A 72-year-old Sandy Cross grandmother accused of murdering and abusing one of her grandchildren in February will be returning to court in March, possibly to face the death penalty.
Patricia Ann Ricks of 5073 Dutchman Road, Nashville, is charged with first degree murder and felony child abuse inflicting serious injury in the case of 8-year-old Christal Neveah Lane, who was pronounced dead on arrival at Nash UNC Health Care Hospital on Feb. 2, 2023.

A Nash County Sheriff's Office Deputy receives a big hug upon arrival Saturday at one of the locations NCSO delivered food, toys and supplies.

NASH COUNTY - A cavalcade of 18 cruisers, trucks and cars wound their way from Nashville to Sharpsburg Dec. 22 with sirens and lights ablaze on route to the first stop of the annual Sheriff's Christmas, a giving event whereby the Nash County Sheriff's Office delivers food, toys or supplies to selected families and the elderly.
"NCSO has been doing this since Sheriff Stone came into office, with the first year being 2015," said Sgt. Macie Hasty of the NCSO Investigations Division.

RED OAK - Red Oak resident Wayne Tamberelli, a PA at Nashville's PrimaryCare Urgent Care, used to write poetry when he was twelve, but never realized that a novel would be in his future. But it was, and it is: The Lady In the Window was just released Dec. 1.
Tamberelli, an upstate New York native who moved to North Carolina in 1977, said he had written on and off in the past, including filling a manila folder with poems and limericks while in middle school...

Nashville's police and fire departments continued their holiday tradition of taking local kids shopping. Pictured above, Nathan Kawaykla, 5, shops with Nashville Police Lt. C. Shockley.

NASHVILLE - The Town of Nashville has a new human resources director, after having been without one for several months.
Trey Sanderson of Rocky Mount, Pastor at Nashville's Rise Church, was hired Dec. 18 to fill the vacancy left when former HR Director Matt Joyner was fired in October after a September suspension over a personnel issue.

Castalia is now home to an Alpaca farm.

CASTALIA - What do a DOT worker, a commercial insurance account manager and a skilled crafter have in common? The answer is a new Alpaca farm in Castalia.
Chris and Lauren Sullivan, along with Lauren's mother, Kim Gupton Stewart, collaborated to create and operate Hardly Farm LLC, located at 605 Mount Hebron Road, Castalia. The farm, which is technically in Wood, straddles the Nash and Franklin County line.

Nash County has changed its sick leave policy as an incentive for new hires, but existing employees may also benefit.
Effective immediately, new hires to Nash County coming from other local or state government jobs can carry over their entire sick leave balance, with the caveat that they cannot use the transferred balance until completion of a nine-month probationary period.

As planning finalizes for the New Year's Eve Egg Drop with Braswell Family Farms in Nashville Dec. 31, the giant egg to be dropped is being fabricated at Edwards Inc. in Spring Hope.
The 8-foot egg will be slowly lowered by an Edwards crane after a countdown at 7 p.m. as part of the event, which begins hours early at 4 p.m. at the Nashville Junction. Fireworks engineered by the Class A Fireworks company will take place immediately after the egg drop in an adjacent field.

Dozens, maybe hundreds, of kids in Nashville got a chance to see Santa one more time before the big night! Santa, with the help of the Nashville Police Department, Nashville Fire Department and Nashville Parks and Recreation cruised the town last week in a fire truck to greet kids in various areas giving out candy and taking those last minute requests.

Possession of stolen vehicles reported at 10159 Liles Rd, Bailey on 12/2023
Motor vehicle theft reported at 11031 Old Middlesex Rd, Middlesex on 12/19/23
Motor vehicle theft-all other vehicles reported at 11740 Old US 64, Spring Hope on 12/19/23

On January 1st , your test will arrive. I say test because there is a high degree of probability that between now and then, you will tell your spouse, child, or perhaps a friend about your New Year's resolutions. The question is when January arrives, are you going to abandon them like you abandoned the ones you made last year, and the year before that??
I know how you feel. I've made a lot of New Year's resolutions that I failed to keep, too.

Assyria was quickly becoming the world's superpower. Its conquering armies threatened all of the ancient Near East. However, Assyria's growing power was not the result of political skill, military dominance, or economic strength. It was divine intervention. The Lord raised up Assyria to execute judgment on his unrepentant people. Resin of Syria and Pekah of Israel sought to establish a treaty with Ahaz of Judah, hoping their coalition of nations would stave off the armies of Assyria. Ahaz refused to participate. So Pekah and Resin turned against Ahaz.

Garrett Collins, a Freshman Business Administration major from Nashville, was among approximately 800 Bob Jones University students named to the Fall 2023 Dean's List. The Dean's List recognizes students who earn a 3.00-3.74 grade point average during the semester.

Nashville Mayor Brenda Brown (center) spoke to the Rotary Club of Rocky Mount at Benvenue Country Club in November. Rotarian Pam Gould (left) introduced the Mayor and Past President Brenda Shaw (right) presided. Mayor Brown shared information about progress in Nashville and anticipated needs for the community. Judge Will Solomon led the group in the 4- Way test and Pam Ballew led the group in the Pledge to the American Flag.

2008 Ruritan National President Wayne Outlaw, second from right, recently installed 2024 leaders for the Benvenue Ruritan Club from left to right Donnie Perry, serving as vice president and secretary; Fran Bunn, serving as president and treasurer; and Director Billy O'Keefe. Leon Huff also serves as a Director in the club.

The Nash-Rocky Mount Rotary Club delivered 60 Thanksgiving baskets providing needy families in the Rocky Mount and Nashville area a Thanksgiving dinner.

Betty Perry Andrews to Crystal Lachelle Jones; Green Heights, Block 16, Lot 12
Luis A. Torres Antonetti and Evelyne Rivera to Michael James Garcia and Denise Marie Garcia; Morganshire, Section 5, Lot 28; $540,000
Beatrice McNeil, Charlie McNeil and Beatrice D. McNeil to DSV Legacy Estates, LLC; Lot 5, Property of Elma S. Farmer; $110,000

Building Permit Commercial
Edward Stancil, 8121 E N 97; sign; $2,500
Jovana Lazic/Agent for Tower Engineering Professionals, Inc., 5208 W. Mount Dr; renovation/alteration; $15,000
Brittany Beam, 2912 E NC 97; renovation/alteration; $15,000

Twas the night after Christmas, when all through our place,
It looked like a tornado had hit our space ...
The stockings were hanging from the ceiling fan without a care,
It was obvious that three children hepped up on sugar lived there.

I was warned long ago how big of a thief time is once you hit a certain stage in life -- and boy were they right!
It's crazy to think that this very day last year I had been transported to Rex Hospital due to complications from COVID-19. It truly seems like it just happened a couple weeks ago, not an entire year ago.
When pulling out a new planner for 2024 I couldn't help but think of how many really big things happened this year -- yet it seemed like such a short year.

Johnnie Brannan, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Brannan, bursts into 1968 with a broad grin of anticipation.

Nash County will offer training for Extension Master Gardener Volunteers beginning on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 through Tuesday, June 4th, 2024.
Classes will meet weekly on Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Nash County Agriculture Center.
During the course, participants will learn more about soils, fertilizer, pruning, propagation, and many other horticultural concepts, as well as learning how to diagnose insect and pest problems and make informed pest management decisions based on integrated pest management principles.