FRONT PAGE

FRANKLINTON -- Franklin County schools and an early education advocacy agency have cut the ribbon on a new resource center to help parents better prepare their kids for school.
Franklin Granville Vance Smart Start's Family Resource Center -- inside a mobile unit at Franklinton Elementary School -- will provide parents of kids under five with access to books, learning materials and a play space.

LOUISBURG -- Other than calling the meeting to order and adjourning it two hours and twenty minutes later, commissioners took four actions -- approving the consent agenda, appointing Jeremy Neal to the Animal Services Advisory Board and going into and coming out of closed session.
But, the board did hear from residents and fellow board members on issues ranging from a public swimming pool to animal welfare to when commissioners will next begin tackling property tax disputes and to when the county could expect to make headway on its emergency ambulance transport policy.

GRAB BAG. Franklin County Parks and Recreation hosted a special Easter Egg Hunt last Saturday at Franklinton Middle School and a traditional hunt at Franklinton Park. Above, Trey Wright races to grab eggs and prizes during the hunt at Franklinton Middle School's gym.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council became the first governing body in the county to publicly endorse a public swimming pool -- and then pledged to help the county finance such an endeavor.
The action came Tuesday night in the form of a non-binding resolution proposed by council member Dr. Phillip Stover who noted "there is a strong desire by the overwhelming majority of county residents, including most of the residents of Louisburg, to have access to a community pool."

LOUISBURG -- Prosecutors have asked a judge to revoke a suspected killer's bond after he violated the residency conditions of his release -- a revelation that came when Youngsville police investigated allegations that Michael David Barnes threatened to kill a neighbor.
Authorities arrested Barnes in November 2021, weeks after they allege he shot roommate James McLeod inside a residence on Elsie Marie Drive in Youngsville.
The 40-year-old McLeod died a day after the Oct. 28, 2021 assault.

LOUISBURG -- The attorney for a woman accused of abusing dogs in her kennel, including one that died, has asked a judge if she can have an emotional support dog.
Anne Marie Green was slated to appear in Franklin County Superior Court on April 1, but her hearing was delayed because her attorney, Ed Bartholomew, was out of the county handling another trial.

Susie Davis