A windfall of nearly ten thousand dollars will be pouring into Nash County's coffers specifically for use to combat the opioid epidemic, and county officials are beginning the planning process of how to spend it.
The money will be Nash County's share of $1.5 billion awarded to North Carolina over the next eighteen years, 85% of which is earmarked to go to local governments, while the remaining 15% will go to the state.

An exchange of gunfire at two locations in Nashville Saturday resulted in one person dead, another wounded, and a third in jail charged with four counts of attempted first degree murder.
The names of the deceased and an additional gunshot victim are not being released due to an ongoing investigation by the Nashville Police Department, but 18-year-old Khalil Tre'vonta Bursey of 14848 NC Highway 43, Whitakers, was arrested Oct. 1 on four counts of attempted first degree murder.

A homemade pipe bomb found by the side of a Nashville street Monday evening was safely detonated and Nashville Police are investigating to find out who might have put it there, and why.
Deputy Police Chief David Boykin told The Graphic that the initial call came in around 5:30 p.m. from an individual who lived in the neighborhood of S. Creek Drive and S. 1st street reporting what appeared to be a pipe bomb.

NCSO Major Miste Strickland presents Lt. William Murphy his weapon during his retirement ceremony. Graphic photo by Nancy West-Brake

A 30-year-veteran of the Nash County Sheriff's Office has retired, garnering not only multiple accolades from his department but a much-coveted gubernatorial award.
Lt. William Murphy was honored with a well-attended ceremony at the Nash County Courthouse Oct. 2, receiving a shadowbox of multiple badges and patches earned through different jobs in the Sheriff's Office as well as the Long Leaf Pine Award.

Plans for the demerger of Nash and Edgecombe County Schools are "99.9% done," according to Nash County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Ellis, with the next steps a presentation to the Nash County Board of Commissioners Oct. 9 and a joint meeting of the four boards planned Oct. 16.
"The numbers are in (the Plan of Transfer) now," Ellis told members of the Nash Board of Education at their Oct. 2 meeting. Ellis said the document would be presented to county commissioners next week.

A contested mayoral race and four people seeking town council positions will be featured in the upcoming Nashville Town Council Candidate Forum, to be held at 7 p.m. October 10 at the Nashville Town Council Chambers located at 114 W. Church Street.
The candidates are running for seats in the upcoming November election.
The public is invited to the event, which is presented by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Chamber President Cliff Joyner.

Nash County is short school bus drivers and multiple training obstacles are preventing drivers from getting behind the wheel. In addition, some current drivers are having to do as many as three routes and there is a serious lack of subs.
"When a driver is out, we don't have any one to call," said Michael Baier, Director of Transportation at a NCPS Committee meeting Sept. 25.
Baier opened with statistics comparing 2023 personnel to 2018.

Heavy rains carried by Tropical Storm Ophelia Sept. 23 proved to be too much for Nashville's lowest-lying manhole to contain, resulting in a discharge of untreated wastewater on that date near 802 South Creek Drive.
A notice posted on the Nashville Town website said that approximately 870 gallons flowed from the wastewater collection system, discharging into an unnamed tributary of the Peppermint Branch.

A grant-funded study of Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow through Nash and Edgecombe Counties shows that the vast majority of tractor-trailer and tanker trucks passing through are not marked with placards, despite the possibility that they could be carrying hazardous materials.
A lack of this kind of information in the event of an accident could prove deadly to first responders, who could be unwittingly be exposed.

The Town of Spring Hope is accepting applications now for a vacant seat on the Board of Commissioners, created by the September resignation of Tony Jeffreys.
Town officials had the option of filling Jeffreys' vacancy by appointment or leaving the seat empty until the next scheduled election, but voted Oct. 2 to begin a search for candidates.
Jeffreys, who was elected in November of 2021, submitted his letter of resignation to the town on Sept. 8.

A mystery company has been green-lighted to buy $4 million dollars' worth of land in the Middlesex Corporate Centre, with the expectation of bringing 87 new jobs with annual average wages of $78,000.
Andy Hagy, Nash County Economic Development Director, presented a public hearing request and basic details for "Project Snowball" to the Nash County Board of Commissioners Oct. 2, describing the action as a "sale of Nash County property by private negotiation pursuant to economic development."

