NASHVILLE - A group of Nash County Public Schools classified workers have "graded" county commissioners, appearing at the August 11 commissioner meeting with a "Report Card On Our Public Schools."
Wilma Jones DeRosa, Thelma Harris and Christina Walters spoke during the public comment section of the meeting, chiding commissioners for not having increased the money allotted to NCPS during the FY2025 budget, including a requested $500 supplement for classified staff.

NASHVILLE - An $85 million expansion at the Crump Group, Inc., the pet treat manufacturer located on the old Universal Leaf campus, is well underway, with the facility footprint increased by about one-third. New product lines are also planned, projected to increase local sweetpotato consumption by up to four times as much.

A man and a woman are dead, the victims of flash flooding last week in Spring Hope.
Both victims were from Louisburg: 55-year-old Raymond Evans Jr. and 24-year-old Lottie Alston. They were driving a silver 2002 Honda Odyssey minivan around 2:15 p.m. last Wednesday afternoon in the area of 687 North NC-581 when the vehicle was swept off the right side of the road about 35 yards into a ravine during flash flooding.

NASHVILLE - A proposed ordinance amendment covering shipping container use has been put on hold after town council members put the freeze on it, deciding to take no action pending potentially working with staff to come up with a third version.
Chris Sandy, owner and operator of Build Right Supplies, is seeking an amendment to the town's Land Use Plan which specifies permitted shipping container use in Residential, Business and Industrial zoning districts which would allow the containers to be used for storage purposes or as recognized permanent accessory buildings.

NASHVILLE - Ten Nash County Sheriff's Deputies who serve as School Resource Officers in county schools were honored with a special pinning ceremony August 7 to mark completion of new training with the Autism Society.

NASHVILLE - In response to the deaths August 6 of two Louisburg residents who lost their lives during flash flooding off NC581 in Spring Hope, Spring Hope's mayor is asking for county support to launch a state-wide action plan.
Pritchard, appearing before Nash commissioners at their August 11 board meeting, had his mission to present a powerpoint cut short when he attempted to do so during the public comment portion of the meeting, because he ran out of time at four minutes.

NASHVILLE - A citizen-filed challenge to buck Spring Hope Commissioner Drew Griffin's bid for re-election has been dismissed after a hearing by the Nash County Board of Elections, with the decision served August 8.
The order and decision, signed by John Check, Board of Elections chair, stated that a 4-0 vote by the board declared that Andrew Griffin is, in fact, a resident of Spring Hope and therefore able to legally serve to represent his area constituents and to run for re-election.

Nash County Manager Stacie Shatzer (left) presents a county proclamation to Nashville Graphic Publisher Jo Anne Cooper. Graphic photo by Nancy West-Brake

NASHVILLE - The Nashville Graphic was honored in double presentations this month by the Town of Nashville and Nash County on the occasion of its 130 year anniversary of local journalism.
NASHVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
A mayoral proclamation, shared history with a 'show and tell' of 1800's letters, the playing of a blues-style original radio-style commercial and a sunflower cake were part of a 'birthday' celebration for The Nashville Graphic, at the August 4 Nashville town council meeting.

NASHVILLE - A homeowner's issues with stormwater runoff off S. First Street near Nash Central Middle School have been brought before the Nashville town council, whose members accepted an engineering report and said they will monitor the situation.
Kenneth Viverette of 1720 1st Street, whose property adjoins the middle school, said "I'm in a bad mess."

Ms. Arellano, Kindergarten teacher, poses with Layah Cannady on her first day.

SPRING HOPE- A major project regarding replacement of Spring Hope's oldest water mains, many of which are downtown, is going back out for rebidding as initial bids came in way over budget.
The "water system improvement project" scope is to replace water mains, laterals and hydrants. Areas included are W. Nash to E. Nash Streets, S. Pine to N. Pine, S. Walnut to N. Walnut, Bunn Lane, S. Ash to N. Ash, N. Poplar Street, Dodd Street, and a connection on the eastern side of town to loop the system, according to summary information provided to The Graphic.

ROCKY MOUNT - Nash County's Pet Connection Center, hit with two sets of violations by the state in the past two months, has now tripled its staff and upped both staff training and adoption opportunities. It also now has an animal control supervisor in place: Jacob Barley, who was promoted from animal control officer last week.
Nash County Manager Stacie Shatzer gave an update at the August 11 board of commissioners meeting.

