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CONTENTS
4 M.O. ends white card program
Mount Olive Interim Town Manager
Glenn Holland said he is now in possession of "the white cards" and is no longer allowing them to be used at the Mount Olive Municipal Airport by customers who were not paying for aviation gasoline and jet fuel on site.
6 Fremont rejects agreement
Fremont Mayor Eddie Yelverton told Wayne Week that he knows that legally, the town is responsible for paying Eureka's wastewater debt. But that did not stop members of his board from rejecting Goldsboro's proposed interlocal agreement because it would require Fremont to clear the nearly $75,000 bill.
6 HACG board fires CEO
Anthony Goodson Jr. is no longer the leader of the Housing Authority of the City of Goldsboro. The reason why remains unclear.
9 Gaylor discusses decorum
The Goldsboro City Council has a policy that sets a standard for acceptable behavior during its meetings. But after two incidents that unfolded during the board's Aug. 18 session, Mayor Charles Gaylor felt a reminder of the rules was necessary.
10 Newton requests audit
According to sources at the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, Mount Olive Mayor Jerome Newton sent a certified letter to Raleigh asking investigators to conduct a forensic audit of the town.
20 Public Notices
COVER DESIGN BY SHAN STUMPF
Mount Olive ends “white card” fuel purchases
Some members of the Town Board have told residents the cards never existed, but Wednesday, Interim Town Manager Glenn Holland confirmed they did — and that they are no longer being accepted at the Mount Olive Municipal Airport.
BY KEN FINE
Less than a week after a Wayne Week cover story outlined practices at the Mount Olive Municipal Airport that violated the contract between the airport operator and the town, Interim Town Manager Glenn Holland said, “white card fuel purchases” have “ended.”
And he also said the next step was to ensure the airport operator no longer had the ability to charge “the town fuel account” for purchases — that in the future, the town’s only role would be collecting 70 percent of fuel profits, as outlined in a nearly decade-old agreement between the two entities.
The Aug. 24 cover story noted that in a recently released investigation report published by the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, investigators concluded that Mount Olive officials bore “the financial burden of providing fuel” at the airport, “even though it is the Airport Operator who is contractually obligated to purchase and sell the fuel.”
The NCOSA team also alleged that the operator “extends credit” on the town’s behalf for customers who do not have payment on hand — an assertion that was verified by Wayne Week via records sent to the paper by Town Clerk Sherry Davis in response to a Freedom of Information Act records request that affirmed that running lists were kept for both aviation gasoline and jet fuel transactions that were not paid for at the airport.
Instead, the airport operator would send the list to Town Hall “to be invoiced,” so long as the person seeking to obtain the fuel without immediate payment presented a “white card,” which Davis defined as a “plastic card which resembles a credit card” that “turns on the machine so fuel can be pumped.”
NEWS + VIEWS
And despite some town officials’ claim to residents that the white card did not exist and therefore was not tied to any town bank accounts, the NCOSA found that a town account was, indeed, debited somehow for fuel purchases taxpayers should not have been responsible for.
“According to the Airport Operator, he orders the fuel and the Town’s Airport fuel bank account is debited for the purchase (OSA confirmed that fuel purchases were debited from a Town bank account). As per the Contract, however, it is the responsibility of the Airport Operator — not the Town — to purchase the fuel,” the report states. “Moreover, it was the Airport Operator — not representa-
tives from the Town — who signed the contract with the fuel provider. It is unclear why and how a Town bank account is being debited for fuel purchases related to a contract that the Town is not party to.”
Holland confirmed to Wayne Week Wednesday that his expectation is to ensure the airport operator no longer has the ability to charge town accounts for fuel.
“All we need to be doing is collecting a check,” he said.
In the interest of transparency, a copy of the complete notice to “Citizens of Mount Olive and News Media” that was released shortly after Holland spoke to Wayne Week has been included in this package. n
Fremont board rejects wastewater agreement
Mayor Eddie Yelverton knows the town likely does not have a legal leg to stand on, but board members still refuse to pay the Eureka debt Fremont is contractually bound to cover.
BY KEN FINE
The existing contract is, according to Goldsboro City Manager Matthew Livingston, “ironclad.”
Even Fremont Mayor Eddie Yelverton does not dispute that.
But despite the fact that Fremont leaders have been told that should a legal battle with the Wayne County seat ensue, the town would likely lose — and be forced to pay more than $70,000 of Eureka’s wastewater debt to Goldsboro — the Town Board still voted to reject an interlocal agreement approved by the Goldsboro City Council Aug. 18 because it requires Fremont to foot that bill.
“My board has no interest in approving taking Fremont’s money to pay Eureka’s debt,” Yelverton told Wayne Week Aug. 26. “My lawyer is worried that we’re in trouble now because even though the (agreement) worked against us, our lawyer said, we’re responsible for that debt. But my board’s still taking a hard line.”
Livingston finds that difficult to grasp.
“They were like, ‘Well, you know, we just don’t agree with helping to pay Eureka’s bill.’ But, you know, Eureka was their customer and under the interlocal agreement, they are supposed to pay us for all their customers’ debt. That’s ironclad,” he said. “They don’t know what they’re doing out there. Their city attorney has told them this is a good deal, and he wouldn’t mess with it, so I don’t know. But I’ve talked to our attorney about a breach of contract, and I guess we’ll have to talk about it.”
Understanding how Fremont and Goldsboro arrived at this latest impasse requires looking back — both at the original interlocal utility agreement between the two governments and at the circumstances by which Eureka, which became Fremont’s customer, started racking up bills it could not afford to pay.
In short, because Fremont is Goldsboro’s customer, the town is legally responsible for footing the bill for services provided.
So, Goldsboro has never sent a bill to Eureka — and instead, has operated under the assumption that Fremont was collecting its portion of the bill from its customer.
But inflow and infiltration problems inside Eureka have led to a town that boasts
less than 300 residents putting far more stress on the system than it should, resulting in shockingly high bills.
And with a limited tax base, the town simply could not afford to pay them.
That led, in 2019, to Eureka being notified by the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer that the state intended to take over the town’s finances — a move justified by then-Treasurer Dale Folwell as being necessary over concern about how the town was managing its wastewater funds.
And soon thereafter, he followed through, impounding the town’s records and taking over its accounts.
the sewer system and they’re still not in a position to pay their bills, and that was part of the reason why the LGC went in there.”
Bell, though, believes a solution to Eureka’s wastewater woes is on the horizon.
Years ago, he sought $20 million to ensure Eureka’s faulty system — one that allowed for infiltration that generated far too much flow to Goldsboro via Fremont — was replaced, and since that time, the money has been given to the Wayne County Development Alliance to manage as the find-andfix project is planned and completed.
“I trust that they’ll get the job done,” Bell said. “And now, they’ve tapped into even more funding, and we’ll be able to create a regional system.”
HOUSING AUTHORITY CEO “TERMINATED”
The reasons given by the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Goldsboro were limited.
“They don't know what they're doing out there.”
But after Rep. John Bell stepped in, Folwell did not dissolve the town’s charter, and instead, suspended it for five years.
With the Local Government Commission in charge of the town, Yelverton said Eureka was able to cover its bills.
But once the LGC pulled out, he said the town’s debt began piling up.
“Eureka’s still in the same position that they were in when the LGC came in there. They still can’t pay their monthly bills,” Yelverton said. “I don’t think the LGC should have left. I’ve talked to some of their citizens. They say they’re in a worse position now than they were when the LGC came in there, because the LGC didn’t take care of
That, Livingston said, is why Goldsboro attempted to get Fremont on board with a new interlocal agreement. (That document was published, in full, in the Aug. 24 edition of Wayne Week.)
But now that Fremont has rejected it, Goldsboro’s options are more limited.
One path is to sue Fremont for the $70,000plus Eureka owes the county seat and bypass the Fremont line altogether to connect Eureka directly to Goldsboro’s system.
The other is to demonstrate to Fremont that it is in the town’s best interest to sign the new agreement and look toward the future.
“We could just not approve any new sewer flow from there, and that would be a shocker for them. So, they need to get together on this and figure out a way forward because we’re not going to bend on this,” Livingston said. “You know, they talk about how unfair it is for them to have to pay for Eureka’s flow and I get that. I agree with that. But Eureka doesn’t want to not pay them. They can only pay so much. They were charged two and a half times what we were charging. … But the ratepayers here in Goldsboro can’t subsidize this forever and a day either.”
For Yelverton, there is a Door No. 3.
That is why he is engaging with Bell — hoping the state will clear Eureka’s debt so the new interlocal agreement gets the OK from his board.
“I think that would put both us and Goldsboro back in a good spot,” Yelverton said. “So, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” n
In a move that one member of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Goldsboro who asked to remain anonymous characterized as “shocking” and “just plain wrong,” the board voted Aug. 21 to oust the organization’s chief executive officer. Anthony Goodson Jr. will, for the time being, be replaced in an interim capacity by Chief Operating Officer Sharita Oates.
But the “why” remains unclear, as a press release issued Monday simply states that a majority of the board “determined that it was time for a change in leadership direction” — and that the board remained committed to “fully complying with the terms of Mr. Goodson’s contract,” a document that has not yet been disclosed.
(Note: The 4-0 vote to terminate Goodson came with two board members, William Turner and Sierra Carmichael, absent. Turner has resigned in the aftermath of Goodson's termination.)
According to the organization’s website, the Housing Authority currently provides services through up to 1225 public housing units and 237 Housing Choice Vouchers/Section 8 Vouchers, and administers several special use voucher programs, including 27 VASH vouchers to serve veterans and 20 Mainstream Vouchers for those at risk of homelessness.
They have nine “main public housing sites,” which include Fairview Homes, Trinity Court, Lincoln Homes, Walnut Street School Apartments, Elmwood Terrace, Woodcrest, Little Washington, West Haven Apartments, and Park Court Apartments.
Established in 1950, the Housing Authority is governed by a seven-member board who are appointed by Goldsboro’s mayor for five-year terms. — From staff reports
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story.
Anthony Goodson Jr
In wake of Aug. 18 incidents, Goldsboro mayor reminds public about decorum
Goldsboro has a policy that deals with what is expected of those who attend — and comment during — City Council meetings, and Mayor Charles Gaylor says he is ready to see to it that standard is met.
BY KEN FINE
The debate about “decorum” goes back to at least May 2021, when Councilwoman Hiawatha Jones asked members of the Goldsboro City Council to consider adopting a new policy that would spell out how the board expected the public to behave during official proceedings.
And while she agreed, at that time, that elected officials “signed up for this” and needed to have “thick skin,” she said there were lines that should not be crossed — that when public comment descended into “threats” and “attacks,” it was no longer acceptable.
But Councilwoman Brandi Matthews disagreed. Personal attacks, she said, were “all a matter of perspective.”
“I can say, ‘Oh my gosh. You hurt my feelings. You’re attacking me.’ So, then what happens? Now we have this game where if my personal feelings are hurt or I feel like (a speaker’s) comments are directed at me, I have the ability to silence them. And I don’t think that’s fair,” she said then. “There have been people up here who have felt attacked or threatened and it was mere accountability. And that’s not fair to our residents.”
Then-Councilman David Ham disagreed.
“There is critique of someone … and then there is a threat. We have experienced both of them,” he said. “There have been some very direct threats made to people in here. And while you have a First Amendment right to speak, there are things that should be considered not acceptable in this setting.”
Less than two years later, the council formally adopted guidelines that included its expectation of proper decorum.
The policy included that:
• Speakers shall be civil and courteous in their language and presentations at all times. Speakers are asked to refrain from personal attacks and/or threats directed toward any Councilmember, the Mayor, City staff, and/ or members of the public; vulgar or profane language or gestures will not be tolerated.
