"Business is booming in Nash County," was the overarching statement by Robbie Davis, Board Chair for Nash County Commissioners, who gave his "State of the County" address March 4.
Davis' yearly report for 2023 was broken down into multiple categories, with financial condition, revaluation, grants and economic development the most detailed.

Early voters are shown at the Nash County Agriculture Building. Graphic photo by Nancy West-Brake

An upset in one county race, an incumbent victory in a state race, and neck-and-neck local results in the race for a federal seat are three of the results from yesterday's unofficial primary election results, although only a little over 27% of eligible voters made it to polls.
Freddy Howell, in his first campaign for elected office, could be the new County Commissioner for District 3, having defeated incumbent Dan Cone in the Republican primary by 1,044 votes to Cone's 877. That gave Howell 54.35% of the vote, according to online results posted by the N.C. State Board of Elections.

The first annual Agriculture Forum at Nash Community College Feb. 29 drew a crowd of over one hundred, including farmers, ag industry partners, legislators and educators. Presented by the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the NC Cooperative Extension Nash County Center and Quality Equipment, and sponsored by Nash Community College and Farm Bureau of Nash County, the forum featured speakers on a variety of topics, offered a venue for networking, and had a panel discussion about farming issues.

Nash County's Department of Social Services just got two hefty boosts from County Commissioners, who voted to add an additional Deputy Director and to allocate over $600,000 in additional county funds to help offset increasing costs for the mandated care of foster children, including emergency placements.
The unexpected move to add another Deputy Director, in addition to Shea Neal, came after an Executive Session that was not expected to produce any items for action.

The sprayer and tractor parked on the front lawn of Nash Community College were a hint: the college is growing a new focus on agriculture, including a first annual Agriculture Forum Feb. 29 and an announcement at the Forum that NCC will be offering a three-certificate course in Agriculture this coming Fall.
Lew Hunnicutt, NCC President, briefly touted some of the many programs offered at the college, including the groundbreaking for a new Driver Training Center, the addition of a new heavy equipment operator course, and construction on the Braswell Veterinary Medical Technology building, but said "there's always been one program missing."

The contested issue of sidewalk merchandizing in Spring Hope may be put to rest after a March 4 vote by the board of commissioners to keep the current ordinance as is, which prohibits the display of goods on the sidewalk.
Town officials had received complaints of cluttered sidewalks last fall on S. Pine, W. Main and E. Railroad, resulting in citations of code violations from Code Enforcement Officer Shawn Lucas. A Nov. 6 notice to merchants referenced noncompliance with the ordinance and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A $500,000 award from Senator Lisa Barnes for street overlay projects means Nashville is looking to see which roadways are in greatest need.
The Asphalt Street Overlay Project-Resolution 2024-12 was approved at the March 5 Nashville Town Council meeting, with eleven town streets on the list for repairs.
Randy Lansing, Town Manager, said Public Works was recommending that listed streets be overlaid with a 1 ½" mix of hot mix asphalt, to be done by Stocks Engineering under a $21,800 contract.

A second shell building at the Nashville Business Center to be constructed by Nash County has been approved by county commissioners, who have designated Jonathan Boone, Deputy County Manager, as staff design professional for the project.
Boone is a professional engineer.
An amended capital project ordinance to authorize the $2.6 million-dollar project was approved March 4 by the Nash County Board of Commissioners.

A house fire Thursday night on the Tar River Reservoir is under investigation, with the home too damaged for its three residents to live in.
The call came in to Nash County 9-1-1 at 6:38 p.m. February 29 for a working structure fire at 5810 Tar River Cove Drive, Rocky Mount, located off NC 97 not far from the Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport, according to Tony Cameron, Nash County Emergency Services Director.

A road under construction in Nash County will close to traffic for a week.
North Old Carriage Road between Reges Store and Green Hills roads is scheduled to be closed in both directions from 7 a.m. March 7 until 5 p.m. March 14. During this closure, contract crews will do pavement work, grading and install guardrail and storm drains.

Renovation plans for the Railroad Depot Restoration Project are taking shape, with an interior floor plan approved March 4 at the Spring Hope Board of Commissioners' meeting.
Speaking remotely via Zoom, architect Andy Lopina of Alliance Architects, speaking to the group with David Gall, an architect specializing in historic preservation, went over a bird's eye view of a line drawing showing the proposed interior floor plan.

In January, the UNC Health Nash Foundation welcomed six new members to its Board of Directors: Dr. Joanna Dauber, DO; Thomas McDowell, PharmD; Benton Moss, Delwin Clark, Shanna Strickland, and Catherine Lilley.
Thomas McDowell is a fourth generation Community Pharmacist and owner of McDowell's Pharmacy in Scotland Neck, Rocky Mount Medical Park Pharmacy in Rocky Mount, and Happier at Home of Eastern North Carolina.

