District 1 has always been home to me. I was raised here. I raised my children here. Today, I am proud to be watching my first grandchild grow up here. The future of our schools matters deeply to me, not just as a candidate, but as a parent, a grandparent, and a lifelong member of this community.
Edward Earl Pate, age 65, passed away Wednesday afternoon, February 25, 2026, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center in Goldsboro. Funeral Services will be held 11 AM Friday, February 27th, at the Chapel of Taylor-Tyson Funeral Service with Pastor Jeff Hayes officiating. The Committal will be held privately at the Mewborn Cemetery where Earl will be buried with his parents. The family will receive friends in the hour prior to the service from 10:00 – 10:50 AM Friday.
Mr. Thomas Carol King, Jr., affectionately known as “Tom,” passed away on Wednesday morning, February 25, 2026, at UNC Lenoir Health Care in Kinston, North Carolina, at the age of 76. Funeral Services will be held 2 PM Saturday, February 28th, at the Chapel of Taylor-Tyson Funeral Service with Pastor Jerry Pike officiating. Committal Services will immediately follow at the Mewborn Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Saturday in the hour prior to the service from 1:00 – 1:50 PM.
Early in-person voting in Lenoir County totaled 2,102 ballots cast through Feb. 25, based on daily tallies provided by election officials. With 37,540 registered voters in the county as of the state’s Feb. 21 registration snapshot, that early-vote total equals about 5.6% of registered voters so far.
In recent years, public trust in institutions, including law enforcement, has been strained. People have every right to ask hard questions of the government. But no community is better off when disagreement turns into harassment, threats, or assaults on public servants.
Neuse Regional Libraries is rolling out a slate of programs tied to America 250, the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Lenoir Community College announces its participation in the UnitedHealthcare Future Leaders in Health Scholarship Program, a new initiative aimed at training the next generation of rural healthcare professionals.
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., applauds the historic wins and policy priorities highlighted by President Trump in his State of the Union address to Congress.
Town Council of the Town of La Grange will hold a public hearing at the regular Board meeting of the Town of La Grange on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the Town of La Grange Town Hall.
Thank you for taking the time to read my most recent updates from Eastern North Carolina and Washington, D.C. As always, it remains a true honor and a privilege to represent you in Congress! If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe to my e-newsletter here.
Today, the Lenoir County District Attorney’s Office delivered closing arguments in the murder trial of Trevor Demitri Akeily Peters. Following deliberations, the jury returned a guilty verdict, finding Peters guilty of First-Degree Murder in the death of Demario Washington.
Seven seniors at Kinston High School are entering the final months of high school with an added credential to their names. This fall, they earned their Certified Nursing Assistant credentials through the Lancer Academy, a career and technical education partnership with Lenoir Community College. In a single semester, the group completed the coursework, clinical hours, and state testing required for certification. All seven passed both the written exam and the hands-on skills test.
Jerry Lee Drake, 84, passed away on February 20, 2026. A private service will be held for family and friends.
On February 23, 2026, at approximately 11:48 AM, officers with the Kinston Police Department’s C-Squad conducted a traffic stop on South East Street near East King Street for motor vehicle violations. The driver was identified as 71-year-old Curtis Strayhorn of Greensboro, North Carolina. The passenger was identified as 25-year-old Genesis Jones of Lenoir County.
It is simply amazing to me how many old friends have been separated by miles or work but have come back into my life. I even wondered if my family had sent out a message from one of my old address books, but they had not. It is just part of the universe.
This Saturday marks the end of early voting for the 2026 Primary Election.
The Community Council for the Arts proudly presents Silent Thunder Echoes of Greatness, an exhibition of quilted portraits and textile works by nationally recognized artist Dr Eugene Poole. The exhibition opens with a public artist talk and reception on Thursday March 6 at the Community Council for the Arts in Kinston.
(TRENTON, NC) In February, 2026 members of the Jones County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force initiated an investigation related to a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). During the investigation, Joshua David Cochran was identified as a suspect.
UNC Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Lenoir is pleased to welcome Dr. Ythan Webster, a highly skilled podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon dedicated to providing comprehensive care for patients of all ages.
When I taught students the importance of limiting their research topics, I told them a parable centered on Dr. George Washington Carver. The story goes something like this:
