An easy to miss rusty gate is all that remains visible along Red Oak Battleboro Road of an old garbage dump that's been leaking poisons into groundwater for decades.
From deep in the woods where the ground bubbles with contaminated water, the voices of children can be heard playing sports and having fun at Ennis Park. A middle school sits across the street and several subdivisions have sprouted around the immediate area in recent years.

Nashville's head librarian has been accused of taking money from the till.
Amanda Marie Yetter, 38, of Zebulon, faces a charge of embezzlement. She's accused of taking an undisclosed amount of money in March from Harold D. Cooley Library, where she's been director for a year.

THAT'S COUNTRY! - National Country Music Artist Tyler Farr will headline the festival on Saturday, May 13 at 8 p.m.. Contributed photo

The Nashville Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its annual Blooming Festival which will be held in downtown Nashville this weekend.
National country music artist Tyler Farr will headline the event along with a full menu of talent all weekend.
Nash Arts will offer a free kick-off concert Thursday night, May 11th, starting at 7 p.m. featuring Mac Arnold and Full Plate O' Blues.

Nashville's assistant fire chief has been named the North Carolina American Legion Firefighter of the Year.
Assistant Fire Chief Jason Edwards was nominated by Nashville's American Legion Post 110. Edwards will be formally recognized in June at the American Legion Department of North Carolina Annual Convention.

Pickleball is growing in popularity and Nashville players want more courts to compete on.
Area pickleballers showed up to Nashville's Town Council meeting last week requesting the town consider purchasing courts in the Birchwood area.
Maureen Willis Peacock, who lives on Birchwood Drive, said Nashville is growing and so is the excitement over pickleball.

The Town of Nashville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department is partnering up with a local 4-H Club for its next free movie night.
The town, along with the Feathers and Furs 4-H Club will, will show the movie "Racing Stripes" on Saturday, May 20 at the Nash County Agricultural Center. Prior to the movie, there will be a time to meet two different breeds of horses and learn about equine care. The event is sponsored by Providence Bank.

Nash County's top social worker warned of staffing shortages nearly a year before a girl died in a home under investigation for child abuse.
Required by the state, local social workers are taking steps to improve child services by reducing caseloads after the homicide of 8-year-old Christal Lane at her Nashville home in February. School officials alerted social workers to alleged abuse in December, but the girl wasn't removed from the home of her grandmother.

Nashville's Town Council recently adopted an ordinance to address panhandling in town limits.
The ordinance requires those begging for money in intersections or anywhere else in town to require a permit in order to do so.
Town Attorney Francis P. Rasberry Jr., of Cauley Pridgen, told council members the town could not prohibit panhandling completely.

The Red Oak Town Council has dismissed a nuisance complaint, calling it more of a situation of bickering neighbors.
Town staff received a complaint of a home on Moore Road, reportedly a nuisance to the neighborhood.
"Toys, work tools, bikes laying in the driveway and on the yard which keeps yard from being mowed for both back and front yard. Looks like trash scattered everywhere," the complainant stated on a Nuisance Complaint Form.

Nash Community College officials are asking the county for a 7.5 percent salary hike over the next two fiscal years.
The request was made during a joint meeting of the Nash County Board of Commissioners,
NCC representatives and the Nash County Board of Education. They met Monday at the Agriculture Center in Nashville where officials with the college and public schools made budget presentations.

Local and federal authorities have arrested six suspects on warrants for firearms violations and drug trafficking crimes in Nash County.
"After several months of investigations, the Nash County Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives presented each case to a federal grand jury who returned an indictment for their arrest," said Sheriff's Maj. Eddie Moore.

Nash County is among 31 North Carolina counties who will receive help for low-income households in need of rehabilitation and accessibility modifications, thanks to $11 million from the NC Housing Finance Agency's Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool (ESFRLP).
The ESFRLP finances major home rehabilitation and modifications for households with incomes below 80% of their area's median income.

Two counts of first degree arson and damage to real property were reported on 5/2/23 at 100 N Boddie Street
A breaking and entering an auto, larceny from an auto was reported on 4/30/23 at 11446 Red Bud Road, Castalia
Three counts of altering, destroying and stealing evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia (not marijuana) and possession of heroin was reported on 5/2/23 at 1493 N Wesleyan Boulevard, Rocky Mount

INCIDENTS
A driving while intoxicated was reported on 4/30/23 at E Cross Street and S. First Street
A failure to maintain lane control and driving while intoxicated was reported on 5/2/23 at First Street Extension and Red Oak Road

Bryleigh Colbert, at left, was the recipient of the Albert Batchelor Family Swine Showmanship Award. Pictured presenting the award is Brian Batchelor, at right. Contributed photo

Area youth had a chance to showcase their hard work at the 86th Annual Eastern Carolina 4-H Livestock Show and Sale, which was held April 4 and 5.
Nash County Cooperative Extension Director and 4-H Agent Sandy Hall said Nash County youth represented Nash County well with their participation in this year's event.
COVID has caused a decrease in participation but Hall said numbers are starting to get better, which is encouraging to see.

