NASHVILLE- May is Foster Care Awareness Month, with Nash DSS workers, community partners, foster parents and one elected official gathering in front of the county administration building May 2nd to share fellowship and tie ribbons to trees, one for each of the 87 Nash County children currently in foster care.
That number is up from 78 a year ago, with more than half of the children sent away to other counties, because there aren't enough places for them here.
Forty-two local children are being fostered elsewhere, as far away as Mecklenburg, Cumberland, Guilford, New Hanover, Columbus and Durham counties.

NASHVILLE- An unexpected opportunity to buy land in two spots adjacent to the town hall was snapped up quickly this week, with council members wasting no time in giving purchase approval.
Two parcels of land that abut the rear yards for the town hall and the Barnes Street Police/Fire station will be purchased to be used for future town hall expansion.

Roger Shearin, pictured in the forefront, performs during the Senior Follies. Shearin won first place for his dance solo during the event.

NASHVILLE- A Nashville father is in jail, the suspect of a shooting incident that left his son is in critical condition.
Darrell Greg Wallace, age 63, of 416 Woodfield Drive, Nashville, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. His son, 34-year-old Brandon Michael Wallace, is in the intensive care unit of Wake Med, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head.

Competition is winding up this week for the Down East Senior Games (DESG), with the number of participants only 6 away from breaking an all-time record.
Nearly 300 local seniors have been running, swimming, playing horseshoes and pickleball, showcasing crafts and even dancing as part of the annual Senior Games competitions, a national event designed to promote the benefits of active aging for adults 50 and over. Fifty-four local games across the state offer that opportunity, with the Down East games covering Nash, Wilson, Edgecombe, Halifax and North Hampton county participants.

NASHVILLE - The first optional credit recovery classes for high school students in Nash County schools begin June 18, with current Seniors invited to attend first - but the early start of the 2025-2026 school year, August 12, means the end of the summer session will be nipping at the heels of the regular school year, particularly for teachers.

SPRING HOPE- Plans for the newly re-branded Spring Hope National Pumpkin Festival are rolling along well, with organizers giving an update at the May 5 Board of Commissioners' meeting, except for one sizeable 'bump in the road': the parade route, which has not been settled.
The original route had the parade lineup on McLean from Walnut Street to the Elementary school, and also occupy Dodd St. and N. Hopkins Avenue.

Thursday, May 8
Nash Arts Blooming Kick-Off free concert at 7 p.m. featuring The Phoebes Band
Carnival opens at 5pm

NASHVILLE - It looks kinda small, but the undeveloped lot next to the Harold Cooley Library is big enough for a three-bedroom house - and after the town council approval, that's the plan of developers.
Alan Larson of BVA Builders Inc., the applicant, spoke on behalf of the property owner, A.D's Future Enterprise Inc., at Tuesday night's town council meeting.

CASTALIA -- Tempest Cellars isn't perched on the hills of Tuscany, but if you've got one of Joe Burgess' wines in while watching cows graze in a pasture, or you stroll by 150-year-old barn or find yourself staring at a peaceful two-and-half acre pond -- you could probably taste the best of Italy.
"His wines are awesome," said Joe's dad, Vann Burgess, who along with his wife, Gayle, decided to make their retirement a bit more active by starting Franklin County's only winery last year.

NASHVILLE - Two high-impact strategies to help people suffering from the effects of opioid abuse- Recovery Housing Support and Reentry Programs- will be funded to the tune of $200,000 each as the second usage of Opioid Settlement funds in Nash County.
Tia Foula, Assistant County Manager, asked for spending approval at the May 5th board of commissioners meeting, explaining that those two areas for intervention were based on an assessment of county needs as identified by the Opioid Settlement Advisory Council.

WRIGHT

MIDDLESEX- A woman and man living on Stokes Road, Middlesex, are behind bars after their arrests April 22 for drug trafficking. Dakita Wright, 26, and Corey Carrington, 52, both with the address of 9050 Stokes Road, Middlesex, were taken into custody at the home after a search warrant was conducted by Nash County Sheriff's deputies at 8 p.m.
According to an NCSO press release, the Stokes Road home was searched for suspected narcotics activity and the harboring of a wanted sex offender.

Obtain property by false pretense; larceny-credit card on 105 Drake St Nashville on 4/22/25
Larceny misdemeanor at 10696 E NC 97 on 4/24/25
Communicating threat of mass violence on educational property at 10731 Edwards Road, Spring Hope on 4/22/25
Assault on a female at 12047 Straight Gate Rd, Whitakers on 4/24/25

RALEIGH- A revised bill about Foster Care, HB 612, passed its second reading in the NC Sentate May 6. Its primary sponsor is Rep. Allen Chesser of Nash County.
House Bill 612, "Fostering Care in NC Act," has heavy support, with 72 house members co-sponsoring the legislation and 83 state-based organizations also behind it, including the Foster Family Alliance of NC.
"This is a long overdue reform, something that the General Assembly has been working on for the better part of a decade now," said Rep. Chesser.

