July 2015 archives

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Friday, July 31, 2015

UMO signs 10-year lease on library

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive has signed a 10-year lease with Mount Olive for the former Steele Memorial Library building at the corner of North Chestnut and West James streets. The lease is $750 per month...

Law enforcement officers planning annual community 'meet and greet'

Wayne County Chamber of Commerce president Kate Daniels has been tapped to speak at the 32nd Annual National Night Out in Herman Park Aug. 4. Thirty-one vendors have signed on to host booths or displays at the event, which...

GPD eyes apartment break-ins

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a series of motor vehicle break-ins at an apartment complex off North Spence Avenue this morning. A red Volkswagen Beetle was also reported stolen. "We have several occurrences of someone breaking into unsecured...

Inmate flees during transfer

LUMBERTON -- An inmate facing charges in Wayne County escaped from a minimum security confinement center in Robeson County late Thursday, but was soon found at a Walmart in Pembroke and is back in custody as of this morning....

Gator-iffic

Noah Davis, 4, touches the rough back of a young alligator after a presentation by the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island at the Wayne County Library on Thursday....

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Garbage crackdown

Beginning Monday, Sept. 14, Goldsboro citizens will experience a change in consequences for not properly placing their garbage bins near the curb for collection. Bins not placed according to city ordinances will no longer be serviced by the city's...

Victim turns tables on would-be thief

[email protected] The victim of a motor vehicle break-in turned the tables on an alleged thief Wednesday outside the Sheetz gas station at 1003 N. Spence Ave., according to a Goldsboro police report. Goldsboro police were dispatched to Sheetz with a...

Leaders create new rules for roosts

Anyone who owns chickens, whether a whole flock or just one, is now required by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to register for an NCFarmID number. The requirement is part of an effort to help...

Local dealership sponsoring community blood drive

Blood donors can help others and have fun at the same time during the annual Chevrolet of Goldsboro Drive for Life blood drive. It will be held Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Chevrolet dealer on...

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Proposed legislation outlines deal for Mount Olive for county hotel tax

An apparent compromise has been reached between Wayne County and Mount Olive on a proposed 1 percent countywide hotel occupancy tax. It would require that 70 percent of the hotel tax revenue generated in Mount Olive be used to...

Swimming lesson

Iyanna Ford, 8, receives instruction on how to swim freestyle from Monique Delatour, Dillard Academy Charter School staff member, during the school's weekly field trip to the YMCA Tuesday. Ms. Delatour works with the school on some of its...

Fire guts trailer

Fire claimed the home of a mother and two young children in a mobile home park off West New Hope Road Tuesday. The Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross has stepped in to provide assistance. Goldsboro Assistant...

City man charged in thefts from school

A Goldsboro man faces several charges in connection with a theft at a local school after leading police on a foot chase Friday. The suspect is accused of stealing electrical saws from Dillard Academy Charter School, which is located...

Crime of the Week

On Saturday, July 25, a resident of 906 Fifth St. reported leaving his residence secured on that date at 8:45 p.m. and when he returned at 10:45 p.m. he found a rear window at his residence had been entered by...

Community Day sponsored by nonprofit group at H.V. Brown

It was time for a change. Reggie White, Jermaine Buckram and De'Rontae Lee saw what was happening to youth in the community, and it wasn't pretty. Youths are getting caught up in violence, shootings are happening all the time and...

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Elvis set to return for United Way kickoff

Elvis will be back in the house Aug. 21 at the Paramount Theatre for this year's United Way kickoff. Stephen Freeman, aka Elvis, will be performing once again. Opening act will be Goldsboro's own The Hitman, a group of...

Muslim cemetery questioned by neighbors

Muslims in Goldsboro have nowhere to bury their dead. But a proposed cemetery could fix that. A public hearing on the proposed construction of a private cemetery for Muslims was held during Monday night's Goldsboro City Council meeting. Members of...

Store owner charged in raid

The owner of a local convenience store is expected to be charged today by N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement with selling alcohol without a permit following a raid Monday. ALE chief enforcement officer Joe Sadler said "approximately a van load"...

Monday, July 27, 2015

Music-themed artwork chosen for GATEWAY hub

Eric Schreffler nearly missed the chance to be a part of the new GATEWAY Transfer Station art project. He saw a notice from the Arts Council of Wayne County about submitting ideas for the artwork at the last minute,...

