February 2013 archives

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

County questions finances at Wayne Opportunity Center

DUDLEY -- Last week's plea by the Wayne Opportunity Center for the county to forgive the money it owes for recyclables wasn't its first. And the Wayne County commissioners are worried that repeat appeal means management issues still exist at...

Seven hurt in crash near Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- A two-car accident at the intersection of N.C. 55 and Indian Springs Road left a man critically injured and sent a mother and her five children to Wayne Memorial Hospital for treatment early this morning. News of...

Sewer battle rages at Walnut Creek

There was one thing the multitude of Walnut Creek residents and Village Council members could agree on Wednesday night at the public hearing concerning the village's sewer expansion: The council should do "the right thing." What's emerged as the...

March blood drive schedule

Following is the March blood drive schedule for the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross: March 5 from 1:30 to 6 p.m. at Grantham School. March 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Southern Wayne High School...

A warrior's heart

His dark eyes fixated on the large, rubber ball secured tightly between his two front paws, Ralph doesn't flinch when his owner says his name. His ears don't perk up when John Makripodis repeats himself -- when the young man...

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Vigil, auction strives to remember children lost

One candle burning brightly, draped with a black bow, stood somberly in the middle of the stage, reminding those gathered that a child died from abuse here last year. It was the centerpiece of the fifth annual Life L.I.G.H.T.S....

Police make arrest in Monday shooting

Goldsboro police say they have arrested a suspect who is charged with shooting a man in the parking lot of Bob's Supermarket on Slocumb Street Monday night. Demetrius Tyshad Lewis, 24, is recuperating from his wound at Vidant Medical...

District defends driver checks

Background checks for bus drivers in Wayne County Public Schools came under scrutiny this week on the heels of a TV news report that alleged some of the district's drivers had criminal records. But school officials likened the report...

Nine students to compete for Miss EWHS Friday

Miss Eastern Wayne High School 2013 will be crowned Friday evening at 7 p.m. in Moffatt Auditorium at Wayne Community College. Nine contestants are vying for this year's title. The pageant is sponsored by the Family, Career & Community...

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Walnut Creek residents will meet to discuss village sewer proposal

Walnut Creek residents and village officials are preparing for what promises to be one of the highest-attended public hearings in recent memory Wednesday night when the Village Council hears from residents concerned about changes to the sewer system that...

Shots fired at city store

A Goldsboro man was shot Monday night while he sat in a car outside Bob's Supermarket on South Slocumb as he waited for his mother to come out of the store. Demetrius Tyshad Lewis, 24, was shot in the...

Pikeville looking to fill job

PIKEVILLE -- Pikeville is looking for a new town administrator as Kathy Fields will be leaving her post on Friday. Town Mayor Johnny Weaver said the departure was voluntary -- that Ms. Fields simply had another job offer --...

Family, manager honored at annual livestock banquet

The Wayne County Livestock Development Association Monday night presented its Outstanding Livestock Producer of the Year Award to Stevens Family Farms in the Grantham community and honored its longtime fair manager Milton Ingram and his wife, Sandra, for their many...

County leaders to visit college

Wayne County commissioners will hold two special work sessions Wednesday morning. At 8 a.m., they will meet as the county's Solid Waste Committee to take up a request by the financially struggling Wayne Opportunity Center that commissioners forgive a...

Injuries, but no deaths, in train/car collision

MOUNT OLIVE -- A southbound CSX freight train struck a car that turned into its path in south Mount Olive on Monday. The late model Chevrolet Impala driven by Chianti Mulmer of Mount Olive tried to cross the intersection...

Monday, February 25, 2013

Car hit by train in Mount Olive

A car was hit by a train in Mount Olive, where County Road crosses Center Street, early Monday afternoon.There are no fatalities, but two people have been taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital. Follow @newsarguscops and www.NewsArgus.com for more information...

Looking at their local achievers

Crysmann Brandon might not be a legend yet, but he's got some big dreams for the future. "I want to be a fireman and a husband," the 6-year-old said. On Friday, the kindergartner at School Street Elementary School got to...

New Mount Olive library still on county's to do list

MOUNT OLIVE -- It appears there soon could be some movement on a new Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive, nearly a year after the previous Wayne County Board of Commissioners approved a $3.5 million budget amendment for the...

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Officer cleared in firing of gun

A Goldsboro police officer who discharged his weapon in the line of duty Tuesday has been cleared by an internal investigation and was back on patrol by Friday. Sgt. Joshua Stine had been on administrative duty since the shooting. "Both...

School rallies around family to help with accident aftermath

The morning of Jan. 31 started out like any other. Floydie Harris had gone outside to repair a fence at their Dudley home on Pecan Road. His wife, Rhonda, was preparing to take their two youngest children to school...

Communities in Schools: For the children

Communities in Schools has had a "fantastic year," its executive director said Friday. But, Selena Bennett added, despite all the volunteer and staff efforts to keep its programs going, funding is still needed and she's hoping the community will...

Overflow at jail remains an issue

Wayne County officials are feeling the pressure to do something about jail overcrowding after an additional expense was added to the already large bill for finding somewhere outside the county to house overflow prisoners. The $200,000 appropriated by the Wayne...

Wayne Business and Industry Center offering programs for women

The Wayne Business and Industry Center will offer a series of programs in recognition of Women's History Month. "We wanted to do something in honor of Women's History Month that would bring attention to the roles women can and...

Windsor Creek water to be shut off Wednesday

Residents of the Windsor Creek subdivision are being encouraged to plan accordingly for a four-hour water shutoff this week. Goldsboro spokesperson Kim Best said crews will need to shut off the water in the neighborhood off Wayne Memorial Drive...

United Church Ministries

United Church Ministries held its 29th annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet recently at First African Baptist Church. Secretary-treasurer Elaine Lamm gave the financial report, which showed member churches donating $27,672 and the annual Walk for Hunger raising $14,120. Other receipts...

Local educators find outlet as Storm Surfers

Many successful musicians start out in garage bands. Or they grow up, take on a real job and put that phase behind them. For one group of local educators, though, the music hasn't died, it's just moved from the...

Enthusiasts turn out for Praxis Film Festival

TeShima Brennen was the child who would go to the library and come home with 10 books. It was not unusual to get lost within their pages, she said. "Stories have always been something that have been very important,"...

WCC offering free lecture series on Middle East history

Films like "Argo" and "Zero Dark Thirty," as well as the Showtime series "Homeland," are increasingly popular because they reflect the current climate of what is happening in the Middle East. But what led up to those depictions? Officials...

Group wants to improve hiking trails in eastern N.C.

It was a daring proposal, especially for 1977, but hiking the Mountains-to-Sea Trail -- a 947-mile trail -- is a daring endeavor itself. Hikers typically begin the trail at Clingman's Dome on the Tennessee state line and meander across...

Friday, February 22, 2013

Child care providers will talk about stopping bullying

Bullying starts younger and younger. Because of that, those who work with the tiniest segment of the population are asking for help nipping the problem in the bud. "We did a survey of child care providers. We want to offer...

City hears solar farm pitch

Goldsboro appears poised to join Mount Olive and Duplin County in welcoming solar energy farms after Strata Solar made its pitch at Monday's Goldsboro City Council meeting. Representatives from the solar energy company spoke during a public hearing concerning...

Remembering those who paved the way

School Street School fourth-grader Iyahna Timmons, 10, reads her report on actor Sidney Poitier as she and fellow students give their reports on historical black figures to celebrate February as Black History Month this week. Besides doing reports on...

Parade delayed by rain threat

MOUNT OLIVE -- Heavy rain might delay a celebration, but it sure isn't stopping it. Mount Olive's Fifth annual Black History Month Parade has been moved from its originally scheduled day of Feb. 23 to March 2 because of...

WCC holding Black History Month art exhibit

As part of its Black History Month celebration, Wayne Community College is hosting an exhibit of works by Dudley artist Lawrence Durham. The 13 pieces, which depict scenes from historical to modern times -- from Buffalo Soldiers and Tuskegee...

BPW scholarship applications available

The Wayne Duplin Business and Professional Women's Organization invites women to apply for scholarships awarded annually in memory of distinguished BPW members. Two awards of $500 each will be given. Applicants must be women who are entering or returning...

Six to compete for Miss Charles B. Aycock on Saturday

Six young ladies will be competing for the title of Miss Charles B. Aycock High on Saturday. The pageant will begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in the school's gymatorium. Admission will be $5. The contestants are:...

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Wayne County recognized as 'WorkReady' community

Wayne County was recognized Wednesday as the state's first Certified WorkReady Community -- a designation that local leaders said was made possible by partnerships and strong leadership across the county. They also credit the county's success to its innovative Wayne...

GPD responds to shootings; officer in accident en route

Goldsboro police responded to two reported shootings in the span of an hour Wednesday afternoon, and in the process lost a patrol car to an accident on Ash Street. Police were dispatched to the first shooting, in the 800 block...

Harris Teeter still coming

Despite indications that the company might be sold, Harris Teeter's corporate office indicated in a press release last week that it intends to continue with its strategic store growth plan and will continue to keep its headquarters in North...

Eastpointe to educate through Lunch and Learn

One goal of the newly expanded Eastpointe is to provide more information to the public, starting with monthly "Lunch and Learn" events covering a variety of topics, officials say. While mental health services continue to be a need, prevention...

Group hopes to offer choices

Employment, education, entrepreneurship. These three factors are the linchpins to success that too many young people in Goldsboro are missing, organizers of the Stop the Funeral Initiative's Drug Dealer and Gang Member Redemption Conference said Wednesday. The Rev. William...

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Chief shares crime report

Goldsboro has seen a marked increase in murders -- nearly double. But it was the rest of the crime statistics that Goldsboro police Chief Jeff Stewart highlighted during his recent presentation at the the Goldsboro City Council. Across the board,...

Center wants county to forget $26,000

The Wayne Opportunity Center is having serious financial difficulties and officials with the organization asked Wayne County Commissioners on Tuesday to forgive a $26,000 debt it owes the county as it attempts to work its way back to solvency....

Partnership allows heart patients to get surgery close to home

Gary Pine thought it was just heartburn when he returned from his third shift of work at Butterball Jan. 10 and had a sharp pain in his chest. "It felt like someone was holding a blowtorch to my chest,"...

Healthy living starts early

Tommy's Road Elementary School students and their parents filled the gym at the school Tuesday night to check out booths set up by local organizations such as the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, the Family YMCA, and Goldsboro Parks and...

STOP the Funeral set to hold yearly redemption conference

The STOP The Funeral Initiative is planning its 2012 Drug Dealer/Gang Member Redemption Conference for Thursday and Friday. The conference will be held at Greenleaf Christian Church at 2110 N. William St. on Thursday and Friday for adults and...

Solar farms take look at Duplin County, Mount Olive

As clean energy looks to become a major contributor to the nation's power grid, North Carolina, and more specifically, Duplin County, is drawing millions of investment dollars in creating new solar farms. That includes a $250 million solar farm...

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Johnny Walker dies at age 87

MOUNT OLIVE -- John N. "Johnny" Walker, the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. president emeritus who was as much at home on the pickle-packing line as he was the boardroom, and who elevated pickle puns to an art form, has died....

Stolen car recovered from Neuse River

A 2010 Chevrolet Equinox stolen from Holly Springs last week was pulled out of the Neuse River Monday, about a quarter of mile down river from the boat ramp at Bill Lane Boulevard. No body was found inside and no...

Baseball proposed for Goldsboro

Ernest Lofton remembers the tin roofs that only the biggest home run hitters could rattle. Bob Malpass remembers how bringing back a home run ball from over the fence meant free admission. Lofton remembers taking advantage of that, too....

Commissioners tour, eye county facilities

Overall, Monday's tour of county-owned facilities produced no surprises, other than the number of buildings that need roof replacements, said Wayne County Commission Vice Chairman Ray Mayo. "I was not aware that we had that many," said Mayo, chairman of...

Monday, February 18, 2013

Officials: Access control key to highway's future

Without proper access management, traffic problems that plague Wayne Memorial Drive and Berkeley Boulevard will spread across Goldsboro and its urbanized area, transportation consultant Stephen Greene told the Goldsboro Metropolitan Planning Organization last week. Greene is vice president of Ramey...

Two former 4th Fighter Wing commanders are on the rise

Two former 4th Fighter Wing commanders were recently nominated for promotion by President Barack Obama. Col. Patrick Doherty, the man who, just last year, passed the wing's guidon to current Commander Col. Jeannie Leavitt, is set to receive his first...

Wayne County grand jury: Escapee will face charges

Roughly one year ago, when he was just 16 years old, Ishmael Jamal Bunch overpowered two Juvenile Justice Transportation officers and escaped their custody. According to press releases issued at the time by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Bunch escaped...

CBA Engineering Academy students building electric car

Students in the Engineering Academy at Charles B. Aycock High School are building an electric car out of PVC pipes, thanks to a $3,000 Toolbox for Education Grant provided by Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation. CBA is one of...

Fire damages southern Wayne home

DUDLEY -- A Dudley woman was forced to climb through her bedroom window to get to safety this morning when a fire broke out in her home before 6 a.m. She was able to get to a neighbor's house and...

WCC and MOC to help with FAFSA forms on Saturday

Both Wayne Community College and Mount Olive College are offering opportunities this weekend to help individuals and families of those planning to attend college in the 2013-14 academic year obtain financial assistance. Both locations will be holding free workshops...

Sorghum seed could be scarce

An expected shortage of grain sorghum seed could slow the resurgence of the old crop that undergoing a renaissance because of its drought resistance and ability to thrive on marginal soil. Planted in May and June, sorghum is a...

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Hospital will host event for busy moms this week

Wayne Memorial Hospital is hosting a free LiveWell women's event next week catered to the busy woman. "Cirque du Mom" will take place on Thursday in the hospital cafeteria from 6 to 8 p.m. A lineup of stress-reducing seminars...

Last chance to register for spring classes at WCC

Wayne Community College will hold one more registration for spring classes. Registration for Spring II condensed courses will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 26 on the college's main campus in Goldsboro and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb....

Air show canceled

After several weeks of deliberation, 4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Jeannie Leavitt announced early Friday afternoon that there would be no Wings Over Wayne Air Show this year. The fiscal challenges facing the military -- and nation -- are simply...

Special Olympics bowling team needs funds to compete

Special Olympics Wayne County will be sending one of its 2012 state bowling gold medal teams to participate in the two-day 2013 National Unified Bowling Invitational being held in Reno, Nevada, Feb. 27-28. This is the 23rd annual event...

Praxis Film Festival Feb. 23-24

The Third Annual Praxis Film Festival at Wayne Community College, canceled last month due to inclement weather, will take place next weekend. Instead of the original format of a Friday evening and Saturday line-up, organizers say the same 21...

Cub Scouts design, drive their way to victory

Jackson Rose had already been warned once about running, but the 7-year-old couldn't contain his excitement Saturday morning. His red Pinewood Derby car had just won the first Outlaw race of the day at Mount Olive College's Kornegay Arena,...

Local student receives full ride to West Point

A Wayne Country Day School senior with a penchant for aviation and military intelligence has been accepted to attend West Point, the prestigious military academy in New York. Zachary Brewer-Kirby, or B.K. to his friends, will have his college expenses...

Free mammograms March 14

The "BelkGives on the Go" Mobile Mammography Center, a 39-foot-long, state-of-the-art screening center on wheels, will stop at Belk Berkeley Mall on Thursday, March 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. to offer free, convenient mammogram screenings. Women age 40...

Second charter school in the works

The president of a Goldsboro tutoring service for more than two decades is laying the groundwork to bring another charter school to the area in 2014. Dr. Ken Benton, who runs Academics Plus with his wife, Dr. Marilyn Benton, director,...

Cure for Colors marathon April 12 across from WMH

Southeastern Cancer Care "Cures for the Colors"will hold its third annual Walk/Run Marathon fundraiser on April 12-14. The three-day event will take place in the open field across from Wayne Memorial Hospital. The opening ceremony will be held Friday, April...

Commissioners plan slew of meetings, facilities tour

Wayne County commissioners this coming week will hold two special sessions in addition to their regular mid-February meeting and are expected to schedule additional special sessions for March -- including a joint meeting with the Wayne County Board of...

Parks and Rec plan on agenda

Parks and Recreation is expected to again be the lead topic of discussion at Monday's meeting of the Goldsboro City Council where the city's governing body is expected to make a decision on the department's master plan after delaying...

Bentonville battle event

FOUR OAKS -- An artillery demonstration will be the highlight of the 148th anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville. The event will be held March 16-17 at the Bentonville Battleground Historic Site. Two artillery batteries with a total of eight...

Friday, February 15, 2013

SJAFB calls off Wings Over Wayne

The 2013 Wings Over Wayne air show has been canceled, as the Air Force -- and military -- continue to face budget woes. For complete details, including a message from 4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Jeannie Leavitt, see Sunday's News-Argus....

Making a difference one youth at a time

This isn't the Goldsboro they grew up in. YaSheeka Sutton and Mia Barnette both say they no longer recognize the landscape of the city that helped raise them, a place they also say no longer offers any of the support...

Group looks at U.S. 117 upgrade

A feasibility study looking into what would be necessary to upgrade U.S. 117 to freeway or even interstate standards has been slowed by personnel changes at the Eastern Carolina Rural Planning Organization, but is still scheduled to be completed by...

Extension is seeking field crop agent

Wayne County could have a new Extension Service field crop agent by May 1, if not sooner, just as local farmers are delving into the new growing season. The job, that has been open since Jan. 17 when John...

Thursday fire

City firefighters were sent to a working structure fire early Thursday evening off South William Street. One unit in a three-complex apartment building was heavily damaged when a fire broke out in the kitchen, but thanks to a quick...

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Love stories: They found their valentines at MOC

MOUNT OLIVE -- Some Mount Olive College alumni received special greetings this week -- all in the name of love. The college's tight-knit community and hometown atmosphere have aided many in not only finding their eventual careers -- but...

No decision yet on W.A. Foster plans

The Goldsboro City Council again decided to delay the approval of the Parks and Recreation Master plan as well as selecting a firm to handle the design work for the city's new W.A. Foster Center during the second day...

Second murder suspect caught

A man local lawmen allege participated in a December double-murder was arrested Tuesday a mile away from where the fatal shooting took place. Kevin Raiford, 29, was taken into custody without incident in Dudley and charged with two counts of...

Commissioner questions 'ability to pay' procedures

The Health Department is not in the business of providing free services, officials said, but at the same time does not turn away those in need. The issue came up at Wednesday's Board of Health meeting, when Health Director...

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Fast facts: surplus property sales

The Goldsboro City Council agreed during the first day of its retreat to sell of two pieces of surplus property it purchased using Occupancy Tax money: one that was proposed to be the site of a civic center and another...

Museum scrapped

The Goldsboro City Council will demolish the former Arts Council building at the corner of Ash and Spence streets and sell the property, council members decided at a retreat work session Tuesday. The council spent $500,000 on the 14,000-square-foot...

County Planning Board seeks to take back authority

The Wayne County Planning Board approved a draft proposal Tuesday night to reclaim most of its power to adopt subdivision plats, rather than sending them all to the county commissioners. However, board members said commissioners should continue approving large...

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Foster to top council talking points

The Goldsboro City Council approved by consent Dec. 17 seeking qualifications from architectural firms for a new W.A. Foster Center to be located at Mina Weil Park, but the next step toward replacing the city's aging facility was delayed...

Career 'tryouts'

Fire Inspector John Morton, left, of the Goldsboro Fire Department, shows Dillard Middle School seventh-grader Tyqwondale Jackson, 12, how to use an oxygen mask at the Goldsboro Fire Department's exhibit booth during the third annual Seventh-Grade Career Fair held...

Metropolitan Planning Organization to discuss U.S. 117

Progress on a study to determine what is needed to have U.S. 117 South upgraded to a freeway, or even as the extension of Interstate 795, will be discussed Thursday morning by the Goldsboro Metropolitan Planning Organization. The MPO's staff-level...

Club honors member's battle against cancer

When Jane Cates Deppe walked into Monday's bridge game, she was overwhelmed by a sea of red. All of the Goldsboro Duplicate Bridge Club members had donned red wigs to honor Ms. Deppe, who has been fighting cancer for...

Mount Olive native to again hold Shriner office

Mount Olive native Bennie Smith, was re-elected to his 16th term as the recorder for Sudan Shriners at the annual Sudan meeting and election of officers held Jan. 26 in New Bern. As the Sudan recorder, Smith is the...

Monday, February 11, 2013

Filing period set for next round of municipal elections

The filing period has been announced for the Nov. 5 municipal and sanitary district elections in Wayne County. Filing will begin at noon on Friday, July 5, and end at noon on Friday, July 19, for five of the...

Money available to pay heat bills

Applications opened Feb. 1 to more households across the county seeking help with heating bills through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program. The application period runs through March 29 or until the funds are exhausted. There are no automatic approvals....

Getting ready to dance

The website is live, posters are going up around town and voting has officially begun for this year's Dancing Stars of Wayne County. The third annual community fundraiser for education will be held Friday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m. at...

Suspect arrested in thefts

A suspect in the Jan. 29 break-in at the EZ-Bait and Tackle was arrested Friday, facing charges in Wayne and Cumberland counties. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has in custody 30-year-old Jodie Lee Steele Jr., who is charged with breaking...

Woman in fair condition after Sunday accident

Officials at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh said today that a Greenville woman is in fair condition after being flown in Sunday following a vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 13 S. near Herring Road. Terika Jenise Albritton, 28, of 524...

Two men to face cocaine charges

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office Drug Squad, working with the Duplin County Sheriff's Office, the Greenville Drug Task Force, the SBI and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, stopped and arrested two Greenville men suspected of transporting cocaine through Wayne County...

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Woman seriously injured in wreck

A Greenville resident was seriously injured in a one-car wreck early Sunday morning and was airlifted, via helicopter, to WakeMed Hospital for treatment. Terika Jenise Albritton, 28, was pinned in her red Chevrolet for nearly an hour as responders from...

Five years ... strong

David Weil sits near the back of the Paramount Theatre wearing a tuxedo. It's the same one he donned five years prior at the theater's grand reopening after it was rebuilt, but he says it fit him better Friday...

Man, 24, will face heroin charge

A Goldsboro man charged with trafficking in heroin is in the Wayne County Jail under a $1.5 million secured bond. Carsheme Jamil Ruffin, 24, of 303 Leslie St., was arrested by the Goldsboro Police Department's Drug Squad on Thursday....

Food stamp delay shifts to May

The backlog in processing hundreds of food stamp applications in Wayne County is being chipped away, but it will be May before it is completely cleared -- just in time for Medicaid information to be entered into the new statewide...

Grant funds pay off at Wayne Community College

Wayne Community College President Dr. Kay Albertson told a joint meeting of college trustees and Wayne County commissioners this week that the college cannot rely solely on state appropriations to do all that it needs to do. Instead, the...

Pastor, church share pizza, fellowship with children

A Raleigh pastor says he saw a need in Wayne County and decided to respond. Craig Smith of Enrich Your Joy already travels to Goldsboro each Saturday to conduct a miracle and healing service from 2 to 4 p.m. at...

Events set for Wayne Reads

Wayne County Reads continues its 2013 "season of reading" with a lecture and a book discussion this week. Dr. A.J. Bullard will speak on "Medicinal and Native Plants of the Carolinas" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12. Location is...

County adopts NCACC goals

Wayne County commissioners adopted a resolution this week supporting legislative goals of the state Association of County Commissioners. While opposing the shift of state responsibilities and associated costs to local governments tops the list, commissioners said that agriculture continues be...

Mount Olive Chamber honors 10 for community service

Mount Olive Chamber President Tyler Barwick Graham had no idea the banquet she helped organize would also be the place where she was honored for her years of service to the community. Mrs. Barwick Graham was awarded the Distinguished...

Friday, February 8, 2013

Two men accept deals in murder cases

Two men accused of murder accepted plea deals in Wayne County Superior Court this week. Judge Arnold Jones sentenced Onza Lee Brown Jr, 35, to a maximum of 11 years in prison after the defendant pleaded guilty to voluntary...

Waterlogged

Heavy rains overnight flooded this section of Royall Avenue near its intersection with Spence Avenue this morning, with traffic having to be rerouted. State Transportation Department officials were on the scene, along with Goldsboro police. The water was expected to...

Four facing charges in city drug raid

An investigation conducted by the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations culminated in a brief vehicle chase and four arrests Thursday. A search warrant, served at 170 Best Ave., with the assistance of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office including members...

Overcoming their obstacles

Alaina Brooke Howell scanned the audience gathered at the central office of Wayne County Public Schools Thursday afternoon, unaffected by the fact that all eyes were on her. The petite curly-haired 5-year-old was wheeled to the front of the room...

Wayne County Reads continues new season with discussion of book

Book enthusiasts gathered inside Weil Auditorium Wednesday as the county's monthlong celebration of literacy continued with a discussion of the Wayne County Reads selection, "Bless Me, Ultima." The discussion was led by Debra Curl, who specializes in language studies...

Optimists collecting computers Saturday

On Saturday, the Goldsboro Optimist Club will collect used computers from the public in the parking lot at Sam's Club from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The following items are needed for its Optimist Computers4Kids program: computers with Windows...

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Mount Olive simplifies civil penalty law

MOUNT OLIVE -- The passing of a uniform civil penalty code by the Mount Olive Board of Commissioners has given Mount Olive police a much simpler weapon in enforcing town laws. The resolution was one of three recommendations by...

Former florist loses his fight

At the time, it seemed like a simple gesture -- the passing of a red carnation from a local business owner to the first woman to enter his modest flower shop. But when, every day for more than 30 years,...

Sharing their stories -- general's wife visits

Kathy Wells knows what it's like to move around a lot. As an "Army brat" and now wife of the 9th Air Force commander, she is also the mother of three grown children who has a soft spot for military...

Paramount to hold fifth anniversary gala Friday

The Paramount Theatre on Center Street will celebrate its fifth anniversary since it reopened with a gala Friday night featuring loads of local talent as well as national and international artists. The lineup of acts includes some of Wayne...

Mount Olive College to hold annual Winter Glitz on Feb. 23

The Mount Olive College Alumni Association is preparing for its annual Winter Glitz on February 23, at 6 p.m. in the Lois K. Murphy Regional Center. This year, the theme will be "Cirque du Lune ... A Magical Evening...

Downtown restaurants shift

Customers paid their final tabs at Getaway Coffeehouse Cafe Wednesday morning while just yards away two young restaurateurs are making plans to open up a new pizza and oyster bar as part of a downtown shuffle of restaurants. Getaway...

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

U.S. Postal Service says it will stop Saturday mail

Goldsboro postal carrier Kirk Farmer cases mail early this morning at the Berkeley Station on Cashwell Street before heading out on his city route. U.S. Postal Service officials announced this morning that they are preparing to end Saturday delivery...

Sanitary districts might be redone

The landscape of Wayne County's seven sanitary districts could drastically change to the point of encompassing the entire county if state lawmakers agree to a local bill sought by the Wayne County Board of Commissioners. Commissioners on Tuesday morning...

Library still on county's top list

Mount Olive Town Manager Charles Brown says that he is taking Wayne County commissioners at their word that a new library in the town is still one of their priorities. Brown said he is not concerned that the library wasn't...

Of drums and dreams

Bill Schiedt of Tam Tam Mandingue Winston-Salem teaches Rosewood High School students traditional African drumming. Schiedt taught the music lesson to the students and also explained how his trip to Africa changed his life. He told the students to...

Veterinarians wait for band data from hawk

A red-tailed hawk captured last Tuesday near Emmaus Church Road in Dudley has seen better days. The hawk was spotted by several area residents, who contacted the Wayne County Animal Control. Officer Graham Price responded to the scene to...

Autopsy report is back

The cause of death has been released in connection with the September murder of a Goldsboro teenager. Kennedy McLaurin, 16, who was kidnapped and murdered in 2012, had been beaten, burned and shot twice in the chest before being...

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Professor tells migration story to kick off Wayne County Reads

Wayne County Reads, celebrating its 10th anniversary, kicked off its 2013 season Monday at Wayne Community College with a discussion of Latino migration as its members prepare readers to tackle the group's newest selection. Dr. Hannah Gill of the...

Report: Pikeville receives clean accounting bill of health

PIKEVILLE -- The town of Pikeville received a good report from the company that performed its most recent audit at the town board's meeting Monday night. Sheree Klepchick, of the accounting firm Petway, Mills & Pearson of Zebulon, told...

Streetscape: Yes

The Goldsboro City Council decided to move forward with the engineering and design services portion of the second phase of the Center Street Streetscape Project Monday night, but not without extensive discussion. The measure awards the engineering work for...

Schools eyeing future for tech

Technology plays an integral role in schools, even more so as districts move toward administering state testing online, officials told the Board of Education Monday night. Olivia Pierce, executive director of information/technology services with Wayne County Public Schools, said that...

Feeling old and young again

Kindergartners are sometimes known for being wise beyond their years. But anyone walking though the hallways at Rosewood Elementary School on Monday might have been a little surprised to see just how much the first-year students have "aged" since school...

Monday, February 4, 2013

Air show plan getting look

Wayne County will still have an air show this May, despite concerns that potential Washington-ordered budget cuts would ground the annual event. 4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Jeannie Leavitt told event planners this morning to push forward with preparations...

