PINK HILL, N.C. – The Town of Pink Hill will celebrate its 65th Annual Christmas Parade on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at 2 p.m., with this year’s festivities also being livestreamed by Magic Mile Media.

Jones County commissioners opened their December organizational meeting by keeping their current leadership team in place, praising staff, and hearing from some of the county’s youngest chefs before moving through a long list of grants, facility projects and policy decisions.

Kinston Police Department detectives conducted a follow-up investigation after receiving a report involving the unlawful disclosure of private images of an adult female victim. The victim reported that an acquaintance, 30-year-old Tysheem Mills, had posted private images of her on his social media account.

On November 21, 2025, at approximately 2:05 a.m., officers responded to a report of a gunshot wound at the Circle K on N. Herritage Street. Upon arrival, officers located 59-year-old Thomas Watson suffering from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. EMS transported Watson to ECU Health for treatment.

The Kinston City Council approved incentives Tuesday night to bring a new industry and 20 jobs to the city, formalized support for the Highway 70 Welcome Center, and voted to hire a high-profile lobbying firm while residents urged leaders to take stronger action on crime, homelessness and government transparency.

I stood in the kitchen of a centuries-old farmhouse northwest of London, England. My host was a man of means and had renovated this large home to be comfortable and modern. He pointed to the thick ceiling beam running the length of the room and, with a twinkle in his eye, said to me, “That beam is older than your country.” Indeed. 

The annual Kinston Christmas Parade will return on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, with an evening lineup scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. The parade will be livestreamed by Magic Mile Media, with BJ Murphy and Aleatha Thrower hosting from the newly lit Paramount Theater.

The filing period for North Carolina's 2026 municipal elections opened Monday, December 1, 2025 marking the official start of the campaign season for dozens of local offices across Lenoir, Jones and Greene counties. Candidates seeking election to partisan and nonpartisan offices have until noon on Friday, December 19 to file with their respective county boards of elections. NOTE: This list was accurate as of 12/01/25 at 5:00pm and will be updated daily.

PINK HILL — The Pink Hill Festival Committee will host Christmas on the Hill on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 3 to 7 p.m. in downtown Pink Hill, featuring seasonal attractions, live entertainment and family activities.

Heavy rainfall is expected to accompany this system, especially for immediate coastal locales where some embedded thunderstorms are possible. Up to 2" with locally higher amounts are forecast here, with 1-2" elsewhere.

Lenoir County resident BJ Murphy officially filed today for Lenoir County Commissioner in District 2, which represents the Falling Creek and La Grange areas of Lenoir County. Murphy enters the race with more than two decades of business leadership and a long record of public service.

Westminster United Methodist Church is seeking a warm, organized, and detail-driven Administrative Assistant to join our ministry team.

History aficionados will have an opportunity to visit the oldest structure in Kinston from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 7, when Historic Harmony Hall opens its treasures to interested members of the public.

Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter and staying connected with the latest news from District Nine and our efforts in the General Assembly.

The following land transfers were filed with the Lenoir County Register of Deeds:

I hope this message finds you and your family doing well. It’s been a full month here in Raleigh and throughout Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties — and I’m grateful for every opportunity to stay connected with folks across our district. From honoring our veterans to celebrating new investments in public safety, jobs, and education, there’s a lot of good happening in Eastern North Carolina.

The Greene County Community Foundation, a North Carolina Community Foundation affiliate, has awarded $17,840 in grants to 13 organizations supporting the local community.

Before Hickory Grove Church was built in 1860, and decades before their congregation was established, Bucklesberry had no local church. The few options available were miles away and required long commutes. In his 1810 profile of the physical and social infrastructure of Lenoir County, former Kinston Commissioner John Washington (1767-1827) noted there were only a handful of organized churches at the time, which in his words included:

Mrs. Brenda Sugg McKeel, age 83, passed away peacefully on Friday evening, November 28, 2025, surrounded by her family on the farm where she was born, raised, and lived throughout her life. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, December 1st, at the Chapel of Taylor-Tyson Funeral Service, with Pastors Hank Jarman and Allen Ham officiating. Interment will follow immediately at Westview Cemetery in Kinston.

It was a great day at the Lenoir County Farmers Market in downtown Kinston on November 22. The market hosted numerous extra vendors and special guests the Howard Sisters, Vivian Howard and Leraine Howard Tolston went Nuts! Each Chef shared a favorite recipe using nuts.

 Kinston, N.C. – Today, Representative Chris Humphrey announced his campaign for re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives, seeking a fifth term serving the people of House District 12, which includes Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties. Representative Humphrey, a lifelong resident of Eastern North Carolina, reaffirmed his commitment to the region:

The following businesses were registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State:

Robbie Moore Harrison, 75, passed away on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, surrounded by the warmth and love of her family. The family will receive friends for visitation at Rouse Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., followed by a graveside service at 3:30 p.m. in Fairview Cemetery, La Grange.

UNC Health Lenoir is pleased to announce that Rachel Garris has been named the 2024 President’s Service Excellence Award (PSEA) of the year winner. Awarded annually, the PSEA of the year is presented to an employee selected by their peers who exemplifies superior performance, strong leadership, effective communication, and service excellence.