Recent Articles

Corporal Miles Costa spent over two hours on Tuesday night getting dunked into cold, dirty water.
But it was for a good cause.
The police department hosted its fourth annual National Night Out on Tuesday at Glover Park and despite a shower at the beginning of the event, Police Chief Tom Bashore said the event was a success.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools is looking to add extra measures to the way it monitors its employees.
Brian Miller, Chief of Staff for Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, brought the item before the board on Monday during a work session. Miller said currently, the school system doesn't do regular monitoring on its employees after background checks are done upon hire. Miller said a new plan would do automated checks on employees each month.

Nashville's Parks and Recreation Department has released a survey to get input from the community on how to better its facilities and programs.
The surveys were recently released and can be filled out online or in person, said Parks and Recreation Director Jim Glover.
Glover said the surveys are intended to gather information on how much the town's parks and programs are utilized but also to see what can be added in the future.

The Spring Hope Police Department welcomed a brand new officer to its force, an officer who is closely connected to the mayor of the town.
Newly hired Officer Jake Gwaltney, nephew of Mayor Buddy Gwaltney, was formally introduced by Police Chief Anthony Puckett to the public and commissioners Monday night. Officer Gwaltney started his position on Monday, July 25th, according to Puckett.
"I lived in Spring Hope mostly all my life. I'm very happy to be accepted into the Spring Hope Police Department," Officer Gwaltney told everyone.

Nash Community College Criminal Justice Lead Instructor, Carmi Guyette, is the College's 2016 J. Edgar and Peggie T. Moore Excellence in Teaching Award recipient.
"It is an honor to be nominated for the award and to be named along with other inspirational instructors. I never considered myself as being the best nor could I even come close to all those dedicated instructors who are employed here," Guyette said.

Brendan Leon is all smiles at National Night Out.

Kailey Edmonds enjoys National Night Out.

Aaliyah Brown poses for a photo with Frozen Princess Elsa during Nashville's National Night Out event Tuesday afternoon.

Maurice Lee Cooper, 80, passed away Wednesday, August 3, 2016. He was born April 20, 1936 in Nash County to the late Astor and Lottie Perry Cooper. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by, son, Dennis Cooper, two brothers, Benjamin and Rudolph Cooper, three sisters, Thelma, Magdalene and Miriam. He retired from Nash General Hospital as Manager of Security, after being a Police Officer in Wake Forest and Chief of Police in Nashville.

The Park Avenue Community Watch will have a guest speaker at their regular meeting on Thursday, August 11.
Cornelia McGee-Anthony, Coordinator of Keep America Beautiful of Nash/Edgecombe Counties, will speak to the group at 6:30 in the Town Council Chambers, located in Nashville's Cooley Library.

A small memorial service was held last week to celebrate the life of Timothy Charles Barnes who died in 2010 while training at the North Carolina Justice Academy.
Barnes, of Rocky Mount, had served with the Nash County Sheriff's Office for 10 years before transferring to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles License and Theft Bureau.
Barnes died as a result of a heat stroke after completing physical training at the academy. He was training to be an inspector with the DMV. He was 38 years old.

At its regular monthly meeting Monday, the town board of Red Oak heard two presentations, tabled a discussion about park lights, and voted to support local scholarships for Northern Nash students.
First, the board heard another presentation by Brooks Bunting, Vice President of Southern Investment Services at Southern Bank. At last month's meeting Bunting had presented an investment proposal to the board.

Members of the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force set out bright and early on Monday morning to apprehend numerous individuals with felony warrants as part of Operation Dismantle.
Operation Dismantle focused on the apprehension of individuals engaged in the illegal distribution and sales of heroin, cocaine and other controlled substances.

Nashville's Town Council approved the temporary closing of Ward Street next Saturday in order for the community to hold a Block Party.
Council members unanimously approved the request on Tuesday night during the board's regular meeting. A public hearing was held on the item last Thursday.
The request came from Linwood Battle, a resident of Ward Street. During the hearing, Battle said he wanted to get the community together before the summer ended. Battle said he anticipated at least 100 people would attend. The event will be held on Saturday, August 13.

Mayor Ellene Leonard was not present at the regular town board meeting of Castalia on Tuesday, so Town Commissioner James Alston served as Mayor Pro Tem. There were just enough board members present to make a quorum.
First, the board adopted a resolution to become a member of the North Carolina Interlocal Risk Management Agency. This means that the town can get worker's compensation insurance through the agency at a better rate than a private insurance company (like Farm Bureau.) Farm Bureau had quoted $3,500 per year, whereas the Agency will cost $1,400 annually.

The William T. (Bill) Young photography exhibit is open at Nash Arts Center through August 31st. A reception will be held Friday August 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
William T. (Bill) Young was born in Charleston, SC. After high school, and taking a course in Automotive Mechanics, he joined the United States Marine Corps. After Vietnam, he went to school and obtained a degree in mechanical engineering. He then joined the United States Navy, and served on Nuclear Submarines. After his discharge, Bill held several different jobs until he was hired by Carlisle Plastics which brought him to Rocky Mount.

The summer Olympics begin this week, or at least we assume they do. This wonderful tradition founded on politics, graft, bribes, definition, danger, and disease is like no other spectacle in the world.
I'm kidding, of course. This year, the only concern is A) whether participants and spectators get the traditional diseases that tend to occur when all the countries of the world gather in one place, or branch out into Zika; B) Whether the president of Brazil will get impeached, deposed or arrested during the games (read about her, her case sounds eerily familiar); or C) Whether drug testing will become its own Olympic sport.

Tomorrow, Friday, August 5 will mark the one year anniversary since Devin's brain surgery. I've dubbed it his "brain-aversary."
It's hard to believe it's already been a year! And what a crazy year it has been.
I still remember August 5 pretty well. It's probably a day I will never forget. But, it's also a day I'm tremendously thankful for because it's a day that my little boy was "fixed."

This photo of downtown Nashville is from The Graphic's 1966 archives.

Will this be TV drama and anything entertaining in the fall ?
As the upcoming political bombardment of information works into TV and conversations, I am reminded of the story of the farmer who sent his son from the field to the house to get water. The team rested; he waited. The boy came back refreshed but brought no container. The farmer asked where was the water? The boy said " At the pump at the house where you sent me."

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from July 25 through 29.

INCIDENTS
An involuntary commitment was reported on 7/26/16 on Hurt Court
A simple assault was reported on 7/27/16 on 912 Brake Street
An assault on a female was reported on 7/27/16 at Wal-Mart, 1205 Eastern Avenue

A larceny was reported on 7/24/16 at 10934 Rock Quarry Road
A disorderly conduct was reported on 7/24/16 at 9438 Pine Street
A damage to property was reported on 7/25/16 at 1360 Brooke Lane
A financial card fraud was reported on 7/25/16 at 1530 8th Street Drive SE

Mary Louise Bunn and Sidney Earl Ellis, III were united in marriage on June 25, 2016 at 5 p.m. at Nashville Baptist Church. The ceremony was officiated by Rev. Kenneth R. Byrd.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Gregory Bunn, of Nashville.
The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Earl Ellis, Jr., of Wilson.

Mary Smith, of Warrenton, and Johnny Smith, of Franklinton, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Bianca Smith to Adrian Savage, son of Bonnie Lynch of Rocky Mount. The bride-to-be earned a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Corrections from North Carolina Central University. She is employed with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The groom-to-be is a graduate of North Carolina A&T where he earned a B.S. degree in Business. He is employed at Cintas. The couple resides in Greensboro.