Recent Articles

We made it through February -- and nearly a week of March.
If the March winds don't blow us away, we should be greeting springtime in a couple of weeks -- at least according to the calendar although Mother Nature sometimes doesn't pay our calendars much attention and moves at her own pace.
All that said, note that the time changes this weekend, so don't forget to "spring forward" Saturday night, giving up an hour of sleep in return for an extra hour of daylight each evening.

If you're familiar with this column, you've certainly experienced my exasperation with the litter problem we experience in Franklin County.
That's not to say that there isn't trash in other places, but this is home.
What's been most unfortunate, though, is that this space has most often been filled talking about the folks who litter -- not the ones who work tirelessly to pick it up.

LOUISBURG -- A provider whose goal is to remove barriers to health care cut the ribbon to an expanded facility.
Advance Community Health spent the afternoon of March 1 showing off their new Franklin County Careplex on Sandalwood Avenue.
Advance has been serving Franklin County since the spring of 2008, first in a temporary location in Franklinton before moving to their permanent spot on S. Church Street in Louisburg in June 2009.

BUNN -- In 10 months to a year, county EMS staff will have a new place to call home.
And, Bunn and surrounding communities will have an emergency response team closer to home.
Franklin County commissioners, management and first responders broke ground this week on a new EMS station that will house staff to serve Bunn and the surrounding community.

Joy Watkins was certainly in the Christmas spirit

FRANKLINTON, NC -- Vickie Dale Kearney, 79, of Franklinton, died February 28, 2025 at Duke University Medical Center.

Hollister, NC -- Funeral services for Arlene "Lene" Lynch Silver, age 79, who died on Sunday, March 2, 2025, will be held on Monday, March 10, at 1 p.m. at the Mt. Bethel Baptist Church in Warrenton with Pastor Willie Doris Silver officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Bethel Church Cemetery.

Louisburg, NC --Memorial services for Beatrice Young Williamson, age 92, who died on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, will be held on Saturday, March 15, at 2 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1210 Mays Crossroads Road, Franklinton, NC 27525 with Brother Steve McAllister officiating.

David "Jerry" Gerald Williams, 91, passed away on Monday, March, 3, 2025. Jerry lived a long, full life. He was born on May 29, 1933 in Louisburg, NC to John and Linnie Williams. He married Peggy Gupton in 1953.

Louisburg, NC -- Memorial services for Beatrice Young Williamson, age 92, who died on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, will be held on Saturday, March 15, at 2 p.m. from the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1210 Mays Crossroads Road, Franklinton, with Brother Steve McAllister officiating.

The purpose of The American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program, "A Constitutional Speech Contest," is to develop knowledge and appreciation of the United States Constitution among high school students, explained Chris Smith, commander of American Legion Post 52 in Franklinton.
Other objectives of the contest include the development of leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly and intelligently and the preparation for acceptance of the duties and responsibilities, rights, and privileges that go along with being an American citizen, he said.

FRANKLINTON -- Town commissioners adopted another piece to their Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
Engineers with Kittelson & Associates presented commissioners with a bike and pedestrian plan during the board's Feb. 18 meeting.
In January, the town adopted a Comprehensive Transportation Plan, a concept that outlines future bypasses, pedestrian paths, local roadway connectors and other routes in the town's short-, medium- and long-range plans.

FRANKLINTON -- If you ride an ATV through town, a stop at the ATM will be in order.
During the board's Feb. 18 meeting, commissioners strengthened an ordinance it has to keep ATV and dirt bike riders off of town streets.
The town instituted a $250 fine for such offenses.
"We've continued to get an increasing number of complaints about ATVs riding on town roadways," said Town Manager Zach Steffey.

FHS wrestling standout Noah Michael

LOUISBURG -- Attorneys reached a more than $1 million settlement in a fatal drunk-driving case that robbed the victim's wife and three kids of a breadwinner
Waleed Mohamed Abdelsattar's wife filed a lawsuit in April 2024, alleging Wake Forest's Kristen Hellier and the Raleigh bar that served her, Barcode, were responsible for the head-on collision that killed the 47-year-old as he was driving home the evening of Dec. 28, 2023.
Abdelsattar, a Franklin County resident, died as a result of his injuries.

LOUISBURG -- A judge refused to lower the bond of an Alert man accused of sexually assaulting a minor.
Perry Wheless Moseley will remain in custody in lieu of a $3.7 million bond on charges that he took indecent liberties with a minor nearly a decade ago.
His wife, Ernestine Walker Moseley, whom authorities allege was complicit and an accomplice, is next slated to appear in court in March.
Franklin County sheriff's deputies arrested Perry Moseley on Dec. 23, alleging the 80-year-old was responsible for sexually assaulting and taking indecent liberties with a child.

Okay, fellow Franklin Countians, we need a volunteer with connections!
The task? Remind Mother Nature that March starts this Saturday -- and that it is barely three weeks to the beginning of spring!
After all, this isn't New England, which is infamous for its weather, or even the Midwest where the winter weather can be downright miserable and stretch into April.
This is North Carolina -- and we've had enough winter already and it's time to begin enjoying the first vestiges of Springtime, warmer weather, sunshine and the first few blooms that those will bring. This week has been a good start, but ...

From September 2002 until September 2018, I made the daily commute from Durham to Louisburg.
In those innocent, early days, it was a roughly 45-minute commute on the worst of days.
That was easy for me because it was all driving. All of the backed-up traffic was heading in the opposite direction, so while those folks saw red lights for miles, I was often greeted with open roads.

In October 2024, American Legion Post 52 in Franklinton held CPR and AED training sponsored by the Compress and Shock Foundation and Franklin County Emergency Services.
Because more than 30 citizens were trained that day, the Compress and Shock Foundation provided a free AED for public use.
"We want the citizens of Franklinton to know that this life-saving device is available 24/7 located at 40 American Legion Road," said Post Commander Christ Smith.

These members of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 52 are supporting Orator Victoria Sema (third from the left holding flowers) as she prepares for the next level of contests.

A snowplows works to clear streets in downtown Franklinton which looks quite different with a dusting of the white stuff