March 2006 archives

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Friday, March 31, 2006

Trying out the lottery

News-Argus/Kaye Nesbit Virginia Taricani, left, buys a lottery ticket from manager Angela Atkinson at B.K. Mart in Mar Mac. Ms. Taricani just wanted to try the lottery to see what it was like. For more information see Lottery -...

Arrest made in shooting death

A 25-year-old Goldsboro man who was charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a driver surrendered Thursday to Goldsboro police. William Earl Bandy Jr. of South Alabama Avenue turned himself in during the afternoon to Investigator Chad Calloway....

Lottery - Did anyone here win big?

Thousands of Wayne County residents took a chance on the new state lottery Thursday, grabbing up tickets as soon as stores began selling them. Many came away empty-handed, but still eager to play. Some earned a quick buck or two....

Fremont store will close for two weeks

The Wayne County Alcoholic Beverage Commission Board has decided to close the doors of the Fremont ABC store until mid-April after the store was robbed twice within a week. The county's ABC Board of Director M. Bryant Daly said the...

Murder suspect finally captured in Maryland

MOUNT OLIVE -- A man sought for months in connection with the shooting death of a Goldsboro woman in June has been apprehended, Mount Olive police Chief Emmett Ballree said. Richard Lee Swinson, 26, was arrested in Prince George's County,...

Bids are in for Mount Olive's new sewer plant

MOUNT OLIVE -- A Myrtle Beach contractor appears to be the low bidder to build a waste water treatment plant in Mount Olive, but there is no decision yet on who will build the plant, town officials announced Thursday. With...

Doctors get their day at Wayne Memorial

Patients and their families and hospital employees toasted the doctors with sparkling white grape juice when they came in to work Thursday and treated them to strawberries and chocolate. After all, it was their day. Wayne Memorial Hospital public relations...

Public records

Man charged with stealing donation jar for sick child PRINCETON -- A 46-year-old man from Selma has been arrested and charged with the misdemeanor larceny of a donation jar for an ailing infant. Carl Douglas Baines was developed as the...

Tourism summit held

Officials from across Wayne County met Wednesday to talk about how they can develop and promote the county's potential for cultural and heritage tourism. The group, including representatives from the county, several municipalities and the county Chamber of Commerce met...

GPD officers promoted

Two Goldsboro police officers, Steven M. Harmon and Dave A. Cloutier II, have been promoted to the rank of investigator. The promotions were announced Thursday by Chief Tim Bell. For Harmon, it's his second tour of duty in the investigations...

Crisis Center marks 25th anniversary

The Community Crisis Center will mark its 25th anniversary today at 7 p.m. in the Love's Temple United Holy Church Headquarters, 201 N. Oak Forest Road. The featured speaker will be Apostle Norbert Simmons, pastor at Deeper Life Church Ministries...

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Crime scene

News-Argus/Andrew Bell Goldsboro police investigators examine a car that was allegedly involved in a shooting Wednesday afternoon. According to the GPD report, first responders found a man with a gunshot wound inside the 1989 Nissan. For more information see...

Man sought for murder

A driver was shot in the head Wednesday and died today at a Greenville hospital, Goldsboro police reported. The victim, Fredrick A. Coleman, 31, of Hopesway Drive, Dudley, had been taken by ambulance to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he was...

Lottery tickets debut across North Carolina

James Corey walked into the Exxon on Spence Avenue this morning feeling like a winner. The Dudley native tossed a few dollars on the counter and walked outside -- a lottery ticket clinched in his hands. The game was Blackjack,...

$1 million in marijuana seized in Duplin County

KENANSVILLE -- Four men have been arrested and more than $1 million in marijuana has been seized as a result of an investigation by the Duplin County Sheriff's Department. "We arrested two folks last Tuesday in the Rose Hill area,...

Town reacts to news of project's end

There will be no new Paramount Theater any time soon, and the news is getting mixed reviews. Paramount Reconstruction Committee chairman Chuck Allen broke the news at Wednesday's meeting, citing lack of funding and interest and higher priorities as reasons...

Bridge dedicated in memory of Best

Wayne County Sheriff's Capt. Jerry K. Best, who was struck and killed by a passing motorist in 2002 as he tried to remove a deer carcass from a road, was remembered as a man who touched many lives. Now his...

Another store robbed in county; suspect arrested

A knife-wielding teenager robbed the Saulston Community Store at 4673 Wayne Memorial Drive on Wednesday night but was arrested later, and the money was recovered, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office report. Michael King, 17, of Tinderwood Drive was...

Public records

Man robbed A man from Dudley was robbed Wednesday night of more than $6,000 in jewelry and other property by two armed black men in a yard in the 400 block of Rudolph Street, according to a Goldsboro police report....

Wayne Community College open house to be held Friday

The public will get a chance to tour Wayne Community College on Friday during an open house from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Students from area high schools have been invited to attend sessions in the morning, with the afternoon...

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

No Paramount

File photo Those who had hoped to see a rebuilt Paramount Theater will not see one downtown. The Paramount Reconstruction Committee decided this morning not to move forward with the project for now. For more information see Paramount project...

Paramount project shelved

There will no longer be a $12 to $15 million Paramount constructed downtown — at least not for the foreseeable future. That message was conveyed by Paramount Reconstruction Committee chairman Chuck Allen in a meeting held this morning at...

Robbers hit store again in Fremont

FREMONT -- The Fremont liquor store was robbed Tuesday for the second time in three days. The robbers escaped with about $500, authorities said. Only the clerk was in the store at the time. He was at work when the...

One more day until lottery fever hits

Linda McIntosh at the Rones Chapel Friendly Mart is not looking forward to the work that will accompany the debut of scratch-off tickets in North Carolina Thursday. She said when people come in to buy lottery tickets she will probably...

Councilmen set city's priority list for 2006

Goldsboro City Council members have set their priorities -- and now they are setting their sights on technology upgrades, downtown development and several building projects. Among the building projects listed at the council's recent retreat, three stood out as high-priority...

Officials raise stakes for teen essay contest

Health officials, motivated by the messages conveyed in last year's abstinence contest essays, decided to send one of their own: They launched a college scholarship fund to reward winning entrants this spring. Board of Health members donated their stipend to...

Rotarians take tour of Wayne County

A contingent of Danish members of Rotary International visited Wayne County this week, getting a big slice of Southern hospitality while learning about the area's businesses, government, schools and its people. The group, which included a police officer, account manager,...

Public records

Kitchen blazes damage 2 houses Two kitchen fires resulted in Goldsboro have resulted in an estimated $65,000 in damages, Fire Department reports said. Unattended cooking was blamed Friday for a kitchen fire that caused about $50,000 in damages to a...

Deadline for landowner signup for conservation program is March

March 31 is the deadline for landowners to sign up for the Conservation Security Program. The program is a new conservation measure administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service that rewards farmers who have practiced good...

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Gangs in Goldsboro - Are they coming here?

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Gang graffiti, like this rendering on an abandoned building at the corner of Carolina and Walnut streets, is beginning to pop up around the city. The crown is traditionally a symbol of the Latin Kings, a Chicago-based...

Armed robberies might be linked

Wayne County Sheriff's Office officials said four armed robberies this week at a variety of stores around the region, including an ABC store in Fremont, could be related. Wayne County Sheriff Carey Winders said as many as four people could...

Graffiti heralds gangs

Known throughout the gang world as the "newspaper of the streets," graffiti is a city's first sign of trouble -- and law enforcement officials say it's beginning to show up around Goldsboro. Police Chief Tim Bell talked to City Council...

Nitrogen runoff rule shift could slow development

Developers in Wayne County can expect to pay nearly three times the normal rate to control nitrogen runoff levels from their developments thanks to a amendment regulating nitrogen discharge into the Neuse River. The North Carolina Division of Water Quality...

Local donations hit $11,000 for Thai orphanage

Two local boys had never held a yard sale before, but they were determined to sell their unused belongings to help orphans on the other side of the world in Thailand. Unfortunately, no one came to the yard sale. Undeterred,...

Public record

Thefts Goldsboro and Wayne County law enforcement officers are investigating these reports: *Cynthia Blizzard of Norwayne School Road, Fremont, reported to law enforcement officers that her white mini-van, with an estimated value of $3,500, had been stolen. *Tramus Hunter of...

Lane cleared

A man initially implicated in the theft of a tractor from a construction site in New Hanover County has been cleared, detectives in both New Hanover and Wayne County said. All charges against Larry Keith Lane, 30, have been dismissed,...

City flushing water lines

Goldsboro's General Services Department is now in Phase VII of its annual flushing project. From 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. daily, residents in the following areas can expect some discolored water flow from their faucets: Marvin Street, Hopkins Street, Dorsey...

School menus

These are menus for Wayne Public Schools for April 3-7: Monday-- Breakfast: Sausage biscuit. Lunch: Pepperoni pizza, turkey sandwich, summer-blend vegetables, black-eyed peas, pineapple tidbits, fresh apple and milk. Tuesday-- Breakfast: Blueberry Pop Tart. Lunch: Macaroni and cheese with fresh-baked...

Monday, March 27, 2006

A growing SJAFB

News-Argus/Turner Walston Air Force officers and contractors look over plans for a housing project at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. From left, David Simmons of Simmons Technical Services, Terry Godwin of general contractor Parsons Evergreene, Lt. Col. Bradley Riddle...

City tags mony for recreation center

Goldsboro City Council has set aside the first money necessary to start work on a proposed new recreation center for the city. Recreation and Parks Director Neil Bartlett asked council members Monday to transfer $10,000 from the city's general fund...

Cashing in at Seymour Johnson AFB

Expansion of the mission of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base will likely mean more opportunities for local companies and individuals to do business with the military, officials say. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission announced last year that Seymour Johnson...

Judge can put sign in his yard for clerk race

Questions about the propriety of a Superior Court judge endorsing a candidate for Wayne County Clerk of Court might have raised some political eyebrows locally, but state judicial authorities say Jerry Braswell is within his rights. Braswell, a Democrat who...

Agencies gather to plan for next health emergency

Agencies in Wayne County were given their first look Friday at the Strategic National Stockpile and what it will mean to Wayne County when a public health emergency occurs. "It will be important to coordinate our actions," said David Hesselmeyer,...

Bikers ride for the Red Cross

Bad weather didn't stop motorcycle riders from raising more than $6,500 for the Red Cross on Saturday. The second annual Ride for the Red, sponsored by the Goldsboro chapter of Blue Knights International, had 54 bikers winding their way on...

Public Record

Drive-by shooting Four men riding in a 1999 four-door, cream-colored Toyota Camry fired shots into a residence on the 1400 block of Camp Jubilee Road in Seven Springs at about 6 p.m. Sunday, according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office....

Purse-snatching in Pikeville

Pikeville police are investigating a robbery that took place Thursday at the Food Lion. Around 6 p.m. Thursday, 69-year-old woman was loading groceries in her car when a small dark gray car, believed to be a Lexus, pulled into the...

Job fair Wednesday

A job fair will be held Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the National Guard Armory on U.S. 117 south. The job fair is being sponsored by the Wayne County Department of Social Services, the Workforce Development Council,...

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Superior Court

Wayne County Superior Court These cases have been heard in Wayne County Superior Court: *Reginald West, 48, East Kelly Street, Mount Olive, malicious conduct by a prisoner, 13 to 16 months. *Tolisha Johnson Whitley, 25, Woodrose Avenue, embezzlement and corporate...

Machines still need testing

Wayne County's new voting machines are in, but Board of Elections Director Gary Sims said the tabulators aren't yet ready for the May primary or fall election -- and there is some doubt they will run properly even then. "It's...

Donations still coming in for shelter

Wayne County is more than $12,000 closer to a new animal shelter, with residents offering their assistance with the project and the new deadline for proposals from architectural firms nearing. The county has set the deadline for cost estimates from...

Holmes will leave SJAFB for new post

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base's 4th Fighter Wing officially announced a change in command Friday. Wing Commander Col. Mike Holmes has been reassigned to the Pentagon as the chief of the U.S. Air Force Checkmate Division. Holmes' replacement, Col. Steven...

Fremont goes to daffodils

FREMONT -- Event organizer Keith Stewart knows the annual Fremont Daffodil Festival is dependent on one factor for success -- the weather. The annual festival didn't have much sunshine with which to welcome in spring Saturday, but the temperatures held...

Butterflies ready to fly at Arts Council

By BONNIEEDWARDS News-Argus Staff Writer The Arts Council of Wayne County will unveil a flurry of butterflies today to showcase local students' creativity and to honor the more than one million children who died during the Holocaust. The arts...

Bridge will be named in honor of Jerry Best

By JACK STEPHENS News-Argus Staff Writer The new U.S. 117 bridge over U.S. 70 will be dedicated this week and named for the late Wayne County Sheriff's Capt. Jerry K. Best. The ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday...

District Court

Wayne County District Court These cases have been heard in Wayne County District Court: *Letonya Hollowman, West Seymour Drive, communicating threats and harassing phone call, not guilty. *Sharon H. Matthews, 45, Robin Street, second-degree trespass, dismissed. *Michael Koller, 50, Lassiter...

Public Records

Assault Ricky Balance, 48, of Goldsboro, reported that he was walking down the 700 block of George Street on Friday at about 8:30 p.m. when three white males exited a vehicle and assaulted him. Balance told investigators that the...

MO Court

Mount Olive District Court These cases have been heard in Mount Olive District Court: *Kayloe Lamont Middleton, 24, Godley Road, Mount Olive, assault on a female, not guilty. *Gerardo Reyes Callejas, 19, Royal Circle, Mount Olive, no operator's license, 30...

Friday, March 24, 2006

Wayne County's Dr. Taylor honored

News-Argus/Phyllis Moore Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent of Wayne County Public Schools, gives his acceptance speech after being named 2006 State Superintendent of the Year during the awards banquet of the North Carolina Association of Educators in Winston-Salem Thursday night....

SJAFB pilot helps capture Iraqi insurgents

An airman with Seymour Johnson's 4th Fighter Wing was among aircrews that helped apprehend three suspected insurgents accused of mortaring Balad Air Base, Iraq, last week, Air Force officials said today. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base public affairs officer Capt....

Armed robbers hit local grocery

Three armed, black men robbed a convenience store Thursday night, escaping with about $2,524, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office report. The men entered Stoney Creek Church Grocery at 2043 N.C. 111 North at about 6:15 p.m., brandished handguns...

Teachers' organization picks Taylor as top superintendent

WINSTON-SALEM -- Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent of Wayne County Public Schools, was named 2006 State Superintendent of the Year Thursday night during award ceremonies at the 36th annual North Carolina Association of Educators' convention. Taylor said he had prepared a...

City will meet with residents

City officials will take to the streets again this spring, as a new wave of neighborhood meetings has been scheduled to begin in April. City Manager Joe Huffman said the meetings will follow a script similar to the ones held...

Students pick up hammers for Habitat

When Lorri Ingram moves into her Habitat for Humanity home on Stevens Street, it will be known as the house that college students built. Naomi Dreyer and Simone Martell are heading up a work crew from Goucher College's Habitat for...

Public records

Parole granted A man convicted of four counts of armed robbery and sentenced to life will be paroled after almost 30 years in prison, the N.C. Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission has announced. Leroy Thomas, now 55, was convicted Oct....

Rabies clinics to be held Saturday

People that missed the chance to get their pet a rabies vaccination last week have another chance Saturday to get one for $5. The Wayne County Rabies Clinic is sponsored by the county's Animal Control Department. The owner of dog...

'Kids on Guard' held at armory

Saturday was a special day at the National Guard Amory in Goldsboro. Children of Guardsmen were able to participate in events that showed them what their parents did in service for their country. The event was called "Kids on Guard."...

Criminal Justice Day held at Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- More than 150 people attended the first Criminal Justice Day held at Mount Olive College on Thursday. The event was sponsored by the Criminal Justice Department at the school, which offers degrees in criminal justice. Officers from...

Garriss appointed to Duplin elections board

Ray Garriss was sworn in to the Duplin County Board of Elections Thursday at the board's monthly meeting. Garriss, 58, replaces Harold Raynor, who resigned to run for county commissioner. Garriss was nominated to the seat by the North Carolina...

County votes to continue blood alcohol testing

Wayne County law enforcement officers will continue to be able to demand an alternate test should a suspected drunken driver refuse to use a Breathalyzer. The Wayne County Commission voted this week to continue the county blood specimen program for...

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Local high school blood drives

News-Argus/Mitch Loeber Sharon Boynton, center, readies David Lewis' arm for a blood donation as he talks to Rebecca Green during the Rosewood High School blood drive. For more information see High school students take active role in blood drives....

