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LOUISBURG -- For the safety of Franklin County residents and visitors, its medical director says the county needs to fire its emergency services director, remove the county manager from emergency services oversight and bring back its "ousted" emergency services director.
The county's Emergency Medical Services operates under the medical license of Dr. Barbara Stiehl.

A rich sunset provided great framing for a Challenger 350 jet that was parked at Franklin County's Triangle North Executive Airport. Airport staff, officials and county management are awaiting final word on a master layout plan for the airport that will guide its growth and development into the future.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners agreed to take a simultaneous path toward funding an access road project that economic development staff says will open up the county's industrial park.
Economic Development Director Richie Duncan informed commissioners that the State Department of Commerce has designated Triangle North Franklin as a bio-site -- meaning the county can apply for U.S. Economic Development Administration [EDA] funds to provide a road access and water and sewer to the site, which sits across from the county's airport.

Franklin County Schools are reporting about a 50 percent drop, week to week, of COVID cases among both staff and students.
The numbers appear to mirror national statistics which are tending to indicate that the Omicron variant cases have peaked even as the nation has surpassed more than 900,000 dead in the pandemic.

LOUISBURG -- What will the Louisburg of 2030 be like? What will it look like?
And perhaps more to the point, will it be the community you wish it to be?
In a mere eight years it's highly likely that the county seat of Franklin County will change greatly from what it is today -- but what will those changes look like and are local leaders on a path to make the most of the potential growth that's on the horizon?

Bunn wrestler Alex Monks

It's February!
And anyone who has stuck their nose outside, even briefly, in recent days knows that!
One day it might be in the 60s or 70s and a day or two later, the temperature could be in the 20s or 30s.
And, of course, there is always that cold rain this time of the year, sometimes mixed with frozen stuff ranging from sleet to a little snow.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm a bit of a cinephile.
So, not only am I familiar with the phrase: "Cut to the chase," but I'm also one of those folks who was always interested in its origins.
The CliffsNotes version is that its origins can be traced to the silent film era when, literally, there was no sound or spoken dialogue.

Dear editor:
Article 1, Section 4, Clause 1 of The Constitution of the United States does state, "The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the Legislature thereof; but Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators."

YOUNGSVILLE, NC-- Funeral services for Bernard McKinley Hedgspeth, age 49 who died on Friday, February 4, 2022, will be held 2 p.m., Friday, February 11, at from the Mitchell Baptist Church in Louisburg, NC. Burial will follow in the Mitchell Baptist Church Cemetery. Rev. Thelma McClean, officiating.

BUNN, NC-- Funeral services for Shenette "Nette" Crudup, age 28, who died on Monday, February 7, 2022, will be held 2 p.m., on Saturday, February 12, from the Gethsemane Baptist Church in Bunn with Elder Brenda Manson officiating. Burial will follow in the Zion Springs Church Cemetery.

LOUISBURG, NC-- Graveside services for William Edward "Neal" Neal, age 56, who died on Monday, February 7, 2022, will be held on 1 p.m., Thursday, February 10, from the Allen Chapel Baptist Church in Louisburg with Rev. Stanley Dunston officiating.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central's no-post offense -- which has been known to confound opponents with its intricacies and never-ending movements -- has enjoyed a revival this season under NCHS first-year head coach Trey Sumler.
Of course, this development is no coincidence as Sumler was a standout during his playing days at Nash Central under Michael Mosley, who is known as one of the area's most prolific no-post strategists.

GREENSBORO - Green-clad BHS took home the state title at last Saturday's Class 2-A State Wrestling Team Championships.
It just wasn't the BHS that the home folks had hoped for.
Instead, a strong Bandys club, which boasts a green color scheme just like Bunn, defeated the Wildcats by a 60-18 margin to earn the state crown at the Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse.

BUNN -- When the lights were dimmed, Bunn shined like the sun in the most important moment in the history of the school's wrestling program.
It's become a tradition at BHS to turn down the lights for home matches at the Bunn Dome -- like the Wildcats' match against Bartlett-Yancey last Wednesday in the Class 2-A East Regional Team Championships.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Terri Cash's tenure as Nash Central High School's girls basketball coach has annually featured one constant -- the Lady Bulldogs inevitably getting better and better as the season progresses.
Such is the case again in the 2021-22 campaign as Nash Central is heading into the home stretch of its schedule on a strong note -- including a convincing victory Tuesday night over Big East Conference opponent Louisburg.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Franklinton put together a strong performance at the recent Big East Conference Swim Championships, which were staged on January 27 at the Harrison Family YMCA Pool in Nash County.
The Red Rams, with 64 points, claimed third place in the boys team standings behind only winner Roanoke Rapids (103) and runner-up Nash Central (just two points ahead of Franklinton at 66 markers).

WILSON -- After a two-year pandemic hiatus, one of the state's most prestigious prep girls soccer events will be returning in March.
That's when The Brittany Girls Soccer Showcase -- an annual spring tradition -- will be held at Gillette Park in Wilson.
Teams from across the state will convene for the showcase, which is scheduled for March 11-12.

BUNN HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM
2021-22 EAST REGIONAL CHAMPS

LOUISBURG -- A Youngsville resident and Democratic party leader has filed suit against Franklin County, alleging that their newly drawn election districts are unfair to some voters in District 5.
Following the 2020 census, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners adopted newly drawn districts to achieve balances necessitated by a growing population.
The result was a district map that, among other things:

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners agreed to use $1.5 million in hopes that it can net them $30 million to replace Franklinton Elementary School.
School system Superintendent Rhonda Schuhler made the request after sharing with the board her annual State of the School District address.
"In all my time up here, the way it always went, Franklin County has done 100 percent, had to pay for all the schools," said Commissioner Harry Foy.

FRANKLINTON -- A Henderson man is slated to appear in court this spring on charges of leading Franklin County authorities on a two-county chase at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
Franklin County investigators charged 24-year-old Adante Daishon Ayscue with fleeing to elude arrest, reckless driving to endanger, aggressive and careless driving, resisting an officer, speeding, driving while license revoked, expired registration, possession of marijuana, driving left of center and failure to stop at a stop sign.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies are looking for a suspect in an arson.
The incident was reported in the 100 block of Pineview Drive the evening of Feb. 4.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners approved three sets of actions, all of which bolstered public utilities, controlled how they would be dispersed, rehabilitated or improved upon.
First, the board approved water allocation requests for eight new residential subdivisions, a mix of new projects or additional phases.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies are investigating a swindling incident at a local corner store.
According to authorities, a proprietor of Justice Grocery became suspicious of someone who was playing a video game machine at the store.
The suspect is alleged to have won a fair amount of money in a short period of time.

Marian Cascone serves as Franklin County's Tax Administrator. A photo and cutline in the Feb. 3 edition of The Franklin Times incorrectly identified her title. We regret the error.