May 2017 archives

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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Goldsboro teen and one other person shot to death in Kinston

Updated as of 12:30 p.m. Thursday ---- Arrest made in double homicide. Police announced during an 11 a.m. press conference today that a 15-year-old has been charged with two counts of murder following the shooting death of two people in...

Schools place cap on transfers

Parents looking to transfer students across district lines may have a harder time of it come the 2017-18 school year, as the Wayne County public school system is set to adopt stricter guidelines on where and when to allow...

Marketing a taste of home

For the Rev. Sara Morgan, selling produce is a family heritage. Her father, Hub Holloway, sold what he grew at the farmers market in the city when it was on Center Street along with Morgan's uncle who was known as...

Duke Energy requests fee hike

Duke Energy Progress is seeking state and federal approval to pass on a portion of its estimated $5.1 billion coal-ash cleanup cost to its wholesale and retail electric customers. Duke recently filed a request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission...

Princeton Community Day to honor military

PRINCETON -- Thousands of people are expected to come together in Princeton on Saturday, June 3, for the seventh annual Princeton Community Day, honoring the military while enjoying music, food and fun. Started in 2011 by Princeton Police Chief...

Paramount Theatre's annual 'Performing Arts Series' enters its tenth season

The Paramount Theatre will begin the 10th anniversary season of its Performing Arts Series this year. One of the highlights will be a gala in February 2018 with Emmy award winning film and TV composer Ray Bunch, who is also...

Man attacked with knife

A man was leaving work early Saturday morning when another man jumped from behind a dumpster at IHOP on North Berkeley Boulevard, swung a knife at him and called him a punk, according to a police report. The 58-year-old...

House damaged, no one injured in fire

A fire severely damaged a northern Wayne County home Tuesday, potentially displacing two. Around 3:00 p.m., the Patetown, Pikeville-Pleasant Grove and Antioch volunteer fire departments responded to a call of an active structure fire at 786 Forehand Road. Once...

Bible holds the key: Searching for a link to history

Several years ago, Lynn Johnson was trying to join the Daughters of the American Revolution. She had done most of the prerequisites to prove genealogical lineage to a patriot who served this country in the Revolutionary War. But she still...

Journey of a real artist

From his beginnings in Mount Olive to his military time in California to working at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Cedric Baker has been on a journey that has shaped his life as an artist. People...

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Sheriff's Office captain found not guilty of contempt of court

Wayne County Sheriff's Office Capt. Steve Mozingo was found not guilty of criminal contempt of court during a hearing Tuesday. Superior Court Judge Jay Hockenbury ruled that the prosecution failed to prove one of the two elements required  ---- one,...

Chief confirms house where man was shot to death was liquor house

Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West confirmed the house where a man was shot to death early Saturday morning was a liquor house. The person who lives at 235 Wayne Ave., 46-year-old Lazorie Staccato Woods, was arrested and charged Saturday night...

Police respond to several shooting incidents over the weekend

During a weekend marked by two shooting deaths, Goldsboro Police Department officers also responded to several additional shootings and shots fired calls, according to police reports. Saturday at 3:37 a.m., officers responded to 235 Wayne Ave. in reference to the...

Schools look at changing schedule

The Wayne County Board of Education will gather more information before acting on proposed changes to school schedules, board members said at a work session last week. David Lewis, the schools' assistant superintendent for accountability/information technology, presented the proposed...

WorkKeys testing in June

Wayne County residents will have four opportunities to take the WorkKeys(r) tests for the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) in June. The Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success (WORKS) program will provide testing sessions June 13 and 27, 8:30...

Memorial Day essay contest

Meadow Lane Elementary School students took part in a Memorial Day essay/illustration contest, sponsored by one of the school's business partners, Daniels Memorial United Methodist Church. Students from kindergarten through fourth grade were encouraged to participate in the contest. As...

Medical assisting class pinned

The 13 members of the 2017 Medical Assisting class at Wayne Community College were recently presented their pins in a formal ceremony at the college. The annual service, which includes presentation of medical assistant pins and red roses to students...

Green Thumb Florist on Chestnut Street

A full-service florist is now serving the Goldsboro-area community from a new downtown location. Green Thumb Florist, which opened in January on North Berkeley Boulevard, recently moved downtown to 101 W. Chestnut St. The flower shop originally opened 13 years...

Monday, May 29, 2017

PFC Dan Bullock Way dedicated

Pfc. Dan Bullock was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in a back corner of Elmwood Cemetery after laying down his life in the Vietnam War when he was only 15. For years, the grave had no headstone. The...

Wayne County remembers the fallen during Memorial Day

 Brenda F. Albritton remembers her late husband, Army Specialist 4 Dempsey W. Parrott, every day even though it has been nearly 50 years since he died on a Vietnam battlefield. Monday morning she represented all fallen warriors, including her husband,...

Teenager dies after Sunday shooting

Goldsboro police are now investigating the Sunday shooting of an 18-year-old as a homicide after he died at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, according to a press release from the Goldsboro Police Department today. Desconte Makell Bryant, 410 Hollowell St.,...

Two are robbed at gunpoint near Mar-Mac

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is investigating an armed robbery of two people that happened early Thursday morning on the 300 block of Sami Street near Mar-Mac, according to a report. The report said a 44-year-old woman and 24-year-old man...

Woman is unharmed after escaping house fire

MOUNT OLIVE  -- A woman escaped her burning home at 424 E. Hillsboro St. unharmed Thursday morning. She told firefighters that she heard a popping noise and went to the back room to investigate. She saw that the room was...

Teacher supplement increase is sought

The Wayne County Public Schools' roughly $8 million wish list presented last week to Wayne County commissioners included a 1 percent increase -- about $650,000 -- for teacher supplements. But while commissioners agreed that some sort of increase is...

Students preparing for end-of-grade tests

There was no lack of pep at the rally in the gym at Carver Elementary School on Friday afternoon. To gear up for the end-of-grade tests, the school adopted a baseball theme to "Knock the EOG out of the park"...

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Never Forgotten: Memorial Day observed in Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- As a youth growing up in rural Duplin County, Joe Scott and his friends played soldier. Clods of dirt became hand grenades. Sticks could be either swords or rifles. But it was in the 12th grade that...

Teen critical after being shot in city

Update ---- This story was updated at 2:58 p.m. to include comments from the Goldsboro Police Department A Goldsboro teen is listed in critical condition at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville after being shot early Sunday morning, The incident happened...

Gold Star Wife still grieves

Brenda Albritton lost her first husband in Vietnam nearly 50 years ago, but some days it is still hard to handle. Ms. Albritton's husband, Spc. Dempsey Woodrow Parrott, was a medic with the Army when he was killed in combat...

Memorial Day events held all weekend

On Monday at 11 a.m., the official Wayne County Memorial Day Service will be held in Moffatt Auditorium at Wayne Community College. Gold Star Wife Brenda F. Albritton will represent all fallen warriors, including her husband, Army Specialist 4...

Central/EWHS holds homecoming

The large field behind Eastern Wayne Middle School transformed into a tent city of sorts Saturday afternoon. Central/Eastern Wayne Alumni and Friends converged on the area to celebrate its 45th annual homecoming this weekend. Special events were held this year...

Dillard/GHS alumni gather

Thousands of people packed downtown Goldsboro on Saturday on a beautiful, sunny spring day for the annual Dillard/Goldsboro High reunion parade, bringing together alumni of the schools from every part of the country who gathered to celebrate their 62nd...

Wayne Community College honors students

Wayne Community College's Adult High School Program has honored several students for outstanding academic achievement during the spring sessions. Bailey Jewel Evers, Jason Edward Benner, and Nakia Shadai Tune made the Scholars List for the Spring 1 2017 session. To...

Wayne Christian seniors turn tassels

Tyler Weeks showed up for his graduation ceremony at Wayne Christian School right on time Saturday morning, except for one thing. He was wearing the wrong cap and gown for the class picture. "He walked in and everybody goes, 'What...

University of Mount Olive to expand Rodgers Chapel on campus

MOUNT OLIVE -- A ground-breaking ceremony for a $2 million expansion for the University of Mount Olive's Rodgers Chapel had to be moved inside Wednesday because of threatening weather. But the weather failed to dampen the enthusiasm of those...

Charity Divine Williams serves as legislative page

Charity Divine Williams, a student at Wayne School of Engineering, served as a page in the North Carolina Senate. She is the daughter of Yoland Williams of Goldsboro. She was sponsored by Sen. Don Davis. Pages perform valuable duties for...

'Repair Cafe' to be held at Northview Baptist June 3

Borthview Baptist Church at 600 Patetown Road will hold a "Repair Café" on Saturday, June 3. Starting from 8 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m., volunteer repair experts will be available to help make all possible repairs free of charge....

