August 2007 archives

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Friday, August 31, 2007

Neuse river

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Water levels along the Neuse River flood canal near MarMac are currently below the dam level. Under "normal" conditions, water runs over the dam, but high temperatures combined with little rainfall is translating into "severe drought," city...

Home invasion ends in man's death

DUDLEY -- Three armed intruders stormed into a family's home on Old Mount Olive Highway during a home invasion this morning, but one of the robbers never made it out alive. A man, his girlfriend and their four children, ages,...

County continues to push for projects

As Wayne County officials and the Board of Commissioners debate and examine financing options for the school system's facility needs, other building projects are moving along -- all in various stages of completion. And they're continuing despite the resignation of...

Dry as a bone

Dotti Holt remains positive. The rain will come and her garden will grow, she said. But across town at Goldsboro's water plant, Public Utilities Director Karen Brashear is not so optimistic. And as one of the city's most knowledgeable sources...

Governor calls for water conservation across parched N.C.

Gov. Mike Easley has directed state agencies in all 100 counties to stop non-essential water use. He also urged all state residents to cut back their own water use 20 percent. "Stream flows and groundwater levels are approaching their lowest...

Voluntary water conservation measures

* Take five-minute showers instead of baths. * Do not let water run while shaving, brushing teeth, and rinsing dishes. * Keep a bottle of chilled water in the refrigerator for drinking, so as not to run the tap to...

Residents ask commission about trash, school funding, annexation

DUDLEY -- Trash talk -- the more literal kind -- briefly took over a Wayne County Comissioners' community meeting at Southern Wayne High School Thursday. The commissioners saw their best turnout yet for one of their roving, data- and question-gathering...

Public record

Break-ins *Someone broke into a classroom trailer at Eastern Wayne Middle School, 3518 Central Heights Road, Wednesday and stole several Gatorade drinks, valued at $20, and broke the lock on a file cabinet. Damage was set at $175. *Someone broke...

If you're traveling this weekend, be sure to pack patience

Short-distance travelers will likely fare better than long-distance flyers and drivers this Labor Day weekend, officials said. Dave Parsons, CEO and president of AAA Carolinas, expects 149,600 from North Carolina to fly over the holiday weekend, an increase of 2.5...

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Saying goodbye - SJAFB airmen head overseas

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Airman 1st Class Brett Merrell spends a few minutes with his wife, Rachel, and 1-year-old son Merlin shortly before more than 30 members of the 4th Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron deployed to Southwest Asia Wednesday afternoon...

State agency denies Club 55 alcohol permit

Club 55 will not be able to sell beer. The North Carolina Alco-holic Beverage Control Com-mission in Raleigh denied a beer application Wednesday submitted by Randy Mills, 49, of Mills Road. Mills, a Wayne County resident, is the owner of...

Victim's father speaks out on Dail case

It was 2:30 on a warm early autumn morning in 1987. A 12-year-old girl was alone in her bed, while her mother and brother slept just a few feet away. All of a sudden an unknown man slashed her screen...

County scores in, down for SAT

The number of students taking the SAT test in 2007 increased across the county, state and nation, although the actual scores have gone down. The SAT -- Scholastic Aptitude Test -- measures the preparedness of students for college. Scores for...

Building, grounds director resigns

With several capital projects in the works, Monday was probably not the best time for longtime Wayne County building and grounds director Brandt Brown to resign, but county Manager Lee Smith said he was confident that he and the rest...

Most days, Pepsi, but Friday, dad delivers son

John Maddox spends each day delivering Pepsi products around Wayne County. But that doesn't mean he was prepared Friday when his son, Christian Elijah, decided he could not wait for the hospital. John delivered his new baby boy at home....

Ministers, others gather to talk about violence

For some teens, 100 is not an age they are concerned with. They just want to make it to 25. And those gathered for the Stop the Funeral Initiative supporters' luncheon this week said drugs, violence and other problems must...

Lost payment checks shut down water for customers

The numbers weren't overwhelming, but for the families in the Fork Township Sanitary District who came home Wednesday to find their water cut off -- despite having paid their water bills -- it was a frustrating afternoon. "They didn't get...

Red Cross announces Bloodmobile schedule

Here is the September Bloodmobile schedule for the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross: Sept. 4: St. Stephen's Epis-copal church from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11: Red Cross chapter, 600 N. George St., from 2 to 6:30...

Public record

Thefts Stacy Aldine Thigpen Jr. reported someone stole a weedeater, edger and lawn sweeper and lawn sweeper, all valued at $810, from a trailer parked in the 1900 block of O'Berry Road, Dudley. Vandalism A Goldsboro woman reported someone painted...

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

The Dwayne Dail story

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Dwayne Allen Dail hugs his attorney Chris Mumma Tuesday at the Wayne County Courthouse in Goldsboro after his conviction was set aside by Wayne County Superior Court Judge Jack Hooks Jr. Dail, falsely jailed for 18 years...

Dail has always said he was not guilty

Dwayne Allen Dail always said he was innocent. He always said he was not the man who raped a 12-year-old girl in September 1987. And his family believed him. They knew the man they loved could not be guilty of...

Ex-prosecutor says he had no choice but to proceed in case

Former Wayne County assistant district attorney Don Strickland knows the role he played in Dwayne Allen Dail's rape conviction 18 years ago. He knows that he is at least in part responsible for the years Dail lost in prison. And...

A search for evidence long-though-destroyed cleared Dail

Dwayne Allen Dail is a free man -- in part because of the Goldsboro Police Department. Several weeks ago, Chris Mumma of the Innocence Project contacted the police department for some help for her client. She wanted to know if...

Vickory got the call that the DNA did not match Dail's

Wayne County District Attorney Branny Vickory has helped make sure one man will not spend his life in jail for a crime he did not commit. Now he has to find the man who raped a 12-year-old girl nearly 20...

SJAFB airmen deploy today

Pamela Berg is going to miss "feeling like a woman" for the next few months. There is no place for makeup or civilian clothing in the desert, the 20-year-old said. "I'll miss the freedom to be a woman," the airman...

Public records

Suspect drug offender caught after foot chase A man, who fled Wayne County sheriff's deputies on foot, was arrested Monday. Coleco Taylor Best, 24, of Arrington Bridge Road, was wanted by the state on charges of possession with intent to...

Wayne Commissioners' town hall meeting not well attended

Disappointed by another low turnout Tuesday evening, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners pledged to keep trying. Holding the second of six town hall style meetings, this time at Goldsboro High School, county officials once again made up the vast...

RHS's Best takes home top teacher district title

Cathy Best, a business education teacher at Rosewood High School, could hardly believe it when she was named "Teacher of the Year" for her school and then the finalist for the high school level. "I kept saying, 'Why are they...

Residents gather to share their views on trash, traffic

Neighbors around Elm Street gathered Tuesday night to tell officials a few things -- not liking garbage on Goldsboro's city streets among them -- as another city-sponsored neighborhood meeting was held. "Everywhere you go there is trash," said Hilde Holloman...

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Dwayne Dail declared innocent

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Dwayne Allen Dail exults at the news of his release after 18 years in prison. At left is Chris Mumma, Dail’s attorney. For more information see Innocent - After 18 years in jail. For additional pictures please...

Innocent - After 18 years in jail

No more shackles, no more bars, no more waiting. Dwayne Allen Dail is a free man. This morning, more than 18 years after the Goldsboro native was incarcerated for life after being convicted of first-degree burglary, first-degree sex offense,...

