Kinston Teens molding today’s young leaders

KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) — It’s said children are the future. In Lenior County, the future is here and the area’s youth are already hard at work in their community.

With close to two dozen youth, Kinston Teens looks to address current issues with today’s young leaders in hopes of a better tomorrow.

“We are a community of potential. We are putting that potential to reality,” said Chris Suggs, who founded the organization.

For Suggs, the new reality started when he created Kinston Teens at the age of 14, guiding it through tough times from violence to natural disasters.

“And young people were taking the brunt of those problems,” Suggs said. “Very seldom were we included into making a difference on those issues.” (Read more)

Kinston NC – Neuse River Has Not Crested Yet

Retweeted Lenoir County ES (@LenoirCountyES):

Media Release: At 4pm Friday, the Neuse River was at 28.5 feet at Kinston. The river will remain steady near 28.6 ft https://t.co/rU3rY4xxSP

Kinston NC – Educational Forum & Community Conversation: Affordable Care Act Meeting in Kinston

THE NC HEALTH ACCESS COALITION IS A PROJECT OF THE NC JUSTICE CENTER. STAY INFORMED! Follow the NC Health Access Coalition on Twitter: @nchealthaccess Follow Adam Linker on the Progressive Pulse blog. The nonprofit NC Health Access Coalition needs your support to continue its work. PLEASE CONTRIBUTE Health Access Coalition Staff Nicole Dozier Co-Director Adam Linker Co-Director

November 14, 2014 Educational Forum & Community Conversation: Affordable Care Act Meeting in Kinston As the Affordable Care Act is being implemented in our state, North Carolina lawmakers have blocked the Medicaid program from being expanded. This means that 500,000 working adults remain uninsured this year. Join us for a conversation in Kinston with the NC Justice Center, along with community partners to discuss: 1. the benefits of the Affordable Care Act 2. how Medicaid expansion would help your community 3. implementation of the online marketplace, including Special Enrollment Period and open enrollment Help us spread the word and join us on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The event will be held at the Kinston Community Health Center, located at 324 North Queen Street in Kinston. Click here to register, or call/email to reserve your place: Kinston Community Health Center, 252-522-4350, ext 252;  Nicole Dozier, 919-856-2146 or nicole@ncjustice.org. Click here for the event flyer.

Boeing triggers a high-stakes courtship – Rocky Mount Telegram

Eastern North Carolina is dressing up to go courting a bride with one of the largest dowries ever seen. Here comes Boeing, a giant aircraft manufacturing plant that would employ thousands of workers with high-paying jobs, bring millions of dollars in investment and who knows how many supporting companies?

The Global TransPark in Kinston would love nothing more than to announce that kind of wedding. But of course, so would Greensboro and Charlotte and – oh, yeah – a dozen or so other states. (More)

PRESS RELEASE: Butterfield Urges the DOJ to Maintain Its Original Decision to Oppose Changes to Elections in Kinston

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For Release:  Immediate Date:  February 10, 2012

Contact: Kezmiché "Kim" Atterbury Phone: (202) 225.3101 Mobile: (202) 465.5125

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Butterfield Urges the DOJ to Maintain Its Original Decision to Oppose Changes to Elections in Kinston

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to maintain its opposition to proposed changes that would make the City of Kinston’s elections nonpartisan.  In 2009, Kinston, located in Lenoir County, voted to alter their election procedure by making all city council elections nonpartisan.  Butterfield believes nonpartisan elections in Kinston would reduce Black voters’ ability to elect their candidate of choice.  Since Lenoir County is subject to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, any change to its election process must be precleared by the DOJ.  The DOJ originally opposed changes to Kinston’s city council election procedure.  However, the agency recently announced that it was reconsidering its 2009 decision. 

“In Assistant Attorney General Perez’s letter, in referencing the November 2011 elections, he acknowledged that ‘black voters in Kinston elected their candidates of choice to a majority of the seats on the Kinston City Council for the first time in modern times’”, wrote Butterfield.  “The impact of DOJ’s reversal would destroy these modest victories, as they are fragile at best.  DOJ’s decision to remove the protection of Section 5 preclearance when it is just beginning to appear to take make a difference is disappointing and shortsighted.”

Butterfield’s full letter to Attorney General Holder follows.

February 10, 2012

The Honorable Eric Holder

Attorney General of the United States

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Holder:

I urge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to maintain its original objection to the proposed change to nonpartisan elections for the City of Kinston, North Carolina. 

In 2009, the City of Kinston, located in Lenoir County, voted to alter their city council election procedure by making the race nonpartisan.  As Lenoir County is a covered jurisdiction under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, any change to election procedure is subject to DOJ review and preclearance.  DOJ originally opposed the decision.

On August 17, 2009, Loretta King, then Acting Assistant Attorney General, wrote to the City of Kinston, objecting to the proposed change for the following reasons:

· “…the city has not sustained its burden of showing that the proposed changes do not have a retrogressive effect,” a requirement for Section 5 preclearance.

