Recent Articles

Zebulon, NC--Funeral services for Hamilton "Ham" Woods, Jr., age 19, who died on Sunday, January 29, 2023, will be held on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 3:30 p.m. from the Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville, with Rev. Melvin Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in the Pine Forest Memorial Gardens.

Robert passed peacefully from this life the morning of January 31, 2022 after a gradual decline in health. Bob, as he was affectionately known, was born in Gary, Indiana to Jasper and Mary Sykes where he attended Roosevelt High School. He matriculated at Fisk University in Nashville TN where he earned a B.A. in Philosophy in 1969. Following his education at Fisk he pursued graduate classes at seminary studying the theology of the book of Revelations.

Louisburg, NC--Memorial service for Jacqueline "Jackie" Alston, age 55, who died on Thursday, January 26, 2023, will be held on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 1 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Elder Tony Foster officiating.

Louisburg, NC--Funeral services for Susie Novella Branch, age 88, who died on Saturday, January 28, 2023, will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Michael Alston officiating.

Louisburg, NC -- Andrew "Buddy" Mazzio, 69, of Brentwood, LI, passed away on January 11, 2023. He passed peacefully at WakeMed hospital surrounded by family. Services for Buddy will be held in Hampton Bays, LI, on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

LOUISBURG, NC--Archie Clay Perdue, 74, of Louisburg, North Carolina, passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2023 after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

BRONX, NY -- Pattie Vernell Foster-Burroughs died Jan. 17, 2023. She was born April 1, 1936 in New York, New York, the daughter of the late Howard Foster and Ito Fogg.

Florida - Julie Elizabeth Collins passed away on December 29, 2022, at the age of 63. Julie was born on September 1, 1959.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration went was executed without a keynote speaker.
However, the word was given.
The event, hosted by the MLK Jr. Committee, marked its 17th anniversary on Saturday.
Joe Cutchins Jr., part of local efforts to recognize the slain civil rights leader since the beginning, said Saturday was just as much about King as the folks who made sure that his legacy was felt and remembered in Franklinton and Franklin County.

Members of the Truth Ministry Church of God of Prophecy Praise Dancers were part of the entertainment during Franklinton Martin Luther King Jr. Day of celebration last Saturday.

LOUISBURG -- As a Representative with the General Assembly, Matthew Winslow has shown up at many meetings with ceremonial checks or legislation to bolster the community.
As chair of Franklin County's Committee of 100, he's asked the community to support the county's business and industrial efforts.
As a homebuilder, he's provided plenty of folks with their new home.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners agreed to continue moving forward with plans to develop a new Youngsville convenience center site.
During the board's Jan. 17 meeting, commissioners selected MESCO, a Garner-based civil and sanitary engineering company, to provide the final design work and construction administration for the solid waste site.
MESCO has already done the preliminary draft site layout for the center at 2275 Long Mill Road.

It's hard to believe but this is the last edition of The Franklin Times you'll receive -- well, at least in January, 2023.
The first month of this new year has really flown by and already we're looking at February and all it's likely to bring.
But as we work through the last few days of this month, we can be thankful that all that rain we have received recently fell when the mercury was well above the freezing point.

I've been in this business, roughly, since my sophomore year in college -- 1997.
Strangely enough, within the past week, I came across two pieces of news; one where I didn't bat an eye and another that left me totally dumbfounded.
In 25 years, I'm kind of surprised that both things can still happen at the same time.
Unless you've been under a rock, or on a total media blackout, you're probably aware that our state auditor, Beth Wood, is embroiled in a hit and run controversy.

Dear editor,
People talk about the swamp in Washington. What about the quagmire in Raleigh?
A State Auditor's car that belongs to the state should have two GPS Units -- one that's installed by manufacturer and one that's installed by the state to keep track of the location of vehicle and how it's being driven.

Dear editor:
First, I am thankful that you are better, Gary. You were missed.
Your recovery time made me appreciate the work that you, Carey, and your staff do.
Keeping a pulse on our community and the world at large brings insight into issues and concerns that keeps the public informed.

CENTERVILLE -- Franklin County fire officials continue to investigate the cause of a house fire that claimed the life of a Franklin County man.
Cameron Burnette died from injuries he sustained in the Jan. 15 fire on Laurel Mill Centerville Road.
"The investigation is still ongoing and extensive," said Franklin County Fire Marshal Trey Evans.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners reduced the footprint of a fire district that was hampering downtown business development.
As Fire District 1 was initially designed, buildings within 150 feet of Main Street, from College Street to Nassau Street, could only be built using stone or brick -- a precaution to limit fire potential.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town staff have taken steps to bolster cyber security and spruce up Main Street.
Each of those updates was provided during the Youngsville Board of Commissioner's Jan. 12 meeting.
First, Town Attorney Katie Barber-Jones shared with the board that she and Police Capt. Brandon Lemons have developed an information, security and data breach response policy and put in place plans to bolster the town's cyber security.

Louisburg Senior Center has a monthly billiard tournament, the second Friday of each month. This month's winners, left to right: third place, Larry Davis; first place JB Wheless; and second place Melvin Kelly.

Louisburg Senior Center has a cornhole tournament every second Monday of the month. This month's winners were the Wheless brothers, from left: second place, JB Wheless and first place Joe Wheless.

FRANKLINTON -- It was just another day at the office for the Bunn High School Wildcats -- which meant the rest of the Big East Conference might as well have called in sick.
Bunn, which has morphed into an area mat dynasty in recent years, defended its team crown last Saturday at the annual Big East Wrestling Championships, which were held at the Franklinton High School Gymnasium.

BUNN HIGH SCHOOL'S DAMARION WATKINS BIG EAST MVP