Recent Articles

Robert Teele Rawls, Jr., 87, died Friday May 2, 2014. He was born August 9, 1926 in Nash County son of the late Robert Teele, Sr. and Hazel Fountain Rawls.

Virginia Seleta Fisher Rose, age 81, passed away May 1, 2014. Born on her family’s farm in Whitakers to the late John (Jack) Thomas Fisher, Jr. and Virginia Seleta Turner Fisher. She was also preceded in death by her brother Kenneth Fisher and sister-in-law Almeta.

Charles Marshall Williams, 81, of Bailey passed away Thursday, May 1, 2014.

Nashville’s Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of a community bank in downtown last week by hosting a ribbon cutting.
Providence Bank opened on May 1 at 241 W Washington Street.
This is the fourth location for Providence Bank, which started in Rocky Mount in 2006. There are currently two locations in Rocky Mount and one in Tarboro.

The Town of Red Oak recently purchased two houses on Red Oak Road for the purpose of obtaining the historic dormitory building that is currently falling into ruins in the heart of town. A review of the town budget at the May 5 town meeting revealed that the town paid $35,819 to the Faulkner Family and another $25,922 to the Vick Family to purchase two dilapidated homes across from the dormitory.

Spring Hope Town Manager John Holpe went over the proposed 2014-2015 budget one more time on Monday night during a special budget meeting that was held prior to the board’s regular meeting.
The budget was presented to commissioners last month.
Holpe brought back the proposed $1 million budget on Monday night to get feedback from commissioners.

Four Nash County residents were arrested last week in connection with two drug investigations.
The Nash County Sheriff’s Office arrested three individuals on May 1 after receiving information about a drug transaction in the parking lot of the Citgo on N Wesleyan Boulevard in Rocky Mount. Authorities seized two grams of crack cocaine and a half of grame of heroin.

United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker recently announced that a federal grand jury in Wilmington, North Carolina returned a 14 count indictment charging Cedric Sharrod Williams, Derrick Lamont Hannon, Herman Lee Coley, Iii, Mary Shanta Ellis, Jerry Keith Pittman, Jr., Joseph Lamar Norris and Alonzo Keith Carter with conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, in violation of the provisions of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846.

Unless you were a sabbatical to Tibet last week, you probably heard about the big news involving the owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling. Comments that Sterling allegedly made were brought public, he was vilified in the media, and now as this is being written almost two weeks later, he will apparently be forced to sell his team and has been banned from the league his team participates in. There are those calling for even more punishment.

Mother’s Day has always been a different kind of day for me.
My mom was not in the picture growing up so my dad had the task of raising me.
Of course, he did have some help.
My grandmother played two roles in my life. Most of the time, she was mom, but there were times when she was grandma. And then, of course, there were times she served as both mom and grandma.

I have been and continue to be truly disappointed in the “up keep” of especially the first row of Oak Dale Cemetery.  I have taken a commissioner to the cemetery and rode around and pointed out the many complaints I have.  I would like to list just a few: 1.  Stop sign at entrance/exit is half down. 2. Row 1 sign down for several months.  3. Large limb lying in ditch by the entrance.

Nash County native Buck Denton is sworn in as an attorney by District 7A Superior Court Judge Quentin Sumner at the Nash County Courthouse. Denton passed the February Bar Exam and is currently working as a Legal Data Analyst at Brown Greer in Richmond, Virginia. Denton graduated from Barton College in 1999  and then served in the Peace Corps in Madagascar from 2000-2002.

Faw
Air Force Airman 1st Class Lillian P. Faw graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

The City of Rocky Mount recently earned recognition in the seventh annual North Carolina City and County Communicators’ (NC3C) Excellence in Communications Awards presented recently at the Hilton Garden Inn at Kitty Hawk Pier House. The awards presentation was a part of NC3C’s annual Spring Conference. Almost 40 entries were received, with one category having the first place winner determined by one point.

Friday, May 9 from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Rocky Mount Preparatory School, 3334 Bishop Road, Rocky Mount
Friday, May 9 from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Braswell Memorial Library, 727 North Grace Street, Rocky Mount
Monday, May 12 from 2 until 6:30 p.m. at Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Department, 300 Taylor Road, Sharpsburg
Tuesday, May 13 from 3 until 7 p.m. at Stony Hill FWB Church, 9649 Stony Hill Church Road, Middlesex

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools announced last week that Patricia Hollingsworth is its new Chief Public Information Officer, effective May 1.
Hollingsworth comes aboard at an annual salary of $85,000.
Hollingsworth comes to NRMPS from Cumberland County where she served as Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations for Cumberland County Schools.

The 5th Annual O.D. Moore Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament will be held May 23, 2014 at the Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount.  This event is designed to provide critical financial assistance to deserving college bound students and is the major fundraiser for the scholarship program. Registration begins at 8 a.m., shotgun starts at 9 am, followed by lunch and an awards ceremony.

Carolyn and Russell Greene, of Nashville, and Harry Ballard, Jr, of Tarboro, announce the engagement of their daughter, Emily Doris Ballard to Tyler Len Harrell, son of Amy and Len Harrell, of Macclesfield.

The Nashville High School Class of 1960 held a reunion on April 4 with Mike and Pam Evans hosting the event in their home.

The 81st Annual Coopers High School alumni Banquet was held Saturday, April 26 at Coopers School gymnasium. 175 alumni attended the event. President Erma Pridgen welcomed everyone including the oldest alumni present, Ruth Lindsey Parker (Class of 1938) and Hazel Eason Lindsey (Class of 1939). Both ladies are 93 years-old. The Coopers Elementary School Chorus entertained the group. Alumni were also treated to a nostalgic slide show.

Communities in Schools hosted its annual Financial Literacy Workshops last week at Nash Community College. Seventh graders from Nash-Rocky Mount Schools participated in the workshops, which included workshops  as well as a reality store. Numerous volunteers assisted with the event. Pictured above, Tyra Cutchin, of Red Oak Middle School, works with volunteer Ed Wilburn (at right) while participating in the reality store.

Puppy and kitten season has started.  The miracle of birth.  Nope because it just means that there will be more death at the Shelter.  We are trying to combat that with the FIX MOM Program, where anyone surrendering a litter will get a free spay for the mother of the litter.  Of course, to do so requires us to pay the vets.  If you can help, it  would be appreciated.

Nash Community College Humanities and Social Sciences Professor Marbeth Holmes of Franklin County is the recipient of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Mary Jane Burns Book Award for Excellence in Clinical Social Work. Holmes will graduate from the UNC School of Social Work in May with a Masters degree.

Girl Scout Troop 3249 of Red Oak recently delivered non-parishable food items  they had collected to Red Oak United Methodist Church. The church will use the items for their food pantry and Backpack Buddies Program. Pictured, left to right, are: Sarah O’Berry, Hannah Tollefsen, Jahquaya Silver, Alexandra Humphreys, Destiny Silver, And Raven Davis.

Our choir sang “Majesty” for the call to worship. Pastor Ronnie welcomed everyone and prayed the prayer of invocation. Hymns of worship were “O Worship the King” and “The Solid Rock.” Algie Jones, Jr. led the singing. Prayer concerns were shared and Bobby Farmer prayed the morning prayer. I appreciate the CD Robert Tyner sent me. After receiving of tithes and offerings, everyone sang the doxology and greeted one another.