October 2014 archives

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Friday, October 31, 2014

A Halloween treat

Dressed as Superman, Heath Taylor, 4, waves to students in the upper school during the annual costume parade at Wayne Country Day earlier this morning. Students from the lower grades show off their costumes to family and schoolmates by...

Police investigate murder

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating the death of an unidentified woman found in a van on Humphrey Street this morning. The vehicle was peppered with bullet holes. Maj. Al King said the cause of death will not be known...

Carver Heights awarded grant for students' iPads

Christmas is coming early to Carver Heights Elementary School. The school learned this week that it is one of 114 schools in 29 states named the recipient of a ConnectED grant -- with each student to receive an iPad,...

BCBS letters confuse customers

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina sent letters to everyone who will be affected by the 2015 rate increases this week, but about 42,000 customers received information with erroneous premium amounts. The error only affected customers who were...

Wayne Arts Council helps pumpkin carvers create ghouls from gourds

Alora Stanton grimaced as she plopped a pile of pumpkin guts onto the table. "It feels gross," she said. It was her first time carving a pumpkin. Alora is a huge fan of pumpkin pie, but she less than impressed...

Breast cancer diagnosis served as wake-up call for local woman

A debilitating case of vertigo and nausea led to Rosalyn Lomax being diagnosed with breast cancer. "One physician had apparently noticed some lymph nodes and had inquired about the date of my next mammogram, so my own doctor scheduled...

Fremont STEP meeting held Tuesday

FREMONT -- Fremont's Small Town Economic Prosperity committee met Tuesday night to discuss what Fremont has to offer for retirees. There is more than meets the eye in Fremont, Mayor Darron Flowers said, who compiled the list of Fremont's...

Six-time cancer survivor says she has the will to keep up fight

Jennifer Lucas is a cancer survivor -- not once, but six times. The 70-year-old battled her first round with cancer in 1976 when she discovered a lump in her left breast. Her doctor removed the lumps and some lymph nodes....

Thursday, October 30, 2014

County neighborhoods consider paying for their own street lights

How quickly street lights can be switched back on in the de-annexed area north of Goldsboro appears to outweigh any concern residents might have about cost. At a meeting Wednesday night, nearly two dozen people asked Wayne County commissioners...

Look out, there is the Spider-Man

Bentley Bradshaw, 3, colors at one of the stations set up in the gym of North Drive Elementary during the annual Wee Wings Mobile Pre-K Fall Festival on Wednesday. This is the first year the event has been held...

Supreme Court candidate stops

North Carolinians will elect four out of the seven members of the state Supreme Court at the same time on Tuesday. Superior Court Judge Eric L. Levinson, 47, who is one of eight hopefuls seeking a seat on the...

Suspect caught with purse outside local club

A Dudley man is in the Wayne County Jail today after Goldsboro police officers on foot patrol near a local nightclub found him in possession of stolen property and a gun. Charles Edward Smith, 28, of Fox Drive, is...

Generator catches fire at hospital site

A diesel generator used to power a building during construction at the new Cherry Hospital complex caught fire during elevator stress tests Wednesday. The project is no stranger to setbacks. The site was originally scheduled for completion in 2012...

Security Forces Association to host run to support soup kitchen

The local Security Forces Association is giving back this weekend, as it hosts the Running to "Stop" Hunger 5K and 10K Saturday. Money raised during the event will go to the Community Soup Kitchen of Goldsboro. Event coordinator Nancy...

Crime of the week

On Oct. 28 at 3:15 p.m., Goldsboro officers responded to the UpScale Barbershop located at 716-B East Ash St. regarding shots being fired at the business while several persons were inside. Officers determined an unknown subject fired shots at the...

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Fire damages new Cherry Hospital complex

A diesel generator used to power a building caught fire during elevator stress tests being conducted at the new Cherry Hospital this afternoon -- a blaze that caused more than $200,000 in damages. For complete details, see Thursday's News-Argus....

Secretary of transportation makes stop in Wayne County

MOUNT OLIVE -- Choice is the watchword for transportation in the 21st century and for the U.S. that means focusing not on a highway trust fund, but rather on a wider transportation trust fund that looks at more than...

Stevens: Goldsboro economy improving

Goldsboro is steadily growing, city officials say, and the figures, although not spectacular, back up the assertion. The city's tax base has grown from $1.7 billion in 2004 to $2.2 billion last year, with the figure estimated to be...

Goldsboro Police Department tracks series of shootings

The Goldsboro Police Department is working to determine whether a string of shootings that began Tuesday afternoon and carried on through early this morning are connected. The shootings spanned from East Ash Street to Wayne Memorial Drive to North...

Alliance names new leader

Crystal Gettys, who for the last seven years has worked with the Lincoln Economic Development Association, has been named the new president of the Wayne County Development Alliance. She will assume her new duties on Dec. 1. The announcement...

It's a scream

MOUNT OLIVE -- Before Friday night, I thought I was brave. I survived Scarowinds. I watch crime shows. I even, on occasion, kill bugs. So before I, and News-Argus photographer Melissa Key, arrived at the Marr Branch haunted house --...

Local lawmen offer tips to parents

As Halloween approaches, officials from Goldsboro and Wayne County said they will be keeping a close eye on the events set to unfold Friday. And local lawmen, who have set a 6 to 8 p.m. trick-or-treat time, are urging...

Judge says experience gives him edge in Court of Appeals election

Experience, education and knowledge are what Judge John M. Tyson says set him apart from the other 18 candidates for a seat on the state Court of Appeals. Tyson, 61, has previously served a full eight-year term on the...

Animal-related crashes up in Wayne

Deer are a common sight along Stony Creek Parkway either standing at the wood line or along the edge of the street. But that tranquil scene can quickly turn deadly when the deer bolt into traffic. In recent weeks...

