A 39-year old Franklinton man, in jail on a reduced secured bond of $1.2 million, is charged with trafficking one of the largest amounts of Fentanyl ever seized in Nash County- nearly 8 pounds- discovered during a traffic stop and K-9 search in Nashville.
Joshua Jamaar Vines, of 150 Kimberling Drive, along with Omar Concepcion Cardenas, was stopped by members of the Nashville Police Department on US Highway 64 W around mile marker 460 on October 25, 2023. Officers observed the men in a vehicle with illegally tinted windows, a news release stated.

Nashville's signature event, the Blooming Festival, will include blooming flowers downtown this year in the form of large hanging baskets.
A joint meeting Feb. 19 between the Nashville Town Council, the Downtown Strong Advisory Board and Chamber of Commerce members put the stamp of approval on several beautification projects, including the installation of ten large planter pots on W. Washington Street, five on the courthouse side and five on the merchant side, to alternate with flags.

Nashville firefighter Dylan Hinkle cuts a window open to check the inside of the store.

An 18-year-old Raleigh man fleeing arrest from Wilson police was apprehended Friday, Feb. 16, after crashing his car into a disused store in Nashville.
Tyshaun Dontez Lane was taken into custody by Wilson Police after a chase that ended around 9 a.m. into the side of the former El Pueblito Market at 815 S. Alston Street.
Nashville Fireman Dylan Hinkle cut into a front window in order to enter and check the building for occupants, but it was vacant.

The first homes in the Cardinal Woods Subdivision, located off Glover Park Memorial Drive, are slated for completion in July.
Lauren Granger, Land Development Manager for Starlight Homes, a division of Ashton Woods, appeared with Bob Mishler, Land Entitlement Manager, at the Feb. 20 Nashville Town Council meeting.

Pictured above, Willis Richardson shows a letter he received from the from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

A Nash County man with deep roots in Halifax County is fighting to save the old Eastman High School in the Medoc community, while literally digging successfully to find artifacts from what he believes was an area trading post.
Willis Richardson of Nashville Road, Rocky Mount, a 1967 graduate of Eastman High School, wants to save his old school, currently scheduled for demolition in order to pave the way for a new school at that location.

March 4 - Sandy Cross Methodist Church, 3725 Sandy Cross Rd., Nashville (2-6 p.m.)
March 4 - Lakeside Baptist Church, 1501 Sunset Ave., Rocky Mount (1:30-6 p.m.)
March 6 - Harrison Family YMCA, 1000 Independence Drive, Rocky Mount (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)

Early voting has begun for the March 5th Primary Election.
Voters may cast early votes through March 2 at the Nash County Ag Center, 1006 Eastern Ave., Nashville and at Braswell Memorial Library, 727 N. Grace St., Rocky Mount. Voting hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Saturday, March 2 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
On election day voting will take place at your normal election day precinct polling place (March 5 from 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.)

BATTLE

A seven-agency law enforcement operation entitled "Thunder On The Hill," coordinated by the Nash County Sheriff's Office, executed six search warrants at residences used for drug trafficking Feb. 15, netting drugs, guns and money and resulting in the arrest of three people.
The Sheriffs Offices of Nash, Edgecombe and Wake Counties, in partnership with NC State Highway Patrol, US Alcohol Tobacco Firearms (ATF), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE), arrested 33-year-old Carvell Shamike Puddy of 112 Sunset Avenue, Rocky Mount;

INCIDENTS
Licenses-fail to comply restriction codes; speeding; DWI reported at mile marker 459 US 64 E., Nashville on 1/11/24
Simple possession schedule IV controlled substance reported at 100 East Evans Dr., Nashville on 2/13/24
Breaking or entering into or breaking out of motor vehicle(s) reported at 121 N. Wheeless Dr., Nashville on 2/17/24

Recovered vehicle reported at 10210 S. Nash St., Middlesex on 2/12/24
Larceny misdemeanor reported at 10696 E NC 97, Rocky Mount on 2/15/24
Possession of marijuana less than 1/2 ounce reported at 10762 Liles Rd., Bailey on 2/16/24
Possession stolen firearm; US currency seizure reported at 107 N Wheeless Dr., Nashville on 2/15/24

Maddie Hart, a junior at Nash Central High School in Rocky Mount, won the chapter-level contest for the Knight Essay. She is presented with her certificate and neck ribbon by Halifax Resolves Chapter Past-President Geoff Pittard.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all high school students (9th through 12th grades) interested in the American Revolution to participate in the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest. The contest is open to all U.S. citizens and legal resident students attending home schools, public, parochial, or private high schools in that same grade range.

Nash County Public Schools' Communications Department has received five Blue Ribbon awards for "outstanding and effective communication" from the North Carolina School Public Relations Association.
Two golds, two silvers and one bronze award were presented Feb. 9 in a High Point ceremony to the NCPS Communications team consisting of Heather Louis Finch,

As Nash County Public Schools pick up the pace in demerger plans with Edgecombe County, one form of planned rebranding will concern the school system's logo. Four versions are currently on the drawing board, with rollout anticipated to take one to two years.
Heather Louise Finch, Executive Director of Communications, Planning and Engagement, brought the item up for discussion at a Jan. 29 work session, recommending a new logo to be unveiled July 1, 2024, during the transition phase.

An agriculture forum will be held at Nash Community College in the Brown Auditorium on Feb. 29th, hosted by the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce. The event will run from 8 a.m. - 12 noon.
Dr. Rich Bonnano, Associate Dean, CALS and Director of NC State Extension will serve as the keynote speaker. The event will be moderated by Emily Wagner with On Carolina Soil.

Harvest Family Health is located at 8250 NC Hwy 58 South, Elm City.

