The Pumpkin Man and his top hand have been named Nash County's Farmer of the Year and this year's next generation farmer.
Mike Edwards and Arron Bridges work together at M&H Farms outside Nashville.
Edwards raises chickens for Perdue Farms, but is known locally as the Pumpkin Man for his selling gourds around Halloween.

Pictured above, Miss Teen Bailey 2022 Harley Murray and Miss Bailey 2022 Arianne Spencer (L-R) wave at the crowd during Red Oak's Christmas Parade on Saturday.

The Town of Nashville will kick off its Christmas festivities on Saturday, December 3.
The event will begin at 4 p.m. at H.D. Cooley Library with music from the Nash Central High School Show Choir.
The Children's Bike Parade will follow at 4:15 p.m. The parade will begin at H.D. Cooley Library and go down West Church Street, onto South Alston Street then along East Washington Street to the Nash County Courthouse.

HARRIS

A Rocky Mount graphic designer won a contest with his new logo for the Town of Nashville.
"I am overjoyed that my design was selected as the top choice," said J. Russell Harris, owner of JR Designs and More. "I am grateful for those who encouraged me to participate and believed in my ability to create a unique and lasting symbol for the town of Nashville."

BAILEY -- Town officials have hired a private firm to conduct an investigation into its police chief and an officer accused of timecard manipulation.
The town board voted Nov. 21 to hire Huntersville-based Richardson & Davis after a closed session with Town Attorney Ryan King of Fields & Cooper in Nashville.
The firm's website states it uses retired federal law enforcement agents to look into employee misconduct and other matters.

Keeping with tradition, Nash Arts will host its annual production of "A Christmas Carol," beginning this weekend.
Performances are slated for December 2, 3, 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances are also scheduled for December 4 and 11 at 2:30 p.m.
This year's version of "A Christmas Carol" is a non-musical production.

A hard job that becomes a lifestyle is how a panel of local farmers recently described agricultural occupations.
"It influences the books you read and television programs you watch," said Thomas Joyner of Nash Produce.
Joyner was joined by Sue Leggett of Leggett Farming Partnership, Austin Wrenn of Wrenn's Farm and Tim Bass of Sunburst Tomatoes.

INCIDENTS
Driving left of center/DWI reported at S. Alston St./E. Vernon ST. on 11/20/22
Open container after consuming; DWI; possession cocaine; felony possession marijuana; driving while license revoked impaired revoke on 1052 S First Street on 11/26/22

Possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver methamphetamine reported at 100 N. Boddie St. on 11/13/22
Motor vehicle theft reported at 2158 Sandy Cross Rd., Nashville on 11/14/22
Missing persons reported at 2528 Wintergreen Rd., Nashville on 11/14/22

Building Permit / Residential
Bethany Rutledge, 192 Riley Way; new single family; $224,096.62
Bethany Rutledge, 180 Riley Way, new single family; $149,295

No charges have been filed in the case of a Nashville man who accidentally shot himself last week.
Neil Conrad, 55, was at work at Domino's Pizza in the bathroom at around 9 p.m. Nov 22 when he shot himself in the leg with a .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun, said Nashville Police Chief John Winstead.

A Rocky Mount man mistakenly released from custody in Wayne County has been arrested in Wilson County on a string of thefts in rural Nash County.
Stephen Hardison, 45, of Old Mill Road, faces charges of three counts of larceny; seven counts of breaking or entering motor vehicles; two counts of breaking or entering; and larceny after breaking or entering. He received a total bond of $260,000.

Jeffrey Marsigli will be the next district Attorney for Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson counties after a recount of votes last week.
Marsigli, a Republican, maintained his Election Day victory over Robert Evans, the Democratic incumbent, with an unchanged ballot count. He lost one vote in Wilson County and picked up one vote in Nash County. The recount didn't change the initial count in Edgecombe County, according to state elections officials.