County hotel tax still has legs

State lawmakers will be in Raleigh for another two weeks at least -- plenty of time to move a bill through the chambers that would impose a countywide 1 percent hotel occupancy tax, state Sen. Louis Pate said. Pate...

Without a sound

PIKEVILLE -- It was a duel. Asen Loo crouched next to Max Ponton. Both 10-year-old boys watched their teacher, Kayla Seymour, shuffle through the flashcards. She pulled one, and they both started frantically rocking their arms back in forth, cradling...

Hospital hearing on expansion Aug. 19

Wayne Memorial Hospital has filed an application with the Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section of the N.C. Division of Health Service Regulation to renovate and expand space for surgical and endoscopy services and develop two new hybrid...

Sunday, July 26, 2015

A high note

John Bell wants a 300-person orchestra. He wants to spend all night watching a great play. He wants great music, inspired art and thought-provoking productions. And he wants it at Goldsboro High School. Earlier this month, Bell approached the Wayne...

Golf tournament will honor late sheriff

A golf tournament scheduled for Sept. 16 at the Lane Tree Golf Course in Goldsboro will honor the late Wayne County Sheriff Carey A. Winders. A banquet will be held the Friday before the tournament -- Sept. 11 --...

Widening project begins

The clearing of trees and other vegetation is under way along North Berkeley Boulevard in preparation for a $3 million highway-widening project. The clearing, drainage and grading are the first steps of the project, which will add a southbound...

Hundreds show up for fellowship, fun during New Spirit block party

Jaylin Hinton is scared of ponies. So sitting on top of Beau the horse, the 12-year-old was a little anxious. "I thought I'd try it out," he said. Moses Parker walked the duo around in a slow circle as part...

Assistant manager leaving city post

After nearly two years as assistant city manager, Angel Wright-Lanier is headed for Mooresville. Her last day was Thursday. Mrs. Wright-Lanier began her tenure as assistant city manager in September 2013 and made the decision to leave Goldsboro about...

Section of road to close for work

Beginning Monday, the state Department of Transportation will close a section of U.S. 70 Business/Peedin Road Extension at its intersection with U.S. 70 in Johnston County. The closure will allow work crews to convert the intersection into an interchange...

In appreciation of seniors

Leathers Charles, an Epicurean Civic Club member, carries food to guests of the Senior Appreciation Dinner on Saturday at the Dillard Alumni Building. This was the 42nd annual dinner, which gives a free meal and entertainment to senior citizens...

Lawmakers set to unwrap issues with constituents

State lawmakers have been in session for more than 100 days tackling issues from the routine to the complex including the state budget. Some issues of local interest have yet to be disposed of including a countywide one-percent hotel...

Housing bonds on council docket

The Goldsboro City Council will hold a public hearing Monday night to consider issuing $4.5 million in multi-family housing revenue bonds for the acquisition and renovation of Jefferson Court Apartments. The apartments are a 60-unit housing development at 1100...

Camped out

Payton Lowery is homesick. The 8-year-old camper slung her arms around her older sister Alyssa Vineyard's middle and squeezed tight. "She does not like being away from mama," Alyssa explained. Luckily, her group, Owl Hollow, has plenty of fun...

Friday, July 24, 2015

Antique caravan stops in Goldsboro

Heads were turning all around Goldsboro on Thursday as a bevy of antique cars and trucks maneuvered around town following a car show at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. About 75 vehicles that are part of the North Carolina...

Three charged in heroin arrests

A drug investigation conducted by the Wayne County Drug Task Force earlier this week resulted in three arrests and the seizure of an undisclosed amount of heroin, according to a sheriff's office press release. Two suspects were arrested in...

Glover awarded scholarship

Bradley Glover of Pikeville has been awarded a $1,500 scholarship from America's Farmers Grow Ag Leaders, a new program sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. Glover is double majoring in animal science and agricultural education at North Carolina State University to...

Thursday, July 23, 2015

City woman free on bond

A Goldsboro woman is free on bond after being charged with larceny and possession of stolen goods Tuesday. Investigators say the woman allegedly stole jewelry and pain medication from an 83-year-old woman, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office...

Moving to the beat

Yvonne Parnell sat to the side of the dance. She watched her friends on the dance floor with a smile. Yvonne has been line dancing for five years. She tried it one day and says she never stopped. Her...

