SPRING HOPE - Less than one month after one of its officers received the prestigious Carnegie Medal for risking his life to save another's, the Spring Hope Police Department took some not-so-friendly fire at the last town council meeting from one town commissioner, who questioned patrols on Highway 64. The commissioner also claimed that officers were sleeping in patrol cars.
Antonio "Danny" Toney, commissioner, seemingly came out of left field with his questions after Jonathan Allen, town manager, presented the September report of police activities, including 490 calls for service and 400 traffic stops.

ROCKY MOUNT- The Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport has just received $5 million dollars, fueling hopes that the facility may become the "best regional airport in the state."
Rep. Allen Chesser, presenting an oversized check to Garry Hodges, Chairman of the Airport Authority Oct. 13th, said that combined with the CSX Intermodal Terminal and area's highway system, he felt that planned expansion would set the airport up to be "competitive, not just in North Carolina but up and down the eastern seaboard."

Emma Abrigo, Freshman and Environmental Club member at Northern Nash High School, assists with replanting of one of three Rain Gardens at the school.

ROCKY MOUNT - Three "cells" designed to handle stormwater runoff at Northern Nash High school are nearing cleanup completion, thanks to volunteer muscle from students, volunteers from Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant, Keep America Beautiful and the Sound Rivers environmental group.
Melinda Romero, biology teacher and science deptartment head at NNHS, said that two student groups at the school- the Environmental Club, which has 63 members, and an almost equally large Garden Club- would be taking over maintenance of the rain gardens, which are planted in low-lying areas of the school to help absorb stormwater runoff.

NASHVILLE - Nash County has a new Parks and Recreation Director: Devonte Speller, whose first day on the job was Sept. 28th. He was introduced to county commissioners at their Oct. 5th meeting.
Speller, whose immediate background was seven and one-half years with the City of Rocky Mount Parks & Recreation, has a master's in business administration with a concentration in sports management and a bachelor's in sports studies, both from East Carolina University.

NASHVILLE- With one half-million dollar grant in hand for Stoney Creek Environmental Park Renovations, the town of Nashville is forging ahead to parlay those funds in a bid to land another two grants.
Koy Worrell, Parks and Rec Director, laid it out to town council members at their Oct. 6th meeting regarding three-phase development of the park. If the latest round of grant applications are successful, Phase two improvements would include:

ROCKY MOUNT - Stonewall Manor is steeping itself in hands-on, upfront local history for its upcoming Heritage Day on Saturday, October 24th .
"This should be an exciting day for history buffs, kids and adults," said Renny Taylor, an Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher at Nash Central High School. Taylor also volunteers at Stonewall Manor.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with admission $5 for adults and $3 for students.

NASHVILLE - Downtown Nashville will be home to little witches, princesses, ghosts, ghouls and anyone willing to put on the Halloween spirit on Friday, October 30th, for its annual children's event "Trick or Treat Street."
Planned and organized by Nashville's Parks and Recreation Department, and supported by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Police, Fire and Public Works Departments, the Cooley Library, Nash County and the Nash County Sheriff's Office, the event will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

SPRING HOPE - Restoration work on both the historic Spring Hope Depot and its newly-acquired caboose are proceeding, although the Depot contractor is reportedly on a "short rope" in terms of getting that work done by an end-of-the-year deadline.
Jonathan Allen, town manager, updated the board of commissioners at their Oct. 5th meeting, leading with a train depot project update.

NASHVILLE - In their first-ever public swearing-in ceremony, members of the Nash County Fire Marshal's office shared the occasion with family and well-wishers Oct. 12th in the historic Nash County courthouse.
Trip Bunn, Director of Fire Marshal's Office and Emergency Management, welcomed those present, including a large number of firefighters, to the 2 p.m. event.
Chase Taylor, Deputy Fire Marshal, gave an invocation while Zachary Stiffler, Deputy Fire Marshal, conducted the Pledge of Allegiance.

NASHVILLE - Long-simmering revisions to Nash County's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) are almost ready to be served up for final votes of adoption, with only two opportunities left for public input: at the Oct. 19th Nash County Planning Board meeting and at the Nov. 2 county commissioners' meeting.
The third of three public information sessions was held Oct. 7th at the Nash County Administration building, attracting a crowd of about 30; two prior sessions were conducted Sept. 28th in Battleboro and Oct. 1st in Bailey.

MEMBER OF THE SEASON - The Nashville Chamber of Commerce recognized Nash County Arts Council as its Fall Business of the Season. Pictured, front (left to right) are Nashville Board Member Tressa Bissette, Nash County Art Council Executive Director Shelly Gray, Nash County Arts Council Board Member William Wallace. Back row: Nashville Chamber of Commerce President Cliff Joyner, Nash County Arts Council Board Members Robert Toney and Chandler James. GRAPHIC PHOTO BY JO ANNE COOPER

BAILEY- Bailey town officials are struggling with code enforcement regarding a potential 'squatter' situation in a home declared unfit for habitation.
A 'minimal housing hearing' regarding 5917 East Main Street, Bailey, was held as part of the Sept. 21st board of commissioners meeting.
According to Shawn Lucas, code enforcement officer, who was asked to do a property inspection, there are multiple problems associated with the home, whose owners on record are Starlon and Brenda J. Deans of Nashville; however, both individuals have passed away, Starlon in 2021 and Brenda in 2025, leaving no legal owner on file.

NASHVILLE- A first-time official run-through of the revised Momeyer town code has been pushed back two months to December, with council members seemingly unprepared to comment this week and several other obstacles cropping up in the way of final review.
Brian Edwards, planning board chair, pointed out several new chapters, those being Chapter 8 (Solid Waste management), Chapter 9 (Low Speed Vehicles) and a new section 105 entitled "Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct." Edwards said that a new section relating to commercial data centers and another relating to adult businesses were still under review by town attorney Scott McKellar.

