The Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education met on Monday for their last meeting of the 2016-2017 school year and voted to extend Superintendent Dr. Shelton Jefferies' contract two additional years.
The decision was made following a closed session. Dr. Jefferies was hired in December 2015. His contract was set to expire on June 30, 2019. The board's vote on Monday night extended it to June 30, 2021.

Nash County Travel and Tourism came before Nashville's Town Council on Tuesday night requesting that the board consider allowing the town to be designated as a Certified Retirement Community.
Barbara Waskowiak, Executive Director of Nash County Travel and Tourism, presented the information to council members at their regular meeting.

BEACH BASH -- Nashville Elementary School held a beach bash to celebrate good behavior on Tuesday. The bash was part of the school's PBIS program and students who received 90 percent or higher for their behavior were able to attend the bash. Pictured above, fifth grader Rayamaya Jones is all smiles after sliding down a slip-n-slide during the beach bash festivities.

Nashville Town Manager Henry Raper presented a $8.6 million budget to council members last Thursday during a special called meeting.
The budget includes $5.2 million in the general fund and $3.4 million in the enterprise fund.
Raper said the tax rate would remain the same, at .56 cents per $100 valuation. However, Raper said, the revenue neutral rate, which is required to show, was at .5454 cents per $100 valuation.

Concerns over the condition of cemeteries in Spring Hope were addressed Monday night.
Nash County resident Ruby Davis expressed her concern about Oakdale Cemetery which she said is in "terrible condition."
Davis mentioned she contacted the state to find out who is responsible for maintaining the cemetery. Since the cemetery is not a perpetual care cemetery, the responsibility for maintaining it lies within the town.

Nash County Commissioners adopted a $90.3 million budget on Monday morning, following a back and forth between commissioners about whether to provide additional funds to the Nash-Rocky Mount School System and other organizations.
County Manager Zee Lamb presented the budget to commissioners and the public, stating that the budget was a a slight decrease from the current year's original budget.

Scott Enroughty, Agnes Moore and Parker Philips have all left their mark on Nash County 4-H.
On Sunday, Nash County 4-H Alumni and Friends honored their contributions by announcing them as recipients to the Nash County 4-H Hall of Fame.
Barbara High Tyre, President of the Nash County 4-H Alumni and Friends Association, presented the awards.
Enroughty grew up as an active 4-H participant, showing steers. His parents were leaders and his sister was also an active participant.

Nash Community College students, faculty, and staff recently attended a BOE-BOT contest hosted by Engineering (EGR) 150 students and NCC Instructor, John Eubanks. With an increased interest in robotics in the engineering industry, EGR 150 introduces robotics to NCC students. Students learn robotic basics and are challenged to design robot navigation schemes, which are judged during the BOE-BOT contest. The winning demonstration submitted by Elton Lewis included a Star Wars Death Star battle.

Edgecombe Community College recently announced its President's List and Dean's List for the Spring 2017 semester.
The following full-time students earned a 4.0 grade point average, placing them on the President's List.
Nash County residents named to the Presidents List include Kaila Boulden, of Nashville; Angela Clark, of Red Oak; Amanda Faircloth and Lauren Whitley, of Elm City; Stacy Hedgepeth and Jermaine Perry of Whitakers.

An appreciation banquet will be held in honor of the legendary Coach Bobby (B.T.) Dunn at Nash Community College Brown Auditorium on Saturday, June 10 from 6-12 p.m.
Former athletes, friends, cheerleaders, and colleagues are encouraged to attend. Coach Dunn will be presented with the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award during the event.

The Nashville High School Class of1959 recently met at the Community Center in Nashville for a reunion. This year made 58 years after graduating.

At its regular meeting on Monday, the town board of Red Oak held a public hearing on and adopted the 2017-18 budget. They also renewed their audit contract, heard a presentation on the benefits of the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, and briefly discussed various updates relating to the dormitory, the park, and the intersection of Hunter Hill and Old Carriage Roads.

The main topic discussed at Castalia's regular town board meeting was various properties within the town and their upkeep.
After the minutes and financials of the previous meeting were accepted, the mayor opened a public hearing on two properties on Church Street that had received notices to clean up the area.

INCIDENTS
A conspiracy to commit felony and larceny (shoplifting) was reported on 5/30/17 at Wal-Mart, 1205 Eastern Avenue
A trespassing and larceny was reported on 5/30/17 at Wal-Mart, 1205 Eastern Avenue
A possession of marijuana was reported on 5/30/17 at Sheetz, 100 E Evans Drive

A robbery with a dangerous weapon was reported on 5/28/17 at 13819 NC 43
A second degree burglary was reported on 5/28/17 at 5412 Harvey Drive
A driving while impaired was reported on 5/29/17 at S Halifax Road and E NC 97

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from May 29 through June 2

Consolidation was one of many topics discussed last week by the Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education during a two-day retreat, which was held at Nash Community College.
The Nash-Rocky Mount School System projects an enrollment of 15,253 students for the 2017-2018 school year. That figure is around 3,000 students less than enrollment numbers from 10 years ago.

