Eight-year-old Hunter Garcia stands with a sign showing support for Jared Michael Allison during his funeral procession on Friday.

Family, friends, co-workers and even strangers paid tribute last Friday to Deputy Jared Michael Allison, who died in the line of duty on Thanksgiving.
Allison's life was remembered during a funeral service, which was followed by a procession through Rocky Mount and Nashville.
Allison died from injuries he sustained during a car accident while trying to stop a motorcycle who was driving recklessly on Wesleyan Boulevard in Rocky Mount. He passed away on December 1.

Over half of students in the Nash County Public School System are failing one or more classes, school system officials reported to school board members on Monday.
The information was presented during an update on the school system's reopening plan.
The school system plans to welcome middle and high schools students back to in-person learning on January 11.

Nashville's Chamber of Commerce held its annual Christmas event Saturday modified to social distancing standards. Santa and Mrs. Claus were seated indoors while children remained outdoors communicating via special North Pole walkie talkies. Pictured above, Gilannie Barragan talks to Santa.

The Nash County Sheriff's Office is investigating a domestic disturbance that resulted in a homicide Sunday morning.
The sheriff's office was dispatched to 4678 Pine Street in Battleboro around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, December 6 in reference to an unconscious subject.
While enroute to the home, deputies were advised that the children of the residence had gone next door to a neighbor's house and stated that their mother, 34-year-old Tiara Laquan Dzikowski, had been stabbed by the suspect, Alexander Dayton Dzikowski, 33.

North Carolina will begin a modified stay-at-home order on Friday, December 11 in attempts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Governor Roy Cooper made the announcement on Tuesday during a press conference.
The Order requires people to stay at home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and will take effect on Friday, December 11 and will be in place until at least January 8, 2021.

The Nash County Sheriff's Office has reported a missing person from Middlesex.
Andre Jesus Raya, 21, of Planer Mill Road, Middlesex, was last seen on Friday afternoon, December 4.
Raya is described as being 6" in height, weighing 135 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
He drives a 1997 Mazda Protege with registration plate "PMF-9821."

Tim Evans plans to shut down Acme Cleaners and Laundry on December 31 and retire. The business was started by his father, Warren, in 1943. Evans is pictured back row center with his staff.

A longtime dry cleaning and laundry business will shut its doors at the end of the month.
Tim Evans announced last week that he is retiring from Acme Cleaners and Laundry in Nashville.
The business has been around for almost 78 years.
Evans' father, Warren Evans, opened the business in March of 1943.

Nashville's Town Council approved moving forward with the process of closing a portion of Elm Street so Nash County could build an addition to its detention center.
The request to close a portion of Elm Street was first brought before the board on September 30. Nash County Director of Public Utilities and Facilities Jonathan Boone presented plans for a detention center expansion to council members and asked that the town permanently close a portion of Elm Street to accommodate the new facility.

Nash County Commissioners have officially approved moving forward with phase three of a high speed internet initiative started back in 2018.
Commissioners unanimously agreed to award a contract for phase three, option two of the high speed internet initiative to CloudWyze.
The approval is subject to review by County Manager Zee Lamb and County Attorney Vince Durham.

One Spring Hope commissioner is proposing the town establish an ordinance for operating golf carts after a near close encounter he had with one.
Commissioner Ricky Tucker requested the need for golf cart regulation after almost hitting one during the summer. Tucker said he was coming home from work around 11:30 p.m. one night when he almost hit the small vehicle on McLean Street.

A warrant service was reported on 12/3/20
A defraud/obtain money/property for medical assistance was reported on 11/30/20 at 100 N Boddie Street, Nashville
A warrant service was reported on 12/5/20 at 100 N Boddie Street, Nashville

Building Permit
(residential)
Denise Everette; new single family; $94,296.61
Denise Everette; new single family; $118,045.11

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a pilot program to deploy COVID-19 testing in K-12 public schools to quickly identify students and staff who may have the virus to help slow its spread.
Local education agencies including public school districts, charter school networks or individual charter schools currently offering any in-person instruction -- either Plan A or Plan B -- are eligible to apply.

