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LOUISBURG -- Almost half of the United Way's Board of Directors -- those who supported keeping its former executive director -- resigned this week, an exodus that comes just more than a month after a majority of the board ousted Kathy Harrelson.
During the board's Nov. 17 meeting, directors in attendance voted 8-4 to remove Harrelson as the executive director.
There was no announced reason for the ouster, but Harrelson said she was removed because of personality conflicts she had with board Chair Kevin Potter and Treasurer Michael Schriver.

LOUISBURG -- There was a note of cautious optimism about the future of medical care in central Franklin County during Monday night's Louisburg town council meeting.
Council member and attorney Boyd Sturges said he is "cautiously optimistic" that progress is being made to return at least an Emergency Department to the former Franklin Regional Medical Center building abandoned by Novant Healthcare in October.

When you mix kids, critters and Santa, the result is almost always big smiles -- and that's true in these photos. In the photo above, Casey and Ashley Salter met with Santa at the Franklin County Animal Shelter last Saturday, hoping to convince the big guy (and their mom) to take home a doggy from the shelter.

LOUISBURG -- The filing period for the spring primary and general election ended with a flurry, promising party battles in the spring and political wars in the fall.
And the school board will feature non partisan races that will be decided in the primary election in March.
Following the noon deadline on Monday, Dec. 21, the following local races will feature a battle for party nominations in March.
• Republicans Roger Lytle and Danny Pearce have filed for the Commission District 7 At-large seat held by Democrat Shane Mitchell, and will battle in the spring for their party's nomination.

Franklin County Sheriff's Office Investigators Candice Pegram, center, and Rhonda Coyne, right, help youngster Troy check out Christmas gifts this week during the Shop with a Cop event, hosted by the United Way of Franklin County and the sheriff's office.

Clerk of Court Patricia Burnette Chastain and St. Nick

Today's the big day before the Really Big Day so I trust that by now you're either ready or you wouldn't be reading this on Christmas Eve.
For some reason, it's had to believe that Christmas is here -- possibly because the weather thus far this year has been unseasonably mild.
But it's here and there have been a few pre-Christmas events that deserve a bit of a mention.
Foremost among those, perhaps, was the joint holiday luncheon sponsored by the Franklin County Board of Education with the Franklin County Commissioners invited as guests of honor.

Here it is Christmas Eve and some of us haven't yet made our wish list for Santa Claus.
Maybe it's­ the weather, maybe it's just procrastination or perhaps it's just been a rough year that left so many of us exhausted and frustrated!
But with the economy struggling despite what Janet Yellen and the Fed apparently believe, wars and terrorism a global concern and us Americans looking ahead to an election season that will likely end next fall with either a coronation, a revolution or a coup following what promises to be a truly bizarre election process, it's time to relax a moment and enjoy the calm holiday season.

There have been plenty of times I've stared intently at a television screen for an hour, a theater screen for two hours or a computer screen for hours on end and, upon completion, said to myself: "what the heck just happened?"
It's usually some twisted television show, a densely plotted movie or an engrossing website that prompts that reaction.
But, most recently, it's been work that has prompted me to say: what the heck just happened?"

Traditionally, Christmas and New Year's political op-eds are very similar in format. The reason is because most of them are written well ahead of time so that the writers can take the end of the month off to enjoy family.
I decided to take a look at the bigger picture this week and zero in on a little more local stuff for the New Year's edition.
There are a few "gifts" and a story all voters need to keep in mind as the barrage of information intensifies.

FRANKLINTON--Nellda Munn Ball, 89, a lifetime resident of Granville County, died at her home on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church by the Rev. Don Owen. Entombment will follow at the church cemetery.

FRANKLINTON --Dollie Gale Plott Strickland, 68, died Monday, Dec. 21, 2015. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27, at Pokomoke Cowboy Church, 3516 West River Rd., Franklinton, with Pastor Spencer Strickland officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 2 to 3 p.m. at the church.

LOUISBURG - Martin J. Opyd Sr., 94, died Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015 at his home in the company of family and friends.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Rachel Kearney Davis, 86 of Fayetteville, formerly of Franklinton died Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Arrangements were incomplete at press time.

LOUISBURG - Few teams experience a 46-point swing during their basketball season meetings, but that's exactly what happened this year between Louisburg and Bunn.
The Warriors invaded Bunn earlier in the campaign and left with a 27-point victory as the Wildcats were without their football players.
But even with those performers back, nobody expected the dramatic plot twist that occurred during Monday's rematch at the Taylor Center on the campus of Louisburg College.

