October 2013 archives

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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tensions high at murder trial

Security officers had to be called in to prevent an altercation outside the Wayne County Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon between a witness and supporters of Antonio Seaberry, who is on trial for first-degree murder. Seaberry is accused of shooting...

Characters on parade

Students at Wayne Country Day School dressed in Halloween costumes for a parade at the school this morning. Students came dressed as everything from witches and cowboys to superheroes and monsters. After parading around the school, the students took...

Judge orders civics lesson for juror

A Wayne County man is getting a lesson on the American justice system in Wayne County Superior Court this week. Superior Court Judge John E. Nobles ordered Bryan Lane to sit through the remainder of the Antonio Seaberry murder...

Municipal golf course made more this season

The Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course is on track to cover 88 percent of its operating costs this year, making it the course's best year since the city took over operations in 2001. The city set a goal of 70...

Cycling event boosts Goldsboro economy

A statewide bicycle ride that stopped overnight in Goldsboro earlier this month pumped about $100,000 into the local economy, city officials say. The Mountains to the Coast ride brought almost 1,200 cyclists through Goldsboro the first week of October. Some...

Essay deadline Friday

Mount Olive VFW Post 9959 is reminding all local school administrators, teachers, and parents that the deadline for the Patriotic Audio Essay and Patriot's Pen Essay competitions is almost here. All essays are due to the post by midnight...

Veterans events set for November

The Wayne County JobLink office will host two events in November to help area veterans as the county celebrates Veterans Day on Nov. 11. A Wayne County Veterans Outreach Stand Down will be held Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 10...

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Goldsboro to host trick or treat, adult event

The city of Goldsboro has designated 6-8 p.m. Thursday as the official time for trick or treat. Children should only approach houses that have an exterior light on, officials said. Parents should supervise their children, and city officials ask...

Man, 52, killed in accident in Goldsboro

A Goldsboro man was struck and killed by a vehicle while walking on West Ash Street near Georgia Avenue early Tuesday. Michael Ray McClary, 52, 6060 W. Mulberry St., was hit just after 8 a.m. by an eastbound vehicle....

Testimony starts in murder trial

A jury has been seated and opening arguments delivered in the first-degree murder trial of Antonio Jamar Seaberry, 29. Seaberry is accused of shooting Laquan Devon Pearsall, 20, to death in September 2011. Jury selection began Monday morning in...

NCDOT Rule change puts local parades in jeopardy

The Eureka and Parkstown Christmas parades have been canceled because of a change in state policy regulating road closures and a new requirement of hefty liability insurance coverage. The historic Cherry/O'Berry parade was canceled in September because of the...

Public records

Assault with a deadly weapon Donta Devon Broadhurst, 26, of 611 E. Elm St., told police he was assaulted by his girlfriend with a baseball bat in the 1300 block of Maple Street, Tuesday. Broadhurst walked to the Wayne County...

Gingerbread house contest

bbarclay@newsargus.com A lighthouse, a birdhouse, the park house at Herman Park -- the Arts Council of Wayne County has seen it all during its annual Gingerbread House contest. The Arts Council will be taking entries for the eighth annual contest...

License plate agency moving

The lines may not be much shorter, but beginning Friday, people headed to the Goldsboro License Plate Agency will likely be less crowded and more comfortable as they wait. The agency, currently located at 511 N. William St., will...

Charges filed in hog feed thefts in Duplin

Three men have been charged in connection with the theft of hog feed from Goldsboro Milling Co. hog farms. The arrests were announced Tuesday morning by Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace. The arrests were made as a result of...

Clarification

A story in Tuesday's News-Argus incorrectly identified Jonathan and Gina Fehrenback as volunteers for Operation Second Chance, a nonprofit organization that aids veterans. They are employees of the group....

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

BCBS, hospital head back to table

A meeting Monday between Wayne Memorial Hospital CEO Bill Paugh and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina CEO Brad Wilson did not bring an end to the current impasse over the future of their relationship, but it...

Group aims to help veterans

A small nonprofit group with a mission to help heal America's war wounded is working locally to ease the transition from battlefield to homefield. Operation Second Chance was formed in 2004 to assist wounded, injured and ill combat veterans...

Commission takes on request to change residential zoning

The Goldsboro Planning Commission voted on a batch of planning issues, including a controversial rezoning, at its meeting Monday night. The Planning Commission will present its recommendations to the City Council at its next meeting. A request to rezone residential...

At the park

With the Wayne County Public Schools being out Monday for a teacher workday, children  flocked to Herman Park to take advantage of their day off and the near 70 degree weather. Here, Ryan Hall, 3, of Goldsboro, climbs out...

County targets mobile homes

Wayne County officials say they don't know how many abandoned mobile homes dot the countryside. "I can just tell you that it seems they are around every corner, and it is not always a case where we can take...

Police hunt for shooting suspect

Two weeks after a Goldsboro man was shot to death as he got up to answer a knock at the door at 1000 Devereaux St., no arrests have been made. Investigators are following up on leads, Goldsboro Police Chief...

Man jailed for home invasion arrested in West Virginia

A Goldsboro man wanted by police in connection with a home invasion on North Claiborne Street in September is being held in the Wayne County Jail under a $100,000 secured bond after he was extradited from West Virginia back...

Monday, October 28, 2013

No substituting for this substitute

There is no substitute for a good teacher -- but Helen Pierce certainly comes close. The 85-year-old has been a popular substitute teacher with Wayne County Public Schools for the past 45 years and shows no signs of slowing...

Facelifts help downtown shops

The city's downtown facade grant program seems to be making a comeback after a sharp drop off in interest and use during the Great Recession, beginning in 2008. The program, funded through the municipal service district tax fund, provides...

Man killed in wreck Saturday

A Goldsboro man was killed in a single-vehicle accident Saturday on U.S. 70 East near North Carolina Street, according to a Goldsboro police report. His body, ejected from the vehicle, was undiscovered for more than two hours. Stanley Curtis...

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Seeing blue: It's all about the bill

With Wayne Memorial Hospital and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina staring down a Dec. 4 deadline to come to a new contract agreement, negotiations have now been stalled for nearly two months. According to both sides,...

Commission OKs contract for Mount Olive library

A $2.275 million contract for a new Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive was unanimously approved by Wayne County commissioners during a Friday morning special session. Approval is contingent on County Attorney Borden Parker's final review and approval of...