· “Removing the partisan cue in municipal elections will, in all likelihood, eliminate the single factor that allows black candidates to be elected to office.”                                                         

Unfortunately, DOJ recently announced that it was reconsidering the aforementioned 2009 decision in light of a request for preclearance to make Lenoir County Board of Education elections nonpartisan.  According to a January 30, 2012 letter from Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez, DOJ found that, “there may ‘have been a substantial change in operative fact’” sufficient to compel the DOJ to withdraw its initial objection, based on Lenoir County demographic data accompanying the Board of Education request.  However, conflating the county and city electorates as equal would be a grave mistake, with dire consequences for Black voters in Kinston, as the Lenoir County data DOJ used in its decision-making process was from a dramatically different electorate and contest.

In Assistant Attorney General Perez’s letter, in referencing the November 2011 elections, he acknowledged that “black voters in Kinston elected their candidates of choice to a majority of the seats on the Kinston City Council for the first time in modern times.” (emphasis added). The impact of DOJ’s reversal would destroy these modest victories, as they are fragile at best.

DOJ’s decision to remove the protection of Section 5 preclearance when it is just beginning to appear to take make a difference is disappointing and shortsighted.  As the elections referenced in this letter only took place last November, there is no data available to determine whether this achievement was anomalous or whether it will be repeated in subsequent electoral contests, leading me to conclude that the “change in operative fact” DOJ is relying on is far less than “substantial”.

I request that the Department of Justice maintain its original position with respect to the City of Kinston’s proposed change to nonpartisan City Council elections.  I firmly believe the partisan nature of these elections is instrumental to ensuring that minority voters are and will continue to be able to elect the candidate of their choice.

Thank you very much.

Very truly yours,

G. K. Butterfield

Member of Congress

http://www.Butterfield.House.Gov

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See related:

Congressman G.K. Butterfield

Officials hope for electric rate fix – Source: Sun Journal

Wilson Times

State leaders are hopeful they can find a solution that can lead to lower electric rates for customers serviced by public power agencies in Eastern North Carolina, including New Bern.

Rep. Jeff Collins, R-Nash, co-chairman of the Municipal Power Agency Relief Committee, said the group’s first meeting recently was a first step in trying to understand the structure and debt by the agencies. (Read more)

See related:

ElectriCities

 

Kinston businesses say chicken plant boosts economy – Source: The Rocky Mount Telegram

Businesses in Kinston are reporting a spike in sales six months after a Sanderson Farms chicken processing facility opened in the city.

For many businesses, employees of the new plant have become regular customers. (Read more)

See related:

Sanderson Farms

Tired of complaining about your utility bills wondering if something can be done

Tired of complaining about your utility bills
wondering if something can be done

Here is your opportunity to learn about new things new ideas and new directions

Groups from Kinston, Rocky Mount, Washington, New Bern, Greenville has already organized and will be in attendance.

A meeting has been set to include Wilson in this organization

Come and learn

910 Tarboro St.

Wilson N C 27893

June 18,2011

11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

For more information call : 252-315-6092

Kinston citizens’ group hosting electricity discussion – Source: The Wilson Times

Citizens from five Eastern North Carolina counties will meet in Kinston Saturday morning to talk about high electricity bills. (Paid Content)

Note: I think the best way to solve the ElectriCities thing is for all the cities, the Electric Companies and others involved need to come to the table and see how all parties can best resolve this matter. However until then you can take money from here and there but that will not be eliminating the problem but elevating it. Curmilus Dancy II – The Political Agitator

See related:

WITN TV: Tonight At 6: Power Struggle Part 1, ElectriCities High Rates

Wilson NC – Video: The NC Eastern Municipal Power Agency Meets/Rocky Mount Councilman Andre Knight 2nd Vice Chair Briefing On The Meeting

ElectriCities

Residents, elected officials organize to fight high light bills – Source: Kinston Free Press

Following the creed of the NAACP, about 70 Kinston residents got “fired up and ready to go” on Saturday, joining a multi-city effort to combat high electric bills.

Soul of the Citizen, a grass-roots group formed by a handful of Kinston residents fed up with current municipal electric rates, organized the community meeting, held Saturday morning in the auditorium of Rochelle Middle School. (Read more)

Note: I was planning on attending the meeting but I had to work. Andre Knight did attend. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher

See related:

Video – Rocky Mount Town Hall with Graham Edwards, CEO of ElectriCities Thursday, March 17, 2011

Video – Rocky Mount Town Hall With Graham Edwards, CEO Electricities Question and Answer Session Thursday, March 17, 2011

ElectriCities

NC House Approves Bill To Reverse Kinston Annexation – Source: WITN

One city in the east that voted to expand its boundaries a couple of years ago, and bring more residents and property into the city, could have those efforts undone. (Read more)

See related:

Annexation

Kinston cheers poultry processing plant while Nash and Wilson Counties fighting to keep them out of Nash County – Source: Rocky Mount Telegram

KINSTON — Residents and officials said they are excited about Sanderson Farms’ plans to open a new poultry processing plant in Kinston in January.

The project is opening to accolades from city and Lenoir county officials in an area starved for new jobs. (Read more)

Note:  The issue of discussion should be about the facts. Will the company be a hazard to the county? Consideration of the track record of where other poultry processing plants owned by Sanderson Farms are located. Those who will be making the decisions should keep in mind that they should look at what is in the best interest of the county and do what is right based on the facts and not on the opinions of those who oppose such. They should do this even if they feel they may not be re-elected. C. Dancy II – DCN Publisher