February 2015 archives

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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Cannon defends "duel" residency

As the Wayne County Board of Education exited a three-hour-long closed session Monday preparing to begin a work session of the called meeting, a table carrying a laptop and bearing the nameplate of board member Dr. Dwight Cannon was...

Actors' group to honor Carl Sandburg

The great 20th century writer Carl Sandburg more often than not is associated with Illinois. But what many people do not realize is that he also belongs to North Carolina having lived his last 20 years at a home...

Schools set make-up days

Make-up days have been announced for the six days missed over the past two weeks -- two of them extending the school year to June 12, Wayne County Public Schools officials announced Saturday. The district was forced to close...

Wayne Community College's Child Care Conference set for Saturday

A creative education advocate is the keynote speaker at this year's Wayne County Child Care Conference, being held this week at Wayne Community College. The March 7 conference -- offering sessions on dozens of topics -- is an opportunity...

Wall of Fame nominations sought

The Wayne County Historical Association is again accepting applications for persons to be considered for the Wall of Fame. Applications must be received before April 1 for consideration. A committee of long-time residents across the county, who are not...

Friday, February 27, 2015

A self-made man

Richard Gower wants to change people's lives and make positive changes in his community. And his vehicle for doing that is chicken. The owner of Zaxby's started out as a cook at one of the restaurants in Athens, Ga.,...

Forty former queens coming to pageant

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Miss Aycock pageant, with the event scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. in the old gym at Charles B. Aycock High School. Six contestants are competing for the 2015 crown. Jill...

Smoke smell leads to arrest

The smell of marijuana alerted officers to the presence of drugs during a traffic stop conducted by the Wayne County Drug Task Force Wednesday, a sheriff's office press release said. Simon Rudy Hill, 68, 105 Newsome Road, is charged...

Aycock student hurt in shooting

The Wilson Police Department this morning confirmed the identity of a Charles B. Aycock High School student shot Wednesday in Wilson. Wayne County Public Schools Director of Communications Ken Derksen verified the student's name. Shy'khym Allen, 16, is an...

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Schools plan Saturday make-up

Wayne County dodged a bullet overnight as snow skipped the area, but school officials must still make up for six snow days over the past two weeks. They have already announced the first makeup day -- Saturday. Predictions of...

Forecasters say bad weather was above Wilson

The snow and ice forecast to inundate Wayne County with one to three inches of accumulation missed the area Wednesday night. Instead, freezing rain and then rain continued to fall all night long. National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Moneypenny...

Town loses longtime town board member

MOUNT OLIVE -- Town Commissioner George Allen Fulghum, 45, died Tuesday at Duke University Hospital following a period of declining health. Fulghum was a person who could be counted on to make sure things got done, said Julie Beck,...

Weather no real worry for local restaurant crew

"Good morning, darling, how are you?" Steven Gambella says in his booming voice as he pulls open the drive-thru window. He hands a warm breakfast sandwich out the window with a smile. He is a morning person. The Five...

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

United Way celebrates successful year

Becky Brock is the good. The human resource generalist at Cooper Standard Automotive has given to United Way for 20 years. In 2013, Cooper Standard gave what Ms. Brock describes as an embarrassing amount. Last year, she set a...

Snow scurry

Seven-year-old Abby Baldner is fearless. She grabbed her plastic disk and clutched it to her chest. It was her first time sledding. "I'm going to go down on my stomach," she yelled at her friends, the Brownstead family. Mom...

Citizens brace for next round of snow

Another 2 to 4 inches of snow and sleet are expected to fall on Wayne County tonight through Thursday morning. Conditions are expected to worsen in the northern part of the county, where 2.5 inches of snow and ice...

Suspect charged in vehicle break-ins

The Goldsboro Police Department has a suspect in a series of motor vehicle break-ins under investigation since early November, according to a press release. Tayvon James Hawkins, 23, 1306 Stephens Court, is charged with three counts of breaking and...

Suspect facing federal charges

A Goldsboro man is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service today after compiling a slew of felony charges that makes him eligible for federal prosecution, the N.C. Department of Justice said. Shawntana Lemarus Thompson, 26, of 419 W....

Snow-related accidents keep local officers busy

A N.C. Department of Transportation snow plow and a passenger car collided on a Wayne County road Tuesday, sending the driver of the car to Wayne Memorial Hospital with what first responders called "significant injuries." Early snow and late...

Study shows impact of University of Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive created $136.5 million of added economic value during the 2012-13 fiscal year. That is the finding of a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of higher education in the state. The...

NCRC tests scheduled for March

The WorkKeys(r) tests for the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) will be offered five times in March. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success (WORKS) program will provide testing sessions at 8:30 a.m.to 12:30 p.m. on March 3, 12:30...

Local woman publishes book on true love story

"My Poor Baby" is a new book by Goldsboro resident Eugenia Daniels chronicling her true love story that started in high school and was interrupted by life only to be rekindled 40 years later. However, the reunion was short-lived...

Lasting legacy

PIKEVILLE -- The grocery store business is the only life that Charlie Howell knows, and after his 55 year tenure he is retiring. He has been working at Howell Brothers -- his family's business -- since he was 10...

Firefighters respond to pickup truck fire

Goldsboro Fire Department Engine 5 arrived on scene to the Forest Hills Drive family residence of District Attorney Matthew Delbridge to find his pickup truck fully engulfed in flames Tuesday night. Three other fire companies responded to the fire to...

Crime of the week

On Wednesday, Feb. 11, at approximately 3:20 a.m., an employee of the Kangaroo Express located at 515 East New Hope Road in Goldsboro reported a unknown, black male came into the store and snatched currency from her hand while she...

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Officials: Fair attendance was solid

Despite rain around opening day, last year's Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair had attendance almost equal to the 2013 fair and saw more than 5,000 exhibitors enter items in the fair, Fair Manager Eddie Pitzer said at Monday night's 67th Annual...

Schools plan to hold classes, then send students home

As winter weather rolled into Wayne County this morning, so did the dismissal of Wayne County Public Schools at 9:30 a.m. With the National Weather Service calling for one to three inches of snowfall in the area, the school...

Superintendent search begins

More than 20 applications, 40 percent from in-state, have been submitted for the job of superintendent of the Wayne County Public Schools. The applications will be discussed in closed session, Board of Education Chairman Chris West said. However, West...

Weather delays jury selection in ex-officer's trial

Jury selection will not resume in Wayne County Superior Court today due to weather. The process began with a pool of 85 potential jurors assembled in courtroom No. 4 Monday for the statutory rape case against former Goldsboro Police...

Free seminar at Wayne Community College rescheduled for Thursday

The Wayne Business and Industry Center has rescheduled "Long-Term Business Planning for AgriBusinesses" for 5-8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26, in Room 123 of the Walnut Building on the college's main campus in Goldsboro. The free seminar will cover the...

City man shot, refuses to cooperate

A Goldsboro man shot in the leg Monday declined medical transport and signed a non-prosecution form, according to a Goldsboro police report. Goldsboro police responded to a 911 call that a person had been shot at 207 S. Kornegay...

Suspects to face marijuana charges

The Wayne County Drug Task Force made two arrests last week, seizing 25 grams of marijuana in the first case and two pounds of the illegal drug in the second. The first arrest took place Feb. 16 after drug...

Monday, February 23, 2015

Police investigate another city shooting

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a shooting outside a local convenience store late Saturday night. So far all investigators have to go on is a description of the shooter, according to the police report. The shooting took place...

Second McCall's fire called 'suspicious'

A second fire in the barbecue pit at McCall's Bar-B-Q & Seafood Saturday has been deemed suspicious, according to a Goldsboro police report. Firefighters were called back to the seen hours after the first fire, which took place ahead...

Inmate charged in car theft

A Goldsboro man already in jail now faces additional charges for larceny and possession of stolen goods, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's office press release. Jahaun Maleek Bryant, 22, 215 Banks Ave., was already in jail on previous...

Commission approves jail, ag center funding

Wayne County commissioners have appropriated an additional $7 million for a new jail and an agriculture center, bringing the total amount set aside for the two projects to $14 million. Commissioners added $5 million to the $5 million already...

Trial is set for ex-GPD officer

Jury selection is set to begin in Wayne County Superior Court Monday in the case of the former Goldsboro Police Department captain charged in 2014 with statutory rape. The abuse allegedly occurred more than 12 years ago. Chad E....

City man attacked at local store

Two men are in jail today on drug and assault charges after police say they beat a man at Beestown Grocery, 905 S. Slocumb St., Saturday. The assault took place at 7:25 p.m. according to a Goldsboro police report....

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Making it count

She would rather you hold your applause. Being in the spotlight isn't really her thing. But despite her modesty, Goldsboro Fire Department Assistant Chief Lisa Johnson is quite accomplished. This June, Goldsboro's second-ever female firefighter -- and wife, mother,...

WCPS: Missed classes must be made up

Wayne County students who got almost a week off because of the ice and cold should not be celebrating just yet. Those four days will have to be made up, officials say. Losing four days of classes presents a...

Driver's education facing funding cuts

If the General Assembly pushes through legislation this summer to end state funding for driver education classes for schools, the consequences will be more than financial, local officials say. "It's going to affect everybody that drives a vehicle," said...

WAGES looking for new students

WAGES Head Start and Early Head Start are accepting applications for the 2015-16 school year. Open application days will be held every Tuesday through June 23, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Applications will be accepted at the WAGES...

Vietnam POWS to speak

RALEIGH -- The program American POWs and Vietnamese Re-Education Camps has been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. Admission is free. Seating is limited, so plan to arrive early. Come...

U.S. 70 public meeting March 10

RALEIGH -- The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting in March regarding proposed improvements to U.S. 70 at the intersections with Martin Livestock Road and Pondfield Road near Princeton in Johnston County. The informal meeting, which was...

Tickets on sale for Bentonville re-enactment

FOUR OAKS -- Advance tickets for the state's largest Civil War re-enactment, the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville slated for March 21-22, are selling quickly, but are still available. Tickets purchased before March 15 are $12 for adults...

Trash treasures

It is not trash. The stacks of receipts and take-out boxes that clutter Quentin Warren's closet are not results of years of hoarding. They are his portfolio. Each piece of paper is a work of art. Quentin saves things. He...

Wayne Community College set to host panel discussion

Wayne Community College's Cultural Diversity/Global Education Task Force and Wayne County Historical Association are partnering to provide a very special Black History Month presentation this coming Thursday. The "Living Legacies" event will include a discussion with five Wayne County residents...

Miss Eastern Wayne High School pageant will unfold next weekend

Six contestants will be vying for the title of Miss Eastern Wayne High School 2015 next weekend. The scholarship pageant will take place Friday evening at 7 p.m. in Moffatt Auditorium at Wayne Community College. Sponsored by the Family,...

Firefighters respond to McCall's; restaurant's smoke pit damaged

Smoke rising over the treetops near the intersection of U.S. 70 East and N.C. Highway 111 South Saturday had diners on edge as they traced the source of the smoke back to McCall's Bar-B-Q and Seafood. The restaurant itself...

March blood drive schedule

The following is the March blood drive schedule for the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross: * March 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Eastern Wayne High School. * March 10 from 10 a.m. to 2:30...

Friday, February 20, 2015

Braving the cold, ice to bring meals to friends

Martha Bryan hitched her leg up onto the porch and jumped up. She avoided the icy ramp that led to the door. Her hands clutched a precariously stacked disposable plate. The retired teacher nimbly mounted the porch and knocked...

Glenn Darden dismissed of 2013 charges

Charges of indecent liberties with a student and sexual battery against a former Eastern Wayne High School basketball coach have been dismissed. Glenn Isaac Darden was charged in December 2013 with the crime. His case was dismissed last week in...

Thursday, February 19, 2015

County: Groups must prove worth

Nonprofit organizations will be challenged under a new county policy to demonstrate why their services are important enough to warrant Wayne County commissioners to help fund them. That is just one of the tests that nonprofits will face following...

Local residents flock to library on day off

Zitereon Cobb was going stir crazy. Three days out of school and there was nothing to do. The snow days' ice left much to be desired when building snowmen or throwing snowballs. His grandma Margaret Gray was tired of...

Citizen helps GPD solve hit and run

What began as a simple fender bender at the intersection of Royall and North Jefferson avenues Wednesday turned into a search for a hit-and-run suspect. A quick-witted witness who snapped a timely photo with her cell phone camera helped lead...

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Former commissioner: Present case to commission to protect funding

A former county commissioner schooled the WATCH board on how to secure continued funding from the current commission -- stand firm on the agency's value to the county and stay away from their cameras. Jack Best, District 6 representative...

Suspect faces more charges in $8,400 theft

A LaGrange man already jailed for breaking and entering and fraud earlier this month now faces additional charges of larceny after taking more than $8,400 in property from a Princeton residence, a Wayne County Sheriff's Office press release said....

The big shiver

The truck drivers who deliver fuel to homes and the technicians who bring frozen heating units back to life have been perhaps the most popular people in Wayne County over the past few days. And they can expect that...

No serious accidents from ice

The number of accidents reported on city and county roads spiked only slightly over the last two days as Goldsboro and Wayne County have been inundated with ice and frigid temperatures. The state Highway Patrol responded to 24 calls...

Council approves ordinance update

The Goldsboro City Council unanimously passed its consent agenda Monday night, meaning a few budget amendments were passed and an update to Chapter 91 the city's code of ordinances was passed. Chapter 91 of the city's code of ordinances...

Crime of the week

On Feb. 15, a representative of the Maxway located at 125 S. Center St. reported the fourth break-in at this place of business since December 2014. In all incident reports, the suspect stole television sets, DVD players and a heater....

UMO names Assembly Hall in honor of Hazel Kornegay

MOUNT OLIVE -- Years ago Billy Kornegay walked across the floor in the old Mount Olive High School auditorium to receive his diploma. Sunday afternoon he walked across that same floor to join family, friends and the University of...

Police find man in utility closet

A United States Air Force member assigned to the 4th Civil Engineering Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is charged with breaking and entering Feb. 13 after Goldsboro police found him intoxicated in another man's utility closet outside...

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Shoppers hit stores to prepare for icy days

The bread was gone. The bacon was gone. And the winter weather isn't over yet. While school children were still snug in their bed, celebrating the snow day, the staff of Carlie C's showed up before 7 a.m. to...

Can you help Meals on Wheels?

Many of the Meals on Wheels volunteers are elderly themselves, and some could be a little unsure in the current weather conditions. Director Brownie Doss said she could use some additional volunteers -- particularly younger adults -- who are...

City police looking into break-ins at local store

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating the fourth break-in in a two-month span at the Maxway retail store located at 125 S. Center St. in downtown Goldsboro. The most recent break-in took place Sunday at 2:04 a.m. According to...

Rain, sleet, snow, ice, repeat; Wayne County stops as winter hits

Wayne County was covered by a half inch of ice this morning as residents woke up to a scene out of the Disney movie "Frozen," but the county dodged the worst of the freezing rain that struck counties to...

City to buy club

Goldsboro is now a couple of steps away from owning its very own country club. After little discussion, members of the Goldsboro City Council voted yes on the motion to purchase the Goldsboro Country Club with the hopes of...

Goldsboro man arrested Friday on drug charges

A Goldsboro man faces charges of drug trafficking following a traffic stop Friday on U.S. 70 East. Marquil Jamel Brodie, 29, 715 First St., is charged with trafficking cocaine by possession and trafficking cocaine by transport, according to a...

Local programs deal with weather

Meals on Wheels deliveries were interrupted today because of the inclement weather, with officials hopeful the service will resume on Wednesday. Offices at WAGES, or Wayne Action Group for Economic Solvency, which houses Meals on Wheels, were closed today....

Lenten services begin this week and run until April 1

The Community Lenten services begin this week and will continue over the weeks leading up to Easter. The annual event is led by CLIFF, Clergy Living In Faith and Fellowship, the local ministers association. They take place each Wednesday...

Chamber of Commerce announces new app

In an effort to provide more value to its members while increasing service to the community, the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce has announced "'MyChamberApp," a smart phone application that highlights members, helps prospects find you and makes it easier...

Monday, February 16, 2015

WCSO to move location for gun purchase permits

Citing security concerns, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office will no longer be issuing handgun purchase permits out of its annex office at U.S. 117 North Bypass. Approved permits from now on will only be handed out at the Sheriff's Office...

Watching for ice

Between a quarter to a half an inch of ice could blanket Wayne County before a winter storm moves across the area later today and into Tuesday morning. A winter storm warning is in effect from 4 p.m. today...

County weighs funds for jail

Capital project ordinances for a new misdemeanant jail and an agriculture center are expected to be adopted by Wayne County commissioners when they meet Tuesday. The ordinance for the detention center would cover fiscal budget years 2014-15 and 2015-16,...

Opening day set for sporting goods store

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery and former East Carolina and pro quarterback David Garrard will be at the new Dick's Sporting Goods this coming weekend when it celebrates the grand opening of its new Goldsboro store. Dick's Sporting...

Robbery assault at Sids

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a report of a robbery and assault that allegedly took place at a local strip club Thursday. The robbery took place at Sid's Show Girls, 1931 N. William St., the report said. According to...

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Hearts and fun

kballard@newsargus.com Sandra Newsome was there to win. She jumped from one cutout heart to the next during the Donut Walk. She threw her bean bags with skill during the beanbag toss. The 7-year-old even caught a candy bar at the...

Train collides with pickup at Fremont crossing

FREMONT -- A CSX train collided with a pickup truck on Saturday night in Fremont. The driver of the truck was unharmed, but a pedestrian was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. The collision happened at the...

Woman reports hearing 11 shots, damage to her car

jjoyce@newsargus.com A Goldsboro woman reported hearing 11 shots from two different types of weapon outside her Water Street home at 4 a.m. Wednesday. Later that morning, she found bullet had passed through her vehicle. According to a Goldsboro police report,...

School calendar bill now on table

sherring@newsargus.com Wayne County School Board Chairman Christ West said he and his board are "happy" to learn that a bipartisan bill has been introduced in the state House that would return control of setting the opening and closing dates of...

Commissioners to weigh new rules for nonprofits

sherring@newsargus.com Wayne County commissioners are considering a policy that would require nonprofit organizations to prove that their programs are worth the county cutting services or even increasing property taxes to fund them. Requests would be considered only once a year...

Goldsboro Housing Authority earns top rating

esmith@newsargus.com More than four months after two former Goldsboro Housing Authority employees pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful conversion of federal funds, the agency has received a "high performer" designation from HUD. Goldsboro Housing Authority CEO Anthony Goodson credits...

Council agenda light for Monday's meeting

The Goldsboro City Council will have a light agenda for its meeting Monday evening. There will be no public work session before the meeting. Council will have only a closed session at 6:30 p.m. to discuss a personnel matter...

City eyes country club buy

esmith@newsargus.com Slightly more than two months after the Goldsboro Country Club announced it was closing its doors, the Goldsboro City Council will consider voting Monday night on buying the club to keep it in operation. The club closed its doors...

Friday, February 13, 2015

Family left homeless by kitchen fire

Goldsboro Assistant Fire Chief James Farfour praised the quick action of a woman whose family was displaced from its home in Fairview Circle early this morning following a kitchen fire. The fire started at 12:31 a.m. today at 913...

Search for suspect

The Princeton Police Department has released still photographs from the security cameras inside the BB&T Bank at 102 N. Pine St., which was robbed by a single gunman Thursday. The gunman entered the bank at 9:42 a.m., fired a...

No serious injuries in four-car accident in city

A medical emergency suffered by an elderly woman while driving led to a four-car accident on Royall Avenue just past North Spence Avenue Thursday afternoon. One vehicle rolled over on its side after striking three other cars, trapping the...

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Road map for future

A bill seeking interstate status for the new U.S. 70 bypass is expected to be introduced in the U.S. House by next week at the request of N.C. Transportation Secretary Tony Tata. That was the message that Tata brought...

City police officer injured in crash at intersection

A Goldsboro police officer was injured Wednesday when his vehicle was struck by another driver at the intersection of East Ash Street and North Berkeley Boulevard. The wreck happened at 1:35 p.m. Officer Claude Jackson, 50, used his police...

Health board not worried about measles in Wayne

The recent multi-state measles outbreak is not a major concern to officials at the Wayne County Health Department, where the vaccination is available to those who may need it. "It's state law that all children get the MMR (measles,...

Bank branch robbed; shot fired

PRINCETON -- Princeton police Chief Tyrone Sutton said his officers responded to an armed robbery call at the BB&T Bank at 102 N. Pine St. late this morning. The suspect was described as a black male about 6 feet...

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Kitchen blaze starts while woman sleeps

A Goldsboro man might have saved his home and family Tuesday by using a fire extinguisher to douse flames that started in his kitchen, the Goldsboro Fire Department said. No one was injured. "The resident emptied his fire extinguisher on...

Is this the winner?

Dean Hilburn rings up a customer for Powerball tickets this morning at Save More on Ash Street. With a jackpot of $485 million, Hilburn says he has seen an increase in sales of tickets, especially people who don't play...

Man charged with stalking woman

A Goldsboro man finds himself in the Wayne County Jail where he is held without bond today on charges of stalking after chasing a woman all around the city Monday night, according to a Goldsboro police report. Jonathan Seaman,...

Three students from WCPS win first place

Three Wayne County Public Schools students won first place awards in the Southeast Regional Science Fair, held last weekend at UNC-Wilmington. A Charles B. Aycock High School student also received special recognition promoting female participation in science-related fields. Following...

Man, 59, will face marijuana charges

A Goldsboro man faces drug trafficking charges following a joint investigation conducted back in January by the Goldsboro/Wayne County Drug Squad, the Goldsboro Police Department's Selective Enforcement Unit, Housing Unit and A Shift Patrol division. According to a press...

Fair wins coveted award at convention

DUDLEY -- The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair won four awards, including the coveted Image Award, during the recent N.C. Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention. The 2014 edition of the fair also brought home the Agriculture, Media and Youth awards....

Crime of the week

On Jan. 23, a 43-year-old female reported that while shopping at the Walmart at 2908 U.S. Highway 70 West, her wallet was stolen from her purse. Further investigation lead to warrants being secured for the following persons: Shanita Fryae,...

Brogden student chosen to attend summer program

An eighth-grade student at Brogden Middle School was one of six students in the state chosen to attend a summer enrichment program at a North Carolina college or university. Jonathan Vasquez will receive a $1,000 Middle School Summer Enrichment...

Man forces his way into home

A Goldsboro man called police early this morning to report a burglary after a man forced his way in to his home while he was there. Just what the intruder took, however, remains unclear. Jeremy Lavale Faison, 35, 401...

Food and farming

Reconnecting with the land and finding ways to grow and distribute fresh food locally was the focus of a panel discussion Tuesday night at the Wayne County Museum. The event was part of the ongoing series of events associated...

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Sharing love of reading

Tiffany Dickerson wanted to throw her daughter a party. Sydney was turning 2, and her mom did not want just "any old party" for her. But Sydney was not enamored of Mickey Mouse or anything like that. "She was really...

Boy Scouts honor three Silver Beavers at annual banquet

MOUNT OLIVE -- It is a family affair. His grandfather received the award, and so did two of his uncles. And on Saturday evening in the Lois A. Murphy center, Ashton Griffin became the fourth member of his family...

Active grenade found in yard

An unexploded hand grenade caused the evacuation of several homes, a day care and a string of apartments on Lee Drive and Glenwood Trail in Goldsboro on Monday afternoon. Goldsboro police, firefighters and rescue personnel all responded to the...

Brothers charged in car thefts

The Goldsboro Police Department announced Monday the arrest of two brothers made during an investigation into the breaking and entering of a motor vehicle and subsequent financial card fraud. Jesse Luke Hardin, 20, 408 Hinson St., is charged with...

Wayne County Farm Bureau honored

GREENSBORO -- The Wayne County Farm Bureau was named the winner of the 2014 County of Excellence Award, Division 1. The county organization was judged North Carolina Farm Bureau's most effective in its membership class in implementing programs, services...

Blaze claims shed at business

A late night fire destroyed a storage shed behind a business off North William Street Monday night. The Goldsboro Fire Department responded to a call of a structure fire in the 1500 block of North William Street and found...

Monday, February 9, 2015

Argument ends in shots

Hours before shooting his stepfather in the back and then taking his own life Thursday, a Mount Olive man fired shots at a car carrying his own child, interim MOPD Chief Tommy Brown said. Daniel Webster Croom, 24, of...

Scientist set to speak at UMO's Martin lecture

Dr. Santanu Bose will be the guest speaker for the 22nd annual Lorelle F. Martin Lecture Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Southern Bank Auditorium in the Raper Building on the University of Mount Olive campus. Bose is...

Banquet honors citizens' service

MOUNT OLIVE -- Surprise was the sentiment of the evening at the Mount Olive Area Chamber of Commerce/Jaycees Banquet Thursday. Award recipients said they had no clue that they were to be honored for their service to the community....

Wayne Reads panel discussion Tuesday night

The rich legacy of food and agriculture in North Carolina will be the subject of the next Wayne County Reads activity. A panel of local experts will celebrate and reflect on Southern food and farming culture through their personal stories...

UMO planning to hold financial aid workshop

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive will hold a financial aid workshop on Saturday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. until noon. Registration for the free event will be held in the Poole Administration Building. The workshop will assist...

Sunday, February 8, 2015

WATCH celebrates 15th anniversary

Sixteen years ago, Dr. Clark Gaither had a simple idea -- but one he believed in wholeheartedly. "I thought the county needed a free clinic," he said. "I didn't know what to do about it. It was just an...

Volunteer: GPAC not working

Francine Smith says while violent crime in Goldsboro continues to rob young mothers of their sons and young children of their fathers, there is little being said by city officials or community leaders. "I am not hearing anything," she...

DGDC eyeing grant funding

For now, it is just an idea. But it is an idea that could transform three buildings downtown that sit in the middle of Goldsboro's ongoing Streetscape project. Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. is considering applying for a North Carolina...

Bowling for medals

There is a towel stuffed into his back left pocket. He slides a glove onto his right hand -- a glove that is fingerless at the ring and middle finger. He says it allows him better control over the bowling...

Resource center critical to UMO

Dr. Regina Stone-Hernandez, assistant professor of education, is on a mission to help University of Mount Olive students. She wants students to take responsibility for their own education, and she is offering the tools to allow them to do...

University of Mount Olive set to host speaker on black history

MOUNT OLIVE -- Wayne County native Laurel C. Sneed will speak during the University of Mount Olive's African American History Month on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 9:30 a.m. in Rodgers Chapel. Ms. Sneed, an acclaimed educator and film producer,...

Wayne Reads art show at Aycock Birthplace

FREMONT -- Tired of cold weather and dreaming of your spring garden? There's art waiting to inspire you at the "Lexicon of Sustainability Pop-Up Art Show." The free show in the Ida H. Williams Auditorium at the Charles B....

'Good day, sunshine'

Tahir Blanding, 11, slides down one of the slides at the playground at St. Paul Methodist Church Saturday afternoon....

A purr-fect ending

Sankie Stallings pets Charlie on the cheek as he relaxes in a cat house at Pet Supplies Plus Saturday during the retirement party for store cats Charlie and Chloe. Mrs. Stallings, a cat owner herself, made a special trip...

