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Spring Hope has lost one of its former commissioners.
Former Commissioner Nancy Carroll Walker, 78, passed away on August 29, 2021.
No cause of death has been presented by the family, Spring Hope Town Clerk Michele Collins said.
Walker served as a commissioner on the town's board for eight years from 2011 to 2019.

An economic development announcement is on the horizon for the Town of Nashville.
Oppie Jordan, Vice President of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership, provided an update on the latest economic development efforts to Town Council last Tuesday.
"We have four active, very active, projects," Jordan told council members.

Danny Vester of Spring Hope is well known across the country for his record breaking, larger than life, pumpkins. And most people will tell you his heart is just about as large as the pumpkins he grows.
In 2014, Vester's 1,296 pound pumpkin weighed in at Cullman, Alabama as the largest pumpkin in the Southeastern United States.

Red Oak is now home to a well known antique tractor and car show.
The Red Oak Area Historic Preservation Classic Tractor and Car Show, is set for September 10-12 and will be held at Ennis Park, 4605 N. Old Carriage Road.
The event will include antique tractors, hit and miss engines, classic cars, a chainsaw carver, vintage and antique vendors, live music, food trucks, and even tethered hot air balloon rides, weather permitting. (Balloon rides are not included in admission)

NC Governor Roy Cooper stopped in Nashville Tuesday morning to visit a vaccine clinic hosted by the Nash County Health Department on the first day of administering the third-dose booster.
Cooper greeted several citizens upon their arrival to the clinic, some to receive their third vaccine. The CDC recommends people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should receive the third vaccination.

A Rocky Mount man is facing charges after striking a police officer when fleeing the the scene of a traffic stop.
An officer with the Rocky Mount Police Department conducted a traffic stop at 12:45 a.m. on August 24 due to a motor vehicle violation. The officer was standing next to the vehicle when the suspect accelerated, striking the officer with the motor vehicle and fleeing the scene.

Maurice William Nicholson was sentenced in Nash County Superior Court on August 5 for Felony Fleeing to Elude Arrest in a Motor Vehicle and Attempted Trafficking by Transport of Heroin. Nicholson received a minimum of 43 months and a maximum of 70 months in the North Carolina Department of Corrections.
The charges stemmed from a traffic stop on June 10, 2020 where Nicholson fled from Nash County Narcotic Deputies.

Jaheed Labega, 25, was sentenced in Nash County Superior Court for Trafficking Heroin. Labega received a minimum of 73 months and a maximum of 100 months in the North Carolina Department of Corrections.
The charges stemmed from a search warrant that was executed on Labega's storage unit on US 301 in Rocky Mount.

Rocky Mount Police Departments Traffic Unit observed a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction on South Franklin St. near Hammond St. Tuesday. Members of the Traffic Unit conducted a traffic stop for the violation. Upon further investigation, a probable cause search was conducted.
Officers seized 509 grams of marijuana and a handgun from the vehicle.

The Rocky Mount Police Department partnered with Greenville Police Department to locate Michael Cherry, a 35-year-old male who was arrested in a string of Commercial Robberies at Foodlion on Harbour West Dr and the Fuel Doc on N. Wesleyan Blvd in Rocky Mount. He is also a suspect for a commercial robbery in Wilson. Cherry was residing in a hotel in Greenville,. He was charged with the following:

Nashville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Director, Koy Worrell was recognized last week as the Northern Piedmont N.C. Wildlife Resources Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for the Northern Piedmont Region.
Worrell was nominated for the award by his Hunter Education Coordinator, Casey Williams.

As the last days of summer are drawing near, the Tar-Pamlico held on to its clean-water run with all 18 sites passing the Swim Guide test this week.
There remains the threat of fish kills and algal blooms, so if water is murky, discolored or has a strange odor, avoid it. Algal blooms often thrive when heavy rains are followed by hot, still weather. Algal blooms deplete the water of oxygen, leading to fish kills, and a dead fish floating in the water is likely home to harmful bacteria.

Damage to personal property at 10026 NC 33, Whitakers on 8/24/21
Damage to personal property at 100 N. Boddie St., Nashville on 8/22/21
Attempt to obtain property by false pretenses at 11268 Old US 64, Spring Hope on 8/27/21

INCIDENTS
Driving while license revoked, not impaired, at mile marker 461 US 64 E on 8/23/21
Open container at E. Old Spring Hope Rd. on 8/28/21

A former 12-year veteran on the N.C. Board of Transportation is being lauded for his commitment to improving transportation, promoting collaboration and innovation and helping communities.
The Sunset Avenue bridge over Wesleyan Boulevard in Rocky Mount was dedicated recently to Gus Tulloss, who served on the state transportation board from 2008 until his retirement last year.

Exalted Ruler Michael P. Davis initiated two new members into the Elks Lodge #1038 at Birchwood in Nashville on August 26, 2021. Pictured from left to right are Exalted Ruler Michael P. Davis, Judy Taylor and Frank Brown.

Nash Community College trustees Robbie Green, James (Jim) Martin, Wayne Outlaw and Student Government Association President Justin Joyner were administered Oaths of Office during the regular board meeting held Monday, August 16, 2021. Judge Quentin T. Sumner administered the Oaths.

North Carolina Wesleyan College recently welcomed Rev. Edwin Ferguson as the new Chaplain. Rev. Ferguson assumes the role from former Chaplain, Dr. Barry Drum, who will transition this fall to full-time faculty after filling the role since 2003.
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Rev. Ferguson is currently the pastor of Invitation at A.M.E. Zion Church in Snow Hill, NC.

