Nash County Commissioner Billy Morgan was recognized by fellow Democrats on Saturday night at the annual Nash County Democratic Party's Primary Election Banquet.
The banquet provided an opportunity for Democratic candidates, both state and local, to come out and briefly share their platforms.
The event, titled "Race to the Finish Line," brought out over 150 people.

Warren Evans, the former Mayor of the Town of Nashville, passed away on Wednesday morning.
Evans, a lifelong Nashville resident, was a community servant.
He served 12 years on the Nash County Board of Education, a board he chaired from 1962 until 1964. He also served 27 years as a trustee at Nash Community College.

Nashville's Fire Department is hoping a grant will enable the department to purchase a ladder truck in the upcoming budget year.
Town Manager Henry Raper presented council members with departmental capital item requests at their annual budget retreat held earlier this year.
Raper said Fire Chief Randy Goodbrod requested that the department purchase either a ladder truck or pumper truck.
"They want to buy either a new pumper truck to replace the old truck or to buy a ladder truck this year," Raper said "They are not intending to buy both at the same time."

The Town of Spring Hope has hired a new town manager.
The Town Board accepted a contract with Jae H. Kim last Thursday night at a special called meeting. Kim was hired at an annual salary of $54,000.
Kim, of Carthage, most recently served as a Special Projects Coordinator with the Town of Robbins and Town of Carthage, a position he has held since January 2016.

The Nash County Sheriff's Office thanked employees for their hard work and commitment to Nash County last week during an Awards and Promotions Ceremony.
Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone said the sheriff's office was trying to hold more ceremonies to let officers know how much they are appreciated.
"I want to commend our officers for what they do every day," Stone said.
Three special employees were recognized for going above and beyond.

Nashville's Chamber of Commerce will add a new person to its list of Distinguished Citizens at a special event on Thursday, March 3.
The 25th annual Distinguished Citizen event will be held at Nash Arts and is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. prior to the ceremony which will begin at 7 p.m.
In addition to recognizing the 2016 Distinguished Citizen, the event also recognizes past recipients.

The Nashville Business and Professional Women's (BPW) Club have been giving out scholarships to area youth for over 30 years.
Each year, money is raised for the scholarship fund through one fund raising event; the Elsie Clark Memorial Nashville Opry.
The Opry has been a successful fund raiser for the club for over 30 years as well and this year, the club hopes the success will continue.
This year's Opry is set for Friday, March 4 from 6 until 10 p.m. at Nash Arts.

Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools has announced its make-up plan for school days missed due to inclement weather a few weeks ago.
Students at traditional schools missed February 12 due to inclement weather. They will make up the day on June 9.
Students at the Nash-Rocky Mount Early College missed February 12 and February 15 due to the inclement weather. The school system has decided to forgive the February 15 date and make up February 12 on May 24.

The Tar River Regional Task Force arrested a man last week as part of an ongoing investigation into the sale and use of illegal drugs.
The Task Force identified Antonio Jermaine Knight, 21, of Vyne Street, Rocky Mount, as part of its ongoing investigation and located him in the parking lot of Lowe's in Rocky Mount. As Task Force members approached the vehicle that Knight was driving in, he spotted officers and ran. A foot chase ensued and Knight was apprehended without further incident.

CARTER

The Nash County Sheriff's Office seized heroin and marijuana in a vehicle stop on I-95 last Wednesday and arrested two out-of-state men.
Deputies conducted the stop around 9:15 a.m. on I-95 south at the 126 mile marker.
The driver, Akbar James Carter, III, 36, of Conway, South Carolina, was allegedly found to be in possession of eight grams heroin and four grams of marijuana.
The passenger, Carl Tyshun Jordan, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia.

INCIDENTS
A damage to property (vandalism) was reported on 2/15/16 at L&L #14, 479 W Washington Street
An obtaining money/property by false pretense and larceny was reported on 2/16/16 at L&L #3, 1001 E Washington Street
An all other controlled substance violations, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while impaired was reported on 2/17/16 at Wal-Mart, 1205 Eastern Avenue

An obtaining property by false pretense was reported on 2/15/16 at 2355 Campground Road
A breaking and entering a motor vehicle and injury to personal property was reported on 2/15/16 at 4000 E Old Spring Hope Road
An assault with a deadly weapon was reported on 2/15/16 at 6295 Nicole Road
An assault/affray was reported on 2/15/16 at 4590 Langwood Way

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from February 15 through 19

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools recently announced the appointment of Brian Hopkins as principal of Northern Nash High School.
Hopkins takes over the leadership of the school after former principal Chad Thompson moved into a new role as Executive Director of Secondary Education at central office.
Hopkins is returning to Nash-Rocky Mount Schools from Edgecombe County Schools, where he served as principal of North Edgecombe High School for over a year.

