September 2015 archives

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Virginia murder suspect caught

Acting on information from the Norfolk, Va., Police Department, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and N.C. State Bureau of Investigation teamed up Monday to locate a second-degree murder suspect in an 8-year-old homicide investigation. The suspect has been in Wayne...

Goldsboro police officer removed from duty after departmental inquiry

A former sergeant with the Goldsboro Police Department was fired earlier this month following an internal investigation by the police department during which it was found that the officer allegedly associated with "individuals of questionable character and reputation," according to...

Occupancy tax gets state OK

A countywide 1 percent occupancy tax was approved just before 8 p.m. Tuesday as the General Assembly worked toward adjournment early today. The tax is a linchpin of an agreement between Goldsboro and Wayne County for development of the...

H.F. Lee plant on cleanup list

Goldsboro's H.F. Lee Plant was named Tuesday in a multi-million dollar settlement between Duke Energy and the state Department of Environmental Quality as one of four coal ash sites in North Carolina being scheduled for accelerated cleanup of offsite...

Wayne County Stand Down event slated for Thursday

Organizations will offer assistance to homeless veterans and veterans in need in Wayne County during the second annual Wayne County Stand Down event Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The non-profit group QSA Foundation, which is an organization...

Shriners Fish Fry pushed to November

The Wayne Shrine Club Fish Fry scheduled for this Friday has been postponed until Friday, Nov. 6, because of the rain, possibly heavy at times, expected over the next few days. Shriner George Raecher announced the postponement this morning. "The...

Preparations on schedule for fair opening

DUDLEY -- The threat of rain, possibly heavy at times, over the next several days is not slowing preparations for Thursday's opening of the 67th annual Regional Agricultural Fair. "We are preparing for the best and dealing with the...

Crime of the Week

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Roy Williams of Warsaw filed a common law robbery report with the Goldsboro Police Department, saying on that date at approximately midnight he was giving a female friend from Kinston named Crystal Oleary a ride home...

River camping

The Goldsboro Parks and Recreation department is looking to build camping platforms on the Neuse River in the upcoming months if all goes according to plan, Parks and Recreation director Scott Barnard told the city council at their last...

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Mud stops couple on crime spree

A Wayne County couple faces a litany of charges after sheriff's deputies found their car stuck in the mud near a residence that had been broken into in Mount Olive on Friday. Property stolen from inside the residence was...

Sports complex add-ons a 'no go'

Additions to the P-4 Multi-Sports Complex on Oak Forest Road requested by some residents at a recent council meeting are not likely to be added to the project's lease agreement before it is signed, city officials say. But, City...

Officer attacked; suspect escapes

An 18-year-old Goldsboro man escaped arrest Monday after struggling with a police officer and avoiding being Tasered. The incident took place in front of the Allstate insurance agency at 112 E. Ash St. at 3:50 p.m. Terrence Lavon Forbes,...

Burgers, sushi to mix at new restaurant

Jay's Sushi and Burger Bar at 108 N. John St. is scheduled to officially open Thursday, Oct. 8. Owner Jay Shin designed the restaurant himself and has been working since May with a hand-selected crew to reconstruct the interior...

Tourism tax bill still on table

State House and Senate conferees worked together Monday to iron out differences in a House bill that would establish a countywide 1 percent occupancy tax crucial to the development of Goldsboro's multi-sports complex and the county's agriculture and convention...

Teen-zzzz

Leah Weaver is a night owl. "I like to stay up late. I do my best work," says the Wayne School of Engineering senior, who just turned 17. Having a later school start time helps -- WSE hours are...

Monday, September 28, 2015

Wayne County schools changing way principals, assistant principals are hired

Wayne County Public Schools has a new way of hiring principals and assistant principals, officials say. Superintendent Dr. Mike Dunsmore, who took over the office July 1, and the leadership team are carving out a way to hire the...

Arrests made at fast-food eateries

Goldsboro police arrested one man just minutes after he allegedly broke into the Hardee's on East Ash Street, early Sunday, and another man at a McDonald's on charges in another case. The first call came in at 4:22 a.m....

$4 fee slated for bins at curb

City residents who leave their trash and recycling bins out for longer than 24 hours after trash has been collected will pay a $4 fee -- if their neighbors complain. Enforcing the fee will not be actively pursued by...

Another carjacking reported

In an incident much like the carjacking that took place in the city last week, a man in Wayne County was robbed at gunpoint and his vehicle stolen Sunday. Both the Sheriff's Office and Goldsboro Police Department said the...

Portion of Ash Street to be closed

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has informed the city of Goldsboro that on Tuesday they will be working to repair a storm drain on U.S. 70 Business, heading east into Goldsboro. The specific area is near Ash Street in...

Getting set for fair

DUDLEY -- The 67th annual Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair opens its gates Thursday at 4 p.m. for 10 days of carnival rides and food, livestock shows, free entertainment, educational and display contests and a variety of other events and...