SPRING HOPE- In conjunction with a town brochure currently in production, a new train-centered logo has been developed by members of the Downtown Development Board (DDB), and will be presented to town commissioners for their approval.
The new design, featuring an off-centered, front-facing old-style steam engine with green highlights in front of a terra-cotta colored background circle, was unveiled at the April 21st DDB meeting. It can be viewed at the 45-minute time stamp of the meeting's You Tube recording, which is posted on the town website.

NASHVILLE- Nash County school bus drivers are crossing their fingers that they'll receive a pay raise as part of the upcoming NCPS budget, but took it a step further Monday to plead their case to county commissioners.
A small but vocal group of drivers were invited to come to the podium after commissioners realized that the group wanted to be heard, with Wayne Outlaw, board chairman, re-opening the public comment portion of the meeting to accommodate them.

Several year ago, I was involved in a misunderstanding that turned out to be a real source of embarrassment.
The particulars are not important because the embarrassment had nothing to do with the nature of the misunderstanding. I was embarrassed because the circumstances that surrounded the incident made me look as if I was the farthest thing from a Christian.
I know that I didn't say what others were told I said. Those type of statements cut directly across my Christian principles.

Have you ever known someone who brought a smile to your face whenever you thought about him or her? (If you're married, you should probably say "yes.") Have you known someone who, when you prayed for him or her, you couldn't help saying, "Thank you, God, for this person"?
That's how Paul feels about the church in Philippi. In Philippians, his letter to them, he says, "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy" (Phil. 1:3). He mentions his love, affection, and thankfulness for them throughout this letter (1:7-8; 4:1).

Several from Red Oak Baptist Church attended the North Roanoke Baptist Association Spring Meeting on Thursday, May 1 at Sunset Avenue Baptist Church. Dr. Robin Fisher gave the welcome and Rev. John Hamm, Director of Missions, presented his report and introduced the speakers. Krissy Watson, Baptists on Mission Dental Ministry Coordinator, shared information about the medical/dental ministry and encouraged churches to sign up to have the buses in their area. She also had 1 medical bus and 1 dental bus on site for guests to tour. Krissy and her husband attend Oakdale Baptist Church where her husband serves as pastor.

Elks Lodge #1038 in Nashville recently completed a project donating $2,000 and service hours to A Touch of the Father's Love food ministry in Momeyer. Pictured above, Cindy Puckett (left) and Brenda Brown unpack boxes of eggs.

Barnes Farming Corporation and Barnes Land Corporation to Carson B. Barnes Revocable Trust, Carson B. Barnes and Delbert Heick; .73 acres
Janice Forsythe Hartley to Hamilton Moore; 109 Bayridge Court, Rocky Mount
JEC Construction Incorporated to Joseph William Principio and Antoinette Nicole Principio; Henri's Place Subdivision, Lot 3; $316,000
Arun Dutta to Mujalli Empire, LLC; South First Street, Nashville; $30,000

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on June 25, 1964. Bill Joyner (left) and Tom Wilson, representing American Legion Post 110, present a basket of fruits to C.H. Cox, a member of the Post whose health didn't permit him to attend meetings. The post sent best wishes for a return to good health along with the basket.

Sometimes, unexpected, small things can make my day.
As the semester winds down, things can get chaotic as students are trying to get everything in and professors are trying to get everything graded.
One of my best and brightest students that I've had multiple times over the last three years came into class last week and started digging into her bag with a determined look.

As I write this column, a handful of volunteers are working, some almost around the clock, to finish the last minute details for the 27th Nashville Blooming Festival. Like many events organized by non-profit organizations, volunteers and commitment are hard to come by.
This year's event, as it has since 1997, will open with all details finished and that same handful of folks running constantly throughout the event to make sure all goes as planned. Many of them wearing multiple hats before and during the event.

This photo was submitted by Craig Pridgen. The photo was taken at the Blooming Festival in 2011. Craig (left) is pictured with Gero Joyner who was known and loved by many. Gero loved to dance and his favorite song was "Every Time I Roll The Dice," by Delbert McClinton. Gero passed away January 2012

Nash Central High School presents "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying," a special arrangement with Musical Theatre International. Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert. The musical will take place at the Imperial Center, 207 Gay St., Rocky Mount on May 15 at 7 p.m.; May 16 at 7 p.m. and May 17 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and only available online at https://linktr.ee/howtosucceedmusical. For more information email jmhale@ncpschools.net