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LOUISBURG -- Area churches have joined forces to resurrect a spirit of combined effort that died when the Louisburg Inter-Church Council withered.
The Council started in the mid 1990s and was active through the late 2000s, hosting a number of activities, including inter-denominational worship services, the Crop Walk and a community Thanksgiving service.

FRANKLINTON -- Local and state authorities hope a renewed focus on a reward, plus a plea from family members, will kickstart a murder investigation.
Police responded to a home on Fairlane Avenue the evening of Jan. 18 to find Clarence Person Jr. dead from a gunshot wound.
Investigators thought they had a break in the case when video surveillance from a nearby store led them to a Youngsville man.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Alesia Moore doesn't like to see anything go to waste.
It's why when her son all of a sudden won a bunch of sheep through his 4-H efforts, she was keen about figuring out what to do with them.
She's been working with fiber and fiber animals since 2006 and, about two-and-a-half years ago, she, her mother, Ann Payne, and step-father, Dan, turned that love into a vocation and opened Shepherd's Gate Fiber Mill.

LOUISBURG -- A Franklin County inmate has filed a federal lawsuit, alleging the sheriff was responsible for lax security that led to a jailhouse beating.
And, Jonathan Posner alleges jail staff, a contracted nurse and a Raleigh eye doctor are responsible for negligent care that's resulted in the loss of vision.
"It's been a nightmare; the whole situation," said Posner, who has been in jail since Nov. 9, 2017 -- when deputies accused him of going on a crime spree that included a breaking and entering, a shootout and carjacking at a business and a chase that led authorities to lock down a local high school.

LOUISBURG -- Residents in and around northern Franklin County will gather Saturday to celebrate the past and potential for a place that served first as a school, then as a hub for the Kittrell community.
A Rosenwald School -- schools built through the philanthropy of Julius Rosenwald, a retailer and president of Sears, Roebuck, who was keenly interested in helping educate African Americans -- Concord was built in 1922 before closing its doors as a school in 1955.

County resident Brooklyn Smith

Well, it happened this week.
On Monday fall officially fell -- into place, and right on time -- although in typical North Carolina fashion, you might not know it from the weather.
Bright sunshine, temperatures still flirting with the 90s and typical dry weather that will likely end in dramatic fashion with either a hurricane or the change of seasons that usually brings plenty of rainfall.

Franklin County is looking for a few good men -- and women. Really, they're looking for warm bodies.
During the governing board's most recent meeting, Commissioner Mark Speed questioned the status of the county's Emergency Services Advisory Committee.
The committee, according to its description, has a vital role and responsibilities, including, but not limited to:

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton's resounding start to the 2019 boys soccer season added another exclamation point Monday evening.
Playing at home, the Red Rams, in a huge swing match in the Big East Conference standings, delivered a clutch 3-1 victory over league rival Rocky Mount at the FHS Football Field.

BUNN -- Bunn High School's girls golf season is in full swing, and the present and future both look bright for the Ladycats under veteran head coach John Dietz.
Bunn is currently holding down second place in the Northern Carolina Conference behind perennial powerhouse South Granville.
And the best news is that two of the Ladycats' three starters -- Kaylee Cameron and Kasey Holbrook -- are potential-filled freshmen who are still in the process of honing their respective links skills.

BUNN -- After dealing with its own untimely mistakes for the majority of three quarters, Northern Nash took advantage of a huge one from Bunn in the fourth stanza to rally past the host Wildcats last Friday in a non-conference football showdown.
Trailing by two points in the final frame and plagued by penalties and special teams issues, the Knights looked to be in trouble with the Wildcats drove into the red zone and appeared on the verge of adding to their cushion.

TRAMWAY -- One of the most memorable victories in recent Franklinton High School football history came last year when the Red Rams claimed a nail-biting victory at Southern Lee in the Class 3-A State Playoffs.
Franklinton made the journey to Southern Lee once again last Friday, this time for a non-conference regular season rematch against the Cavaliers.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Louisburg High School's football winning streak is now at three after last Friday's impressive 38-8 road decision against Rocky Mount Prep.
LHS used both its air and ground games to earn the victory as the Warriors delivered three passing touchdowns to go with a pair of rushing tallies to improve to 3-2 overall under veteran head coach Dontae Lassiter.

LOUISBURG -- The Town and Country Stingrays wrapped up another successful swim season recently by competing in a road meet against the Winchester Waves in Raleigh.
Due to poor weather, the meet was shortened and was unable to be finished.

RED OAK -- Nobody seems to know an answer to counteract Franklinton's amazing volleyball success in the Big East Conference.
FHS joined the league three years ago and has yet to lose a match. The Lady Rams are also the two-time regular season and tournament champions.
Conference opponents appeared to have a glimmer of hope heading into the 2019 campaign as Franklinton had been riddled by graduation, along with the resignation of long-time head coach Crystal Barnes.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The Ben Snelling Classic Running Event will be held Oct. 12 at Owens Park at Bull Creek in Franklin County.
There will be high school boys and girls 5-K races, along with a 3-K run/walk and a 5-K run that is open to all ages.
All profits from the event will be donated to cancer research through the Jimmy V Foundation.

Members of the Bunn High School football team surge on to the field before the opening kickoff of last Friday night's game against Northern Nash.

Franklinton High School senior setter Denise Burk sends a set toward the outside during last Tuesday's road volleyball decision at league opponent Northern Nash.

Kitchen remodels are among the most popular home renovation projects, whether they consist of swapping out cabinet hardware or doing major demolition.
Due to the sheer amount of time families spend in the kitchen, not to mention the number of tasks performed in this space, it is easy to see why Remodeling magazine consistently ranks kitchen renovations as projects that will enable homeowners to recoup a high percentage of their investments.

Decorating a home in neutral tones has long been recommended as a way to sell a home quickly. But the color gray also provides a blank canvas for homeowners who have no intention of putting their homes on the market anytime soon.
Beige and white have long been go-to colors for neutral living spaces. But many interior decorators now look to gray as the neutral color of choice.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Local authorities charged a Johnston County man with sexual assault against a minor.
John Edward Degumba surrendered himself to authorities on Tuesday on charges taken out by Franklinton police, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and the Benson Police Department.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County consultants and officials are nearing the opportunity to adopt a policy document that's intended to guide growth for the next 20 years.
The county's updated Comprehensive Development Plan is expected to inform county regulations, pinpoint where officials direct resources like water and sewer and road improvements, and help private businesses determine viable locations to build or expand their footprint in the county.

The current residents, former residents, family members and friends of the Louisburg neighborhood known as "Blacktown" recently came together for its annual community gathering. There were 100-plus attendees from several cities in North Carolina, as well as numerous out-of-state attendees.

Deacon Sylvester Harris of Louisburg, (left) was recently honored at the 2019 Unsung Heroes Banquet held in Raleigh at the Crabtree Marriot. He received the Deacon of the Year award for his service. He has been a deacon at Nelson Chael Baptist Church of Louisburg for 43 years.

LOUISBURG -- A superior court judge denied a change of venue for the case against a Franklin County man charged with a crime spree that included a breaking and entering, shootout and police chase.
Authorities arrested Sebastian R. Rogers and Jonathan J. Posner, both of Louisburg, on Nov. 9, 2017.

The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and the Youngsville Area Business Association combined for a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week at the Winslow Homes Design Studio in Youngsville. Winslow Homes founder Matthew Winslow, center, cuts the ribbon with the aid of Youngsville Mayor Fonzie Flowers, surrounded by friends, family and staff. Winslow created the studio with customers in mind, creating a place where customers can design a custom home from the ground up, choosing things like flooring, cabinetry and lighting in one place, rather than traveling from specialty store to specialty store trying to find the right look.