June 2013 archives

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Sunday, June 30, 2013

Group seeking names of local veterans

sherring@newsargus.com The county needs to know how many veterans live here, even if it means knocking on doors and making telephone calls, say members of the newly appointed Wayne County Veterans Services Advisory Board. Just as importantly, there are people...

Shooting suspect arrested

jjoyce@newsargus.com An arrest has been made in an early June shooting outside the grocery formerly known as Manhattan's. The Goldsboro Police Department announced Friday that Javarius Rashad Wiliams, 20, has been charged with discharging a firearm into an occupied conveyance...

Gathering in the old neighborhood

pmoore@newsargus.com SEVEN SPRINGS -- Kivett Ivey drove his motorcycle from South Carolina to attend a class reunion Saturday afternoon. Of course, he chose another mode of transportation once he arrived in Goldsboro, seeing as how he was there to squire...

County weighs refund of taxes for firm

sherring@newsargus.com A public hearing on possible economic incentives in the form of refunded property taxes for a yet-to-be-identified company will be held Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. The hearing is one of the few items on the agenda for Wayne County...

Schedule set for July 4 week

Federal, state and local offices, the post office and banks will be closed Thursday in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. Goldsboro and Mount Olive will also celebrate the day with traditional fireworks displays. All Wayne County government...

Youth Justice program scoring victories

pmoore@newsargus.com Sudie Davis has worked with several agencies that serve young people, so was bolstered to learn recently just how well the state is doing in the field. "I sat in on a training and the following three stats were...

French students in need of host families

Wayne County residents are being asked to open their homes to a foreign exchange student this summer. Five French students who will arrive July 8 for a month-long visit in eastern North Carolina still have not found a sponsoring family....

Fremont cafe owner plans to sell eatery

mcaulder@newsargus.com FREMONT -- After 22 years on Main Street, the Capitol Cafe might be changing or merely switching ownership. Owners Pat and W.T. Smith listed the restaurant for sale as a result of W.T.'s recent health problems and surgery, which...

Commissioners set course for facilities

sherring@newsargus.com A nearly $258 million capital improvement plan adopted Tuesday afternoon by Wayne County commissioners spreads new facilities and renovation projects over a 10-year period. The total includes $72.5 million in "pay-as-you-go" projects for Wayne County Public Schools, Wayne Community...

BOE response on commission/Grantham school

pmoore@newsargus.com School board officials disagree with the comments made by the Wayne County Commission concerning a new school in Grantham. A K-8 school in Grantham is not what the Wayne County school board or that community wants, Board of Education...

Local furniture store staff hits funny commercial list

jellerbrock@newsargus.com When the phone in the office of Bobby Denning Furniture rang with someone claiming to be from "Hollywood," Donna Gainey figured it was someone trying to sell something. "I didn't answer. I thought they were advertising," Mrs. Gainey said....

Friday, June 28, 2013

Dancer shares his skills with local students

Joe-Joe "Grooves" Smith has danced with stars like Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, P. Diddy, Kat Graham, Jennifer Nettles with the group Sugarland and Keri Hilson. He traveled the world for five years with Taiwan pop stars Wang Lee Hom...

Demolition prep

Five weeks into the demolition of the former Arts Council of Wayne County building, asbestos abatement is continuing as planned. Goldsboro City Council awarded the $197,000 contract to A K Grading and Demolition to raze the structure. The company...

Schools to focus on new reading metrics

Third grade has always been considered a pivotal year in education, but now teachers in grades K-2 will also have to work harder to develop student reading skills. Statewide, schools will be required to measure everything that is being done...

Man found guilty of sexual battery

A former Cherry Hospital physicians assistant was convicted in Wayne County Superior Court Thursday on charges of sexual battery. His alleged victim was a nurse who worked under him at the mental hospital's medical unit. James Jay Otey, 61, of...

Thursday, June 27, 2013

County sets plan for school construction

Wayne County's commissioners have offered up their own vision for a new Grantham School -- in contrast to what the county's school board and some members of the community have recommended. And they want the school system to cut its...

Rain boosts Wayne crops

Recent rains have boosted crops in Wayne County and surrounding areas, giving farmers hopes for a successful season. But the same rain that has led to what could be a bumper corn crop has slowed the wheat harvest and forced...

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

STEP Committee weighs project ideas for Fremont

FREMONT -- The Fremont STEP Committee met Tuesday night to discuss ideas for projects to present to the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center for approval. The state Small Town Economic Prosperity Program is providing the town $100,000 for...