New state road map available

RALEIGH -- A newly updated road map of North Carolina is now available. The 2017-18 North Carolina State Transportation map is provided at no cost to residents and visitors alike. The State Transportation Map is funded and produced by the...

Man dodges bullet

A Goldsboro man narrowly escaped being shot in the neck when a bullet fired into his home only grazed him Friday night. According to a Goldsboro police report, the shooting came at the tail-end of a dispute over a...

Homes for foreign students sought

Goldsboro area host families are being sought for a group of 10 high school students, ages 15-16, from the school of St. Marc de Bourgoin, France, a school located near Lyon and Grenoble. The dates for the homestay are...

Hazardous waste disposal on Saturday

The Wayne County Solid Waste Department will hold its annual household hazardous waste event on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wayne County citizens can bring waste that would otherwise be dangerous to dispose of to the...

Old time mountain music: Members of Flat Mountain Dulcimers want to pass down instrument's heritage

Before there were radios, records or things of this nature, when people in the Appalachian Mountains wanted some musical entertainment, they'd sit down, pull out some basic tools and build an instrument. That's how the mountain dulcimer came to be....

Downtown group photo Tuesday

Would you like to be part of a great group picture that will promote "We Are Downtown Goldsboro"? The Downtown Goldsbororo Development Corp. is planning to take a group picture of the people that make downtown Goldsboro great and will...

Council member's wages garnished for taxes

The Wayne County Tax Department has started garnishing Goldsboro Councilman Antonio Williams' pay for failure to pay vehicle taxes dating back to 2010. Williams, who receives a city council biweekly paycheck, will have 10 percent of his wages garnished from...

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Goldsboro High School graduates reflect on their four years

A special part of the ceremony Friday night for Goldsboro High School graduates was the release of seven doves after diplomas were awarded. The doves were courtesy of J.B. Rhodes Funeral Home. Teacher William McIntyre explained that the number seven...

Woman charged in Fremont break-in

A Fremont woman is charged in a residential break-in during which the Wayne County Sheriff's Office says money and a gun were taken. Jessica Brooks West, 35, 312 Old Black Creek Road, is charged with breaking and entering, larceny after...

Four teens charged, two sough in break-ins/shooting

Four teens have been charged and two others are wanted in connection with a series of residential break-ins and a shooting being investigted by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. According to a press release, a neighbor witnessed the group leaving...

Dudley man dies after being shot in Goldsboro

Police are seeking infromation regarding the shooting death of Dudley man in the city early this morning. William Darryl Braswell, 36, 204 Augusta Drive, suffered at least one gun shot wound and died after being transferred from Wayne Memorial Hospital...

Friday, May 26, 2017

Police say a man pulled his girlfirend out of her car, tried to run her over

A man is facing a felony charge after allegedly trying to run his girlfriend over with his car Thursday night, according to a police report. George Ricky Wilson, 31, of 225 Everittsville Road, Dudley, is charged with felony assault with...

Walking the beat: councilman makes the rounds with police

Goldsboro Councilman David Ham walked the beat with two police officers Thursday as part of the city's increased community outreach efforts. Ham, the council's District 5 representative, walked through neighborhoods in his district, including areas along Claiborne, Rose and Randolph...

Man sought in shooting

Authorities have issued arrest warrants for the man allegedly responsible for shooting another man in the foot at close range with an AR-15 Tuesday afternoon. Jamey Leonard Stewart III, 32, of 103-B Spring Branch Road, is wanted for assault with...

Woman escapes house fire

A Mount Olive woman escaped her burning home at 424 E. Hillsboro St. unharmed Thursday morning. She told firefighters that she heard a popping noise and went to the back room to investigate. She saw that the room was on...

Wayne Early Middle College High School seniors reflect on work, dedication and toil -- and fun along the way

Life will get harder from here. Homework assignments will turn into bills to pay. Papers will turn into quarterly reports. Teachers will turn into bosses. But since each of them graduated from Wayne Early Middle College High School, the...

Summer program employs 81 youths

The city of Goldsboro's first launch to create a summer youth job program has resulted in more teens being hired than originally expected. The city planned to hire 26 youth but instead offered 47 jobs, and the Housing Authority...

Board discusses nonprofit funding

Not only did it take less than an hour Tuesday for Wayne County commissioners to review funding requests from outside agencies, they did so without the sometimes acrimonious comments that have marked previous deliberations. The WATCH and Literacy Connections...

Wayne Country Day graduates 20 students

Lorre Gifford can't remember much about her graduation ceremony, but she wanted the Wayne Country Day School Class of 2017 to have a different story. Gifford, chair of the school's science department, told the 20 graduating seniors to take time...

Public pools to open this Saturday

School may still be in session another two weeks, but the summer swimming season is ready to start with pools opening Memorial Day weekend. The city of Goldsboro's two swimming pools will open Saturday and remain open for the...

Air show attracts more than 230K

A crowd estimated at 230,000 attended last weekend's Wings Over Wayne Air Show on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base -- some 20,000 to 30,000 more than visited the 2015 air show. "We had a small, little open house air...

Man shocked, charged after tussle with courthouse cops

Officers shocked a man with a stun gun Tuesday inside the Wayne County Courthouse when he allegedly became belligerent and assaulted a deputy, according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. The man, identified as 41-year-old Timothy Fair, of 1622...

EMS Week comes alive at picnic

EMS workers can usually be seen hustling to and from their ambulances at crime scenes and medical emergencies. But on Thursday, many of them were spied hustling across the dance floor during an appreciation picnic put on by the...

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Man charged with meth possession after traffic stop

A man is facing felony charges after being pulled over by the Wayne County Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team on Durham Lake Road Thursday, according to a press release. Daniel Tyler Mills, 32, of Dudley, is charged with possession with intent...

Strolling through their old stomping grounds

The Goldsboro High School Class of 2017 received a bonus opportunity to don caps and gowns Thursday, as they made a final lap through their former elementary and middle schools. The official commencement exercise is tonight at 6 p.m. on...

Man charged with bigamy after allegedly being married to two women at the same time

Police say a local man faces felony charges after it was discovered he is allegedly married to two women at the same time. Gary Richard Joseph Phaneuf, 44, was arrested Monday and charged with felony bigamy, according to  a Wayne...

Three women break into home and assault resident

Three women forced their way into another woman's apartment on Fairview Circle and assaulted her, according to a police report. On Tuesday night around 8:50, three assailants knocked on the woman's door and when she went to open it, they...

Woman shoots at van carrying elderly

LAGRANGE -- A woman shot at a van full of elderly people on Parkstown Road Tuesday around 1:20 p.m., according to a report filed with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. The incident took place after the driver of the...

Schools submit $8M wish list

A nearly $8 million wish list for Wayne County Public Schools is not included in the slightly more than $20 million appropriation for the schools in the county's 2017-18 draft budget. Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Dunsmore Tuesday morning told...

County stands to lose grant funding

Wayne County stands to lose the $755,000 in federal grants that fund the WAGES Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs, should the proposed federal budget be passed by Congress. Under the current budget proposal, the Corporation for National and...

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Eyeing their future

Even a potential tornado couldn't dampen spirits at Wayne School of Engineering Wednesday evening, as 59 students of the class of 2017 graduated from high school. The ceremonies, slated to begin at 6 p.m., were delayed until 6:15 after the...

U.S. 13 reopens after hog truck collides with car, man suffers serious injuries

A Virginia Beach man initially thought to be in critical condition is now expected to survive with serious injuries after being struck head-on by a hog truck along U.S. 13 this afternoon, the N.C. State Highway Patrol said. John Hamilton,...

Tornado warning in effect for part of Wayne County until 6:15 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for the southwestern Wayne County near Grantham until 6:15 p.m. The warning is also extended to the north central portion of Sampson County as well as southeastern Johnston County, including Four...

Man witnesses hog truck wreck that leaves one in critical condition

A hog truck collided with a car head-on this afternoon near Hill Loop Road at West Hill Street leaving one person in critical condition and closing  U.S. 13. The N.C. State Highway Patrol said the highway will be blocked until...

U.S. 13 closes after hog truck overturns

A hog truck hit a car head-on this afternoon near Hill Loop Road and West Hill Street causing the truck to overturn and U.S. 13 to close. The N.C. State Highway Patrol said the highway will be blocked until...

School board discusses class size

Class sizes and student honors were two of the major points of discussion for the Wayne County Board of Education Tuesday, as the board met for its monthly work session. Superintendent Michael Dunsmore said that the recently-passed House Bill...

Winners from Junior Livestock Show are honored

Winners from April's Junior Livestock Show and Sale were honored and additional awards presented at a Tuesday night banquet held at the Wayne Center. Nearly 100 people attended the annual event that is a follow-up to the two-day show...

Woman found guilty of patient assault

A former Cherry Hospital employee will serve 10 days in jail after being convicted last week in Wayne County Superior Court of assaulting a handicapped patient while she was employed there in February 2016, according to court records. Edith Teachey,...

Wayne Community College hosts summer camps

Wayne Community College Continuing Education will hold more than a dozen youth camps this summer, nearly doubling the options it provided last year. This is the fourth year for the summer camps, which has grown exponentially each year, said Lisa...

Wayne Community College president measures progress

Nine months into the role as Wayne Community College president, Dr. Thomas Walker Jr. had only praises for the institution. "I'm really happy with how the college has performed," he told the board of trustees Tuesday night. Commenting on the...

Eastern Wayne student charged with felonies

An Eastern Wayne High School student is facing multiple felony charges after trying to purchase food from Cookout early Sunday morning with a counterfeit $100 bill, according to a police report. Andrew James Dawson, 17, of 215 Woodbine St., is...

Sheriff's deputy finds 33 grams of crack

A deputy who smelled marijuana coming from a car while getting gas Friday searched the car and found 33 grams of crack cocaine inside, according to a report filed with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Taurean Edward Farrior, 32, of...

Kindercare broken into

The Goldsboro Police Department is investigating a recent break-in at a local day care. Someone broke into KinderCare at 901 Landmark Drive between Thursday night and Friday morning and stole 44 toys, according to a police report. The report said...

Crime of the week

On Saturday, May 13, at approximately 7:50 p.m., the Goldsboro Police Department responded to Hi-5 Sweepstakes Internet, 565 E. New Hope Road, in reference an armed robbery. Once officers arrived on-scene a female employee reported that about 7:12 p.m. a...

Policing their own communities

The Goldsboro Police Department graduated five people from its first-ever Citizen's Police Academy during a ceremony held at the Goldsboro Events Center May 16. Viola Ryals-Figueroa, James Keith Harris, Kimberly Kaye Jones, David P. Meador and Joanna C. Stallings all...

County may raise taxes for schools

A slight wording change in the state budget could be the only thing standing between Wayne County and the tax increase that otherwise would be needed in order to preserve nearly $4 million in low-wealth funding for the county schools...

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Sid's Showgirls owners surrender ABC permits

Wayne County ABC Law Enforcement Chief Joe Sadler said today that the owners of Sid's Showgirls, a strip club at 1931 N. William St., signed an agreement today that will go into effect June 30 and cancel all of the...

Third time's a charm

You can say "Happy Anniversary" to Mick and Karin O'Donnell any time this week and still be correct. The Dudley couple couldn't be more legally wed if they tried. That's because in 1967, they had three ceremonies. Instead of...

City to raise fees at municipal golf course

Fees for the Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course are planned to increase by 10 percent without a city resident discount, following a Monday decision by the Goldsboro City Council. The council decided to amend its April decision that involved increasing...

Man charged in break-in of woman's home

A man broke into a woman's home Saturday morning and yelled at her and looked at her phone before leaving and then being arrested, according to a police report. Corey Marvin Barnett, 45, of 3201 Central Heights Road, Lot 113,...

Inmate dies in custody, SBI investigating

Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies are under investigation today after a Wayne County Detention Center inmate died Monday at Wayne Memorial Hospital. An initial report from the sheriff's office said Graydon Jermone Parker III, 54, fell unresponsive during a...

Flood watch in effect until 2 a.m.

A flood watch is in effect for Wayne County and the rest of central North Carolina through 2 a.m. Wednesday as periods of heavy rains will create the risk for flooding today and into tonight. Between one to three inches...

Monday, May 22, 2017

Sheriff's office: SRO flushes out student smoking marijuana

A Charles B. Aycock High School student admitted to deputies he was smoking marijuana in the hallway after an officer saw a cloud of smoke and smelled marijuana, according to a report filed with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Michael...

Supreme Court ruling won't change Wayne County district

Today's Supreme Court ruling that two North Carolina Congressional districts were drawn unconstitutionally based on race will not result in any additional change to the district lines. The ruling reaffirms a lower court ruling that the lines for District 1...

Wayne County inmate in critical condition after being taken to ICU, SBI investigates

Update ---- 12 p.m. A Wayne Memorial Hospital spokesperson confirmed a Wayne County inmate remains in critical condition today after being taken to the intensive care unit of the hospital Saturday night when he became unresponsive at the Wayne County...

Flying out

Dressed in a Blue Angels costume, Chase Oberhauser, 8, watches with excitement as the Blue Angels pilots are introduced one by one at the Wings Over Wayne Air Show Sunday -- the final day of the event. Chase collects posters...

Veterans groups plan Memorial Day events

Veterans organizations have plans for a big Memorial Day weekend to pay tribute to the fallen warriors of Wayne County. The public is urged to join in these events. On Saturday, May 27, at 8 a.m. there will be...

Police, Special Olympics athletes finish torch run

Officers with the Goldsboro Police Department and local Special Olympics athletes completed a 14-mile torch run through the city Friday. The run raised about $2,500 to send athletes to the summer games. Capt. LeAnn Rabun said the department has...

Board to talk school funding

School funding will be up first Tuesday morning when Wayne County commissioners begin their budget deliberations. Dr. Michael Dunsmore, Wayne County Public Schools superintendent, will present the school board's new budget proposal when commissioners reconvene at 8:30 a.m. on...

Tom Cuddington turns ordinary wood into usable items -- and whimsical things like crosses, cutting boards, trinket boxes

Tom Cuddington will never forget a bench he made for a woman. The back is a solid wood piece. The sides are decorative posts. And all of it, except the actually part you sit on, is made from an old...

Flash flooding possible over the next three days as moderate to heavy rains loom

Moderate to heavy rainfall is possible today through Wednesday with a total accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Flash flooding could result if that much rain falls within a short time, for example a 12-hour span, said Scott Sharpe,...

Dillard/Goldsboro Alumni and Friends marks 62nd anniversary

The annual homecoming for Dillard/Goldsboro Alumni and Friends Inc. will be held this week, from Thursday, May 25 through Sunday, May 28. This year marks the 62nd anniversary of the organization. The celebration is traditionally held during Memorial Day weekend....

Central/Eastern Wayne Alumni to celebrate 45th homecoming

The Central/Eastern Wayne Alumni and Friends, Inc. will celebrate its 45th annual Homecoming May 26 through May 28 with the classes ending with "2" and "7" receiving special honor. The weekend will kick off Friday with a banquet at the...

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Family Y to host 'Healthy Kids Day'

The Goldsboro YMCA is hosting a free event designed to encourage kids to stay active and keep learning during the summer months. "Healthy Kids Day," part of the Y's national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and...

Upcoming blood drives scheduled

Before busy summer schedules set in, the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to roll up a sleeve to help ensure a sufficient supply for patients in need. Donors of all blood types are needed now to help accident and...

Returning to Seymour Johnson

George Peterson spent 20 years in the United States Air Force before retiring from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. On Saturday, he returned to the base with his brother, Victor, alongside him. Victor is a veteran, too -- he spent...

Spring Creek Elementary wins quiz bowl

Spring Creek Elementary School won the second inter-school 4th grade Math Quiz Bowl last week. The event was is a "Jeopardy"-style competition on math skills. The Spring Creek Elementary team consisted of John Paul McCullen, Maggie Edmudson, Giovanni Pinedo, Troy...

Special gifts for military families

In honor of how special military families are, the Support Military Spouses organization is hosting an Appreciation Care Package Delivery Party. Spouses and active-duty service members will receive gifts on Tuesday, May 23 at the North Carolina Community Federal Credit...

Relay for Life: The fight continues

Lorie Waddell checked out a display of luminary at the entrance to Relay for Life on Friday night at the Wayne County fairgrounds. She has been coming to the event since 2008, the year she was diagnosed with breast...

Mt. Olive Family Medicine honored

MOUNT OLIVE -- A baseline concussion testing program at Mount Olive Family Medicine Center has earned the center statewide recognition as the N.C. Medical Group Management Association's 2017 Practice of the Year. The award was presented at the association's...

Local, state offices to close

Local, state and federal offices, banks and the post office will be closed Monday, May 29, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Wayne County Public Schools will be closed. All Wayne County offices including the Senior Citizens Center,...

Letter carriers collect record amount of food

Approximately 37,000 pounds of food was collected in Wayne County last week during the 23rd annual National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive -- a new record that surpassed previous collections by thousands of pounds. Local and rural letter...

Faith Christian Academy holds graduation ceremony

The Rev. Christian Powell challenged the 2017 graduates of Faith Christian Academy to "never be afraid to stand." During Friday night's graduation ceremony, 12 students turned their tassels. Powell encouraged them to stand up and be counted, stand out...

Event to raise money for statue of musician Thelonious Monk

There will be an event held Saturday, May 27 at the Arts Council of Wayne County to help raise funds to erect a statue of the late Thelonious Monk. It will take place from 8 to 10 p.m. In concert...

Duplin to honor World War I dead

KENANSVILLE -- Duplin County and the Duplin County Historical Society will unveil and dedicate a granite monument as a permanent memorial to the men from Duplin County who died in World War I. The ceremony will be held at 2...

Councilman strikes conciliatory tone, calls for 'fresh start'

Goldsboro Councilman Antonio Williams asked for a truce of sorts during his recent comments near the end of Monday's council meeting. Council meetings traditionally conclude with each member of the council having a chance to speak. Williams, during his...

Five schools to hold graduation ceremonies

Five high school commencement exercises will be taking place this week, with five more public schools' on tap for next month. The first round of graduations kicked off this past Friday, when a dozen students received diplomas from Faith...

Wings Over Wayne: A show in the sky

Randy Greene had his 5-year-old grandson on his shoulders, bouncing up and down to the beat of "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. As the famous guitar riff ripped through loudspeakers, the Blue Angels fired up their engines. Green's grandson, Mark Thomas Greene,...

Sheriff's office warns people to practice caution when selling items on Facebook, Craigslist

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is warning people to practice caution when selling items on the Facebook Marketplace or on Craigslist in the wake of an incident of fraud that occurred in March. The warning stems from a Facebook Marketplace...

Two men face felony charges in four-wheeler theft

Two men are facing charges after being connected to a four-wheeler theft earlier this week, according to a press release. Christopher Jerrell Currie, 26, of 512 S. Raiford St., Selma, and Nathan Colby McKinney, 19, of 1766 Old Kenly Road,...

'Tora, Tora, Tora!' over Wayne

If you thought you saw World War II-era planes in the sky over Wayne County Friday -- you did. But don't worry -- they were only replicas. The "Tora, Tora, Tora" air team touched down at the Wayne Executive Jetport...

Friday, May 19, 2017

Woman charged in break-in after traffic stop

Authorities connected a woman to a break-in on Old Kenly Road and issued warrants for two other men after Smithfield police pulled her car over and found items stolen during the break-in inside her car Wednesday, according to a press...

Serena Inn arrests came as part of one operation

Update ---- The Wayne County Sheriff's Office announces a second arrest at the Serena Inn during an on-foot patrol operation by the Goldsboro/Wayne REACT team. A Serena Inn resident is facing felony charges after authorities found drugs in his hotel...

Center Street Jam

Members of the Mikele Buck Band perform at the Center Street Jam downtown Thursday evening. The next concert will be held June 1 and will feature Jim Quick and the Coastline Band. It will be Military Appreciation Night. Center Street...

Students bid farewell to Meadow Lane hall

Since learning that portions of Meadow Lane Elementary School will be demolished this summer to make way for a new building, staff have come up with creative ways to commemorate the occasion. "Some of us are a little saddened...

Jaberg talks health care

Wayne UNC Health Care CEO and President Janie Jaberg says no one truly knows what is going to happen in health care. And she told those attending a Tuesday luncheon on health care that she, too, has no clue...

Council to look at budget proposal

The Goldsboro City Council plans to revisit $336,836 in proposed costs for employees and equipment to operate the future multisport complex during budget deliberations this month. The city's recommended fiscal 2017-18 budget of $59.3 million includes two new employees...

Seafood restaurant open downtown

A locally-owned, full-service seafood restaurant is now open in downtown Goldsboro on Mulberry Street. GoldWayne Seafood Restaurant recently opened in the former Haulin' Hog location, at 120 E. Mulberry St., and is open daily for lunch and dinner. Owner Myelle...

Health fair scheduled for Saturday in Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- Take a one-mile walk Saturday morning. Shoot some hoops or play a round of Pickle Ball. Sample healthy foods. And as long as you are being health conscious, take advantage of free health screenings being offered between...

Serena Inn resident faces multiple drug charges

A woman is in custody on drug charges after Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputies found multiple kinds of narcotics and paraphernalia in her apartment, according to a sheriff's office press release. Leana Triyanna Cates, 27, residing in room 224 of...

Officials say CDL requirement could be mutually beneficial for WCPS, employees

A new Wayne County Board of Education policy will help reduce bus driver shortages in the district by adding new responsibilities to existing positions, according to district officials. Policy 7435, which the board passed at its May 1 meeting, requires...

Police ask for information in two shooting deaths that occured within a week

On Sunday, May 14, at approximately 12:15 a.m., Goldsboro police officers were in the area of Elm and Creech streets when they heard several gun shots being fired. While trying to locate the shots, dispatch advised of a shots fired...

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Police say more than $32K in damage resulted from $840 copper theft

A Goldsboro man whom police allege is responsible for a string of apartment break-ins over the course of nearly two months is in custody on a $180,000 secured bond. Alvin Stanley Mills, 39, of 319 E. Spruce St. is charged...

VIDEO -- Pulling back the curtain: Taking a flight in a KC-135

For Master Sgt. Kenny Fallin, another day at the office means flying 21,000 feet with 100,000 pounds of jet fuel under his feet. With an amiable smile, a few jokes and an exuberance for his work, Fallin explained exactly what...

Center Street Jam to feature the Mikele Buck Band tonight

The John Street parking lot will be full of music and fun with the Mikele Buck Band headlining Center Street Jam this evening at 5:30. The Mikele Buck Band's music is a blend of several musical influences including Steve Earle,...

One man charged in series of break-ins, more arrests pending

Further arrests are pending, but one man has been charged so far in a series of break-ins in the county being investigated by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. Andruw Nelson Rollins, 19, 610 Braswell Road, is charged with felony breaking...

SJAFB makes slight revisions to Air Show

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base has made some revisions to this year's Wings Over Wayne Air Show taking place Saturday and Sunday. Among the changes is the cancellation of the U.S. Air Force parachute team Wings of Blue. The parachute...

Angels in the sky over Wayne

The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels demonstration team has been all over the world, from Europe to Asia and across America. Now, they have arrived in Goldsboro. The Angels and their maintainers touched down at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Wednesday...

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Sheriff adds armored vehicle to his office's arsenal

Wayne County sheriff deputies now have a 18,500-pound, fully-armored ballistic steel truck in their toolkit to fight crime. The armored tactical vehicle, which rolled into Wayne County from Thomasville Wednesday, offers deputies a SWAT response vehicle Sheriff Larry Pierce has...

Father charged with abuse in case of 1-month-old victim

The Goldsboro Police Department announced charges this afternoon against the father of the 1-month-old girl transferred last week to Vidant Medical Center with serious injuries. Eric Schmidt, 29, 1510 Peachtree St., is charged with non-sexual, felony child abuse with serious...

Probation ---- Former Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones II sentenced in federal court

ELIZABETH CITY ---- Former Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones II will serve two years probation and pay a $5,000 fine after being sentenced today in federal court for pleading guilty to promising and paying gratuities to a public official. Jones...

Man robbed at gunpoint near apartments on New Hope Road

A man was forced into his own car at gunpoint and then robbed Tuesday night, according to a police report. The report said a group of five men approached the 29-year-old man in the parking lot of the Bradbury Apartment...

Sheriff's office implements eye scanning technology

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced the implementation of new IRIS scanner technology at Wayne County's detention facilities. IRIS, which stands for Inmate Recognition Identification System, scans both eyes of anyone being processed into the either of...

Chasing the dragon

Dozens gathered at the Wayne Community College auditorium Tuesday evening to view the film "Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict" and to take part in a nearly two-hour panel discussion. The documentary focused on the lives...

Convention Center halfway completed

The $20 million Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center is 52 percent complete and remains on target to open March 1, 2018. David Lewis with T.A. Loving, the company that is building the facility, said that the pace at...

Social worker training course offered at community college

Wayne Community College is offering a course that will prepare students to meet entry-level requirements to be a Division of Social Services income maintenance caseworker. The entry-level skills required to be a DSS employee that will be taught are basic...

Elks to host Wings of Wayne Military Appreciation Day May 27

The Goldsboro Elks are pleased to announce the first Wings of Wayne Military Appreciation Festival to be held at 207 S. Center Street on Saturday, May 27, from 1 to 6 p/m/. The event is being presented by Case...