The Spaulding Alumni Association is once again the highest bidder on the former Spaulding Middle School site.
The association's bid of $60,100 is good through Thursday, June 8.
The facility, which includes close to 28 acres, has been up for grabs since January. Since that time, numerous bids have come in for the facility using the upset bid process. The Spaulding Alumni Association has been the top bidder several times but each time is outbid, causing the process to start over again.

Nash County 4-H Alumni and Friends recognized graduating seniors and announced a new scholarship during an ice cream social held on Sunday afternoon.
Four seniors were recognized and presented with their 4-H sashes.
Lauren Dew will graduate on Saturday from Northern Nash High School. She is the daughter of Renee Helms and James Dew. She is a member of the Red Oak Acorns 4-H Club and plans to attend Nash Community College.

REST in PEACE...
Last week I talked about a survivor. A dog that was saved after almost starving to death. Sadly, I now bring you the news that she has passed. She wasn't a young dog and although her blood work, her urinalysis and the prognosis looked good, all of a sudden she stopped eating as much and obviously wasn't doing well. She already had a heart murmur, but now she had arrhythmia.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. We offer our sincere gratitude to all veterans, present and past and know all they gave for our great country - some gave their all - may them and their families be blessed.
On Mother's Day, several people came forward after accepting Christ as their savior and were baptized at the White Level Baptist Church.

"There's nothing new under the sun." Ever heard this little snippet before? I know I have and I know it to be true. We might live in 2017, but when you read about and study history from decades and centuries before us, it's clear we face many of the exact same problems people back then faced. Sure, they might look different on the surface, however, their root problem is the same. We might be more "advanced" in our current context by labeling certain conditions in certain ways, however, I'm apt to believe that the conditions we face now, are nearly identical to the conditions faced back then.

Congratulations to Greyson and Lauren Davis on the birth of their son, Jack Felton Davis, born on May 25! Proud grandparents are Frank and Michelle Davis.
Congratulations to Jonathon and Allison Saunders on the birth of their daughter, Evelyn Blair Saunders, born on May 26! Proud grandparents are George and Donnye Saunders and proud great-grandparents are Russell and Barbara Griffin.

The Nashville Elementary Beta Club sponsored a school-wide supply drive to benefit Peacmakers Freedom School. Freedom School is a summer enrichment program designed to help children fall in love with reading. By partnering with a local organization, Nashville Elementary students were able to give back to the local community.

Romnie Makayla Mills successfully finished her first year at Spelman College in Atalanta, Georgia, making the Dean's List both her fall and spring semesters, with a 3.89 GPA. Mills was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, a national society of collegiate scholars and will serve on the 2017-2018 Executive Board for the Spelman College chapter.

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

Linda Shepherd, far left and Margaret Cobb, far right, members of the Micajah Pettaway Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution delivered a meal from the chapter to the Men's Christian Home for Veterans. Accepting the food was Bobby Perry (second from right) and Phil Rogers (second from left), residents of the home.

Nash Community College received an On Track with Healthy Foods grant of $10,000 from The Conservation Fund.
Sponsored by CSX, the program helps increase access to healthy foods in vulnerable and underserved communities in the Twin Counties. This grant will support Nash Community College's Healthy Campus Initiative, which focuses on providing healthy food options at the campus cafe and building capacity to preserve food donations.

Michael Beacham is the most recent Nashville Boys and Girls Club's Spotlight member. Beacham is a 14 year old eighth grader at Nash Central Middle School. Michael has attended the Nashville Area Unit for the past four years. A few of his favorite things about coming to the club are his friends, the Triple Play Plus program and brushing up on his basketball skills. In school, his favorite subject is science.

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

By now, you may be on to the latest trend in toys these days: fidget spinners.
If you grew up in the 1980s, fidget meant something different, so I'm distinctly referring to the new toy annoying the 10 percent of the population that does not currently have one or 12.
The fidget spinner is a two or three "bladed" metal or plastic device that has "finger pads" on both sides in the middle.

Nash County 4-H Alumni and Friends announced this year's 4-H Hall of Fame recipients at a special ice cream social, held on Sunday.
First, let's just say, if you want to get me to an event, bring ice cream!
But even if there wasn't ice cream, I would've still been happy to cover the 4-H Hall of Fame announcement on Sunday.
I know all three recipients and my knowledge of them pretty much stems from all they do in the community.

Dear Editor,
There are currently two bills in the NC General Assembly, one in the House of Representatives and one in the State Senate. These two bills are dangerous and can impact North Carolinians adversely.
House Bill 36 and Senate Bill 342, Enact Enhanced Access to Eye Care Act will allow optometrists to perform surgery on the human body.

JUNIOR LEAGUE TOURNEY CHAMPS -- This photo originally published in The Graphic on July 16, 1974. The Evans Lumber Company team defeated Bunn, 13-5, winning the 1974 Junior League Tournament. The Evans Lumber team finished with a 10-4 overall record.

