Sleep in Heavenly Peace volunteers assemble beds in homes to ensure children do not have to sleep on the floor.

Children living in Nash County and surrounding areas received a soft bed to sleep on from the local chapter of a national nonprofit.
Sleep In Heavenly Peace is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization devoted to ensure no kid sleeps on the floor. The organization builds, assembles, and deliver top-notch twin sized single beds or twin sized bunk beds to kids in need.

Zion Corinthian is all smiles sitting on a 4-wheeler at one of Richardson's events.

Everyone needs a helping hand and Nashville resident Anne Richardson is more than happy to provide that hand, especially around Christmas.
Richardson is the founder of The Helping Hands Outreach Ministry, which she started in 2015 with her family.
The ministry has helped hundreds, if not thousands, of people through the years with meals, clothing and other household supplies.

Wayne J. Land

Longtime Nashville businessman and entrepreneur Wayne J. Land passed away Tuesday, December 28, at the age of 79.
Land has been long known as the founder and developer of L&L Food Stores. Land started his first business in 1973 with Oak Grove Grocery located on Old Bailey Highway five miles outside of Nashville.

Nash County COVID-19 cases continue to climb and local health officials are encouraging people adhere to prevention practices and get vaccinated.
Nash County Health Director Bill Hill said in the county's weekly briefing on Tuesday that he wasn't surprised with this week's spike in positive cases, "These numbers are continuing to escalate as it wasn't very hard to predict over the last couple weeks," he said.

Sergeant Damon Brantley of the Nashville Police Department walks with a child to find items on his wish list.

Eager children and their parents strolled through the Nashville Walmart with law enforcement last Tuesday placing items they desired into carts to shop for the holidays.
Nashville police officers and fire department officials met with 9 children from Nashville Elementary December 21 who were selected for this year's Shop with a Cop, an annual program that aims to foster positive relationships between youth and officers.

Efforts to provide individuals with a job after their place of employment caught fire two Saturdays ago are underway.
First responders were called to the QVC Distribution Center in Rocky Mount December 18 around 2 a.m. to extinguish flames.
Sources said nearly 300 people who were working the night shift at the time escaped safely but one worker, identified as 21-year-old Kevon Ricks, died in the fire.

A Nash County native has created a nonprofit that provides items for the hygienic needs of girls and women.
Shirnetta Harrell, founder and executive director of The No Woman, No Girl Initiative created the company in February 2021 after discovering the need that girls and women had for accessing everyday essentials.

Deputy Taylor assists Joey Brasett with his new bicycle.

Lights and sirens leaving downtown Nashville last week wasn't an emergency but rather a celebration of helping those in need.
As tradition the Nash County Sheriff's Office held its 6th annual event, "A Sheriff's Christmas" delivering toys and supplies to the homes of 7 families with children and also two elderly individuals.

Blaze Gonzalez waits patiently while his gift bag is opened.

INCIDENTS
Firearm by felon and DWI reported at mile marker 458 and US 64 on 12/19/21
Driving while license revoked; misuse of 911 system; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of cocaine at 100 East Evans Drive on 12/24/21

Assault serious bodily injury was reported at 100 N Boddie St, Nashville on 12/22/21
Obtain property by false pretense, aid and abet larceny, identity fraud were reported at 10762 Liles Rd, Bailey on 12/22/21
Trespass second degree, resisting arrest/hinder and delay were reported at 12234 Anderson Rd., Spring Hope on 12/19/21

EMA Land Development Company to Edward J. Cozart Jr.; 35.89 acres on Old Smithfield Road
Hamilton D. Moore Jr. to Austin Realty and Construction, LLC; 936 Hazelwood Drive, Rocky Mount
Samuel Elias Herrera and Tiffany Shanae Ham to Zeus Linares Maldonado and Jhoanna Martinez Calderon; Eagle Ridge Subdivision, Lot 143

Building Permit Residential
Krystal Smith, 112 N. Louisburg Rd; addition (covered); $47,000
Keith Price, 1689 Blue Heron Dr.; detached accessory; $28,600

Did you know that a Christian friend is almost twice as likely to lead your child or grandchild to Christ as their own pastor? In fact, a friend has a better chance of leading them to Christ than you do. These observations should not come as a surprise. We've all seen the power that friends have over our children.
Jesus illustrated the power that a friend can have when he first met Nicodemus.

For many, New Year's is just another holiday. For others, it's a time of deep reflection, both on the past year and on the one ahead. For followers of Jesus, New Year's has no unique significance. There's no central biblical narrative informing our celebrations.
But this doesn't mean Christians shouldn't pause and reflect on the turning of the calendar.

Congratulations to Brent and Morgan New Belk on the birth of their son, Brooks Daniel Belk, on December 20! Proud grandparents are Craig and Susan New.
Congratulations to Bradley and Kristin Boone on the birth of their daughter, Emerson Jo, on December 22! Proud grandparents are Neal and Mary Boone. Proud great-grandmother is Bobbie Wollett.

The Reverend Lenoard Fairley, Resident Bishop of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, will be the guest preacher for an area wide worship service at the Dunn Center on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College at 3pm on January 23, 2022.
This service is a joint celebration by the United Methodist Churches in and near Rocky Mount and North Carolina Wesleyan College.

When the New Year rolls around, people typically make resolutions for themselves. If you have a pet consider making a resolution for them as well.
If you do not take your pet to the veterinarian please make it a New Year's resolution to start doing an annual visit. It is the best way to spot potential health problems before they get worse. If some conditions are allowed to progress, they will be more difficult and expensive to treat.

Before the week is out, we will be in 2022.
While that seems obvious to anyone with a pulse, I'll be honest -- 2019, 2020 and 2021 have kind of been like a skipping vinyl record.
The same folks I run into that say before Christmas "I'll just be glad when it's over" are now transitioning to "New Year? It's just another day on the calendar." They must be great at parties.

This week brings sad news for Nashville and Nash County.
Though he had been retired since 2018, it's still hard to digest the news that Nashville's legendary entrepreneur, Wayne J. Land, passed away this week.
He started his business venture operation in a small country store. He didn't start out a wealthy man nor a man who had deep pockets for investments. He wasn't born into a family who had money to hand out either.

This photo originally published in The Nashville Graphic on December 22, 1989. Santa dropped by the Nashville Police Department handing out candy and hugs. Cynthia Richardson and Erica Lilly, who came in from a nearby business, are shown getting their hugs.

PAINT WORK. Nash Central's Lydia Hill (right) makes a strong move toward the basket during Monday's tournament contest against Clayton High School.

CLEVELAND -- Historically speaking, Nash Central High School's girls basketball program probably hasn't gotten the credit is has deserved during its 20-yard history.
The Bulldogs have featured only one coach over the period -- Terri Cash -- so continuity has never been an issue.

SOUTHERN NASH HIGH SCHOOL'S JACKSON VICK (AT LEFT)

NASH COUNTY -- In the immortal words of legendary Arizona Cardinals football coach Dennis Green, 'They were who we thought they were'.
Of course, Green wasn't talking about the Rocky Mount High School boys basketball squad, but he might as well have been in reference to the 2021-22 Big East Conference title race.

SOUTHERN NASH HIGH SCHOOL'S Z'NALA RICKS

NASH COUNTY -- The Big East Conference girls basketball schedule is only three games old -- with 11 more contests to play -- but some trends are already starting develop. And none of them are overwhelmingly unexpected.
Talk among most of the league's coaches in the preseason was that the Rocky Mount Lady Gryphons were the prohibitive favorites to win the Big East -- and RM has done nothing to date to dispel that notion.

ROCKY MOUNT -- The North Carolina Wesleyan College Baseball team was ranked 13th with 252 points in Collegiate Baseball's Preseason Div. 3 Poll which was released last Tuesday.
The Bishops are coming off a NCAA Regional appearance last season and a 33-win campaign overall (33-10) including 17-1 in the USA South that saw the Bishops fall in the championship game of the conference tournament.

RALEIGH -- North Carolina State University baseball head coach and Nash County native Elliott Avent announced the program's 2022 competition schedule lastWednesday afternoon.
The slate features 56 games, including 35 at Doak Field at Dail Park on the NCSU campus in Raleigh.

UNC-GREENSBORO BASEBALL COACH BILLY GODWIN

GREENSBORO -- Head baseball coach Billy Godwin has unveiled the 2022 schedule for the University of North Carolina-Greensboro that includes a three-game series at South Carolina and Central Florida.
"We again have put together an outstanding schedule that will test our players on a national and regional level," said Godwin, a Nash County native who graduated from Northern Nash High School.

Nash Central's Ka'najia Brown (right) tries to send a pass into the paint for the Lady Bulldogs as part of Monday's first-round contest against the Clayton Comets at the John Jacobs Christmas Basketball Tournament at Cleveland High School in Johnston County.

Nash Central High School's Nataiya Lane (with ball) drives toward the baseline for the Lady Bulldogs during Monday's matchup against Clayton at the annual John Jacobs Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament at Cleveland High School.

The Town of Nashville has released the results of the 2021 Christmas Decorating Contest.
Winners are as follows: