Recent Articles

Travis Cherry, a two-time Grammy-nominated American music producer, musician and songwriter from Raleigh, will speak at the Jones Performing Arts Center at Louisburg College at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 to discuss his rise to fame in the music industry. He has worked with artists such as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Keith Sweat, Jennifer Lopez and Snoop Dogg. He also attended Louisburg College in the 1990s. This event is free to the public, and tickets are not required.

"Kindness" was the character trait emphasized during December in county schools and on Monday the Board of Education saluted 15 students who best exemplified that trait. The students honored were:

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County schools executed partnerships that will expand rec opportunities in Franklinton and Youngsville.
And they are exploring a partnership with a local baseball group to use ballfields at Bunn Elementary School.
Earlier this month, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners agreed to lease land around Franklinton Middle School's gym for a public park project for the school system and the town of Franklinton -- which gave its approval back in August.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council finalized details of the community's first large solar array on a local business, ordered a fire truck and established new stormwater drainage requirements during a nearly three-hour meeting Tuesday night.
And, in an unusual move, the council unanimously agreed to ask the state to pay the $18,901 bill for the October special election for mayor. That bill, from the Franklin County Board of Elections, was caused by a state-mandated election change the town officials did not request -- and did not want so officials are going to ask State Rep. Matthew Winslow to find the money to pay for the unwanted election.

LOUISBURG -- Franklin County's Unified Development Ordinance -- the document that governs development -- is a living, breathing instrument.
As such, county commissioners made some changes to it that will determine how folks can make a living, and play.
Planning staff presented commissioners with a range of revisions to the document, mostly considered housekeeping, so that it ensures compliance with changing state statutes, and makes corrections and clarifications for development flexibility.

William "Will" Doerfer, center, takes the town manager's oath from Youngsville Mayor Fonzie Flowers, with the assistance of his wife, Chelsea, during the town's Jan. 8 meeting.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Two separate cases. At least five dead dogs. Plenty of questions.
That's what Franklin County Animal Services and sheriff's deputies are dealing with.
Recently, a Youngsville landlord suspects a previous tenant of operating a dog fighting operation at his N.C. 96 property near U.S. 1.
Craig Rooth said he'd had suspicions -- as the previous owner kept as many as 22 pitbulls on the property inside cages -- but he didn't think much about it because the tenant said he sells dogs.

Donna Wade at Louisburg's Barbecue in the 'Burg event

Tickets are now on sale for the Grand Shanghai Circus, a theatrical spectacle featuring Chinese acrobatics, dance and other performance arts. The show combines traditional Chinese acrobatic art with modern stage technology, offering a high-energy and visually stunning experience. It's known for its breathtaking acrobatics, colorful costumes, and dynamic music. The Shanghai Circus is a family-friendly show suitable for all ages. Tickets are available online at www.jpacarts.com, or by calling the Louisburg College Box Office at (919) 497-3300, M-F, 1 to 5 p.m. All seats are reserved.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town officials said they're still diligent about fixing a neighborhood traffic problem before it becomes deadly.
But, a traffic circle/roundabout is not the solution, engineers, staff and officials concluded.
Back in April, residents in the area of E. Franklin and N. Cross streets repeated their calls for town staff to address the speeding and stop-sign running they say routinely takes place at the intersection -- essentially a cut-through for folks trying to avoid backups on Main Street.

LOUISBURG -- A northern Franklin County family of three was displaced Tuesday night after a fire torched their home.
No injuries were reported, according to emergency responders.
Gold Sand Fire Chief Chris Ayscue said got an 8:47 p.m. call to respond to a structure in the 100 block of Brian's Way off of Pete Smith Road.
Crews arrived to find the doublewide mobile home fully involved. Three people were inside, but they were able to get out without injury.

There is an old saying that probably every father raising a teenage son has used at one time: "If you go looking for trouble, you're going to find it!"
In other words, if you head out of the house with a chip on your shoulder, with that certain over-confident swagger and a bad attitude, you're going to find trouble -- and maybe more than you can handle.
In my experience during years of being a reporter, nowhere is that situation more evident -- or more dangerous -- than when it applies to law enforcement.

Municipal government, much like local journalism, is a small world.
So, it was no surprise that when Youngsville Mayor Fonzie Flowers swore in William "Will" Doerfer as the town's newest manager, the town's meeting room was packed with colleagues.
And, even though Youngsville is more than 150 years old, I feel safe saying that there were more former Franklin County assistant managers and staff in attendance than have ever been within the town's meeting walls.

Dear editor: Early in 2025 I was shocked when Elon Musk and his 20-year-old computer guys could walk into any government agency and take over their operation.
But that was just the beginning. There was one controversial event after another, from sending National Guard troops into our cities, to tearing down part of the White House and now invading Venezuela.

Dear editor: We are facing a healthcare catastrophe in this country. This catastrophe is entirely due to Republicans' stubborn and cruel insistence that some people should not have access to healthcare.
I want Americans to understand that it doesn't have to be this way.

Dear editor: When President Trump began his tariffs policy, many on the Left reacted in their usual manner of setting their hair on fire, running into the streets reciting their cult's chant, "Orange Man baaaad!"
They warned Trump's tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from places around the world would drive prices through the stratosphere causing high inflation.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Following a two-year review, the Youngsville Police Department proved it was one of the best.
And, the law enforcement agency has proven to be the one and only in Franklin County.
During the Youngsville Board of Commissioners' Jan. 8 meeting, Police Chief Greg Whitley presented town officials with the North Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation, a certification his agency earned through the State Department of Justice.

FRANKLINTON -- When community advocate Lether Young died last January, officials encouraged its citizens to remember and celebrate her contributions to the town.
A year later, her family has tried to do just that.
"We are grateful to the town for acknowledging and respecting Mom's dedication and love for Franklinton," said Young's daughter, Letha Annette Young, remarking about the town of Franklinton's decision to proclaim Jan. 4 as Lether Yarbrough Young Day.

Spring Hope, NC -- JoAnn Swaney Allman, 81, of Spring Hope died December 31, 2025. JoAnn was born on December 20, 1944 in Penn-Craft, PA to the late Henry and Geraldine.

LOUISBURG, NC -- Charles Leslie "Chuck" Shearin, 67, died on January 12, 2026 as a result of an accident. Chuck was born on February 25, 1958 to the late Bobby Bruce and Shirley Griffin Shearin. In addition to his parents, Chuck was preceded in death by a brother Alton Shearin.

Henderson, NC -- Funeral services for Tashi Brodie, age 48, who died on Monday, January 5, 2026, were held Tuesday, January 13, at 1 p.m. from the Haywood Baptist Church in Louisburg with Pastor Benjamin Jenkins officiating.

Warrenton, NC -- Pag-asa "Hope" Baltazar Barrientos, 93, of Warrenton, died Monday, January 5, 2026 surrounded by her family. She was born on August 16, 1932 to the late Tomas Baltazar and Pilar Del-Corro in the Philippines.

Whitakers, NC -- Services for Dennis D. Harrison age 60, who died on Saturday, January 10, 2026 will be held on Saturday, January 17, at 12 p.m. at the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel, in Louisburg, with Rev. Linda Taybron officiating.