All tagged city of kinston
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 City of Kinston has postponed its swearing-in ceremony for newly elected officials. The ceremony was originally scheduled for December 2 but has been moved to December 16, according to the city’s public information officer.
The Lenoir County Board of Elections dismissed the protest filed against Kinston Mayor-elect Kareem Moore on Monday night after the protestor failed to appear for the evidentiary hearing. In a separate hearing, the board voted 3–2 to dismiss the protest against Council-elect Les Lipford. Two board members voted that the protest met the required standard, but the motion to advance it failed.
The Kinston City Council heard wide-ranging public concerns Tuesday night during its Nov. 18 meeting, which included discussions on property taxes, policing, abandoned structures, stormwater issues and frustrations about the city’s public comment process.
After more than three decades of dedicated service, Rhonda Barwick is retiring, marking the end of a remarkable 32-year tenure with the city. Barwick began her career on September 13th, 1993, arriving excited and early for her first position as an administrative assistant in the city manager's office, a desk located right beside the office she occupies now, bringing her career "full circle". She was hired by then-City Manager Steve Raper.
The Lenoir County Board of Elections held preliminary consideration hearings Thursday for election protests filed against council elect Les Lipford and mayor elect Kareem Moore, both of whom won seats in the November municipal election.
UPDATE: From the Lenoir County Board of Elections website:
Preliminary Consideration meeting for the Election Protest filed against Kareem Moore and the amended Election Protest filed against Les Lipford will be held Friday, November 14th immediately after Canvass. County Canvass will begin at 11am.
Tension filled the Kinston City Council chambers Monday night as residents once again urged city leaders to reduce the property tax rate before year’s end, calling the 73-cent rate approved in June an “unfair burden” that has pushed some homeowners to the brink.
Property taxes and neighborhood conditions dominated Tuesday night’s Kinston City Council meeting, where residents voiced frustrations over rising costs before council members approved several measures, including a downtown master plan proposal and a new city investment policy.
Downtown Kinston Revitalization has been awarded a Downtown Revitalization grant from ElectriCities to support the redesign of the Buddy and Mary Mac Ritch All-American City Park. The overall project will involve aesthetic and functional enhancements like benches, tree planting, lighting along the railway, an internally-lit sculpture, a sensory path, and new signage.
Local business owner and scientist Milton Foster is running for Kinston City Council, bringing two decades of residency, professional experience, and a data-driven mindset to his first bid for public office. Foster said his campaign is focused on practical solutions to issues like taxes, property values, and economic development.
Mayor Don Hardy is seeking a third term leading the City of Kinston, emphasizing his continued focus on public safety, affordable housing, and infrastructure improvement. A U.S. Navy veteran, longtime law enforcement officer, and Kinston native, Hardy says his record of service and experience positions him to keep building on the city’s recent progress.
Kareem Moore, a U.S. Army combat veteran and advocate for veterans’ affairs, has announced his candidacy for Mayor of Kinston, pledging to restore accountability, rebuilding trust in local government, and strengthening the city’s economic foundation through homeownership, job creation, and transparency.
Kinston residents could soon see lower electric bills as city officials move forward with a proposed 4% rate reduction, the first in several years. The change, which follows a cost of service study by Booth & Associates, will be the subject of a public hearing on Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall.
If council adopts the proposal that night, the new rates will take effect Oct. 15. For the average household, that means about $6 off the monthly bill.
Kinston City Council and Lenoir County commissioners have both approved the Tax Incentive for Downtown Enhancement (TIDE) program, their first joint initiative through the new City–County Joint Working Committee.
The Kinston City Council’s most recent meeting blended recognition, sharp public criticism, and a major redevelopment proposal for one of the city’s largest industrial properties.
After a case of West Nile virus was confirmed in Lenoir County last week, city and county officials outlined different approaches to mosquito control.
A debt that has weighed on Kinston, La Grange and 30 other eastern North Carolina communities for more than four decades has finally been retired.
The North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) first issued $3.2 billion in debt in 1982 to buy ownership stakes in power plants, securing long-term electricity for its member cities. That decision gave towns like Kinston more control over power supply, but it also left them with some of the highest electric rates in North Carolina.