One of our rescue partners, Purr Partners Feline Rescue says it so well: "Did you know that kittens can become sexually mature at only 4 months old? That means that with a gestational period of about 9 weeks a cat can give birth by 6 months. The health and physical risks alone to the pregnant kitten are too scary to think of, not to mention the fact that a kitten does not have the proper mental capacity to raise kittens herself.

Oldest Coopers School graduates attending the Alumni Association Banquet (left to right) were Carlton Cockrell, class of 1950, and Dot Parrish, class of 1951. Contributed photo

The 89th annual banquet of the Coopers High School alumni Association was held Saturday, April 22 at the Coopers School gymnasium.
A social was held at 4 p.m. President Al Joyner welcomed 150 members and guests at the opening of the meeting at 4:30 p.m. The principal of Coopers School, Michelle Griffin, also welcomed everyone back to the school.
The oldest graduates present were Carlton Cockrell, Class of 1950, and Dorothy Parrish, Class of 1951. All veterans were recognized.

With the theme "A Vision of the Future: Believing in the Beauty of Dreams!" the Rocky Mount Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. (RMAC) presented its 42nd Jabberwock Scholarship Program on April 23, 2023, at Keihin Auditorium located on the campus of Edgecombe Community College in Tarboro.
The Jabberwock Scholarship Program is held biennially for high school junior and senior young ladies.

SIXTH GRADE - A HONOR ROLL
Lukas Ballance, Mia Ballance, Addison Bartley, Avery Bass, Nathan Batten, Amelia Boykin, William Brantley, Julian Cano, Zoe Comerford, Cameron Deans, Isabel Eigner, Jonathan Guzman-Aguilera, Elisabeth Hacker, Samuel Hardy, Grace Leake, Landon Liles, Kameron Price, Brooklyn Rice, Karen Salazar Alfaro, Rayven Sanford, Dakota Sawrey and Nate Seward

FEDERAL - STATE MARKET NEWS SERVICE, DIVISION OF MARKETING - NCDA&CS
North Carolina's egg prices were lower on all sizes when compared to last week. Supplies are moderate to meet a fair demand. The North Carolina weighted average price quoted Thursday, May 4, for small lot sales of delivered, cartoned, grade "A" eggs was 131.14 for Extra Large, 118.25 for Large, 103.55 for Medium, and 69.00 for Small eggs.

In celebration of National Pollinator Week vist the Nash County Arboretum at the Nash County Agricutlure Center for an enlightening morning of presentations.
Learn about saving the precious Monarchs, attracting butterflies to your yard, beekeeping and the opportunity to tour the beautiful Nash County Arboretum Pollinator Garden plus all the other gardens.

"When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son, and to the disciple, Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:26-27)
My mother died when I was the tender age of seven. It was a very traumatic time for me. However, God had already made sure that someone would be around to step in and give me the mother's love that I so desperately needed.

Did you know we have something to celebrate? If you pay attention to the deterioration of our nation and world, it can become overwhelming. Satan loves to discourage, especially those who love the Lord and place their trust solely in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend upon your own understanding. In all you do, seek His will, and He will show you the path to take."

Several new members were baptized on Sunday, May 7 at Red Oak Baptist Church! Those baptized included Caroline May (who was baptized by her father, Chris May, who is ordained); Aaron and Savannah Dunn; and Michael Jones. Congratulations!
A very happy 90th birthday to Barbara Sue Edwards! A birthday celebration was held on Sunday, May 7 at Red Oak Baptist Church Family Life Center. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were there with her as well as many family members and friends.

Southern Nash High School has announced its list of honor roll students for the third nine weeks.

Nash Central High School has announced its list of honor roll students for the third nine weeks.

Rocky Mount High School has announced its list of honor roll students for the third nine weeks.

Carolyn H. Fortenbery, Gregory Wayne Fortenbery, Janet Fortenbery, Jay Handsel Fortenbery, Melissa B. Fortenbery, Dana Fortenbery Nethercutt and Barry Nethercutt to Jay Handsel Fortenbery, Melissa B. Fortenbery, Carolyn H. Fortenbery, Gregory Wayne Fortenbery, Janet Fortenbery, Dana Fortenbery Nethercutt and Barry Nethercutt; 2686 Reges Store Road, Nashville

BUILDING PERMIT (COMMERCIAL)
Michael Tant; 10694 N NC 58; new construction; $35,000
Tony Stewart; 2412 Whitley Wilder Loop Road; renovation/alteration; $16,100
Luke Vinciguerra; 9086 NC 48; renovation/alteration; $24,000

My son got in the car a few weeks ago and while we long ago dispensed with "how was your day?," his opening question threw me a little.
"Hey, what do you know about Karl Marx?"
We went from there to Lowell telling me he was entering politics. He threw his hat in the ring for SGA president at his school and put together a campaign team. He included a Sun Tzu quote in his stump speech, which by all accounts stirred passions.

It's here! This weekend marks the 25th Nashville Blooming Festival organized by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce. It's crazy how fast 25 years flew by! Actually it would have been the 27th year had it not been for the pandemic.
Most folks don't know there are only a handful of folks who work tirelessly to pull the event off. Tons of work has to be done well ahead of the event. Much of the planning begins as early as August for the next year's event.

This photo originally published on June 18, 1970 in The Nashville Graphic. Pictured are new Lions officers who were installed at Birchwood Country Club during a program.