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The Coopers Fire and Rescue Department entertained over 500 people on Saturday at their second annual Community Day.
The event included fire truck tours, face painting, a dunking booth, a fire extinguisher demonstration as well as bouncy houses. The day ended with a live extrication by the junior members of the department.
Chris Joyner, Captain of Coopers Fire and Rescue, said the event is a way to give back to a community that has always been supportive of the fire department.

Elizabeth Carroll, 4, enjoys a bouncy house on Saturday at Coopers Community Day. This is the second year the Coopers Fire and Rescue Department has hosted the event.

Andy Joyner volunteeed to sit in the dunking booth at Coopers Community Day.

Nashville Police had a busy night on Monday, as they responded to a larceny call that resulted in two suspects fleeing.
Lt. Joey Corbett, of the Nashville Police Department, said they received a call on Monday night that two suspects had stolen from Walmart and were running behind Wendy's on Eastern Avenue. Corbett said when he, and another officer arrived, they saw the suspects running. One suspect was running across the street back towards Murphy's gas station and the other was running behind the old Farm Credit building.

Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education members were given 17 applications on Monday night to consider for the position of the school system's leader, along with a list of traits the community and staff wanted to see in the new leader of the Nash-Rocky Mount School System.
Allison Schafer, of the NC School Board Association, presented the results of a survey posted online to get input from the community as well as school system staff on what it would like to see in the new superintendent.

A brand new section in Nashville Elementary School's media center has students excited.
Last Thursday, students, staff and parents celebrated the opening of "The Nest," the school's Maker Station STEM section of the media center.
Maker Stations promote learning through play and allow students to create things and learn while doing so.
"The Nest" will be a permanent fixture in the school's library and students will have the opportunity to explore at various times during the week, said Media Coordinator Leslie Taylor.

Pictured above, Najayla Edwards, a fifth grader at Nashville Elementary School tries out one of the Maker Stations unveiled at "The Nest" last Thursday night at the school. Edwards helped show fellow students how to use the station.

Middlesex Mayor Lu Harvey Lewis, who also serves as the town's full-time town administrator, will soon be serving on a part-time basis, as he announced his resignation last Monday night.
Lewis submitted his letter of resignation as the town administrator to the Board of Commissioners last Monday night during the board's regular meeting.
In the letter, Lewis said he had "enjoyed working for the advancement of our community."

A single load of alfalfa hay contaminated with blister beetle was distributed to a Nash County feed store, state officials recently announced.
Officials determined that the single load of hay originated in Kansas and was delivered to Murphy Farm Hay and Feed in Louisburg, which distributed some of the hay to Jones Farm Hay and Feed in Middlesex. The single load of hay was delivered on August 11 and was the source of blister beetle contamination.
The load of hay, containing about 500 bales, was found to be contaminated with the striped blister beetle.

Mt. Hermon Baptist Church and Classical Conversations sponsored a student-led reading of the US Constitution last Thursday, Constitution Day, on the steps of the Nash County Courthouse. The event was held to raise awareness and show the importance of the constitution and the public's civic duty to know it, uphold it and defend it. Local home schooled students took turns reading portions of the constitution at the 45-minute ceremony. Pictured above, Keagan Dawes, who is homeschooled by Robin Michael with Brenda Odom, holds a United States flag during the ceremony.

Whatever happened to the good old days when we only banned books in this country?
Then, it looked like we might have to ban Pop Tarts since a kid bit an "L" shape into his, and someone thought it looked like a gun. Students in some schools have been suspended for posting photos on social media of themselves with hunting rifles. Kids wearing American flag t-shirts have been banned. Some schools have banned toy soldiers as cake/cupcake decorations. The list goes on.

This weekend is gonna be a busy one! There are tons of things going on so your kids certainly can't complain about having nothing to do this Saturday!
One exciting event going on right here in Nashville is the second annual Bark for Life!
I missed last year's event because I had several other events going on at the same time but I did drive through there to see what I was missing! Jo Anne was able to cover last year's Bark for Life so I did, at least, get to hear all about it. I'm hoping to check it out for myself this year! I hope you will too.

A little over a year ago, I covered a meeting in which local magistrates, judges and volunteers working to help veterans facing crisis, joined together to find a solution to help those facing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving tours of duty. I was amazed at the number of folks landing in jail due to actions caused by PTSD. Time and time again, veterans are being incarcerated rather than getting treatment and counseling for the root of the problem.
Army Sergeant Major Johnny Borunda was at that meeting seeking help.

