NASHVILLE - Nashville's showcase event, the Blooming Festival, is underway, still growing and improving after 26 years. Organized by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the Festival begins with its carnival, located in the parking lot next to the Nash County Courthouse.
Unlimited carnival rides with the purchase of a $25 wristband starts Wednesday night, May 8, and continues Thursday night, May 9. Normal ticket prices will apply for rides Friday night starting at 5:30 and Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. There will be cotton candy and traditional carnival food in the carnival area.

Nash County has been chosen out of ninety-nine counties for a new pilot UNC program for veterans called "Building Veteran Healthy Communities (BVAC)."
Anthony Rogers, Jr., director of Nash Veterans Services, said the grant-funded program is still in developmental stages but is up and running in Alamance County, with Nash on deck to be its second location.

Nash County hosted its annual Community Day event last Saturday at Miracle Park at Coopers featuring a variety of activities, food, vendors, music and more. Pictured, Javier Martinez of Nashville tosses bags playing a cornhole game.

NASHVILLE - It has been just over a month since Major Miste Strickland of the Nash County Sheriff's Office retired after 28 years of duty, but she's not letting any grass grow under her feet; Strickland is busy planning an international trip of a spiritual nature, beginning June 18.
Strickland's official goodbye to the NCSO was March 29, when she was presented with the Old North State Award, for individual who have 20 or more years of service in the state, and the North Carolina Dogwood Award, the Attorney General's Award of Appreciation.

Assistant Fish Biologist David Belkoski of Spring Hope maneuvers a boat before electrofishing prior to sorting American Shad.

American Shad: "A treasure from the sea that's only here for six weeks," according to Assistant Fisheries Biologist David Belkoski of Spring Hope, who has been sampling American Shad on the Tar River south of Rocky Mount Mills.
Belkoski, along with his boss, District 3 Fisheries Biologist Kirk Rundle of Red Oak, took The Graphic along recently for an electrofishing expedition in the Tar to safely catch and release American Shad to check on the health of the population, only present locally from March to June.

NASHVILLE - A facelift for Barnes Street, a new contract for merchant-sponsored banners and letters about available grants within the Municipal Service District stakeholders were topics of discussion at the latest Downtown Nashville Strong Advisory Board April 15.
Randy Lansing, town manager, said the plan was to apply for a Rural Downtown Economic Grant for the Barnes Street Enhancement Project after several conditions have been met.

The date has been set for the annual Classic Tractor Show in Red Oak as September 6 and 7 with something new added: a Whole Hog Barbecue Series Cook off, sponsored by Red Oak Area Rotary.
New this year, the Whole Hog BBQ Series cook off will feature 12 cook teams competing in the NC Pork Council-sanctioned event, with teams arriving Friday Sept. 6 and cooking through the night, according to Samuel W. Johnson, Event Organizer for Red Oak Area Rotary.

Veterans Residential Services (VRS) of Wilson is filling a need for Nash Veterans who come looking for help with food, clothing, housing and more, but depends on community organizations, churches and individuals to keep that help going.
"There is not another agency that does what we do," said Cathy, a volunteer who asked that her last name not be used, explaining that while the Veterans Association can and does help veterans with everything from health care to housing, employment and education, if a local veteran has an immediate need, VRS of Wilson, which is a 501(c)3 non-profit, can respond more quickly with emergency assistance.

Assault on a female, damage to personal property reported at 2260 Tom George Rd., Nashville on 4/27/24 and 4/22/24
Call for service at 231/US 264 NC on 4/25/24
Sexual offense with a child; child abuse-felony reported at 3518 Carriage Farm Rd., Rocky Mount on 4/24/24

INCIDENTS
Possession open container/cons alcohol passenger area; driving while license revoked; impaired revoked; DWI reported at mile marker 451 US 64 E. Nashville on 4/24/24
Motor vehicle theft reported at mile marker 461 US 64 W, Nashville on 4/24/24

Participants in the 2024 Shenandoah Baptist Church Scripture Run gather in a prayer circle led by Reverend Tim Parker prior to the 75-mile run. Contributed photo

Seventeen young people who attend the Shenandoah Baptist Church Youth Group will be heading to The Wilds Christian Camp in Brevard this summer, thanks to $11,000 raised April 20 through the church's annual "Scripture Run," a 75-mile ride with scripture stops.
Primarily for motorcycle riders and their passengers, the ride was also open to cars, whose riders made donations of $20 per bike or car, with an extra $5 for riders, to raise money for the youth to go to camp. The donation covered a meal at the end of the ride consisting of a two hot dogs, chips and a drink.

Alex Garrison of Nashville came in 4th place with a total fish weight of 8.99 pounds.

The 16th Annual Down East Youth and Adult Bass Fishing Tournament, held at the Tar River Reservoir April 27, drew 23 children with 23 boaters.
A two-day event, beginning with a pre-tournament meeting and complimentary dinner for boaters, participating youth and their parents at the Booker T. Washington Theater on Friday night, April 26th, the tournament is a charity event to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Rocky Mount and Beauty for Ashes Outreach.

The Nash County 4-H Drone Team took home second place in the state on Saturday, April 27, at their state competition at NC A&T State University in Greensboro. Pictured left to right are Coach Brittany Pendleton, team member Sawyer Vandemark of Nashville, team member Aubree Moss of Spring Hope, team member Benjamin Wallace of Nashville, and parent volunteer leader, Olivia Moss.

One of the telltale signs of the impending arrival of summer are the sounds of insect mating calls that can sometimes be deafening on certain evenings. These insects are cicadas, katydids, and crickets.
Cicadas are large insects related to aphids and other insects that feed on plants with sucking mouthparts.
There are many species of cicadas that appear each year during the summer.

Our six-year old grandson has started playing baseball for our county youth league. If you're a parent or a grandparent, you've also probably been out this spring watching your child or grandchild play baseball, soccer, or some other sport. It's a real joy to watch them, isn't it?
Have you ever noticed how much we live through the children? Take a good look at how all those parents and grandparents behave when you go to your next sporting event. And while you're at it, take a good look at yourself.

ROCKY MOUNT - Emily "Crews" Shearin has seen many remarkable changes in the health care profession since graduating from Rocky Mount's Park View Hospital (PVH) School of Nursing in 1943. The 102-year-old shared many memories during the Park View Nurses Alumnae Association's recent gathering to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the school's founding.

Christopher Brian Rodriguez, Maria Ramirez-Perez and Maria Ramirez Perez to Martin Ramirez; 12928 Eagle Ridge Drive, Zebulon
Adams Homes AEC, LLC to Clarence Lewis and Lerma Lewis; 5128 Dogwood Drive, Battleboro; $388,500
Joyce F. Joyner to. Joyce F. Joyner, Bonita Joyner Summerlin and Danny Ray Joyner; property in Coopers Township
Donald E. Pridgen and Christine Pridgen to Corques Johnson and Lorane Johnson; Section 3, Quail Haven Subdivision, Block A, Lot 40

Detached accessory structure, 7301 Windy Ct. W., Bailey; Linda Liles; $10,000
Miscellaneous, 315 N. White St., Whitakers; Kathy Cunha; $80,000
Detached accessory structure, 5095 Wildlife Rd., Unit A, Castalia; Kristi Tanner; $13,371
Detached accessory structure, 5095 Wildlife Rd., Unit A, Castalia; Krisi Tanner; $9,757.57

Some might say I asked for it.
I have a very sharp, but very quiet student who works at a grocery store in Wilson. She didn't have a whole lot to say when I first met her, so when I shopped in that store, I made sure to get in that line, partially to be friendly, but mostly to be annoying.
The first time I did it, she acted like she didn't know me.

Ace reporter Nancy West-Brake complemented me on how cool I have seemed lately with all that's going on with Blooming Festival planning. The last few days have brought our doors swinging open frequently with people wanting to get applications at the last minute along with the normal mania that happens two weeks prior to a festival.
Though it's easy to assume such an event gets pulled together a few weeks prior to opening day, it doesn't.

Dear editor, I am quite concerned....
As a founding member of Nash County Arts Council (NCAC), formerly known as Nash County Cultural Center, and having served as Vice Chairman of the Committee, under the Chairmanship of the late Ray Matthews, that established NCAC.

Dear editor: We drove to Mt Olive yesterday to attend the North Carolina Pickle Festival. We were astonished!
Booths lined both sides of the two streets along the downtown railroad tracks; nearly a half mile of food trucks, arts and craft tents, displays for health care providers, dog food, vacuum cleaners, jewelry, leather goods, face painting, old cars and trucks, kids carnival rides, donkey rides, petting zoo, lemonade, beer, and ice cream ...

Stump Jones is shown making final adjustments on a police frequency radio that was installed at the Nash County Fire Marshal's office in 1972. The police department launched a new phone number which could utilize the system using one phone number for day, night, weekends and holidays.

Maddie Culler of Castalia (right) gets her face painted by Sruthi Anne.