NASHVILLE- Nash County's EMS Department is now 8 positions away from being fully staffed, with 19 hires coming on board since July, when there were 23 vacancies.
"I'm very excited that we are where we are," said Dale Griffin, Nash EMS Director, who credited budgeted pay increases as the reason for the hiring upswing.
Griffin, with Travis Green, EMS Deputy Director, gave the Nash board of commissioners a detailed, hour-long update on EMS operations since July 1 at the board's Sept. 23rd afternoon meeting.

NASHVILLE- Nash Arts will not be joining forces with Nash County. Less than a month after a draft memorandum of agreement was delivered to the Nash Arts Council board outlining a potential partnership between the two agencies, Nash Arts voted it down but is asking for an updated building lease agreement.
"After careful consideration of the (MOA), discussions with community members and supporters of the organization, and by a vote of our organization's membership body, our board of directors voted against the merger in our September 10th board meeting," said Shelly Gray, Nash Arts Director, in an email to The Graphic.

WWII veteran Roscoe Joyner, 105 years-old, is served by Elizabeth Cahoon, former Nash County Sheriff's Office Deputy.

MIDDLESEX - Brenda Stallings has a great appreciation for veterans. Her father, father-in-law and several uncles were all World War II veterans. Many years ago, Stallings decided to show her appreciation to not only her own family of veterans but to other veterans as well by hosting an appreciation luncheon at her Middlesex home.
The first luncheon brought out 36 World War II veterans.

NASHVILLE - A Sharpsburg man has a court date this week to answer charges of communicating threats to Englewood Baptist Church in Rocky Mount.
Jerry Junior Evans, 58, of 9212 County Line Road was arrested April 28, 2024, on the same date that he allegedly contacted church staff via phone "numerous times," relaying that he had a .22 caliber pistol that he carried in his right pockets and "could shoot everyone in the church," court records stated.

NASHVILLE- After three months and five community meetings to gather public input, four Nash County spending targets have been identified to begin tapping the county's share of the Opioid settlement fund.
The first areas of spending are to be the purchase and distribution of more Narcan; the development of Recovery Support Services; the creation of a Post-Overdose Response Team; and Collaborative Strategic planning involving people with lived experience.

The interior revamp of the Nashville Junction is well underway. The building was officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places this week.

NASHVILLE- The Nashville Junction, previously the Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association Warehouse, and later the home of Nashville Building Supply, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Michael Hurt, owner, escorted a contingent of officials from the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office and the National Parks Service through the building, located at 723 Barnes Street, on Monday morning, Sept. 23, for documentation required relating to historic preservation rehabilitation tax credits, as the project qualifies under both state and federal guidelines and requires rehabilitation work review.

Traci Dixon (right) presents Barbara Wright (left) with the Community Champion Award

NASHVILLE - A Nashville woman's service to her community was recognized Saturday night at the 2024 annual Community and Rural Development Banquet.
Barbara Wright was the recipient of the Community Champion Award, which recognizes community leaders who have demonstrated outstanding community leadership and achievement over the years for their community.

NASHVILLE- A former corrections officer at Nash Correctional Institution has a court appearance Friday to answer charges of sexual activity with an inmate.
Kanesha Shamane Marie Riley, 31, of 216 Sandy Creek Drive, Wilson, was arrested March 25, 2024, by Wilson police on an E Felony under an offense code of 1135, G.S. 14-27.32 B: Sex Act by a Government or Private Institution Employee.

The Nashville Fire Department, already a 'Safe Seat Checking Station' at their 501 S. Barnes Street location, was front and center at the Wal-Mart parking lot in August to host free child safety seat checks along with officers from other agencies.
Multiple tents were arranged for families to drive up in the shade to have their car and booster seats checked by NFD officers along with others from Rocky Mount, Wilson, and New Bern.

The Nashville Chamber of Commerce presents its inaugural Business of the Season Award to George's BBQ Sauce Monday morning. The new award will be presented four times annually for each season recognizing a member for their contributions to the community and the chamber. Pictured, left to right: Nashville Chamber of Commerce President Cliff Joyner, Board Member Diane Taylor, George's BBQ Sauce owner Brian Hassell, and Chamber Board Member Bobbie Smith.

