June 2015 archives

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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Shots fired just after noon on city street

Shots fired in the 1100 block of North George Street on Monday afternoon struck a house and several vehicles, according to a Goldsboro police report. The home and at least two of the vehicles struck were occupied. No one...

Two men facing charges

The Goldsboro Police Department has two men in custody investigators believe are responsible for two shootings that took place June 24. Their intended target escaped injury both times. Martinez King, 19, 2509 E. Elm St., and Corey Sutton, 17,...

District court judge dies suddenly

District Court Judge Timothy Finan died early today, according to sources at the Wayne County Courthouse. Unconfirmed reports indicated he might have suffered a heart attack at home. "It certainly is a sad day," Wayne County District Attorney Matt...

Woman charged with DWI in crash

A Goldsboro woman is charged today with driving while impaired after causing an accident on North Berkeley Boulevard Monday that nearly took her life. Amanda Gail Freeman, 21, of 103 E. Parks Road, told Goldsboro police she took two...

No charges filed in pedestrian collision

A pedestrian walking in the eastbound lane of N.C. Highway 55 was struck by a vehicle at 11:16 a.m. Monday. The driver, a 28-year-old pregnant woman, began having what she thought were contractions. The N.C. State Highway Patrol confirmed...

Robbers hit local auto parts business

Robbers were able to pry through a side entrance, disable the alarm and break into the floor safe of an East Ash Street auto parts store undetected Sunday night, according to a Goldsboro police report. The break-in at O'Reilly Auto...

Da Vinci surgery -- next generation

Dr. Brent Ellmers positions himself behind a console, wrapping his fingers around the controls and focuses on the screen before him that projects an image of the patient he will perform surgery on across the room. That's right, across...

Monday, June 29, 2015

Lessons of the future

At first glance, it might be any other classroom. But, instead of a blackboard and chalk, this room at Greenwood Middle School has whiteboards, iPads, laptops and Apple TVs. Instead of neatly placed rows of desks and chairs, it...

Lenoir trooper injured in crash

A trooper with the N.C. State Highway Patrol assigned to the Kinston office in Lenoir County is recovering today after he was struck by a motorist on U.S. Highway 70 West. The accident took place near LaGrange at about...

Pastor set to answer a new calling

First-time visitors at any of a recent weekend service at The Bridge Church received a quick introduction to the pastor who has been there for 25 years. Pastor Ferrell Hardison and his wife, Miss Millie, who just celebrated 38...

Moped riders will face new requirements as of July 1

A new state law goes into effect Wednesday requiring all moped operators to register their vehicle with the state Division of Motor Vehicles. They also will be required to obtain a registration card and a license plate, which must...

Career and Technical Education program thrives in Wayne County

For those left wondering whatever happened to vocational classes in school, they're alive and well but going by a different name. CTE, or Career and Technical Education, options currently serve nearly 12,000 students in Wayne County Public Schools, says...

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Statistics released on school district's graduates

The numbers are in for the Class of 2015. Wayne County Public Schools graduated 1,199 students from its eight public high schools this year. Those planning a post-secondary education earned approximately $6 million in one-time and annual grants, scholarships...

City close to sports complex lease

The city is in the process of finalizing a lease agreement for the use of a land to build a multi-sports complex on Oak Forest Road, officials announced this week. The complex will share property with Seymour Johnson Air Force...

Panera Bread opening its doors Monday

The wait is almost over. Panera Bread will open its Goldsboro location Monday at 6 a.m. at 802 N. Berkeley Blvd. Construction on the cafe and bakery-style restaurant began in early 2015. "We are thrilled to open our newest...

NC Music Day blends styles and technology

The threat of rain forced Friday night's free concert celebrating the youth voice of the African American Music Trail inside, but that didn't stop the music. Organizers quickly moved the show from the gazebo of Herman Park to the...

How a garden grows

Shatara and Shatonia Oliver go together like peas and carrots, like funnel cake and powdered sugar and like eggs and bacon. The two sisters, ages 10 and 12 respectively, sat next to each other at Thursday's reading of "You...

Hwy 55 opens in Denmark

MOUNT OLIVE -- The photo of young people camped out waiting for the opening of a new Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes and Fries could have been taken anywhere in the United States. But it wasn't. Hwy 55 president and...

Fourth of July closings

Most local, state and federal offices will be closed Friday for the Fourth of July holiday. Goldsboro's City Hall will be closed on Friday, July 3, for the July 4 holiday. All city sanitation services scheduled for Friday will...

A little history on the Confederate flag

What is commonly considered to be the Confederate flag is actually just one version used by the South during the Civil War. The familiar Stars and Bars that has caused so much controversy over the years was only used as...

After 43 years, Dr. McCullen says her final goodbye

Dr. Sandra Raiford McCullen is the epitome of her own mantra -- a lifelong learner. She proved it by her choice of a career in education and has continued to demonstrate it through each role she performed in the...

The Confederate flag: Should it go?

Since its creation, the Confederate flag has represented division. It divided a nation, representing a schism of beliefs between Southerners and Northerners. And more than 150 years after the last time it was carried into battle, it continues to...

Arrest made in northern Wayne break-ins

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office arrested a man believed to be responsible for several break-ins reported in northern Wayne County, according to a press release issued Friday. Joshua Ryan Outlaw, 19, 2104 Oberry Road, is charged with three counts...

