The Lenoir County Agricultural Fair will return to Kinston Oct. 6-10, 2026, bringing five days of carnival rides, agricultural exhibits, community performances and motorsports events to the fairgrounds at 401 Fairgrounds Road. The fair’s website lists the dates for this year’s event.
The two deputies injured in the shooting are Captain Jovanni Villagra and Sergeant Cole Davis. Both deputies sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville. I am thankful to report that both deputies are in stable condition.
Join us Saturday, October 3, for TC Smith Produce, Holy Granola, TJ Design, B&B Eggs, Robin’s Nest, Christi Luv Creations, and Pork Skins Man.
According to the North Carolina Apple Growers Association, there are over 200 commercial operations of 9,000 bearing acres of apple orchards producing yearly 4 million bushels, ranking our state regularly in the top 10 producers of apples in the United States, currently ranking seventh.
The following building permits were issued in Lenoir County:
Two deputies were wounded by gunfire and are being treated at a local hospital. The suspect is deceased. The suspect's name will not be released until the appropriate family notification has been made. SBI agents and crime scene personnel are processing the scene and collecting evidence.
Today, October 2, 2026, at approximately 11:15 a.m., the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office responded to a call on Jonestown Road. When deputies arrived, one deputy was shot. Deputies took cover and called for backup. A second deputy was shot while deputies were trying to get the individual to come out of the home.
Keith Edward Manning, 70, was graciously received into the arms of his Savior in the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 30, 2026. A memorial service to honor Keith’s life will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at White Oak Grove Original Free Will Baptist Church with Pastor Bob Smith officiating.
On October 1, 2026, at approximately 10:50 a.m., detectives with the Kinston-Lenoir Drug Task Force responded to the Harmony Hall area to assist Kinston Police Department A-Squad officers investigate a report of a man pointing a firearm at a motorist.
The first year of Hickory Grove's transition to a new denominational home in 1885 was not without interruption. Fewer than thirty days after the Church voted to align with the Methodist Protestant Church (M.P.C.) Conference, former Baptist pastor Rev. Bushrod Washington (B. W.) Nash, no doubt unhappy, was reportedly back in the pulpit by the end of April 1885. Whether he was invited to preach or requested the meeting is unknown:
Kinston honored native son Maceo Parker on Thursday, Oct. 1, dedicating a street in his name and celebrating the family and hometown roots behind a musical career that helped shape the sound of funk.
Murphy Frank McGirt, Jr, 89, of Blairsville, Georgia, passed away peacefully at home on September 22, 2026.
Impaired Driver Arrested Following Pursuit on U.S. 70. A CRT deputy located the vehicle traveling approximately 20 MPH in a posted 55 MPH zone and observed the driver repeatedly fail to maintain lane control. While attempting to conduct a traffic stop, the driver failed to stop and continued eastbound on U.S. 70.
The Kinston/Lenoir Community Chorus invites the community to experience the beauty and inspiration of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah on Monday, December 7, 2026, at 7:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church, 2101 N. Herritage St., Kinston.
As an agriculture extension agent, you are able to be a part of a state association, The North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agent, or NCACAA. This professional extension association includes county extension educators, agricultural specialists, and 4-H youth development staff working in North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s network.
The Economic Development Region says it is working with local and regional partners to support employees affected by recent changes at MasterBrand’s Kinston operations.
Interim City Manager Ralph Clark and City Manager Jon Mendenhall are working side by side to hand off city leadership in an orderly way, so city services, ongoing projects and daily operations continue without interruption. Ralph Clark’s last day as Interim City
An altercation involving eight students at Kinston High School lasted less than a minute and did not result in a lockdown, according to Lenoir County Public Schools.
MasterBrand plans to move part of its Kinston production to facilities in three other states, affecting approximately 390 employees while retaining about 180 workers at the site, a company spokesperson said.
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