County gathers election workers

The job of the precinct judges is to run each polling place. Without them, there would be no elections. And so, Wayne County Board of Elections Director Gary Sims said, with four, maybe five, elections scheduled for the next two...

WCPS first-day numbers are down slightly

The return to school Monday went smoothly, Wayne County Public Schools officials said, with overall numbers down slightly from the same time last year. First-day enrollment for the 33 schools showed a head count of 18,098 students, as compared with...

Their first day with a whole new uniform

Sharon Bell has worked in Wayne County Public Schools as a teacher for years, but on the first day of school this year, she was struck by a subtle change. It was noticeable as soon as students began arriving on...

Public record

Assaults *Jennifer Turner reported two men started an argument at M&M Bar in Goldsboro with Kenneth Farr, 21, of Emmaus Church Road, Mount Olive, and Nathaniel Britt, 20, of Kinsley Street, LaGrange at about 9:19 p.m. Saturday. The men were...

Wayne County Public Schools lunch menu

WAYNE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Lunch Menu for the week of September 3-7: Monday -- Holiday Tuesday -- Breakfast: apple muffin; Lunch: stuffed crust cheese pizza, tuna salad w/crackers, green beans, field peas, applesauce, pear Wednesday -- Breakfast: honey bun; Lunch:...

Released after 18 years in prison

Dwayne Allen Dail A man is expected to be released from prison today after spending 18 years for a crime he did not commit. Dwayne Allen Dail, 39, of Goldsboro, was convicted March 30, 1989 of first-degree burglary, first-degree sex offense, first-degree rape and taking indecent liberties with a minor, all stemming from allegations that he raped a 12-year-old girl in 1987.



Monday, August 27, 2007

Train derailment

News-Argus/Bobby Williams A southbound CSX freight train headed to a mill in Warsaw lost 22 of its grain cars in a derailment Sunday around 2:30 p.m. just north of Hinnant Road between Goldsboro and Pikeville. For more information see...

Freight train derails; 22 cars slip off track

PIKEVILLE -- A freight train carrying animal feed derailed at about 3 p.m. Sunday near a cotton field off U.S. 117 North and Hicks Road. The CSX train was bound for Warsaw in Duplin County to make a delivery when...

School bells ring

Six-year-old Sarah Boyette had a spring in her step as she walked down the hall at Rosewood Elementary School early this morning. Decked out in her blue Skechers, a brown T-shirt and skirt, her hair was pulled back into a...

Group stumps for more business in politics

The number of businessmen and women in the ranks of the North Carolina General Assembly might be declining, but Wayne County Chamber of Commerce President Steve Hicks isn't too worried. He is confident that Wayne County and its business interests...

Mount Olive sets sights on downtown improvement plan

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive is trying to bring more life into its downtown and surrounding areas with the help of the Small Town Development Committee. The committee and town officials met last week to discuss the next steps in...

Wayne will name 2007's top teacher

Three finalists for 2007-08 Teacher of the Year for Wayne County Public Schools have been announced, with the countywide winner to be named on Tuesday night during a banquet at Goldsboro Country Club. Individual candidates for the 32 schools in...

Public record

Thefts *Nicholas Jack reported someone broke into Domino's Pizza on Martin Road, stole a safe worth $1,000 and caused $500 in damage to a door. *Coreen Hagan reported someone stole air-conditioning units valued at a total of $15,000 from six...

Clarification

A story in the Aug. 8 edition about the shooting death of Jadie Demon Taylor indicated that Julius Reid, 23, of LaGrange Road, was a witness to the shooting. Reid did not witness the incident and simply gave Taylor a...

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Special session possible to talk roads

With legislators home from Raleigh only three weeks, the legislative rumor mill has already begun speculating whether Gov. Mike Easley will call the General Assembly back this fall for a special session to focus on transportation issues. "I've just...

Days of Caring links Wayne County volunteers to charities

Local charitable groups have made their "to-do" lists, and volunteers are now needed to make those wishes come true during the 2007 Days of Caring. Days of Caring is a county-wide effort to help local nonprofit agencies, sponsored by United...

Being there for families while airmen overseas

Cindy Hartsfield has been there. She, too, was once a single parent. "It was hard -- especially with a 6-month-old," she said. "He wasn't sleeping through the night, even though you would expect him to." But her dual-role as mother...

Cherry hospital extends doctor's inquiry

The decision on whether an acting medical director at Cherry Hospital will keep his job despite an 18-year-old felony conviction will wait a few more weeks, state officials say. An investigatory leave concerning Dr. Robert C. Owens, 53, of Hardingwood...

Local club raising money to fight sickle cell

Jewel Frazier remembers her friend Dolly Fields' daughter, a young 20-something who lost her life to sickle cell anemia years ago. That's part of the reason she and others gathered Saturday for the Goldsboro Epicurean Civic Club's annual Sickle Cell...

Kriquette Davis to be featured in Redbook

Kriquette Davis, associate director of the Family Y, has parlayed a tragedy into a means for encouraging others -- and now she is going to be featured in a national magazine. When friend Karen Crawford died at the hands of...

Butcher shop manager charged with drugs

The manager of Country Butcher Shop in Wayne County and an employee were arrested this week on drug charges by agents of the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation and Lenoir County Sheriff's Office. David Earl Daw Jr., the manager of...

Norwayne alumni to hold 35th reunion

Norwayne Alumni & Friends will hold its 35th reunion Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Activities will begin with a social at 7 p.m. Friday at the alumni Community Center at 106 E. Branch Street in Fremont. On Saturday,...

Storm chaser to speak at MOC

From staff reports MOUNT OLIVE -- A renowned storm chaser will speak at Mount Olive College next month on strategies needed to create disaster resilient communities. Dr. Eddy Weiss, an emergency management expert, will speak Sept. 4 at 7 p.m....

Clarification

A story in Friday’s edition about former state Highway Patrol officer Darien Smith indicated he had been expected to sign a guilty plea to a DWI charge in Wayne County court before the case was dismissed. The type of...

Friday, August 24, 2007

High speed chase ends in arrest

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Sherwood Daly examines a Suzuki motorcycle after the operator led police on a high-speed chase Thursday. For more information see Motorcyclist, 19, leads officers on 11-mile chase....

Motorcyclist, 19, leads officers on 11-mile chase

A Goldsboro teen who led several law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through Wayne County at about 1:15 p.m. Thursday now faces a laundry list of traffic charges. Grant Williams, 19, was traveling on a blue and white motorcycle...

DWI case against trooper dismissed

The case of a former state trooper charged with DWI in September was dismissed this week because the investigating trooper failed to properly serve him with a warrant. Darien Neal Smith, 32, of Goldsboro, was charged with driving under the...

Alliance seeks help to secure grant funds

Members of the Stoney Creek Park Alliance are trying to get money they will need to push the project forward. And to accomplish that, they have brought in an expert. Bob Masters, president of Carolina Opportunities Inc. in Snow Hill,...

Wayne Commissioners talk about taxes, schools

Despite less than a dozen people showing up at Rosewood High School Thursday evening, Wayne County officials were reasonably pleased with the results of their first town hall meeting. "A lot of good can come out of these types of...

Fremont will sell 44 guns found in evidence locker

FREMONT -- Fremont police Chief Ronald Rawlings is going to have a few guns for sale after discovering an evidence locker full of old weapons -- and a change in state law that allows him to run a sale. Rawlings...

