Recent Articles

Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church sponsored its annual Community Service Appreciation Day luncheon June 23rd, during which a complimentary meal was provided for first responders and community workers. Nashville Firemen Alex Wester, Lt.; Mason Williams, firefighter; and Colin Spain, Engineer, relax after the meal with server and church member Diane Porter.

After spending time in Costco and at a professional baseball game this week, many of society's important needs have come to light.
In the interest of public service and the greater good, Soap Box Staff will soon offer a new workshop: How to Walk and Stand in Line in Public.
Many of us learned these valuable skills in elementary school. Several of my teachers who were personal friends with Abraham Lincoln drilled this into us at bathroom breaks and on cafeteria trips.

Nash County, possibly in partnership with the Town of Nashville, may consider revitalizing the W.L. Greene School campus into low-income housing. The conversations have begun, however there's a lot to be studied and considered.
I've noticed, across the nation, private developers are purchasing old malls and school houses for the purpose of revamping the structures into senior living apartments and even small medical centers - which makes absolutely good sense.

William Turner was born March 4, 1752 in Virginia and passed away December 30, 1843 in Nash County. He was a Private in the American Revolutionary War.
While a resident of Nash County, NC, he enlisted in June, 1778, and served as private until April or May, 1779, in Captain William Lewis' company and in Captain John Baker's company in Colonel Hogan's Third North Carolina Regiment (This would be James Hogun/Hogan of Halifax County. He has a North Carolina Historical marker near Hobgood.)

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on September 2, 1976. Southern Nash football coach Spencer White goes over some of the fine points of the wishbone with his probable starters in the backfield before playing against Saratoga Central.

We all get those messages in the mail, e-mail, or social media about some kind of sweepstakes. Invariably, the offer promises that I am the "lucky winner of one of several prizes". I became cynical years ago, so I stopped completing the entry forms or buying their magazine to heighten my chances of winning. Experience taught me that no matter how good their promises were, they simply were not true.
The Christian world is really no different. Some preachers promise God's blessings just as confidently as the sweepstakes promise free gifts.

Over the last few weeks, we have been looking at possible reasons why God allows evil and suffering to exist, including as punishment for sin, and as a consequence of other people's sin (as a byproduct of free will). Recently, we have suggested that the exercise of free will is perhaps the predominant reason why God allows evil and suffering to exist. In this vein, we have sure enough seen how most all evil and suffering in the world traces back to free will decisions made by human beings. In short, the free will argument often dominates among all explanations given.

Building Permit Commercial
Addition; 8164 Grover Rd, Nashville; Heaven Huffman, Licensed Contractor, Skyward Telecom, LLC; $15,000
Addition; 10975 N NC 58, Castalia; Chrystal Fisher, Licensed Contractor, TEPDB OPCO, LLC; $25,000
Addition; 968 Aventon Gin Rd, Whitakers; Chrystal Fisher Licensed Contractor, TEPDB OPCO, LLC; $25,000

Rainwater Limited Liability Co. to Brian Ellithorpe and Kristen Jean Ellithorpe; 9946 Bear Run Lane, Middlesex; $380,000
Patrick W. Lamm to Patrick W. Lamm Living Trust and Patrick W. Lamm; 2535 Whitetail Road, Nashville
Patrick Lamm to Patrick W. Lamm Living Trust and Patrick W. Lamm; 3751 Baker Farm Pond Trail, Nashville
Starlight Homes North Carolina, LLC to Henrietta Thomas McKnight; 1554 Pond Overlook Drive, Nashville; $282,000

NASHVILLE - Due to increased complaints regarding the parking of semi's and other commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods, the town's planning department is proposing parking ordinance changes for potential adoption; with some minor tweaks, the text amendments were recommended for approval at the June 23rd Planning Board meeting.
Two major changes involve granting authority to enforce violations to the town's Code Enforcement Officer and the creation of an appeals process for violators.

Hot weather didn't dampen Castalia's celebration for America's 250th Birthday. Visitors were treated to food trucks, craft vendors, a parade, amusement rides and the long-time tradition of a patriotic parade. Pictured above, riders of a patriotic decorated golf cart throw candy to parade spectators.

NASHVILLE- Sketch plans for two new subdivisions, one north of Nashville and the other near Spring Hope, have passed muster at the Nash County Planning Board level, leaving developers one year to take action on them.

