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An artist rendering of the Greater Five Points Transformation Plan. Released in February 2016, the plan could be the roadmap for an Urban Redevelopment Commission. After a lengthy discussion in which an informal motion first lacked the votes to pass, the Board of Aldermen on Wednesday directed city staff to develop plans to establish an Urban Redevelopment Commission to kickstart long-stalled city improvement plans. The board directed City Attorney Scott Davis to draw up plans to establish a Redevelopment Commission with nine city resident members who are not members of the Board of Aldermen and who will serve staggered terms. The next step is forRead More →

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Local businesses have notified the City of New Bern that they’ve been getting calls from people posing as the “City of New Bern Utilities/Electric Department.” The callers say the business owes money for an overdue utility bill and they must pay it immediately over the phone or the caller will disconnect service. “HIS IS A SCAM! THIS IS *NOT* THE CITY OF NEW BERN!,” the city said in a news release. “These scammers are trying to steal your credit card and personal information over the phone. We will NEVER call you demanding payment or asking for your personal information.” If you have a question aboutRead More →

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A group spearheaded by Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Pastor Robert and retired chemist Anne Schout is taking the initiative to fix problems in the Duffyfield neighborhood of New Bern. The group is called Duffyfield Phoenix Project, and it plans to lead a wide range of projects in Duffyfield, including: Assessment of Duffyfield’s properties, their conditions and their owners. Determine which properties need upgrade or repair, whether owners want or need assistance, and which properties could be razed. Obtain grants for infrastructure and housing improvements. Improve the appearance of two cemeteries and apply for a grant to pay for a brick entrance to Evergreen Cemetery. Reinter 13Read More →

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Updated 3/25/2018 at 10:23 a.m. Now that the Craven Terrace low-income housing project has been outsourced, downsized, and renovated, the New Bern Housing Authority is turning its sights on what to do about Trent Court. In a memo to the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners (members listed here), Housing Authority Executive Director Martin Blaney said the agency is going to apply for a 9 percent low-income housing tax credit from the N.C, Housing Finance Agency, but first must “secure site control of an eligible and competitive location.” The “competitive location” would be used to build new low-income housing to add to, and in some casesRead More →

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Among New Bern-area fast food restaurants, Wendy’s fries have overtaken McDonald’s in both taste and quality following a long run where McDonald’s reigned supreme. That’s the results of a 55-year-long study conducted by New Bern man, an area resident who has been monitoring the rise and fall of fry quality among leading fast food chains since 1963. The change is the result of a modest improvement in quality of Wendy’s fries and a gradual decline in the quality of McDonald’s fries. McDonald’s fries have changed in flavor and consistency over the years following controversies over ingredients including milk, gluten, and beef. As a result, McDonald’s friesRead More →

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Preliminary plans have been released for the proposed 850-acre Martin Marietta Park that depict something the size and scope of which would make it one of the most significant municipal parks in the state. Aldermen, the mayor, staff and advisers will meet upstairs at City Hall at 1 p.m. Monday to discuss the park and a proposed city redevelopment area and commission. (Link to agenda; note that the link has a limited shelf life.) As depicted in maps, Martin Marietta Park would include a large amphitheater, swimming area, boating area, hiking trails and numerous other features. The plan does not indicate how the city wouldRead More →

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Site plans are being reviewed for a new, expanded and relocated Brewery 99. Brewery 99, a micro-brewery off Hancock Street operated by Pete Frey, has submitted plans for a new location on Pollock Street that is about three times larger than its original location. I’ve reached out to Frey for information about the project and will update this story once I hear back.Read More →

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Fresh from her first National League of Cities conference in Washington D.C., Alderman Jameesha Harris returned  to New Bern on Tuesday eager to spread the conference’s theme, “Rebuild with Us.” During her return trip from D.C., her head filled with all sorts of dynamic, innovative things that she was eager to see happen here, Harris excitedly texted her fellow aldermen and city staff to look into a program called Opportunity Zones. And then she got shut down. (Anyone who has ever attended a professional conference, only to have everything you’ve learned dismissed by the gatekeepers in the home office, raise your hand.) According to Goman+York,Read More →

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The popular Harry Goodman Battlefield Adventure Day for children is Saturday, March 24 at 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 recently upgraded by the New Bern Historical Society. The event is for boys and girls ages 6-12 years old and an adult. Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. with activities from noon to 4:00 p.m. Young recruits and their parents will be greeted by re-enactors from the 5th N.C. Regiment, the 7th N.C. Regiment and artillery from McCullough Living History. The newly “enlisted” recruits can choose toRead More →

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New Bern Parks and Recreation is holding a public input meeting on Monday, March 12 to review the proposed Master Plan for Martin Marietta Park. The meeting will be held at the West New Bern Recreation Center, located at 1225 Pine Tree Drive in New Bern. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for an informal review of the Plan. A formal presentation will begin at 6 p.m. During this meeting, results from the previous public input meeting as well as the recent Recreation Needs Survey will be discussed. City staff as well as planning partners, McGill Associates, will be on hand to answer questions. “McGillRead More →