Recent Articles

Dear editor: On January 22, 2019, during the commissioners' meeting, the board discussed growth in Franklin County.
Commissioners expressed concerns about managing development, warning that without careful planning, the county could face significant challenges. Following deliberations, the board voted to engage McGill and Associates to develop a comprehensive plan, with Commissioner Foy casting the sole dissenting vote.

Dear editor: In my previous letter to the editor I presented the Democrats' shady methods of raising Presidential campaign funds in their version of DEMOCRACCCCY! Now let's take a gander at what they are attempting to implement with the national vote.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is often marketed by the Democrats as a way to make "every vote count."

Dear editor: Last Friday, Trump announced total victory in the War with Iran. Not once, but 13 times in one hour.
He said Iran had "agreed to everything. Iran has agreed never to close the Strait of Hormuz again."
He claimed Iran had agreed to "stop enriching uranium forever" and was going to "hand over its enriched uranium stockpile."

YOUNGSVILLE -- Town commissioners approved a text amendment that could diversify the kinds of homes that can be built in town.
During the April 9 meeting, Commissioner Willi Stolz suggested the town go a step further by asking staff to review its planning ordinances that particularly relate to housing diversity and protecting tree canopies.
"Let's find a way to refine these ordinances or employ zoning overlays to ensure that development is in support of the future of Youngsville envisioned in our comprehensive land use and transportation plan," he said during the board's recent meeting.

LOUISBURG -- The Franklin County Board of Education made a couple of tweaks to its proposed 2026-27 budget Monday night before unanimously passing it and sending it along to the county commissioners for action, probably next month.
Meeting in a special session Monday -- one of several meetings held to refine details of the budget -- the board decided to up athletic stipends by seven percent and also boost the stipends paid to high school band directors by the same percentage.

LOUISBURG -- Residents near Triangle North Executive Airport have asked county staff to perform due diligence before expanding operations.
Airport staff, officials and engineers have been planning to expand the airport for years and, in 2023, the State Department of Transportation included the project within its 10-year State Transportation Improvement Program.
Primarily, the project includes extending the runway and realigning Airport Road to create more space at the airport for hangars.

RALEIGH -- The General Assembly will have before it on Tuesday legislation that would allow Franklin County to acquire property within three of its neighboring counties -- probably in a round-about effort to tap Kerr Lake water.
The expectation is that Franklin County would need to acquire property in those counties to help facilitate its long-term water needs.

Voncile Barnette Strickland went to be with her Lord and beloved husband, Bruce Strickland on Saturday, April 18, 2026.

TOGETHER. The Miracle League of Franklin County, law enforcement and other first responders teamed up for the annual Light It Up Blue Special Needs Community Day at the Miracle League field at Long Mill Elementary last Saturday. Above, Charlie Lord presented Nathan Gupton with a balloon animal, one of the many vendors set up during the event.

LOUISBURG -- In an unusual meeting Monday night, the Franklin County Board of Education removed the most important item on its agenda after one board member said he needed more time to study the proposed budget request.
Ultimately, the board agreed -- on a 4-to-2 vote -- to remove the budget discussion from the agenda and to schedule a special session to discuss it after board member Tom Harris said that "he needed more time" to look at the numbers before voting on the document.

LOUISBURG -- The Louisburg Town Council approved a contract for "economic development coordination and grant writing services" following a 45-minute executive session to discuss contracts on Tuesday night.
The move comes after months of discussion about how best to improve economic development prospects in town -- and how to obtain more federal and state grants.

The Miracle League of Franklin County held its Light It Up Blue event last Saturday, an opportunity for the first responder community and others to partner with special needs resources in the community. Above, Karelia McCauley gets her face painted by Sofia Lee. Concessions and other fun events took place surrounding the Miracle League baseball game at Long Mill Elementary.

LOUISBURG -- Owners of a property condemned after construction teams tore down the old theater to make way for Franklin County's new judicial complex have sued more than 30 entities tied to the demolition -- including Franklin County.
Construction crews began demolishing the old theater property on Nash Street last August, but the primary structure was torn down in December.
The demolition is set to make way for renovation and expansion of the Franklin County Courthouse Annex property.

LOUISBURG -- Three people were slated to appear in court this week after authorities alleged they officers on early morning chase that ended with a jump-and-run arrest in Franklin County and a fiery crash into a home in Zebulon.
No serious injuries were reported.
According to Louisburg Police, officers tried to stop an Infiniti and Dodge Challenger for speeding south on Bickett Boulevard at about 2:30 a.m. on Monday.

Mike Price, Chris Simonsen and Doug Little formed a trio of trash picker uppers last Saturday as part of the 6th annual Greater Youngsville Cleanup & Earth Day Celebration. Teams of volunteers spread around the town picking up from along the sides of road.

FRANKLINTON -- Authorities were looking for a person suspected of shooting a juvenile multiple times just outside of town.
Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White hadn't posted the name of the victim or his condition.
Franklinton Police Chief James Davis Jr. said Sgt. J. Carter and Officer L. Matthews were the first officers to arrive at the S. Chavis Street location to secure the scene, which is just outside Franklinton in the county's jurisdiction.

YOUNGSVILLE -- Police were looking for two suspects accused of a bank robbery on Wednesday morning.
Youngsville Police Capt. Brandon Lemons reported that two suspects were believed to have robbed the First Citizens Bank. The call came in to law enforcement around 11 a.m.

Miracle League Executive Director Tom Flaherty calls the action at latest game

ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD. Youngsville Fire Chief Brian Christmas, Youngsville Fire Lt. Jonathan Hopkins and Youngsville Police Officer E. McAdams have fun in the outfield during the Light It Up Blue event last Saturday at Long Mill Elementary in Youngsville.

Now that the 15th of April is in our rearview mirrors, maybe we can begin getting truly serious about the actual arrival of spring!
The 15th is, supposedly, about the last average frost day in these parts -- and although we could still get nipped, it's fairly safe to begin doing some gardening and work in the flower beds.
That said -- keep an eye on the weather because Mother Nature has been known to toss out a chilly curve ball from time to time!

If you look at the rest of this edition of your Franklin Times, you'll see that plenty of folks didn't show their best selves this weekend.
Franklin County sheriff's deputies are looking for the suspect who shot a juvenile multiple times at a residence just outside of Franklinton last Friday.
On Sunday evening, deputies arrested a suspect accused of stabbing another man, at least twice.
And, during the early morning hours of Monday, drivers of two stolen vehicle led Louisburg police and other authorities on a chase that ended with a jump-and-run arrest near the Wake County line, and another arrest in Zebulon when a speeding suspect crashed into a house of five, sparking a fire.

Dear editor:
Apparently, we've misunderstood the Democrat Party's brand of "Democracy," all along.
Citizens thought it meant one person, one vote, with a reasonably clear line between American citizens and foreign interests. Under the Democrat Party's innovative brand of "Democracy," campaign finance looks more like a shell game run by party operatives who swear they're saving "Democracy" while they delete the donor logs.

Dear editor: When J.D. Vance announced that the Iranian peace talks had failed, he made an astonishing comment. "The simple fact is that we need to see a commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon."
The maddening irony is that we had that commitment, brokered by President Obama. Trump tore it up.
Now, after expending blood and much treasure, Vance wants to get that commitment back again. But we can't get it back.