Nashville's first annual Running Festival was a hit Saturday! Photo by Allen Hinnant

NASHVILLE - With around 500 folks in attendance, organizers are calling the first Nashville NC Running Festival a winner.
"The overall event was a huge success," said Travis Hedgepeth who established the event to honor his late father, local businessman Frank Hedgepeth.
The Saturday event had 228 finishers in 5K, 10K and Half Marathon road races, raising more than $5,000 for charity, mainly the V Foundation for Cancer Research and Nash County Hospice.

Friday's Downtown Trick or Treat had its largest turnout yet with hundreds and hundreds of kids and parents filling West Washington Street. A light drizzle couldn't dampen the Halloween spirit. Nashville Chamber President Cliff Joyner (pictured above) said the event was a huge success with an excellent turnout. "I had as much fun as the kids," Joyner said. Graphic photo by Lindell Kay

WILSON - A Nashville man with a history of assaulting women at area Walmarts has been accused of doing it again.
Wilson Ray Richardson, 29, has several criminal convictions related to fondling women. In most cases, authorities charged him with sexual battery and prosecutors allowed pleas to convictions of simple assault or affray, lesser offenses that don't require registration as a sex offender, according to a review of court documents by The Graphic.

NASHVILLE - A design has been approved for Nashville's second fire station and plans are to have the new facility constructed by the end of 2023.
Nashville's Town Council met last Wednesday morning in a work session to hear design options. Ann Collier, of Oakley Collier Architects presented three options for council members to consider. One option was a 12,000 square foot facility at a price tag of $4.651 million while other options included a 9,500 square foot facility at a price tag of $4.116 million or a 7,000 square foot facility with a $3.351 million price tag.

NASHVILLE - Once strictly a partisan proposition, Medicaid expansion is gaining the support of an increasing number of Republican lawmakers as evidenced during a town hall meeting held on mental health care last week in Nashville.
"I support Medicaid expansion, but not as a permanent solution," said state Sen. Jim Burgin, a Republican from Harnett County.

Before you can climb back into the saddle, you have to fall off the horse. Nash County resident Anne Masters has lived this old adage -- twice.
The 47-year-old horse trainer and animal groomer has made a comeback, winning four out of five shows this year including the Morgan Classic at the North Carolina State Fair.

NASHVILLE - Around 15% of registered Nash County voters had cast a ballot by the end of last week, according to local election officials.
"We are at 9,872 in-person early votes right now," Nash County Elections Director John Kearney said Friday afternoon.
There's no way to compare the turnout of this election to past elections until it's over, Kearney said.

US SENATE
Cheri Beasley (D)
Shannon W. Bray (LIB)
Tedd Budd (R)

A Bailey woman will spend the next quarter century behind prison bars for arson and murder.
Alayna Renee Sherrod, 36, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree murder and first-degree arson in Nash County Superior Court in Nashville, receiving a sentence of 21 to 26 years in prison, according to information from prosecutors.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Authorities are investigating the suspicious death of a toddler.
A 15-month-old male child died after injures sustained in a reported fall on the 1100 block of York Street last week, according to a press release Cpl. Ricky Jackson, public information officer for the Rocky Mount Police Department.

A Florida man on federal probation has been accused of running cocaine to Nash County after a traffic stop in Nashville last week.
Alexis De'Jesus Soler, 40, of Kissimmee, Florida, faces charges of trafficking cocaine by possession, trafficking cocaine by transportation and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance.

Yahee Armfield, left, director of programs at My Sister's House, and Cara Thompson, right, director of operations at My Sister's House, present a plaque of appreciation to Butch Mull, center, exalted ruler of the Nashville Elks Lodge on Oct. 19 at the lodge in the Birchwood neighborhood. The Elks helped obtain $8,000 in grant funding to completely refurbish the kitchen at the women's shelter earlier this year. My Sister's House provides support to victims of domestic violence.

Peyton Barley, a 6-year-old girl from Nashville, gives a hug to Spongebob Squarepants during the Fall Fun Day at Central Hardware on Main Street in downtown Castalia recently. The event featured free hotdogs and cake, door prizes and games for kids. The event raised funds for the N.C. Special Olympics with the help of the Nash County Sheriff's Office, Nashville Police Department and Castalia Volunteer Fire Department.

A warrant service was reported on 10/26/22 at 100 N Boddie Street, Nashville
A felony larceny was reported on 10/29/22 at 1277 E NC 97, Wilson
An obtaining a prescription by fraud was reported on 10/25/22 at 1604 Bryantown Road, Spring Hope

INCIDENTS:
A damage to personal property, red light violation, failure to stop, wrong way on dual lane highway, seat belt violation, aggresive driving, no operator's license, felony flee to elude arrest with a motor vehicle was reported on 10/28/22 on US 64 W at the 461 mile marker

The planning committee for the 1967 Coopers School reunion are pictured (left to right); Kenneth Powell, Elaine Patterson Swanson; Cynthia Joyner Brantely; Larry G. Lindsey, Linda Davis Vick and Pete Flowers. Contributed photo

HELP! As I was getting ready to send the photos of the Shelter Pets to the newspaper, I realized that we have just as many dogs being temporarily fostered by Promoting Animal Welfare in NC (PAWNC) as are at the Shelter.
About half of the fosters are rescued, but getting their vetting done before going on transport to their Rescues and eventually their forever homes.

