Recent Articles

NASHVILLE - Madelyn's Flowers and Gifts just celebrated its 75th year as a part of Nashville history. The downtown florist shop operates with deep community roots, including regular participation in graduations and proms for Northern Nash High School, Nash Central High School and Nash Community College.
Given that flowers are 'good from birth to death and everything in between,' as they say in the business, that opens the door for owner Kaylan Collie and her staff to play a part in the highs and lows of people's lives.

If you're reading this, it is likely you survived the Storm of the Century of the Week. If you're not reading this, I don't know why, the Graphic is pretty cheap, has a lot of useful stuff, and after used, it is appreciated by good boy dogs and people looking to start a fire.
According to TV media, every storm is "historic," and likely the end of mankind. Reporters often seem disappointed when we didn't all get freeze dried as they stand outside in sideways wind and sleet.

This week's edition features our annual Year in Review which captures many of the top stories from 2025.
This section has, in the past, been pretty easy to put together. However now, with all the growth of the communities we cover and the extensive coverage we offer, it's quite the challenge to make all of those top stories fit in the allotted space! Quite frankly, during the layout of the section, I actually had to cut close to 50 percent of the copy because we're covering that much more than in the past!

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on Feb. 29, 1968. Susan Beard was crowned miss Rocky Mount by Ann Robertson, the outgoing queen, while Greyson Shuff (left), second runner-up, and Josephine Woodard, first runner-up, look on.

We recently celebrated New Year's Day. It's the one day of the year when we look back at the year we've just experienced in relation to the year that lies ahead of us.
If you're like me, you are already hoping to see some much needed changes in your life during 2026. Although we call them "New Year's Resolutions", they are really nothing more than a list of the things that are frustrating us most in life. Interesting, isn't it? Our New Year's Resolutions often point to some of our most glaring weaknesses.

Last time, we began to look at three broad categories of criticism raised against the Christian resurrection narrative: First, critics claim the Christian resurrection is a legend that began long ago and has been perpetuated and perfected over time. Second, critics claim the Christian resurrection narrative violates Ockham's razor. And the third category of criticism against the Christian resurrection narrative is that the supporting sources of evidence are deficient. This week, we begin by taking a closer look at the claim that the resurrection narrative is legend.

A Reflection for the local Church Family
The story of Gideon in Judges 6-7 has resurfaced with fresh meaning for many believers today. It's a powerful reminder that God often works in ways that defy human logic, and that His strength shines brightest when our resources seem small.

Malicious conduct by prisoner reported at 100 N. Boddie St., Nashville on 1/22/26
Identity fraud reported at 105 Drake St., Nashville on 1/23/26
Larceny misdemeanor reported at 10696 E. NC 97, Rocky Mount on 1/23/26
Larceny misdemeanor reported at 11331 Red Bud Rd., Castalia on 1/20/26

BUSINESS OF THE SEASON - The Nashville Chamber of Commerce honors Piggly Wiggly of Nashville with the Winter Business of the Season Award. Pictured, left to right: Chamber Board Member Scott Hale; Piggly Wiggly Store Manager D.J. Daughridge; Chamber Board Member Diane Taylor; Chamber Board Member Latanya DuBois. Back row: Chamber President Cliff Joyner; Chamber Board Member Koy Worrell.

NASHVILLE - Well over 300 people gathered at the O.D. Moore building in Nashville Jan. 19th for the annual MLK Banquet in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., fittingly conducted on the federal holiday set aside in King's honor.
The event, organized by the Nashville Willing Workers, included a luncheon and multiple speeches reflecting on King's ideals and how those need to be applied to struggles today.

SPRING HOPE - The town of Spring Hope, sharing results of its 2025 audit at the January town board meeting, got some glowing praise from its auditor, who described the town's financials as "very clean."
Sam Potts of Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co, via live telephone call that was easily audible at the Jan. 5 meeting, went over a power point summary of the town's audit from June 2025.

NASHVILLE- - An inaugural landowner summit, well-attended with 82 people present at the Nash County Agriculture Center Jan. 9, offered attendees a volume of information about how to preserve family farmland. Presenters from Nash County, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, NC State, Working Lands Trust and a legal firm experienced in succession planning talked farmers through options for what to do and how to do it.
Farmers asked questions before, during and after the presentations.

NASHVILLE- Now that Nash County commissioners have pledged a half million dollars to pay for five additional school resource officers, the three agencies involved - the school system, Nash County Sheriffs Office, and Rocky Mount PD- are working out hiring details.
Leondus Farrow, Associate Superintendent for Nash County Public Schools, gave an update to the school board at their Jan. 8 meeting, detailing which elementary schools would be receiving new full-time officers, and which would be retaining the ones they have, previously having been split half-time between two schools.

Broderick Cande Bello, M.D., a well known family physician serving Nashville and Nash County, passed away Jan. 11, 2026.
Dr. Bello came to Nashville to serve as a physician at Boice-Willis Clinic in 2001. February would have been his 25th anniversary with the clinic.
Bello was a graduate of the University of Virginia earning both his undergraduate and medical degrees at UVA.
After serving in the US Navy, he continued to serve as an active duty medical officer and physician.

RED OAK- In order to prevent a potential flood of nuisance property complaints where those complaining don't give their names, Red Oak town officials are sticking to their guns by enforcing current policy: a complainant has to sign the nuisance complaint form.
"I've talked with Jackie (Johnson, Zoning Officer) and we need to get things cleaned up before there's a problem," said Sandra Russ, commissioner, at the Jan. 12 town council meeting.

NASHVILLE - A Spring Hope man is asking county help because his well, and those of five nearby neighbors, are no longer producing enough water - potentially because of aquifer use by one or more nearby subdivisions.
Chris Brantley of 5382 Frazier Road, off NC 97, appeared before Nash commissioners at their Jan. 5 meeting.
"Tell me what I need to do," Brantley pleaded, stating that he had fears that his well pump was going to "burn up" because it was unable to keep up with demand.

MOMEYER - Just in time to coincide with the swearing-in of re-elected commissioners, the town of Momeyer has received a favorable audit report for the fiscal year ending in June of 2025.
Jennifer Reese, auditor with the firm Creech, Edwards, Winston, Williams & Co. of Oxford, NC, did a zoom call with the town council at their Jan. 12 session, listing total town revenues as $142,206, up about $12,000 from the year before.

There are a lot of reasons to hate Artificial Intelligence (AI), and I've outlined a few here over the last year or two.
For example, it is annoying to deal with an online return and a bot that seems named by the same people who come up with the names for trendy new drugs speaks up.
"Hi, I am Morezpic and I can help. What do you need?" Then you get choices such as Order Again, Subscribe, Stop Bothering Us.

According to the forecast, we're certain to receive some unfavorable weather this weekend. Rather than a pretty winter snowfall, it seems they're leaning towards a forecast with lots of freezing rain and ice which usually causes issues including loss of power.
Though my husband loves the thought of "roughing it," finding an excuse to use his cast iron pots over an open fire - I don't think the temperatures headed our way are going to be anywhere near what we Nash County folks are used to.