City is targeting litter

Litter bugs beware. The city is soliciting thousands of eyes to crack down on trash. Goldsboro’s General Services Department has activated a litter hotline that empowers residents to take an active role in cleaning up the city by phoning...

High school students take active role in blood drives

Wayne County's high school students are doing more than just talking about serving their community. They are taking an active role in helping the American Red Cross save lives. The schools hold two blood drives a year, said Samia Garner,...

Parachute team will join show lineup

Specialist Ryan Ray remembers the first time he jumped out of an airplane -- watching the tailgate come down, stepping on its edge, becoming one with the sky. Now, every jump is a new mission. Heads up -- Seymour Johnson...

Committee wraps up Daffodil Festival plans

FREMONT -- Community leaders will be honored Saturday during the 20th annual Daffodil Festival with a memorial monument in Fremont's Daffodil Park. The names of several people, including husband-and-wife couples, will be engraved on the monument. The monument will be...

Mount Olive airport runway gets another look

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive Municipal Airport Committee considered ways to extend the airport's runway to 5,000 feet at its monthly meeting Wednesday. The existing paved runway is 4,250.65 feet in length. The committee decided to postpone runway extension...

Jail fire forces evacuation

Wayne County Jail inmates set a trash can on fire on the fifth floor before dawn today, forcing the evacuation of the entire floor of about 45 to 50 inmates, Sheriff Carey Winders said. "Somehow someone set a trash can...

Public records

Customers foil robbery at store EUREKA -- Two customers fought with three men who tried to rob a convenience store Wednesday night in Eureka, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office report. Gunshots were fired during the struggle, but no...

WCC student receives national honor

Debra Curl, a student at Wayne Community College, has been included in the 29th annual edition of The National Dean's List 2005/2006. The list recognizes gifted students selected by their educational institutions. Only one-half of 1 percent of all U.S....

School Street student wins art contest for 'Relay for Life'

A School Street Elementary School student has won the Relay for Life "Kids Walk" art contest. Third grader Tyesha Campbell will have her design printed on t-shirts that will be worn by "Kids Walk" participants. Miss Campbell's drawing has five...

Norwayne students win 'Battle of the Books'

Norwayne Middle School students will represent Wayne County at the regional Battle of the Books competition after winning the countywide competition held last week at Dillard Middle School. Other top teams that qualified for the regional middle school event will...

Count Basie Orchestra to perform at GHS

The Arts Council of Wayne County and the award-winning Charles B. Aycock Jazz Ensemble will co-sponsor a live concert by the Count Basie Orchestra next month. The concert begins at 8 p.m. on April 6 in the Goldsboro High School...

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

West Side Story

News-Argus/Kaye Nesbit Students in Kevin Alston and Jimmy AycockÍs music class at Carver Heights Elementary School practice the song "I Feel Pretty" from the musical "West Side Story." The Wayne County School District and the Wayne County Commission are...

Commission rejects plan detailing school capacity

Wayne County commissioners want corrections and clarifications made to a report from the Wayne County School District reviewing the district's future facilities needs. The board removed a review of the county's Board of Education facility summary and plan from its...

County sends tape back to school board

Wayne County's Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to return a videotape of the recent Board of Education meeting discussing the future of Goldsboro High School without watching its contents. The videotape contained comments by school board members and Superintendent Dr....

No guns, just men carrying sticks

Norwayne Middle School was briefly under lockdown Tuesday morning while the Sheriff's Office investigated a report of suspicious activity in the vicinity of school grounds. Deputies later reported three men hunting arrowheads with tobacco sticks had walked onto school property....

No decision yet on Fremont police chief

FREMONT -- Fremont residents will have to wait a little longer to find out who their new police chief will be. But in the meantime, the town's police force will get two new patrol cars. The Town Board of Aldermen...

Residents can take items to landfill on April 22 without paying

The Wayne County Board of Commissioners approved several proposals aimed at making the county a cleaner place at their meeting Tuesday. The commissioners voted to declare April 22 as Amnesty Day at the county landfill. Disposal fees for residents will...

City considers rejoining Council of Governments

Goldsboro officials were urged this week to rejoin a council of eastern North Carolina governments so that the city could get help with financing some capital projects. Officials with the Eastern Carolina Council discussed methods available for the city to...

City building permit fee increase will pay for technology update

Goldsboro residents and construction contractors seeking permits from the city Inspections Department will have to pay an additional $15 starting April 17. But city officials said the additional charge is for a good cause -- new technology. The Goldsboro City...

Public records

Fremont police investigate thefts FREMONT -- Three unlocked vehicles and a church have been broken into in Fremont, Acting Police Chief Wayne Schwark said Tuesday. "All it takes to stop most thieves," Schwark said, "is to lock the vehicle doors,...

Military business seminar March 29

The Wayne County Chamber of Commerce will work in conjunction with the Wayne Community College Military Business Center to sponsor a seminar on March 29 concerning ways to do business with the federal government. Doug Simmons of the Military Business...

Fremont approves cable TV franchise agreement

FREMONT -- The Fremont Town Board of Aldermen on Tuesday night approved an amendment to its cable television franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable. The town now will get 5 percent from the cable fees, a 2 percent increase, because...

Crime Stoppers helped authorities in drug cases

Law enforcement authorities got the help of Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers in investigating a drug case in Mount Olive in February. An anonymous call to the agency led police to charge two people on Nellie Street with multiple drug offenses. Drugs,...

Clarification

Wayne County Public Schools inadvertently left off the name of a student who will be attending Governors School West this summer. Gudrun Gylfadottir, the daughter of Glyfi Olafsson and Ingibjorg Einisdottir, is a student at Charles B. Aycock High School....

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Low water

News-Argus/Kaye Nesbit The rings on the pylons on the bridge on Arrington Bridge Road indicate where the water should be at this time of year. The low levels have some city officials worried and might trigger voluntary conservation measures...

City facing drought woes

The roads are wet and light rain is expected to continue today, but city officials fear another drought is on the way. At their work session Monday, Goldsboro City Council members were briefed by Public Utilities Director Karen Brashear on...

Gas prices put strain on city's budget

Spiking gas costs aren't just affecting family budgets -- they are causing city officials to move around some dollars, too. At the work session before their Monday meeting, Goldsboro City Council members learned that the increased prices of unleaded gasoline...

Christian singer gets his own shot at fame

D.J. Coles said he has typically shied away from talent shows, preferring to use his voice for worship rather than entertainment. Now a Christian musician talent search might give him the chance to do both. Coles has been chosen as...

Duplin will eye EMS pay as budget time nears

FAISON -- Duplin County commissioners decided Monday night to postpone a decision about funding for the county Emergency Medical Services until budget discussion begins later this year. The Board of Commissioners met at the Faison Fire and Rescue Building. More...

Vandals could face charges for damaging local campaign signs

Sheriff Carey Winders said his office has been getting complaints about campaign signs belonging to both parties being vandalized. Signs are being removed or defaced in various areas of the county, he said, and it seems to happen every year....

Public records

Man charged with drug offenses A 32-year-old man was arrested Monday by the Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad during a traffic stop on New Hope Road and charged with multiple felony drug offenses in Wayne and Greene counties. Willie Spencer Best...

LaGrange drug arrests

LaGRANGE -- LaGrange police charged Charles Deangelo Tolbert, 25, with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, two counts of selling cocaine and maintaining a dwelling and vehicle for the selling of cocaine. He was placed in the Lenoir...

Boys and Girls Club launches gang prevention program

The Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County is launching a new gang and violence prevention program called Street Smart. Club officials say a National Crime Victimization Survey shows juveniles ages 12 to 17 are nearly three times as likely...

Rabies clinics Saturday

The Wayne County Animal Shelter will hold rabies vaccination clinics Saturday at Grantham Elementary School and the old Pikeville school building. The Grantham clinic will be held from 8:30 until 10:30 a.m. The Pikeville clinic will be held from 1-3...

Monday, March 20, 2006

Seymour Johnson's new command center

News-Argus/Turner Walston Maj. Don Cornwell speaks to community members and honorary commanders in the battle cab - a command center and briefing room - at the opening of the new 4th Fighter Wing command post Friday at Seymour Johnson...

Base unveils command post

In the event of a hurricane, deployment or routine exercise, officials at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base need to be able to come up with a plan. Friday, they showed off a new facility in which to do just that....

