Wayne Week — April 27, 2025

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CONTENTS APRIL 27, 2025 Volume 2, Issue 35

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EDITORIAL EDITOR Ken Fine EDITOR Renee Carey DESIGN DIRECTOR Shan Stumpf PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Casey Mozingo

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4 Eight down. Many more to go.

In less than a year, Goldsboro staff has ensured that eight dilapidated structures have been torn down. But according to the man leading the charge, he is just getting started.

6 Pikeville still eyeing Town Hall move

Members of the town Board of Commissioners gave Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff the OK to continue looking into the possibility of moving Town Hall into the former library building.

9 SBI wrapping up inquiry

According to its spokesman, the State Bureau of Investigation is days away from turning over the findings from their investigation into an incident that unfolded in January inside the Wayne County Detention Center to Wayne County District Attorney Matthew Delbridge.

10 Our take

In our view, the demolition of dilapidated homes in the neighborhoods surrounding downtown Goldsboro is a major win for the city.

12 Our take

Tim Biggerstaff has a vision for downtown Pikeville that starts with moving Town Hall into the former library building. We think he's on to something.

14 Cover story

Wings Over Wayne 2025 is nearly upon us and this year's event promises to be a special one.

20 Spectator WAYNE WEEK (ISSN 2993-9666) is published weekly — except the week of Christmas, Easter, and July 4 — for $125 per year by New Old North Media, LLC, 219 N. John Street, Goldsboro, NC, 27530. Periodicals postage paid at at Goldsboro, NC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WAYNE WEEK, 219 N. John Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530.

Dozens of people converged on The HUB in downtown Goldsboro Wednesday to learn some self-defense techniques as part of the Wellness Wednesday initiative.

COVER DESIGN

BY SHAN STUMPF

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NEWS +VIEWS

Eight down. Many more to go.

Former City Councilman Taj Polack said the city’s neighborhoods are making a comeback as, in his new role as housing compliance officer, he is leading the charge to tear down dilapidated structures.

BY KEN FINE

B

ack in October, former Goldsboro City Councilman Taj Polack promised residents that under his watch as the city’s new housing compliance officer, at least 10 dilapidated homes would come down in 2025 — an effort he argued, during his time on the council, would reduce crime and convince homeowners to avoid contributing to blight in their neighborhoods.

So Tuesday, as crews worked to demolish a building that has, at times, provided shelter to drug dealers and prostitutes — the eighth structure that has been reduced to rubble in recent weeks — he used it as an opportunity to provide an update on the work a “dream team” has completed since District 3 Councilwoman Jamie Taylor and then-Interim City Manager Matthew Livingston advocated for the funds to hire Polack and tear down the “worst of the worst.”

It started last spring when members of the council began listing their priorities as Livingston and his staff were putting together the 2024-25 budget.

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For Taylor, ridding District 3 of blight — and doing so by funding a housing compliance officer — was at the top of her list.

“I said that District 3, all the parts of District 3, I felt like we were not being treated the same as if I lived over on Park Avenue, or in Pill Hill or Maplewood,” she told Wayne Week earlier this year. “All of our neighborhoods are important to us. No matter where you live, you are just as important to the city of Goldsboro as everyone else. Your districts and your streets and your homes matter. You shouldn’t have to live with filth, trash, and blighted homes.”

The rest of the council ultimately agreed and made room in a spending plan that was already mired by a tax increase — the hike was necessary to fund pay increases for first responders — for what is now a fully funded minimum housing officer position and more than $100,000 in demolition funds.

“There were several times when the position and the money for demolition were discussed as being removed from the budget because of constraints, but I was absolutely in

no way going to let up on my feelings for this much-needed position,” Taylor said.

Polack is glad she did not back down.

But as a former council member, he also understood just how precious tax dollars were — and vowed to do everything in his power to stretch the demolition funding as far as he could.

“So far, I’ve saved the city $18,500,” Polack said, adding that he did so by convincing some property owners to save money on demolition costs by hiring the contractors themselves.

“And by saving that money, that means we can bring down two or three more houses.”

That work, Polack said, will be important as seemingly every day, a new house is flagged for minimum housing code violations.

“We just had two structure fires this week,” he said. “There are so many houses burning up right now and those are absolutely a priority.”

It is not simply because they “look terrible.”

They also pose a safety risk to neighbors, he said.

And just because the majority of the work,

to date, has unfolded in District 1 and District 3, Polack said other residents can expect the same treatment should additional funding be allocated for his effort by the council in the 2025-26 budget.

“I expect us to get the funding, and if we do, we’re going to bring down at least another 10,” Polack said. “And it’s probably going to be more than that, to be honest with you, because if I can get these owners to do the work themselves and save themselves some money, every time I do that, we can add a house.”

And if he can continue to convince those whose homes are still salvageable to do their part to avoid the wrecking ball, more Goldsboro neighborhoods will inch closer to the best versions of themselves.

“I see more voluntary compliance now because people just know we’re serious now and it’s an incredible thing to see,” Polack said.

“Our city is coming back, and I’m just blessed, and I thank God every day. He put me right in the place I needed to be to do what I’ve always

STANDARDS FOR STRUCTURES

HAZARDOUS STRUCTURES

• Stairs, porches, and any appurtenances used for access into a dwelling or within a dwelling shall be safe to use and capable of supporting the designed structural load. They shall not be damaged, deteriorated, or dilapidated.

No person shall occupy as owner-occupant, or let to another for occupancy, any dwelling or dwelling unit for the purpose of habitation which does not comply with the following requirements: • Walls, floors, and roofs shall not have any rotted, deteriorated, or damaged supporting members that compromise their structural integrity resulting in an unsafe condition.

• Every place of habitation shall be provided with adequate means for egress in the case of fire, panic, or disaster.

• The roof, flashings, exterior walls, basement walls, floors, and all doors and windows exposed to weather shall be constructed and maintained so as to be reasonably weatherproof and watertight.

• Foundations, foundation walls, piers, or other foundational supports shall not be deteriorated, damaged, or dilapidated to a point that compromises their supporting strength.

• There shall be no chimney or parts thereof which are defective, deteriorated or dilapidated or in danger of falling, or in such condition or location as to constitute a fire hazard.

Every abandoned structure within the city of Goldsboro shall be deemed in violation of this article whenever such structure constitutes a hazard to adjacent properties and to the health, safety, or welfare of the city’s citizens as a result of:

• There shall be no use of exposed ground as a floor. Wood floors shall not be placed directly upon the ground.

• The attraction of insects, rodents, or other health hazards.

• There shall be no openings or exposed holes in floors.

• Dangerous conditions constituting a probable threat to adjacent properties, life, or limb.

• Conditions conducive to creating a fire hazard.

• Presence of noticeable structural deterioration or dilapidation.

• Frequent use by persons, not residents, as living quarters in absence of sanitary facilities whether authorized or in trespass.

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Board OKs inquiry into Town Hall relocation

Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff shares more details of his plan to move Pikeville Town

BY K E N F I N E

D

espite Mayor Garrett Johnston’s opposition to the idea, the Pikeville Town Board voted to authorize Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff to continue to explore moving Town Hall to the former library building and converting the building currently occupied by staff and the Police Department back into a community building.

The notion was first broached back in February, when Biggerstaff said he felt the move — one that he told the board he was still researching the cost and feasibility of — had the potential to “ignite” downtown.

Johnston, during that meeting, seemed skeptical — and insisted that the old library was “usable real estate for a business.”

But during the much-longer discussion that unfolded earlier this month, Commissioner Matt Thomas said while the space could bring in an estimated $1,200 a month in rent, in his view, it was not worth the “headache” associated with a town government “getting into the landlord business.”

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“The town of Pikeville getting into the landlord business — even if we hire an outside real estate firm — I worry that is going to be way more of a headache than it’s potentially worth,” he said. “Trying to rent it to a private business seems like a huge pain.”

So, he supported the idea of Biggerstaff exploring the move further, as did the rest of the board.

To date, the town manager said he has determined it would cost between $35,000 and $40,000 to relocate Town Hall.

But the money, he said, would not come from the General Fund, as his plan is to apply for grants that would cover the costs.

Then, should the board vote to greenlight the move, the current Town Hall would be converted back into a community building — which Biggerstaff characterized, again, as a “win” for residents.

“We need to get this building back into the people’s hands,” he said. “It was highly utilized several years ago and would give our residents their space back.”

It would also, he added, bring in revenue as groups — from the Lions Club and Boy Scouts to local churches — could rent out the space for events.

“We need to turn one of these buildings into a revenue source at some point,” Biggerstaff said.

Ultimately, the board agreed to allow the manager to continue putting together a plan — but not before Johnston listed numerous reasons he believes it would be a bad decision.

One of them was what he said was limited space inside the old library.

“It looks a little tight,” he said.

Police Chief Rodney Jarman disagreed.

“It’s actually larger,” he said after Biggerstaff told the board there was “plenty of space inside.”

Johnston wasn’t finished.

He repeated an assertion he made in February that by moving Town Hall, future leaders would be less likely to pursue the millions of dollars it would take to construct a new facility.

“If we move into that building, chances are

you’re not going to find a board that’s going to want to build a new building — a new Town Hall,” Johnston said.

But Biggerstaff noted that, in his view, the reality of receiving funding for a multi-million-dollar Town Hall were “not all that great.”

“We can still pursue those types of funds, but until then, I’d like the board to consider the idea of relocating Town Hall and the Police Department to the old library building,” he said.

Because there was more, Biggerstaff said, to his plan than simply moving to the downtown location.

He also envisions surrounding it with a “nicely landscaped area” with “bushes, flowers, a nice sitting area,” and, should funding be available, “maybe a gazebo or a … sculpture.”

“That could define that western entrance into downtown,” Biggerstaff said. “And I believe it would help redefine that whole area as a new bright spot with the goal of helping ignite the neighboring property owners to fix up or sell those empty buildings.”

Johnston was not moved.

The $8 to $10 million for a new Town Hall, he inferred, was easy to get.

“That money is not hard to get. I really didn’t have to work that hard to get the million dollars,” he said, referencing a $1 million allocation awarded to the town thanks to State Rep. John Bell.

And of that $1 million, a portion, under a “previous board,” was supposed to go toward creation of a downtown master plan that included a rendering of a new Town Hall.

But how that money will ultimately be used has been up in the air since Johnston was embroiled in scandal following the summer 2024 release of an audio recording of a several-hour meeting between him and two town residents.

During that conversation, he referred to himself as a “million-dollar mayor” and outlined several of his goals — from taking “our downtown back from the poor people” and making it “trendy again” to firing nearly every one of the town’s employees.

And he implied he was the only person in Pikeville with the capacity to determine how that $1 million would be spent.

“All these ideas came out of my head. I’m a visionary leader,” Johnston said. “I don’t mean this in a mean way, but there’s very few people that have enough imagination to spend or manage $1 million.”

Since that time, several initiatives he planned to spearhead using those funds — including construction of a soccer complex — have been dismissed by the public and the people who represent them on the board.

And the board bucked him again at the tail end of the Town Hall discussion, voting to authorize Biggerstaff to continue putting together his plan. n

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SBI probe nearly complete According to state officials, Wayne County District Attorney Matthew Delbridge will soon be called on to determine whether or not to pursue criminal charges against jail employee.

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BY RENEE CAREY

T

he North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is wrapping up its investigation into an incident that unfolded earlier this year inside the Wayne County Detention Center, and its spokesman said the findings will soon be presented to Wayne County District Attorney Matthew Delbridge.

SBI Public Information Officer Chad Flowers told Wayne Week Tuesday that the case agent “conducted an interview” as recently as Monday and anticipates turning over her findings to the D.A. “by the middle of next week.”

Here is what we know: In March, the SBI confirmed it was conducting a probe after a “detainee” was allegedly assaulted by a person who works inside the jail.

And while the bureau would not name either party involved, Flowers did confirm the following facts that were provided to Wayne

Sources who have spoken to Wayne Week said they would be surprised if “criminal charges” were not brought against the accused — and lauded both the GPD officers for “refusing to stand by and stay silent” after they witnessed what unfolded and Pierce for “self-reporting” the incident to state authorities.

Pierce, who was asked for comment about the incident last month — including the current employment status of the person accused of using excessive force — provided the following account of what transpired to Wayne Week: “On January 26, 2025, Goldsboro Police Department officers brought two suspects before the magistrate for charges. While in the custody of the Goldsboro Police Department, one individual became aggressive with the officers, as well as two detention officers.

Sources ... said they would be surprised if criminal charges were not brought.

Week by several law enforcement sources with knowledge of the incident who asked to remain anonymous: On Jan. 26, Goldsboro police officers made an arrest and, as is protocol, transported the detainee to the Wayne County Detention Center.

But before they officially relinquished custody, a Wayne County Sheriff’s Office employee allegedly assaulted the individual — raising concern among the arresting officers.

The following day, Sheriff Larry Pierce contacted the SBI and asked them to assist with a case of “potential use of excessive force.”

Since that time, witnesses have been interviewed — and video footage has been reviewed — by state agents.

Once the case is presented to Delbridge, he will, according to Flowers, be the one to, if he deems it necessary based on the evidence, convene a grand jury and potentially indict the member of the WCSO.

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A brief altercation ensued between one detention officer and the aggressive suspect.

The suspect was not injured in the altercation, and the booking process continued. It was later discovered that the suspect was in possession of a controlled substance and attempting to conceal the controlled substance before the altercation.

When details of the altercation were presented to Sheriff Larry Pierce, he requested that the NC State Bureau of Investigation conduct a third-party, impartial investigation.

The detention officer was placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Pierce added that while he could not provide additional comment regarding an ongoing investigation, he appreciates the SBI for agreeing to facilitate that probe.

“I want to thank the NC SBI for their assistance into this matter,” he said. n newoldnorth.com

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{ our TAKE }

APPETITE FOR

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A

disintegrating downtown and neighborhoods that are a fraction of their former selves are not signs that a community has no life left.

But they are indicators that a fight is necessary.

And moving forward takes more than just saying the words the community wants to hear — or simply pretending you don’t see the problem and building and growing somewhere else.

It takes a vision of what’s possible by remembering what was and seeing what could be.

But it also takes making the hard work a priority.

Dilapidated houses don’t demolish themselves — and the vermin, the eyesores, and the havens for crime and drugs do not disappear because they aren’t in your neighborhood.

In fact, sometimes, if you don’t pay attention, the blight seeps into your neck of the woods.

Turning a corner takes a commitment.

We saw it downtown when no one thought the Paramount Theatre would ever rise again — and then, later, when no one could imagine that there would ever be a bustling restaurant and business community surrounding it.

And we have seen it over and over again in Wayne County when someone finally decided that the status quo would no longer be to turn away.

That mentality has brought new development and a few new major projects like schools and infrastructure.

It took some convincing.

It took some vision.

It took thinking 20 moves ahead to what a revitalized landmark, a thriving downtown, and a new school building would do for the community and then getting others to buy into the potential.

And now, we see the results and we can think about new possibilities.

For downtown Goldsboro, that means a revitalized train station and passenger rail.

For the county at large, it means businesses that want to call this community home.

And now we have a new target — the neighborhoods surrounding the county seat’s downtown and in parts of the community long-forgotten, where once-thriving neighborhoods have been overwhelmed by blight and other issues.

But there is not just talk behind the efforts now, and there are no more excuses.

The job is getting done by someone who has gone through a few transformations of his own career-wise over the years — a public servant who sees what could be.

Sometimes life takes you in a direction you did not foresee, but one that puts you on a path to make a real difference.

That is former Goldsboro Mayor Pro Tem Taj Polack’s story.

You see, when the former councilman changed course and took on the job of the city’s housing compliance officer, he was keeping a promise — to make his city’s neighborhoods cleaner and safer.

His target?

Dilapidated houses that were destroying the quality of life for residents and families and keeping the city from attracting the attention and investment it needs to grow.

He did it for the residents he has served all his life — as a firefighter, council member, and teacher at Goldsboro High School.

And the woman who took over his council seat was keeping a promise, too.

District 3 Councilwoman Jamie Taylor was determined to make sure that residents in her district — in some of the city’s oldest and poorest neighborhoods — got the help they needed to get properties cleaned up.

But she knew, as did Polack, that without some pressure and some help, the status quo of overgrown yards and empty houses that attract everything from drug users and the homeless to rodents and other pests, would become the norm and that others would turn away rather than doing what is necessary to get the job done.

And that’s why Taylor stood her ground, in a tight budget year, to make sure that money to do the demolition and cleanup necessary to help the city’s neighborhoods recover remained in the budget.

Creating the position that would ultimately go to Polack was in that budget plan, too.

And it’s worth mentioning that it also took a city manager with vision — and guts — to make that a priority.

So, kudos go out to Matthew Livingston, too.

Why? Because less than a year after the money was allocated, Polack is already delivering on what he promised.

He has targeted the worst of the worst and eight eyesores are gone with more in his sights.

And perhaps more importantly, in the process, he has encouraged owners of dilapidated houses to do the demolition themselves — saving the city money and setting the stage for even more cleanup.

That’s the first step. And it is a good one.

No community can move forward with neighborhoods that are not only full of trash and disintegrating structures, but where drugs, crime, and the homeless are daily challenges.

If you grew up in Goldsboro, you remember when those same neighborhoods that

surround the city’s core looked very different.

And if you didn’t, you probably have a similar story about your own hometown.

Downtowns used to be bustling places with stores lining the streets and neighborhoods with manicured lawns.

Then, the years took their toll.

As more and more people moved to the outskirts, the suburbs, the once-lovely neighborhoods were left to decay and neglect.

The bones were there, but the will to keep

that has plans.

But if you look closely, just outside downtown’s boundaries, you see that there is still more work to do.

Just down the street from City Hall, there are many of those houses, those neighborhoods — and as Taylor says, families who deserve support and attention.

Well, now they have it.

And it will benefit more than just them — as long as we have that sort of long-range vision.

We could be that community.

We are already on the path to becoming that community.

up appearances was not.

And as the years passed, it got worse and worse.

That’s where Goldsboro has gone.

Once-grand houses and former middle-class neighborhoods are no longer.

Families moved away and crime took over.

And those who invested, whose family homes were passed on to the next generation or who retired in that same home, watched as the blight took over — trapped in homes with diminished value and neighborhoods where it simply wasn’t safe anymore.

There has been some significant effort to change the tide.

The downtown revitalization project turned what was once a dismal arrangement of empty storefronts into a bustling place full of places to eat, drink, and shop.

The vibe is different.

The future is brighter.

And yes, the investment was significant and important.

It changes the look and the feel of the community from one that was just existing to one

We have seen transformation stories in other communities — becoming a place where residential and business investment is not only the norm, but a progress plan that happens when the need arises.

And as more and more investment is made in Raleigh and its environs, there will be a need for places that are bedroom communities and where available land can be used for industrial and other growth.

We could be that community.

We are already on the path to becoming that community.

And we have more incentive than others.

We also have an Air Force base to keep.

The steps we are taking to make sure Seymour Johnson Air Force Base remains a key part of our community and economy are the same ones that are necessary to bring the money and the attention Wayne County needs to thrive.

Fixing the schools was the first step — along with making sure we ignore the noise and the pot-stirrers and give our police department the tools it needs to stop the crime

and to make our neighborhoods safer.

Cleaning up those eyesores allows others to see the potential — a place to build a new home or to renovate an old one.

And bringing in new families, as well as taking care of the ones who have been there for generations, well, that just makes this community stronger.

But it takes a vision, seeing what isn’t there yet, but what could be in the future.

The late Chuck Allen had that vision.

He would be so proud of what Taylor, Polack, and Livingston are accomplishing right now.

But we can’t stop.

And it takes money, and someone willing to fight, to make sure that vision becomes a priority.

Fortunately, it looks like we have two of those people already in place — and city leadership that gets the mission.

That is good for all of us.

We have talked endlessly about the need to invest in this community — that if we want to make sure we leave a community worthy of our children and grandchildren, it has to start now.

We know there are opportunities and businesses looking for new places to grow and to invest — and that families want to be able to locate in communities that are not necessarily in the throes of a bustling downtown.

And we also know that Wayne County and Goldsboro are strategically located to take advantage of that growth.

So, we have to think big, invest now, and set priorities that keep momentum going.

We can clean up Goldsboro’s neighborhoods — and, hopefully, eventually move away from the subsidized housing model that has crippled our community.

We need neighborhoods again, and to make sure the families who live there get the support they need to stay there — even if they don’t live in a big house in a swanky new development.

Demolition of dilapidated properties benefits all of us.

It increases property values and it sets the stage for more and better.

So yes, the Goldsboro City Council made the right move putting its trust in Polack to get the job started.

They made another by throwing more than $100,000 into the pot to start bringing those worst-of-the-worst structures down.

But our hope is that they see what we see — and double down this budget season on setting city neighborhoods on a new course.

If we give Polack the resources to get the job done, he has proven, in less than a year, that he won’t rest until every family lives on a block they can be proud to call home. n newoldnorth.com

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THE

BIGGER MAN Uh oh.

.

Did it make you pause a moment?

Reading that the current mayor of Pikeville had the chutzpah to come out and say — in a public meeting — that it was “easy” for him to get a million dollars for the town, as he proceeded to stomp all over another idea to improve Pikeville because it wasn’t the one he thought of, did not shock us.

Frankly, it would have bemused us as completely predictable from the “over-confident” Garrett Johnston — if it were not just a teensy-weensy, itty-bitty bit of yet another warning flag.

The comments came in the middle of a discussion about the use of a beautiful building downtown — the former library.

Tim Biggerstaff, the town’s manager, has proposed moving the Town Hall operations to that location, and then repurposing what would then be the former Town Hall into a community building.

Sure, having the town’s key departments in that location would not only save a very nice building and bring people downtown, but it would also accomplish much more.

You see, Biggerstaff has a vision for downtown Pikeville.

He wants to see the community using that repurposed Town Hall — they did, after all, do just that a few years ago — for everything from gatherings to fundraisers.

It would, he believes, get more people thinking about their town as a community and realizing how much it has to offer.

And Biggerstaff thinks moving Town Hall into 12

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downtown Pikeville would do something else — help get the traffic and the attention it needs to create a thriving business community and a picturesque spot for the community to gather.

He envisions his neighbors being able to enjoy an evening out with family and a lovely central hub for a community that has already made the decision that it deserves more.

It is one of those big, hairy, audacious goals that we have talked about previously — the kind that change the direction of a town.

Accomplishing something like that is not easy. Getting funding and support requires commitment.

And no, Mr. Johnston, those who hand out funding don’t just do it because a mayor or a project leader has a forceful personality — or an over-developed sense of importance.

They do it because they believe in the project and think there is the will and the resources to get it accomplished.

Someone has to fight for it.

Just ask State Rep. John Bell how “easy” it is to get grant funds and other support for Wayne County from his colleagues in the statehouse.

It’s a grind.

You have seen a plan like Biggerstaff’s before.

All you have to do is walk around Goldsboro’s downtown — or to head to other neighboring communities that have invested in such a revitalization effort.

The results are there to see.

So, while there were legitimate questions about Biggerstaff ’s plan — including what, if anything, it would cost to convert the current Town Hall back into a community

building — he seems willing to put in the work to make it happen.

And yes, Commissioner Matt Thomas is exactly right about the “other” potential use of the old library.

Pikeville getting into the landlord business is not a risk worth taking.

Anyone who manages a space like that can tell you all about the pitfalls.

It is no cake walk, Thomas rightfully said, and we commend him for pointing it out.

And he is right about something else, too.

Biggerstaff is not wasting his time trying to make this potential move a reality.

His idea, at worst, is a good step forward for a community that has moved from just accepting the same day-in-day-out to thinking about the next steps to planning a brighter future.

Pikeville is poised to take advantage of the potential development that could be coming Wayne County’s way — and the residential possibilities for a community located in such a desirable spot are also very real.

All it takes is thinking a little bit differently.

So, we are glad to see the town’s Board of Commissioners thinking bigger.

But here is what Pikeville does not need: A mayor who stomps his foot and throws cold water on any idea that is not his — and who does not have the sense of the bad taste he leaves in the mouths of those, like Bell, who are in a position to fight for funding when he implies that all he has to do is (metaphorically) snap his fingers to make millions of dollars appear.

At the least, it is counterproductive.

At worst, it is downright dangerous.

Pikeville residents have already put their foot down about the kind of leadership they want to see moving forward.

They let Johnston know that his bombastic behavior and gossip girl analysis of town staff were completely unacceptable.

In fact, he remains the mayor only because there is not a good way to get rid of a sitting politician in the state of North Carolina — outside of voting him out in the next election.

So, we will see what town residents decide when that opportunity comes along in the coming months.

But in the meantime, we encourage the town board to continue to empower their manager and think big.

We happen to believe there is a whole lot of potential in Pikeville — and that a board and manager with an eye on wise use of taxpayer money and the will to revitalize their community the right way are ready to start making things happen.

The naysayers were there in every community that has launched and funded a revitalization effort.

The trick is making sure those who have the town’s future in mind have the final say.

And as for the self-described “million-dollar mayor”?

Let’s just hope he isn’t anywhere close to a power position when it comes time for Biggerstaff to ask the state for the money to execute that plan.

We have it on good authority that Johnston has worn out his welcome outside Pikeville’s boundaries, too. n

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2025 PROPERTY REVALUATION Wayne County is conducting a property revaluation to ensure tax assessments reflect current market values, as required by North Carolina law.

Revaluation does NOT determine your tax bill. The Board of Commissioners will set the tax rate later.

Property values are assessed fairly based on real market conditions.

You have the right to appeal if you believe your assessed value is incorrect.

Revaluation notices will be mailed in late February - early March.

LEARN MORE AT WAYNEGOV.COM/REVALUATION newoldnorth.com

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WINGS OVER

WAYNE AIR SHOW

PREVIEW

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EDITOR’S NOTE

M

ore than 15 years ago, Wayne Week Editor Ken Fine got the chance to see firsthand U.S. military operations in Afghanistan as he covered the Global War on Terror.

The experience changed his life. So, as the community prepares to mark the 2025 edition of Wings Over Wayne, he decided to offer a glimpse of what he learned about the men and women who give so much to protect our nation. The insights are not comprehensive — and Ken will share more about his Afghanistan experience in a future edition of Wayne Week — but as the air show draws near, he felt compelled to broach the subject because it reinforced that there is so much more to protecting freedom than fanfare and flag-waving. We know you, the people of Wayne County, understand that all too well.

When we took off from Bagram Airfield, we were, essentially, hitchhikers — a young reporter and an Air Force Public Affairs officer who had spent several weeks covering the 336th Fighter Squadron and 916th Air Refueling Wing’s roles in the Global War on Terror.

But we had no idea that missing our ride, and ending up on this particular med-evac flight, would provide, perhaps, the most impactful memory of our embed experience — that what unfolded as we made our way to Germany would remain, forever, etched in our hearts and minds.

I think about those long hours when I see an F-15E Strike Eagle ripping through the clouds.

I relive what I witnessed during that flight every single summer when the nation pauses to honor its birthday.

And when the Wings Over Wayne Air Show takes center stage next weekend, the event will, undoubtedly, take me back to that

4th of July in 2009.

We all have our reasons for going to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base when the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels come to town.

Some want to bear witness to death-defying, high-speed flight.

Others want to see military working dogs show off their jaw-dropping skills.

More are looking for a family-friendly adventure that is sure to please the kids.

But for those of us with a personal connection to the service our heroes provide — and the sacrifices they make — those two days hit a little differently.

We are reminded of the feeling of pride that overcame us when a loved one took the oath to defend freedom both at home and abroad.

We are, perhaps, a little gutted as we think about the fact that, right this minute, they are deployed — or that before they went to theater, the military moved them to a duty

station in what felt like another world.

And some of us even get emotional because we have seen, firsthand, how fortunate we are to be protected by a group of men and women who run toward the danger for people they have never met — for an ideal.

It’s a feeling that, frankly, is hard to put into words.

We have said it many times, but it bears repeating that every Wayne County resident should feel fortunate to be a neighbor to the men and women stationed on Seymour Johnson.

And there should, in our view, never be a moment where we don’t thank our lucky stars that its F-15E fleet was recently spared by Congress and that city, county, state, and federal representatives are, as you read this, fighting for the future of the Goldsboro installation.

That, too, makes this year’s air Continued from page 19 newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 15

Continued from page 16

show different.

So, even if you have seen the Thunderbirds do their thing before, our hope is that the opportunity to send a message to Washington about this county’s appreciation for Seymour Johnson will inspire all of you to converge, as one community, on the flightline this coming weekend.

And when you arrive, embrace the ways in which your personal journey makes what promises to be an incredible display of air power different.

I certainly know mine will be in the forefront of my mind.

While the Thunderbirds are twisting and turning as heavy metal music blares across the flightline, I will be thinking back to some of those young soldiers and airmen I met — many of whom had left their homes and families for the first time — dedicated to a mission that they knew was about more than just themselves.

Many of them were legacies — the children of veterans who made similar trips as they prepared to defend their nation.

When air crews pay tribute to those who never made it home, I will remember the wounded young soldier who drew his final breath on that flight from Bagram to Germany — and the Army chaplain who stepped on an improvised explosive device but told me he was chomping at the bit to get back to his unit.

And as I wander the grounds — stopping, as many of us do at every air show, to thank the Seymour Johnson airmen we encounter — I will remember just how fortunate we are to know, to really know, what sets this nation apart.

I feel so fortunate to have met so many of them over the years — pilots, maintainers, brass, and enlisted.

Some are still dear friends.

All have inspired me with their understanding of just what the oath they took means — and what sacrifices might be required to fulfill that commitment.

And I will remember the veterans — those who have war experiences to share, but want nothing more than to honor their “Band of Brothers.”

People like Medal of Honor recipient Col. Joe Marm, another friend who trusted me, once upon a time, with his story.

They seek not thanks or glory for themselves, but to create an understanding of what freedom costs and how much we owe those who have given their lives to protect it.

They want us never, ever to forget.

And I, like you, will keep my promise to do just that.

Telling their stories is my honor because doing so has revealed that it isn’t the aircraft or the weapons that we will see next weekContinued on page 19 16

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2023 WINGS OVER WAYNE AIR SHOW DATA 70% Drove more than 30 miles 30-49 year olds Average age range.

51% said air show increased interest in the military or government service.

59% said hanger expo increased interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathmatics) 62% gave 5 out of 5 for overall satisfaction 4 persons is average travel party size.

4.49 out of 5 overall satisfaction rating 62% gave 5 out of 5 for overall satisfaction Australia is the farthest location

45% 52%

First time attendees

Female attendees

55%

Return attendees

47%

Male attendees

$9.5 million

163,550

$2.4 million

49,000

total economic impact

total attendance

Revenue from locals

local attendees

$7.1 million

114,550

New revenue to Wayne County brought by nonlocal visitors

People from more than 30 miles away

people traveled from

LOCAL ATTENDEE/ PARTY SPENDING PROFILE Souvenirs

$46

Food & Beverage

$99

Shopping Misc

$49

TOTAL

$194

NON-LOCAL ATTENDEE/ PARTY SPENDING PROFILE Food & Beverage

$86

Souvenirs

$55

Gas

$44

Shopping and Miscelanous

$43

Hotel*

$23*

TOTAL

$251

SOURCE: Goldsboro-Wayne County Travel and Tourism newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 17

THUNDERBIRDS FACTS HISTORY

The Thunderbirds were officially activated June 1, 1953, as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

Their first aircraft was the straight-winged F-84G Thunderjet — a combat fighter-bomber that had seen action in Korea, but in 1955, the team transitioned to the swept-winged F-84F Thunderstreak.

In June 1956, the team moved to its current home at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. At the same time, the Thunderbirds traded the veteran F-84 for the world’s first supersonic fighter, the F-100 Super Sabre — an aerial platform that would serve the Thunderbirds for 13 years.

More than 1,000 demonstrations were flown in the Super Sabre before the team changed briefly to the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. (After only six shows, in 1964, due to an extensive modification that became necessary on all Thunderchiefs, the Thunderbirds returned to the F-100.)

From 1969 to 1973, the Thunderbirds flew the Air Force’s front-line fighter, the F-4E Phantom, but in 1974, the team converted to the T-38 Talon, the world’s first supersonic trainer.

In 1983, the Thunderbirds reinstituted their traditional role of demonstrating the Air Force’s front-line fighter capabilities — transitioning to the F-16A, the jet they still fly today.

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MISSION

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, performs precision aerial maneuvers demonstrating the capabilities of Air Force high performance aircraft to people throughout the world.

The squadron exhibits the professional qualities the Air Force develops in the people who fly, maintain and support these aircraft.

OBJECTIVES OF THE SQUADRON ARE:

• To support Air Force recruiting and retention programs • To reinforce public confidence in the Air Force and to demonstrate to the public the professional competence of Air Force members • To strengthen morale and esprit de corps among Air Force members • To support Air Force community relations and people-topeople programs • To represent the United States and its armed forces to foreign nations and to project international goodwill

THE TEAM

The Thunderbirds squadron is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots), four support officers, three civilians and more than 130 enlisted personnel performing in 25 career fields.

A Thunderbirds' air demonstration is a mix of

formation flying and solo routines. The four-aircraft diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the solo aircraft highlight the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The pilots perform approximately 30 maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, including ground and air, runs about an hour and fifteen minutes. The season lasts from March to November, with the winter months used to train new members.

Officers serve a two-year assignment with the squadron, while enlisted personnel serve three to four.

Replacements must be trained for about half of the team each year, providing a constant mix of experience.

The squadron performs approximately 75 demonstrations each year and has never canceled a demonstration due to maintenance difficulty. More than 300 million people in all 50 states and 58 foreign countries have seen the red, white and blue jets in more than 4,000 aerial demonstrations.

In addition to their responsibilities as the official U.S. Air Force aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds are part of our combat force. If required, the team’s personnel and aircraft can be rapidly integrated into a fighter unit at Nellis.

Since the aircraft are only slightly modified, they can be made combat-ready in less than 72 hours. n

Continued from page 16

end that should be this nation’s greatest flex.

It isn’t the fact that we liberated the world during World War II. At least, not entirely.

It is our collective belief that everyone on Earth deserves protection from tyranny.

It is the willingness of so many to risk everything to ensure that protection is provided.

That is what I and many of you will know as we walk by the static displays and watch the flights overhead Saturday and Sunday.

We know the secret.

It is our heart as a nation and the courage of our service members, past and present, that makes our story so unique.

And we in Wayne County are lucky enough to know so many of them personally.

So, Wings Over Wayne is, indeed, so much more than just an awesome display of air power.

It is a salute to those who lace up their boots every day with hope that good will one day triumph over evil.

It is a chance to say thank you — a small gesture, but a meaningful one.

Yes, we are proud.

Yes, we are hopeful and patriotic.

And yes, the sound of an F-15E means so much more to us.

So, join us as we gather, in solidarity, with the members of Team Seymour in the coming days.

They are, after all, our family. n

WINGS OVER WAYNE 2025

SCHEDULE 8 A.M.

• Gates Open

10 A.M

• KC-46 and F-15E Flyover in

the Opening Ceremony • Smoke and Thunder Jet Truck • T-6 Warbird Thunder Formation Aerobatic Demo • Precision Exotics • RV-8 Full Throttle Formation Demo

11 A.M.

• Pitts Rooster Aerobatic Demo • Mini Jet Tom Larkin Demo • Precision Exotics • Franklins Flying Circus • T-28 Trojan Thunder Jive Kerby Aerobatic Demo

12 P.M.

• DH-100 Vampire Demo • MXS Rob Holland Aerobatic Demo • Smoke and Thunder Jet Truck • F-15E, T-38 and Pyro Combined Arms Demo

1 P.M.

• Franklins Flying Circus • C-17 Demo • Precision Exotics

2 P.M.

• U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 19

the SPECTATOR

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Defense. Downtown.

Dozens of people converged on The HUB in downtown Goldsboro to participate in a self-defense class as part of the Wellness Wednesday iniative.

PHOTOS by KEN FINE newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 21

NO T ICE S NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF EVELYN THOMPSON DAVIS

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Evelyn Thompson Davis, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 13th day of April, 2025.

Michael Carroll Davis and Mitchell Neil Davis, Executors of the Estate of Evelyn Thompson Davis 406 North Chestnut Street Mount Olive, North Carolina 28365 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JULIAN BOYD NELMS

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Julian Boyd Nelms, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 13th day of April, 2025.

Julian Boyd Nelms, Jr., Executor of the Estate of Julian Boyd Nelms c/o Mark J. Hale Jr. Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. Attorneys for Estate P.O. Box 916 Goldsboro, NC 27533-0916 (919) 735-7275 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JACQULINE WILLIAMS

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Jacquline Williams a.k.a. Jacqueline Williams, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the es22

tate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 13th day of April, 2025.

Jennie L. Williams, Executor of the Estate of Jacquline Williams c/o Mark J. Hale Jr. Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. Attorneys for Estate P.O. Box 916 Goldsboro, NC 27533-0916 (919) 735-7275 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF DURWOOD GENE LANIER

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Durwood Gene Lanier deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 13th day of April, 2025.

Candace Lanier Herring, Executor of the Estate of Durwood Gene Lanier 217 Kings Way Goldsboro, NC 27530 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BEE JULIUS LEE

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Bee Julius Lee, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 13th day of April, 2025.

Julie Ann Graham, Executor of the Estate of Bee Julius Lee 750 N.C. Highway 581 South Goldsboro, NC 27530 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

. Wayne WEEK . newoldnorth.com

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF CARROLL EDWARD GRADY

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Carroll Edward Grady, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 13th day of April, 2025.

Diana Murphey Grady, Executor of the Estate of Carroll Edward Grady 2395 O’Berry Road Mount Olive, NC 28365 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF LULA SMITH KEARNEY

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Lula Smith Kearney, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 20th day of April, 2025.

Peggy Daniels, Executor of the Estate of Lula Smith Kearney 3113 N.C. Hwy 111 North Goldsboro, NC 27534 Published April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, and May 11, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Hilda B. Jones, deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 27th day of April, 2025.

Lisa J. Tyree, Administrator for the Estate of Hilda B. Jones,

202 Worth Drive, Goldsboro, North Carolina, 27534 Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ERNEST BUNN KIRBY

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Ernest Bunn Kirby, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of April, 2025.

Casey Miller, Executor of the Estate of Ernest Bunn Kirby 141 Perry Drive Goldsboro, NC 27530 Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF LINDA C. CASH

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Linda C. Cash, late of Wayne County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the address below on or before July 27, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate are asked to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 23rd day of April, 2025.

Stephanie Cash Ham, Administrator of the Estate of Linda C. Cash c/o L.E. (Trey) Taylor III, Attorney at Law Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, L.L.P. P.O. Box 1616, Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The UNDERSIGNED, Stephanie Mackie Anderson, having duly qualified as Executor of the Estate of Jennie Mackie, deceased, late of Wayne County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to Stephanie M. Anderson, Executor at 217 Creekside Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27534, on or before the 27th day of July, 2025, said date being three (3) months from the date of first publication hereof, or this notice will be pleaded in bar to their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of April, 2025.

Stehpanie Mackie Anderson Executor of the Estate of Jennie Mackie Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF KENNETH BRIAN ROSSMAN

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Kenneth Brian Rossman, deceased, of Wayne County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 27th day of April, 2025.

Shawn Patrick Rossman, Administrator c/o Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC 121 E. Main Street Clayton, NC 27520 Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

IS NOW AN OFFICIAL PAPER OF RECORD! If you would like to join the Wayne County government and make Wayne Week the new home of your public and legal notices, you can: SEND US an email to notices@newoldnorth.com CALL US at 919-648-9905 STOP BY our downtown Goldsboro office, located at 219 North John Street

newoldnorth.com

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