National country music artist Drew Baldridge performs at the 2026 Blooming Festival. Graphic photo by Nick Crawley

NASHVILLE - An estimated 30,000 people packed downtown Nashville for the 28th annual Blooming Festival, the event highlighted by headliner Drew Baldridge, who at one point came down off the stage to play his guitar directly in the crowd.
"It was the perfect weekend," said Jill Boone, owner of Jody's of Nashville, who said she had more sales than last year and was appreciative of multiple new customers during peak vendor hours Saturday.

RED OAK - Approval for conditional rezoning to permit a new subdivision and planning for a new pop-up Farmers Market were among action items at the May 11th Red Oak town meeting.

When the fireworks erupt over Castalia this July, they will shine a little brighter in memory of the woman who first brought them to the town.
Ellene Leonard, affectionately known by "Nene," passed away on Friday, May 8 at the age of 89. Her death marks the loss of a leader whose vision quite literally shaped the landscape of the community she loved.
Leonard was born and raised in Castalia. She became the mayor of the town in 2004 but her service to her hometown started long before that. Leonard was instrumental in the formation of the town's July 4th celebration, which began in 1985 and will soon celebrate its 41st year.

RALEIGH- Senator Lisa Barnes of Nash County, along with Senator Buck Newton of Wilson County and Tim Moffitt (R-Henderson), have filed a bill to prevent the City of Rocky Mount from using its electric and natural gas utility money to shore up the city's sagging finances.
A May 6 press release from Barnes states that Senate Bill 1076 would stipulate that all revenue from the city's electric system would stay in that account to be used only for "operating expenses, system maintenance and improvements, debt service or to reduce electric rates for customers."

NASHVILLE- A 41-year-old Nashville man has been arrested for a hit and run incident in his own neighborhood that left a pedestrian with extensive injuries.
Roy Earl Allen III of 504 Golfers Lane, in Nashville's Birchwood neighborhood, has been charged with felony hit & run resulting in serious bodily injury and misdemeanor failure to stop and provide information to an injured person, according to a May 11 press release from the Nashville Police Department.
Allen was charged in connection with a hit and run incident that happened December 1, 2025, at about 7:47 p.m. in the 1000 block of Birchwood Drive.

NASHVILLE - More attractive signage, including better "Welcome" signs are on the drawing table for the town's Downtown Nashville Strong Advisory Board (DSNAB) after a recent after-hours work session April 14.
While there is a 'Welcome to Nashville' sign by the US 64 bridge, board members said at their April 28th meeting that they would prefer something with more curb appeal like Rocky Mount has on 64 near Winstead Avenue and like Greenville has on 264.

NASHVILLE - The 26th Annual Nash County Soil & Water Conservation District Catfish Luncheon, this year named in honor of the late Bobby Fisher, served up a mix of camaraderie, farmer appreciation and some dire warnings about threats to the Tar River from potential data centers.
Guest speaker Jason Brown, a Louisburg farmer and retired NFL player, urged Nash County citizens to formulate plans now to stave off data center construction, and not wait to pass a moratorium.

A prayer circle is formed at the flag pole on the grounds of Nashville Police and Fire Departments. Prayer is led by Nashville Police Chaplain Randy 'Chappy' Garner. Graphic photo by Nancy West-Brake

NASHVILLE
A brief, but powerful ceremony held at 9 a.m. by the flagpole outside the Nashville Police and Fire Complex attracted a small but dedicated crowd.
Randy "Chappy" Garner, NPD Chaplain, conducted the bulk of the program, which began with a welcome from Caleb Shockley, Police Chief, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Chris Joyner, Fire Chief.

Nash Central High Alumni Association and the O.D. Moore Scholarship Foundation will celebrate their 51st reunion on Memorial Weekend, May 22, 23 and 24.
Nash Central Senior High Alumni Association was organized in 1975 to help preserve the history of Nash County Training School later renamed Nash Central High School. Both were originally located on the campus of the now closed W.L. Greene Middle School and the campus of the present Nash Central Middle School. Ms. Evelyn Hart serves as National President.

NASHVILLE - A Senate bill attempt that would have allowed Franklin County to take land by eminent domain in Halifax County has stirred up Nash commissioners, who voted by split vote May 4th to support Halifax County.
Senate Bill 214 Part V, section 5, would have allowed Franklin County to "acquire real property or an interest in real property in Halifax, Vance and Warren counties without the consent or approval of those counties' Boards of Commissioners," stated a resolution initiated by Marvin Arrington, Nash commissioners' Chair.

The 9th annual Tackle the Tar 5K Obstacle Race is coming to Rocky Mount Saturday, May 16th. The event runs from 8:45 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. at the Rocky Mount Stadium. The 5k Obstacle Course Race with 20 plus obstacles, including a mud pit, also features music, food trucks, local vendors, and family fun all day.
The race is hosted by the Rocky Mount Rotary Club and supports college scholarships for local students, with over $720,000 awarded since 2016.
This thrilling challenge brings together participants from all walks of life to test their skills, teamwork, and endurance in an unforgettable experience.