Budget passes

A new $160 million county budget that slices 3.6 cents off the property tax rate was adopted by Wayne County commissioners Tuesday afternoon in a 5-2 vote. In a second vote later in the meeting, the board approved a nearly...

Officials: Call-in program working

None of the offenders who attended the first Goldsboro Partners Against Crime call-in in March have reoffended, police say. A second call-in is scheduled for July 16. The Goldsboro Partners Against Crime, a community based initiative run by the Goldsboro...

White coat casting call

For those who like science, research and being part of discovering a diagnosis, a new two-year allied health program at Wayne Community College could lead to a career in that field. Applications will be accepted in the fall for MLT...

Crime of the Week

On Monday at approximately 2:20 p.m., a 76-year-old woman was shopping at the Wal-Mart at 1002 North Spence Avenue in Goldsboro when she was approached by two, unknown, black men. They asked the woman for directions to the First African...

CBA grad elected state FFA vice president

A 2012 graduate of Charles B. Aycock High School has been elected state FFA vice president. Bradley Glover, a rising sophomore at N.C. State University, was chosen for a one-year term of service during the 85th State FFA Convention....

ECU seeking families to host foreign exchange students

Host families are being sought for foreign students visiting America this summer through the Terra Lingua/Terre des Langues program sponsored by East Carolina University. Families are currently being sought for eight French students spending a month in eastern North...

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

County eyeing budget slashing

Nearly $528,000 in additional budget items -- a little more than a penny savings on the county property tax rate -- were on the chopping block this morning when Wayne County commissioners were to have met to adopt the county...

Jurors acquit man of firearm charges

A local man has been acquitted on gun charges in Wayne County Superior Court after jurors could not positively identify the defendant from surveillance photos. Phillip Hardy, 29, of 615 S. Claiborne St., was found not guilty on charges of...

Victim identified in fatal accident

The N.C. State Highway Patrol has positively identified the man killed in a single-car accident on Hooks Road in Fremont Sunday. Euberto Morales Gonzales, 22, of 400 E. Pippin St., died just after 8:30 p.m. when his 2003 Dodge Neon...

Carver alumni plan reunion weekend

When Carver alumni come to Mount Olive for the Carver Alumni Reunion weekend scheduled for July 3-7, they will be greeted by some great news. A joint effort by the Carver Alumni Association and the town of Mount Olive...

City puts its money where the buses are

The city of Goldsboro wants to get the message across that it will not tolerate violent crime. So the Goldsboro City Council took out an ad. The city paid $2,586 to design, obtain and install three bus wraps that display...

Monday, June 24, 2013

Science explorers

Ethan Campbell works with a wind tester in the flight station of the STEM science lab summer camp at Wayne School of Engineering, a non-traditional class option introduced in the Wayne County school system several years ago. The lab...

Proposed plan for W.A. Foster getting look from City Council

The public got its first look at the proposed plans for the new W.A. Foster Recreation Center expected to be built at Mina Weil Park at the most recent meeting of the Goldsboro City Council. The 32,000-square-foot building would...

Driver dies in car accident

FREMONT -- A 22-year-old Hispanic male traveling west on Hooks Road northwest of Fremont was killed Sunday at approximately 8:15 p.m. when his car ran off the road and struck a concrete bridge. The name of the driver and...

County weighs vote on budget

Wayne County commissioners were scheduled to meet in special session today to review the more than $500 million in suggested budget cuts made during 17 hours of budget workshops spread out over two days earlier this month. Commissioners are scheduled...

Work on Berkeley moving forward

Work is continuing on the Berkeley widening project as proceedings to condemn properties needed for the rights of way to begin relocating utilities outside of the work area come to a close. Randy Guthrie, development services director in the...

African Children's Choir to perform at church

The world-renowned African Children's Choir will be appearing in concert in Goldsboro next month. The group of orphans was discovered in 1984, in the midst of Uganda's civil war, when a human rights activist traveled to the country to help...

Legislation could threaten city grants

Two bills moving through the state House of Representatives and Senate could freeze future greenway projects in Wayne County, but current awarded federal grants are safe from new legislation. Both bills, Senate Bill 402 and House Bill 817, have...

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Two heroes, one legacy

kfine@newsargus.com go mode, n. a state of mind reached when one sets his or her emotions aside and focuses on the task at hand. * In an instant, she is safe -- protected from the trepidation brought on by close...

Employees from across eastern N.C. come to city to rally for better conditions

mcaulder@newsargus.com Awake, stand up for the cause. That was the message of the Workers Speak-Out forum hosted by the Southern Workers Assembly on Saturday. And that cause is fighting against legislation spearheaded by the Republican-led state Legislature and Gov. Pat...

