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Santa Claus has been making regular appearances around Franklin County lately, noting who has been naughty and who has been nice and hearing a lot of wish lists. In this photo, Payton Stephens, 6, gives Santa a big hug during the Jolly Old Gent's visit to the downton Christmas tree lighting recently.

LOUISBURG -- Santa's gift to the town of Louisburg this year may not arrive until near the end of the first quarter of 2019 -- but town officials figure it will be worth the wait.
Officials have revealed that they have a potential buyer/developer for what is known locally as the "Dr. Perry Building" in downtown.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County school system was expected to send letters out this week to parents at 12 of the county's 16 schools, letting them know their children are attending schools that the state deems underperforming in areas of students with disabilities and students who are unable to communicate fluently or learn effectively in English. Pictured (Above): Carrla Perry, second from right, was recognized as the county's Exceptional Children's Educator of Excellence. She's joined by, from left, Superintendent Rhonda Schuhler, Director of EC and Student Services Windy Edwards, and School Board Chair Paige Sayles.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Elections has chosen Michelle Chavis to serve as the county's Director of Elections, effective Feb. 1, 2019.
Chavis, who currently serves as Deputy Director of Elections, will succeed Lisa Goswick, who is scheduled to retire on Jan. 31 after more than five years as director and 29 years of county service.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners got their first look at a proposed comprehensive plan that will help steer town development.
They've scheduled a work session on Jan. 9 to take a "deep dive" review of the Comprehensive Land Use & Master Plan before its adoption.

Athletic siblings Tyler, Cale & Whitney Bolton

Franklin County -- and those who believe in equal rights for all, wherever they live -- bade farewell to a true civil rights icon last week.
Rosanell Eaton passed away at the age of 97 after a lifetime dedicated to battling for equal rights -- civil rights -- for all.
Once described by former President Barack Obama as a "Beacon of civil rights," Ms. Eaton was a true force of nature -- and a very nice person as long as you weren't trying to restrict voting rights.

Here it is almost Christmas Eve and some of us haven't yet made our wish list for Santa Claus.
Maybe it's­ the weather, maybe it's just procrastination or perhaps it's just been a crazy year that left so many of us exhausted and frustrated!
But with the economy looking increasingly uncertain next year despite what some in government will try to tell you, with the nation badly split politically and our fellow Americans fearful of the future and with undeclared wars threatening to drag us further into far-away conflicts, it's time to relax a moment and enjoy a calm holiday season.

According to the annual Monitoring the Future Survey -- a federally funded report designed to find out what our kids are hooked on -- revealed that nearly 21 percent of high school seniors had vaped nicotine in the past 30 days.
The survey of 44,482 students from 392 public and private schools was funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse and conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan.

JOHNS CREEK, GA.--Alma Rudolph Arnold Sprow, 94, died Monday, Dec. 17, 2018 at Arbor Terrace in Johns Creek, Georgia. Funeral will be held at New Hope Christian Church today, Thursday, Dec. 20, at 1 p.m. Reception following in the fellowship hall.

RALEIGH--Elizabeth Courtney Weeks, 42, of Raleigh died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018 after a brief illness. The family received visitors in the Zebulon United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in Zebulon from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16, following a private memorial service.

FRANKLINTON--Funeral services for Lenora Crudup Richardson, 74, who died Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, were held Sunday, Dec. 16, at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Bunn, with the Rev. Lennis Thorpe officiating. Burial followed in the Gethsemane Church cemetery.

FRANKLINTON -- When Franklinton and Rolesville signed a contract for a basketball series before this season, the premise was simple.
The event was designed to be a 'Battle of the Rams' as Franklinton is known as the Red Rams, while Rolesville is just the Rams.
But the stakes for the showdown were upped back in the summer when Rolesville hired a familiar Franklin County face to be its boys basketball coach.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg High School encountered a tall task Tuesday when the Warriors entertained East Wake Academy for a non-league boys basketball contest at the LHS Gymnasium.
The visiting Eagles were destined to be one of the tallest -- if not the tallest -- clubs that the Warriors will face during the 2018-19 campaign.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Big East Conference swimmers had one final opportunity to improve their times ahead of Christmas Break during last Wednesday's league event at the Harrison Family YMCA.
Wilson Hunt's boys team continued its season-long mastery of the conference by rolling to first place with 151 points.