Friday, June 26, 2015

Financial crimes suspect sought

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is asking for the community's help in locating a woman wanted in connection with a series of financial crimes. Tammy Kornegay Williams, 45 -- with addresses both in Kenly and in Goldsboro -- was...

$256K closer: Local teams raise money to help American Cancer Society

Donations are still coming in, but at Thursday night's wrap-up and awards ceremony, Relay for Life organizers said the 2015 event had generated $256,000 to date. "We're still raising money. We're not done with this year until Aug. 31,"...

Rider killed in crash on Spence

Traffic on North Spence Avenue was blocked for more than an hour Thursday between Mall Road and Royall Avenue after a motorcyclist died near the entrance of the Oak Brook apartment complex. According to a Goldsboro Police Department accident...

Wayne Community College honors 2015 dental hygiene class

Wayne Community College recognized the 21 members of its Dental Hygiene Class of 2015 recently in a formal pinning ceremony at the college. The annual service, which includes presentation of stoles and WCC dental hygiene pins to the graduates...

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Sand spikers

The trophy gleamed in the evening sun as 12 teams battled it out at the net for bragging rights. The gold witch on a broom, affectionately called the Sand Witch by Tyler Ham, a recreation leader with the Goldsboro...

Weather takes toll on county's crops

Nearly two weeks of blistering heat with little or no rain has left many Wayne County fields wilted and stunted. And if relief doesn't come soon, the corn crop, at least, will be decimated. "We're losing yield every day,"...

Goldsboro police try to find shooter in attempted murder

A Goldsboro man's lack of cooperation with law enforcement's investigation of two shootings Wednesday afternoon, of which he was the intended target both times, has left Goldsboro police little to go on. With sparse help from witnesses, investigators are...

WCC recognizes nursing class

Wayne Community College recognized the members of its Associate Degree Nursing Class of 2015 recently in a formal pinning ceremony. The annual service, which includes presentation of nursing pins and nurse's creed scrolls by the faculty of the program,...

Goldsboro man robbed while sitting on porch

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a robbery and assault that took place at a North Claiborne Street residence at 7:50 p.m. Monday. David Lee Coley, 60, told police he was sitting on his front porch when two men...

Tools stolen from school work site

More than $4,100 in copper and tools are missing as a result of a weekend break-in on the property of Spring Creek Elementary School, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office report. The break-in took place late Saturday or...

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Veterans cemetery still on schedule

The new program manager for the N.C. Division of Veterans Affairs revealed more details on the county's new veterans' cemetery during a speech to a local civic group Tuesday. James Woodard discussed the progress of the project with the...

Kiwanis Club's train marks 60 years in operation

"You must yell and scream when entering the tunnel." It's in the rules. The Kiwanis train has brought fun to Herman Park for the past 60 years. Some children refer to the shiny blue engine as Thomas the Train,...

Plant's coal ash pits on Duke's agenda

Five coal ash pits near the H.F. Lee Plant in Goldsboro are among the dozens of site across the state slated for excavation, Duke Energy announced Tuesday. The company announced workers will remove the contents of each pit and...

Business credit card stolen; $29L in false charges

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a series of fraudulent charges to a credit card number stolen from the Daniels and Daniels Construction Co. The amount of charges uncovered so far exceeds $29,708. Maj. Anthony Carmon said the card...

Southern Wayne to celebrate 50 years

Southern Wayne High School will soon celebrate a big milestone -- the Big 5-0. Opened in 1965, its first graduating class was the following spring. To mark the occasion, staff and alumni are preparing for a banner year of...

New school educates citizens on government

Blondine Knelsen wanted to know more about her government. The Brazil native says she is fascinated by the workings of the city departments. "I believe in being a good citizen and good community person," she said. So she enrolled...

Crime of the Week

On June 22, David Coley reported he was sitting on his front porch which is located in the 700 block of North Claiborne Street at approximately 7:50 p.m. when he was approached by two black males and ordered to "Give...

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

GPD: Lock your car doors

Goldsboro's recent influx of motor vehicle break-ins saw no sign of slowing down this weekend, as four more occurred over the course of Friday and Saturday, in addition to two motor vehicle larcenies. The vehicle break-ins occurred at 1805...

Line 'em up, and then make them dance ...

Seventeen women stand in a circle, with their arms looped around one another's backs. "One, two, three, hug!" called Joy Grant, their teacher. The circle closes into a large group hug. This is how they end every line dancing...

No charges in crash that killed woman

The N.C. State Highway Patrol confirmed today that the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed a pedestrian Saturday on U.S. 117 South will not be charged. Brenda Faye Godwin, 45, of 1245 Genoa Road in Dudley, was...

City, Wayne County Public Schools look at plan

In light of a growing need for meeting space and gymnasium access throughout Goldsboro, the city is sizing up a possible agreement with Wayne County Public Schools that would provide the necessary facilities. In exchange for after-hours use of...

Monday, June 22, 2015

Temperatures are still on the rise

Dangerous heat continues to be a threat in Goldsboro and Wayne County. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory today for 32 counties in central and eastern North Carolina. The advisory is in effect from midday until early...

Fun time in the city

Josh Williams grew up participating in the Parks and Recreation summer camps. He spent his summer in the city pools and going on field trips to the science museum. And as an adult not much has changed. This is his...