Pikeville man wanted since 2009 arrested

A Pikeville man wanted since January 2009 for drug trafficking charges was arrested Tuesday in Emerald Isle. He was able to elude law enforcement for almost five years. According to a press release issued by the Wayne County Sheriff's...

Stovall places top 10 in Miss N.C.

Miss Johnston County, Johna Edmonds, was crowned Miss North Carolina on Saturday night. Miss Goldsboro Beth Stovall placed in the top 10 finalists. Miss Edmonds won the Lifestyle and Fitness Award on Wednesday night. She is a master of...

County to hold hearing on incentives

sherring@newsargus.com Wayne County commissioners next month will hold a public hearing on possible financial incentives for a yet to be disclosed business. Commissioners announced the July 2 hearing following Tuesday morning following a 20-minute closed session called to discuss the...

Host of new businesses nearing open

Several businesses are opening or moving to new locations in Goldsboro. Harris Teeter at Memorial Commons is slated to open in late July, although no specific date has been announced for the opening, said Danna Jones, a communications specialist...

Friday, June 21, 2013

Two men arrested in Wednesday shooting

One Wayne County man is recovering and two others are in jail following a shooting Wednesday just before 2 p.m. at the entrance of Stoney Manor Mobile Home Park near Patetown Road. Troy Montreal Eberhardt, 25, of 2106 Church...

Summer program for kids starts

With more children in attendance than expected, a slightly overwhelmed Cierra Council launched her community youth program, "Generation Now," at the Courtyard Housing Community on Thursday. Neighborhood youth from as young as 3 to as old as 15 engaged in...

Keen calls school board 'slack'

Wayne County Commission Chairman Steve Keen on Tuesday morning called the Wayne County Board of Education "slack" in getting a school facilities plan to commissioners. He also called the Board of Education "unbalanced" and "unsure." Keen's comments are in...

Airman charged in son's death

The Air Force officially charged a 21-year-old senior airman with murder late Thursday afternoon for his alleged role in the death of his 15-month-old son -- a case that rattled the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base community earlier this year....

Adams honored at Relay for Life wrap-up ceremony

pmoore@newsargus.com Since Relay for Life was introduced in Wayne County in 1990, Dr. Lee Adams has become synonymous with the annual event to raise money for cancer. So it is only fitting that his name continue to be connected to...

Thursday, June 20, 2013

SJAFB officer accused of abuse still on active duty

The Air Force has released more information about the man charged Friday by the Goldsboro Police Department with child abuse and neglect lawmen say spans between three and five years. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base officials confirmed this morning...

Scouting for a bite

Cub Scout Jaikir Fowler of Pack 455 waits patiently for a fish to strike at Camp Tuscarora on Wednesday. Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from across the Tuscarora Council are using the camp for a variety of activities this...

School busing plan unveiled

The transportation director for Wayne County Public Schools has a reorganization plan he believes will streamline bus scheduling and maintenance, but funding and timing may delay implementation in time for the next school year. Raymond Smith laid out the plan...

Bank robbery suspect nabbed

Thanks to numerous tips called in to Crime Stoppers, a joint law enforcement operation brought down a suspected bank robber in Pikeville Wednesday. It was more than two weeks ago that the Heritage Bank at 100 W. Main St. in...

Exhibit opens tonight at Arts Council of Wayne

It's a zoo at the Arts Council of Wayne County. That's because the new exhibit "Collaboration in Canvas and Clay" is all about animals and nature. The artists are Beth Hill, 62, and Mary Ann Barwick, 56, two retired Southern...

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Bank robber captured in Pikeville

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office S.W.A.T. and A.C.E. Teams assisted the Pikeville Police Department today in the capture of the man they say robbed the Heritage Bank in Pikeville on June 3. See tomorrow's News-Argus for the full story....

Grantham School and arts dominate hearing

The majority of speakers at Tuesday morning's public hearing on Wayne County's $161 budget proposal didn't appear interested in the total or even the tax rate. However, neither of the two issues they were interested in -- a new...

Firemen seek cost recoup

The $12,000 invoice the Goldsboro Fire Department recently submitted in hopes of recovering some of its cost associated with a lengthy wreck call is an example of why Wayne County needs a cost recovery ordinance for local fire departments, said...

Two die as result of Berkeley accident

A man and his wife both died of their injuries following a wreck that shut down a portion of North Berkeley Boulevard for more than an hour Monday. According to a Goldsboro Police report, Larry Bishop, 69, and Betty...

