SportsTalk: Louisburg College Softball Is Ranked No. 1 In The Nation

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When we think of a No. 1 ranked college athletic program, we may think of UNC, Duke or a team from a nationally known institution in other parts of the country.  Most people probably don’t think about Louisburg College.  Perhaps they should as the Louisburg College Hurricanes softball team is currently the No. 1 ranked team in the country.  Eric Lee, who took over the Hurricanes program in 2017, was Thursday’s guest on SportsTalk.  “It’s a good job,” Lee said of his position at the college.

Last year the Hurricanes led the nation in homeruns, not just at the junior college level but at every level including NCAA Division I.  That’s an impressive achievement for any school but even more so from a small junior college like Louisburg.  The college has a rich athletic history with names like Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice, baseball coach Russell Frazier, basketball coaches Enid Drake and Mike Holloman.  “I’m honored to be at the school, but I don’t think of myself as being up there with those names,” Lee said.

With the recent success the college is spending $100,000 on upgrading facilities at the school.  These upgrades will hopefully lead to more kids wanting to play at Louisburg. “You can recruit here,” Lee said.  One of Lee’s goals is to recruit locally as much as possible from not only Franklin County but the surrounding counties of Wake, Vance, Warren and Granville Counties.  “We’ve had success recruiting locally.  A lot of students want a traditional college experience,” Lee added.

 

Alyssa Blair Joins Franklin Co. Economic Development Dept.

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Alyssa Blair is joining Franklin County’s Economic Development Department as an economic development specialist.

Blair begins her new role in Franklin County on Feb. 5, following more than four years with the City of Oxford, where she had most recently worked as the city’s downtown development director.

“I am thrilled to join a strong, developing team and to not only work alongside dedicated individuals but to also serve the Franklin County community,” Blair said in a press release issued Tuesday by Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks, III.

In her role as downtown development director, Blair oversaw the NC Main Street Program in Oxford and had also been executive director of the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation. Before that, she was a communications specialist for the city.

“The diverse experience Alyssa brings will be of great value to our business community and the economic development initiatives for Franklin County,” said Franklin County Economic Development Director Barbara Fiedor. “We are excited she will be joining our team and look forward to her arrival.”

Blair has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a dual master’s degree in public administration and conflict management from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Konstanz in Germany. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in public administration from the UNC School of Government in Chapel Hill.

Annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards Nominations Being Accepted Now

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UPDATED: THE VANCE COUNTY DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS IS FEB. 16, 2024

Do you know someone who makes a difference in the community through volunteerism? Nominations for the annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards are being accepted now. Each year, the awards are presented to individuals who make significant contributions to the communities they live in through volunteer service.

An individual or group from the public, nonprofit and private sector may be nominated for this recognition award by a community member. For more information or to make a nomination online or download a nomination form, visit https://www.nc.gov/working/volunteer-opportunities/volunteernc/governors-volunteer-service-awards.  Use this site to locate your county’s contact person to whom you submit nominations. The nominations may be downloaded or completed online.

Some counties have designated specific individuals to receive the nominations from their county. According to information on the state government website, different counties may establish their own deadlines for submission. Vance County residents who wish to send in a nomination should do so by Feb. 16 via email to volunteernc@nc.gov.

Granville County nominations are due by Friday, Jan. 12 and should be submitted to kim@tnvlc.onmicrosoft.com.

In Franklin County, nominations should be submitted by Jan. 31 to Charles Mitchell charles_mitchell@ncsu.edu.

Warren County residents should send nominations by Feb. 1 to Crystal Smith at crystalsmith@warrencountync.gov.

Franklin Health Dept. Gets Grant $ For Women’s Health Services

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks, III

More grant money is coming to Franklin County to bolster women’s health services.

Franklin County Health Department is set to receive $460,000 in grant funding from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services over the next four years to provide women’s health services in a variety of ways. The health department will provide expanded clinical hours, home visits for post-natal assessment and integrate community health workers into department programs to bridge the gap in health care access, enhance cultural competence and provide essential support to our community.

The department will receive $115,000 annually over the course of four years.