NASHVILLE - Nashville's Stoney Creek Environmental Park is now legally protected from most forms of development, with the town council passing a 'declaration of covenants and restrictions' regarding future use. Step two will be to work out a master plan for its uses.
Koy Worrell, Parks and Rec Director, told council members at their Sept. 17 meeting that one stipulation of the $200,000 Environmental Enhancement grant awarded for last year's purchase of 48 acres along Stoney Creek was that the town designate the property for "preservation, conservation, passive recreational and educational uses."

CASTALIA - The Town of Castalia now has a full board for both its town council and planning board after commissioners voted in new members earlier this month.
Commissioners Sadie Atkinson, Lynn Hale and Sylvia Mann voted in Marvin Wood to serve on the town council and William Clark to serve on the planning board at the board's regular meeting this month. Commissioner Jessica Bradshaw was not in attendance.

With all of our educational advancements, the multiplicity of Bible studies and books available to us, and the abundance of churches in many parts of the world, we've forgotten that following Jesus isn't like choosing which flavor of syrup you want in your coffee.
The call to follow Jesus is a call to forsake everyone and everything other than Him. It's a call to a radical abandonment.

ROCKY MOUNT - Peacemakers will host its annual Picnic for Peacemakers fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 3rd at Englewood Baptist Church.
"We really look forward to this event every year," Peacemakers Executive Director Jesse Lewis said. "It's a time when we can get together with friends and supporters to celebrate all that God has done in our community over the last year, and get energized about what is coming next."

Marsal

ROCKY MOUNT - The Governor's Crime Commission has awarded one of 18 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program grants to the North Carolina 7th Judicial District and NC Wesleyan University, totaling nearly $500,000. This funding will support critical violence intervention programs, including treatment courts, aimed at addressing community safety and reducing recidivism.

Betty P. Ange and Betty P. Stephens Ange to Mayor's Staff, LLC; property along West Mount Drive
Kimberly W. Boddie and William Lewis Boddie to Nancy Digges Wilkinson; Fairfield Village Subdivision, Section 2, Lot 59; $275,000
Stephen E. Webb II to Carl L. Burgess and Brenda M. Burgess; Castleberry, Section 2, Lot 10; $350,000
Brandy Annette Jones, Brandy Jones and Tayanna Jones to Carl Burgess and Brenda Mercer Burgess; 1711 Bedfordshire Road, Nashville

Months ago, as I prepared to click "Buy Tickets" for a concert, all I could think of was how risky it was to make plans outdoors in North Carolina in September. Add the Wilmington factor in, and it did not seem like a mature decision.
After all, hurricane season would still be in full swing. Not only that, brutal high 90s is not unusual.
But, this was no ordinary concert ticket -- it was the Turnpike Troubadours, a group beloved by both my teenage sons and me.

Apparently I've done something right during my lifetime to be so immensely blessed by the number of people who have graced the doors of this newspaper - bringing so much talent and willingness to be a part of this 129 year-old institution. Many of these people never punched a timecard and would never take even the smallest token of a monetary reimbursement for their time.
Chuck Lewis (Charles Hilary Lewis) dropped by the office shortly after he moved to Nashville.

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on April 9, 1953. Sgt. First Class Rommie T. Daniels of Castalia is shown as he greeted his wife, Mrs. Virginia Daniels, and children, Thomas and Sandra, upon their arrival on Okinawa.

Chandler James

ROCKY MOUNT - Rocky Mount is set to enjoy a night of homegrown talent as two local favorites take the stage at The Dunn Center on Friday, Oct. 11. The evening will feature a dynamic blend of music and comedy, with Nashville recording artist Chandler James opening for award-winning comedian John Floyd. Both performers have deep roots in the Rocky Mount community and are eager to entertain their hometown crowd.
Chandler James, a country musician with a well-rounded sound, is no stranger to the spotlight.