A vision center has opened inside of Nashville's Wal-Mart.
The Wal-Mart Vision Center officially opened on Friday morning and celebrated with a ribbon cutting.
Karen Silveri will serve as the licensed optician for the vision center. Silveri is a Nashville resident and the primary reason behind the vision center coming to Nashville.

Pay It Forward Civitan Chaplain Mary Ann Tharrington welcomes Guest Speaker James Irvin, Chaplain for American Legion Post 110 and Oak Level Ruritan Club to the PIF Clergy Appreciation Dinner at Ribeyes in Nashville.

The Pay It Forward Civitan Club held its first Clergy Appreciation Dinner on February 8th at Ribeyes in Nashville. Clergy Appreciation week starts the week of February 3rd and aims to promote world brotherhood and religious understanding among all people, regardless of religious persuasion. The invited guests included local chaplains and pastors of Pay It Forward Civitan members.
Leigh Wilkinson, Civitan Region 3 International Director shared the history of Civitan Clergy Appreciation and the story of The Four Chaplains, (one Catholic, one Jewish, and two Protestants) who died on February 3, 1943 aboard the USS Dorchester during World War II.

Members of Father James Schomber #4600 Columbiettes Auxillary, of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, attended the Eastern Chapter meeting, in Wilmington at Saint Marks Catholic Church. Pictured (left to right) are Margie Parker Brantley, Ericka Zito, Robin-Ann Johnson, and Michelle Collins. The meeting was hosted by the Father James Waters Columbiettes Auxillary.

School public relations professionals across the state were honored on Friday, January 29, 2016 for the products of their craft during the North Carolina School Public Relations Association's (NCSPRA) annual Blue Ribbon Awards for Effective Communications. The event was held at the O. Henry Hotel in Greensboro and 39 school districts were recognized for outstanding work with a total of 229 awards in eight categories.

SpringBoardNC, along with partner organization - Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, are excited to announce the application deadline for Shark Tank 2016, has extended. Applications to compete for the $15,000 purse as a contestant will be open until March 1st and exhibitors are able to apply all the way up until March 14th.
"This year we are focused on providing a stage to main street businesses, so whether you're into retail downtown, opening a new brewery, or engineering the next iPhone, we want to hear from you." said Phil Dixon, President, SpringBoardNC.

On a beautiful, sunshiny morning, Peachtree folks gathered for worship at the church. Sanctuary flowers were given by Susan and Lawrence Edwards in memory of Karen Dollar Edwards and Tom Moorefield. The memory verse for the month is Psalms 33:12:"Blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord".
The children's sermon was about the importance of small things. Beverly Wilson said that a rain shower is made up of drops of rain and a building is held together by small nails. Sand is made up of tiny rocks, but sand is much better to play in than big rocks. Small things are a blessing, and children are a blessing.

There are certain things, events, and actions that we, as humans, take part in every single week. Some love to go out to their favorite place of dining each week, some love to watch their favorite show each Monday night. We get stuck in our ways easily and can even become predictable in what our antics will be each week.
For the Christian, the dead to flesh and alive to Spirit human being, worship simply must be a part of our weekly routine.

Several members from Red Oak Baptist Church attended the Celebrate Life Banquet, sponsored by Your Choice Resource Center, at Englewood Baptist Church on Thursday, February 18. Attending were Karen Girona, Dolly White, Audrey Pearce, Suzy Pearce, Dorothy Pearce, Marion Faulkner, and Charles and Maureen Williams. Film producer, human rights activist, and author Jason Scott Jones was the keynote speaker. He shared many inspiring stories of his life and work for human rights. The banquet is one of the main fundraisers for Your Choice Resource Center.

I pray everyone has been having a good week and enjoying the warm weather. We still have many friends who have been having some medical problems and asked to be in our prayers. Some of those are Mary Parker and Allen Parker who both had a better week. Allen seems to be much better but still continue to keep him and his wife, Vickie, in your prayers. Dorothy Fisher has been in the hospital but is now at home but still needs our prayers. Keep Dick Bass and his family in your prayers. May God comfort him in his serious illness.

Nash and Edgecombe County Cooperative Extension will offer Safe Plates for all those who work in the food service industry.
The course helps food establishments meet the requirement of having at least one supervisor certified as a food protection manager, a mandate of the NC Food Code.
There will be instruction in personal hygiene, purchasing from reputable suppliers, eliminating cross-contamination, and correct temperatures for storing, preparing, and holding foods.

