FRONT PAGE

LOUISBURG -- Early voting starts today, giving folks a chance to get a jump start on the primary election.
Early voting runs from Feb. 12 through Feb. 28, including Saturday voting on Feb. 21 and Feb. 28, from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on both those days.
Otherwise, early voting sites will be open from 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The polls open on election day, March 3, from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a rezoning that developers of a nearly 1,000-acre property say will allow them to better take advantage of the landscape.
And, commissioners believe the decision allows them to guarantee more green space.
Durham-based engineers Thomas & Hutton petitioned Franklin County to rezone 990.78 acres on West River Road from Agricultural Residential to Residential-8.

LOUISBURG -- A charter member and "backbone" of the White Level Fire Department died while responding to a house fire Tuesday.
Dale Malone died following a medical emergency at the scene of a fire on Hickory Rock Road.
Malone would have been 67 this Friday.
"He was that person that you could always count on. He would always be there," said longtime firefighter Johnny Hight, who served as White Level's chief during some of Malone's service.

LOUISBURG -- Attending her first meeting as Superintendent of Franklin County Schools Dr. Nakia Hardy said she is "grateful to officially call this community home" and then thanked all of those who have helped with her transition.
That transition has been an unusual one for Franklin County. Shortly after taking the oath of office, she was greeted with an ice storm which was followed by a snow event, all accompanied by very cold temperatures -- and that made some of her first decisions to be about closing the schools to keep students and staff safe.

RALEIGH -- Special Olympics North Carolina announced the team that will take part in the USA Games this summer, including a stalwart athlete from Franklin County.
Lorenzo Stancil will join nearly 50 other athletes to represent the state in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota.
Stancil, his coach said, has become a breakout star on the track and especially in the field as a shot put thrower.

County Planning & Inspections Director Jason Rogers