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Majesty Rose set to launch YouTube page

When the "American Idol" tour wrapped in August, contestant Majesty Rose didn't just go back to her normal life in Goldsboro. During her stint as part of the Season 13's Top 10, she used her time wisely -- making...

More than 7,200 have voted

More than 7,200 ballots have been cast in one-stop, or early voting, through Monday prior to the mid-term general election that will be held Tuesday, Nov. 4. All of the county's polling places will be open on Election Day...

Wayne Community College hosts talk by Mexican consul

Wayne Community College will host a talk by a Mexican diplomat Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in Moffatt Auditorium. Javier Diaz de Leon, who assumed the post of Consul General in Raleigh last year, will talk about the role...

Police credit citizens for arrest of two men

The Goldsboro Police Department is crediting community involvement with helping solve a motor vehicle break-in and larceny that took place in broad day light Monday. Two men are in jail on felony larceny and other charges after citizens who...

Promotions coordinator for DGDC resigns, effective next Monday

Meg Gernaat, promotions coordinator for Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp., will no longer be working for the city of Goldsboro. "We never planned to stay put in Goldsboro," she said. "We moved with the Air Force and my husband started...

Monday, October 27, 2014

Ex-HR chief files complaint

Sue Guy, who was fired earlier this month from her job as Wayne County human resources director, has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Center. The complaint, she said, is the first in a "laundry list"...

Advice from someone who has been there

Octavius Murphy does not blend in. He towers above the Dillard Middle School students as they pour into the hallway for a class change. His bright neon orange T-shirt sets him apart further. He graduated middle school a long...

Church tries to decide on its next step

With its church destroyed by fire for the second time in 77 years, a Wayne County pastor is looking for a new pasture for her flock. Salisbury AME Zion Church, located at 3948 Big Daddy's Road, burned to the...

Christmas comes early 'in the forest'

Christmas in the Forest is a one-stop place where you can enjoy a warm meal, pick up a few baked goodies to take home and do your Christmas shopping. The annual event will be Friday from 9 a.m. to...

Two charged in local vehicle break-ins

Two men residing at the Irish Inn in Goldsboro have been charged by the Goldsboro Police Department in a series of vehicle break-ins, according to a press release. Patrol officers called to the area of Sunburst Drive Sunday located...

Police look for robbery suspect

Goldsboro police captured one armed man and are searching for another after two suspects in dark clothing attempted to break into the Family Dollar at 1403 Wayne Memorial Drive as the business was closing Sunday. The subject in custody...

Wayne Community College makes 'Military Friendly' list

Wayne Community College has been named a "Military Friendly(r) School" for the fifth year. The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace military students, and to dedicate...

Two Wayne Memorial nurses are named to state's Top 100

Two nurses from Wayne Memorial Hospital made this year's Great 100 Nurses in North Carolina. The Great 100 Inc., an organization that recognizes nursing excellence, also provides scholarships to nursing students at all levels across the state. This is the...

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Veterans Day parade entries being sought

Entries are being sought for the Wayne County Veterans Day Parade to be held Tuesday, Nov. 11 in downtown Goldsboro. Organizers say the have the basic logistics of the parade complete and are now seeking entries. The parade will...

Tillis talks about Senate race

State House Speaker Thom Tillis says his priorities if elected to the U.S. Senate would be the same ones he has championed for the past four years, with some key national questions thrown into the mix. Tillis, a Republican,...

New eatery opening Monday

Three generations ago, his grandfather made his living on Center Street. His father did the same. Now, Ed Cogdell will follow in his father and grandfather's footsteps when his restaurant, Ed's Southern Food and Spirits, opens Monday at 105...

Pierce hopes to retain post as sheriff

[email protected] It has been 10 months since Larry Pierce was asked to become Wayne County sheriff after the sudden passing of Carey Winders, the man who had occupied the job for the last 20 years. Since that day, he hasn't...

Locals prepare for Ebola

Keep calm and carry on. That is the message that health officials and emergency services personnel are sending to the community in the wake of the national scares about the deadly Ebola virus. And don't worry, Wayne County is...

Murder suspect also a fugitive

The man charged with murder for his alleged involvement of the death of Donna Simpson is also an escaped fugitive from Ohio, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said Friday. Clifton Wayne Griffin, 49, of 301 Leavie Drive is being...

'Footgolf' coming to Goldsboro

Footgolf is coming to Goldsboro. Communities in Schools of Wayne County is partnering with Goldsboro Parks and Recreation next month to host a fundraiser at the Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course -- one that will feature a version of golf...

Bike the Boro nets $500 for Boys & Girls Club

Dexter Yelverton takes a step inside the Boys and Girls Club of Wayne County and the memories start playing. He remembers the days he spent there as a teenager -- how he played in the halls. "I broke my...

Cookin' for a cause

Do you want to know the secret to an award-winning chili? "An awesome cook," said Matthew Steed, the chef behind the Really Chili Challenge first place dish. In his fourth year competing, Steed tweaked his recipe some and took home...

Barnes hopes to be next sheriff

Tanks of gas. Plates of barbecue. And signs, lots of signs. Glenn Barnes could not have been any busier in recent weeks shaking hands and spending money, all to get the vote out. Barnes, a Democrat, is banking on...

More than a hundred participate in Alzheimer's Walk

Mayor Al King had a challenge for the participants of the 12th Annual Alzheimer's Walk. He wants everybody to bring seven new people next year -- and if you need help encouraging people, he said to give him a...

Friday, October 24, 2014

Wayne County to be first to get career readiness certification

[email protected] Wayne County is poised to become the first county in the state to attain a National Career Readiness Certificate, or NCRC, says Diane Ivey, executive director of the Wayne Business and Industry Center at Wayne Community College. The NCRC...

