Nash County began its demolition Tuesday of buildings on Washington Street to make way for the Nash County Courthouse expansion project. Nash County hopes to begin construction in December. The $11 million expansion project is expected to take 18 months.

BIG TREE -- Paul Bass of Momeyer stands with a Sycamore tree on his property which stands 150 feet tall and has a circumference of 193 inches and a crown spread of 119 feet.

A Momeyer couple were recently surprised with news that a tree on their property is considered the largest of that type in North Carolina.
Paul and Sue Bass received an award from the North Carolina Forestry Service for an American Sycamore tree, which was named a North Carolina Champion Big Tree. The tree is on property they own off of Bass Road in Momeyer.
The tree stands 150 feet tall, has a circumference of 193 inches and a crown spread of 119 feet.

Nash County 4-H has postponed its GREEN Promise Banquet, which was scheduled for Saturday, August 27.
According to Sandy Hall, Nash County Cooperative Extension Director and Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development, there were some scheduling conflicts that caused the postponement.
"The 4-H Green Promise Banquet has been rescheduled due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts," Hall said.

The FFA program at Southern Nash High School is hoping to upgrade its facilities to better serve the demands of its growing program.
On Tuesday, students, staff and members of the Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education came out to celebrate a special check presentation that put the FFA program closer to its fund-raising goal.
Waste Industries donated $5,000 towards construction needed for updates to the Southern Nash High School's Agriculture Storage Facility.

Local musician Adam Stone recently received the opportunity of a lifetime as he was asked to open for Travis Tritt at Norris Creek Amphitheatre in Zebulon.
Stone performed this past Saturday night at the amphitheatre in front of 3,000 people, performing just before Tritt came on stage.
Stone said he knows the owner of Norris Creek, Don Mitchell, who called and asked if he was interested in being the opening act for Tritt.
"Obviously, I was excited but nervous," Stone said.

Pictured is the sign at Battle Park that has the QR code to lead to a documentary on the burning of the Rocky Mount Mills during Potter's Raid.

Visitors to Battle Park can now get a history lesson, thanks to students at Nash Central High School.
Students in Renny Taylor's AP History Class last school year created a documentary on the history of the burning of the Rocky Mount Mills during the Civil War. The documentary can be accessed by scanning a QR code that is on a sign at Battle Park.
Taylor said the documentary was done primarily by the 14 students in his class at the end of the school year.

Nashville's 1948 American LaFrance Foamite. (Photo by Bob Bartosz)

The Nashville Fire Department is currently working to restore its 1948 American LaFrance fire pumper. The 68-year-old fire apparatus was the third piece of equipment purchased by the department. At a cost of $15,000, it served the town and county as a front line apparatus from 1948 until the 1970s. The apparatus is a 700 series model which has a 204 horsepower, 12 cylinder gasoline engine along with a 750 gallon per minute water, or fire, pump.
The American LaFrance fire engine company was one of the most successful and popular fire apparatus companies.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the final semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Nash Central High School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the final semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Northern Nash High School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the final semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at G.R. Edwards Middle School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the final semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at M.B. Hubbard Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Once a month, Anne Richardson, along with family and friends, host an outreach ministry for the community.
The Helping Hands Outreach Ministry includes a clothing giveaway, a hot meal, gospel singing and a devotional time. The event is free and open to the entire community.
Richardson said since she started the event at the end of 2015, it has grown tremendously. Some events have had up to 80 people come out.

Cadets from Nash Community College's 46th Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) Academy were recognized for completion on Tuesday, August 2, 2016.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the final semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Nash Central Middle School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Demolition of Washington Street buildings in downtown Nashville started Tuesday in order to make way for the Nash County Courthouse expansion project. Pictured above is the former Town Hall building during demolition.

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from August 15 through 19.

A misdemeanor larceny was reported on 8/14/16 at 10696 E NC 97
A missing person was reported on 8/15/16 at 7264 Schooners Road
A discharging a weapon into occupied property was reported on 8/15/16 at 5841 US 64A

INCIDENTS
A trespassing, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana was reported on 8/5/16 at 222 Richardson Court
A larceny was reported on 8/6/16 at 101 South First Street
A fighting (affray) and probation violation was reported on 8/9/16 at Oak Tree Apartments, 1847 S First Street

Human Resources employee Wanda Alford, at left, recently received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Alford received a letter from President Obama acknowledging her years of volunteer service to the American Red Cross. Alford is pictured with Mayor David Combs, at right.

Barbara Waskowiak wants people to see Nash County as a destination place.
Waskowiak was recently hired as the new Executive Director of Nash County Travel and Tourism. She started in the new position on July 1.
Waskowiak is no stranger to Nash County. She's lived in Nash County for 10 years and prior to that, was an Edgecombe County resident for 18 years.
She is also no stranger to travel and tourism. Waskowiak brings over 20 years of hospitality management, sales and marketing experience to the table.