Goldsboro law enforcement officer earns title of Woman of the Year

For the second time in seven years, Cpl. Marissa Davis of the Goldsboro Police Department has been named the N.C. Law Enforcement Women's Association's Woman of the Year. The 23-year veteran law enforcement officer received the 2015 award at...

Big Sweep to clean county this Saturday

Volunteers will clean up litter at varying sites in Wayne County Saturday during the annual Big Sweep. Big Sweep, a program where volunteers pick up trash and document what types of trash and where is was located, happens each...

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Sports complex facing obstacle

As the city moves toward signing a 20-year lease agreement with the U.S. Air Force for the P-4 Initiative Multi-Sports Complex, there are several terms that could complicate the arrangement -- specifically what happens when the lease expires. City...

Blessed

Call it a course of miracles. From diagnosis to doctor to transplant to recovery, Donna and Jerry Phillips saw the chain of coincidences, chance meetings and connections that led them to not just a story of illness, hope and...

Elections offficials quash concerns

The Wayne County Board of Elections said Wednesday that each candidate who has filed for the upcoming municipal races has complied 100 percent with state election laws. Questions concerning the names and addresses of some of the candidates on...

Civic group is disbanding, but donates to others first

The Goldsboro Civitan Club Friday drew to a close 75 years of community service, but not before one more act of helping others -- giving out $9,500 to three local groups. Chartered in November 1940, the club, which once...

Bomb threat

A bomb threat against Meadow Lane Elementary School forced an evacuation of students and faculty Friday afternoon. The scare led to traffic being blocked off on East Ash Street in front of the two schools, preventing parents and buses...

Leading the field

Wayne Community College has been chosen as one of 11 community colleges in the country to provide training for Chrysler technicians. FCA US, or the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles family of companies, and NC3, National Coalition of Certification Centers, made...

University of Mount Olive to host fall 'Prism Concert' next month

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive department of music will hold a Prism Concert on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hazel Waters Kornegay Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St. A Prism concert is an interactive...

Wayne County Public Schools awarded $10,000 grant

Wayne County Public Schools has received a $10,000 grant from America's Farmers Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. The district will use the money to purchase LEGO education kits, which will be used in all grades at...

VFW post looking for vets' graves

PIKEVILLE -- American Legion Post 541 members are asking for help from the African-American community in identifying the grave sites of veterans for the post's Wreaths Across America program. The post is preparing to launch its third year in the...

Local couple says traffic, security and standing worth it to see pope

You may have seen the pope on TV when he paid a visit to the White House and spoke before Congress on Thursday. But here's what it was like in the cheap seats out on the west lawn, where...

Dozens of tractors and operators turn up for local cancer fundraiser

MOUNT OLIVE -- Nearly 50 tractors both old and new that are normally called on for work to help feed the world were called on Saturday to, instead, help work toward a cure for cancer. And almost as if...

Local resident trying to raise dyslexia awareness

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and Goldsboro resident Chasity Phillips is trying to get the word out that it's a real problem that affects one in five people. The licensed counselor has a dyslexic daughter, 11-year-old Mabry, who was diagnosed...

F-86 placement delayed ... again

The relocation of the city's F-86 Sabre fighter jet from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to behind the traffic circle on East Ash Street has been delayed an additional week. The new target date for the plane to be...

Friday, September 25, 2015

All clear after bomb threat

All is clear and a suspect is in custody after a bomb threat at Greenwood Middle School caused traffic to be diverted this afternoon.  Traffic was diverted from East Ash Street and Malloy Street and East Ash Street and Oak...

Walnut Creek plans 50th anniversary celebration

The Village of Walnut Creek will observe its 50th anniversary with events this weekend and next week. The village, incorporated in 1965, will mark its birthday with an anniversary recognition banquet on Saturday and a pig pickin' and pool...

First votes

Wayne County Board of Elections workers Mamie Chase and Dave Galloway print out a ballot for a voter participating in one-stop voting this morning at the Board of Elections office. One-stop voting for the city's mayoral and District 4...

Crime Stoppers fundraiser is tonight

Bring the kids and the checkbook tonight when heading to Princeton for the Crime Stoppers Gospel Sing and Comedy Night fundraiser. Doors open at The Bridge, 188 Whitley Church Road, at 6:30 p.m. The show starts at 7. Wayne...

House of Representatives appoints Allen to Military Affairs Commission

Goldsboro Mayor Pro-Tem Chuck Allen was recently appointed to be a voting member of the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission by the state House of Representatives. Allen's appointment to the commission was voted on by the House of Representatives,...

Benefit concert slated for Sunday

A gospel concert to benefit Robyn Wade, who is suffering from brain and lung cancer, will be held Sunday, Sept. 27, from 5-7 p.m. at the Bear Creek Headquarters at 1800 S. Slocumb St. The concert will feature the Jimmy...

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Lawmen: Rosewood man had, sold heroin

A drug investigation into the sale and distribution of heroin in the Rosewood community led to one man's arrest Wednesday, according to a press release issued by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Shawnquelle Comorriss Futrelle, 28, is charged with...