Wife gets top award for work at SJAFB

One of the most popular people at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base isn't a general, colonel or major. She's not even enlisted. Her name is Cathy Woodson, and she is the wife of Col. Harry Woodson, commander of the 916th...

Red Cross course teaches children how to stay safe

The Red Cross hopes Wayne County's schoolchildren will be safer this year after learning about the dangers of strangers. The Wayne County Chapter took its Home Alone program to about 9,000 students in kindergarten through fifth grade in the public...

O'Berry worker retiring, again; this time at 85

Sophia Grady started working at O'Berry Center in 1961 as a cottage parent, retiring in 1986. Through a program established by the state allowing retirees to return, she came back in 1987 and has worked steadily ever since. Now, she...

Public hearing on industry grants to be held Tuesday

Wayne County residents can voice their opinions to the county Board of Commissioners on Tuesday about the proposed conveyance of a lot at the county industrial park and the providing of grant money to a company interested in building there....

Final events planned for Wayne County reads

Wayne County Reads is winding down, with only a few more events left on this year's schedule. Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor emeritus Dr. Anthony Oberschall will take center stage at Wayne...

Public records

5 people injured in accidents Five people were injured and damages were estimated at $46,100 in eight recent traffic collisions in Wayne County, officers reported. *Damages were estimated at $5,000 in a two-vehicle collision at 1:15 p.m. Sunday on U.S....

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Council will eye rezoning requests

Goldsboro City Council will have its final meeting of the month Monday at City Hall at 7 p.m. The agenda for the evening will cover more than 20 issues, including five matters scheduled for public hearings. During a public hearing,...

Volunteers say they will still be there when needed

MOUNT OLIVE -- Rescue volunteers are still answering calls when the alarm sounds -- when they can. They're also meeting and competing -- when they can. Their numbers are fewer today, and the meetings are less formal, said Mount Olive...

Mount Olive re-meets new chamber chief

MOUNT OLIVE -- The welcomes started coming early for new chamber president Gena Knode, who was introduced to the community during an open house last week at the chamber office in downtown Mount Olive. Chamber board member Sandy Facello said...

They had tickets to ride, learn

Horse riders and enthusiasts gathered Saturday at the fifth annual Eastern Carolina Regional Horse Festival at the Wayne Regional Fairgrounds to learn about proper care as well as more tricks of the trade. The festival, which is hosted by the...

ABC class covers rules for serving to drinkers

About 60 owners and managers of restaurants and bars in Wayne County recently received a refresher course on how to deal with the drinking public. "We wanted to put the word out that the state Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the...

Firefighters pick Howell for top award in county

When Jack Howell, the Wayne County fireman of the year, was growing up, he always wanted to be a firefighter. Now, after 38 years with the fire service, he has lived his dream -- and seen a few changes along...

Rotary clubs will welcome six Danish visitors

Six Danish Rotarians will make Goldsboro their first stop on a tour of North Carolina later this month. They are part of a Rotary International program, Group Study Exchange. Coordinator Phil Baddour said they are here to learn about North...

11 students from Wayne County to attend N.C. Governor's School

Eleven area students are among those who have been selected to participated in the 2006 Governor's School session. Governor's School is the oldest statewide summer residential program for academically/ intellectually gifted high school students in the nation. The program, which...

Students can now register online for some WCC courses

Wayne Community College students now can register online for continuing education courses by using the college's Web site. School officials said the students previously had to go to the campus to enroll in a class at the Continuing Education office....

Job fair at armory March 29

The Workforce Development Council in collaboration with Wayne Action Group for Economic Solvency, WAGES, Wayne County Department of Social Services, Wayne Uplift and Vocational Rehabilitation, will hold the eighth annual March to Work Job Fair on March 29 at the...

Jaycees seeking nominees for awards

The Goldsboro Jaycees are accepting nominations this month for outstanding citizens in several categories. The nominees for the awards will be recognized locally and will be eligible to compete at the state level. The Outstanding Senior Citizen award honors a...

7,000 homes to lose power early Monday

Progress Energy officials said about 7,000 residents in the New Hope, Central Heights and Miller's Chapel Road areas of Goldsboro would experience a brief power outage Monday morning about 4 a.m. The outage will last from 30 second to a...

More than 75 businesses represented at job fair

MOUNT OLIVE -- More than 75 businesses and 11 graduate schools were represented at the annual Mount Olive College Career Fair recently. Students had the chance to network, practice interview skills, and discuss job opportunities, summer internships, and co-ops at...

Boys and Girls Club Youth of Year earns $1,000 scholarship

MOUNT OLIVE -- Goldsboro High School senior Hameka Canady received a $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice Tuesday after being named the 2006 Boy's & Girl's Club Youth of the Year. This is the first year the club...

Seventeen more teachers complete National Board Certification

Wayne County Public Schools has announced 17 more teachers who have earned National Board Certification. The newly certified teachers were recognized during Monday night's school board meeting and presented with $500 checks from the school system. Board member Thelma Smith...

Friday, March 17, 2006

Winning design

News-Argus/Kaye Nesbit The Fremont STARS kindergarten class designed this cancellation stamp to help promote Fremont's annual Daffodil Festival. The stamp will be used starting March 25. For more information see Fremont Stars designs prize-winning cancellation mark....

Both sides rest in case concerning annexation

A decision on whether the city of Goldsboro can annex an area along Salem Church and Buck Swamp roads won't be known for several months following the end of a court case challenging the city's plans. Testimony ended Thursday in...

Renovation of old City Hall to begin in summer

As construction crews and city officials close in on the grand opening of Goldsboro's new City Hall, their focus is shifting slightly toward the next project -- renovation of the current City Hall building. The second portion of the three-phase...

Red Cross needs blood, especially O negative

The Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross is appealing to people with type O negative blood to donate. Supplies of type O blood are at critically low levels across the nation, Red Cross officials say. Wayne Blood Services...

Seymour Johnson personnel not involved in Operation Swarmer

Air Force personnel were patrolling the skies over Iraq on Thursday, but did not see any action during Operation Swarmer. While the offensive utilized more than 1,500 U.S. military personnel, officials at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base said there was...

Fremont Stars designs prize-winning cancellation mark

Fremont STARS Elementary School unveiled its winning artwork chosen for a commemorative cancellation stamp this week that will be used the local post office. The Fremont Post Office had announced the art contest in the fall. School students were encouraged...

Schools' top official a finalist for award

Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent of Wayne County Public Schools, has been named a finalist for the 2006 North Carolina Association of Educators' Superinten-dent of the Year award. He will be among those honored at the NCAE state banquet in Winston-Salem...

Suspect's bond doubled

The secured bond for the man accused of shooting a Goldsboro police supervisor was increased Thursday by a judge from $500,000 to $1 million. Bobby Lee Rawlings, 58, of 1200 E. Elm St. was charged by the State Bureau of...

Public records

Clerk, customer are shot at store A teenage clerk and a customer at a convenience store were shot Thursday night, according to a Goldsboro police report. The clerk, Basem Allan, 16, and the customer, Antron Hines, 21, both of Goldsboro,...

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Changes coming to Carver

News-Argus/Kaye Nesbit Carver Heights Elementary School students get off the bus this morning as interim assistant principal Carol Battle greets them. Carver Heights is one of three elementary schools that will drop a grade this year. Also slated for...

Two face charges after drug raid

Goldsboro police Capt. Brady Thompson is recovering today, one day after being shot in the chest during a morning drug raid. The 50-year-old Thompson was saved from serious injury, or even death, Wednesday, because of his bulletproof vest. The veteran...

Some city school slated to change grades this fall

Five elementary and middle schools in the inner city will be reorganized by the fall, in a move officials hope will improve test scores and student relationships. The Board of Education approved the proposal Monday night made by Superintendent Dr....

Hospital will seek funding for plans

The board of directors for Wayne Memorial Hospital voted Tuesday to finance about $35 million for capital improvements through tax-exempt bonds that will also be used to pay off expenses related to the hospital's Energy Plant. Board chairman Ken Gerrard,...

Prices head sky-high again

Gas prices are back on the rise, frustrating drivers in Wayne and surrounding counties. Prices topped $2.50 per gallon for unleaded regular at a number of gas stations in and around Wayne early today. "When you're spending close to $60...

City finishes testimony in annexation challenge

The city of Goldsboro wrapped up its case Wednesday in the trial over whether the city will be allowed to annex an area along Salem Church and Buck Swamp roads. Residents of the area, known as Phase 11 in the...

