Nash County Public Schools will go back to all virtual learning, the Board of Education decided this week.
Superintendent Dr. Steve Ellis made the recommendation at a special called emergency meeting on Monday afternoon, December 21.
"I felt like we needed to meet to make some decisions based on some of the metrics and guidance we've been receiving from the state and other local agencies," Ellis said at the start of the meeting.

With age comes wisdom and on Monday, staff at Nashville Elementary School showed Principal Quintin Mangano how wise they thought he was with a surprise birthday celebration.
Mangano will turn the big 5-0 next Tuesday, December 29 and staff decided this year, they would make sure to celebrate.

A Nashville neighborhood will be getting relief from flooding issues, after Nashville's Town Council voted to spend $350,401 on a drainage improvement project.
Council members voted in November to move forward with alternate #2 of the Windy Oak Drainage Improvement Project. At the board's December 1 meeting, council members voted to approved the engineering agreement.

A Nashville youth's donation allowed Nashville's Cooley Library to continue its tradition of giving each child a book for Christmas.
Six-year-old Lily Collins recently donated $140 to the library. Lily raised the money herself, hosting various fundraising events, including an art show in her driveway.

The Nash County Health Department is hoping to receive its first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine before Christmas.
Health Director Bill Hill said on Monday that staff have been preparing to receive the shipment and are hopeful it will arrive prior to the holidays.
"We are on the lookout for it," Hill said during a COVID update. "We did receive some ancillary needles and different types of supplies. We haven't received the vaccine yet."

Jimmie Hinton and business partner Jerry Creekmore are pictured on the day they purchased Nashville Building Supply Company in 1977. (Contributed photo)

The Nashville community continues to mourn the loss of Jimmie Hinton, a long-time owner of Nashville Building Supply.
Hinton passed away on December 10 as a result of COVID-19.
Nashville Building Supply originally opened in 1908 and is one of the oldest operating businesses in Nash County.

Nashville's Town Council will soon consider a request to purchase public parking signs that will guide downtown shoppers to the Nash County Courthouse parking lot.
The Downtown Nashville Strong Advisory Board met last Tuesday, December 15 for their monthly meeting and voted to spend no more than $3,000 on five public parking signs.

Over two dozen businesses and homes got into the holiday spirit this season by participating in Nashville's Christmas Decorating Contest.
The winners were announced on Monday.
The Proctor family at 211 Thorne Street were the winners for the residential contest.

Nash UNC Health Care is revising their visitation policy to allow hospitalized patients to have two designated visitors over the Christmas holiday and beyond. The new visitation guidelines will go into effect beginning Monday, December 21st and remain in place until further notice.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Nash UNC revised their visitation policy to allow two visitors for inpatients at Nash General, Critical Care, Cardiac Observation Unit, and the Women's Center, as opposed to the one designated visitor.

Helping Hands Outreach Ministry was able to continue its Christmas giveaway this year, helping ensure area youth receive gifts this Christmas.
Anne Richardson and her family have hosted the Christmas giveaway event for four years now but have been hosting a ministry once a month, on the third Saturday of the month, at her Nashville home for several years now.

Nashville Police are looking for a man who stole 10 packs of cigarettes from the Circle K in Nashville last Tuesday.
Police Chief Anthony Puckett said the incident was not an armed robbery, as was rumored.
"No armed robbery occurred at Circle K on December 15th," Puckett said. "It was a larceny."

The Momeyer Ruritan Club posthumously recently honored a long-time member with the Tom Downing Award.
Barbara Jackson, the mother of Michael Anthony Jackson, was presented the award on Monday afternoon during an impromptu ceremony at the Momeyer Ruritan Club.
The award was presented by Stuart Parker, who chairs the Awards Committee, and Brent Leggett, President of the Momeyer Ruritan Club.

The following deed transfers were reported in Nash County from December 14 through December 18.

A warrant service was reported on 12/16/20 and 12/15/20
A warrant service and damage to state or local government property was reported on 12/16/20 and 12/14/20 at 100 N Boddie Street
An identify fraud was reported on 12/16/20 at 10503 Panther Street, Middlesex

Incidents
A breaking and entering was reported on 12/15/20 at Barnes Court
An assault inflicting serious injury was reported on 12/16/20 at 823 Brake Street

Building Permit (commercial)
Don Perry; 12991 B NC 581; addition; $59,500
Thomas Beardon; 6681 Corporation Parkway; modular unit

The Nashville Police Department continued its partnership with Nashville's Wal-Mart to ensure area youth receive gifts this Christmas.
Seven students at Nashville Elementary School participated in this year's Cops and Kids Christmas event, though the event was held much differently than in year's past.
This year, youth didn't get a chance to go shopping with police officers.

Pictured are Sherikka Stokes, Joyce Hinnant, Jesse Lewis, Donna Clifton, Bill Lehnes (Chick-fil-A), Lemanuel Williams, Michelle McNeil and Johnny Rice. (Contributed photo)

Chick-fil-A has just announced that Peacemakers of Rocky Mount is the recipient of a 2021 True Inspiration Award from the Atlanta-based company. Peacemakers was nominated for the award by Chick-fil-A's Rocky Mount, NC location at Cobbs Corner, operated by Bill Lehnes. The award comes with a financial gift of $100,000.

North Carolina Wesleyan College recently procured a substantial theological library collection from the family of the late Rev. Dr. Frank Scurry. Dr. Scurry was president emeritus of the now defunct Carolina Graduate School of Divinity, an accredited interdenominational seminary located in Greensboro, NC.
Dr. Scurry pastored in the NC Yearly Meeting of Friends for 25 years before starting and leading Carolina Graduate School of Divinity in 1994.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:14)
My wife told me a story recently about a young woman who needed serious surgery only to see it delayed due to circumstances beyond her control.
When I saw her, I was astonished. You would never know that she was facing a life-threatening illness.

