Tuesday, August 31, 2010
LaGrange woman killed in crash on Salem Church Road
Anecia Neal, 25, of West James Street, LaGrange, died from injuries sustained during a car crash this morning. Ms. Neal was the passenger in the car driven by bail bondsman Michael McGee, 35, also of West James Street, LaGrange. She...Published: Aug 31, 2010 3:59 PM Full Story
Jobless rate decreases in Wayne, surrounding counties
Wayne and surrounding counties' unemployment rates decreased in July. Wayne County's unemployment rate decreased from 8.8 in June to 8.4 in July, according to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. This continues a decreasing trend in the county that was...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Fire lines are getting new look in county
Proposed new fire service district lines will clear up confusion over existing fire protection and insurance district lines without any additional tax burden, Wayne County Fire Marshal Bryan Taylor said this week. Most people will not even notice the...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Coach's new objective: more diplomas at SWHS
When the idea for a graduation coach in Wayne County Public Schools was first introduced last year, Raymond Cochise Clark felt he would be a good candidate. Growing up in a single-parent home where education wasn't encouraged, he understood...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Teen, 17, charged with city shooting
The Goldsboro Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division arrested a 17-year-old Monday in connection with a shooting that took place last week. Larry Maurice Saunders, 17, of Day Circle, was arrested while at a residence on Miller Avenue and charged with...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Kinston turkey plant damaged by fire
KINSTON -- On Monday, at approximately 2:30 p.m., members of the Kinston Department of Public Safety, along with the North Lenoir Volunteer Fire Department, responded to a report of a structure fire at the Carolina Turkey plant at 4125 Berkley...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Norwayne alumni to hold reunion this weekend
Norwayne Alumni & Friends will meet this weekend for its 38th high school reunion. This year's theme will be "Ordering Our Steps." Activities will begin with a social at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Norwayne Alumni & Friends Community...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Red Cross promo winner announced
Angelia Gray of Mount Olive has won a $1,000 gift card in the American Red Cross' Cruise Into Summer promotion, which was held April through June. Ms. Gray has been a blood donor for more than 30 years. She was...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Fall art classes offered
The Arts Council of Wayne County is offering these art classes this fall. Call 736-3300 to register. CHILDREN Mixed Media for Munchkins Sept., 2, 9, 16 and 23, from 2-3 p.m. Ages 4-5. Cost: $50. Instructor: Becca Scott Reynolds. Country,...Published: Aug 31, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Monday, August 30, 2010
Schools changing alert system
After six years with the Honeywell Instant Alert system, Wayne County Public Schools is changing its school-to-home automated message system. With the arrival of a new school year, the district is in the midst of transitioning to another company, AlertNow...Published: Aug 30, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Leading with her face
The Job: Volleyball coach The Company: Mount Olive College The Location: Mount Olive I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I don't think the moon landing was a hoax; I don't think there's a UFO hidden in New Mexico; and I don't...Published: Aug 30, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Short trial cuts costs for county
Messenger Staff Writer Wayne County spent more than $16,000 -- mostly in overtime for sheriff's deputies -- on the first-degree murder trial of Cesar Laurean. Laurean, a ex-Marine, was found guilty Aug. 23 in Wayne County Superior Court for the...Published: Aug 30, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Woman shot near city church Sunday
Shortly after noon Sunday, Goldsboro resident Sandra Melvin, 58, was shot in the leg. According to Goldsboro police, it is unclear whether she was leaving St. Mark Church of Christ on West Ash Street or whether she was walking...Published: Aug 30, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Agents report no word on more illegal poker games
SEVEN SPRINGS -- North Carolina Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement agents broke up an illegal high-stakes poker game last week at a residence in Seven Springs. The state agents cited eight people with a Class 2 misdemeanor and confiscated $23,700...Published: Aug 30, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Sunrise romp
A dog warms up to the rising sun along the railroad tracks near Princeton during an early morning romp. The temperature was a bit cooler early today, but the highs were expected to reach the mid 90s by the afternoon....Published: Aug 30, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Commission looks at planning, tax issues
Meeting Tuesday, the Wayne County commissioners voted to apply for $255,488 in state transportation funding for the GATEWAY transportation system following a public hearing at which no one spoke. The Rural Operating Assistance Program grant through the state Department...Published: Aug 30, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Sunday, August 29, 2010
City's zoning changes a risk near base?
View the Accident Potential Zones Map Changes to the city's zoning rules for development near Seymour Johnson Air Force Base were not motivated by promises to anyone and will not even be a "blip" when discussions begin on the...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Homeschoolers kick off new school year at park
For about a third of Wayne County's homeschool students, Saturday was the unofficial start to their school year as TEACH, Tarheel Education Association Christian Homeschoolers, held its annual kickoff picnic at Berkeley Park. While some families choose to hold...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
County poker game raided, eight arrested
The Mount Olive Police Department and agents with the North Carolina Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement arrested eight people in Seven Springs for violations of the state gambling laws. Agents seized $23,700 in cash and a poker table, cards...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Schools blacklist peanut butter due to allergies
A lunchbox standard is getting a new look from some school officials in the Wayne County School District. Two schools have already restricted peanut butter sandwiches in student lunches and others are considering some limitations for the iconic lunchbox sandwich....Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
TWC to drop PACC 10 Tuesday
Wayne County and the city of Goldsboro are going into the television business in order to ensure survival of a local government cable TV channel. Effective Tuesday, Time Warner Cable will end its programming agreement with PACC-10 and the...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
MOC graduates largest summer class ever
More than 300 Mount Olive College students graduated Saturday during the school's 57th commencement, the largest August commencement in the school's history. Eugene Sumner, board of trustees academic affairs committee chair, opened the ceremony by welcoming the graduates and...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Girl Scouts looking for new members
Nearly 100 people showed up for "A Taste of Girl Scouting" at Herman Park Saturday. The third annual event gives Wayne County residents a chance to find out more about the Girl Scouts, and gives current members of Wayne...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Plant one of nation's most trusted companies
Officials at a Goldsboro plant that is part of an Illinois-based company say that a reputation for customer service and quality products contributed to it being named by Forbes magazine as one of The Top 100 Most Trustworthy Companies...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Five to make debut at N.C. Debutante Ball
Five young women from Goldsboro will be among the 218 debutantes presented at the 84th annual North Carolina Debutante Ball, held in Raleigh on Sept. 10. The Terpsichorean Club, comprised of young gentlemen from the Raleigh area, was formed...Published: Aug 29, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Friday, August 27, 2010
Benefit sing set for local minister
The Rev. Todd Krueger won't be at the Sunday night gospel sing benefit program being held for him and his family. He will still be recovering from his latest round of chemotherapy. But while he will be confined to...Published: Aug 27, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Wayne tax bills in mail
A sure sign of fall began arriving in mailboxes across the county over the past week -- the 2010 property tax bills. All told, Wayne County mailed approximately 72,000 tax notices, most of which should have been delivered by...Published: Aug 27, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Hardy named county's Teacher of the Year
Former school resource officer Scott Hardy traded in his badge for a chalkboard and Thursday night was named Wayne County Public Schools' Teacher of the Year. The national board-certified teacher of U.S. and world history, civics and world view...Published: Aug 27, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Public record