AmeriCorps team in town to help volunteer projects

A diverse team of young men and women recently arrived in Goldsboro, honing their leadership skills while rolling up their sleeves to volunteer with several agencies. AmeriCorps, a national program for ages 18-24, assigns groups to work in communities around...

WCC students receive Golden Leaf scholarships

Eighteen Wayne Community College Continuing Education students have received Golden LEAF Scholarships for the summer term. The students are Heather Baker, Bethany Evans, Tammy Freeman, Sharon Mack, Jessica Person and Brandon Wells, all in the Emergency Medical Services program;...

Special Olympics Summer Games winners announced

Wayne County sent 13 athletes and 6 coaches and chaperones to participate in the 2013 Special Olympics North Carolina Summer Games held in Raleigh. Wayne County athletes participated in aquatics and track and field events. Aquatics events included free...

Fremont budget given OK by board

FREMONT -- The Board of Alderman approved the town's nearly $900,000 spending plan for 2013-14 on Tuesday night, which includes increased fees for trash, power and water in the next year. Wayne Sanitary District increased its water purchase rate...

Ballerinas experience professional side of dance

While shopping at the grocery store with his mother, Joshua Grant would waltz up and down the aisles, frequently throwing in some fancy jumps. His mother would always tell him, "No pdb." The 10-year-old quickly learned that it meant...

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Couple out on bond

A Goldsboro couple accused of child abuse were present at a child custody hearing in Wayne County District Court on Monday before appearing before a judge on civil charges. U.S. Air Force Maj. Erin James Pickel, 44, and his...

Taking on new jobs at Wayne Opportunity Center

After the city canceled Wayne Opportunity Center's recycling contract, the center re-evaluated its money-making options, and today believes it is on the brink of doing better than ever. "The city said we don't want to hurt you, we want...

Commissioners talk more budget

Suggested cuts to the county's proposed $161 million budget took a back seat to rhetoric Monday as Republicans and Democrats on the Wayne County Board of Commissioners sparred over transportation, hiring a part-time receptionist for the county's Senior Center and...

School district on summer schedule

Wayne County Public Schools has begun its summer flex schedule, converting to a four-day workweek from now until Aug. 9. The district will operate on a 10-hour-day schedule Monday through Thursday, with offices closed on Fridays. Administrative offices, including...

Duplin teacher accused of sex offense

Emily Efird, a former teacher at James Kenan High School in Warsaw, has been arrested and charged for allegedly having sexual relations with a student. Efird, 31, was arrested June 11 and was charged with three counts of sex...

Council tables changes to animal rules

The Goldsboro City Council tabled a decision Monday night to make changes to the city's animal ordinance due to time constraints created by the issue of rezoning areas of Busco Beach & ATV Park into a recreational space. The...

Monday, June 17, 2013

City councilman earns alumni honor

The Raleigh Wake Alumni Chapter of Shaw University inducted seven alumni into its hall of fame June 1, including a Goldsboro City Councilman, the Rev. Charles Williams. Williams found out the alumni chapter had selected him for the hall...

Fire call could result in a bill

Wayne County commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed ordinance that would authorize the county's fire departments to recover costs associated with extended response times and/or extra or damaged materials at accident scenes. The hearing is scheduled...

Teen saves little girl

Morgan Rigsby has been a baby-sitter for years, so when she signed up for a CPR class -- a mandatory requirement before graduating from Wayne Country Day School -- she had a special interest. "I wanted to make sure I...

College will add courses for child care providers

Child care providers who want to further their education, but who are finding it difficult to schedule classes, will soon have the option of Friday evening and Saturday courses. "Wayne Community College has developed some weekend modules," said Jodi Baker,...

Couple in court

A Seymour Johnson Air Force Base officer and his wife were scheduled to appear in a Wayne County courtroom this morning, as they stand accused of child abuse and neglect lawmen allege date back at least three years. Erin James...

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Couple accused of abuse

An Air Force officer assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base was arrested along with his wife Friday on charges of child abuse and neglect. Erin James Pickel, 44, and Jennifer Kay Pickel, 43, both of 527 Forest Hills...

Cougars graduate

The 109 seniors that comprised the Goldsboro High School Class of 2013 graduated in surround sound at Cougar Stadium Friday. At least that's how it sounded as the cheers and applause rolled across the football field and bounced off the...

City has no rule against begging

Panhandling is not illegal in the city of Goldsboro. There is no law that says someone cannot sit or stand beside a street or highway and ask for money. But city officials say asking for a handout does break...