Tuesday, March 1 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Tri-County Industries, 1250 Atlantic Avenue, Rocky Mount
Tuesday, March 1 from 12 until 4 p.m. at Eaton Corporation, 8171 Planer Mill Road, Middlesex
Monday, March 7 from 2:30 until 6:30 p.m. at Nashville United Methodist Church, 209 E Washington Street, Nashville
Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, 652 Raleigh Road, Rocky Mount

Nash County residents can rid their homes of old electronics, unwanted and unused prescription drugs, paper, fluorescent tubes and bulbs and much more during Nash County Recycles Day, which is set for Saturday, March 12 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The event is open to the public and will be held in the parking lot of the Nash County Courthouse in Nashville.

Not too long ago, ex-college football player and current action movie actor Dwayne Johnson was known as a professional wrestler called The Rock.
He had a catchphrase that became imbedded in pop culture for years: "Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?" I know what you're thinking. Pro wrestling will never be as good as it was in the 80s when I was growing up. You might also be thinking that what does that catchphrase mean, to which I would answer, I have no idea, but that is how pop culture works.

Oh the joys of motherhood!
There are good times and there are bad times. And then there are really bad times.
There isn't a book for motherhood and if there is, I promise you, it doesn't apply to your situation!
Instead, I try to remember those little quirks that make me smile because those things help keep my cool when my boys are being really, really bad. That, and coffee, lots and lots of coffee!

FUN FAIR -- This photo originally published in The Graphic on June 18, 1981. A Fun Fair was held at the Rocky Mount Fairgrounds which included numerous activities for youth. Pictured, youngsters cool down on a hot afternoon during the Mello Yello Swig event.

LOUISBURG -- When he first saw Abigail Ross in action at Nash Central High School, Louisburg College women's soccer coach Andy Stokes knew she had the ability to be the Lady Hurricanes' No. 1 keeper -- and beyond.
After two successful seasons at Louisburg, the 'beyond' part for Ross started recently when she signed a letter-of-intent to join the program at the University of Mount Olive.

STATE CHAMPS. Nash Central High School Girls 1600 Relay Team is shown on the medals podium at the Class 3-A State Indoor Track and Field Championships recently in Winston-Salem.

ROCKY MOUNT -- If the indoor season was any indication, look for the Nash Central Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs to be a factor this season on the Big East Conference track and field scene.
With one week remaining before the outdoor campaign kicks off, the Lady Bulldogs are two weeks removed from a seventh-place team finish at the Class 3-A State Indoor Championships in Winston-Salem.

WINNER TAKE ALL. Members of the Southern Nash High School boys basketball squad pose after the Firebirds claimed the Big East Conference Tournament Championship last Friday night. (Photo Submitted by Bunnie Hagler)

STANHOPE -- There's something about playing in the postseason at Wilson Fike High School that brings out the best in the Southern Nash Firebirds.
In the mid-2000s, Southern Nash's girls recorded a rare Big East Conference Basketball Tournament Championship when the event was held at Fike.
That moment still goes down as one of the most memorable in the history of the Ladybirds' girls hoops program.
Southern Nash added another historical footnote last Friday, but this time it was on the boys side.

NASH COUNTY -- Standings have been updated for the first season of the State Farm Cup -- an all-points athletic contest between Northern Nash and Nash Central.
Through the winter sports season, Northern Nash has accumulated 9.5 points, compared to 8.5 points for the Bulldogs.
Points are received for regular season matchups between varsity teams.
The football winner is awarded two points because those teams meet only once. Cross Country, Wrestling, Swimming, Track and Field, Golf and Cheerleading are awarded by the highest team finisher in the Big East Conference.

NASH COUNTY -- Here are the brackets for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 3-A Boys and Girls State Basketball Playoffs, which began Tuesday night across the state:

FAYETTEVILLE -- All five starters reached double-figures to lead the North Carolina Wesleyan College men's basketball team to a 91-84 victory at Methodist University last Saturday.
Despite trailing 47-28 at the half, the Monarchs finished with 14 treys on the day to close the gap down the stretch, but it was too little too late.
Senior Brandon Brown led all Bishop scorers with 22 points, while D.J. Weaver and Adrian Moore netted 18 apiece.

NASH COUNTY -- Here are updated scores from the Nash County Parks and Recreation Department's Youth Futsal Season:

RED OAK -- Susan McCarthy will serve as the coach for the Red Oak Middle School boys tennis team, which will kick off its 2016 campaign on March 15.
The Tigers will have home matches on April 5 and April 28. Red Oak's home courts are located at Ennis Park, which is adjacent to the front entrance of the school.
Red Oak will also have matches in Greene County and at Edwards Middle School.

NASH COUNTY -- Listed are updated Nash County Parks and Recreation Department Basketball Scores:

The cultural diversity of Rocky Mount will be on display Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. at Nash Community College's Brown Auditorium during the International Festival of Cultures. The event, sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, the city of Rocky Mount, Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant, Nash Community College and PNC Bank, serves to highlight the variety of cultures that call Rocky Mount home.