Shooting Javon Young, 28, of South Slocumb Street was airlifted Thursday to Pitt Memorial Hospital for a gun shot wound in his lower back. Goldsboro police responded to a fight-in-progress call at The Grand at Day Point apartment complex last...Published: Aug 27, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Always home
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Cliffs of the Neuse Park Superintendent Lyndon Sutton knew he was in trouble when he rounded a bend in the hiking path at Jones Lake and stumbled on a bear cub. The cub wasn't dangerous, but its...Published: Aug 27, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Former Goldsboro man in coma in Montana
A 25-year-old Montana man who grew up in Goldsboro is in an induced coma following a speedgliding accident Aug. 13 that broke his back and neck. Joe Stone is the nephew of Debbie Kimbrell, owner of Associated Parcel in Pikeville....Published: Aug 26, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
1st day school count up
Wayne County Public Schools is back in session and things got off to a good start, officials said -- with initial enrollment up from last year, all teacher positions filled and only slight delays for bus riders. First-day numbers Wednesday...Published: Aug 26, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Ex-Goldsboro fireman accused of rape
A former Goldsboro Fire Department firefighter, who was fired yesterday, has been charged with second-degree rape. On Wednesday, a 55-year-old woman filed a report of a sexual assault with the Goldsboro Police Depart-ment. Following an investigation, Donnell Devise Hamilton...Published: Aug 26, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Duplin boards might be close to agreement on lawsuit
KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County commissioners voted 3-2 Monday in favor of approving an amended school funding memorandum of understanding in an attempt to reach an agreement with the Board of Education about the contested issue. The memorandum set...Published: Aug 26, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Red Cross looking for blood donors
Soaring temperatures and the school summer vacation has put blood supplies at low levels. The Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross has issued an urgent appeal for donors. There is a critical need for blood donors now, said...Published: Aug 26, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Neuse now has own set of trails
Local tourism officials are hopeful the new Wayne County Paddle Trails along the Neuse and Little rivers will boost tourism here. Wayne ranked 27th among the state's 100 counties in tourism, adding $120 million to the county's economy in...Published: Aug 25, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Jets take off to join squadron in Bagram
Holding a glowstick in one hand while, with the other, waving an American flag, Faith Schneider bounced on her father's lap and looked into his eyes. At 4 years old, it likely hadn't really hit her that within moments, her...Published: Aug 25, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Back to class
Twenty years after Northwest Elementary School first opened its doors -- and Mindy Lane walked through them as a kindergarten student -- she marked her first day as a kindergarten teacher there. Early this morning, on the first day of...Published: Aug 25, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Dual-enrollment classes threatened
Dual enrollment for high school students -- allowing them to take college courses at Wayne Community College tuition-free -- has been curtailed for the time being, forcing educators to find alternative classes in some areas. Legislators and the economic...Published: Aug 25, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Girls to get 'taste' of Scouting Saturday
The Girl Scouts of the Wayne Service Unit of Goldsboro are having their annual "A Taste of Girl Scouting" at Herman Park in Goldsboro this Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. This event is open to girls in kindergarten...Published: Aug 25, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Busy July for Goldsboro Fire Department sees 206 fires, calls
The Goldsboro Fire Department responded to 206 fires and/or service calls last month. Fire personnel also completed over 1,570 hours of individual training in July and more than 20 training classes. On July 31 the department organized and accomplished...Published: Aug 25, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Wayne County recognized for its cost control efforts
Wayne County's efforts to help control costs by not filling vacant job openings has earned it a grade of "A" from the conservative Civitas Institute in Raleigh. A Civitas study examined the changes in county government employee growth from...Published: Aug 25, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Parents, students take first look at schools
Three hundred freshmen packed the gym at Eastern Wayne High School on Monday afternoon as part of their orientation to the high school. The whole point was to make the incoming Class of 2014 more comfortable for their arrival on...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Attorneys share their final theories of crime during closing arguments
Several hours before a jury convicted ex-Marine Cesar Laurean of first-degree murder, Onslow County Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee stood before the 12 Wayne County residents charged with determining the defendant's guilt or innocence -- wielding the crow bar the...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Nobody - no animals - hurt in hog truck wreck
Despite two tractor trailers, including one hog truck, colliding and catching fire at the intersection of N.C. 111 and N.C. 55 Monday, state Highway Patrol Trooper Benny Grady said neither driver and none of the hogs were injured. He...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Civil War symposium set
A five-week symposium on Wayne County in the Civil War will begin in early September and run through early October. The Foundation of Wayne Community College and the college's Arts and Humanities program are sponsoring the series, with local...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Laurean trial: Timeline
May 11, 2007 -- Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach alleges to NCIS Special Agent Megan Grafton she was raped by Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean. May 27, 2007 -- Ms. Lauterbach tells NCIS she is pregnant and believes the father to...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Laurean trial: Mary Lauterbach's statement
'I would like to say what a sad and tragic day this is for my family. We will never again hear Maria laugh. We will never again see her smile. We will never again have Maria wake us up on...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Laurean trial: Jury profile
The members of the jury who found ex-Marine Cesar Laurean guilty of first-degree murder Monday included: * A middle-aged white woman who used to work at Cherry Hospital. She has three daughters -- the youngest, a 20-year-old -- and two...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Guilty; life - Jury finds Cesar Laurean guilty of first-degree murder
Her voice, at times, trembling, and with tears rolling off her cheeks, Mary Lauterbach confronted ex-Marine Cesar Laurean -- the man who had, moments earlier been convicted of murdering her oldest daughter -- late Monday afternoon inside the Wayne County...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Top teacher to be named at banquet this Thursday
Teacher of the Year finalists for Wayne County Public Schools have been named, with the district winner to be announced later this week. Finalists were selected to represent the elementary, middle and high school levels. Melissa Edgerton, a fifth-grade teacher...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Sheriff offers back to school safety advice
Along with the school supplies, new clothes and backpacks, Wayne County Sheriff Carey Winders said safety should also be a priority. For college students, Winders said it's important to remember that even though it's a college campus, it's still susceptible...Published: Aug 24, 2010 2:35 PM Full Story
Monday, August 23, 2010
Ex-Marine Cesar Laurean found guilty
Mary Lauterbach broke down moments ago inside the Wayne County Courthouse, as a jury proclaimed ex-Marine Cesar Laurean guilty of the first-degree murder of her daughter, Maria. The jury deliberated for only a few hours after listening, earlier today, to...Published: Aug 23, 2010 4:56 PM Full Story
Heartfelt health care
The Job: In-patient facility employee The Company: Kitty Askins Hospice Center The Location: Goldsboro When I walked into Kitty Askins, I instantly struggled to remember how I knew all these people. "Well hey there, honey," the nurse at the front...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Rocketeers leave for six-month deployment
Reece Dvorak's heart wasn't on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Sunday. In his mind, as he waited with hundreds of other airmen to board a commercial airliner bound for war, he was with his wife and 18-month-old daughter, Adrianna....Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Man hit by car after stepping into traffic
