May 2013 archives

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Friday, May 31, 2013

Rouse faces murder charges

RALEIGH -- A man with Goldsboro ties faces charges of second-degree murder in connection with a fatal traffic accident in March. Ray Norman Rouse IV, 34, of Raleigh, was released from the hospital Thursday and jailed under $2 million...

Optimist Club takes over end of school celebration

Wayne County students will be able to celebrate the end of the school year June 8 during the Goldsboro Optimist Club's first Kids Fun Day event at Cornerstone Commons on the corner of Center and Chestnut streets. The event...

Center Street Jam

Claire Hilburn, 3, lays her head on her mother Nicole's shoulder while they enjoy the music of The Dickens Band during the Center Street Jam in downtown Goldsboro on Thursday night. Last night's event was Military Appreciation Night. The...

Driver flips truck over I-795 embankment

FREMONT -- A tractor-trailer struck a guardrail on I-795 and ended up at the bottome of an embankment just south of Fremont Thursday. Officers said the driver, Howard Arnette, 54, of Harner, S.C., lost control of the rig, which...

NAACP tour against GOP makes a stop in Goldsboro

Sounding at times like an old-fashioned tent revival, and at others like a civil rights gathering, the Forward Together Movement Local Organizing Tour stopped in Goldsboro Thursday to rally people to stand up to what organizers called "mean-spirited" state...

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Inmate fighting for new look at his case

William Jackson Neal, who is serving two life sentences for the rape of a 12-year-old girl, a crime for which another man spent 18 years in jail, wants a new trial or a change in his sentence. Neal was convicted...

Study: Some VFDs should be merged

Changes might or might not be coming for local fire departments as the county commissioners weigh the results of a study of their operations. The draft study suggests smaller departments merge with larger ones, that the duties of the county...

Changes are in progress at several of city's parks

City officials say several changes are planned at Goldsboro's parks over the summer. The construction of new basketball courts at Berkeley Park is set to be completed by mid-June, as well as the installation of two beach volleyball courts...

Homes for foreign students sought

In a tradition that has lasted more than 15 years, host families are being sought in the Goldsboro area for visiting students from Europe through the Terr Linga Terra Linques program out of East Carolina University. Eight high school students...

Businesses honored at chamber event

Wayne County's 2013 Small Business of the Year nominees and winners were announced during the "Schmoozapalooza!" Business Expo held at Berkeley Mall on May 21. The awards are sponsored by the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and the Wayne...

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

WCC Adult High School students recognized for academic achievement

Wayne Community College's Adult High School Program recognized eight students for outstanding academic achievement in the spring 2013 semester. Sonta Allen and Tabitha Tucker were named to the Honors List for the first spring session. Keondra Cain, Erin Carteret,...

Strawberry fields, but not forever

Peyton Farfour, 1, enjoys a strawberry while her mother, Lisa, and brother, Ben, pick strawberries at the Cottle Farm Strawberry Patch on U.S. 117 South on Tuesday. Agriculture officials say strawberry growers have experienced a roller coaster season this...

185 marijuana plants seized

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office located and seized 185 marijuana plants from a wooded area off N.C. 111 South near Ditchbank Road Tuesday. The crop was spotted from the air during an eradication mission conducted by the WCSO Airwatch Team....

Alcohol ruled out in tractor crash

A tractor accident that claimed the lives of two people earlier this month was not caused by alcohol, local officials say. Terry Glenn Lee and his granddaughter, Kelsey Renee Davidson, 5, were killed when a pickup truck plowed into the...

Community college president urges vigilance with state budget

Wayne Community College continues to be strong in programming and enrollment, but in a precarious economic and budget-making climate, President Dr. Kay Albertson urged the board of trustees to be proactive with contacting legislators. "The budget, you know the governor...

Belk celebrates 125 years

Employees from Belk in Berkeley Mall dance in front of the store, celebrating the business's 125th anniversary this morning. A line of more than 100 people was standing at the entrance by 9 a.m. waiting on the store to...

Parks and Rec budget hits priorities

The recommended capital requests for Goldsboro Parks and Recreation in the proposed 2013-14 budget for the city of Goldsboro, although minimal, are in line with the priorities for the department, according to the Parks and Recreation master plan. The...

McDonald's helps workers pursue their college dreams

Four area students who have juggled school while working at McDonald's have received financial aid from the company to further their college education. Twelve students in eastern North Carolina were awarded the $1,000 Ray Kroc Youth Achievement Award Scholarships...

Legislators put stop to encroachment

Lawmakers in Raleigh are continuing to work to protect the state's military bases from encroachment. Just weeks after approving to regulate the building of wind farms in North Carolina, the General Assembly now has approved one bill requiring that...

Clarification

A story in Monday's News-Argus said that the N.C. Board of Funeral Services has revoked the pre-needs license of Rhodes Funeral Home at 708 S. Slocumb St. as a result of bookkeeping violations discovered during a three-month investigation that began...

Crime of the Week

Goldsboro/ Wayne Crime Stoppers On Tuesday, the Goldsboro Police Department received a report that between the hours of 10 and 10:25 a.m., a white man attempted to take a picture under the dress of a 31-year-old woman while she was...

Grantham Grange gives out awards

GRANTHAM -- The Grantham Grange held its second annual Community Service Awards last month at Selah Christian Church. April was Grange Month and the awards program was a way that the Grantham Grange can recognize outstanding people in the...

