July 2014 archives

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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Jeep rolls, three hurt

Three people were injured in a single-vehicle wreck along Tommy's Road Tuesday at about 1:30 p.m. N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper J.M. Holloman said at least one victim's injuries are severe. Kayla Maria May Rindy, 24, of Hunter Drive,...

Pikeville man, 38, charged with drug crimes

A Pikeville man under investigation for more than a year by the Goldsboro/Wayne County Interagency Drug Task Force and the DEA is in the Wayne County Jail today under a $1.5 million secured bond. Danny Lee Wells, 38, of...

Let's bee friends

It's better to float like a butterfly than to be stung by a bee. To prove that simple lesson, Bill Thering, wearing no protective gear and armed with only a smoker, makes calm and measured movements among his beehives...

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Towns excited about future savings

It will be some time before ElectriCities customers in Fremont and Pikeville could see any change in their monthly bills, but there is no question that the announcement is "a big deal," Fremont Mayor Darron Flowers said. The deal...

Shared crop

When you don't have a lot of money in your household budget, fresh foods can be out of reach. And it is even tougher if you have trouble getting to the grocery store. According to federal designations, when an...

Lawmen charge man in local robbery spree

Arresting officer Det. Sgt. Ronald Baker of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday's capture of a breaking and entering suspect began with the suspect's being chased from a residence by the homeowner's father. Jamario DeShawn Weeks, 24, 619...

Golden LEAF awards scholarships

Fifteen Wayne Community College students were selected to receive summer term scholarships through the Golden LEAF Scholarship program for the North Carolina Community College System. Curriculum (college credit) recipients and their programs of study are Devin Best, automotive systems...

Ward to retire as county 'tax man'

Wayne County Tax Administrator David Ward, 59, calls himself an "accidental" tax collector. After all, no child sets out to be the "tax man," said Ward who is retiring after nearly 40 years in the Wayne County Tax Office....

Fremont teens charged in Norwayne Middle break-in, robbery

FREMONT -- Two Fremont teenagers are charged with breaking into and vandalizing Norwayne Middle School. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office learned of the break-in after a fire department responded to an alarm at the school and discovered a forced entry....

Lawmen holding charity golf event

Golfers hitting the links at the Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course Oct. 10 might see blue lights in their cart's rear view mirror, but they don't need to worry about being cited for any double-bogies. The goal is to raise...

Former teacher back to run Faith Christian

An alumnus and former teacher at Faith Christian Academy has returned to the fold as its administrator. Micah Conlon, who graduated from the school in 1997 and later taught math and science there for 10 years, said he was...

Pool problems

Hot weather and high humidity have some Wayne County residents battling an unwanted green visitor in their pools and on their porch steps. Bill Smith, owner of Bill's Pool and Spa Maintenance Service, said he has received a lot...

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

A second chance

She wanted a new start. Instead, she found herself spending the last $10 she had to put gas in her truck with nowhere to go, and no idea what was going to happen next. Ruby Pichirilo, 31, came to...

Tickets available Friday for Reading Between the Wines

Wayne County residents will have a chance to meet two famous North Carolina authors and to help their neighbors at the same time this September. Two North Carolina writers will read some of their works and talk about their...

Lawmen arrest murder suspect

U.S. Marshals and SBI agents located a Snow Hill man wanted in connection with a Greene County murder Monday. Three Goldsboro men have already been charged. Authorities caught up with Terrence Melton, 29, at about 5:30 p.m. in Walstonburg,...

Legislative breakfast rescheduled

State budget negotiations that are expected to continue into the weekend have prompted the rescheduling of an end-of-session legislative update breakfast that had been planned for this Thursday. Sponsored by The Goldsboro News-Argus in conjunction with the Wayne County Chamber...

Woman missing after family drops her off at bus terminal

Wayne County sheriff's deputies are looking for a woman who has been missing since Independence Day. Patsy Mitchell McMillan, 49, of 414 E. Hall St. in Wallace, has not been seen since relatives left her at the bus terminal...

Monday, July 28, 2014

Mount Olive sewer grant approved

MOUNT OLIVE -- After hearing unofficially for days, the town of Mount Olive has finally been notified that its $1.5 million sewer infrastructure improvements grant has been approved. Town officials earlier had learned that another $1.5 million grant, this...

'You get a line ... '

Children fish at the Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course this morning as part of a four-day fishing camp hosted by the city's Parks and Recreation Department....

Industry could be coming to county

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive town officials last week hinted that a potential new industry with ties to the military is interested in locating in the Mount Olive Industrial Park. No details concerning the industry's identity were revealed during...

City foots the bill for tearing down homes

Each year, the Goldsboro Community Development Department allocates funding to tear down damaged or dilapidated houses across the city for owners in need. The owners know that their houses need to be torn down, but can't afford to do...

Optimist Club to host open house

Optimist Club of Goldsboro will host an open house Saturday, Aug. 2, from noon to 4 p.m. at the club's headquarters, 205 E. Walnut St. During the open house, club members will provide information about the club's Computers4Kids program...

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Uprooted -- Lawmen cut down 100-plus pot plants

Behind a mass of cornfields tucked off Highway 70, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office made an unexpected find. Two plots of marijuana -- plants with a street value in the hundreds of thousands -- were growing tall. So they watched...

Man charged in shooting incident

A Wayne County man has been arrested for his alleged connection to a shooting incident. Dwayne Alan Smith, 193 Mull Smith Lane, was charged with discharging a weapon into a moving vehicle and assault with a deadly weapon with...

Riverkeepers hope to protect Neuse from seepage

Matthew Starr of the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation was floating down the Neuse River in his kayak when he noticed something strange flowing into the water. What he saw was a mysterious orange seepage near the site of the former...

No one running against Gurley

No Democrat will officially challenge newly appointed commissioner Republican Joe Gurley this fall in his bid to serve the remainder of his term as District 4 representative on the Wayne County Board of Commissioners. Democratic Party Chairman Gene Britt...

Local church hosts block party

To celebrate his one-year anniversary at New Spirit Church Ministries on North William Street, pastor Marvin Alexander did something a bit unconventional. He threw a block party. From Clydesdale horses to motorized flying helicopters, the block party gave something for...

News-Argus to host legislative breakfast

Want to hear firsthand what is happening in Raleigh and to ask your state representatives a question or two? This coming Thursday will be your chance.The Goldsboro News-Argus, in conjunction with the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, will sponsor an...

Friday, July 25, 2014

Wish upon a storefront

The Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. is taking on two new projects -- one asking people to tell them what they would like to see downtown and another to make sure they know what is already there. There is a...

Waterlogged

A car negotiates a flooded Royall Avenue near its intersection with William Street on Thursday afternoon as a thunderstorm pounded Goldsboro and parts of Wayne County. More than an inch of rain fell in a short time, according to...

City offers public chance to meet law enforcement

The 31st Annual National Night Out is set for Aug. 5, and will once again be held in Herman Park. Festivities get under way at 6 p.m. "Come out and see what's new this year," event organizer Cpl. Marrisa...

Charges filed in inmate death

Christopher Montreal Phillips, an inmate at Neuse Correctional Institution, has been charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of Terry Houser, 58, of Mecklenburg County. Houser died July 23 at Wayne Memorial Hospital after sustaining serious...

Thursday, July 24, 2014

On the day a tornado hit home ...

Tammy Forrester will never forget the day a tornado ripped the roof off her home -- or the help she received from a Red Cross worker when she didn't know where to turn. She was just 18 when a tornado...

It's time to get ready for hurricane season

Being prepared before a hurricane hits will make life after the storm a little bit easier and might even save your life. That's why the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross is encouraging local residents to make...

Inmate is dead after brawl in prison

A Wilson County man is expected to be charged by Goldsboro police today with an open count of murder in connection with the death of a fellow inmate at the Neuse Correctional Institution. A first appearance for Christopher Phillips,...

Caped Crusader hits big 7-5

The bat that crashed through the window at stately Wayne Manor 75 years ago did more than provide a brooding Bruce Wayne with his Dark Knight alter-ego -- it inspired generations of children to don towel capes in pursuit...

Serious injuries after accident

El-Roy firemen along with Wayne County EMS had to use extraction tools to remove the top of a jeep in order to free the driver, Julius Grisette III of Goldsboro, after he was involved in a single vehicle accident on...

Free block party this Saturday

New Spirit Church Ministries will sponsor a free block party this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church, 1501 M William St. Also participating will be the Goldsboro Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Young Mom's...

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Vehicle tax rules helping collection

It will be several more months before Wayne County tax officials have a clearer picture of how much of the nearly $6 million in vehicle taxes billed annually will be collected. In prior years, the county was lucky if...

United Way chairman: It's about people

There are no limits to what the United Way of Wayne County and its partners, recipients and supporters can accomplish if they remember the core reason that they raise money, start programs and create a better community, the organization's...

School supply drive being planned for early August

The more visible effort, a big yellow school bus parked in the newspaper office parking lot, will take place on Friday, Aug. 1, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. for ease of dropping off donations. All items will be turned...

Say Aaaahhhhhh

Dr. Kevin Buchholtz, left, Wayne Community College's on-site dentist, shows Sydney Singleton, 4, her teeth during pre-kindergarten dental screening held at the college on Tuesday morning. Along with dental check-ups, children also received vision and hearing tests to make...

Health Department meets standard

The Wayne County Health Department has been re-accredited by the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board. The status must be renewed every four years. The local department received its first accreditation in 2009. Prior to 2008, it was...

Four-wheel connection

Jerry Cazeault knew the day Zephyr was born he could never let anything happen to her. "She only weighed a pound when she got here," Cazeault said. "In 19 weeks, she weighed three and a half pounds." She was...

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

County gets ready to send tax bills

The Wayne County Tax Department is just weeks away from mailing out some 72,000 tax bills for real estate and personal property, which includes mobile homes, boats and items like that, and for personal business property such as business...

Have the next BIG idea?

GREENVILLE -- A casting call for the ABC TV show "Shark Tank" will be held Thursday at The Martinsborough, located at 330 S. Evans St. in Greenville. Aspiring business entrepreneurs can begin arriving at 9 a.m. to receive a...

Past due medals

Vietnam veteran Robert Brown, right, congratulates retired Staff Sgt. Elbert Scott on receiving five medals of honor for his service in the Army and Air Force totaling 21 years. The well-attended medal presentation ceremony was held at the Wayne...

Council OKs funding for GATEWAY project

The Goldsboro City Council approved contracts for design and administrative services for the new GATEWAY transfer station and the continuation of the city's Streetscape project at its meeting Monday night. Both projects are funded by U.S. Department of Transportation grants....

Charges added for July shooting

Goldsboro police have charged a Goldsboro man being held in the Wayne County Jail under weapons charges with two counts of attempted murder for a July 9 shooting on Oak Street. Police charged Daktari Xavier Harris, 22, of 1106-B...

Arts Council hosts Showcase free because of new PNC grant funding

Wayne County residents will have the opportunity to hear jazz musicians from throughout the state and all over the country perform right here in Goldsboro -- for free. The Arts Council of Wayne County has hosted the Wayne County Jazz...

Monday, July 21, 2014

Officials look for robbery suspect

A Hispanic male speaking a southern Mexican dialect has been robbing stores in the southern portion of Wayne County since February, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said. Sheriff Larry Pierce is now asking for the community's assistance in capturing the...

Back-to-school bargain hunting

There might not be an official weekend for tax-free bargains this year, but local shoppers will still be able to find back-to-school discounts to help get them through their lists, local stores say. Hearing that this year there would be...

New Commissioner Joe Gurley plans to learn first, then to help set priorities

Commissioner Joe Gurley says he learned early on that it was better to talk less and to listen more. It is the approach he is taking on the campaign trail and as he sits through his initial meetings as the...

Mount Olive gets first look at its new library

MOUNT OLIVE -- For a few hours Sunday afternoon, Steele Memorial Library patrons could celebrate and talk above a whisper without being worried that they would be shushed by branch manager Jerilyn Lee. Hundreds of people roamed the state-of-the art...

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Soccer field complex still on city agenda

The Goldsboro City Council has directed the city to move forward with construction schematics for a new soccer complex -- despite the fact that a recent recreation bond designed to fund it failed. The plans are expected to cost...

Herman Park Center will just get repairs; W.A. Foster will be rebuilt at new site

The new W.A. Foster Recreation Center will be built in the coming months. A city soccer field complex, too. But after the failure of the May $18.9 million Parks and Recreation bond referendum, Herman Park Center renovations are on...

More charges in drug sweep

The countywide drug sweep that began with 13 arrests July 9 is continuing, Goldsboro Police Department drug squad supervisor Capt. Seth Harris said. Eight suspects have yet to be caught. Montrell Allen, 39, Guillermo Rivas, 17, and Angela Bruce,...

Guess who could be next reality stars

A new YouTube video teasing a reality show at Busco Beach and ATV Park is getting a lot of attention online, garnering almost 18,000 views since it was posted at the beginning of the month. The video, created by...

Three charged in series of break-ins

Three people have been charged by Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputies following a continuing investigation into several break-ins and larcenies across the county. Charged were: * Kristen Smith, 23, 202 Southern Pine Drive, one count of felony breaking and...

YMCA receives grant

The Goldsboro Family YMCA has been chosen as one of 40 YMCAs in the nation to receive a $100,000 grant to train 10,000 adults in an online curriculum to prevent child sexual abuse. "Stewards of Children" is the curriculum of...

United Way kicks off 2014 campaign with concert by 'Elvis'

Wayne County residents can enjoy some Elvis music and help their neighbors at the same time during the United Way of Wayne County campaign kickoff event Aug. 22 at the Paramount Theatre. Elvis tribute artist Stephen Freeman is bringing...

Scouting bubbles

Will Lewis, 11, chases after bubbles while assisting with an activity during the Waynesborough Day Camp for Cub Scouts Saturday. Will and other Boy Scouts helped at different stations at the camp for Cub Scouts to earn pins for...

Library memories

MOUNT OLIVE -- Don't bother trying to convince Angela Hobbs Wall that the basement in the original Steele Memorial Library is just an ordinary storage area filled with dusty junk. Fascinated with the off-limits area since childhood, Mrs. Wall,...

Rosewood student serves as page

Anna Nicole Cooke, a student at Rosewood High School, recently served for a week as a page in the North Carolina Senate. She was sponsored by state Sen. Louis Pate of Wayne County. She is the daughter of Ester Cooke...

Teens earn scholarships for health essays

Teen suicide. Mental health in Wayne County. The "spiral staircase" of health care costs. All very adult subjects. But this year they were the topics chosen by youths who submitted winning essays in the Teen Public Health Perspective Essay...

Courtroom to get tiles to improve acoustics

Projects are being planned to improve the acoustics and to eliminate a recurring mold problem in Superior Courtroom No. 1 in the Wayne County Courthouse. The Wayne County Commission Facilities Committee Thursday agreed to proceed with the projects as...

City to eye grant funds

The Goldsboro City Council is expected to approve contracts for design and administrative services for the new GATEWAY transfer station and the continuation of the city's Streetscape project at its Monday meeting. Both projects are funded by U.S. Department...

Freshman reading assigned at University of Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- Conor Grennan's "Little Princes" has been selected as the common reading for the incoming freshmen class at the University of Mount Olive. The book is an account of Grennan's trip to an orphanage in war-torn Nepal....

American Red Cross sets blood drive dates

Summer is here and that's when blood donations typically drop. The American Red Cross is encouraging Wayne County residents to take time out of their busy summer schedules to give blood. Here is the blood drive schedule: * Aug. 6...

Friday, July 18, 2014

Court dates create lines

The metal detectors in the atrium of the Wayne County Courthouse track the number of people who step through them each day. As of 9:30 a.m. today, the east side metal detector read 641. The west side detector read...

Commission changes policy on board appointments

More than two months after once routine appointments to county boards and committees turned contentious, the county not only has a new Appointment Committee, but a new procedure for making appointments as well. In the past, the committee met prior...

Two face weapons charges after stop

Two men are in jail on weapons charges and additional charges are pending after a brief foot chase with police late Thursday. The Goldsboro Police Department says the arrests are tied to an ongoing investigation "into the recent rash...

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Loans for new schools signed

Ground could be broken as early as August for new middle schools that will be build in the Grantham and Spring Creek communities. "It has taken many years to get this far," Wayne County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve...

Sheriff's Office on lookout for missing man

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is asking for help in locating a Seven Springs man missing since July 12. Charles William Tobin, also known as Chuck, walked away from his home at 259 Broadhurst Road and has not been...

Two to face charges in meth arrests

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation Clandestine Laboratory Unit assisted the Goldsboro-Wayne County Interagency Drug Task Force in breaking up two separate methamphetamine manufacturing operations Tuesday, both in the Grantham community. One suspect is wanted in connection with the...

Dancers will raise funds again

Dancing Stars of Wayne County is gearing up for its fourth year raising funds to support programs of the Wayne Education Network. This year's show will be held in the fall, on Friday evening, Oct. 17, at the Paramount...

Tea for two

Khloe Tapley, 4, and her great-grandmother Stella Payne enjoy refreshments and social time during the Grand Ladies Tea Party at Herman Park Center on Wednesday. Khloe and Mrs. Payne attended the tea party with 49 other grandmothers and granddaughters....

Thief confesses to city tool thefts

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office contacted the Goldsboro Police Department Wednesday to alert investigators of a suspect's confession that he was part of a burglary ring that hit several city targets, too. Christopher Andrew Tyndall was already in custody...

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

NCDOT continues projects on Wayne County roads

Work has resumed on the long-standing Royall Avenue widening project set to add a dedicated left turn lane along Royall Avenue from Sunburst Drive to Berkeley Boulevard, state Department of Transportation officials say. The project, in the works for...

Investigators still looking for leads

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office said it is following every potential lead in the investigation into the murder of Derrick Matthews, but that its investigators still need the public's help to find the perpetrators. Matthews, 33, 102 Sal Court,...

Man shot in car Tuesday afternoon on LaGrange street

A Lenoir County man is dead and investigators are following up leads after a Tuesday afternoon shooting on South Wooten Street near Boundary Street in LaGrange. Duane Lavoris Bright Jr., 21, died after two unknown subjects fired multiple shots...

More seeking help for food

Every Tuesday and Thursday, a crowd forms on Park Avenue. In small clusters, directed by a man in a yellow vest, they cross the street and enter the basement of the House of Fordham. Then, they get food. Through...

19-year-old faces charges after traffic stop, drug find

A Goldsboro man is charged with selling marijuana after a large quantity of the drug was seized from his vehicle during a traffic stop, according to a press release. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office Aggressive Crime Enforcement Team, working...

Man says he was robbed in park

A Dudley man found himself being harassed by a group of four men in a park near Dupont Circle Tuesday, according to a Goldsboro police report. He told Goldsboro police he was then beaten and robbed. Elwood Ezekiel Minor,...

Fremont receives approval for USDA funds

FREMONT -- The town of Fremont has received approval from the United States Department of Agriculture for a grant and loan combination to fund the purchase of a new garbage truck to replace its failing one. The USDA grant will...

EEOC files suit against Mount Olive Care and Rehabilitation Center

MOUNT OLIVE -- A nursing home here and its Delaware-based parent company have been charged with violating federal law by firing an employee because of her disability. The employment discrimination lawsuit was filed July 10 by the U.S. Equal...

Dr. Albertson reflects on her role at WCC

July marks seven years since Dr. Kay Albertson was named the first woman president of Wayne Community College. The self-described "high energy" administrator has lost none of her enthusiasm for the role. What she has done is added a new...

Crime of the Week

On March 10, Deborah Hutchins reported a break-in at her residence on Crisp Street in Goldsboro. Hutchins reported more than $7,900 worth of property stolen from her residence and damage to a door. Further investigation into the matter led to...

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Three charged in Dudley break-in

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has charged three men in connection with a breaking and entering in the Pleasant Acres community on June 23. Donte Priester, 21, of 109 S. Running Deer Circle, Shamar Coleman, 20, of 1492 W....

Man in stable condition after shooting on Slocumb

Police and emergency personnel responded to a shooting about 9 p.m. Monday at 915 S. Slocumb St., and found Bobby Davis, 23, of 309 S. Audubon Ave., suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. Davis was reportedly found...

Pediatrician wants parents to 'power down'

Pediatrician Dave Tayloe wants to give his patients more than a diagnosis and treatment during an office visit. He hopes to also ensure children have a long and healthy future. So when he started seeing alarming statistics of low...

City man arrested on cocaine charges

A Goldsboro man faces drug charges after narcotics officers witnessed a drug transaction Monday. Nikia Barnard Bryant, 39, 712 S. Audubon Ave., is charged with conspiring to sell and deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine,...

Man hit by car is now identified

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive Police Department has identified a man killed early Sunday morning when he stepped into traffic on North Breazeale Avenue. Stephen Franklin Parks, of 1405 E. Pine St., Goldsboro, died at the scene. The...

Two-vehicle wreck

Pricetown fireman Larry Williams looks at the damage done to the car of Michael Casteen, a local postal carrier, Monday afternoon. Casteen's vehicle was struck from behind by an SUV that was driven by Cirilo Hernandez on N.C. 55...

Pikeville woman faces charges in meth arrest

A Pikeville woman is facing charges of possession of a meth precursor following an investigation conducted by the Goldsboro/Wayne County Interagency Drug Task Force. Jeannie Marie Johnston, 28, of 844 Forehand Road, was placed in the Wayne County Jail...

Man, 31, will face heroin charges

The Goldsboro/Wayne County Interagency Drug Task Force announced Monday the July 10 arrest of a Goldsboro man charged with conspiracy to sell heroin. Calvin Douglas Jones, 31, of 1010 S. Andrews Ave., is also charged with possession with intent...

Monday, July 14, 2014

School staff to offer input on building

Before moving ahead with a $6.6 million project to add 20 classrooms and to renovate the cafeteria at Charles B. Aycock High School, architects are being encouraged to get more input from administrators and staff at the school. Representatives...

Two sought in murder

A Goldsboro man is dead after a home invasion in Wayne County early Sunday morning. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is actively investigating the case as a homicide. Derrick Matthews, 33, was at home at 102 Sal Court in...

Mount Olive sewer expansion planned

MOUNT OLIVE -- Increasing the size of a sewer force main will not only allow the town of Mount Olive to handle the additional demand from a planned expansion at the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. Distribution Center on Old...

Man, no ID, killed by car

The Mount Olive Police Department says a man killed after he was struck by a car Sunday remains unidentified today. "We had a motor vehicle versus a pedestrian very early Sunday morning. A black male was hit, dead on...

With a little help from her friends

DURHAM -- It was the moment she'd been waiting for ever since the nationwide "American Idol" tour launched in late June. Majesty Rose, the Top 10 finalist from Season 13 from Goldsboro, was at DPAC in Durham Sunday night,...

GPD looks into possible set of local arsons

Investigators are working to determine whether several suspicious fires this weekend are related. At least two were confirmed to have been "set" fires. The Goldsboro Fire Department put out a dumpster fire at 1808 William St. Sunday at 10:30...

One-truck crash

A single vehicle wreck at the railroad crossing on Rosewood Road blocked traffic in both directions early this morning. The driver of this Ford F-150, Michael Moore, 24, of 305 Trappers Wood Drive, ran off the roadway as he...

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Tool theft ring broken up

The investigation is ongoing and more charges are pending against three people charged in a series of Wayne County and Goldsboro robberies, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Saturday. Ashley Renee Briggs, 24, and Jeffery Allen Briggs, 22, both...

Pharmacy marks its 50th year

Mike Raper, pharmacist at Raper Discount Drug, was only in the ninth grade when his father, Frank, now 82 years old, built the new location on Wayne Memorial Drive. Now his father is retired, and the younger Raper runs...

Looking back: Helms shares thoughts on development

Joanna Helms measures the success of Wayne County economic development over the past 20 years not just in brick and mortar and jobs, but in the county's ability to remain successful in a vastly changed industry recruitment environment. Mrs....

Highway planning advances

MOUNT OLIVE -- The state is continuing to refine designs for the extension of I-795 between Goldsboro and I-40 in Sampson County. The I-795 design committee will meet July 30 in Raleigh. Along with a feasibility study being conducted...

Calling all Cougars (and Cougars at heart)

David Perry had a sense of pride in Goldsboro High School before he even walked through its doors. "Growing up as a young child, I always looked forward to one day being able to play football at Goldsboro High...