Public record

Suspect arrested Goldsboro police arrested a teen who allegedly broke into a home at 607 N. Pineview Ave and stole nearly $300 in property. All of the property has since been recovered. Derman Murchison, 16, of Aycock Street, was charged...

Voting for Caseys starts today

Voting begins today for the Oreo & Milk Jingle Contest in which area residents Daniel and Samantha Casey are finalists. The father-daughter bluegrass duo are among 10 finalists in the nationwide contest. The top five will get to travel to...

Correction

A story in Thursday's edition indicated Mike Herring is the director of the Lenoir County ABC board. Herring is director of the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission....

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Back to School

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Selena Worell, left, a math teacher at Eastern Wayne High School, consults with Erika Pridgen, right, about a school class schedule while Erika's mother, Felicia, and her brother Rashaun look on during open house on Wednesday night....

Hispanic nightclub gets beer license, then loses it

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Club 55 El Abuelo near Seven Springs had a beer permit for just two days. But the permit, which allows the sale of beer on and off premises, was revoked by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission....

Teen charged after stabbing father

A Goldsboro teen who led several Wayne County sheriff's deputies on a chase through a residential neighborhood after he allegedly stabbed his father during an argument earlier this morning is now in custody. Matthew Hayden, 18, of Clover Ridge Drive,...

Students, parents visit schools during open house Wednesday

A steady stream of parents and students walked through the halls of middle and high schools around the county Wednesday night, as Wayne County Public Schools held open house in preparation for the start of school on Monday. The wood...

Duplin to put sales tax on ballot

Come May, Duplin County residents will have the opportunity to decide for themselves whether or not they want to pay an extra quarter cent in sales tax. Wayne County commissioners are waiting to see if they want to seek...

Pitzer promoted by state

Cherry Research Farm fixture, supervisor Eddie Pitzer is moving on. But despite 30 years of service, he's not retiring. As of Tuesday, he is the new director of the Research Farm Division of the state Department of Agriculture and...

Beekeepers suffering through rough summer

Most beekeepers replace their queens every few years, but not Chris Rarick of Goldsboro. "You learn as you go," says Rarick, who has started grafting into some of his hives new queen bee babies from an artificially inseminated queen. He...

Pickup driver killed in Kenly accident

A Kenly man died Wednesday after his pickup ran into a log truck parked on a town street. Cpl. G.W. Strong of the Kenly Police Department said Dallas Purvis Jr., who lived just outside of Kenly, was headed west on...

Walnut Creek council discusses lakes, traffic

The Walnut Creek Village Council met Wednesday night to discuss improvements to the village. Among those were issues with Lake Wackena and Spring Lake, lift stations, recreation areas and traffic. Village Administrator Lou Cook told the council that the lake...

Public record

Charges The Wayne County Sheriff's Department filed these charges: *Sentrell Mancole Coley, 24, Rollingwood Drive, Dudley, communicating threats, injury to personal property, no bond. *Scott Alexander Cochrane, 22, Lake Hurst Drive, Dudley, failure to appear, $500 bond. *Donald William Lygogorski,...

Gen. Karl Eikenberry interview -- NATO version 2.0

No longer commanding U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Goldsboro native Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry's new mission is as a NATO officer, serving as deputy chairman of NATO's Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium. His job, he explained, is to help the...

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Hometown general visits

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, deputy chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium, spends some time reminiscing with high school classmate Harold Brashear during a guest appearance at the Goldsboro Rotary Club Tuesday...

Preliminary school progress reports out

Only five of the 32 Wayne County Public Schools made adequate yearly progress for 2006-07 and while the report is considered preliminary, it's sending officials scrambling to make provisions before the start of school. The state's Department of Public Instruction...

Highway Patrol looking for crash witnesses

Officials of the Wayne County Highway Patrol are asking for the public's help to answer questions left in the wake of Sunday's motorcycle crash that killed a Dudley man. Nick Ryan Melvin, 24, of Hollybrook Lane, was traveling south on...

Gen. Karl Eikenberry takes on a new mission

From the battlefields of Afghanistan to the battlefields of Waterloo, Goldsboro native Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry has experienced a fairly dramatic change of scenery during the last year as he's moved from the front of the War on Terror to...

Drought, storms might have put out lights today

Equipment failure put more than 1,000 power customers in the dark about 9:30 this morning along Berkeley Boulevard and parts of Central Heights Road and from Cashwell Drive and Spence Avenue to Royall Avenue. Progress Energy Operations Manager Keith Westbrook...

Lois Gibbs decries Duplin county landfill efforts

KENANSVILLE -- More than 200 Duplin County residents concerned about the possibility of building a landfill in northern Duplin County listened last Thursday night as a nationally known environmentalist described how the Love Canal disaster in New York 30 years...

Public record

Wanted Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers is asking for the public's help in locating a convicted sex offender who has violated his probation. Jamie Lafayette Stevens, 42, was convicted of indecent liberties with a minor in March. Under the terms of his...

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Fire on Workman Street

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Goldsboro firefighters responded to a house fire at 210 Workman St., early this morning. Goldsboro Engine 3 was the first to arrive, dropping a five-inch supply line from the corner of George Street to the home. For...

Early morning fire sends man to hospital for smoke

A fire caused about $24,000 in damage to a home at 210 Workman St. early today and sent a man to the hospital for smoke inhalation. City firefighters responded to the emergency call about 7 a.m. and found the fire...

Mental Health Reform - Linking patients to treatment

Despite all the changes in North Carolina's mental health system, one fact has remained constant -- most patients in Wayne County still go to Eastpointe's James Street doorway in search of help. Only it's not quite the same. No longer...

Mental Health Reform - Jones: System will continue to improve services

Mental health reform has been a hard and controversial process -- a fairly indisputable fact, Eastpointe Director Ken Jones admitted. But he also said he believes the mental health system is improving. "I know the reform process hasn't been easy,...

Eight homes in city's sights

Members of the Goldsboro City Council approved condemnation of eight houses at their meeting Monday night, held two public hearings on rezoning and honored a general at their meeting Monday. Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, former commander of United Nations forces...

Duplin Commissioners discuss funding, teachers

On the day when teachers, teacher assistants, principals, assistant principals and superintendents all got together to celebrate the quickly approaching new school year, the Duplin County Commissioners were once again discussing issues of school funding. This time, they not only...

Opening day numbers at WCC

Wayne Community College had a successful opening day Monday, officials said, with enrollment numbers ahead of last year's first-day count. Headcount for the main campus totaled 3,221, according to the admissions office. The Fall II session on the base has...

Public record

Thefts *William Joseph Peter reported someone stole a trailer, two riding lawnmower and other yard tools, all valued at $20,260. *Antonio Jesus Cruz reported someone broke into his home in the 500 block of Durham Lake Road, Dudley, and stole...

Wayne Regional Fair catalogues in the mail

The catalogue for the 2007 Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair has been mailed to sponsoring members, directors and previous exhibitors. The fair will be held Sept. 27-Oct. 6 at the county fairgrounds near the intersection of U.S. 117 south and U.S....

Wayne County Public Schools lunch menus for the week of August 27-31

Monday -- Breakfast: blueberry muffin; Lunch: pepperoni pizza, baked corn dog, steamed broccoli, corn on the cob, applesauce, orange Tuesday -- Breakfast: apple turnover; Lunch: taco w/ cheese, salsa and spanish rice, chicken salad w/crackers, baked potato rounds, pinto beans,...

Monday, August 20, 2007

Colleges welcome back students

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Freshman Nicole Dubons, right, gets a helping hand from Mount Olive College students Jamie Moye and Joy Layendecher while moving her belongings in at Hart Dorm Sunday afternoon. New freshmen moved into dormitories at the college on...

Officials calling for addresses on houses

Delbert Edwards, Wayne County's communications supervisor, has a problem. But it's not just his problem. It's a problem for every firefighter, paramedic, law enforcement officer and first responder in the county. Responding to about 50 calls for emergency services every...

Mental Health Reform - Patients turn to ER for aid

The face of mental illness can be seen throughout Wayne County -- in churches, in schools and at work. But it's perhaps most recognizable on the streets, at the hospital and in the cells of the county jail. Those places,...

Mental Health Reform - Beds are not always available for inmates

When mental health patients aren't getting the treatment they need, whether it be therapy or medication, they more often than not end up in crisis. And whether that lack of treatment was because they were unwilling to help themselves, or...

Man, 24, killed in accident Sunday

DUDLEY -- The brother of a Goldsboro police officer was killed Sunday in a motorcycle accident not far from the Wayne County Fairgrounds on U.S. 117 South Bypass and U.S. 13 South. Nick Melvin, 24, of Dudley, was traveling south...

Mount Olive will plant trees near sewer plant

MOUNT OLIVE -- Town officials are planning to plant sycamore trees on more than 150 acres of land surrounding the town's new sewer plant. They say the trees will not only help absorb the groundwater, but will improve air quality....

BB&T will build new branch at site

PIKEVILLE -- Winston-Salem's BB&T bank chain has plans to permanently locate on land it currently occupies in a double-wide trailer, a bank representative said. The bank will retain all of its current employees, who will move into the new branch...

Public record

Armed robbery suspects sought Goldsboro police are investigating two armed robberies that happened over the weekend. The first was reported 9:35 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot in the 1700 block of East Holly Street. Cronston Leroy Best, 36, of...

City Council meets tonight

Goldsboro City Council members are expected to discuss the possible condemnations of nine dilapidated houses at Monday night's meeting. Building inspectors are expected to recommend condemnation and demolition of properties located at 700 Crawford St., 1014 N. John St., 413...

Correction

The date for sixth-grade orientation at Spring Creek High School was incorrectly listed in Sunday's paper. Students and parents will meet on Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. in the gym....

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Wrestling with mental health reform: A whole new world

Some people say North Carolina's mental health system is broken and that the old methods worked better. Others say the reforms set in motion in 2001 just need more time to work -- that after all, it wasn't until July...

County will eye shelter contract

Beginning with their briefing session at 8 a.m. and formal meeting at 9 a.m., the Wayne County Board of Commissioners will be faced with a decision on the future of county's new animal shelter Tuesday. The building, which is planned...

Residents can share their views

Looking to further open the lines of communication with county residents, the Wayne County Commissioners will begin holding a series of six town hall-style meetings on Thursday. "It's something the board wants to do. We've got a lot of things...

Schools prepare to open doors to families

Students of all ages are readying for the return to classes this week, from attending open houses in Wayne County Public Schools, to area colleges opening their doors for the fall semester. Wayne Community College officials said Friday that preliminary...

Still fighting for each other ...

Kris Kraft Brewer once broke her leg fending off bullies for her brother on a schoolyard playground in Groveville, N.J. An easy decision for a sister who loved her brother. So, it wasn't hard for Karl Kraft to decide what...

Butterfield discusses war, health care, future

When he agreed to meet with Goldsboro city officials, U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-District 1, might not have been expecting Mayor Al King to react so passionately to his usual speech on the war in Iraq. On the other hand,...

Health Department targets obesity, HIV tests

Wayne County Health Department staff are keeping pace with the needs of the community, Health Director James Roosen told its governing board Wednesday. Roosen discussed several projects and advancements being made. He also gave an update on recent response to...

Public record

Wanted Christopher Dale Mooring is wanted by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office on two felony counts of breaking and entering and larceny and possession of stolen goods. He also is wanted for failing to appear in court in Carteret County....

New shelter program helps create families

Curious George cowered when spoken to and shivered silently as Jodi Head bathed him. She took him straight to the veterinarian for shots -- still shivering, still scared. But when the terrier-mix opened his eyes the next morning, he had...

Dant to be promoted to colonel

Goldsboro native Lt. Col. Daniel "Danny" Dant was recently selected two years "below the zone" for promotion to colonel by the United States Air Force. Dant currently leads the 4th Space Con-trol Squad-ron at Hollo-man Air Force Base, N.M. The...

Cherry Farm festival to be held September 15

The state Center for Environmental Farming Systems at Cherry Hospital will hold its 2nd Annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the CEFS Small Farm west of Goldsboro. More than 1,000 people interested...

Caseys finalists in cookie jingle contest

The father-daughter musical team of Daniel and Samantha Casey have been chosen by Nabisco to be among the 10 finalists for the Oreo & Milk Jingle Contest. Voting for the winner starts on Aug 24 and runs through Sept 4....

Friday, August 17, 2007

Goldsboro rail station announced

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Goldsboro Mayor Al King speaks during a press conference annoucing the return of a passenger rail station to Goldsboro. The N.C. Department of Transportation has purchased Union Station and is partnering with the city to restore the...

The trains are coming back to Goldsboro

Al King remembers walking along the tracks in Mount Olive more than 50 years ago -- hopping, occasionally, on a train bound for the Wayne County seat. "Getting to Goldsboro, man, it was an excursion," he said. "Our family, we...

County animal shelter bids in

Bids for the new Wayne County animal shelter are in, and already the lowest is about $200,000 over budget. However, the county has also received about $500,000 in private donations to help offset that cost -- an amount that County...

Teachers head to their own 'first day'

The board room of Wayne County Public Schools' administrative offices was packed with new teachers Thursday morning, receiving last-minute readiness training before entering their classrooms next week. Debbie Durham, human resources lead teacher, is responsible for the new educators, who...

City officials ask congressman for help with getting project funding

The Goldsboro City Council met with 1st District Congressman G.K. Butterfield Thursday morning to talk about the possibility of federal funding for some city projects. Mayor Al King and City Manager Joe Huffman said before the meeting they hoped Butterfield...

Republican party picks new leader

With a busy election season less than six months away, the Wayne County Republican Party underwent a change in leadership this week after chairman Billy Strickland resigned as he prepares to move to Vance County to accept the city attorney...

Water shut off

Water service will be interrupted on Monday, Aug. 20, from 8 a.m. until noon for the residents on Elton Drive. The shutdown is necessary for the replacement of a fire hydrant. In the event of rain, the work will be...

Public record

Information sought on deceased woman The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is requesting the assistance of anyone having known Mrs. Leislotte Severt of 221 Brookwood Drive Goldsboro or any of her relatives. Mrs. Severt passed away at her home on Sunday,...

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Keeping cool and learning

News-Argus/Bobby Williams A threesome of swimmers examine mussels they collected from the bottom of the Neuse River at Seven Springs while they were trying to keep cool Tuesday. From left are Maygan Carter, 8, Sara Carter, 9 and Jessica...

Planning board says 'yes' to name changes, honors Bowden

Holding its first meeting since nine-year member Arthur Bowden died earlier this month, the Wayne County Planning Board held a moment of silence before getting down to business Tuesday night. "(Bowden) was a fine, outstanding man. He contributed a...