I love the coast, anyone who knows me knows very well my obsession with the beach, the water, the sand, the salty air - even the stickiness doesn't bother me. I also love history, which could perhaps be the reason the Outer Banks is my favorite place in the whole world. Often times when we are blessed enough to travel east on 64 I consider what it was like for the first Europeans (not explorers, because the Native American had already explored and lived on the coast) to set foot on the shallow shoals that make up the edge of our continent.

Pastor Whitehouse was back on Sunday morning to greet those who came to worship at Peachtree. In lieu of giving sanctuary flowers, Beth Baines made a monetary donation to the general budget of the church, in memory of her husband, James Bobby Baines. Melba Hobgood very generously prepared an arrangement from her yard for the sanctuary.

Congratulations to David and Anna Joyner who were recently united in marriage! David is the pastor at Red Oak United Methodist Church.
Congratulations to Ronnie and Peggy Dickens and Hope Lee who recently joined Red Oak Baptist Church!
The Baptist Men had their monthly breakfast and meeting on Sunday, August 21!

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the final semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at J.W. Parker Middle School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

A 4-H'er from Nash County attended the seventh annual North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Youth Summit, which was held in Winston Salem, North Carolina August 12-13, 2016.
North Carolina 4-H and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service partnered for the seventh year with the NCACC on a multi-year initiative to increase youth involvement in county government. This initiative aims to overcome the mindset that many youth are disengaged and lack trust in government.

Mr. Eli Uranium Wiggins has been highlighted as the speaker for the 42nd Annual CC Spaulding Reunion Banquet on Saturday, September 3 at 4:30 p.m. at the O.D. Moore Building in Nashville.
Wiggins is a graduate of C.C. Spaulding High School, class of 1966 and a native of Gold Valley. Mr. He is married to Rev. Freda Wiggins and resides in Port Hueneme, CA. They were blessed with two daughters, Choltina Burse of Las Vegas, NV. and Cholana Houston of Ventura, CA. and eight grandchildren.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the final semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Middlesex Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

There is an old expression regarding medical procedures that most everyone around these parts has probably heard, and it clarifies the distinction between major and minor surgery.
Minor surgery is when someone you know is being operated on; major surgery is when you are the one facing an operation.
As someone who managed to evade even so much as an IV or regular medication for nearly half a century, I recently lived this exact frame of mind.

"When the media in the USA cannot be fair in its coverage, and instead follows a party line (no matter which party), then the freedom of the press has not only been disgraced, it has been lost!" That was a quote by Mitchell Oakley, my former publisher at my first newspaper gig in Pitt County.
And how true it is!

Dear Editor: When you're making history you become a lightening rod of sorts.
That's true of Donald Trump.
He's bested all his challengers so he attracts the attention. It goes with the territory.
Not that it really matters now, it doesn't, but Jeb Bush said of Trump, "You called John McCain a loser."

This photo of the John Sustare Ford Dealership in Nashville was found in The Graphic's 1966 archives. This building was purchased by the Town of Nashville and refurbished into the town's police and fire departments.

FORWARD THINKING. A Northern Nash High School running back falls forward for extra yardage while being tackled during last Friday's home decision against Corinth Holders.

RED OAK -- For the fourth consecutive season, Northern Nash opened up its regular season football schedule with a matchup against the Corinth Holders Pirates -- and did so in dominant fashion.
Northern Nash began the fourth year of the Randy Raper Era with a 17-0 home shutout decision over the Pirates last Friday at Death Valley on the NNHS campus in Red Oak.

SHAMIYA SOARS. Northern Nash's Shamiya Mercer comes up with a kill during last week's road spike contest against the Bunn Ladycats at the Bunn Dome.

BUNN -- During her 20-plus seasons as Northern Nash High School's volleyball coach, Patricia Haggerty has never backed down from a challenge.
This year is no different as Haggerty is putting her young roster through some grueling early non-conference work, including an opening matchup with perennial state powerhouse D.H. Conley.
Northern Nash has also played area titan Bunn on two occasions, including a three-set loss last Wednesday afternoon at the Bunn Dome in Franklin County.

NASH COUNTY -- The Nash County Parks and Recreation Department will conduct an NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Competition on Sept. 11 at Ennis Park in Red Oak.
The event will begin at 4 p.m. and is open to boys and girls ages 6-15. There is no charge to participate.
There are five different age groups. Participants are asked to not wear cleats.
For more information or to register, contact (252) 462-2628.

WILMINGTON, DEL. -- Wilmington's Brandon Downes hit a two-run triple in the first, also scored a run in the third and threw out a runner at the plate in the fourth while helping the Blue Rocks to a 3-2 win versus the Mudcats at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium in Wilmington last Saturday night in a Class A Carolina League baseball matchup.
The win stretched Wilmington's current winning streak to six straight games and ran Carolina's losing streak to six as well.

Northern Nash's Ashlee Brackett (right) comes up with a block during the Lady Knights' road volleyball showdown against the Bunn Ladycats in Franklin County.

Northern Nash's Austin Evans (left) makes a sure tackle during the Knights' season-opening football victory last Friday night against the Corinth Holders Pirates.