Gregory Fitzgerald Smith (1955 – 2018) Gregory F. Smith, 62, of New Bern, died on Monday, Jan. 29, 2018. A memorial service is planned for Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, at 2 p.m. at New Bern Convention Center. Check back for a full-length obituary to come and suggestions for memorial contributions. Cotten Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.Read More →

On Tuesday, January 30 at 9 a.m., the staff and students of J.T. Barber Elementary will honor and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in an Annual Silent March for Peace down the halls of the school and around the campus while listening to Dr. King’s awe inspiring “I Have a Dream Speech” over the school’s intercom. Participants will walk in silence out of respect and in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of strength through silence and peacefulness. As students are walking throughout the campus they will reflect on the gifts, actions, and acts of kindness they can make in order for our world to become a better moreRead More →

New Bern Parks and Recreation is holding a public input meeting to discuss the Martin Marietta Park Master Plan.  The public is invited to attend this drop-in style meeting anytime between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at New Bern Mall.  The meeting will be held at Center Court. The Public Input meeting is an opportunity for residents to review plans and share their ideas on what types of amenities and programs they are interested in seeing at the new park.  City staff as well as our planning partners, McGill Associates, will be on hand to answer questions. “We are excited about the possibilities thisRead More →

Free Income Tax Return Preparation Free income tax return preparation is being offered by the IRS sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in Craven and Pamlico counties. This free tax service is being offered for low to moderate income and elderly taxpayers at the Harrison Community Center, 311 Middle St., New Bern on Mondays and Tuesdays, Feb. 5 through April 16 plus Feb. 22 and April 12 and 13. (Not open February 13 and 19 and April 2 and 3) In Pamlico, free tax service will be offered at the Pamlico County Senior Citizens Center, 800 Main St. in Alliance on Wednesdays, Feb. 7Read More →

Saturday, February 17, Black History Month Parade From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.  Streets to be closed to vehicular traffic are the 500 block of Fort Totten Drive, 1300-1800 blocks of Trent Boulevard, 400 block of First Street, 700-1300 blocks of Broad Street and 400-800 blocks of George Street. Saturday, March 3, Ghent Neighborhood Association Mardi Gras Parade or the association’s annual Mardi Gras Parade and block party. Saturday, March 10, Great Glow Run  From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the 200-700 blocks of East Front Street, 800 block of North Craven Street, 700-800 blocks of Howard Street, 100-600 blocks of QueenRead More →

So what did you do on Jan. 1? City workers spent the day rerouting sewer lines and stabilizing the sink hole in a round-the-clock operation that resulted in no interruption of service and no sewage leaked into the Neuse River just a hundred yards from it. Sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day, a sewer pipe gave up its 56-year battle against erosion and the forces of hydrogen sulfide. It gave way and the ensuing damage left a 50-foot sinkhole near the National Guard Armory on Glenburnie Drive. This wasn’t any sewer pipe. It was the Grand Central Station of sewer pipes, channeling the entireRead More →

Two gateways into downtown New Bern are going to look a lot different within the next year or so. First Street, which is also N.C. 55, is going to be reconfigured from four lanes (two in each direction) to two traffic lanes and a center turn lane. Sidewalks will be added as well as bike lanes on both sides of the street. City aldermen approved the plan at their meeting on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, a traffic circle is proposed to replace the Y-intersection at Neuse and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards. That project could begin in October. Both plans have controversial predecessors on BroadRead More →