Lake Royale drowning victim identified LAKE ROYALE -- Authorities identified the man who drowned at Lake Royale last weekend. Lake Royale Interim Police Chief Robert Smith and staff with Zebulon-based Harris-Wheless Memorial Funeral Home identified the swimmer as Alejandro Gonzalez Viera. Authorities said the 25-year-old was visiting and spending time with family in the gated community when he drowned while swimming during the late afternoon of July 26.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Louisburg gets $4.3 million to upgrade sewer lift stations RALEIGH -- Louisburg has secured $4.3 million to bolster some aged components of its sewer system. Funding to expand the Green Hill sanitary sewer pump station remains elusive, though. The State Water Infrastructure Authority awarded $244 million in funds to 45 applicants during its July 15 meeting. That funding will help cities, towns, and counties bolster infrastructure to better withstand future storms, improve existing drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, reduce forever chemicals contamination, and identify and replace lead pipes.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Young man drowns at Lake Royale LAKE ROYALE -- The community mourned the death of a swimmer who drowned over the weekend. Next of kin have been notified, but authorities have not released the name of the 25-year-old victim. "... I extend our deepest condolences to the victim's family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time," Lake Royale Interim Police Chief Robert Smith said following the late afternoon incident on July 26.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

CENTER STAGE Presley Gibbs and Romeo demonstrate their pole bending skills during the National High School Rodeo Finals competition in Lincoln, Nebraska last week. Gibbs and Payton Frizzelle put their skills to the test in pole bending and cutting against the best young athletes in the world during the week-long event.   Read More | Post Comment

Shots fired into vehicle LOUISBURG -- A call of shots being fired not far from South Main Street and a church sent law enforcement scrambling Tuesday afternoon. According to Louisburg Police Chief Travis Lincoln, officers responded to reports of shots being fired just after 2 p.m. in the 300 block of Ridley Street on July 28. Further investigation, he said, revealed that shot were fired into an occupied vehicle at that location. No injuries have been reported.   Read More | Post Comment Staff Reports

Kelli Worley wants to spare others the 'school of hard knocks' she endured with horses This year's annual horse tour putting focus on education LOUISBURG ­-- Trails are a big thing with horse lovers, but operators of Shining River Ranch don't necessarily want folks going down the same path they did. The central Franklin County farm provides clinics, training and education for horse and owner. Kelli Worley, who operates the facility with her husband, George, said she got into horses about five years ago because of her "horse-crazy" daughter, Georgia. They soon realized they were in over their heads.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

DANCE REVOLUTION Members of Youngsville's Emerald Dance Academy were on display at the Kid Zone, one of the areas hosted by businesses along Main Street that had fun, food trucks, craft vendors, or all three. It was all part of Summer Fest activities last Saturday in downtown Youngsville. The family-friendly event featured plenty of activities and entertainment and persisted, even in the midst of some rain drizzle.   Read More | Post Comment

FUN TIME Above, Mason Kratz, Mackenzie Cummings, Sadie Cummings and Lucille Kratz get up close and personal with some goats. Goat Hollow Farm had the pen set up next to Scoops on Main in downtown Youngsville as part of Summer Fest, a partnership between the town's Parks and Recreation Department and local businesses.   Read More | Post Comment

Payton Frizzelle cuts off a cow from the herd Cowgirls & their horses equal a whirlwind event LINCOLN, NEB. -- When more than 1,500 of the world's best young rodeo athletes compete, not everyone can win. A podium finish eluded Louisburg's Presley Gibbs and Payton Frizzelle. But, making the National High School Finals Rodeo competition was a win, itself. "Nationals was a whirlwind," Gibbs said of the week-long competition that brought the best young rodeo enthusiasts together from around the world.   Read More | Post Comment CAREY JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

Gunshots fired into vehicle, man arrested LOUISBURG -- A Loisburg man whom police allege fired shots into an occupied vehicle is slated to appear in court next week. Louisburg police arrested Jaeion Hicks on July 16, alleging that on evening of June 29, he shot into a 2019 Ford Edge that was at the intersection of Mineral Springs Road and Ridley Street. The vehicle was occupied by Katherine Pepler, Katie Brandt and Ornikey Pressey.   Read More | Post Comment Staff Reports

When legislators strike out, Louisburg loses If memory serves correctly, in baseball it's three strikes and you're out. If that rule applies in the real world, then both State Rep. Matthew Winslow and State Sen. Lisa Barnes have struck out -- damaging not only the General Assembly's credibility (as if it still has any!) and the town of Louisburg as well. Here's the history of this "ball game" which shouldn't be a game at all: •Strike One: More than a year ago, the legislature slipped a clandestine "pitch" into law that changed the way that Louisburg elected its mayor.   Read More | Post Comment Gary Cunard

Louisburg wants equal treatment, not special treatment Dear editor: I have served Louisburg for years, and I have never seen our town lose this much control this fast. The people I serve deserve an honest answer about why. When I took the oath as mayor of Louisburg, I made a promise to look out for this town and everyone in it. I take that promise seriously, which is why I want to speak plainly to my neighbors about something that has been weighing on me.   Read More | Post Comment Letters to the editor

