Showing 39 articles from
April 22, 2009.
FRONT PAGE
ROSE, BISHOP
By: CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
A Louisburg man turned himself in Tuesday to face charges and allegations that he shot and killed his girlfriend.
David Bishop, 24, had been on the run since early Sunday after shooting Gabrielle Lucinda Reece in the face.
Deputies Allen Batchelor and Sgt. Gerrod Gay found her body inside a camper behind a residence at 609 Fox Ridge Road.
After talking with a witness and arresting an accomplice, Christopher Rose, investigators say Bishop induced terror both before and after the shooting.
By: CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
JUSTICE — Fifty years ago, residents from within a close-knit community decided they wanted to be able to do more than gather around and lament the loss of life or property because of fire.
They started the county’s first rural volunteer fire department.
Bernice Harris, who’s husband Baxter was one of the founding members, said the department gave the community hope.
By: CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
Commissioners told the Franklin County School Board to move forward with bidding the new Franklinton High School project.
They’re still not ready to stick any shovels in the ground, though.
The board’s unanimous decision on Monday night meets the school system’s bid advertising schedule, which was coming up against a Wednesday deadline.
The two boards have been meeting in joint sessions for the past few months figuring out the best approach for the project — do it now in a ripe bidding market or wait until economic conditions improve.
By: CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer
As he raced to the right centerfield wall, leaping to make one of the most iconic plays in sports history, Otis Nixon seemed to go as high and far as he could possibly go.
This past weekend, he came back to the place where such dreams were nurtured and made possible.
Nixon, who played at Louisburg College under legendary coach Russ Frazier before going on to a 17-year Major League Baseball career, was a special guest this weekend at the college’s annual Alumni Weekend.
By: GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher
The Louisburg town council adopted a resolution Monday night favoring a four-lane Bickett Boulevard from the current Nash Street (and NC 56 East) intersection to Oakwood Cemetery on the north side of town near where Main Street joins Bickett.
That project, which is targeted for 2012 at the earliest, is headed for the Department of Transportation’s design phase and when the design is complete will be the topic of a public hearing where both residents and officials can comment on the proposed design.
Japanese whistlers, left to right, Massae Toyahashi and Ryosuke Takeuchi entertain students at Crosscreek Charter School on Tuesday morning. Both entertainers will join competitors from around the world today (Wednesday) as the International Whistlers Convention begins at Louisburg College. Tom Bryant, also known as “Whistling Tom” performed at the school, as well.
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
If you believe -- as we at The Franklin Times have repeatedly contended -- that government by ambush is a truly bad idea, you need to be paying attention.
At issue is a proposal winding its way through the complexities of the North Carolina General Assembly that will have a direct impact on the finances of many of the state’s households.
Under current state law, a town or city can, with minimal fanfare, simply annex areas it wants -- and the residents being annexed have no say in what happens.
GOOD MORNING: Whoop-de-do! I commented when I turned my Saturday column in Friday that it was gonna light up all you ol’ G. Dubya die-hards.
And between Jay Lamm and myself, we managed to set off a conflagration.
My apologies to Mack and Sen. Richard Burr regarding the remark I made about our good senator “grabbing a big bailout bonus for himself,” however, in view of the fact that the funds he directed his wife to withdraw from ATM machines were probably their own.
I’ve always lived by this rule: If you ask someone a question, don’t be afraid of the answer.
And if you don’t want to know, don’t ask.
I thought about this as the Miss USA pageant made headlines earlier this week.
During the finals on Sunday, Miss California was asked her stance on gay marriage.
Obviously, it’s a topical question. Should it have been a pageant question?
Who knows.
Last Week’s Poll
Who should control ABC stores?
Should local control of ABC stores be taken away from municipalities who depend on the revenue generated from liquor sales?
Dear Editor:
Mrs. N. Pastuer was found murdered in December 2006. The Franklin Times and other news media have been following the trial of Mr. Pastuer for the homicide of Mrs. Pastuer. Her untimely death was heartbreaking to members of her family. The staff at Safe Space Inc. also felt grief and sadness over a senseless death of a woman who was known for her gentleness and caring for her family and friends.
Dear Editor:
When President Obama was elected, I decided to do what the liberals refused to do with President Bush, and that is to give him a chance.
