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NASHVILLE - An estimated 30,000 people packed downtown Nashville for the 28th annual Blooming Festival, the event highlighted by headliner Drew Baldridge, who at one point came down off the stage to play his guitar directly in the crowd.
"It was the perfect weekend," said Jill Boone, owner of Jody's of Nashville, who said she had more sales than last year and was appreciative of multiple new customers during peak vendor hours Saturday.

RED OAK - Approval for conditional rezoning to permit a new subdivision and planning for a new pop-up Farmers Market were among action items at the May 11th Red Oak town meeting.

When the fireworks erupt over Castalia this July, they will shine a little brighter in memory of the woman who first brought them to the town.
Ellene Leonard, affectionately known by "Nene," passed away on Friday, May 8 at the age of 89. Her death marks the loss of a leader whose vision quite literally shaped the landscape of the community she loved.
Leonard was born and raised in Castalia. She became the mayor of the town in 2004 but her service to her hometown started long before that. Leonard was instrumental in the formation of the town's July 4th celebration, which began in 1985 and will soon celebrate its 41st year.

RALEIGH- Senator Lisa Barnes of Nash County, along with Senator Buck Newton of Wilson County and Tim Moffitt (R-Henderson), have filed a bill to prevent the City of Rocky Mount from using its electric and natural gas utility money to shore up the city's sagging finances.
A May 6 press release from Barnes states that Senate Bill 1076 would stipulate that all revenue from the city's electric system would stay in that account to be used only for "operating expenses, system maintenance and improvements, debt service or to reduce electric rates for customers."

NASHVILLE- A 41-year-old Nashville man has been arrested for a hit and run incident in his own neighborhood that left a pedestrian with extensive injuries.
Roy Earl Allen III of 504 Golfers Lane, in Nashville's Birchwood neighborhood, has been charged with felony hit & run resulting in serious bodily injury and misdemeanor failure to stop and provide information to an injured person, according to a May 11 press release from the Nashville Police Department.
Allen was charged in connection with a hit and run incident that happened December 1, 2025, at about 7:47 p.m. in the 1000 block of Birchwood Drive.

NASHVILLE - More attractive signage, including better "Welcome" signs are on the drawing table for the town's Downtown Nashville Strong Advisory Board (DSNAB) after a recent after-hours work session April 14.
While there is a 'Welcome to Nashville' sign by the US 64 bridge, board members said at their April 28th meeting that they would prefer something with more curb appeal like Rocky Mount has on 64 near Winstead Avenue and like Greenville has on 264.

NASHVILLE - The 26th Annual Nash County Soil & Water Conservation District Catfish Luncheon, this year named in honor of the late Bobby Fisher, served up a mix of camaraderie, farmer appreciation and some dire warnings about threats to the Tar River from potential data centers.
Guest speaker Jason Brown, a Louisburg farmer and retired NFL player, urged Nash County citizens to formulate plans now to stave off data center construction, and not wait to pass a moratorium.