A Goldsboro man has died from injuries he received after being struck by a car as he walked along U.S. 117 Alternate South late Friday night. Michael David Smith, 40, of Buttercup Lane was walking along the roadway near...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Company planning expansion in county
MOUNT OLIVE -- Triangle Suspension Systems plans to shift its tapered leaf spring production from Dubois, Pa., to the Triangle plant that opened last spring in southern Wayne County. The move will mean a $500,000 investment in the local...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
N.C. Symphony concert tickets on sale now
RALEIGH -- Grant Llewellyn will take the podium for his seventh season as music director of the North Carolina Symphony in September and tickets for those performances are on sale. Single tickets to the North Carolina Symphony's 2010-11 season went...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
WCC Foundation plans Civil War trips this fall
The Foundation of Wayne Community College will present a five-week symposium next month on Wayne County's role in the Civil War. Local experts will lecture on a variety of topics, including antebellum Wayne, the county's men who served in the...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Services on Aging seeks recipes for new cookbook
Wayne County Services on Aging is publishing a cookbook to raise money for scholarships for seniors to attend Wayne Community College classes at the Senior Center. Organizers are hoping to collect recipes from as many different seniors as possible from...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
'Remembering Adamsville' books available
Copies of "Remembering Adamsville" are now available for purchase. Put together by Jenny Wilder after nearly a year of compiling the community's history, the 500-page, 8 1/2 X 11, black-and-white photo, spiral-bound book will cost $30 each. A sample is...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Public record
Thefts Michael E. Gavdreav, 56, Livius Court, reported to the Goldsboro Police Department, the theft of $5,520 in property following a break-in at his home. Reported stolen and their values were: 52-inch flat-screen TV, $2,500; laptop computer, $800; Wii game...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Police make arrest in July shooting
A suspect in a July shooting of two men was arrested by Goldsboro police Friday after he had briefly barricaded himself in the attic of a residence on West Oak Street. Cornelius Donnell Weeks, 22, was jailed under a...Published: Aug 23, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Jurors receive instructions before beginning deliberations
When court resumed this morning jurors were prepared to hear closing arguments from Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee, followed by Nick McNeil and concluding with a second closing argument from the state from District Attorney Dewey Hudson.Before closing arguments began,...Published: Aug 23, 2010 9:00 AM Full Story
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Rocketeers en route to war
Hundreds of members of the 4th Fighter Wing's 336th Rocketeers are currently en route to Bagram Aifield, Afghanistan, after boarding a commercial airliner bound for war moments ago on the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base flight line. And before they...Published: Aug 22, 2010 10:30 AM Full Story
WCC enrollment continues to climb
Wayne Community College continues to break its own enrollment records, and officials say they expect the numbers to climb even more. Fall classes resumed on Thursday, with 3,816 curriculum students registered for courses. That is subject to change as students...Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Wayne Mental Health Association continues to serve community
The Mental Health Association in Wayne County is alive and well, and will continue to provide local services, its executive director, Amy Roux, says. Her announcement comes on the heels of last month's report that the Mental Health Association in...Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
EWHS grad participates in Teach For America
Catie Miller of Goldsboro will spend her first year of teaching in Bertie County. She was one of 4,500 new teachers selected from a record 46,000 applicants to work with Teach for America, the national corps of college graduates committed...Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
The Maria she loved
Before Maria Lauterbach became a household name, she was her mother's little girl. She was a Brownie. She loved to swim. She brought an energy and enthusiasm to things that, to others, might have seemed routine. "You always knew when...Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Man gets second chance for career, life
Dr. Dave Tayloe recalls the cold winter night when John Boyette first knocked on his door, some 10-15 years ago. "It was wintertime, he was on drugs, on the street, but somehow I knew he was a survivor," he said....Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Rocketeers to begin deploying to Afghanistan today
Less than two years after they returned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, members of the 4th Fighter Wing's 336th Rocketeers are on their way back to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Hundreds of members of the unit were scheduled to leave...Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Overall crime down in Goldsboro, Wayne County
Overall crime in Goldsboro and Wayne County was down in 2009 compared to 2008. According to the North Carolina Department of Justice, reported crimes in 2009 were down 9.1 percent in the county, with violent crimes down 8 percent...Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Students to see sex ed changes
Middle school students in Wayne County Public Schools will learn more about birth control options this year, as schools across the state are required to provide additional information on the subject. The 2009 Healthy Youth Act mandates schools offer a...Published: Aug 22, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Friday, August 20, 2010
Rocketeers set to deploy Sunday
Hundreds of members of the 4th Fighter Wing's 336th Rocketeers are scheduled to take off from the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base flight line Sunday, as the unit will make its way to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, to begin a...Published: Aug 20, 2010 7:07 PM Full Story
CSX: Train speeds going up beginning Saturday
Beginning Sunday CSX Corp. will increase the speed of its trains traveling north and south of the city. The increase was announced at Monday night's City Council meeting. On the northern end, the increase will begin between Belfast Road...Published: Aug 20, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Senator makes stop at Seymour Johnson AFB
Just because there is no immediate danger Seymour Johnson Air Force Base will be in the Base Closure and Realignment Commission's sights doesn't mean the county should relax, one of the state's senators said Thursday as she visited the...Published: Aug 20, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Internet parlors get OK to stay open late
The city has backed off of plans that would have required Internet cafes to close by midnight and further restrict how close they could be located to churches, schools and residential areas. The changes to the city's Unified Development...Published: Aug 20, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Schools meet, greet
Veteran educator Carole Battle, in her fourth year as principal at Carver Heights Elementary School, welcomed parents and students to open house Thursday night. She is looking forward to another school year, she said. "We're going to work on the...Published: Aug 20, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
The witnesses
Defense Witness No. 3 -- Navy Cmdr. Lynn Carlton: A registered nurse and midwife assigned to the OBGYN section at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, Ms. Carlton told the court Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach was one of her patients from September...Published: Aug 20, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Defense rests
His eyes focused on Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith, ex-Marine Cesar Laurean told those inside Courtroom No. 1 he would exercise his constitutional right to not testify in his own defense. Moments later, his attorney, Dick McNeil, rested his...Published: Aug 20, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Teacher's assistant hospitalized after crash near school
A first-grade teacher's assistant at Spring Creek Elementary School was airlifted to Pitt Memorial Hospital on Thursday afternoon after she was involved in an accident near the school. The two-vehicle collision happened when a car driven by Monica Bourdon,...Published: Aug 20, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Fremont residents critique citations
Fremont residents expressed their displeasure at Tuesday night's Board of Aldermen meeting about seemingly new, stricter law enforcement measures in town. Several residents said they feel they are being harassed by police in town for minor infractions such as seat...Published: Aug 19, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Jam postponed
The Center Street Jam scheduled for today from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. has been postponed due to chance of rain. The Legends of Beach will instead perform on Sept. 2....Published: Aug 19, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Chicken plant might cross road
