It was a hot and somber morning at Northern Nash High School this past Saturday, as over 500 laps were ran, walked and biked in honor of North Carolina soldiers who have died while serving their country.
This is the third year the Run for the Fallen event has been held in Nash County. The event is sponsored by the North Carolina Chapter of Honor and Remember, whose president is Kathy Moore. Moore's son, Ryan Russell was killed in combat on March 5, 2007. Russell was from Elm City.

Nash County Commissioners will tentatively approve the county's $95 million budget on June 3, following a public hearing.
Nash County Manager Zee Lamb presented the budget to commissioners on Monday. The 2019-2020 budget is a 1.22 percent increase above the 2018-2019 original budget of $93.9 million, Lamb said.

SHRINERS CELEBRATE - The Sudan Shriners held their Ceremonial Parade in downtown Nashville Saturday featuring colorful and creative units. Pictured Sudan Pirates stop along the route to pass out pirate beads to spectators. Lewis Smith (right) is pictured receiving beads from one of the pirates.

A presentation was given to members of the Nash-Rocky Mount (N-RM) Board of Education, Nash County Commissioners and members of the public last Thursday night on construction of the new elementary school.
The school system was awarded a Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund Grant in the amount of $10 million in October 2018 to assist in the construction of a new elementary school in the northern end of the county. Nash County plans to match the $10 million grant.

Nashville's Business and Professional Women (BPW) will host the first annual Taste of Nash County on Tuesday, June 11 at Nash Community College.
The event is a fundraiser for the BPW organization and will fund the Hazel Valentine BPW scholarships for local youth.
For many years, the scholarship was funded through the Elsie Clark Memorial Opry but this year, the Opry was unable to be held so members organized a new event.

Nashville's Fire Department has received a grant to help provide smoke alarm education and installation to local communities.
The grants are offered through the North Carolina Department of Insurance - Office of the State Fire Marshal.
These grants will allow the installation of 54 Kiddie 10-year lithium battery temper proof smoke alarms in Nashville homes.

Building thriving communities, that's what it's all about for Nashville resident Melanie Wallace.
Wallace recently started her own business, "Celebrate Living Local," a community-based marketing company that currently serves Nash and Edgecombe Counties.
Wallace said she welcomes new homeowners with a basket filled with community information and gifts and gift certificates from local businesses.

The nephew of Sarah Denise Patterson, 51, has been charged with first degree murder after her body was found in a shallow grave on Wednesday.
Patterson, of Raleigh, was recently reported missing while visiting Spring Hope.
On Tuesday, investigators found Patterson's vehicle burned, Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone said during a press conference. The vehicle was found in Edgecombe County. Stone said the vehicle was likely burned to conceal evidence.

An accident on Highway 64 took the life of a Rocky Mount man on Wednesday afternooon.
The accident happened around 2:11 p.m. on Highway 64, 1.2 miles northeast of Nashville.
According to the NC Highway Patrol, a vehicle driven by 20-year-old Zachary Davis Williams, of Rocky Mount, was traveling west on Highway 64 when it crossed the center line to the right, struck a guardrail, overturned and then struck a bridge before coming to rest.

The Town of Nashville is taking steps to become a Tree City USA.
The town hopes to enact steps at the beginning of the fiscal year to be eligible to apply for the program.
Marguerite Bishop, Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, presented the item to council members at the May 7 council meeting.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2018-2019 school year.
The following students at Tar River Academy made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2018-2019 school year.
The following students at CITI High School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

The Nashville High School Class of 1959 recently held their 60th year reunion at the Wilson Woman's Club. Pictured, left to right, are, first row: Pat Alsup Montgomery, Nancy Sustare Druggan, Helen Ayers Wood, Margorie Joyner Gardiner, Nancy Baker Morris, Marrie Carr Moore, Pat Boone Parker, Linda Tyson Askew. Second row: Joyce Fisher Hudson, Johnny Rackley, Ginny Thompson Bartholomew, Butch Huckabee, Charles Bell, Cecil Pullen. Third row: Ed Chappell, Wade Burnette, Boyd Wood, Vernan Leonard and Carroll Sullivan.

The US Postal Service in Nashville recently completed its 2019 Letter Carrier Association Annual Food Drive Campaign. The 2019 Drive collected five all purpose containers full of food. Carriers and staff said they would like to thank the community for the generous support of the annual event.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2018-2019 school year.
The following students at Spring Hope Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

FREE PETS!!! Well...pets are not really free. Not if you take care of them! Actually, there is a $50 refundable adoption fee at the Nash County Animal Shelter for a pet that needs to be fixed (or (or a non-refundable $20 if the pet is already fixed). The $50 is refunded, if you have the pet fixed within a reasonable period. It is so critical that pets be fixed to stop the cycle of more pets coming into the Shelter. Yes, of course, it will cost a bit to have the pet fixed, but there are affordable options.

A breaking, entering and larceny was reported on 5/5/19 at 3499 Woodbrook Drive
Fighting was reported on 5/5/19 at 10238 S Walnut Street
A breaking and entering was reported on 5/5/19 at 1673 Mt Zion Church Road

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools has released its Honor Roll lists for the third semester of the 2018-2019 school year.
The following students at Swift Creek Elementary School made the A or A/B Honor Roll.

Nash County Planning and Inspections issued the following building permits from May 13 through 17.

Area residents have alerted Nash UNC Health Care that the hospital's phone number and caller ID are showing up on their Caller ID, but it is not the hospital calling - it is a telemarketer or scammer.
"Caller ID spoofing" is when a caller falsifies the identity sent to your caller ID display to disguise their own identity and as a tactic to increase the number of answered calls.

I don't believe Christians will have to suffer through the seven-year tribulation that the Bible promises. As far as I am concerned, I rest my case on what the Apostle Paul said at 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Recently I was invited to preside over a graveside service for a dear friend of mine from a former pastorate. As I prepared my remarks I was drawn to the 23rd Psalm. As I focused that day on this very familiar passage of scripture, I began to think even more about this shepherd that David speaks of in this text. So this past week, I have been studying about the good shepherd the Jesus spoke of according to the gospel of John chapter 10.

Dorothy, Audrey, and Suzy Pearce had a great time at the Pearce-Tant Family Reunion Saturday, May 18! The reunion was held at Bunn Chapel Church of God of Prophecy in Bunn. Everyone enjoyed time together and lunch. One relative brought some old photo albums for everyone to look at. There were some real treasures in the books. Pictures never seen before of family today and many ancestors.

Sunday May 19 was Graduate Sunday for high school and college graduates at KIC. The graduates entered the sanctuary to "Pomp & Circumstance" dressed in their caps and gowns. A video was shown of the graduates; this included photo collections of each of them growing and transitioning from infant to adult. Each graduate was presented with a gift from KIC. Congratulations to all of you!

Hi Fellow Followers, Grace and Peace to you as we barrel towards summer here in Eastern Carolina. Our time together will be spent in two ways. First, I want to offer a brief word concerning another aspect of our salvation in Christ, in that we are saved from something to be saved for something. Secondly, I want to let you know of an exciting announcement that is sure to be a treat for us all in the weeks ahead. So let's dive in.

The Peachtree Baptist Church Congregation family and friends came together to welcome the 2019 High School Graduates and the Cameron Boys Camp members to worship.
The Sanctuary flower arrangement Sunday was presented to glorify God by Melba and Jerry Hobgood in honor of the 2019 graduates and the residents of the NC Baptist Children's Homes.

Sudan Shriner Potentate Carl Smith waves to the crowd on Saturday. The ceremonial parade was brought to Nashville because Smith lives in Nashville and is serving as the leader, or potentate, of the Shriners.

Liz Cahoon, at right, dances with a member of the Sudan Cooligans on Saturday during the Shriner's Parade.

The Sudan Drum and Bugle Corps kicked off Saturday's Shriner's Parade in Downtown Nashville.

Northern Nash High School freshman Nataniel Rodriguez runs a mile for a fallen soldier.

School is ending, temps have shot up into the 90s, and most people have a day off coming.
That can only mean one thing: Memorial Day is here and so is the summer.
It's also that time of year that many pieces are written trying to bring guilt down on the People for having a good time and not remembering what the day is about.

Many people get super excited about Memorial Day.
It's generally used as a time to go to the beach or have cookouts. And sure, it's okay to do those things, you know why?
Because of freedom.
Memorial Day is a day set aside in the United States to remember and honor those service men and women who have died while serving in the military.

