NASHVILLE - What began with an apparent engineering error at a business expansion that led to construction encroaching into Stoney Creek Environmental Park land has created quite the kerfuffle for Nashville town leaders, who have to make sure that a planned land swap will not endanger any state grant conditions.
Braswell Family Farms, which bought a county-constructed shell building at 111 Industry Court that sits on town land in the Nashville Business Center, is in the process of upfitting the building interior to house its new egg distribution facility. Part of the land prep involves adding additional truck docks and a semi-circular location to park semi trucks.

NASHVILLE - The first of three town council work sessions on the FY 2027 budget, a budget retreat, produced one overarching message: that the town of Nashville needs to up its salaries, some significantly, to match what similarly sized communities are paying.
"It's clear our current pay is falling behind the market," summarized Lily Urieta, Human Resources Director, who compared Nashville to Williamston and Butner, particularly, in both growth and services rendered at the March 23rd meeting.

Lt. Judy Jones of Castalia speaks during the American Legion Post 110 annual Ladies Night Dinner. Graphic photo by Nancy West-Brake

NASHVILLE- Haunting tales from the life of a former military nurse, Lt. Judy Jones of Castalia, united listeners at the annual American Legion Post #110 Ladies Night March 16. An estimated one hundred or so people attended the event, held at the Nashville Methodist Church. Jones, who saw a film about Vietnam while she was in her senior year of nursing school in the late 1960s, said she knew that she wanted to go to Vietnam, her announcement then being somewhat of a shock to her parents.

NASHVILLE - The same month that the town of Nashville applied for an $8.6 million Hazard Mitigation grant to make $11 million in improvements to the town's Stoney Creek Sewer Outfall Line, that same line got cracked by two trees March 17th, releasing untreated wastewater into Stoney Creek.
Severe weather predicted March 16 closed Nash County schools for students and staff that Monday, with many considering the threat a "non-event." However, wind gusts of 55mph that night dropped five trees in Wake County, with two of those on houses and one on a power line.

NASHVILLE - Freedom Industries, a maintenance contracting company situated between Nashville and Rocky Mount, will be expanding its operations to the tune of $6.5 million. It is expected to add 20 new jobs with the expansion, which has been made possible by assistance from the town of Nashville, the city of Rocky Mount, and Nash County.
Both Nashville and Nash County approved a five-year joint interlocal cooperation agreement this month, with Nashville's action at its March 18th town council meeting and Nash County moving to do so earlier in the month on March 2nd.

Town of Nashville Parks & Recreation is hosting Eggciting Saturday, sponsored by Braswell Family Farms. The egg hunts will begin promptly at 10 a.m. at Stoney Creek Environmental Park, 455 W. Washington St., Nashville.
Easter Bunny photos, crafts and activities and free hot dogs will follow at the Recreation Center, 200 S. Boddie St., Nashville from 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon.
Sensory friendly egg hunts will follow from 2-4 p.m. at the Nashville Council Chambers, 114 W. Church St., Nashville.

Nashville's Chamber of Commerce has announced applications are open for education scholarships.
Funds are raised for the scholarships when chamber members renew memberships and choose to contribute additional funds which go towards a scholarship fund. Those businesses also get their logo put on the chamber's website.
Four $500 scholarships will be presented to graduating seniors who apply.

On March 21, 2026, at approximately 4:09 a.m., officers with the Nashville Police Department responded to a reported single-vehicle collision involving a 2019 Dodge Charger near the 458-mile marker on US 64 East, beneath the US 64 Alternate bridge.
Upon arrival, officers located the driver, identified as Demetrius Miles Artis, 21, of Rocky Mount, deceased at the scene as a result of the crash.

SPRING HOPE - In order to funnel downtown visitors towards Spring Hope's Museum, located at 400 W. Main Street, town leaders are considering placing signage at the Depot.
"In case you don't know, we have a little gem of a museum," said Rocio Broyles, acting president for the Spring Hope Historical Association and Museum at the March 3rd town hall meeting.

SPRING HOPE- While still weighing in on what its operating rules will be, the Spring Hope Downtown Development Board (DDB) is changing in composition, having lost three members and added two others. Also reportedly under consideration is the addition of two new members.
There are three seats currently open on the board.

NASHVILLE - The fate of shipping container usage and sales in the town of Nashville may be decided at a March 30 special-called meeting of the town council after the matter was bumped from the agenda at the council's March 18th meeting. A public hearing on the ordinance had been planned for that date.
The item was continued because the two council members present at the March 18th meeting - Bill Lumpp and Kate Burns- wanted the full council to be involved in any decision-making, according to Randy Lansing, town manager, who was asked after the meeting the reason for the continuance.

NASHVILLE- A Bailey farmer is working to grow a petition to protect Nash County farmland land while calling for a moratorium on building until current ordinance is revised.
Joseph Bailey spoke at the March 2 Nash County commissioners meeting about the community petition, which he said was growing online and currently had 239 verified signatures.

NASHVILLE- Based on Nashville's growing population numbers, it may qualify for almost half the funding for a brand-new ladder truck for the Nashville Fire Department- and so council members have approved a resolution to authorize a grant application.
Meeting during a special called meeting March 12th, council members figuratively put pen to paper to apply for a federal share of $1,043,900, or 55% of what would be needed to buy a 2027 Pierce Enforcer 107' PUC Aerial Ladder truck.

NASHVILLE - A consultant conditionally hired by the town to apply for grant money to replace or rehabilitate four low-income homes has had successful "fishing," with the town notified that it will receive a $950,000 grant award from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
Ben Jones with Faltor Consulting Company, who submitted a grant application on behalf of the town last summer after working with town personnel to identify suitable properties, appeared before the town council at its March 18th meeting.