County budget hearing on Tuesday

County residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions and ask questions about Wayne County's proposed $161 million budget and its tax rate of 67.5 cents per $100 of value on Tuesday. A copy of the budget is...

Wounded Warrior fundraiser to be held June 29

Wynn Odom Ford will sponsor a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project. The business will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from a prize raffle to assist service members who have been injured in the line of duty. All...

Two road projects on tap this week

Two road projects, one on South George Street and the other on New Hope Road, are expected to be under way this week and could pose problems for motorists as they make their way around Goldsboro. State Department of...

Optimist Club taking applications for computer camp

Applications for the Optimist Club of Goldsboro's computer summer camp must be received by June 28. Enrollment is on a first-to-apply, first-to-be-accepted basis. An email will be sent by July 5 to each applicant to notify them of their...

State officials, farmers watch progress of farm bill closely

The Agriculture Reform, Foods and Jobs Act of 2013, known colloquially as the farm bill, passed the U.S. Senate Monday, ushering in new programs and doing away with others as it now heads to the House. In one of...

Grandparents and grandkids

Goldsboro Parks and Recreation Grandkids' Day started at Herman Park Center with arts, crafts and games. After swimming, the group returned to Herman Park to make ice cream sundaes....

Fire destroys home

Billie Knox of 147 Colonial Circle lost her home shortly after lunch Saturday. Firefighters from El-Roy, Pinewood, New Hope and Arrington volunteer fire departments arrived on the scene to find her single-wide mobile home fully engulfed in flames. Knox...

July blood drive schedule

Following is the July blood drive schedule for the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross: July 9 from 1:30 to 6 p.m. at the Red Cross chapter house, 600 N. George St. July 11 from 10:30 a.m. to...

Wayne County Schools announces individual teachers of year

Wayne County Public Schools has announced its individual 2013-14 Teachers of the Year for each of the 31 schools. The honorees will now prepare to compete for the districtwide honor, which will be announced after the start of school...

City Council to take up feral animal issue

The Goldsboro City Council is expected to address the ongoing feral animal issue at its meeting Monday night with a new ordinance on its consent agenda. The ordinance, which first began to be discussed in March, would make it...

Friday, June 14, 2013

Wind swept

Wayne County was spared the damage and power outages visited on other parts of the state, particularly to the west and north, by a fast-moving storm system that swept across North Carolina on Thursday evening. No injuries have been reported....

Transformer blows outside elementary

An electrical transformer blew outside Meadow Lane Elementary School today just before 8:30 a.m., prompting faculty to call the fire department. The students are already out for summer vacation, so no children were present. Goldsboro Fire Department Assistant Chief Frank...

County seeking library bidders

Requests for qualifications were sent out Thursday afternoon for design/build teams interested in building the new Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive. Responses are due back to the Wayne County purchasing manager's office by 2 p.m. July 2. County staff...

Fremont officials are trying to beef up police patrols

FREMONT -- In developing a 2013-14 budget, Fremont's town board is looking for ways to find more money to pay for part-time police officers. Last month, Mayor Darren Flowers formed a committee to discuss the issue. An increase would...

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Southern Wayne High School tassels turned

MOUNT OLIVE -- Despite one freshly minted graduate's oversized novelty tie proclaiming, "Graduate. I am out of here," Southern Wayne High School graduates didn't seem to be in any hurry Wednesday night to head off to their post-high school lives....

Traffic signals getting makeovers

New traffic signals are being installed at the intersection of Berkeley Boulevard and Cashwell Drive, causing the closure of some traffic lanes on both streets this week. The new signals feature a flashing left turn arrow signaling drivers to...

Bus meeting postponed one more time

A meeting to discuss reorganization of Wayne County Public Schools' transportation department has again been postponed. The finance policy committee of the Board of Education had originally been scheduled for this past Tuesday at the administrative offices on Royall Avenue....

County seeks resource officer funding

Wayne County commissioners Monday did not jump at the chance to replace sheriff's deputies with private security guards at the county's public schools. But they did appear interested in asking the Wayne County Board of Education to pick up more...

Suspects sought in burglaries

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office has arrested two and identified two more suspects in a burglary ring plaguing Nahunta, Pikeville and Rosewood. Two suspects remain at large. Alexander Miguel White, 19, and Roland Bill Sanders, 24, are wanted in...

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Smith misses meeting on bus fix plan

A meeting Tuesday to hear the action plan to remedy safety issues with school buses was canceled after the schools' transportation director was a no-show. Raymond Smith, director of transportation for Wayne County Public Schools, was set to make a...