After all, I do believe we all do make mistakes, and maybe I did with Obama. But I can’t any more, for I just found out that the Department of Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano (appointed by Obama), believes that I am a threat to our government.
Many times, a high ranking is good, but not always. Unfortunately, one ranking North Carolina currently has falls into the “wish we didn’t have it” category. This is our statewide unemployment rate, which as of February, stood at 10.7 percent. We have the fourth highest jobless rate behind Michigan, South Carolina and Oregon.
The bad news is this rate will likely go higher. Even if the economy begins to pull out of the recession by year’s end – as many economists predict – the ranks of the unemployed will continue to swell, probably into 2010.
OBITUARIES
ZEBULON - Joan Marie Anthony Ramsey, 77, died Sunday, April 19, 2009. A Celebration of Life service will be conducted at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday, April 22) in the chapel of Strickland Funeral Home, Wendell. The Rev. Joseph Lapauw of St. Eugene’s Catholic Church will preside over the service and burial following in Gethsemane Memorial Gardens, Zebulon.
ZEBULON - Joseph “Joe” Reuben Saunders, 85, died Sunday, April 19, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Funeral services were Tuesday, April 21, at Heritage Baptist Church, with the Rev. David Dupree officiating. Burial will be at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday, April 22) at Gethsemane Memorial Gardens, 809 W. Gannon Avenue, Zebulon.
WAKE FOREST - Gabrielle Lucinda Reece, 19, died Sunday, April 29, 2009. Services will be conducted at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in the chapel of Bright Funeral Home, Wake Forest.
ZEBULON - Brooks Deans, 57, owner of B. M. W. Electric of Zebulon, died Sunday, April 19, 2009. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday, April 22) at Massey Funeral Home in Zebulon. Burial will follow in the Hopkins Chapel Baptist Church cemetery.
CASTALIA - Funeral services for Johnnie Lancaster, 89, who died Monday, April 20, 2009, will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday, April 24, at Greater Mt. Zion Holiness Church, with the Rev. Arthur Harrison officiating. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery.
FRANKLINTON - Mary Ola McAlister, age 85, of Franklinton, formerly of Bostic, NC, passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2009 at home in Franklinton after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Mary was born on July 13, 1923 in Ellenboro, NC, daughter of the late Leroy and Essie Dobbins.
LOUISBURG – Ruth Choplin Murphy, 62, of Louisburg, died Saturday afternoon.
SPORTS
By: Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
BUNN -- North Johnston and Bunn are expected to be among the fast-pitch softball titans in the newly realigned Class 2-A Northern Carolina Conference beginning next season.
That’s when North Johnston will move up from the 1-A level, while Bunn will remain in the league as a holdover.
Southern Vance, the current leader in this year’s NCC standings, will move up to 3-A. Louisburg will join North Johnston among the newcomers, with holdovers Roanoke Rapids and Franklinton also expected to field competitive teams.
By: Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
BUNN -- The past and current faces of Bunn football are teaming together this spring to lead the school’s boys and girls track and field programs.
Former BHS gridiron leader David Howle, who retired following last year’s football campaign, is overseeing the girls team.
Chris Miller, who was chosen to succeed Howle, is leading the boys squad against the titans of the Northern Carolina Conference.
ROANOKE RAPIDS -- The much-anticipated showdown between Franklinton and host Roanoke Rapids was supposed to be a duel for the top spot in the Northern Carolina Conference girls soccer standings.
But it wasn’t much of a duel at all, as the Yellow Jackets rolled to a stunning 8-0 decision over Franklinton on Monday night at Hoyle Field on the RRHS campus.
The Franklin Times County Track and Field Meet will have its annual renewal this Saturday at the Bunn High School Football Field.
Defending girls and boys champion Franklinton will be entered, as will host Bunn. Louisburg, because of a school-related commitment, will not be attending this spring.
Each of the county’s middle schools -- Cedar Creek, Bunn and Terrell Lane -- will be in attendance.
Action is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Admission is $5 per person, and concessions will be available.
By: Dave Buck, Times Correspondent
RALEIGH -- Two streaks ended Sunday night as the New Jersey Devils defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in overtime Sunday night to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoff series.
The Devils, losers of their past six playoff games at the RBC Center, used an overtime goal by Travis Zajac to exorcise their postseason demons and pull out a 3-2 decision.
By: Geoff Neville, Times Sportswriter
LOUISBURG -- You can’t ask for more than perfection -- and that’s what the Louisburg College baseball squad was able to achieve last weekend.