A hefty grant of $100,000 has been awarded to Nash County for hardware, software and I-cloud storage to assist with an upgrade to Nash County's backup and recovery system.
The grant to the county's Data/Network center goes with $65,000 already budgeted for fiscal year 2024, making the total project cost $165,000.

Felony breaking and entering reported at 10015 Smith Rd., Middlesex on 9/28/23
Attempted murder reported at 100 N Boddie St. on 9/27/23
Two counts simple assault; damage to personal property reported at 11020 Kevin Lane, Wilson on 9/30/23

INCIDENTS
Misdemeanor larceny reported at 1205 Eastern Ave. on 9/28/23
Attempted first degree murder; second degree murder; possession/carry firearm by minor; discharge of a firearm within city limits reported at 209 Sixth Street on 9/30/23

The Nashville Chamber of Commerce held its annual fall social for members and guests last Thursday afternoon. Pictured above, chamber board member Diane Taylor (left) and board member Laura Bartholomew prepare the silent auction for bids. Graphic photo by Jo Anne Cooper

Are you a dog or a cat person? Are you so attached that you feel like they are a child to you? I've had several dogs that I felt like they were my immediate family. In particular Lucy was my heart dog for 18 years. You grieve when they pass and take offence when someone says you should get another. However, when we adopt another after the loss of a loved one, we aren't filling the hole in our heart, but expanding our heart with the love we still have and in honor of the love we had.

My pastor once used the above verse during a sermon. As soon as he started reading it, my mind drifted off to my years as a teenager. It reminded me of something my Granny once told me.
I loved to hear her tell a story. One day I noticed a wedding band on her finger and said, "What's that Granny? You aren't married?"
"Oh, yes I am", she replied, "more years than I care to count."

October is designated Pastor Appreciation Month and I'd like to share this excerpt of an article from Baptist Press.
If you're an active church member, you probably know that October is Pastor Appreciation Month. It's a time set aside each year for churches to show their pastors how much they love and appreciate them and their families. From the pastor's perspective, it's such a joy and encouragement to their soul whenever a church member writes a handwritten note of thanks or the preschool class makes a homemade sign or someone gives him a gift card to take his wife out to dinner at a nice restaurant.

Wednesday Morning Worship began on October 4 at 10:15 am at Red Oak Baptist Church. Worship is held in the dining room in the Family Life Center. Service features music and Bible study and everyone is welcome!
Women in Action will meet on Tuesday, October 10 at 6:30 pm at Red Oak Baptist Church in the room beside the kitchen in the main building. This is a great time of fellowship while also learning about and doing missions.

Middlesex
10/17/2023: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Stony Hill Free Will Baptist Church, 9649 Stony Hill church Road

Ricks Properties of North Carolina, LLC to Todd D. Williams and Robin S. Williams; property along Stony Creek Lane
Williams Builders of Rocky Mount, LLC to Julian Allen Clark Jr. and Christina Sally Clark; Section 2, River Bend Landing, Phase 1, Lot 9
WJH, LLC to Moez M. Ali and Haneen Moez Ali; 1182 Manor Drive, Rocky Mount; $316,000

Building Permit Commercial

Kali Hayes, 12360 E. Hanes Ave.; renovation/alteration; $10,000
Jordan Martin W/Vonor, 730 Smith St.; repair; $18,807.64

The Nash County Planning Board has added two new members in the past three months, and just appointed a third at the Sept. 6 Nash County Commissioners meeting.
Steven R. "Randy" Adcox of Dortches was unanimously appointed by the Board to his first term, having been approached by Commissioner Robbie Davis about the appointment, Adcox said.

Last month was a busy one for the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. They added 690 new words.
According to the venerable book's website, which dates back to 1847, "signs of a healthy language include words being created, words borrowed from other languages, and new meanings being given to existing words.
I'm old enough to remember how important it was to keep a big old dusty dictionary around to learn new words. I always felt smarter after using one.

As you can see after reading this week's edition, it's been a crazy week here in Nashville.
Never did I think I'd run stories on the front page of this newspaper of these type of happenings right here in little Nashville.
Unfortunately we are not alone in the head-scratching moments of wondering what is happening to our small town? Crime is sprouting up in many areas - even in once sleepy small towns which are now growing.

This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on July 7, 1983. Nashville Mayor Rex Paramore is shown presenting to Mrs. David D. Ghist, SR., a resolution from the Town Council praising the services to the town of her husband who died on June 19.