Recent Articles

LOUISBURG, NC -- Danny Kaye Matthews, 74, of Louisburg, died Thursday evening, September 15, 2022 at his home.

RALEIGH, NC -- Gray Smith Haithcock, 87, of Raleigh, died Wednesday night, September 14, 2022.

RALEIGH, NC-- Sallie Alford Pappas, 95, of Raleigh, NC, died September 14, 2022.

You can say one thing about this post-Labor Day period, it has certainly placed Youngsville in the spotlight.
And not in a good way, either.
It's hard to feel sorry for Youngsville. It's growing, vibrant, has a plan for getting ahead of the growth and traffic and it has enjoyed very good leadership in recent years.

COVID is still with us. In fact, the number of reported cases in Franklin County Schools has more than doubled over the last two weeks.
Two weeks ago, some 45 cases were being reported but as of last Friday, the most recent COVID update, some 108 cases were being reported in the schools.
That week, Bunn High School had the highest number with 16, followed by 10 cases at Cedar reek Middle School and nine each at Royal and Terrell Lane.

Franklin County first responders, including fire, rescue units and law enforcement officers gathered last Friday to recognize the heroes, survivors and those who perished during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which rocked New York, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and the world. During the ceremony on Friday, crews raised a giant flag in the middle of Main Street in front of the Franklin County Courthouse.

No more Louisburg High School?
The school could be in for a name change as early as next month as part of an effort to "rebrand" it.
The Board of Education was presented with a proposal Monday night by Melissa Thomas, LHS principal, and Dr. Danyelle Parker, executive director of secondary education and CTE that would add the word "Magnet" to the school's name.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Over the objections of hundreds, town commissioners agreed to rezone more than 350 acres, making way for a development that could double the town's size.
Fort Mill, SC-Based BRD Land and Investment LP petitioned the town to rezone two parcels between Fleming and Hicks roads -- 224.75 acres and 126.73 acres -- from Single-Family Residential to Traditional Neighborhood Development Overlay, which would allow for more development per acre.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners approved efforts to fast-track a northern bypass design that could pump traffic away from its congested heart of town -- Main Street.
In November 2021, the Federal Infrastructure Bill allotted funds to remove unsafe railroad crossings.

EPSOM -- Franklin County moved one step closer to developing a long-gestating park project in its northwest region.
The State Parks and Recreation Authority awarded more than $17 million in Parks and Recreation Trust Fund money to provide support to 39 local parks and recreation projects, including $434,625 for Epsom Park.

Justice resident and Brig. Gen. (retired) John A. Byrd

WAKE FOREST -- A 33-year-old Wake Forest man is slated to appear in court later this fall on murder charges.
Wake Forest police arrested Terrance J'Von Hartsfield on Sept. 7, hours after he arrived in the Youngsville Police Department with a dead body in his car.
Authorities identified the woman as Jacqueline Beckwith, a 54-year-old woman who family claimed had at one time been involved in an abusive relationship with Hartsfield.

Above, auctioneer E.B. Harris dazzles the crowd and raises bids during an auction that was part of Dinner in the Meadow, an annual event that benefits the Leonard-Mobley Small Farm Fund, which provides a $5,000 grant to a deserving small farmer.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Wake Prep has worked "diligently and tirelessly" to improve hours-long traffic congestion that motorists faced when the charter school opened on Capital Boulevard.
After delaying opening day for two weeks to install traffic signalization recommended by the State Department of Transportation and required by county planning, Wake Preparatory Academy held its first day of classes on Sept. 6.

At every professional news stop I've ever made, I've covered law enforcement and the court system to some degree.
That means that when the cops showed up in a neighborhood to arrest someone accused of trying to ruin someone's day, by you know, poking them with a sharp object, introducing hot lead into a negotiation or hosting a meeting between their fist and someone's face, I too, attended these proceedings.

LOUISBURG -- A Rocky Mount man who fled local police on a dirt bike has been arrested.
Louisburg police allege a man was riding a dirt bike along Bickett Boulevard with no helmet the afternoon of Aug. 20.
The man, later identified as Devonte Sykes, then proceeded onto N.C. 56 and escaped into a wooded area.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested two Franklinton relatives in a domestic dispute.
Initially, Franklinton police responded to the 400 block of S. Main Street to a call of an argument involving a firearm at about 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 12.
Ultimately, there was no firearm involved, authorities said.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Conventional wisdom stated that Bunn, with zero matches under its belt to date during the 2022 season, would not be able to stack up against a tested Rocky Mount club on Monday in the Big East Conference boys soccer opener.
Bunn, which didn't even have a new coach until August, got a late start to the campaign, in part due to the coaching vacancy. The Wildcats didn't schedule a non-league match as is the usual custom.

LOUISBURG -- Coach Tom Harris' self-analysis 'roller-coaster season' to date for his Franklinton Lady Rams was exemplified in one match last Thursday -- but it concluded with Harris' club elevating toward a clutch Big East Conference triumph.
Taking on rival Louisburg, the Lady Rams were sharp in the first set, were no match for LHS in the second set and appeared on their way to dropping the key third set -- until making a furious late rally.

FRANKLINTON -- A rebuilding Franklinton squad met up with the current Queens of the Court in the Big East Conference last Thursday -- and the result was rather predictable.
Rocky Mount, the defending Big East girls tennis champion, rolled to a 9-0 overall decision over the Lady Rams, dropping just six games along the way in league action at the FHS Courts.

LOUISBURG -- For the second consecutive week, the Louisburg Warriors piled up the offensive numbers -- and the points -- while securing a home victory in non-league football action.
The Warriors, fresh off their lopsided triumph over South Wake Home School, continued their strong early-campaign work last Friday night with a 42-8 decision over Washington County at the LHS Football Field.