(A note from Mike: This devotion is very special to me. The lady God miraculously saved at the end raised me after my mother died when I was seven years old. I thank God for her every day!)
We live in a world that teaches us that we are at the center of whatever success or failure we experience. You know the old saying, "There's nothing you can't accomplish, if you put your mind to it".

"We at Peachtree Baptist Church continue to pray for you; your friends and family during these stressful times. The Covid-19-DV has spiked and the number of cases and deaths continue to rise.
So much has happened in our world in just one week.

Red Oak Baptist Church offered a drive through Backpack Giveaway on Saturday, August 21 to those who needed help with school supplies. Over 140 backpacks filled with school supplies were given away!
Promotion Sunday was held at Red Oak Baptist Church on August 29.

Joanne Smeal, Ricky Shafer and Mimosa De to Delvonte Austin; Section 2, Forrest Oaks, Block C, Lot 15
Michael Kevin Gift and Marylou Gift to Paradise Homes of Johnston County of NC, Inc.; 4601 South NC 58, Nashville; $25,000
D.R. Horton Inc. to Amber Dawn Inman and Kenneth Eugene Perry Jr.; Section IV, Ford's Colony Rocky Mount, Lot 58

Building Permits
Commercial
Timothy C. Brown, 2450 A Hornes Church Rd W; renovation/alteration; $3,000

24 HOURS is the most critical time to find a lost pet. The following steps are the most important things to do:
Don't Wait ~ The first 24 hrs makes a difference.
Search ~ Make sure not at home, accidently locked in a building, a closet or under the house.

West Mount Ruritan Club Past President Wayne Outlaw (center) is shown accepting the Ruritan National Club President's Award for outstanding service to the club in 2020 from Rocky Mount-Durham District Lt. Governor Johnny Johnson (left) and Ruritan National Director George Brothers (right).

I see a lot of headlines about how we are in "unprecedented times," "unchartered waters" and "times of change."
I suppose those things could be true in a sense, but it also seems like we aren't doing a good job of learning from history.
I love history -- the good and the bad -- because it is not only interesting, it has value. Someone said the other day we can't change the past, only the present and the future and that's what we should spend our energy and resources on.

There's one thing for sure here in Nashville - we have vision.
In 2019 through early 2020, multiple visioning forums were held as part of the process of rethinking and restructuring the Municipal Service District name and mission.
A mission statement was developed, "Downtown Nashville Strong is dedicated to advocate, promote and enhance the development of downtown to preserve the historic charm while encouraging future development.

Dear Editor, It was never gonna be easy extricating ourselves from Afghanistan. Not after two decades and a couple of trillion dollars spent. Not to mention the dead and wounded. Pat Tillman lost his life fighting in Afghanistan.
Nonetheless, it's hard to imagine a more bungling withdrawal than what we're witnessing.

North Carolina Wesleyan College's 65th Founding Anniversary is October 25. The college submitted this photo of its 1964 graduating class.

ROCKY MOUNT - Film doesn't lie, and veteran Nash Central High School football coach Chris Lee didn't necesarily like what he saw when breaking down Smithfield-Selma game tape ahead of last Friday's showdown between the clubs at The Dawg Pound on the NCHS campus.
Smithfield-Selma doesn't necessarily have the greatest recent gridirion tradition in the area, but that trend seems to be changing quickly these days.

NASH COUNTY -- The current crazy world of high school sports is continuing this fall with coaches and athletic directions trying to be last-minute matchmakers as the campaign progresses.
Last Friday, Northern Nash was supposed to play Wilson Fike and Southern Nash was slated to take on Corinth Holders.

READY TO GO. The first full weekend of college football is upon us, and Nadir Thompson (left) and the Virginia Tech Hokies will have a key Atlantic Coast Conference game to start as the Hokies will host North Carolina this Friday night in Blacksburg, Va. Thompson, a redshirt sophomore, is a Nash County native who prepped for the Southern Nash Firebirds. He is currently listed as a backup cornerback for the Hokies on their latest depth chart.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Russell Rouse, Jr., an North Carolina Wesleyan College alumnus and former Battling Bishops football player, is returning to the Wesleyan family.
Rouse a 2010 graduate of North Carolina Wesleyan, has joined the College as First-Year Advisor and Coordinator of Academic Intervention Services.
Russell Rouse began working for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools in 2011 where he taught 6th and 7th grade math ematics and science at Red Oak Middle School.

NASHVILLE -- A beloved Saturday tradition will be returning this fall, albeit with a few twists.
A generation of kids and their families have taken part in Nashville Hornets' football activities through the years.
The Hornets are making a comeback, but will now be managed by the Nash County Parks and Rec Department as opposed to the Town of Nashville.

FREDERICKSBURG, VA. -- The Carolina Mudcats snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory versus the Fredericksburg Nationals at FredNats Ballpark on Sunday night.
Ernesto Martinez went 4-for-5 with a RBI double while extending his hitting streak to 14 consecutive games, Zach Mort earned his third victory and James Meeker struck out four batters in the ninth and five overall while earning his third save as Carolina earned a victory in the final game of the series.

The Mims Gallery at The Dunn Center will kick off their 2021-22 season with an opening reception featuring local artist, Ashley Fabrizio. This free, public event will take place on Thursday, September 9 from 5 - 7 p.m. Gallery receptions provide a unique opportunity to enjoy new art, socialize and meet the artist.
Already famous in local community, Fabrizio is the artist behind the 125-foot by 30-foot CSX mural on the side of Station Square in downtown Rocky Mount.