Nash-Rocky Mount Schools (NRMS) received a “clean, unmodified opinion” in the 2012-13 audit from Anderson, Smith, & Wike (ASW), as “all numbers are reliable.” Dale Smith, of ASW, presented the November audit report to the NRMS board at their meeting Monday night, which was good overall but included a couple of problems.
Board member Reginald Silver commended the NRMS finance department. “Hats off to Susan Blackwell and her staff for a tremendous job,” he said.

PREPARED TO RESCUE –– Firefighters prepare to go into the apartment to rescue the occupant. (Spring Hope Fire Department Photo)

The following story was written by retired firefighter and photo journalist Bob Bartosz who is a native of southern New Jersey but now resides in Nash County. He has been photographing fires for over sixty years and served as the official fire photographer in Camden County, New Jersey from 1954 until 2010. Though retired, Bob still shows up with his camera at many fire calls in Nash County and knows first-hand of heroic efforts made by firefighters such as the one you are about to read.

Nash County Commissioners have approved an inducement agreement along with a resolution to sale a shell building in the Whitakers Business and Industry Center. The moves pave the way for a manufacturing company, Nutkao, USA, to locate to the area.
Governor Pat McCrory announced last month that Nutkao, USA had selected Nash County to locate their first United States facility.

Larry Taylor has spent all of his adult life working in public service.
On December 31, Taylor ended a 32-year law enforcement career, retiring as a Detective with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office.
Taylor served seven years with the sheriff’s office and 25 with Nashville’s Police Department as an Auxiliary Police Officer. He also worked as an Auxiliary Officer for Spring Hope for 21 years.

Nashville’s Town Council agreed that the town should fund the matching portion of an Industrial Development Fund (IDF) Grant instead of seeking financing.
The town has applied for a $504,000 IDF Grant through the North Carolina Department of Commerce. If received, the town would use the grant monies to put in road and sewer on town-owned property on Cooke Road. The town purchased the property last year with plans to develop and industrial park. 

Jerry Taylor is hoping to bring Pete’s Cafe back to the way it was when Pete and Edith Gupton first started it decades ago.
Taylor recently purchased the business and changed the name to Church Street Grill. Taylor was the first to purchase the business from the Gupton’s in the late 90’s and later sold it.
“I’m trying to get it back to when I had it and when Pete had it before,” Taylor said.

Gordon Thomas “Tommy” Cliett, 76, passed away Tuesday, December 31, 2013. He was born in Broxton, GA on August 31, 1937 to the late Gordon and Ammie Morton Cliett. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his son, Gary Thomas Cliett; grandson, Adam Thomas Wilder; and sister, Marie Cliett Anderson.
Tommy was owner and operator of Western Sizzlin Steakhouse for 40 years.

INCIDENTS
A larceny was reported on 12/23/13 at 2229 Trinity Drive
An animal abuse/neglect was reported on 12/26/13 at 410 Woodfield Drive
A hit and run was reported on 12/28/13 at 367 Washington Street

A fraud/found property was reported on 12/27/13 at 3600 EP Taylors Store Road
A larceny of a firearm was reported on 12/27/13 at 9367 Cedar Grove School Loop Road
An assault on a female and assault by pointing a gun was reported on 12/28/13 at 7149 S Old Carriage Road
A larceny from a residence was reported on 12/28/13 at 6990 Hill Road

At their meeting Monday night, the Nash-Rocky Mount Schools (NRMS) board elected chairman Evelyn Bulluck and vice chairman Franklin Lamm to serve another year in leadership. And board member Bob Jenkins announced his resignation from the board, effective this month.
With a vote of 8-2, with one member absent, Bulluck and Lamm said they would continue to do their best to represent the interests of the board and the NRMS system.

An increase in illness at the Nash County Animal Shelter has forced the shelter to temporarily stop adoptions.
According to the Nash County Health Department, the shelter is open and operating but is not offering dogs for adopting due to reports of illness in several dogs from the shelter.
“We will not offer dogs for adoption until we are confident that dogs taken from the shelter are not ill,” a health  department spokesperson said.

In response to the current increase in flu activity, Nash Health Care has temporarily restricted its visitation policy for the safety of its patients.
For the health of hospital patients, employees, visitors and the general community, hospital officials are asking that visitors cooperate with the following guidelines:

Mu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International recently welcomed four new members.

