The past few weeks have been bittersweet for Nash Central High School Director of Bands Leo Nieves.
The next week may be the hardest, as Nieves will say goodbye to students and staff at Nash Central High School, after serving 14 years as the school's Band Director.
Next school year, Nieves will begin an internship at Winstead Avenue Elementary School, where he will then move into the role of administration.

The Nash County Sheriff's Office is starting a new program to continue improving relationships between the agency and the citizens.
The Sheriff's Office will implement its "Selfie with a Deputy" program during the month of June, where citizens can take photos with deputies.
The effort is a way to continue to improve community relations.

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE -- Lieutenant Miste Strickland speaks during the annual Memorial Day Service in Nashville, which was held at Forest Hill Cemetery on Sunday.

A recent visit to Pearl Harbor served as the inspiration for this year's Memorial Day address.
Lt. Miste Strickland, of the Nash County Sheriff's Office, recently visited Pearl Harbor and said she was humbled by her visit.
Strickland served as the guest speaker for Nashville's Memorial Day ceremony, which was held on Sunday evening at Forest Hill Cemetery. The ceremony is sponsored each year by the American Legion Post 110, which Strickland is a member of.

Nash County Commissioners are planning to join with Wilson and Edgecombe Counties in fighting the state's attempts to consolidate child welfare and protective services.
Last month, Nash County Commissioners approved a resolution asking the General Assembly to reevaluate plans to regionalize county social services.
NC Senate Bill 594 calls for the regionalization of county social services into 30 or less regional offices. The bill is a part of the Senate's proposed budget.

Nash County Public Facilities and Utilities Director Derek Hawkes will soon be heading to the Big Apple.
Hawkes has accepted an engineering position with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.
His last day in Nash County is Friday, June 2.
Hawkes said his wife was offered an opportunity at a New York hospital that she couldn't turn down so the couple made the decision to move.

The Rocky Mount City Council last week approved the appointment of a new city manager. Rochelle D. Small-Toney will assume the responsibilities of Rocky Mount city manager starting July 2, 2017.
Small-Toney, a 1978 and 1981 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, received both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Public Administration from the institution.

A student at Nashville Elementary School was recently selected to attend an all expense paid summer science camp at North Carolina Central University.
Mariah Suggs, a fifth grader at Nashville Elementary School, recently received notification that she had been accepted into the ExxonMobile Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. This is the 12th consecutive year that the ExxonMobile Foundation and Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. have sponsored the camp, which is for rising sixth through eighth graders.

Major Ravin Carpenter and Sgt. James Nelms (L-R) prepare to raise the flag to half mast on Sunday during the Memorial Day service, which was held at Forest Hill Cemetery in Nashville. The services are hosted each year by the American Legion Post 110 of Nashville.

A local family is hoping a fundraiser on Saturday will not only raise money but also awareness about the SECU Family House in Chapel Hill.
A chicken plate sale is being planned for Saturday, June 3 in memory of Teresa Dianne Braswell.
Braswell passed away in September 2016 at UNC Hospital.
Braswell was taken to Nash General on September 15 and then airlifted to Chapel Hill, said her daughter, Heather Bunn.

INCIDENTS
A damage to property (vandalism) and breaking and entering a residential was reported on 5/23/17 at 2016 Creek Road
A larceny was reported on 5/22/17 at Just Save, 731 E Washington Street
A larceny was reported on 5/23/17 at 125 Wheeless Drive

An assault on a female was reported on 5/14/17 at 11058 Rock Quarry Road
A sell/deliver heroin and maintaining a vehicle for a controlled substance and possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver heroin was reported on 5/14/17 at 1407 Hargrove Street

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from May 22 through 26.

A total of 38 Nash-Rocky Mount Early College High School (NRM-ECHS) students walked the stage and turned their tassels on Thursday, May 25 during the Class of 2017 graduation ceremony held at Nash Community College. A total of 16 students graduated with a high school diploma and an associate degree, while seven of those students earned both an Associate of Arts and Associate of Science with their high school diploma. A total of 15 students graduated with a high school diploma and college credits.

North Carolina Wesleyan College conferred degrees to 234 students recently during its commencement ceremony on campus in Minges Auditorium of the Dunn Center for the Performing Arts.
Families from 11 different states and eight different countries gathered to honor and celebrate the 200 students who participated in the graduation exercises.

Nash Health Care Systems announced that Glenda Avery was recognized as the 2017 Nurse of the Year at an awards ceremony held May 8 in the hospital.
Other top winners included Ryan Griffin, Nurse Manager/Director of the Year; Surgical Tech of the Year: Cheryl Joyner; and Friend of Nursing, Dr. Stephanie Brown.
Nash Health Care has over 1,500 full-time employees with 675 or more serving as Registered Nurses (RNs).

