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LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Courthouse is under new management.
Former county commissioner Shelley Dickerson took the oath of office on Tuesday morning, becoming Franklin County's new clerk of superior court.
She will fill the term of Patricia Burnette Chastain, which expires in 2022.
"I just want to thank everybody for their support," Dickerson said in the ceremony, presided over by Resident Superior Court Judge Cindy Sturges.

LOUISBURG -- Open Broadband will miss its rollout goal for the year, but they're heading into 2021 with momentum, company officials said.
In June 2019, Franklin County approved a seven-year agreement whereby the Charlotte-area-based company would provide Internet service to the county, with a focus on unserved and underserved areas.

YOUNGSVILLE -- A Youngsville-area man is slated to appear in court in January on charges that he killed his uncle.
19-year-old Jacob Wayne-Lee Reeves was charged with murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill for his role in the death of Timothy Daniel Reeves inside their home in the 400 block of Robbins Road.

FRANKLINTON -- Developers are breathing new life into Franklinton by revitalizing buildings and luring new business to town.
Simultaneously, a group of volunteers is working to revive a bit of history once faded from many of those older buildings.
In 2013, efforts that would become known as the Franklinton GhostSign Project began when Craig Pendleton spearheaded the restoration of the Coca Cola sign on the side of the former City Service Station -- also the former site of Johnny's on Main.

Disc golf enthusiast Kim Baker

As we all get ready to celebrate that this absolutely terrible, horrible, diseased year of 2020 is about to end (we hope), I'd like to leave you with a couple of things to ponder and then provide a little levity from a local story.
First, the serious stuff.
Look, if you're one of those who still believes that the election of 2020 was rigged and the outcome was controlled by dark, sinister forces somewhere, there is probably nothing that I -- or anyone else -- can say that's going to change your mind.

As every year concludes, it provides an opportunity to look back and reflect on accomplishments and, unfortunately, failures.
Of course, when you commit some of those things to print, it's out there for the world to see.
At the end of 2019, I resolved to take better advantage of the amenities or activities in each of the towns or the county in general.
So, here were my resolutions for 2020 and how I fared.

Frances Adelaide Leonard Ellis, 81, of Bladenboro died December 29, 2020. She was preceded in death by her parents, Eula Keith, and Walter Bryant Leonard. Frances is survived by her husband of 55 years, John David Ellis of the home, two sons, Kirk David of Lumberton, and Keats Leonard of the home. She is also survived by her siblings, Gail Nelms (Gerald), Dan Leonard (Joan), Kathy Gupton (Ray), and many nieces and nephews, all of Louisburg.

JOHNSTON COUNTY-MSG Terrell "Butch" Edwin Johnson, Sr., 78, of Princeton passed away at his home on Sunday, December 27, 2020. He was born in Columbia, South Carolina on July 15, 1942 to the late George Ellie Johnson and Helen Kemp Johnson. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Alfred Eugene Johnson; and former wife, Frances Brooks Johnson.

LOUISBURG -- Veteran Louisburg High School volleyball coach Erica Wammock wasn't sure quite what to expect from the 2020-21 season -- and not just because of natural COVID-19 concerns.
Wammock was also set to roll out the youngest roster of her 15-year tenure at LHS -- and it was unclear how so many newcomers would develop on the varsity level.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg and Bunn both enjoyed strong performances during the recent Northern Carolina Conference Cross Country Championships, which were held at Owens Park in Franklin County.
In the boys team competition, Bunn took third place overall with 91 points.

LOUISBURG -- Young and energetic will be the main themes of the Louisburg High School boys basketball squad during the 2021 campaign.
The Warriors, coached by veteran mentor Michael Sheldon, will be inexperienced at several positions after some important off-season defections.
The biggest, of course, was senior Division I prospect Elijah Jamison, who transferred to a private school to finish out his prep career.

RALEIGH -- The North Carolina State University baseball team recently checked in at No. 13 on Collegiate Baseball's 2021 Preseason Poll, marking the fifth consecutive season the Pack has been featured on the publication's preseason poll and 19th-straight year the squad has either started or finished the season nationally ranked.

(L to R) Carleigh Eaves and Ragan Holloman are the lone seniors for the Louisburg High School volleyball squad.

HOLIDAY SPIRIT. The Franklin County Department of Aging held a drive-through Christmas party on Dec. 15 at the Louisburg Senior Center. Even though COVID-19 prevented the normal event, participants still enjoyed the day. At left, Senior Services Program Supervisor Christy Southall gets ready to hand out goody bags.
Above, Oliver "June" Greene, carries on the Santa tradition that his late mother, Joyce Greene, started many years ago.

Cars line up for the drive-through party.

Senior Services Program Supervisor Christy Southall gets ready to hand out goody bags.

BUNN -- Aviation investigators were expected to be on site this week to investigate a glider crash that injured a Cary man.
According to authorities, deputies and first responders arrived at a field along Wester Way -- off Baptist Church Road -- to find a downed glider at about 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 27.
The pilot, identified as Jeffrey Dana Stalk, suffered two broken legs in the incident, according to the sheriff's office.

YOUNGSVILLE -- The police department and town officials said goodbye to two officers with a wealth of experience.
Officer Robert Morris and Assistant Chief of Police Chief Joseph Kimball were recognized for their service and retirement during the town's Dec. 10 meeting.
Police Chief Greg Whitley presented each officer with their badge and service weapon and Capt. B. Lemons presented them with keys to the city.

The Franklin County Arts Council has announced that Katherine Denton will be the new executive director of the council. Denton has a degree in Arts Administration from Elon University and is currently seeking her masters degree. She lives in Cary with her husband and more pets than will fit in her home! Denton said she will always be a theater kid at heart but loves and appreciates art in all its forms.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested a Louisburg man on assault charges.
Deputies responded to a home in the 1200 block of Moulton Road the afternoon of Dec. 29 to handle a dispute.
Ultimately, they arrested Nakia Quintrell Neal, charging the 25-year-old with possession of a schedule 2 controlled substance, assault by strangulation and possession of a firearm by a felon.