The City of Rocky Mount and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission will honor Dr. King’s legacy through a series of events, including the 26th annual Unity Breakfast. This year’s breakfast, taking place at the Dunn Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of NC Wesleyan College, will feature Dr. Julianne Malveaux. Malveaux has long been recognized as a labor economist, educator, noted author and colorful commentator.

Johnny and Marcia Daughtridge of Rocky Mount announce the engagement of their daughter, Chelsea Blaire Daughtridge of Rocky Mount, to Benjamin Russell Boudreau of Raleigh.
Chelsea is the granddaughter of Johnny and Mattie Daughtridge of Nashville, and the late Al and Janie Kilpatrick of Rocky Mount.

Barton College’s North Carolina Gamma Chapter of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society welcomed 12 new members into the fold during the fall 2013 induction ceremony, including two Nash residents.
Students with a grade point average of 3.5 or better in the top 10 percent of the junior and senior classes are eligible for induction. The minimum grade point average for this induction class was 3.65.

Nashville’s Police Department hosted “Coffee with a Cop” on Friday, January 3rd at Southern Bank on Washington Street. The event has been held numerous times at locations throughout town to give citizens a chance to meet Nashville Police Officers and ask questions, while enjoying coffee and refreshments.

Red Oak Commissioners voted on Monday, January 6, to extend the offer of a free water tap to potential water customers who sign up for service now. The vote extends the offer indefinitely for as long as the county extends the initial recruitment period and is retroactive to cover those who have signed up since the original deadline of January 2.

Most parents know that reading with children and helping them practice to read is important, but they may wonder where to begin. Beginning Monday, January 13, Nash Rocky Mount Public Schools (NRMPS) will present a series of three parent resource sessions to help families learn practical research-based strategies to support their child’s reading. NRMPS believes teaching children to read is a team effort.

The staff and members of Benvenue Country Club hosted a toy drive during their employee holiday dinner and breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 14th.  Over 100 gifts were collected and sent to My Sister’s House, Domestic Family Shelter and Support for Victims of Family Violence. Pictured above is CCM General Manager Michele Benton with other Country Club employees and their families along with Deanna House, of My Sister’s House.

Ricky Parks, of Rocky Mount, was recently appointed by Governor Pat McCrory to serve on the North Carolina Youth Advisory Council.
Parks will serve as chair of the council.
Parks is a supervisor with the Rocky Mount Police Department.

Robbie Davis, Nash County Commissioner and President of Turn Key Contractors, was recently appointed to the North Carolina Building Code Council by Governor Pat McCrory.
Davis will fill the seat designated for a licensed general contractor.

It was wonderful to gather with our church family this first Sunday in 2014. Our choir sang “Something About That Name” for the call to worship. Pastor Aycock welcomed everyone and prayed the invocation. Hymns of worship were “To God Be The Glory” and “Blessed Be The Name.”

Peachtree folks had a joyous and exciting holiday season.  Many had relatives who traveled from afar in order to celebrate Christmas with family.  Now that the new year is here, it’s good to settle back into the usual routine.  It’s time to pause to count our blessings as we look forward to 2014.

It was great to see a lot of you at our monthly fish fry last Friday night. We hope you enjoyed the food and fellowship. We hope everyone is doing OK during the extremely cold weather. We pray that everyone will be able to stay warm and healthy. Please remember to pray for all those who are sick.

In August of 2013, Bethel Heroes 636 ,the local chapter of United Daughters of the Confederacy, began restoring and repairing the Confederate monument located in Battle Park.  It was decided at the December meeting of the chapter to join with the SCV Robert Henry Ricks Camp 75 in hosting  a Robert E. Lee/Stonewall Jackson Luncheon to raise funds for the continued repairs and maintenance of the monument.

With the new year comes many new opportunities!  Red Oak Baptist Church has many to offer including the collection of card front for St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.  If you have Christmas cards or everyday greeting cards that you don’t want to keep, then just tear the fronts off and leave them in the designated box at church through Jan. 19. 

The Nash County Senior Center delivered over 100 bags of Christmas gifts to area seniors just before the holidays. Santa for Seniors is a collaboration with Walgreens to provide needed items for seniors around the holidays. Walgreens delivered 22 bags for the senior center while Scott Rogers and Chris Bissette, of the Nash County Fire Marshal’s Office, delivered 19 bags. Pictured above, Scott Rogers loads gifts to deliver to seniors on December 19.

It is admirable to be an advocate for patients and to provide them with superior quality health care. However, it is truly remarkable to use one’s own personal experience to let breast cancer patients realize that they are not alone in their fight, and even more, to let them realize that they have an advocate always willing to provide a listening ear and a strong shoulder.

