The Nash County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to accept the county's first installment of the American Rescue Plan Grant funds, totalling $9 million, at their meeting Monday afternoon. The second $9 million is expected to be received next year.
These federal funds are apportioned from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which President Joe Biden signed into law in March this year.

Castalia's town board held its monthly meeting, including a public hearing, June 15th which was rescheduled from June 1st due to not having a quorum.
The public hearing was held for public comment on the town's proposed FY22 $212,000 operating budget. No one from the public was present to speak.
After the public hearing, Mayor James Alston reported he anticipates soon after FY22 begins, the town will receive American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 grant funding.

MASTER MUNICIPAL CLERK - Janice Evans, Certified Municipal Clerk to the Nash County Board of Commissioners, is presented with a certificate by Board Chair Robbie Davis, from the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks declaring her a Master Municipal Clerk. Evans received the certification upon completing all requirements through the UNC School of Government at Chapel Hill. Davis commended Evans on her dedicated service to the board since 2012.

Nashville's Downtown Strong Advisory Board is considering a master plan for the downtown area to help guide the board in future decision making.
The board met on Monday after a two-month break to receive updates on projects that had been in the discussion phase.
Board Member Susan Phelps brought the idea of a master plan before the board, suggesting the board put out a request for proposals to develop a master plan for the downtown area, specifically the area located within the Municipal Service District.

The Town of Nashville is no longer on the Local Government Commission's (LGC) watch list, Finance Director Samantha Sanchez reported to council members last week.
The town has been on the LGC's Unit Assistance List the past few years. Sanchez said the town was placed on the list in response to the 2018-2019 Fiscal Year.

Nash County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Brandon Medina presented retiring administrator Deborah Tyson with the Old North State Award at the Nash County Board of Commissioners' meeting recently.
The governor presents the Old North State Award to recognize "dedication and service beyond expectation and excellence to the Great State of North Carolina," the state's website indicates.

The Town of Nashville is working to standardize rules in Forest Hill Cemetery.
Town Manager Randy Lansing told council members that different sections of the cemetery have different rules, making it hard for town staff to enforce.
Lansing said in some situations it is assumed that because there are one set of rules in one section, they also apply in other sections.

Ice Land Nutrition Club owners Shante Finch and husband Calvin Pitts.

Nashville's Chamber of Commerce welcomed Ice Land Nutrition Club as Nashville's newest business last week.
Ice Land Nutrition officially opened its doors earlier this month at 106 S. Barnes Street in downtown Nashville.

Rocky Mount Police have arrested and charged an 18 year-old with 2nd degree rape, strangulation, and common law robbery in an alleged sexual assault reported at 5:30 a.m. on June 19 at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex, 600 Independence Drive.
The victim stated she was walking on the walking trail when she was sexually assaulted.

Rocky Mount Police have charged Billy Artis, Jr. as a suspect in a shooting with injury at the 400 block of Marigold Street.
The shooting was reported June 19th at approximately 1:15 p.m. When officers arrived, they located the victim, who was inside her residence when a projectile entered the residence, striking the victim. The victim was transported to UNC Nash Healthcare with non-life-threatening wounds.

Rocky Mount Police Department responded to a ShotSpotter activation in the 1200 block of Liberty St. on June 18 at approximately 12:45 a.m.
While officers were en-route, Rocky Mount 911 dispatch received a call stating a victim sustained a gunshot wound. Additionally, officers observed a vehicle fleeing the area at a high rate of speed without headlights and conducted a traffic stop.

Appalachian State University has released the Dean's and Chancellor's lists for the Spring 2021 semester as well as the list of 2,449 undergraduate students and 340 graduate students that received degrees during commencement ceremonies held in May 2021.

A traffic stop, followed by suspect fleeing the scene, led members of the Nash County Sheriff's Office Highway Interdiction Team to the seizure of 18 kilos of Methamphetamine and the arrest of three suspects.
Last Thursday, June 10th, members of the team conducted a traffic stop of a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas on Highway 64 and Winstead Avenue in Rocky Mount for a minor traffic violation.

