Recent Articles

If Paul were alive and could see the church in the United States today, he would send us a letter too." So true! And he did actually. Through God's Word, Paul's letters are written to each and every one of us. In Chapter 4 of Romans Paul reminded the church in Rome about Abraham. He wrote, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead.

Congratulations to James and Amanda Hurst on the birth of their daughter, Darcey Rose Hurst, on April 27! Proud grandparents are Pat and Melinda Griffin!
Red Oak Baptist Church welcomes Audrey Lewis, Ray and Cindy Everette, and Justin and Allison Harrell to the church family! Also, Fletcher Williams, son of and Allison Williams, was baptized on Sunday, May 5!
Women in Action missions group will meet at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, May 14 in the main building of Red Oak Baptist Church.

A new genealogy book, Hollywood Cemetery Obituaries Middlesex, North Carolina, 1863-2024, has recently been published by James A. and Margaret B. Bailey.
Hollywood Cemetery, also known as the Middlesex Cemetery, is located about three-fourths of a mile south of downtown Middlesex on the east side of Highway 231. The cemetery has approximately 950 burials.

Singlewide; 5989 Janice Ct., Bailey; Sharon Yepiz; $3,000
New single family dwelling; 5095 Wildlife Rd., Castalia; Dean Holland; $195,000
New single family dwelling; 5027 Wildlife Rd., Castalia; Dean Holland; $219,000
Detached accessory structure; 7890 Doughtie Rd., Bailey; Nathaniel Dupree; $26,944.60

Chloe Marie Agan, daughter of Jeff and Erin Agan, has been awarded this year's Ann MacPherson Weaver Memorial Scholarship at Rocky Mount Academy (RMA.) Currently an eighth grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Agan will attend RMA in the fall on a full-tuition scholarship, valued at approximately $62,000 over four years.
The Weaver Scholarship was established at Rocky Mount Academy in 1986 in memory of a 1984 RMA graduate who had lost her life to cancer earlier that year.

Nash Community College is excited to welcome Dr. Levy Brown, a visionary and strategic-thinker, as the new Vice President of Student Services.
"Team Nash is very excited to have Dr. Brown back in North Carolina, but more importantly at NCC," said Dr. Lew K. Hunnicutt, president of NCC. "His easy-going nature and leadership style will propel Student Services to new heights."
In this role, Dr. Brown will oversee the Student Enrollment Services and the Success Network and set direction for Student Services programs and activities.

Christopher Brian Rodriguez, Maria Ramirez-Perez and Maria Ramirez Perez to Martin Ramirez; 12928 Eagle Ridge Drive, Zebulon
Adams Homes AEC, LLC to Clarence Lewis and Lerma Lewis; 5128 Dogwood Drive, Battleboro; $388,500
Joyce F. Joyner to. Joyce F. Joyner, Bonita Joyner Summerlin and Danny Ray Joyner; property in Coopers Township
Donald E. Pridgen and Christine Pridgen to Corques Johnson and Lorane Johnson; Section 3, Quail Haven Subdivision, Block A, Lot 40

NASHVILLE - Nashville's showcase event, the Blooming Festival, is underway, still growing and improving after 26 years. Organized by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the Festival begins with its carnival, located in the parking lot next to the Nash County Courthouse.
Unlimited carnival rides with the purchase of a $25 wristband starts Wednesday night, May 8, and continues Thursday night, May 9. Normal ticket prices will apply for rides Friday night starting at 5:30 and Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. There will be cotton candy and traditional carnival food in the carnival area.

Nash County has been chosen out of ninety-nine counties for a new pilot UNC program for veterans called "Building Veteran Healthy Communities (BVAC)."
Anthony Rogers, Jr., director of Nash Veterans Services, said the grant-funded program is still in developmental stages but is up and running in Alamance County, with Nash on deck to be its second location.

Nash County hosted its annual Community Day event last Saturday at Miracle Park at Coopers featuring a variety of activities, food, vendors, music and more. Pictured, Javier Martinez of Nashville tosses bags playing a cornhole game.

NASHVILLE - It has been just over a month since Major Miste Strickland of the Nash County Sheriff's Office retired after 28 years of duty, but she's not letting any grass grow under her feet; Strickland is busy planning an international trip of a spiritual nature, beginning June 18.
Strickland's official goodbye to the NCSO was March 29, when she was presented with the Old North State Award, for individual who have 20 or more years of service in the state, and the North Carolina Dogwood Award, the Attorney General's Award of Appreciation.

American Shad: "A treasure from the sea that's only here for six weeks," according to Assistant Fisheries Biologist David Belkoski of Spring Hope, who has been sampling American Shad on the Tar River south of Rocky Mount Mills.
Belkoski, along with his boss, District 3 Fisheries Biologist Kirk Rundle of Red Oak, took The Graphic along recently for an electrofishing expedition in the Tar to safely catch and release American Shad to check on the health of the population, only present locally from March to June.

NASHVILLE - A facelift for Barnes Street, a new contract for merchant-sponsored banners and letters about available grants within the Municipal Service District stakeholders were topics of discussion at the latest Downtown Nashville Strong Advisory Board April 15.
Randy Lansing, town manager, said the plan was to apply for a Rural Downtown Economic Grant for the Barnes Street Enhancement Project after several conditions have been met.

The date has been set for the annual Classic Tractor Show in Red Oak as September 6 and 7 with something new added: a Whole Hog Barbecue Series Cook off, sponsored by Red Oak Area Rotary.
New this year, the Whole Hog BBQ Series cook off will feature 12 cook teams competing in the NC Pork Council-sanctioned event, with teams arriving Friday Sept. 6 and cooking through the night, according to Samuel W. Johnson, Event Organizer for Red Oak Area Rotary.

Veterans Residential Services (VRS) of Wilson is filling a need for Nash Veterans who come looking for help with food, clothing, housing and more, but depends on community organizations, churches and individuals to keep that help going.
"There is not another agency that does what we do," said Cathy, a volunteer who asked that her last name not be used, explaining that while the Veterans Association can and does help veterans with everything from health care to housing, employment and education, if a local veteran has an immediate need, VRS of Wilson, which is a 501(c)3 non-profit, can respond more quickly with emergency assistance.

Some might say I asked for it.
I have a very sharp, but very quiet student who works at a grocery store in Wilson. She didn't have a whole lot to say when I first met her, so when I shopped in that store, I made sure to get in that line, partially to be friendly, but mostly to be annoying.
The first time I did it, she acted like she didn't know me.

Ace reporter Nancy West-Brake complemented me on how cool I have seemed lately with all that's going on with Blooming Festival planning. The last few days have brought our doors swinging open frequently with people wanting to get applications at the last minute along with the normal mania that happens two weeks prior to a festival.
Though it's easy to assume such an event gets pulled together a few weeks prior to opening day, it doesn't.

Dear editor, I am quite concerned....
As a founding member of Nash County Arts Council (NCAC), formerly known as Nash County Cultural Center, and having served as Vice Chairman of the Committee, under the Chairmanship of the late Ray Matthews, that established NCAC.