Three students earn Park Scholarships

Three students from Wayne County have been named recipients of Park Scholarships to North Carolina State University in the fall. The Park Scholarships program is among America's most prestigious undergraduate merit scholarship programs. Each award, valued at $59,000, pays expenses...

Public records

LaGrange police raid two homes, charge 2 people LA GRANGE -- LaGrange police raided two homes Tuesday and arrested three people in an ongoing investigation into drug sales. The police executed a search warrant at a home in the 100...

MOC business lecture on China

MOUNT OLIVE -- Nicole Jefferies, finance manager at Lenovo, will be speaking on "Doing Business with China" at the Mount Olive College Agribusiness Center on Monday. The event is free and open to the public and will be held from...

Fremont board interviews police chief candidates

FREMONT -- The Fremont Town Board of Aldermen interviewed several candidates Tuesday for the town's vacant police chief's job. Acting Chief Wayne Schwark was among those interviewed during the session that started at 3:30 p.m. and lasted until 7:55 p.m....

Faison gets new office for police

What was once an ABC store is now the new office of the Faison Police Department. The office adjacent to Town Hall has been remodeled to suit law enforcement needs, said Police Chief Danny Albert Brock. After the store closed...

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Drug raid shootout

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Goldsboro Police Department and Sheriff's officers bring an unidentified officer who was shot during a drug raid this morning at the intersection of East Elm Street and Pineview. For more information see Officer shot during city drug...

Officer shot during city drug raid

A Goldsboro police supervisor was shot today in the 1200 block of East Elm Street, as he was trying to serve a search warrant. The officer was rushed by ambulance to Wayne Memorial Hospital for emergency-room treatment. Police did not...

Officers set sights on 'illegal' drivers

As the weather warms, more and more motorists are taking to Wayne County's roads, and if they do not have the proper documentation to be on the road, local law enforcement officers will take them off. Goldsboro police officers and...

City's testimony continues in annexation trial

Regardless of whether the city annexes the neighborhoods along Salem Church and Buck Swamp roads, Goldsboro officials said Tuesday that a main sewer line will be placed in the area. A group of residents of the area are challenging the...

Board asks for changes in zoning

MOUNT OLIVE -- Members of the Mount Olive Planning Board will ask the town's Board of Commissioners to revamp the town's zoning ordinance. The ordinance is outdated, Town Attorney Carroll Turner said at a Planning Board meeting Tuesday night. Some...

Relay for Life teams, donors can use Internet this year

Something new to this year's Relay for Life is online registration. The Wayne County Unit of the American Cancer Society maintains the online registration at its Web site at www.wayneacs.org. There is a link to online registration. Online registration includes...

Public records

3 men charged in tractor theft Two Wayne County men have been charged in the theft of a $45,000 tractor from a construction site in New Hanover County and a third suspect is being sought. Travis William Stafford, 27, of...

Wayne student to compete in national speech finals

A Wayne Christian High School student will compete in the national American Legion Oratorical Contest in Indianapolis on April 22-23. Terrie Nelson, 15, finished second in the state state competition held Saturday at the Charles B. Aycock Birthplace. First place...

Red Flag warning in Wayne

Wayne County is among those under a Red Flag warning because of the danger of "explosive fire growth" in grass and brush, according to the National Weather Service in Raleigh. In Wayne, the warning was issued for 9 a.m. to...

Peak tornado season approaching

Tornados are one of nature's most violent phenomena. Tornadoes typically occur in March, April and May with a secondary peak in November but they can happen any time of year. Violent tornadoes with winds in excess of 200 mph have...

Goldsboro Road Race April 8

The 28th Annual Greater Goldsboro Road Run and Health Walk will be held Saturday, April 8. The event, the second-oldest continuous road race in North Carolina, is being sponsored by the Sunrise Kiwanis Club and includes a 10-kilometer run, a...

GFD answered 158 calls in February

Three major house fires in February resulted in about $165,750 in damages, Goldsboro Fire Chief Bobby Greenfield announced in his monthly report. A fire Feb. 19 at 302 Wood St. caused an estimated $135,000 in damages to a home, a...

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

School board says Goldsboro High will stay open

Wayne County school officials discussed the future of Goldsboro High School Monday -- and sent a resounding "no" to a letter from County Manager Lee Smith demanding the board appear to answer questions about the school's status for the...

City officials detail process of annexation

Goldsboro officials manipulated the boundary of a previous annexation to make it possible to annex a residential area along Salem Church and Buck Swamp roads, a lawyer for residents of the area said Monday in Wayne County Superior Court. Residents...

Father, 68, indicted for shooting son

A 68-year-old man who fatally shot his son last year during an argument has been indicted by the Wayne County Grand Jury on a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Warren Allen Rudisill was accused of shooting Henry Alva Rudisill, 23, on...

They aren't eating 'more chicken' in Wayne

Confirmation of mad cow disease in Alabama didn't stop Wayne County residents from firing up their grills Monday. Trent Cole said he was checking his e-mail Monday afternoon when he saw a link about an Alabama cow testing positive for...

Windy weather will increase local fire risk

From staff and wire reports It might have been 80 degrees Monday, but the rest of the week will bring increasingly cooler temperatures -- and high fire risk, officials say. Rain that was expected last night and early today will...

Tornado drill Wednesday: State marks severe weather week

By Jeff Orrock National Weather Service, Raleigh RALEIGH -- A common threat in North Carolina is severe thunderstorms that can cause millions of dollars in damage every year. These powerful thunderstorms result in injuries and sometimes deaths. Most thunderstorm damage...

Public records

Dudley man held in teen's rape A 20-year-old man was arrested Monday by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and charged with felony statutory rape of a teenage girl. Jeremy Thomas Patterson of Annies Avenue, Dudley, was placed in the Wayne...

Monday, March 13, 2006

Honor List School

News-Argus/Kaye Nesbit Teacher Sherrie Cogdell teaches math to her third-grade class today at Meadow Lane Elementary. The school recently was honored for achieving high growth standards under the state's accountability program. For more information see XXX.-->...

Arguments begin in annexation challenge

Lawyers for the city of Goldsboro and opponents of annexation were back in court this morning as the two sides continued their legal battle. Good Neighbors United, a group of residents living along Salem Church and Buck Swamp roads,...

Meadow Lane Elementary on state's honor list for 9th time

Meadow Lane Elementary School will be recognized later this month for having achieved high growth standards under the state's ABCs accountability program for nine years in a row. On March 29, school representatives will be presented with an Academic Excellence...

Wayne will join lawsuit challenging eye exams

From staff reports The Wayne County Board of Education voted Friday to join school boards across the state in a lawsuit seeking to nullify a new law requiring "comprehensive eye exams" for children entering kindergarten. The board met in closed...

City official finishes government course

Goldsboro's Assistant City Manager Tasha Logan has added to her list of credentials -- and joined an elite group at the same time. Ms. Logan recently completed a seven-month course in municipal administration at the University of North Carolina at...

Public records

Drug charges Two men were arrested Saturday night by the Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad and charged with felony drug offenses after a traffic stop in the 400 block of Stanley Chapel Church Road. Samuel Jackson, 20, of Winterville, was charged...

Meadow Lane students raise money for student, Louisiana school, charity

Students at Meadow Lane Elementary School raised $1,300 from their recent Valentine card and candy sale and in turn donated all the money to three causes. On Friday, students from multi-age classes celebrated the success of the third annual Valentine...

Duplin wants roads cleared

KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County officials are looking for ways to make mobile home park owners do a better job of maintaining roads within their parks, some of which are nearly impassable for emergency vehicles. County Fire Marshal Craig Forlines said...

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Downtown, next

Stop the bulldozers -- Julie Thompson, Joe Huffman and the Goldsboro City Council have a plan. City officials think it's time for a rebirth downtown -- restored homes in the historic district, revitalized businesses. And they say that they can...

Annexation trial resumes Monday

Goldsboro officials and residents along Salem Church and Buck Swamp roads will be back in court Monday to determine whether the neighborhoods will be forcibly annexed into the city limits. The residents have been staving off a city annexation for...

Washington trip connects county officials to federal lawmakers

Several Wayne County commissioners joined more than 2,000 other county officials in Washington, D.C., recently as a part of the National Association of Counties' 2006 Legislative Conference. Commissioners Atlas Price, Andy Anderson, J.D. Evans and Bud Gray spent four days...

