Nash County Commissioners met on Monday to receive updates and discuss numerous capital projects.
Commissioners did take action on one item and agreed to hire a consultant to help Nash County Emergency Services determine the best method to upgrade its radio system. The total cost for the consultant is $39,340, however, an additional $10,600 was also approved to conduct a frequency and tower study, bringing the total amount approved to $50,000.

OH SANTA! -- Little Aeris Ellis, 3, sits with Santa Claus at Cooley Library in Nashville. Santa visited the library Saturday to greet children during a special holiday storytime.

Nashville's Town Council agreed to form an advisory board that will make recommendations on how to spend all monies collected in the newly created Municipal Service District.
Town Council first discussed the creation of a Municipal Service District at their retreat last year. Council officially adopted the Municipal Service Districts in July; however, the additional tax would not be collected until the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year.

Xavien Harrison received his Christmas wish about two months early.
After spending over four months in the hospital, Harrison received a kidney and heart transplant in October at UNC Hospital.
Harrison, of Nashville, was diagnosed with kidney failure and congestive heart failure just a few years ago after receiving medical evaluations for life insurance.
During dialysis, which began in June 2015, Harrison said the conversations started about having a kidney transplant. Harrison went through the evaluation process and was deemed eligible for a kidney transplant.

Audrey House's doctor told her if she kept walking as much as she did, she would live to be 100.
Turns out, he was right.
House celebrated her 100th birthday last Thursday with several parties held in her honor.
House was born in the Elm Grove community and continued to live in the community until a few years ago, when she moved to Brekendridge Retirement Center in Rocky Mount.

Several Relay for Life teams will be "Wrapping up Cancer" at Golden East Mall during the holiday season.
Team members will provide giftwrapping services from now through December 23 at the mall in Rocky Mount. The giftwrapping service is a fundraiser for Relay for Life and all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.
Those wanted to have their gifts wrapped can bring them to the wrapping center, located in the middle of the mall, for teams to wrap and decorate with bows and ribbons.

The Nashville Graphic is introducing three new officers of the Nashville Police Department this month as part of an "Officer Spotlight" series. This week's article features Officer Daniel Strutton. Last week, Jordan Stone was featured.

Pictured above, Megan Turner is served by Nash County 4-H'er Taylor Hall during the Festival of Tables event.

Nash County 4-H hosted its second annual Festival of Tables on Friday, December 2 at the Nash County Agricultural Center.
Over 100 people attended the event.
The event featured a meal, served by 4-H'ers, a fashion show, games and door prizes.
Tables were decorated by individuals who sponsored tables and invited guests to attend the event.

Sage Moss is all bundled up and ready to meet Santa Claus during the Christmas in Spring Hope event.

Spring Hope Pumpkin Queen Emory New (left) and Little Miss Pumpkin Madison Hart (right) pass out goodies during the Christmas in Spring Hope event.

Tracy Jackson (right) former Spring Hope Chamber of Commerce President, introduces Mary Perry Kelley as the new chamber president. She was elected into office on November 28th.

INCIDENTS
A larceny was reported on 12/6/16 at Wal-Mart, 1205 Eastern Avenue
A larceny was reported on 12/7/16 at Just Save, 731 E Washington Street

A domestic was reported on 12/4/16 at 8383 Driver Road
A breaking, entering and larceny was reported on 12/4/16 at 2675 Old County Home Road
An attempt to break and enter was reported on 12/4/16 at 10763 S NC 581
A misdemeanor larceny was reported on 12/4/16 at 10696 E NC 97

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from December 5 through 9.

The Dortches Ruritan Club met last month at its regular meeting and presented a donation to Nash County Social Service's Foster Care Christmas Drive Program, which provides Christmas gifts for children in foster care. The program has over 40 kids in foster care. Pictured above is Ashley Cousar, with Nash County Social Services Foster Care Program. (Graphic photo by Amanda Clark)

David Bailey and Allen Thompson (L-R) dump sweet potatoes in big boxes, which are loaded in a truck to take to the Food Bank during Yam Jam.

Mr. and Mrs. Joe and Nancy Capoferri, of Hammonton, New Jersey, announce the engagement of their daughter, Kimberly Ann DiGiovanni, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Stephen Edward White, also of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward and Marci White, of Nashville.
Maternal grandmother of the bride is Mrs. Ruth Johnson, of Hammonton, New Jersey. Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Leonard and Joan DiGiovanni, of Mt. Arlingenton, New Jersey.

Nash County Cooperative Extension is now accepting applications for the 2017 Master Gardener training course, which starts on January 26th, 2017. Training participants will meet weekly on Thursday afternoons from 1 pm to 4 p.m. through April 27. As part of the training, participants will learn valuable information about soils, fertilizer, pruning, plant identification, lawn care, growing fruits and vegetables, environmental stewardship, and insect, disease, and weed management.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the first semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Coopers Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the first semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Cedar Grove Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

KINDERGARTEN CLASS

Cedar Grove Elementary School held its Christmas Concert on December 6th featuring songs from a "Chipmunk Christmas." Each grade performed separately followed by a performance by the Cedar Grove Chorus. Kindergarten students sang, "All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth." First graders sang "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" and second graders performed "Frosty the Snowman." Third grade students sang "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and fourth graders sang "Jingle Bell Rock."