County: No 1 percent hotel tax could negate county/city contract

The agreement between the city of Goldsboro and Wayne County to build the city's sports complex and the county's agricultural and convention center hinges on legislation implementing a new countywide 1 percent hotel occupancy tax. The contract is null...

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Two men charged in thefts of wiring

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has charged two men in connection with a pair of residential break-ins in July, both of which resulted in property theft. One of the homes was under construction at the time and the suspects...

N.C. treasurer speaks to city's Rotary Club

Good financial things are happening in North Carolina, but infrastructure, transportation and education are long-range challenges that remain to be met, state Treasurer Janet Cowell told Goldsboro Rotarians on Tuesday. Ms. Cowell noted that she serves a four-year term...

Farmer's market

Russell Smith, 87, relaxes in the shade of a tree in front of his home on Berkeley Boulevard near the corner of Tommy's Road Tuesday while he waits for customers to buy some of his fresh produce. Smith farms two...

Commissioners: No 1 percent tax, no ag center or sports complex

The Goldsboro sports complex and the Wayne County Regional Agricultural and Convention Center will not be built if the General Assembly fails to adopt a countywide one percent hotel occupancy tax. Wayne County commissioners Tuesday morning raised that alarm...

Crime of the week

On Monday, July 20, an employee of the Dollar Tree located at 2918 U.S. Highway 70 West reported securing the business on July 19 at 8:15 p.m. and when they returned to the business on July 20, at 8:15 a.m....

Website helps veterans find colleges

Postduty.com, a website launched to help veterans and their families find colleges to support their educational goals, is now online.   Its debut comes after a year of diligent planning and programming, resulting in the creation of a virtual meeting...

Albertson youth qualifies for motocross championship

Albertson's Mason Raynor just made his dream come true. The 6-year-old dirt bike racer has qualified for the largest amateur motocross race in the world, the 34th Annual Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL at...

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

City's historic home-makers

Betty Duncan was worried. The historic homes that she loves so much were disappearing. The once glorious homes were dilapidated and broken. She decided to do something about the growing number of vacant, rundown historic homes in Goldsboro. Standing...

Police officer is assaulted during arrest

A Goldsboro police officer assaulted during a disturbance at the Piggly Wiggly in Goldsboro Monday is uninjured and back at work today, officials said this morning. He is, however, driving a different patrol car. Staff members at the Piggly...

Six life sentences for Jones

Henry Calvin Jones, 35, who was convicted Friday of second-degree murder in the 2010 shooting death of Charles Ray Morgan III and other related charges, was sentenced in Wayne County Superior Court on Monday. Jones will serve six life...

Tri-County helps students attend camp

Local middle-school students shot hoops and ran drills at basketball camps hosted by two of the state's largest universities this summer, thanks to Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarships from Tri-County EMC. Logan Price, son of Tony and Stephanie Price...

Arts Council accepting applications for grants

The Arts Council of Wayne County is accepting applications for the 2015/16 Regional Artist Project grants. The grants will provide financial support to artists in all disciplines, such as visual art/craft, music composition, film/video, literature/playwriting and choreography/dance at any stage...

Monday, July 20, 2015

Stray shots enter home on city street

A bullet lodged in the kitchen floor of a North Carolina Street residence Saturday was intended for someone else, according to a Goldsboro police report. The shots came from a passing vehicle at the nearby intersection of North George...

Suspect facing sexual assault charges

A Seven Springs man is behind held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $300,000 secured bond this morning after he was charged Friday with soliciting prostitution from a minor. The victim is a 13-year-old female. Aureo Antonio...

Plane almost finished

The F-86 Sabre fighter jet that has been undergoing repair and refurbishing since February 2014 will return to downtown Goldsboro during the first three days of September. It will be placed on the north side of the East Ash...

Occupancy tax up for vote

A bill that would implement a countywide 1 percent hotel occupancy tax is expected to pass its second and third readings today on the state House floor. The session begins at 7 p.m. The bill also would create a...

Commission to eye $1.5M in spending

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday are expected to allocate more than $1.5 million for several projects, including nearly $1 million for the county's proposed $16 million agriculture/convention center. The meeting begins with an agenda briefing at 8 a.m. followed by...

Summer reading program focus on superheroes

David-Allen Casey was ready. Dressed in a Hulk shirt, he sat at attention, waiting for Steele Memorial Library's first adult superhero program. He loves comic books and superheroes. The 13-year-old has been obsessed with them since he was in third...

