NEWS
Junious Smith III Kinston Free Press February 3, 2014 Downtown development has been the focal point in the renaissance of Kinston over the past several years. On Jan. 30, two downtown entrepreneurs were recognized for their efforts on a state level. Mother Earth co-owners Stephen Hill and Trent Mooring were honored as 2013 Main Street Champions at the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Ceremony in New Bern. The two — along with representatives from 32 other Tar Heel communities — received the award for exceptional contributions to the downtown revitalization process. Kinston hadn’t had a winner in the prestigious…
Junious Smith II Kinston Free Press January 24, 2014 Smithfield Foods is expanding in Lenoir County, not with brick and mortar, but with an investment of $16 million in personal property, including cutting-edge technology. The announcement was made at Thursday’s meeting of the Lenoir County Board of Commissioners. “Lenoir County is very grateful for the continued support and dedicated commitment to the community afforded by Smithfield Foods, Inc.’s continued success and progress,” The Lenoir County Economic Development Department said in a statement late Thursday. Officials are uncertain if the investment will mean new jobs are added to the company. However,…
Margret Fisher Kinston Free Press December 26,2013 A television series based around a local business has brought much attention to rural Eastern North Carolina and Lenoir County, in particular. The PBS show “A Chef’s Life” premiered in September, highlighting Ben Knight and Vivian Howard’s restaurant, Chef and the Farmer, in downtown Kinston. The restaurant — open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday in a fine dining atmosphere — is entering its eighth year. The impact became noticeable around the fifth episode, Knight said. “I’d say that it’s been a pretty significant impact on our business,” he said about the show. “For…
STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is a program in eastern North Carolina and all around the nation to prepare high school students for the job market of the future. Industries that are hiring now are seeking people with skills that are needed in the current and future workplace. The STEM program gives graduating students those abilities. Kinston Evening Rotary meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the House of Wang.
Kinston Free Press October 25, 2013 The World Waterpark Association at its recent annual convention recognized the Lions Water Adventure Waterpark in Kinston with the prestigious Leading Edge Award for 2013. The Leading Edge Award is presented for projects creating industry innovation and leadership. The Lions Water Adventure was recognized for its partnership with its builders, Lions Industries for the Blind and local Lions clubs for insuring that the waterpark was totally accessible to visually impaired persons. Representing the Lions Water Adventure waterpark in receiving the award was Bill Ellis, Kinston-Lenoir County Parks and Recreation director; Danny Rice, national director…