"He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:45)
When I was saved, I actually thought my problems would disappear. After all, the burden of sin had been lifted from my shoulders. The sense of euphoria I felt initially placed an unrealistic expectation of what God would do for me.

As we been looking at the issue of self centeredness and selfishness we've suggested two possible antidotes.
1.BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS.
Get interested in other people. Cultivate some friendships. Join a Life Group! You need other people to give you balance so that you're not so self-centered.

Cali Jones of Rocky Mount climbs into a bounce house during the fall festival at Saint Luke Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville on Saturday. Graphic photo by Lindell Kay

James T. Mehling to James T. Mehling and Angela Mae Dixon; 5121 Lynnhaden Drive, Rocky Mount
Bernice S. Lewis to Bernice S. Lewis, Micheal E. Lewis and Clarence H. Lewis Jr.; 6069 Harristown Road and 6083 Harristown Road, Rocky Mount
Ronda Aley to Debra Upchurch; 605 North Walnut Street, Spring Hope; $215,000

BUILDING PERMIT
(COMMERCIAL)
Robbie B. Davis, Turn-Key Contractors; 5200 US 264A; new construction; $1,763,777
Nick Kraft, Layton Construction Company; 9377 N US 301; renovation/alteration; $6,000,000

Thank goodness Election Day is upon us.
I did my civic duty early, but the real reason I'm glad to see the election finally arrive is that I'm tired of the ridiculous ads on TV and the internet, the emails, the bundle of flyers in my mailbox every day and even the &*^% text messages I'm getting on my phone from various candidates.

If you truly believe COVID-19 is a thing of the past, I'm sorry to break your false sense of security, but it's not - and I can personally give testimony of what is yet to come.
I went almost three years dodging the Covid bullet. Being immunocompromised, I had to pretty much had to live in a bubble until the vaccines and other options came available.

This photo was originally published in The Nashville Graphic on September 25, 1958. Nashville High School Cheerleaders are pictured (left to right) Jackie Hendricks, Becky Boone, Helen Ayers, Nancy Sustare, Pat Alsup, Daphne Teachey and Pat Wheeless.

NASH CENTRAL SPIKE TEAMMATES (L TO R) CAMRYN ELEY AND TAYLOR ROOKS

ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central High School's volleyball season may be over, but the memories will last a lifetime for this special group of spikers.
Following up on last year's success, the Lady Bulldogs reached even bigger heights in 2022 as the qualified for the third round of the Class 2-A State Playoffs for the first time in school history.

NORTHERN NASH'S ASHTON RHODES

RED OAK -- Northern Nash found itself in unfamiliar territory last Friday night as the then-9-0 Knights football team was trailing archrival Rocky Mount 14-3 at halftime of the deciding game in the Class 2A/3A Big East Conference.
A huge third quarter vaulted Northern ahead, with the Knights closing out a 27-17 win over the Gryphons, their second in a row in the matchup of the two fierce rivals.

NASH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL'S DOMINIQUE WHITEHEAD

ROCKY MOUNT -- A familiar foe will be Nash Central's opponent in the opening round of the Class 2-A State Football Playoffs.
Central tangled with North Johnston every year in the Class 2-A Eastern Plains Conference before the Bulldogs switched to the Class 2/3-A Big East Conference before the 2021 campaign.

FRANKLINTON -- Two playoff-bound teams met in a regular season football finale in the Big East Conference last Friday -- with both Southern Nash and Franklinton looking to find a momentum-boosting triumph heading into the postseason.
Both clubs entered the showdown on two-game losing skids, but it was the visiting Firebirds who stopped their skein with a 53-28 triumph over the Red Rams at the FHS Football Field.

RALEIGH -- The National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, in conjunction with Greater Raleigh Merchants Association and Shop Local Raleigh, have announced the Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest in Downtown Raleigh on February 17 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
The family-friendly event will be open to the public, free of charge.

NASH COUNTY -- Listed are the first-round pairings for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's Class 2-A and 3-A State Football Playoffs, which will begin this Friday night:

DURHAM -- The Atlantic Coast Conference and Durham Bulls have announced that the ACC Baseball Championship will return to Durham Bulls Athletic Park in 2023.
The 12-team tournament will be held next May 23-28.
The ACC Baseball Championship has been held in Durham 12 times previously, including seven of the past 13 tournaments.

Northern Nash High School football coach Andrew Farriss accepts the Grit and Grind Sports Podcast Nash County Championship Trophy from Shawn Lucas (Host of Grit and Grind) and Deryl Lucas (Co-Host of Grit and Grind) at the NNHS Gymnasium in Red Oak.

The Nash County Hornets enjoyed a successful year in the 2022 East Wake Football League. The Hornets' Mini Mites won the EWFL North Division Championship, while the Mighty Mights took second place in the division. With the regular season complete, the Hornets will host first-round playoff action this Saturday at The Dawg Pound on the Nash Central High School campus. (Photos Submitted)

The Northern Nash Fighting Knights celebrate after wrapping up an undefeated regular season last Friday with a gridiron victory at rival Rocky Mount. The triumph also wrapped up the inaugural Grit and Grind Nash County Championship for NN -- along with the Big East Conference crown. The Knights are shown holding the Grit and Grind trophy at the bottom of the photo.

Javaris Jones (with ball) excelled for the Nash Central Bulldogs during last Friday's victory against league foe Roanoke Rapids.