Warrant for service was reported on 6/13/21 and 6/18/21 at 100 N. Boddie St., Nashville
Felony larceny was reported on 6/14/21 at 1058 Thompson Chapel Rd., Wilson
Possession methamphetamine was reported on 6/19/21 at 11486 Anderson Rd., Spring Hope

Rocky Mount Police responded to a call regarding a suspicious person in the 700 block of Haggerty Trail on June 18th at approximately 1:40 a.m.
Officers were unable to locate the suspicious person. However, during their neighborhood canvass, they discovered a broken glass window from a motor vehicle, where the victim stated her purse was missing from the vehicle.

"He is the Head of the body made up of his people - that is, his Church - which he began." (Colossians 1:18)
In an area where we previously lived, a group of pastors began having two community-wide prayer services each year. Interestingly, they didn't all come from any one denomination.

What follows is Part 2, I encourage you to read the previous article in The Graphic from June 17, 2021.
After the rebuke, Jesus commissions them for their work. They are to go into all the world and tell the story. They will proclaim Jesus, and as they proclaim, the Spirit will do signs and wonders. Demons will be cast out, evil will have no power over them, they will lay hands on the sick.

Congratulations to Rev. David Joyner on his recent ordination!
The youth and chaperones from Red Oak Baptist Church arrived home safely from MFuge! This year they attended MFuge at Southern Wesleyan University in Central, SC. They will share their experiences on Sunday, June 27 during the morning worship at 11:99 am.

On Sunday at Vaughan's Chapel, Pastor Reuben Batchelor gave the morning message. On Sunday night, Gene Holland finished his teaching on the Book of Revelation. There will be a new series of teachers on Sunday nights beginning the middle of July. Stay tuned to this column in July for updates.
Kingdom International Church opened with prayer and offering followed by Childrens' Pastor Cindy Lamm and her Assistant, Brenda Braswell presenting three young men to the church for baptism.

It was a pleasure to hear our Trinity Chimes ring calling the Peachtree faithful to church for worship service.
Each month the church members learn a new memory verse. The memory verse for the month of June 2021 is Bible Verse: Ephesians 3: 17-19.
Mrs. Jane May, Pianist, played a beautiful solo.

BUILDING PERMITS
RESIDENTIAL
Michael Baier, 1542 Trailwood Drive; detached accessory; $8,500
Mike Conner, 3228 Wollett Mill Rd.; detached accessory; $9,500

Klaudia K Lipford and Brian H. Cloud to Artifex Properties; 724 Mill Street, Rocky Mount; $39,000
Silver Lining Flips, Inc. to Kesha Wilsher and Derick Little; Section 3, Wood Green, Block H, Lot 3; $305,000
Samuel M. Marsh and Lou Whitney Davis to William A. Owens and Tonie A. Owens; 1201 Tavern Landing, Rocky Mount; $550,000

Nash County Public Schools has announced the hire of Yolanda Wiggins as the district's Director of Professional Learning and Special Programs.
Wiggins attended East Carolina University and earned her Bachelor's of Arts Degree English/Writing. She obtained her Master's Degree in School Administration from North Carolina State University.

Chantoni Grant

North Carolina Wesleyan College welcomes back two alumni as employees in the Admissions Office. Starting this month, both Elijah "Blaise" Gourley and Chantoni Grant have joined the office as Admissions Counselors.
"The Office of Admissions could not have hired two more qualified staff members than Blaise and Chantoni.

Meals on Wheels of Rocky Mount announced a recent grant received from the DeLeon Carter Foundation to support the Meals on Wheels Frozen Food Program. This program provides frozen meals to seniors in crisis situations, seniors on the Meals on Wheels waiting list and our area seniors who do not have other hot meal food providers.

All 18 sites passed the Swim Guide test this week in the Tar-Pamlico watershed -- a sign that it's safe to swim in local waters this weekend.
Swim Guide is an international water-quality program conducted locally by Sound Rivers, an environmental nonprofit with a mission to keep North Carolina's waterways fishable, swimmable and drinkable.

The Coopers Ruritan Club recently awarded a scholarship to Caitlin Proctor of Elm City under the Ruritan National Foundation's "Build Your Dollars Grant Program." Caitlin plans to attend Western Carolina University Pictured, left to right, are: Danny Tyson, President Coopers Ruritan Club, Caitlin Proctor scholarship winner and Wanda Powell.

The Carotel Pioneers club is accepting applications for a one-time $1,000 educational scholarship to be awarded this fall.
The "Elizabeth Bland Memorial Scholarship" was established in memory of Elizbeth "Libba" Bland, a Tarboro native. The scholarship is awarded annually to a college-bound student who is related to an active Carotel Pioneer Club member. Carotel members who are pursuing a degree are also eligible.