Randy C. Price and Wanda G. Price, of Morehead City, and formerly of Nashville, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Randi Leigh Price, of Morehead City, to Kenneth Bryson Williams, of Rocky Mount. He is the son of Kenneth C. Williams and Kathryn J. Williams, of Rocky Mount. A November 4, 2017 wedding is planned at Northside Baptist Church in Rocky Mount.

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Dean Cotton, of Red Oak, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Anna Carroll Cotton, of Raleigh, to Dr. Michael Christopher Shields, of Raleigh. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Lawrence Shields, of Ahoskie. A November 25, 2017 wedding is planned in Raleigh.

Frank Brown (seated) purchases 50-50 tickets during the annual Nashville Fire Auxiliary Reverse Raffle event. Pictured selling the tickets is retired Nashville Volunteer Chief Engineer Haywood Edmonds along his daughter, Brittni.

The Nashville Fire District Auxiliary hosts a Reverse Raffle each year as a fundraiser for the fire department. All proceeds support the Fire Department's Life Safety and Injury Prevention Program. This year's event was held on Friday, May 26th at Nash Community College.
Only 300 tickets are sold for the event. Tickets are $100 each and ticket buyers are treated to dinner and a chance to win $10,000. Other monetary prizes are also given out at the event.

Sisters Nina Vick and Martha Bissette enjoy a night out together at the annual Nashville Fire Auxiliary Reverse Raffle.

William O'Connell wins the 50-50 drawing.

Arianna Williams performs at the Nashville Elementary Talent Show. (Graphic photo by Amanda Coppedge)

Chesney Woodruff, Jakaila Hendrick and Jenna Crowder perform at the Nashville Elementary Talent Show. (Graphic photo by Amanda Coppedge)

Jillian Hale performs at the Nashville Elementary Talent Show. (Graphic photo by Amanda Coppedge)

Ryan Jones and Kamare Williams perform at the Nashville Blooming Festival. (Graphic photo by Jo Anne Cooper)

Kiersten Williams and Tori Cook are named winners of Nashville Elementary's Talent Show. (Graphic photo by Amanda Coppedge)

MacKenzie Whistler and Olivia Johnson perform at the Nashville Blooming Festival. (Graphic photo by Jo Anne Cooper)

The Star Squad performs at the Nashville Elementary Talent Show. Pictured are Mariah Suggs, Haley Smith, Aniyah Richardson and Kailyn Whitehead. (Graphic photo by Amanda Coppedge)

Kiersten Williams performs at the Nashville Blooming Festival. (Graphic photo by Jo Anne Cooper)

A SURVIVOR....
Dogs have been domesticated for so long, they have lost many of the skills to survive on their own. They rely on us. So when a dog shows up at the Shelter as a stray, that is a skeleton, we wonder where she came from and if she ever was loved. Here is a dog that you can count every bone. She is a lab mix and should have weighed a minimal of 50 pounds.

Well it happened again. I guess I knew eventually it would occur again in my life. Though it's been over a decade, it's just as miserable as the multiple times it happened to me as a young lad growing up. What, happened, you ask?
Poison Ivy happened, or as I like to call it, the "ultimate sign of the curse put on creation."

On a beautiful spring morning, Peachtree folks gathered at the church for worship. The service on this Memorial Day Sunday was one that honored and remembered those who have served and/or died in the military service. The worship hour opened with a Memorial Day video presentation. The pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by CW02 Doug Hayes, who wore his army dress uniform.

The Bible is the inspired, infallible, written Word of God. The books of the Old and New Testaments, written in the original languages of Greek and Hebrew, are the Word of God written.
You see, the Holy Spirit acted upon the writers of the Bible so that the very words penned by them are God's words. God prepared these men.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2016-2017 school year.
The following students at Williford Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2016-2017 school year.
The following students at Tar River Academy made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that the nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins on Wednesday, June 15, 2017.
"County committees allow farmers and ranchers to make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally to best serve their needs," said Acting FSA Administrator Chris Beyerhelm.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2016-2017 school year.
The following students at Swift Creek Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2016-2017 school year.
The following students at Benvenue Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2016-2017 school year.
The following students at Spring Hope Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2016-2017 school year.
The following students at Baskerville Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

One thing is for absolute certain when discussing the American Civil War: nothing is for absolute certain.
The move by the city of New Orleans to remove its statues honoring former Confederate officers gained a lot of national attention over the past two weeks. Some people are offended by the statues and some are offended that the statues are coming down.
The city council has stated that the monuments honor slavery and racism and should come down. Those who want them to stay say they are part of history.

It's so hard to believe I now have a six-year-old.
Corbin officially celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, May 30. But he will celebrate with all his friends on Saturday, when he hosts a ninja birthday party!
It truly seems like yesterday I gave birth to the kid. And it was certainly a birth I will always remember.
Corbin's my special boy. He's my first born and he is the one who first made me a mother.