“Receiving these funds from the state will allow us to enhance birth outcomes and reduce infant mortality by expanding our services beyond our current programs to pregnant and postpartum women,” Franklin County Health Director Scott LaVigne said.

Funding is expected to begin in February 2024.

For more information about this grant or the Health Department, contact LaVigne at 919.496.8111 or slavigne@franklincountync.gov.

Franklin County Names Matt Masters As New EMS Director

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III

Franklin County has named Matt Masters as Emergency Medical Services director. He will begin his new job on Jan. 2, 2024.

Masters has close to three decades of experience with emergency medical services in Wake County.

“I am excited to join Franklin County as the EMS Director and use my more than 29 years of EMS experience to navigate our team into the future,” Masters said in a press statement from Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III.

Masters was District Chief, Field Training Officer and Paramedic for the Wake County EMS System – supervising daily EMS operations within the department and field operations throughout the county. Prior to that, he served as a Shift Supervisor and Paramedic for Six Forks EMS from 2002-2007 and as an Assistant Chief and Paramedic for Knightdale EMS. In each of his previous positions, he provided supervision, directed operations and assisted in annual budget preparation.

“Matt brings a wealth of supervisory EMS experience which will be extremely valuable to Franklin County,” said County Manager Kim Denton.

Masters graduated from Lenoir Community College with an associates degree in Emergency Medical Services and an associates degree in Emergency Management. He has also obtained a Paramedic certification from Wake Technical Community College.

 

TownTalk: Get Into The Holiday Spirit With Louisburg Christmas Tour

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Dorothy Cooper and her fellow organizers have done everything possible to plan for the second annual Old Towne Louisburg Candlelight Christmas Tour through the Louisburg Historic District, and it seems like even the weather is going to cooperate by providing winterlike temps for Saturday’s walking tour.

Cooper, historian for the local historic district, said there are 10 locations on this year’s tour, which features a combination of residences and other historic structures.

Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased online at https://www.louisburghistoricdistrict.com/. The tour will be held Saturday, Dec. 16 from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Last year’s event was a great success, with people coming from Orange and Guilford counties, as well as counties closer to Franklin, she said.

“It was really interesting to have people come in and say ‘I never knew this little town was here!’” Cooper said on Wednesday’s TownTalk with WIZS co-host Bill Harris.

Person Place, located at Louisburg College, is where the tour begins. Participants will get a booklet complete with a map of the locations and information about each spot.

The sanctuary of Louisburg Baptist Church will be open, and organist Brian Miller will be providing seasonal music during the tour. Another stop is the Louisburg Fire Department museum – the lone location that folks may want to drive to, Cooper noted.

The majority of the tour stops are within walking distance of Person Place and the parking, which will be on the Louisburg College campus. And there’s one surprise location that ticketholders will learn about when they check in and get their booklets.

Participants also have the chance to book a horse and carriage ride for an additional fee. Bookings can be arranged when purchasing tickets for the tour, she added.

All proceeds support events and workshops of the historic group, including repair and restoration work at the city’s Oakwood Cemetery.

On Jan. 6, the group is sponsoring a Twelfth Night Luminary Drive-Through event at Oakwood Cemetery. Details are available on the website.

CLICK PLAY!

 

S-Line Rail Corridor

The Local Skinny! S Line Rail Corridor Receives Over $1 Billion

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Apparently, $1 billion doesn’t go as far as it used to. At least as far as the S-Line passenger rail line goes, that number – a 1 followed by NINE zeroes – will get the train from Raleigh to as far north as Wake Forest. That’s still 28 miles or so from Henderson.

President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week that North Carolina would get a whopping $1.09 billion in federal grant money to build the first segment of the S-Line, a high-performance passenger rail line that will ultimately connect North Carolina with Virginia and points in the Northeast.

WIZS News spoke with NC DOT Rail Division Director Jason Orthner late last week  to find out what the project means for the state, and for Henderson and Vance County – basically the halfway point between Raleigh and Richmond.

Orthner said Henderson is “a critical location on the line…(which, when completed)  will be on one of the most advanced transportation networks in the country.”

