklin Times Franklin County Track and Field Meet has always been held at Bunn High School -- mainly because BHS sported the only track in the county.
That will change this year as the annual event will be staged for the first time at the Franklinton High School Football Field.
The track at the field was unveiled last spring.
High School Basketball
CLASS 2-A STATE FINALS
SATURDAY
AT SMITH CENTER
CHAPEL HILL
CHAPEL HILL -- Here are updated results and pairings for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Regional Basketball Tournaments.
The winners from the regional tournament games will advance to the state championship contests.
ZEBULON -- The Carolina Mudcats, Advanced-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians,have announced that single-game tickets will be available starting Monday.
Fans will be able to purchase single game tickets beginning at 12:01 a.m. through the team’s website at carolinamudcats.com or by calling (919) 269-CATS starting at 10 a.m.
Brandon Batchelor was exceptional in the postseason for Bunn.
LIFESTYLES
The first concert of the 2013 season at Warren County’s historic Cherry Hill will feature Quercus, a group founded in 2009 by a group of friends who for a number of years, gathered monthly to perform for and critique each other, to discuss musical ideas, to learn from one another, and to have a more intimate musical community than their lives as orchestral musicians and teachers provided.
Jennifer Paige Jones and Jason Thomas Rogers were married on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, at Jones Chapel at Meredith College in Raleigh. The 3 p.m. ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Donald Fox.
The bride is the daughter of Gary and Kay Jones of Mebane.
The groom’s parents are Jackie and Debbie Rogers of Youngsville.
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED. Vermus Coley Sr. and Carlean H. Coley are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary today, March 9. They were married on March 6, 1963.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Nathaniel Sandling of Youngsville announce the engagement of their daughter, Jamie Leigh Sandling to Scott Thomas Davis, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Randy Thomas Davis of Zebulon. The wedding will take place on Aug. 17, 2013 in Franklinton.
COMMUNITY NEWS
By:
CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Schools and some county offices prepared for the worst this past week.
Their efforts, said County Emergency Services Director Jeff Lewis, will be key if they find themselves in a natural disaster.
“The focus is to be aware of severe weather and how to react,” Lewis said of a statewide tornado drill that took place on Wednesday as part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
Franklin County sheriff’s deputies are working to keep trespassers out of an elementary school’s gymnasium.
Laurel Mill Principal Genie Faulkner reported on March 4 that for the past several Sundays, people have been forcing open the door to the gym to play basketball.
In response, deputies sat the school, but did not see anyone.