AAR Corp. earns $3M contract

AAR Cargo Systems announced this week that it has received a $3 million federal contract to provide 25 cargo handling systems for the U.S. Army's Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters. The contract, which is among a number of projects being...

New parks/rec director wants to hear ideas

New Recreation and Parks Director Sonya Shaw was anxious about leaving Chapel Hill and coming to Goldsboro, but that anticipation was nothing compared to the trials she went through before earning the job. While pregnant with her now 8-month-old son,...

Duplin Schools develop sricter standards for student behavior

With the start of school less than two weeks away, the Duplin County Board of Education adopted a series of new policies at their meeting last week -- all focused on student behavior. "We're just wanting to make sure...

Public Record

School fire Someone broke into Dillard Middle School, 1101 Devereaux St., on the southside of the main building sometime between 6 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday and set fire to a book. Drug charge Agents of the Goldsboro-Wayne County...

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Taking Command of Refueling Wing

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Col. Fritz Linsenmeyer, new commander of the 916th Air Refueling Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, talks about the importance of reservists. For more information see A new Tiger leads 916th....

Toy recall widens

Parents concerned their children might have gotten hold of one of the toys on a nationwide recall list can find help right here at home. But the first step, local childcare providers say, is to destroy any potentially dangerous toy....

Officials hunt for suspect in murder

Wayne County law enforcement officials are still searching for a man who is suspected of pulling the trigger in Monday's fatal shooting on Waynewoods Drive near the Saulston community. Orbelin Pacheco Mejia, 30, of Pikeville, fled the scene on foot...

Tree limb cleanup slower than city expected

With every load of branches and debris city crews haul to the compost facility, another seems to surface. Goldsboro is still recovering from Friday's storm that left many residents without power and hundreds of yards in shambles, but Public Works...

A new Tiger leads 916th

Fritz Linsenmeyer had no intention of becoming a pilot -- not as a young boy watching his father work on airplanes, not as a college man told to visit a Navy recruiter. The colonel said he would have been satisfied...

United Way kicks off with Taste of hope

The sun was bright, and tents were packed. Lines wrapped around corners for tiny bites of the best food in town. It looked like a carnival, but the Taste of Wayne County had something else to offer -- a chance...

Mount Olive approves new restrictions on business signs

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive Planning Board approved a proposed ordinance Tuesday that would puts new limits on business signs in town if eventually passed by town commissioners. The ordinance would prohibit off-premises signs within the town limits or...

'Night Out' called a success

A record 2,000 people turned out for the 24th annual National Night Out event held 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 7 at Herman Park, Goldsboro police Cpl. Teresa Cox said. The event featured food, games and entertainment from a variety...

Public record

Gunshot damages Felicia Jones of West Oak Street reported she heard gunshots after midnight and later found $500 worth of gun-caused damage to her Mitsubishi Galant. Neighbors Shonta Edwards and Shontelle Poole also reported damages to their apartments caused by...

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Police investigate shooting, car accident

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sgt. Ray Brogden, left, photographs a car involved in an accident, while Detective Sgt. Robert Chunn and Trooper Adam Fowler also investigate the scene where Junior Guerra, 26, of Princeton was murdered...

Man shot to death on road

One man is dead and another man is on the run after a verbal dispute turned deadly at about 12:30 p.m. Monday on Waynewoods Drive in the Saulston community. Junior Guerra, 26, of Princeton, was allegedly shot and killed by...

Smith says he didn't miss any key votes

Looking back at the 2007 legislative session, one member of the Wayne County delegation earned the dubious distinction of being one of the General Assembly's most absent members. Sen. Fred Smith, R-Johnston, missed nearly a quarter of the votes he...

Free AIDS-HIV testing to be available in county September 14

The number of people living with HIV or AIDS in North Carolina is on the rise, but many of those who have the disease likely are unaware that they have it. State health officials say an average of 1,700 new...

Can you carry tune? Then, Crime Stoppers wants you ... to sing

If you think you've got talent, don't miss the auditions for the Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers second annual Wayne's Most Talented singing competition. Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers will hold auditions for the competition on Aug. 25 at Wayne Community College's Moffatt Auditorium....

How far would you go for barbecue?

Would you fly 900-some miles to get a taste of eastern Carolina barbecue? For Heather Schuch, the answer is yes -- but only if it's Scott's Barbecue. The O'Fallon, Mo., resident is pregnant with her second child. The craving struck...

Public record

Shooting Goldsboro police are looking for the suspect who shot a teenager at the Exxon gas station, 518 E. Elm St., at about 3:35 p.m. Sunday. Timothy D. Cobb, 17, of Brazil Street, told police that he was shot in...

Monday, August 13, 2007

After the storm - Goldsboro gets busy on cleanup

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Goldsboro Street Department maintenance crews work to clear tree debris from Beech Street this morning. Crewmen were working until 1:30 a.m. on Saturday clearing area roadways after severe storms hit the area on Friday, and will be...

Plenty of limbs waiting for city crews to chip

A tree sprawled across Jefferson Avenue kept Goldsboro crews busy this morning as city officials, residents and staff members continued efforts to clean up what Friday night's storm left behind. Reminders of the event can still be seen on or...

Days Inn ruled total loss by city

There will likely no longer be a Days Inn on Wayne Memorial Drive. Chief Building Inspector Ed Cianfarra said the building is simply not feasible for repair, that he will recommend condemnation and demolition of the structure to members of...

College's program will have busy year

The Arts and Humanities program at Wayne Community College is already having its busiest year, says one of its proponents, and school isn't even back in session. Jack Kannan is director of the Foundation at the college, which oversees the...

Ex-chief continues to deny gas thefts

MOUNT OLIVE - Town officials say they have a videotape substantiating claims the town's former police chief misused the town's credit card. Emmett Ballree, who resigned his post in July, continues to deny the charges that he did anything wrong...

Heart, not heat, killed 47-year-old

A heart disorder -- and not the heat -- is what officials say caused the death of a Wayne County man who died in his yard Wednesday afternoon. Barry Hal Scott, 47, was found dead outside of a home in...

Service without any fanfare

WALNUT CREEK -- Lou Cook is a man of many sequels. He is patriotic and serene, a veteran who hesitates to talk about his service. He is a grandfather and a bass fisherman whose sense of community has put him...

Residents: Some Pikeville mail is now getting lost in translation

Glenda Parks just wanted her makeup. But like many Pikeville residents asked to use a street address for a delivery, she didn't get the cosmetics package she ordered online. "We had ordered it and paid for it," the lifelong Pikeville...

Public record

School robbed Someone broke into Grantham Middle School and stole two laptop computers, a glucose monitor, food from the cafeteria's freezer and other items. The total estimated value of the items was set at $3,040....

50th law enforcement class at WCC graduates

Wayne Community College graduated its nine cadets of its 50th Basic Law Enforcement Training class recently. Certificates were conferred on Daniel Broughton, Jackie Davis Jr., Joshua Stine, Anthony Tilghman and Ellis White II, all of Goldsboro; James Bell of Mount...

Duke Endowment donates $100,000 to food program

RALEIGH -- The Duke Endowment awarded $100,000 to The North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church to enhance the mission of rural churches in the N.C. Conference through the "Stop Hunger Now" volunteer food packaging program "Operation Sharehouse." Specifically,...

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Days Inn among hardest hit

Four people were taken to the hospital Friday after a windstorm leveled the roof at Days Inn on Wayne Memorial Drive, forcing an estimated 70 to 100 people to scramble from the 35-year-old structure. A line of storms accompanied by...

