North Lenoir High School Volunteers to lead campaign

Pride Sets Alley Clean Up Drive

North Lenoir High School students Jeanette Williams and Nolan Perry survey some of the trash which has accumulated in downtown Kinston alleys. The high school seniors pledged to help clean up several little-noticed thoroughfares which have become convenient dumping grounds for all manner of discarded trash and debris.

With the help of student volunteers at North Lenoir High School, Pride of Kinston plans to launch a 'Clean Up the Alleys' campaign in October to clean little- noticed thoroughfares off Queen Street which are choked with trash and debris.

The initiative came about when North Lenoir seniors Nolan Perry and Jeanette Williams, active in the Lenoir County chapter of AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), called on Pride Oct. 2, 2008 offering to help Pride carry out a worthy project to earn volunteer credit for AVID participation.

"We were very pleased that Mr. Perry and Ms. Williams offered their group's support," commented Pride director Adrian King, "and we jumped at the chance to clean up several of these alleys which are overrun with junk and trash."

King noted that several alleys—including the better known Spruce and Tulls Alleys—connecting Caswell, Gordon, North and Blount Streets, located behind buildings which front eastern side of Queen Street are nearly overrun with abandoned oil drums, crumpled air conditioner housing, weeds, overturned garbage cans, destroyed awnings, unused construction materials, rusty gutters and downspouts.

"They all need some 'TLC,' some more than others," King said. "Just because they aren't visible is no reason to let them be trash dumps." He suggested that stacked up trash and debris make for excellent breeding grounds for rats, mice, mosquitoes and other harmful insects and bugs. "These places are not only unsightly, they are unhealthy," he said.

King added that in the long run, he would like to see Pride support an alley development project in which alleys would be spruced up to house art galleries, jazz clubs, boutique restaurants and other magnets for downtown customers and visitors. "We're not there yet," he said, "but we ARE on the Way!"

Pride releases 2007 annual report and economic incentives summary

Pride of Kinston released Oct. 7, 2008 two reports: a 2007 annual report and a document outlining incentives available to homeowners in historic districts who wish to renovate their properties as well as entrepreneurs who invest in Kinston's Urban Progress Zone.

The reports were issued by Pride's Marketing and Promotions committee headed by Neuse Regional Librarian Agnes Ho.

The economic incentives report details tax credits available for worker training, job creation, property taxes and other aspects of investing in the progress zone. The Urban Progress Zone encompasses all of downtown and adjoining neighborhoods Mitchelltown and the Martin Luther King Boulevard area.

Pride's facade grants program was described as well as tax credits available to those who renovate their homes in historic districts adhering to Renovation Standards promulgated by the US Secretary of the Interior.

Support available through the North Carolina Rural Center and other State initiatives was also described in the incentives report.

The report notes that a primary Pride mission is "to forge and celebrate private and public partnerships to continue revitalization of downtown Kinston's economy."

The 2007 annual report, the first ever published by Pride, details activities for the Fiscal Year 2006-2007 which ended June 30, 2007. Accomplishments such as expansion of the Sand in the Streets concert series, the Run for the River race, new facade grants and self-sufficiency for the Kinston Enterprise Center were described in the report.

Façade Grants spark nearly $100,000
in business investments downtown

Pride of Kinston’s Design Committee learned this month that Pride’s Façade Grants over the past five years are responsible for nearly $100,000 being spent by downtown businesses to improve the street side appearance of their buildings.

The Façade Grant program is administered by Pride's Design Committee, headed by Pride board member Shirley Herring, in collaboration with the City of Kinston's Appearance Commission. Pride director Adrian King pointed out that since fiscal year 2004, Pride has distributed a total of 19 façade grants to downtown businesses, totaling $40,470.00 on a 1-1 matching basis up to $2,000.00 per facade. The funded projects cost a total of $97,287.00.

"This program has been very successful in supporting attractive and inviting store fronts," King said. "The corporate citizens utilizing these funds have been great in helping improve the physical appearance of the downtown business district."

The list of grantees, value of each façade grant, and the total project funded per business, is given below.

Building housing Adriana's home décor business, before and after.