NASHVILLE - Sewer extension projects to connect homes on Essex Road and in Regency Estates with town systems are officially "on go," after council members approved contracts with Mack Gay and Associates.
Approval of the contracts, whose costs are covered either fully or mostly by two grants from NCDEQ, were given at the Feb. 6 Nashville Town Council meeting.

NASHVILLE - Partly in response to a state-mandated inventory of public water supply systems utilizing lead pipes, the town of Nashville is planning water line replacement downtown ahead of planned DOT work on W. Washington Street.
The Washington Street Water Service Line Replacement Project, already in process by public works personnel, has workers checking lead water service lines in the system.

Ember, Nash County Animal Control's new mascot, sits with Animal Control Officer Ben Davis. Contributed photo

NASHVILLE - Nash County Animal Control's newest employee has been sent to school, because she is too young to start working at her job.
"Ember", a nine-week old Husky puppy, was an 'owner surrender' Jan. 25 along with her brother but never made it into the kennels to be processed for potential adoption. Animal Control officer Ben Davis snatched her up forthwith.

CASTALIA - A developer is hoping to turn 160 acres of open land next to Castalia's park into a subdivision.
The property sits on Main Street, directly adjacent to the Castalia Community Park. A small portion of the 160-acre property sits in the town limits while the other 125 acres is considered to be out of the town limits.

ROCKY MOUNT - A heavily-revised student dress code policy for Nash County public school students has passed inspection by the US Dept of Education's Office for Civil Rights and been put into effect after the last school board meeting Feb. 5, held at the Rocky Mount High School.
The policy, last revised in October 2023, had to be submitted for federal approval after an OCR investigation into an incident at Nash Central High School in September of 2022.

Nash County Public Schools (NCPS) celebrated its district spelling bee at Word Tabernacle Church, with 31 students from 17 schools competing. After 13 rounds, 7th grader Paisley Jackson (above) from Nash Central Middle School emerged as the champion. Jackson will represent the district at the Carolina Panthers Regional Spelling Bee in Charlotte on March 17, 2024.

NASHVILLE - After 23 years, the Nash County Senior Center in Nashville is having space issues, with participation in their most popular programs restricted for lack of room.
Ashley Winstead, Senior Services Director, presented participant and program data to Nash County Commissioners Jan. 22, citing 1,243 current members at the Nashville site and 555 at the Southern Nash Senior Center in Bailey.

The Nashville Blooming Festival is seeking design entries for its 2024 event. The deadline to submit entries is Feb. 23.
The festival, organized by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, traditionally holds a contest for each year's t-shirt design. The contest is open to all Nash County residents, no age restriction.

Pictured above is incumbent Dan Cone

A packed house at the Nashville Elks Lodge was the scene Feb. 8 of the Nash GOP Candidates' Meet & Greet, with over one hundred and thirty in attendance.
A score of candidates had festively arrayed tables replete with signs, buttons, cups, stickers, shirts and promotional cards, but candidates moved freely through the crowd to visit.

Demo Tant is pictured beside a photo of his photography studio in Raleigh. He passed away on Feb. 11 at the age of 102.

MOMEYER - Momeyer, and surrounding areas, will say goodbye to a long-time legend this week. Nash County's oldest cowboy, Demo Hartsell Tant, passed away at the age of 102 Sunday, February 11, 2024.
Tant earned the name as the Momeyer Cowboy due to his musical talent and his many cowboy hats. During an interview with The Graphic in 2021, Tant said it was John Bass who gave him the nick-name.

A former church property in the Elm City area will be transforming into a trailer sales business after a conditional rezoning request was approved by Nash Commissioners.
Two lots totaling 7.09 acres at 9149 East NC-97, owned by the former Cornerstone Community Church, will be rezoned from the designated residential/agriculture area to a general commercial condition zone to accommodate "The Trailer Shop," which will be moving from its current location at 2440 N. Church Street, Rocky Mount.

