Archives

LOUISBURG -- During a rally celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Mayor Christopher Neal used terms and phrases more common on the playing field.
There's one tally that he said will matter the most -- the one cast by voters in this fall's presidential election.
"... When we hear the term GOAT [Greatest of All Time} it's most often used for athletes," Neal said Monday.

LOUISBURG -- Senior administrators at the Franklin County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that they and the state are investigating allegations of an inmate assault.
Officials did not release the inmates name, but Samuel Burnette's family members confirmed that he is the one making the allegations.
Burnette's mother, Fannie Cooke, said her son was assaulted by a detention officer on Monday while he was in handcuffs.
"[Burnette] said the officer put cuffs on him, drug him out of his cell and beat him to the point he had to be carried to the emergency room," Cooke said.

LOUISBURG -- An unusual Tuesday evening meeting of the Franklin County Commissioners, rescheduled because of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday, was about as routine as such meetings get.
The commissioners got a financial update from Finance Director Jamie Holtzman and an update on the county's radio system from Ken Steere from of Williams Communications and Rebecca Norwood with TUSA consulting.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners bought property -- then committed to buying more -- in their efforts to expedite a Youngsville bypass.
First, commissioners agreed to spend $293,220 to buy 6.516 acres for the bypass right of way near the intersection of Cedar Creek and Tarboro roads.
The purchase price was $45,000 an acre -- a price the town and property owners Jim and David Moss had agreed upon via option.
According to the county's website, the six parcels that are part of the purchase ranged in value from $37,500 an acre to about $12,900.

BUNN -- The town's planning board is set to consider recommending that telecommunication towers be kept out of downtown.
And, they're also set to recommend actions that will give town officials the final word on special use permits.
Finally, they're set to give the town more control over how it uses two pieces of property behind town hall.
All those matters are on the agenda for the town's Jan. 22 planning and zoning board meeting.

Bunn legend Mossette Heath

Even if you've been paying only scant attention to the nation's weather map in recent days, I expect you'll agree that the eastern side of North Carolina has been a great place to be!
Somehow, at least so far, we have ducked a weather "bullet" that has ranged from driving snow, freezing rain and hurricane-force winds, all coupled with temperatures so low they often have a minus sign in front of them across much of the nation.

If you've been around this column before, especially at this time of year, you may have read something similar to what I'm about to say:
Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a national holiday is an incredible opportunity to share his life and legacy with folks who may not be familiar with the man who lived a relatively short life -- from 1929 until his assassination in 1968 -- but whose impact on the world continues until this day.
Folks in Louisburg held their annual event on Monday, Jan. 15.

Dear editor:
Trump claims he is immune from prosecution no matter what he might have done as president. When the judge in his immunity case asked whether he could assassinate Americans without consequence, his team said he could.

Raleigh, NC--Funeral services for Josephine "Phine" Dale Covington, age 72, who died on Sunday, January 14, 2024, will be held on Sunday, January 21, at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Boone officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

Youngsville, NC--Larry Edward Guy, 53, of Youngsville passed away at his home unexpectedly on January 15, 2024. Larry was born July 15, 1970 in Cumberland County, NC to Eva Mae Guy and the late James "Eddie" Edward Guy.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Recent poor weather has wreaked havoc on the Big East Conference basketball schedule -- forcing makeups and busy weeks heading into the regular season finale on February 16, which will be followed by the annual league tournament.
Here are the schedules for each Big East hoops squad for the rest of the regular season (home games are listed in CAPS):

LOUISBURG -- Playoffs?
Not since the pandemic struck have the Louisburg Lady Warriors qualified for the Class 2-A Girls Basketball State Playoffs -- but that might be changing this season.
Third-year head coach Von Quick is overseeing the most talented squad LHS has possessed since the Vanisha Wilshire Era.

CHAPEL HILL - The North Carolina High School Athletic Association will return to Winston-Salem for the 2023-24 men's and women's basketball championships from March 11-16.
For the first time ever, the NCHSAA basketball championships will be contested at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem.

NASH COUNTY -- For Quinton Cooley, it was the opportunity of a lifetime -- the chance to compete in the college football New Year's Day Bowl Game.
That didn't sound like an attainable proposition in the off-season when Cooley entered the transfer portal and moved from Wake Forest University to Liberty University.
Yes, Liberty has been on the rise on the gridiron for the past few years, but the Flames playing on New Year's Day?

ZEBULON -- In advance of the upcoming 2024 season at Five County Stadium, the Carolina Mudcats are hiring for select seasonal full-time positions across several departments including ticketing, stadium operations, concessions and promotions. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit carolinamudcats.com to learn more and to submit their resumes.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Joining its neighbors along the U.S. 1 corridor, Youngsville officials agreed to study the feasibility of a toll road.
Officials and staff, though, reiterated that studying the proposal is not an endorsement of a pay-to-travel concept.
In November and December, Wake Forest and Franklinton officials, respectively, adopted resolutions in favor of having the state study the concept of using toll revenue to upgrade U.S. 1 to a freeway -- from I-540 in Wake County to the Franklin County line.

BUNN ­-- Town water customers were advised to boil water before use Tuesday night and Wednesday while water samples were being taken.
While Franklin County crews repaired a water leak on Bunn Elementary School Road on Tuesday night, water had to be shut off to the town at about 7:30 p.m., said Bunn Mayor Marsha Strawbridge.