Thursday, January 9 from 2:30 until 7 p.m. at the Momeyer Ruritan Club, 4812 Momeyer Way, Nashville
Thursday, January 9 from 3 until 7 p.m. at the West Mount Volunteer Fire Department, 7955 West Mount Drive, Rocky Mount
Saturday, January 11 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Thorne’s Chapel Baptist Church, 1624 Windsor Drive

Well, we put another year in the books last week.
I can’t say that I’m going to miss 2013 very much. There were many challenges, including a kidney stone. If you have never had a kidney stone, I recommend you don’t grow one. Actually, it is not the growing one that is so bad, it is the harvest.

It is extremely cold outside, at least it is I as write this column. By the weekend, though, it’s supposed to be back up in the 70’s.
Apparently, it’s only in North Carolina that you will find temperatures in the single digits one day and then in the 70’s a few days later. No wonder most everyone I know can’t seem to get rid of the sniffles!

The old  saying “All good things must come to an end,” just didn’t set well with some local folks when Pete’s Cafe abruptly closed last year.
Unfortunately due to the last owner, who is now facing larceny charges, the name “Pete’s Cafe,” did come to an end.  But founding owner Pete Gupton and the man he originally sold it to, Jerry Taylor, have brought back the place we all loved to call home, just with a different name.

CUTLINE – This photo was originally published in The Nashville Graphic on October 5, 1967. Bryant Aldridge (left), administrator for Nash General Hospital, is pictured with W.M. Sutton, E.J. Stone and Mrs. Inez Brooks Hunter, looking over plans for new hospital property. According to news reports, there had been controversery over the location in which the new 300-bed facility was to be built.

ADVISORY –– Recently there has been a nasty virus, Distemper, found in our community. This virus is very easy to prevent with a simple vaccination (the DHLPP).
Dog distemper is an epidemic quickly spreading into all breeds of dogs, and it has become imperative that dog owners be informed about it. If you are a dog owner, you can save your precious pet from this deadly disease.

BLACK-TIE AFFAIR. Southern Nash High School graduate Gorham Bradley speaks during a Western Carolina University event at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

NASH COUNTY -- Considering Gorham Bradley grew up on a fairway at Peachtree Hills Country Club in Spring Hope, there was little doubt that golf would help shape the direction his life would take.
But when he was a standout at Southern Nash High School, Bradley had no idea that direction would be due west -- and deep into the Applachian Mountains.

HILL GOES TO THE HOOP. Northern Nash High School senior standout Alexus Hill drives for two points during last Monday afternoon’s victory over Wake Forest as part of the annual Wakefield Basketball Tournament in Wake County.

RALEIGH - While most area prep athletes were putting the finishing touches on their New Year’s Eve plans, the Northern Nash Lady Knights were in the process of taking care of one final order of business to the 2013 portion of their basketball schedule.
One day after topping Wake Forest, the Lady Knights wrapped up a clean two-game sweep at the Wakefield Basketball Tournament by defeating the host Wakefield Lady Wolverines.

HELD BALL. Nash Central Middle’s Porschia Malloy (left) gets tied up for a held ball during Monday afternoon’s home basketball victory against Edwards.

NASHVILLE -- Nash Central Middle School picked up right where it left off after Christmas Break in girls basketball action.
The Lady Trojans remained undefeated in the Tri-County Conference by winning their first post-holiday meeting on Monday against backyard rival Edwards.

TANGLED UP WITH YOU. Nash Central’s Chris High (right) gets tied up with a player from Edwards during Monday’s middle school basketball showdown at the NCMS Gymnasium in Nashville.

NASHVILLE -- An early advantage turned into a quick deficit for the Nash Central Middle School Trojans during their boys basketball matchup Monday at home against the Edwards T-Birds.
It was the first contest of the new year for both clubs, and Edwards rang things in the right way with a 44-39 decision.
The key stretch of the outing came in the second quarter after the Trojans used back-to-back steals and breakaway layups from Tim Bridgers to claim a 20-13 cushion.

RALEIGH -- The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2014 inductees.
The nine new members are Eddie Biedenbach, A. J. Carr, Bob Colvin, Randy Denton, Lee Gliarmis, Marshall Happer, Rodney Rogers, Bob Waters (posthumously), and Frank Weedon (posthumously).
They will be enshrined at the 51st annual induction banquet on the evening of May 9 at the Raleigh Convention Center.

