10. TrainWreck, fireworks to highlight Kinston Summerfest Thursday

Kinston Summerfest will have an additional spark Thursday — literally and figuratively. TrainWreck will be the main attraction at Pearson Park with a fireworks display to follow. The band, based out of Greenville, is a high-energy party band, focusing on hits from the 1960s to the present day in the genres of R&B, rock, dance, funk and pop.

9. Mike Parker: Can you pass the American citizenship test?

On July 4, I joined those assembled at Harmony Hall to celebrate the 23 people who left 17 different countries and legally immigrated to the United States. They followed U.S. laws governing naturalization and took the oath of allegiance to this country. One step in the process of naturalization is an oral civics test. Those seeking U.S. citizenship study the answers to 100 questions. When each person takes the test, an examiner poses 10 of those questions and the respondent must answer six correctly.

8. Lenoir County restaurant inspections for June 7-11

The following inspections were conducted by the Lenoir County Health Department: Joe Jones Superette & Tire Service, McDonald’s, and Rghtway.

7. OLDE KINSTON GAZETTE ARCHIVES: Suicide in Kinston; Former mayor takes his own life

Last week we published “Mayor’s unprecedented attempt to clean up Sugar Hill ‘Vice District’ failed”. As a follow-up, here’s Mayor Happer’s obituary, which came a little more than a decade after his only term in office.

6. Lenoir County restaurant inspections for June 11-17

The following restaurant inspections were conducted by the Lenoir County Health Department: Golden China Buffet, Ma's Hot Dog & Variety, Dos Marias Grill & Cantina, Mama's y Papa's Taqueria and El Mexicano.

5. Olde Kinston Gazette: The historic Parrott Family of Kinston, Part 1

The Parrott family came to what is now Lenoir County as farmers from England. The family was named after a river in England which changes in spelling at various stages. When it rises in Dorset, the river is called Perrott. In Somerset, it becomes Parrott, and when it goes into the sea, it is called Parrett.

4. Four candidates set to run for three Kinston City Council seats

The field is set for the race for Kinston’s City Council, and the council will look different when the next term begins. The filing period for the municipal election in November ended Friday at noon, and four candidates filed to run for the three open seats. 

3. Local candidate filing list

Here is the list of those who have filed for positions in Lenoir, Greene and Jones County. The filing period ends July 19 at noon and incumbents are labeled with an asterisk. Updated as of 10:35 a.m. p.m. on July 22

2. The legend of the pizza crackers

Kinstonians will tell you Pizza Villa’s pizza crackers are the crux of a good meal out on the town. They’re at the heart of a celebration. After T-ball games and dance recitals, before cotillion and high school football games, date night, birthday parties and more, you’ve found some way to gather those you know, sit around the table and share a basket of pizza crackers.

1. BREAKING NEWS: Separate events — an explosion, fire and armed man — tie up U.S. 70

U.S. 70 west of Kinston was full of flashing lights and first responders Tuesday afternoon. First, a large fire broke out at Foss Recycling on U.S. 70 East in La Grange Tuesday afternoon. While the tankers were getting water to Foss Recycling, area law enforcement converged on the industrial area on either side of 70 just west of Kinston. Maj. Tim Dilday of the Kinston Police Department said they received a call shortly after 5 p.m. reporting a man with a gun on the 4900 block of West Vernon Avenue.