RED OAK - Following state finalization of remediation plans for the Red Oak landfill, town officials are starting to wonder about the extent and costs of mandated maintenance.
NCDEQ released a fourteen-page report in January dictating remediation plan steps and goals, including clearance of trees, relocating toxic waste, grading in anticipation of cover system placement and amending topsoil to provide a growing medium for a sustainable vegetative cover.

A Wilson man is in jail after his arrest in Battleboro on four charges of sex crimes against children.
Jorge Martinez, of 5003 Upland Game Road, Wilson, is charged with two counts of the class B Felony, First Degree Statutory Sexual Offense involving two pre-pubescent children, and with two counts of the Class F Felony, Taking Indecent Liberties with children. The same children were reportedly involved in both charges.

INCIDENTS
DWLR not impaired rev; possession marijuana less than 1/2 ounce; open container after consuming; CCW (gun); expired registration card/tag reported at 100 East Evans Dr., Nashville on 2/7/24
Fail maintain lane control; DWI reported at E Washington St./S. First St., Nashville on 2/10/24

Larceny felony reported at 12959 S NC 231, Middlesex on 2/8/24
Larceny felony reported at 234 W. Washington St., Nashville on 2/5/24
DWI reported at 301/Mill Branch Rd., Sharpsburg on 2/5/24

It wasn't your usual scene at a Morehead City diner: a gaggle of thirteen women, giggling amidst the purple and green glitz of Mardi Gras finery with mask and headdress feathers blowing the in breeze. Meeting at the Banks Grill, the group was planning their conquest of a New Bern Mardi Gras parade February 10. Right in the middle of them was Carla Bissette of Spring Hope.
The name of the group? "Love The Hussies."

"Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." (James 3:10)
Robbie and I were recently watching the evening news. Our 6 year old grandson, Easton, was playing a video game on his iPad. A presidential candidate was answering questions. He used the word "hell". Easton put his iPad down immediately and said, "Do they not understand that children listen to the news, too"?

In the late 1800s, a small church in Mayfield County, Kentucky, had two deacons who hated each other. One Sunday, one of those deacons nailed a small wooden peg to the back wall for the pastor to hang his hat. When the other deacon saw the peg, he was outraged that he had not been consulted. An argument ensued, and the members took sides. The church split was called the Anti-Peg Baptist Church.

Meals on Wheels of Rocky Mount announced a recent grant received from the DeLeon Carter Foundation to support the Meals on Wheels Frozen Food Program. This program provides frozen meals to seniors in crisis situations and seniors on the Meals on Wheels waiting list. The grant will enable Meals on Wheels to provide over 1000 meals to these seniors in need.

Come see the Kingdom Heirs in concert at Red Oak Baptist Church on Saturday, Feb. 17! Doors open at 1 p.m. and concert begins at 2 pm in the Family Life Center. A love offering will be received.
The Baptist Men will have their monthly breakfast meeting on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 8:30 a.m.

Rum-Clarke Properties, LLC to Osman Mehuljic and Mirzeta Mehuljic; 1005 West Thomas Street, Rocky Mount; $85,000
POP Homes-RDU, LLC to Jessica Thorpe; 3780 Josiah Court, Nashville; $297,000
Marc L. Hagle and Sharon Hagle to the Marc and Sharon Hagle Charitable Operating Foundation, Marc Hagle, Sharon Hagle and Ed Moss; 1.62 acres

Curtis Dean, 4951 Debnam Rd., Zebulon; renovation/alteration; $16,000
Travis Temple, 4314 Massengale Rd., Whitakers; detached accessory; $31,629.88
Keith Price, 10667 W. Old Spring Hope Rd., Spring Hope; addition (covered); $41,250

Age: 38
Education:
Bachelor of Science in computer information systems, N.C. Wesleyan University

Age: 74
Education:
AAS Accounting and Business Administration

Age: 50
Prior elected offices:
Board member for Ferrell's Fire Department, Nash County Farmers Market Advisory Board Member, Deacon serving at Union Hope Baptist Church, Board member for NC Greenhouse Growers Association, Advisory Board Member for the Knightdale Academy of Environmental Studies

Age: 62
Education:
BS, James Madison University; MMAS, US Army Command and General Staff College; MS, Webster University.

