Archives

TRUE SIGN OF SPRING. Yes, the trees are greening up again, the lawn needs mowed, the yellow pollen has come (and mostly gone) and there are flowers in bloom -- but the real sign of spring in the country is when it's time for the sheep to be shorn of their winter fleece! That's happening around the county these days as evidenced here where Stuart Matthews gets this critter ready for the hot and humid weather that's coming fast.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners is set to update its Unified Development Ordinance, a document that will rezone nearly half of the county's 36,000 properties.
Planning staff, though, said the change will not be earth shattering.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County commissioners met in closed session for the second time in two weeks.
And, for the second time, they took no action following more than an hour-long meeting.
But, for the first time, they confirmed the reason for the secret session: the county's emergency radio system, which has been plagued by issues ever since it went online in 2012.

LOUISBURG -- After a brief meeting during which no Franklin County school officials were given an opportunity to speak last Thursday, the North Carolina Charter Schools Advisory Board recommended that Wake Preparatory Academy be allowed to open a school in Franklin County.
Wake Preparatory Academy first attempted to open in Wake Forest but officials there denied the plan. In late March, academy officials announced an effort to move to Franklin County.

LOUISBURG -- One Franklinton residential development got good news and another one, not so much.
Franklin County commissioners agreed to extend the time that Burlington Park developers have dibs on its water allocation.
A 50-lot development on Lane Store Road got the thumbs down from the county's Utilities Advisory Committee, though.

BUNN -- Town commissioners held off approving an ordinance amendment that some said might place too high a price on nuisance abatement.
During its April 12 meeting, the board held a public hearing and considered adopting a nuisance ordinance that would deem unlawful, among other things, tall grass, trash accumulation, unsecured chemicals and materials, burned out buildings and other unkempt structures.

Red Ram golfer Parker Smith

After covering local government for decades -- literally -- I've discovered one thing that was never mentioned in News Reporting 101 during my college days.
What I've learned is that every reporter needs a good sense of smell!
Okay, maybe not as good as an English Setter or a German Shorthaired Pointer, but, by human standards, a sense of smell to realize that something isn't quite right.

You don't have to tell me that comparing Franklin County to Wake County isn't exactly apples to oranges. It's more like fried bologna sandwiches to charcuterie.
But, nonetheless, I can still make comparisons.
And, it stood out like a sore thumb this past weekend.

FRANKLINTON, NC --Funeral services for Bertha Mae Jackson, age 80 who died on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, will be held on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 2:00p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC.

LOUISBURG - Now comes the biggest test yet for the young-but-talented Louisburg High School football team.
Louisburg, a club loaded with key freshmen and sophomores, continued its postseason quest by overpowering East Carteret by a 42-22 margin in last Friday's second-round action of the Class 1-AA State Playoffs at the LHS Football Field.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College versus Pitt Community College in softball.
It's a rivalry that has spanned decades, encompassing an ever-changing roster of players, coaches, fans and parents.
But through all of the transitions, the intensity of the showdown has always remained intact -- usually because something high-profile is at stake when the clubs meet in Region X action.

RED OAK -- Gradual, consistent improvement has been an accentuated intangible this spring for the Franklinton High School boys tennis squad under the direction of new head coach Michael Justice.
Competing in the tough Big East Conference, the Red Rams have yet to win a match -- but what Justice is looking for isn't necessary measured in overall wins and losses.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Franklinton High School capped off its strong 2021 spring boys golf campaign with another strong showing Monday at Northgreen County Club.
Taking on Big East Conference opponents Northern Nash and Rocky Mount, FHS was the lone school with enough entrants to gain consideration for the team standings.

LOUISBURG -- Eric Lee knew Carrigan Ewers was ace material when the Louisburg College softball coach recruited the former Southern Nash star to become a Lady Hurricane.
But potential doesn't always translate to reality, though it was hard to imagine success not waiting for the talented right-hander when Ewers first arrived on the Louisburg College campus.

RALEIGH -- The North Carolina State University baseball squad (19-13, 12-12 ACC) picked up a pair of wins on Sunday afternoon over visiting No. 15 Virginia Tech (21-15, 15-12 ACC) at Doak Field at Dail Park to earn its third ACC series sweep of the season.
The Wolfpack opened the doubleheader with an 11-3 win and then held off a late rally to capture a 7-6 victory in game two.

Louisburg College's Abbie Yarboro (left) successfully escapes a rundown during last Friday's doubleheader against rival Pitt CC.

Louisburg High School's Darrius Crudup makes an open-field tackle for the Warriors during last Friday night's home football playoff decision versus East Carteret.

Louisburg High School's Parrish Griffin makes a key tackle last Friday night against East Carteret.

This two-run base hit from Foster Sharpe played a key role in Louisburg College's victory in Game One over Pitt Community College during last Friday's doubleheader at Sheilah R. Cotten Field.

The multi-generational family recently gathered together. Pictured left to right: Kelani Alston, age 3; Shanoa Alston, age 21; Andrew Alston, age 42; Lula Davis, age 61 (all from Raleigh, North Carolina); and Lula Dunston, age 86 (the matriarch, from Louisburg, NC).

Sheep producer Scott Will, left, brings out one of about two dozen sheep that had their wool shorn by long-time shearer, Stuart Matthews, right.

LOUISBURG -- A judge or jury could decide how much a former employee's website service was worth to Louisburg College.
Sequoia Sady filed a lawsuit in October, alleging that the school promised to pay her an additional $20,000 a year to serve as the school's web designer -- a role she filled from January 2018 until November 2018.

BUNN -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies are investigating a suspected arson.
Fire crews responded to 127 Johns Drive the afternoon of April 27 to find the home on fire.
The blaze was extinguished and, upon closer inspection, deputies saw a hole that was burned into the living room floor with lighter fluid and matches around it.

LOUISBURG -- A Franklin County sheriff's deputy was named by a local legion as its officer of the year.
VFW Post 8466 presented Franklin County Sheriff's Patrol Sgt. Alphanso James with the honor during an April 16 ceremony at the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
Born on the island of Jamaica, James had a difficult road through his early years, said Rich Heroux, the post's installation officer.

HENDERSON -- NC MedAssist is holding a Mobile Free Pharmacy Event in partnership with Triangle North Healthcare Foundation in Vance County from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. April 30.
The event will be held at Salvation Army (2292 Ross Mill Road, Henderson and is open to any individual or family needing over-the-counter medications.