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BUNN -- Names may be familiar, but responsibilities will be much different this coming calendar year within the Bunn High School athletic program. That's because several coaches have switched positions and sports -- and that will give the Wildcats a whole new look in 2024.
Long-time assistant and former BHS multi-sport star Morgan LaRoque will take over as the head coach for the Ladycats' volleyball squad, with Casey Salter -- another ex-standout -- taking her place as assistant skipper.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- An area legend as a player, Ric Yarbrough has crossed state lines and is making at name for himself as a successful basketball coach in Virginia.
Earlier this month, Yarbrough, a Bunn High School graduate who went on to play at North Carolina Wesleyan, was named as the head boys hoops coach at Tunstall High School, which is located just outside of Danville, Va.

BUNN -- Tennis, football and even softball as an assistant next spring -- Dale Murphy has made quite a name for himself as a coach at Bunn High School.
But Murphy was a competitor on July 4 as he participated in the annual Red, White and Blue Golf Tournament at The River GC at Lake Royale.
And Murphy added to his lore by achieving the first hole-in-one of his career -- and on the challenging 11th hole at that.

ZEBULON -- The homestanding Carolina Mudcats completed a series sweep of the Lynchburg Hillcats on Sunday afternoon winning both ends of a suspended game doubleheader by scores of 4-3 and 3-1 in Minor League Baseball action at Five County Stadium.
GAME 1
After rain suspended the game last Saturday night, the contest was picked up in the top of the fourth inning with the score tied at 3-3.

CASTALIA -- It's been 15 years since family and friends saw Roger Wade Ayscue, or Kojack, as he was better known to those in the northeastern edges of Franklin County and into Castalia.
And, while it wasn't completely dark last Friday, those who still hold Kojack dear held a candlelight vigil -- shining a light on his case and hoping that their continued efforts spark someone to come forward with information on his whereabouts.

Matthew Hockaday

LOUISBURG -- The innovative Dual Language/Spanish Immersion program that's being offered at Royal Elementary School for the first time in the coming school year is off to a good start, according to Schools Superintendent Rhonda Schuhler who gave the Board of Education an update during July's board meeting.
She explained that as of July 1, 24 first graders and 19 kindergarten youngsters are enrolled in the program.

Franklinton, NC-- Alice Frazier Burchette, age 84, died July 22, 2024 at her home in Franklinton.

LOUISBURG, NC--Jimmy Sidney Strickland, 80, of Louisburg, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 18, 2024.

Jimmy was the son of the late Sidney Oliver Strickland and Lillian Pearce Strickland Moody.

SPRING HOPE, NC--Mrs. April Hodge Mullen, 70, of Spring Hope passed away on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at her home. She was born on June 24, 1954, in Franklin County, NC to the late Bloies and Marie Goodwin Hodge.

Franklinton, NC--Funeral services for Raymond "Smooth Groove" Cooke, Jr., age 45, who died on Monday, July 15, 2024, will be held on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 12 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Elder Shelton Wilkins officiating. Burial will follow in the Cooke Family Cemetery.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners changed a utilities ordinance that developers said was hamstringing growth.
By unanimous decision, the board agreed to change a 24-year-old ordinance so that it no longer requires that major subdivision developments hook onto nearby county water and sewer service -- giving developers the freedom to drill wells and use septic systems, instead.
Major subdivisions are defined as developments of at least five homes.

BUNN -- Bunn's leaders will determine whether they allow bars and taverns in their downtown district.
Deana Leggett, the operator of Bobo's Bourbon and Beer, has petitioned the town for a text amendment change that would allow bars in the town's C-1 district -- its downtown area.
It was one of the items that town planning and zoning board members discussed during their meeting on Monday.