SPRING HOPE - The Spring Hope Chamber of Commerce is getting its ducks in a row for two seasonal events coming up: The Dan Finch Potter's Market on Saturday Nov. 14th and 'Christmas in Spring Hope' on Friday Dec. 11th.

Last time, we touched upon the frequently reported phenomenon known as terminal lucidity. As the name implies, terminal lucidity occurs in patients who have long since become catatonic due to disease or trauma affecting brain function. Many patients, it continues to be reported, experience brief moments of clarity of thought and communicate with incredible coherence to those around them, not long before dying. Deathbed visions are another end-of-life phenomenon in which patients have and act upon visions of people not physically present. Over and again, hospice caregivers report patients experiencing deathbed visions, which are confirmed by multiple studies from around the world, indicating that about 40 percent of families report a loved one as having had an end-of-life experience.

The Baptist Men will meet for breakfast on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 8:30 am.
Red Oak Baptist Church collected food items for Global Hunger Relief. Their collection will go to Faith Christian Ministries in Nashville for them to donate to needy families in the community.
The youth and children of Red Oak Baptist Church are having a Poinsettia Fundraiser. Poinsettias are in 8-inch pots and are $20 each. Orders are due by Sunday, Oct. 25. They will be available for pickup on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the church. All proceeds will go to the youth and children's summer missions camps

Melissa Lumpp is pictured enjoying the anniversary celebration with Jaxon Claiborne. GRAPHIC PHOTO BY AMANDA CLARK

NASHVILLE - What began 50 years ago with 25 children and a handful of teachers has grown into a program serving 115 children with a staff of 20.
But as generations of Nashville Methodist Church Weekday School families gathered on Sept. 26 to celebrate the program's 50th anniversary, those who have helped carry it forward said its mission has remained much the same.
"Without the community support, it wouldn't have lasted 50 years," said Denise Helms, a retired educator and former chair of the Weekday School board.

NASHVILLE- After a one-year hiatus of no Recycling Day events, Keep America Beautiful of Nash and Edgecombe County is back on track, with an event scheduled November 14th at Golden East Crossing Mall in Rocky Mount.
Stephanie Collins, KAB Coordinator, presented an "information only" report to Nash County commissioners at their Sept. 21st meeting, giving information on how much the program costs to run, and how much is collected during recycling events.

ROCKY MOUNT- Monarch Healthcare, which recently received notice that it would receive a half million dollars in state money to support its mental health services program, is planning to shift the site of its mobile health unit from Bailey to an undecided Nash location.
While the bulk of Monarch's in-person patient visits reportedly occur at its Behavioral Health office located at 809 Tiffany Blvd., Rocky Mount, clinic personnel also offer or connect patients with services over the phone, virtually, or at its mobile unit. The average number of clients total 90 each week.

NASHVILLE- Nash County is fronting $47,500 in local matching funds in an attempt to sweeten the pot for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)Neighborhood Revitalization application, with the target six houses in Nashville, Spring Hope, Castalia, Middlesex and Bailey.
Nash County has applied for CDBG federal funding, available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, for multiple years, achieving a pretty good track record in obtaining grant funds. The monies are targeted specifically for either complete reconstruction or substantial rehabilitation for owner-occupied, low-income homes.

Melinda J. Keen, Randall Keen, Christie J. Sharpe, Milton Kevin Sharpe, Angela Jones Howard, Melinda J. Keen, William Lee Jones and Melinda J. Keen to Middlesex Enterprises, LTD; 8.16 acres; $39,000
Melinda J. Keen, William Lee Jones, Melinda J. Keen, Randall Keen, Christie J. Sharpe, Milton Kevin Sharpe, Angela Jones Howard and Melinda J. Keen to Middlesex Enterprises, LTD; 14.75 acres; $32,000
William H. Dove II and William House Dove, II to William H. Dove, William House Dove II and Catherine H. Lamm; Kandemor, Block D, Lot 8

COMMERCIAL
New Construction; 6197 Main St, Bailey; Edward Cozart, Licensed Contractor, Cozart Company, Inc; $250,000
New Construction; 3071 E NC 97, Unit A, Wilson; Jackson Keen Licensed Contractor; Mizelle Construction Services, Inc. $350,000
Renovation/Alteration; 6341 Main St, Bailey; Rodolfo Gallegos, Owner & Occupant; $2,000
Sign; 6610 Corporation Pkwy, Battleboro; Rachel Taylor Unlicensed Contractor; Sign & Awning Systems, Inc.; $28,000

I try to be aware of what's happening in the world and around me. Recently, there have been a lot of stories about how artificial intelligence (AI) is going to solve all the world's problems, make life perfect, and take all of our jobs.
It seems like we've heard that song before over the years. We were also supposed to have flying cars and jetpacks and world peace by now.
All this AI stuff got me concerned and I thought I better reach out to esteemed longtime Graphic publisher JoAnne Cooper. We've only worked together since the early 1990s, so we're still figuring out how things work between us.

Boy did Mike Brantley ever hit the nail on the head last week in his Soap Box column regarding political junk mail.
In short, my theory is if you truly want to get your message out to voters who want to be informed, run your ads in a local newspaper. People who read newspapers are voters who truly want to know about the candidates on their ballot.
As for Mike's description of the designs of the mailers, I'm glad my husband now takes care of grabbing the mail before I ever see any of these pitiful AI generated illustrations. Seeing the same thing pop up in your search engines or other web surfing is bad enough.

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on Feb. 18, 1965. Coopers FHA members pose for a photo spelling out education on hearts which was the theme of a special program presented at the school.