Lydia's owner faces federal charges

The owner of a local alterations shop located near Seymour Johnson Air Force Base faces federal charges that could result in her being sentenced to 35 years in prison. The federal indictment alleges that Deborah Carr Battle, of Goldsboro,...

Wayne Community College happy with budget

The news may not sound good at first -- tuition is going up and enrollment is slightly down -- but Wayne Community College President Dr. Kay Albertson had nothing but praise for how community colleges fared in the recently...

City asked to add to P-4 complex plan

Charles Wright, speaking on behalf of Wayne County Citizens for Better Schools, went to Monday night's Goldsboro City Council meeting to request changes to the current P-4 Multi-Sports Complex agreement between the city and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base....

Goldsboro woman carjacked at home

A Goldsboro woman arriving home Wednesday evening found herself confronted with a gunman as she got out of her car, according to a Goldsboro police report. The man pointed a gun at her and stole her car, the report...

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

United Way of Wayne County on track for 2015 campaign

Improving the lives of local people and educating the community on its mission are the two main focuses of United Way of Wayne County during its 2015 campaign. Officially kicking off with the Elvis tribute concert at the end...

Another shooting reported in city

For the second time in two months, a Goldsboro man has been transferred to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville after being shot. Robert Lee Cole, 22 -- who survived being shot multiple times Aug. 8, while riding in the...

Goldsboro Civitans turn in charter

Declining membership and a lack of new members are causing the Goldsboro Civitans Club to turn in its charter after 75 years of service to Goldsboro and the surrounding community. The club's final meeting will be held Friday at...

Pick one: Three candidates will square off for District 4 Goldsboro City Council Seat

BEVAN FOSTER Q: Why do you want to be on the Goldsboro City Council? A: I just think it's time for a change. You know, District 4, there's a lot happening, it's been happening for years, and I don't see...

Bomb threat prompts evacuation

A bomb threat called in to the Goldsboro Police Department Tuesday caused a mass evacuation of the area surrounding the Walgreens at 2202 Wayne Memorial Drive. Maj. Anthony Carmon, head of investigations, said the case will be assigned to an...

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Teen walks in front of moving car

A 16-year-old girl struck and killed by a motor vehicle Friday was from Marietta, Ga., and was in Wayne County living with her boyfriend, according to a N.C. State Highway Patrol investigation. Arianna Knotts died instantly when she stepped...

Neighbors, church don't want new events center approved

A public hearing on a proposed events center on U.S. 117 drew criticism from several neighbors at Monday night's Goldsboro City Council meeting. The proposed facility would be located on the west side of U.S. 117 between Old Waynesborough...

Deputy solves his own case

An observant deputy with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office closed his own breaking and entering case Sunday after taking the report earlier in his shift. Deputy Brandon Foss arrested three suspects, recovered the stolen property and -- with the...

GPAC offender receives sentence

A Goldsboro man sentenced to nine years in a state correctional facility on gun charges was warned by the city's Goldsboro Partners Against Crime program in August 2014 to knock off his criminal activity or go to jail. He...

Goodman to run as write-in

District 3 Councilman William Goodman announced publicly Monday night that he will be running for re-election to his seat on the Goldsboro City Council as a write-in candidate. Voters will be able to write in Goodman as a candidate...

City eyes mountain to sea trail additions

Goldsboro is preparing for potential construction of a missing link of the statewide Mountains to Sea Trail that runs through Wayne County. The city has partnered with Duke Energy and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to secure...

Eight seek chance to be judge

Eight lawyers from the 8th Judicial District have submitted their candidacies for appointment to complete the unexpired term of the late District Court Judge Tim Finan. The term ends in 2016. Gov. Pat McCrory will make the appointment. The...

Bomb threat on Wayne Memorial Drive

A bomb threat caused a great deal of commotion and backed up traffic on Wayne Memorial Drive late this morning. Goldsboro police said a bomb threat was called in to the Walgreen's on Wayne Memorial Drive but that after closing...

Monday, September 21, 2015

Museum announces newest Wall of Fame honorees

The Wayne County Historical Association inducted seven people into its Wall of Fame on Sunday -- five of them posthumously. But two, Bob Hill and Dr. Jim Zealy, were on hand for the occasion at the Wayne County Museum....

Officials: Weekend roundup success

At a press conference this morning at the new Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority transfer center, Interim Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West thanked the many state and local agencies that participated in this weekend's Operation Team Effort. "This past weekend we...

A chance to see the pope

Even before it was announced that Pope Francis would visit the U.S., Mick and Karin O'Donnell were ardent admirers. The night preceding his becoming the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Mrs. O'Donnell dreamed that the chosen name...

Hospital weighs management deal

Wayne Memorial Hospital, one of only 11 independent hospitals in the state, is not for sale, board Chairman Jim Parker said. But the not-for-profit parent company, Wayne Health Corp., is exploring the possibility of signing an agreement in which...

Council to eye $4 fee for cans left out

If you leave your trash can out too long, $4 could be added to your next bill if Goldsboro City Council passes a proposed pushback fee. Council members will consider the proposal at their meeting this evening as part...