NASHVILLE- Even a tiny bit of land- in this case, a raised bed outside Cooley Library- can make a big difference in the life of pollinators and migrating Monarch butterflies, who are suffering from massive habitat loss.
The flowerbed by the sign of Cooley Library, recently replanted, is now a pollinator pitstop along the "Butterfly Highway," a statewide restoration initiative that is targeted towards helping to restore native pollinator habitats lost to land use change.

"And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no longer worthy to be called your son'." (Luke 15:21)
I have always made it a point to be at least 10-15 minutes early anywhere I am scheduled to go.
BUT! I'm married to Robbie. When we go anywhere, we fly in the door at the last minute or 5-10 minutes late!! I tell everyone, "the only time Robbie will be early for anything is for her funeral. That's because me or Lauren will be in charge!"

Though answered in part, the question from last week remains: "Is Christianity a copycat religion?" It is an essential question that critics of Christianity often ask, and rightly so. After all, the oldest clay tablet fragments we have of The Great Flood story are not from the Genesis account but are from at least two other and much older accounts; one written in Sumerian and the other embedded in The Epic of Gilgamesh. So, it is with purpose that we once again take up our investigation from last week, comparing The Great Flood account in Genesis with these two older universal flood stories to gain some idea of which one is most likely the original version.

A mother's faith and her children.
A mother's impact can affect generations. Moses' mother trusted God with him when He was just a baby. The King had given orders for all boys 2 years old and younger to be killed. But Jochebed defied the King's demand.
Exodus 2:1-3 ESV

Margo Ennis Melton was recently selected by her peers as Pender Early College High School Teacher of the Year! She earned this recognition for her dedication, leadership, and commitment to student success. Congratulations Margo!
End of Year Kingdom Kids Celebration will be Wednesday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Red Oak Baptist Church in the Family Life Center.
The Baptist Men will have their monthly breakfast meeting on Sunday, May 17 at 8:30 a.m.

Savannah Stephens, daughter of Kyle and Susan Stephens, has been named the recipient of the Ann MacPherson Weaver Memorial Scholarship at Rocky Mount Academy (RMA). Currently an eighth-grade student at Red Oak Middle School, Savannah will attend RMA this fall as a freshman on a full-tuition scholarship valued at nearly $58,000 over four years. The Weaver Scholarship is the Academy's only full-tuition award.
Established in 1986, the scholarship honors the memory of Ann MacPherson Weaver, a 1984 RMA graduate who passed away from cancer later that same year.

The Nash County Farmers Market and the Nashville Farmers Market have partnered to bring you the "Nothing but Nash" Farm to Table Fundraiser on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The event includes an evening of fun, food, and fellowship at the Nashville Junction.
The event begins with a "meet the farmers social hour" with yard games and live music from Meredith Davis Johnson starting at 5 p.m. The meal begins at 6 p.m.

RALEIGH - North Carolina's wildflowers aren't just beautiful -- they reflect decades of care and commitment by N.C. Department of Transportation crews.
Since 1985, stretches of highway across the state have flourished with blooms that support pollinators and enhance the travel experience, thanks to the NCDOT Wildflower Program. This week, NCDOT is celebrating the 2025 Wildflower Award winners, honoring the teams that made our roadsides brighter and more beautiful last year.

COMMERCIAL PERMITS
Addition; 10975 N NC 58, Castalia; Amber Morrow, Licensed Contractor, Cell Site Technologies, Inc.; $29,000
Addition; 8164 Grover Rd, Nashville; Chrystal Fisher, Licensed Contractor Tepdb Opco, LLC; $25,000
Miscellaneous; 5846 Taylors Gin Rd, Castalia; Jeremy Caster, Licensed Contractor, Blue Ridge Power, LLC; $15,000

An old friend posted on social media the other day that next year would be our high school class's 40th year.
I won't use my exact word-reaction here, but I'll say that as a young teenage reporter at this fine newspaper, when I was sent out to photograph high school reunions, any group marking 25 years or more was surely a bunch of "old heads."
Forty years? Good grief. Those folks were in their LATE FIFTIES. HOW COULD THEY STILL BE ALIVE?

This may be the shortest column I've ever penned over the span of four decades.
Post Blooming Festival days are always super busy, sometimes just as busy as during the event with many loose ends to tie up. Those loose ends, combined with normal newspaper activities, plus adding budget season - makes for days that just are not long enough to get everything done!
A quick recap of Blooming Festival weekend is no longer possible as the event has grown far beyond expectations from the days in 1997 when the event was launched.

Dear editor: On Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 3 p.m.., there is a clarion call for all prayers and prayer warriors to gather at your local flag pole to intercede in unity with the many thousands who will be on our national Mall in Washington D.C. to proclaim and make spiritual declarations according to II Chronicles 7;14 "If, my People, who are called by my Name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my Face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land."

BICENTENNIAL - This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on July 6, 1976. The youngest and oldest citizens of Nashville were honored at the town's Religious heritage Service during the Bicentennial Celebration. Nashville mayor Rex Paramore is shown presenting a Bicentennial quilt to Mrs. Eliza D. May who was to turn 100 years old on July 30th. Michael Leroy Tyndall, who was born late Saturday, was the youngest citizen.