Council approves venue name, proposed budget

Rocky Mount's planned performance center now has a name.

Town council voted Monday night to approve the name "Harvester Performance Center" by a 5 to 1 vote.

Councilman Bobby Cundiff cast the dissenting vote.

Town council also approved the $8.7 million general fund budget for 2013-14 on a vote of 4 to 2.

Cundiff and Bobby Moyer cast the dissenting votes.

The budget includes no increases in real estate taxes or fees. The current real estate tax is 13 cents per $100 of assessed value.

20th Habitat House Breaks Ground

Franklin County Habitat for Humanity hit a milestone Monday as the 20th Habitat House in the county broke ground. Eddie McCall, owner of McCall's Excavating of Wirtz, dumps the first load of dirt as part of the breaking ground event for the house on Bland Street in Rocky Mount. Watching are members of the Hicks family, who will own the house. Ben and Dawn Hicks and their children, Paul, 8, and Faith, 5, are ready to get to work on their way to being homeowners, Dawn Hicks said. Family members are part of the home-building process for a Habitat House.

Glade Hill exes charged with pointing gun at each other

A Glade Hill woman and her ex-husband were both charged with brandishing a firearm after an altercation at the man's residence Sunday afternoon.

Mary Ellen Blankenship, 49, and Michael Dennis Blankenship, 54, were both also charged with assaulting a family member, according to Capt. Harry Clingenpeel with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded to the residence on Old Franklin Turnpike Sunday about 3 p.m. for a fight in progress, Clingenpeel said.

Blackout tonight kicks off 3-day Ramble Weekend

Ramble Weekend is finally here.

The 12th Annual Pigg River Ramble weekend starts tonight with the Blackwater Blackout.

Registration will begin at 5 p.m. with music provided by the up-and-coming bluegrass band Sons of Bluegrass.

For those who want to come to the concert but have not registered for the float, admission is free but donations will be accepted. Proceeds from the event will benefit Antioch Community Park.

There is a $15 per person entry fee for the float with 12 and under free. Dinner is included with the entry fee.

The Blackout concert, dinner and float will be held at 305 New Plant Road (off Grassy Hill toward the "old" Cooper Wood site, take a left after passing the Cooper Wood Bridge onto New Plant Road).