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Early voting for city races to open

One-stop early voting for the Oct. 6 Goldsboro municipal primary gets under way this coming Thursday and continues through Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Wayne County Board of Elections office, 209 S. William St. The days and hours are:...

Behind the blue lights

Eight-year veteran of the Goldsboro Police Department Sgt. Joshua Stine eased the unmarked SUV in behind Goldsboro's only K-9 officer's patrol car at the corner of North Carolina and East Ash streets. We'd been in the car maybe five...

Almost time for fair debut

DUDLEY -- Dwight Wynn and Belmon Bailey were busy early Thursday morning rearranging the holding pens they had just finished setting up days before. They had prepared enough to hold the 24 hogs expected for the Wayne Regional Agricultural...

BUSTED

Assembled in a lecture hall somewhere on the campus of Wayne Community College Friday, more than 90 law enforcement officers from 10 local, state and federal agencies broke into teams and received their assignments. The mission: Get as many...

Airman faces sex charges

FAYETTEVILLE -- An Air Force sergeant is being held in the Cumberland County jail under $100,000 bond after being charged with a sex offense involving a minor. Tech. Sgt. Michael Joe Wills was arrested in a sting operation after...

Wayne School of Engineering student earns state science honor

Wayne School of Engineering student Reid Barnett was one of 35 state merit winners in the 2015 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. He was recognized at the recent school board meeting for the achievement. "The Discovery Education 3M...

Donica named semifinalist in National Merit program

Thomas Donica, a senior at Wayne Christian School, has been named a semifinalist in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship program. He is one of 16,000 semifinalists from across the nation chosen for the competitive scholarship. The academically talented high...

Wayne Engineering students earn high marks in history

Two Wayne School of Engineering students earned top places in the National History Day competition, held in Maryland over the summer. Samantha Eovine and Haliee Lassiter were recognized at a recent Board of Education meeting for the accomplishment. This...

City cuts ribbon at transfer center

City, state and federal officials, as well as members of the public, marked the completion of the Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority's new $3.7 million transfer center at 103 N. Carolina St. with a ribbon-cutting Saturday morning. The station, which was...

Hoping to be your mayor: Myelle Thompson

Myelle Thompson said that even as a child he wanted to be mayor of his hometown. Now at age 21, Thompson is by far the youngest of the four mayoral candidates on the city's Oct. 6 mayoral primary. "When...

Taste of Wayne offering gourmet 'tastes'

Everything from doughnuts and cupcakes to pizza and barbecue will await visitors to the 25th annual Taste of Wayne County. The fundraiser for United Way of Wayne County will take place Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m....

Spokes Group raises money for bicycles

The first time was a success for The Spokes Group of Eastern North Carolina. On Tuesday, the organization held its inaugural golf classic at Walnut Creek Country Club in hopes of raising money to purchase bicycles and helmets for underprivileged...

Rotary clubs to sponsor polio walk

The Rotary clubs of Wayne and Greene counties will sponsor the second annual 5K Polio Walk at Wayne Community College on Saturday, Oct. 10, starting at 9 a.m. Rotarians are currently seeking sponsors for the walk. All money raised from...

Hoping to be your mayor: Henry Jinnette

Henry Jinnette says he is running for mayor because he is concerned about the city of Goldsboro and the way it is being run. There is too much wasteful spending, he said, and it needs to stop. Jinnette said...

Hoping to be your mayor: D.A. Stuart

Goldsboro has suffered too long under leadership that has the city going in the wrong direction, says mayoral candidate D.A. Stuart. And Stuart says, if elected, he can right the ship. "I think I can turn the city around,"...

Hoping to be your mayor: Chuck Allen

Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Allen says he believes Goldsboro is on the cusp of great things. And after serving on the City Council for 12 years, he wants to see the city keep moving forward. Allen is the only...

LaGrange community event to be held Saturday

LaGRANGE -- The "I'm So LaGrange" committee is sponsoring an "I'm So LaGrange" event on Saturday Sept. 26 at the LaGrange Frink Alumni Building from noon until 6 p.m. The event is designed to support and bring together the community...

Winner crowned in cornhole clash

Eleven cornhole teams competed Saturday in the Heroes Cup, part of the city's weeklong Beak Week festival. The teams were either military or emergency service responders. The tournament was held in a parking lot off John Street. Manny Lopez...

Enns to deliver Harrison memorial lecture

MOUNT OLIVE -- Dr. Peter Enns will be the guest speaker for the 27th annual Vivian B. Harrison Memorial Lecture at the University of Mount Olive. The first lecture will be held Monday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. in Rodgers...

DGDC banquet honors businesses, supporters

More than 200 people flocked to the lawn of Goldsboro's Historic Union Station Friday night for the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation's annual awards banquet, which was catered by Ed's Southern Food and Spirits. The dinner, meant to honor achievements...

Friday, September 18, 2015

Hospital does not cover county cut

The $252.6 million budget recently adopted by the Wayne Health Corp. did not include an increase in funding for WATCH (Wayne Action Teams for Community Health) to make up for lost county funding. Instead, Wayne Memorial Hospital officials say...