Families displaced after storm hit

Gerald Wesley of Rocky Mount has worked hard over the past year to put a roof over his family's head. After getting hurt and losing his job, he and wife, Tangie, made their way to Goldsboro with their four young...

Progress Energy crews worked to get power back on

Progress Energy and city crews worked through the night Friday to clear roads and assess damages caused by a storm that cracked giant trees, bent signs and took roof materials off several local businesses. Days Inn on Wayne Memorial Drive...

Mayor says city 'got lucky'

At first, Al King thought it was just another storm. But when his power went out Friday evening, something just "felt wrong." So Goldsboro's mayor got in his car. "I started driving and everything looked fine and then I see...

King Commission meets in Goldsboro

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission convened in Goldsboro Friday in the board room at Wayne Community College. Dr. Thomas Walker of Rocky Mount, chairman, said the group has been traveling around the state holding meetings where commission members...

Monday last day to get tickets to Taste of Wayne

The aromas of area restaurant favorites and specialites will start to fill the air before the Taste of Wayne County begins on Tuesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. With everything from pickles to pizza and Coca-Cola to chicken salad,...

Basketball program offers alternative to gangs

Basketball will be used as an outreach to young people in the community, says the organizer of a program starting later this month. "Midnight Basketball" will officially be launched as an alternative to gangs and other wayward activities, said Daryl...

Public record

Stabbing Javonnie Donta Langston, 32, of North Carolina Street, said four or five men jumped him while he was walking in the 100 block of Rockfeller Court Saturday afternoon. One of the suspects stabbed him, but he could not give...

County commissioners to discuss land for Grantham school Sept. 4

The decision to not place consideration of the Wayne County Board of Education's purchase option of a 46-acre tract for a new Grantham Middle School on the county commissioners' agenda Tuesday, was not made out of a desire to...

Friday, August 10, 2007

'Whimsical Whirligigs' at the Arts Council of Wayne County

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Gail Barnes and her 2-year-old grandson, Brian Barnes, look at one of the whirligigs by folk artist Vollis Simpson. Twenty-five of Simpson’s works and paintings by local children went on display Thursday at the Arts Council of...

Butterball will move its offices to Garner

The announcement that Butterball, the nation's largest turkey producer, will relocate its corporate headquarters from Mount Olive to Garner in spring 2008 came as no surprise Thursday morning when the news was made public. "I think we all knew they...

Suspect arrested in Tuesday shooting

One man is behind bars for his alleged involvement in a shooting on Creech Street early Tuesday that claimed the life of Goldsboro man. Joseph Irwin Knight, 24, of East Walnut Street, faces one count of murder in the shooting...

County health officials are taking aim at summer's tick, mosquito dangers

Local health officials want residents to know that with warmer weather comes more reason to watch out for ticks, mosquitos and the diseases they bring. Encephalitis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are prevalent in this state, said David Hesselmeyer, bioterrorism...

Storms cause concern across some N.C. areas

Heavy storms raked portions of Wayne County Thursday evening, knocking down some trees and causing scattered power outages. County emergency officials said there was no severe damage, but that lightning struck a grocery store in Mount Olive and high winds...

Building gift prompts town hall debate

There's disagreement in Pikeville over a town resident's gift -- the old BB&T building on Main Street. Mold and location are the two main concerns, town officials say. Town Mayor Herbert Siegel said this week that the donated building could...

Nominations sought for volunteer awards

Nominations are being taken for the 2007 North Carolina Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. Forms are available at Volunteer Wayne/RSVP office at Wayne Community College or by calling Barbara Stiles at 735-5151, ext. 702. The deadline for returning the forms...

Chamber seminar

A lunch-and learn-seminar, "Creating a Marketing Plan," will be sponsored Tuesday from noon until 1 p.m. by the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce. It will be held in the board room at the chamber offices at 308 N. William St....

Public record

Thefts reported *James Joel Allen reported someone broke into his home in the 300 block of Winsor Drive and stole a computer, DVD player, 35 mm camera, all valued at $1,250. *Wanda Lynch Foster reported someone broke into her home...

Peace College offering teacher education course

RALEIGH -- Peace College is accepting applications for a new evening teacher education program designed to help area working adults earn licensure to teach. The program is designed to be convenient for working professionals -- including teaching assistants and other...

'Fill the Boot' drive for MDA starts today

The City of Goldsboro Fire Department will be conducting its first "Fill The Boot" drive of the year to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association today, Saturday and Sunday at Wal-Mart on Spence Avenue. The campaign raises money to help MDA...

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Counties not sure what state Medicaid cut will mean

It's been only a week since the General Assembly finally approved a permanent Medicaid relief plan, but county officials across the state are still trying to figure out exactly how the decision will affect their revenue streams. The savings...

Heat might have been cause of Rosewood area death

Scorching 101-degree temperatures that hounded residents on Wednesday are the suspected culprit in a Wayne County man's death. Barry Hal Scott, 47, was found dead outside of a home in the 200 block of Westbrook Avenue where he lived with...

Officials crunch facilities numbers

Now that the Wayne County Board of Education has given official approval to the priority listing of its long-term facilities plan, it's up to the county Board of Commissioners to begin figuring out how to fund the nine-project, $120...

County residents try to stay safe from heat

From staff reports With temperatures soaring above 100 degrees this week, the American Red Cross is warning people to take precautions during the heat of the day. Extreme temperatures can pose serious health risks. "Children and seniors are particularly at...

Pikeville might bring charges, so town officials want to wait.

PIKEVILLE -- About 20 people have put in their application to be Pikeville's next town manager, officials announced this week. But the decision on who will actually hold the job might not come until after November's general election, Mayor Herbert...

Electrical system to get upgrade

A nasty storm in Pikeville could leave electrical engineers scrambling for rare parts if the town's current electrical system were damaged, the town's mayor says. So the town will embark on a $750,000 electrical upgrade in the next two months,...

Tuesday is deadline to register projects for Days of Caring

Wayne County, roll up your sleeves and prepare for some heavy duty volunteer work as the 14th annual Days of Caring approaches. It will be held Sept. 14-22 and is a county-wide effort to help local agencies. "It's a chance...

Public record

Drug charges The Goldsboro-Wayne County Drug Squad confiscated nearly $8,000 during a drug arrest involving a Goldsboro man last week. Tyquan Neco Taylor, 30, of N.C. 111 North, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell and deliver,...

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

110 in the shade - Wayne County tries to stay cool

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Carly Powell blows water through a styrofoam noodle toy while trying to stay cool Tuesday afternoon at the Family Y pool in Mount Olive. The temperature reached the 100-degree mark by mid-afternoon, with a heat index of...

County to review growth proposal

After nearly two years and with the Wayne Comprehensive Plan already endorsed by the county Planning Board, the Board of Commissioners finally took the next step Tuesday morning of scheduling a public hearing. Set for 9:15 a.m., Sept. 4, the...

Man dies after city shooting

A Grantham area man is dead after being shot in the 200 block of Creech Street early Tuesday morning, Goldsboro police say. The death marks the sixth fatal shooting within Goldsboro's city limits since April 22. Jadie Demon Taylor, 22,...

Wayne school board approves grading changes

Elementary school teachers will soon go by the numbers when it comes to report cards. The Wayne County Board of Education on Monday night approved revisions to the marking system for students in grades 3-5. Historically, students received alphabetic grading...

