A former Nashville resident has been named as the new President/CEO of Carolinas Gateway Partnership.
The Carolinas Gateway Partnership's Board of Directors named Robert B. Pike (Bob) as its new President/CEO, effective September 1, 2023. Pike succeeds E. Norris Tolson, who has led the Partnership for the past seven years. Tolson will remain with the organization for an interim period as he assists with the transitioning of leadership and the overseeing of special ongoing projects.

HILLIARD

A small band of Nash County residents continue to call for the firing of top social workers in the aftermath of a child's death earlier this year.
Castalia resident Laura Bartholomew is circulating a petition with 133 signatures calling for the firing of Nash County Department of Social Services Director Amy Pridgen-Hamlett, Deputy Director Shea Neal and Program Administrator Kimberly Nicholson.

Red Oak Mayor Levell Langley signs a commemorative hard hat at the grand opening of the new Red Oak Elementary School.

Something never seen before has been planted and is growing in Red Oak: an entirely new educational culture at the new Red Oak Elementary School. A ribbon-cutting to celebrate its grand opening was held at the school Tuesday afternoon, with a packed media center full of faculty, staff, community members, parents and students.
After more than two years of construction, the squeaky-clean 102,000 square foot building that houses Red Oak Elementary is complete and ready for Open House August 24th from 11-1 and 4-6 p.m, to be followed by the first day of school August 28.

An employee of a local propane company died Monday when a tank exploded on a customer's tobacco farm.
Francis Earl Johnson Jr., 25, of Louisburg, worked as a delivery truck driver for L. H. Dickens & Son, a Franklin County based low pressure gas supplier.
At approximately 11 a.m. Johnson was at a property located at 16628 Red Bud Road in Castalia, said Chief Deputy Allen Wilson with the Nash County Sheriff's Office.

Volunteers at the Nash County and Southern Nash Senior Centers have served over 14,000 meals to 57 clients over the past year through the Meals on Wheels program. Those volunteers, along with others who help with senior center programming, were recognized last week at the senior center's Volunteer Appreciation Social.
The theme for this year's event was "volunteers plant seeds that grow forever."

Nash County Public Schools (NCPS) will host a Job Fair Friday, Aug. 25, providing an opportunity for job seekers to explore career prospects within the educational community of Nash County.
The school system has 67 job openings including 27 teacher positions, 23 teacher assistant positions and 11 bus driver positions.

A Nashville resident wants the town to consider establishing an ordinance that will better protect historic homes in town.
Ana Joyner, a local realtor and long-time Nashville resident, spoke before Nashville's Town Council last week and expressed concern over a historic home she heard was being torn down.
Joyner said she was told that the home, at 111 South Hilliard Street, was going to be torn down to make room for a parking lot.

A smoother ride is coming to a 10-mile stretch of U.S. 64 in Nash County.
The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $14.4 million contract to Wilson-based S.T. Wooten Corp. to perform pavement rehabilitation along the highway between Exits 453 and 463, said NCDOT spokesperson Andrew Barksdale.

The Nash-Rocky Mount Rotary Club presents donations to the Boys and Girls Club of Nash and Edgecombe Counties. Pictured, left to right, are Margaret Claytor, past president; Amy Roupp; Shawn Lucas, president; Lank Dunton, treasurer; Durell Petway; Josh Ruiz; Margaret Sharpe, past president; Anthony Engrassia, past president (secretary).

An armed robbery was reported on 8/18/23 at 100 N Boddie Street, Nashville
Six counts of possession of drug paraphernalia (not marijuana), felony maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/place for a controlled substance, firearm by a felon and possession was reported on 8/15/23 at 10157 W NC 97, Middlesex

Here's a question for your Sunday School class. Ask your classmates how many of the seven deadly sins they can name. Just in case you don't know, they are pride (vanity), envy, gluttony, lust, anger, covetousness, and sloth.
One of these sins is described as an abomination to God. Do you know which one? I remember it from years ago in an exchange I had with my son.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). This is a passage that is used often but I'm not sure it means what we may think. In Romans chapter three, the apostle Paul says all (both Jews and Greeks) are all under sin. Listen to these words, "There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.

The Baptist Men enjoyed their monthly breakfast meeting on Sunday, August 20.
The Nell Boone Sunday School Class at Red Oak Baptist Church recently made donations of items to 2 organizations. The class was made aware of a need by UNC Health Nash Foundation's POP, Patient Onboarding Program. The program's goal is to make a more engaging and welcoming experience for patients and caregivers.

Harold D. Cooley Library will host storytime each Thursday morning from 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. for ages 2-5. There will be no storytime on 8/31/23. The library is located at 114 W. Church St., Nashville.

Line dance classes will be held Wednesdays 2-3 p.m. at Town of Nashville Parks & Recreation Department, 108 S. Boddie Street, Nashville. Learn to line dance to popular songs in this beginner-friendly class. Four week class session, $10. Nashville town residents, $15. Nonresidents. For more information call the Town of Nashville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department at 252-459-9796.

Seeking participants! High School Equivalency classes and Technology Lab (keyboarding, document preparation, internet, email, and social media) are being offered at Spaulding Family Resource Center, Inc. in collaboration with Nash Community College. Contact Nash Community College (252) 451-8215 or Spaulding Family Resource Center, Inc. (252) 303-0541 for more information.

PARKER

The C.C. Spaulding Alumni Association 49th annual reunion will include three days of events.
A fish fry will be held on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. and a Family And Friends day on September 3 at 3 p.m. Both events will be held on the Spaulding campus in Spring Hope.
A banquet and dance will be held on Sept. 2 from 5-10 p.m. at the O.D. Moore Building, 814 S. Alston St., Nashville.

Lonnie Marcell Giles and Victoria Charlotte Giles to Lonnie Marcell Giles and Victoria Charlotte Giles; Bradford Place, Section 1, Block G, Lot 39
WJH, LLC to Elisendo Campos; 9101 Shallow Creek Trail, Bailey; $260,000
231 Homes, LLC to Jennifer Garris; 111 North Hilliard Street, Nashville; $182,000

BUILDING PERMIT
(COMMERCIAL)
Glenn Strickland; 115 W Nashville Drive; miscellaneous; $1,000
Alonzo West; 15415 Avent Road; renovation/alteration; $9,000

It's nearly that time of year when volunteers clean up other people's mess.
Every spring and fall, state transportation officials ask volunteers across the state to help remove litter from the roadside.
"North Carolina's beauty spans from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Outer Banks and safeguarding its litter-free charm is a collective effort," said David Harris, the state's Roadside Environmental engineer.

PITTIE? Came across a photo in my Facebook memories, of a dog that was said to be a pittie at the shelter. When they did a DNA test, she was mostly Labrador and English Springer Spaniel. Who would have thought? Actually, we aren't surprised as that happens a lot. If a dog doesn't have upright ears, like a collie or lots of fur or long ears like a hound.... guess what... Shelters classify them as pit mixes.

The sense of dread settled in on me last Thursday.
That's because on Friday, we moved our middle child into his college dorm room.
I should have been mentally prepared. We went through this with his older sister five years ago.
I was fine during her last couple of months as a high school senior, simply a proud dad at graduation, then excited for her immediate future.

If you've kept up with the last several months of happenings through my column, you know it's been somewhat of a roller coaster ride around here. It seems the ride has taken yet another turn but hopefully we're coming back around to the final curve headed back into the gate!
Life happens and no matter how much you think you're prepared, those curve balls can catch you off guard.
Lindell Kay came on board with us last October as a part-time reporter.

This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on June 2, 1983. Ninth grade MVP winners were recognized at Nash Central Junior High school.