NASHVILLE JAYCEES -- This photo was originally published in The Graphic May 10, 1977. Henry Fisher (third from left, front row) was installed as president of the Nashville Jaycees for the coming year at a banquet held at Birchwood Country Club. Other officers elected were (front row, left to right) Glenn Gray, state director; Doug Hedgepeth, external vice-president; Elton Abernethy, director; Durwood Parker, Jr., internal vice-president; and Ronald Pearson, treasurer. Back row: Charles Taylor, chairman of the board; Ross Strickland, director; John Hunter, director; Nelson Jeffreys, director; and Jimmie Hinton, secreatry.

A Bailey man was killed on Tuesday afternoon after the vehicle he was driving crossed the center line and hit another vehicle head on.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Ellis Perry, Jr., 73, of Winters Road, Bailey, was traveling south on Highway 581, around .6 miles north of Bailey, when his vehicle crossed the center line.
Perry's vehicle hit another vehicle that was traveling north, hitting it head on.

A tractor trailer driver and a bus driver were both charged in an accident that sent 26 to the hospital on Monday morning.
According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, a flatbed tractor trailer was traveling east on US 64 near exit 484 around 6 a.m. in Edgecombe County when it collided into the back of a passenger bus carrying migrant workers. The collision caused the bus to overturn in the left lane of US 64.
The tractor trailer then veered onto the right shoulder where it traveled down an embankment and stopped at the wood line.

INCIDENTS
A damage to property (vandalism) was reported on 9/14/15 at the Nash County Courthouse in the parking lot
A simple assault was reported on 9/15/15 at 114 N Wheeless Circle
A possession of counterfeit money was reported on 9/16/15 at Wal-Mart, 1205 Eastern Avenue

A possession of tobacco by an inmate was reported on 9/14/15 at 222 W Washington Street
A burglary (breaking and entering) was reported on 9/14/15 at 9042 Pace Road
A larceny of a motor vehicle was reported on 9/15/15 at 8924 W Old Spring Hope Road
A felony larceny of a lawn mower was reported on 9/15/15 at 4782 Country Lane

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from September 14 through 18.

A new program coordinator for Nash County's Parks and Recreation Department has allowed for more programming.
Several new programs have been added to cater to the senior population, as well as homeschoolers, adults and pre-school aged children.
Sue Yerkes, Nash County Parks and Recreation Director, said they are utilizing the Spaulding Resource Center in Spring Hope to run some of the programs.
Cindy Ferguson recently joined Nash County Parks and Rec as a program coordinator.

Performances are September 24, 25, and 26 at 7 p.m. and September 27 at 2 p.m. at The Imperial Centre, 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount. Tickets are $11 for Adults, $9 for Students and Seniors, and $7 for Children Under 12. Tickets may be purchased during The Imperial Centre's regularly scheduled hours. The Imperial Centre is open Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
In this gripping new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, from the original stage play by Goodrich and Hackett, newly discovered writings from the diary of Anne Frank, as well as survivor accounts, are interwoven to create a contemporary impassioned story of the lives of people persecuted under Nazi rule.

Peachtree folks gathered at the church for worship on a beautiful autumn morning. Sanctuary flowers were given by Kenneth and Linda Edwards in memory of their fathers, Harold Edwards and Melton Manning. Flowers for the Narthex were given by Warren Boone in honor of his wife, Lois, upon the occasion of their wedding, which occurred at Peachtree Church exactly 63 years ago today.
The Adult choir, under the direction of the pastor, sang "He Touched Me," written by Bill Gaither.

Who controls your mind, ever thought about that? Each one of us finds that our minds easily gravitate towards something, some place, or someone. What starts out as simple news we hear, now for some reason is the controlling factor in our mind. Whether it's obsessing over why someone does not think just like we think or the inability to control others actions. These type of situations can easily lead to mind games and next thing we now we are along for the ride. However, this ride is not fun because it's littered with worry, anxiety, and fear.

Ms. Ida Briley, I sure did enjoy talking with you in the beauty shop the other day. Folks, Ida went to school at Red Oak back in the good ole days. I enjoyed reminiscing about the past and about the people we both knew. One thing for sure, I hope on my next appointment, you will be there so we can continue where we left off.
2 Aventon Angels were seen putting lattice under the Fishing Creek Baptist Church Fellowship Building deck last week.

Last week, our minister was sick and unable to be at church. Later, he was in the hospital. We are so thankful that he came home on Wednesday and was able to be back at church on Sunday. He brought us the morning sermon on "To the Church," taken from Revelation 1:4-8. Minister Chris Matchem always brings us a great sermon and very meaningful. Prior to the sermon, his wife, Bre, brought us a very beautiful solo on "Jesus you're the Center of My Joy." She has a very beautiful voice which we all really enjoy. The lovely flowers were given Sunday by Carolyn and Earl Cary. We thank them for the lovely mums.