Recent Articles

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

Franklin County Schools Superintendent Rhonda Schuhler, with scissors, cuts the ribbon for the Franklin Granville Vance Smart Start Franklin County Family Resource Center on the campus of Franklinton Elementary. Schuhler is joined by, to her immediate right, Smart Start Executive Director Tony Cozart, and to her immediate left, Smart Start Board Chair Pattie Greene.

Herbert Alston checks Chandler Green's Easter haul at Franklinton Middle School's gym last Saturday.

Chaisty Fogg sports a blue ribbon like a winner while racing to grab as many Easter eggs as she could at Franklinton Park.

Hayden Wright, keeps an eagle eye on Chloe Clayton, left, as the youngster grabs Easter eggs at the Franklinton Middle School gym. The Franklin County Parks and Recreation department plans to have Easter goodie bags stashed for kids to find on April 16 in the playground, picnic shelter and butterfly garden areas of Owens Park -- 499 Massenburg Baker Road.

BUNN -- Commissioners followed through on two planning board recommendations:
• Establishing a way to prevent jumbled densities within its Village Mixed Use District;
•Requiring that agreements be put in place so it's clear who is responsible for maintaining access easements within new subdivisions.
The planning board made those recommendations at its March meeting and commissioners adopted the appropriate text changes during its meeting on Monday.

Rep. Matthew Winslow, center, presented Youngsville officials and staff with a flag that was flown at the U.S. Capitol and State Capitol buildings, recognizing the town's 150th anniversary. The town was founded on March 17, 1875. Receiving the flag at the General Assembly last month were Mayor Fonzie Flowers, fourth from left, Mayor Pro-Tem Scott Brame, fourth from right, and, from left, Town Planning Director Lucy Garcia, Town Clerk Emily Hurd, Town Manager Nathan Page, Commissioner Corey Pursche, Parks and Recreation Director Alyssa Murphy and resident Jim Moss.

LOUISBURG -- A Louisburg man is next slated to appear in court in June on charges that he led police on a high speed chase.
Chad Braxton Bumpers, 40, was arrested March 19 and charged with fleeing to elude arrest, reckless and dangerous driving, possessing a stolen firearm as a felon and possession of cocaine.
According to a citation, Officer D.M. Richardson initially tried to stop Bumpers on S. Main Street for having revoked tags on the 2015 Nissan station wagon he was driving.

While we Franklin Countians have been enduring a deluge of yellow stuff that marks one of the worst pollen epidemics in years, a great swath of the nation is enduring something much, much worse -- storms and flooding.
It seems rather petty to be complaining about the pollen when so many of our fellow Americans are dealing with serious tragedy including the loss of life and the devastation to homes and businesses that storms and flooding have caused in recent days.

These folks don't do it for the recognition.
But, it is important to recognize them when we can.
During Monday's Franklin County Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Mark Speed took a moment to recognize those who played an active part in searching for and recovering the body of Ronald Lamar Brodie Jr. on March 25 -- just more than a week after he fell into the murky Tar River.

Dear editor: When Trump emerged from the Oval Office last Wednesday to announce the extent of his tariff policies, almost no one had anticipated that they would be so broad and exorbitant. He's levying tariffs on over 180 countries, probably every country you've ever heard of, and likely many that you haven't.
Heard Island and McDonald Island, located in one of the remotest parts of the world near Antarctica, both received 10 percent tariffs. This, despite the reality that no one lives there. It will be hard even for Trump to collect revenue from folks who don't exist.

Dear editor: It's okay to cast your ballot without understanding and maturity.
You only stand to lose your personal freedoms and your Social Security.
Both have been declared "waste" as you well know.
Billionaires don't need Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid and resent paying taxes to support those who do.

CASTALIA, NC -- Tommy Theodore Thompson, 77, of Castalia, died Wednesday evening, April 2, 2025 at his home.

Warrenton, NC -- Evelyn Colbert Jones, 76, of Warrenton, died Monday afternoon, April 7, 2025, at her home.

Henderson, NC -- Funeral services for James "Jim" Bradshaw, age 85, who died on Sunday, April 6, 2025, will be held on Sunday, April 13, at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Minister Carla Cannady officiating. Burial will follow in the Cemetery on the Hill.

FRANKLINTON -- Franklinton girls basketball coach Bryan Perry figured his club would have to overcome some adversity in 2024-25, but he never expected it to happen before the campaign even began.
FHS was already destined to deal with a huge loss after then-senior Mikayla Taborn graduated before departing for Campbell University.
But Perry then found out that rising sophomore Asia Burton -- pegged to be one of the top players in the Big East Conference -- transferred to Oak City Prep in Raleigh.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Animal Services Advisory Board opted to wait until they have a full board before electing a chair and vice chair.
But, for the first time in months, they have maintained a quorum and continue to bite off significant animal care issues.
At Monday's meeting, residents brought spay and neuter regulations and tethering laws to the table.
Dee Sams, an animal advocate who used to volunteer at the shelter, said the advisory board should consider recommending that the county install a countywide spay and neuter ordinance.