RVFD firefighters have brand new ride

The Rosewood Volunteer Fire Department debuted its new $530,000 rescue truck on Sept. 11, the 14th anniversary of the attacks in which 343 firefighters gave their lives. The truck actually arrived a few days earlier, but the decision was...

Sharks bite Quacks

There was a lot of trash talk Thursday night as crosstown rivals the Sharks and the Quacks took the field. It did not matter that they were there for charity -- to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Wayne...

Project achitect no show to board meeting

When the Wayne County Board of Education reconvened Thursday morning, the intent was to address the architectural firm handling the commons area project at Goldsboro High School regarding concerns about a surprise bill of $223,471 for "professional services" and...

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Classical guitarist takes on classes

Miguel Pico has never forgotten his first love. The connection was instant and really struck a chord. "I was 5 years old when my dad would hold the guitar for me," he said. The Spanish teacher recently hired at...

Man charged with forgery in check theft

A Goldsboro man jailed on earlier charges now faces six felony counts of forgery after an investigation into checks stolen from an Air Force officer transitioning from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to a base in Hawaii. According to...

Board picks driver's ed firm

Two local companies that have been responsible for teaching driver's education in Wayne County Public Schools will continue in that role, now that the state has decided to retain the program. The Wayne County Board of Education voted Monday...

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Beaks rule; wings fly

Louis Thomas said he had already eaten before the start of Tuesday's Beak Week Wing Eating Contest. But that didn't keep him from gobbling down nearly enough wings to earn the championship. And you would have never known it by...

Commissioners to eye street assessment proposal

Last year, Wayne County commissioners used special tax assessments to help residents turn the street lights back on in several subdivisions in the northern part of the county. Now commissioners are turning their attention to subdivisions again -- this...

Community leader Dave Quick dies at age 83

Businessman, entrepreneur and longtime civic leader Dave Quick is being remembered today as the "go-to man" when it came to getting something done. Quick, 83, died at Kitty Askins Hospice Center Monday night. He is particularly being remembered for...

Another shooting reported in city

A Kinston man is recovering today after being shot in the back in the 200 block of Day Circle late Tuesday. Investigators said his injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. Marquis Johnson, 18, told police he was getting...

No one injured in bus wreck

No injuries were reported this morning after a wreck involving a Wayne County Public Schools bus carrying 29 students headed to Tommy's Road Elementary School and another vehicle. The wreck happened at approximately 8 a.m. on Chafin Road in...

School project hitting snags

An unexpected bill for $223,471 for the Goldsboro High School construction project drew ire from Board of Education members Monday night, resulting in a called meeting Thursday to question the architect on the overage. The "additional project costs" would...

5K Polio Walk at Wayne Community College slated for Oct. 3

The Rotary clubs of Wayne and Greene counties will sponsor the second annual 5K Polio Walk at Wayne Community College on Saturday, Oct. 3, starting at 9 a.m. Rotarians are currently seeking sponsors for the walk. All money raised...

Crime of the week

On Sunday, Sept. 13 at approximately 4:20 a.m. the Goldsboro Police Department responded to the 800 block of Crawford Street regarding a subject being shot. Once on scene, officers discovered Marcus Montrell McLean, 29, had been shot. McLean was taken...

From pain to victory

It started as athlete's foot. Or at least, the symptoms of athlete's foot. Matt Kearney continued to self treat his foot burning sensation with topical creams and remedies. The issues started shortly after participating in his first race, the...

Streetscape landscape

A crew works on landscaping for the median of Center Street Tuesday afternoon. In addition to planting trees, crews worked to assemble and clean benches in several areas of Streetscape....

Cook-off awards $10,000 prize

DUDLEY -- The team from Wave of Glory Church of Goldsboro won the recent Greater St. John Free Will Baptist Church's first Barbecue Cook-off and its $10,000 prize. The husband and wife team of Charles and Juanita Whitfield of...

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

No more Skyping

The 4-3 split on the Wayne County Board of Education continued Monday night, with the majority voting to abolish Skyping in board meetings. A two-page policy was crafted and presented at last month's board meeting before being sent back...

Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. set to hold annual awards dinner

The Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. will host its annual awards dinner on the lawn of the historic Goldsboro Union Station Friday from 6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. -- the night before a ribbon-cutting at the site for the newly...

Deputies say little about death

FAISON -- The Sampson County Sheriff's Office said today it has no further information to release in the investigation of a man found dead inside a residence outside the town of Faison after 10 p.m. Sunday. The incident took...

Mount Olive to apply for $2 million in clean water money

MOUNT OLIVE -- With little discussion, the Mount Olive Town Board Monday night agreed to apply for $2 million in state clean water money. Town Manager Charles Brown said the improvements the funds would pay for would drastically reduce...

Monday, September 14, 2015

Two shootings appear to be random

Two people were shot in the city over the weekend. One victim sustained injuries after being shot just before 4 a.m. Saturday while sitting in a car in the 900 block of Fairview Court. Kimberly Best, 24, was asleep...

Junior EMS squad takes home trophy

FREMONT -- When you first meet the members of the Fremont Junior Rescue Squad, you might be a little surprised. They look like high school students, yet they speak like hardened veterans. "We pulled up on scene and there...

Man murdered

A Goldsboro man is dead and police are asking for the public to come forward with information following a shooting early Sunday morning. Marcus Montrell Mclean, 29, died at Wayne Memorial Hospital after Goldsboro police officers found him lying face...

On fire: Volunteer departments compete in their own firefighter games

It was a clean sweep for the Nahunta Volunteer Fire Department Saturday. Members of several Wayne County volunteer fire departments faced off in a series of events at the firefighters' training grounds off Aviation Drive. Nahunta took first place...

County to eye Health Department hours

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday morning will consider a proposal that not only would return the Health Department to a five-day work week, but would expand its weekly hours of operation from 40 to 48. Most county offices have operated...

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Brothers all, forever

Friday night at Lane Tree Country Club and Golf Course, while the nation turned its attention to remembering the men and women who gave their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, more than 300 Wayne County citizens turned out to honor...

Thousands show up Saturday for city's annual Beak Week Festival

The rain did not stop thousands of people from converging on downtown Goldsboro Saturday for the Beak Week Festival on Center Street -- and officially marking the beginning of the city's second annual poultry-themed event. Local vendors hawked their wares...

Schools release 10-day counts

Enrollment numbers are down in Wayne County Public Schools, with officials reporting 359 fewer students this year than last. The traditional school calendar had the bulk of students in the 33 schools returning on Aug. 24, making Friday, Sept. 4,...

Garbage rules are in effect Monday

After a several-month-long "soft start" to enforcing the city's new rules and regulations surrounding garbage collection that began on June 1, the new ordinances will officially take effect and begin being fully enforced on Monday. The new rules for collection...

Hospital to raise rates

For the second consecutive year, Wayne Memorial Hospital's budget includes a three percent rate increase. The $252.6 million Wayne Health Corp. spending plan approved Tuesday by the corporation board is up from $244.2 million last year. Anticipated expenditures are $247.6...

School board to vote on Skype policy

The Wayne County Board of Education could approve a policy Monday the would essentially do away with a board member's ability to Skype in to a meeting -- a move made partly in response to the attendance method used heavily...

Friday, September 11, 2015

A flag in honor of those lost

Robert Chunn, left, an investigator with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, and retired Air Force Tech. Sgt. Richard Plue raise a flag donated to the Goldsboro Masonic Lodge by the Woodmen of the World to half-staff in remembrance of...

Prayers for heroes

Sarah Collins started with an idea. She posted a message on her Facebook page encouraging members of the community to get involved. And they did. More than 50 Goldsboro and Wayne County citizens descended on the Goldsboro Police Department...

A moment to pause, remember

David Cuddeback calls 9/11 the "New Year's Day" of public safety. It is a day of infamy for those in law enforcement, he said at this morning's tribute ceremony marking the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S....

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Mitchell sentenced in his sister's death

Emotions weighed heavily in Courtroom 1 of the Wayne County Courthouse Wednesday as Rico Antonio Mitchell, 30, clinically diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Mitchell shot and killed his 19-year-old sister,...

Inmate faces more charges

A Goldsboro man being held in the Wayne County Detention Center on previous charges now faces four additional felonies after the Goldsboro Police Department tied him to a breaking and entering that took place April 6. Julian Deon Sauls,...

Council, mayoral hopefuls speak at forum

Despite being scheduled the same night the Goldsboro City Council was in session, the Goldsboro/Wayne chapter of the NAACP held an open forum Tuesday for candidates for City Council and candidates in the mayoral races in Goldsboro and in...

Waiting for a cafeteria

Students at Charles B. Aycock High School will have to wait a little bit longer to eat in their new cafeteria, but staff returned this week to prepare meals on site, officials said Wednesday. "At this point, it has not...

Police capture suspect at bar

A Goldsboro man sought by the U.S. Marshals Task Force is in custody and is being held in the Wayne County Detention Center today under a $9,000 secured bond. Jonathan David Goodman, 30, of 147-A Forest Knolls Road, is...

Former state senator passes at 92

DEEP RUN -- Former state Sen. Harold Hardison, a powerful lawmaker during the 1970s and '80s, died Wednesday. He was 92. Hardison, a Democrat, represented Lenoir County in the state House and Senate, wielding power in the latter as...

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Vote delayed on Muslim cemetery

The Goldsboro City Council agreed Tuesday night to defer voting on a proposed private cemetery for the Islamic Center of Goldsboro on Fedelon Trail. Council member Gene Aycock made the motion to defer voting on the matter, and council...

Name chosen for city country club

The Goldsboro Country Club has a new name: The Goldsboro Events Center. The name change comes on the heels of a vote taken during the City Council's work session Tuesday evening, with council members Chuck Allen, Bill Broadaway, Charles...

County school bus flips on side

The driver of a Wayne County Public Schools bus suffered minor injuries when the vehicle he was driving flipped on its side following a wreck this morning along Shady Grove Road in Mount Olive. One student -- from Southern...

Carol Artis to attend national summit

Carol Artis, Wayne County Public Schools' director of elementary education, was recently awarded a scholarship to attend the District Administration Leadership Institute "Superintendents Summit," to be held next month in New Orleans. Highlights of the event will center around...

Crime of the week

On Sunday, Sept. 6, at approximately 11:15 p.m. officers were called to Wayne Memorial Hospital regarding a gunshot victim. Officers discovered Tracy Yelverton, 47, of 514 Roberts Street had been at 503 Dail Street just prior and while talking with...

Garden Spot begins Friday

LAGRANGE -- The LaGrange Garden Spot Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12. The annual event, sponsored by the LaGrange Chamber of Commerce, will take place at LaGrange Community Park on Railroad Street. Friday hours will...

Guardian Brotherhood sponsors fundraiser for vets

The Guardian Brotherhood motorcycle club will sponsor the Defenders of Freedom Poker Run this Saturday, Sept. 12, to benefit the Wayne County Veterans and Patriots Coalition. Registration will start at 9 a.m. with kick stands up at 11 a.m. at...

U.S. 70 West reduces to one lane

Beginning today, weather permitting, the state Department of Transportation will reduce a section of U.S. 70 West of Goldsboro to one lane at the tie-in for the western section of the new U.S. 70 Goldsboro Bypass, located just west...

School bus overturns

The driver of a Wayne County Public Schools bus suffered minor injuries when the bus overturned following a wreck this morning along Shady Grove Road in Mount Olive. One student -- from Southern Wayne High School -- was on the...

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Who's on the ballot?

Four candidates have entered the battle to become Goldsboro's next mayor. Incumbent Mayor Al King, who has served as mayor for more than a decade, is not running for re-election. Mayor Pro-Tem Chuck Allen, Henry Jinnette, D.A. Stuart and...

Paramount plans nostalgic movie night

When a teenager is sent back in time by means of a DeLorean car, the comedy begins. Comedy times three is what moviegoers will get when they see the "Back to the Future" trilogy at the Paramount Theatre Sept....

Firefighters respond to call at compost pile near facility

The Goldsboro Fire Department responded to a mulch fire at the city's compost facility at 200 Westbrook Road just after 10 a.m. Monday morning. Assistant Fire Chief James Farfour said a passer-by called in the fire as a building...

Crash at intersection leaves woman trapped

A wreck just before 8 a.m. Monday at the intersection of the 1800 block of East Elm Street and the 600 block of South Claiborne Street left two people injured and their cars badly damaged. Florice Lane, who was...

Schedule available for fall continuing education classes

Wayne Community College has a number of continuing education courses on the fall schedule. Below are a sampling of the options, with a complete schedule posted at www.waynecc.edu/course-schedules/. * Banking 101, 6-9 p.m., Mondays, Sept. 14-Nov. 2; * Basic Residential...

NCRC test dates available for September at WCC

The WorkKeys(r) tests for the National Career Readiness Certificate will be offered four times this month at Wayne Community College. Wayne County leads the state in the number of certificates earned, with more than 13,500 awarded to date. Nearly...

Cornhole break

Daniel Wischhusen and Marshall Keen play cornhole to pass the time at Pelican's Snoballs Thursday afternoon before the after school rush. The summer months have been busy for the family owned and operated business, but during the day they...

Monday, September 7, 2015

Two injured Sunday in city shooting

A shooting at 503 Dail St. late Sunday night left two people injured, according to a Goldsboro Police Department report. Tracy Yelverton, 47, told police he was speaking with several other people at the Dail Street residence when he heard...

Experts warn: Cars still too hot for children

Labor Day might signal the end of summer, but the threat of heatstroke still remains, especially for the youngest segment of the population left alone in vehicles. Safe Kids Wayne County is reminding parents and caregivers about the dangers of...

County still waiting on hotel tax OK

Supporters of a county-wide one-percent hotel occupancy tax remain optimistic that the General Assembly will enact the tax even though the bill has been sitting in the Senate Finance Committee since Aug. 4. And until the bill becomes law, the...

They will be dancing

Some were born to dance. Others had a bit of trepidation but know it's important to step out of their comfort zone. And still others would much rather sit in the audience and enjoy this year's Dancing Stars of Wayne...

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Wreck sends two to hospital

The driver and passenger of a red GMC Canyon pickup truck were taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital with serious injuries Friday after the truck became airborne, inverted and struck a parked truck.. The accident took place at the First...

Police chief: Time for real solution to crime

Goldsboro interim police chief Mike West draws his hands to face. His chin rests on his clasped hands; his fingers interwoven like the lives of so many of the citizens he is sworn to protect -- the shooters, their...