Mount Olive to demolish structures

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive Town Board voted Monday to demolish the building at 136 N. Center Street and also agreed to take down a frame structure at 203 S. Center Street, where police worry about drug sales, officials...

'USO' dance at museum August 18

The public is invited to come "shake a leg" to the sounds of the 1930s, '40s and '50s at a USO benefit dance Aug. 18 in the Wayne County Museum. The Woman's Club originally owned the building at 116 N....

Two assume leadership roles at MOC's Britt Center

MOUNT OLIVE -- Dr. Phillip Hamilton and Dr. Sandra Jane Maddox have joined Mount Olive College as part of the new leadership team in the Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center. Hamilton is serving as the center director and Maddox is...

Duplin reconsiders storm cleanup contract

Meeting Monday, the Duplin County Board of Commissioners worked toward taking care of several items of old business, including a protest made in July by accountant Koy Carter on behalf of a group of Duplin County contractors regarding the county's...

Public record

Library damage Someone damaged property at Wayne County Public Library on East Ash Street. Damages were estimated at $1,100. Stabbed Timothy Faison, 28, of Kennon Court, said he was stabbed after three men tried to rob him. He was taken...

Historic Commission OKs renovation for apartments

The Goldsboro Historic District Commission issued a certificate of appropriateness for Chuck Allen to proceed with restoring a building downtown for apartments. Restoration of the 13,000 square-foot building on South James Street between Walnut and Chestnut will include replacing windows,...

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Getting ready for school - Heat wave continues

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Frank Jones, route supervisor for the Wayne County Bus Garage, works in near 100-degree temperatures this morning performing maintenance checks on one of more than 230 buses that will be serviced and checked out from bumper-to-bumper prior...

School board OKs final list of priorities for county

While the school board passed its $105 million school priorities list Monday night, board members said they remain frustrated with the lagging process. Even if the construction and renovation projects were all funded today, the children in Wayne County will...

Cherry Hospital doctor will return to work

An acting medical director at Cherry Hospital, who was suspended with pay amid questions about his nearly 20-year-old felony conviction for inappropriately touching a 9-year-old girl in Burke County, will return to work this month. Dr. Robert C. Owens, 53,...

Council approves downtown roadmap

The Goldsboro City Council adopted a master plan Monday night for the continued renewal of downtown. "It is with great pride that I come before you tonight to ask you to adopt the downtown master plan," Julie Thompson, director of...

Man dies of injuries after one-car crash

A Seven Springs man died from severe head injuries he received when he was ejected from his vehicle in a rollover crash on Sunday afternoon. Alberto Felipe, 28, succumbed to his injuries at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville on...

Mount Olive Town Council takes aim at reckless horseback riders on streets

MOUNT OLIVE -- Look out, Mount Olive cowboys -- your days might be numbered. Town officials just might have you in their sights if you don't know how to rein in your mount. The council discussed horses in the streets,...

Duplin commissioners talk about extra school funding

Despite the Duplin County Board of Commissioners spending a large chunk of their meeting Monday discussing school funding, the board did not decide what to do about the additional $750,000 it allocated to the school board in June. Originally given...

Mount Olive board praises new acting police chief

MOUNT OLIVE -- The town's new acting chief police chief -- a former major with the department -- is settling into a new job and slightly different wardrobe. Police Chief Ralph Schroeder "has grudgingly agreed to wear some white uniform...

Monday, August 6, 2007

Off to serve - 916th squadron deploys this morning

News-Argus/Bobby Williams Senior Airman Jeremy Jackson says goodbye to his 4-month-old daughter MaeAnna Jackson before deploying from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base this morning. More than 70 members of the 916th Air Refueling Wing’s Security Forces Squadron were deployed...

Dr. Kay Albertson

Since taking over the reigns as the first female president at Wayne Community College one month ago, Dr. Kay Albertson has almost needed track shoes to keep up the hectic pace her schedule requires. Just a few of the hurdles...

Wayne Commissioners will eye Case Farms rezoning request

After taking most of July off, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners will meet again Tuesday at 9 a.m. after holding a briefing session at 8 a.m. Kicking the meeting off will be a public hearing at 9:15 a.m., to...

National Night Out

Fighting crime is front and center in the minds of those taking part in the 24th annual National Night Out event Tuesday night. The National Night Out Crime and Drug Prevention event provides a way to increase crime and drug...

Teacher institute starts Tuesday

Educators in Wayne County Public Schools will be able to sharpen their skills this week during the second annual Curriculum and Instruction Summer Institute at Wayne Community College. The three-day workshop begins Tuesday, with this year's theme being "Future Ready...

333rd 'Lancers' host kids at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

For Connor Denning, touching an F-15E Strike Eagle was not quite enough to label it "awesome." So after the 9-year-old ran his fingers across the jet's body, he tried to find something that was. "How many bombs can it carry?"...

Public record

Correction Alveno Devale Stanford, 34, of Azalea Drive, Mount Olive was sentenced to one year's probation in Wayne County Superior Court last week for possession of cocaine. A story in Sunday's edition incorrectly stated that he had been given active...

WCC law enforcement graduation Tuesday

Wayne Community College will graduate its 50th Basic Law Enforcement Training, or BLET, academy on Tuesday during 6:30 p.m. ceremonies in Moffatt Auditorium. Since 1987, nearly 800 cadets have successfully completed the program and gone on to employment in local,...

Medical courses to be offered at WCC this fall

Courses in medical terminology and nurse aide exam preparation will be offered online this fall at Wayne Community College. The Continuing Education Department will sponsor the offerings. Medical Terminology, a foundation course for both individuals already employed in allied health...

Local church plans rally for all students, parents

St. Mark Church of Christ Church on West Ash Street will host a back-to-school event for parents and students Thursday from 6 until 9 p.m. in the church sanctuary and classrooms. The pastor, Bishop Alton A Smith, said several workshops...

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Local legislators hail 'historic' session

Phrases like "historic" and "the best ever" flew thick and furious as the state General Assembly's 2007 legislative session adjourned for the year Thursday night. It was, the delegates said, a productive session that saw several landmark pieces of legislation...

Policy prohibits city employees' relatives from seeking office

The Goldsboro City Council adopted a resolution on personnel policy during the last council meeting that may not be good news for some. As of July 12, the policy stated that no one who was an immediate family member of...

Some schools reopen this week

Students in several area schools are expected to return to classes starting this week. Wayne County Public Schools won't resume until later in the month, on Aug. 27. Two of its newer additions, however, along with private and independent schools,...

Pizza makers to face off at Taste of Wayne

The Taste of Wayne County is next week, but the food wars are already starting. Pizza is always a popular food at the event, and competition for the best one is fierce. There is no cheese or pizza sauce flying...

Large areas of Wayne still under drought conditions

Water levels in a Grantham-area drought monitor well looked better in July. Turns out you can't cherry-pick your drought determination data, though. "We tell people to look at a bigger picture," said Linwood Peele, section chief for water supply planning...

Council to hear downtown master plan Monday night

Urban designer Allison Platt's proposed $178 million master plan for downtown Goldsboro is on the Goldsboro City Council agenda, and officials said the plan is likely to be adopted at Monday's meeting. The plan was unveiled in February, and many...

Kidz Dayz festival helps camp

The sun was beaming. The water in the dunking booth was cold. But, the children were happy, and the cause was a great one. Full of laughter and hope, the day was a fundraiser to raise money for an educational...