BUNN -- Northern Nash got an opportunity for redemption during Day Two of the Bunn Boys Basketball Christmas Tournament.
After falling to host Bunn on the first day -- thanks in part to a poor second half -- the Knights rebounded with a victory over Fuquay-Varina in the consolation game two Saturdays ago at the Bunn Dome.

DAKOTA DOES IT AGAIN. Southern Nash’s Dakota Medina (top) picked up this victory against Panther Creek as part of last Wednesday’s tri-match at Northern Nash.

RED OAK -- It didn’t take long for Northern Nash and Southern Nash to get back on the mat to begin the 2014 portion of their respective schedules.
Both teams were in action on Jan. 2 -- last Thursday -- as part of an event that also featured Panther Creek from Wake County at the NNHS Gymnasium.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. -- The North Carolina Wesleyan College Battling Bishop men’s basketball team gave 10th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan all it could handle last Friday afternoon in Virginia Beach, falling by a 79-71 score in overtime.
The contest marks the second straight OT defeat at the hands of a top-25 team, as NCWC fell to 17th-ranked Guilford in extras prior to the holiday break.

Northern Nash’s Alexia Hines drives for a bucket during the Lady Knights’ victory over Wake Forest High School last Monday afternoon at the Wakefield Basketball Tournament.

Nash Central Middle School’s Robbi Allen enjoyed another strong performance during her team’s victory over rival Edwards on Monday afternoon at the NCMS Gymnasium.

Northern Nash’s Alexus Hill delivers a sharp pass.

Edwards Middle School guard George Shannon finds a teammate during Monday afternoon’s Tri-County Conference boys basketball contest against the host Nash Central Trojans.

Nash Central’s Miccjella Macklin is among several players trying to grab a rebound during Monday’s game against Edwards MS.

Nash Arts Center welcomes Eric Strickland & the B Sides Friday, January 10 at 7 p.m. General admission is $10 (plus tax). Nash Arts is located at 100 E. Washington Street, downtown Nashville. Call 252-459-4734 for additional information.

Annie Montague, age 87 passed away January 2, 2014.

Carvie Everette Strickland passed away on January 1, 2014. He was born on September 22, 1922 in Middlesex to the late Garland Ellis Strickland and Etta Strickland. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Alene Lamm Strickland; brothers, Arthur, Jim, Thurman, Joe, and Henry Strickland, and sister, Delta Williams.

David Chris Taylor, Jr., age 51 passed away on January 3, 2014. He is preceded in death by his mother Lorene Parker Taylor and sister Melinda Taylor Bone.

ROCKY MOUNT – Donald Kenny “Kent” Hunter, age 57, of Rocky Mount, died on Friday, January 3, 2014.

NASHVILLE - Mrs. Emma Pearl Cooper, age 81, of Nashville, died on Friday, January 3, 2014 at Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount.

NASHVILLE -  Funeral Services For Erma Richardson Morris, 89, who died on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, took place at 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 4 at Rock Hill Baptist Church. Burial followed in Oakland Cemetery with Rev. John Neal officiating.

Ginger Elaine Pate, 55 passed away January 4, 2014. She was born December 15, 1958 to the late Robert H. Pate and Hilda E. Pate.

LOUISBURG - Funeral services for James A. “Jack” Lewis, 90, who died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, will take place today (Wednesday, Jan. 8) at 12 noon at Allen Chapel Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Rev. Stanley Dunston officiating.

James Earnest Jones, Sr., age 77 of Rocky Mount passed away January 5, 2014.

Judith Lee Howell Blackwell, 69, passed away Wednesday, January 1, 2014. She was born in Nash County on November 27, 1944 to the late Rev. Ernest Howell and Rosie Lee Howell. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Blackwell.

ENFIELD ––Loistean Richardson, 64, of Enfield, died on Monday, December 30, 2013. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the Roanoke Rapids location of H.D. Pope Funeral Home.

Nathaniel Pope, age 78 of Middlesex, passed away January 1, 2014.

Richard Lucas, Sr. age 86 of Rocky Mount passed away January 5, 2014.

Theodore Alfred Chadwick, Jr., 68, passed away Wednesday, January 1, 2014. He was born March 14, 1945 in Nash County to the late Theodore Chadwick, Sr., and Nellie Brown Chadwick. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, Linda Chadwick.

ROCKY MOUNT –– Mr. Wageh Rageb Awadallah, 67, of Rocky Mount, and formerly of Jerusalem, died on Friday, January 3, 2014 at Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount.