Recent Articles

Martha K. Jones, 89, passed away Thursday, March 20, 2014.  She was born in Edgecombe County September 8, 1924 to the late John Walter  and Annie Evans Kennedy.  In addition to her parents, Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Lee Jones; her brothers, Charlie, Aaron, and Bill Kennedy and sisters, Sue Lindsey, Maggie Johnson and Annie Mae Williams.

Dorothy “Dot” Prince Lane, 70, passed away, Thursday, March 20, 2014. She was born in Nash County on December 18, 1943 to the late Homer and Fannie Harper Prince.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by, a daughter, Beverly Ann Sprinkle, step-son, Kenneth Lane, brothers, Grover, Robert, Linwood and David Prince, sister, Eva Taylor.

Phyllis Outlaw Eanes, 66, passed away Tuesday, March 18, 2014. She was born August 24, 1947 in Nash County to the late Thomas and Mavis Gay Outlaw. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Eanes and a brother, Thomas Outlaw Jr..

Kathleen Coggins Barnes passed away Tuesday  March 18, 2014. She was born in Nash County on January 5, 1925, the daughter of Joseph Mann and Ida Vick Coggins. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Louis Douglas Barnes; her son Louis Douglas Barnes, Jr.; her sisters JoAnn Daniell and Dorothy Rose; and her brother, Chaplain Harold Coggins.

MIDDLESEX –– Barbara “Bobbie” S. McCloud, age 75, passed away Sunday, March 16.

Evelener Richardson, 66 of Castalia,  passed away March 24, 2014.

Olovia Wiggins Dunston, 81 of Middlesex passed away March 18, 2014.

James Wilbert Scarboro, 88 of Middlesex, passed away  March 17, 2014.

Nash Central High School students and staff are giving the ‘gift of life’ in two ways. March 27 marks the school’s annual health fair, in conjunction with the school’s annual American Red Cross Blood Drive.
Principal Gail Powers said plans for this year’s event started as early as August, after last year’s event brought the two concepts together for the first time.

When Ruth Love misplaced her diamond engagement ring, she thought she’d never see it again. But a phone call from a Nashville gym proved Love wrong.
Love, who lives in Gaston, North Carolina, was getting x-rays of her hand at Wake Med when she took off her wedding rings and put them in her pocket.

I grew up loving UNC, Dean Smith and basketball. I was a sportswriter for a time. And, I’m about as tired of hearing about March Madness as I can be.
This of course,  has nothing to do with the exit of UNC, NCSU or Duke over the weekend, or the lack of the ECU Pirates in the tournament. Those reasons, of course, would be sufficient.

I think every office needs a pet.
Here at the Graphic, we have July and Elvis.
July is Jo Anne’s doggy.
Each morning, you can expect to see July totter on in to the office right beside Jo Anne. And each afternoon, or evening, July knows exactly when it’s time to go home.

Nash Community College is hosting its annual Back to Work Job Fair on Monday, April 28 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. in the Brown Auditorium. Organizers are still accepting employer registration, which is free. I believe the college had over 60 employers last year and is anticipating 800 people at the event. This is a wonderful opportunity for area businesses to meet and talk with students and graduates who are preparing to venture out into the workforce.

SANDY CROSS CLUB –– This photo originally published in The Graphic August 19, 1965. Members of the Sandy Cross 4-H Clovers Club are shown their leaders, Herman Baker and Mrs. W.E. Little (background)

The 2012-13 evaluation of Nash-Rocky Mount Schools (NRMS) superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson is complete, Ashley Simmons, NRMS chief public information officer, told The Graphic. And that’s all the board is releasing publicly this year.
Instead of any public comment this time, NRMS presented a statement from their attorney, Rod Malone, of the Raleigh firm Tharrington Smith.

North Carolina Wesleyan College’s board of trustees recently elected a new board chairman, vice chairman, and secretary.
Will H. Lassiter, III, a Wesleyan trustee since 2005, was named chairman of the board of trustees.

North Carolina Coastal Pines congratulates Faith Jarvis of Rocky Mount  for earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.
For her Gold Award project, Project V.I.P.P. (Very Important Pediatric Patients), Jarvis designed a program to help address the needs of hospitalized children.

Ralph and Diane Sykes will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Thursday, March 27. Ralph Edward Sykes is from Nash County and Martha Diane Smith is originally from Valrico, Florida. The two were married on March 27, 1964 at Diane’s home. They have three sons: Edward R. Sykes, Brad C. Sykes and Reade B. Sykes and one granddaughter, Victoria Rose Sykes. The family will have a private celebration for the couple.

William Peace University, a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, announced that Leeann Pace, of Castalia, is a 2013 Fall Dean’s Scholar. Pace, along with 66 other students, maintained a 4.0 GPA and earned an A in each course for the fall semester.

Local resident Ronnie Lee was recently recognized for receiving the #1 Leading Sales Representative Award for Fire in 2013. Lee lives in the Oak Level community and is an insurance agent with United Insurance Company in Rocky Mount.

Rotarian President Krista Ikirt, right, stands with US Senator Richard Burr, who spoke to the Rocky Mount Rotary Club on Monday, March 17th at the DoubleTree hotel during their 1pm meeting.

A local Jeep club is hosting an event to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. 
The Banana Slap Jeep Club, along with Mike Keffer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, will host a Jeep Day on Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. behind the dealership at the club’s private obstacle course.
The event is free and open to the public, however, donations for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation will be accepted.

The Northern Nash Drama Department will present  Rodgers & Hammerstein’s beloved musical CINDERELLA at the Imperial Centre on the Maria V. Howard Stage Friday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 29 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday matinee audiences are invited to a special reception with Cinderella before the show from 12 noon-1 p.m.  where there will be treats, games, and prizes.  You can even get your picture taken with Cinderella.

Nash County Ruritans joined together last Tuesday for the 55th Annual Meeting of the Nash County Ruritan Clubs.
The meeting began by remembering the six Ruritans who had passed away over the past year.
The meeting also included the installation of officers for 2015.

Last Thursday’s 2014 Advancement Spelling Bee, sponsored by Delta Center for Life Development, Inc. and Teacher Education Program of North Carolina Wesleyan College, presented a spirited competition that ended with Southern Nash Middle student Hailey Lancaster earning first place honors. Lancaster is a sixth grade student at Southern Nash Middle.