Recent Articles

Thelma Wiggins Lafferty, age 81, passed away on Saturday, April 4, 2015. She was born on September 7, 1933 to the late William David Wiggins and Bertha Davis Wiggins. In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her husband, Roy Lafferty, Jr.

Flora Mae Smith, age 101, passed away Friday, April 03, 2015. She was born in Horry County, SC on February 11, 1914 to the late John Stokes Smith and Claudia Frye Smith. She is predeceased by her husband, Charles Smith; one daughter, Ann Ratcliff; her son, Walter Viverette; three sisters, Elberta Dawes, Winnie Bizzell, and Elwood Holmes; and her five brothers, Gilbert Smith, Gordon Smith, Billy Smith, Donald Smith and Delwin Smith.

Ruby A. Hemphill, age 85, formerly of Spring Hope, passed away Sunday, April 5, 2015, in Silver Spring, MD.

LaVern B. Mitchell, age 52 of Zebulon, passed away on Friday, April 3, 2015.

Elizabeth Gupton, age 79 of Castalia, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2015.

Infant Kameryn Michelle Blackman, 2 months, passed away March 31, 2015.

Kenneth Bryant, age 53, of Nashville, passed away on Tuesday, March 30, 2015.

Sherry Harris, Co-Chair of Nash County's Relay for Life visited Nashville last week to distribute purple bows to police and fire departments. The bows were being distributed to paint the town purple in honor of the upcoming Relay for Life, which is set for Friday, April 24. In the photo above is Harris with Nashville Police Officer Jason Barnes.

MacArthur said that old soldiers never died, they just faded away.
Old columnists will surely die, but until they do, they are like hemorrhoids, they'll irritate you for awhile, go away, and then return unexpectedly. The older the columnist, the more likely he will evolve into curmudgeonly states of cynicism.
The older the columnist, the more likely he will produce simple solutions to major problems, like, why hasn't anyone thought of this before.

Dear Editor:
Following an unsuccessful journey at a four year university, I came home with little confidence and unsure of my direction in life.
In 1981, I started classes at Nash Community College. I remember people saying "you're going to school out in the middle of no-where?" Thirty-five years later, the College has evolved and the NCC "Blue Love" is full of promise and excitement for those who attend, support, and enjoy what it brings back to our community - HOPE! JOBS! & MUCH MORE!

Dear Editor:
Nash and Edgecombe County residents can receive educational scholarships from private trusts designed specifically to benefit people in this area for post-secondary education. The funds listed below are scholarship grants and do not have to be repaid.

Low double digits, baby! That's what I've been saying, even though my Dad gets a look on his face that reminds me of the time when he about accidentally tried smoked salmon, or tells of some of the things that were done to him in the hospital.
I turn 10 this week. It's crazy, right?
It has been a crazy year. I've been telling people I plan to be a paleontologist, but now I think I'll go into private practice with some partners at school.

EQUIPMENT CHECK -- This photo was originally published in The Graphic on January 29, 1970. Members of the new Momeyer Rescue Squad check equipment on one of their ambulances. The new squad was scheduled to begin service on the Sunday after this photo published. Members pictured (left to right) are James W. Matthews, Squad Chief J.W. Lamm and Wayne Wheeler.

Spring Hope is moving to Plan B on a project that started over two years ago.
Kevin Varnell, of Stocks Engineering, came before the board on Monday night to give them an update on the Country Inn Lift Station abandonment. The initial plan, he said was to go along the creek and along Nash Street and abandon the lift station altogether. However, easement issues have created headaches and delays for the project. Now, Varnell said the easiest thing to do would be to rebuild the entire lift station.

Shine your shoes, straighten your tie, polish your resume and remember to smile; it's Job Fair time at Nash Community College. Whether you are an employer looking for new hires or someone seeking a job opportunity, Tuesday, April 28 is a chance to put your best foot forward. From 9 am until noon in the campus' Business and Industry Center, over 60 local employers will be on hand to provide information about their companies and search for potential employees. The event is open to the public and free to attend, so anyone interested in job seeking is advised to come out and take part.