Patrol concerns: short on manpower

Deep state budget cuts in back-to-back years and an unsustainable attrition rate are thinning the ranks of the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the problem is particularly acute in the troop that includes Wayne County. First Sgt. Jeff Gordon, the...

Man, 49, to face sexual assault charges

A Pikeville man was arrested Friday by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office on charges of sexual offenses against a minor. The abuse, investigators say, began when the victim was 6 years old and continued until she turned 12. Donald Scott...

Middle school career fair seeks participants from trades

The more professions represented at a career fair for middle school students, the better awareness about the local job market, organizers say. And one area they would especially like to have on hand at next month's event is small businesses,...

Commissioners to hear Mount Olive highway needs

Mount Olive's long-range transportation plan, which, among other things, calls for upgrading U.S. 117 to freeway status, will be presented to Wayne County commissioners at their meeting Tuesday. The presentation will be made by Carlos Moya and James Upchurch of...

Raecher to be Shriners' voice

George Raecher of Goldsboro has been appointed to the Sudan Shriners Divan as the assistant recorder, and to a second term as the director of public relations and editor of the Sudan Red Fez. Newly elected Sudan Potentate Ken...

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Dress, play: Annual Games Summit draws crowd

One day ago in a community college not too far, far away .... It was a period of gaming war. Local gamers, striking from locations around Goldsboro, won a number of victories against electronic competitors during the Carolina Games...

Game summit discusses video game violence

One of the forums during the Carolina Games Summit on Saturday featured a talk with video game veterans Patrick Scott Patterson and Joel West about video game violence, especially its recent discussion in the news media linking it to...

Wayne County mental health group back on track

A year after facing possible closure, the Mental Health Association in Wayne County held its annual meeting Thursday to elect new officers and re-commit to keeping the struggling organization intact and operating, albeit with less. "We're trying to get...

MOC to host farmland preservation workshop

The N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund will assist in hosting five workshops across the state for local governments interested in protecting their communities' agricultural lands. The Voluntary Agricultural District workshops are for agricultural advisory board members, county...

Council to decide future of downtown

The future of downtown Goldsboro's signature revitalization project is expected to be decided Monday night as the City Council plans to once again discuss whether to proceed with the Center Street Streetscape Project. A resolution due to be voted...

Goldsboro woman wins pickup for second time

Most people won't win a car during their lifetime, but Viola Ryals Figueroa has been lucky enough to win two in the past 23 years. The 45-year-old Goldsboro resident picked up a brand new, dark blue Ford F-150 XLT...

Friday, February 1, 2013

Police search for clues in death

Goldsboro police say they have no new information to release regarding the investigation into a Jan. 23 shooting or about the police response to that murder. Nor could they discuss whether a shooting just days later in the Day Circle...

Another victory on road to cure

Bobby Massengill didn't cheer when a Relay for Life official announced that last year's main event saw Wayne County residents raise more than $420,000 to help fund cancer research. He didn't hear his wife, Eunice, choke up when she referred...

Cancer Society announces new study

American Cancer Society officials announced Thursday evening that Wayne County residents have been chosen to participate in a potentially life-saving study -- one they characterized as "groundbreaking." And Natalie Edwards, the organization's mission delivery director for eastern North Carolina,...

County weighs cost of upkeep

The average age of the 32 buildings owned by the County of Wayne is 55 years, and the county must dedicate itself to a maintenance budget to preserve and extend the lives of those buildings, said Wayne County Facilities...

Crew tries to break drive-thru record

Coffee, biscuits and McMuffins flew out the drive-through window early today at the McDonald's on Berkeley Boulevard, propelled by a fast-working crew of employees intent on breaking the business's record of 179 drive-through customers served in an hour. "It...

Girl Scouts open cookie booths today

If you missed out on pre-ordering your Girl Scout cookies this year -- and most people did with only one week of pre-sales -- don't worry, Scouts will be out from today through March 10 at various locations across...

Arrest made in Lincoln Drive assault, robbery

Goldsboro police officers investigating the common law robbery of 21-year-old Lamarr Ordaniel Whitfield have made an arrest and expect more will follow. Denisha Lashonda Todd, 18, of 1204 Ben Brewington Court, was arrested at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the...