Pride Promotes Downtown
Lunchtime Dining and Shopping

To encourage downtown workers to stay downtown during lunch, Pride of Kinston has launched a summer campaign urging business, law firm and local government employees to do their dining and shopping in downtown restaurants and shops. 
 
The promotion was launched the week of June 20 with a plan to continue special promotions the third week of remaining summer months of July, August and September.  
 
Twenty shops and stores have teamed up as Lunchtime Partners with the four in town restaurants: dining customers who bring their receipts to participating businesses receive a 10% discount on the day they had lunch.
 
“One of Pride’s objectives is to assist downtown business to grow and prosper in appropriate ways,” Pride director Adrian King stated. “Lunchtime in Downtown is a way we can help.”

Downtown Lunch Bunch:  Downtown Kinston advocates June Cummings, head of United Way; Linda Norris, community activist;  Mark Herring, chair of Pride of Kinston Board of Directors; and Becky Hines, president of the Kinston Rotary Club prepare to enter Our Picnic Basket Monday (June 20) to express support for Pride's Lunchtime in Downtown campaign to boost business for downtown restaurants.

LUNCHTIME GREETER: Mark Herring, chair of Pride of Kinston's Board of Directors (left), greets Kinston Mayor B.J. Murphy, June 20th at Our Picnic Basket on Herritage Street to help kick off Pride's Lunchtime in Downtown campaign...urging downtown workers to stay downtown for lunch. Some 20 businesses have partnered with the restaurants, offering discounts when dining customers present lunch receipts for their meals.

Kinston Councilwoman Alice Tingle and husband Kelly prepare to dine to promote Lunchtime Downtown

Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse and wife Alice prepare to dine to promote Lunchtime Downtown

24 new citizens take their oaths of allegiance
July 4 at Kinston’s Harmony Hall

Agnes Ho

The back garden of Harmony Hall, home built in 1772 which, for a while, served as North Carolina’s state capital in the early days of the Revolutionary War, saw the dreams of 24 individuals who wanted to be US citizens come true on Independence Day, 2011.

A Naturalization Ceremony and Granting of Citizenship in the United States was conducted for the 7th year on the grounds of the historic home. The court proceedings were handled by the Hon. Randy D. Doub, chief judge of the US Bankruptcy Court of North Carolina’s Eastern District.

Kinston’s Agnes Ho, director of the Neuse Regional Library system, born in Shanghai and becoming a US citizen in 1976, was the occasion’s principal speaker. She urged the new citizens to become actively involved in the country’s civic affairs.
US Congressman Walter Jones congratulated the group, welcoming them to their new country.
 
The 24 citizenship candidates came from 14 countries: 1 from Russia, 2 from India, 2 from Iran, 6 from Mexico, 2 from Brazil, 2 from Vietnam,  1 from Nicaragua, 1 from Philippines, 2 from Taiwan, I from Japan and 1 from China, 1 from Italy and 1 from Egypt and 1 from Pakistan.

The new citizens posed for a celebratory photograph on the steps Harmony Hall immediately after the July 4th ceremony.

Sand in the Streets Continues...

Pepsi Night returns to Sand in the Streets Thursday July 14, 2011 when Minges Bottling Group/Pepsi and Pride of Kinston bring the Four Knights Band to the Pearson Park stage as the summer concert series continues. The concert, free to the public, begins at 6:00 pm at the park, intersection of Mitchell and Gordon Streets in downtown Kinston. The show is staged on the banks of the Neuse River.

• July 14 Four Knights Band—Pepsi Night
  Event Sponsor: Minges Bottling Group
• July 28 Super Grit Cowboy Band—Red Cross Appreciation Night
  Event Sponsor: Kendall Hill
• August 11 Jim Quick and Coastline—Back to School Night
  Event Sponsor: Kinston-Lenoir Tourism Development
• August 25 Band of Oz—United Way Campaign Night
  Event Sponsor: R.A. Jeffreys Distributing

For more information, please visit the Sand in the Streets page...

 

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