Audubon lecture at UMO

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive will hold a lecture by Joseph Covington on "Birds on the Bayous: John James Audubon in Louisiana." The lecture will take place on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Southern Bank Auditorium....

WCPS receives Blue Ribbon honor for its local TV sports program

A TV sports program produced by Wayne County Public Schools recently received a Blue Ribbon Award for Effective Communications during the annual N.C. School Public Relations Association meeting. WCPS was one of 25 districts across the state recognized during...

Black history movie series

MOUNT OLIVE -- Wayne County native Laurel C. Sneed will speak during the University of Mount Olive's African American History Month on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 9:30 a.m. in Rodgers Chapel. Ms. Sneed, an acclaimed educator and film producer,...

Friday, February 6, 2015

Few schools make grade

The latest version of the state's school report cards was announced Thursday, and results for Wayne County Public Schools were less than stellar -- two A's, one B, 12 C's, nine D's and five F's. The district's two A's...

Purrrr-fect work if you can get it

Charlie is tired. He has spent the last 14 years in product testing, quality control and store management. He greets his employees at the door each morning, alongside his co-manager Chloe. She has been there for 11 years. The...

Vehicle collides with dump truck on U.S. 70

No one was killed Thursday afternoon when a head-on collision involving a dump truck and a passenger car stopped traffic on U.S. Highway 70 East near Lake Wackena Road. Only the driver of the car was transported to the...

Two charged with possession of methamphetamine precursors

Two Goldsboro men are in the Wayne County Jail today, charged by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force with buying and selling pseudoephedrine for the purpose of manufacturing and trafficking methamphetamine. According to a press release issued...

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Former POW speaks to SJAFB airmen

Barry Bridger was missing in action. He was listed as possibly killed in action. In 1967, his plane went down over Hanoi, Vietnam. His missile jammer failed. The explosion that followed blew off the tail, right wing and half...

Marking 100th day

Kindergartners Akayla Rodriguez, left, 6, and Ashyln Grubbs, 5, celebrate the 100th day of class at Meadow Lane Elementary School this morning by building with 100 cups. The kindergarten class rotated from room to room, doing different activities involving...

GATEWAY to receive facelift for buses

The Goldsboro Wayne Transportation Authority is undergoing significant changes, from the way GATEWAY's system looks and interacts with the public to how it is operated. GATEWAY brought in Quest Corp. of America to give its brand a significant overhaul...

Drug squad deputies investigate methamphetamine lab in Fremont

A Fremont man is being held in the Wayne County Jail under a $300,000 secured bond after federal agents and Wayne County Drug Squad officers discovered a meth lab at his residence. Sterling Chavez Trejo, 26, 401 Pate Road,...

WCC to offer courses to enhance job skills

'Wayne Community College Continuing Education Services will offer several classes this semester designed to enhance job skills. WCC's "Occupational Extension" courses are designed to equip students with practical knowledge of a specific nature which will enable students to pursue...

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Couple sought in connection with break-ins

A Goldsboro couple wanted for numerous breaking and entering and larceny cases that took place both in Goldsboro and across Wayne County are believed to be on the move, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said. A press release issued...

Pikeville commissioners fill board seat

PIKEVILLE -- The Pikeville Board of Commissioners appointed a resident of the Collingwood subdivision to fill a vacant seat on the board at its meeting on Monday. Commissioner Robert Hooks nominated Steve West to serve in the seat recently...

Cheering them on

Martie Saylors has devoted the past 28 years of her career in Wayne County Public Schools to improving the quality of life for physically challenged students. It may be a Down syndrome child lacking muscle tone, helping him graduate...

County OKs 911 study

Wayne County commissioners moved a step closer to a new 911 emergency center Tuesday, approving a call for an architectural and feasibility study for a new or renovated facility. They also entered into a contract with Mission Critical Partners...

Man is robbed on street at 9 a.m.

A Goldsboro man on his way to the downtown Postal Service office Tuesday morning was robbed at gunpoint, according to a Goldsboro police report. The incident took place in the 300 block of East Walnut Street at 9:20 a.m. According...

Eight WCPS educators earn board certification

Wayne County Public Schools has eight new National Board Certified teachers and counselors, bringing the district total to 148. The Board of Education recognized the latest employees with this distinction at its Monday night meeting. National Board Certification is...

Having a garden translates into delicious, practical recipes

Zucchini chocolate chip cookies, vegetarian chili and celebratory foods like pan de muerto all have one thing in common and that is those ingredients can come from someone in Wayne County's garden or a local farm. The Wayne County Reads...

