March 2018 archives

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Friday, March 30, 2018

Event to highlight local opioid crisis

A retired physician and member of the N.C. League of Women Voters will visit Goldsboro April 7 to talk about the state's opioid crisis and possible solutions. Dr. James Foster, chairman of the league's Health Care Action Team, will...

Parks and Rec to offer an 'eggstravaganza' in park on Saturday

More than 17,000 eggs will be hidden throughout Herman Park for the annual Easter Eggstravaganza Saturday morning. Considered the largest Easter egg hunt in Wayne County, as many as 1,200 children attend the Eggstravaganza each year, said Lynn Grantham,...

Goldsboro hires new fire chief

A Maryland firefighter with leadership experience and 25 years on the job will join the city of Goldsboro as its next fire chief on July 2. Joseph Dixon, assistant fire chief of the Howard County Maryland Department of Fire...

Drive coordinator puts it in park

In the past 18 years, Faye Davis has helped Charles B. Aycock High School collect thousands of units of blood. The school's health science educator has been coordinating blood drives there for 18 years. But after the drive Thursday,...

University of Mount Olive to hold Day of Giving April 10

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive community will come together for the second annual Day of Giving to support university athletics on Tuesday, April 10. "Giving Day is a 24-hour giving challenge to encourage engagement and philanthropy...

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Advocacy group and community members discuss Wayne CAN

Leaders in education, health care and several other areas across Wayne County came together at WAGES Tuesday evening for an interest meeting for the Wayne Child Advocacy Network, a proposed local advocacy group run by NC Child which works...

Man found guilty of murder

A Goldsboro man was sentenced to life in prison after a Wayne County jury handed down a guilty verdict in the murder trial of a 20-year-old who was shot to death in 2011. Timothy Jerome Midgette, 25, is sentenced...

A theater fill-up

By 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, six rows of seats at the Paramount Theatre were already filled with nonperishable food items and hygiene and cleaning supplies. And it was just the first day of United Way of Wayne County's fundraiser, Fill-The-Theatre,...

State, local offices to close

State and local offices will be closed Friday, March 30, in observance of the Good Friday holiday while federal offices, banks and post offices will be open. All Wayne County offices and the landfill will be closed Friday while...

Church to present 'The Living Last Supper'

Wayne County residents can see a re-enactment of the Last Supper March 29 at 8 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. "The Living Last Supper" has been performed since the 1990s when the Rev. Bill Hufham brought it from his...

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Coach: Someone stole ATV, lawn equipment from Rosewood High School

Someone broke into a storage building at Rosewood High School late Tuesday night and stole over $5,000 in equipment, including an all-terrain vehicle used by the school athletics department, RWH coach Robert Britt said Wednesday. According to Britt, someone pried...

UMO holds dedication ceremony

From staff reports MOUNT OLIVE --  Nearly 200 people attended Sunday's dedication ceremony for the University of Mount Olive's newly renovated Rodgers Chapel and construction of the E. Lee Glover Center for Religious Studies. The facility, encompassing 5,922 square feet,...

UMO holds dedication ceremony

From staff reports MOUNT OLIVE --  Nearly 200 people attended Sunday's dedication ceremony for the University of Mount Olive's newly renovated Rodgers Chapel and construction of the E. Lee Glover Center for Religious Studies. The facility, encompassing 5,922 square feet,...

Hospital project $14 million over budget

Higher construction costs and additions to a project to expand and renovate surgical and endoscopy space at Wayne UNC Health Care have pushed the project to 24 percent over budget. The project, originally budgeted for slightly more than $34 million,...

WAYne Forward seeks community input

WAYne Forward, the task force recently formed to address the causes and symptoms of poverty in Goldsboro and Wayne County wants to hear from residents about their thoughts and experiences. In addition to a series of upcoming community meetings and...

Southern Wayne High School students give back

Southern Wayne High School feels like it is their turn to give back to their community. Several clubs have decided to make this their mission for the school year. One of the many clubs at Southern Wayne is NTHS, or...

College claims honor two years in a row

For the second year in a row, Wayne Community College has been named recipient of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations Paragon Award. The college won gold in the  category of interior signage/display, single or series category for...

Fun Fest funds to go to Wayne County youth

The annual Explorer Fun Fest opens today with a variety of carnival rides and games with profits benefiting Wayne County youth. The festival each year is a fundraiser for the Goldsboro Police Department's Law Enforcement Explorer Post 209, a...

Proclamation for prevention

Community leaders, city officials, children and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base leadership attended Tuesday's Child Abuse Prevention Proclamation Ceremony in Goldsboro. The theme of the event, Caring Communities Helping Families Prevent Child Abuse, drew people from across Wayne County to...

Company intends to fix ball field

T.A. Loving Company has promised to fix a baseball field behind Grantham Middle School after a concerned community member found concrete, bricks and strips of rusted metal inches beneath its surface. Jerry Bryan, a former landscaper and the father of...

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Jury begins deliberations in murder trial

A Wayne County jury is deliberating the fate of Timothy Jerome Midgette in the first-degree murder trial of Laquan Devon Pearsall today. Midgette, 25, is on trial for the murder of Pearsall, who was shot and killed in the back...

City has no obligation to get hotel

The city of Goldsboro is not obligated to secure development of a hotel adjacent to the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center. In its March 2015 contract with Wayne County, the city agreed to donate approximately 12 acres of...

2018 Cures for the Colors to raise money, promote fitness

The annual Cures for the Colors will be held April 21 at Wayne Community College. The event is a fundraiser for cancer patients through Southeastern Cancer Care. This year's fundraiser will be a color run. "As you run through,...

Dunsmore: Board's plan will cost $1.6M per year, affect teachers' jobs

The Wayne County Board of Education's February vote to immediately reduce class sizes in five low-performing elementary schools would cost the district nearly $1.6 million and put several teaching positions in art, music, language and physical education at risk, said...

In need of caring hearts

There is a desperate need in Wayne County for caregivers to open their homes to adults with special needs, says Janet Connor Knox, community outreach coordinator for A Caring Heart Case Management. That's where the Alternative Family Living program...

Local business launches 'Prom Promise'

Local business owner Kayla Howard is extending a helping hand to girls in Wayne County who want to go to prom but may not have the resources. Through her business, Fancii Beauty Express located at 200 W. Ash St....

Monday, March 26, 2018

Truck hauling 190 hogs overturns on U.S. 13

A Goldsboro Milling Co. truck hauling 190 hogs overturned along U.S. 13 Monday and led to the partial closing of the highway. The tractor-trailer overturned when the driver, Montrice Teron Darden, 33, made a left turn onto the U.S. 70...

A piece of history, rediscovered

Discovery of a forgotten Union troop that formed in Goldsboro will come to life during the 135th USCT Living History Weekend: The Lost Troop, in April. The living history weekend will take place April 6 and 7 in downtown...

Program finds homes for homeless

Some live in the woods, others in their cars. Some live in vacant buildings that are not fit to be a home. They are the homeless of Goldsboro. The Salvation Army launched the Rapid Rehousing Program last June, designed...

Escort planned for airman's remains

Wayne County residents are being asked to line Wayne Memorial Drive on Thursday, April 5, to give a hero's welcome home to native son Col. Edgar Felton Davis who is returning home 50 years after his death in the Vietnam...

Women's build planned for May

MOUNT OLIVE -- Habitat for Humanity of Goldsboro-Wayne will holds its 11th annual Women Build May 10-13 at 202 W. Pollock St. "It is the single biggest event that we do each year in terms of funds raised and...

Sunday, March 25, 2018

'A Miracle'

James Edward Smith has been a fixture at his and his wife's business for almost eight years now. Lately, he's had to slow down and take things easy. Three months ago, driving back from one funeral service to prepare for...

Wayne Democrats seek to organize

With Democratic candidates running for election in every congressional district statewide, the members of the Wayne County Democratic Party were in high spirits Saturday during its annual convention at the Wayne County Courthouse. That is no justification to let...

Students and community members come together locally for the national 'March for Our Lives'

Wayne County students and adults joined millions around the country in protesting gun violence and calling for tighter gun legislation Saturday during a "March for Our Lives" rally at W.A. Foster Park. Packed together under a park shelter, the...

Attorney general visits Wayne

There were around 700 million pills prescribed in North Carolina in 2016 -- 70 pills for each person in the state -- N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein said at the Safe Kids Wayne County "Operation Medicine Drop" event Saturday....

Dozens walk for hunger

Prayers for a sunny day panned out for the members and supporters of United Church Ministries Saturday, as the group held its 35th annual Walk for Hunger fundraiser. Held every year since 1986, the walk/run supports UCM's ability to...

Survivor's story: J.L. Wilson, 98, shares his first-person account of Dec. 7, 1941

Dec. 7, 1941, started off as just another Sunday morning in paradise. J.L. Wilson, a 22-year-old petty officer 3rd class from LaGrange, had just finished his morning chow aboard the USS Dale, a Farragut-class destroyer moored at Pearl Harbor....

Red Cross blood drives in April

Following are the April blood drives for the Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross: • April 4 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the University of Mount Olive. • April 10 from 12:30 to 5 p.m. at...

Fremont woman lands Miss Greensboro crown

When Karen Stallings walked off the stage after competing in the Miss North Carolina pageant in June 2017, she could not have imagined she would get to return one year later. After all, there was a cutoff age of 24...

Goldsboro City Council discusses board diversity during retreat

Members of the Goldsboro City Council took the first step in selecting members to its boards and commissions Thursday but not without some disagreement. The council, which reviewed the names of 70 applicants to eight advisory boards, selected a...

Friday, March 23, 2018

Students, lawmakers look at safety

Students, their families, and others are expected to participate in March For Our Lives rallies nationwide Saturday to call for an end to mass school shootings and gun violence. Locally, Wayne County Strong will host a March For Our...

Company works to provide high-speed internet across county

The company that is working to provide wireless internet service across Wayne County will eventually offer gigabit speed in Goldsboro. "Gigabit speed is a thousand megabits per second. It is as fast as what Google Fiber is doing in...

Gathering of survivors

Nearly an hour before the fifth annual Cures for the Colors survivor dinner was scheduled to start Thursday evening, the parking lot at First Pentecostal Holiness Church began filling up and so did the fellowship hall. More than 700 turned...

Overall crime rates decline in city

Overall crime rates in the city of Goldsboro decreased by 6 percent in 2017, with the number of homicides on par with the previous year. Homicides in the city have increased every year during the past five years, with...

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Reshuffled and refocused

It hasn't quite been a year since another round of administrative reshuffling at Goldsboro High School, but things have begun to change. The school has certified teachers in every position, said principal Marcia Manning, one of the goals the...

Police, community send message to repeat offenders

The Goldsboro Partners Against Crime offered some of Wayne County's hardened criminals a second chance during a call-in at Goldsboro City Hall Tuesday. Eighteen men, who are on probation and have been charged with repeated violent crimes, heard from...

Deadline looms for flood maps

Flood insurance policies will end in Wayne County unless Wayne County commissioners approve new flood maps and a new flood damage prevention ordinance by June 20. "In order to participate in the national flood insurance program you have to...

Planting pinwheels to raise awareness

The annual child abuse proclamation ceremony, kicking off April being Child Abuse Prevention Month, will take place on Tuesday, March 27, at 10 a.m. on the steps of City Hall, said Nola Claiborne of Goldsboro Pediatrics, one of the organizers....

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Commissioners chafe over hotel

Wayne County commissioners held their collective noses Tuesday morning, approving a $10,667 budget amendment for the county's share of a $32,000 hotel study. They did not hold back on their displeasure with the city of Goldsboro's failed efforts so...

Fill the Theatre campaign underway

United Way of Wayne County is asking residents to Fill the Theatre March 28 and 29. The event is a fundraiser to help the needy of Wayne County with food and personal hygiene items. "Our local food pantries and shelters...

Confederate monuments study committee meets today

RALEIGH -- The North Carolina Historical Commission Confederate Monuments Study Committee will hold a public meeting from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. today. The meeting is for accepting public comment on a petition to relocate three Confederate monuments from the...

WCC named finalist for American Association of Community Colleges 2018 Awards of Excellence

Wayne Community College has been named a finalist for the American Association of Community Colleges 2018 Awards of Excellence, in the "student success" category. WCC is one of six community colleges, the only one from North Carolina, up for...

Public schools are represented at UMO Honors Choir

Select Spring Creek Middle, Rosewood Middle and Norwayne Middle students recently represented Wayne County Public Schools in the second annual Mount Olive University Honors Choir, under the direction of Jonathan Saeger. The students prepared five selections - "Sing and Rejoice!"...

Local do-gooder captures national spotlight

MOUNT OLIVE -- "If you are ever in Mount Olive, check out the pickles," TV personality Mike Rowe said as he stood in the middle of North Center Street. Rowe spoke to a crowd of curious onlookers who had...

A spiritual growth

Each month, Effie Labrecque and Ray Urban see people who desperately need food, people who can't afford their medicine and children who may have to live in a house with no heat when it's below freezing outside. Sometimes, they can...

Local student selected for Governor's School

Sam Okonkwo, of Goldsboro and a junior at Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston, has been chosen to attend Governor's School this summer. The son of Ambrose and Uzo Okonkwo, Sam will attend Governor's School West at Salem College in Winston-Salem...

Time for the book sale

Rose Waters, library assistant, sorts through donated books for the upcoming annual Friends of the Library book sale, to be held at the main branch of the library on Ash Street next month. The five-day sale will feature a wide...

Group to gauge local interest in CAN

The public is invited to a meeting to determine interest in forming Wayne County CAN, Child Advocacy Network, designed to focus on public policies at the local, state and federal level to benefit children and families. It will be held...

Students participate in state Scholastic Dance Festival

Two Arendell Parrott Academy students from Goldsboro were recently part of a state dance competition that placed in several categories. The Wayne County students are Jean Okonkwo, a senior and member of the upper school ensemble, and Sarah Stockton, an...

Pair of local students among 45 selected statewide for D.C. trip

Two local high school students are among 45 young leaders from across the state chosen to participate in a learning and leadership development opportunity this summer in the nation's capital. Tri-County EMC will sponsor Kari Drake and Nathaly Audelo on...

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Rosewood Middle School to dismiss at 9 a.m. due to water main break

Rosewood Middle School will dismiss at 9 a.m. today due to a water main break on its campus, according to Wayne County Public Schools spokesman Ken Derksen. Officials discovered the break around 7:30 a.m., Derksen said. When maintenance crews determined...

The aroma of life returning

SEVEN SPRINGS -- The door opens. The inviting aroma of baking cookies triggers an involuntary deep breath. Eyes searching for the source of the mouthwatering smell focus in on an artfully-laden showcase -- cookies, doughnuts, cupcakes, sticky buns, cinnamon...

Rescuers often become the rescued

Linda Turner is not shy about telling people she is, as she says, "a bit touched." A person has to be in order to survive the emotional roller coaster of being an animal rescuer -- a passion that she...

Residents voice opposition to apartment complex

Residents concerned about the possible development of an apartment complex in a residential area of the city spoke in opposition during the Goldsboro City Council meeting Monday. Several residents shared their concerns and made suggestions, asking that the development...

County to discuss potential flood ordinance updates

Wayne County commissioners will discuss possible changes in the county's flood ordinance when they meet today. The meeting will get underway with an 8 a.m. agenda briefing followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. Both will be held...

All-county band festival steps off this evening

Wayne County Public Schools will hold its 2018 All-County Band Festival today at 6 p.m. at Dillard Middle School. One hundred band members from the district will participate in the showcase. Professionals will direct the students representing 13 middle and...

Wayne Community College to hold open house

Wayne Community College will hold an open house this week for prospective students to explore the campus and learn more about the programs of study. They can also sign up for classes during the event Thursday evening, officials said. From...

Bone marrow drive is Thursday

Rotary of Mount Olive, the University of Mount Olive Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the university's Honors Program will sponsor a Be The Match registration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in the Murphy Regional Center on the...

Man charged in December break-in

The Wayne County Sheriff's Department has made an arrest in a Dec. 23 breaking and entering case. Antwaun Lashwan Bryant, 29 of 320 A, Forest Knolls Road, was arrested and charged with one count of obtaining property by false...

Monday, March 19, 2018

Dance for Christ

The courtroom is full. The lawyer -- Satan himself -- is determined to send every single soul on trial to eternal damnation without any chance of redemption. Dressed in a suit and occasionally shooting out fire, Satan is very demanding...

Remains identified as Arrington firefighter who went missing during 2016 boat trip

Medical examiners have determined that human remains found recently belonged to a Wayne County man who went missing more than 18 months ago while swimming in the Yeopim River of Perquimans County. According to a recent report in the Perquimans...

Friday night events will kick off April's N.C. Pickle Festival

MOUNT OLIVE -- Saturday will continue to be the main draw for the three-day, 32nd annual North Carolina Pickle Festival taking place April 27-29 in downtown Mount Olive. The list of events for the Friday night kickoff continues to...

Safe Kids offers safe place to dispose of unused medications

Safe Kids Wayne County is encouraging residents -- especially those with young children visiting or living in their homes -- to clean out their medicine cabinets. Operation Medicine Drop, starting today, is the perfect time to get rid of...

Secret donor gives the gift of reading

The United Way of Wayne County is committing more than $590,000 from an anonymous donation to launch a family literacy program where it is needed most -- in the southern portion of the county. Organizers behind the push cite a...

Study could end hotel holdup

The Goldsboro City Council will consider tonight whether to support a $32,000 feasibility study that will explore the market's ability to support a full-service hotel near the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center. The Wayne County Tourism Development Authority...

Salvation Army barbecue sale slated for Thursday

The Salvation Army will hold its annual Barbecue Fundraiser March 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its building at 610 N. William St. Tickets are $8 each for a meal of barbecue, potato salad, cole slaw, hush puppies,...

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Running for the army

The Flying Shamrock hosted its annual Kilt Run Saturday in celebration of St. Patrick's Day and to help raise money for Riley's Army. For the fourth year, runners dressed in their kilts came to downtown Goldsboro for a great...

Banquet celebrates community heroes

People across the Goldsboro/Wayne County community are constantly working to make their home a better place, and nowhere was that more evident than the 44th annual Human Relations Award Banquet at the Goldsboro Events Center Friday night. The banquet is...

Fremont's Daffodil Festival to be March 31

FREMONT -- The 32nd annual Fremont Daffodil Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 31. The opening ceremony will be held from 10 to 10:30 a.m. on the Main Street stage and will be followed...

Rethinking take-out one meal at a time

A healthy lifestyle restaurant that offers meal plans, customized diets, take-out and dining options is now serving the Goldsboro area. Clean Eatz, at 502-A Eastgate Drive near Barnes Jewelers, is open for business Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m....

Learning about safety and maintenance

Chevrolet of Goldsboro hosted a vehicle maintenance clinic on Saturday. The event offered information on the proper way for vehicle owners to care for their car along with preventative maintenance care. The information session was held inside the conference...

Friday, March 16, 2018

More than 3,600 students participate in walk out, no disruptions were reported

Between 3,600 and 3,700 of the approximately 11,230 students in Wayne County Public Schools grades 5 through 12 participated in Wednesday's National School Walkout demonstration. Students in all middle schools and high schools participated at some level, as did some...

Cures for the Colors survivor dinner is March 22

The annual Cures for the Colors survivor dinner will be held Thursday, March 22, at First Pentecostal Holiness Church. This marks the fifth year for the dinner, which honors cancer survivors, provided by Southeastern Medical Oncology Center. "The event...

Diggin' on the farm

As many as 1,500 second-graders from around the county converged onto Odom Farms on Thursday as part of "We Dig It: Ag Day," an opportunity to learn about the important role agriculture plays. This is the fifth year for...

Factoring in future successes

The world is changing faster than many people can keep up with, and parents and educators need to adapt to make sure their kids are prepared. That was just part of the message Thursday at the Wayne County Public...

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Local Boys and Girls Club teen director becomes finalist for national award

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Wayne/Johnston counties learned this week that it is one of five finalists in the nation vying for the Youth Development Professional of the Year award. The local submission in the contest, a two-minute video,...

Man arrested after allegedly making threats to courthouse clerk

A Kinston man was arrested Wednesday for threatening a clerk at the Wayne County Courthouse. Douglas Fabian Barnhill, 39 of 705 Perry St., Kinston, has been charged with one count of threats against executive, legislative or court officers. According to...

Man robbed at gunpoint on Roberts Street

A man was robbed at gunpoint along Roberts Street early Wednesday morning. According a Goldsboro police report, the victim was on Roberts Street just before 5 a.m. Wednesday when he was approached by two black males. One of the men...

Senator affirms SJAFB support

A state senator from western North Carolina visited Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Wednesday and walked away with a renewed commitment to continue supporting the needs of the military in the legislature. Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, the son of...

Autopilot, engage

Very few hands went up when state Department of Transportation traffic engineer Kevin Lacy asked the audience who was ready to ride in an autonomous vehicle. Even fewer hands went up when he asked who would fly in an...

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair earns honors

DUDLEY -- The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair has harvested a bumper crop of awards. The 2017 edition of the fair won eight awards for excellence, including the North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs' Youth Award and Agriculture Award. The...

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Local students take part in National School Walk Out demonstration

As clock faces across the country today read 10 a.m., students in classrooms from elementary to middle and high schools calmly closed their books, gathered their belongings and headed toward the door. The National School Walkout demonstration, inspired by the...

To be a pilot for a day

Dylan Bolles-Prasse has spent a lifetime battling sickness while trying to maintain a normal life. But on Monday, he was given a once-in-a-lifetime experience by suiting up in flight gear and sitting in the cockpit of a F-15E Strike...

Infusing art in the heart of the city

Goldsboro has been selected as the first recipient of a $25,000 art infusion grant from One Main Financial Co. for a downtown beautification project. The Made on Main Street grant will provide funds for local artists to create a...

University of Mount Olive to dedicate new center to religious studies

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive will dedicate the E. Lee Glover Center for Religious Studies at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 25. The center, which is connected to Rodgers Chapel, was part of a comprehensive renovation and...

Norwayne Middle School wins county Battle of the Books

For the second year in a row, Norwayne Middle School students won the Wayne County Public Schools Middle School Battle of the Books competition on Friday, March 2. The 32nd annual Battle of the Books competition took place at...

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Goldsboro police investigate report of a man impersonating law enforcement officer

Goldsboro police are investigating a report of a man impersonating a police officer in the city. A 16-year-old girl reported the incident, which took place Monday night along the 900 block of South George Street at 9 p.m., according to...

Wayne County public school system won't punish students who participate in National School Walk Out

The Wayne County public school system will not punish any students who decide to participate in the National School Walk Out event Wednesday. The national demonstration, which is inspired by the Women's March Youth EMPOWER movement, is a way to...

Snow sweeps through Wayne

Wayne County and much of central North Carolina north of a line from Lexington to Lillington to Goldsboro are under a winter weather advisory for black ice until 10 a.m. today. Wayne County Public Schools are closed today, and Wayne...

A birthday wish comes true

Sitting inside the Wendy's off of N.C. 581 Monday, Tyler Edmundson has no idea what's coming. He is happily enjoying his birthday lunch -- he is 24 now -- with friends and family members when several uniformed Goldsboro police...

Officials inch closer to hotel

When the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center opened March 1, one piece of the puzzle was still missing -- an adjacent hotel. And without a quality hotel, the center will have problems booking larger events that look for...

Human Relations Awards Banquet slated for Friday

People making a difference in the community will be recognized during the 44th Human Relations Awards Banquet Friday. The event will be held at the Goldsboro Event Center, at 1501 S. Slocumb St., starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can...

Eastpointe names new medical director

Dr. Sid Hosseini, a psychiatrist with more than 20 years of experience, has been named the medical director for Eastpointe Human Services. Hosseini will start in mid-May as medical director for Eastpointe, a managed care organization that oversees behavioral...

Annual parent-teacher seminar scheduled for Thursday

Wayne County Public Schools will host its annual parent seminar Thursday at the WCPS Professional Development & Family Engagement Center at 415 S. Virginia St. The event will begin at 9 a.m. The guest speaker this year is Nikki...

United Health Care donates $5,000 to Goldsboro Pediatrics

If a student is not reading on grade level by the time they leave third grade, they are likely to be at a substantial disadvantage for the rest of the their lives -- a situation which Goldsboro Pediatrics and United...

Sorority to hold college fair Saturday

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Phi Omega Chapters will host a college fair Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the W.A. Foster Center, 1012 S. John St. The sorority has a priority through a national campaign...

Monday, March 12, 2018

Driving conditions deteriorating

UPDATE ---- Wayne County Public Schools will operate on a 2-hour delay Tuesday due to the threat of overnight freezing and the potential for slick roads. Hazardous road conditions are possible in southwest Wayne County as a brief burst of...

Shad Fishing Tournament winners are announced

The winners have been announced in the Shad Fishing Tournament held on Saturday. More than 127  fishermen participated in the annual event sponsored by EZ Bait and Tackle and Goldsboro Parks and Recreation. Contestants competed in several categories, fishing for...

Wayne County Public Schools cancel after school programs today

Wayne County Public Schools has canceled all after school programs today due to the threat of inclement weather, according to a WCPS press release. All athletic practices and competitions, 4-H programs, tutoring, staff meetings, PTA meetings, parents nights and other...

County under winter weather advisory with possible snow accumulation

Wayne County is under a winter weather advisory from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. today with possible snow accumulation of less than an inch possible. Rain is expected before 2 p.m. today, then rain and snow. The high temperature will...

Foundation built on relationships

For the bulk of the past year, Jack Kannan has been working to launch a first-time foundation at Wayne Memorial Hospital in the only way he knew how -- through relationship-building. It's a skill he brought to the role he...

In the marketplace: Vintage-collectible is the modern decor

A large, old-fashioned wooden wagon wheel rests in one spot. Nearby are several vintage mantle clocks, while another area is occupied by old soft drink bottles. There are coins, football and baseball cards, tin signs, cameras, toys, 1955 sake...

A willingness to keep on chasing dreams

Kasey Vann's eyes light up as she talks about traveling to Charleston, South Carolina, to audition for "American Idol" back in August. It had been a longtime dream to try out for the show, which ended its 15-year run on...

Marrow drive could mean all the difference

MOUNT OLIVE -- Six-year-old Thor was born with sickle cell anemia. He's had 29 blood transfusions during his short lifetime. Nick Dombalis has MDS (pre-leukemia). He is a husband, father of four and grandfather. He is a practicing attorney...

Night of reflections at the University of Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive Department of Music, the Office of Alumni Relations and UMO Theatre will host an event titled "It's a Great Day to be a Trojan: Reflections Through Story and Song." It will begin...

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Comedy lives on: The Three Stooges

Tom Tipton opens the door to his office and is immediately confronted by three people staring back at him. His heart races just a little. Then he realizes it's just the lifesize poster of The Three Stooges that his son...

Sugarfoot Shag Club to host its annual fundraising event

The Sugarfoot Shag Club of Goldsboro is holding its annual Mike Overman Charity Fundraiser Event on Saturday, March 17, from 7 to 11p.m. at Lane Tree Event Center in Goldsboro. The club holds an annual charity fundraiser in order...

Annual fishing tourney offers a 'reel' good time

Breyana Daniels, 9, had the fish balanced on the sleeve of her oversized sweatshirt. "I don't like to hold them," she said. "I don't feel like touching them. I was holding one, and I was holding it perfectly, but...

Judge talks community partnership

A simple fight at school. At one time it would have been handled by the school, but now it is being referred to adult court. And by the time the students appear in court they are "cool" with each...

Wayne County Republicans host local convention

[email protected] Republicans who sit home elect Democrats, state House Majority Leader John Bell said. And the 2018 election is too important to allow that to happen in light of all that the GOP has accomplished since sweeping into power in...

A legacy of customer, community service

Over 37 years in the auto business, Dan Wise has been more than a car salesman -- he's become a community institution. When it's time to go, however, it's time. Effective March 1, Wise handed over ownership of his...

Cotton producer program helps local growers

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced at the 66th Annual Mid-South Farm and Gin Show that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking action to assist cotton producers through a Cotton Ginning Cost Share (CGCS) program in order...

Police to resume animal control services

The Goldsboro Police Department will resume its role in handling animal control services within the city limits, starting July 1. For more than a year, Wayne County animal control officers have been providing service in Goldsboro as part of...

Friday, March 9, 2018

Seven Springs man arrested for fraud, more arrests are pending

A Seven Springs man was arrested Wednesday for fraud after the Wayne County Sheriff's Office investigated a motor vehicle break-in in the Rosewood community. Ahmad Shalom Gross, 18, 102 Spring Crest Drive, is charged with breaking and entering a vehicle,...

Man charged with heroin possession, assault on a law enforcement officer

Wayne County sheriff deputies arrested a Goldsboro man on Thursday and charged him with the possession of heroin and possession of a stolen vehicle. Brock Remington Lanier, 20, 107 Red Oak Road, is charged with possession of heroin, larceny of...

Sugarfoot Shag Club to hold annual charity event

The Sugarfoot Shag Club of Goldsboro is holding its annual Mike Overman Charity Fundraiser Event on Saturday, March 17,  from 7 to 11p.m. at Lane Tree Event Center in Goldsboro. The club holds an annual charity fundraiser in order to...

Thursday, March 8, 2018

STEM fair welcomes hundreds

Landon Bridgers was poised Thursday morning to share about how he created "Tornado in a Box," the title of his exhibit at this year's STEM Fair. Plugged into a 12-volt battery, its components included a mix of hot water and...

Goldsboro police seek grant money for body cams

Goldsboro police have been suited up with body cameras for the past year, but efforts are underway to potentially offer cameras to every officer. The Goldsboro Police Department has applied for a $178,276 N.C. Governor's Crime Commission grant, which requires...

Safety, guns at heart of meeting

In the wake of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, community leaders in Wayne County are not shying away from the hard questions. Around 30 people from across the Goldsboro and Wayne County community -- including...

Man charged in February beating that resulted in severe injuries

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office arrested a man Wednesday after he allegedly severely beat another man in February. Randy Ray Romfo Jr., 22, 321-A Mobile Circle, Dudley, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting...

Board hears fire tax increase request

A request for a 2.5 cent increase in the Waylin Fire District tax appeared to receive a favorable reception from Wayne County commissioners Tuesday. The rate is currently 4.5 cents per $100 of property value. But no action can...

Imagining their own future

It hadn't even been a full week since the Maxwell Center opened, but the building was already bustling Wednesday as it hosted the annual middle school career fair for students across the county. A collaboration between Wayne County Public...

Schools support organization picks up funding momentum

In the months since disaffiliating with the state and national Communities in Schools and changing its name, Communities Supporting Schools in Wayne County has picked up momentum in unexpected ways, says executive director Selena Bennett. The non-profit agency, which...

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Former chief master sergeant sentenced to up to six years in drunk driving death

UPDATED A Superior Court judge sentenced Hector Soler, a former Air Force chief master sergeant, Wednesday to serve up to six years in prison for a drunken-driving crash that killed a 17-year-old in 2016. Soler, 50, who appeared calm in...

Class size decision criticized

The school board's decision to cut class size outside the scope of state legislation is unwise, ill-fated and costly, and should be rescinded when the school board next meets, Wayne County Commissioner Joe Daughtery said during the commissioners' Tuesday...

History at the market

The Curb Market, originated as a place for people to sell their prepared foods, moves to Maxwell Center on Friday afternoons. Addie Evans is not only a participant but a historian of sorts on the effort. He manages the Curb...

Cuddington honored as legacy student

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Bob Jones University Alumni Association recently recognized Dylan Cuddington, a senior history major from Goldsboro, as a legacy student. Each year the BJU Alumni Association recognizes second, third and fourth generation legacy students. In order...

Traditional introduction

Goldsboro firefighters and city officials celebrated the addition of a new firetruck during a traditional Push In ceremony Tuesday. The ceremony, held at Goldsboro Fire Station One on Center Street, involved pushing the truck -- Tower 1 -- into...

Comfort in the shelter

When Janice Sauls was a young girl -- one of the middle children of 10 siblings -- her family was struggling to survive. One Christmas, they didn't have extras like fruits, nuts and candy like most other children. "One night...

'Embracing Our Past, Taking Charge of Our Future'

"Embracing Our Past, Taking Charge of Our Future," a black history dinner theater, was held last Wednesday night at Goldsboro Event Center. The event, organized by Lisa Taylor, was held with the hopes of bringing parents and teachers together while...

University of Mount Olive's Braswell lecture will feature Jack Howarth

The University of Mount Olive will hold its annual Braswell Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the Southern Bank Auditorium located in Raper Hall. The speaker for this lecture will be Jack Howarth. The event is free...

Spring Creek Middle students seek answers using forensics

Over the years, famous mysteries have perplexed scientists and explorers, who have come up empty in attempts to find the truth. Who was Jack the Ripper? How did Amelia Earhart disappear? And now, for 130 Spring Creek Middle School...

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Man stumbles upon human remains

Goldsboro police are investigating what appears to be human remains found in a wooded area near Royall Avenue Monday afternoon. A man walking his dog through the woods came across what appeared to be skeletal remains at about 4 p.m.,...

Getting prepped for severe weather

Tornadoes. Violent thunderstorms. Severe winds. Wayne County is no stranger to severe weather. Just last week a tornado warning was issued for southern Wayne County and there were reported sightings of a funnel cloud near North Duplin Jr./Sr. High...

Fate of the Wayne Center

The Wayne County Center has served as the main hub for agricultural-related services, 4-H programs and other community activities for decades. The opening of the new state-of-the-art Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center has opened the door for several...

City tweaks jobs program

The Goldsboro City Council decided Monday to remove its low-income restriction for applicants to the city's summer youth employment program. Based on the low number of applicants to the program, the council also agreed to re-open the application process and...

Extension offices move out

The Wayne County Cooperative Extension is finally getting a much-needed upgrade, as the county office is fully moved into new accommodations at the Maxwell Center. Kevin Johnson, extension director, said that the move has been a long time coming....

Monday, March 5, 2018

Asphalt truck overturns on N.C. 581

A section of N.C. Highway 581 was shut down Monday afternoon after a single-vehicle wreck sent a Currie man to the hospital. A Southern Asphalt truck, driven by Anthony Newkirk, overturned after the driver over corrected, said Trooper J.T. Creech,...

Part of history

Dolores Shaw Hayes was a bit apprehensive when she was chosen as one of the first three black teachers to start the integration process at an all-white school, but she told her principal she would go where he sent her...

Fremont native to head State Fair

Friends are already asking Kent Yelverton for free passes to the N.C. State Fair. "I expect I will have many more," he said. "But more than passes, parking passes. Parking passes are the big thing. "That's why I ride...

Getting in at the right time

David Perry can remember when downtown Goldsboro was like many other downtowns across the state -- little activity, few businesses, waning investment. But he's watched from the sidelines as development in downtown Goldsboro was first jumpstarted by local government, with...

Council to review ABC store site plans

The Goldsboro City Council will review site and landscape plans for a new Alcoholic Beverage Control store planned along Wayne Memorial Drive, near Tommy's Road. The site and landscape plan for the store, which would be built behind the...

Annual AgCarolina Farm Credit calendar contest is underway

AgCarolina Farm Credit's annual photo calendar contest is in progress at AgCarolina.com. Members, employees and friends of AgCarolina can submit photo entries via the website until July 31. Participants can submit up to three photos taken within the AgCarolina Farm...

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Family, fun and education

Melissa Hall recalled driving past the section of Wayne Memorial Drive where the anticipated Maxwell Center was being constructed. Her children would regularly ask "when they could come in," she said with a smile. So when the March 1 grand...

High Court denies Lane

The North Carolina Supreme Court has ruled against convicted murderer Eric Glenn Lane's appeal to allow for DNA testing of evidence in the 2002 slaying of 5-year-old Precious Ebony Whitfield. Lane was convicted in 2005 of the kidnapping, rape...

On the battlefield

History marched into Wayne County over the weekend as the sound of muskets and cannon blasts could be heard from the Goldsborough Bridge Battlefield in Dudley. Close to 150 re-enactors, some traveling from as far as Canada, took to...

County looks at Waylin Fire District tax hike

Wayne County commissioners will be asked on Tuesday to increase the Waylin Fire District tax by 2.5 cents. The Waylin Fire District serves the rural area around Mount Olive. The increase would raise the rate to 7 cents per...

WorkKeys test dates set for March

The WorkKeys(r) tests for the National Career Readiness Certificate will be offered at Wayne Community College four times this month. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success (WORKS) program will provide testing sessions on March 13 and 20, 8:30 a.m.-12:30...

Goldsboro High School alumnus lands role in record-breaking 'Black Panther'

Goldsboro High School graduate Stanley Aughtry never set out to land a role in a blockbuster superhero movie -- but he's ended up with two so far nonetheless. After first appearing in 2008's Batman film "The Dark Knight," Aughtry...

Education is the roadmap to safety

Anyone who drives could stand to learn a bit more about the care and safety of a vehicle. CCOG, Chevrolet Cadillac of Goldsboro, is holding a free community education event on Saturday, March 17, at the dealership on U.S....

Case Farms sets safety record

Case Farms, a fully-integrated poultry farming and processing group, recently achieved a major safety milestone after working 3 million hours without experiencing an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable lost time accident at its Goldsboro processing facility. This...

Second annual car show will benefit students

Daniels Memorial United Methodist Church will hold its second annual car show from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 10. It will be hosted by Ground Level Car Club at the church, 2802 E. Ash St. There is...

University of Mount Olive recital to feature Dr. Alan Armstrong

MOUNT OLIVE -- Dr. Alan Armstrong will be featured in a recital at the University of Mount Olive at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in the Hazel Waters Kornegay Assembly Hall, 207 Wooten St. The recital is entitled "Welcome...

Boutique credits success to persistence

Anna Jacks Children's Boutique is officially open for business. The clothing store, which stocks both children's clothes and some adult wear, held its grand opening Wednesday. For the Rackley family, who own and operate the boutique, getting to this...

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Rising to the challenge

A Goldsboro High School graduate accepted the "Black Panther Challenge"  -- started in Harlem, N.Y. to raise money for kids to see the groundbreaking film with an African-American superhero -- and used it to treat youth in his hometown to...

Friday, March 2, 2018

Supreme Court denies appeal for convicted murderer

The North Carolina Supreme Court has ruled against convicted murderer Eric Glenn Lane's appeal to allow for DNA testing of evidence in the 2002 slaying of 5-year-old Precious Ebony Whitfield. Lane was convicted in 2005 of the kidnap, rape and...

One person taken to hospital after wreck on U.S. 70

A wreck this morning on U.S. 70 involving farm equipment resulted in one person being taken to the hospital. Goldsboro police responded to a vehicle crash that happened shortly before 10 a.m., at the exit ramp of U.S. 70 and...

Spring Creek High School to host annual Miss Spring Creek Pageant Saturday

Spring Creek High School will host the annual Miss Spring Creek Pageant Saturday with five contestants vying for the title. The pageant will begin at 6 p.m. in the Spring Creek Middle School auditorium. This years contestants are as follows:...

League of Women Voters to host information session about gerrymandering

The League of Women Voters of Wayne County will hold a program Saturday to provide Wayne County residents with updated information on gerrymandering It also will examine the challenges that it poses to good government in the state, and how...

Wind advisory in effect until 10 p.m.

A wind advisory is in effect today from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m. as a strong noreaster off the Atlantic coast will generate the strong winds across central North Carolina. The northwest winds will be 20 to 30 mph with...

Sheriff puts more officers at schools

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has stepped up the number of school resource officers at Wayne County Public Schools, according to a Wayne County press release. Effective immediately, the sheriff's office is using part-time, reserve and other full-time deputies...

Opening the Maxwell Center

"You can count how many seeds are in an apple, but you can't count how many apples are in a seed." That old saying is very appropriate when it comes to predicting the potential of the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and...

Center impresses ag expo visitors

It is not uncommon to see tractors and feed bins in Wayne County. It is not common to see them inside buildings, but they were on Thursday. Tractors, grain bins, a beehive and landscaping were among the many exhibits...

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Tornado warning issued for southern Wayne County

A tornado warning for southern Wayne County is in effect until 3:45 p.m. At 3:12 p.m. a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Mount Olive moving east at 35 miles per hour. Radar had indicated rotation....

Police arrest two men on drug-related charges

Goldsboro police arrested two men on drug-related charges in two separate incidents Thursday. Alquan Dunn, 22, of 3821 E. Ash St., was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell and deliver and with resisting a public...

Sheriff steps up number of officers at public schools

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has stepped up the number of school resource officers at Wayne County Public Schools, according to a Wayne County press release. Effective immediately, the sheriff's office is using part-time, reserve and other full-time deputies to...

United Way meeting highlights dedication to early education

Complacency toward education has left the United States behind other countries and created a workforce lacking in critical thinking and literacy skills, speaker William Millett said at the United Way of Wayne County annual meeting Wednesday. Organizations like United...

Election filing period ends

Filing for most offices to be decided in the Nov. 6 midterm general election ended Wednesday at noon creating two countywide Democratic primaries and a nonpartisan district one. The primary is Tuesday, May 8. Democrats Raymond Smith of Goldsboro and...

Habitat gears up for two Mount Olive builds

MOUNT OLIVE -- The signs are up. The lot is staked and ready for a new house. And people are bound to be wondering what is going on with plans for two new Habitat for Humanity houses to be...

Maxwell Center opens today

In a county born of agriculture, the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center will celebrate its roots with an Ag Expo today -- its inaugural event for the center's grand opening. The expo will begin at 9 a.m. with...