Recent Articles

Dear Mike,
What is your stance on the name Washington Redskins? And also, the Atlanta Braves? Do those names bother you or do you consider them offensive?
CK, South Middlesex

Teachers have a tough job, a really tough job so it’s always nice to see them being recognized.
Last week, Nash-Rocky Mount Schools honored its Teachers of the Year with a banquet. It’s an event I always look forward to covering. I know I’ll always leave feeling pretty confident about education.
The education field is a tough place to be in right now. Teachers are having to sit back and just deal with some of the things that have been passed on to them, whether it’s from Washington, Raleigh or from their own Central Office.

As citizens of this great country we have certain rights, but with those rights come responsibilities to be active in positive change.  Voting is a cornerstone of those responsibilities.  We have all heard the “politics doesn’t affect me” phrase used as an excuse not to vote.  But politics affects almost every aspect of our lives from the ordinary to the profound.

SCOUTS AND BIKES –– This photo originally published in The Graphic on October 9, 1973. Webeloes and Cub Scouts of Pack 76 in Nashville took a bicycle hike. Buddy Lata accompanied the youngsters.

In terms of sheer size, the new election reform bill recently passed at the NC state level may seem monstrous. However, some local groups and politicians are calling it the Monster Law for another reason. The Democracy North Carolina organization, for instance, claims that the law spends more money while allowing for less voting, is based on Jim Crow era politics, and targets the suppression of voting by minorities and women.

Nash Community College faculty, staff and students gathered on Wednesday, September 11 to remember the events of September 11, 2001.
Northern Nash High School’s ROTC presented the colors and NCC Direct Loan Officer Heather Perry sang the National Anthem. Nash County Emergency Services Assistant Director and Risk Manager Scott Rogers shared remarks during the ceremony held by the Business and Industry Center flag pole.

Nash County native Dr. Ben E. Fountain, Jr., a former president of the N. C. Community College System, was the keynote speaker at a 50th anniversary celebration hosted in Walnut Creek Country Club near Goldsboro on Wednesday, September 19.
Fountain recounted not only his time as state president from 1971 to 1978, but also the entire span since the junior colleges and the early industrial education centers funded in the late 1950s.

Nash Community College, as a member of the Mission Critical Operations consortium led by Cleveland Community College, is the recipient of a $2,548,106 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment Training Administration. Over $23 million was awarded this week to the consortium of college and university partners for the development of a Mission Critical Operations program.

Keeping Score, an original musical drama by local playwright and composer Jim Lee, will premiere at Nash Arts in Nashville the first weekend in October.
 Keeping Score tells the story of four generations of small-town North Carolina women from the perspective of three Thanksgiving mornings in 1957, 1977, and 1997. As the play opens, Brenda has come home from a whirlwind Hollywood romance that has left her living with her mother, Gladys, and her infant daughter, Lucy.

Rotarian Ron Green, left, stands with Jeff Filkovski, Head Coach of NC Wesleyan Football, who spoke at the Rocky Mount Rotary Club meeting on Sept. 9th at the DoubleTree hotel.

Southern Bank recently announced the promotion of Julie Howard to Banking Officer and Multi-Branch Operations Manager in Rocky Mount.
Howard is a native of Nashville, where she currently resides with her husband Pat. She has been employed in the banking industry for 19 years as a teller, teller supervisor, and in regional operations support.

Ray and Bonita Davis, of Sandy Cross, announce the engagement of their daughter, Georgia Kay Davis to Lee Travis Brown, the son of Steve and Loree Brown, of Lake Crystal, Minn. The wedding will take place Oct. 19, 2013 at Sandy Cross United Methodist Church.

A daylong celebration at the oldest museum in the nation dedicated to the history of rural health care will be held Saturday, Oct. 12.
The Country Doctor Museum will host “History Alive!” from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Free activities will include museum tours and horse drawn carriage rides from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Danielle Waugaman, RN, BSN, was recently named nurse manager of the cardio-pulmonary step-down unit (CPSU) at Nash General Hospital. The CPSU provides care for patients who have serious illnesses affecting their hearts and/or lungs.

RALEIGH – Six young women from Rocky Mount and two more from Wilson made their social debuts recently at the 87th annual N.C. Debutante Ball. Sponsored by the Terpsichorean Club, the ball presented young women from across the state. It was held  at Meymandi Concert Hall. The seven women honored were:

Those excited about Halloween can get out their costumes a few days early and run the streets of Nashville, as the first annual Monster Dash Foot Race is set to take place on Saturday, October 26 in Downtown Nashville.
The event is a fundraiser for the United Way Tar River Region and is presented by Nash County and the Town of Nashville.

The Nash County 4-H Livestock Judging Team, also known as the “Quad Pods 4-H Club,” made a huge impression on the State 4-H Livestock, Skillathon and Quiz Bowl competitions recently.  The members worked hard to prepare for the contests and it proved to be successful. 
The team won these various awards.

The Halifax Resolves Chapter of the North Carolina Society, Sons of the American Revolution has awarded the Society Flag Certificate to Nash Central High School for correctly flying the U.S. flag.  This award may be presented to individuals, organizations and companies who adhere to proper flag etiquette.  The award was accepted by: (L-R) Sgt. Maj. Leonides Nieves, Jr. USMC (Ret) and LCDR Carther Jorgenson, USN (Ret) of the school’s JROTC unit.

OUTDOOR CATS....
They can be killed.  There is no two ways about it.  The only safe cat is an indoor cat.  You are thinking, yes, I guess it is a possibility that they are killed by cars, by dogs, etc.  But did you think that they will be killed by Animal Control?  People complain about the cats roaming.  Then traps are set and they go to the Shelter.  Unless they are super friendly, they will be considered feral and die. 

Sunday was Homecoming at Mt. Zion. We had a good crowd, great worship service and good lunch. We were glad to have many former members who have moved away come back. It was good to see everyone. Our choir sang “Alleluia to the King” for the call to worship.

Remember a very important date! On Sunday, the 13th of October, the annual homecoming will be held at Beulah Church of Christ. The speaker will be Jimmy Tickle from Roanoke Rapids, NC. Sunday school will begin at 9:45, followed by church services at 10:45. Please plan to come for that special service. See a lot of old friends and meet new ones also. We will have lunch after the service, around 12:00, outside behind the church if weather permits.

Many exciting events are planned for the coming weeks in Red Oak.
The Baptist Men thank everyone for their support and participation in the “Helping Hands Tool Shower” for the Ramp Ministry.  They received many gifts and donations with which to purchase more tools.
World Hunger banks were given out at Red Oak Baptist Church on Sunday, Sept. 22.

September 17 through 23 was National Constitution Week and The Micajah Pettaway Chapter, the local Daughters of the American Revolution, once again put up a display for Constitution Week at Braswell Memorial Library and made available copies of the US Constitution for people to pick up.

Southern Nash HS AP History teacher Scott Hendricks recently invited Ken Wilson, President of the Halifax Resolves Chapter of the North Carolina Society, Sons of the American Revolution to address his students about the meaning of the dates on the North Carolina flag.  Wilson, dressed in Colonial attire, explained the events leading up to the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and the Halifax Resolves and the march of Lord Cornwallis across North Carolina from Wilmington to Yorktown, Virginia and ultimate defeat. 

Bridles and Halters Livestock 4H Club traveled to Siler City, North Carolina to compete in the annual Silk Hope Dairy Show on August 31, 2013.  This show is held in conjunction with the annual Farmer’s Day Celebration.  The following club members competed in the event: Casey Strickland, McKenzie Kennedy, Maura Kennedy and Wesley Parrish.