Nash County Emergency Services is performing well despite challenges COVID-19 continue to present.
Nash County EMS Director Scott Strufe said the pandemic has caused a significant increase in call volume for the emergency services department. He said the emergency services department went from receiving 23,000 calls in 2020 to 27,000 calls in 2021.

Nash County is finally seeing a decline in new COVID-19 infections and hopes to soon open a mega COVID-19 testing site in Nashville.
Nash County Health Director Bill Hill said over the past week 1,129 new cases were reported which brings the county to 25,674 confirmed cases.
Hill said more deaths have occurred this week. Ten people perished which increases the total number of fatalities to 272.

A house fire on Oak Level Road near Crystal Lane Monday morning left one person hospitalized.
The victim, a 29-year-old female, also had her four-year-old daughter with her in the home at the time of the fire.
The victim's brother, who arrived before the fire department, attempted to go inside to rescue her.

WAYNE SEARS

Nashville Town Council members were introduced to new planning board members at the start of Tuesday's council meeting.
Jacqueline M. Lewis and Wayne Sears were approved last month to serve on the Planning Board. Lewis and Sears will take the place of Shirley House and Dwight Jordan, who both stepped down from the seats.

A Nashville Eagle Scout has provided some shade for parents and youth at Glover Park.
Kaeden Lewis, a member of Troop 76 in Nashville, was recognized by Nashville's Town Council for his Eagle Scout Project, a structure near Glover Park's playground equipment.

Nashville's Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its annual Distinguished Citizen of the Year event.
This year's event is set for Thursday, March 31 at 7 p.m. at Nash Arts.
The Distinguished Citizen Award is presented to a citizen or business person from the Nashville area that strives to make the community a better place.

Nashville's Public Works Department wants to get rid of a machine purchased just five years ago.
A request to include an asphalt recycler machine on a list of surplus property was presented to council members on Tuesday night.
Part of the request was a 2016 Asphalt Recycler and Infrared Heater.

Incidents
Possession of schedule II and possession of drug paraphernalia (not marijuana) reported at S. First St/Birchwood Dr, Nashville on 01/25/22
Damage to personal property, unauthorized use of motor vehicle, driving while impaired, and assault on a female reported at 475 W. Washington St, Nashville on 01/23/22

Warrant service reported at 100 N. Boddie St, Nashville on 01/27/22
Warrant service reported at 2251 Swift Creek School Rd, Whitakers on 01/23/22
Larceny felony reported at 3915 Tharrington Rd, Rocky Mount on 01/24/22

Dogs are naturally pack animals. This means that if there are more than one, they will form a unit with a leader, usually an unneutered male. When people don't contain their dogs in their yards, they may join other loose dogs in the neighborhood to hang out, play or worse.
Just because you may live in the country, doesn't mean that pets can roam uncontrolled.

"Winter Sun Helps Clear Snow." One of the local television stations had this headline on their website after a snow and ice storm arrived in our area and wreaked havoc with schools and businesses. Unfortunately, cloudy weather and extremely low temperatures did not help melting to begin right away. Finally on day three, the sun broke through and the melting began.

We at Peachtree Baptist Church and a number of other churches in the area did not attend church for the past two Sundays due to the snow and icy weather. It was such a pleasure to be back at Peachtree this past Sunday.
I would like to apologize for my failure at missing my column deadline in last Sunday's paper.

The Baptist Men enjoyed their monthly breakfast meeting on Sunday, January 30.
The youth and children will have a soup and sandwich lunch on Sunday, February 13 following the morning worship. Cost for lunch is $5 and all proceeds go to support the youth and children attending summer missions camps.

The V Foundation for Cancer Research, alongside presenting sponsor, Braswell Family Farms, has announced the fifth annual Victory Ride to Cure Cancer will take place on May 21, 2022. Since its inception, the Victory Ride has raised over $1 million for cancer research, making it the largest, active Triangle-based ride funding cancer research.

There has been more news than the Soap Box staff can keep up with lately, but we are trying to work through the back log.
There are pressing issues in the world right now such as tacos, toilet paper, fake chicken, the rising cost of pizza and the unsettling dollar store news.
Inflation is coming for us.

It's time to take a strong look at the long awaited substation of Nashville's fire department which has been cooking for many years.
Nashville has investigated several opportunities of a land acquisition and the budget for a second fire house at the east end of town but it continues to sit at a standstill.
Such a facility would house equipment and personnel to respond to emergencies in that area with a quicker response time.

This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on March 29, 1979. Henry Winstead (left), a rescueman with the Coopers Rescue Squad, and Harvey L. Joyner, assistant rescue chief, pose with two new ambulances which had been purchased by the squad.

Bryce Edwards attends Lego Club at Harold D. Cooley Library in Nashville. Lego Club is one of many programs offered at the library.