FIFTH GRADE

FOURTH GRADE

Haley Ridgway (left) and Alexa Daniel carry the Christmas ~ N ~ Middlesex banner at the beginning of the parade.

Middlesex held its annual Christmas -N- Middlesex event Saturday, December 10th, featuring music and a Christmas Parade.

Cameron Mitchiner, Shyann Tabron and Aleyah Tabron are ready to watch the Middlesex Christmas Parade.

Girls Scouts members ride in the Middlesex Christmas Parade Saturday.

Mr. Pig greets parade spectators in Middlesex Saturday.

The Southern Nash High School Marching Firebirds perform during the Christmas Parade.

The Eastern Piedmont Farm School program is accepting applications from new and beginning farmers interested in honing their business skills and finding their way in the world of agriculture. The five-month long program begins in February and applications are due January 14th.
The N.C. Farm School program started four years ago as the Piedmont Farm School. It has now grown to four schools held annually across the state. In 2016, the first Eastern Piedmont Farm School was held, a collaboration of extension agents in Nash, Warren, Franklin, and Wake counties.

Cats and dogs should be kept inside during cold weather. Its a common belief that dogs and cats are more resistant than people to cold because of their fur. But that is untrue. Like people, cats and dogs are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia and should be sheltered or inside.
Nash County Animal Friends, Photographers & Advocates for the pets in the Nash County Animal Control Shelter Find us on Facebook!

"Joy to the world, the Savior reigns, let men their songs employ, while fields and floods, Rocks, hills and plains, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy..." So goes the classic Advent hymn, by Isaac Watts, that many boisterously sing during the month of December. This traditional song of jubilee is not so much about the birth of Christ, but about the second coming of Christ, hence the reason it is an Advent song.

Peachtree folks gathered at the church on a cold and frosty Sunday morning. The Adult Choir sang "Calvary Covers it All" under the direction of Pastor Whitehouse. He chose as his sermon topic, "God is Not Looking for Experience." It was based on scripture passage from Matthew 1:18-25. It tells how God chose Joseph to play the role as Jesus' earthly father. Joseph followed God's will, even though it was not convenient. We too need to seek God's will and direction for our lives.

As we near the annual celebration remembering the birth of Jesus Christ, we may ask why He came. The Bible is clear. Christ came into the world to save sinners.
Hmm. What is a sinner? A sinner is a person who violates God's standards for living. For example, the Sixth of God's Ten Commandments says, "You shall not commit murder" (Exodus 20:13). Positively, we must do all we can to preserve life.

A Rocky Mount native recently published his second book, just in time for the holidays.
George Wells wrote the book, "Pee Wee the Christmas Tree," about a Christmas tree that is overlooked for his small size but who refuses to give up on finding a family to spend the holidays with.

The Micajah Pettaway Chapter of the NC Daughters of the American Revolution in Rocky Mount marked the grave of Revolutionary veteran William Perry, Jr. this November. Two members are descendants of William Perry and requested the chapter place the DAR insignia on their ancestor's grave. Ginger Hayden helped organize the ceremony.

Leaders of the North Carolina General Assembly are inviting North Carolina high school students to apply for the 47th Annual Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA).
"North Carolina's Youth Legislative Assembly offers students a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about the legislative process and to develop leadership skills that will help them succeed in life," said Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore

Residents of South Rocky Mount participated in Peacemakers of Rocky Mount's 2016 Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday, November 20. Peacemakers is a Christian community development organization serving the under-resourced area of South Rocky Mount with a mission to empower members of the community with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead successful and sustainable lives. Peacemakers is located at 1725 Davis Street.

The 2016 Special Olympics North Carolina Fall Tournament concluded November 6 in High Point, ending an exciting weekend of competition for more than 1,000 athletes and Unified Partners from across the state, according to Keith L. Fishburne, president/CEO of SONC.
Athletes competed in basketball, bocce, golf, roller skating, soccer and tennis. Athletes trained for a minimum of eight weeks at the local level prior to moving on to state-level competition.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the first semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Benvenue Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the first semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Middlesex Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the first semester of the 2015-2016 School Year.
The following students at Englewood Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

My sons have reached the age where they are getting interested in some of the things I loved when I was a kid. They've been playing sports for years, but now they're joining me as fans of my teams, they're getting better at things like chess, watching movies that aren't made by Disney, and paying attention to the world around them.
In short, they are a lot of fun.

I have been the mother of a kindergartner for almost four months now and it has been an experience, to say the least.
I wasn't really sure what to expect when Corbin entered "real" school but it certainly has been almost the opposite of anything I anticipated.
I feel like my child has skipped kindergarten and went right on to maybe second grade. And, well, he's not ready for second grade.
The expectations for our children today are ridiculous.

Dear editor: The columnist Mike Brantley makes mention of the movie "Creed" in his recent column.
"Creed" is the latest installment in the Rocky franchise.
That sounds so weird - calling a movie a franchise.
But, that's what it is.