What food stamp recipients can buy

What recipients can buy: Food stamps can be used to purchase foods for the household to eat. That includes breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, poultry and dairy products. * Seeds and plants which produce food for the...

Food stamps losing, gaining

An Oct. 1 cost-of-living increase for food stamp recipients will probably offset the loss recipients will experience when the federal stimulus funding for the program expires Friday. Either way, the amounts are so small that most recipients probably won't...

If the contract is terminated Dec. 5, what does it mean to you?

Editor's note: If no agreement is reached by Dec. 4, the contract between Wayne Memorial Hospital and Blue Cross and Blue Shield will be terminated. If that happens, all sides are emphasizing that does not mean that that Blue Cross...

Veterans Parade entries sought

The Wayne County Veterans and Patriots Coalition is looking for entries for its Veterans Day Parade. The event, which honors those who have served or are serving in the military, will be Nov. 11. "We have 22,000 veterans in...

County's fresh produce not directly local

Wayne County may be agriculturally rich and have the potential to provide the school district with easy access to locally grown produce, but hurdles and federal guidelines present a challenge when it comes to the child nutrition program for...

Founder of SADD offers emotional advice to students

His booming voice filling the auditorium and reducing his microphone to a prop, Students Against Drunk Driving founder Bob Anastas spoke passionately to students Friday at the Wayne School of Engineering, cautioning them against the dangers of peer pressure,...

Whose chili was the best?

REALLY CHILI CHALLENGE First place: BB&T Second place: Immediate Care Third place: Carl and Chelle's PEOPLE'S CHOICE First place: Wednesday Night Crew Second place: T.A. Loving Third place: N.C. Wesleyan College BEST BOOTH: T.A. Loving BEST TEAM NAME: Dr. Chili...

Heating up downtown

Center Stage cook Mike Saviak's chili recipe is based off tweaking. "What I cook, I taste. If it doesn't taste right, I add a little more." T.A. Loving cook Mike Mitchell likes to use different types of peppers. The...

Time to buy for Operation Christmas Child

Officials with Operation Christmas Child are reminding local residents to start preparing shoeboxes of gifts and other items for needy children around the world. The program is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse, which distributed the boxes to more than 100...

One-stop voting for municipal elections entering last week

One-stop voting enters its final week Monday for the handful of municipal and sanitary district races on the Nov. 5 ballot. One-stop began Oct. 24, and through this past Friday, 103 people had voted at the single one-stop location...

Bloodmobile schedule

Following is the November blood drive schedule for the Wayne County Chapter of the American Red Cross: Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Saulston United Methodist Church. Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Wayne...

Cookin' pigs at Southern Wayne

Judges from the North Carolina Pork Association, Willis Underwood and Keith Fuller, carefully check one of 20 hogs that were cooked during the Southern Wayne High School Pigskin Cook-Off Saturday morning at the school....

Old-fashioned fun

Seven-year-old Taylor Walden, right, and her 6-year-old sister Lindsey of Mar-Mac learn how children spent their free time during the 1800s as they play with a hoop and stick during the Reading, Writing and Remembering -- 120th anniversary of...

Eastern Wayne High School senior in national choir

An Eastern Wayne High School senior will participate in the 2013 National Association for Music Educators All-National Honors Mixed Vocal Ensemble on Oct. 30. Sam Childers was chosen among the nation's more than 670 high school students to perform...

Miss Goldsboro set for Nov. 9

The Miss Goldsboro Pageant will be held Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre on Center Street. The new Miss Goldsboro will represent Goldsboro throughout the year and participate in local events, speaking engagements and will...

Gettin' jazzy on George Street

Tilghman Davis grooved to the jazz music. He moved up and down, wiggled and giggled, and then promptly fell asleep in the arms of his aunt, Kelly Stalnaker. "There was a big smile on his face. He loved it," she...

Wayne Community College targets efforts at direct loan program

pmoore@newsargus.com Getting a college education -- even at a community college -- is not cheap, and despite years of budget shifts and necessary tuition hikes, Wayne Community College officials say they are always seeking ways to provide students with the...

Energy bill help will be available

Wayne County has yet to learn whether $800,000 lost to the federal government shutdown will be reinstated to an energy assistance program for the poor. But while Department of Social Services Director Debbie Jones is awaiting word on that...

Walking to help bring back memories

A cold morning didn't stop nearly 150 people from walking for Alzheimer's research. Bundled up in jackets and hats, the crowd surged down Chestnut Street ready for one and half miles after collecting more than $25,000 to be given...

Friday, October 25, 2013

Squad seizes drugs in raid

The Goldsboro Wayne County Drug Squad executed a search warrant Wednesday at 211 N. Carolina St., resulting in the arrest of William Javon Maye, 32, of 119 S. Slocumb St. Investigators seized 23 doses crack cocaine, 12 doses of...

Forum eyes education across state

A grassroots effort to improve education in North Carolina drew a small crowd Thursday night, but there are larger efforts in the offing -- including suing the General Assembly and bringing Moral Monday to Goldsboro. "Educate Each Child" was...

Committee: SJAFB, Cherry Point top list

The future of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point should be a cause for concern for North Carolina, a member of the state's new Military Affairs Commission said. It is a concern that...

Owner says police shot her dog unnecessarily

The "little old ladies" who used to hand feed Rika tomatoes at the local farmer's market will never get the pleasure of her companionship again. The toddlers who used to laugh when the 7-year-old pitbull would whimper in their presence...

Exploring their futures firsthand

EMS coordinator Kim Boswell assists Goldsboro High School senior Ashely McCormick, left, as she practices checking the vital signs on a mannequin as fellow classmates Nicole Beckett and Quawnecia Bridges look on during the Wayne County Public Schools Career...

Duplin Rescue Memorial dedication Sunday

In 1968, Rose Quinn didn't mind waking in the middle of night to answer a call. If she did, she wouldn't have taken the job as the captain of the Magnolia Rescue Squad for 20 years. Back then, EMT...

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Commanders: A good but challenging year

They acknowledged that 2013 has, to date, been tough for members of the military -- the Air Force colonels who addressed the several dozen community leaders who converged on the Goldsboro Country Club late Wednesday morning. They used words that...

Break-in suspect held on $500,000 bond

After a number of motor vehicle break-ins were reported to the Mount Olive Police Department, officers were able to arrest a suspect who later confessed to rifling through unlocked vehicles in the east side of Mount Olive north of...

City's credit is OK for projects

With the Goldsboro City Council hoping to tackle a slew of expensive projects in the coming years, city officials were pleased this week to learn they have plenty of room to borrow the necessary money. According to the city's...

