The popular Harry Goodman Battlefield Adventure Day for families is Saturday, March 23, at the New Bern Battlefield Park.
A day full of learning activities, period games and living history, it is held annually at the Park, which has been extensively upgraded by the New Bern Historical Society. This year the event is open to guests of all ages, with special activities for children 6-12 years old. Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. with activities from noon to 4 p.m.
Guests will be greeted by re-enactors from the 5th and 7th North Carolina Regiments. The event kicks off with a commissary lunch for all guests, provided by Moore’s Bar-B-Que.
There will be Civil War era games, crafts, and hands-on displays for the entire family. Children will participate in practice drills and Civil War period activities and crafts. Historical Society battlefield guides will provide an informative and entertaining walking tour of the battlefield.
The day’s activities will conclude with an exciting artillery live fire demonstration by McCullough Living History.
Cost is $10 for the first family member, plus $5 for each additional adult or child, with a $20 maximum for a family. Special price for active duty military and families qualifying for free/reduced school lunch program. For more information or to register: New Bern Historical Society, 252-638-8558 and www.newbernhistorical.org
At the end of the day they will take part in the American Battlefield Trust’s Park Day, an opportunity for the public to lend a hand at battlefields and parks across the country. Participants will help rake out the redans. Park Day will begin after the Adventure Day activities are complete at 4 p.m.
T-shirts will be given to the first 45 participants.
New Bern Battlefield Park is located off U.S. 70 at the entrance to the Taberna subdivision at 300 Battlefield Trail. This program is supported through the generosity of the family of Harry K. Goodman, who was key to the preservation and restoration of the Battlefield Park.
Posted in Activities, Community, Education, Entertainment, Environment, History, New Bern, New Bern Historical Society
Eastern North Carolina’s most popular band for all ages will perform for the fourth time at ShamRockin’ 2019, a St Patrick’s Celebration Friday night, March 15th in New Bern. The annual dinner and party will be held at New Bern’s History Center starting at 6PM with traditional Irish dinner while being entertained by Tom & Dahlin’ with Celtic songs and music…. cash bar with beer, wine and popcorn ..and then dance to the high energy sounds of TrainWreck playing hits like Play That Funky Music, Stayin’ alive, Billie Jean, That’s What I Like, Proud Mary, Keep Your Hands to Yourself….Motown, Rock ,Disco, R&B music from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and today…for all ages 18 an over. Tickets available now at Mitchell’s in New Bern and on-line at newbernrotaryclub.org or $25 at the door. Order now, limited seating. Sham-Rockin’2019 is a trademark fund raising event of the Rotary Club of New Bern.
Posted in Activities, Community, Entertainment, Events, New Bern, Rotary
Businesses and homeowners could see a reduction in their property insurance after a recent state inspection and audit of New Bern Fire-Rescue.
New Bern’s new Class 2 rating puts it in the top 2 percent of fire districts nationwide. In North Carolina, New Bern now ranks as one of the top 28 fire districts out of 1,533 total.
“This is a big deal for New Bern,” said City Manager Mark Stephens. “We hope it will enhance economic development and benefit commercial developers, businesses and homeowners. Many large corporations strongly consider higher fire protection ratings when locating to new communities, and we hope this will move New Bern to the top of their lists.”
The new rating takes effect June 1.
The inspection and audit were performed by the N.C. Department of Insurance, and resulted in a Class 2 rating for the community. Previously, New Bern was listed as a Class 3 community.
This routine inspection is required on a regular basis as part of the North Carolina Response Rating System (NCRRS). The inspection evaluates communities on nationally recognized standards including emergency communications, needed fire flows, water supply, community risk reduction, and the equipment, staffing, training and operation of the fire department.
A fire district’s rating can range from 1 to 10 with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst.
“I’d like to congratulate Chief Boyd for the department’s performance and for the hard work of all the department members,” said N.C. Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey. “The citizens in these districts should rest easy knowing they have a fine group of firefighters protecting them and their property in case of an emergency.”
The new Class 2 rating is the result of improvements made in staff training, fire prevention and community risk reduction. New Bern Fire-Rescue has been working to improve its rating for the last three years.