Luke 2:1-20
How would you explain Christmas to someone unfamiliar with it? Most people define the holiday according to how they celebrate it. But Christmas is far more than trees, lights, gifts, food, and parties. It's one of the three most important events in human history. God's plan for mankind's salvation began with the birth of Jesus Christ. Without that, there would have been no crucifixion, no resurrection, and no hope for humanity.

The members of Peachtree Baptist Church would like to wish everyone a very blessed Merry Christmas and a New Year so full of hope and faith.
You may pick-up your poinsettias next Sunday.
Flower Calendar sign-up sheets for 2021 are in the Narthex. Please get one, fill-out and return.

Happy Christmas Fellow Followers! What follows is a prayer that I wrote many years ago and each year, right before Christmas Day, I come back to it. I thought it would be helpful and encouraging that we pray this together as we enter into this most holy night.
Come Christmas: An Advent Prayer

Pictured is a conceptual image of what the outdoor classroom will look like at NC Wesleyan. The outdoor classroom will be constructed thanks to a donation.

To continue providing a safe, innovative and unique learning environment for its students, North Carolina Wesleyan College recently received a $50,000 cash gift to construct what will be known as the Marvin and Cynthia Barnes - Family Fare Convenience Stores Outdoor Classroom.
"We are grateful for the Marvin and Cynthia Barnes Family Fare Convenience Stores Outdoor Classroom, as this gift will enhance NC Wesleyan's opportunity to provide unique learning spaces for our students," stated Elena Koutouzos, Director of Alumni & Donor Relations.

Members of the Debu-Ette organization of Rocky Mount, as a 22-year tradition, presented Christmas Stockings full of toys to the Salvation Army. Pictured on the front row (L-R) is: Major Amber Phelps, Taylor Skinner, Ashley Brantley, Whitley Brantley, Greyson Poland and Jillian Shrimper. Pictured on the back row (L-R) is: Chelsey Joyner, Sydney Langley, Kate Hudgins, April Livermon and Debbie Pannell. The young ladies also volunteered as bell ringers for the Salvation Army during the holiday season.

The Shelter will be closed on December 24, 25, 28 and January 1.
We wish to extend greetings to all of our newspaper friends and Facebook fans, who care about the homeless pets of Nash County. Love extends to all religions and beliefs. Love is kind and considerate. Love of animals is essential in a humane society. Adoption is love. When we think of unconditional love, we think of our pets.

Staff at Nashville Elementary School recently had a chance to dress up as their favorite Christmas movie characters. Pictured L-R is: Melissa Bridgers, Nicholas Bridgers and Rebecca Faile doing their best "Home Alone" impression. (Contributed photo)

Teacher Garrett Shearin disguised herself as Santa during Christmas Character Day at Nashville Elementary School recently. (Contributed photo)

Nashville Elementary teacher Whitney Vick does her best "Elf on the Shelf" impression. (Contributed photo)

I know Christmas is near not just because of the calendar.
A key indicator has been that my children have made fewer comments about "my future rest home" or my "expanding bald spot."
Coincidentally, Wish Lists have been shared with me as Google Docs.
It seems like a long way from my Christmas preparations as a child, but really it is not.

Dear Editor: It has been proposed instigating fees, inspections, insurance, and equipment additions for people using golf carts in Spring Hope. It is interesting to those of us who reside in Spring Hope that the same concerns and needs have not arisen as mopeds, scooters, bicycles and skateboards have often posed the same, or more dangerous, situations on our streets for years.

I don't have to remind anyone that 2020 has been a crazy and tough year.
The workplace has transitioned from offices to living rooms, retail establishments are bending over backwards to keep people safe so shoppers can get essential needs and of course that special Christmas gift! And everyone is longing for something normal to come back into our lives such as the opportunity to sit around dinner tables with extended family and friends.

These photos were published in The Nashville Graphic in December of 1959. The top photo shows a night-time display of Christmas lights in downtown Nashville.

NORTHERN NASH'S SENCERE BATTLE

RED OAK -- One of the most successful athletic programs in recent memory residing within the borders of Nash County has been the Boys Basketball program on the campus of Northern Nash High School.
Seventh-year Head Coach Henry Drake's Northern Nash Knights have won at least 22 games in each of their last four seasons, and have been crowned Class 3-A Big East Conference Champions in either regular season or tournament form in each of the team's last four campaigns.

NORTHERN NASH'S ELANA GRIFFIN

NASH COUNTY -- Several Nash County standouts have earned spots on the 2020 All-Big East Conference Cross Country Team on the strength of their performances at the recent BE Championships at Gillette Park in Wilson.
In order to make the prestigious squad, runners must finish in the Top 10 at the league championships.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central High School will open its 2021 prep basketball schedule on January 5 at rival Rocky Mount.
The Bulldogs' first Eastern Plains Conference meeting will be January 19 at home versus SouthWest Edgecombe.
NCHS' complete ledger is as follows, with home contests listed in CAPS:

KANASIA ARRINGTON

KY'LISE CLARK

Nashville Elementary Principal Quintin Mangano relaxes at his desk among the many balloons and "over the hill" decorations left in honor of his upcoming 50th birthday. (Contributed photo)

Ella Lauer

First and foremost, Christmas is about Jesus Christ being born. Christmas is also about giving.
My family loves to give back at Christmas.
I love the smells of the season, cookies baking, peppermint, cinnamon and fireplaces burning.
This year, the most important thing to me is family.
My Poppi died at 57 years old in September from
Covid-19. So he will be spending the holidays in heaven.
All I want for Christmas is for Covid to be over
and for my family to be happy.

Sincerely,
Ella Lauer