An undercover drug and fugitive arrest initiative led to the arrest of 41 people.
The results of Operation April Showers was announced last week during a press conference at the Rocky Mont Police Department.
Rocky Mount Police Chief James Moore said the operation demonstrated the department's efforts to continue to reduce crime in the city.

The 78th annual Eastern Carolina 4-H Livestock Show and Sale was held on April 7 and 8 at the East Carolina Agriculture and Education Center in Rocky Mount.
Youth from Nash, Edgecombe and Halifax Counties participated in the show.
Events on April 7 included a Livestock Judging Contest, a Cloverbud Show, Market Goat Show and County Skillathon Challenge. The day concluded with a 4-H Special Awards Show, which is one of the newer events.

Nash Central High School's NJROTC visited Nashville Elementary fifth graders last month to talk to them about the program. Students had asked about how you get into the program and Sgt. Mjr. Leo Nieves agreed to bring his students down to talk about the program and its expectations. Pictured above, Lt. Dejah Harris works with Ja'Mya Edge on how to march in formation.

Amanda and Allen Clark, of Nashville, are proud to announce the birth of a son, Brendin Allen Clark, born February 2, 2015 at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. He weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces. Maternal grandfather is Eddie Manning of Bethel. Paternal grandparents are Frank and Katie Clark of Bethel. Maternal great-grandmother is Ruth Manning of Bethel. Paternal great-grandmother is Donna Clark of Peachtree, Ga. Brendin has two brothers, Corbin Nicholas Clark, who is three, and Devin Joseph Clark, who is two. Amanda is the former Amanda Jo Manning.

Brian Williams, of Castalia, was a Spring 2015 inductee to the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.
Students are invited to join based on the completion of at least 12 hours of coursework and a minimum GPA of 3.5.
Phi Theta Kappa serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students, and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming.

Teams representing every middle school in the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools (NRMPS) district competed in the Middle School Battle of the Books on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 in order to crown a district winner.
Battle of the Books is a competition that requires participants to read a list of 27 books, and each team is quizzed on the list of books read. "It is very competitive and the students have worked all year for this competition," explained Danny Plyler, an NRMPS employee who planned the event.

The 2015 Special Olympics North Carolina Eastern Basketball Tournament was held in Selma, Smithfield, Micro and Kenly on Saturday, March 14 and provided a full day of competition for more than 600 athletes, according to Keith L. Fishburne, SONC president/CEO.
Athletes competing in the Tournament represented communities from the eastern area of the state. More than 650 athletes from the western portion of the state competed in Matthews, Indian Trail and Charlotte on March 7.

Providence Bank Vice President and Nash Community College Foundation Board Director Lyn Brown is thanked by Nash Community College Student Ambassadors Shiloh Burch (left) and Kabryn Mattison (right) for her leadership and support in raising funds for the 2015 Nash Community College Foundation Annual Campaign.

Thursday, April 9 from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at Nash Health Care Systems, 2460 Curtis Ellis Drive
Wednesday, April 15 from from 12 until 4 p.m. at Eaton Corporation, 8171 Planer Mill Road, Middlesex
Thursday, April 23 from 12 until 6 p.m. at Englewood Presbyterian Church, 100 South Englewood Drive, Rocky Mount
Friday, April 24 from 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at Englewood Presbyterian Church, 100 South Englewood Drive, Rocky Mount

Thirteen young women will be presented to society April 12, 2015 at the 38th Jabberwock pageant to be held by the Rocky Mount Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
The honorees are juniors and seniors attending five local schools; Rocky Mount High, Northern Nash High, Nash Central High, Southern Nash High, Nash-Rocky Mount Early College High, Tarboro High School and Rocky Mount Academy.