COOPERS GRADUATES -- This photo was originally published in The Nashville Graphic on June 6, 1968. Pictured is the 1968 graduating class at Coopers High School.

WILLIAMS SHOWS THE WAY. Nash Central High School's Jahkee Williams clears the bar in the Boys Pole Vault competition at last Friday's Class 2-A State Track and Field Championships in Greensboro.

GREENSBORO -- The Class 2-A State Track and Field Championships might as well have been subtitled 'Senior Day' for the Nash Central High School Bulldogs.
That's because, of the five competitors Central sent to Greensboro to take part in the annual event, four of them were much-decorated seniors who have made tremendous contributions to Nash Central -- in multiple sports and the classroom.

NORTHERN NASH'S JORDAN RICHARDSON

GREENSBORO -- Northern Nash didn't take its deepest-ever field of competitors to the Class 3-A State Track and Field Championships this year -- but that fact certainly didn't diminish the importance of the moment.
Several NNHS seniors made their final career appearances at the event, which was held last Friday at Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University.

SOUTHERN NASH COACH ROBBIE KENNEDY

STANHOPE -- Picking his club's roster for the East-West Boys Basketball All-Star Game was just the beginning for East head coach Robbie Kennedy.
Kennedy, also in charge of the boys hoops program at Southern Nash, announced his selections recently, and the East squad looks strong on paper.
Leading the way for the East selections is Panther Creek's Justin McKoy, a 6-foot-8 standout who has signed with defending national champion Virginia.

STANHOPE -- The 2019 Southern Nash Softball Camp will be held June 10, 11 and 13 at Ladybird Field on the SNHS campus.
Times will run from 6-8:30 p.m., and the camp fee is $30. Girls ages 7-18 are welcome to participate.
The camp will be overseen by SNHS head coach Scott Collie and will feature individual and group instruction with ample practice, skill and game-type experiences.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The visiting Carolina Mudcats were held to just one hit and combined to strike out 16 times in an 11-0 loss to the Woodpeckers on Sunday afternoon in Fayetteville at Segra Stadium.
Fayetteville starter Yohan Ramirez turned in a dominating 11-strikeout performance as his club salvaged a win in the series finale.

NASH COUNTY -- Here are Nash County Recreation & Senior Services updated youth baseball and softball league scores:

GREENVILLE -- Fifth-year head coach Cliff Godwin has been named American Athletic Conference Baseball Coach-of-the-Year, while East Carolina University junior Jake Agnos was tabbed Pitcher-of-the-Year according to an announcement by the league office Monday afternoon.

NASH COUNTY -- Here are updated Nash County Recreation & Senior Services Spring 2019 Soccer League game scores:

NASH COUNTY -- Listed are recent Nash County Recreation & Senior Services Flag Football scores:

NICHOLASVILLE, KY. -- The 16th-ranked North Carolina Wesleyan College Golf Team finishedits final round of the 2019 NCAA Div. III National Championships last Friday shooting an 18-over 306 to finish in 14th place. The tournament was held at Keene Trace Golf Club in the foothills of Central Kentucky, hosted by Transylvania University.

RED OAK -- The phrase 'dynasty' is often overused in the sports world, but not when it comes to describing the long-time success of the Red Oak Middle School boys cross country program.
The Tigers once again claimed the Tri-County Conference championship recently in a meet that was held as Red Oak's home course on the ROMS campus.

Byron Hawkins (left) won the Eastern Plains Conference and East Regional Championships in the Boys 110 Hurdles before taking fourth place in the event at the Class 2-A State Track and Field Championships. He is shown with NCHS head track coach Juan Jackson.

Northern Nash High School senior Jordan Richardson runs with the pack during last Friday's action at the Class 3-A State Track and Field Championships in Greensboro.

Northern Nash's Kylar Wiggins (left) sprints toward the finish line during the Girls 400 at last Friday's Class 3-A State Track and Field Championships in Greensboro.

(L to R) Sarah Hicks and My'ka Hedgepeth have been exceptional multi-sport standouts this season for the Nash Central High School girls track and field squad.

Senior Sarah Hicks will go down as one of the best multi-sport athletes that Nash Central High School has even seen -- in addition to begin an honors student at NCHS.