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At the conclusion of the closed session today, Mayor Don Hardy called the open meeting to order and entertained a motion to hire Steven Harrell as interim city manager. The councilmembers present, Robbie Swinson, Felicia Solomon and Chris Suggs all voted in favor.
After a months long investigation, detectives with the Kinston Police Department’s Violent Crime Action Team (VCAT) concluded an investigation into an illegal online casino operation conducted through Facebook. On December 23, 2025, detectives took 51-year-old Quarla Blackwell into custody at her residence without incident.
RALEIGH, N.C. – State Representative Chris Humphrey (R – Kinston), the incumbent representative for North Carolina House District 12, issued the following statement welcoming former Kinston Mayor Dontario Hardy to the race for the seat representing Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties:
January through November brought a wide range of headlines, including high-profile criminal cases, contentious political battles, major development projects, and deeply personal community stories. Readers closely followed election challenges, public safety investigations, school system updates, and decisions with long-term impacts on local taxpayers. Together, these monthly top stories offer a snapshot of a year defined by change, accountability, and an ongoing demand for transparency in Eastern North Carolina.
Kimberly’s Boutique has spent the past two years building a loyal customer base from an unlikely location in the countryside of Pink Hill.
The following land transfers were filed with the Lenoir County Register of Deeds:
Sheriff Jackie Rogers and the Lenoir County GHSP Crash Reduction Team closed out the first week of the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety annual “Booze It & Lose” Campaign with a multi-agency operation resulting in multiple charges.
UNC Health Lenoir is proud to announce the addition of Aquablation® therapy to its urology service line, offering patients a leading-edge, minimally invasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), commonly known as enlarged prostate.
January through November brought a wide range of headlines, including high-profile criminal cases, contentious political battles, major development projects, and deeply personal community stories. Readers closely followed election challenges, public safety investigations, school system updates, and decisions with long-term impacts on local taxpayers. Together, these monthly top stories offer a snapshot of a year defined by change, accountability, and an ongoing demand for transparency in Eastern North Carolina.
The following restaurant inspections were conducted by the Lenoir County Health Department:
January through November brought a wide range of headlines, including high-profile criminal cases, contentious political battles, major development projects, and deeply personal community stories. Readers closely followed election challenges, public safety investigations, school system updates, and decisions with long-term impacts on local taxpayers. Together, these monthly top stories offer a snapshot of a year defined by change, accountability, and an ongoing demand for transparency in Eastern North Carolina.
The Lenoir Community College Foundation Performing Arts (LCCFPA) program is introducing season tickets for the first time, offering patrons a new way to experience the full slate of performances planned for 2026.
Lenoir Community College recognized two outstanding employees during its annual Holiday Breakfast on December 16. April Best, Computer Information Technology Program Chair and Instructor, received the Teaching Excellence Award, and Caroline Murphrey, Director of Online Learning and Faculty Development, received the Staff Excellence Award.
The following is a list of people who have recently passed away in Lenoir County:
The Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Lenoir County (EMGV) are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025–2026 EMGV Horticulture Grant. This annual grant program supports innovative, hands-on horticulture projects that enhance student learning and connect classroom instruction to real-world environmental and agricultural experiences.
January through November brought a wide range of headlines, including high-profile criminal cases, contentious political battles, major development projects, and deeply personal community stories. Readers closely followed election challenges, public safety investigations, school system updates, and decisions with long-term impacts on local taxpayers. Together, these monthly top stories offer a snapshot of a year defined by change, accountability, and an ongoing demand for transparency in Eastern North Carolina.
The Lenoir County Farmers Market, located at 100 N. Herritage Street, will be open Tuesday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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.
Lenoir County Commissioner Roland Best Jr., a longtime public servant and respected community leader, died Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. He was 74.
The Christmas season is a special time of year where many celebrate with friends and family, but it can also be a difficult time of year for many. Therefore, each year our church family at Jackson Heights OFWB Church comes together for our annual Christmas gift giveaway to try to help make the Christmas season a little merrier for those in our community.