Carolina Family Health Centers, which include the Harvest Family Health Center at 8250 NC Highway 58 South in Elm City and its adjoining Carolina Family Dental Center, got an unexpected Christmas present of $5 million and now have to decide how to spend it.
"The gift was a complete surprise to us and is a testament to the impact of Carolina Family Health Centers on the communities it serves," said Laura Owens, CEO.

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)
A pastor visited a friend of mine who's been in church all his life. He calls himself a Christian but confessed that he often felt empty and hopeless.
As they talked, it became evident to him that my friend may very well have looked like a Christian on the outside but had never asked the Lord to come and live in his heart.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Romans 11:33
Maturing Christians develop: a wide-ranging and deep knowledge of the Bible.
Christian maturity means conformity to Christ, becoming like him in all respects. That begins with knowledge, with spiritual truth based on the written word of God. It is impossible to be a Christian without some knowledge of biblical truth. Romans 10:13 says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Congratulations to Bryan and Sarah Keen and Carmen on the birth of their son and brother, Bryan Fisher Keen, Jr.! Fisher was born on February 9. Proud grandparents are James and Mary Keen.
Women in Action met at Red Oak Baptist Church on Tuesday, Feb. 13. They continued work on the missions project to support the ministry to women led by missionary in South Asia.

Nash County Public Schools (NCPS) announces Jon Ayden Horne, a senior at Nash Central High School (NCHS), as the recipient of the prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship for his upcoming studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) in fall 2024. This marks the first time a NCHS student has achieved this honor, recognizing Horne's leadership, character, academic excellence, and physical vigor, which align with the Morehead-Cain Foundation's values.

Donnie King Price, Larry E. Price and Thomas H. Price to Thomas H. Price and Candace N. Price; two tracts
Chris M. Sandifer and Sarah L. Sandifer to Leon 22 Properties, LLC; 217 South Halifax Road, Rocky Mount; $37,000
Carolina Corral Partners to Islamic Center of Rocky Mount; property on Hunter Hill Road
Dida Marie Denton and Dida M. Mozingo to Billy Wayne Horton and Pamela Horton; 11010 West NC 97, Middlesex

Jonathan Snider, 7986 Webbs Mill Rd., Spring Hope; detached accessory structure; $24,774.81
Reginald Moore, 3290 Octavia Dr., Rocky Mount; repair; $78,848
Chad Horner, 7846 Mecum Rd., Spring Hope; detached accessory structure; $28,500
Randy Stallings, 13348 Old Raleigh Wilson Rd., Middlesex; repair; $5,000

As I walked to the mailbox on one of those typical North Carolina, 65-degree February afternoons, I thought to myself, "Soon, I'll be out hitting golf balls into water hazards, woods, yard, highways, and perhaps other unsuspecting victims."
Waiting for me in the box was a white 9x12 envelope. My pulse quickened and my spirits sank. This was the tax organizer from my accountant, more reliable than the groundhog at letting me know spring can't be far.

Christmas decorations have been quite a controversial topic in Nashville over the last decade.
To offer a bit of history behind all the hoo-ha, I'll attempt to catch us up-to-speed since I was recently dubbed as a town historian - which I received with grace as quite an honor though I have to admit it made this ole' gal feel a bit older.
In the early restructuring days of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce back in 1991, the chamber worked hard to raise funds to assist with some of the town's needs.

This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on July 29, 1975. The Gang team won runner-up honors in the league tournament.

Franklinton High School's Mikayla Taborn and Southern Nash's Hailey Knight joust for a rebound during last Friday night's Big East Conference girls basketball meeting at the SNHS Gymnasium, which is located in Stanhope.

STANHOPE -- If only for a fleeting moment, the Franklinton Lady Rams found themselves in an unfamiliar position during last Friday's regular season girls basketball finale against the homestanding Southern Nash Ladybirds.
Franklinton carried an unbeaten record in the Big East Conference into the showdown, and the Lady Rams had already clinched the league title outright three days earlier with a decision over former champ Rocky Mount.

NASH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL CLASS 2-A STATE SWIM CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANTS

CARY -- Nash Central capped off its storybook swim season by taking part in the recent Class 1/2-A State Swim Championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Wake County.
In girls action, the Lady Bulldogs took 21st place overall -- a solid finish to a year that saw Coach Kyle Bain's club win the Big East Conference Championship.
Central's crew registered a solid 40 points to gain its lofty final place in the team race.

STANHOPE -- Three members from Southern Nash High School's star-studded senior football class were honored recently as part of a college signing ceremony at the SNHS Gymnasium.
Defensive end Malaki Dobbins inked a deal with Furman University, while cornerback Darray Lynch and safety Logan Saunders signed letters-of-intent to join the surging gridiron program at Barton College in nearby Wilson.

DURHAM -- The Durham Bulls and the Atlantic Coast Conference have announced that the ACC Baseball Championship will return to Durham Bulls Athletic Park three of the next six years.
Beginning in 2025 and again in 2027 and 2029, the DBAP will once again host the ACC Tournament. The Bull City has hosted the ACC Tournament 13 times, including 11 times at the DBAP, most recently 2023.

STANHOPE -- Two teams looking to play league tournament spoiler roles met last Friday in the regular season finale for Franklinton and homestanding Southern Nash.
The event proved to be a turnaround time for the Firebirds, who had lost earlier in the season on the road against the Red Rams.
But Southern Nash returned the favor as part of its Senior Night, winning by a score of 70-52 at the historic SNHS Gymnasium.

SOUTHERN NASH'S LOGAN SAUNDERS SIGNS WITH BARTON COLLEGE

SOUTHERN NASH'S DARRAY LYNCH SIGNS WITH BARTON COLLEGE