I dreaded hearing my mama say to me, usually around four o'clock on a hot summer day, "we're going to need to work in the garden after supper."
Depending on the month, this vague order could mean many things.
It might be chopping the corn, or it could mean picking snaps, butter beans or either some type of pea.

There's a lot going on in Nash County these days. Heck, some things really never slowed down around the county over the past year - particularly the emergence of new housing developments in just about every nook and cranny. A lot of open farmland yielding annual crops are now home to construction sites of subdivisions.
Looking back over the past year we've had numerous requests for rezonings in just about every town and rural area of the county with sizable numbers of new homes planned.

ZONE PEAK CHAMPION - This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on October 15, 1970. Jim Glover, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Glover, won first place in zone competition in the Ford Punt Pass and Kick competition in Washington.

NORTHERN'S JUSTIN MARSHALL

FRANKLINTON -- Not everything went as planned, but there were still plenty of highlights for Nash County schools at last Friday's Class 3-A East Regional Track and Field Championships at Franklinton High School.
Certainly, there were a few disappointments as a handful of participants were unable to make Top-Four finishes in order to qualify for the states.

NASH COUNTY -- With three mat stars competing for a return trip to the states, the journey was expectation-filled last week for the Southern Nash Firebirds to the Class 3-A East Regionals at West Carteret High School.
And the trip proved to be a fruitful one as each of the key returnees -- Jadel Davis, Luke Coble and Terrence Raspberry -- were able to once again qualify for the state event.

BACKSTROKE EXCELLENCE. Sam Etheridge speeds through the pool during last Thursday's Nash-Halifax Swim League meet at Nash Rec Pool. (Photo Submitted by Christy O'Leary)

NASHVILLE -- It took almost two years, but Nash-Halifax Swim League action finally resumed last Thursday.
The last N-HSL event was in late July of 2019 as last year's schedule was wiped out due to COVID-19.
Things resumed in the opener with the renewal of a long-time rivalry as Westridge traveled to Nash Rec in a showdown of tradition-rich squads.

NASH CENTRAL'S TRALON MITCHELL

NASH COUNTY -- Fresh off a sweep of the boys and girls titles at the Eastern Plains Conference Championships, the Nash Central Bulldogs looked to remain in momentum-building form during last week's Class 2-A East Regionals at Croatan High School, located in Carteret County.
The Bulldogs did just that as they were sharp at the annual event -- and will be represented by a pair of athletes at this weekend's Class 2-A State Track Championships.

NASH CENTRAL'S DANIEL BOWERS

ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central High School's rebuilding wrestling program might be small in numbers -- but the Bulldogs are once again large in individual talent.
Last season, the Bulldogs featured Brittain Marks as their star standout, and Marks was able to qualify for the Class 2-A State Wrestling Champions.
Central will have another qualifier this time around as Daniel Bowers made the mark in the 160-pound weight classification.

ZEBULON - Zavier Warren went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI, Joe Gray Jr. drove in three and crushed his seventh triple of the season and starter Nick Belzer won his third straight start as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the visiting Fayetteville Woodpeckers 10-6 with 4,099 on hand last Saturday night at Five County Stadium.

Southern Nash's Jalen McCalston (right) takes part in the Boys 110 Hurdles during last Friday's action at the Class 3-A East Regional Track and Field Championships on the campus of Franklinton High School.

NASH REC BROTHERS (L TO R) COLSTON AND MACON SHEARIN

ROCKY MOUNT HIGH SCHOOL'S CAROLINE THIEL

Northern Nash High School's Boys 3200 Relay Team of Jonathon Page, Ahnage Vines, Justin Marshall and Chance Savage have earned the right to compete in the Class 3-A State Track and Field Championships after a strong finish at the Class 3-A East Regionals.

Southern Nash's Thomas Copeland competes in the Boys Pole Vault event during last Friday's Class 3-A East Regional Track and Field Championships at Franklinton High School in Franklin County.

Nash County can once again enjoy local July 4th celebration events now that COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.
The Town of Red Oak is all set for its annual Family Freedom Celebration which will take place on June 27th at W. B. Ennis Memorial Park from 7 - 9:30 p.m. The event will offer concessions and fireworks.