Boat inspections

The Goldsboro Sail and Power Squadron vessel safety inspectors will be here Friday and Saturday to make sure boats are up to standards required by the United States Coast Guard. An inspection station will be set up at EZ...

Solving the problem right under our noses

Some problems, like childhood hunger, are as plain as the nose on your face. So when Goldsboro High School students in Janet Krueger's health science-related classes learned about a cause dedicated to raising money for children and young people living...

Benefit for man who suffered stroke while undergoing heart surgery

St. John Pentecostal Church in Bentonville is holding a fundraiser for one of its members, along with other local churches and fire departments. William Johnson, who turns 71 this week, has farmed in the area for generations. He underwent surgery...

Tutoring available for end-of-grade testing

Operation Unite Goldsboro and other community organizers are offering free end-of-grade tutoring sessions as well as a nonprofit training course. Tutoring opportunities, for students in third through eighth grade, are currently available for the next several weeks every Monday and...

Teacher, student recognized by state association for the gifted

A high school student and a coordinator from Wayne County Public Schools were recently recognized by the N.C. Association for the Gifted and Talented. Eastern Wayne High School senior Davia Webb was presented the Leadership Through Service award, given annually...

Woman police say placed mom's dead body in freezer indicted

A Wayne County Grand Jury recently indicted a woman accused of putting her mother's body in a freezer to conceal her death from authorities and continuing to cash her Social Security checks. Marcella Jean Lee, 57, of 1721 E. Holly...

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Police say parent of child at center of abuse investigation is assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

A press release from the Goldsboro Police Department today revealed the identities of the parents of a 1-month-old child who arrived at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville last week with "extensive injuries" attributed to child abuse. The father, Eric Schmidt,...

Woman charged in Maynard's break-in

A woman is facing a felony charge after allegedly breaking into Maynard's Entertainment in Seven Springs in March and taking money out of a coin-operated machine inside, according to a press release. Jessica Lee Roberts, 31, of 3106 Emmaus Church...

Deputies say driver had heroin, machete during traffic stop

Authorities found drugs and a machete in a man's car Monday after pulling him over during a traffic stop, according to a press release from the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. The release said Collin Lee Johnson, 22, of 100 Delia...

Goldsboro man charged with school break-in, theft

A man is facing four felony charges after being arrested for allegedly breaking into Spring Creek Elementary School in April. Kelly Baggett, 28, of 708 Corporate Drive, is charged with felony breaking and/or entering, felony larceny after breaking and/or entering,...

Man pleads guilty in murder case

Jaquan Amahd Dennis, 25, will serve 90 to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to felony accessory after the fact to first-degree murder in a 2013 murder case. Dennis was charged alongside Nebraska Raheem Best in the December...

Councilmen give themselves a raise

The Goldsboro City Council switched its decision on a city-funded health insurance plan for the seven members of the council Monday. After Councilman Bevan Foster suggested the council receive an annual pay increase from $12,000 to $13,000 or $14,000...

First round of high school graduations begins this week

The first round of high school graduations kicks off later this week, with a smattering of public schools mixed in with the private school commencement ceremonies. Faith Christian Academy, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will hold its event...

Sign erected as tribute to fallen teenage Marine

The grave of Pfc. Dan Bullock sits in a shady corner far in the back of Elmwood Cemetery. Bullock, who died in the Vietnam War at age 15 after forging his birth certificate, was the youngest American killed in...

Voter ID rejected by high court

The fight over the state's voter identification law might not be over despite the Supreme Court's rejection Monday of an appeal to reinstate it. House Majority Leader John Bell, of Goldsboro, said that the court's rejection was based on...

Slocumb Street fire deemed suspicious

Firefighters responded to the second suspicious fire on Slocumb Street in less than a week Sunday night, according to a police report. Firefighters responded to a structure fire call at 116 S. Slocumb St. Sunday at about 7:55 p.m., but...

Cutting paper to create art

As a young girl, Sandy Thompson would sit for hours and watch her grandmother meticulously cut all kinds of silhouettes out of paper. "It's amazing how intricate they were," Sandy said. "My grandmother would do mostly cards and give them...

Fire damages mobile home, could displace resident

A fire Monday morning at lot 152 off of Legion Lake Road damaged a mobile home and could displace the resident, according to fire officials. Lt. Chris Cato with the Mar-Mac Volunteer Fire Department said the cause of the fire...

Fuming councilman storms out of meeting, calls counterparts racists

A tense exchange between Councilman Bevan Foster and the city's public works director led Councilman Mark Stevens to storm out of a work session Monday night. Foster challenged Rick Fletcher, public works director, saying he didn't believe the wire hanger...

Police investigate child abuse report involving 1-month-old baby

Police are investigating a report of possible child abuse after staff at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville reported that a 1-month-old infant arrived at the hospital with signs of abuse Friday, according to the Goldsboro Police Department. Maj. Anthony Carmon...

Monday, May 15, 2017

Police: Kentucky man scammed in prostitution set-up

A Kentucky man was threatened by a man wielding a shotgun after arranging to meet a woman from Craigslist at a Goldsboro address and pay her for sex, according to a report filed with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. The...

66-year-old man assaulted and robbed

Someone assaulted and robbed a 66-year-old man in the 100 block of East Walnut Street Sunday morning, according to a police report. The report said a white man in blue pants and white shoes approached the 66-year-old man at about...

Armed robber nabs four bags of cash from Internet sweepstakes cafe

Police are investigating an armed robbery of an Internet sweepstakes cafe that happened Saturday night, according to a police report. The report said a black man in a dark hoodie armed with a handgun walked into the Hi-5 Sweepstakes Internet...

Wayne County Public Schools could lose $2M in funding

A small discrepancy in the Wayne County combined tax rate could cause the Wayne County public school system to lose nearly $2 million in state funding, district officials say. As a low-wealth county, Wayne County is eligible to receive...

Relay for Life to be this Friday

One of Wayne County's largest fundraising events, the annual Relay for Life, will be held Friday at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Hundreds of people, including cancer survivors and caregivers, are expected to take part in the event, which raises...

New fee included in city budget

The city of Goldsboro fiscal 2017-18 budget proposes to hold the line on property taxes but includes a new stormwater fee for properties across the city. The property tax rate is recommended to remain at 65 cents per $100...

County manager will not recommend tax increase

It will be another week before Wayne County commissioners begin delving into the specifics of their 2017-18 budget. However, County Manager George Wood Friday said he is not recommending any changes in the tax rate of 66.35 cents per...

UPDATE: Police release few details in fatal Sunday shooting

Police are investigating a fatal shooting that happened at about 12:15 a.m. Sunday, according to a press release. The release said officers were in the area of Elm and Creech streets when they heard shots being fired. While trying to...

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Police investigate shooting death in the city

Police are investigating a murder that happened at about 12:15 a.m. today, according to a press release. The release said officers were in the area of Elm and Creech streets when they heard shots being fired. While trying to find...

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Wayne Community College Adult High School graduation held Friday

Lindsey Waters got a great 18th birthday present -- her GED diploma. It actually came a day early, during the Wayne Community College Adult High School and High School Equivalency commencement exercise on Friday morning. "His mom (Heather Stewart) talked...

Memorial Day events planned

The Wayne County Veterans and Patriots Coalition is planning a number of events to commemorate Memorial Day. The public is invited to join with members of the coalition in paying tribute to the fallen warriors of Wayne County. At...

Wings Over Wayne May 20-21

The Wings Over Wayne Air Show returns to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base on Saturday and Sunday, May 20 and 21, bringing a host of high-flying spectacles and military demonstrations to Goldsboro. The Oak Forest Road and Berkeley Boulevard gates...

UNC star to headline Scout event Thursday

The Boy Scouts are holding a Friends of Scouting event Thursday on behalf of the Tuscarora Council. It will be held at noon at the Walnut Creek Country Club. The featured speaker will be Eric Montross, a former star...

Food drive helps local charities

Wayne County's hungry will be a little less hungry for the next few months, thanks to the efforts of local letter carriers. The 24th Stamp Out Hunger food drive was conducted Saturday in Goldsboro, sponsored by the National Association of...

Wayne Community College student awarded 'Next Step' scholarship

Haley Brooke Warren has been awarded the prestigious "Next Step Scholarship" from Crumley Roberts. A 2015 Southern Wayne High School graduate, Warren is currently an Associate in Arts major at Wayne Community College. While at WCC, Warren has served...

Class of 2017: Largest Wayne Community College class of graduating nurses gets pinned

Twenty-seven members of the associate degree nursing class of 2017 at Wayne Community College were recognized during a formal pinning ceremony this week. The annual service, which includes presentation of nursing pins and nurse's creed scrolls by the faculty of...

$40K raised for pregnancy center

Some walked. Some ran very fast. And others joked that they were the limping brigade, in no particular hurry. Regardless of their speed, or lack of it, the nearly 300 people who braved Saturday's damp, cool weather helped raise...

University of Mount Olive professor honored for teaching

MOUNT OLIVE- Associate Professor of Education Dr. Harold Griffin is the recipient of the 2017 distinguished Dr. Thomas R. Morris Award for Excellence in Teaching at the University of Mount Olive. The award is given in appreciation to a full...

Teen beat up following last Sunday in the Park

An 18-year-old was jumped by a group of teenagers in Herman Park last Sunday night, according to a police report. The report said the teenager was at the park with some friends around 7 p.m. Sunday when a group of...

Student named winner of Case Farms scholarship

Anthony R. Bishop, the son of Tony Bishop, refrigeration manager at the Case Farms Goldsboro facility, has been named one of four winners of $8,000 scholarships through the J. Leroy Cook Memorial Scholarship Program. Anthony will graduate from the North...

Pedestrian hit by car

A 74-year-old man was taken to Wayne UNC Health Care emergency department Friday night after walking into the path of car. The victim was identified as Carlos Trevino, 74, of 1653 SW Second Way, Okeechobee, Florida. Wayne UNC Health...

New life-saving vests for K-9s donated to sheriff's office

Members of Wayne UNC Health Care's IT department gave new vests to K-9's with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office Friday. The department raised $2,400 for the new vests through a 50/50 raffle. It was enough to buy four vests...

Mt. Olive Pickle Co. buys Hilex Poly building

MOUNT OLIVE -- The former Hilex Poly facility has been purchased by the Mt. Olive Pickle Co. The $1.8 million purchase was closed on April 27, and includes a 23-acre tract and a one-story building totaling 140,000 square feet....

Council mulls $1 million for sports complex

The Goldsboro City Council will consider adding another $1 million to its development contract with the S.T. Wooten Corp. for the future multisport complex. The council Monday is set to review adding work to the initial $3 million contract,...

City lands $100K home repair grant

The city of Goldsboro has netted a $100,000 N.C. Housing Finance Agency grant that will help low-income homeowners with housing repairs that address safety concerns. The HFA's urgent repair funding will be provided to eligible homeowners in the form of...

Officials investigate suspicious fire

Authorities are investigating a fire that burned a garage attached to a home at 1804 S. Slocumb St. early Thursday morning. Assistant Goldsboro Fire Chief Eric Lancaster said the fire has been ruled as undetermined, and the cause has...

Dental hygiene class graduates

Wayne Community College recognized its largest dental hygiene class in the program's nearly 50-year history. The formal pinning ceremony, held May 9, denotes the end of the graduates' academic journey and welcomes them into the dental profession. The annual...

Public works to flush pipes

The city of Goldsboro's Public Works Department plans to start its annual unidirectional water-line flushing program today at 10 p.m. Crews plan to flush the lines each day, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and will continue for six...

Wayne Community College to hold opioid crisis forum

Opiate addiction is a growing problem in Wayne County, and knowledge is the key to fighting back, says Mental Health Association of Wayne County board member Judy Howell. To that goal, the Mental Health Association and the Wayne Community...

Hospital rates to increase

Wayne Memorial Hospital patients will see a 4 percent rate increase in the 2017-18 fiscal year that begins July 1. Last year was the first time in three years rates did not increase. Overall cash collections (net revenues) are expected...

Friday, May 12, 2017

Wayne County Schools could lose $2 million in state funding

A small discrepancy in the Wayne County combined tax rate could cause the Wayne County Public School System to lose nearly $2 million in state funding, district officials say. As a low-wealth county, Wayne County is eligible to receive low-wealth...

Wayne County Schools recognizes beginning teacher of the year

Cody Scrufari, an English as a second language teacher at Spring Creek Elementary School, thought he blended in more than standing out. But Thursday afternoon he found out that was not the case, as he was named Wayne County Public...

Deputy assaulted

An employee of the Bojangle's on U.S. 117 in Mar-Mac who was fired Thursday evening and then refused to leave the restaurant's property assaulted and injured a Wayne County sheriff's deputy as the deputy was trying to arrest him. Cornelius...

Wayne Communtiy College graduates more than 1,200 students

Shirley Hoyt-Hicks was beaming Thursday morning as she scanned the parking lot at Love Temple for family coming to support her at the Wayne Community College graduation. But it wasn't just because she had learned the day before that she...

Bullet passes through roof into woman's bedroom

DUDLEY -- A 46-year-old woman's home on Durham Lake Road was shot into Wednesday night while her and her daughter were inside, according to a report filed with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. The report said the woman and her...

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Police: No cause for alarm over stalking reports on social media

Law enforcement said today that posts on social media of suspicious activity at various retail stores in Wayne County should not give the community cause for alarm. Posts on sites like Facebook claim that people are following families with young...

WCC forum will confront opioid crisis

Opiate addiction is a growing problem in Wayne County, and knowledge is the key to fighting back, says Mental Health Association of Wayne County board member Judy Howell. To that goal, the Mental Health Association and the Wayne Community College...

Defendant takes plea deal in shooting death of friend

Rashad Terrell Daniels, 23, will serve 84 to 113 months in prison for his part in the Aug. 8, 2015, murder of 17-year-old Jerome Lavelle Barnes. Daniels pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter today in Wayne County Superior Court. He was...

Graduation season gets underway with two ceremonies at WCC

Wayne Community College kicked off the first of two curriculum graduation ceremonies this morning, with 1,272 students receiving 517 associate degrees, 168 diplomas and 587 certificates. Part two will be held at 4 p.m. at Love Temple. Editor's note ----...

Coming Friday: Wayne County Public Schools in danger of losing $2M in state funding

A small discrepancy in the Wayne County combined tax rate could cause the Wayne County Public School System to lose nearly $2 million in state funding. As a low-wealth county, Wayne County is eligible to receive low-wealth education funding from...

Unmet needs listed

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has allowed for only $6.1 million of the $600 million in the disaster relief package sought by Gov. Roy Cooper. The HUD request was for Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief for housing...

Storm aid falls short

Gov. Roy Cooper Wednesday expressed shock and disappointment in the Trump administration and congressional leadership for failing to honor the state's request for additional disaster relief funding. Ironically, Cooper made his comments during a hurricane preparedness program at RDU...

Air Force dad's reaction on daughter's birth video goes viral

Most people think of the gender reveal as something that happens in the midst of pregnancy, an opportunity for a couple to learn the sex of their baby surrounded by family and friends. For Marvin Duré and wife, Magniola, they...

DWI checkpoint results in 125 charges

Several law enforcement agencies conducted a DWI checkpoint Saturday night in front of E-Z Bait & Tackle On U.S. 117. Sgt. Jayson Hill with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office DWI Task Force said the checkpoint netted 125 charges. Of those,...

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

State to recieve only $6M of the more than $900M requested for hurricane relief

Gov. Roy Cooper earlier today said he was shocked and disappointed in the Trump Administration and Congressional leadership's failure to fulfill the state's funding request for $930 million for disaster. Instead the state will receive $6.1 million, or less than...

Heroism defined: Law enforcement officers remember their fallen brethren

The count of fallen officers in Wayne County rose by one  for the first time in more than a decade when Goldsboro Police Department Maj. Jay Memmelaar died unexpectedly this year. And as Police Chief Mike West delivered comments at...

Not a noose: City says photo of a hanger was "taken out of context"

The picture of a clothes hanger used to hold items painted by Goldsboro public works employees has led to a city investigation and continued concern within the department. The photo, which appeared on Facebook Tuesday was originally taken by a...

Clashing council sluggish on issues

Mayor Chuck Allen can't remember a time during his 19 years in office when the Goldsboro City Council has been more contentious. The council for several months has continued to have intermittent clashes over city policies, diversity and personnel...

Goldsboro earns award from National Main Street Center

The Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. received national recognition with a One to Watch Award presented by the National Main Street Center. Members of the DGDC board received the award during the Main Street conference May 1 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....

Mom's train ride derailed

When Kelly Barber wanted to take her son on the Kiwanis Miniature Train at Herman Park Sunday, she noticed a sign at the ticket window. It indicated that mothers could ride the train for free with their child. So she...

Council approves $2.27 million street repaving contract

The Goldsboro City Council approved a near $2.27 million street resurfacing contract and decided to operate both city swimming pools during the summer months. The decisions were made during the council meeting Monday. Turner Asphalt in Raleigh is expected to...

Fremont STARS teachers turn tutors

As the end of the school year draws near, teachers at Fremont STARS elementary are working to help their students grow as much as possible. Sixteen teachers at Fremont STARS are taking part in a new after-school tutoring program...

Firehouse theme more than window dressing

The franchise owner of Firehouse Subs in Goldsboro wants the new Berkeley Boulevard restaurant to be known for more than its menu. The business, which opened in April, is not only owned by a Goldsboro native but also focuses...

Collaboration education: Learning from each other

Jamel Jones is a fan of the teachable moment. And for the assistant principal at Dillard Middle School, efforts to  provide those for his students have also produced a full circle moment for him. A graduate of Charles B. Aycock...

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Man arrested for first-degree murder

Police arrested a man on a first-degree murder warrant and several other felony warrants Monday while serving orders for arrest on another man, according to a press release. Glenn Erwin Warren, 31, of 1405 Eagle Lane, Spring Lake, was served...

Exercise to bring noise, traffic to SJAFB area Wednesday morning

The 4th Fighter Wing will conduct a major accident response exercise Wednesday at 8 a.m. Traffic congestion near Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is expected. According to a SJAFB press release, the installation may operate under an increased level of...

Sheriff's office captain's hearing continued

Wayne County Sheriff's Office Capt. Steve Mozingo's contempt of court hearing Monday was continued until May 30. The show cause hearing -- in which Mozingo will need to show cause for why he should not be found in contempt...

News-Argus restructuring

The media landscape is changing at a faster rate than ever, and The News-Argus is working to adapt to these changes in order to provide the products and services that meet the needs of its readers and advertisers. "As...

'Barber On Wheels' delivers fresh cuts

Jerry Rose can probably remember when a shave and a haircut were, like the song goes, two bits. The Johnston County native headed off to barber school as a young man, attending Capital City Barber College in Raleigh. "I...

Bond sale moves projects forward

The city of Goldsboro recently completed a $5.5 million bond sale that will provide funding for the future multisport complex and resurfacing of city streets. The city sold $2.5 million in street improvement bonds and $3 million in recreation...

Wayne County students honored with University of Mount Olive awards

MOUNT OLIVE -- Several Wayne County students were recognized for their achievements at the University of Mount Olive Annual Awards Ceremony. Among those receiving awards were: * Samantha Futrelle of Mount Olive received the Business Management Student of the Year...

Renewable scholarships available

Students entering certain technical programs at Wayne Community College may be eligible for renewable scholarships. The Foundation of Wayne Community College's "Top 12" Scholarship Program is designed to encourage students to study and go into careers in air conditioning,...

Pikeville removes cemetery posts

PIKEVILLE -- The town of Pikeville approved the removal of small posts at the entrance of the town's cemetery last week. Town Commissioner Lyman Galloway said the foot-tall concrete posts are unsightly at the nearly 100-year-old cemetery, located on...

Bentonville area benefit planned

Bentonville area resident William Johnson underwent surgery last December to remove a tumor from the back side of his heart and to fix an abnormality in his diaphragm to allow him to breathe better. His surgery went well, but...

Some farmers hit hard by flooding, county spared overall

Kevin Johnson kneels in a barren field off Ferry Bridge Road. Just weeks ago, it was green with young tobacco plants. But that was before heavy rains sent the Neuse River over its banks flooding the field and an...

Monday, May 8, 2017

Hearing continued in case of deputy who spoke to juror

Wayne County Sheriff's Office Capt. Steve Mozingo's contempt of court hearing today was continued until May 30. The show cause hearing -- in which Mozingo will need to show cause for why he should not be found in contempt of...

Deputy assaulted at Sheetz

A 23-year-old sheriff's deputy working a security detail at Sheetz on North Spence Avenue Friday evening was assaulted by a patron who was banned from the gas station but was there anyway, according to an incident report. The report said...

WCC to graduate around 1,000 students

More than 1,000 students from Wayne Community College programs are expected to graduate this spring, with three ceremonies planned for later this week. WCC historically holds commencement ceremonies in two areas -- for curriculum students taking college-level courses and...

Sunday in the Park

Noah Carraway, 7, Hula hoops to show off for his cousin Consuella Green Sunday during the first Sunday in the Park of the year. The event, a partnership between the Arts Council of Wayne County and Parks and Recreation, features...

Take a 'Peep' at what's at the Arts Council of Wayne County

You see them everywhere at Easter time -- yellow Peep chicks. And you also find them at Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas. One place you may not have expected to see the sugary candy, though, is at the Arts...

Man dies after wreck, shooting

Police found a man dead inside a wrecked car Sunday morning after his car was shot into about a half mile away only moments before, according to the Goldsboro Police Department. Shiheem Raiford, 23, of 611 Slaughter St., was...

Law Enforcement United rolls through Goldsboro

A law enforcement cycling team on its way to Washington, D.C., made a stop at the Goldsboro Police Department Saturday afternoon, pausing briefly to rest and pray before moving to their hotel for the night. Law Enforcement United is...

Roads reopen after flooding

All Wayne County roads closed by flooding that resulted from heavy rains late last month have reopened with the exception of Pecan Road. A section of that road near Arrington Bridge Road remains closed to repair damages caused by the...

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Man found dead inside wrecked car after report of shooting

Police found a dead man inside a wrecked car this morning when they responded to a report of a crash after responding to shots being fired only moments before, according to a press release. Shiheem Raiford, 23, was found dead...

Nearly 360 students graduate from UMO

Darrah Lobo-Caves had been waiting for graduation day for a long time. A mother, an Air Force veteran and a student at the University of Mount Olive since 2013, Mrs. Lobo-Caves stood in the Pope Wellness Center Saturday waiting...

Stamp Out Hunger to begin on May 13

Wayne County's letter carriers will not only be delivering mail May 13, but they will also be collecting food from customers on their routes for local charities. The 24th annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive will be going on all...

Grant to protect base training area

The Air Force will use a $3.4 million federal grant to protect more than 4,500 acres of high-priority land necessary to maintain training airspace for the Dare County Bombing Range -- the primary training range for F-15E aircraft crews...

Officers complete first community policing class

Officers with the Goldsboro Police Department completed the agency's first-ever community policing class Wednesday by presenting projects they performed in the community to stakeholders in the community. The course ran for roughly three weeks and was the brainchild of...

Running for a cure

Hundreds gathered at Wayne Community College throughout the day Saturday to participate in the seventh annual Cures for the Colors, where they raised money for Southeastern Cancer Care and honored cancer patients and survivors and remembered those who have passed...

City budget to be unveiled

The Goldsboro City Council will get its first glance of the recommended fiscal 2017-18 budget during its meeting Monday night. The budget proposal holds the line on property taxes and maintains the current property tax rate of 65 cents...

Girl Scouts deliver cookies to SJAFB

This past Wednesday, Girl Scouts from the North Carolina Coastal Pines council delivered 1,700 cases of Girl Scout Cookies to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base as part of the organization's annual Operation Cookie Drop program. Operation Cookie Drop is...

GHS holds College Signing Day

More than 50 students from the 120-member senior class at Goldsboro High School got the jump on making plans for college Friday, participating in College Signing Day at the school. The schoolwide assembly provided an opportunity for students who have...

County hires ag center director

James B. Wade Jr. has been hired as the director for the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center now under construction. Wade was most recently the director of ticketing and events for Owensboro Convention Center in Owensboro, Kentucky He...

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Man faces firearms after deputies discover illegal weapon during drug search

A man faces firearms charges after the Wayne County Sheriff's Office discovered an illegal weapon during a drug search Wednesday, according to sheriff's office press release. Kevin Dejuan Walters, 28, of 705 East Holly St. is charged with possession of...

Nearly 300 teens apply for city jobs in Goldsboro Summer Youth Employment program

Close to 300 teenagers applied for the estimated 50 jobs that will become available as part of the new Goldsboro Summer Youth Employment program. By the May 1 deadline, 294 youth, between the ages of 14 and 18, applied for...

Absorbing police report: Man says a roll of paper towels causes damage to vehicle

A roll of a paper towels fell off a work truck and apparently damaged a man's vehicle Monday afternoon. According to a Goldsboro Police Department report, a man reported that the roll of paper towels hit the hood of his...

Site work for new Dunkin' Donuts begins

Landscaping and other site work recently started at the future location of Dunkin' Donuts on North Berkeley Boulevard near Cashwell Drive. Crews with Barbour Brothers Construction are removing two entrances along Berkeley Boulevard that previously allowed access to the property,...

Friday, May 5, 2017

Pizza Hut remains open after small fire

The Goldsboro Fire Department responded to the Pizza Hut on Ash Street this morning after paperwork from the side of a water heater fell on a burner. Assistant Chief Eric Lancaster said a restaurant manager called the department at 8:58...