YOUNGSVILLE -- By consensus, town commissioners told staff to take the next step toward building a Youngsville bypass.
During the board's July 11 meeting, Town Manager Nathan Page told commissioners that it will cost about $300,000 for engineers to provide the federal Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] documentation, stormwater analysis and craft an initial design for a portion of the bypass from Fleming Road through Cedar Creek Road down to Tarboro Road.

YOUNGSVILLE -- A resident has both challenged and agreed to partner with town leaders in efforts to improve traffic conditions beyond Main Street.
The Youngsville Board of Commissioners have committed finances and flexed political pressure in their efforts to speed up construction of the Youngsville bypass -- a project that the State Department of Transportation had scheduled for construction in 2050.

LOUISBURG -- Two wrecks in Franklin County last month killed a Kittrell woman and a Castalia man.
Careless and reckless driving appeared to be the connecting factor in both, separate incidents.
According to a report by Trooper C.I. Hundley, Leonel Pedraza was driving a 2009 Honda north on U.S. 401 near E.F. Cottrell at just after 1:30 p.m. on June 22 when he crossed the center line.

RALEIGH -- Chris Franks of Youngsville will receive $50,000 each year for 20 years after he tried his luck in a second-chance drawing and won a $1 million top prize.
Franks found out he won the top prize in the July 3, $10 Million Spectacular Second Chance drawing when he got an email from the lottery.
There were more than 1.9 million entries in the drawing.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Police departments in Bunn, Louisburg and Youngsville are hosting National Night Out events in August.
Bunn and Louisburg are set to host their events on Aug. 6 Bunn's event is from 6-7:30 p.m. at Bunn Town Hall and the adjacent Bunn Community Park.
The event will feature food trucks, music, free bounce houses and kids activities, along with free backpacks while they last.
Louisburg's event is set from 6-8 p.m. at Joyner Park, 224 W. River Road, Louisburg.

CASTALIA -- A man who led deputies on a chase on a tractor was treated for minor injuries sustained in the stop, authorities said.
According to authorities and published reports, just after 5 p.m. on July 11, a man attempted to get away from deputies using a tractor.
According to Franklin County Emergency Management Director Nicholas Thorpe, someone performed a pit maneuver to stop the tractor and it rolled onto its side.

DURHAM -- A Louisburg native was sworn in as Durham's newest school board member.
Wendell Tabb took the oath on July 1 as a new member of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education.
"My top priorities are school safety and security; mental health and wellness; teacher and staff retention, recruitment, and hiring; enhancing literacy skills based on grade level comprehension; and securing funding for new and renovated facilities with a focus on climate change," Tabb said

FRANKLINTON ­-- Town officials and staff are hosting a dedication ceremony for its upgraded Veterans Memorial Park.
The park offers folks an opportunity to have bricks engraved and dedicated to loved ones.
As more folks purchase new bricks to be engraved, they will be switched out with blank ones that have been laid as place holders.

If you're one of those folks who has washed and waxed your car only to find yourself watching all your hard work get specked and splattered in a sudden rain, I feel your pain.
Almost before our edition hit the street last week -- with a lead story about the drought -- the skies began to open up and the rainfall began!
Not that I'm complaining, mind you, but if I'd have known that merely writing about the drought would have prompted some much-needed rainfall, I'd have started writing about the situation a few weeks ago.

I don't know about you, but this week, I could use a bit of whimsy.
Between the lack of rain, intense heat and political whirlpool, I certainly could use a bit of distraction.
And, on Wednesday morning, I got it.
Turns out a tractor trailer overturned on Interstate 440 near Wade Avenue.

Dear editor: The comments in the July 4 Times "letter to editor" were on target except nothing was stated against Trump -- such as:
When Trump was elected president of our country the first things he did were: (1) cut taxes for the rich; (2) add 8 trillion dollars to the national debt; (3) had an affair with a porn movie star while his wife was pregnant with his baby; and (4) instigated the Jan 6 attack on our national capital and did nothing to try to stop it even as members of his cabinet were pleading for him to do so -- especially his VP.