JOYNER

Two Nashville Town officials have been suspended but there remains a dearth of information in contrast to a multitude of questions.
Police Chief John Winstead and Human Resource Director Matt Joyner were both suspended as of Sept. 27, 2023, according to Town Manager Randy Lansing.
Lansing told The Graphic that both suspensions were "non-disciplinary," that Winstead and Joyner are currently suspended with pay, and that "there is no criminal investigation of either, nor of anyone else in the Nashville Police Department."

Nashville Police have released the name of the shooting victim from an incident Sept. 30 with shots fired in the area of S. Alston Street near the intersection of Church Street, and additional details about the case.
A news release issued Wednesday from the Nashville Police Department states that 20-year-old Tyshawn Devonte Shamare Williams of 209 E. Sixth Street, Nashville, was found deceased near his home from an "apparent gunshot wound to the upper extremity" while an unnamed juvenile at Williams' home location was observed "fleeing the location on foot."

The Local Government Commission (LGC) has approved Nashville's request for a loan to build Fire Station 2.
Town Manager Randy Lansing announced the good news last week at the end of town council's regular meeting, which was moved to Thursday because of last Tuesday's LGC meeting.

Local businesses are encouraged to join the downtown scarecrow fun for Oct. 27th.

Nashville Parks and Recreation is putting an "all call" for Scarecrows to be built for display at or near businesses along West Washington Street during Downtown Trick or Treat Oct. 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Assistant Parks and Rec Director Ashley Hamlet joined creative forces with Melody Pridgen, Library Assistant at the Harold D. Cooley Library Oct. 5 to construct the "Hayfield Family," consisting of "Roy", his wife "Violet" and their daughter, "Hayley."

Nashville's Town Council has nixed the idea of creating social districts in the downtown area.
Council members unanimously voted last week against the idea first proposed by the Downtown Strong Advisory Board in August. Council chambers were full of citizens ready to express their opposition to the idea of creating social districts in Nashville. Around a dozen citizens did speak out against the idea, while three others spoke in favor.

Despite cloudy skies and drizzling rain, the sun came out just in time for the 50th Spring Hope Pumpkin Festival and the the parade. Pictured above, Southern Nash Middle School Cobras Cheerleaders ride in the parade.

The Town of Castalia is looking for a few good men, or women who want to help the town grow, both economically and socially.
The Town Board discussed vacancies in two committees, Economic Development and the 4th of July Committee, at its Oct. 3 meeting. Present were Mayor James Alston, Clerk Suzie Haughwot, and Board members Sadie Atkinson and Sylvia Mann. Mayor Pro-Tem Brian Hinkle and Board member Jessica Bradshaw were absent. One board position is vacant.

An hour-long presentation Monday night by Nash County Public Schools' officials to Nash County Commissioners at Nash Community College focused partly on the upcoming demerger with Edgecombe County Schools as well as updates on school safety, academic gains and ongoing projects for the district.
The two Nash County agencies will meet with their counterparts in Edgecombe County next Monday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at the Rocky Mount Event Center in anticipation of signing off on NCPS's Plan of Transfer, which is due in to the State Nov. 15.

The Nashville NC Running Festival, presented by Global Tax Management to be held for its second year on Saturday, Oct. 28, is adding two new distances, one of which is 26.2 miles or a "full marathon." This will be the first full marathon ever held in the area and is a Boston Marathon Qualifier.
Race Director Travis Hedgepeth said the other new distance added is a One Mile race, which is open to anyone but will be free to any runner aged 14 and under.

Two mayoral candidates for the Town of Nashville and four town council candidates were put in the "hot seat" Tuesday during the Nashville Town Council Candidate Forum presented by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and held at 7 p.m. at the Town Council Chambers adjacent to the Harold D. Cooley Library.
Current Mayor Brenda Brown, elected in 2019, is running for re-election as she squares off against former Mayor Donald Street, who served as Mayor from 2007 to 2019.