Emily West named Teacher of the Year

Less than two minutes before Schools Superintendent Michael Dunsmore announced this year's Teacher of the Year for Wayne County Public Schools, Emily West realized it was going to be her. The fourth-grade teacher at Meadow Lane Elementary School was...

Recovery group asks for funds

Wayne County commissioners Tuesday morning appeared interested in the potential of the Long Term Disaster Recovery Group-Wayne County, but not enough to fund the $15,000 the group asked for. They did agree to consider the request while work continues...

National Day of Prayer observed

Speaker Mac Sullivan encouraged the 250 people attending the annual National Day of Prayer event not to let the prayerful attitude end with the event, but continue it every day of their lives in their homes, at their churches and...

May the fourth be with you: Jammin' season begins

The sounds of Spare Change could be heard for blocks throughout downtown Goldsboro Thursday night during the first Center Street Jam of the season. Hundreds of people of all ages filled the John Street parking lot for the popular concert...

Habitat for Humanity's annual National Women Build Week begins Saturday

Habitat for Humanity's annual National Women Build Week starts May 6 and ends May 11 -- the day Goldsboro's Habitat event for women begins. Women Build will last until Saturday, May 13, for women in Wayne County to volunteer to...

Man breaks into library, foiled by empty register

A person broke a window Wednesday night at the Wayne County Public Library to steal money from a register. According to a Goldsboro Police Department report, an employee of the library, located at 1001 E. Ash St., found the broken...

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Disability Walk

Life Inc. Care facility employees and clients walk down Walnut Street holding their banner during the 20th annual Hal Plonk Disability Awareness Walk, sponsored by the Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday....

Air Force veteran hired as new manager for city's event center

A retired veteran of the Air Force is now managing the Goldsboro Event Center for the city of Goldsboro. Anthony "Tony" Smith, a native of New Bern, started managing the event center in mid-April, after retiring as the Air...

County CTE program students recognized

Students in Career and Technical Education, or CTE, programs in Wayne County Public Schools were recognized Wednesday for being top finishers in state and national competitions during the school year. This is the first year for the CTE Showcase...

Cures for the Colors event to be Saturday

The annual Cures for the Colors will be held Saturday at Wayne Community College. The event is a fundraiser for Southeastern Cancer Care, a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 to assist cancer patients during their time of need. "We issue...

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

UPDATE: Man airlifted to Vidant Medical Center after being hit by train

MOUNT OLIVE -- The man hit by a train Tuesday afternoon in Mount Olive was airlifted to Vidant Medical Center shortly after the accident. Yony Diez-Lopez, 29, of 118 Cleveland Drive, crossed the railroad tracks on foot on North Center...

Pain in the poems

Behind the lines of Susan Williams' poems lies the pain of years of abuse as a child. The poems are also filled with the hardship of being homeless. Putting the anguish she has suffered during her life onto paper...

City makes national listing

The city of Goldsboro is listed as one of the 250 top cities in the nation to start a small business, according to a recent survey. LendEDU, a New Jersey-based marketplace for student loans and refinancing, named Goldsboro as...

County to see impact of dam release

Wayne County should expect to see the impact of the water release from the Falls Lake dam on Thursday. "Then we will just see a steady level at the Neuse over the next two weeks," Wayne County Office of...

Arts Council of Wayne County to begin work on VetStories

The Arts Council of Wayne County will begin working on a project this month that will be 18 months in the making. VetStories stems from a project that director Wendy Snow Walker did in Pittsburgh called the Heroes Project....

Debris removal to ease flooding

Nearly three-quarters of a million dollars will be spent on clearing debris from Wayne County streams in an effort to improve flow and lessen the potential for flooding. Wayne County, the city of Goldsboro and the Bear Creek Watershed...

Salvation Army starts canteen program

The Salvation Army of Wayne County has started a new Canteen Night Watch program as an outreach ministry in the local area. The first Sunday of each month, the Salvation Army commanders and church members are going to some of...

Wayne County Public Schools announces Instructional Assistant of the Year

Teacher assistants are a valuable addition to the classroom, prompting Wayne County Public Schools to create the Instructional Assistant of the Year award. Sarah Robinson, media assistant at Eastern Wayne Middle School, was named the first recipient of the...

Crime of the week

On Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, at approximately 10:10 p.m., officers of the Goldsboro Police Department responded to 1900 S. Slocumb St. in reference to a call of an armed subjects. While en route the call was updated as a shots...

Shots fired into home in Pikeville

The Wayne County Sheriff's Office is looking for suspects involved in an incident in which an occupied home was shot into Monday afternoon. According to a report, deputies responded to a call in reference to eight shots being fired in...

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Jury finds Kenneth Morgan Stancil III guilty of first-degree murder

Kenneth Morgan Stancil III will serve life in prison without parole after being found guilty of first-degree murder today in Wayne County Superior Court. Stancil killed Wayne Community College print shop technician Ron Lane April 13, 2015, on the...

Man is hit by train in Mount Olive

A man was taken to Wayne UNC after being struck by a train in downtown Mount Olive around 2:30 p.m. today. The man, who has not yet been identified, was conscious, but somewhat incoherent, Chief of Police Tommy Brown said....

State presents chilling video

The state rested its case Monday in the first-degree murder trial of Kenneth Morgan Stancil III after showing the jury a racist, xenophobic and homophobic soliloquy Stancil recorded before the killing of Ron Lane. Stancil is on trial for...

Poppies row on row

Red poppies will be abundant in Wayne County May 26 and 27 during Poppy Days. It's a project that the American Legion Auxiliary does -- and has done since 1923 -- to help veterans. Auxiliary members will be at...

Mount Olive board member resigns

MOUNT OLIVE -- District 3 town Commissioner Tom Preston Monday night said that he will resign effective May 31 to move to Wilmington where his business, Preston Management Inc. Roofing and Insulation, is headquartered Also on Monday, the board...

Jones hearing to be this month

Former Superior Court Judge Arnold O. Jones II will be sentenced in federal court May 17 after pleading guilty in March to promising and paying gratuities to a public official. The sentencing hearing will be at 2 p.m. in...

WCC honor society inducts 36 new members into ranks

Wayne Community College's Upsilon Chi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, inducted 36 members in its spring ceremony. Phi Theta Kappa members represent the top 10 percent of students enrolled in two-year schools....

Peanut Growers Association establishes scholarship at University of Mount Olive

MOUNT OLIVE -- The North Carolina Peanut Growers Association has established an annual scholarship for University of Mount Olive students in the amount of $1,000. "We are so appreciative of the N.C. Peanut Growers Association board of directors for...

River recedes, flooding still an issue

Several Wayne County roads remain closed today because of flooding associated with last week's heavy rains, and a flood warning remains in effect through 2 a.m. Saturday morning. Moderate flooding that is affecting some local crops continues today around the...

Monday, May 1, 2017

Man arrested for stabbing woman in the hand

A man allegedly stabbed a woman in her left hand Sunday night, according to the Goldsboro Police Department. Samuel Jermaine Holloman, 42, of 159 Running Deer Circle in Dudley, and the woman got into an argument over another woman in...

CEO of Wayne UNC Health Care to speak at University of Mount Olive graduation

MOUNT OLIVE -- The University of Mount Olive will graduate approximately 375 students on Saturday, May 6, during its 2 p.m. commencement exercises in the George and Annie Dail Kornegay Arena. Janie Jaberg, president and CEO of Wayne UNC...

Roads remain closed today after rivers, creeks flood

Several Wayne County roads remain closed this morning because of flooding from the Neuse River, Little River or creeks and streams. Three water rescues were carried out over the weekend after motorists attempted to drive across flooded roads. No...

Delegation splits on Medicaid expansion

Wayne County's legislative delegation Friday morning split along party lines on whether the state should expand Medicaid. The Medicaid system is broken and needs fixing not expansion, said Republicans Sen. Louis Pate of Mount Olive and Reps. John Bell...

Commissioners to talk grant projects

Wayne County has received two grants that will allow it to clear debris that is impeding the flow of water and contributing to flooding in several creeks and streams. A third grant will be used to help a farmer...

Cherry Hospital honors volunteers

Hot dogs and baked beans are not the typical traditional Christmas meal. But for those who may have been eating hospital food for a while, it's definitely a treat. That's what the Men's Club at Jefferson United Methodist Church...

Schools on two-hour delay today

Wayne County Public Schools will have a two-hour delay today due to flooding and high water in some areas, according to a release from the school system. All non-essential personnel are to report to work two hours beyond their normal...