County school for arts possible

Goldsboro High School would be an ideal spot to introduce a performing arts program, officials say. County Commissioner John Bell met recently with the curriculum and instruction committee for the Wayne County Board of Education, where the topic gained...

City man charged in B&E cases

A Goldsboro man has been charged in connection with several breaking and entering cases across the city. Antonio McDuffie, 48, of 315 E. Walnut St., was arrested around 3 a.m. Friday by the Goldsboro Police Department and charged with...

AT&T donates $2,500 for club program Computers4Students

AT&T has made a $2,500 contribution to the Optimist Club of Goldsboro for its Computers4Students of Wayne County program. The donation will mean that Wayne County students will have access to a computer when classes resume for the next...

Sunday, June 21, 2015

A father's footsteps

Wayne County sons learn about business from their fathers — and how to be the best person they can be. Fathers and sons are usually best friends. They both learn from each other. They count on each other through...

74 employees ending school district careers

Seventy-four retiring employees were recognized by Wayne County Public Schools at the district's annual retiree appreciation reception, held recently at Walnut Creek Country Club. All total, the departing staffers had a cumulative 1,628 years with the district and a...

Standing on their own two feet

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp.'s business incentive grant program, and it is beginning to come under fire from the members of Goldsboro City Council. Several members of the council in recent budget...

Nonprofit squeaks by budget ax

Literacy Connections of Wayne County on Tuesday survived two attempts, one drastic, to slash its county funding. The first attempt, which would have reduced the county allocation to $85,000, was led by Commissioner Joe Daughtery who has championed the...

Goldsboro attorney state bar president

ASHEVILLE -- Shelby Duffy Benton of Goldsboro is the new president of the North Carolina Bar Association. She was installed Saturday evening, June 20, at the NCBA Annual Meeting in Asheville. Mrs. Benton, who operates Benton Family Law, has...

33 local educators nominated for WCPS Teacher of the Year honor

Wayne County Public Schools has announced its 2015-2016 Teachers of the Year for the 33 schools in the district. The winners will now compete for the districtwide honor in the fall. The individual teachers and their assigned area include...

A stinky ogre's tale

The magic words are "apple strudel." Marissa Fosberg galloped around the Stagestruck building shouting the words. The 6-year-old takes her role as Shrek very seriously. Shrek is disgusting. He stinks. It was said he is uglier than both of...

Local credit union awards scholarships

Three recent high school graduates have been presented $750 scholarships to pursue higher education in the fall. Brittany Acree, director of marketing and public relations, said the credit union introduced a scholarship contest as part of its mission to...

County supports governor's bond plan

Gov. Pat McCrory says he cannot commit to specific requests for Wayne County in his $2.85 billion state bond proposal, Wayne County Commission Chairman Wayne Aycock said last week. "But in my conversation with the governor, I feel confident...

Beating the heat?

Caden Hamilton, 10, walked to the end of the diving board at Walnut Creek on Saturday afternoon. He paused at the end of the structure. He looked at his mother, Jessica, who was sitting poolside, and cracked a wide grin....

Friday, June 19, 2015

Emily Tucker wins pageant's talent award

Goldsboro's Emily Tucker received the Talent Award during the second night of preliminary competition at the Miss North Carolina pageant on Thursday. Thirty-seven contestants will compete for the state title on Saturday in Raleigh. The 24-year-old, a former Miss...

Expert: Watch children when mercury rises

Infants and toddlers under the age of 3 are at a higher risk for heat-related problems during heat waves like the one that has been baking eastern North Carolina for the past week, said Dr. Cory Bean of Goldsboro...

WCC to begin new summer classes

A number of continuing education occupational courses will begin soon at Wayne Community College. *Banking 101 (Bank Teller Training), Mondays, June 22 to Aug. 10, 6 to 9 p.m.; *Life and Health Insurance Pre-Licensing, Fridays, 6 to 10 p.m. and...

UMO partners with Brunswick Community to enhance transfers

MOUNT OLIVE -- According to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, 15 percent of community college students who transfer lose nearly all of their credits in the process, costing them precious time and money. Another...

Thursday, June 18, 2015

One suspect in robberies caught

One of three suspects wanted in connection with the attempted armed robbery and the armed robbery of two Internet sweepstakes cafes in Goldsboro June 3 is in custody, according to a Goldsboro Police Department press release. The two additional suspects...

Emily Tucker is a Miss N.C. finalist

A former Miss Goldsboro was named one of five finalists for her community service platform during the first round of preliminary competition for Miss North Carolina on Wednesday evening. Emily Tucker, the reigning Miss Greater Sampson County, was among...

We've got the heat

This week is a scorcher, but Wayne County has seen hotter temperatures -- even as far back as 1918. Terry Click with the National Weather Service in Raleigh said record temperatures for the week of June 15-21 occurred as...

View from lifeguard's chair at Peacock

Peacock Pool was at capacity on Wednesday afternoon. Families laughed and splashed in the water. It was loud, and it was hot. Lifeguard Logan Cole kept watch. He counted heads and scanned the water constantly. He has been a...

Make a Difference Food Pantry receives 1,200-meal donation

Mackenzie Hinson walked into Food Lion on Sunday afternoon thinking that she was only going to be grocery shopping with her family. But something bigger was in store for the 10-year-old who launched the Make a Difference Food Pantry....