Pikeville police chief resigns

[email protected] PIKEVILLE -- Police Chief Joe Sadler has resigned. Mayor Glenn Hartman confirmed that the lawman's resignation letter was dated Sept. 30 and the effective date of his resignation is Oct. 31. But the reason Sadler's is leaving the post...

A heart full of the will to thrive

[email protected] Peggy Southerland had such a strong family history of breast cancer that she was almost expecting to receive the diagnosis herself. "For some strange reason, I always knew deep down that I would have breast cancer," she said. "I...

Arrest made in shooting

[email protected] A day after announcing to the public the identity of an attempted murder suspect, Goldsboro police have their man. Tacarous Monquez Peterson, 21, is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and is currently being held in the...

Uchiyama America is honored as Wayne's Industry of the Year

[email protected] The Wayne County Development Alliance honored two local companies Thursday as part of its annual Industry Celebration luncheon at the Goldsboro Country Club. Uchiyama America earned Wayne County Industry of the Year honors, while Turner Equipment Co. received the...

First day of early voting sees large turnout

[email protected] More than 2,200 ballots were cast in Wayne County on Thursday during the first day of one-stop voting, prior to the mid-term general election on Tuesday, Nov. 4. The 2,221 ballots cast at the county's five early-voting sites fell...

Pate running for re-election to state Senate

By STEVE HERRING [email protected] Medicaid reform, lottery and highway funding, and taxes are among the major issues the new General Assembly will face when it convenes in January. Republican Sen. Louis Pate, 78, of Mount Olive, says his experience and...

Anderson seeks District 7 state Senate seat

Whoever is elected to the District 7 seat in the state Senate needs to be independent because he is there for the entire district and not a select group, Erik Anderson says. Anderson, 34, a Winterville Democrat, is challenging Republican...

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

School district: Substitute violated rules

[email protected] A Wayne County substitute teacher was removed from the public school system's call list last week after a video of her trying to break up a fight at Goldsboro High School surfaced on Facebook. Janet Barnes, a veteran teacher,...

Teams to visit 100 N.C. firms

[email protected] A team of workforce development partners has been visiting local businesses to discuss the challenges related to finding and retaining top quality employees. The effort is part of an initiative announced in the spring by Gov. Pat McCrory --...

Residents to get light petition signed

[email protected] Wayne County commissioners Tuesday morning took the first step toward getting the street lights shining again in the de-annexed area north of Goldsboro. However, whether those lights go back on is the responsibility of the property owners in that...

SJAFB airman cited for giving policeman 'wet Willy'

[email protected] A Seymour Johnson Air Force Base airman who was charged with a felony while on leave for allegedly giving a Minnesota police officer a "wet Willie" entered a guilty plea Monday on a lesser charge and was released. Riley...

Groups supports substitute teacher

[email protected] More than 1,300 signatures have been collected online on a petition seeking to reinstate Janet Barnes, a Wayne County substitute teacher relieved of her duties last week for allegedly violating policy while breaking up a fight at Goldsboro High...

Local chili chefs ready for Saturday cookoff

[email protected] Wayne County cooks are getting their secret recipes ready for the 16th annual Really Chili Challenge. It will take place Saturday in the parking lot next to the Flying Shamrock. The event is a fundraiser for the Community Soup...

Woven creations: Basket weaving gives senior with back pain a break

[email protected] Seven years ago, Ingrid Quick could not move. She was unable to twist or bend. Her days -- and nights -- were spent in bed, recovering from a spinal fusion. Basket weaving, she said, kept her sane. To pass...

Sen. Hagan makes stop on campaign swing

[email protected] More than 60 people, mostly senior citizens, crowded into a back room at Wilber's Barbecue Tuesday afternoon to listen as Sen. Kay Hagan pledged her support of Medicare, Social Security and other programs for senior citizens. Ms. Hagan, a...

Property crime down in Fremont, police chief says

[email protected] FREMONT -- Fremont has seen a drop in crime over the past two years, the town's police chief told the Town Board of Aldermen on Tuesday night. "I feel good about the overall shape of the department and...

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Southern Bank donates $100,000 to University of Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Southern Bank Foundation has made donations totaling $100,000 donation to the University of Mount Olive. The total includes $20,000 to the university's fine arts facility and $80,000 to its annual fund. "The Southern Bank Foundation...

Golden grooves: Senior Zumba classes more than just dancing

[email protected] They giggled when their instructor urged them to "get loose" -- to mimic the pops and shimmies that unfold at the beginning of her Zumba lesson. But by the time Lisa Weston asked them for a "sexy circle," the...

Firefighters contain blaze at dog food plant

[email protected] A fire at a dog food processing plant shut down traffic on North William Street for more than an hour Monday. The Goldsboro Fire Department has responded to the same location at least half a dozen times within the...

City moving ahead with sports complex

[email protected] The Goldsboro City Council approved a contract with a design firm for a multi-sports complex off Oak Forest Road at its meeting Monday night. During a work session prior to the council's regular meeting, city Finance Director Kaye Scott...

Monday, October 20, 2014

Terry Light running for district attorney

Terry Light says she had never considered politics until her boss, District Attorney Branny Vickory, told her he was retiring. That was more than two years ago, and Ms. Light, 43, who has spent 17 and a half years in...

Woman charged in man's death

[email protected] PRINCETON -- A Princeton man is dead and a woman is charged with his murder today following a domestic dispute early Sunday morning. "We are still in the investigative phase, but it does appear that it started from a...

'Military brats' reunite, raise money for heroes

[email protected] LAGRANGE -- A group of Eastern Wayne High School graduates who spent part of their youth at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base held their second annual Octoberfest on Saturday night, raising money for the Air Warrior Courage Foundation and...

