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The outgoing Board of Aldermen shortly before four aldermen surrendered their seats on Dec. 12. Post photo   Dec. 12 was the last Board of Aldermen meeting for four aldermen. They included: One-term Ward 1 alderman Dallas Blackiston, who sought reelection but came in third in a three-person race won by his predecessor, Sabrina Bengel Two-term Ward 2 alderman Victor Taylor, who did not seek reelection and who was replaced by Jamee Harris. Half-term alderman E.T. Mitchell, who was appointed to the board and who did not run for reelection; she was replaced by Bobby Aster. Two-term Ward 5 alderman Bernard White, who lost hisRead More →

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Members of the new Board of Aldermen moments after taking their seats. They are, from left, Sabrina Bengel, Jamee Harris, Bobby Aster, Dana Outlaw, Johnnie Ray Kinsey, Barbara Best, and Jeffrey Odham. Post photo   Three of four new aldermen who took their seats on Dec. 12 bring with them enough experience that it would be inaccurate to call them rookies. Sabrina Bengel, who bested incumbent Dallas Blackiston, boating instructor Tony Bonnici and a hard challenge by retired chemist Anne Schout, has a long history of community involvement, owns real estate and businesses downtown, and previously served on the Board of Aldermen as Ward 1Read 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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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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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 →

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CITY OF NEW BERN BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETING DECEMBER 12, 2017 – 7:00 P.M. CITY HALL COURTROOM 300 POLLOCK STREET 1.   Meeting opened by Mayor Dana E. Outlaw.  Prayer Coordinated by Mayor Outlaw.  Pledge of Allegiance. 2.   Roll Call. Consent Agenda 3.   Approve Minutes. Minutes from the regular meeting on November 28, 2017 are provided for review and approval. ******************** 4.   Consider Adopting a Resolution to Initiate the Upset Bid Process for 508 Third Avenue. (Ward 2) An offer in the amount of $2,500.00 has been received from Tonyah L. Dillahunt for the purchase of 508 Third Avenue.  The property is owned solely by theRead More →