Vidant Home Health and Hospice recognized

GREENVILLE -- The home health portion of Vidant Home Health and Hospice has earned 4.5 stars for Home Health Quality of Patient Care through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Patients are admitted to home health with a referral...

Art Buzz gives young artists a chance to develop skills

Four master artists sat in the Wine and Design shop on Cashwell Drive on Friday. They were preparing for their exhibit. Seen among the show was four of Van Gogh's "Starry Night," Matisse's "The Goldfish" and Monet's "Japanese Bridge." But...

Sunday, July 19, 2015

WCC Foundation golf tournament raises scholarship funds

[email protected] The Foundation of Wayne Community College had another banner year for its annual fundraiser for student scholarships. What started out as a golf tournament has evolved into one of the strongest events of its type across the state's community...

Jury finds Jones guilty of second-degree murder

[email protected] It took a Wayne County jury less than three hours to convict Henry Calvin Jones, 35, of second-degree murder in the 2010 shooting death of Charles Ray Morgan III, 26. Morgan died April 17, 2010, during a 4 a.m....

Former teacher will screen new movie

Former Eastern Wayne Middle School art teacher and Christian actress Ashley Bratcher is bringing her award-winning movie home. She will host a one-time screening of "Princess Cut" at UEC Theatres Premiere 12 in Goldsboro Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m....

County starts new jail

The late Sheriff Carey Winders would have been humbled by Friday morning's ground-breaking ceremony for the new jail that will bear his name, family and friends said. But at the same time, he would have been unable to resist...

Ballots are set for municipal elections

A flurry of last-minute filings Friday morning has ensured there are candidates for all six district seats on the Goldsboro City Council and created a four-candidate field for the office of mayor. When the final day of filing started...

Leader is chosen for Special Olympics

[email protected] D'Leeshia Lee, a recreational therapist for Goldsboro Parks and Recreation, has been named the local coordinator for the Wayne County Special Olympics. She was preceded in her position by Rich Walderman, a volunteer, who retired from the post after...

High-speed city tour

[email protected] Spokes spun and tires screeched across downtown Goldsboro's pavement Saturday as bicyclists from all over North Carolina took part in Goldsboro's second annual U.S.A. Cycling Criterium Race. Bicyclists raced along East Mulberry Street, Ormond Avenue, East Walnut Street, North...

Computers sought for students

Optimist Computers4Students of Wayne County is now taking applications for refurbished computers that will be distributed during the school year. Low-income families with K-12 students or with students enrolled at Wayne Community College may be eligible. Refurbished computer range from...

College's scholarship deadline is extended

The deadline to apply for scholarships for certain technical diplomas and degrees at Wayne Community College has been extended to July 31. The college's "Top 12" Scholarship Program is designed to encourage students to study and go into careers...

Camp Liberty to be held July 23-25

Camp Liberty will be held Thursday and Friday, July 23-24 from 5 until 9 p.m. and July 25 from 9:45 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. at Victory Free Will Baptist Church. The free event is a nonpartisan seminar on the Constitution...

Friday, July 17, 2015

Board OKs two new hires

The Wayne County Board of Education Thursday morning voted 3-2 to hire two assistant superintendents after two board members voiced concerns about employee morale, contract length and salary parity. Tamara Berman-Ishie was hired as the assistant superintendent for curriculum...

City worker's quick thinking saved family from building fire

City inspector Kelly Best said she was just doing her job Thursday when she pulled a 7-year-old child away from a burning building. No one was injured in the blaze, but the fire has been ruled suspicious. The fire...

Candidates get names in for fall ballot

Goldsboro voters will go to the polls during an Oct. 6 primary to select the top two candidates to run for mayor and for the District 4 City Council seat in the Nov. 3 general election. The primary was...

Police looking for suspect in home robbery

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a residential break-in that took place in broad daylight Thursday in the 1700 block of Peachtree Street. A resident spent the morning shopping and returned home that afternoon to find a rear door...

Man charged with indecent exposure

The Goldsboro Police Department says it has identified the man a local woman said she twice caught exposing himself in public. Larry Lewis McLaurin Jr., 38, is charged with two counts of misdemeanor indecent exposure and was placed in...

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Allen files for mayor; one day left to declare

With one day left to file for local offices, two more candidates have thrown their hats in the ring. One of them is Mayor Pro-Tem Chuck Allen, who filed to run for mayor of Goldsboro this morning. Allen said he...