Mississippi-based Sanderson Farms has expanded its search for a new plant site outside of Wayne County, sources say, possibly to an area near Rocky Mount. The company is looking for more than 600 acres of land on which to...Published: Aug 19, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Back to school
READY FOR CLASSES: Jessica Jones, left, and Miranda Aycock check their backpacks and books to make sure they have all of their supplies for the first full day at Wayne Community College. The college welcomed back students today. The rest...Published: Aug 19, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
The witnesses
Prosection Witness No. 41 -- FBI Special Agent Steve Kling: An agent assigned to find ex-Marine Cesar Laurean in Mexico, Kling told the court that he was charged with working with Mexican officials to capture the defendant after he fled...Published: Aug 19, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Laurean case: Defense takes over
A forceful blow to the left side of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach's head would have caused her to lose consciousness immediately. Then, after a heartbeat or two, she was likely gone. Dr. Thomas Clark III told those inside Courtroom No....Published: Aug 19, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: The defense rests, Laurean does not take the stand in his own defense
9:33 a.m.: Court resumes with continued testimony for the defense's witnesses. Navy Commander Lynn Carlton, a nurse-midwife who is assigned to the OBGYN section of the Camp Lejeune hospital, is called to the stand. Lauterbach was Carlton's patient in the...Published: Aug 19, 2010 9:23 AM Full Story
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
District prepares bus fleet for first day back on the road
The big yellow school buses will begin rolling next week, and the transportation department is putting the finishing touches on routes and assignments. In a district where enrollment hovers around 19,000-plus students, an estimated 12,000 ride a school bus each...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Bartlett: Hires at office were made properly
A story questioning the hiring of several Goldsboro residents by the North Carolina Board of Elections conveys an image of favoritism that is undeserved, says the executive director, who is himself a Goldsboro resident. A front-page headline in Tuesday's...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
More of county filled out forms for census
Mayor Al King Monday night said that he thinks a low 2000 Census count could have cost the county more than $8 million over the past 10 years. And while there were some problems this year particularly counting Hispanic...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Laurean's wife says she will not testify
Through her attorney -- and during a time when the jury was not in the courtroom -- the wife of ex-Marine Cesar Laurean said she would exercise her constitutional right to not testify against herself or her husband if called...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Victim's mom takes stand in murder trial
Mary Lauterbach kept her composure -- even after a forensic biologist confirmed her daughter's DNA was found on the majority of evidence collected inside ex-Marine Cesar Laurean's garage, even while she sat on the witness stand and fielded questions...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
The lure of the chalkboard
Cousins AJ Lamb, left, and Sarah Kirby doodle on a chalkboard at the Goldsboro Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church during a family reunion. The two cousins spent most of the reunion drawing in the children's day care or on the...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
The witnesses
Here is a selection of the state's witnesses who took the stand Wednesday: Prosecution witness No. 35 -- Onslow County Sheriff's Office Sgt. T.J. Cavanagh: A crime scene investigator and former Marine, Cavanagh told the court he was tasked with...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Duplin school board praises teachers for latest ABC results
KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County Board of Education discussed Tuesday the county's ABCs of Education test results. For the first time in six years, the county school system is no longer in improvement status, officials learned last week. None...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Increase in copper thefts has electric co-ops worried
DUDLEY -- Commodity prices for copper have more than double from what they were two years ago having reached approximately $3 per pound. These increased prices coupled with a struggling economy have led to a surge in recent copper...Published: Aug 18, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Defense begins questioning its witnesses in Laurean trial
9:30 a.m.: Court resumes. 9:37 a.m.: The state calls Steve Kling, an FBI special agent assigned to find Laurean in Mexico.Kling explained that while in Mexico tracking Laurean down he did not have the power to arrest the suspect, but...Published: Aug 18, 2010 9:25 AM Full Story
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Duplin leaders leave for new jobs
KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County Board of Commissioners said goodbye Monday to two county officials who resigned their positions earlier this month. Emergency Management Director Brian Pearce and Commissioner Reginald Wells were recognized at their last board meeting. Both will...Published: Aug 17, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Crime Stoppers encouraging tips via texts
After a year in service, the Crime Stoppers text message line has not been widely used, Goldsboro Police Department officials say -- and they want to see that change. Goldsboro police Sgt. Dot Ardes, law enforcement coordinator for Crime Stoppers,...Published: Aug 17, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
The witnesses
Here is a selection of the state's witnesses who took the stand Tuesday: Prosecution witness No. 23 -- SBI Special Agent Matthew Clifton: A crime scene investigator, Clifton told the court that in addition to his search of Ms. Lauterbach's...Published: Aug 17, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Investigators testify
Mary Lauterbach was unable to hold back tears Tuesday as prosecutors in the Cesar Laurean murder trial unveiled photographs depicting what they look to prove is blood in the defendant's garage and a crowbar the state contends was used in...Published: Aug 17, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Teachers can apply for $1 million in grant funds
U.S. Cellular, the company which promoted "Calling All Communities" and awarded $100,000 each to Wayne Country Day School, in 2010, and Brogden Primary, in 2009, has announced another campaign, this time for educators. Calling All Teachers donates $1 million...Published: Aug 17, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Butterfield announces $500,000 for Union Station
Standing in the shadow of the shuttered historic Union Station, Congressman G.K. Butterfield Monday afternoon made it official -- the city will receive a $500,000 federal earmark to help build a new transfer station for the GATEWAY bus system....Published: Aug 17, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Council OKs first steps downtown
City Council members by consensus Monday night agreed to allow design work to continue on the proposed revamping of Center Street -- but not without some trepidation on the part of several members. Those misgivings appeared to center on...Published: Aug 17, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Maria Lauterbach's mother takes witness stand in trial
The state continued its first-degree murder case against ex-Marine Cesar Laurean this morning with more witnesses expected to testify about the handling of evidence and their knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the death of Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach. Laurean,...Published: Aug 17, 2010 8:57 AM Full Story
Monday, August 16, 2010
Open houses planned for Wayne County schools
Open houses, signaling the arrival of a new school year for Wayne County Public Schools, begin later this week. Parents and students are invited to participate in the events, to become familiar with schools, meet the teachers and obtain class...Published: Aug 16, 2010 2:12 PM Full Story
Testimony continues in Laurean murder trial
Testimony in the trial of an ex-Marine charged with the murder of a pregnant comrade was expected to continue today in Wayne County Superior Court. Cesar Laurean accused of the first-degree murder of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach. Laurean faces life...Published: Aug 16, 2010 2:12 PM Full Story
Making sure Wayne residents have what employers want
Two work force development efforts at Wayne Community College -- the WorkKeys and Career Readiness Certificate programs -- are growing as more businesses require the certificates from potential employees and potential employees themselves find them useful in the search for...Published: Aug 16, 2010 2:12 PM Full Story
Workin' it - All Stars Family Fun Center
The Job: Employee The Company: All Stars Family Fun Center The Location: Goldsboro When I first arrived at All Stars Family Fun Center, I thought I was in store for a pretty easy day. There were only four or...Published: Aug 16, 2010 2:12 PM Full Story
Wayne County seeking funds for GATEWAY project
The public will have a chance to comment Tuesday morning on Wayne County's plans to seek $255,488 in state transportation funding for the GATEWAY transportation system. The county Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the proposal...Published: Aug 16, 2010 2:12 PM Full Story
Public record
Arson Police responded Friday night to a call of a visible fire at a residence at 134 Astor Court. Head of household Vanisha Thompson advised police that she and her boyfriend Cortez McNair returned to the home and could see...Published: Aug 16, 2010 2:12 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Crime scene testimony in Laurean trial continues
9:30 a.m.: Court resumes with the continued testimony of Special Agent Matthew Clifton.Clifton told the jury that in addition to his search of Lauterbach's vehicle, he was present at the Laurean home crime scene investigation on Jan. 11, 2008. He...Published: Aug 16, 2010 9:15 AM Full Story
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Back-to-school prep under way
When school bells dismissed students for the summer, for others that simply signaled the start of another, even busier, season -- getting ready for the next school year. "Basically, our summer is what we in transportation consider the busiest time...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Internet searches, ATM, fire focus of testimony
Prosecutors zeroed in on several Internet searches, four failed ATM withdrawal attempts and a "bonfire" Friday, as the state continued to unwrap its first-degree murder case against Cesar Laurean. But the ex-Marine's defense team seemed more interested in painting the...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
The witness list
A selection of state's witnesses who took the stand Friday: Prosecution, Witness No. 13 -- Frank Davis: A former Marine and current vice president of Marine Federal Credit Union, Davis told the court his duties at the bank include managing...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Mount Olive College welcomes first-year students for 2010-11 term
MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College welcomed a record-breaking freshman class Saturday as new students arrived to deck out their dorm rooms and learn their way around campus. About 234 resident and commuter freshmen turned out for their first official...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Back to School, Stay in School rally to be held Tuesday
The Goldsboro/Wayne NAACP and the STOP the Funeral Initiative Covenant Partners invite the community to attend its fourth annual Back to School Stay in School Rally on Tuesday from 6-9 p.m. at The Original Tabernacle of Prayer, 1007 S. John...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
A stitch in time
Demonstrations at the Gov. Charles B. Aycock historic site was part of the "Stitch in Time" event at which people learned about weaving, spinning, and quilting fabrics during the late 1800s. Spinning and weaving were crucial to North Carolina...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Reward offered
KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County Sheriff's Office announced that a $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft of two Phantom Seraph racing go-carts and five...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Events prepare students for class
Hundreds of Wayne County parents received a helping hand Saturday getting their children back to school without breaking the bank as local organizations gave away school supplies and offered free family programs. At the Goldsboro Worship Center on New Hope...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Union Station announcement scheduled for Monday
Congressman G.K. Butterfield will be in Goldsboro on Monday to make an announcement about the Union Station project. The event will take place at Union Station at 101 N. Carolina St. and will start at 3:45 p.m. Mayor Al...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Sections of Stoney Creek Park closed this week
The Goldsboro Parks and Recreation will close a portion of Stoney Creek Park Monday and Tuesday for tree pruning. The area to be closed will be between Walnut and Ash streets....Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Suspect in chase charged with robbery, vehicle theft, resisting
Xavier Crouell, 36, of Stafford, Va., was arrested by Goldsboro police after leading officers on a chase Thursday on U.S. 70. He had allegedly committed a robbery at gunpoint on Wayne Avenue. The vehicle he was driving struck another and...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Neuse Beekeepers honored
The Neuse Regional Beekeepers, which has headquarters at the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Service office in Kinston, has been awarded the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association Golden Achievement Program "2010 Chapter of the Year." The organization includes beekeepers from...Published: Aug 15, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Friday, August 13, 2010
From the witness list
Here is a selection of the witnesses from the first day of testimony in the Cesar Laurean trial: Prosecution, Witness No. 1 -- Daniel Durham: Durham, a Marine with 10 years in the service, told the court the victim, Lance...Published: Aug 13, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Social studies course will take students around the world
A pilot social studies course being introduced in Wayne County this fall has the potential to not only incorporate other subjects, but improve student test scores, officials say. Global Connections was approved by the State Department of Education and initially...Published: Aug 13, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Witnesses take stand in Cesar Laurean trial
Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson wanted the jury to see the crime scene -- the "shallow grave" from which the remains of United States Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach and her unborn baby were excavated Jan. 12, 2008. So...Published: Aug 13, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Ambulance hit by unknown vehicle
Shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday, a Wayne County EMS ambulance was rear-ended by someone driving a black sports utility vehicle or van, according to the state Highway Patrol. The driver then fled the scene heading towards Dudley on 117...Published: Aug 13, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Woman, son charged after meth lab discovery
SEVEN SPRINGS -- A woman and her son have been charged by the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office with operating a methamphetamine lab at her home on Jerusalem Church Road, just across the Wayne County line. Vanessa Jean Willis, 51,...Published: Aug 13, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Second day of Laurean trial concludes
Court proceedings in the second day of the state's first-degree murder case against Cesar Laurean continued at 9:30 a.m. this morning when the state called Frank Davis, the vice president of Marine Federal Credit Union, to the witness stand.Davis is...Published: Aug 13, 2010 9:25 AM Full Story
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Town honored for Veterans Day celebration
WARSAW -- Warsaw has received an early special recognition for its dedication to honoring America's veterans. The federal Veterans Day National Committee of the Department of Veterans Affairs named Warsaw a Veterans Day Regional Site for 2010. Veterans Day Regional...Published: Aug 12, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Dancers on tap for education fundraiser
The Wayne Education Network, which advanced the annual "Extreme BEE" fundraiser to help local teachers, will launch an even splashier effort to bolster its mini-grant program this spring, in the form of "Dancing with the Wayne County Stars." At its...Published: Aug 12, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Police chase alleged robber
A Virginia man led Goldsboro police on a chase this morning after he allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint. DeMario Edwards called police after he said he was robbed on Wayne Avenue. Edwards continued to follow the suspect, who had...Published: Aug 12, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
The jury
THOSE CHOSEN TO SERVE AS JURORS FOR THE TRIAL INCLUDE: * A white woman who used to work at Cherry Hospital was chosen to serve on the jury. She has three daughters -- the youngest, a 20-year-old -- and two...Published: Aug 12, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Jury is picked; now trial begins
After only two days, jury selection for Cesar Laurean's first-degree murder trial was completed Wednesday afternoon inside the Wayne County Courthouse, leaving both the defense counsel and prosecutors satisfied not only with the makeup of the panel, but with the...Published: Aug 12, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Witness testimony continues in Laurean trial
9:35 a.m.: Shortly after 9:30 this morning, the jury in the first-degree murder trial of ex-Marine Cesar Laurean was seated in Courtroom One at the Wayne County Courthouse and opening arguments were set to begin. Laurean is on trial for...Published: Aug 12, 2010 9:40 AM Full Story
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Teen, 17, wants to expand foster children project to Wayne County
Growing up, Amery Capps recalls a story her grandmother told her about a child being placed in foster care and later being picked up with all her belongings in a Walmart bag. From that, Amery, now 17, decided to do...Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Countdown to a jury
Jurors excused because of hardships: * A white male was excused after he told the court he was hard of hearing, so much so that if selected, he could miss critical testimony. * A white male was excused after he...Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Fremont is closer to spray field
Fremont is moving closer to opening its spray field by year's end. Construction began on the spray irrigation treatment and disposal facility on Davis Mill Road on June 14. The town will begin looking for its operator next week....Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
WCC once again earns an exceptional rating
Wayne Community College has once again received an "exceptional" rating among the state's 58 community colleges. According to the 2010 Critical Success Factors report, WCC was one of 11 community colleges that met "Exceptional Institutional Performance" standards. To receive...Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Lawyers down to 50 potential jurors
A jury pool of 50 was pared down Tuesday inside the Wayne County Courthouse, as Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith and attorneys representing the state and alleged first-degree murderer Cesar Laurean had their first interactions with potential jurors. And...Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
School chief meets with Duplin leaders, community
KENANSVILLE -- Members of the Duplin County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners met informally Tuesday night with other local officials, community leaders and business supporters to discuss the school system's future. The input meeting was a forum for...Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Teen talks reform at health fair at Broken Places
High school student Josh Williams was so impressed by what he heard at a recent seminar on health care reform, that he decided to make it the cornerstone of a community health fair. Williams, 17 and a rising senior...Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Making a foundation of color, love
The rows of colorful bricks in the foundation of Crystal Williams' home on National Drive won't be visible from the outside once the house is completed, but the children who painted them will know they're there. Dozens of kids...Published: Aug 11, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Jury selection continues
The second day of jury selection in the first-degree murder trial of Cesar Laurean began with a white elderly male potential juror requesting he be excused from the pool because of an overnight medical emergency involving his wife. The potential...Published: Aug 11, 2010 9:46 AM Full Story
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Goldsboro man reported missing
Scott Jeriel Hall, 42, has been reported missing by his mother. Hall is white with brown hair and blue eyes. He weighs about 175 pounds, is 5'6 and walks with a limp, according to the Goldsboro Police Department. Hall's...Published: Aug 10, 2010 4:15 PM Full Story
District welcomes newest teachers
With the start of a new school year comes the arrival of new and first-time teachers. The trick is in finding ways to keep them, educators say. Wayne County School Superintendent Dr. Steven Taylor said exit interviews have shown that...Published: Aug 10, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Mayor nearly run over by cart thieves at golf course
What was supposed to be a peaceful Sunday golf game turned into an "eye-opening" experience for Goldsboro Mayor Al King. Upon leaving the club house at the Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course, King was nearly run over by two teenage boys...Published: Aug 10, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Jury selection expected today
Cesar Laurean spent less than an hour in Courtroom No. 1 Monday, as Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith recessed the former Marine's high-profile murder trial well before noon. But during that time, those few dozen in attendance saw...Published: Aug 10, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Teen, 16, killed in ATV crash at Busco
A Lexington teen has died after an accident at a local recreational park Friday night. Joshua Dylan Horne, 16, of Lexington, died after he crashed his ATV at Busco Beach ATV Park and Campground, according to the Wayne County...Published: Aug 10, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Henderson takes oath for board seat
Howard Len Henderson, who was chosen by Wayne County Commissioners to fill Shirley Sims' unexpired term on the county Board of Education, was sworn into office Monday evening. In early May, Ms. Sims, who had served on the board...Published: Aug 10, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Board eyes changes in spanking policy, sex ed
The Board of Education passed a spate of policies Monday night, but not before two sparked a debate -- over abolishing corporal punishment and new comprehensive sex education instruction. Board member John P. Grantham said he might be the only...Published: Aug 10, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Public record
Goldsboro teen charged in school break-ins A 15-year-old juvenile has been charged by the Goldsboro Police Department in connection to two separate break-ins occurring in February and March of last year. He was 14 at the time of the break-ins...Published: Aug 10, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: First round of jurors dismissed
Jury selection began this morning in the high profile first-degree murder trial of Cesar Laurean in Wayne County Courthouse Courtroom No. 1. A jury pool of 50 people was first reduced to 39 potential jurors when 10 were dismissed because...Published: Aug 10, 2010 11:33 AM Full Story
Jury selection expected to start today
Jury selection for the first degree murder trial of Cesar Laurean is expected to begin today inside the Wayne County Courthouse....Published: Aug 10, 2010 9:51 AM Full Story
Monday, August 9, 2010
Stocking the shelves
The Job: Sorter and stocker The Company: Carlie C's IGA The Location: Goldsboro Usually I can tell when I'm not needed. In fact, practically every job I've tried for this column, I haven't been needed. But working as a sorter...Published: Aug 9, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Driver's extra effort helps save woman
Ricky Carr might not look like an angel, but to Estelle Shepherd, 70, that is exactly what he is. Carr, a part-time driver for GATEWAY, might have saved Mrs. Shepherd's life recently when he noticed something wrong when he...Published: Aug 9, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Officials: Center has cost Duplin taxpayers
KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County Board of Commissioners has voted unanimously to put Duplin County Events Center Advisory Committee chairman Stephen Williamson in charge of the facility. Williamson will take over the job vacated several months ago by former...Published: Aug 9, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Live from the courtroom: Laurean Trial: Day 1
Jury selection for the case against accused murderer Cesar Laurean is likely to start Tuesday. Today, the first day of the high-profile case was short, and spent primarily in pre-trial motions. The concerns over security and a clogged courthouse did...Published: Aug 9, 2010 9:36 AM Full Story
Sunday, August 8, 2010
County starts planning for departments' new offices
Wayne County is negotiating with a Greenville architectural firm to begin plans to convert an old department store building into the new home for Services on Aging and Health Department. The firm, MHAworks, was one of nine that responded...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
New Harmonies exhibit opens
The story of our nation's music is the subject of the latest exhibit to open at the Art Council of Wayne County. The Smithsonian traveling exhibit, the first ever to come to North Carolina, takes a journey through the roots...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Security in place for Laurean trial
Starting Monday morning anyone visiting the Wayne County Courthouse, at least for the foreseeable future, should expect two things -- snarled parking and waiting in line to clear heightened security. The first signs, literally, of changes at the courthouse...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
The storyteller: After a career of stories, Gene Price looks to add a new chapter to his
For Gene Price, the temptation was familiar -- an opportunity to play storyteller from the comfort of a corner office located in the newsroom he commanded for decades. And like so many times before, he succumbed to it, and the...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
WCC offers business seminars
The Business and Industry Center of Wayne Community College has set a schedule of 15 free seminars for this fall designed to prepare the business person to meet the ever increasing challenges facing small business. A listing of the...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Crowds chase back-to-school tax-free bargains at stores
Noah Blackman of Grantham was beaming Saturday morning at Staples as he watched his grandparents and father James pay for the computer he would soon share with his 15-year-old brother. "We're helping -- 50/50 -- it's a gift to him,"...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Aycock Birthplace to hold Second Saturday on Aug. 14
Old-fashioned fun awaits visitors to Charles B. Aycock Birthplace's Second Saturday event Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The theme will be "A Stitch in Time." There will be the bluegrass sounds of Sapony Creek, quilt displays...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Sheriff warns of new scam
Wayne County Sheriff Carey Winders is warning the public of an old scam that is reappearing. Recently, a county resident reported to the Sheriff's Office that they were contacted by e-mail by a person that claimed to be interested...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Red Cross sponsoring car giveaway contest
To thank its donors, the American Red Cross is sponsoring a "Racing Red, White and Vroom" contest. The organization will give away a 2011 Ford Fiesta, which has been donated by the Ford Motor Co. Donors can register online...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Rebuilding Broken Places to hold health fair
Rebuilding Broken Places will hold a Restoring Health and Wellness Empowerment Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Greenleaf Vision of Faith Community Center, 2105 N. William St. This health fair will feature free health screenings and...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Six Wayne nurses named to state's top 100 list
Six nurses from Wayne Memorial Hospital have been named as part of this year's Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina. The nurses were nominated by their peers and then screened by a statewide professional standards committee. Kathleen Harwell, Great 100...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Duplin EMS director resigns
KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County Emergency Services Director Brian Pearce has announced his resignation effective Aug. 27. Pearce will be taking a job with Cape Fear Valley Health System as the chief/director for Cumberland County EMS and LifeLink Critical Care...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Duplin schools perform on ABC report
KENANSVILLE - All but one Duplin County school made expected growth, and seven of the county's 16 schools achieved high growt,h according to the ABCs of Public Education report released this week. Duplin County Schools as a whole made...Published: Aug 8, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Friday, August 6, 2010
Thirteen graduate from WCC nursing program
Wayne Community College recognized the 13 members of its Practical Nursing class of 2010 in a formal pinning ceremony recently. The annual ceremony includes presentation of nursing pins, nurse's creed scrolls and roses by the faculty of the program;...Published: Aug 6, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
County OKs land buy for airport
The county is anticipating spending about $362,000 in state grant monies to purchase approximately 42 acres near the Goldsboro-Wayne County Airport. The land, referred to as the Crawford property, is located east and northeast of the runway. "The 42...Published: Aug 6, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Six face charges in meth raid
KENANSVILLE -- The discovery of two methamphetamine labs, one in Beautancus near Mount Olive and the other in close proximity to a high school in Beulaville, has led to the arrest of six people in Duplin County. Duplin County...Published: Aug 6, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Schools gets grades from state
One-third of the county's schools made high growth under the state's ABCs accountability model, while 22 of the 30 schools, or 73 percent, made at least expected growth, according to the state's final 2009-10 results, released Thursday by the N.C....Published: Aug 6, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tax free weekend starts Friday
North Carolinians will have a chance starting Friday morning to save money on many purchases that will help parents get their children ready for school. The annual tax-free sales weekend starts at 12:01 a.m. Friday and continues until 11:59...Published: Aug 5, 2010 2:14 PM Full Story
Commission OKs zoning requests, subdivision plans
A rezoning request and four subdivision plats, including one in which a variance was denied, were approved Tuesday morning by county commissioners. The Planning Board recommended approval of the rezoning and plats. Dixie and Bobby Burroughs, owners/developers of the...Published: Aug 5, 2010 2:14 PM Full Story
Officials: Smoking ban not an issue anymore
Six months into the state's new smoke-free restaurant and bars law, which went into effect on Jan. 2, officials are reporting a dwindling number of complaints. The adjustment has been seemingly without problem, said Kevin Whitley, director of the Health...Published: Aug 5, 2010 2:14 PM Full Story
Warsaw fire truck damaged in crash
WARSAW -- One person was injured and a Warsaw Fire Department fire truck sustained major damage recently when the driver of a sport utility vehicle collided with the parked truck. Units from Warsaw and the Faison Fire Department and Duplin...Published: Aug 5, 2010 2:14 PM Full Story
Scouts end Jamboree tired and wet, but with new friends and memories
By Tuesday night, Tuscarora Council Boys Scouts attending the National Jamboree were exhausted. They had been packing since two o'clock in the afternoon in hope they would be able to get on the road home early Wednesday. With all...Published: Aug 5, 2010 2:14 PM Full Story
Center Street poised to get new look
A vision born in 2006 took another step toward reality Wednesday, as downtown officials, again, made their pitch for a revamped Center Street. But this time around, Downtown Goldsboro Develo-pment Corp. Executive Director Julie Thompson and urban designer Allison Platt...Published: Aug 5, 2010 2:14 PM Full Story
Public records
Break-in suspect arrested Nathaniel McCullen, 47, South Landfill Road, Dudley has been charged by Wayne County Sheriff's deputies with breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering and possession of stolen goods. He was jailed under a $10,000. On May...Published: Aug 5, 2010 2:14 PM Full Story
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
A stand against crime
Sitting in his stroller, 17-month-old Jaden Ide's eyes darted back and forth between his parents to see which one would have the next pinch of pizza for him. He was not distracted by the din and crush of a crowd...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Wayne County tells visitors to park right or get towed
Beginning Thursday, anyone parking in the county-owned parking lots around the county courthouse had better be properly parked or they could find their vehicle missing when they return to the lot. County commissioners Tuesday morning invoked a state law...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Duplin Superintendent asks to eye Duplin lawsuit
KENANSVILLE -- The Duplin County Board of Education authorized Superintendent Dr. Austin Obasohan to examine options regarding the unpaid $4.8 million lawsuit judgment a jury awarded to the schools in 2008. The board members voted Tuesday for Obasohan to look...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Goldsboro on target for federal money
A March trip to Washington, D.C. by a delegation that included Mayor Al King and Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. executive director Julie Thompson, appears to have, at least partially, paid off. Less than a year after the group asked U.S....Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
WATCH debates teen pregnancy, birth control
Education and access to birth control would greatly help reduce teen pregnancy rates in Wayne County, Health Director James Roosen said. The economics of the teen pregnancy problem impact the entire community, Roosen recently told the board for WATCH,...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Southern Wayne Sanitary District receives recognition
DUDLEY -- The Southern Wayne Sanitary District has received the Spirit Award from the North Carolina Rural Water Association. According to the association, the award recognizes a water system that demonstrates "outstanding concern" for the water industry and for...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Teacher, author becomes one of his characters
The Wayne County Public Schools' Teacher of the Year got a surprise recently when he found himself depicted as a character of one of his children's books. Gregory Brown, a first- and fourth-grade Reading Recovery teacher and reading specialist...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Group promoting social media in Goldsboro
A new group of Goldsboro social media enthusiasts is promoting Twitter, a social networking tool especially popular among celebrities, professional athletes and even businesses, along with other forms of social media, which they say will help keep Wayne County...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Church to hold clothing giveaway
Friendly Holiness Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church will be holding a clothing giveaway on Aug. 14 from 8 to 11 a.m. Currently the church is looking for donations of good, gently used clothing. All clothes will be given away....Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Study: More students are being taught at home
RALEIGH -- The number of home schools has more than doubled in the last decade, according to a statistical report recently released by the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education in the Department of Administration. Statewide, 43,316 home schools operated...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Public record
Man arrested for railroad theft A Wilson County man wanted in connection with the theft of six I-beams from CSX Railroad property located at Aycock Acres Road outside Fremont has been apprehended by Wilson County law enforcement. Wilson County authorities...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Goldsboro City Council to think about new club request
Goldsboro City Council decided at Monday night's work session to think a little bit more about a proposal for a new nightclub in the city. Randy Guthrie, development services director for the city, reported to the council that an...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Concert planned to benefit local children's camp
A benefit concert featuring The Peter Mayer Group on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. at the Paul A. Johnston Auditorium on the campus of Johnston Community College. Proceeds from the event will go Comfort Zone Camp, a bereavement camp...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Conference: Hope exists for growing Alzheimer's problem
With an estimated 5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer's disease, early diagnosis is imperative, said the keynote speaker at the seventh annual Caregiver Education Conference hosted by Alzheimer's North Carolina Inc. on Tuesday. Dr. Dan Kaufer, associate professor of...Published: Aug 4, 2010 1:46 PM Full Story
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Duplin commissioner resigns
KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County Commissioner Reginald Wells of District 6 will step down Aug. 16 from the commission seat he has held since 2000. Wells announced his decision to resign at Monday's commission meeting. He also recently stepped down...Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Mount Olive sets sights on overgrown properties
MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive property owners who do not maintain their property could face a hefty mowing bill from the town, and further consequences if they do not pay the charges. The town Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday...Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Pikeville officials will wait on zoning request
PIKEVILLE -- The Pikeville Board of Commissioners decided to wait on making zoning changes that were requested by Elm Grove Church at Monday night's meeting. Originally church officials had requested a portion of their property be changed from community shopping...Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Rape suspect brought back to face charge
KENANSVILLE -- Rape suspect Romeo Rosinos Villatoro, 32, was in chains and wearing a blue bulletproof vest when he was escorted off the plane at Duplin County Airport where Sheriff Blake Wallace was on hand to take him into...Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Arena show one of the week's highlights
Special to the Messenger The sun begins to set, tent flaps are quickly being secured, and 40,000 Boy Scouts fall into formation for a two-and-a-half-hour hike. They are on their way to the Arena Show at the 2010 Boy Scout...Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Nonprofit group offers tips on building proper resumes
Michele Wiggins can tell horror stories about some of the poorly written resumes she came across when she was helping hire new employees for a local company. Generic resume files attached to completely blank e-mails were a particular pet peeve,...Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Mission: Diploma
MOUNT OLIVE -- Holly Jones' graduation project was parked outside Raper Hall at Mount Olive College on Monday, while, inside, she shared about the process that absorbed more than 20 months of her time. The recent graduate, and salutatorian, of...Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Correction
The name of one student who recently graduated from the dental assisting program at Wayne Community College was inadvertently omitted. Lisa Hood also recently completed the program....Published: Aug 3, 2010 1:59 PM Full Story
Monday, August 2, 2010
Inmate dies in ER at hospital
No foul play is suspected in the Sunday afternoon death of a man being held in the Wayne County Jail, Sheriff's Capt. Fane Greenfield said today. As normal procedure the State Bureau of Investi-gation has been contacted to investigate...Published: Aug 2, 2010 2:03 PM Full Story
Rape suspect to return to Duplin
KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County sheriff's deputies and agents with the State Bureau of Investigations left this morning for New York state to extradite a man charged in the rape of an elderly Mount Olive area woman. They are expected...Published: Aug 2, 2010 2:03 PM Full Story
Workin' it: Ice cream, with spirit
The Job: Ice cream shop employee The Company: Cold Stone Creamery The Location: Goldsboro Standing behind the counter at Cold Stone Creamery I was about to make my debut as an employee when my mind blanked. "Would you like to...Published: Aug 2, 2010 2:03 PM Full Story
NCDOT to reveal $1.5 million in paving projects
State Department of Transportation officials will outline more than $1.5 million in tentative secondary road paving projects when county commissioners meet Tuesday morning. The public hearing on the proposed paving projects is scheduled to get under way at 9:15...Published: Aug 2, 2010 2:03 PM Full Story
Grady's grand finale
DUDLEY -- There used to be one every few miles, a small country store where friends and neighbors could go for a cold soft drink and snack and pull up old wooden soft drink cases to sit on to...Published: Aug 2, 2010 2:03 PM Full Story
Jets to be flying low this week
The 336th Rocketeers will be participating in an exercise this week designed to prepare them for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. Local residents should expect increased jet noise and low-level flying as late as 1 a.m. for the next several...Published: Aug 2, 2010 2:03 PM Full Story
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Motorcycle riders aiming to help stop domestic violence
A younger Raynardo Nobles vowed to grow into a different kind of man than the ones he grew up around. "It made me a little nervous ... watching whoever it was beating on a woman," he said. "I said...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Paying it forward: Dave Odom returns home to help Boys & Girls Club
Looking back, Dave Odom was not so different from the children he hopes to help now at the Wayne County Boys and Girls Club. "The club taught us to compete and the value of sportsmanship," Odom said. "It also...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
A warrior's heart: Army Ranger comes home injured, wants to return to combat
PRINCETON -- Ask Cory Remsburg how he feels and, after a long pause, he says "strong" in a voice those who know him hardly recognize. Watch him make his way, from a wheelchair, around his girlfriend's home and you...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Summer institute to begin Tuesday
Wayne County Public Schools' teachers and parents will have an opportunity this week to learn innovative approaches for student success. Tuesday through Thursday, the district will host its fifth annual summer institute at Mount Olive College. Theme for the...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
County jobless rate creeps up
Wayne County's unemployment rate increased in June, ending the county's three-month streak of decreasing rates. The June unemployment rate increased slightly to 8.7 percent from 8.6 percent in May. The rate began decreasing earlier this year when it first dropped...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Overby pleads guilty to federal fraud charges
WILMINGTON -- A Goldsboro man has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to commit mail, wire and bank fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that Harold Aubrey...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
County prepares for furor of Laurean trial
Anyone with business at the county courthouse might want to get it taken care of this week -- otherwise they could find themselves caught up in the heightened security and the media and public crush that is expected to...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
New statue of Jesus replaces one vandalized at Evergreen
For more than 50 years, Jesus watched over Evergreen Cemetery in the form of a solid white marble statue. Six months ago, the statue was vandalized. But a new one has taken its place, and once more Jesus welcomes visitors...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Duplin hospital deal still in negotiations
KENANSVILLE -- Representatives of University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina, or UHS, are still discussing an agreement to purchase Duplin General Hospital with Duplin County officials and hospital administrators. If the deal goes through, UHS could take responsibility for the...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
Boys and Girls Homes seek foster parents
Boys and Girls Homes of NC, Inc., a non-profit organization, works everyday to promote awareness of the devastating effects of child abuse and neglect in southeastern North Carolina. The group needs foster and/or adoptive parents that are dedicated to assuring...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story
AgCarolina grants available
AgCarolina Financial is accepting grant applications through its corporate-giving program, The Fund for Rural North Carolina. Grants are available up to $5,000 per organization for programs that specifically benefit farmers and rural residents. Applicants may request funding in one of...Published: Aug 1, 2010 1:50 AM Full Story