Dear editor: The use of Naloxone can save a life. Naloxone, also known as Narcan is an opioid antagonist used in opioid overdoses to counteract the life-threatening depression of the respiratory system. It allows an overdose victim to breathe normally.

CAROLLING - This photo of children was found in the December 26, 1968 Graphic archives.

STURDY DEFENSE. Nash Central Middle School's Abbygail Cook (left) provides some tight defense against a Rocky Mount player during Monday afternoon's girls basketball contest at the NCMS Gymnasium.

NASHVILLE - After both Nash Central and Rocky Mount Middle's Girls started 1-1, the two turned their attention to one another in what was Nash Central Middle's home opener on Monday afternoon.
Going into Monday, Nash Central had never lost to Rocky Mount in girls basketball, and that streak was kept alive after Coach Minnie White's Trojans knocked off the Lady Ravens by a 26-15 margin.

NASHVILLE -- After an undefeated Tri-County Conference Boys' Basketball Championship season for Sam Watson and the Rocky Mount Middle School Ravens in 2015-16, the new campaign has not started the way the Ravens had planned.
Heading into Monday's game at Nash Central, Rocky Mount sat at 0-2 with losses to Phillips and Red Oak.
Meanwhile, first-year head coach Mitch Wells of Nash Central had gotten the Trojans off to a 1-1 start, and felt confident heading into his club's first home game.

IN THE AIR FOR TWO. Red Oak's Caleb Reams elevates for a driving basket during last Thursday's home decision against Rocky Mount Middle School.

RED OAK -- Red Oak Middle School was presented with a challenging early schedule in the Tri-County Conference as the Tigers opened their boys basketball slate with home games last week against rivals Edwards and Rocky Mount.
Red Oak, which was expected to have a strong squad this winter, passed both tests in impressive fashion, including last Thursday evening's conquest against Rocky Mount at the ROMS Gymnasium.

ROCKY MOUNT -- Wilson Fike's girls and Wilson Hunt's boys were the team winners at last Wednesday's Big East Conference Swim Meet at the Harrison Family YMCA Pool.
Fike's girls claimed 141 points to almost lap the field. Rocky Mount was second at 87 points, with Northern Nash not far behind in the third position with 81 markers.

ZEBULON -- The Carolina Mudcats of the Class A Carolina League are offering several ticket packages for the upcoming 2017 baseball season at Five County Stadium in Zebulon.
Options include full-season, half-season and quarter-season ticket plans, along with Muddy's Unreal Deal, which makes for an excellent holiday gift or stocking stuffer.

ATLANTA, GA. -- The women's basketball team of North Carolina Wesleyan College split a pair of road games over the weekend in Georgia, downing Berry College last Saturday, 64-46, before falling at Oglethorpe University on Sunday, 70-60.
Junior KeChae Parker turned in a tremendous weekend, netting a career-high 23 points in Saturday's win before eclipsing it with a 30-point performance on Sunday.

CHAPEL HILL -- The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced the pairings for this weekend's state championship football games.
Here is the complete schedule:

I'LL TAKE THAT. Red Oak Middle School's Indiya Spooner (right) claims a loose ball during her club's girls basketball triumph Monday afternoon against the Rocky Mount Lady Ravens.

RED OAK -- Spend a few minutes watching Coach Russell Rouse's intense coaching style, and it's hard to question his commitment to the Red Oak Middle School girls basketball program -- especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Rouse maintains a constant dialogue -- and in extremely vocal fashion -- with his club while they are playing defense.

STANHOPE -- Southern Nash's boys basketball team renewed its long-time rivalry with Bunn last Friday night with a 58-44 home victory at the SNHS Gymnasium.
The third period would prove to be a decisive one as the Firebirds (3-2) outscored the Wildcats by a 28-9 total during the eight minutes of action.
Eleven different players scored for Southern Nash, led by Darius Edmundson with 13 points to go with four rebounds.
Three performers registered seven points apiece for the victorious Firebirds -- Dae'One Wilkins, Cory Foster and Nadir Thompson.

STANHOPE -- Southern Nash had an opportunity to finish off a regular season girls basketball sweep of backyard rival Bunn last Friday night, but it wasn't meant to be.
Instead, the visiting Ladycats avenged an earlier loss to SNHS by securing a 30-24 decision over the host Ladybirds in non-conference hoops action.
Selena Cooke and Makayla Strickland came through with 14 points apiece to spark Bunn to the victory.

Red Oak Middle's Emily Davis (with ball) speeds upcourt during last Thursday's home victory against conference opponent Rocky Mount.

Nash Central Middle School's Nashya Lucas (right) claims a loose ball during her club's girls basketball triumph Monday afternoon against the Rocky Mount Lady Ravens.

Nash Central applies strong team defense during Monday's home victory over Rocky Mount in Tri-County Conference girls hoops action.

Red Oak Middle School's Donavon Simpson (left) keeps the ball away from a Rocky Mount defender during last Thursday's Tri-County Conference boys basketball contest.

Red Oak's Jadaysia Hedgepeth elevates for a basket during the Lady Tigers' home triumph last Thursday afternoon against backyard rival Rocky Mount Middle.