T-shirts commemorating the 50th anniversary of Franklin’s becoming an independent city are now available.

Holt Livesay, chairman of the FKN-50 committee, on Thursday stopped by The Tidewater News to model a T-shirt, which comes in white, blue, pink or stonewash green.

T-shirts sizes small through large are $12 and extra large through XXXXL are $15. They can be purchased at the Franklin Depot Visitor Center on Main Street, Franklin-Southampton Area Chamber on Commerce on Third Avenue, Ace Hardware on Armory Drive and Cofield’s Auto Sales on South Street.

For information, call Downtown Franklin Association at 562-6900.

n The editor of Virginia Town and City, a magazine published by the Virginia Municipal League, will visit Boykins on Tuesday to do a story on the town’s economic recovery in the retail district.

David Parsons will interview business owners and officials for the statewide publication’s August issue.

Within a year’s time, empty storefronts on Boykins’ Main Street went from nine to three. Credit to the town’s retail revitalization has gone to Mike McManus, who with his wife, Debbie, opened Boykins Beans & Ice Cream at 32124 Elizabeth St. nearly three years ago.

Virginia Municipal League attorney Mark Flynn also had a hand in the revitalization. He informed town officials about a new law that allowed the McManuses to buy the 4,800-square-foot former supermarket without paying delinquent property taxes.

Mayor Spier Edwards is thrilled about the magazine doing a story.

“Most times, (the towns featured have populations from) 2,000 to 50,000,” Edwards said. “I’m real excited to get this thing promoted.”

n Brock Kannan this summer is doing three internships in New York City that involve casting actors for productions.

The 24-year-old from Franklin from May through July is working with Tara Rubin Casting, which specializes in long-running shows like “Phantom of the Opera” and “Billy Elliot.”

Working from the city’s Theater District, he has been involved with casting for “Mary Poppins” and “Jersey Boys.”

His other internships with Cindi Rush and Stewart & Co. will begin later this summer. Rush casts movies and Stewart does Broadway shows.

A senior at Brigham Young University in Provost, Utah, Brock is working on a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in musical theater.

He hopes to return to New York City and work in casting.

“It’s very interesting,” Brock said. “A lot of people see casting as a big, glamorous thing.”

A graduate of Appomattox Regional Governor’s School in Petersburg, he is the son of Bess and Bill Kannan of Franklin.

GWEN ALBERS is managing editor of The Tidewater News. Her email address is gwen.albers@tidewaternews.com.