BUNN -- Bunn is once again the favorite to claim the Northern Carolina Conference girls basketball championship, though BHS coach Matt Keith thinks the road toward a title will be much more challenging this time around.
"The conference is a lot better this year across the board,'' Keith said. "I think we were the only team who graduated a player who was all-conference last season. There aren't going to be a lot of blowouts.''

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has released its rough draft for the next realignment -- and not everyone in Franklin County is happy about it.
Under the proposed realignment, which will run for four school years beginning in the Fall of 2017, the three county high schools will all be in different leagues and classifications for the first time in history.

ATLANTA -- There is a saying that permeates inside the Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center and Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University: If something good happens, keep playing. If something bad happens, keep playing.
There was plenty of good and bad that happened to N.C. A&T during the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl last Saturday afternoon.
The Aggies withstood it all in front of a national television audience on ABC to win the school's third HBCU National Football Championship with a 41-34 victory over SWAC champion Alcorn State at the Georgia Dome.

CHAPEL HILL -- Wells Fargo, along with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, has announced the final standings in the Wells Fargo Conference Cup competitions for the 2015 fall sports season.
The Wells Fargo Cup award, sponsored by Wells Fargo and the NCHSAA, recognizes the schools that achieve the best overall interscholastic athletic performance within each of the state's four competitive classifications.

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- It's tournament time in Franklin County as both Louisburg and Bunn will be participating in holiday basketball events.
Louisburg's boys and girls will both be in action at the Southern Vance Christmas Tournament in Henderson.
The four-team event will be held Dec. 29-30 at the SVHS Gymnasium.
Louisburg's girls will meet Southern Vance at 5 p.m. in the semifinals on Dec. 29, followed by a meeting between the school's boys teams at 6:30 p.m.

LOUISBURG -- Few observers will dispute the assessment that Bernadette 'Butterball' Cooke is one of the best penetrating and dishing point guards in recent Bunn High School girls basketball history.
But somebody has to be available to receive those passes, and that's where sophomore transfer Cressida Duncan comes in.
Bunn already had Aaliyah Simmons in the paint, and Duncan provides a perfect complement -- and gives Cooke even more options when she finds her way into the paint.

BUNN -- Franklinton split a pair of contests last Friday night at Northern Carolina Conference rival Bunn.
The Red Rams rallied to pull out a 55-51 decision over the host Wildcats in the boys matchup.
In girls action, Bunn was a 52-35 winner.
The Ladycats raced to a 13-5 cushion after one period and never looked back thanks in part to a combined 31 points from Precious Walker (16) and Cressida Duncan (15).

ZEBULON -- The Atlanta Braves have announced their 2016 minor league field staff assignments.
The assignments include Manager Ralph "Rocket" Wheeler who was appointed as the new manager of the Carolina Mudcats.
Returning to the Mudcats are both pitching coach Derrick Lewis and hitting coach Carlos Mendez.
Trainer Nick Flynn rounds out the Mudcats' 2016 field staff assignments.

HENDERSON -- Vance-Granville Community College recently signed six student-athletes to join the Vanguards women's volleyball team in 2016, including several recruits from local high schools.
A "signing day" ceremony was held on the college's Main Campus, at which each student formally signed.
The recruits include two seniors on the Warriors varsity volleyball squad at J.F. Webb High School in Oxford: Hannah Arneth of Oxford and Allyson Cash of Grassy Creek. Another signee is Katie Weary of Grassy Creek, a current VGCC student and graduate of J.F. Webb.

HENDERSON -- Two Vance-Granville Community College women's volleyball players were formally presented with their regional honors during halftime of a VGCC men's basketball game on Dec. 2 at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson.
Kara Reese of Henderson was named to the All-Region Second Team by coaches in National Junior College Athletic Association Region X.
Jesse Edwards of Henderson received an Honorable Mention for the All-Region team.

Cressida Duncan has been a much-improved star for the Bunn Ladycats' girls basketball squad this season.

Bunn's Ikesha Little tries to find room to drive toward the basket during Tuesday's home conference conquest against the Warren County Lady Eagles at the Bunn Dome.

After a successful stint with the Bunn High School footballers, Tray Terrell (with ball) has rejoined the Wildcats' boys basketball program under Coach Patrick Reynell.

Bunn's Jordan Whitman won't be denied on this strong drive during Monday's road triumph against the Louisburg Warriors in boys non-conference basketball action.