Dawson memoir looks back at growing up black in Wayne

A poor, black, skinny and undernourished little boy who lived through the Depression and the evolution of a segregated society said he never allowed adverse circumstances to rob him of his dignity or his desire to succeed. Life might be...

Wayne Republicans gather for county convention

Congressman Walter B. Jones Jr. said the United States must balance its budget, stop illegal aliens and the flow of jobs overseas, equalize import and export tariffs and support military chaplains. Jones, and other candidates, spoke Saturday before about 60...

Duplin prosecutor unhappy with decision to cut killer's sentence

KENANSVILLE -- A jury that sentenced a man to life in prison for murdering his wife was not allowed to hear evidence about his long history of domestic abuse, the prosecutors in the case said. And because of a change...

Walnut Creek Country Club shifts focus, personnel

New staff members are intent on enhancing the image at Walnut Creek Country Club. Jerry Bosquet managed Kinston Country Club for 22 years before retiring in September 2004. A year later, Bosquet came out of retirement to help Walnut Creek...

Superior Court cases

Wayne County Superior Court These cases have been heard in Wayne County Superior Court: *Lonnie Lee Leak, 26, Astor Court, habitual driving while impaired, 12 to 15 months. *Rodney M. Smith, 39, Stevens Mill Road, possession of controlled substance in...

Student art on exhibit at Berkeley Mall

From staff reports The center corridor of Berkeley Mall will be converted into an art gallery this week to showcase work from hundreds of Wayne Countys top art students. The annual Wayne County Public Schools art exhibition is scheduled for...

Public records

Two men assaulted Two men were assaulted Friday night in separate incidents, according to Goldsboro police reports. Freddie Simms Jr., 41, of Goldsboro was shot at about 7 p.m. at an apartment in the 900 block of Fairview Circle, a...

Parent workshop on No Child Left Behind law

From staff reports Wayne County Public Schools is hosting a workshop designed to help parents better understand the No Child Left Behind law. The parent training workshop will be held at the Wayne County Public Schools' Central Office on Saturday,...

Master Gardener plant clinic open

Got a gardening question? Master Gardeners are here to help. The 2006 Master Gardener Plant Clinic is now open at Wayne Center. The clinic runs through September, and will be open three days each week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from...

library to celebrate poetry month in April

From staff reports The Wayne County Public Library has scheduled several events in conjunction with National Poetry Month in April. Most of the activities are geared toward young people, but library patrons of all ages are invited to participate. Also...

Katrina relief funds available for evacuees

Hurricane Katrina evacuees residing in Wayne County could receive money from the North Carolina Helping Neighbors Fund for medical needs, mortgage or rental payments and utility payments. The money, designated to the county by Gov. Mike Easley, will be distributed...

District Court cases

*Calvin Louis Ferebee, 44. North William Street, no operator's license, 60 days suspended, 12 months supervised probation, 30 hours community service, $65 lawyer's fee, $100 fine and costs. *Jose Manuel Lomeli, 49, Stevens Mill Road, driving while license revoked, 45...

Friday, March 10, 2006

City Hall work continues

News-Argus/Mitch Loeber Workers in front of Goldsboro's new City Hall put some finishing touches on the sidewalks leading to the front door. The project was expected to be completed by early next week, but minor delays have caused city...

$2 million still out in taxes

Delinquent taxpayers owe Wayne County more than $2 million, and they can expect to see their names in Sunday's newspaper. The county annually publishes the names of property owners who have not paid their taxes and the amount they owe....

Officials courting second new industry

First steps toward approval of incentives for an as yet, unnamed and unconfirmed business could bring more new jobs to Wayne County. The county's Board of Commissioners held a special session Thursday afternoon to approve a public hearing concerning the...

Opening delayed for new City Hall

There will be no grand opening next week -- no ribbon cutting, no public tours, no great speech by project leaders on a job completed. But city officials said despite a few minor setbacks, Goldsboro's new City Hall should be...

Lenoir to join effort for U.S. 70 corridor

The coalition needed to push through the Highway 70 corridor project is one county closer to getting the support needed for the project, members of the Wayne County Transportation Committee learned Thursday. Wayne County Manager Lee Smith said Lenoir County...

Officials worried about losing emergency medical personnel

KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County is losing emergency medical personnel to surrounding counties because they can make more elsewhere, county officials say. The county has already lost four, Emergency Medical Service Director Curtis Brock said. "Eight months ago, we were competitive,"...

County rabies clinics planned

The Wayne County Animal Shelter is holding four rabies vaccinations clinics during two weekends beginning March 18, Chief Control Officer Jerry Pate said. The owner of every dog and cat older than 4 months should have the animal vaccinated to...

Students use DNA to trace geneology

Some area high school students recently used DNA technology to trace their genealogy. Spring Creek High School students, staff and administrators began taking part in National Geographic Society's "Genographic Project." The project is part of a five-year study that will...

Public record

Drug arrest A Goldsboro police investigation on Goldsboro Housing Authority property resulted in the arrest of James Stevens Sr., 43, of LaGrange. The investigation was conducted in the Elmwood Terrace Community. Approximately $650 in marijuana and cash were recovered. Stevens...

Rick Pridgen update

Wayne County Board of Education member Rick Pridgen was released from the hospital earlier this week and says he is feeling better. Pridgen spent several days at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh for tests after experiencing a blackout earlier in...

Applications for new WCPS high school

Wayne Early/Middle College High School is now accepting student applications. Sixty seats in the new schools' classes will be open to juniors and seniors who qualify. The project is part of a national high school reform initiative designed to reach...

Thursday, March 9, 2006

Stepfather gets life for 14-year-old's murder

A stepfather was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for the rape and murder of his 14-year-old stepdaughter last year. Roger Lamonte Sutton, 33, of Hinnant Road, Pikeville, pleaded guilty to both charges in Wayne County Sup-erior Court. He said...

Community building plan gets first look

When the Goldsboro Community Building burned down in May 2004, some residents said they wanted to see the structure rebuilt. A committee of local volunteers and officeholders gathered Wednesday at City Hall to start planning to make that possibility a...

Farmers will wait to plant corn crop

Wayne County farmers likely will wait a few more weeks before planting corn despite recent warmer than usual temperatures. Corn is usually the first crop planted in eastern North Carolina, but dry weather has led many farmers to consider waiting...

Duplin targets stopping youth gangs

KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County lawmen say gangs are trying to recruit young people across the county and the Sheriff's Office has applied for a $100,000 state grant to attack the problem. Capt. Timmy Jones said investigators have seen signs of...

More volunteers needed for Meals on Wheels

The WAGES Meals on Wheels program is seeking volunteers for its routes in Goldsboro and throughout the county, coordinator Andrea Bone said. The program serves lunch five days a week to about 300 homebound residents in the county. Routes take...

Site connects shelter with families who want new pet

Looking for a new pet but don't want to brave the rows of heart-breaking faces at the Wayne County Animal Shelter? Now, potential adoptive families only have to turn on their computers to find out about the animals available at...

Public records

Two hurt in wreck Two people were injured, two vehicles were destroyed and damages were estimated at $12,000 in three recent traffic collisions in Wayne County, the Highway Patrol reported. *A car was demolished in a wreck at 11:50 a.m....

Strongmen to visit schools

A group of former athletes will visit Wayne County next week delivering motivational messages to students in 10 public schools. The John Jacobs "Power Force," formerly the John Jacobs Power Team, will use their muscles to help strengthen the minds...

Schools dismiss early Wednesday

Students in the Wayne County Public Schools will be dismissed early Wednesday, March 15, in order for teachers to attend staff development workshops. Dismissal times will range from 12:15 to 1:35 p.m. Questions should be directed to individual schools....

Wednesday, March 8, 2006

Committee weighs future growth issues

A task force charged with helping guide growth in Wayne County met Tuesday and talked about schools, housing, public safety and a civic center, among other topics. The Comprehensive Land Use Steering Committee is continuing to go over issues brought...

Grandma will serve 5 years in prison

A remorseful grandmother was sentenced Tuesday to at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of her 21-year-old granddaughter. Carolyn Ann Faison Boyette, 58, of 204 E. Slocumb St., Mount Olive, pleaded guilty to...

Center has recycling option for county's cardboard waste

Wayne Opportunity Center wants to boost its recycling program by taking cardboard that has been banished from the Wayne County landfill. Director John Chance said the center has been recycling cardboard for more than 20 years. "We started out collecting...