De-annexed areas might keep lights

[email protected] After nearly two years of study, a way has been found to turn the street lights back on in the de-annexed areas northwest of Goldsboro, but only if residents in that area agree to the plan, Wayne County Commissioner...

A Scout haunting

[email protected] Vanessa White, 10, clutches her mother as she walks through the woods -- what was that? A tree moves closer. They squeal as they duck under a spiderweb-covered branch. Up ahead, a werewolf howls and snarls, waiting for fresh...

Librarian to serve as temporary HR chief for county

[email protected] Jerilyn Lee is temporarily trading her library books to serve as interim director for the Wayne County Human Resources Department. Mrs. Lee currently manages the Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive, but has an extensive background in hu-man resources....

Alzheimer's Walk set for this weekend

[email protected] Carol Lancaster has never had a problem walking alongside someone who needs help. A friend going through cancer. A relative with dementia. At 67, she says she feels very blessed to be supportive where she can. "The good Lord...

Mayor's Committee holds annual luncheon

[email protected] On Thursday, the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities hosted the annual awards luncheon at the Herman Park Center. "These awards are indicative of our community as a whole," said Andrew Bernard, Vice Commander of the 4th Fighter Wing....

Saturday, October 18, 2014

One-stop voting begins Thursday

One-stop voting begins Thursday for mid-term elections, and to accommodate early voters, the county is opening five one-stop voting sites. One-stop voting (often referred to as early voting) allows voters to cast their ballots before Election Day, which is...

Delbridge running for District Attorney

Matt Delbridge admits to being a reluctant candidate for district attorney. But after serving 31 years as an assistant district attorney, Delbridge said he could not just walk away from his obligations to the office. It was almost four...

Seymour Johnson's great-granddaughter visits base

It was Jaime Thompson's first time at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, but it felt like coming home. The great-granddaughter of the installation's namesake traveled to Goldsboro Friday to tour the base -- and to learn more about a...

County meeting set for Tuesday

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday will consider enacting an ordinance regulating parking in and around the county courthouse. The ordinance would apply to county-owned parking spaces on the Courthouse Square, the parking lot on the east side of William Street...

Jazz on George set for Oct. 25

Get ready for an afternoon of jazz and much more during the annual Jazz on George event Oct. 25. It will be held in the 100 block of North George Street from 1 to 6 p.m. Featured performers will be...

Heart Walk unfolds in Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- Just days after 9-year-old Zephyr Cazeault was told she would not need any more surgeries for a congenital heart defect, she was ready to tackle Saturday's three-mile Heart Walk. But she wasn't walking for herself. "I...

Dancing Stars

Before the first dance step was learned or the first vote was cast, Brandi Strickland's enthusiasm for Dancing Stars of Wayne County was apparent. "I could not wait to do this because the stage is my home," she said...

Friday, October 17, 2014

McCain makes stop for veterans forum

Taking care of veterans, protecting the state's military installations and finding ways to mitigate sequestration are issues that North Carolina's next U.S. senator needs to make sure Congress understands. Congress also needs to understand that now is not the...

Life without parole

Moments after a jury convicted Gary Metzger of first-degree murder for his role in the 2011 strangulation of his sister, Jean Hubbard, Wayne County Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Arnold Jones sentenced the man to life in prison without...

Gone; not forgotten

Nate and Hope Stephens' baby daughter, Natalie, died during delivery in April 2011. They went on to have another child, Noah, who turned 2 this past May. Rachel Sikorski recently marked the one-year anniversary since her baby, William, died....

Longtime school official will retire

Dr. Sandra McCullen, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Wayne County Public Schools, will retire effective Dec. 1. The 42-year veteran educator made the announcement to her staff Thursday afternoon. It was "sad but exciting," she said. "I'm...

Mount Olive Area Heart Walk culminates Saturday morning

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive Area Heart Walk gets under way Saturday morning at the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. headquarters. The morning begins with registration at 8 a.m. and a brief program, with the walk itself starting around...

New charges filed in case

New charges have been filed in a breaking and entering case from May 20. Jesus Alberto Marcia, 17, of 210 Arrowhead Lane, Dudley, was charged with second degree burglary, larceny after breaking and entering and possession of stolen goods....

She learned it's OK to lean

Medical office manager Phyllis Parrish had been working at Wayne Radiation Oncology for 17 years when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. She was 51 years old. "I never imagined that I would be the patient instead...

Grills light up at Southern Wayne for sanctioned Pigskin Cook-Off

DUDLEY -- The Southern Wayne Saints Booster Club's Pigskin Cook-Off, a N.C. Pork Council-sanctioned competition, will be held this weekend. The winner from a field of 10 teams will represent Southern Wayne High School at the 2015 North Carolina...

Thursday, October 16, 2014

The confession

It started with an argument -- a sister making racially charged comments about her brother's children. It escalated into a violent exchange. Then, "everything went black." The state rested its case Wednesday against a man charged with first-degree murder...

County also fires payroll clerk for mistake

A second person has been fired in connection with a county payroll problem that stretches back at least 14 years and that will cost the county more than $76,600 to correct. Sue Guy was fired last Thursday as Wayne...

Pickle Pete goes cowboy in 2015

MOUNT OLIVE -- For the past nearly three decades Pickle Pete and family have paraded across the backs of North Carolina Pickle Festival T-shirts -- a quick look at their antics providing clues to each festival's theme. This year...

Metzger's alleged confession as read in court Wednesday

"On Saturday, Jean came over so I could work on her car. Ann went to the store. She went out somewhere. She left for an hour or so. While she was gone, Jean and I got in an argument. She...

Four organizations collaborate to recognize local small businesses

Four organizations are teaming up to recognize the best of Wayne County's small businesses. The Small Business Center at Wayne Community College, Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce and Foundation of Wayne Community College...

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Murder trial testimony continues

Jean Hubbard did not die peacefully of natural causes in 2011. Instead, she was suffocated with two plastic grocery bags. The "simple," "quiet" woman did not receive a proper burial. Rather, her body was wrapped in a sheet and...

No suspects in drive-by near local nightclub

Two people came under fire as they attempted to leave a Goldsboro nightclub following an altercation Tuesday night. According to a Goldsboro police report, Sean Jones, 30, and Myeshia Jones, 29, of LaGrange, told police they were leaving Cameron's...

Officials: Local Ebola protocol in place

Wayne County has been preparing for a crisis like the evolving Ebola threat for decades, County Commissioner Joe Gurley told the Wayne Memorial Hospital board on Tuesday. Gurley, who is the former director of the county emergency services office,...

Dancers prepare for Dancing Stars debut

The last time Felicia Brown did any kind of formal dance moves was when she was in third grade. "I remember being in like a cotillion and every person did a talent," she said. "Mine was called the bunny...

Mother coordinates first Out of the Darkness Walk

Robby Coutts struggled with depression for years and sought help and relief from it many times, but never found it. Robby committed suicide in March 2012 at the age of 29. Now his mother is seeking help, understanding and...

4-H'ers to collect items for animals

Once again this year, Wayne County 4-H will take part in the annual Make A Difference Day Oct. 25. 4-H'ers are collecting items to help make toys for the dogs and cats at the Wayne County Animal Adoption and Education...

Grange hosts forum for voters to meet candidates

On Monday the Grantham Grange offered a three-minute platform for candidates to say what they would do if they were voted into office. Candidates seeking seats on the board of education, board of commissioners, N.C. General Assembly as well as...

Crime of the Week

On Aug. 24, 2014 Justin Kornegay of Albertson and Briana Oliver of Raleigh reported to the Goldsboro Police that they met that evening and then eventually picked up an acquaintance of Oliver's, named Braddock Gross, and a second, unidentified male,...

Bark in the Borough slated for Saturday

Old Waynesborough Park will be full of canines and their humans Saturday during the sixth annual Bark in the Borough. It will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with registration at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Wayne County...

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Prosecutor: Money motive for killing

But video footage from that ATM was not the only thing jurors saw play out on the large television screen positioned in front of them inside a Wayne County courtroom Monday. They also watched, from several different angles, footage captured...

County official is fired

Sue Guy has been fired as Wayne County's human resources director for what county officials are calling "egregious" actions and an absolute failure to do her job. Mrs. Guy, who has worked with the county since July 23, 2003,...

Murder victim found in home

Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, investigators with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office entered a mobile home at 301 Leavie Drive in the Patetown community Monday night and discovered the body of a female murder victim inside....

SunBurst still closed after report of Listeria

SunBurst Foods remains closed to resolve issues that arose over the weekend with products that tested positive for Listeria, local health officials said today. The business issued a voluntary recall notice Sunday for several products that might be contaminated...

First same-sex license is issued

Wayne County issued its first same-sex marriage license on Monday to James Andrew Wilson, 66, and Timothy Allen Rose, 59, of Carteret and Sampson counties, respectively. A judge overturned North Carolina's ban on same-sex marriage Friday, opening the way...

Polio fighting walk Oct. 25

Polio has been eliminated in the United States for 35 years but there are still three countries in the world where it is a problem. Rotary International, along with other organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and...

Murder victim identified

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has released the name of the murder victim discovered in her home Monday evening. The body of Donna Diane Simpson, 49, of 301 Leavie Drive, near Pikeville, was found in the back bedroom of...

Monday, October 13, 2014

Listeria threat forces firm to recall items

SunBurst Foods on Sunday issued a voluntary recall notice for a variety of products that might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Company officials this morning declined comment and referred to a press release issued Sunday. They also declined to...

Fire claims church

Investigators with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office are still uncertain what caused the fire that burned Salisbury AME Zion Church, 3498 Big Daddy's Road, to the ground on Saturday. Capt. Richard Lewis did say, however, that no suspicious activity...

Health Department offering masks

If you visit the Wayne County Health Department and discover security and staff wearing masks, don't be alarmed -- it's for their health and yours. The precautionary measure was prompted more by communicable diseases in general and not recent...

Legendary pilot visits Seymour Johnson AFB

Robert "Bob" Pardo has never forgotten the lesson he learned at his father's knee -- when a friend needs help, you help. Pardo, 80, a Vietnam fighter jet hero, spent the day Friday at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,...

City finishing greenway plan

There are now plans in place for a new greenways system in Goldsboro. Matt Hayes of Alta Greenways unveiled finalized plans at last Monday night's Goldsboro City Council meeting. After a nine-month planning period, which included feedback from the...

Apartment residents set off sprinkler system

Goldsboro firefighters responding to a fire alarm activation at an apartment complex off Fallin Boulevard in Goldsboro Sunday night found themselves battling a flood rather than a fire. Apartment Manager Toni Manni said she called 911 when she received...

New walking trail

Several community members who have pledged to be involved in the Go Wayne Go initiative for a healthier Wayne County walk the Wayne Community College trail following its official opening. The 10-station workout trail is about 1,800 feet long,...

Operation 300 raises money for children of those killed in action

More than 100 shooting enthusiasts got a chance Saturday to hone their marksmanship while raising money for the children of servicemen killed in action. Organizers of the Operation 300 shoot held at the Eastern North Carolina Firing Range south...

Goldsboro police investigating shooting

One victim is stable and another is in critical condition following an early morning shooting Saturday, Goldsboro police officials said. Fiante Semaj Amerson, 24, of Seymour Drive, and Tyshea Symond Koonce, 19, were shot while standing in the driveway...

Author talks about southern ways during Foundation of WCC event

What it means to be Southern is the theme of a popular book series by Siler City resident Cecilia Budd Grimes. It also provides an insight into the behavioral quirks and eccentricities inherent to those who live in these...

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Mmm, Mmm good ... and a good cause, too

"Unbelievable," Ed Cogdell said as he watched the long line of people moving through the serving line for Ed's Southern Food & Spirits. He was particularly excited with the response since his new restaurant will not open until Oct....

Business as usual, County Registrar Lois Mooring says

It should be business as usual when the Wayne County Register of Deeds office opens Monday despite a federal judge's ruling late Friday that overturned the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. At least that is what Wayne County...

Metzger trial resumes Monday

After a jury was selected in the first-degree murder trial of a man charged in the 2011 death of his sister, the defendant, for a second time since proceedings began, spoke to Wayne County Senior Resident Superior Court Judge...

Restaurant robbed at gunpoint on Friday

A lone gunman pointed a handgun at a cashier and four customers in a restaurant Friday night before making off with $175.90 in cash in one of two Friday armed robberies being investigated by Goldsboro police. No one was...

Two victims identified in fatal crash

The N.C. Highway Patrol has released the names of the two people killed in a head-on collision early Friday morning. Robert Arthur McKenzie, 34, of Walstonburg, and Caycee Lyn Smith, 43, of Farm Club Road, Goldsboro, died when their...

Seminar planned for WCPS parents

Wayne County Public Schools will host its 18th annual districtwide parent seminar this week, featuring one of the original "Freedom Writers" as keynote speaker. The Title I program will hold "Empowering Parents for Student Success" on Thursday at 9...

Unpaid lunch bills are costing local schools

Parents not sending in lunch money is contributing to larger cafeteria write-offs, to the tune of more than $170,000 last year, officials said. Beverly Boltinhouse, finance officer for Wayne County Public Schools, shared the concern with both the district...

GATEWAY will apply for grant to help balance its budget

GATEWAY Director Fred Fontana Tuesday is looking for ways to tweak his budget so that cuts in transportation funding won't result in higher costs for riders. A joint venture of the county and city, GATEWAY is expected to lose...

Deputies catch man inside a county home

Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputies responding to a suspicious person report in Princeton Thursday night found a man dressed in all black inside a residence. The homeowner was not home. Joseph Lee Braswell, 22, of 210 Dennis Drive, Princeton,...

University to offer degree in leadership

MOUNT OLIVE -- A new leadership degree is being offered at the University of Mount Olive. Designed and developed for adults, this program provides students with the ability to determine the appropriate situations to effectively apply leadership models, university...

Meet the princess

After receiving the Miss Congeniality Award at Saturday night's 40th annual Wayne County Fire Princess Pageant, Haley Cannon was content. "I got Miss Congeniality and I said, 'I am set. I am ecstatic for whoever wins,'" she said. "It...

Wayne School of Engineering honored for graduation rate

Wayne School of Engineering has been recognized as one of 43 schools in North Carolina to have a 100 percent graduation rate for the 2013-14 school year. The N.C. Department of Public Instruction honored 12 school districts and 43...

Watergate investigator to speak Monday at college

On the 40th anniversary of the Watergate scandal, the Foundation of Wayne Community College is bringing one of its lead investigators to Goldsboro to speak Monday night. Raleigh attorney G. Eugene "Gene" Boyce will reflect on his role with...

Children learn how to stay safe, have fun

The sun turned out and so did Wayne County families, eager to see what all the fun was about at the 20th Annual KidsFest and Family Safety Day at Berkeley Mall Saturday. Fire trucks and emergency response vehicles lined...

Taxi driver says he was robbed

A Webb Town Taxi driver told Goldsboro police he was assaulted and robbed by two women last week. Jerry Lofton, 65, said he was standing outside of the taxi service, located at 616 E. Elm St., at 6:30 p.m....

Friday, October 10, 2014

Crash victims identified

The N.C. State Highway Patrol has released the names of the two people killed in a head-on collision early Friday morning. Robert Arthur McKenzie, 34, of Walstonburg, and Caycee Lyn Smith, 43, of Farm Club Road in Goldsboro, were killed...

Wayne Memorial closures delayed until Monday

Highway improvements that will require lane closures on Wayne Memorial Drive have been delayed until Monday. The $425,000 resurfacing and median construction project was to have started today. State Department of Transportation officials did not say why the work...

Two die in morning crash

Two people died this morning in a head-on collision between a white utility pickup truck and a red Honda Accord near 3854 N.C. Highway 111 North. Both vehicles caught fire. The accident happened just after 7 a.m. Crews from...

Pikeville board continues search with interviews on Saturday

PIKEVILLE -- Pikeville commissioners will interview an expected five candidates for the position of town administrator Saturday morning. "The town (commissioners) will interview each one and after each interview they will discuss the candidate among themselves," said Mayor Glenn...

Doctors, community gather to talk cancer

Cancer doesn't discriminate -- not by age, race or gender. The message was clear for the nearly 150 who gathered on the front lawn of Wayne Memorial Hospital. A team of local medical experts focused their attention on two...

An unexpected challenge

Susan Sutton was living an idyllic life. She had graduated from Southern Wayne High School in June 1981 and two months later married her high school sweetheart, Randy Sutton. In 1988, they had son, Jason. After graduating from Wayne...

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Murder trial jury selected

A jury has been selected in the first-degree murder trial of a man charged with killing his sister in 2011. The panel that will determine Gary Metzger's fate includes nine women and three men. Two other women and another...

Meth lab closed

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office, along with agents from the SBI, raided a methamphetamine lab Wednesday in western Wayne County just before sundown. Jonathan Perry Whitesell, 40, of 437 Princeton Road, is in the Wayne County Jail today under...

Chief Master Sergeant speaks to airmen

The U.S. Air Force has weathered some turbulent times in recent years and more tough decisions are ahead, the Air Force's top enlisted man told airmen at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base this morning. However, Chief Master Sergeant of...

Veterans Day parade entries sought

Entries are being sought for the Wayne County Veterans Day Parade to be held Tuesday, Nov. 11, in downtown Goldsboro. Organizers say the have the basic logistics of the parade complete and are  now seeking entries. The parade will...

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

State, county lawmen raid alleged meth lab

Wayne County lawmen raided an alleged methamphetamine lab late this afternoon during an operation that included agents from the State Bureau of Investigation. Jonathan Perry Whitesell has been charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and is currently being held in the Wayne...

Jury selection beginning

Jury selection is scheduled to begin this afternoon in the first-degree murder trial of a man accused in connection with the death of his sister. Gary Metzger, 57, and his wife, Ann, 37, were charged in 2011 with killing...

Cutting path for fun

There is only one way in. And only one way out. But getting lost is part of the fun. Odom Farms opened its annual corn maze this Saturday as part of Fall on the Farm. They also offer hay...

Commission weighs billboard rules

Wayne County businesses are being forced to advertise outside the county, and local property owners are losing money because of an overly restrictive billboard ordinance, county commissioners said Tuesday. It does not make sense for the county's ordinance to...

Robotics teams battle it out for top honors at county fair

Homemade robots battled it out in the ring last week at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair as some talented teenagers used their ingenuity to come up with machines that could operate under their own power -- an create a...

Rhodes stepping down at Mount Olive Police Department

MOUNT OLIVE -- Brian Rhodes, Mount Olive's police chief for nearly four years, will retire effective July 1, 2015. Rhodes did not attend Monday night's town board meeting where his retirement letter was read by Town Manager Charles Brown. The...

County health leaders want more

There already exists a countywide campaign to get Wayne County residents eating healthier and more physically active. GoWayneGo was launched last year to motivate the community to better health. But it is time to add to the menu of...

Goldsboro firefighters help battle cancer

The Goldsboro Fire Department answered the call last year in the fight against cancer, raising more than $1,800 for Cure for the Colors. This year, the goal is simple -- raise more money. "Engineers Ricky Barnes and David Grice...

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Helicopter helps save boater

It took less than one minute for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office helicopter, the Nighthawk, to locate a missing boater in Duplin County early Monday morning. The search for the man had been going on for hours. "It was actually...

Four armed men rob man in lot

Four armed men assaulted and robbed a Goldsboro man outside an auto repair shop on North Virginia Street early today. Lance Paul Casey, 45, of Emmitte Drive, told police he was beaten and robbed in the parking lot of...

Official: Thousands of city children go hungry

Thousands of children in Goldsboro and Wayne County are going hungry, the City Council was told Monday night. During the work session before the council meeting, Shycole Simpson-Carter, the city's community development administrator, said North Carolina is tied with Louisiana...

26-year-old charged in sex assault

A Mount Olive man has been charged with first-degree rape of a child after an investigation conducted by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Investigators said the abuse began when the child was 4 or 5 years old. She is...

Local firefighter offers guidance on prevention

October 5 through 11 is National Fire Prevention Week. Capt. Richard Lewis, of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, has been a volunteer firefighter with the Pikeville Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department for 37 years. He also serves as president...

Market Day will be this Saturday

FAISON -- Faison will celebrate its annual Market Day on Saturday, Oct. 11 with a recognition of the 1954-55 faculty of Faison School, the school's final year of operation as a school with grades 1-12. The event will be...

Firm: Construction is still on schedule for two new schools

Despite recent rains and "unsuitable soils" delaying construction at the new Grantham Middle School, work there and at the new Spring Creek Middle School is expected to be completed in time to open the schools next August. Mike Burris,...

'Justice or Just Us' on display at the Arts Council

A new exhibit at the Arts Council of Wayne County may get visitors talking with its controversial pieces. "Justice or Just Us" by Atlanta painter Clayton Harris Jr. runs through Oct. 31 in the TALoving Gallery. Harris does mainly acrylic...

Monday, October 6, 2014

Two men charged after raid at house

The Goldsboro/Wayne county Interagency Drug Task force seized 114 grams of marijuana and two firearms during a search of a residence Sept. 30, resulting in two men being charged. The investigation began on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, according...

Mount Olive police to investigate Sunday shooting

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive Police Department is investigating a Sunday night shooting. The incident is being investigated as an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. "Or, to shorten it up, it's...

Healthier meals a goal for county's schools

Barbara Ward's job as child nutrition director for Wayne County Public Schools is about more than ensuring students get well-balanced meals. It also includes balancing a budget, even one that contains free and reduced meal plans. That job is made...

Street paving to snarl traffic

Two street paving projects, both requiring lane closures, are scheduled to begin this week on two of Goldsboro's busiest streets. To avoid delays, officials are recommending drivers use alternate routes. Starting today, crews with S.T. Wooten Co. of Wilson...

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Historians dig for treasure at Streetscape site

Kirk Keller loves dirt -- especially when it is mixed with a little bit of history. And knowing that the families who lived along Center Street in Goldsboro's early days did not have garbage pickup makes his latest project...

Convicted murder says another man did it

A motion for appropriate relief has been filed on behalf of Javonta Marquez Ellis, 17, a Wayne County teen convicted of first-degree murder in a joint trial with another defendant Sept. 15. Both men were sentenced to life in prison....

GHS honors first black student

Marie Burden did not accompany her son on the first day of school. After all, he was going to high school. But this was not just any first day -- it was historic. The year was 1961 and 15-year-old...

Derby makes triumphant return

Twisted metal and shed tires were strewn about in a pit of reddish-brown dirt. Heaps of discarded car parts -- windshield washer fluid basins and shards of fender -- were piled against the outside of a horseshoe of concrete...

County gets grant for cemetery

Wayne County is getting its grant -- and a new state veterans cemetery. A $5,336,149 federal grant has been awarded to the state for construction of the Eastern Carolina State Veterans Cemetery on Long's Plant Farm Road east of...

Locals ride for a cause

For a moment, it appeared overnight rain had put a damper on a charity cycling event scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. Only one rider had registered and Dexter Yelverton, the organizer of Bike the Boro, was...

Goldsboro poised to get its air show back

If current plans come to fruition, Wayne County will be getting its air show back. 4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Mark Slocum said Friday that Seymour Johnson Air Force Base personnel and members of the local Military Affairs Committee are...

Friday, October 3, 2014

Get your fish for dinner

Wayne Shrine Club president Owen Jackson mixes flour, salt and pepper for breading for the annual Shriners Fish Fry today at Herman Park Center. The plates are available for dine-in inside Herman Park Center and pickup on the Jackson...

Shooting reported at liquor house

A shooting at an alleged liquor house on South Slocumb Street left one man injured early this morning. The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating. Corey Cox, 36, of Dove Place, was shot in the arm after an altercation at...

Saddling up for a ribbon

Scott Massey had all the makings of a cowboy -- the 10-gallon hat, boots and horse towering over him. It didn't seem to matter that he held his father's hand as a judge walked toward him with a ribbon --...

'A powerful journey'

Fourteen years ago, Rebecca Barnes Kinsey was celebrating becoming a new mother to her son, John. The joy was interrupted, though, when she was diagnosed with ERPR negative breast cancer. "I found a lump six weeks after he was...

Fair winners

Talent Show Group Dance: First place (grades 6-8): Tiger Command Show Stoppers, Dillard Middle Novelty Act Group: First place (grades 6-8): Macy Montague, Isabel Howell, Norwayne Middle First place (grades 9-12): Blue Diamonds Color Guard, Goldsboro High Vocational Competition Bricklaying;...

Fair entering final weekend

The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair will culminate this weekend with midway games and rides, food and entertainment and a demolition derby on Saturday. The fair has enjoyed a good run, fair manager Eddie Pitzer said Thursday, adding that he...

Cliffs of the Neuse State Park offers spooky activities for October

Bill likes attention -- even though he's dead. Visitors on this month's ghost hikes at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park just might catch a glimpse of the restless spirit and some of the others who call the park...

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Business owner faces sentencing

A Goldsboro business owner who pleaded guilty in connection with an attempt to defraud the government on a military contract will spend more than a year in prison. Chief U.S. District Court Judge James C. Deaver sentenced Hilda Parker,...

Tribute planned at GHS for Glenwood Burden

Fifty years after the first black student stepped onto the campus of Goldsboro High School, a ceremony will be held to honor the memory. On Saturday at 11 a.m., a plaque in tribute to Glenwood Burden Sr. will be...

SJAFB F-15Es could take part in airstrikes

Airmen from the 4th Fighter Wing -- and the F-15Es they are charged with commanding -- have joined ongoing military operations overseas. And while officials from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base would not specifically confirm that local Strike Eagle pilots...

Career testing dates set at WCC

The WorkKeys tests for Career Readiness Certification (CRC) will be offered several times in October. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success (WORKS) program will provide testing sessions at 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 and 28,...

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Salvation Army to take applications for help with Christmas Oct. 27-30

The Salvation Army will take applications for Christmas help Oct. 27-30 from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. at its building at 610 N. William St. But anyone who received Christmas assistance last year must have...

A crust above

Melody Thomas did not get a birthday cake this year. Instead she got a pie -- nine nut pies, to be exact. Mrs. Thomas celebrated her birthday at the fair as she does every year. She and her husband are...

Suspects steal 73 guns

A $15,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to the arrest of the suspects responsible for a Saturday break-in at a local gun shop. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said 71 handguns and two...

Volunteers still needed for Big Sweep

Get out your boots and gloves and get ready to help clean up Wayne County Saturday. Big Sweep 2014, a nationwide watershed cleanup, will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and volunteers are still needed. Anyone can...

Cherry dairy is still site for ag center

The former Cherry Hospital dairy property remains Wayne County's top choice as the site for its proposed $12 million regional agriculture center. The property acquisition was the topic of a Tuesday afternoon closed session of a subcommittee of the...

WCC student discovers machining and turns classes into a career

Bailee Daniels didn't have a clue what she wanted to be when she grew up. "When I was a little girl, actually I wanted to play the piano for a long time. I liked doing something with my hands,"...

Sunday in the Park will be this weekend

The last Sunday in the Park of 2014 will be held Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Herman Park. The event is a partnership with Goldsboro Parks and Recreation and the Arts Council of Wayne County. There's a variety...

Ministry helps needy in Dominican Republic

Goldsboro resident Betty Evans began celebrating her 80th birthday by serving soup and sandwiches to Haitian refugees in the Dominican Republic. Mrs. Evans was part of a recent mission trip to the Dominican Republic, sponsored by Blessed2BlessU Ministries out...

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair winners

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Tuesday Salute to Senior Citizens Oldest senior citizen: Winston Best, LaGrange Youngest grandparent: Norita Swinson, Goldsboro Most recent grandparent: Dianna Thomas, Goldsboro Most grandchildren: Marjorie Hines, LaGrange Most great-grandchildren: Louise Holland, Dudley Married longest to each...