NASHVILLE - A request to rezone two Cooke Road properties has been tabled pending additional review after multiple objections from Cooke Road residents and the revelation that some nearby residents did not receive letters about the proposed rezoning.
Will Kornegay, Founder and CEO of Ripe Revival, an agribusiness that currently owns two lots in the West Nashville Commerce Park about 35 acres and three acres, applied for rezoning from I-1 (Industrial) to CZ-NR (Conditional Zoning Non-Residential) in order to accommodate a lengthy list of proposed permitted uses.

NASHVILLE - An agriculture finance lender based in the Netherlands has filed a multi-million lawsuit against a Nash County farming corporation.
Johnny Barnes and wife Lisa Barnes, a NC Senator, are two of ten defendants named in the lawsuit brought by Rabo Agrifinance LLC, over non-payment of farming debts. The couple filed a countersuit this week in Nash County Superior Court denying multiple allegations. They have asked for dismissal with prejudice against Rabo Agrifinance and that damages be awarded to NC Senator Lisa Barnes.

Braswell Family Farms hosted its second annual New Year's Eve Egg Drop on Dec. 31st at the Nashville Junction venue in Nashville. Approximately 4,000 people visited the event which featured live entertainmnet, food, activites and fireworks.
Pictured above, Deah and Baylor Woodley of Nashville pose with "EB" the Egg.

SPRING HOPE - In order to add more parks and recreation facilities to Spring Hope, a new ordinance has been passed requiring developers to pay a recreation facility fee or set aside neighborhood park and open space for the purpose of recreation.
"With all the new families, we have so many kids moving to town," said Kyle Pritchard, Mayor, adding that he thought the idea of having a new ordinance that could create a town piggybank for recreation was "fantastic."

NASHVILLE- - A small, 5-unit RV park intended for use by travelling nurses and families visiting the area to attend travel sports has been approved by Nash commissioners, who voted to approve a conditional zoning request Jan. 6.
The Nashville Dairy RV Park, to be developed on a 1.7 acre lot at the corner of Valleverde Road and Becton Road midway between Nashville and Castalia, was approved Monday for a zoning change from A1 Agricultural to A1-CZ, Agricultural Conditional zone.

NASHVILLE - After eight months of talking with Nash Senior Center staff and seniors about building expansion, county leaders have approved conceptual plans and authorized project architects to continue with design specification plans.
The Nash County Senior Center, located at 103 N. Alston Street in Nashville, currently accommodates about 100 seniors a day, on average, for programs such as Tai Chi, Line Dancing, Yoga, Computer classes and a number of fitness programs such as Zumba and Exercise To the Beat, which involves a musical workout using exercise balls and drumsticks.

The Willing Workers Club of Nashville in partnership with the Nash County Democratic Cluster Precincts (Nashville, Momeyer, Spring Hope, Oak Level, Red Oak and Griffins) will host the annual MLK Day observance on Jan. 20th at 12 noon at the O.D. Moore Building, 808 S. Alston St., Nashville. Guest speaker is Judge Alicia Slaughter. The event is free and a meal will be provided.

NASHVILLE - Nash County has jumped the hurdle of another successful audit, with commissioners receiving a good report card for the 23-24 fiscal year at the start of their first meeting of 2025.
"We noted no transactions entered into by Nash County during the year that were both significant and unusual," said Alan W. Thompson, CPA, of the Whiteville, NC accounting firm Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co, P.A., who made a presentation of audit results at the Jan. 6 Nash commissioners' meeting.

NASHVILLE - A 57-year old Nashville man accused of multiple sex charges involving four separate children is due to appear in Nash Superior Court the week of January 28.
Manuel Cervantes-Naranjo of Taylor Store Road, Nashville, is currently out on bond after having been indicted August 26, 2024 on sex charges relating to alleged offenses against three children under the age of 16 and one child aged 5 years old, according to court documents.

Work began Jan. 7 on Pine Street in Spring Hope to cut down two intertwined historic Willow trees at N. Pine and E. Franklin, deemed unsafe by NCDEQ. Three companies were on site to coordinate efforts, including Duke Power, Asplundh Tree Experts, and Edwards Inc. of Spring Hope, with work expected to take several days and N. Pine closed to through traffic from W. Nash Street to McLean Street.

NASHVILLE - A 60-year-old Bailey man is due to appear in Nash Superior Court in February to answer sex abuse charges from an alleged assault on a 13-year-old girl.
Wilbert Allen Jr. of David Worrell Road, Bailey, stands charged with one count of 1st degree statutory sex offense, a class B1 Felony, and three counts of indecent liberties with a child, which are class F felonies.