NASHVILLE - The annual State of Nash County address, given by Marvin Arrington, board of commissioners' chair March 2, focused on four areas: Capital Projects, Public Safety, Health & Human Services, and Economic Development.
Delivered in the format of an 8-minute county-produced video, Arrington's address focused on major projects and accomplishments from 2025 that Arrington said will "continue positioning Nash County for long-term success."

ROCKY MOUNT - Local cattlemen took in a presentation from a fellow cattleman and feed distributor at their Feb. 23 meeting. About twenty farmers met Monday night at the East Carolina Ag Center/Livestock Arena on Kingsboro Road for the program, which also included a meal with hamburgers, mashed potatoes, string beans and cornbread.
Speaker JD Baltzell of Beaufort County, co-owner of Foxfire Feed LLC of Pinetown, NC, spoke about the importance of feed ingredients to help cattle regulate heat stress.

NASHVILLE - 'Snow days' may cause some rejoicing for teachers and students alike, but the piper still has to be paid regarding makeup days. With ten school days already affected by inclement weather this school year, school district officials are shuffling the calendar to make up the time.
Dr. Timothy Mudd, Executive Director of Accountability, Research and Innovation, presented a revised school calendar to the board at a NCPS committee meeting Feb. 23.

Nash County Public Schools has announced that Amelia Nieves, a senior at Nash Central High School, has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The Morehead-Cain Scholarship is one of the most competitive and distinguished scholarships awarded by any university in the United States.

Nashville Methodist Church is preparing to host a spiritual journey unlike any other in the area.
The church will offer "Stations of the Cross" Monday, March 30 through Wednesday, April 1 from 1 until 7 p.m., Thursday, April 2 from 1 until 5 p.m. and on Friday, April 3 from 6:30 until 8:30 a.m. and from 1 until 5 p.m. The event is open to the public.
This is the second year the church has hosted "Stations of the Cross" but the first year that the event will be offered up to the community.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)
As a child, I was terrified of death. I lost my mother when I was seven years old. So death was not just a figment of my imagination. I saw its sting and I understood how it could tear a family apart.
I still fear death, largely because I continue to view it through the eyes of that seven-year old that lost his mother.

It has been said that everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die to go there. As Jesus approaches His appointment with death on a Roman cross, he has an encounter with two sisters whose brother has become sick and has died. Jesus has been very close to Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.
John 11:1-6 ESV
[1] Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

In the winter of 1947, a young shepherd discovered a cave containing clay jars filled with ancient scrolled manuscripts. It turns out that what he had found was one of eleven caves used as an ancient library by the Jewish sect known as the Essenes. These caves were located in an isolated desert community known as Khirbet Qumran. Over the next several years, more than a thousand scrolls were discovered in the network of caves, and they were collectively designated The Dead Sea Scrolls. No less than two hundred of the scrolls were copies of works canonized in the Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament.

Three nurses who are members of the Eastern North Carolina Nurse Honor Guard spoke at the Coopers Ruritan Club March meeting. This group honors nurses who have passed away or are in Hospice. They gave a demonstration of how one of these memorials is performed as well as the history of the organization. If anyone would like more information about having this service for a deceased nurses funeral or memorial, please contact Tabatha Hall,MSN, RN at 252-847-9633

Larceny misdemeanor reported at 10261 Camp Charles Rd., Bailey on 2/25/26
Motor vehicle theft, all other vehicles; breaking and entering felony/non-force/larceny reported at 11011 Pace Rd., Bailey on 2/28/26
Obtain property by false pretense; recovered property reported at 11834 Salem School Rd., Whitakers on 2/25/26
Possession drug paraphernalia (not marijuana); simple possession schedule II controlled substance reported at 234 W. Washington St., Nashville on 2/26/26

Carrying concealed weapon reported at Red Oak Rd/Eastern Ave on 3/15/26
Larceny, credit card; financial transaction card fraud reported at 479 W. Washington St., Nashville on 3/15/26
Larceny, misdemeanor reported at 700 E. Washington St., Nashville on 3/20/26
DWI; Driving while license revoked, not impaired revoked reported at N NC 58/Taylors Store Rd., Nashville on 3/21/26

A certificate of appreciation was given to Nashville Methodist Church member Paul Jones, Wallace Abernathy, Kay and Dennis Coggins, and Kathy Smallwood for preparing the delicious dinner, including the ever-popular squash casserole. (Scott Hale, part of the cooking team, was still working in the kitchen when photos were taken.)

The Power of H.E.R. (Helping Entrepreneurs Rise) Entrepreneurial Summit was hosted by Nash Community College recently. The event was held March 7th at Word Tabernacle Church, The Impact Center.
Pictured above, T'Sha Vaughan of Whitakers speaks with Lakia Crutchfield of Wilson as Aquilla Thompson of Wilson works in the background.

Most Sundays, I sit behind a rowdy group of octogenarian ladies at church. When I ask how they're doing, I never get "My bunions are acting up" or "I think the gout is coming on."
No, there's usually some sass and always some humor. This past week was no exception. (Names have been abbreviated to protect identities and my backside from catching a swift kick).

Last week's Nashville Graphic carried coverage of the Northern Nash High School Boys Basketball team winning the 6A state championship - the first time since 1968.
Though I'm a Southern Nash High School alumna, I was extremely excited for the Northern Nash Knights when word came they had won. I anxiously awaited for that text to roll in from our folks covering the game. When the phone dinged and I opened the text to see "WE WON!!" -- I couldn't help but to jump out my seat to do a little victory dance myself.

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on June 20, 1968 of a worm farm, owned and operated by Ellis Nelms of Nashville. Nelms raised red wigglers. In this photo, Bertha Silver aids Nelms by counting the worms as she puts them in boxes for sale to area fisherman.