December may be the season of giving - but it's typically a challenging time to collect enough blood donations. Add in a pandemic, and this year could be even tougher than usual. That's why the American Red Cross is urging those who are feeling well to give the gift of life by donating blood or platelets this holiday season.
The need for blood doesn't stop for holidays. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, more than 1 million blood transfusions will be given in the United States.

THANKS for RESCUES! If Rescues were puppy mills, applications would be processed immediately, because mills are in it just for the money and want them sold quickly, so they can breed more! However, Rescues' first job is to find the best match, the best home for the dog (or cat) and to care for it. After all, they have invested not only donated funds but probably their own money, not even taking in account all the time needed to run to vets and take care of the pet.

Members of Bethel Heroes Chapter 636, United Daughters of the Confederacy recently delivered Christmas gifts to the Veterans Residential Services of Wilson. Gifts will be given to needy veterans and their families on the 15th of December. Pictured (L-R) is: Brenda Dorsett, Yvonne McLamb, Claudia Baker, Helen Sharpe, Donna Boykin and Edith Whitby.

"But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered." (Romans 6:17)
I understand exactly what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, "You used to be slaves to sin". But I didn't understand it until I was born again. Salvation gave me a whole different perspective about the life I used to live.

The Christmas story is all about new life, but perhaps not in the way you are thinking.
Now, as a reminder, this new series is about going deeper in the Christmas story, or learning what Christmas really is all about, biblically-speaking anyways.
When God created Adam, he did it in the most unique and beautiful way.

Learning to listen to the Lord is an important lesson for all of us. In Genesis 12:1-3, the Lord spoke to Abraham, saying, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish readers. The first night of Hanukkah is December 10 and the holiday lasts for 8 nights.
Sandy Cross United Methodist Church held the annual "Tree Lighting at the Crossroads" on Sunday night November 29. Over 600 lights were dedicated in honor or memory of loved ones. This past Sunday, Pastor Eric Packard gave the morning message.

Peachtree Baptist Church is now collecting donations for its N.C. State Missions fundraiser.
Peachtree Baptist Church's has completed their annual collard sale. It was a great success. We sold more quarts of collards that ever before. Sold 4,100 lbs. and 1,772 quarts. WOW.

Peacemakers held its Sixth Annual Christmas Toy Store December 4th and 5th. Last year, through the generosity of individuals and organizations in the Rocky Mount community and the tireless efforts of many volunteers, Peacemakers of Rocky Mount helped 400 families including more than 1,000 children.
"Christmas is a tough time for many low-income families," Peacemakers Executive Director Jesse Lewis said.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the first semester of the 2020 -2021 school year. The following students at Southern Nash High School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

The following deed transfers were made from November 30 to December 4, 2020

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the first semester of the 2020 -2021 school year. The following students at Rocky Mount High School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Applications are currently being accepted for the 33rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Competition that will be held, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021 at the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, the contest will take place via a virtual format, with only participants, staff and judges in attendance utilizing social distancing measures. Speeches will be made available via the Imperial Centre's YouTube channel.

Brothers Adam Alzer, Tariq Alzer and Samira Alzer stand with a law enforcement flag to show support for Jared Allison. The boys' father is a police officer in Rocky Mount. Graphic photo by Amanda Clark

The Rocky Mount Fire Department shows support for Jared Michael Allison during his funeral services on Friday.

Diabetes or "diabeetus" as the late Wilford Brimley used to call it on those heartfelt commercials, finally ran me down.
I fought a good fight for four years, almost naming a new form of the disease -- Fake Diabetes. The conversation with high level doctors at UNC went like this:
Me: I don't have real diabetes. I only have it because of the medicine you gave me. I have Fake Diabetes.

This has truly been a unique holiday season.
It's been a bit challenging for me to slip away and do the things I need to do to prepare for the holidays. Between stores closing earlier and just finding the time, I'm extremely behind on getting prepared for Christmas this year.