Board eyes lease option

The Wayne County Board of Education announced during a special called meeting Wednesday afternoon that it plans to move forward with its planned construction and renovation projects -- without asking for an increased revenue stream from county commissioners. At...

County awarded funding from FEMA

Wayne County has been awarded $52,521 in federal funds under an Emergency Food and Shelter Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Last year, the program helped local charities in providing emergency assistance in the form of meals,...

Duke Energy Foundation gives Arts Council $3,000

The Arts Council of Wayne County has received a $3,000 grant from Duke Energy Foundation. It will be used for the Arts Council's year-round exhibition program to provide educational materials, audio tours, artist gallery talks and free tours for...

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

WEMCH students start day with prayer at college

It's not unusual to hear about folks who pray around the clock -- during difficult times, offering up wishes and concerns for loved ones or those in need. But at Wayne Community College, Wayne Early/Middle College High School students...

Fremont closes in on project list for state STEP grant proposals

FREMONT -- The town of Fremont's Small Town Economic Prosperity grant committees met as a group Tuesday to discuss the projects they will put up for the Town Board's approval in December. The teams will finalize their projects at...

Goldsboro Partners Against Crime has third roundup of felons

Goldsboro Partners Against Crime held its third call-in at City Hall on Tuesday, with the felons in attendance on the receiving end of a sharp message from law enforcement officers. The programs are designed to convince repeat criminal offenders...

Wayne and Duplin celebrate 2013 National Business Women's Week

In recognition and celebration of women in the workplace and National Business Women's Week, the Wayne-Duplin Business and Professional Women's Club, in partnership with the Mount Olive College Career Development Office, will sponsor "Women-to-Women, Women-for-Women, An Encounter in Celebration...

Families should see help from state soon

After up to a three-month delay in receiving benefits, Wayne County's program to help put food on needy families' tables is almost back on track, local officials say. State officials created NCFAST to have one system that allowed recipients...

Baby shot in city

A 7-month-old infant remains at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville after a bullet passed through a moving car in the 3200 block of Thoroughfare Road just after 10:30 p.m. Monday, injuring the boy and another person in the vehicle....

Partnership East has new partner, still same mission

An education degree completion program introduced at Wayne Community College in 2004 has a new name, funding source and coordinator but still the same mission -- to develop teachers in Wayne County. State Employees Credit Union recently announced its...

school - wayne country day

By KARIS HAWKINS & PAYTON MEADOWS The leaves are falling and the trees are losing their vigor, but the WCDS faculty members and students are still lively. Last week, the varsity boys' soccer squad honored its seniors after a win...

Geoff Hulse honored for his downtown efforts

Former Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. President Geoff Hulse has been named the 2013 North Carolina Main Street Champion for Goldsboro. Hulse and other Main Street town champions will be presented with certificates in New Bern on Jan. 30, 2014....

A sweet harvest

Farm workers dig up this year's crop of sweet potatoes. Local farmers are trying to harvest their crops before the first hard freeze. These workers were on the farm of Jacob Odom located just inside of the Duplin/Wayne county...

Crime of the Week

On Sunday, at 9 p.m., the Goldsboro Police Department responded to the Adams Mini Mart, located at 2000 N. William St. in response to a 911 call placed from an employee at the business. Officers arrived and spoke to...

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Mount Olive library close to final approval

Final approval of the design, contract and $2.275 million cost of Mount Olive's new Steele Memorial Library will be before Wayne County commissioners when they meet in special session Friday morning. If the go-ahead is given, people will be...

Mount Olive College considers change in name, status

MOUNT OLIVE -- There soon might be a "new" university in town. Mount Olive College students, faculty, staff and alumni are being asked whether they believe the college should seek to change its name to Mount Olive University. The...

Van driver dies from injuries in crash

The Dudley man whose van went off the road along U.S. 117 Alternate and crashed into a pine tree Friday has died, officials at Vidant Medical Center said. Mark James Wheaton, 50, was transferred to Vidant Medical Center late...

Council weighs recreation bond

The Goldsboro City Council was asked Monday to consider supporting an $18.9 million bond referendum for Parks and Recreation projects to be put up for a vote in May. The decision would need to be made by December in...

Thursday seminar to discuss changes in education legislation

The impact budget cuts and policy changes have on education will be the centerpiece of a public forum being held in Goldsboro later this week. In collaboration with the N.C. Association of Educators, two advocacy groups, Public Schools First...

Monday, October 21, 2013

Local family's discovery yields clues for historians

It's only a matter of time until someone's collection becomes a museum's exhibit. "The Harpers never threw anything away," Nancy Harper Satterfield said. Today, Mrs. Satterfield and her sisters, Barbara Novicki, Susan Glover and Frances Gooden, have been on...

Adjunct professors are key staff at college

Part-time, or adjunct, professors are a critical part of the instructional arm of Wayne Community College, like they are at many other community colleges across the state. "They can teach anything and what we do is balance our full-time...

DAR is sponsoring two essay contests

The David Williams Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is sponsoring two contests for school-age children. The American History Essay Contest is open to students in grades 5 through in private, public or parochial schools and homeschoolers. This...

Municipalities get shares of street repair aid

Wayne County municipalities have received about half of the $1.25 million in Powell Bill money allocated by the state Department of Transportation for street repairs. The rest will be made available by the end of the year, according to...

Lock-in to raise money for Purrrfect Friends

Tammi Hedges will stay locked up in a cage in front of Walmart on Spence Avenue, starting Friday at noon, until she raises $2,000 for Purrrfect Friends Feline Shelter. Ms. Hedges has undergone the lock-in in the past and...

Store hit by armed robber

A gunman entered the Adams Mimi Mart at 2000 N. William St. as it was closing Saturday, taking money from the register. The robbery happened just before 9 p.m., according to a Goldsboro police report. The store clerk told...

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Council eyes bond levy

The Goldsboro City Council is expected to discuss a number of city facility planning issues during its work session Monday night at 5 p.m. The meeting, which will be held in the large conference room at City Hall, is set...

Really Chili is Saturday forecast

Chili competitors look out -- TA Loving Spoonful knows there's a target on its back, but its cookers say they are ready with an even better recipe than last year's award-winning formula. "We sure hope we win this year...

County seeks to increase powers

For the second time this year, state lawmakers will be asked to introduce local legislation that would allow a majority of Wayne County commissioners to change sanitary district lines in the county. The first bill, requested by commissioners in...