Tractor pull draws big crowd

DUDLEY -- At the end of a big field packed with red clay, a souped-up tractor roars Friday night as thousands of fans buzz with excitement. On cue, the brightly-colored tractor, Alcohol Harvester, races down the field at 85 mph...

Public record

Thefts reported *Johnny Johnson of Mclain Street said someone stole a Mitsubishi Mirage worth $4,000. *Michael Everett Cruse of Forest Drive, said someone stole an ATV valued at $8,000. *Thadis Junior Coley of U.S. Highway 70 East, reported someone stole...

Norwayne students do well at national tech conference

Ten Norwayne Middle School TSA recently competed the 29th National Technology Students Association Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, returning with several top awards. More than 4,200 students from across the U.S., Germany and Peru competed in events that incorporated communicated, construction,...

Duplin family struggles with man's diseases

All Tim Gautier wants is to walk again or at least ride in the fresh air -- as long as it's not too hot outside. People with multiple sclerosis can't stand the heat. Gautier, who is 41, has multiple sclerosis...

Armstrong won't be on Nov. ballot

The decision of Jerry C. Armstrong to withdraw his name from the Mount Olive District 1 Commissioner's race will show up on the November ballot after all, said county elections director Gary Sims Friday. Getting word from the state Board...

Friday, August 3, 2007

Food recall - Area stores pulling cans off shelves

News-Argus/Phyllis Moore Worth Heath, food and lodging program coordinator with Wayne County Health Department, inspects a can of beef stew at Food Liner in Rosewood on Thursday. He and other health officials canvassed convenience stores, child care centers and...

Health officials look for tainted cans

Local health officials are responding to a nationwide recall of canned products associated with an outbreak of botulism, alerting businesses and the public to check pantries and dispose of any items that may be contaminated. Environmental Health staff spent most...

Local leaders kept eye on special bills

As state legislators worked furiously this week to rush through a flurry of bills before adjourning late Thursday night, county officials kept a close eye on the fates of three very different bills. LANDFILLS The biggest last-minute bill approved Thursday,...

Sales tax holiday begins

Goldsboro retail stores were gearing up today in anticipation of a big weekend spurred by the state's sales tax holiday. Lawmakers approved the annual three-day holiday to help families shopping for back-to-school items for their children. The holiday went into...

Former Cherry Hospital homes now dot Wayne landscape

Wayne County natives and local historians may remember a time when the grounds surrounding Cherry Hospital resembled a little village. In its heyday, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the hospital had its own power plant and the adjacent...

Public records

S.C. murder suspect arrested A South Carolina man who fled his home state to avoid a murder charge is now behind bars, thanks to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Eddie "Kojac" McCoy, 30, of Gaddy's Mill Road, faces charges of...

DMV office has not moved

A story in Thurs]day's paper should have said the Highway Patrol has relocated to a mobile home at 701 W. Grantham St., and the DMV License and Theft Bureau has moved to Ash Street until a renovation and asbestos abatement...

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Paperwork - Airmen readying for duty overseas

News-Argus/Greg Sousa Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Buie has his deployment papers checked by Jana Petticoffer at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base today as members of the 916th Air Refueling Wing’s Security Forces Squadron get ready for deployment to Iraq next...

School board to vote on building plan Monday

The Wayne County School's prioritized facilities plan is expected to be approved at Monday night's meeting of the Board of Education. It will then be up to the county commission to debate funding. A board work session to list projects...

Airmen prepare to deploy

Ashley Goins knows she will not make it home for Christmas this year. So it hurt a little when her 3-year-old son, Jalin, asked when she would be back. "I was on the phone with my son and he said,...

Sales tax holiday starts Friday

Buying some items will fill your wallet with sales tax savings this weekend. But make you sure you watch your receipt. State lawmakers have made the three-day period starting Friday a sales tax free weekend, designed to help families getting...

Taste of Wayne to kick off United Way campaign August 14

At the Taste of Wayne County, food is a big part of what brings people out, but the desire to help improve lives is the meaning behind the food and festivities. That is why United Way volunteers are asking residents...

Patrol, DMV offices move temporarily

The Highway Patrol and North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles office on Grantham Street were forced to relocate for one month as crews work to replace old tile floors that allegedly have asbestos in them. Asbestos is a fiber largely...

Man convicted of arson

A Mount Olive man was convicted Wednesday of second-degree arson for allegedly burning down his mobile home during a fight with his girlfriend. Joseph Irven Powell Jr., 32, of Thunder Swamp Road, originally faced charges of first-degree arson, arson of...

GATEWAY providing free rides

With the North Carolina Sales Tax Holiday set for Saturday, the Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority has decided to get in on the act by offering free public transportation from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. "We're going to offering free rides all...

Public record

Armed robbery reported Mark Ray McNeil told Wayne County sheriff's deputies that a man robbed him at gunpoint Wednesday on Broadhurst Road and got away with $300. No injuries were reported. Theft Wesley W. Courtney reported someone stole a computer,...

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Rescued at sea

Photo submitted Goldsboro natives Clint Rouse, 19, front, and 21-year-old Will Collins, from atop their sunken 21-foot fishing boat. For more information see Goldsboro men rescued at sea....

Budget provides $11.5 billion for education

Of the $20.7 billion budget approved by the General Assembly Monday and signed by Gov. Mike Easley Tuesday, nearly 55 percent -- $11.5 billion -- is going to education from pre-kindergarten through college. "I think overall we have a right...

Woman gets probation in hit-and-run

A 72-year-old LaGrange woman was ordered to serve probation and surrender her driver's license Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run accident that killed a Goldsboro man on Election Day 2006. Carol Lane, who was charged with hit-and-run and...

Goldsboro men rescued at sea

It was supposed to be a birthday celebration -- three college men, a 21-foot fishing boat and the open water. Goldsboro native Clint Rouse was sure that a day of reeling in King Mackerel off the North Carolina coast was...

Mount Olive candidate withdraws

Jerry C. Armstrong Jr. has decided to withdraw his name from the Mount Olive District 1 Commissioner's race, but his name will still be on the ballot come November. Tuesday morning, Armstrong called the Wayne County Board of Elections to...

Stores springing up near new Wal-Mart

MOUNT OLIVE -- The town of Mount Olive can expect to have a few more places to eat and shop near the new Wal-Mart on N.C. 55. More businesses are moving in, said Charles Brown, the town's manager. Two new...

New history book describes Reconstruction in Goldsboro

The historical account of life in Wayne County, "After Sherman's March: Goldsboro at the End of the Civil War," has arrived at the Wayne County Museum. The author, Emily Weil, said the books are $25 plus tax and can also...

DOT worker killed in Johnston accident

A state Department of Transportation spokesman confirmed today that a 56-year-old department veteran was killed in a crash near McGee's Crossroads in Johnston County. Spokesman Ernie Seneca said Carl Collins, 56, was killed after his asphalt truck collided with another...

'Warrior's Society' show Thursday

A local group says creativity in music, dance and business offers the chance to entertain 'without moral harm,' and develop character in its members. The Warrior's Society's summer camp program holds a display of its original music at 401 N....

Public record

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for allegedly poisoning dogs with anti-freeze in the Grantham community. Four dogs are dead and one...

Beyonce in Raleigh

Call it guts — or a great sense of determination. Beyoncé refused to scrap the trench coat or the heels that caused her to tumble down a flight of stairs at her concert in Orlando, Fla. last week. But...