Insurance companies use fire ratings to set premiums. A fire department with a better rating will have a lower risk of insurance claims.
“This is the result of a lot of hard work,” said New Bern Fire-Rescue Chief Robert Boyd. “I want to thank our firefighters and employees for their support and commitment to this effort. The department’s high level of service and response to our residents directly impacted our ability to move up, and we are proud of our staff.”
Posted in New Bern, New Bern Fire Department
NEW BERN – Craven Community College (Craven CC) will host a Spring Open House for new students Tuesday, March 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Student Center on the New Bern Campus. The open house will have information relevant to all types of students, ranging from those embarking on a college journey or looking to take the next step in their career.
This event will give students the opportunity to tour classrooms, get a feel for the campus and meet face-to-face with instructors from Craven CC’s career programs, health programs and workforce development departments. Interactive booths will demonstrate the college’s many opportunities and provide a better understanding of what each program entails. Students can explore course offerings for the summer and fall semesters, with classes available on both campuses and online.
Academic, admissions and financial aid advisors will be on hand to personally assist students with navigating the application and financial aid processes. They will also show students how to apply for various scholarships and answer questions. Information will be available on the college’s many clubs, organizations and events, as well as university transfer programs through NC State, NC Wesleyan and ECU.
Several programs will be on display, such as flight and maintenance, nursing, physical therapy, construction, information technology, basic law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services, computer-aided drafting, cosmetology, information technology, automotive, welding, machining and early childhood education. Props and demonstrations will also be set up, and the barbering program will provide free haircuts.
“These are programs that are in high demand,” said Ricky Meadows, dean of career programs. “If students come in here and complete the two-year program, they have no problem getting a job.”
For more information, call Zomar Peter, dean of enrollment management, at 252-638-4597.
Posted in Community, Craven Community College, New Bern
GATHERED for a check presentation and celebration of a $50,000 grant award for disaster relief from the national Unitarian Universalist Association are some representatives of the Duffyfield Phoenix Project, the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance, and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of New Bern. They are, first row, seated, Paula Saihati, Grace Hudson, the Rev. Dr. Ethel Sampson, Fred Pittinger, and Anne Schout. In the second row, Elijah Brown, Johnny Sampson, the Rev. Robert Johnson, Carole McCracken, The Rev. John Robinson, Robert Benjamin, Jim Schout, and the Rev. Charlie Davis. Standing behind are Mike Avery and Sully Sullivan.
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of New Bern (UUFNB) received a $50,000 grant from the national Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Disaster Relief Fund to aid in disaster recovery in New Bern, primarily in the Duffyfield area.
UUFNB has partnered with the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance (CCDRA) and will coordinate efforts with the Duffyfield Phoenix Project, (DPP).
Individual Unitarian Universalists locally, and from various parts of the country, sent unsolicited donations for UUFNB disaster relief efforts shortly after Hurricane Florence created such devastation in the area.
UUFNB formed a committee to distribute the funds to UUFNB congregants impacted by the storm and in most need of assistance Concurrently, UUFNB strengthened its partnership with CCDRA to undertake a community-wide effort. CCDRA is a group of faith-based, non-profit, government and business organizations formed to provide coordinated recovery efforts to county residents. Of primary concern to the UUFNB is the large number of hurricane victims in urgent need of assistance in New Bern’s Duffyfield area.
UUFNB prepared and submitted a grant application to the UUA’s Disaster Relief Fund and was given $50,000 to support CCDRA efforts in the Duffyfield community. Ten percent is available to respond to emergencies outside of Duffyfield. The remainder will focus on priority Duffyfield cases identified by CCDRA with the assistance of DPP. This is a natural fit as DPP’s mission is to improve both the physical surroundings and quality of life for Duffyfield residents.
On Friday, Feb. 8, representatives of all three entities gathered at UUFNB to announce the grant to the press, answer any questions they had and formally turn over the grant funds to CCDRA.
Posted in Achievements, Community, Community issues, Craven County, Economy, Economy and Employment, Environment, Hurricane, Infrastructure, New Bern
I read an article the other day about who makes the best cheeseburger of the top three burger chains, Wendy’s, McDonald’s or Burger King.
The reviewer gave Wendy’s and McDonald’s a tie for first. However, it was an unfair contest. More on that in a second. Anyway, I repeated the test and came up with my own result.
The reviewer compared regular cheeseburgers from Wendy’s and Burger King, but the Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald’s, which gave an unfair advantage to McDonald’s. The Quarter Pounder with Cheese is one of McDonald’s premium menu items, and why the author chose it over McDonald’s regular cheeseburger, I don’t know.
Obviously, comparing apples to apples, the comparison should have included McDonald’s regular cheeseburger.
Duplicating the online article that I read, McDonald’s QPWC was the clear winner. It had more of everything, and in just the right amounts. And now that McDonald’s is preparing its premium beef patties the way its competitors are, it is no longer disadvantaged.
The Wendy’s and Burger King cheeseburgers were sorry little affairs and their beef patties were overwhelmed by the same thing, pickles. The only exception was BK’s — its charbroil flavor was the first thing I tasted, and it seemed almost artificial it was so distinct and long lasting. The flavor still lingers now, 40 minutes since I ate it.
I eat McDonald’s plain cheeseburgers all the time. I prefer Wendy’s of the top three burger chains, but I do occasionally eat at McDonald’s, and when I do I order the double cheeseburger meal.
Had I included McDonald’s regular cheeseburger instead of the QPWC, it still would have won.
As for premium burgers, I prefer Wendy’s singles or doubles, and really would prefer not to eat Big Macs and Whoppers. Also, I am fond of Sonic’s burgers and not fond of Cook-Out’s, although I don’t understand why. Cook-Out burgers have all the right things, but there is just something a little off about them.
Let me know what your favorite burgers are.
– Randy Foster, New Bern Post
Posted in Blog post, Commentary, Food, Friday free-for-all, New Bern
Gov. Roy Cooper today announced new election dates to fill the seat in North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District, which has been vacant since Congressman Walter Jones, Jr. passed away earlier this month.
“People in eastern North Carolina need a voice in Congress,” Gov. Cooper said. “We’re moving ahead so they can choose their new representative quickly.”
Gov. Cooper issued a writ of election and proclamation directing that a special general election to elect a representative to serve out the remainder of the current two-year term for the Third Congressional District be held on July 9, 2019.
Candidates seeking to fill the seat should file notices of candidacy with the State Board of Elections between March 4 and March 8, 2019. To nominate candidates, a special primary election will be held on April 30, 2019. Absentee voting for the special primary election will begin on March 15, 2019.
The special general election would take place July 9, 2019, unless a primary runoff is required. If a primary runoff occurs on July 9, the special general election would then be held on September 10, 2019.
Absentee voting for the July 9 election will begin on May 24, 2019. If the September 10 election date is needed, absentee voting will start on July 26, 2019.
Federal and state laws require the governor to schedule election dates to fill the vacant seat in the Third Congressional District. The State Board of Elections is responsible for scheduling a new election in North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District.
Craven Community College’s (Craven CC) Adult Enrichment Program (AEP) will host a symposium entitled “Stop the Cravin’!” in an effort to promote substance abuse education, prevention and intervention.
This free event will take place at Orringer Hall on the New Bern Campus from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14.
The event will feature a diverse panel of speakers from local health care providers, local and state law enforcement and community-based organizations. It will provide statistics for the area, health effects and the science behind the many aspects of addiction, case studies and firsthand accounts from those in the medical field. There will also be perspectives shared by former addicts, an emergency room charge nurse and local law enforcement.
Professional panelists include Kenneth W. Wilkins, Jr., MD, FACP, endoscopist and president of Coastal Carolina Health Care, PA; Matt Knight of the NC Task Force for Safe Schools and NC Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) branch; Henry D. Beckwith, PsyD, a licensed psychologist; and Nadine Williamson, a certified substance abuse counselor.
Those in attendance will have the opportunity to: participate in a Q&A, learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid and related substance abuse issues, how to intervene and prevent future addictions. Equipping people with knowledge so they know what to do in such situations can ensure that loved ones don’t become just another statistic.
“Our goal is to raise awareness of the substance abuse epidemic that is steadily increasing and affecting our community and communities throughout the country, and in turn aid in the prevention of their use,” said Megan Johnson, AEP coordinator. “It is our hope that this symposium will be of great benefit to those who have been touched by this crisis and who are impacted in their daily personal and professional lives.”
Preregistration is not required and CEUs are available for eligible professionals. Doors open at 7:45 a.m.
This event is sponsored by Craven Community College, the CCHC Foundation, the Harold H. Bate Foundation, ABC of Craven County, Coastal Coalition and Trillium Health Resources.
For more information, contact Johnson at 252-638-7273 or johnsonm@cravencc.edu.
Posted in Community, Community issues, Craven Community College, Health, New Bern, Public safety
A BSH forklift is unloaded at Craven Community College, to be used in a training program as the manufacturer ramps up its workforce.
BSH Home Appliances, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of home appliances, is expanding the workforce at its New Bern manufacturing and assembly lines to meet demands for its products.
Working in collaboration with Craven Community College (Craven CC) and Blue Arbor Staffing (BAS), BSH is seeking to add approximately 50 new employees to its current workforce.
Craven CC will offer a Manufacturing Career Pathway (MCP) program from March 11-April 11 to help train and screen potential employees. The MCP will be dedicated specifically to the initiative to enhance the success for individuals wanting to start a career with BSH.
This program will provide training in the following topics: Intro to Manufacturing, Forklift Operator Certificate, Lean Yellow Belt, OSHA 10-Hour Safety, Workplace Ethics and Intro to Microsoft Word. Students will also receive hands-on training with mock simulators.
Students who complete the program will work through BAS. BAS will arrange an interview between the candidate and BSH. Candidates chosen after the interview process will start in a temporary position and work toward permanent placement.
Craven CC offers MCP programs throughout the year that conclude with interviews from local manufacturers for potential direct-hire positions. At the conclusion of Craven CC’s last MCP class, 55% of the students were offered direct hire positions with local industries, 18 percent chose to further their education through Craven CC by enrolling in a trade program and 100 percent were asked to complete applications for potential employment through local employment agencies.
For additional information on the program, contact Eddie Foster, Craven CC executive director of environmental safety and corporate training, at 252-638-3919 or fostere@cravencc.edu. To register, contact Cat Johnson at 252-633-0857 or johnsonc@cravencc.edu.
Posted in Business, Community, Craven Community College, Economy, Economy and Employment, Education, New Bern
Request will be made at Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting
New Bern community members and non-local activists will urge the New Bern Board of Aldermen to “Ban the Box” for hiring city employees at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12.
“Ban the Box” is a hiring practice that encourages employers to identify potential hires with the best skills and experience and delay asking applicants about their criminal records until after a conditional offer is made.
Durham and Carrboro are among cities in North Carolina that have already adopted this “fair chance” hiring practice.
Ban the Box is a movement started in the early 2000s by All of Us or None, a national organization created and led by individuals directly impacted by incarceration and the criminal legal system.
People who have been involved in the criminal justice system often face collateral consequences, difficulties people face in finding housing, education, and employment because of a criminal record.
Trouble finding employment is one of the most common collateral consequences that people face upon release. Those who have a record and disclose it on their initial job application are 50 percent less likely to receive a callback than their peers without a record.
Ban the Box programs do not prevent employers from asking about an applicant’s criminal record, but rather calls for employers to remove the initial question about criminal records from job applications (“the box”) and delay any related questions until after a conditional offer is made. This process ensures the best person is being hired for the job and also allows the employer to continue to make decisions about the relevancy of the record to the job.
What: Public comments on ‘Ban the Box’ at New Bern Board of Alderman meeting
When: Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m.
Where: City Hall Courtroom, 300 Pollock St., New Bern
Who: New Bern community members and representatives from All of Us or None – NC and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice Clean Slate Project
Posted in Aldermen, Board of Aldermen, Community, Community issues, Crime, Economy, Economy and Employment, Housing, Mayor, New Bern
New Bern Now