WCPS: Safety still a priority

If parents think it's tough maintaining order in their own home, try implementing rules and regulations for more than 19,000 students. While Wayne County Public Schools has never experienced a tragedy like Columbine or a Sandy Hook, safety procedures have...

Wreaths Across America to honor vets

On the second Saturday in December, ceremonies will be held at cemeteries around the world where United States service men and women are buried to honor their sacrifice in the name of freedom. One of the ceremonies will be held...

Hwy Patrol: Alcohol likely helped send van into trees

Witnesses say the driver of a white Ford Econoline van was swerving erratically moments before he ran off of the side of U.S. 117 Alt. into a stand of pine trees Friday afternoon. The accident happened around 3 p.m.,...

Voters trickling out slowly to cast one-stop ballots

Only 26 people voted over the first two days of one-stop voting -- 17 on Thursday and 9 on Friday -- for the handful of offices to be decided on Nov. 5. One-stop voting continues through Nov. 2. at...

Many have 'First' in their names, but Bear Marsh is the original

MOUNT OLIVE -- There are First Baptist churches, and then there is "The First" Baptist church -- the progenitor, the predecessor, the true "mother church" of the rest of Baptist churches, older than the United States itself -- Bear...

4 indicted in McLaurin murder

The four men Goldsboro police allege are responsible for the September 2012 murder of a 16-year-old Goldsboro High School student were indicted this week by a Wayne County grand jury. Leonard Eugene Joyner, 22, Jerome Jilah Butts, 20, Kevin...

George Street to get jazzy Saturday

Bring your folding chairs and blankets downtown Saturday for "Jazz on George" at the intersection of Walnut and George Streets to hear some jazz muzic, have your children's faces painted for free and enjoy a glass of wine or...

Wayne County grand jury hands down indictments on 28 people

In addition to the indictments in the Kennedy McLaurin murder case, a Wayne County grand jury has handed up other indictments. They include: * Edquan Moranta Battle, 26, 900 Evergreen Ave., attempted first-degree murder, discharging a firearm into an...

Southern Wayne High School preparing for Pigskin Cook Off

The Southern Wayne High School Athletic Boosters will hold its second annual Pigskin Cook Off and Plate Sale Friday and Saturday at the school. "We had such a great time last year," said Lynn Williams, Booster Club secretary. "We...

Cliffs plans its annual Halloween candy fun

Grab your costume and head out to Cliffs of the Neuse State Park for trunk or treating. It will be held Friday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the lake parking lot. "We'll have different people set up, and they'll...

Four local nurses make list

Four nurses at Wayne Memorial Hospital have been named to the state's Great 100 Nurses list. This is the 25th year for the Great 100, which not only recognizes those who have made contributions to the profession, but awards...

Friday, October 18, 2013

Schools prepare for 2014 review

The Wayne County Public School system is preparing for its five-year districtwide re-accreditation, which will take place in the spring. The visit and interview process from AdvancED, the accreditation agency conducting the review, is on the schedule for March...

Back to the table: Commission puts off vote on hospital and insurance

Wayne County commissioners are counting on strength in numbers to help convince Blue Cross Blue Shield to return to the bargaining table with Wayne Memorial Hospital. Commissioners had been poised to approve a resolution they hope will also be...

Residents honored for work with disabled

City, county and military officials shared lunch with service organizations for the disabled as well as people with disabilities Thursday at Herman Park Center at the city's Disabilities Awards Luncheon. The annual event is held to honor people and...

Man, 26, charged in store damage

FREMONT -- A Lucama man has been arrested in connection with two acts of vandalism at a new tobacco store on Wilson Street and issued a citation in a third crime discovered Wed-nesday night at the Wilco Hess station,...

Woman caught with 90 Percocets

The Goldsboro Wayne County Drug Task Force conducted an undercover buy Thursday, leading to the seizure of 40 Percocet pills and the arrest of the alleged seller. Dawn Elizabeth Pruett, 42, of 3950 U.S. 13 South, is charged with...

Thursday, October 17, 2013

District will eye toy gun incident

No laws were broken and no school district policies violated in last Friday's "enrichment lesson" involving a staff member and a toy gun at Eastern Wayne Middle School, a spokesman for the Wayne County Public Schools said Wednesday. The...

Housing Authority gets $462K grant

The Goldsboro Housing Authority is hitting the ground running following the news that it has been chosen to receive $462,000 in grant funding to develop its programs in Goldsboro Section 8 housing areas. The grant is funded through the...

Witness helps GPD solve case

A witness to a residential break-in in progress led Goldsboro police officers to the arrest of two suspects at about noon Wednesday. An unidentified third suspect remains free. Emmanuel Pigford IV and Takel Miller, both 21, are charged with...

Salmonella tops communicable disease list in Wayne

Keeping track of communicable diseases is an intense job, the director of the program told the Wayne County Board of Health. "Communicable disease is a core public health function and public health provides education, prevention surveillance and outbreak investigation,"...

Bentonville Battlefield to hold festival Saturday

FOUR OAKS -- The rustle of leaves and the crackle of the open hearth will greet visitors to Bentonville Battlefield for the historic site's civilian living history program and fall festival on Saturday, Oct. 19. The program will include...

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

County makes $3M fix to radio system

Wayne County will spend another $3 million on its beleaguered $10 million radio system in hopes of correcting coverage problems the system has experienced since its inception. The unanimous decision by the Wayne County commissioners came on the heels...

1-stop voting begins Thursday

One-stop voting for Wayne County's November municipal and sanitary district elections starts Thursday and will continue through Nov. 2. Voting will be held from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the Wayne County Board of Elections office on William...

Runners to be on the road Friday night

A few adventurous runners will be heading through northern Duplin County this Friday night during the Tuna Run 200. A 200-mile endurance foot race, the Tuna Run 200 features multiple member teams running from Raleigh to Morehead City. More...

Dancing Stars nets $50K as teachers benefit

The 2013 Dancing Stars of Wayne County wasn't quite as successful as last year, but still, the fundraiser for education netted $50,957. Of that, $9,000 was recently awarded in the form of teacher scholarships. This was the third year...

City firefighters wear pink for breast cancer awareness

Goldsboro's firefighters are sporting a new look this month, pink T-shirts to raise awarness as well as money for breast cancer research. The firefighters are allowed to wear the T-shirts all month, which read, "GFD Committed to Life Safety"...