Age: 49
Education:
B.S. Business and Technologies - East Carolina University. Dean's List & Cum Laude, A.A. Education; Pitt Community College, Phi Kappa Phi - Honor Society; Pettibon Institute - Spinal Biomechanics Technician

Age: 59
Education: AS/AA - Daytona Beach CC, BS - Florida State University, MS -University of Oklahoma, no prior elected offices, Aquatics Instructor- water aerobics/swimming, Lifeguard - Rocky Mount Senior Center.

I thought our last vacation required some complicated planning-- after all, it was to a foreign country (Florida). This trip is for five adults to Europe and as best I can tell, we will be the first family of five people to ever go.
This conclusion was drawn when I started looking for hotels. In the good old USA, we have all kinds of chains with suites and rooms that can have two queen beds or two doubles.

Mr. Demo Tant, 102, passed away Sunday. Mr. Tant, fondly known as The Momeyer Cowboy, was branded as such due to his huge inventory of cowboy hats and guitars.
Tant touted a long career in photography, owning a studio in Raleigh. In addition to his passion for photography, he loved music and was a gifted songwriter of many lyrics which most likely are tucked away in a plethora of books at his home.

This photo was originally published in The Nashville Graphic on July 13, 1967. New officer of the then newly-organized Philadelphia Ruritan Club were installed at the Philadelphia Community Clubhouse.

NASH CENTRAL\'S KAMIYA PARKER TACKS ON TWO MORE POINTS

ROCKY MOUNT -- Nash Central has two final steps to climb in order to sweep the Class 2-A portion of the Big East Conference girls basketball standings when the Lady Bulldogs hosted Bunn last Friday night at the NCHS Gymnasium.
Consider Part One done as Coach Terri Cash's young squad soared to a 50-14 triumph over the Ladycats in Big East hoops action.

NASH CENTRAL\'S ISAIAH DRAUGHN SIGNS WITH ELIZABETH CITY STATE

ROCKY MOUNT -- Chris Lee couldn't have asked for a better Dynamic Duo than Javaris Jones and Isaiah Draughn to rebuild his Nash Central High School football program following the COVID-19 pandemic.
That building process culminated this fall with the Bulldogs' best-ever season as Lee's club went 11-3 while reaching the quarterfinals of the Class 2-A State Playoffs for the first time.

FRANKLINTON -- The Franklinton High School Gymnasium was the spot last Friday for further determination of the Big East Conference boys and girls basketball standings -- and both squads in the lead took yet another positive step toward clinching their respective crowns.
Defending boys champion Northern Nash wrapped up no worse than a tie for the top spot heading into the final two games with a convincing 72-52 triumph over homestanding Franklinton High School.

LOS ANGELES --- Christian Buffaloe, local Kyokushin Karate fighter and instructor, recently gained 2nd place in the Japan sponsored "Kyokushin Karate USWC Championships" in Los Angeles on February 4.
Buffaloe made it into the finals to go up against strong Japanese fighter Kazuma Koike in an intense match.

ZEBULON - The Carolina Mudcats, in conjunction with the Milwaukee Brewers, have announced that Nick Stanley has been named the new manager of the Mudcats for the 2024 season.
The announcement came as the Brewers announced their player development staff assignments for the 2024 season, including Minor League managers and coaches for Carolina and Milwaukee's six other affiliates.

LOUISBURG -- Louisburg College softball players will have a target on its collective backs this spring as the Lady Hurricanes look to enjoy another exceptional season under the direction of acclaimed veteran head coach Eric Lee.
Louisburg enters the campaign ranked first in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Rankings after going 63-5 in 2023 while winning region and district crowns en route to a fourth-place finish at the national tournament.