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Shooting unfolds outside restaurant

An argument in the parking lot of the Wayne Memorial Drive Waffle House early this morning resulted in shots being fired into a vehicle. No one was injured and one man is in custody, according to a Goldsboro Police...

Splash and burn

As a record heat wave continues to envelop Wayne County, some are flocking to cool water or holing up in their air-conditioned homes. But others, many of them children who have been indoors all school year, are embracing Mother...

County budget passes

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday unanimously adopted a new $177,854,151 budget, but not before attempting another round of penny-pinching that would have trimmed less than $20,000 from the spending plan. The new budget reduces the property tax rate from 66.65...

Wayne County Public Schools goes to four-day workweek schedule

Now that graduations are over and schools have been dismissed for the summer, Wayne County Public Schools reverts to its summer schedule -- a four-day workweek. The annual summer flex schedule began this week and continues through Aug. 14,...

Reading encouragement

"Pow" says Superman and Captain Underpants. "Kapow" say The Incredibles and Wonder Woman. "Krackbooom" says the Incredible Hulk. Visitors to the Wayne County Public Library will see posters like these throughout the children's section in preparation for the summer...

Fremont passes $3.8 million budget

FREMONT -- Fremont's Board of Aldermen approved the town's budget following a public hearing at Tuesday night's meeting, during which nobody stepped forward to comment. The town's budget has a total of more than $3.8 million in it, with...

Salvation Army captains reassigned

The Wayne County Salvation Army will have new leadership the end of this month, as Capts. Kenny and Julie Igleheart are being reassigned. Their last day is June 21. "So we get to do our Father's Day message that...

Foundation to host grant info session June 25

KENANSVILLE -- Online grant applications for the Duplin Foundation for Youth Advancement will be available June 26 through noon Aug. 11 on the North Carolina Community Foundation website. Grant recipients will be announced in September. The Duplin County Community...

Crime of the week

On May 20 ,the resident of 409 Lynn Ave. reported leaving their home secure on May 13 and upon returning on May 20 they found an open door and over $35,000 worth of property stolen, including weapons and pocket watches...

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Joe Scott to run for Mount Olive town board spot

MOUNT OLIVE -- District 4 town Commissioner Joe Scott announced Monday that he will seek re-election. Filing for office begins Monday, July 6, at 8 a.m. and continues through Friday, July 17, at noon. The election is Tuesday, Nov....

Retirement party

Dr. Sandra McCullen, left, hugs longtime co-worker and now retired educator Juanita King during a floating retirement party at the Wayne County Board of Education on Monday. Dr. McCullen, who served as  associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and...

It's not over yet -- extremely high temperatures linger

Hot weather continued to bear down on Wayne County and most of eastern North Carolina today, with highs expected to top 100 degrees. "It's going to be a hot one," Keith Sherburn of the National Weather Service said early today....

City Council approves funding for center, country club project

The Goldsboro City Council voted Monday night to approve the financing of the construction of a new W.A. Foster Center and renovations to the Goldsboro Country Club. The two projects together will cost more than $7 million, with the...

Suspect chase ends in crash on U.S. 70

Two men injured in a crash at U.S. Highway 70 East and North Spence Avenue at 12:30 a.m. today told police they were chasing a black SUV driven by the man who had just robbed them. A suspect has...

Monday, June 15, 2015

Suspect attempts to rob local hotel

A Goldsboro man faces three felony charges after a failed attempt at a robbery at the Serena Inn early Sunday morning. Police say the suspect took the hotel owner's gun from him and tried to rob him before a...

It's a heat wave

Dangerous record high temperatures are expected to reach triple digits today and Tuesday with the searing heat made even more insufferable by the stifling humidity that makes the air feel even hotter. Wayne County residents are being urged to...

Area evacuated

A city crew working on a sewer line severed a gas line early this morning forcing the evacuation of Goldsboro City Hall and several adjacent businesses, the Goldsboro Fire Department said. No injuries were reported. The initial call came...

County eyes naming highway after Kerr

As one of the most powerful members of the North Carolina General Assembly, the late John Kerr III championed improvement to state infrastructure including the U.S. 70 Goldsboro Bypass now under construction. Tuesday morning Wayne County commissioners will consider...

City Council to discuss demolitions

The Goldsboro City Council will cover about 20 items at tonight's work session and regularly scheduled council meeting -- everything from demolition of dilapidated houses to a proposed new solar farm. The discussion of the solar farm is one...

Sunday, June 14, 2015

County budget next on agenda

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday are expected to adopt a proposed 2015-16 fiscal year budget of $177,854,151 that slightly trims the property tax rate from 66.65 cents to 66.5 cents per $100 of property value. The board will take up...

University of Mount Olive starts agriculture division

MOUNT OLIVE -- As a result of the growth in its agriculture curriculums over the last few years the University of Mount Olive (UMO) has created a Division of Agriculture. "The university has witnessed growth in student numbers interested...

Spring Creek High graduates turn tassels

Before the members of the Spring Creek High School Class of 2015 turned their tassels, Kenton Lane joked he was one-third of the way done. "One down, two to go," he said, as he waited for his son, Eli...

Pikeville electric rates to decrease

PIKEVILLE -- Utility customers in Pikeville can expect to pay less on their electric bills beginning in July -- if they keep their usage levels the same as in past years, town officials said. "It has been recommended that,...