Alliance taps Industry of the Year at annual local awards ceremony

SPX Transformer Solutions of Dudley Tuesday night was honored as Wayne County's Industry of the Year. Founded in 1966, and formerly known as Heavy-Duty Electric, the company has about 300 employees, with additional ones expected in the near future. SPX...

Fremont chooses interim leader

FREMONT -- The town of Fremont hired an interim town administrator at its Tuesday night meeting to fill in while they searches for a permanent replacement for Kerry McDuffie, who is leaving. The town Board of Aldermen voted unanimously...

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Worker blamed for skit scare

Wayne County Public Schools officials are investigating why an employee, dressed as a masked gunman holding a toy pistol, entered each of the six sixth-grade classes at Eastern Wayne Middle School Friday as part of what the principal there called...

Man shot at door

A Goldsboro man was shot to death early today after answering a knock at the door at 1000 Devereaux St. Investigators with the Goldsboro Police Department were on scene throughout the night and well into the morning collecting evidence after...

Patient census steady

The struggling economy does not appear to be driving more people to the Wayne County Health Department, officials say. Rather, the number of client visits this year is consistent with last year's, Health Department Director Davin Madden said. Madden...

Man, 46, facing two sex charges

A Mount Olive man was arrested earlier this month on a charge of statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl and was taken into custody while he was already in the Wayne County Courthouse facing an unrelated charge of taking...

Mount Olive College to offer new degree

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College will offer its first graduate-level course beginning in January. College President Philip P. Kerstetter announced the addition of the master's in business administration program during a recent meeting of the college Foundation Board....

Charges released in case of ex-deputy

Records obtained from the Wayne County Office of the Clerk of Courts spell out the charges against former Wayne County Sheriff's deputy Randy Avon Thompson. Charges were officially filed against Thompson, 34, on Friday after an SBI investigation led...

Accused bus garage employees back at work

Three bus garage employees "terminated" by the school district last month and under investigation by the Sheriff's Office for larceny of fuel returned to work Monday, with officials tight-lipped on the reason for the change of status. Last week,...

Monday, October 14, 2013

Spring Creek High senior wins Fire Princess Pageant

Sarah Casey took to the stage at the Paramount Theatre Saturday night, wooden spoon in hand and wearing an apron as she embodied the character featured in "Cooking With Julia Child" for her skit in the 39th annual Wayne County...

County's closed meeting questioned

Wayne County commissioners justified a Friday morning closed meeting by citing the need to preserve attorney-client privilege. But the attorney for the N.C. Press Association said they legally should not have kept the session private. And their apparent discussion...

Rose, Harrison honored by Walnut Creek

The Village of Walnut Creek honored one of its founders and one of its longtime officials at a ceremony Sunday. Conway Rose, who was one of the original founders of the village, and the late Tom Harrison, who was...

Commissioner urges more cameras in Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- County Commissioner Ed Cromartie gave the Mount Olive Town Board a surprise visit Monday night when he came to the board for public comment and for some show-and-tell. In his hand was a bag full of...

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Schools talk textbook shortage

Between budget cuts and districts having to adopt an entirely new curriculum all at once, every school has the possibility of a textbook shortage, officials said. State funding has been cut dramatically in recent years, particularly in the area of...

Jennifer Harper wins Math Teacher of the Year

Jennifer Harper, a fifth-grade math teacher at Mount Olive Middle School, has been named 2013-14 Wayne County Public Schools' Outstanding Elementary School Mathematics Teacher of the Year. The 15-year veteran in the profession has been at the school for four...

Local 4-Hers win robot contest

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to build a first class robot. Actually, it can be done by a few talented high school students. The 4-H Robotics Club claimed first place in the first-ever North Carolina off-season regional robot competition,...

Taste of Home

Four-year-old Aubrey Smith sat contentedly in her stroller Saturday, playfully pulling off her sock while her mother, Ashley, approached the next booth at Taste of Wayne to retrieve a food sample. "She's been coming since she was six months old,"...

Shutdown's impact on Wayne to be discussed at meeting

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday will be briefed on how the county has been affected by the federal government shutdown. The reports will be made by county department heads, but County Manager Lee Smith said it will be sometime Monday...

One-stop voting begins this week

One-stop voting for Wayne County's November municipal and sanitary district elections will held Oct. 17 through Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wayne County Board of Elections office on William Street. There will be no...

Former deputy arrested

The State Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest of a former Wayne County Sheriff's deputy Friday. Randy Avon Thompson, 34, 4709 Indian Springs Road, faces four counts each of obstruction of justice and stealing, altering or destroying evidence, officials...

Three killed in Friday evening crash

A Seven Springs woman and her two children were killed in a two-vehicle accident on the outskirts of Mount Olive Friday night. First Sgt. Jeff Gordon, public information officer with the state Highway Patrol, said Saturday that a trooper responded...

Alzheimer's Walk set for Oct. 26

For the third time since its inception, the annual Alzheimer's Walk is undergoing a few changes. Teams are being formed and walkers are invited to sign up to participate in the Alzheimer's N.C. Goldsboro Walk, which will be held Saturday,...

Friday, October 11, 2013

The princess guide

This weekend marks Shari Stewart's 28th year as director of the Wayne County Fire Princess pageant -- and her last. She started out as a judge for the contest the first year she moved to Wayne County, in 1983....

Robbery suspect caught in Wilson

An alleged armed robber plaguing the Elm Street area in Goldsboro is off the streets this morning following an arrest in Wilson. A "very valuable tip" to Crime Stoppers led to the arrest of Samuel Keith Best Jr., the...

Come have fish and help a child

Wayne County Shriners Owen Jackson, right, and Al Alford mix up a batch of salt, pepper and seasoning early today outside Herman Park Center in preparation for frying fish. The Shriners are holding a fish fry today from 11...

Busco Beach owner to file appeal

The owner of Busco Beach and ATV Park says he will appeal the Goldsboro City Council's decision to ban riding ATVs on the property from 11 p.m. until 8 a.m. every day of the week. The restriction was put...

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Tourney expected to bring in $300,000

A boost to the local economy is expected this weekend in the form of a U.S. Tennis Association singles tournament. The tournament's 400 participants age 18 and older are expected to bring in about $300,000 to Goldsboro and the...

Southern Wayne High School student charged with threat

A 16-year-old Southern Wayne High School student has been charged with making a false report of a weapon of mass destruction on educational property. Junior Josue Mejia, of 107 Jake Drive, Dudley, allegedly scribbled a bomb threat on a...

Fremont administrator is taking new job

FREMONT -- Kerry McDuffie is leaving his position as town administrator of Fremont next month to become the town manager in Southport. McDuffie's last day will be Nov. 8. He will begin work in Southport Nov. 11. "I'm very...

Former assistant district attorney loses her license

A former Wayne County assistant district attorney has been stripped of her license to practice law as she awaits trial on breaking and entering and drug charges. Ada Lucrettia Mason, 43, known around the county courthouse as "Chrissy," wept...

Final numbers are in for local fair

DUDLEY -- The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair attracted an estimated 100,000 people, setting record attendance on several days, fair officials say. The weather was clear every day of the fair, which helped greatly with attendance, Pitzer noted. "Overall, we...

Commissioner changes his mind on school

Wayne County Commissioner Joe Daughtery has withdrawn his support of a new K-8 Grantham School in favor of the middle school originally sought by the Wayne County Board of Education. Daughtery said Tuesday at a joint meeting of commissioners...

District to hire drivers for school bus routes

The Wayne County Board of Education on Monday approved a request from the schools' transportation department to hire 20 substitute bus drivers. The move is geared to offset a driver shortage. The measure would cost the district about $70,000...

Checkpoint arrests made near Mount Olive

A joint operation checkpoint at the intersection of U.S. 117 and Main Street in Mount Olive held Oct. 5 resulted in 150 different charges. The zero tolerance checkpoint checked seat belts, driver's licenses, tags and any other possible problems....

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Board anxious to get school projects going

The Wayne County Board of Education emerged from Tuesday's joint meeting with county commissioners more optimistic about moving forward on its school facilities plan, even if it had to wade through a detailed analysis of the county's debt profile...

Workers fired after alleged gas thefts

Three former employees in the Transportation Department of the Wayne County Public Schools are currently under investigation for "larceny of fuel," officials have confirmed. According to Wayne County Sheriff's Office, an active investigation is under way but no charges have...

Reception to be held Sat. for Dillard/Goldsboro pres.

Raymond Smith Jr., transportation director for Wayne County Public Schools, was recently installed as national president of Dillard/Goldsboro Alumni & Friends, Inc. and a reception is planned to recognize him locally this weekend. Janet Barnes, chairperson of the national...

Fire safety day at Berkeley Mall Sat.

The American Red Cross will sponsor a Fire Prevention and Safety Day this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Berkeley Mall. Red Cross volunteers will be handing out educational materials and free smoke detectors to the public....

Parental involvment seminar to be held Thurs.

The Title I program of Wayne County Public Schools is hosting its 17th annual districtwide parent seminar on Thursday at the H.V. Brown Center on Poplar Street. "Empowering Parents for Student Success" will take place from 9 a.m. until...

Operation Medicine Drop to be held Saturday at mall

Operation Medicine Drop will be held Saturday to collect unwanted and outdated prescription and over-the-counter medicines as a part of Kids Fest at Berkeley Mall. Wayne County 4-H Prevention Program, the Sheriff's Office, and Wayne Connections Substance Abuse Task...

Shriners holding free orthopaedic screening Sat.

The Shriners Hospitals for Children is holding a free orthopaedic screening Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Mumfest in downtown New Bern. The screening is for children from birth to 18 who have an orthopaedic injury or...

County plan for facilities requires tax hike

A 17-cent increase in the Wayne County property tax rate would be needed should county commissioners decide to pursue all of the projects in their proposed 10-year capital improvement plan. Ted Cole and Bob High of Davenport & Co.,...

Waging his own battle against cancer

Bill Outlaw is on a mission. A mission from God. Back in May of 2012, a routine checkup led to a diagnosis of leukemia for Outlaw. For the next six months, he spent his time fighting cancer. And during...

Spruill: Ever faithful, dependable and active at 99

The 1985 Buick LaSabre parked in Canarie Spruill's carport is much like the woman who still drives it -- faithful and dependable. "It's still going good right on," she said of her ride. "People always ask, 'When are you...

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Pikeville Town Board criticizes police chief's work

PIKEVILLE -- Several members of the Pikeville Town Board were sharply critical of the town's police chief at the town board meeting Monday night, saying the law enforcement presence in the town is often lacking. The discussion of the...

A place of their own

A new school for high-functioning children with autism has recently opened and is appropriately named -- New Independence Academy. Housed in the fellowship hall of Rosewood Worship Center, its director, Debbie Outland, said the population served requires a unique...

Robber hits store twice

A local convenience store has been robbed again -- for the second time in 10 days. And the same suspect in that case is also wanted in connection with several other robberies around the area. Police believe that Samuel...

City Council approves $700,000 building sale; limits riding at Busco

The Goldsboro City Council has voted to rezone the Busco Beach and ATV Park property and to sell the property where the former Arts Council of Wayne County once stood. Council placed new restrictions on the park, which is...

District OKs land buy for new school

The Wayne County Board of Education voted Monday night to proceed with the purchase of a parcel of land for the proposed Spring Creek Middle School, approved its 2013-14 uniform budget and approved a measure to sell five older modular...

A Wayne County cornerstone

Wayne County Chamber of Commerce President Kate Daniels, Goldsboro Mayor Al King, 2013 Cornerstone Award winner Dr. David Tayloe Jr. and Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Tom Bradshaw unveil Tayloe's award plaque at Cornerstone Commons on Oct 3....

Big Sweep picks up nearly 1,000 pounds of trash

This year's Big Sweep has netted 67 bags of trash so far, totaling 955 pounds. More than 200 volunteers covered almost 14 miles in Wayne County at 14 sites, said coordinator Barbara Byers. She said the Jordan's Chapel Road...

Monday, October 7, 2013

Construction beginning on new Mount Olive library

Renderings and floor and structural plans have been completed for the new Steele Memorial Library in Mount Olive. "I am so excited to tell you that we have started construction on the Steele Memorial Library," County Purchasing Manager Noelle...

District makes second shift in staffing

Adjustments are still being made to the Exceptional Children's program in Wayne County Public Schools, with more than a half-dozen teachers recently reassigned to accommodate the enrollment numbers at several schools. This is not the first shift in the...

County to study details of plan for jail

Wayne County commissioners are seeking proposals for a feasibility study to convert the former Wayne Correctional Center to house the Sheriff's Office and county jail. Also, part of the study is a review of the use of the existing...

Base personnel called back

Roughly 200 civilian members of the 4th Fighter Wing and 180 of their Reserve counterparts are "back in business." Less than a week after more than 70 percent of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base's non-uniformed work force was told...

More need in county

The reasons vary -- loss of a job, a cut in hours, a glitch in the food stamp system, on a fixed income -- but the result is the same, more people in Wayne County are hungry and need food....

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair daily winners

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Daily Winners Friday, Oct. 4 Vocational Competition Science 1st -- Southern Wayne High School 2nd -- Eastern Wayne High School Cheerleading Contest Middle School 1st -- Woodington Middle 2nd -- EB Frink Middle 3rd -- Greenwood...

Grantham Grange honored by state

Grantham Grange won several honors during the N.C. State Grange's annual convention held Sept. 19-21 at the Hilton Charlotte University Place in Charlotte. It won first place in Legislative Affairs and for Grange Month that was held in April....

Former librarian works to advance national conversation about women and ag

Mount Olive native Shorlette Ammons said she is excited at the prospect of participating in a program that could influence national policy on agriculture. Ms. Ammons, coordinator for the Center for Environmental Farming Systems' Community-Based Food Systems Outreach near...

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Fond fair-well

People watch and take pictures as Casey Young, 14, Alexis Walter, 16, Victoria Deem, 14, Annie Bernard, 16, and Shaquille Miller, 19, dance to the Cupid Shuffle on the midway at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Saturday -- the...

Mount Olive Heart Walk-ers raise $21,000 to battle disease

MOUNT OLIVE -- No matter how much money the 42nd Annual Mount Olive Heart Walk raised for heart disease research Saturday -- more than $21,000 according to early returns -- it will rank among the more memorable for one...

School board, commissioners plan meeting

It will be as late as Monday before the agenda will be ready for Tuesday's joint meeting between the Wayne County Board of Commissioners and the county Board of Education to discuss school facility needs. The agenda will definitely...

Council to vote on bid for site

Goldsboro City Council is expected to accept a bid on the site of the former Arts Council of Wayne County building and to decide a rezoning issue at its meeting Monday. Council members will decide whether to accept The...

Sponsors being sought for Wreaths Across America Day

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that is seeking to place a wreath on the grave of every service man or woman during the Christmas holidays, and it is seeking sponsors to help. Evergreen Memorial Cemetery on U.S. 70...

Meet Cameron's crew

When Cameron Carlyle enrolled at Wayne Country Day School last spring, the high-functioning autistic student was more comfortable indoors sitting in front of a video game console or designing games on the computer. His response to the suggestion to...

This county family stars in its very own Wild West Show

Heated words are exchanged. Neither side is backing down. Voices rise as guns are drawn. The tension breaks as the offenders are led away to jail. The respite is short-lived though as the lawmen are distracted -- and there...

Schools: 20 still lacking vaccine

Nearly two dozen students still have not gotten a vaccination required by law and will not be allowed back in the classroom until they do, officials said last week. Tdap, tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, is required for all students entering sixth grade...

Local restaurants get ready for annual Taste of Wayne County

Wayne County's eateries are firing up their ovens and getting ready to prepare their tastiest fare for the annual Taste of Wayne County. The event, a fundraiser for the United Way of Wayne County, will be Saturday from 11...

Operation Christmas Child starts campaign

As the holidays approach, officials with Operation Christmas Child are reminding local residents to begin preparing shoeboxes of gifts and other items for needy children around the world. The program is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse, which distributed the boxes to...

An anniversary prayer

A service Saturday at Waynesborough Park commemorated the 170th anniversary of First Baptist Church of Goldsboro. The service was held in Bethany Friends Meeting House. First Baptist Church was organized at what is now Waynesborough Park in 1843. Activities...

Fire Princess contestants

These girls will be competing in the Wayne County Fire Princess Pageant on Saturday. Front row, from left: Sarah Casey, Spring Creek High, Elroy; Hannah Kennedy, Charles B. Aycock High, Nahunta; Janey Jones, Southern Wayne High, Mar Mac; Brittany...

All creatures great and small

Pet owners recite a prayer during the Blessing of the Animals in the garden at St. Francis Episcopal Church Saturday. The Rev. Doug Culton blessed more than 20 pets during the ceremony, which is conducted every year at the...

Faculty recital is planned at college

MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College Music Department will present a faculty recital Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mount Olive Assembly Hall, 205 Wooten St. The event is free. Dr. Alan Armstrong, cellist, will be...

Kinetic Minds receives $2,000 grant from Dollar General

Kinetic Minds recently received a $2,000 Youth Literacy grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to support its literacy program. The grant will be used to support interactive literacy lessons for elementary students. Lessons are provided as part of Kinetic...

Officials, company break ground on new kiln at plant

Wayne County commissioners broke ground alongside Georgia-Pacific executives on a project to install a third drying kiln at the Georgia-Pacific lumber mill in Dudley last week. The new kiln and other improvements will cost around $9 million and are...

Pies have become their family tradition

When Kelsey Sanders was a toddler, she remembers going with her mother to the pie baking contest at the county fair. Her mother was a co-director with Kelsey's grandmother, entering the pies and preparing them to be judged. So, years...

Driver cited in Friday crash

A veteran Wayne County Public Schools bus driver cited in an early Friday morning accident has been cited by the Highway Patrol and placed on administrative leave by the district pending investigation. Russell Glenwood Spence Jr., 71, reportedly drove...

Friday, October 4, 2013

Shutdown hits Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, city coffers

The numbers are in, and for the vast majority of civilians who work on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base -- and many local hotels, restaurants, gas stations and bars -- they don't look promising. More than 70 percent of...

Cowboys and cowgirls

It seemed that neither 1-year-old Scott Massey nor Junebug the donkey knew what to make of the other during Thursday night's Open Pony and Mule Show at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair. Starting young is a Massey family tradition --...

Cyclists make stop in city during trek

Goldsboro got an economic shot in the arm Thursday in the form of nearly 1,200 bicyclists riding into the city for an overnight stay on the 15th annual Cycle North Carolina bicycle ride. The week long ride is held...

Nine hurt in morning bus crash

A Wayne County Public Schools bus driver will be cited for an unsafe movement violation after an early morning accident on U.S. 70 East that sent six Eastern Wayne High School students to the hospital. The driver and two passengers...

Teens show off tractor skills

Bragging rights were on the line Thursday afternoon as 13 teenagers stepped onto a Kubota tractor to show just how skilled they are with the most common piece of farm equipment at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair. And as...