Bailey has two days of Christmas cheer planned for this weekend.
"It's going to be a lot of fun," said Cynthia Evans, who helped organize the events for the Bailey Chamber of Commerce.
Festivities kick off at 6 p.m. Friday with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.

Rocky Mount Police arrested a man Tuesday who became combative after confronted by employees of Wal-Mart.
Rocky Mount Police Department responded on November 29 at approximately 2:15 p.m. to a person with a weapon inside Walmart at 1511 Benvenue Road in Rocky Mount.
A male subject was reported inside the business, attempting to exit through the automotive side with a cart full of unpaid merchandise.

The Junior Guild of Rocky Mount recently announced their 2022 Community Trust Recipients.
Community Trust Recipients are local, nonprofit organizations selected each year to receive donations raised from our annual fundraising events. The 2022 Community Trust partners include Peacemakers, Down East Partnership for Children (DEPC), United Community Ministries, Tackle the Tar, and The Wright's Center.

THIRD GRADE - A HONOR ROLL
Calvin Bullock, Joseph Cooper, Alice Currier, Bradley Edwards, Abigail Knight and Alyssa Torres

THIRD GRADE - A HONOR ROLL
Addison Bass, Nolan Lincoln, Angela Santamaria, Oliver Scott, Melody Sisson, Ava Whitley and Andrew Zhu

NINTH GRADE - A/B HONOR ROLL
Nayeli Flores-Perdomo, Z'yasia Ford, Nevaeh Hinton, Jennifer Inestroza Garcia, Suyapa Inestroza Garcia and Jakari Pettaway

Dorothy E. Kilgore to Nash MB Properties, LLC; 21 acres and 7.7 acres; $50,000
David Lee Bailey and Robin Lynn Bailey to Wellborn Property Investments, LLC; Lake Joy Acres Subdivision, Block B, Lot 6
Wilmer A. Brantley to Joseph Timothy Everette and Janice Faye Davis Everette; Sylvester Brantley Estate, Lots 3A and 4A; $30,000

SIXTH GRADE - A HONOR ROLL
Mia Ballance, Maritza Barcenas-Morales, Avery Bass, Nathan Batten, Amelia Boykin, William Brantley, Zoe Comerford, Trenton Dalton, Elisabeth Hacker, Grace Leake, Kameron Price, Andrea Rangel-Sanchez, Lauren Renfrow, Brooklyn Rice, Kyra Rogers, Cassie Sanders, Caleb Sykes, Natalia Tovar and Santiago Vargas-Ugarte

NINTH GRADE - A HONOR ROLL
Kyla Burroughs, Jacks Lamberson and Kaden Wood

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4)
There are two people I never thought I would meet on this side of Heaven: An Internet reader from a community in which I wasn't known, and one of the individuals who had something to do with a voice I heard that led to my salvation. Let me explain.

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival," and the season is traditionally a time of expectation, waiting, anticipation, and longing. Someone has said, "Advent is not just an extension of Christmas - it is a season that links the past, present, and the future." Advent is also a time for Christians to prepare our hearts and help us focus on a far greater story than our own.

Red Oak Baptist Church hosted a community Thanksgiving service on Sunday, November 20. People from around the community came together and Rev. Robert Simpson of Red Oak United Methodist Church shared a Thanksgiving message.
Saturday was a great day for the Red Oak Christmas Festival!

I know it is a cliché to say in November, "the year sure has flown by." And I have said it more than once in the last few weeks.
It's almost as bad as asking someone in early August if it is hot enough for them.
All kinds of things are going on that make me feel like my world is being turned upside down as the year wanes.

Each holiday season, people in North Carolina give generously in their communities through charitable donations. Unfortunately, my office sees an increase in charity scam complaints during the holidays. When you donate your money, you want to know that it will go to help others, not line some scammer's pockets.
Give to the charities and causes you support.

NC Wesleyan University celebrated its 66th Founding Anniversary on Thursday, October 20. The photo above shows the campus in 1961 prior to the Elizabeth Braswell Pearsall Library being built.