Club investigated

A local strip club is in jeopardy of having its alcohol permits revoked by the state ABC Commission due to a history of violence, local authorities said today. Several shootings and violent crimes have been committed inside and outside...

Taking their faith out into community

Aniyon Lewis, 9, did a flying leap off his front porch. He raced his twin sister, Aniya, to the church van. "Are you ready?" church volunteer Erin Buskey asked, laughing, as he dived in. He had been ready for...

Testimony continues

The co-defendant, the surviving victim and a slew of forensic analysts all testified for the state in the murder trial of Henry Calvin Jones in Wayne County Superior Court Wednesday. The victim later chased one of the state's other...

Information being sought in robbery

MOUNT OLIVE -- A $5,000 reward is being offered for information concerning an early Sunday morning armed robbery at the Friendly Mart, 1677 Tram Road, about 12 miles southeast of Mount Olive in Duplin County. Two female clerks were...

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Testimony begins in '10 murder case

Testimony began Tuesday in the first-degree murder trial of Henry Calvin Jones. Jones, 35, faces charges in connection with the 2010 shooting death of Charles Ray Morgan III. Four witnesses have testified so far, including the first police officer...

Skate park construction begins on Ash Street

Little more than six months after Josh Lancaster and Kevin Gillespe petitioned the Goldsboro City Council for a skate park, construction on a site for the park recently began beside O'Reilly's Auto Parts on East Ash Street. And the...

Dudley man captured in meth lab raid

A Dudley man is being held in the Wayne County Detention Center under a $200,000 secured bond this morning on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office press release. Justin Lee Blizzard, 31, is charged...

Bar to seek nominees for vacant judge's seat

No nomination has yet to be made to fill the unexpired term of District Court Judge Tim Finan, who died on June 30. It will be mid-August before the 8th District judicial bar submits its nominations to complete the...

Police arrest NCIS fugitive

A fugitive from the U.S. Navy is in the custody of the Goldsboro Police Department today.Tiffani Danielle Bass-Armstrong, 23, 102 Oxford Blvd., is being held on a fugitive warrant at the request of Naval Criminal Investigative Services. "We got...

Dance and dolls

Saige had pink ribbons around her ankles instead of ballet slippers. Her owner, Anna Gordon Gardner, decided it was too difficult to put on the American Girl doll's shoes. But with a little imagination, the satin bows around the...

Staff member charged in textbook theft

A Pikeville resident and adjunct professor for Wesleyan College Goldsboro Campus is under arrest this morning on charges of felony larceny by employee. Versiera Miller, 44, 602 Planters Ridge Drive, is being held in the Wayne County Detention Center...

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Jurors being picked in case

Jury selection began Monday in Wayne County Superior Court for the first-degree murder trial of Henry Calvin Jones. Jones, 35, is charged in the 2010 death of Charles Ray Morgan III and the attempted first-degree murder of Brian McLaurin....

Keeping a city tradition alive

Once there was a Kiwanis club, and the members loved helping children very much. Every year, the members would run a train for the children. They taught teens to be leaders and worked to eliminate neonatal tetanus across the globe....

More names added to ballot list

The second week of filing for local elections is under way, and plenty of candidates have thrown their hats into the ring. The filing period ends at noon Friday. As it stands, only Douglas Allan Stuart of 408 S....

Two found guilty in 2013 bank robbery

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that Monday in federal court that a jury found Robert Earl Mays and Paris Cordava Williams of the District of Columbia guilty of bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Williams...

Monday, July 13, 2015

Kids' champion: Remembering Shirley Sims

Shirley Faison Sims' legacy can easily be found in the school children she loved and devoted most of her life to -- first as an educator and then as a member of the Wayne County Board of Education It can...

Man shot five times at Day Circle

The Goldsboro Police Department says there is no connection between a shooting Sunday and a man being shot two weeks ago in the Courtyard Community at Day Circle. A man assaulted in the same community Saturday and a woman beaten...

Camp store opens at Cliffs of the Neuse

Campers at Cliffs of the Neuse don't have to fret if they forgot their toothbrush or shampoo. The park has a new camp store, located in the old park office by the family campground. "It has things like shampoo, toothpaste,...

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Former school board leader, 80, dies

RALEIGH -- The first minority female to serve as chairman of the Wayne County Board of Education -- a woman who devoted nearly her entire life to the communities in which she lived -- died Saturday at Rex Healthcare...