Silver stolen from Dudley home

A case valued at $1,000 and another worth four times as much were allegedly "smuggled" out of a Dudley man's home, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's report. Michael Patrick McKay, 51, of Lake Avenue, told deputies he allowed...

Spring Creek Pageant will feature five contestants

The 8th Miss Spring Creek Scholarship Pageant will be held at Byrd Assembly Hall in Mount Olive at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased...

Presentation highlights need to maintain sustainable food source

There is no such thing as cheap food. Not even on the dollar menu. Somebody is paying somewhere to subsidize the cost of food traded globally, and more often than not that payment is not monetary. It is in...

Crime of the week

On Saturday, Jan. 24, employees of the Longhorn Business Center located at 1716 U.S. Highway 117 South reported that at approximately 8:30 p.m. two male suspects came into the business with full face masks and demanded money from the patrons...

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Failed escape

Four inmates caught trying to escape Sunday afternoon from the Wayne County Detention Center are now in "segregated confinement" after jail personnel foiled their plans. The attempted escape was first noticed at about 1:30 p.m., the Sheriff's Office said....

School board talks violence, districts

A Wayne County Board of Education member clarified that he meets the requirements to serve -- even though he spends part of his time in New Jersey -- at Monday night's board meeting. Board member Dr. Dwight Cannon used...

Black History Month events planned at Johnston Community College

SMITHFIELD -- There are several events that will be held at Johnston Community College in celebration of black history. The events were coordinated by the JCC Black History Committee. The events that are planned are: * Friday, Feb. 6...

McClenny earns G. Edgar Summerlin Award

MOUNT OLIVE -- Charlie McClenny has spent most of his life being a firefighter. But he never expected to be the recipient of the G. Edgar Summerlin Award, which declares him the 2015 Firefighter of the Year. "It was...

Another PD debate

A city resident asked Goldsboro City Council Monday night to ask the city's police department to pursue a national certification, which he said he believes would not only improve the department's relations with the community, but would also hold...

Monday, February 2, 2015

Praxis expands lineup for weekend

The fifth annual Praxis Film Festival, already boasting its largest lineup to date, has also added five directors or actors to the mix of those on hand to discuss their films next weekend. The Feb. 6-7 event celebrates filmmakers...

Glee at the gas pump

Motorists around Goldsboro aren't really sure why gas prices have fallen to under $2 per gallon for the first time in years, or how long the lower prices will last. What they do know is that they plan to...

Area woman charged with leaving kids in cold vehicle

A Grifton woman has been charged with child abuse after she allegedly left a 7-year-old boy alone in a car while she was inside an Internet sweepstakes business. Shamekia Chapman, 26, of 1575 Honolulu Road, Grifton, was charged by...

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Wayne Reads book discussion Tuesday

Wayne County Reads will continue its "season of reading" with two book discussion sessions Tuesday. Liz Meador, a retired Wayne Community College English instructor, will lead the exploration of the literary merits of this year's book selection, "Animal, Vegetable,...

It takes dollars: County commissioners eye non-profit funding

sherring@newsargus.com The number of nonprofit organizations receiving county funding, and the amounts they get, could look drastically different in next year's budget. For the past two years, some commissioners, particularly Joe Daughtery, have questioned doling out tax dollars to nonprofits...

Two arrests made in vehicle break-ins

Two people have been charged in connection with a rash of motor vehicles break-ins within Wayne County and Goldsboro. Most of the vehicles were unlocked. The arrests of Amber Bennett, 22, of 101 Crestwood Drive, and Joseph Wilson Hasty,...

Paw-security

kballard@newsargus.com Kassandra Sweet wakes up from her nap to frantic, loud barking. The muzzle of a pit bull is inches from her face, his paws pinning her to the bed. It saved her life. Kassy was born with a backwards...

Do-it-yourself books: Library gets automated checkout system

pmoore@newsargus.com Patrons of Wayne County Public Library now have the same option they find at grocery stores and other businesses -- self-checkout. Anyone with a library card and a PIN number can access the new system, officials said. Library staff...

WCC Foundation programs going strong

pmoore@newsargus.com It has been 15 years since the arts and humanities program was introduced at Wayne Community College and it "just keeps growing," said Jack Kannan, executive director of the WCC Foundation. "We're starting to form our fall 2015 schedule...

Goldsboro has program to feed hungry children

esmith@newsargus.com Children in Goldsboro won't be going hungry this spring. Not if the City of Goldsboro Child Nutrition Outreach and Education program has anything to say about it. Beginning this week, the city will began advertising a request for proposals...

Career Readiness certification to be offered at WCC

The WorkKeys tests for the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) will be offered five times in February in Wayne County. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success (WORKS) program will provide testing sessions from 12:30-4:30 p.m. on Feb. 5,...

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