Luci Weldon

Amid concerns that it was conducting an illegal emergency meeting on Thursday, the Warrenton Board of Commissioners did not reach a decision on what to do with eight banners which originally read “Celebrating 250 years of freedom.” Warrenton Mayor Walter Gardner announced that the meeting was called “to allow the board to speak to unforeseen circumstances.” He said that a complaint was received, but he had not seen it and didn’t know if the complaint was written or made verbally.

It might have been hot and humid last week, but that didn’t stop a group of youth and adult volunteers from replacing the shingles on the roof of a home on Heritage Road off Ridgeway-Warrenton Road between Warrenton and Norlina. These volunteers were among close to 120 youth and adult workers representing Rebuilding Hope, Inc. of Henderson’s Servants on Site initiative as teams worked to replace nine roofs this year in Vance and Warren counties.

A dispute continues in the town of Warrenton over the meaning of the word “freedom” as it applies to eight banners displayed on Main Street with the words “Celebrating 250 years of freedom” in honor of America’s 250th birthday. On Tuesday, the newspaper received emails and phone calls from people who said that the Town of Warrenton removed the banners after receiving a complaint about the use of the word “freedom,” and that, later, the banners were put back up with the word “freedom” covered.