In their corner: Guardian ad Litem program needs more volunteers

The Guardian ad Litem program maintains a staff of 137 -- only 137 for the entire state. Everything else is done by volunteers. But despite a seemingly small team, the program -- one that advocates for children who either...

Dunsmore ready for challenge

Dr. Michael Dunsmore says he knew he wanted to be superintendent of the Wayne County Public Schools two years ago, when his predecessor first announced plans to retire. A few months afterward, though, then-superintendent Dr. Steven Taylor withdrew his...

Death row inmate back in Wayne County court

Convicted murderer Eric Glenn Lane, 43, will not appear in Wayne County Superior Court the next time his defense team returns to Goldsboro. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones said Thursday that Lane did need to be...

Dancin' in the streets

Friends Riley Stewart, 15, left, and Jordan Sweet, 12, dance along to "The Wobble" during an intermission at the Blake Kearney Band concert at Center Street Jam on Thursday evening....

First Friday

Josiah King paints a rendering of Center Street while looking out the window at Carolina Pine Country Store during the First Friday Art Walk events....

Filing period will end Friday

Filing for municipal and sanitary district elections began Monday and will end Friday at noon. Between Wednesday and Thursday, all of the members of the Fremont Town Board filed for re-election and include: Darron Flowers, mayor; Alvester Lewis, District...

School board delays vote

The Wayne County School Board Friday morning postponed appointing a new human resources director and other staff after two of its members questioned the propriety of voting before the application deadline had passed. And comments made during the meeting...

Suspect accepts plea deal

A man who spent nine months on the run after the shooting and killing of two men outside an alleged Devereaux Street liquor house in September 2012 will spend up to 16 years in prison following a plea deal...

Inn owners: 'No occupancy tax'

MOUNT OLIVE -- The owners of the Sleep Inn in Mount Olive say they were unaware that a plan to increase Goldsboro's hotel occupancy tax had been ditched in favor of a countywide tax to help support a planned...

Friday, July 10, 2015

Two shot this morning outside club

A bouncer and a patron are both expected to recover after being shot multiple times outside a local strip club early this morning, the Goldsboro Police Department said. Investigators said it looks like neither of the victims was the...

Jammin'

Blake Kearney Band fans Kimley King, left, and her daughter, Angela, dance along with friends April Goff and Theresa Arnder at Center Street Jam Thursday evening. ...

Man escapes police, caught shortly after

His escape was short-lived, but a Goldsboro man might face a longer sentence if convicted after sprinting from police custody Thursday. Michael Bellamy, 24, of 436 Durham Lake Road, broke free and ran from police after being arrested for...

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Downtown statues chosen by committee

As the completion date for Streetscape draws closer, the final decision on what pieces of art will be placed in two of the coming three roundabouts on Center Street has been made final. Three art pieces were in final...

Their chance: Dance camp a blessing to families of children with special needs

Raelin Rogers lights up when she hears music. The 5-year-old propels herself onto her tiptoes and turns a circle -- a pirouette. Her teacher, Mary Franklin, reminds her to stay in her imaginary "high-heeled shoes" for proper form. During...

Tri-County EMC awards $21,000 in scholarships to local students

Tri-County EMC presented $21,000 in scholarships to 46 high school seniors from Wayne, Duplin, Lenoir and Johnston counties recently. Over the past 15 years, Tri-County employees have supported the educational pursuits of 613 students with $277,750 worth of aid....

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

An 'A' for effort

Daniel Williams scrubbed his face and let out a big yawn. His feet dragged as he walked through the cafeteria line on Tuesday morning. He says he is a little sleepy, but he is ready -- ready to learn. Daniel...

Jail contract approved

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved awarding a $9,407,275 contract to Daniels and Daniels Construction Co. to build the Sheriff Carey A. Winders Detention Center. The board also scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for Friday, July 17, at 10 a.m....

Locals begin filing for races

Filing for municipal elections began Monday and candidates have already begun filing for positions on the Goldsboro City Council, Mount Olive Town Board and the Village of Walnut Creek Council. The filing period ends at noon on Friday, July...

Board of Education votes to continue with bus monitors

The Wayne County Board of Education voted Monday night to continue providing bus monitors on shuttle buses transporting students from their base schools to the district's alternative school. Dr. David Lewis, assistant superintendent for accountability, presented two options to...