$61,000 in heroin seized

A Goldsboro man suspected of supplying local mid-level drug dealers with heroin from Newark, N.J., is being held in the Greene County Jail today under a $1,000,000 secured bond. Investigators say Willie James Barr Jr., 41, of 913 Fourth St.,...

Gunshots are fired outside city home

[email protected] One man was injured and two others spared Saturday in an early morning shooting outside a residence on National Drive, according to a Goldsboro police report. The drive-by shooting took place at 1:35 a.m. According to the report, Brandon...

Program offers healthy cooking tips, and message to share with others

[email protected] Ophelia White thought she knew how to cook, but during a recent Cook Smart Eat Smart class at the Wayne Center, she discovered she was not always making meals the right -- or healthy -- way. The 29 other...

County commmissioners, Mount Olive Town Board to eye airport transfer details

[email protected] If there was one project that was in the heart of the late J.D. Evans, it was the desire to see a new library built in his town of Mount Olive. This week, his former colleagues on the Wayne...

Friday, July 11, 2014

District hires new chief for school transportation

Less than two months after the Wayne County Public Schools transportation director was fired after a fourth consecutive failed school bus inspection, an Air Force veteran has been hired to fill the post. Robert C. Lee III, of LaGrange,...

Book delivery

An opening-day collection of books and other materials valued at $300,000 arrives Wednesday for Mount Olive's new Steele Memorial Library.  Branch Manager Jerilyn Lee, center, along with Jerry Bright, left, sales manager for Baker and Taylor Book Co., and...

She's coming 'home'

Majesty Rose is coming home. Well, close to home. Goldsboro's own "American Idol" contestant will get her chance Sunday to perform in her home state, as the show's Top 10 brings its "American Idol Live" tour to Durham. The...

City man guilty in federal pain pill probe

A Goldsboro man was one of six defendants sentenced after the successful federal prosecution of an Oxycodone distribution ring. The case was heard by U.S. District Judge Louise Walker, who sentenced the last two defendants Wednesday, according to a...

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Another arrest made in roundup

The Goldsboro Police Department reported an additional arrest Wednesday following Tuesday's multi-agency roundup of 12 alleged drug dealers and a 13th man arrested on weapons charges. Montrell Demontario Allen, 39, is charged with possession with intent to sell and...

GATEWAY board must pick five new members

Five new members will join the GATEWAY board of directors this month due to a newly discovered bylaw limiting members to six consecutive one-year terms on the board. The rule, which was discovered late last month by a city...

Shots fired

Two shootings separated by four hours unfolded within the city limits Wednesday. The first, which took place in the 400 block of West Oak Street, left two men injured. The second, a "drive-by," did not result in any injuries,...

Watergate memories: Witness to a part of history

Goldsboro attorney Jim Copeland, 62, turns to a page in a well-worn encyclopedia that has a grainy photo of the 1973 U.S. Senate Watergate Committee hearings that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. "There I am," he...

Wayne Memorial receives QUEST award for delivering quality care

Wayne Memorial Hospital has been recognized by Premier Inc. with the QUEST Award, which acknowledges the facility for delivering high quality, cost-effective health care. The hospital was honored during Premier's annual conference in June. Premier is a leading health...

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Wayne schools accredited

[email protected] Wayne County Public Schools received renewal of its districtwide accreditation status as a "Quality School System," officials announced this week. A review team made up of current educators in districts across the state and nation came to the district...

Council approves TIGER grant funding

The state Local Government Commission has approved a $5 million financing package for the city of Goldsboro to proceed with nearly $15 million in transportation improvement projects downtown. The funds are going to pay for the construction of a...

School start times to stay same

Start and dismissal times at all Wayne County Public Schools will remain the same for the coming school year, with a slight shift in the start time at Edgewood Community Developmental School. The school board approved the schedule Monday...

Mount Olive won't change railroad crossings

MOUNT OLIVE -- For the second time in recent memory, Mount Olive town commissioners Monday night turned down an offer from the state Department of Transportation to make improvements at the Country Road railroad crossing in the southern end...

Shots fired outside Goldsboro business

A Goldsboro man is recovering after being shot outside Cameron's Clubhouse at 2215 E. Ash St. at 2 a.m. today. Billy Renaldo Hamm, 21, of East Elm Street, told Goldsboro police he did not see who shot him. Hamm...

Roundup

At least 13 have been arrested and 12 more are being sought in a county-wide dragnet targeting mid-level drug dealers. "(It) puts a big dent in our local mid-level traffickers," Goldsboro Police Department's Investigations Commander Al King said. Those...

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Suspect charged in theft, dog death

A Turkey man has been arrested for his alleged role in a Mount Olive theft that left one dog dead and another seriously injured. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office charged Adam Wayne Outlaw, 28, of 5508 Dave Bright Road...

Woman bitten by rabid stray cat

PRINCETON -- A Princeton area woman is undergoing treatment for rabies after she was bitten last week by a feral cat that has since tested positive for the disease. A young boy and his grandfather were scratched by the...

A former club becomes a sanctuary

New tenants are bringing a new spirit into a former club on Corporate Drive in Goldsboro once known for shootings, stabbings and even a murder. Gary Strozier and his wife, Alaine, with the help of many volunteers, are building...

Council gives final OK to bank

The Goldsboro City Council officially cut its losses on the former Arts Council of Wayne County building Monday, as it approved plans for The Little Bank to build a new location on property at the corner of Ash Street...

Investigators call Monday house fire 'suspicious'

The morning house fire that left a small dog dead and caused traffic to be partially blocked on East Ash Street for more than two hours Monday has been ruled suspicious. "There were several factors pointing toward it being...

Monday, July 7, 2014

Dr. Steven Taylor says he will see two new schools built before retirement

Wayne County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven Taylor says he hopes to stay in the role until the two newest schools are built. Target date for them to open is the fall of 2015. "I have a year left on...

Mount Olive's Steele Memorial Library grand opening will be July 20

MOUNT OLIVE -- After years of planning and work, a grand opening ceremony for the new Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive will be July 20 from 3 to 5 p.m. "We hope the entire community of Mount Olive comes...

Cherry Hospital opening is delayed

Construction on the new Cherry Hospital has been plagued with delays from the start, with officials confirming this week the opening will likely be pushed into 2015. Luckey Welsh, chief executive officer at Cherry, said the project will be more...

Blaze starts at Ash Street house

The Goldsboro Police Department arrived first on scene and confirmed smoke was visible coming from a home on East Ash Street midway through the morning commute today. Goldsboro Fire Department Engines 2, 4, 5 and Ladder 1 responded, along with...

Store receives bomb threat

A bomb threat preceded the Friday night fireworks display and July Fourth celebrations, at least for the employees of one local business and the Goldsboro Police Department. An unknown man called the Rue 21 retail outlet at 6:35 p.m. Friday...

Manufacturer announces layoffs

AAR Manufacturing officials this morning confirmed that about 100 workers at its Goldsboro Mobility Systems Division will be laid off beginning Aug. 29. The layoff is due to the completion of the current production volumes of the FMTV (Family...

Sunday, July 6, 2014

School administrators will not change

When school lets out for the summer, it also ushers in announcements of personnel changes as retirements and moves dictate shifts among principals and assistant principals. Not this year. "This is the first year in 14 years that I...

Veterans cemetery gets first green light

Construction bids for the Wayne County state veterans cemetery could go out by the end of the month, local officials have announced. Eli D. Panee, N.C. Division of Veterans Affairs Cemetery program manager, said he received a letter from...

The rockets' red glare

Natalie Mutter, 21 months, and Sarah Smith, 3, enjoy the fireworks display while relaxing in lawn chairs and waving small American flags at the Mount Olive Municipal Airport Friday night. The girls were just two of the many people...

Dog owner charged

The owner of four pit bulls that got loose and attacked a 71-year-old woman in the early morning hours of June 25 will face misdemeanor charges, according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Terry Tremain Butler, 35, 112 Country...

They made a quick trip to Ohio

Goldsboro and Wayne County might have come out relatively unscathed by Hurricane Arthur, but Air Force officials did not want to take any chances. More than 50 F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base's fleet were evacuated to...

WCC Foundation tournament brings record donations

The Wayne Community College Foundation Scholarship Invitational has exceeded organizers' expectations again this year. The recent event netted $150,000, exceeding the $135,000 goal set by organizers. All of the money goes to scholarships for WCC students and will fund...

Leaders to decide what to do with old Mount Olive library

With the anticipated opening of the new Steele Memorial Library on July 20, the town of Mount Olive now faces having to decide what to do with the old library building at 110 N. Chestnut St. There already have...

An afternoon of beauty

McCandless St. John, 5, gives herself a soapy pedicure while helping her grandfather Stanley Ginn wash his truck Saturday afternoon off Cedar Road. It was the perfect day for a little afternoon of fun with the soap and water...

County's new commissioner

Joe Gurley III, accompanied by his wife, Dana Gurley, is sworn into the office of Wanye County commissioner by Clerk of Court Pam Minshew at the Wayne County Superior Court Tuesday. Gurley was appointed to the seat when then-commissioner...

Wesleyan College relocates its campus

North Carolina Wesleyan College has relocated its Goldsboro adult degree program from Walnut Street to Parkway Drive, beside the YMCA. The ribbon cutting will be held July 15, but officials are already celebrating the new location, where new classes...

Local Government Commission OKs plans, budgets for two new schools

The Local Government Commission Tuesday afternoon approved Wayne County's $38.6 million financing package for two new middle schools in the Grantham and Spring Creek communities, clearing the way for construction to start almost immediately. "We had to have LGC...

Officers say: Be careful when contracting for roofing service

The contracts have been signed. The money has been paid, but the roofers have come and gone and the job isn't finished. Telephone calls and emails go unreturned. What now? Several recent reports of roofing contractors soliciting work and...