Streetscape project: next steps

The city of Goldsboro has held two public input sessions to hear what downtown business owners want to see happen in the next phase of Streetscape, but the comments didn't stop there. Since the meetings, Randy Guthrie, development services...

Flood warning issued for Neuse through weekend

The Neuse River is reaching its flood stage and is expected to crest at 19.6 feet Friday morning. A flood warning was issued for Goldsboro on Tuesday and is expected to last from 5 p.m. today until late Saturday...

Commissioners talk about schools, suggest combining grade levels

The nearly $900,000 in additional annual recurring operational costs associated with maintaining a proposed $17.6 million Grantham Middle School Monday had Wayne County commissioners questioning whether or not a K-8 school might not be a better idea. Commissioners also suggested...

Culture change: Positive Influences works to help children with behavioral and mental illnesses

Tiffany Dowell juggles almost seamlessly the demands of single parenthood with the difficulty of being an entrepreneur with business locations in two communities. She shuffles back and forth between Tarboro and Goldsboro. Sleep doesn't come regularly. "That's life," she...

Crime of the Week

On Sunday, at 4:30 a.m., at least three black men used a white, 1998 Ford Expedition to break through the front glass of the Swop Shop, at 510 S. George St. The suspects exited the vehicle, briefly ran through the...

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

A dream come true

Santos Saldivar and his father, Jose, are a lot alike. Both are hard workers looking to make their lives better. And both have similar dreams. Jose wanted to do whatever it took to see his son go to college....

New sandwich shop opens doors in city

Jimmy John's of Goldsboro is now open for business. The sandwich shop opened today in Berkeley Commons, but owners Frankie and Kim Warren began working toward that goal last July. The Warrens stopped in Jimmy John's when they needed...

Board trims county budget

Close to $500,000 in possible budget cuts, including a 15-percent reduction in commissioner pay, were proposed by Wayne County commissioners during a nine-hour budget workshop Monday. Professional services and program supplies were the two favored targets for suggested reductions. However,...

Monday, June 10, 2013

County's new field agent grew up on family farm

One of two key positions in the Wayne County Cooperative Extension Service office has been filled with the hiring of Kinston native Tyler Whaley as the county's new field crop agent. Whaley, a May 2013 graduate of North Carolina State...

SJAFB staff sergeant named top female servicewoman in North Carolina

A Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician will be honored in Raleigh Friday by the American Legion Auxiliary Past Presidents Parley. Staff Sgt. Kimberly Pate was named North Carolina Servicewoman of the Year by the organization....

City eyes cutting bank fee increase

An unexpected rise in banking costs for the 2013-14 fiscal year has left the Goldsboro Finance Department looking at which services are worth keeping and which aren't necessary. At the June 3 meeting, Finance Director Kaye Scott said the...

Success coaches report progress

Success coaches at area middle and high schools have lived up to their names, boasting a positive year for the pilot program and hoping that success will continue in the fall. Selena Bennett, executive director of Communities in Schools, which...

Sunday, June 9, 2013

As grads move on, SCHS is home

Spring Creek High School valedictorian Daniel Larimore decided to do something a little different Saturday morning during his school's commencement ceremony. He ripped up his prepared speech on stage. "Good speeches come from the heart. They really do, that's...

Those leaving Rosewood pass the test

Rosewood High School graduates celebrated the end of their years as Eagles on Friday night as they stood on stage, preparing to soar on to life's next challenges. Despite the rain from Tropical Storm Andrea forcing ceremonies indoors, the...

EWHS grads told to follow their hearts

She was late to her own graduation. Car trouble kept 17-year-old Eastern Wayne High School senior Janice Brinson from sitting at mid-field and turning her tassel with the rest of her graduating class at the school's football stadium Saturday....

Graduates leave the box at CBA

After 12 years of school, Cameron O'Quinn said his first goal after getting his diploma is to take some time off, although he may get a summer job. The newly minted graduate of Charles B. Aycock High School will...

Mount Olive man arrested for elder abuse of two people

Special to the Argus MOUNT OLIVE -- An 73-year-old invalid man was found covered in feces and living in "bad, very bad unsanitary conditions" at 402 E. Kornegay Street in Mount Olive, while a woman in her late 80s in...

County pays $35K, ready to move foward with design/build

Wayne County has paid $35,000 to RATIO Architects to terminate its contract with the company and is expecting to receive all of the firm's design work for the new Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive by the end of the...

