Pembroke Proposes New Curfew for Minors Under 17 Amid Infrastructure Upgrades

Pembroke Town Council introduced a plan on Monday to revise curfew laws. The change would bump the age cap from 16 to 17 and stiffen consequences for those who break the rules more than once. Board members will discuss this at upcoming sessions.

Under the new plan, kids under 17 couldn't be out in public spaces between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night. Right now, the cutoff sits at 16.

Consequences would shift, too. First-time violators would trigger a written notice sent to their parents or guardians. But if it happens again? Both the kid and the parent could face criminal charges.

The old system gave families two chances. Written warnings for the first and second slip-ups. Maxton, a nearby town, just rolled out its own youth curfew last week.

Council members also greenlit a resolution to put up a traffic light where Jones Street meets N.C. Highway 711. The North Carolina Department of Transportation requested that the town approve this to make the intersection safer.

The board authorized spending from a 2023 grant. That money will fund several construction projects, including stretching out the sewer lines and upgrading the water treatment plant. During the session, the council designated Nov. 20 as World Pancreatic Cancer Day.