Recent Articles

Louisburg, NC -- Betty Robertson Holmes, 89, of Louisburg passed away on Monday, March 17, 2025. She was born to the late Johnnie Doyle and Clellie Kearney Robertson in Franklin County, NC, on May 5, 1935.

Louisburg, NC -- Memorial services for John Wesley Perry, age 79, who died on Saturday, March 15, 2025, will be held Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 2 p.m. at the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. Geraldine Reynolds officiating.

Youngsville, NC -- Michael (Mickey) Ryland Rogers, 63, of Youngsville, NC passed away on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at Hospice House in Raleigh, NC.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Geraldine (Gerry) Owen Parsons, 101, of Louisburg passed away peacefully at Franklin Oaks Nursing Home on March 20, 2025.

FRANKLINTON -- Rescue and recovery crews continued to look for a missing youngster, feared to have drowned in the Tar River.
Emergency crews began searching as early as 5:30 p.m. on Monday when they responded to a call that a seven-year-old was missing around the Tar River near Hodges Road -- a farmland area that backs up to the river about half a mile to a mile away.
The boy was believed to have been out playing with friends when he fell into the river.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Youngsville commissioners got a preliminary look at the town's spending plan for 2025-26 -- and already had to make some cost-cutting measures.
During the board's budget work session March 14, Town Manager Nathan Page presented the board with $6.2 million in requests with only $5.9 million in projected revenues.

LOUISBURG -- Almost a year ago, the pastor of a church in the Wood community asked commissioners to help restore the tranquil nature of the neighborhood -- primarily by quelling gunfire.
Wood Baptist Church pastor Steve Nobles told commissioners on Monday night that he's had informal conversations with Commissioner Mark Speed, but nothing has changed to improve the quality of living for he and his neighbors surrounding the church.

CENTERVILLE -- Henry Nelms has spent a lifetime helping his community as a firefighter.
His efforts have not gone unnoticed.
This past Saturday, during the fire department's semi-annual plate sale fundraiser, representatives with the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal presented him with their Lifetime Achievement Award -- recognizing his 65 years of service to the Centerville Volunteer Fire Department and the community.

FRANKLINTON -- A Virginia-based bank has applied for a permit to open a branch in Franklinton.
If successful, it'll be the first bank in town since First Citizens closed its doors more than a decade ago.
Benchmark President and CEO Neil Burke said by email that the Kenbridge, Va.-based bank applied to the Federal Reserve Commission in early March to open a branch in downtown Franklinton.

Stuart May, Roxanne Bragg and Tommy Piper

SPRING HOPE -- A Spring Hope man has been jailed on felony charges after reportedly admitting that he shot at a car allegedly involved in a burglary at his home. The car contained four young men, one of which was shot in the head and is now in critical condition.
Zachary Bryant, 30, of 7949 Savage Road, Spring Hope is charged with four felonies: assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury, and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Bond was set at $500,000 after Bryant had a court appearance Monday, March 17.

LOUISBURG -- The case against a second defendant in a Dollar General store crime spree where suspects shot at officers was declared exceptional.
As such, Shamyah Battle won't appear back in court until such time as motions or other court business is requested by prosecutors or defense attorneys.
The designation takes the matter off the case management calender and, most often, places it under the authority of a singular judge.
It's a designation most often used in complicated or multiple-party matters.

FRANKLINTON -- Town officials silenced a business opportunity before petitioners got a legit chance to fire their shot.
Jason Mendieta and Matthew Stutzman had proposed opening a retail gun store at 102 E. Green Street.
To do that, though, they needed two actions from Franklinton commissioners:

We made it!
It's finally spring.
And there is ample evidence all around as Mother Nature wakes up from a frigid winter and the doldrums are replaced by warmer weather, ample sunshine and a whole different attitude.
Officially spring began at 5:01 a.m. this morning, Thursday, March 20.

If you've read this column, paid attention to our front page or driven through downtown Youngsville in the past decade, or so, you know that congestion is a problem.
You also probably know that the town -- and the county, finally -- have been and are working on ways to expedite construction of a bypass that would take commuter traffic off Main Street and adjacent residential streets -- clearing the town's main artery for local traffic.

Dear editor:
As our county experiences unprecedented growth, the needs of our citizens are expanding just as rapidly.
Property taxes are rising, county revenues are surging, and yet, essential public facilities have not kept pace with this population boom.

Dear editor: About the time you feel that our elected Senators and Representatives are acting like children, they seem to carry their behavior to a new level.
The entire Democrat delegation that refused to stand and recognize the youngster fighting cancer or the mother and sister of the student brutally slain in Georgia by an illegal alien, or the young man whose father was a policeman and killed in the line of duty and was appointed to West Point.

PIANO TRIO TO PERFORM. The Neave Piano Trio will perform at Cherry Hill on Sunday, March 23, with a program beginning at 3 p.m. followed by a reception in the dining room and parlors of the 1858 plantation house after the performance. Formed in 2010, the Neave Trio has earned praise for its engaging performances. The word "Neave" is Gaelic for "bright" and "radiant," both of which apply to the trio's music, according to several music critics. The group consists of violinist Anna Williams, cellist Mikhail Veselov, and pianist Eri Nakamura and has performed at many prominent concert series and festivals worldwide.

Town staff and officials, from left, Carson Pridgen, Will Doerfer, Emily Hurd, Fonzie Flowers, Cat Redd, Nathan Page and Lucy Garcia in front take part in the 5-K and sesquicentennial festivities.

Above, Corey Hudgins leads a pack of runners who made their way along the 5-K course around and through Youngsville's downtown, starting and stopping at the Yacht Club.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Funeral services for Bobby King, age 81, who died on Monday, March 10, 2025, were held Tuesday, March 18, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home in Louisburg. Burial followed in the Cemetery on the Hill.

TEXAS -- Betty Jeanne Moore Leonard, 90, of New Braunfels, Texas entered into eternal peace with our Lord and Savior on March 14, 2025.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Albert Daylon Inscoe was born on October 27, 1943, to the late Preston and Pearl Inscoe, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on March 16, 2025.