Top 10 Neuse News stories from February 2019
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10. Shackleford honored at Friday's Kinston game
One of Kinston’s all-time basketball greats was honored Friday night at Viking Gymnasium. Charles Shackleford, who played for the Vikings from 1982-85, was recognized posthumously by the high school at halftime of the boys’ game vs. North Lenoir. Shackleford passed away Jan. 27, 2017 at his Kinston home after suffering a heart attack. KHS Principal Kellan Bryant and boys’ basketball coach/athletics director Perry Tyndall presented the Shackleford family a No. 50 jersey – the number Shackleford wore when he was at Kinston High School.
9. UPDATED 2/22/19 at 5:01 p.m.: Kinston man on the run after attempted murder
On Friday, February 22, 2019, Lynn Edward Harris Jr. turned himself in at the Lenoir County Magistrates' office. Harris was placed in the Lenoir County Jail without bail pending a first appearance in Lenoir County District Court on Monday, February 25, 2019. On Thursday, shortly after 7 p.m., officers responded to a call of a person who was shot in the area of the 300 Block of South Adkin Street. The investigation revealed an altercation took place inside of an apartment building at 308 S. McDaniels St. between two men — Lynn Harris Jr., 24 and Curtis Swinson, 26, both of Kinston. During the altercation, Harris allegedly produced a handgun and reportedly shot Swinson multiple times.
The competitive glimmer is still strong in Joshua Dawson’s eyes. He’s learning to exercise the leadership traits he learned from his family, teachers and coaches over the past two decades. As a result, his Rochelle Middle School squad – the same one he led to championships in 2008 and 2009 as the Junior Vikings’ point guard – is the beneficiary. Dawson has returned to Kinston – he’s at Rochelle as the boys’ basketball coach and at Northeast Elementary School as a special needs’ instructor – and he couldn’t be happier.
7. Veterans Home in Kinston named best by U.S. News and World Report
The North Carolina State Veterans Home in Kinston has proven its commitment to an ongoing and concentrated focus on patient-centered quality service delivery. This unrelenting commitment has landed the center a spot on the U.S. News & World Report Best Nursing Homes list for 2018-19.
Antonio Phillips is making quite a name on the cooking scene. Phillips, a South Lenoir High School graduate, was busy during Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 3, working a party for Sean “Diddy” Combs, one of the biggest music moguls in the industry.
There aren’t a lot of professional football players who have been in the National Football League for two years – but whose team has appeared in the Super Bowl both of their first two seasons in the league. Derek Rivers is in that select club. After being drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots in 2017 (the team’s top overall pick that season), the 2012 Kinston High School graduate missed all of his rookie season after suffering an ACL injury in training camp.
4. BREAKING NEWS: Nix files paperwork to explore run for Walter B. Jones seat
A Kinston Republican has filed paperwork to potentially run for the seat of U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones, who passed away on Feb. 10. Michele Nix, the former chair of the Lenoir County Republican Party and current vice-chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, filed her statement of candidacy for the Third District seat with the Federal Election Commission on Friday.
3. NEUSE NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Michaela Williams crowned Miss Neuse 2019
Hundreds of friends and family members gathered at the Kinston Performing Arts Center Saturday night to witness the crowning of Miss Neuse 2019. Michaela Williams, daughter of Michael and Shannon Williams, and a sophomore at North Lenoir High School, won the title.
2. Kinston Police: Murder investigation underway
From the Kinston Police Department: On Monday, February 4, 2019 just after 10:00 pm, officers of the Kinston Police Department responded to a call of multiple gunshots in the area of 912 East Highland Avenue. Officers arrived to find a 29 year old male victim, Rasheem Thomas of Kinston, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Mr. Thomas died at the scene.
1. UPDATED 2/22/19: House fire kills two in La Grange Thursday morning
The Lenoir County Sheriff's Office and Lenoir County Emergency Services have concluded the fire investigation that began yesterday morning on Maple Grove Drive. Fire investigators have determined the cause of the fire to be electrical in nature. No foul play or criminal acts were associated with the fire. Roderick Quenton Jones, 54, and Rosie Patterson Hill, 59 both of whom lived at the burned residence were killed in the fire.