Boys and Girls Club teen director has big plans for his charges this summer

When former NBA player Anthony Teachey returned to Goldsboro nearly 10 months ago as the teen director at the Boys & Girls Club, he set out to make a positive difference. Now with the summer months fast approaching, Teachey...

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Kevin Tenney

Kevin Tenney was paralyzed in a automobile accident while he was on leave from the United States Air Force. He recently competed in the Valor Games in Raleigh. ...

A moment to remember

Lib Braswell and Audrey Brow place a wreath in front of a memorial honoring those who have died serving their country during the Daughters of the American Revolution wreath-laying ceremony at the Wayne County Veterans Memorial on Monday. The...

District scores low on bus safety exam

For the second year in a row, the state's school bus inspection turned up safety concerns for buses in the Wayne County Public Schools fleet, which local officials are attributing in part to the economic downturn causing a high...

County remembers those who 'gave all'

A war was being waged outside the installation gates but, for a few moments, those stationed at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, paused. A flag-draped casket was making its way from the base's mortuary to the flight line. Another hero, Col....

Longtime principal to take on church role

After 21 years at Faith Christian Academy, Walter Sloan is stepping down as principal, but he's not going anywhere -- he's just moving across the campus. On July 1, Sloan will become assistant pastor at Faith Free Will Baptist Church,...

F-15 down; pilot ejects

TOKYO -- The U.S. Air Force F-15 that crashed off the southern Japan island of Okinawa early today after the aircraft developed problems in flight was not an asset of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. "All our aircraft are...

Monday, May 27, 2013

Tributes to Heroes

Look for coverage of the annual Memorial Day service and other events commemorating the service of those who gave all in Tuesday's edition of the News-Argus....

Board cites 2nd funeral home

Sanctions handed down by Raleigh against funeral homes in Wayne County have left residents wondering how to go about safely and smartly securing arrangements for the final needs of their loved ones. For the second time in as many...

Family deals with another lost home

Just a few weeks ago, Bobby and Dora Smith had their Rosewood home exactly like they wanted it -- a redesigned porch, a paint job, new hardwood floors. Then early the morning of May 14, a house fire destroyed...

Official: Rain plus for local farmers

The recent widespread rains that soaked the county helped Wayne County's corn, cotton, tobacco and grain sorghum crops, but came a little late for a lot of what could be the county's largest-ever wheat crop. Wheat, especially in the...

Mailman makes helping neighbors part of the job

If there is a little old lady in need, Mailman George Ardis will be there -- at least for those on his routes. "When walking, you really form relationships with the little old ladies living on their own. I've...

County weighs plan for budget

With just a month before a county budget has to be adopted, Wayne County officials still do not have firm figures for a proposed 2013-14 spending plan. Officials say it will be about another week before they have those...

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Taylor to stay on -- for now

Dr. Steven Taylor, superintendent for Wayne County Public Schools, will not retire July 1 as originally announced. He said Friday he will postpone his retirement for an undetermined amount of time. Assistant superintendent for accountability and student services, Dr....

Always in her heart

It started with a long embrace -- a young man holding his mother tighter in his arms than he ever had. It continued when his cheek touched hers -- when he pleaded with her to read the book he had...

70 from Wayne School of Engineering prepared for future

Of the 70 Wayne School of Engineering students who crossed the stage in the Goldsboro High School auditorium Friday, 65 received diplomas and are going on to college. The remaining five will return to WSE for a fifth year...

At 32, biggest class leaves Wayne Christian School

For many of the students in the Wayne Christian School Class of 2013, Saturday morning was a bittersweet time. For a large portion of the class, it was truly the end of an era, one that began in kindergarten...

Man arrested for sex assault

A Goldsboro man was arrested Thursday afternoon in the area of the Fairview Housing Community after an alleged sexual assault. According to a press release issued by police, Tykeem Quayshon Wooten, 21, was found within two blocks of the...

Second arrest in home invasion

One suspect remains at large in connection with a May home invasion after two arrests by the Goldsboro Police Department. Gerquon Alexander Brewington, 28, of 203 Odom Farm Lane, joins Quinton Lamont Kenon, who has already been charged for...

Fremont grapples with police pay, budget

The mayor of Fremont formed a committee at the Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday to discuss the possibility of appropriating more money for wages for the part-time officers who cover weekends in Fremont. The committee, comprised of Mayor W....

Fremont adopts county rules on mobile homes

The Fremont Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to approve a new ordinance removing the town's age requirement on mobile homes in favor of requiring inspections, as well as a federal Housing and Urban Development data plate. HUD plates have...

County approves funds for library planning

A $35,000 budget amendment for the Mount Olive Steele Memorial Library project Tuesday morning was unanimously approved by Wayne County commissioners. The project was not on the board's agenda, but was added under unfinished business. Earlier this month commissioners agreed...

Dillard/Goldsboro homecoming more like a family reunion

The Class of '83 and the Class of '63 may have both had sparkly floats and matching T-shirts during the annual Dillard/Goldsboro Alumni Parade, but the members of the Class of '88, celebrating its 25th reunion, still proclaimed themselves...

Cliffs swimming lake now open

Cooling off in the water this summer doesn't have to mean driving out of town to the ocean or buying a membership to a pool. Instead, you can jump in the old swimming hole at Cliffs of the Neuse...

Central-Eastern alumni driven by a desire to inspire

A few semis, a handful of custom cars and the Eastern Wayne High School marching band took a short trip around Central Heights Saturday afternoon as part of the Central-Eastern Wayne Alumni & Friends 41st annual reunion. The parade...

Friday, May 24, 2013

Sixty-nine earn diplomas at Wayne Early Middle College ceremony

Arely Vazquez didn't want to go to Wayne Early Middle College High School. But after turning her tassel Thursday at the Bridge Church with 69 of her classmates, she couldn't imagine having gone anywhere else. "I was really into...

Wayne Country Day congratulates 28 seniors

The proud parents, family, friends and faculty of 28 Wayne Country Day School students gathered in the gymnasium Thursday evening to celebrate the end of an era in the lives of the graduates -- many of whom have been...

Taxes to stay same in city

No tax increase, only one new fee and good news for city employees. Those are the highlights of the proposed 2013-14 city budget, which is due for a vote at the Goldsboro City Council's June 3 meeting. The budget...

Pedal shows his mettle

RALEIGH -- He pumped his arms for more than an hour -- stopping only in short bursts when the blood rushing to his head made him dizzy. He didn't quit when the seemingly endless inclines exhausted his upper body...

County changes mind on budgets

Is Wayne County allowing Peter to borrow from Paul again to pay bills? Wayne County Commission Chairman Steve Keen Tuesday said "no" -- scarcely minutes after making a motion to allow just that -- to take money from another...

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Canine commandos

Crooks can still run, but they can no longer hide, not with an eye in the sky and cops on all fours working together. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office combined two of its best assets for catching criminals when its...

Student's hard work gets him back with Class of 2013

Cameron Mayo is not one to be held back, even temporarily. When he was in first grade, he was diagnosed with ADD, attention deficit disorder, his mother, Tina Carlson, said. "He had a problem concentrating," she said. "It wasn't that...

District plans for facilities funding

The Board of Education says it's time to move forward on construction and facilities projects -- whether or not the county commission approves additional funding requests. At a two-hour work session Wednesday afternoon, the board played out several scenarios should...

Arrest made in home invasion

An arrest has been made in the investigation into a May home invasion. During the May 9 attack, Daryl Williams, 60, was beaten. Quinton Lamont Kenon, 25, of 209 Neil St., has been placed in the Wayne County Jail under...

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Schmoozapalooza

Selena Worrell, left president of Focused Intervention, speaks with Parker Uzzell and his daughter, Mary Rachel Uzzell, 4, and nephew, Jackson Rose, 7, at her booth at the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce's Schmoozapalooza on Tuesday at the Berkeley...

Local volunteers on standby

The Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross is on standby to send local volunteers and its Emergency Response Vehicle when notified by the national headquarters. Interim director Tammy Forrester said 27 ERVs left at daylight Monday for Oklahoma...

Funeral home forced to close

A funeral home cited for alleged misuse of pre-need funeral planning funds has been ordered to close its doors. The N.C. Board of Funeral Services ordered E.M. Matthews Funeral Home and Cremation Inc. to complete all scheduled funerals through...

Fees would allow fire departments to recoup some costs

The public next month will have the opportunity to speak out on a proposed county ordinance that would allow Wayne County fire departments to charge fees for their services at wrecks and other calls that require an extended response...

Local residents know firsthand how tough it can be to put a town back together

Roberto Mendoza will always remember the day he talked to a couple after a tornado hit Snow Hill. It was two years ago, but he can still hear them recount how they were in their home when the wife was...

Assault suspect sought

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office announced Monday the arrest of one of two suspects believed to have assaulted a Rosewood man on May 5. The assault was not reported until five days after the incident. Scott Michael Neilson, 23,...

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Will storm reach here?

The strong low pressure system and slow-moving cold front that is spawning the destructive weather in the Midwest is forecast to significantly weaken as it sweeps east over the next few days. The system is expected to move into North...

City Council: $20K to move Stoney Creek facilities

Goldsboro City Council members talked parks and budget at their meeting Monday. Council approved two change orders for the Stoney Creek Park bathroom and picnic shelters and heard comments on the city's proposed 2013-14 budget during a public hearing....

With family and friends in Oklahoma, Adam Beeby held his breath

Adam Beeby of Goldsboro was one of the people waiting anxiously for news from Oklahoma Monday. Beeby's brother and family live in Tulsa, and he has extended family and many friends in the Oklahoma City area. And his news...

Officials: Wayne schools prepared

What if a tornado were to hit Wayne County Schools during a school day? School officials say the district is prepared. Tornado drills have been required in the schools for years, but took on new meaning in the aftermath...

Monday, May 20, 2013

County to weigh response charges

Wayne County fire departments could soon begin billing the public, for the first time, for their services at wrecks and other incidents that require an extended period of time. The new policy would not include house fires or minor accidents....

Multiple closings on tap for holiday

Local, state and federal offices, county schools as well as banks and the post office will be closed Monday, May 27, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. All Wayne County offices including the Senior Center, libraries, Dudley landfill...

Meadow Lane ESL students get their stories published

Meadow Lane Elementary School has 17 new published authors. English as a Second Language students in Maribeth Interrante's class, representing grades 2-4, recently completed a project to improve their vocabulary and writing skills. The activity took them from rough draft...

Alleged robbery prompts shooting

A 23-year-old man was shot in the chest and leg Saturday, just after midnight. The alleged shooter is in custody. Goldsboro police say Exzavia Cortez Ramseur, of Charles, Md., was shot twice as he sat on the back porch of...

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Wind farms limit is now law

RALEIGH -- Relief. That is how freshman state Rep. John Bell of Goldsboro described his feelings Friday morning just minutes after Gov. Pat McCrory signed into law a bill establishing a permitting process for windmill farms -- a bill...

Faith grads hear about purpose, potential, power

Not even a head-on accident with an 18-wheeler could stop Aaron Hill from graduating with his class at Faith Christian Academy. He and 15 other classmates turned their tassels Friday night at a graduation ceremony. Hill was sitting at...

Girl, 5, grandfather die when truck hits tractor

A Wayne County man and his 5-year-old granddaughter were killed Friday when the tractor he was driving was struck from behind by a pickup truck on Baker Chapel Church Road in Mount Olive. The accident occurred just after 9...

Law enforcement carries torch for Special Olympics

Officers and employees of several local law enforcement agencies traded in their tactical gear for track outfits Friday. The annual 23.5-mile Wayne to Greene County stretch of the N.C. Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics got under way...

Good, old-fashioned fun in Seven Springs on Saturday

One of the most popular attractions at this year's Old Timey Days Festival in Seven Springs was a red-tailed hawk named Sweetheart. Owner and falconer Tim Keppler walked up and down Main Street explaining about Sweetheart and falconry to...

A royal salute: 4th Fighter Wing's history comes home

To the casual observer, it's just a simple sign -- an oversized piece of plastic bearing a foreign emblem and six words that, to them, have little meaning. But when 4th Fighter Wing Historian Dr. Roy Heidicker cradled it in...

Dillard/Goldsboro expecting thousands for reunion

The Dillard/Goldsboro Alumni & Friends Inc. annual reunion celebration will take place next weekend, with an anticipated $72,000 in scholarships to be presented to area high school students. This is the 59th year for the gathering of the national high...

City Council likely to approve funds to move Stoney Creek facilities

The Goldsboro City Council will meet to continue discussion Monday on the proposed budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year before the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. The City Council will meet in room 206 of the City Hall addition...

Central/Eastern to host two guest speakers during reunion

The Central-Eastern Wayne Alumni & Friends association will observe its 41st annual reunion Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Classes whose numerals end in 3 and 8 will be honored. A banquet will be held Friday at 7 p.m. at the...

Sheriff's Office closes three investigations with one arrest

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office closed three investigations with one arrest Thursday. The suspect now faces a slew of charges and is being held in the Wayne County Jail under a $250,000 secured bond. Christopher James Cobb, 23, of...

Friday, May 17, 2013

Jamming on Center Street

The Budweiser Clydesdales visited Center Street in Goldsboro Thursday as part of Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp.'s Center Street Jam. Each Clydesdale stands 18 hands tall. There are three teams, the East Coast hitch which is the one in Wayne...

Students chosen for Robinson trust fund scholarship

Five graduating seniors from Wayne County Public Schools have been named recipients of Emmet and Mary Robinson Trust Fund scholarships. The trust fund, set up by the couple to recognize students in the district, awards financial aid to those who...

Visual arts awards given, teacher honored

Forty-four artists from Wayne County Public Schools were recognized at this year's 2012-13 Visual Arts Awards reception held recently at Herman Park Center. Carol Frederick, an art teacher at Charles B. Aycock High School, was also named Zeno Spence...

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Bypass work advances

What has, until now, been mostly behind-the-scenes preparations for construction of the eastern leg of the new U.S. 70 Goldsboro Bypass is giving way to more visible evidence that work has started. That has already been the case on the...

Cancer Society prepares for massive study in city

First Pentecostal Holiness Church will host the American Cancer Society's third cancer prevention study on Friday. The interviews with local volunteers are aimed at identifying factors in common across various racial and ethnic backgrounds of people who have not...

Suspect accused of attacking with box cutter

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has arrested the man they say is responsible for a brutal assault April 30 in Dudley. Jesse Earl Moore, 24, 295 Paradise Lane, is in custody and being held under a $25,000 secured bond for...

County students showcase ESL skills

Wayne County Public Schools recently held its biennial K-12 Second Language and English-as-a-Second Language Performance Competition. Hundreds of students, grades kindergarten through 12, displayed their mastery of Spanish, French, and English languages and cultures. Wayne County is the only...

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Grads will turn tassels

High school graduation season kicks off this weekend, as the first round of ceremonies for private and the two newest public high schools are held. Faith Christian Academy will hold its event Friday night at 7 p.m. at the...

Deadlines looming for tax programs

The deadline is just two weeks away to apply for one of the state's property tax-relief programs. The Senior Citizen/Disability Homestead Exclusion and the Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exclusion programs provide actual tax exemptions on property. Applicants might qualify for...

Community gives input on plans for W.A. Foster

The Goldsboro Park and Recreation Department held two public input sessions Tuesday at the W.A. Foster Recreation Center to collect ideas for what the Mina Weil Park master plan should include. Mina Weil Park is the chosen site for...

Planning Board sends number of plats on to county commission

Most of the subdivision plats recommended for approval Tuesday night by the Wayne County Planning Board would have stopped with that board had county commissioners been unanimous last week in their approval of changes to the subdivision ordinance. Some...

Pikeville American Legion to raise flag over cemetery

PIKEVILLE -- Old Glory will once again fly over the town cemetery thanks to the efforts of Pikeville American Legion Post 541. The public is invited to a a flag-raising ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the cemetery when...

Skills demonstration

Goldsboro High School students and Goldsboro Fire Department cadets put on a demonstration of their skills in front of fellow students on the football field Monday afternoon. The cadets worked through four stations, showing skills and techniques that firefighters...

Middle school CTE Teacher of the Year named

A business education teacher at Grantham School has been named Wayne County Public Schools' 2012-13 Career and Technical Education Middle School Teacher of the Year. Kimberly Pigford-Parker has 21 years in education and currently teaches sixth, seventh and eighth...

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Teens to face charges in 2012 murder

Accused killers Stephon Deandre Jennings, 19, and Javonta Marquez Ellis, 17, will stand trial in connection with the 2012 death of a Goldsboro man, a Wayne County grand jury decided in May. The two teens are charged with single counts...

Funeral director loses his license

The former director of funeral services for E.M. Matthews Funeral Home and Cremations, Eric Montaye Matthews, has been charged with embezzlement and obtaining property by false pretense. The charges stem from an investigation of the funeral home, which is located...

The college hunt: It's decision time

Rosewood High School classmates Patience Hill and Kelly Grace Keen are among the fortunate high school seniors. They've known for a long time what they want to be when they grow up. "I have always felt I wanted to be...

Famed Budweiser team to make stops in county

Before the Budweiser Clydesdales kick off the summer Center Street Jam concert series in the Waynesborough House parking lot Thursday, they will make an appearance at the Walmart in Rosewood Wednesday. Eight of the Budweiser "gentle giants" will be...

Suspect holds up former employer

A knife-wielding suspect is in Wayne County Jail under a $400,000 secured bond on armed robbery and kidnapping charges after sticking up the clerk at her former place of employment. Regina Speight, 37, of 122 Heather Ann Lane, was arrested...

Monday, May 13, 2013

City eyeing grant for new station

Goldsboro is seeking grant help as officials continue not only downtown development, but plans for a new train/transfer station. The deadline for applications for the fifth round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery discretionary grants through the U.S. Department...

New site planned for credit union

The State Employees Credit Union located at 2013 Wayne Memorial Drive will move into a new location farther north along Wayne Memorial Drive across from the hospital. The expected completion date was Nov. 23, but the project has fallen...

Greenway exploration

Regina Valley follows her dog, Ruby, onto a path that follows the proposed greenway behind Wayne Memorial Hospital during the Friends of Wayne County Greenways tour on Saturday. The event gave residents a chance to see and to experience...

County: Dudley project moving forward

Two Goldsboro companies have been selected to handle the engineering and legal aspects of the county's $500,000 Love Drive Community Development Block Grant Catalyst program. Grant project manager David Harris of RSM Harris Associates told commissioners last week that engineering/construction...

WorkKeys tests offered four times in May

The WorkKeys tests for Career Readiness Certification will be offered four more times in May. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success program will provide testing sessions 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on May 21; 12:30-4:30 p.m. on May...

Pink fire truck's visit allows residents to honor warriors

DUDLEY -- Firefighters are a tough breed. Firefighters who wear pink T-shirts, drive a pink fire truck and deliver hope to cancer patients are more than just tough, they are heroes. Guardians of the Ribbon, a national organization established...

WCC to offer food handling courses on new regulations

Wayne Community College has added sessions of the "ServSafe" Food Handler course to accommodate the large number of workers who still need training to comply with new regulations for restaurants and other food vendors. The WCC Continuing Education course...

Waste will be taken at landfill

DUDLEY -- Saturday will be Hazardous Waste Collection Day at the Wayne County Landfill, 460-B S. Landfill Road, Dudley. Household hazardous waste may be brought to the landfill on that day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The service...

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Wayne Community College students turn their tassels at ceremony

Michale Cherry-Newton is living proof that perseverance pays off. More than 20 years ago, she took her first class at Wayne Community College. When she got married and had two children, they became her priority. Son Tyler is attending East...

Fun -- all for a good cause

For the 90 teams at the 2013 Relay for Life, the evening was not just about fellowship and fun. It was about money -- raising as much as they could to do their part in the fight against cancer...

Lights of hope: Families, friends share memories, tears and hugs

DUDLEY -- She could have turned away, but she wanted to feel the pain. She "needed" the flicker of a lone candle to bring tears to her eyes -- to send chills up and down her arms every time the...

County: Schools received funding

Remarks by Wayne County Public Schools officials concerning the county's level of school funding appear to have caught the attention of the county's commissioners. The Board of Commissioners asked county Finance Director Pam Holt to provide information on the money...

Schedule announced for Old Timey Days

SEVEN SPRINGS -- The Old Timey Days festival held in Seven Springs is still a week away, but organizers are already starting to plan for next year's festival. Scheduled for May 18, this year's Old Timey Days is expected...

Nurses pinned at Wayne Community College

Wayne Community College recognized the 36 members of this year's Associate Degree Nursing class in a formal pinning ceremony recently. The annual service, which includes presentation of nursing pins and nurse's creed scrolls by the faculty of the program,...

Mount Olive police say Facebook scare unfounded; no child abduction

MOUNT OLIVE -- To quell any further rumors caused by a rogue Facebook posting, the Mount Olive Police Chief Brian Rhodes assured the public late last week that there has been no incident involving the attempted kidnapping of a...

Medical Assisting class graduates

Sixteen members of the 2013 Medical Assisting class at Wayne Community College were presented their pins in a formal ceremony Monday evening. The annual service, which includes presentation of medical assistant pins and red roses to students by the...

Cures for Colors raises $62,000

Southeastern Cancer Care's "Cures for the Colors" marathon event raised more than $62,000 in donations to help people suffering from cancer. All the funds raised at the event, which was held in April, will remain in eastern North Carolina to...

Central/Eastern alumni to meet

The Central-Eastern Wayne Alumni & Friends association will observe its 41st annual reunion Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 24-26. Classes whose numerals end in 3 and 8 will be honored. A banquet will be held Friday, May 24 at 7...

Local bridge will close for repairs Monday

A bridge west of Goldsboro is about to be replaced with a new bridge that will serve the Wayne County community for many years. Starting Monday, the N.C. Department of Transportation will close the bridge on Oakland Church Road...

Commissioner: Put dental clinic on budget proposal

The county commissioner representative on the Wayne County Board of Health is encouraging health officials to include funding for a mobile dental clinic in its proposed 2013-14 budget. "I have found in my limited experience in government that it's better...

Friday, May 10, 2013

Albertson: College needs land, energy

Wayne Community College requires two things in order to grow -- a new energy plant and more land. It doesn't have the money for either. The plant and land dominated discussion during Thursday afternoon's meeting between the Wayne County Commission's...

Optimist Club collecting used computers for kids

The Goldsboro Optimist Club will collect used computers from the public on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. for its Computers4Kids program. It will be held at the Sam's Club parking lot. The following items are needed: laptop,...

Graduation payoff

When Trudie Alford was handed her high school diploma Thursday evening at Wayne Community College, it represented more than 15 months worth of work. She had kept a promise to her son. "He used to joke about me going back...

Greenway sneak peak will be held Saturday

Saturday morning a group of greenway enthusiasts will meet behind Wayne Memorial Hospital to hike a section of the proposed greenway that will run behind the hospital. The "sneak peek," starting at 9 a.m., is being sponsored by the...

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Neighborhood fight ends with shots fired

A dispute over a dirt road in Dudley Wednesday resulted in one man being shot and another arrested. Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested 51-year-old Clifton Elps, of 126 Holloman Lane, charging him with assault with a deadly weapon with...

Disability Awareness Walk

Walkers enjoy the beautiful weather Wednesday during the 17th annual Hal K. Plonk Disability Awareness Walk sponsored by the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities. More than 450 people participated in the walk, which began and ended at St....

A farewell to heroes

Their names are etched in stone at the memorial site. The dates and circumstances of their deaths are etched in the minds of the men and women with whom they served. Their memories are alive in the hearts of...

Leaders uniting to save Aycock

Wayne County commissioners are asking that state budget cuts spare the Charles B. Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site even as they are sharpening their own budget ax. Commissioners by a 7-0 vote Tuesday night approved a resolution petitioning the state...

916th gets word: 'Excellent' on ORI

Not to be upstaged by their active duty counterparts, members of the 916th Air Refueling Wing learned Wednesday that they, too, had received an "Excellent" on an inspection designed to test their ability to complete wartime missions. Seymour Johnson Air...

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

School board to state: Keep CBA Birthplace open

School officials Monday night backed a resolution to keep the Charles B. Aycock Birthplace open. The local landmark on the northern end of the county, a popular field trip for many educators, has been targeted as one of several...

City gets $500,000 offer on property

The city of Goldsboro has received an offer on the property located at 2406 E. Ash St., where the former Arts Council of Wayne County building is currently scheduled to be demolished starting May 20. The offer of $500,000...

Neighbor helps nab potential robber

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Deputies nabbed the suspect coming out of the woods, but it was a vigilant neighbor whose quick thinking and willingness to act led to the capture of a would-be thief Monday. Timothy Wydal Alston Jr., 24, was...

Mount Olive town employee charged, fired

MOUNT OLIVE -- A town of Mount Olive public works employee, Thomas Andrew Lee "Andy" Muncy, 22, 3743 US 13 S., Goldsboro, was terminated from his job and charged with embezzlement by a local government employee on May 1....

Woman found with meth supplies

SEVEN SPRINGS -- A Seven Springs woman was arrested in the course of a Goldsboro/Wayne County Interagency Drug Task Force investigation Monday. According to a report with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, Lisa Gentry Wiggs, 33, of 4054 Indian Springs...

Planning Board gets power back from county commission

Changes to Wayne County's subdivision ordinance were approved before a full house Tuesday during Wayne County commissioners' first venture into evening meetings. But it was a room full mostly of county employees waiting to defend budget amendments and supporters of...

Mount Olive library efforts continuing

Wayne County commissioners promised Tuesday to move "expeditiously" on seeking design/build proposals for a new Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive. But, they offered no firm timetable as to when the project that has lingered for years might finally get...

Davis: CTE high school teacher of the year

A registered nurse with a passion for teaching has been named the district's 2012-13 Career and Technical Education High School Teacher of the Year. Faye Davis, health science education teacher, has been at Charles B. Aycock High School for...

Five 7th-graders named as Duke TIP students

Five seventh-grade students from Wayne County Public Schools have been named to the Duke Talent Identification Program, or TIP. The students were among 75,000 middle school students across 16 states who took the SAT earlier in the school year....

Goldsboro to flush fire hydrants starting Sunday

The City of Goldsboro Public Works Department will begin its annual unidirectional water line flushing program Sunday at 10 p.m. and will run until 6 a.m. daily except for Friday and Saturday. The six-week flushing program is expected to...

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

School board seeks extra funding

The Wayne County Board of Education voted Monday night to ask the Wayne County Board of Commissioners for additional funding for next year's budget, to be divided among small projects, security and technology expenses and "critical needs" in the district....

Pikeville gets new town administrator

PIKEVILLE -- The town of Pikeville has hired a new town administrator. Blake Proctor, 65, was announced at Monday night's meeting of the Pikeville Town Board. Proctor most recently served as town manager of Fairmont, near the South Carolina...

PEPI model emphasizes schools' physical education

As an educator, Jorg Wagner understands how challenging it is to squeeze in everything that needs to be taught during the school day. But as a coach and physical education teacher, he appreciates the value of incorporating exercise into the...

Group focuses on obesity, diabetes in community

Obesity and diabetes were targeted Monday afternoon by an ad hoc gathering of more than 40 local elected officials, health professionals and community leaders as two of the major health care issues facing Wayne County. People know what it takes...

Council approves measures

The Goldsboro City Council approved an array of different measures at its meeting Monday night. Following the approval at the April 15, City Council Meeting for the Goldsboro Fire Department to purchase a new pickup truck to replace a...

Monday, May 6, 2013

2013 Hillbilly Hike

To give fellow hillbillies a first-hand look at the 2013 Hillbilly Hike on Saturday, May 4, News-Argus Reporter Josh Ellerbrock ran the race with a GoPro camera attached to his forehead. And then he made a video. Here's the...

Sunday in the Park

Ubi the Clown, aka John Hogan, makes a balloon animal Sunday afternoon in Herman Park as children look on. The threat of rain put a damper on attendance at Sunday in the Park. ...

Mental Health Association celebrating its history

In the summer of 1961, a group of Wayne County citizens recognized the need for mental health services and organized the Mental Health Association in Wayne County. Two years later, the agency became a member of the United Fund...

Letter carriers to collect food for needy on Saturday

On May 11, Wayne County's letter carriers want to see more than just a piece of mail or two in local mailboxes. They're hoping to find lots of nonperishable food -- which will be used to help the hungry....

Hearing Tuesday on restoring planning power

A public hearing will be held Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. on a proposal to restore the authority of the Wayne County Planning Board and planning director to approve certain subdivision plats. That authority was removed by a Democratic-controlled Wayne County...

Contest to decide city motto

The city of Goldsboro is holding an open contest for the public to submit ideas for a slogan or motto to represent Goldsboro. The winner and runners-up will receive city-themed prizes such as Downtown Dollars or a free membership...

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Survivor strong

A teenage girl breaks down when, after flipping through a scrapbook she created for a school project, she reaches the page dedicated to friends and family members she has lost to cancer. "That's my hero -- my Grandma Baker," she...

Shelter creates new list for help

Wayne County Animal Control Director Vickie Falconer said she is neither surprised nor disappointed that only a handful of people have signed up thus far for a revamped and more structured program that will return volunteers to the shelter for...

American Cancer Society seeks volunteers for study

The 2013 Relay For Life will offer more than a venue for fundraising, fellowship and storytelling. Thanks to the American Cancer Society, the thousands expected to attend -- and participate -- in the event will also have an opportunity...

Taking aim

The written tests had been taken, graded and passed. Only the paper targets stood between the test takers and a concealed carry permit. From the moment the pistol is drawn from its holster, raised to the ready position and the...

Board to have first evening meeting

Wayne County commissioners will begin their three-month experiment with holding their first-of-the-month meetings in the evening on Tuesday. Held on the first Tuesday of the month, the May 7, June 4 and July 2 sessions will begin with an agenda...

'Hillbillies'

Jackie Brown, left, and Mollie Doll head up an incline during the "Hillbilly Hike" obstacle course run Saturday at Stoney Creek Park. Scores of competitors turned out for the muddy 5-kilometer challenge. Proceeds will go to Homes for Our...

Mount Olive College Class of 2013 starts next chapter

Despite the unseasonably cool afternoon breeze, the 59th commencement at Mount Olive College Saturday warmed the hearts of 1,426 guests as they joined faculty and staff in congratulating the graduating class of 2013. Dr. Philip Kerstetter spoke proudly of the...

Man shot after dispute over card game

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting on Durham Lake Road early Saturday. Yakima Dwain Battle, 20, of 124 S. Running Deer Road was shot once in the buttocks and suffered a graze wound to his left arm....

Duplin teachers named Kenan Fellows

Five Duplin County teachers have been named 2013-14 Kenan Fellows. They will tackle summer research projects in a variety of fields including curriculum design, renewable energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. * Ben Littell, a science teacher at North Duplin Jr.-Sr....

Council to talk budget

The Goldsboro City Council will meet Monday at 5 p.m. in room 206 of the City Hall annex to discuss the city's 2013-2014 budget as well as an offer to purchase the building and property at 2406 E. Ash St....

Friday, May 3, 2013

Wayne Community College sets date for graduation

Wayne Community College's Class of 2013 is ready to receive its sheepskins in two ceremonies next week. The curriculum (college credit) commencement ceremony will take place May 10 for an estimated 650 graduates receiving 239 certificates, 101 diplomas, and 476...

'Hillbillies' will race Saturday

Saturday morning a wave of "hillbillies" will descend upon Stoney Creek Park for the Hillbilly Hike, a 5-kilometer obstacle course laid out through the park over streams, under wires and through plenty of mud. Goldsboro Parks and Recreation is...

Grant will fund greenway project

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has offered to move up the time frame on $500,000 of funding awarded for the continuation of the multi-use path near New Hope Road. The project was slated for the 2015-16 fiscal year...

The faithful: Community gathers to commemorate National Day of Prayer

Eight years ago, Ed Ollie was at a routine church service. He can't recall what the message was, but he does remember getting up and walking to the altar, where he knelt down and began weeping. He and his wife...

Child hit by car on Mount Olive street

MOUNT OLIVE -- A car struck a 10-year-old child on Breazeale Avenue in Mount Olive just before 10 p.m. Thursday, tossing the victim 30 feet from the point of impact. According to a Mount Olive Police Department report, Almeta...

City bar facing four ABC citations

A downtown Goldsboro bar and grill has been cited by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission for several alleged violations of state ABC laws. D's Sports Bar and Grill, 108 N. Center St., is facing three such violations, and...

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Funding cuts will eliminate extra classes this summer

The only summer school classes offered by Wayne County Public Schools will be held for about 100 students at Dillard Middle School, officials say. "We do not have funding from the legislators for any students except for the Race...

Commissioners paying $7,000 for liaison to handle questions

The Wayne County commission has hired a liaison to speak to the media -- at an additional payroll cost of about $7,000. Chairman Steve Keen refused to comment on the appointment of Barbara Arntsen, Wayne County public affairs and marketing...

County to donors: Pay for design/build

A Mount Olive grassroots organization that already has paid nearly $231,000 raised by the community for the design of a new town library could be asked to pay another $35,000 so that the county can terminate its contract with the...

Kinston man faces child porn sentencing

WILMINGTON -- A Kinston accountant pleaded guilty in federal court this week to a charge of possessing child pornography. William Walter Barker, 44, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of receipt of child pornography. The minimum...

Demolition slated

Demolition of the former Arts Council of Wayne County building is set to begin May 20. Goldsboro City Council awarded the $197,000 contract to A K Grading and Demolition to raze the structure at 2406 E. Ash St. The...

Hospital honors volunteer of the year

Wayne Memorial Hospital recently honored its outstanding volunteers for service over the past year. Gene Angstadt was named volunteer of the year. The Rosa Christian Koch Award, presented to a volunteer who exemplifies outstanding customer service skills, went to...

Ray LaHood visits, tours Union Station

Ray LaHood, the U.S. secretary of transportation, visited Goldsboro on Tuesday, meeting with city and county officials and touring the current Gateway bus transfer station and Goldsboro Union Station. LaHood, who came at the request of Congressman G.K. Butterfield,...

New doctor starts at Wayne Memorial Hospital

Dr. Robert Albrecht, a specialist in vascular surgery, is the newest member of Wayne Memorial Hospital's medical staff. The physician is board certified in general and vascular surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His...

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Olympians compete

Nana Griffin, 87, hits a ball during the croquet event at the 2013 Senior Games. More than 300 seniors will take part in this year's games, which are being held throughout the city. The events range from shuffleboard to...

District addresses sentencing

Now that former assistant superintendent Sprunt Hill has had his day in court, Wayne County Public Schools officials say they are relieved the more than three-year investigation is over and deny other school employees might be involved or that recent...

Internet cafes are on notice to close

As of midnight today, all Internet sweepstakes and video gaming establishments still in operation in Wayne County are subject to prosecution by the District Attorney's Office. The sweepstakes locations were ordered by law enforcement to shut down by May...

Arts Council to open annual juried art show

Entries in this year's National Juried Arts Show included a large photograph of a homeless man, a cast aluminum sculpture of a deer standing on a man hunched up on the ground -- painted bright orange -- and a...

Rescue squad gives truck back to Lions Club

On Saturday, after 60 years, the Goldsboro Rescue Squad's first ambulance was returned to the Goldsboro Lion's Club, which had donated it to the squad in 1953. "It went back to them for its final ride to the Lion's...

Annual Antique Farm Days starts Friday

DUDLEY -- Ralph McKeel jokes that his prediction that last year's Antique Farm Equipment Days would be the biggest ever is his same prediction for this year's. "It was the biggest one we had ever had," McKeel said. "It is...

Board to come up with 'critical' needs

A two-hour school board work session Tuesday afternoon concluded with no vote taken on the 2013-14 budget and recommendations for district officials to product a list of the most "critical needs" in the schools in time for Monday's regular meeting....

Jay Sauls to perform May 18 at Wayne Community College

It's been nearly a year since Jay Sauls took the leap and moved to the Big Apple. But the Goldsboro native says Wayne County will always be home. And next month he will bring his off-Broadway show to Moffatt...