Bell rejects Daughtery comment on board's handling of schools

Wayne County Commissioner Joe Daughtery Tuesday praised the Board of Education for what he called its "bold decision" to ask commissioners to share the cost of several school projects. Daughtery said he had been in the county for "many,...

Boys & Girls Club director fired

The Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County is now looking for a new teen director. Former NBA player Anthony Teachey was fired on Friday after less than a year on the job. "This caught me by surprise but at...

Friday, June 7, 2013

Andrea blows through region

A line of cars makes its way slowly along Royall Avenue as heavy rains fall this morning. Tropical Storm Andrea brought the stormy weather this morning as it made its way up the East Coast....

Murder suspect caught

After nine months on the run, the suspect in a September 2012 double homicide on Devereaux Street is in custody. Angelo Mandril Burden, 39, of 1307 E. Walnut St., was located by Goldsboro Police Department investigators at the Value Place...

'No sacred cows': Commissioners talk budget

Wayne County commissioners on Tuesday spent more than an hour discussing the county's fire district taxes. It is too late to do much with a review of those rates for this year, but commissioners said they want the information...

School district is monitoring weather

Officials with Wayne County Public Schools continue to monitor the weather and are staying in contact with Wayne County Emergency Management to determine if any events this evening and Saturday need to be postponed, Ken Derksen, director of communication services...

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Two vehicles overturn

Two accidents early today left one driver in critical condition and shut down traffic entering Goldsboro from the south and west. An 18-wheeler hauling 8,800 gallons of gasoline overturned on the access ramp on U.S. 117 from U.S. 70 East...

Director offers plan for buses

The school system's transportation director addressed concerns about the district's poor scores from the state's past two years of bus inspections, telling the school board Monday night he is working to improve the situation. Two weeks ago, the News-Argus obtained...

Severe weather could affect local graduations

Three high school graduation ceremonies this weekend could be affected by the weather prognosis. Ken Derksen, director of communication services for Wayne County Public Schools, said the district is monitoring the weather situation and making contingency plans. Friday is the...

Roundup results in arrests

The Goldsboro Partners Against Crime community initiative to stop violent crime moved into its second phase today. The Goldsboro Police Department and the Division of Probation and Parole conducted a roundup beginning at 5 a.m. bringing in past offenders who...

Kenly man sentenced to life on federal drug charges

A Kenly man Tuesday was sentenced in federal court to life in prison on drug charges involving almost 5 kilograms of cocaine. David Neil Phillips, 38, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox to life...

Holding to hold office hours in Fremont Town Hall

Wayne County residents looking for help from Republican Congressman George Holding will be able to visit his newest satellite office in Fremont beginning today. The office, which will be in the Fremont Town Hall, will be open from 10...

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

County will take look at budget

Wayne County taxpayers can expect to receive a slightly lower property tax bill in August if the county's commissioners go along with an almost three-cent drop in the county tax rate proposed Tuesday evening by County Manager Lee Smith. Smith...

SJAFB commander among witnesses

Editor's note: The testimony quoted in the following article was broadcast live on the Internet Tuesday and recorded by the News-Argus. Col. Jeannie Leavitt did not argue with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee when they quoted surveys and...

Tassels to start turning

Nearly 1,200 students will receive diplomas from Wayne County Public Schools this year, officials announced. The six traditional high schools will have 1,064 graduates from the Class of 2013, while the two non-traditional schools, Wayne School of Engineering and Wayne...

Politician addresses proposed school cuts

Former congressman and state education superintendent Bob Etheridge held a press conference Tuesday afternoon in Goldsboro, his 11th stop on a statewide tour, but he wasn't campaigning for himself. He is on a mission to draw attention to the plight...

Pikeville explores creating merchants association

PIKEVILLE -- The town of Pikeville might not have a chamber of commerce, but if new Town Administrator Blake Proctor has his way it might soon have a merchants association. Proctor, who took over as town administrator last month,...

Goal: Growing the Red Cross

Tammy M. Forrester has been named the new chief executive officer of the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross. The 47-year-old took over the position on May 28. As the top person at the local Red Cross,...

Crime of the Week

On Tuesday, May 28, Wayne Christian School officials reported that a water slide had been stolen from the field area of the school. The water slide was last seen at the school, located at 1201 Patetown Road, on Saturday,...

Students weave own tapestries with grant

North Drive Elementary School recently received a $2,000 art grant, which provided a one-week art residency with textile artist Victoria Sowers of Rocky Mount. The grant was written by Amy Kennedy, art teacher at the school for the past...

