SportsTalk: Lady Canes Ranked #21 in Top 25

/by

Dennis Gaskins, Head Coach of the Louisburg College Women’s Basketball Team, joins SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and George Hoyle to discuss how well the Lady Canes hoops team has done up to this point. Coach Gaskins also previews Thursdays game against Wake Tech. Scout and George also take a look at the high school basketball games happening on Thursday and Friday.

Games on Thursday – Boys

  • Henderson Collegiate vs. Falls Lake
  • Kerr-Vance vs. Pungo Christian
  • Louisburg @ Bunn

Games on Thursday – Girls

  • Kerr-Vance vs. Pungo Christian
  • Louisburg @ Bunn

College Basketball on Thursday – Women

  • Louisburg College vs. Wake Tech

Click Play!

2026 Senior Games Registration Opens Feb. 2

/by

Senior athletes in the Kerr-Tar Region, it’s time to start thinking about which games you’d like to enter in the Senior Games 2026, which begin later this spring.

Early bird registration runs Feb. 2 through Feb. 16 and is $15; the registration goes up to $20 after Feb. 16. The registration deadline is Mar. 2, according to information from Michael Patterson, with the Kerr-Tar COG’s Family Caregiver Specialist.

The dates for the games are Mar. 20 – May 15, 2026. The Silver Arts date is scheduled for May 15, 2026.

The games include:

badminton, basketball, billiards, bocce, bowling, cornhole, croquet, cycling, disc golf, discus, running and standing long jumps, football throw, golf, horseshoes, mini golf pickleball, shuffleboard, softball throw, swimming, table tennis, tennis and track events.

Individuals compete for awards in their own gender and age category with 5-year increments.

50-54, 55-59, 60-64, etc.

There are additional fees for bowling ($5), mini golf ($3) and golf ($40)

Register at your local senior center or visit https://torch.ncseniorgames.org.

For more information, contact Michael Patterson at 252.436.2040 ext. 6072 or Crystal Allen at 252.436.2040 ext. 2036.

Find more information at www.kerrtarcog.org or www.facebook.com/KerrTarAAA/

NC Dept of Agriculture

NCDA Announces Specialty Crops Grant Application

/by

— Information courtesy of the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is accepting grant proposal applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace. Nonprofits, commodity associations, state and local government agencies, colleges and universities wishing to apply have until March 10 at 5 p.m.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is managed by the department and is subject to funding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Traditionally, the program has received about $1.2 million to fund proposals.

A list of eligible crops can be found at What is a Specialty Crop? | Agricultural Marketing Service (https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop )

“We are fortunate in North Carolina that our farmers can grow just about any crop, which means specialty crops are a significant part of North Carolina’s $100 billion farm economy and one that we want to continue to see grow,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We are looking for strong proposals that focus on boosting specialty crop production.”

The department will accept grant requests of up to $200,000 from the eligible groups listed above. Grants are not available for projects that directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or individual. Applicants can submit a draft application by Wednesday, Jan. 28, for review and feedback. Reviews offer no guarantee of funding and may be limited due to time and the number of requests.

For grant guidelines and an application, go to www.ncspecialtycrops.com/apply/  For questions, contact Jenni Keith at 919.707.3158 or by email at jenni.keith@ncagr.gov.

SportsTalk: Louisburg College Men’s Basketball on the Right Track

/by

Bryan Bagwell, Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Louisburg College, joins SportsTalk with Scout Hughes to talk about how they have recovered nicely after a tough start to 2026.

High School Basketball Scores from Monday – Boys

  • Burlington Cummings 64 Vance County 62 OT
  • Wayne Country Day 58 Crossroads Christian 56
  • Burlington Williams 83 South Granville 67

High School Basketball Scores from Monday – Girls

  • Vance County 56 River Mill Academy 22
  • Falls Lake 38 St. Mary’s (Raleigh) 20

College Basketball Scores from Monday – Women

  • Louisburg College 71 Wake Tech 52

Games on Tuesday – Boys

  • Vance County vs. Franklinton
  • Vance Charter @ Oxford Prep
  • Henderson Collegiate @ Discovery Charter
  • Kerr-Vance Academy @ Halifax Academy
  • Crossroads Christian @ New Garden
  • J.F. Webb vs. Carrboro
  • South Granville vs. Cedar Ridge
  • Warren County vs. Northampton County
  • Falls Lake @ Eno River
  • Louisburg vs. ALA-Johnston
  • Bunn vs. Wake Prep

Games on Tuesday – Girls

  • Vance County vs. Franklinton
  • Vance Charter @ Oxford Prep
  • Kerr-Vance Academy @ Halifax Academy
  • J.F. Webb vs. Carrboro
  • South Granville vs. Cedar Ridge
  • Warren County vs. Northampton County
  • Falls Lake @ Eno River
  • Louisburg vs. ALA-Johnston
  • Bunn vs. Wake Prep

Click Play!

SportsTalk: Lady Hurricanes Hoops at 10-2 and Ranked in Top 25

/by

Dennis Gaskins, Head Coach of the Lady Hurricanes Basketball Team at Louisburg College, joins SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and Steve Lewis to discuss their games coming up this week and how the Lady Hurricanes are now ranked in the NJCAA DII Top 25 at #25.

College Basketball on Monday – Women

  • Louisburg College 77 Brunswick CC 74

College Basketball on Monday – Men

  • College of Southern Maryland 105 Louisburg College 97

Click Play!

NC State Board of Elections

County Boards Of Elections Set To Begin Sending Absentee Ballots Jan. 12

/by

 – from the N.C. State Board of Elections

On Monday, Jan. 12, North Carolina’s 100 county boards of elections will begin sending absentee-by-mail ballots to registered voters who requested a ballot for the 2026 primary election.

This marks the start of voting for North Carolina’s March 3 primary election. Voters who have already requested absentee-by-mail ballots should receive them in the coming days. In North Carolina, any eligible voter can request, receive, and vote an absentee ballot by mail. Find more information at Vote By Mail.

The absentee ballot request deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 17. Election officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot as early as possible to ensure there is time to receive it and then send it back to their county board of elections so that it is received no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day – March 3.

State law previously provided for a grace period if your ballot was postmarked on or before Election Day and received up to three days after the election. That is no longer the case. The ballot must be at the county board office, not in the mail, by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

In the primary election, voters will select nominees for a political party to move on to the Nov. 3 general election. In primaries, voters affiliated with a political party will be given a ballot of candidates for their party. Unaffiliated voters may choose the ballot of any one party that has a primary (Democratic or Republican) or a nonpartisan ballot, if available in their jurisdiction. The Green Party and Libertarian Party do not have N.C. primaries in 2026.

Find out more at Upcoming Election.

Sample ballots are available for individual voters by locating their voter record in the State Board of Elections’  Voter Search link.

Scroll down to the “Your Sample Ballot” section and click on the link(s).  Note: Unaffiliated voters will have at least two ballot styles listed, and may have three ballot styles if they are eligible to vote in a non-partisan contest, such as a referendum. When requesting an absentee ballot or presenting to vote in person, unaffiliated voters will choose which ballot they wish to vote.

By-mail voters must have two individuals or a notary witness that the voter completed their ballot. The witnesses must sign the ballot return envelope where indicated. By-mail voters also will be asked to place a photocopy of an acceptable photo ID in the sleeve on the back of their ballot envelope. The photocopy does not have to be a color copy, but election officials must be able to read it. Absentee voters who are unable to provide a copy of a photo ID should complete the Photo ID Exception Form that is included with their absentee ballot materials, and place that form in the sleeve indicated for photo ID.

2026 Primary Dates and Deadlines

Here are key dates and deadlines for the 2026 primary election in North Carolina:

  • 12:  County boards of elections begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who have submitted an absentee ballot request
  • 6:  Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.)*
  • 12:  In-person early voting begins; same-day voter registration available
  • 17:  Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.)*
  • 28:  In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.)
  • March 3:  Primary Election Day
  • March 3:  Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.)*
  • March 13:  County boards of elections primary canvass meetings (11 a.m.)

The asterisk * indicates that there are different deadlines for military and overseas citizen voters.

SportsTalk: Canes Men’s Hoops Looks to Maintain Winning Record

/by

Bryan Bagwell, Head Coach of the Louisburg College Men’s Basketball Program, joins SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and Steve Lewis to give us his plan on how the Hurricanes are going to start strong coming out of the Christmas Break.

Boys Basketball Scores from Monday:

  • Central Carolina CC 91 Louisburg College 75
  • Bunn 54 Sydney Boys HS 51

Games Tuesday – Boys

  • Vance County @ Wake Forest
  • Vance Charter @ Eno River
  • Kerr-Vance vs. Oakwood School
  • J.F. Webb vs. South Granville
  • Oxford Prep @ Excelsior
  • Warren County vs. Roanoke Rapids
  • Franklinton vs. Knightdale
  • Louisburg @ Franklin Academy
  • Mecklenburg County, VA vs. Bassett, VA

Games Tuesday – Girls

  • Vance County @ Wake Forest
  • Vance Charter @ Eno River
  • Kerr-Vance vs. Oakwood School
  • J.F. Webb vs. South Granville
  • Oxford Prep @ Excelsior
  • Warren County vs. Roanoke Rapids
  • Franklinton vs. Knightdale
  • Louisburg @ Franklin Academy
  • Mecklenburg County, VA vs. Bassett, VA

Click Play!

Franklin County: Local Poultry Test Positive For Avian Flu

/by

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

Franklin County has recorded its first case of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry.

Avian influenza – commonly known as bird flu – was first reported on Jan. 1, 2026, in Franklin County. Poultry in a backyard flock tested positive for the disease.

“It is important for owners of commercial birds and backyard flocks take preventive measures to keep their birds healthy and safe,” said Charles Mitchell, Franklin County Cooperative Extension Director.

Commercial and backyard bird owners should take heightened precautions to prevent the spread of avian influenza. The Center for Disease Control and the United States Department of Agriculture have resources to keep birds and their owners safe:

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/caring/index.html

USDA: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/defend-the-flock/resources

While human cases of bird flu are not as common, individuals handling infected birds or other infected animals should use proper personal protective equipment to reduce exposure.

 

Local Guardian ad Litem Training Begins Jan. 13, 2026

/by

The local Guardian ad Litem program is a statewide program designed to place trained volunteers to serve as advocates for neglected or abused children going through the court system.

The next six-week training session begins on Jan. 13, 2026. Area Supervisor Samantha Branch, who serves the five-county region that includes Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties, is seeking additional volunteers who want to become advocates for this very important program.

Formed in 1983, the Guardian ad Litem program serves in all 100 counties in North Carolina and is a division of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts.

According to information on its website, when a petition alleging abuse or neglect of a juvenile is filed in district court, the judge appoints a volunteer GAL advocate and an attorney advocate to provide team representation to the child.

Program staff in each county work with the GAL child to provide support – legal and advocacy – to children as they go through the court process.

Advocates protect and promote the best interests of juveniles in abuse and neglect court proceedings, as well as report the child’s wishes to the court. They also could contribute to independent investigations to determine the facts, the needs of the child and identify resources appropriate to each case.

Learn more about the program at https://www.nccourts.gov/programs/guardian-ad-litem.

If you think you’d like to become a trained Guardian ad Litem advocate, call 252.430.5121 or visit volunteerforgal.org.

(Information above originally posted Dec. 17, 2025)

Click Play!

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – National Registry of Historic Places in Old Granville, Franklin & Warren

/by

 

Anyone interested in historical architecture and preservation of homes, businesses or other structures that have been around a really long time surely would have a field day in the four-county area. Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties are replete with buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which operates under the auspices of the National Parks Service.

If you’ve ever wondered how these homes, churches and other buildings get on “the list,” WIZS’s Bill Harris can provide a firsthand account: His family home is set to be included on the National Register in 2026.

Harris and local historian Mark Pace ran through a list of properties in Franklin and Warren counties on Wednesday’s Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.

One of the newest additions to the Warren County list is All Saints Episcopal Church, officially included in August 2025.

The church served the African American community in the Warrenton area beginning in the 1910’s. The famous Delany sisters – known for their longevity – have a connection to the stone veneer church; their father was pastor there in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

Like so many of the historic structures you’ll find on “the list,” All Saints is still standing today. But, as Pace pointed out, “just because a house is on the national register doesn’t mean it will be preserved forever.”

The Little Manor is one such example of a home still listed but is now in ruins.

According to Pace, Warren County has 228 total structures listed on the National Register – 27 individual buildings and 202 included in the Warrenton historic district. Franklin County has 240 structures – 213 of which are situated in Louisburg’s historic district.

A structure must be nominated for inclusion on the National Register, so there needs to be an advocate of some sort to fill out and submit the paperwork that’s involved.

According to information on the National Parks Service website, a property must meet the National Register Criteria for Evaluation that includes the property’s age, significance and integrity.

For all you Baby Boomers out there, don’t be shocked: a structure can be considered historic if it’s at least 50 years old.

But, Pace said, the list includes more than just homes or other structures that have been around for centuries. For instance, the Wheless home in Louisburg was built in the mid 1950’s.

It meets the age criteria – barely – but it’s the style of architecture – reminiscent of the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright – that put this relatively young home among other homes that have graced the landscape for centuries.

Franklin County has many entries on “the list,” but there are many more located in northern Franklin County than in the southern part of the county, Harris said.

One of the newer additions is the Pearce-Massey-Stallings in southern Franklin County. It was nominated about five years ago and Harris described it as a “handsome” house built in a couple of different sections, the older back part dating back to about 1820.

The front was added about 1910, but the property is also significant because of the large number of outbuildings that are still standing. It’s also remains in the family, Pace said.

Another example of generations of ownership by the same family of a historic property is Cassine, near Louisburg. Descendents of the original members of the Perry family retain ownership of this historic property, which dates back to the 1760’s.

Want to check out some of these examples of historic architecture? Arm yourself with a list available at https://www.hpo.nc.gov/ or bring along the county’s architectural survey and chances are you’ll wend your way by a good number of homes, churches – and if you’re in the Inez area of Warren County – even a fire tower, all considered worthy of inclusion on that NPS’s National Register of Historic Places.

Just remember to drive by – don’t trespass, Pace reminds.

“Most of us are proud of our old houses,” Harris said. So if you happen to see someone out in the yard when you’re driving by, it could be worth a try to stop in and say hello. You might end up getting a tour.

 

CLICK PLAY!