NASHVILLE - For the fourth straight year, the annual Pollinator Symposium, which attracted close to 100 participants to the Nash County Ag Center on Saturday, June 27th, was a hit; its theme was "Backyard to Biodiversity" and featured three speakers along with generous supply of door prizes, many of those plants or plant-related.

NASHVILLE - The largest beehive ever seen in the area- with over 80 pounds of honey- has been successfully removed from a downed tree on Boddie Street and relocated, thanks to the combined efforts of multiple beekeepers from different counties, town departments, and the Nash County Cooperative Extension.

SPRING HOPE - In light of ongoing drought conditions, the town of Spring Hope has put mandatory stage one water conservation measures into effect, with the announcement made at the July 6 board of commissioners' meeting. Repeated violations will incur fines and, upon a fourth offense, water service termination.
Jonathan Allen, town manager, describing regional and even state-wide dry conditions as "continually getting worse with lack of meaningful rain" recommended immediate measures to help conserve the town's water.

ROCKY MOUNT- A mammoth leak Sunday in a water main caused interruption to water flow to both the town of Nashville and to Nash County water users, resulting in lowered water pressure and eventually a "boil water" advisory for Nash County.
The town of Nashville notified residents around 8 p.m. Sunday of a "temporary issue with our water supplier" and as a result, was operating solely on municipal wells.

NASHVILLE - After a two-month hiatus and a contested vote in June from the Nashville Planning board, shipping containers are resurfacing for town council review and possibly a vote August 4.
At issue is a suggested text amendment, under Land Use Regulations, relating to the use and sales of shipping containers, which have not previously been specifically covered in town ordinance.

NASHVILLE - A proposal to buy six new benches, eight new trash receptables and three dog waste stations, all to be installed within the Downtown Municipal Service District, has been approved- with enthusiasm - by the town council.
"The benches and trash receptacles have been talked about the last eight years!" exclaimed Kate Burns, councilwoman, who, with Mayor Brenda Brown, seemed delighted at the prospect. "It's definitely a necessity."

Before you ask, yes, it is hot enough for me. As a matter of fact, it's too hot.
You can also skip the "it's not the heat so much as it is the humidity." It's all the same to me, I'm sweating too much and that's all that matters.
I've been on this rant most of my life, and I finally got it on the page in 2007 with one of my favorite columns that carried the headline "It's not the heat, it's the stupidity.") It is an important chapter in my book, It's a Time in the Land: The Best of the Soapbox.)

This week brings news of maybe why the Nash County Detention Center should have been built (expanded) somewhere else other than downtown Nashville. (See page one regarding an inmate setting fire at the jail.) There's nothing new about an inmate attempting to set a fire in a cell, should the right tools make its way into their hands. However, a look at the criminal level being housed at the facility now is certainly far beyond what the initial jail was built for. Not to mention we're hearing rumblings that we're still having to house inmates at locations across the state, moving them back and forth, due to space and security levels, even after the multi-million dollar expansion.

More than 200 years ago, Rackley enlisted for a tour of five months in the South Carolina Militia in Captain William McKenzie's Company of Colonel William Hill's Regiment which was part of General Thomas Sumter's Brigade.
Francis Rackley was born July 27, 1757 in Granville County, now known as Franklin County, near Mapleville. He was the son of Passon Rackley and Sarah Parker.
The family moved in 1779 from Franklin County to the South Fork of Catawba River, now known as Gaston County. While living in this area, Francis and his brothers Joseph and Passon, Jr. enlisted as privates in Captain William McKenzie's company of the South Carolina Militia for a five month tour of duty.

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on August 31, 1976. The Brooklyn Caps posted an 8-6 victory over Peoples Bank in the tournament championship taking first place in the event and were 15-5 during the regular season, finishing second place in the standings.

Jesus often used parables in the Bible. The parables helped the people to compare a spiritual truth to something in their life.
Because we don't belong to the culture for the parables were written, we often have trouble apply them in today's world. In other words, the importance of the spiritual truth is easily misunderstood - if not lost altogether.
Robbie told me a story a few years ago that took the form of a modern-day parable. It draws from an incident to which we all can relate.

This week, we continue looking at five biblical reasons why God may allow evil to exist. As part of our survey to better understand the Christian perspective on suffering, we began last week to look at the biblical concept of suffering and evil as punishment for sin. Undoubtedly, suffering and evil as punishment for sin is far and away the most common reason given for God allowing evil and suffering presented in the Bible. In fact, it appears throughout the Bible, from Torah to the prophets, the wisdom to the Gospels, and the epistles to Revelation.