Lt. Governor visits Lenoir County
LaToya Mack, staff writer
©Kinston Free Press

Eastern North Carolina is losing manufacturing jobs and its future depends on education. That was Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue's message when she visited Lenoir County on Thursday.

Perdue stopped at Caswell Center and Lenoir Community College.

Being in Kinston was like being home again, Perdue said. The lieutenant governor represented Lenoir County in 1986 as a senator from Craven County.

Perdue said the possible closure of military bases and the job outlook are at the top of her list of concerns.

"North Carolina is in a tremendous transition," Perdue said. "The problem for us is that economic transition has been here longer than the state realized the impact of losing textiles."

Countries such as China continue to surpass the United States in development and education, Perdue said.

"The only way for us to compete is by doing what you're doing here on this campus. It's by education," she said.

Lenoir Community College President Brantley Briley said it was "meaningful" to have the lieutenant governor visit.

"She's a former educator. She has an understanding of all aspects of education," Briley said. "She sits on the state board of community colleges. She has insight into the challenges we're facing here."

Perdue is a "long-standing friend of LCC," Briley said. He's already made arrangements to "have a conversation" with Perdue about the college's needs.