FRONT PAGE

Closed sessions held in May, 2017, by Nashville's Town Council may have been held improperly, at least according to one town council member -- and nearly a year later the minutes of that closed-door session still have not been made public.
The closed sessions were brought to light by Nashville council member Louise Hinton during the board's May 1 meeting this year.

Nashville's Town Council continued to look for ways to decrease expenditures in order to prevent a significant tax increase during a budget meeting on Monday.
The board previously met on May 8 and agreed that each department should look at their budget and find ways to cut their budgets by at least two percent.
During the meeting on Tuesday, some council members questioned whether Town Manager Hank Raper had even sent the request to department heads.

Nash County teachers were among the thousands who showed up in Raleigh last Wednesday to march and rally for education.
The "March for Students and Rally for Respect" was organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators and held on May 16, the first day of the legislative session.

Nashville's American Legion Post 110 will host its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Sunday, May 27 at Forest Hill Cemetery.
The ceremony will start at 6 p.m. Major Ravin Carpenter will be the speaker for this year's event.
Carpenter is a member of the American Legion Post 110.

Nash County employees will be seeing an overall 10 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) over the next two years, commissioners decided on Monday.
Commissioners were presented the 2018-2019 Fiscal Year Budget during the meeting.
The budget included a three percent COLA for all full time and permanent part-time employees.

The third annual Unite@night Walk for CSF will be held on Saturday, June 2 at Glover Park.
Nashville resident Chrishawna Perry started the walk three years ago after being diagnosed with a Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia. Perry said the purpose of the walk is to bring awareness to those disorders and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Bus drivers are being overlooked when it comes to salary increases, according to a bus driver in the Nash-Rocky Mount School System.
Mary Arrington spoke to board members at the May 7 Board of Education meeting.
Arrington said she had spoken over a year ago about the need for bus drivers to be treated better.

The Nash County Animal Shelter has a new leader.
Donald Cashwell was promoted to the Lead Animal Control Officer position in January after serving over four years with Nash County Animal Control.
Cashwell is no stranger to animal control. He served almost 10 years with Rocky Mount Animal Control.

Volunteers with the HOPE initiative have a vision to start a support program for teenagers. But, more community support will be needed to make it happen.
Michelle Parrish, the Volunteer Coordinator for the HOPE Initiative, spoke during a Drug Awareness Forum on Tuesday night. Parrish said she has been trying to get a meeting with officials from the Nash-Rocky Mount School System for six months.