Charles B. Aycock holds graduation ceremony

Streamers and confetti filled the air and a huge beach ball bounced from student to student as graduates of Charles B. Aycock High School turned their tassels Saturday morning. The graduation ceremony was held on the football field with family...

National Night Out plans

Planning is under way for the 32nd annual National Night Out, which is scheduled to be held at Herman Park on Aug. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. National Night Out is a nationwide event held each year in...

Three with Wayne ties to compete in Miss North Carolina Pageant

The Goldsboro community will have three representatives vying for the crown of Miss North Carolina when it airs Saturday night. The 78th annual scholarship pageant will be held at Duke Energy for the Performing Arts and broadcast on Time...

Goldsboro High graduates receive diplomas

Cougar pride poured out of the auditorium at Goldsboro High School Friday night as the 116 members of the graduating Class of 2015 walked one-by-one across the stage to receive their diplomas. College is the next step for many...

Fundraiser for earthquake victims today

The Interact Club at the Boys and Girls Club of Royall Avenue in Goldsboro is holding a fundraiser today to benefit disaster relief in Nepal. Interact is a Youth Leadership Program of Rotary International, sponsored locally by Three Eagles Rotary...

Family traces ancestry to slave turned soldier

Tracing your family roots can be a demanding, sometimes frustrating challenge, but one Wayne County family has discovered an ancestor who changed their family's fortunes forever with his single-minded determination. Jack Sherrod was born a slave in Wayne County...

Fairgrounds getting new lights, building

DUDLEY -- Nearly $75,000 in projects at the Wayne County Fairgrounds will brighten a parking lot and provide more space for the animals and spectators at livestock shows. Both should be completed well before the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair...

Eastern Wayne graduation held

Nixie Fonner arrived at the Eastern Wayne High School graduation Saturday morning with a plastic bag brimming with oversized placards of her daughter's smiling face. Nine of them, in fact. "One for each of us," she said of the...

Walk raises money to help local non-violent offenders

Nizer Jones led a small parade across Royall Avenue. The 15-year-old was walking for a second chance for others. He was walking to help place non-violent former offenders in jobs and to keep them out of the system. His...

Friday, June 12, 2015

Graduation: Southern Wayne High School

MOUNT OLIVE -- Maryoni Nunez wiped tears from her eyes as she hugged her teacher Nadia Jones. Although happy to be one of the 235 Southern Wayne High School graduates on Thursday night, she said she was sad to...

Graduation: Rosewood High School

There was no mistaking the excitement of Jonathan Gould's family at his graduation ceremony Thursday night. As the 131 seniors filed onto the football field at Rosewood High School, Jonathan Sr. proudly held up a large professionally made sign...

Deputies make quick arrests of squatters

Workers in a service truck approaching a Rosewood residence to do some last-minute repairs before turning the house over to be rented Wednesday afternoon noticed a man running from the property and called 911. Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputies...

AT&T contributes $2,500 to WCC to support veterans' education

AT&T recently contributed $2,500 to Wayne Community College as a show of support of veterans and their families seeking to pursue a college education. Wayne Aycock, chairman of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, praised WCC for providing educational...

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Two men sought in robbery

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is working to identify and locate two male suspects who robbed the Wilco Hess gas station at 2775 U.S. 117 S. in Dudley early this morning. One suspect is a black male; the other...

Wayne County Public Schools officials look at teacher staffing

As another school year wraps up this week, Wayne County Public Schools officials are already taking a look at its pool of educators for the fall. "We do have more retirees this year than we had last year," Debbie...

Program teaches public ways to manage money

Mallory Latouche wanted financial stability in her life. She had a job and a bank account but was fighting the urge to stuff her money under a mattress. "I'm growing up. I'm not a teenager anymore," she said. "I...

Kids Fun Day will be Saturday downtown

The Optimist Club of Goldsboro is sponsoring a Kids Fun Day on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Cornerstone Commons at the intersection of Center and Chestnut streets. The event aims to give children who have...

Shooting suspect caught in Wake County

The Garner man wanted by the Goldsboro Police Department since December 2014 in connection with the attempted murder of Daniel Clark, 44, outside the Skylight Mini Mart has been captured, according to a press release. The Wake County Sheriff's...

40 inducted into WCC honor society

Wayne Community College's Upsilon Chi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, inducted 40 new members recently. Phi Theta Kappa members represent the top 10 percent of students enrolled in two-year schools. To be invited...

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Early college planned at University of Mount Olive

Wayne County Public Schools is pursuing adding another early college high school at the southern end of the county, possibly by the fall of 2016, on the University of Mount Olive campus. The school board's curriculum and instruction committee...

Jail date eyed

Construction could begin as early as mid-to-late July on Wayne County's new $10 million detention center, and inmates could be moved in by July or August of 2016. The deadline for the project bids is June 23, County Manager...

A little help from friends

At 5:15 a.m. on May 22, Kayla King got a phone call. Her boyfriend of two years, A.J. Underwood, had been in a car wreck. He was at Wayne Memorial Hospital, and rescue workers were airlifting him to Vidant...

Mount Olive girl improving after crash

The condition of an 11-year-old girl who was struck by a car last week while riding her bicycle has been upgraded from critical to stable at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. Emily Craft of Mount Olive was riding her...

Walk-a-thon to help offenders re-entering society

More than 100 people and 15 businesses have already registered for Saturday's Chosen One Reentry Program Walk-a-Thon, scheduled for 7:45 a.m. The 5-K fundraiser is intended to raise money for operating costs for the non-profit that helps non-violent offenders...

Have you seen this local man?

On June 3, employees of the Longhorn Business Center located at 1716 U.S. 117 South reported a male entered the business on the same date at approximately 11:10 p.m., he held the door open and allowed two unidentified males to...

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Seniors ready to turn tassels

Graduations at six high schools will take place later this week, while students in Wayne County Public Schools have a few more days to go, thanks to make-up snow days tacked onto the original calendar. Wednesday was originally the...

Princeton police get grant for cameras for cruisers

PRINCETON -- The Princeton Police Department announced Monday that it will receive two grants from the Governor's Crime Commission for the purchase of new equipment. The money will allow police Chief Tyrone Sutton to procure new in-car video cameras...

Family loses two to crashes

For the second time in six months, a trooper with the state Highway Patrol had to notify a Seven Springs woman that one of her loved ones had been killed in a car crash. First, her husband. Now, a...

Murder suspect in jail

The man police say shot and killed an acquaintance of his in a car parked in the Jefferson Court Apartments Sunday is in custody today. Yquan Dashay Holloman, 19, 600 C E. Holly St., is charged with an open...

Students seeking host family

Two French students and two Spanish students are looking for families in the area to spend several weeks with. They are coming to the United States this month through a program administered through East Carolina University. Wayne County has...

Monday, June 8, 2015

Pickup practice

It's just like playing a video game. That's how Harry McClarin describes operating the city's new automated garbage trucks that were put to work the first of the month. "It's a lot more technical, but like I said, I...

School staffing changes announced

Three administrative changes at elementary schools in Wayne County Public Schools have been announced -- a principal and two curriculum specialists. Spring Creek Elementary School will have a new principal in the fall, prompted by the retirement of Gail...

Preston is seeking board seat

MOUNT OLIVE -- Thomas Preston Jr., 69, is the first person to announce his candidacy for the Mount Olive Town Board in the Nov. 3 municipal election. Preston, who served one term previously on the board, will run for...

Goldsboro man, 22, found in car dead

A death investigation that began with the discovery of a body in a parked car left at the Jefferson Court Apartments late Saturday night has been upgraded to a homicide, the Goldsboro Police Department said this morning. The victim,...

County weighs capital budget

A proposed $39 million five-year capital improvement will be considered by Wayne County commissioners as they work on budget deliberations. The bulk of the proposed cost, slightly more than $27 million, would be in 2015-16. Of that total, $16...

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Local road projects OK'd by board

Two interchange projects on U.S. 117 South that one day could be part of an extended Interstate 795 are included in the 2016-2025 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) approved this past week by the N.C. Board of Transportation. The...

School start/release times are set

Opening and closing times will remain the same at schools around the county in the fall, with the exception of slight changes prompted by the addition of two middle schools. The school board approved the proposed schedule, mostly relating...

Victim in fatal accident identified

The identity of the man killed in Wednesday's crash on N.C. Highway 581 near Talton Hardy Road has been released by the N.C. State Highway Patrol. Joey Randolph, 51, of Kenly died when his 2000 Ford Ranger went off...

Suspect charged in two VFD robberies

A man the Wayne County Sheriff's Office says is responsible for a motorcycle theft and breaking into at least two county volunteer fire departments has been charged, according to a press release. Daniel Trey Pearce, 24, of 5702 Sanderson...

City gets OK to borrow for projects

The future of two multi-million dollar projects no longer hangs in the balance after the city received the go-ahead for financing from the North Carolina Local Government Commission. City Manager Scott Stevens traveled to Raleigh to meet with the...

Local families enjoy afternoon of learning

More than 2,000 people were expected to pass through Herman Park Saturday for the Partnership for Children of Wayne County's 10th annual Born Learning Festival. Forecasted rain showers held off as droves of families with young children poured into...

UMO debuts new program for JSCC degree-holders

MOUNT OLIVE -- A partnership agreement between the University of Mount Olive and James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville will enhance and expand options for community college students. The University of Mount Olive Bridge allows Associate of Applied Science...

Local resident launches barbecue sauce line

Ken Barfield is ready to fire up the grill this season. But instead of a back yard or picnic, he will be in grocery stores across the state. Recently, he stood in the Piggly Wiggly in Mount Olive, greeting...

Shots fired on street Friday night

Witnesses described a gunfight between two vehicles when Goldsboro police responded to a shots fired call in the area of Clingman Street and Stronach Avenue at about 6 p.m. Friday, according to the police report. At least one person...

Thousands are raised for pregnancy center

Gracie Johnson cried at the end of the mile walk -- that's a long way for a 6-year-old to walk. But even though her effort ended with a little injury, the little girl was happy, too. She helped raise...

Meet the interim chief

Goldsboro police Chief Jeff Stewart took over as chief of police four years ago when former police chief Tim Bell retired. Scott Stevens, new to Goldsboro and the role of city manager at that time, appointed Stewart as interim...

Students chosen for All-State choirs

Four middle school students and seven high school students were chosen to showcase their voices and musical talents in the 2015 N.C. Middle School and High School All State choral events. Chosen from Wayne County Public Schools were Terrence...

Retiring chief ready to enjoy a new life

Goldsboro police Chief Jeff Stewart, 53, will officially retire July 1 after having served four years as head of the city police department. With plenty of sick time to cash in and time allotted for his military service, Stewart's...