Dear Editor:
The U.S. Constitution, fully 200 years old, still holds up rather nicely, despite it all. The document provides that the U.S. "shall maintain a Navy and that Congress can raise armies in time of war." That's remarkably wise.
The world is two thirds ocean waters so the farmers knew that shipping was vitally important.

BISSETTE INTERVIEWED -- This photo originally published in The Graphic on July 18, 1974. Farm news commentator Verne Strickland interviewed Nash County Farmer Ed Bissette on his farm near N.C. 97 Highway which was the scene of an Extension Service tobacco research project.

GREAT SHOT. Reggie Pryor Sr. follows the flight of his drive during last Friday's H. Earl Coley Golf Tournament at Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Imagine being able to spend a beautiful day outside with friends, playing a great sport for a good cause.
That's what 40 lucky people enjoyed last Friday as part of the Eighth Annual H. Earl Coley Golf Classic, which was held at Belmont Lake Golf Club near North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount.

ONE OF THE BEST. Rocky Mount's Sarah Bland will be remembered as one of the most prolific offensive performers in the history of high school girls soccer in Nash County.

NASH COUNTY -- Nash Central High School enjoyed a girls soccer renaissance this season -- and everyone else in the Big East Conference took notice.
The Lady Bulldogs secured their best-ever victory total (14) under Coach Ryan Ruiz and also earned a first-round triumph in the Class 3-A State Playoffs -- also a first during Ruiz's tenure at NCHS.

ROCKY MOUNT'S ERIN COOKE

NASH COUNTY -- The North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association's Class 3-A Region 3 flexed its overall muscles this spring as several girls squads made regular season and playoff contributions.
Corinth Holders in Johnston County advanced all the way to the state finals, while Rocky Mount won the Big East Conference championship on its way to reaching the third round of the Class 3-A State Playoffs.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central High School will host a basketball camp for boys and girls from June 13-15 at the NCHS Gymnasium.
The event will run from 6-8:30 p.m. each day and is open to children in grades 1-9.
Cost is $35 per camper, which will include a T-shirt and basketball.

NASHVILLE -- The annual Nash-Halifax Swim League summer schedule will begin on June 15 and will run through July 29.
The four-team league will feature Birchwood, Nash Rec, Westridge and Roanoke Valley.
The June 15 matchups will feature Birchwood at Nash Rec and Westridge at Roanoke Valley.

ZEBULON -- The host Carolina Mudcats committed a season-high six errors while losing to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 6-3 in Monday's Class A Carolina League baseball series finale at Five County Stadium.
The loss dropped the Mudcats into a four-game series split with the visiting Pelicans and back into third place in the Carolina Southern Division standings.

EDENTON -- North Carolina hosted its NC B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Qualifier at Bayside Marina out of Pembroke Creek on the Chowan River on May 19-20.
A total of 110 anglers competed to represent the NC BASS Nation at the 2018 BASS Regional hosted by B.A.S.S., with all hoping to continue on the road to qualify for a shot at the Bassmaster Classic.

NASH COUNTY -- Here are the latest results from the Nash County Parks and Recreation Department's Spring Youth Soccer Season:

RALEIGH -- Having won 14 of its last 17 games, the North Carolina State University baseball team has been selected to compete in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
The Wolfpack, coached by Nash County native Elliott Avent, will be the No. 3 seed in the Lexington (KY) Regional and play second-seeded Indiana in its first-round matchup Friday night at 7 p.m. at Cliff Hagan Stadium in the Bluegrass State.

The first-place team finisher from last Friday's H. Earl Coley Golf Classic at Belmont Lake Golf Course in Rocky Mount were (in no particular order) Reggie Pryor Jr., Reggie Pryor Sr., Butch Foust and Desmond Cofield.

Gerald Spooner sends on off the tee and toward the fairway on the par-5 18th hole during last Friday's action at the H. Earl Coley Golf Classic at Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount.

This golfer rips a drive during last Friday's H. Earl Golf Coley Golf Classic at Belmont Lake Golf Club.

Tiffany Foster follows the flight of her approach shot on the 17th hole during last Friday's H. Earl Coley Golf Classic at Belmont Lake Golf Club. Foster was a high school basketball standout in Nash County in the late-1990s.

Jean Horton watches her shot go toward the green during last Friday's action at the Eighth Annual H. Earl Coley Golf Classic at Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount.

Several volunteers were on hand to assist golfers during last Friday's Eighth Annual H. Earl Coley Golf Tournament at Belmont Lake Golf Club in Rocky Mount. Among the volunteers were (in no particular order) Bertha Battle, Irma Boykin, Louise Ricks, Goldie Ford, Mary Evans and Hattie Dunn.

Country artist Brooke McBride will perform at Stony Creek Environmental Park on Friday, June 9 as part of the Town of Nashville's Creekside Music Series.
This will be the second performance for the series and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Director Marguerite Bishop said she is hopeful it will be another great night.
The first concert, which featured Matty Begs, brought out over 200 people. Bishop said she hopes to see another big crowd for the second concert.