Southern Bank breaks ground on newest branch

Groundbreaking ceremonies for Southern Bank and Trust Co.'s new $2 million Goldsboro branch office were held Friday morning. Construction on the new office at the corner of East Ash Street and Spence Avenue is expected to get under way...

Literacy Connections fundraiser includes home view

Those attending this year's Reading Between the Wines fundraiser at the home of David and Bethany Perry will definitely have a chance to stop and smell the roses. That's because a rose garden in back of the house is filled...

Back home for a visit

To passersby on U.S. 117 Saturday afternoon, the scene at H.V. Brown Park on Elm Street may have looked like any other Labor Day weekend picnic. But the 60-plus gathered there represented generations that once occupied a segment of...

Meet him at the fair

DUDLEY -- Additional parking, new and brighter parking lot lights and a just-completed open-sided livestock building will greet visitors to the 67th annual Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair. The fair is a little later this year -- Oct. 1 --...

Council to vote on plan to build cemetery

Goldsboro City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a proposal by the Islamic Center of Goldsboro to build a cemetery beside its mosque at 506 Fedelon Trail. The city's planning commission has recommended council adopt an ordinance rezoning...

Former Miss N.C. heads to pageant

Former Miss Goldsboro and Miss North Carolina Beth Stovall is heading back to the Miss America pageant this week. But not as a contestant. The 2014 state queen has been invited to sing the national anthem on the Atlantic...

City gets ready for its 'Week of Beaks'

Goldsboro's second annual Beak Week festival starts Friday by way of a wing cookoff among 31 professional cooking teams that will take over the now vacant parking lot across from City Hall from 6-8 p.m. What follows will be...

Friday, September 4, 2015

Prostitution ring arrests made

A four-month investigation into a prostitution ring operating in Seven Springs resulted in five arrests Aug. 28, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office press release. A potential link to human trafficking is being investigated. "That is something we...

Suspect pleads in child's shooting

More than four years after firing the stray bullet that claimed the life of 3-year-old Princess Shelby King, her killer pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Wayne County Superior Court Thursday. Derrick Raymont Best, now 33, will spend 180...

Labor Day closings are announced

Local, state and federal offices, banks and Postal Service offices will be closed Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Wayne County offices, the courthouse, landfill and convenience centers are all closed Monday and will reopen on their...

Demolition begins

Demolition of the old Masons department store on North William Street began Thursday morning and is expected to take about 30 days to complete. Wayne County officials plan to build a $10 million satellite jail on the site. A&K...

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Report card

A's Wayne Early/Middle College High B's Charles B. Aycock High School Wayne School of Engineering C's Greenwood Middle Grantham School Meadow Lane Elementary Northwest Elementary Norwayne Middle Spring Creek High School Eastern Wayne High School Fremont STARS Rosewood Elementary Rosewood...

Officers prepare for Labor Day weekend enforcement

More than 35 million people are expected to take to the highways for one last summer vacation this Labor Day weekend. Eighty-six percent of travelers will reach their destination by car, according to the American Automotive Association. In response...

Wayne County Public Schools receives some high marks, but proficiency scores still lag

When the state released its accountability results Wednesday, Wayne County Public Schools received high marks in the areas of graduation rates, school growth and career readiness, but is still lagging in proficiency scores. The 2014-15 Performance and Growth of...

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Gunfire, injuries reported in Goldsboro Tuesday

The Goldsboro Police Department responded to two shootings early this morning that happened within 10 minutes and within a mile and a half of each other. One person was injured and refused medical transport, according to a police report....

Sheriff gets more manpower

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved the hiring of four new deputies for the Sheriff's Office. The positions will enable the department to aggressively tackle property crimes in the county, Sheriff Larry Pierce said. The OK to hire the...

UMO faculty recital slated for September 17

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive will host the second annual Faculty Showcase Recital on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hazel Waters Kornegay Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St. The event is free and open to...

WCC program features talks on issues

From down East to the Middle East, the fall season of Arts and Humanities offerings at Wayne Community College promises an array of fresh and timely topics. It features serious issues like the collapse of the old Middle East...

Directing care

Wayne County Health Director said he is often asked what it is like to have that job. "Imagine standing in a room full of land mines, juggling plates and dodging water balloons while trying to get to the other...

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Power of confidence

There were two forks. Michelle Estrada remembers sitting in a country club as an adult looking in horror at the formal place setting. Growing up in Mexico, she did not have any training that would tell her which fork or...

Man dies in two-car crash

A Mount Olive man died Monday when his vehicle ended up in a ditch following a two-car collision on N.C. Highway 55 west of Mount Olive. The wreck happened at 5:38 p.m. in front of what locals know as...

F-86 fighter jet placement is delayed until October

The placement of the F-86 Sabre fighter jet behind the East Ash Street traffic circle that was scheduled for the first three days of September has been delayed until Oct. 2. But the jet will be brought back to...

Wayne Community College, University of Mount Olive collaborate to ease transferring credits

Wayne Community College and the University of Mount Olive have entered into a partnership making it easier for students to transfer course credits from the community college to the university. Presidents at the two local institutions recently signed an...