Home, a nail at a time

A girl needed money for her house. According to Zaniya Edwards, age 6, that was enough reason to bring coins day after day to her elementary school. The students of Eastern Wayne Elementary raised $380 in their Nickels for...

Auction step one in club revamp

Ronnie Ezzell sifted through dust-covered glassware and serving trays set out for auction at the old Goldsboro Country Club early Saturday morning. He flipped through tag after tag recording the lot numbers of items on which he might like...

Friday, June 5, 2015

County delays adding cameras

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday voted 5-2 to delay spending $34,500 to equip sheriff's deputies with body cameras. Deputies who serve as school resource officers already have the cameras. Commissioners also agreed during their budget work session to phase in...

Car is caught in shootout on Pine Street

A shootout on the 700 block of East Pine Street early Friday resulted in one victim sustaining injuries and a neighboring house incurring damage from the shots fired. Patrol officers with the Goldsboro Police Department heard shots being fired...

Plea deal is reached in woman's murder

Due to a plea agreement on second-degree murder charges accepted in Wayne County Superior Court Friday afternoon, Clifton Wayne Griffin will be 78 years old when he is first eligible for parole. Griffin, 50, confessed in court to killing...

More schools to offer lunches

Students at 13 public schools in Wayne County will receive free breakfast and lunch next year, with one school added to the current program adopted by the school board. Wayne County Public Schools became a participant in 2014 in the...

Vehicle catches fire on city street

Ryan Carpenter was sitting at the intersection of Cashwell Drive and Spence Avenue when he noticed a fire under the hood of his truck. He immediately hopped out and called 911 -- and waited for the Goldsboro Fire Department....

Two rising seniors chosen to attend Governor's School

Two rising seniors from Wayne County Public Schools have been chosen to attend sessions of the 2015 Governor's School of North Carolina this summer. Governor's School is the oldest statewide summer residential program for academically and intellectually gifted high...

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Thieves try to rob business, then move on to another

After a failed attempt to rob one Internet sweepstakes establishment, three armed black males struck another gaming business successfully, injuring one employee in the process. The men first attempted to enter the Longhorn's Business Center -- formerly Teasers strip club...

Train hits car; 1 dead

A CSX train collided with a vehicle at the intersection of Talton Road and North Center Street in Mount Olive Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the death of the driver of the car. A preliminary investigation has determined the driver...

Girl, 11, hit by car in Duplin

MOUNT OLIVE -- An 11-year-old girl is in critical condition after being struck by car while riding her bicycle late Monday afternoon on Norwood Ezzell Road southeast of Mount Olive in Duplin County. Emily Craft was riding her bicycle...

Tyndall receives full ride at Duke

Eastern Wayne High School senior Cullen Tyndall has received a full ride to attend Duke University in the fall. The Benjamin N. Duke Scholarship pays expenses for four years of study at Duke, and is valued at more than...

Circus is in town

Julliet Carballo, 14, a member of the Walker International Events circus, reveals to Haley Carr, 10, of Faison her freshly painted tiger face before the start of the show at the Wayne County Fairgrounds on Tuesday evening....

Lewis earns scholarship to N.C. State

Rosewood High School senior Sara Lewis has earned a Park Scholarship to attend N.C. State University in the fall. Considered one of the most prestigious undergraduate merit scholarship programs in the nation, the scholarship program pays expenses for four...

One dies in N.C. 581 crash

A man, who has not yet been identified, died Wednesday in a single-vehicle wreck off N.C. Highway 581 North. Little River Fire Chief Mike Aycock said the driver of a Ford Ranger was killed when his vehicle went off...

Arrest made in shooting on Poplar Street

One man is in jail and other suspects are being sought after a shootout on Poplar Street Wednesday. A passenger car was caught in the crossfire but no injuries have been reported. "They missed each other and struck another...

WorkKeys test dates set throughout June

The WorkKeys(r) tests for the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) will be offered at Wayne Community College three times in June in Wayne County. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success (WORKS) program will provide testing sessions at 12:30 to...

Pikeville man charged

A Pikeville man is charged with manufacturing methamphetamines and selling the drug out of his home on Buggy Drive, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office press release. Thomas Wayne Hinson, 49, 167 E. Buggy St., is charged with manufacturing...

Care Center to host 5K run this Saturday

Wayne Pregnancy Care Center will host its first annual Heroes Run for Life 5K run and one-mile walk this Saturday. The fundraiser will be held at Walnut Creek, with registration at 7 a.m. followed by the run/walk at 8....

Police charge man with multiple counts of breaking and entering

The Goldsboro Police Department has upped the charges on a homeless man patrol officers caught in the act of breaking into cars at the Gold City Motors car lot on east Ash Street Monday night. Sammy Braswell, 34, streets...

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Train collides with vehicle; one dead

One person is confirmed dead after a train struck a Jeep Liberty in Mount Olive around 3:05 p.m. today. Antonio Demarco Davis, 27, of Mount Olive was killed at the intersection of Talton Avenue and North Center Street, Mount Olive...

County to give WATCH $110K

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday afternoon reversed course on defunding WATCH (Wayne Action Teams for Community Health), voting unanimously instead to cut its funding request in half to $110,000. But the funding came with a warning: WATCH should not count...