Literacy Connections dodges cut

Literacy Connections dodged, at least for another year, the Wayne County budget ax. But it did not escape completely unscathed. As a condition of agreeing to fund $101,232 for fiscal year 2015-16, Wayne County commissioners instructed County Manager George...

Stephanie Ross becomes Clayton's downtown development coordinator

Stephanie Ross has a passion for small towns. "Growing up (in Goldsboro) I lived on the same street as my whole family -- all of us lived on Mulberry Street," she said. "It's a small town sense you can't...

Crime of the Week

On July 1 at approximately 11:45 p.m., Goldsboro police responded to the 1100 building of the Grand Day Point Apartments. Once on scene, they discovered a 29-year-old male victim named Montay Lashay Exum and an 18-year-old victim named Destiny Brown...

Cliffs of the Neuse to loan equipment

Cliffs of the Neuse State Park has a river full of fish. But not everybody who goes there has fishing equipment. So the Cliffs partnered with the Wildlife Resources Commission to start its first ever fishing tackle loaner program....

Open mic, open minds

Bad Dog Coffee Works begins to fill up at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday nights. The worn couches are filled with young, hopeful faces. It feels more like being in a friend's basement than a coffee shop. Neon lights and...

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Dillard to operate on new schedule

Dillard Middle School students can sleep an hour later in the fall, while staff will use that time for additional professional development. Wayne School of Engineering Principal Gary Hales and Dillard Principal Sonja Emerson partnered on the change-up that...

Bird is the word

There is a special nest at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. It's a family-sized nest -- one that was painstakingly assembled with large sticks, branches, leaves and grass. But birds did not build the home, Park Ranger Autumn Kahl...

Filing period opens for Nov. 3 races

Filing began Monday at 8 a.m. for municipal and sanitary district board seats to be decided during the Nov. 3 election. The filing period ends July 17 at noon. Elections will be held in all seven of the county's...

New superintendent attends his first school board meeting

The new Wayne County Public Schools superintendent was initiated into the role by the school board Monday night in grand style -- a three-hour closed session followed by a two hours-plus meeting. Dr. Michael Dunsmore took it all in...

Patrol reports no fatal wrecks in Wayne County over the weekend

The N.C. State Highway Patrol reported 10 fatal wrecks statewide over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, none of which took place in Wayne County. Two people died in separate incidents in Rockingham County, while a single death each...

City Council approves solar farm

The Goldsboro City Council approved its consent agenda unanimously Monday night, which will allow the construction of another solar farm in Wayne County and the placing of a U.S. Cellular antenna on top of the Harris Street water tower....

Monday, July 6, 2015

Jail groundbreaking could be next week

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the $9.5 million Sheriff Carey A. Winders Detention Center could be held Friday, July 17, at 10 a.m. Bids for the jail to be built on North William Street and the groundbreaking ceremony could be approved...

Fostering love

When Shirley Bond signed on to teach classroom management this summer at Wayne Community College, she knew going in that her students might be a feisty bunch. "Because they're experienced and because they have lived, they don't mind telling...

Finan's seat to be filled soon

Judicial District 8 bar officials are expected to meet next week to begin the process of finding someone to complete the term of District Court Judge Tim Finan that ends in 2016. Finan, 62, died last week. Under state...

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Salvation Army welcomes new commanders

[email protected] "We're home." That's how the new Salvation Army commanders feel after being in Goldsboro less than two weeks and having people all over town -- including one man who was in his car at a stoplight -- stop them...

Judge remembered

Tim Finan's life was celebrated Friday morning as he had lived it -- with humor and laughter. But even with the laughter, tears still fell and the shock over his sudden passing lingered. The gregarious and affable Finan, 62, a...

County officials set to approve budget

A proposed five-year, $39 million capital improvement plan could be adopted by Wayne County commissioners when they meet Tuesday. Slightly more than $27 million would be spent for projects in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2016....

Carver 'family' gathers Saturday

MOUNT OLIVE -- It is all about family and the rich heritage of the old Carver High School that brings people from near and far back year after year for a Fourth of July weekend celebration. Even those who...

Bone marrow drives to be held this month

Two "Save the Fox" bone barrow screening drives will be held this month on behalf of Superior Court Judge Carl Fox, who is fighting blood cancer. Fox, who was raised in Mount Olive, was diagnosed in April 2015 with...

