Red Ferraris roll through Kinston for annual visit

A special breed of tourist rolled through Kinston last week (Aug. 6, 2010) when members of the Ferrari Club of North Carolina stopped for lunch at the Bentley Bed and Breakfast on the club's annual trek from Raleigh to Beaufort.

Hosted by local businessman Marc McConnell and his parents, Ward and Linda McConnell, some 35 mostly red Ferraris lined up on the Bentley's lawn, creating a dramatic picture of automotive beauty.

Marc McConnell admits that ownership of Ferraris is akin to an obsession for most of the car owners. He told the Free Press that his obsession started "when I was 5 years old and had the Hot Wheels matchbox car."

Following a lunch served on the Bentley's grounds and inside the mansion, the Ferrari owners streamed down US Hwy. 70 to meet up in Beaufort for a weekend of parties and swapping stories about their favorite possessions. The stop in Kinston has become an annual ritual for the owners who come from throughout the Piedmont and eastern North Carolina, according to the McConnells.

Reflecting an optimism for Kinston's future, one of the community's best known stores, Parrott's Store, is expanding.

Proprietor Tommy Jones has acquired the two adjacent store fronts allowing the popular hardware and feed store to add merchandise to attract an even larger customer base.

Located at the 300 N. Herritage Street, Parrott's Store has long been a favorite stop for gardeners, people wanting baby chicks, feed for their animals, bird feeders, decorative items for the home and a vast array of other hard to find items.

Sand in the Streets continues to draw enthusiastic crowds as the summer series nears the end

Pearson Park was filled with music fans when the Carolina Beach Club took to the stage in a make-up concert Aug. 5. The original date July 29 was scrubbed due to a heavy downpour.

The Embers play the park on Aug. 12, followed by Band of Oz on aug. 26 wrapping up the regular season. Wachovia Bank is the Event Sponsor for The Embers.

Music fans enjoy themselves in Pearson Park

CEMETERY ENTRANCE PLAN ADOPTED BY PRIDE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Pride of Kinston's Board of Directors has adopted a plan for the
construction of a new entranceway into historic Maplewood-Cedar Grove-Hebrew
cemeteries. Action was taken at the Board June 24, 2010 annual meeting.

The plan was executed by Brooke Jones in consultation with members of Pride's Design Committee headed by Sarah Weeks. Ms. Jones, a Kinston native, is studying at the College of Design at North Carolina State University. She has been a design consultant for the cemetery enhancement project since its inception in 2008.

A special initiative of Pride to beautify the South Queen entrance into Kinston, the project has earned a number of private investors.