Proposed tax cap is bad idea for several reasons Dear editor: North Carolina has a flat individual income tax and this proposed amendment would not change the rate anyone pays today. Instead it would rewrite the state constitution to lower the ceiling on what future legislators could ever set the income tax rate at from the current 7% down to 3.5%. Here's why that matters. Regular laws can be changed by the general assembly when current circumstances change.   Read More | Post Comment Letters to the editor

Ediitorial Cartoon: Smoke  Read More | Post Comment

Louisburg man arrested for shooting into vehicle LOUISBURG -- Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested a Louisburg man in a shooting incident. Alvin Corey Swinney, 47, was arrested July 20 and charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and two counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle. According to law enforcement communications captured by Broadcastify and court documents, Swinney fired shots into a 2007 Honda Accord, occupied by Rashad Coppedge and Omaris Coppedge, who were in a vehicle at Swinney's Pete Smith Road home around 1 p.m. on July 20.   Read More | Post Comment

Louisburg's Zoning Board slates meeting The Louisburg Board of Zoning Adjustment will meet at 9 a.m. Friday, July 31, at the Louisburg Town Hall on West Nash Street. The only item of business on the agenda is consideration of a special use permit that will allow a 150-foot monopine wireless communications town to be built just behind Wal-Mart at 705 Retail Way, Louisburg. o resemble a pine tree.) The applicant for the permit is SBA Towers.   Read More | Post Comment

FRANKLIN FACE Franklinton High Principal David Westbrook at Relay for Life   Read More | Post Comment

Editorial Cartoon: Ice  Read More | Post Comment

Is recent activity turning Franklin County into gunfights at OK Corral? Quite frankly, this is an interesting time of year for reporters. In the middle of summer, folks are on vacation or, at least, have settled into a more leisurely pace. It's a great time for feature articles, as can be seen by front-page news in the last handful of editions. But, generally, this time of year proves difficult when it comes to hard-hitting news. So, we reporters have to dig a bit more and beat the bushes.   Read More | Post Comment Carey Johnson

The numerous health benefits of southern peas When it comes to wholesome comfort food, few ingredients are as cherished in Southern kitchens as Southern peas. Whether you know them as field peas, crowder peas, cowpeas, or black-eyed peas, these humble legumes have earned their place on the dinner table for generations. While they're often celebrated for their rich, earthy flavor, Southern peas also offer an impressive array of health benefits that make them a smart addition to any meal.   Read More | Post Comment Dominque Simon

Annie Laura Lancaster Nashville, NC -- Funeral services for Annie Laura Lancaster, age 91, who died on Thursday, July 23, 2026, will be held on Saturday, August 1, at 2 p.m. from the Galatia A.M.E. Church in Nashville, NC.   Read More | Post Comment

Irene Bullock Louisburg, NC -- Funeral services for Irene Bullock, age 105, who died on Saturday, July 25, 2026, will be held on Monday, August 3, at 2 p.m. from the Allen Chapel Baptist Church in Louisburg, NC. Burial will follow in the Allen Chapel Church cemetery.   Read More | Post Comment

Merle Lee Richardson Warrenton, NC -- Funeral services for Merle Lee Richardson, age 77, who died on Thursday, July 23, 2026, were held on Wednesday, July 29, at 1 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC.   Read More | Post Comment

Marie Long Epps Louisburg, NC -- Funeral services for Marie Long Epps, age 72, who died on Friday, July 24, 2026, will be held on Saturday, August 1, at 11 a.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC.   Read More | Post Comment

Terence Omar Hayes Columbia, SC -- Graveside services for Terence Omar Hayes, age 42, who died on Monday, July 20, 2026, will be held on Thursday, July 30, at 12 p.m. from the Hayes Family Cemetery in Louisburg, NC.   Read More | Post Comment

HONORED Mayor Fonzie Flowers, back row, center, and the Youngsville Board of Commissioners recognized the 10U softball team, which finished as the runner up in the Tar Heel All-Star Tournament last month. The team, in no particular order, includes Sawyer Batts, Joules Bowyer, Nataleigh Davis, Eleanor Kiser, Kallie Linder, Kinley Price, Charli Rowland, Jaina Schumitta, Chloe Smith, Ryleigh Hurt, Layton Batts, Madison Mitchell and Charlotte Taylor. They were coached by Wally Batts, Chad Helms, Anna Schumitta and Mason Hurt. The town's Parks and Recreation staff also posted about the squad on it social media outlets:   Read More | Post Comment

Holiday Giving & Events   Read More | Post Comment

The Franklin Times PDF Edition  Read More | Post Comment

DOWNLOAD THE FRANKLIN TIMES Click on the headline link below to download the entire version of each edition of the The Franklin Times in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader or a similar PDF reader program is needed to view the pages.   Read More | Post Comment

Holiday Events  Read More | Post Comment