Recent Articles

SPRING HOPE - Planned street repaving in Spring Hope has been pushed back once again, with a promise August 3rd from town commissioners that they should have a potential work contract ready for a vote in September. In the meantime, the Mayor asked that Public Works look into pothole repair in the Walnut Street area.
Priscilla Capps of 505 Walnut Street addressed the town board earlier this month, asking what happened to what she said was a 2025 promise that Walnut Street would be paved this past April.

SPRING HOPE - An online community survey, completed July 31st, is driving the next work session of the town's Downtown Development Committee
April Barner, owner of the Artists Art Center and member of the town's Downtown Development Board (DDB), updated those present about survey results at the board's August 18th meeting.
Barner said 79 people completed the survey, designed to solicit input from residents, business owners, visitors and non-resident employees.

NASHVILLE - Nash County is one of only two counties in the state to launch a free, online mental health and well-being program, 'CredibleMind,' which is now accessible via a link on the Nash County Health Department page.
"Hosting the CredibleMind platform is important for Nash County because it directly supports two long-standing community health priorities: improving mental health and increasing access to care," said Liz Lord, Deputy Health Director.

It's back to school time and there's unbridled optimism everywhere -- teachers, administrators, students and parents all get a fresh start.
Purveyors of school supplies are running ad after ad. Many local churches and businesses are giving away supplies for those who need help.
However, there are things that should make us all angry about the start of school.
I'm not talking about the folks that act like they don't have any sense in the drop off/pick up line.

We learned of Nashville Town Councilman Xavien Harrison's passing just before our press deadline last week. Immediate information wasn't available for services and due to the printing time, we were not able to gather the information necessary to compile an article for such a pillar of our community.
We published a feature on Xavien in 2016 when he received a double organ transplant. His humble spirit was incredible considering what he had been through.
When Xavien decided to run for a seat on the Nashville Town Council, he visited The Graphic for advice on his advertising.

This photo was taken by The Nashville Graphic during the Spring Hope Pumpkin Festival in 1976.

Spaulding Alumni Association will celebrate its 52nd annual reunion during Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6, 2026, on the Spaulding Resource Center Campus.
The theme for this year is "Keeping the Spaulding Spirit Alive." Members and friends will come together to celebrate their commitment to education, their school, and the Spring Hope Community.

When I accepted Christ, I actually thought all my problems would disappear. After all, the burden of sin had been lifted from my shoulders. The sense of euphoria I felt initially placed an unrealistic expectation of what God would do for me. It was wonderful that I had been forgiven. However, the consequences from all those sinful choices I made were still with me. What a bummer!
Even mature Christians can fall into the same trap, too.

We continue this week looking at the biblical story of Cain and Abel (Gen 4:1-17), specifically observing the actions God takes (and does not take) concerning the question of why He may possibly allow evil to exist in the world. According to the biblical narrative, Cain kills his brother Abel in an act of unquenchable jealousy. In response to Cain committing the first murder in history, God acts in several significant ways, and it is from these subsequent actions that we might glimpse possible reasons why God may have allowed evil to exist in this particular case.

Congratulations to Rahsun and Jessica Lawrence and big sister Leilani Ellen, on the birth of their son and brother, Atlas Elio Lawrence born on August 3. Proud grandparents are Jo and Jo Ellen Reams. Great-grandparents are Billy and Marcia Davis.
Red Oak Baptist Church welcomes new member of the church family, Ethan Cockrell.
Women in Action met on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at Red Oak Baptist Church.

08/02/26; mile marker 458 US 64 W, Nashville; DWI; Fail to stop for light and siren; fail maintain lane control; no operator's license
08/02/26; mile marker 462 US 64 E; liquor-open container in passenger area (broken seal); possession marijuana less than 1/2 oz; carrying
08/04/26; 1205 Eastern Ave., resisting arrest/hinder and delay; trespass-second degree
08/08/26; 1765 Red Oak Rd; liquor-open container in passenger area (broken seal); fail to maintain lane control

Jean J. Griffin to Edwing Nahun Santos Marquez and Connie Cedillo; 9228 Main Street, Castalia; $290,000
William Zimmerman to Jerone Craig Williams Jr.; 4138 Irwin Isle, Rocky Mount
Mamie Lee Washington to The Mamie Lee Washington Family Trust and Mamie Lee Washington; 8006 Watson Seed Farm Road and 2957 Lonesome Pine Road, Whitakers

A Celebration of Life for Xavien Harrison, Pastor and Nashville Town Councilman, who passed away August 11th, will be held Saturday, August 22nd, beginning at 12 noon at Northern Nash High School, 4230 Green Hills Road, Rocky Mount.
Harrison, 53, described by Nashville Mayor Brenda Brown as a "true servant of the community," has a distinguished history of service. A Shaw University graduate and former 8th grade history teacher, Harrison, Pastor at Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville previously served for years as a youth Pastor for Union Hill Baptist Church.

Landon Blount practices his numbers while teacher Mrs. Hauter looks on at Nashville Elementary School.

Laelynn Turner shows off her work in Mrs. Hauter's class Nashville Elementary School.

NASHVILLE - A Nash County EMS pickup truck, draped with black and strewn with flowers on its hood, stood in mute testimony Monday to the loss of Dale Griffin, EMS Director, who passed away Saturday, August 8th, in a drowning accident near Shackleford Banks, Carteret County.
The Beaufort Fire Department was the first emergency response agency to arrive on the scene, relating that firefighters recovered Griffin, 60, from the water and immediately began resuscitation efforts. Also assisting were crews from Harkers Island, the Beaufort Police Department, Carteret County Emergency Management and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commision.

NASHVILLE - The town of Nashville is the latest Nash municipality to adopt a temporary moratorium on data centers, while Nash County is setting a public hearing date on the same subject Sept. 8th.
Nashville town council members, minus an absent Xavien Harrison, voted unanimously in favor of a moratorium at their August 4th meeting after holding the second of two public hearings that same night.

Nash County students returned to classrooms Tuesday for the 2026-2027 school year. Pictured above, Nashville Elementary student Cali Keel colors in Mrs. Hauter's class.