Nash County is bringing in the Fourth of July spirit this weekend with multiple events to celebrate the holiday.
Beginning all of the Fourth of July entertainment is the city of Rocky Mount with its event on July 1 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex located at 600 Independence Drive.
People can enjoy live music, fireworks, and more activities.

Matthew Floyd, age 7, searched the family farms Monday for Nash County's first cotton bloom of 2022. Matthew found his bloom Monday morning, June 27 and brought it to The Nashville Graphic. The Nashville Graphic has held a long-time tradition of offering a free one-year subscription for the first bloom of the season brought to the newspaper.

St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church (MBC) is providing a weekly summer feeding and reading program for children.
The program is held at the Nashville church, located at 204 North Drake Street, every Monday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will continue through August 10. It is designated for children age 18 and under.

Caiden Jones takes a taste of his edible art he created while visiting Harold D. Cooley Library in Nashville. The program entitled Under the Sea Edible Art allowed participants to create art that you can eat.

A dozen leaking manholes will be relined in the Town of Nashville, helping with the town's inflow and infiltration problem.
Council members approved a $27,000 with CTR Coatings for relining 12 sanitary sewer manholes. The approval comes at the recommendation of Mike Tolson, of Mack Gay and Associates.

Nash County will be hosting a community yard sale and car wash to help support a local nonprofit.
The county's United Way Committee planned the event for Saturday, July 16.
The community yard sale will take place in the parking lot of the Claude Mayo, Jr. Administration Building in Nashville that Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Nashville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department has had a busy year.
In March of 2021, the first recreation center was opened on Boddie Street. Just over a year later, in April of 2022, the Nashville's Farmers Market opened. This fall, the town's first dog park will open.

Piles of mulch are continuously burning at a wood processing company in Nashville. Nashville Fire Department Chief Chris Joyner said crews were called to Kamlar around 5:15 p.m. June 28 where they found 20,000 cubic yards of mulch and woodchips in flames. Firefighters have been unable to extinguish the flames since Tuesday. Joyner said three piles of mulch are still slowly burning.

The site of the former Bell's Small Engine and Hardware will serve as a swimming pool installation business in the future.
The 1.91-acre property is located at 1313 N NC Highway 58 between Nashville and Castalia.
It includes an existing building which was home to Bell's Small Engine and Hardware before its relocation in 2020.

Alejandro Israel Sanchez-Amezcua

The Nash County Sheriff's Office conducted one of its largest meth seizures in agency history during a routine traffic stop last Thursday.
Major Eddie Moore of the Nash County Sheriff's Office said on June 23 around 11:23 a.m., deputies stopped a car heading on Highway U.S. 264 East at milepost 27 for a traffic violation.

Breaking and entering larceny from automobile and possession of stolen goods reported at 2203 W NC 97, Spring Hope on 06/19/22
Warrant service reported at 2436 W. Hornes Church Rd, Bailey on 06/19/22
Larceny after breaking and entering, obtain property by false pretense, and felony breaking and/or entering reported at 2551 S. Wesleyan Blvd, Rocky Mount on 06/22/22

Assault on a female, burglary-1st degree, larceny after breaking and entering, and damage to real property reported at 124 N. Wheeless Dr, Nashville on 06/19/22
Larceny misdemeanor reported at 131 Nashville Commons Dr, Nashville on 06/20/22
Larceny misdemeanor reported at 1205 Eastern Ave, Nashville on 06/20/22

A Nash County man is dead after a single car accident last Tuesday night on State Highway 1321.
Nash County Highway Patrol Office Assistant Mary Collins said the single vehicle crash occurred at 8:44 p.m. on June 21.
She said 58-year-old Tracy Alan Spain was traveling south on State Road 1321 when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree.

In just a few days, we'll be celebrating July 4th. Patriotic music is always a keystone of that celebration. For example, we'll hear Lee Greenwood sing his classic, I'm Proud to be an American. It's a great one.
Many of us will also hear God Bless America.

For decades, many church strategies have been built around getting people in the community to come to your church. Big events. Great signage. Social media marketing. The attractional church. You get the picture.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with any of the "y'all come" approaches. Frankly, those are better than what most churches do to reach people: nothing.

