Recent Articles

LOUISBURG -- To participate in a regional water solution, Franklin County Manager Ryan Preble has asked neighbors to agree to one of two options:
• Allow Franklin County a controlling stake in the Kerr Lake Regional Water System;
• Allow Franklin County, at its cost, the ability to increase capacity for itself.
The May 21 letter gave city managers for Henderson and Oxford, as well as Warren County Manager Crystal Smith, 30 days to respond to Franklin County's request.

FRANKLINTON -- Folks interested in Franklinton have spoken.
They want:
• Managed growth that stresses connectivity;
• More grocery options and medical services;
• Better mobility, including a Franklinton southern bypass, trails and sidewalks;

I'm going to go out on a limb right now: If someone told you they left the grocery store with 79 items, and only paid $161.87, it would be right to assume one of two things:
• They bought like 150 packs of Kool Aid, or;
• Some of those items walked out of the store.
A recent story about a 2006 Walmart grocery store receipt explains it all.

Dear editor: When I was a teenager in the 1970s, the top-selling nonfiction book of the entire decade was Hal Lindsey's The Late, Great Planet Earth. It sold as many as 35 million copies and was translated into 50 languages.
Through a careful analysis of biblical clues, Lindsey had determined that Jesus would return sometime in the 1980s, most likely in 1988.
Former NASA rocket scientist Edgar Whisenant was able to narrow it down even further. His book, 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988 (not quite as successful at 4 million copies), calculated Christ would descend from the clouds sometime between September 11-13.

Dear editor: That which "is"..."is."
That which "might be" probably ain't.
Maybe we should dwell more on what's "real and nigh" and obsess less about the "sweet by and by."
David Hunter Averette was quite aware of the mysteries and unknowns of an apparently endless universe.

RALEIGH -- The State Division of Aviation announced the completion of a multi-million aviation project that bolsters Franklin County's airport.
The $3.4 million project covered the design and construction of a new access road for safe passage to the northern corporate hangar area for tenant customers. It was essentially completed earlier, save for some closeout items.
The economic grant development initiative included excavation and grading, utility relocation, fencing and gate installation, taxiway lighting, asphalt pavement, and pavement markings.

Youngsville, NC -- Evelyn S. Richards, 96, of Youngsville, NC died Monday, May 25, 2026, surrounded by her children. Visitation will be at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Youngsville on Friday, May 29 at 1 p.m. and the funeral at 2 p.m. A private burial will follow at the family cemetery.

Franklinton, NC -- Elaine Ross Smith, 91, of Franklinton, died Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at her home. She was born on January 21, 1935 to the late Johnny and Irene Haley Ross in Franklin County, NC.

Louisburg, NC -- Sherry A. Hoyle of Louisburg died May 7, 2026, at her home.

Youngsville, NC -- Buddie Jones, age 75, of Youngsville, was born May 30, 1950, in Franklin County, NC, to the late Andrew Jackson Jones and Patrice Taylor Jones. Buddie died May 4, 2026, at his home in Youngsville.

Raleigh, NC -- Funeral services for Stuart West, age 87, who died on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, will be held on Sunday, May 31, at 1 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg with Rev. William S. Cozart, officiating. Burial will follow in the George Washington Memorial Cemetery in Paramus, NJ.

Louisburg, NC -- Funeral services for Harry Williams Jr., age 84, who died on Sunday, May 24, 2026, will be held on Saturday, May 30, at 2 p.m. from the Richardson Funeral Home Chapel in Louisburg, NC.

LOUISBURG -- A teenager that was reported missing was found safe on Friday afternoon.
A mother reported the 17-year-old girl missing from a home in the Justice community around 9:15 a.m., when she ran from the house after getting into an argument with her parents.
Franklin County Emergency Management Staff and other authorities had issued an area alert for the missing teen, who was listed as a potential threat to herself.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College held its annual commencement last Saturday where more than 100 students were awarded their degrees.
Students, family and friends celebrated the class of 2026 during the May 16 event at LC's Jones Performing Arts Center.
This year, 112 graduates walked across the stage to receive their Associate degrees in General College, General Science, Business, Agricultural Studies, Environmental Science, Health Science, Medical Science, and Sports Science.

Someone, probably an avid gardener, once observed that great oaks from tiny acorns grow.
We can only hope that the Louisburg Town Council planted one of those "acorns" last week -- and that what they planted will grow larger and faster than an oak tree.
The council, which has been pretty reserved about this area's growing water concerns, took two steps -- both in the right direction, at least as far as I'm concerned.

LOUISBURG -- Just before opening a public hearing on its budget, the county manager advised commissioners that he recommended bumping the county's allocation for public education -- particularly Vance-Granville Community College.
Farmers and other agricultural advocates hoped that the county could come up with more money to preserve farmland, too.
Education funding and money for farmland preservation were two of the hottest topics during a public hearing on Franklin County's budget Monday.

Youngsville's Luddy Park and surrounding area was packed last Saturday as folks turned out for Youngsville's Family Fun Day, hosted by the town's Parks and Recreation Department. The event featured games, live music, and food, craft and educational vendors. Above, fireworks capped of the night of fun as folks far and wide enjoyed the sight and sound display.

LOUISBURG -- A fairly tame Franklin County budget cycle gave way to some slight theatrics Monday night -- which included threat of a removal.
During the hearing on the 2026-27 budget, resident Rosemary Champion questioned about half a million dollars in sheriff's office spending that has been added to the current budget -- after it was approved in the spring of 2025.
"The sheriff's office had no vehicles listed, so there was nothing added into their [2025-26] budget for vehicles," Champion said.

LOUISBURG -- In a split vote, the Louisburg Planning Board has recommended a compromise.
It'll be up to the Louisburg Town Council to determine whether Trabar Homes can build the 68 townhomes they've proposed, the 30 that the planning board recommended, or any amount above the number of units allowed by zoning right on the 4.62-acre site.
As 306 Sandalwood Avenue is currently zoned, a developer could build about 25 townhomes on the site.

Mason Rizzo was ready for the Family Fun Day dunk booth

To paraphrase the brilliant Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz: If I had a nickel for every time someone has been thrown out of a government meeting, or at least been threatened with such, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice, right?
It's also weird that it involved Commissioner Michael Schriver ... both times.
Back in September 2023, a special use permit hearing about erecting a cell phone tower in a Kittrell-area neighborhood got quite contentious.

Dear editor: Regarding the letter to the editor dated May 14, 2026 with the title "Is climate change "hoax" over?
The letter's author wrote [In the New York Times, Dave Marcus recently wrote "the end of climate change hoax." Matt Huber suggested that climate change is the most expensive hoax in history. The opinion of The New York Times ."]
Wow, was I surprise! I read The New York Times daily and The Franklin Times weekly.

Dear editor: I'm trying to understand.
When I watch TV, I noted that out of 10 commercials, eight of them had African Americans in them and several of them paired white women with black men which seems like a sort of pimping to the norm.
African Americans represent only about 16 percent of the U.S. population, yet they are getting most of the media exposure.