Mount Olive town board responds to residents' concerns, passes budget

MOUNT OLIVE -- A short agenda for the Mount Olive town board meeting quickly turned into something more when two Franklin Street residents, Sheila Oates and Robert King, complained Monday about the state of the south side of town....

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

No charges filed against hit-and-run driver yet

MOUNT OLIVE -- The state Highway Patrol has located the vehicle and identified the driver responsible for Friday's fatal hit-and run-accident in Duplin County. A 21-month-old boy, Ismael Aleman, was in the roadway when he was struck and killed. Sgt....

Police search for bank robber

PIKEVILLE -- Pikeville police are trying to discover the identity of the man who walked into the Heritage Bank at 100 W. Main St. Monday and held it up at gunpoint. At this point. it is believed he acted...

Council will wait on decision on property

The Goldsboro City Council has tabled a decision on whether to accept The Little Bank's offer of $500,000 on the former Arts Council property at the corner of Ash Street and Spence Avenue. The action was taken at the...

School board wants to keep $4M in half-cent tax fund

The Wayne County Board of Education on Monday night voted to keep a balance of $4 million in its half-cent sales tax fund and will ask county commissioners to share payment for several facilities projects and pursue a loan...

Two plead to bear baiting

Two Wayne County men pleaded no contest Friday in Jones County District Court to hunting bears with bait. James Bryan Herring, 65, of 601 Walnut Creek Drive, and Donnie Joe Skelton, 51, of 205 Morgan Trace Lane were two...

Monday, June 3, 2013

Pikeville bank robbed

The Heritage Bank at 100 W. Main St., Pikeville, was robbed today. No injuries were reported. People with information on this crime are asked to call the Pikeville Police Department at 919-242-5330 or the FBI at 1-800-209-2293. Tips also...

Learning to shine

Retired teacher Sharon Bell has always believed that young people are diamonds in the rough -- or pearls. Several years ago, witnessing some of the challenges faced by middle school students, she decided to do something about it. "The self-esteem...

Crime of the Week helps nab 'peeper'

A Goldsboro man was arrested Thursday for allegedly trying to use his cellphone to take a photo up a 31-year-old woman's skirt on Tuesday at the Walmart of Spence Avenue. The arrest, police said, came after the suspect was...

County to talk budget Tuesday

Wayne County commissioners now have a copy of the proposed $161 million 2013-14 budget, but the document, which was released Friday afternoon, has no indication of what county residents will pay in taxes next year. Even commissioners don't know what...

Student plans race to fund well

When Katie Johnson spent time with her father and other volunteers in Tanzania over Christmas break, she saw firsthand what poverty really means, and gained a little bit of perspective as well. "They have no funds for purified water...

Sunday, June 2, 2013

City motto entries being sought

A month after the city of Goldsboro announced a contest to adopt a city motto, more than 250 people have submitted proposed phrases, city officials are saying. The contest is part of a larger branding effort to give Goldsboro...

Council to eye bid on property

The Goldsboro City Council will consider an offer of $500,000 by The Little Bank for the former Arts Council of Wayne County property at the corner of Ash Street and Spence Avenue at its meeting Monday night. The city...

Toddler killed in hit and run

MOUNT OLIVE -- The public's help is being sought in locating the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed a 21-month-old boy Friday afternoon after the child apparently wandered to the edge of Garners Chapel Road about 15 miles...

Tough guy

Cameron Hope rushes to find his self-made maple seed, a simple construction of paper with a snip and a fold here and there designed to drift slowly to the ground -- just like its namesake. It doesn't work the...

Seven Springs reunion to be held June 29

Seven Springs High School may not be standing anymore, but those who once learned in its halls are looking to remember their high school days with a school reunion from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at Maynard's Nightclub....

Fly-in

Members of the Grantham Aero Club held their Spring Fly-In Saturday at the Grantham Airport. Club officials said there were more than 30 aircraft on display throughout the daylong event, giving the public a chance to view the aircraft...

Madeline Edwards receives UNC Kenan scholarship

A local opera singer who became a household name in Wayne County when she was a little girl just added another accomplishment to her already impressive resume. Madeline Edwards, who recently graduated from the high school program at the North...

Dive team dogs undergo training exercise

Barks and splashes echoed across the water at Walnut Creek's Lake Wackena on Saturday as K-9 members of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office tracked the scent of submerged divers sitting on the bottom of Lake Wackena. One of the...

Born Learning festival draws big crowd to park

"That is the same horse that I had," 4-year-old Kayla Keifer said excitedly. "It went just (the) right (pace). It was a bigger horse than Madison's." "I was riding a little pony," said her 2-year-old sister Madison. The sisters, who...