An estimated 850 cyclists came rolling through Nash County Oct. 5 during the annual Cycle NC Mountains To Coast Tour, with stops in Castalia and Red Oak.
Riding 60 to 70 miles per day, most of the group registered for the whole trip, beginning Oct. 4 in Banner Elk, NC, and ending in Emerald Isle Oct. 7. Overnight stays were planned in Wilkesboro, Winston-Salem, Mebane, Henderson, Tarboro and Kinston.

A toy drive to benefit local children in need has donation boxes going out this week and a first-ever auction this Saturday to raise money for the purchase of toys for Christmas.
Joshua's 14th Annual Toy Drive, named for and started by Joshua Moore of Battleboro, started from the love in a little boy's heart and has grown into a regional drive with more than forty sponsors that puts new gifts under the tree for 500+ needy children in Nash and Edgecombe Counties.

Nashville's Town Council denied a rezoning request which would allow a retail operation at Brake and South First Street.
The request was to rezone around .36 acres from R-10 to B-1 to allow the property to be used as a retail operation. The request was made by Arun Dutta, who has a Rolesville address.

The season closer for the Nashville Farmers' Market is tomorrow, Oct. 13, and organizers are pulling out the stops to make it a great entrance for Fall.
Parks and Rec Director Koy Worrell said that while the Market will operate during its normal hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., special activities for families and children will enhance market offerings of fall produce.

How Long Did The Sermon On The Mount Really Last? "Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them." (Matthew 5:1-2)
Most Christians don't realize that Jesus' Sermon on the Mount actually lasted for several days. That's because many of us only associate the Beatitudes with the Sermon of the Mount.

A Praying Church does not finally trust in good plans, gifted people, correct theology, hard work or busyness, but on God alone. Allow me to share some things about a praying church.
• Comes to God our Father in prayer through the atoning sacrifice of Christ our mediator and high priest, prompted and taught by the Holy Spirit and his Bible, and lives as it prays.

Red Oak Baptist Church had their Operation Christmas Child kick-off on Sunday, October 8. Samaritan's Purse has delivered millions of gift-filled boxes to children around the world since 1993! The church will be collecting filled shoeboxes through Sunday, November 12. Their goal is 400 boxes - 400 children reached with the gospel of Jesus.
Welcome to Mel Kelly who joined the Red Oak Baptist Church family!

Rocky Mount
10/18/2023: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Honeywell Corporation, 3475 Wesleyan Blvd
10/20/2023: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Englewood Presbyterian Church, 100 South Englewood Drive

Firearm by felon reported at 10272 Griffin Farm Rd., Whitakers on 10/3/23
Missing persons reported at 10763 Beaver Dam Rd., Middlesex on 10/7/23
Obtain Property by false pretense reported at 130 N Old Carriage Rd., Rocky Mount on 10/6/23

Cats get the short stick in Nash. The majority of animals euthanized at the Nash Shelter is cats. The reason is owners who don't spay/neuter their pets and/or let them run loose outside. The reason is trapping cats and not spaying/neutering them but sending them to the Shelter. There, unless it is very obvious that a domestic cat has been captured, they are assumed feral and are killed.

Damage to state or local government property; resisting arrest/hinder and delay; assault/strangulation reported at 105 Nashville Commons Dr. on 10/2/23
Obtain property by false pretense reported at 1022 Eastern Ave. on 10/3/23
Hit and run-misdemeanor, fail to stop reported at 120 W. Washington St. on 10/3/23

Building Permit Commercial
Martin Rodas, 9675 S NC 581; miscellaneous; $0.00
Travis Felts, 2035 A George Pace Rd; sign; $600
Shaun Joyner, 324 W. Washington St.; repair; $28,000

Dr. Amy Harrell, Dean of Research and Institutional Effectiveness, assumed her new role of Chief Academic Officer for Nash Community College on Oct 2.
"Dr. Harrell more than has the talent and skill to hit the ground running," said Dr. Lew K. Hunnicutt, president at NCC. "As a long tenured member of NCC, she has the institutional knowledge and drive to be highly successful."