Marion Stuart Davis (1877-1959), a civil engineer and architect with deep roots in Franklin County, had a significant impact on the built environment of Louisburg and developed a successful practice that resulted in the construction of churches and educational buildings throughout central and eastern North Carolina.
Davis was one of nine children of Matthew Smart Davis, who served for many years as the headmaster of Louisburg Male Academy and, from 1896 to 1906, as president of Louisburg Female College. His mother was Sarah Louisa Hill.

Terrell Lane Middle School Assistant Principal Brian Biles recently "won" a contest -- but whether it was a win or not is perhaps debatable. Earlier in the year, school media specialist Laura Aldridge set a goal of selling one book for every student -- and students responded by making over $2,500 in sales. With each book sold, students got to cast a vote to see who they would most like to see kiss a pig. Biles captured almost 50 percent of the vote -- and recently puckered up to kiss Penny the Pig as evidenced in this photo. Profits used from the event will be used to add new books and materials at the library.

HENDERSON -- The Franklin County Community Foundation has announced the availability of small grants to teachers in Franklin County from its Education Fund.
The mini-grants program was established to encourage creativity in effective teaching throughout the Franklin County School System.
All public school teachers and support personnel in grades pre-K through 12 are eligible to apply for grants between $100 and $350 for classroom projects or enrichment programs.

A Franklin County teacher was recently awarded a $2,890 Bright Ideas grants from Wake Electric at the 13th annual Bright Ideas Awards Luncheon. The luncheon was recently held at the Dail Club at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.
These grants will be used for a variety of classroom programs throughout the school year. Tommy Kemp of Franklinton High received the grant for a project called "Building to Code."

LOUISBURG -- A Henderson man was killed last week.
According to the State Highway Patrol, Leander Henderson was driving a 2007 Volkswagen south on Walter Grissom Road near U.S. 401 when he ran off the road to the right and hit a tree the morning of Dec. 17.
Emergency crews responded to the 8 a.m. accident, but Henderson, 53, died as a result of his injuries.

LOS ANGELES -- Louisburg native Tensie Taylor was recognized by the mayor of Los Angeles recently for work with her alma mater, the University of Southern California, Los Angeles foster youth and her passion to end bullying.
Mayor Eric Garcetti presented Taylor with the Dinner Committee Member of Inspiration during a festive, red carpet event at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, former home of the Oscars.

Above, Deputy Denny Buchanan reaches for gifts on the top shelf during the Shop with a Cop event this week.

HENDERSON -- A baker's dozen of cadets graduated, including two local deputies, recently from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program at Vance-Granville Community College.
After passing the 644-hour training program and state certification exam, all are authorized to work in any law enforcement agency in North Carolina.
Graduates of VGCC's 101st BLET class included Thomas Henry Turner III and Jason Tyler Wright (who earned an academic achievement)

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council welcomed a new member -- and immediately gave him additional duties -- then waded through a relatively short agenda during its last meeting of 2015.
The new member is Chris Neal, who won the recent municipal election, replacing George Manley on the board. Almost immediately, Neal was named mayor pro tem.

LOUISBURG -- A Raleigh roofing company is finishing up work at the county's administration building, the result of proactive measures taken back in the summer
Franklin County has spent millions of dollars in maintenance and mold abatement at its jail, courthouse and health and human services building -- the primary issue being faulty roofs that allowed moisture to seep in.
In September of 2013, commissioners awarded a $3.6 million maintenance contract to H.G. Reynolds to repair the jail.

LOUISBURG -- The local National Guard unit recognized a soldier's spouse for her relentless support during the battalion's deployment to the Middle East.
Lt. Col. John Ebbighauser, Commander of the 5th Battalion 113th Field Artillery Regiment, presented the Molly Pitcher Medal to Amanda Jones during the unit's annual Christmas party last weekend.
"I have never heard of a spouse doing as much for the unit as this lady has over the past four years," Ebbighauser said.

Southern Roots Salon on Tarboro Road in Youngsville recently held their grand opening. Owner Lacey Wammock is a Franklin County native from an entrepreneurial family. She is married to local firefighter Chase Wammock. Southern Roots specializes in haircuts for the entire family, color, perms, roller sets and wedding hairstyles.

At the annual meeting of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation recently at the Sheraton Four Seasons Convention Center in Greensboro, Franklin County Farm Bureau president Bennie Ray Gupton was recognized among his peers at the presidents' and agents' luncheon. Farm Bureau president Larry Wooten presented each winning county president with a limited edition Case knife.