That’s when the Hurricanes went on the road and swept a four-game Region X series at the University of South Carolina-Lancaster.
The successful weekend was yet another sign that Louisburg may very well be playing its best baseball of the season heading into the annual Region X Tournament in early May.
BURLINGTON -- Top-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan beat Shenandoah twice on Sunday to win the USA South Conference Tournament championship at Burlington Athletic Stadium.
Senior Jonathan Shearon, a Louisburg High School alum, claimed one of the tourney mound victories for the Battling Bishops.
After winning the first game to force a deciding contest, the Bishops knocked off the Hornets 6-2 to earn the title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
ZEBULON -- Juan Francisco and Sean Henry homered, while Dallas Buck won his second straight start as Carolina won its 2009 home opener 12-3 over first-place Huntsville before 2,788 fans at Five County Stadium in a Class AA Southern League baseball matchup.
Buck (W, 2-0) littered seven hits over six innings as the Mudcats (5-6) snapped a four-game losing streak. Buck’s only turbulence was third inning trouble, however with the Stars (5-6) loading the bases with one out and already a run in, Vinny Rottino grounded into a double play, one of a franchise-tying five turned by Carolina.
LIFESTYLES
The third of three Spring concerts at Cherry Hill Plantation in Warren County will feature the Quercus Quartet on Sunday, May 10. They will perform works from Bach, Beethoven and Schuman at 3 p.m.
The quartet includes Carol Chung, violin; David Marschall, viola; Bonnie Thron, cello; and Frank Pittman, piano.
SCHOOLS/EDUCATION
Franklin County Schools’ kindergarten registration will continue through the end of April.
Requirements for the upcoming school year have changed. Children must be age 5 on or before Aug. 31, 2009 to be eligible to attend.
Ashley Person of Louisburg, a senior nutrition major at East Carolina University’s College of Human Ecology in Greenville, won first place in the poster presentation division of the college’s 2009 Kappa Omicron Nu (KON) Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum, held on March 25.
Person’s poster presentation, “Young Children as Consumers Enjoy Eating Popsicles Containing Flaxseed Oil as an Ingredient,” won over 20 finalists representing the college’s nutrition, child development, and interior design, and merchandising academic programs.
Keith Alston of Louisburg received a degree in sport management from Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem after completing the Fall 08 semester.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Curves For Women in Franklinton held a food drive in March, collecting 700 pounds of food that was distributed in coordination with the Franklinton Senior Center last week. The food fed about 35 people. From left to right are Curves operator Serena Smith, Center nutrition cycle volunteer Evelyn Harris, Center operator Patrick Woods, and volunteers Barbara Perry and Mary Pender.
The White Level Baptist Church Relay for Life team decided to add a bit more sugar to a cake
The team is hosting a cake auction this Sunday in memory of Tracy Green, wife of Sheriff Pat Green who died in November.
Green was a longtime member of the church and gave her all to Relay for Life, friends and family said.
Donna Truett of Franklinton has a written a book entitled “Enchanted Fate,” which has been published by PublishAmerica, a traditional publishing company whose primary goal is to encourage and promote the works of new, previously undiscovered writers.
The book is the story of a girl named Hanna who lost her fiancé in a supposed tragic accident. Through a series of events, Hanna learned that her fiancé was actually murdered. Hanna and her close friends felt that they were also in danger. Throughout her ordeal, Hanna rekindled a friendship that slowly turned to love.
LOUISBURG - The Franklin County United Way Day of Caring is returning to its roots.
Now in its 15th year, FCUW will have the community volunteer event Sept. 12. The event has been during May in recent years but started off as a fall project in the beginning years of the organization.
The decision to move the event from May to September was unanimously made Tuesday, April 21, by the UWFC board of directors, according to FCUW Executive Director Kathy Harrelson.
Army Pvt. Cherish G. Gillis has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.
By: GARY CUNARD, Times Publisher
“Overwhelmed,” was the way a greatly relieved and quite tired Dewey Botts described this weekend’s third historic homes tour sponsored by the Person Place Preservation Society.
“I was moved to tears,” he said, noting the almost perfect weather and the large turnout that made the event a successful fund-raiser. Botts served as chairman of the tour which is held about every other year to showcase the county’s treasure trove of historical properties.
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