Aug. 25, 2022

Pack-A-Patrol donations lead to giveaway of  400 backpacks 

The City of Rocky Mount Police Department distributed more than 400 backpacks filled with school supplies Wednesday. 

This giveaway was made possible by the generous donations of citizens last week at five area stores: Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart and each of the Roses locations in Rocky Mount. The Police Department offers its heartfelt thanks to those who donated and the stores that participated. 

In addition to giving away backpacks, the Police Department was able to provide an array of supplies that included copy paper and hand sanitizer to 12 Rocky Mount schools. 

Added police patrols and improved street lighting were among the suggestions that highlighted a discussion this week about keeping downtown Rocky Mount safe, welcoming and prosperous.

Police Chief Robert Hassell, City Councilmen Reuben Blackwell and Andre Knight, Downtown Development Manager Kevin Harris and more than two dozen business owners and other stakeholders took part in the meeting, which was held in the City Council chamber on Monday.

Citing an increase in the number of restaurants and other businesses, Harris said downtown Rocky Mount is moving in the right direction.

“We have come a long ways,” Harris said. “There’s growth downtown.”

Summer is winding down, but you still have opportunities to enjoy the city’s free events in downtown Rocky Mount.

Downtown Live! will be held at 6 p.m. tonight on the Imperial Centre lawn. East Coast Rhythm & Blues Band will provide the music.

On Sept. 8, Downtown Live! concludes for this year at a new location. The concert featuring Jim Quick & Coastline will be held for the first time inside the Rocky Event Center, which is across the railroad tracks from the Imperial Centre.

The last Downtown Live! is moving to the Event Center so residents can check out the region’s premier venue for entertainment, corporate gatherings, and sporting events. Plus, that location will ensure that show goes on rain or shine, with air conditioning as a bonus.

The final Lawn Chair Theatre will take place Friday, Sept. 9, on the Imperial Centre lawn. The movie, “Sing 2,” will start at dusk.

The Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences has added three, talented staff members to enhance the many programs and opportunities the building provides for residents and visitors.

Robert Reid Goodson, a Pilot Mountain native, is the new Theatre Manager. Goodson holds a Masters of Educational Theatre from New York University. He has an extensive teaching background that includes stops at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville as well as Tifton, Georgia, where he started a youth theatre program at the Tift Theatre for the Performing Arts. Goodson said he believes places like the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences are bridges to unifying people and allowing their talents to shine.

“I went to school to bring people in the community from all walks of life together,” Goodson said. “It doesn’t matter who you are – that stage is for everyone. That’s why I’m here – to let everyone know they have a voice here.

Goodson will work closely with Azurae DuBose, a Chesapeake, Va. native who is serving as the Imperial Centre’s Theatre Assistant. DuBose, who graduated with a Communications degree (concentration in Theatre) from Regent University, will work in aspects including production assistance and stage management. DuBose has been in the position since June.

“I love every area of theatre,” DuBose said. “It’s really fun professionally to see behind the curtain. Theatre is always growing, and you can never say you learned everything. Every production brings new people. That’s kind of the adventure of it.”

Emily Joyce Turner, a Pinetops native, is the Imperial Centre’s new Arts Curator. Turner holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from East Carolina University and is completing her Masters of Fine Arts Administration from Winthrop University. Her experience includes teaching, as well as art gallery stops in High Point, Fayetteville and Greenwood, S.C. She also has served as the Arts Executive Director in Edgecombe County.

“I grew up in a rural area, and a lot of the kids have not had the opportunity to walk into a museum gallery or even to perform,” Joyce said. “I’m an advocate for the arts, children and adults, and bringing that experience to them.”