The whole project covers 162 miles, Orthner said. While there is existing rail along many stretches, it’s a project that will need to be built in phases. If DOT engineer could wave a magic wand to create all the bridges and other structural components needed to bring the passenger rail service through the state, it surely would shorten the process.

Alas, state DOT officials are just trying to get the train out of Raleigh and north to Wake Forest in this first phase of the massive project.

“We will pursue grant funding and extend service as we do it,” Orthner said, adding that DOT is already planning for the next phases to reach Henderson and beyond.

As for Henderson’s part, Orthner said, being ready for what’s coming, he’s pleased. “We are really excited about Henderson,” he said.

City leaders have been learning about mobility hubs and transportation hubs as they prepare and plan for what passenger rail service can add to the city’s growth and tourism opportunities.

The trick is to use existing tracks up and down the East Coast for passenger rail service without impeding the freight service that uses the same railways.

Train travel is growing in popularity – there’s record ridership between Raleigh and Charlotte, Orthner noted – and he said there is a true interest by the public in rail transportation.

“It’s safe, productive, comfortable and it’s just really a great way to travel.”

CLICK PLAY!

 

S-Line Rail Corridor

Tillis Announces $1 Billion Grant for Raleigh to Richmond Commuter Rail

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— press release courtesy of the office of U.S. Senator Thom Tillis

Dec. 5, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis announced a $1 billion grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for a new passenger rail route between Raleigh, NC and Richmond, VA. The route will be along the CSX Transportation “S-Line” as a part of the Southeast Corridor that will better connect North Carolina with Virginia, Washington D.C., and the Northeast Corridor.

“This $1 billion grant for North Carolina to make progress on the Raleigh to Richmond Rail Line is a big win for economic development in the region,” said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud this investment was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I helped negotiate, write, and pass into law.”

The project improves system and service performance by developing a resilient and reliable passenger rail route that will also contribute to freight and supply chain resiliency in the Southeast. NCDOT and Amtrak will provide a 20% non-Federal match. Following selection, FRA will work with the recipient to establish and obligate the Phased Funding Agreement. FRA anticipates an initial obligation of FY22-23 funds under the agreement of up to $479,416,000, with contingent commitments from Advance Appropriations in FY24-26 providing the balance of funds.

For a list of specific BIL infrastructure grants, click HERE.

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https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-announces-1-billion-grant-for-raleigh-to-richmond-commuter-rail

Franklin County DSS Gets $2,500 From Food Lion To Address Food Insecurity

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– Information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James Hicks

Franklin County Department of Social Services has received a $2,500 gift from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to address food insecurity needs across the county.

“We are excited to receive the funds provided by the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation as it will enrich our efforts to address food insecurity in our county,” said Franklin County Director of Social Services Andrew Payne.

The county’s Care and Share Center staff and volunteers provide nutritious food items to county residents in need of emergency assistance. The Care and Share Center, located at

at 110 Industrial Drive in Louisburg, is open to the public on Wednesday mornings.

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Salisbury-based grocery store.  Established in 2001, the foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $18.1 million in grants.

 

NC DOT

NCDOT Awards $3.5 Million Contract For Road Improvements in Franklin County; Work Begins Spring 2024

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More than 21 miles of local roadway will be updated across Franklin County beginning next spring.

The N.C. Department of Transportation recently awarded the work to Carolina Sunrock LLC of Raleigh. The $3.5 million contract includes milling, resurfacing and reconstructing shoulders along portions of seven roads. Work should start in March 2024 and will be completed in October 2025.

The following roads are included in the project:

  • C. 96 from U.S.1 to the Granville County Line
  • S. 1 Alternate North/South Main Street from just east of U.S.1 to south of N.C. 56
  • Ronald Tharrington Road from N.C.56 to Seven Paths Road
  • Allen Road from N.C. 561 to Leonard Road
  • Tarboro Road/East Main Street from U.S. 401 to Youngsville
  • East Jewett Avenue/Baptist Church Road from Sledge Road to N.C. 39
  • East Main Street in downtown Youngsville