Three buildings added to city's condemned list

Three more residential buildings are slated for condemnation following Tuesday night's Goldsboro City Council meeting, and Preservation North Carolina will be responsible for marketing another dilapidated home in the next year. The dilapidated dwellings approved for condemnation are located at...

Eldridge will leave job as manager in Duplin soon

KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County Manager Fred Eldridge resigned his post Monday to return to Ohio and perhaps find a new career in economic development. Eldridge told county commissioners Monday afternoon he will stay on for several more weeks, but not...

Leaders say strengthening faith should be Lenten goal

It's not just about choosing something to give up until Easter. Lent, which began this past week on Ash Wednesday, is 40 days to think about faith and sacrifice, some Wayne County religious leaders and churchgoers say. The Rev. Tom...

Duplin school board OKs budget changes

KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County Board of Education agreed Tuesday night to reshuffle its budget to overcome an anticipated shortfall. Some items were underestimated when the budget was approved last year, school officials said. Board Chairman Emily Manning said officials...

Public records

Store robbed A music store was robbed Tuesday night of about $200 by a masked, armed man, according to a Goldsboro police report. A clerk at Sounds at 724 E. Ash St. told officers that a masked man entered the...

Pikeville annexes land near bypass

Pikeville town commissioners voted Monday to annex 54 acres owned by Barbara Lancaster along the U.S. 117 bypass. The property was re-zoned at last month's meeting and designated for community shopping. Also approved was a rezoning request by Patricia Williams....

New street signs to be erected in Princeton

PRINCETON -- New street signs will be going up soon in Princeton to replace those that were defaced over the last two months. Police Chief Eddie Lewis told the Princeton town board that the overlays have come in. While the...

Industrial park plat approved

PRINCETON -- The Princeton town board has approved a final plat for the second phase of the proposed Princeton Commons industrial park, but not without some discussion. Commissioner Billy Sutton said a 15-inch water line might not be big enough...

Tuesday, March 7, 2006

Farm Family Honored

News-Argus/Turner Walston Lee, left, and Vic Swinson check the tops on a field sprayer on the family farm off Tear Shirt Road in northern Duplin County. The Swinsons were named 2005 Tobacco Farm Family of the Year by the...

Commission takes concerns to Washington

Members of the Wayne County Board of Commis-sioners left for the nation's capital Sunday to bring some of the concerns facing the county and eastern North Carolina to the attention of national lawmakers. Commissioners said they plan to talk to...

Swinsons honored by state as 2005 Tobacco Farm Family

For Vic Swinson, farming is a family affair. Swinson said he counts on his wife, Teresa, and their children to help manage their 4,000-acre Duplin County farm. Their teamwork was rewarded when the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina named...

Council will wait to name street in honor of Rhodes

The Goldsboro City Council held off on a decision to rename a portion of Wayne Avenue in honor of a former council member J.B. Rhodes Sr. until more research is done. Council members met Monday night at City Hall. Some...

New Young Life office coming

A Christian outreach organization that aims to get young people more interested in their faith is building a new home on East Ash Street. Young Life is a nationwide ministry for high school students. It has been in operation in...

Duplin approves transfer station

KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County commissioners voted 5 to 1 Monday to authorize the chairman to sign a contract with D.S. Simmons of Goldsboro to build a new solid waste transfer station near Rose Hill. Engineers have warned the county that...

Developer decides not to build low-income complex

MOUNT OLIVE -- A developer has abandoned plans to build low-income apartments in eastern Mount Olive. Mayor Ruff Huggins told the Mount Olive Town Board of Commissioners Monday night that a representative of Evergreen Construction sent him a memo Monday...

Public records

Drug charges Four men were arrested Monday by Wayne County authorities and charged with felony drug offenses. *Brandon Matthew Hill, 18, of A Street was charged by Goldsboro police with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine and three...

School menus

Following are menus for Wayne County Public Schools for the week of March 13-17: Monday -- Breakfast: Sausage biscuit. Lunch: Stuffed-crust cheese pizza, baked pork chop with rice, gravy and whole wheat roll, steamed broccoli, cooked carrots, chilled applesauce, fresh...

Princeton board considers town hall plans

PRINCETON -- Two people asked that a sidewalk be added in front of the new Princeton Town Hall that will be built on West Dr. Donnie Jones Boulevard, the old U.S. 70. Princeton Planning Board Chairman Marshall Price asked the...

Goldsboro water customer notice

Goldsboro water customer notice As a condition of the city's water permit, the state requires that the water system convert from chloramine disinfectant to chlorine each year for a short period. On Wednesday, the city will begin the short-term conversion....

Auditions planned for new production

From staff reports The African American Arts Advocates will hold auditions for "Dearly Departed" at Herman Park Center Monday and Tuesday, March 13-14, at 7 p.m. Written by Jessie Jones and David Bottrell, the play is a comedy about what...

Monday, March 6, 2006

County will ask for estimates on new shelter cost

Construction of a new Wayne County animal shelter could be delayed as county officials look for more information from architectural firms concerning the project. The Wayne County Board of Commissioners decided in January to ask architectural firms to provide their...

Liaison helps schools deal with miilitary families' needs

Nancy Mayo said she realized early on that children from military families have unique needs and might benefit from having someone to advocate for them. While working at the Family Support Center, the licensed marriage and family therapist said she...

College chooses teacher, student for Walk of Fame

Foundation of Wayne Community College officials will soon add two new stars to the college's Walk of Fame. One star will bear the name of Goldsboro High School music teacher George Trautwein, and the other, one of his students, international...

Pickle Festival organizers seeking sponsors, vendors

MOUNT OLIVE -- The N.C. Pickle Festival Committee is taking vendor applications and gathering sponsors for the upcoming festival April 28-29. The annual event is sponored by the Mount Olive Chamber of Commerce. Kicking off the festival will be the...

Public records

Man wounded; couple robbed A Goldsboro man was wounded twice Sunday night during an attempted robbery in his apartment in the 400 block of North Carolina Street, Goldsboro police reported. Another Goldsboro man also was assaulted and robbed and a...

Sunday, March 5, 2006

Goldsboro High one of 19 schools threatened with closure

From staff and wire reports Goldsboro High School is one of 19 high schools in the state that could be closed in the fall unless they show improvement, said a state judge overseeing a long-running court case on school quality....

Paramount - What's next?

Members of the Paramount Reconstruction Committee said they could have planned to rebuild the theater for less than the estimated $12 million, but the money saved wouldn't be worth it. Committee chairman Chuck Allen said he understands that some Goldsboro...

Paramount - Goldsboro High another option?

By KENNETH FINE and PHYLLIS MOORE News-Argus Staff Writers Committee members said debate over the $12 million price tag led them to pursue alternatives to plans to build a new theater on Center Street. One option they looked into was...

Paramount - Some not sure they want new arts center

A recreation center, community swimming pool, soup kitchen or homeless shelter -- anything but a new Paramount Theater. When Goldsboro City Council members listed reconstruction of the Paramount as a priority project, a new wrinkle in an ongoing debate was...

New agricultural center planned

The county's agriculture offices could have a new home in a few years. County officials, along with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, are soliciting bids from architectural firms for the design and construction of a new building near Cherry...

Son who killed father up for parole

By JACK STEPHENS News-Argus Staff Writer A Goldsboro man sentenced to life in prison in 1992 for the murder of his sleeping father is being considered for parole by the N.C. Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission. David Wayne Smith, who...

Wayne man not guilty of molestion charges

A 67-year-old Wayne County man who allegedly confessed to molesting two young girls and was sentenced to 45 years in prison walked away from court a free man last week after being acquitted in a new trial. Douglas Mitchell of...

WCC Foundation recognizes scholarship winners, donors

The Foundation of Wayne Community College recently recognized its scholarship recipients and donors in its annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony at the college. More than 257 WCC students who received scholarships for the fall 2005 and spring 2006 semesters had the...

Superior Court

Wayne County Superior Court These cases have been heard in Wayne County Superior Court: *Carlos Reshaen Wright, 30, Edgerton Street, assault with a deadly weapon while inflicting serious injury, 25 to 39 months. *Joseph A. Harper, 46, North Audubon Avenue,...