NASHVILLE - Nashville businesses wanting to host their own special and street events just got quite a bit of red tape cut out in order to make the process easier.
Town council members, at the suggestion of town staff, passed an amendment to current ordinance at their August 5 meeting as the result of several businesses expressing interest in having events on town property, specifically the Nashville Junction stage and parking lot.

A friend of mine is a cancer survivor. She's had a tough time and her recovery has been anything but easy. In fact, I hadn't seen her in several years and would not have recognized her if we had met by chance. But it wasn't due to a loss of weight or hair. She just didn't look the same. Her mother attributes the difference in her appearance to a combination of the side effects of chemotherapy and stress.
As we caught up with each other, I realized that cancer had changed a lot more than her appearance.

Daniel 1:8 CSB
Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself.
We all make choices. Sometimes we think through these choices before we give our "final answer."

It is said that "the moral law is not always the standard by which we treat others, but it is nearly always the standard by which we expect others to treat us."
Human rights are not grounded in opinion; they are grounded in a common higher authority. That is how organizations like Amnesty International or the International Justice Mission function; they rely upon a common good that is grounded in a Higher Authority, whether they realize it or admit it. This is closely related to the argument from evil, where the atheist claims that the existence of evil in the world proves that there is no God.

The children and chaperones from Red Oak Baptist Church, who attended missions camp at Camp Caraway this summer, shared about their experiences on Sunday, Aug. 3. The children and youth are already making plans for next year's camps and beginning fundraisers for them.
On Sunday, Aug. 10, Red Oak Baptist Church had a Blessing of the Backpacks for the children and youth returning to school. There was also a special prayer time for the teachers and school administration

House to Home Construction, inc. to Latarsha Middleton and Douglas Eatmon; 1986 Sheldon Road, Bailey; $499,000
MCC Utility Construction, LLC to Medina Realty, LLC; .46 acres
I'll have another, LLC to Deanna Faye Gentile and Velma Faye Wirth; 413 East Center Street, Nashville; $168,000
Carolyn Hartney-Correa, Carolyn Hartney Correa and James E. Correa Jr. to Robert Brethen and Denise Brethen; 4612 River Farm Road, Rocky Mount; $565,000

Malicious conduct by prisoner reported at 100 N. Boddie St., Nashville on 7/20/25
Possession of drug paraphernalia reported at 10972 Old US 64, Spring Hope on 7/25/25
Warrant service at 124 W. Taylor St., Whitakers on 7/24/25
Resisting arrest/hinder and delay; trespass second degree reported at 13000 Tiffany Lane, Whitakers on 7/23/25

DWI at mile marker 458 US 64E, Nashville reported on 7/12/25
DWI; red light violation, fail to stop; fail to stop sign/flashing red light; reckless driving; speeding reported at 479 W. Washington St., Nashville on 7/12/25
Fictitious registration/altered title; possession methamphetamine; driving after controlled substance, alcohol or drugs less than 21; DWI at mile marker 453 US 64 E., Nashville reported on 7/12/25

Kindergartener Cade Culbreth gets a hug from his brother, Maxton, on the first day of school.

For the first time since 2004, Kristi and I will not be sending a young, pliable mind off to a K-12 classroom. It's an odd feeling and I'm not sure how I feel about this new life stage.
Optimism is in the air, sort of like the first week of baseball season, when everyone feels like they have a chance to win the World Series. But then the reality sets in that they are the Colorado Rockies and after three weeks it's still hot and there are 165 more days left in the season and victory seems long out of reach.

The Nashville Graphic's 130th year of publishing was honored by both the Town of Nashville and Nash County with presentations of proclamations to the newspaper.
Being an old school newspaper gal, I'm honestly not used to seeing local governments honor newspapers. Actually, back in the day, newspaper editors and publishers would think something was wrong if a government official thanked them.

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on Oct. 16, 1977. Five members of the Nashville Volunteer Fire Department were honored for their completion of certification as emergency medical technicians. In addition, the Nashville Jaycees donated an emergency trauma box to the group to use in emergencies.