Year in review
By Melinda Harrell
Published in News on December 30, 2016 9:42 AM
July 1 --
Col. Christopher Sage takes command of the 4th Fighter Wing from Brig. Gen. Mark Slocum during a change-of-command ceremony at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Sage took command after most recently serving as senior military assistant to the deputy chairman of the NATO military committee in Brussles, Belgium. Sage was previously stationed at Seymour Johnson in 1994 for F-15E Strike Eagle pilot training and from 2004 to 2007 as a member of the 336th Fighter Squadron Rocketeers.
During the ceremony, Sage focused on courage and the base mission to deploy military aircraft and fight America's enemies.
July 15 --
State and local officials break ground for the $18 million Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center on Wayne Memorial Drive.
The center, near Wayne Community College, will be 1.5 acres under roof and will includes an assembly hall that will seat 800 people during banquets and more than 1,500 people for larger open-seating events. Construction should be complete by January 2018.
Aug. 1 --
Active duty airman stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Ryan Morgan, 32, is shot and killed on Center Street in downtown Goldsboro in the early morning hours of July 31. The murder remains unsolved.
Aug. 31 --
Gov. Pat McCrory visits Goldsboro to cut the ribbon of the new Cherry Hospital and announce that it will open in September -- more than four years after it was supposed to open.
Sept. 27 --
Former Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II is arraigned in federal court, pleads not guilty to a three count indictment accusing him of bribing an FBI Task Force Officer to get copies of text messages between his wife and another man.
Sept. 28 --
Goldsboro hires a new Travel and Tourism Director Ashlin Glatthar in the wake of the former director Betsy Rosemann's untimely death.
Oct. 9 --
Hurricane Matthew drenches Wayne County
People expected Hurricane Matthew to barely touch eastern North Carolina, but the powerful hurricane dumped enough rain on Wayne County to close roads and evacuate residents. Matthew's aftermath left several people without electricity, forcing them to stay in shelters throughout the rest of the year.
Oct. 23 --
Jones guilty on all counts
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones II of District 8-B was found guilty in federal court on three counts of bribing an officer to receive text messages between his wife and another man. Jones would go on to lose his seat as judge to Goldsboro attorney Will Bland in November.
Nov. 9 --
Trump wins
One of the most interesting presidential elections ended on Nov. 8, when Donald Trump defeated presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to become President-elect. Trump is expected to become the 45th President in January.
Nov. 9 --
Will Bland defeats Arnold O. Jones
Goldsboro attorney Will Bland defeated District 8-B Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones II by an almost two-to-one margin. Bland had 29,251 votes to Jones' 16,630.
Dec. 10 --
Loaded down with love and care
Madison Howell came up with an idea to help people -- in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The 12-year-old asked Jay Person, owner of JPJ Trucking, if her father could drive an 18-wheeler to TN to donate clothes and food to the wildfire victims.
Dec. 13 --
Chief Master Sergeant facing felony charge after drunk-driving crash
A Chief Master Sgt. stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base allegedly crashed into the back of a car, sending a teenager to the hospital. Hector Soler, 47, is facing charges with driving while impaired, failure to reduce speed and felony serious injury by motor vehicle. Johnny Rober Watson, 17, is in critical condition in Greenville.