Council to eye short docket Monday

The Goldsboro City Council will kick off July with a relatively light agenda, with only 10 items to discuss on the consent agenda and work session agenda combined. During the work session, the council will discuss what artwork to select...

Friday, July 3, 2015

16 charged in county drug raid

An eight-month undercover operation into illegal drug and weapons activity in Goldsboro and Wayne County came to an end Thursday, concluding with 16 of 31 suspects arrested in a county-wide drug sweep. Two men also face federal charges. The...

Break-in suspect caught pawning

A Goldsboro man charged by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office in connection with a residential break-in is also charged with failing to report a change of address as a registered sex offender. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has recently...

Remembering Judge Finan

The robes Judge Tim Finan wore did not define him. The gavel he wielded didn't earn him the respect he commanded. Those who knew him best say it was the man he was and the life he lived that...

NCRC testing will be available this month

The WorkKeys(r) tests for the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) will be offered five times at Wayne Community College for the remainder of July. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success (WORKS) program will provide testing sessions in Room...

Thursday, July 2, 2015

July Fourth weekend travelers getting ready to hit the highway

An estimated 42 million Americans will hit the road this holiday weekend -- the most in eight years, according to the American Automobile Association. Many in North Carolina will be heading for the beach, and the sudden rash of...

Police looking for shooting suspect

A man shot multiple times late Wednesday night after a fight in the Day Circle housing community is recovering at Wayne Memorial Hospital today. A woman grazed by gunfire was also treated at the scene. Montay Lashay Exum, 29,...

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base fireworks canceled

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base officials have postponed the Independence Day celebration that was scheduled to unfold this evening due to the threat of bad weather. The event will now take place Aug. 21....

Board eyeing district budget

The Wayne County Board of Education approved a $43 million interim budget at a special called meeting Tuesday. The interim budget is intended to carry the school system through the summer months, or at least until the state budget...

Arrests made in two local meth lab raids

The Wayne County Sheriff's announced this morning arrests in two separate methamphetamine manufacturing operations. One group of suspects was tracked all the way to Louisiana. According to a press release issued today, the Wayne County Drug Task Force and the...

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Dunsmore sworn in

Wayne County Public Schools has a new superintendent. Dr. Michael Dunsmore, formerly superintendent of the Tyrrell County School system, was officially sworn in to the role this morning. At a special called meeting of the Board of Education the...

Stewart retires

Investigator Bryant Canady, right, took up station behind the turntables Tuesday and served as disc jockey at the retirement party held for outgoing Goldsboro police Chief Jeff Stewart. Dignitaries from both the city and county, as well as friends,...

County mourns judge

The sudden death Tuesday morning of District Court Judge Tim Finan left the Wayne County Courthouse in shock and disbelief, but this morning the work goes on. Finan, 62, died of a heart attack at his home at about...

Communities getting ready for July 4 festivities

This Fourth of July, you do not have to travel far for a top-flight fireworks show and Independence Day celebration. Consider heading to Mount Olive for an old-fashioned celebration with watermelon, hot dogs and a pickle train or, if...

'BIG STARS' shine

Olivia Lancaster is a big star. From her frilly socks to her dance moves everything about her is star quality. The 6-year-old actress has performed in "Cheaper by the Dozen" and the "Christmas Carol." Her director, Marie Ashley, laughs...

Strike up the orchestra

Baritone Scott MacLeod is accompanied by the North Carolina Symphony as he narrates "Casey at the Bat" Tuesday night at the Paramount Theatre during the Independence Day Concerts in Your Community series....

Red Cross announces Bloodmobile schedule

Here is the July blood drive schedule for the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross: * July 7 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Democko Chiropractic. * July 9 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Wayne...

Fremont man charged in arson

A Fremont man wanted in Johnston County on outstanding warrants is being held in the Wayne County Detention Center today on charges of burglary and arson. Fred Thomas Russell, 52, 829 Lindell Road, is charged with first-degree burglary and...

Crime of the week

On Monday, June 29, employees of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Store at 2400 E. Ash St. reported securing the business on June 28 at 9:20 p.m and when they returned the following morning, they discovered a damaged door and items...

Board of Health announces winners of essay contest

More than three dozen students around Wayne County responded to this year's Teen Public Health Perspective Essay Contest, sponsored by the Wayne County Health Department. The Board of Health revamped the contest last year, with the former Abstinence Essay...