Local News

SPRING HOPE - Restoration work on both the historic Spring Hope Depot and its newly-acquired caboose are proceeding, although the Depot contractor is reportedly on a "short rope" in terms of getting that work done by an end-of-the-year deadline.
Jonathan Allen, town manager, updated the board of commissioners at their Oct. 5th meeting, leading with a train depot project update.

NASHVILLE - In their first-ever public swearing-in ceremony, members of the Nash County Fire Marshal's office shared the occasion with family and well-wishers Oct. 12th in the historic Nash County courthouse.
Trip Bunn, Director of Fire Marshal's Office and Emergency Management, welcomed those present, including a large number of firefighters, to the 2 p.m. event.
Chase Taylor, Deputy Fire Marshal, gave an invocation while Zachary Stiffler, Deputy Fire Marshal, conducted the Pledge of Allegiance.

NASHVILLE - Long-simmering revisions to Nash County's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) are almost ready to be served up for final votes of adoption, with only two opportunities left for public input: at the Oct. 19th Nash County Planning Board meeting and at the Nov. 2 county commissioners' meeting.
The third of three public information sessions was held Oct. 7th at the Nash County Administration building, attracting a crowd of about 30; two prior sessions were conducted Sept. 28th in Battleboro and Oct. 1st in Bailey.

MEMBER OF THE SEASON - The Nashville Chamber of Commerce recognized Nash County Arts Council as its Fall Business of the Season. Pictured, front (left to right) are Nashville Board Member Tressa Bissette, Nash County Art Council Executive Director Shelly Gray, Nash County Arts Council Board Member William Wallace. Back row: Nashville Chamber of Commerce President Cliff Joyner, Nash County Arts Council Board Members Robert Toney and Chandler James. GRAPHIC PHOTO BY JO ANNE COOPER

BAILEY- Bailey town officials are struggling with code enforcement regarding a potential 'squatter' situation in a home declared unfit for habitation.
A 'minimal housing hearing' regarding 5917 East Main Street, Bailey, was held as part of the Sept. 21st board of commissioners meeting.
According to Shawn Lucas, code enforcement officer, who was asked to do a property inspection, there are multiple problems associated with the home, whose owners on record are Starlon and Brenda J. Deans of Nashville; however, both individuals have passed away, Starlon in 2021 and Brenda in 2025, leaving no legal owner on file.

NASHVILLE- A first-time official run-through of the revised Momeyer town code has been pushed back two months to December, with council members seemingly unprepared to comment this week and several other obstacles cropping up in the way of final review.
Brian Edwards, planning board chair, pointed out several new chapters, those being Chapter 8 (Solid Waste management), Chapter 9 (Low Speed Vehicles) and a new section 105 entitled "Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct." Edwards said that a new section relating to commercial data centers and another relating to adult businesses were still under review by town attorney Scott McKellar.

SPRING HOPE - The Spring Hope Chamber of Commerce is getting its ducks in a row for two seasonal events coming up: The Dan Finch Potter's Market on Saturday Nov. 14th and 'Christmas in Spring Hope' on Friday Dec. 11th.

Last time, we touched upon the frequently reported phenomenon known as terminal lucidity. As the name implies, terminal lucidity occurs in patients who have long since become catatonic due to disease or trauma affecting brain function. Many patients, it continues to be reported, experience brief moments of clarity of thought and communicate with incredible coherence to those around them, not long before dying. Deathbed visions are another end-of-life phenomenon in which patients have and act upon visions of people not physically present. Over and again, hospice caregivers report patients experiencing deathbed visions, which are confirmed by multiple studies from around the world, indicating that about 40 percent of families report a loved one as having had an end-of-life experience.

The Baptist Men will meet for breakfast on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 8:30 am.
Red Oak Baptist Church collected food items for Global Hunger Relief. Their collection will go to Faith Christian Ministries in Nashville for them to donate to needy families in the community.
The youth and children of Red Oak Baptist Church are having a Poinsettia Fundraiser. Poinsettias are in 8-inch pots and are $20 each. Orders are due by Sunday, Oct. 25. They will be available for pickup on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the church. All proceeds will go to the youth and children's summer missions camps

NASHVILLE - What began 50 years ago with 25 children and a handful of teachers has grown into a program serving 115 children with a staff of 20.
But as generations of Nashville Methodist Church Weekday School families gathered on Sept. 26 to celebrate the program's 50th anniversary, those who have helped carry it forward said its mission has remained much the same.
"Without the community support, it wouldn't have lasted 50 years," said Denise Helms, a retired educator and former chair of the Weekday School board.

NASHVILLE- After a one-year hiatus of no Recycling Day events, Keep America Beautiful of Nash and Edgecombe County is back on track, with an event scheduled November 14th at Golden East Crossing Mall in Rocky Mount.
Stephanie Collins, KAB Coordinator, presented an "information only" report to Nash County commissioners at their Sept. 21st meeting, giving information on how much the program costs to run, and how much is collected during recycling events.

ROCKY MOUNT- Monarch Healthcare, which recently received notice that it would receive a half million dollars in state money to support its mental health services program, is planning to shift the site of its mobile health unit from Bailey to an undecided Nash location.
While the bulk of Monarch's in-person patient visits reportedly occur at its Behavioral Health office located at 809 Tiffany Blvd., Rocky Mount, clinic personnel also offer or connect patients with services over the phone, virtually, or at its mobile unit. The average number of clients total 90 each week.

NASHVILLE- Nash County is fronting $47,500 in local matching funds in an attempt to sweeten the pot for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)Neighborhood Revitalization application, with the target six houses in Nashville, Spring Hope, Castalia, Middlesex and Bailey.
Nash County has applied for CDBG federal funding, available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, for multiple years, achieving a pretty good track record in obtaining grant funds. The monies are targeted specifically for either complete reconstruction or substantial rehabilitation for owner-occupied, low-income homes.

Melinda J. Keen, Randall Keen, Christie J. Sharpe, Milton Kevin Sharpe, Angela Jones Howard, Melinda J. Keen, William Lee Jones and Melinda J. Keen to Middlesex Enterprises, LTD; 8.16 acres; $39,000
Melinda J. Keen, William Lee Jones, Melinda J. Keen, Randall Keen, Christie J. Sharpe, Milton Kevin Sharpe, Angela Jones Howard and Melinda J. Keen to Middlesex Enterprises, LTD; 14.75 acres; $32,000
William H. Dove II and William House Dove, II to William H. Dove, William House Dove II and Catherine H. Lamm; Kandemor, Block D, Lot 8

COMMERCIAL
New Construction; 6197 Main St, Bailey; Edward Cozart, Licensed Contractor, Cozart Company, Inc; $250,000
New Construction; 3071 E NC 97, Unit A, Wilson; Jackson Keen Licensed Contractor; Mizelle Construction Services, Inc. $350,000
Renovation/Alteration; 6341 Main St, Bailey; Rodolfo Gallegos, Owner & Occupant; $2,000
Sign; 6610 Corporation Pkwy, Battleboro; Rachel Taylor Unlicensed Contractor; Sign & Awning Systems, Inc.; $28,000