School board member Pridgen in hospital

After several trips to hospitals over the past week, Board of Education member Rick Pridgen said he expects to be released from Wake Medical Center in Raleigh in the next couple of days. The school board member, who represents District...

MO Court

Mount Olive District Court These cases have been heard in Mount Olive District Court: *Shabazz McKinney, 33, Wooten Street, Mount Olive, affray, 60 days suspended, 36 months unsupervised probation and costs. *Timothy Wayne Adams, 45, Old Smith Chapel Road, Mount...

Fremont STARS to get U.S. Postal stamp

A local elementary school has become the first Wayne County schoo to create a commemorative cancellation stamp for the U.S. Postal Service. Last Fall, the Fremont Post Office announced an art contest for Fremont STARS Elementary School to help promote...

Duplin Expo draws big weekend crowd

KENANSVILLE -- Organizers say the 4th annual Duplin County Business Expo held this weekend in the Events Center at Duplin Commons was a huge success. All 135 booths were filled Friday and Saturday, said Adam Futrell, operations manager for the...

District Court

Wayne County District Court These cases have been heard in Wayne County District Court: *Kenneth Lee Herring, 43, Walstonburg, assault inflicting serious injury, not guilty. *Jerry Lee Massengill, 33, Four Oaks, assault by pointing a gun, not guilty. *Charlie Mitchell,...

City Council meets Monday

From Staff Reports Goldsboro City Council will hold their first meeting of the month Monday at City Hall. Their agenda for the evening contains more than 20 items, including one matter scheduled for public hearing. During the hearing, council will...

Bikers ride March 25 for Red Cross

The roar of motorcycles will be heard loud and strong throughout Wayne County March 25 as bikers ride to raise money for the Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross. The 2nd annual Ride for the Red will get...

Friday, March 3, 2006

Changes for U.S. 70 - Beston Road intersection

This graphic from the N.C. Department of Transportation shows the changes that will be made at U.S. 70 and Beston Road to ease some of the traffic concerns there. Click on the graphic to see a larger version in...

Goldsboro man died in Pakistan

A Goldsboro man working for the U.S. State Department was one of four people killed Thursday by a suicide bomber outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. David Foy, 51, had worked as a foreign service officer after more than...

U-turn lanes on tap for U.S. 70, Beston

The Wayne County Board of Commissioners has approved state plans to improve the intersection of U.S. 70 and Beston Road, which has one of the highest accident rates along the entire route. Engineers with the state Department of Transportation are...

Husband won't face death for wife's murder

KENANSVILLE -- A jury has overturned the death sentence of Cornelius Alvin Nobles, who was convicted in August 1996 of the murder of his wife, Ronita Nobles, on Paul Ed Dail Road outside Kenansville. The resentencing hearing was the second...

Neighbors protest apartment complex plans

MOUNT OLIVE -- About 20 residents opposing the building of an low-income apartment complex in their neighborhood met Thursday night to discuss what they could do to prevent its construction. The proposed Carver Ridge Apartments would be located on Old...

Baby gets marker of her own

Earl and Mary Bray's hearts broke when they read the story about the newborn baby girl found Feb. 10 at the Goldsboro sewer system. They didn't want Baby Jane Doe to be buried with nothing but a simple marker in...

Donated van will serve as mobile command center for city police

When Goldsboro police officers go to a crime scene or to a disaster, now they can ride in style -- thanks to UniFirst Corp. of Goldsboro. UniFirst donated a 7-year-old delivery van to the department in July 2004. With money...

Public records

Arrest made in school break-ins A 21-year-old man already in jail on other charges has been charged with breaking into Charles B. Aycock High School . Linwood Ray Boykin Jr. of Talbert Drive was accused of breaking into the school...

Thursday, March 2, 2006

First catch of spring? Not quite.

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Southern Wayne High School softball player Elizabeth Evans strains to make a catch as she and some of her fellow teammates practice during this week's spring-like weather. Although temperatures today were expected to be in the mid-70s,...

Payday lending offices will close

The three payday lenders that agreed to stop doing business in North Carolina all operate offices in Goldsboro. A representative at the Goldsboro Check Into Cash had no comment on Wednesday's agreement reached between the businesses and the state Attorney...

Goldsboro police to curb loud noises with citations

Noisemakers, beware. Goldsboro police are looking for you. Chief Tim Bell said his department will enforce a city ordinance and crack down on those whose loud noises disturb others. He said he receives complaints about loud music and other noises...

Accident snarls traffic near hospital

A traffic accident on Wayne Memorial Drive knocked down power lines that fell across the roadway and shut down traffic near Wayne Memorial Hospital about 9 a.m. today. Goldsboro police were at the scene, re-directing traffic. The accident occurred near...

Red Cross kicks off campaign to find $1,000 heroes

When the Williams family lost everything in a fire right before Christmas, the Red Cross helped ensure they had a good holiday. When Penelope Taylor almost died in an accident at the age of 15, the Red Cross blood supply...

County weighs allowing clusters

Wayne County officials are considering amending the county subdivision ordinance to permit cluster subdivisions. The county planning board has recommended the county Board of Commissioners approve the addition of cluster subdivisions in the ordinance. A public hearing on the issue...

Grants available for storefront facelifts

Some downtown businessowners whose storefronts need a makeover might be able to get some help with the renovation costs from the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. The DGDC's Facade Incentive Grant Program has already helped numerous businesses downtown turn back the...

Spring-like days send many outside

It felt like summertime Wednesday as temperatures reached the high-70s. Parents and children, teachers and students took to playgrounds all across the county to take advantage of the early warmth. The swings, merry-go-rounds and tennis courts at Herman Park sprang...

Public records

House fire A predawn house fire today at 303 E. Elm St. was considered suspicious and referred to Goldsboro police for a further investigation. Assistant Fire Chief Eric Lancaster said an investigation had determined that the fire had started in...

Fremont negotiating cable deal

FREMONT -- The Fremont town board has hired a company to negotiate its next cable television agreement. The board accepted a bid from David Harris of Custom Communications of Kernersville. The town's current contract with Time Warner runs out in...

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Stoney Creek Church Road wreck

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Troopers Sgt. Will Thurston, left, and Shane Smith look over the scene at the Stoney Creek grocery store at the intersection of Stoney Creek Church Road and N.C. 111 North this morning. The driver died when his...

Driver dies in early morning wreck

A Goldsboro man was killed this morning when his car ran off N.C. 111 North, crashing into two gasoline pumps at the Stoney Creek Grocery. Edward Poythress Jr., 50, was pronounced dead at the scene. North Carolina Highway Patrol troopers...

Primary ballot is official

The filing period ended Tuesday with races shaping up for several Wayne and Duplin county public offices. Ken Edwards filed as a Democratic candidate for sheriff. A retired Goldsboro police sergeant, he will face incumbent Republican Carey Winders in November....

New Scout chief starts work

The new executive for the Tuscarora Council of the Boy Scouts of America started work today at the Boy Scouts office on Walnut Street. Harold Keller, 44, said his first goal is to familiarize himself with the area. "Learning is...

Agencies will discuss how to handle emergency

Agencies across the county have been invited to attend an awareness training this month designed to fortify emergency preparedness measures. The Strategic National Stockpile, or SNS, Road Show will be March 24 at Wayne Memorial Hospital. Among those expected to...

Building in Wayne increases

Building in Wayne County experience an upward swing in January and February. The value of building permits issued in the first two months of 2006 was more than $10 million, besting the $8.8 million over the same period in 2005....

Fremont will talk to applicants for chief

FREMONT -- The top applicants for the vacant Fremont police chief's job will be interviewed March 14. Town Administrator Kerry McDuffie scheduled the date for the interviews with the approval of the Town Board of Aldermen. When asked how many...

Fremont OKs subdivision, rezoning

FREMONT -- The Fremont town board quickly passed four matters, including a subdivision request, with no opposition and little comment after public hearings during Tuesday night's monthly meeting in Town Hall. The board agreed to let a developer subdivide property...

WCC nursing students top state average

Wayne Community College's 2005 nursing graduates exceeded state and national passage rates for first-time licensure exam takers, officials said. All of the college's 10 practical nursing graduates passed their National Council Licensure Examination on their first attempt. The N.C. pass...

Public records

2 men robbed Two Goldsboro men were robbed Tuesday in separate incidents, according to reports filed with Goldsboro police. Michael Rashonté Barnes, 18, of Evergreen Avenue reported that six black men assaulted him at about 11:30 p.m. in the 600...