Even with COVID restrictions and precautions, Nashville's downtown area has proved to be a place people still want to be!
During a recent conversation I was asked what could be done to bring some life to downtown.
I simply asked that person had they truly spent any real time in downtown over the past years?

This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on April 17, 1975 of the Northern Nash pitching staff.

SOUTHERN NASH'S BRYSON RACKLEY

LOUISBURG -- Veteran coach Jeff Dodrill found a unique way to challenge his top-two boys runners during last Wednesday's Big East Conference Cross Country Meet at Owens Park in Franklin County.
Dodrill instructed 1-2 standouts Justin Marshall and Chance Savage to start about 20 seconds behind the pack in an effort to help them with their speed and closing abilities heading into the postseason.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Despite some of the COVID-related challenges, it was still a successful fall sports campaign for the Faith Christian School Patriots.
Four of the Patriots' top fall-sports student-athletes were recently saluted with spots on their respective North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 2-A All-State Teams.

NET CHALLENGE. RM's Kiera Harris (left) tries to hit over Franklinton's Sarah Dodrill.

FRANKLINTON -- Rocky Mount High School was hoping to gain a measure of respect Monday as part of its much-improved volleyball season.
The Lady Gryphons have made progress on the court this year, but a huge test awaited Monday when RM traveled to perennial powerhouse Franklinton for a key Big East Conference showdown.

NC WESLEYAN'S ISAIAH LEWIS

BOONE -- The North Carolina Wesleyan College men's basketball team competed hard with Division I foe Appalachian State University on the road Sunday, but came up short, falling by a margin of 81-57.
Wesleyan went back and forth with the Mountaineers throughout the first half. They would cut into ASU's lead on senior Damon McDowell's three-pointer with three minutes left in the first to trail just 32-30.

RALEIGH -- Area standouts Ricky Person Jr. and Zonovan Knight both had big outings last Saturday as the North Carolina State Wolfpack closed out the 2020 regular season with a 23-13 home victory over Georgia Tech at historic Carter-Finley Stadium.
Person, a junior, delivered 59 yards on the ground on 15 carries.

(L to R) Northern Nash's Justin Marshall, Southern Nash's Eric Braxton and Southern Nash's Logan Saunders speed up a hill during last Wednesday's Big East Conference Cross Country Meet at Owens Park, which is located in Franklin County.

Among the dignitaries at last Wednesday afternoon's Big East Conference cross country meet at Owens Park in Franklin County were (l to r) Northern Nash head coach Jeff Dodrill, Franklinton assistant coach Ben Snelling, Southern Nash head coach Eddie Coble and Franklinton assistant coach Newell Pender.

Northern Nash High School veteran Elana Griffin rolled to a first-place girls individual finish at last Wednesday afternoon's Big East Conference Cross Country Meet, which was held at Owens Park in Franklin County.

Laura Rundle won first place in the costume contest Saturday.

Nashville's chamber of commerce held its annual Christmas event a little differently this year however prizes were still awarded to the top four attendees displaying the most holiday spirit. Brothers Brendin, Devin and Corbin Clark joined forces as "Team Santa" winning one of Saturday's costume prizes.

Melanie Benitez talks to Santa through a walkie-talkie, held by Cliff Joyner, on Saturday.

Tariq Diallo talks to Santa through a walkie-talkie Saturday. Mary Grace Daughtridge is holding the walkie-talkie.

Chandler Thompson, 4, poses for a photo with Mr. and Mrs. Claus after talking to Santa on a walkie-talkie. The Nashville Chamber of Commerce held a social distancing Santa event this year for children.

Eliana Henry smiles as her mom takes a photo of her and Mr. and Mrs. Claus on Saturday at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce's Christmas event.

The "Grinch" was found hanging around downtown Nashville Saturday morning prior to Santa's arrival.

Dear Santa,
I hope you are good. I would like for Christmas:
BB Gun, Monster truck
Batman Cave, Tablet