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First off, the obvious Things are getting back to normal now that the holidays are behind us. Just kidding. With snow and ice blanketing the region, it’s like having an extra week off for the Christmas break. Schools have been closed since Wednesday. So much of New Bern was shut down on Thursday, it nearly felt like Christmas Day. Though we were well supplied with food, cabin fever drove us from the house and we thank the folks at Sonic and Piggly Wiggly for braving the weather and serving our needs. Other businesses were open, too … these are just the two we happened toRead More →

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The National Weather Service is calling for a significant snow event for this area beginning around noon tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 3. Because of the changing in timing predicted by the National Weather Service over the last 24 hours as well as uncertainty related to freezing rain versus snow to begin the weather, Craven County Schools will be closed for students Wednesday out of an abundance of caution. Staff will report for a half day. School district officials will continue to monitor the weather and road conditions and share any updates regarding possible closings and/or delays for the rest of the week.Read More →

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The concrete front steps at New Bern City Hall is the first obstacle for people with mobility issues. Google Street View image   For those with mobility issues who want to attend a Board of Aldermen meeting, the seven steps they have to climb to reach the front door at New Bern City Hall is just the beginning of a perilous journey. Those seven concrete steps get you barely a third of the way to the second-floor room where the board meets. I’m thinking that there are one of two thoughts that cross people’s minds when they want to attend a Board of Aldermen meetingRead More →

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A little late getting this out; I was a couple of days early last week, so it all balances out. We made it out to Canterbury Road in Trent Woods Christmas Eve evening to catch a view of the Canterbury Balls — probably the best neighborhood-wide Christmas display in New Bern. Video On our way back home, we stopped at Publix to satisfy a sweet tooth craving. By about 6:15 p.m., with about 45 minutes before closing for Christmas, Publix staff was handing out surplus bakery items, which would have otherwise been discarded. Our purchase of a frozen chocolate pie, two pints of ice cream,Read More →

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In: New Bern, New Bern business and commerce
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3rd Rock Brewing Company has something planned for the back side of this Pollock Street location in New Bern. Google Street View image   Jay Mazzone, owner of 3rd Rock Brewing Company in Trenton, Jones County, said his new venture in downtown New Bern will be a 30-tap tap room offering weekend live entertainment. It will be called the Rock Room. He expects it to open in February, and it will seat 50 to 100 people with entertainment offerings rotating between live comedy, dueling pianos, local performers and a headline performer. The address is 117B Pollock St., behind Carolina Creations. It will include a patio areaRead More →

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3rd Rock Brewing Company has something planned for back side of this Pollock Street location in New Bern. Google Street View image Recent business improvements reviewed by City Hall include: Site plan review of 3rd Rock Brewing Company located at 317 B Pollock St. Behind Carolina Creations, across the street from Christ Church. 3rd Rock Brewing Company is located in Trenton in Jones County. Documents do no indicate the nature of the business planned for Pollock Street. A source says 3rd Rock Brewing Company has a taproom kind of situation going on in the back of the building that opens to a rear patio. Update Site planRead More →

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Alderman Sabrina Bengel takes the oath of office after being selected mayor pro tem. Alderman and former mayor pro tem Jeff Odham is in the background fuming. The two sit on opposite sides of the dais and, judging from their first meeting Tuesday, are on opposite sides of other things, too. It didn’t take long for four years of bad blood between Sabrina Bengel and Dana Outlaw/Jeff Odham to spill over into Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting. The question is, who started it? • Was it Ward 1 Alderman Bengel who, during her first meeting as alderman (this time around) and using a portion ofRead More →

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Note: This has been corrected since originally posted to reflect that there had never been more than two women on the board, not one. The glass ceiling was cracked, if not shattered, on Tuesday, as three women took their seats on a Board of Aldermen that had never had more than two female members throughout its existence.     And one of the first things the more feminine board did on Tuesday was vote unanimously to endorse the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1972, a proposed Equal Rights Amendment (“ERA”) to the Constitution passed both houses of the U.S. Congress and was sent to the statesRead More →

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In: Aldermen, Board of Aldermen, Mayor, New Bern Fire Department
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Alderman Sabrina Bengel takes the oath of office after being selected mayor pro tem. Alderman Jeff Odham is in the background. The two sit on opposite sides of the dais and, judging from their first meeting Tuesday, are on opposite sides of other things, too. Former New Bern mayor Lee Bettis will have his name restored to a fire truck the Board of Aldermen authorized to buy during his last meeting as mayor but the subsequent board ordered removed because he was convicted of crimes. Ward 1 Alderman Sabrina Bengel, using the New Business portion of the meeting that she has complained about on herRead More →