Many of us are seeking more balance in our lives. Did you realize that is one of the most popular resolutions for the New Year? But the longing for more peace in our lives doesn't surprise me. We live in a world where peace is yearned everywhere.
A college professor of mine told our freshman health class to be sure we had eight hours of sleep, eight hours of work, and eight hours of leisure. "Life must have balance", he taught.

Continuing our thoughts on church growth from last week, what is the process by which the Lord grows the church?
Through Spiritual Gifts. Ephesians 4:8 claims Psalm 68:18 is fulfilled in Christ: "Therefore it says, 'When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.'" Ephesians 4:11 comments on this victorious act: "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers." The gifts Christ has given to his people are gifted people.

The children and youth of Red Oak Baptist Church will have a Biscuit Fundraiser at the church in the Family Life Center on Sunday, March 10. They will have homemade plain biscuits, and their famous cheese biscuits with your choice of sausage, bacon, or country ham with grits, coffee, and tea. All for only $5. These will be available from 9:00 am - 9:45 am. Funds support the children and youth summer missions camps.
Women in Action missions group will meet at Red Oak Baptist Church on Tuesday, March 12 at 6:30 pm.

For those interested in local Nash County history, landmarks and family genealogy, Sandy Level Cemetery Burial Records, by James A. and Margaret B. Bailey, is a resource for burials at Sandy Level Cemetery.
The book reveals the identity for most of the one-hundred-fifty-four known burials in the cemetery.
Originally, an African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and cemetery occupied the site at the intersection of Bailey Road and Stoney Hill Church Road.

D.R. Horton, Inc. to David Mitchell, Sequita Mungo-Mitchell and Sequita Mungo Mitchell; Saddlebrook Subdivisio, Lot 134
Rosita Wiggins and Madeline McCoy to Andrae Lamar Wiggins and Russell Wiggins; 116 Old Barn Lane, Rocky Mount
Bealy Good, LLC to Rand Francis Priborsky and Tammy Eve Priborsky; 8.6 acres; $240,000
Starlight Homes North Carolina, LLC to Santo Wilfredo Concepcion; Bryson's Ridge, Phase 1, Lot 10; $293,000

Pam Mullen, 2100 Living Stone Dr., Rocky Mount; new single family dwelling; $230,000
Dave Jardine Kelly Barnes, 5925 Janice Ct., Bailey; singlewide; $63,975
Thomas Laing, 6124 Haywood Dr., Rocky Mount; addition (covered); $60,000
Serita Garner, 7727 County Line Rd., Castalia; new single family dwelling; $218,990

Plots, plans and conspiracies have become so commonplace at our house, my wife and I don't even flinch anymore when the boys make plans. While there may be some occasional anxiety when the mike is passed during the children's sermon, we've come to accept anything not resulting in an ER visit is an acceptable risk.
So, it didn't draw any ideas out of the ordinary when our six-year-old made his Christmas list: rope, duct tape, batteries, flashlight, string, pvc pipe, case of water and scotch tape. He got all the items on his list, which he soon referred to as "trapping supplies."

I heard a comment recently that really caught my attention when thinking about the long-time small multi-generational farm families. "Go big or go home," was mentioned in a conversation regarding the small farmers left scratching their heads trying to figure out how to afford what is now suggested and/or required to compete.
I grew up on a dirt road near Taylor's Crossroads.

This photo originally published September 29, 1983. Braswell Library launched its Story Time for children. Pictured above, children listen to the storybook ending.

NASH CENTRAL\'S CHLOE BAGGETT SIGNS VOLLEYBALL PAPERS WITH NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN (Graphic photo by Geoff Neville)

ROCKY MOUNT -- Chloe Baggett never rose high along the outside, floating toward a massive kill that helped clinch yet another victory. She never served as a mountain in the middle, soaring for block after block to frustrate an opponent.
But there are many more factors to volleyball than just what happens at the net. And Baggett was outstanding at just about all of those intangibles.

JELESSA PERRY SCORES IN THE PAINT FOR NASH CENTRAL

NASHVILLE -- Before her first-ever season as Nash Central Middle's head basketball coach, NyNeka Dupree had more than a sneaking suspicion that the talent was there for the Trojans to enjoy an elite-level campaign.
"Our goal was to be undefeated,'' Dupree said. "We wanted to win the (Tri-County Conference) championship.''

NCMS' A'DIA CASH

NASH COUNTY -- A pair of local high schools basketball squads saw their seasons come to a close on Tuesday night in the third round of the state playoffs, with Northern Nash's boys dropping a 59-56 decision at second-seeded Fayetteville Westover, while Nash Central's girls fell 66-30 at North Pitt, girls fell 66-30 at North Pitt, the top-ranked unit in the East Region.

NASH COUNTY -- Listed are the Big East Conference baseball schedules for the 2024 campaign, with home games listed in CAPS: