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UNC Lenoir distributed the first six doses of the COVID-19 on Thursday after receiving a shipment of 975 doses. Following the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, the first round of vaccine doses are for 1 A employees to include frontline employees who take care of patients with COVID-19. At UNC Lenoir, there are 901 frontline employees who were offered the vaccine. The hospital is not requiring its healthcare workers to take the vaccine.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has selected 17 school districts and 11 charter schools to participate in a pilot program to deploy COVID-19 rapid testing in K-12 public schools where any in-person instruction is happening. Lenoir County Public Schools has 17 locations that will participate in the pilot program. Schools in the pilot will use the Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen test card, which uses a nasal swab to detect COVID-19 and provides results in 15 minutes without laboratory processing. The swab must be performed by trained personnel.
A 10th grader at North Lenoir High School has won national recognition and a college scholarship for an essay she wrote in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Shyaé Hood of Kinston was one of four grand prize winners of the 2020 Suddenlink Hispanic Heritage Essay Contest honored in a virtual ceremony Wednesday night and awarded a $1,500 scholarship. She is the first-ever winner from North Carolina.
Annual grant awards from the Lenoir County Extension Master Gardeners Volunteer Association to inspire projects related to horticulture have gone to seven teachers in Lenoir County. Pat Bizzell, center, president of Lenoir County Master Gardeners, with 2020 grant winners, clockwise from bottom left, Kaitlyn Stroud of Northwest Elementary School, Carol Riddle of Bethel Christian Academy, Brenda Griffin of Pink Hill Elementary School, Rachel Hill of Northwest Elementary School, Ashley Ledford of Southwood Elementary School, Jodi Maxey of South Lenoir High School and Jessica Jones of Woodington Middle School.
Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey announced that the Trenton Emergency Medical Services, Inc. was awarded a $7,404.19 grant through the 2020 Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund from the State of North Carolina.
In May 1954, Elder J. Ervin Reddick became the Founder and Pastor of Mt. Calvary FWB Church in La Grange, NC. Beginning with 24 faithful followers, Pastor Reddick remained faithful to the calling as their Pastor.
On Friday, The Guardian published an article titled, ‘The North Carolina hog industry’s answer to pollution: a $500m pipeline project’. Extension Agent Eve Honeycutt set out to set the record straight. “Hog farmers are part of the community. They don’t want anyone else to be affected by anything. They care about the people of their community and don’t have any incentive to do otherwise,” said Honeycutt. Hog farming is a heavily governed industry plagued with nuisance lawsuits and public perception riddled with misinformation. Without the industry, eastern North Carolina would lose a large economic support system.
The Leapfrog Group, a Washington D.C-based organization aiming to improve health care quality and safety for consumers and purchasers, released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. UNC Lenoir Health Care received an A for the second time this year.
The following businesses were registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State:
“What the governor is seeking to do is conniving and dangerous to everyone in the state who cherishes their freedoms and balance of government,” said Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse. “Under the veil of public health, he is trying to expand his powers into areas of government that he would not otherwise be permitted to or have authority over.”
“We will be following the order for sure and talking to individuals that could be in violation. We will be warning individuals who are not following the order and if they continue, we will follow up with the enforcement action. Everyone must do their part,” said City of Kinston Mayor Don Hardy.
The following restaurant inspections were conducted by the Lenoir County Health Department:
Chief Justice Cheri Beasley announced Friday that North Carolina Courts will postpone non-essential, in-person court proceedings for 30 days, beginning Monday, December 14.
AgCarolina Farm Credit completed the 2020 director election online and by mail on December 3. The ballots were tabulated by an independent third party, and the results have been certified and provided to AgCarolina. Stuart Pierce, Jr. was elected to Region 3 (serving Bertie, Northampton, and Hertford counties), Mark A. Wellons was elected to Region 5 (serving Johnston County), and Rodney D. Smith was elected to Region 10 (serving Jones, Lenoir, Craven, Carteret, and Onslow counties).
Employees with 20 years of service with Harvey Enterprises & Affiliates were honored recently by the Harvey family with a contribution to the C. Felix Harvey, Sr. Scholarship through the Lenoir Community College Foundation.
Legislative leaders and Gov. Roy Cooper reached a deal to ensure $30 million is allocated as promised to the GREAT rural broadband program.
Congratulations to the following La Grange Elementary Student of the Month and Honor Roll List students.
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan donated 10 computers to the Neuse Regional Library for the Literacy Without Barriers Homework Help program. Free afterschool tutoring is available at local area branches in Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties that offers homework help, and tutoring in math, reading, and writing by teachers and volunteers.
An 18-wheeler truckload of kitchenware was given away through Stocking Kitchens with Hope at the Kinston Community Center for 21 area nonprofits supplied by Electrolux and distributed by Lenoir/Greene United Way.
LCPS students currently going to school twice a week for face-to-face instruction can move to a four-day-a-week schedule in January provided public health guidelines can still be met at their school and in their classroom.
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