Damage to state or local government property reported at 100 N. Boddie St., Nashville on 12/23/24
Assault law enforcement officer/other serious injury reported at 100 N. Boddie St., Nashville on 12/22/24
Assault-simple; assault on a female reported at 10238 Watson Seed Farm Rd., Whitakers on 12/25/24
Damage to real property; larceny felony reported at 11080 SW Railroad St., Whitakers on 12/27/24

ARRESTS
Armani Glass was charged with misdemeanor larceny on 1/2/25
Cory Chandler Sutton was charged with possession of stolen goods; possession marijuana paraphernalia; obtain property by false pretense; financial transaction card fraud; breaking and entering auto larceny from auto; possession drug paraphernalia (not marijuana); driving while license revoked (not impaired revoked); littering not less than 15 pounds; possession of cocaine on 1/4/24

Rotary Clubs of Nash County presented Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Journals to all Nash County Public Schools (NCPS) middle and high school students on Nov. 12 at Red Oak Middle School. This initiative, organized by Chad Thompson, Executive Director of Career and Technical Education at NCPS and members of the Rotary Clubs of Nash County, aims to enhance student mental health resources across the district.
The SEL journals, valued at $8,000, were created by mental health advocate and developer Gregor Baum.

We lost former President Jimmy Carter last week. Many have made less than favorable comments about him while he was in office. However, he has proven to be one of the most compassionate and caring presidents upon leaving office. He and his wife have worked so diligently for Habitat For Humanity.
But his death reminded me of an article back in 1976. Then President Carter shocked the nation in November of 1976 when he admitted that he repeatedly looked at other women with lust.

The Book of Proverbs, attributed primarily to King Solomon, is a collection of wise sayings and insights that aim to impart wisdom and understanding to its readers. Within this treasure trove of wisdom, Proverbs 3:5-6 stands out as a poignant exhortation for individuals seeking direction and confidence in their lives. These verses read:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)

Elaina Willis, a Sophomore Photography major from Spring Hope, was among approximately 720 Bob Jones University students named to the Fall 2024 Dean's List.
The Dean's List recognizes students who earn a 3.00-3.74 grade point average during the semester.

Mathew Nolan Jarrell, Matthew Nolan Jarrell, Lydia Jarrell and Lydia Grace Jarrell to James Thomas Klinefelter and Rebecca R. Klinefelter; 47.70 acres
Davenport Family Properties, LLC to Southern Postal Realty Holdings, LLC; 4241 South Hathaway Boulevard, Sharpsburg; $415,000
Margaret Applewhite to Antonio Terrell Avent; Pinecrest Subdivision, Section 3, Block E, Lot 7
D.R. Horton, Inc. to Alexander Cobb; Saddlebrook Subdivision, Lot 27

Multi-sectional; 710 Lindsay Rd., Nashville; Michael Langley; $45,000
New single family dwelling; 3912 Origin Dr., Bailey; Chad Craft; $230,000
Repair; 2418 Derby Dr., Rocky Mount; Billie Severini; $2,500
Singlewide; 11023 N. NC 58, Castalia; Steve Mills; $12,000

Those last few weeks of 2024 flew by and 2025 has blown in with some chilly weather. Of course, we know that North Carolina can see snow and balmy days of 65 degrees in January, so it's just business as usual.
That means it is the time of year for Bold Predictions in this space, so here we go:

As the old idiomatic expression goes...I didn't see that one coming!
This week brings an outcry from Nashville residents who aren't pleased about the proposed new industry site to be nestled into their neighborhood. My knee-jerk reaction was what could possibly be wrong with having an agriculture based food distribution center on Cooke Road? I was initially shocked - until I listened to the laundry list of new ambitions of the company.

Dear editor, I am doing some family research and trying to locate the gravesite of my grandfather five- times removed, Samuel Batchelor. I am hopeful that one of your readers could uncover this mystery.
Samuel Batchelor, born abt. 1748 in Deep Creek, Norfolk County Virginia. Deep Creek, Virginia is where his immigrant Batchelor ancestor, Richard Batchelor, had settled in 1658. Samuel Batchelor died in August 1827 in Nash County.

This photo published in The Nashville Graphic on Feb. 6, 1964. These three Nashville ladies look over materials for the heart fund campaign during a coffee hour held at the home of Mrs. Allen Barbee in Spring Hope.

Fireworks decorate the sky as the Braswell Family Farms egg drops into a "nest" of hay.