RED OAK -- Even though she comes from a sports-oriented family, Maddie Lamprecht felt no pressure to become an athlete when she was younger.
But some things come naturally, and Lamprecht's prowess on the softball field was evident from a young age.
Lamprecht would go on to become a four-year starter at Northern Nash, but her career won't stop there as she has signed a letter-of-intent to continue her career at the University of South Carolina-Union.

Northern Nash High School basketball standouts (l to r) Darius Spragley (Mount Olive), Raymond 'Goody' Bullock (Averett) and Demonte Williams (Greensboro College) signed with four-year schools last Friday.

RED OAK -- Symbolism was abundant when Northern Nash hosted a signing ceremony last Thursday for three decorated senior members of the Fighting Knights' basketball squad.
Long-time friends and teammates on and off the court, Darius Spragley, Raymond 'Goody' Bullock and Demonte Williams worked well together while helping Northern Nash to one of its best boys hoops seasons in school history in 2016-17.

RED OAK -- Listed are the honorees from the recent Winter/Spring Sports Awards Ceremony at Northern Nash High School:

RED OAK -- Though he is known for his distance off the tee, Northern Nash's Zach Ward won't be traveling too far to continue his golf career.
Ward has signed a letter-of-intent to join the links program at North Carolina Wesleyan College, which isn't too far away from his home.

NASH CENTRAL'S CAMERON TAYLOR

ROCKY MOUNT -- Friendly competition among teammates can be a good thing.
Just look at the Nash Central High School baseball program the last few seasons, where Zach Patterson and Cameron Taylor have had plenty of 'discussions' about which one of them is the Bulldogs' pitching ace.
"If you asked each one who was the ace, they would answer it was them,'' said NCHS coach Willie Langley. "The fussed about it over and over again.''

ZEBULON -- Troy Stokes Jr., Isan Diaz and Lucas Erceg each had two-out, run scoring hits in the eighth and Jake Gatewood drove in the game winner with a bases loaded walk-off single in the ninth as the Carolina Mudcats rallied back for an 8-7 win versus the Dash at Five County Stadium on Sunday afternoon in a Class A Carolina League baseball showdown.
Erceg set a new career high with four hits after going 4-for-5 with three RBI in the series-opening home win against the Dash (19-38).

The first-place team finishers from the recent 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.

The second-place team finishers from the recent H. Earl Coley Golf Classic at Belmont Lake GC were (in no particular order) Reggie Cooper, Horace Blue, James Mosley and Charles Wiggins. Also pictured are OD Moore Scholarship Foundation President and Nash Central Senior High Alumni Association Vice President Allegro Cordell (left) and OD Moore Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors member and Nash Central Senior High Alumni Association Treasurer Goldie Moody (right).

The third-place team finishers from the recent H. Earl Coley Golf Classic at Belmont Lake Golf Course were (in no particular order) Y.C. Spencer, Shack Wiggins, Larry Edwards and Bennie Hagans. Also pictured are OD Moore Scholarship Foundation President and Nash Central Senior High Alumni Association Vice President Allegro Cordell (left) and OD Moore Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors member and Nash Central Senior High Alumni Association Treasurer Goldie Moody (right).

Nash Central High School's Cameron Taylor signs a letter-of-intent to continue his baseball career at North Carolina Wesleyan College. Also pictured are (back, l to r) NCHS Principal Victor Ward, NCHS assistant coach Kent Cox, NCHS Athletic Director Kyle Bain and NCHS head baseball coach Willie Langley; (front, l to r) Bobby Taylor (father) and Serra Taylor (mother).

Nash Central High School's Zach Patterson signs a letter-of-intent to continue his baseball career at North Carolina Wesleyan College. Also pictured are (back, l to r) NCHS Principal Victor Ward, NCHS assistant coach Kent Cox, NCHS Athletic Director Kyle Bain and NCHS head baseball coach Willie Langley; (front, l to r) Rocky Patterson (father) and Cindy Patterson (mother).

Northern Nash's Zach Ward signs a letter-of-intent to continue his golf career at North Carolina Wesleyan College. Also pictured are (back, l to r) NNHS Athletic Director Patricia Haggerty, NNHS golf coach Brian Taylor, NNHS Principal Brian Hopkins and NNHS Assistant Athletic Director Joey Keefe; (front, l to r) Holt Ward (father) and Amy Ward (mother).

LEXINGTON, KY. -- The North Carolina State University baseball team saw its 2017 season come to a close with a 10-5 loss against No. 11 Kentucky Monday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium.
Despite falling one win shy of advancing to the NCAA Super Regional, the Wolfpack won 16 of its final 21 games to conclude the season at 36-25 overall.
Kentucky (43-21) won the regional and will play Louisville in the NCAA Super Regional.

NASHVILLE -- The Town of Nashville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department is accepting registration for an Introductory Sports Camp.
The event will be held July 10-12 for ages 6-8 and July 17-19 for ages 9-11.
Times will be from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. each day at Glover Park in Nashville.
Registration is available at the Nashville Town Hall during regular business weekday hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m.).

ELM CITY -- Here are last weekend's results from action at County Line Raceway: