Despite a "no" from the Planning Board, Castalia's Board of Commissioners gave a local developer the green light last Tuesday night, unanimously approving a rezoning of the vacant Family Dollar building on Main Street.
The unanimous vote transitions the property from retail (B-1) to light industrial (L-1). While the move technically raises the floor for what can be built on the site, board members argued that the town's permit process provides enough oversight to block businesses--like vape shops or gaming halls--that wouldn't benefit the community.

NASHVILLE - A decided lack of trust on the part of some members of the public permeated a recent public hearing on a rezoning application to turn a house into office space. Nearby residents were vocal at both the March 3rd council meeting and an earlier planning board meeting, stating that they are afraid the developer is going to try for apartment complexes.
In the end, the application was withdrawn in favor of submitting a new one asking for conditional rezoning.

State and local officials are joined by Southern Nash Middle School students to break ground for the new middle school.

BAILEY - Under warm sunshine at the edge of a field that sits atop one of the highest geographical points of Nash County, a community of stakeholders participated March 5th in groundbreaking for the new Southern Nash Middle School.
Among those participating in the 11 a.m. event were five sixth-graders at the current SNMS, who will walk the halls of the new school when they become 8th-graders.

SPRING HOPE - In order to combat the problem of people erecting cemetery stones across plot lines, town officials are considering issuing permits to ensure correct placement.
Clinton Hedgepeth, cemetary contractor, said at the March 3 board of commissioners' meeting that there was a problem at both Meeks and Oak Dale cemeteries with incorrect stone placement.

NASHVILLE - A man who affected generations of young people in Nashville has been recognized with an official proclamation from the town.
The late Bobby Thomas ("Coach B.T.") Dunn, who passed away Dec. 23, 2025, was recognized and celebrated at the start of the March 3 town council meeting.
Members of Dunn's family- his wife, Hattie Ghrael, son Bobby Dunn Jr., and niece Angela Pompey stood front and center with Larry Taylor, councilman, as Taylor presented them with a framed copy of the proclamation as it was read by Brenda Brown, Mayor.

MIKE BRANTLEY

Newspaper man, college professor, voracious reader, detective of history, wicked humorist and writer: Michael Brantley, Graphic Soapbox columnist, could also be described as a Renaissance man with many talents and areas of knowledge. His latest achievement, though, is the publication of a fifth book, a nonfiction, about an 1800s-era North Carolinian whose exploits "come off the page like an action movie," Brantley said.
The book title names its subject: Captain Otway Burns: Privateer, Legislator, and Naval Hero of the War of 1812 .

NASHVILLE - An organizational meeting for Nashville's 'America 250' plans attracted a small group with lots of ideas, but town officials are hoping for a greater turnout at the next community planning meeting planned March 19.
Lou Bennett, town clerk and town liaison for the as-yet-unformed committee, presented a power point March 4th in the council chambers at Cooley Library that provided an overview of the volunteer-driven event and why Nashville should celebrate.

The registration deadline for the annual Down East Senior Games, which officially closed March 10th, has been extended through this weekend, but participants will have to register online.
The Down East Senior Games, one of 54 local games sanctioned by North Carolina Senior Games, are open to residents 50 years of age and older from Nash, Edgecombe, Halifax, Wilson, and Northampton Counties.

NASHVILLE - Members of the Nash Central Middle School Quiz Bowl team have won not only the regional title but finished first in the state for the Middle School "Pony" division.
According to NCASA (North Carolina Association for Scholastic Activities) 2025 final standings, Nash Central Middle School was one of 15 school teams, with 33 high school teams, competing across nine divisions in the virtual quiz bowl league. More than 200 players were involved, fielding a total of 2,500 questions.

A group of Nash County middle-schoolers will be travelling to Boone later this month to compete at the state level in Odyssey of the Mind.
Taryn Vitale, Rebekah Kibbe, Sarah Monroy, Ana Pilar Martinez Rios, Isabella Aguirre, Tanya Sasser and Ellerse Bandin, students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, took first place in their division at the Coastal North Carolina Regional Competition Feb. 25th. They will compete at Appalachian State University in the state championship March 28.

Castalia's leadership duties were split in two last Tuesday night as the town navigates the absence of Mayor James Alston. While the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to transfer mayoral authority to Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Hale, a separate vote handed the gavel to Commissioner Marvin Wood to preside over the town's public meetings.
The dual-leadership arrangement follows Mayor Alston's decision to step back from his duties to focus on health issues.