Ponies, mules, donkeys strut their stuff at fair show

Heather Smith has been coming to the Wayne County Agricultural Fair ever since she moved to the area nine years ago, but for her 5-year-old daughter, Nora, the sights and sounds are still pretty new. On Thursday, Nora held...

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair daily winners

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Daily Winners Thursday, Oct. 3 Talent Contest Vocal Solo 1st (6-8) -- Morgan Gurley, Eastern Wayne Middle 1st (9-12) -- Shanice Ruffin, Wayne Early Middle College Instrumental Solo 1st (6-8) -- Nathaniel Daniels, Spring Creek Middle...

Decades in horses

A quick look at the results of this year's Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair's horse show proves one thing very quickly -- the Head family knows its horses. It's been more than 50 years since Ross Head Sr. rode his...

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Base, city are considering joint projects

Cooperation between Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the city of Goldsboro could lead to a partnership that would have both entities sharing some services and even, possibly, the base's involvement in a proposed multisports complex the city is...

A toss for victory

Bryce Herring, 10, Lexton Lewis, 10, Lawson Adams, 6, and Trey Adams, 10, aim for the center bottle while playing the ring toss game at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Wednesday night. The boys shared several buckets, and one...

Man, 24, charged with sex offense

A 24-year-old Goldsboro man arrested Wednesday afternoon by the Goldsboro Police Department faces felony charges in connection with an incident involving an 11-year-old. Deandra Rashawn Williams, of 410 E. Spruce St., is currently being held in the Wayne County...

The building that county students built

Elijah Pendergrass steadied the ladder while Tommy Thompson hammered a 2-by-4 supporting the roof of a small wooden structure at the Wayne Regional Agriculture Fair. The Southern Wayne High School classmates are part of its Construction Academy. During the...

County OKs ag center funds

No site has been selected, nor any plans drawn for a proposed $12 million Wayne County Regional Agricultural Center, but county commissioners Tuesday morning voted unanimously to appropriate $2 million for the project. The action was taken to demonstrate...

Mount Olive to walk for hearts Saturday

Five months of fundraising for the American Heart Association will culminate with the 42nd annual Mount Olive Heart Walk scheduled Saturday. The official event begins with registration at 8 a.m. and will feature music, testimony from heart disease survivors...

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair daily winners

Agricultural Fair Daily Winners Wednesday, Oct. 2 Vocational Competition Auto Mechanics 1st -- Lee West, Charles B. Aycock High Cheerleading Contest Varsity 1st -- South Lenoir High 2nd -- Rosewood High 3rd -- North Lenoir High Jr. Varsity 1st --...

A green thumb and personal touch

Phyllis Sutton normally gives her plants tender love and care. But let them start acting up or droop a little or not grow as they should and she will not hesitate to fuss at them. "I won't tell you...

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Shutdown affects SJAFB

The commissary went dark. The men and women charged with training the military's future F-15E aviators were grounded. Many of the civilians who work on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base were furloughed. The government shutdown came home to Wayne County...

County in line to get $6 million grant

A nearly six-year quest to establish a veterans' cemetery in Wayne County is one step closer to becoming a reality following Tuesday's announcement that the state is expected to be awarded a $6 million federal grant for the project. Local...

Man shot in leg after dispute in Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- A Mount Olive man, known locally as "Bo," faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury after shooting a man the locals call "Coot" in the leg with a shotgun...

First-time pie bakers awarded

Alan Ledezma was so sure that he wasn't going to be taking away an award from the pie baking competition at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair on Tuesday that when they were being handed out, he was sitting out in...

Seniors show off talents at the fair

Jesse Lumpkin likes the sound of the mandolin being played during the theme song to the movie "Dr. Zhivago," so that's what he chose to do at the senior citizens talent contest at the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair on Tuesday....

Cyclists making stop in Goldsboro

Droves of bicycle riders will be pedaling into Goldsboro on Thursday during the 15th annual Cycle North Carolina ride from the mountains to the coast. The ride is held annually to promote physical fitness and health and provide an economic...

Trial set for man charged in son's murder

A trial date has been set for a 22-year-old accused of murder in connection with the death of his son. In a bond hearing in Wayne County Superior Court Tuesday, Judge Arnold O. Jones agreed to a reduction in...

Fair attendance on pace for record

DUDLEY-- Good weather is helping the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair see record crowds this year, fair manager Eddie Pitzer said Tuesday. "The weather has been good and the forecast looks great for the rest of the week," he said....

School board gets first look at proposed budget

The Wayne County Board of Education held a called meeting Tuesday afternoon to discuss the 2013-14 uniform budget, scheduled to be voted on at the regular meeting next week. The session gave the full board additional time to review...

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Officers warn of phone scams

MOUNT OLIVE -- A Mount Olive man was conned out of $900 in a telephone scam last week, and local police are warning citizens about receiving calls in which they are told they must send money to a given...

District asking parents to fill out surveys

Wayne County Public Schools is sending home more than 19,350 Impact Aid Surveys today, which could result in supplemental federal funding. Impact Aid is a federal aid program administered through the U.S. Department of Education that provides funding for...

County commission, city council meet, weigh issues

Wayne County commissioners wrapped up their series of meetings with the county's seven municipalities Monday with a morning meeting with the Goldsboro City Council. The meetings were billed as a way for the commissioners to "break bread" with the...

Set for judging

Becky Bevell Pate isn't exactly sure how long she has been working at county fairs, but a half century wouldn't surprise her. "I don't know. I've been in the ECA for a number of years. I've been associated with...

Ride 'em, cowboy: Wicked Bulls at fair again tonight

DUDLEY -- Gail Roberts of Dudley enjoys the excitement of watching the massive bulls bolt out of the gate, agitated by the tight flank belt and raring to dislodge the pesky human on their massive backs. But Monday night,...

Riverbend Road direct access closed

Direct access to Riverbend Road from U.S. 70 west of Goldsboro was permanently closed Friday morning by the state Department of Transportation to allow work crews to construct the new alignment for the western section of the U.S. 70...

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair daily winners

Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Daily Winners Monday, Sept. 30 Vocational competition Carpentry -- 1st place, Oscar Trejo, Southern Wayne High Health Occupations Medical Spelling Bee -- Payton Best, Charles B. Aycock High...

Annual Big Sweep cleanup to be held Saturday across county

Trash tossed along highways and waterways pollutes the environment and can even have effects many miles away from where it was first discarded. On Saturday, Wayne County volunteers will try to reduce the amount of trash entering the environment...