13 are charged in drug roundup

A six-month undercover investigation into drug dealing on the streets of Mount Olive culminated in a sweeping raid Tuesday morning. Twelve of 18 suspects were apprehended after search warrants were served simultaneously on two separate locations during Operation: Clean...

Two men shot overnight in Goldsboro

The Goldsboro Police Department is working to identify the person responsible for shooting two people at the intersection of South George and West Pine streets Tuesday night. One of the victims also fled the scene and remains unidentified. Reginald...

GPD: Break-ins being solved slowly

Despite being down 15 percent from 2014, the Goldsboro Police Department said Monday the close proximity of recent cases to one another makes the number of residential and motor vehicle break-ins to-date this year seem higher. Several investigations are...

Six seniors awarded scholarship money

Six seniors in Wayne County Public Schools have been awarded Emmet and Mary Robinson Trust Fund Scholarships. The trust fund was set up by the Robinsons for students in the local public high schools. It is based on need...

Norwayne teacher, students produce, publish two books

Michelle Rutledge did not set out to create another Hemingway or Maya Angelou. She simply wanted to encourage her sixth-grade language arts students to take more of an interest in reading and writing. A bulletin board in the back...

One stroke at a time

Things are heating up at the Arts Council of Wayne County this summer. On Friday, stop by the Arts Council for the grand opening of the Art Alley. The ribbon cutting on the "First Friday" will open the brick alley....

Commission adds signs, cuts library

Wayne County Commissioner Joe Daughtery has a reputation for budget slashing. Tuesday afternoon while wielding his budget ax, he asked for something to be added -- $32,000 in signs welcoming travelers to Wayne County. Minutes after commissioners unanimously approved...

Wayne County Public Schools leader runs last board meeting

Monday night marked the interim superintendent's last meeting with the Board of Education. Dr. Sandra McCullen was appointed to the role Dec. 1 by her predecessor, Dr. Steven Taylor, who retired. Mrs. McCullen is closing out a 42-year career...

Suspects sought in 12 city break-ins

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a series of motor vehicle break-ins discovered in the West Haven community early Saturday morning. As many as 10 vehicles had one or more windows smashed out with a pry tool, according to...

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Suspect pleads to lesser charge

The man Goldsboro police say shot and killed 18-year-old Jairus Mikeal Saunders inside the now-defunct Teasers night club in September 2012 has been sentenced in Wayne County Court. Quintin Leon Swinson Jr., 25, of Mount Olive, will serve 10...

Mount Olive board approves budget, 5-cent tax increase

MOUNT OLIVE -- By a 3-1 vote, the Mount Olive Town Board Monday night adopted a $6.26 million budget that includes a 5-cent increase in the town's property tax. The 5-cent tax increase takes the rate from 59 to...

A servant's heart

The late John Kerr was remembered Monday not only for his legislative and legal prowess, but for the way he lived his life. He was the same person whether he was walking the halls of power or among the...

Suspected ATV thief is charged

After eluding capture for more than a month, the man the Wayne County Sheriff's Office says stole and then sold an ATV in late April is in custody. Allen Duane Gore, 25, 599 Overman Road, is charged with felony...

City Council drops tax increase

The Goldsboro City Council passed the city's 2015-16 budget at Monday night's meeting after making several significant changes to the original spending plan in its work session. Two of the most significant changes are the removal of the proposed...

Plaques at new schools debated

The Wayne County Board of Education continued its 4-3 vote division Monday night, changing up the split on two topics -- seeking a new auditor and whose names will go on plaques at the district's two newest schools. School...

Healthy. Happy.

Sabrina Kornegay leads a Zumba class for children outdoors during Healthy Kids Day outside of the YMCA Child Care Center Friday. She is joined by her son Austin, 8, while he eats a slice of watermelon. Healthy Kids Day...

GATEWAY eyes rate drop, route changes

Following a unanimous vote at the most recent Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority board meeting, GATEWAY rural ride rates could decrease from $8 to $5. The decision made by the board is pending approval by the Wayne County Commissioners, and will...

Man stabbed, snubs lawmen

A Goldsboro man stabbed during an altercation early Friday morning refused to cooperate with police, according to a Goldsboro police report. Willie Earl Dickens Jr., 37, of Edgerton St., was stabbed once in the upper chest by an unknown person...

Monday, June 1, 2015

Standoff ends in arrest

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team was called out Sunday to a residence where an armed man inside the home refused to surrender to police following a domestic dispute. Two negotiators and the man's...

Carmon takes over GPD investigations

Goldsboro police Maj. Anthony Carmon has traded in his dress blue uniform for a coat and tie as commander of the department's Criminal Investigations Division. Carmon, 57, brings a new face -- and voice -- to the department's command...

Goldsboro man shot in car

A Goldsboro man is recovering at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville this morning after being shot while sitting in his car in the 600 block of East Holly Street Sunday. The shooting took place at 12:45 p.m. SirAndre Leamon...

Council to weigh budget proposal

Goldsboro City Council will begin its work session at 5 tonight, and is expected to pass the city's budget during the regularly scheduled council meeting at 7 p.m. The budget for fiscal year 2015-16, as it currently reads, will...

Tu tu fabulous

The dancers paused to adjust their tutus Saturday. As they stretched and tried to touch their toes, there were more than a few groans. Ballet looks a lot easier than it is. But the ballerinas gave it their best shot...