NASHVILLE - The clock is ticking on sidewalk work before the Blooming Festival parade, but town officials have awarded a contract for the job.
Randy Lansing, town manager, told council members March 3rd that bids for the work were received from 13 contractors, with a $144,791.90 contract awarded to Marshall's Construction, Asphalt, & Concrete, LLC of Nashville.
The sidewalk replacement job was budgeted for $145,000, with $105,000 coming from Powell Funds and $40,000 from the Municipal Service District Fund.

NASHVILLE - Nash County Public Schools' International Baccalaureate (IB) program, currently only available at Rocky Mount High School, may be discontinued at the end of the 2026-2027 school year because of fluctuating student enrollment over the past five years.
Wendy Hinson, AIG/Fine Arts Coordinator, made a presentation about the program, which is described as a two-year pre-university course for juniors and seniors, during a NCPS committee meeting Feb. 23.

NASHVILLE- The Nash County Health Department,still currently split between two offices in Nashville and Rocky Mount, is getting closer to its planned consolidation move into the Med Park building at UNC Nash. The anticipated move-in date to the new location is either at the end of this August or the beginning of September.
Liz Lord, Interim Health Director, gave an update at the February Consolidated Human Services Board meeting, relaying that all the walls had been roughed in, sheetrock nearly finished, and that 90% of needed electrical work was done.

Have you ever heard of an "idiom"? You have if you ever took a foreign language in high school or college. It's because in every language of the world, there seems to be a number of words and phrases that take on a different meaning than the words mean by themselves. For example, the word "cool" doesn't always refer to temperature.
The Bible is full of idioms. Understanding what they mean can enhance our understanding of Scripture.

On orthodox Christian doctrine, the resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle of God's revealing of Himself to mankind through the biblical narrative. Quite simply, the resurrection of Jesus completely changes the conversation because if it is true, and the evidence indicates that it is, then the Bible skeptics of the world need to consider the enormous implications a risen Jesus ushers in.
Over the last year, we have pursued an answer to the question, "Is God dead?" by first investigating whether God even exists.

Last Sunday we celebrated Communion at the church I Pastor. As we always do, one of our deacons prepares the elements and the table. At a specific time in the worship service I lead and our deacons serve the bread, then the cup. Jesus instructed the disciples to "Do this in remembrance of Me." As I prepared my sermon, I was drawn to the idea of remembering and specifically the Holy Spirit led me to Deuteronomy. Many times the people are challenged to not forget the Lord. But how can we possibly forget the Lord?

Last year, Jo Ann's Place provided support and services for nearly 300 local children who were impacted by abuse and neglect. As April marks Child Abuse Prevention Month, Jo Ann's Place - the Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson County Children's Advocacy Center of Southmountain Children and Family Services, invites the community to come together in support of children and families and to take an active role in preventing child abuse.
The center will host a Child Abuse Prevention Month Open House on Wednesday, April 1, from 4-6 p.m. at 116 N. Englewood Drive, Rocky Mount.

Hilldale Apartments of Sharpsburg, Inc. to Gregory T. Williams; Hilldale, Block C, Lot 4; $132,000
CMH Homes, Inc. to Michael L. Parsons and Leah R. Parson; 9049 Murasaki Drive, Middlesex
EAW Land, LLC to William Clay Batchelor and Tory Whitley Batchelor; Lots 2-3, Burgess Road; $140,000
G. Kenneth Dozier, Martha Rebecca Barnhill Dozier, Kevin Bruce Dozier Discretionary Trust, Kevin Bruce Dozier and G. Kenneth Dozier to G. Kenneth Dozier,

Building Permits Commercial
Addition; 5730 Red Oak Rd, Battleboro; Donald Poland, Licensed Contractor; $1,500
Miscellaneous; 5818 Red Oak Rd, Battleboro; Current Communications, LLC ; $5,000
Miscellaneous; 6152 Fire Tower Rd, Bailey; Skyward Telecom,LLC; 15,000

Last weekend, I was able to attend the largest national writer's conference in the country.
It was in Baltimore and the last time I went, almost a decade ago, it was in Washington, D.C. I knew I did not want to make that drive up I-95.
That left two options, flying or taking the train.
It's been documented in this space over the years how I feel about flying.

The Nashville Graphic's founder, Maurice W. Lincke, was responsible for developing the first organized firefighter effort in Nashville. His efforts were largely due to the fact that his newspaper office, along with a large portion of downtown structures, were destroyed by a fire, I believe in 1909.
I recall sitting in my office on a cold evening in January of 2018 hearing fire trucks come through downtown. This wasn't really anything unusual as Washington Street is the main route for trucks to reach areas in many parts of town.

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on June 6, 1968. Members of the masonry class at Nash Central High school erect a wall around a sign that was put in front of the school. Supervising the work is John E. Jenkins, masonry instructor (in white jacket) and looking on from the far left if R.K.. Corbett, principal.