LOUISBURG -- Chances were there for Louisburg High School to rally for a potential girls basketball victory Tuesday night against non-conference opponent East Wake Academy.
But it wasn't meant to be as the visiting Lady Eagles held on down the stretch to secure a 30-26 decision at the LHS Gymnasium.

BUNN -- Former league opponent North Carolina School of Science and Math returned to Bunn Monday night and came away with a 66-58 decision over the Wildcats in boys basketball action at the Bunn Dome. The score was even at 28-28 at halftime, but the Unicorns were able to pull away in the second half.

CREEDMOOR -- South Granville has been a consistent powerhouse in the Northern Carolina Conference's boys and girls standings over the past several campaigns.
So that meant Louisburg's surging squads were destined for challenging tests when the schools collided last Thursday in NCC action at the SGHS Gymnasium.
Things didn't go as the visitors had hoped as South Granville was able to deliver victories in both events.

CHAPEL HILL -- Here are last week's results from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Football Championships:

ZEBULON -- The Carolina Mudcats are once again offering holiday ticket packages that make perfect gifts or stocking stuffers.
Available for purchase are the Snowball Package and the Toboggan Package.

Louisburg High School's Elijah Jamison (with ball) had another huge game for the Warriors during Tuesday night's home triumph against East Wake Academy.

Louisburg High School sophomore Elijah Jamison (right) has put up some impressive numbers during the early portion of the 2018-19 boys basketball season under Coach Michael Sheldon.

Crystal Davis points out a float to young Carter Davis.

The Franklinton High School band put on a show.

The police department flew a drone over the parade, giving people with access the chance to view the parade live from remote locations.

Members of the Helping Hand Mission Marching Band were, again, a parade favorite.

Mayor Art Wright braved the cold, riding atop a convertible during the nighttime parade.

The Franklin County Board of Education approved Roderick Boyles as the new assistant principal at Franklinton Elementary School
Boyles will join veteran Principal Melissa Richardson.
Boyles spent the last four years as an assistant principal with Duplin County Schools. Most recently, he was at Warsaw Elementary. Prior to that, Boyles was AP at James Kenan High.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Commissioners hope road improvement projects planned along the town's main thoroughfare can quell a speeding problem on side streets.
Backed up traffic along Main Street has long meant that motorists have used Winston Street and other side roads, looking to avoid congestion.
This summer, commissioners tasked Town Administrator Roe O'Donnell with pricing speed tables or other traffic control devices to slow down speeders who zip down the road.

APEX -- Wake County authorities arrested a pair of men accused of sexually assaulting a Franklin County teen.
A mother reported to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in October that her son may have been sexually assaulted.
The resulting investigation led authorities to the suspects, Justin Wade Thompson, 37, of Raleigh, and Ryan James Milewski, 33, of Apex, who were arrested on Dec. 13.

LOUISBURG -- Sheriff's deputies arrested a Franklin County man on a dozen child sex counts.
Steven Adams Marshall, 57, was placed in the Franklin County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.
According to authorities, deputies arrested Marshall on Dec. 15, charging him with 12 counts of third degree exploitation of a minor.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton police are looking for a man who pilfered cigarettes from a local grocery store.
Authorities allege Wayne A. Davenport is guilty of a similar incident in Youngsville a day later.
According to authorities, officers responded to a report of theft at the Food Lion in Franklinton Square on Dec. 14.

Jam! Cheerleading and Dance received the Best Entry award for the town of Louisburg's Christmas Parade. For the first time, the town had a panel of judges who watched the parade and cast ballots for the Best Entry. Assistant Town Administrator Tony King, standing, back, presented the award following the parade to the Jam! Cheerleading and Dance team and their coach, Jamiese Scotton.