SJAFB bomb unit detonates dynamite found in freezer

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base airmen took care of dynamite found in a home on Pinkney Road Saturday afternoon. The explosives, found by the homeowner while cleaning a freezer, were detonated by Seymour Johnson Explosive Ordnance Disposal units around...

Council to eye details of deal

The Goldsboro City Council will meet Monday night to discuss a number of planning issues in the city, including the new proposed location for The Little Bank at the corner of Ash Street and Spence Avenue. The bank entered...

Classmates gather for annual chance to share memories

[email protected] MOUNT OLIVE -- The 32nd annual Carver High School Alumni and Friends Association's reunion weekend continued in Mount Olive Saturday with the annual picnic at the Carver Cultural Center. The barbecue was a good chance for people to slow...

If you dare your dad to dye his beard ...

Some people set off fireworks. Some people fly flags. Some people drink Budwesier out of cans decorated with American flags. Others dye their beards. Bill Travis wanted to show his patriotism in an unconventional manner, which led him to...

Mount Olive hosts annual July Fourth celebration, picnic

MOUNT OLIVE -- Like many people at the town's old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration, 18-month-old Ava Cooper was decked out in patriotic colors, but she was more interested in the drink her father had. "Say, 'It's the only time...

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Arrest made in Greene murder

A third suspect is now in custody, leaving one suspect at large in the murder investigation of Hookerton resident Linwood Jones, 49. Jones died after being shot to death in front of his home at about 10 p.m. April...

Watching Arthur: What about the fireworks?

The threat posed by Hurricane Arthur should be long gone by Friday night when Goldsboro and Mount Olive still plan to hold their Fourth of July firework displays. Arthur is expected to brush past the coast overnight, but is...

North Carolinians taking to the highways for July Fourth

AAA is expecting the largest number of drivers in more than a decade to hit the highways this holiday weekend. And law enforcement officials and travel experts say that if you hit the road, be careful -- traditionally, this...

Arrests made in breaking, entering

Patrol officers with the Goldsboro Police Department arrested two men in connection with a breaking and entering Wednesday morning. B-Shift officers responded to a breaking and entering in progress at 1808 Rose St. at 8:45 a.m., according to a...

Robots in motion

From left, Michael Geer, 10, Liam Ponton, 11, and Matthew Walker, 11, watch to see if their LEGO robot will correctly complete a maze they programmed during Robotics with LEGOs camp on Tuesday afternoon. The camp, hosted by the...

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Local officials not too worried about tropical storm

Mount Olive's old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration will go on as planned Friday afternoon despite the unwelcome stormy visitor who is expected to pass just east of the state's coastal region over the next two days. However, it will...

Suspects sought in Greene County murder

Greene County Sheriff's Office investigators have charged two men from Goldsboro in connection with a murder dating back to April. Another Goldsboro man remains on the wanted list, as does a suspect from Snow Hill. All four of the...

Traffic violation ends in heroin charges

A Goldsboro man is facing heroin trafficking charges after a traffic stop by members of the local drug task force Monday. Ricardo Devon Whitfield, 27, of 213 Hillcrest Drive, is charged with trafficking heroin by possession, trafficking heroin by...

GPD arrests two men in connection with burglary

A-Shift officers with the Goldsboro Police Department arrested two men Tuesday after responding to a prowler call in the 1400 block of Edgerton Street. Tyquan Nahreek Coley, 22, 804 A Olivia Lane, and Antron Dewan Lee, 25, 315 E....

Closings planned for holiday weekend

All Wayne County offices including the landfill and convenience sites will be closed Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. Goldsboro offices will be closed Friday. Trash service for Friday will be picked up on Wednesday for the...

Warrant results in heroin charges

As a result of search warrant executed at his residence, a Dudley man now faces charges of heroin trafficking and possession of drug paraphernalia. Matthew William Hayden, 25, of 408 Hazlewood Drive, is currently being held in the Wayne...

'Dancing' fundraiser to be held this month

Cancer survivors, caregivers and those who have lost loved ones to the disease are rehearsing for a fundraiser later this month to benefit Relay for Life. "Stars Dancing for a Cure" will be presented at Walnut Creek Country Club...

Annual essay contest changes slightly

The annual abstinence essay contest introduced a decade ago by the Health Department has been revamped, with this year's winners reading their winning submissions at an evening meeting of the Board of Health later this month. The Health Department...

Snow Hill man receives 20 years

A Snow Hill man will face more than 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised probation after being sentenced as a career criminal in federal court Tuesday. Ezekiel Donja Gardner, 33, of Snow Hill, was convicted...

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

One last salute

It wasn't about gaining recognition for the organizations they represent. They didn't do it for the emotional embraces they found themselves receiving. For those who stood outside Stoney Creek Free Will Baptist Church Monday evening with a flag in...

Elvis coming back for one night to help United Way raise funds

Winston-Salem resident Stephen Freeman is bringing Elvis back to life for the people of Wayne County for one night in August. The Elvis tribute artist is bringing his show to Goldsboro for the fourth time as part of the...