Little Bear Creek Properties, LLC to Proutey Construction, LLC; Beaver Creek, Phase 5A, Lots 64, 65, 67-69; $254,000
Shelby Matthews, Brent Thomas Matthews, Sara Matthews, Melody M. Carter, Scott Carter, Patrick Matthews, Patrick N. Matthews, Anna Matthews, Timothy Brian Matthews, Angela Fox Matthews, Jamie Matthews Strickland, William Strickland, Michael Todd Matthews, Tracey Matthews, Darrell G. Matthews, Denise Matthews and Dale Webster to Victoria Schoenleber; property in Nashville

County governments and conservation nonprofit groups may apply for grant funding from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund for farmland preservation projects. Applicants have until Dec. 18 to apply.
"Investments in farmland preservation are more important than ever," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

Despite the lack of a full moon, there have been some crazy headlines in the last couple of weeks. One of the most interesting is the wedding where the officiant at accidentally shot his grandson just as the wedding was about to start.
You didn't read that wrong.
A 62-year-old Nebraska man who was officiating a wedding was trying to gather the guests and fired his 1860 pistol into the air.

As if things weren't crazy enough with shootings and pipe bombs recently, then comes word two of our town officials are on suspended leave.
Reported on page one today is the news that both Nashville Police Chief JT Winstead and Town of Nashville Human Resources Director Matthew Joyner have been placed on non-disciplinary leave.
Here's where things get messy in today's world.

This photo originally published on July 7, 1983 in The Nashville Graphic. The Lions won the regular season title in the Nashville National League with a 7-2 mark, one game ahead of second-place Ward Drug which won the tournament title.

FRANKLINTON -- Back in August, who would have thought that last Thursday's matchup between Franklinton and Northern Nash would be the Game of the Year in the Big East Conference volleyball standings?
Certainly, it was anticipated that Franklinton -- the defending Big East regular season and tournament title -- would once again be in the mix for league supremacy with a deep and skilled veteran lineup.

RED OAK -- One of the biggest boys soccer thrillers in the Big East Conference came last month, when Bunn rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat Northern Nash in a key league showdown.
The sequel came Monday at the NNHS Boys Soccer Complex, and the two defensive-minded teams put on an expected offensive show -- at least for the first half of action.

BUNN -- Southern Nash has enjoyed an embarrassment of riches at the running back position the past three decades, but members of the Firebirds' coaching staff wondered before the season if a player of that lofty caliber was on the roster in 2023 -- or if a rare by-committee approach would need to be utilized out of SN's legendary double-wing formation.

NASH COUNTY -- Transferring to another school mid-career can be a difficult, life-changing decision for a college student-athlete -- but it is a move that has paid off for Quinton Cooley.
Cooley, the legendary former football star at Southern Nash, played two years at Wake Forest University, where he made an impact, albeit in a by-committee situation.

RED OAK -- Nash Central has been one of the surprise teams in the area this season on the gridiron, riding into last Friday night's contest with a 6-1 record fresh off a win over Rocky Mount.
The Bulldogs had high hopes as they traveled across the bridge to crosstown rival Northern Nash, hoping to end the Knights' five-game win streak in the series.

WAKE FOREST -- The Big East Conference's girls golf squads returned to Brevofield Golf Links last Wednesday -- where the same all-season-long result awaited.
Southern Nash, coached by veteran skipper Scott Collie, has swept the team standings at every Big East event in 2023 -- and last Wednesday's 9-hole match was no different.

The Nash County Arts Council has a busy weekend coming up, hosting a water color painting workshop Saturday and an artists' exhibition Sunday.
The Arts Council, located at 120 W. Washington Street, is joining with a neighbor organization, the Wilson Active Artists' Association, to offer a group exhibit at Nash Arts Sunday, Oct. 15, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Admission to Sunday's reception is free, but artists' works will be available throughout the month of October for viewing some weekdays by appointment.

Pattie Davis, also known as "Bubbles," does face-painting on Grayson McMillan of Cary at the Spring Hope Pumpkin Festival.

Eliza and Kaitlyn Stocks of Nashville stop by the petting zoo at the Spring Hope Pumpkin Festival.

Katie Nichols of Sharpsburg, left, poses with Kensley Page, center, and Serenity Hill, right while waiting for the parade to begin.