"Matchless" was the theme for MFUGE last week. The youth and chaperones from Red Oak Baptist Church had a wonderful time at James Madison University in Virginia! There were 25 youth and 6 adults who attended. On Sunday, June 26 Kate Camp, Emily Wells, Carter Griffin, Brayden English, Ava Moore, Carly Wilson, Emma Shingleton, Kevin English, and Chris May shared stories and testimonies about the week and their missions work.

Carolina students were selected to receive up to a $14,000 Golden LEAF Scholarship, including eight in Nash County.
High school seniors entering college as first year students are eligible for a $3,500 scholarship each year for up to four years of undergraduate study at a participating four-year North Carolina college or university. Community college transfer students are eligible for $3,500 a year for up to three years of undergraduate study.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at Nashville Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at Coopers Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at Swift Creek Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at Cedar Grove Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at Spring Hope Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at MB Hubbard Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at Bailey Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Public Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The following students at Middlesex Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

NCWU's Board of Trustees recently voted to name the future Vernon T. Bradley, Jr. Sports Stadium Press Box in honor of Marion Barnes' family. Barnes' father, Guy Barnes, was one of the original founders of NC Wesleyan. The Marion Barnes Family Press Box will kick off Phase II of NC Wesleyan's Sports Stadium Campaign.
Marion Barnes is the owner of Frontier Trailer Associates, Inc. in Rocky Mount directly adjacent to Wesleyan's new stadium.

Six cadets completed Basic Law Enforcement Training at Nash Community College on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.
As the college's 70th Basic Law Enforcement Academy, the following individuals participated in rigorous physical and classroom state commission-mandated topics and methods of instruction.

Nash Community College Veterinary Medical Technology students participated in the "Puppy Bowl" bowling fundraiser for the Wilson County Humane Society on June 14. NCC Vet Tech students work with foster animals from the Wilson County Humane Society and other organizations to learn concepts and procedures related to physical exams, checking for parasites, basic grooming, anesthesia, assisting with surgical procedures such as spays and neuters, and more.

The Twin Counties CrimeStoppers board and law enforcement agencies in Nash and Edgecombe Counties have a long-standing partnership for over 20 years.
After a pause in activity due to the Covid pandemic, the Twin Counties CrimeStoppers board is working to resume regular meetings and enhance programs to fit the needs of the agencies in the Twin County communites.

Eric Travis Proctor and Katie Jean Proctor to Robin Latham; Sherwood Hills, Block D, Lot 9
Judith Thompson Scull and David Scull to Judith Scull, Judith Scull Trust Under Will, David Scull, Susan Scull Grine and Elizabeth Scull Baker; 14 acres, 78.2 acres, 14.5 acres and 32 acres

Girl Scout Troop #611 saved cookie profits over the past few cookie seasons to fund a trip to Williamsburg, VA. Members stayed at the Girl Scout Colonial Coast Camp Skimino in Williamsburg and experienced some amazing adventures.
The girls designed their troop trip shirts to look like a tour since they were going to so many places.

Building Permit
Commercial
Bill Klimvakis, 9475 Main St; addition; $9,000
Keith Price, 1005 E. Washington St; detached accessory; $7,000

A lot is going on in the news these days.
Federal mandates regarding abortion were lifted and law making was returned to state legislatures and not the courts -- legally, this is how it should be. Lawmakers are supposed to make laws, not courts.

A couple of weeks ago, the majority of Momeyer's town board voted to deny changing its zoning which would allow a food pantry to locate in the former location of Bass Brothers IGA which closed its doors after 116 years.
This particular food pantry, A Touch of the Father's Love Ministry and Food Bank, is highly respected by many local churches, nonprofits, municipalities and area leaders.

Dear Editor: I don't get the point of the Soapbox column, "Maybe we are pledging allegiance to the wrong thing."
How's that again?
Of course Americans pledge allegiance to the flag. It's the symbol of the country. That flag goes before U.S. troops venturing into harm's way.

This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on July 26, 1979. Cliff Joyner, of Joyner's Red and White in Nashville, congratulates Nancy Sherrod of Nashville, on being the winner in a weekly money drawing at the store. The store was also celebrating its 23rd anniversary and its six-month anniversary at its new facility which today houses Harold D. Cooley Library.