NASHVILLE - An expensive mistake by the town of Nashville, now having to reimburse 50 customers who had backflow prevention devices installed before town officials discovered that there was not a legal requirement to do so, has left town council members scrambling to figure out how and what to do to right the wrong.
"We are all taking responsibility for this and we will make it right," said Kate Burns, newly re-elected councilwoman at the Nov. 19 town council meeting.
Randy Lansing, town manager, said that based on the 20 invoices already submitted for reimbursement, he estimated that the cost to the town would be about $94,242, to be taken from either the town's Water/Sewer fund or from Enterprise funds.

Linda Fisher receives the 2025 Farmer of the Year Award.

NASHVILLE - The 2025 Farm-City Breakfast, held at the Nash County Cooperative Extension, attracted a packed house Nov. 18, featuring well-applauded agriculture awards, a 'Know Your Roots Forum" staffed by farmers of different specialties, beautiful table decorations and good eating.
Held annually as one way to connect farmers with local residents, businesses, and government, the event provided "the opportunity to recognize the role of the agriculture community," according to Extension Director Heather Glennon, who gave the welcome address and thanked the event's multiple sponsors for their help in making the event happen.

NASHVILLE - Due in large part to the efforts of a local environmental group, the town of Nashville has reeled in a $1.25 million dollar Water Resource Development grant to use on a three-year Stoney Creek wetlands project.
Koy Worrell, Parks and Rec Director, appeared with Tammy Rundle, director of the North Carolina Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Foundation (NCWORF) at the Nov. 19 town council meeting to share the good news.

SPRING HOPE - The town of Spring Hope is looking for two good men, or women, willing to serve on the Downtown Development Board. With the election of Pam Brantley and Stephen Brumfield as town commissioners to be sworn in at the Dec. 1 board meeting, the DDB is about to be short two of its seven board membership, with a potential third opening.

RED OAK - Following discussion from previous months about people parking and driving where they shouldn't at Ennis Park and on the Fire Department lawn, council members approved a motion to spend over $11,000 for the placement of wooden bollards, a new gate, and metal safety bollards at the park.
A contract for $11,816 was approved with Fence Craft Residential & Commercial Fencing for the project, which will include the placement of 48 new bollards, connected by rope, between the park entrance towards the basketball courts, along with a pipe barrier gate at the end of the basketball fence to the sidewalk heading to the stage.

Nash County Manager Stacie Shatzer is pictured speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony. Pictured in the background is Nash County Deputy Manager Jonathan Boone.

Shop local, shop often is the focus of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce's annual "It PAYS to SHOP Local" campaign.
The chamber launches the contest each year at Thanksgiving encouraging people to patronize chamber members. When shopping with a chamber member, you can send a copy of your receipt to the chamber and will be entered into a drawing for $500 the week of Christmas. Receipts can be texted to 252-459-4050, emailed to nashvillencchamber@gmail.com or mailed to PO Box 1003, Nashville, NC, 27856.

Downtown Nashville's Christmas Children's & Bike Parade is scheduled on W. Washington Street Saturday, Dec. 6.
Children are encouraged to decorate their bikes' wagons, strollers or themselves to be part of the parade.
Free children's activities will happen downtown from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Lineup for the The Bike Parade will happen at 4:30 p.m. at 120 W. Washington St. The Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony will follow the bike parade.

NASHVILLE - Additional animal cruelty charges have been made against a local woman, Nancy Beth Gupton, already charged with felony child abuse and animal cruelty following an ongoing multi-agency investigation.
The Nash County Sheriff's Office issued a news release Nov. 19 stating that Gupton, 39, of 5388 W. Castalia Road, Nashville, was re-arrested that day and served with 35 new charges of Animal Cruelty by Starvation.

ROCKY MOUNT- A 35-year-old Rocky Mount man is being held in jail after his arrest Nov. 20 on multiple criminal charges related to child pornography.
David Reid Bowden of 9400 Block E Hwy 97 was taken into custody early Thursday afternoon during the execution of a search warrant at the home. A Nov. 20 NCSO press release stated that sheriff's deputies, along with agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, worked the investigation into implications that Bowden was downloading and sharing pornographic materials.

Filing dates for the March 2026 partisan primary begin Dec. 1, 2025, at 12 p.m., with the period lasting less than three weeks to end Dec. 19, 2025.
Candidates for county commissioner races, for cheriff, for clerk of superior court and for N.C. State senate and house seats may begin to file on Monday, Dec. 1.

RED OAK - The town-chartered Boy Scout Troop, which includes both a Cub Scout Pack and a Troop for older boys, has been approved to open its Cub Scout Pack membership to girls.
"I don't want to have to turn away any youth," said Stephanie Boone, Scoutmaster, at the Nov. 10 town council meeting.
Boone said that because she had been approached repeatedly by girls and their parents who wanted to join, which is permitted under current Scouting America rules, she wanted to ask town permission to switch just the Pack to a "Family Pack," which would allow girls as well as boys between the ages of 5-10 years old.

