Recent Articles

Annette R. Anstead, 73, passed away, Thursday, September 4, 2014. She was born March 19, 1941 in Warren County.  She was preceded in death by her father, Lonnie C. Richardson, sister, Ezell Richardson, and brother, Daniel Richardson.

Cassidy “Nenee” Nichole Bales,19, passed away, Sunday, September 7, 2014. She was born in Wilson County September 3, 1995. Nenee was preceded in death by her father, Tony Bales, cousin, Matthew Bottoms and Great-Granddaddy Ray, great-paternal grandparents, Dorothy and Omus Whitley.

Shirley Ruth Joyner Speight, 70, passed away, Friday, September 5, 2014. She was born in Nash County on December 21, 1943. She was preceded in death by her father, Clifton Joyner, two brothers, Willie and Delton Joyner.

HOLLISTER –– Nora Richardson, 62, passed away on Saturday, August 30, 2014.

LOUISBURG - Rosa Lee Arrington, 71, passed away on Friday, August 29, 2014.

NASHVILLE - Rupert Fox, III, 72, passed away on Monday, September 1, 2014.

Viola Staton Nicholson, 76, died on Saturday, September 6, 2014. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at Zion Cross Baptist Church in Whitakers.   Arrangements by H.D. Pope Funeral Home in Rocky Mount.

ROCKY MOUNT –– Willie Edward Powell, age 81, died on Saturday, September 6, 2014.  Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by H.D. Pope Funeral Home, Rocky Mount.

ROCKY MOUNT - Jamey Lee Silver, 42, of Rocky Mount, died on August 28, 2014.

John Barrie Smith, age 72, passed away on Sunday, September 7, 2014. Born in Rocky Mount on April 26, 1942, he was the son of the late Charlie Smith and Mabel (Warbritton) Smith. He was preceded in death by one sister, Violet Davis and one sister-in-law, Francie Smith.

Russell W. Willett, Jr., age 74, passed away on September 7, 2014 in Rocky Mount. Born in Hagerstown, Maryland on February 29, 1940 he was the son of the late Russell Willett, Sr. and Elizabeth Palmer Willett. He was also preceded in death by a sister, JoAnn Willett Taylor.

George Allen Valentine, 89, passed away on September 5, 2014. He was born in Richmond, Virginia on November 15, 1924 to the late George Conway Valentine and Mary Ricker Valentine. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Mary Byrd Bott Valentine and son, George Allen Valentine, Jr.

SUFFOLK, VA - Willard Francis Hedrick, age 84, passed away  September 5, 2014. Born on March 29, 1930, he was the son of the late George Francis Hedrick and Norine Hardey Hedrick. He was predeceased by his son, Jeffery Wayne Hedrick and one brother, Stuart Hedrick.

Louise Whitehead, age 82, died September 4, 2014. She was born in Nash County on January 6, 1932 to William Ernest Anderson and Annie Massey Anderson. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her first husband, Allan Edwards; one daughter, five sisters, and three brothers.

Ann Tillson Fulgham Wilroy, age 88, passed away on Wednesday, September 3, 2014. Arrangements by Wheeler and Woodlief Funeral Home, Rocky Mount.

Lela Eudora “Sis” Walton, 86, of Madison Heights, passed away on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. She was predeceased by her husband, Lindy Earl “Red” Walton. Born on May 11, 1928 in Nash County, NC, she was the daughter of the late John Henry and Essie Lee Massey Denton. In addition to her parents and husband, she is preceded in death by a sister, Doris Denton Sullivan and three brothers, Roy Denton, Jimmy Denton, and Roger Denton.

A Middlesex man was sentenced to life in prison for a drug trade operation that operated in the Middlesex area. Several others were also sentenced for their involvement in the operation.
Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced Anthony Wayne Wiggins, 51, to life imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release in federal court last week.

Eagle Scout candidate Logan Wood came to the Castalia Town Hall meeting held on September 9. Wood came to present a draft for a plan to erect a park sign for Castalia’s planned recreation facility as part of his Eagle Scout project, requesting approval for the design from the town board.
For the most part, the board approved of the sign design.

The Nash County Sheriff’s Office assisted Nashville Police Officers in apprehending two larceny suspects last Wednesday.
Deputies responded to Nashville’s Wal-Mart last Wednesday to assist Nashville’s Police Department in locating a larceny suspect that had fled the store.

INCIDENTS
A counterfeiting - possessing/concealing - was reported on 9/1/14 at Kangaroo Gas Station, 367 W Washington Street
A damage to property (vandalism) and breaking and entering a residential was reported on 9/2/14 at 913 S Brake Street

An assault with a deadly weapon was reported on 8/30/14 at 222 W Washington Street
A larceny of a credit card was reported on 8/30/14 at 8915 School Street
An assault was reported on 8/30/14 at 9532 Lancaster Store Road
A financial card fraud was reported on 8/31/14

I don’t know if it was the Redskins’ missed extra point or the Redskins’ blocked punt. It could have been the ECU interception thrown by the most underrated quarterback in the nation. It could be the Pirates let one get away they should have one.
But, regardless, it has hit me.
I don’t like football anymore.

In about five more months, my life is going to get a bit more hectic.
Allen and I will be welcoming our third little boy to the family in February.
Yes, you heard that right.
We are expecting another baby. Another little boy.
And yes, I do know how pregnancy happens.

During a recent conversation with Nash-Rocky Mount Schools Public Information Officer, Patricia Hollingsworth, I realized how vulnerable our personal privacy has become –– even in a society that spends so much time and money protecting privacy!
Our conversation was initiated due to our difference of opinion as to whether local newspapers should have been allowed to cover a recent mock drill.