NASHVILLE - In the wake of the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene on the western part of North Carolina, local emergency planners are sorting through emerging data on what happened there in order to help prevent any of that from happening here.
Firefighters, police, ems and healthcare workers converged at Nash Community College Oct. 10 for a meeting of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) to share updates and to hear a presentation about Helene from Mark Schell, Area 7 Coordinator for the NC Division of Emergency Management, which operates under the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Missing persons reported at 10046 N US 301, Whitakers on 11/3/25
Possession controlled substance prison/jail premises reported at 100 N. Boddie St., Nashville on 11/3/25
Larceny misdemeanor reported at 12352 Oak Ave., Bailey on 11/5/25
Tinted windows; no liability insurance; driving while license revoked; not impaired revoked; identity fraud reported at 1309 S. Wesleyan Blvd., Rocky Mount on 11/8/25

A much-loved NCSO K-9, Pinka, who lost part of one foot to recent amputation, has been retired from the Nash County Sheriff's Office and given to her handler, Sgt. Andrew Smith. Pinka, wearing a pink brace on her left hind paw, accompanied Smith, Chief Deputy Alan Wilson and Major Brandon Jenkins, appeared before Nash commissioners at their August 11 meeting, during which Wilson formally asked permission for Pinka's retirement.

NASHVILLE - Over 2,000 Nash County residents diagnosed with severe developmental disabilities, mental health or substance issues were served by Trillium Health Resources between July and December of 2024. That according to Dave Peterson, Regional VP for Trillium, who made his annual presentation to Nash County commissioners in September.

RALEIGH- Nash County's Health Department is now accredited through November 2027, based on a vote Nov. 21 by the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board (NCLHD).
Conditionally accredited at its last review in October 2023, the Nash Health Department has received full accreditation status several times in the past, each time the culmination of a four-year process.

ROCKY MOUNT - Part of the oldest county-installed sewer line, located southwest of Rocky Mount along Highway 97, is planned for some rehab, but county officials are hoping to begin the process with a little boost from the federal government.
Nash County started the ball rolling by submitting a letter of interest to FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and was then invited to submit an application for an advance assistance program to prepare a "shovel-ready" project.

ROCKY MOUNT - Rep. Allen Chesser, a 2019 Wesleyan alumnus, has been awarded the President's Outstanding Alumni Award from North Carolina Wesleyan University.
A Nov. 4 press release from Chesser's office stated that the award was presented Sat., Oct. 25th, during NC Wesleyan's homecoming football game.
Awarded by NCWU President Dr. Evan Duff and Mr. Roger Taylor, a 1970 alumnus, this was the first time that the President's Outstanding Alumni Award was presented, having been established this year.

An intrepid group of three young environmentalists completed the challenge of padding 175 miles down the length of Tar River, beginning Oct. 13 in Granville County and finishing up in little Washington Oct. 25.
Katey Zimmerman, Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper; Taylor Register, Water Quality Specialist; and Emily Fritz, Volunteer Coordinator, all work for Sound Rivers, an independent non-profit organization that works to protect the Tar-Pamlico and Neuse River basins.

The staff at the Nash County Clerk's Office, as well as the Superior Court Judicial staff, came together to show support for important causes recognized in October; breast cancer awareness, pregnancy, infant loss awareness, and domestic violence awareness. By wearing pink, blue, and purple, staff members aimed to spread awareness, encourage conversation, and show care for those in our community affected by these issues.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Nash County Public Schools released its honor roll lists excluding students who have not returned their model release forms.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Nash County Public Schools released its honor roll lists excluding students who have not returned their model release forms.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Nash County Public Schools released its honor roll lists excluding students who have not returned their model release forms.

"For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:24)
Since I'm often in need of driving directions, I rely on an application on my cell phone called Waze. It provides audio and visual driving directions. This device is just what the doctor ordered!
You open the program and within a few seconds, satellites pick you up and show your exact location on your phone screen.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Hello brothers and sisters. We live in a world that constantly tells us we need more. More possessions, more experiences, a bigger house, a faster car. We are conditioned to focus on what we lack rather than what we have. This mindset, rooted in an ungrateful heart, quickly leads to bitterness, envy, and dissatisfaction. It clouds our vision and prevents us from appreciating the abundance of God's blessings that surround us daily.

Last week, we considered New Testament critic Bart Ehrman's suggestion that the historical story of what happened to Jesus after He died was changed and corrupted over years of oral transmission before the Gospel accounts were written. On the contrary, we noted that the oral transmission of histories in ancient Near Eastern culture was not only a very serious and highly structured undertaking, but to corrupt the oral transmission of Jesus stories was to corrupt their own identity.

Robert Covington, (left) past advisory council chair, receives an award for his many years of service to the Nash County 4-H program. Pictured right is Northeast District Extension Director Sandy Hall.

Cade Edwards receives the Next Generation in Agriculture Award.

It is without a doubt, my favorite time on the calendar.
Even though the spring weather and the fact I still have blooming roses a few days before December 1 betrays the season a bit, another year has almost passed.
I love all holidays, but Thanksgiving has been my favorite most of my adult life. Most of us talk about how thankful we are and should be.
I ran across a social media post I made a few years ago because I'd heard and read so many times that Thanksgiving isn't about the food. I replied then and I'll repeat it here -- speak for yourself, brother.

I have had an absolute ball digging through the old negative files from the 1962 Harvest Festival as you can see from the last several weeks of Backward Glance photos. I'm not old enough to remember the festival, but I often hear fond memories from those who recall many happy times during the event which always took place in the fall after the crops were in.
The Harvest Festival was quite famous due to national dignitaries visiting this small town such as in 1960 when President Harry Truman came to Nashville.

This photo published in The Graphic on Oct. 18, 1962. Pictured, Miss Contestants for the Nash County crown pose during for a photo.

Nashville Baptist Church will host their second advent concert series on the first three Wednesdays in December at noon each day. The concerts are free and open to the public.
On December 3rd, Carmen Parker will share her many musical talents that have led to her participating in mass choir events, being an active church choir and instrument ensemble member, and seeking to pursue music studies in college.