• Speakers are asked to address the Mayor and Council and to refrain from addressing the audience.
• The Mayor, or presiding officer, has the authority to enforce the Rules of Decorum; failure to obey these rules may result in a forfeiture of any remaining speaking time.
• Individuals who engage in egregious or repeated violations may be asked to leave the meeting.
• The Mayor, or presiding officer, may remove any person from a meeting if the person is interrupting or disrupting the meeting. A person who willfully interrupts, disturbs, or disrupts an official meeting and who, upon being directed to leave the meeting by the presid-
“My top priority is for council meetings to be candid, thoughtful, and safe for all involved.”
- Goldsboro Mayor Charles Gaylor
ing officer, willfully refuses to leave the meeting is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor (NCGS §143-318.17).
Fast-forward to the council’s Aug. 18 meeting.
Matthews, this time during a debate about whether the council should livestream its meetings on Facebook or YouTube, again claimed that residents were being censored because councilmembers had their feelings hurt over what she characterized as often-fair criticism.
“If the reason that was told to me is the reason why we decided to have this conversation, there are creative ways in which we can monitor the comments section — if there are people being personally attacked or there are things being said that people don’t like,” she said. “But moving to a platform with way less engagement just doesn’t seem fair to me.”
And she claimed that decorum should go both ways — that in her view, some residents who come before the board to speak are disrespected by the men and women elected to serve them.
“What I understand is that some people are not going to come up here and speak at this podium,” Matthews said. “And sometimes, I don’t even blame you because the disrespect sometimes that people come when they speak against this board, it’s obscene.”
But two things happened during that same meeting — a resident openly wished death upon Mayor Charles Gaylor and another followed Jones as she walked to the bathroom and berated her in the hallway, prompting a Goldsboro police officer to intervene — that convinced the mayor to take an opportunity to remind the public that the city has a standard for behavior, and that he has the authority to act should lines be crossed.
That authority is afforded to him by NCGS §160A81.1, which allows for boards to establish rules “for the maintenance of order and decorum in the conduct of the hearing.” (The aforementioned policy adopted by the City Council in 2023 grants Gaylor the ability, as the presiding officer, to remove those who disrupt or disturb meetings.)
But the mayor told Wayne Week he has no desire to go there unless it is absolutely necessary.
“My top priority is for council meetings to be candid, thoughtful, and safe for all involved. We expect everyone who chooses to participate in a City Council meeting to conduct themselves professionally in their interactions with one another,” he said Tuesday. “In my role as mayor, I have the responsibility of ensuring that discourse is civil and the process of debate is respected. I never desire to gavel down conversation or remove participants from our meeting. However, I must ensure that reasonable restrictions are enforced, that meetings are efficient, participants are professional, and everyone goes home safely.” n
{ our TAKE }
A MAN STEPS FORWARD
When there is an uproar in a community, and there are accusations made and findings reported, there are usually two types of reaction. The first is to start spinning — explaining away the problem, inferring there might be a more innocent explanation, looking for a scapegoat, and even trying to discredit the source of the information.
It is a sort of tap dance to get you to look over here when the really interesting stuff is over there.
It doesn’t prove guilt or innocence, and it has degrees — some manifestations of the spin are more heinous than others — but it is shifty nonetheless.
The other reaction is much more organic.
It is the shock and awe of realizing that something
untoward was going on and becoming part of the posse determined to get to the bottom of how it started and who was involved.
It is a genuine interest in righting the wrong — or fixing a mistake, if that is all it is.
You can’t accurately and efficiently address an issue if you don’t know everything you need to know.
So, you call for more information and a complete investigation.
That reaction doesn’t concede guilt or innocence either, but it is a step in the right direction.
You are going to see a lot of both as the facts and figures start to be made public in Mount Olive.
In fact, you have already seen quite a bit of both. There is something that smells bad there — really bad.
And State Auditor Dave Boliek has already released more than enough from the first look at just a couple of the town departments to make more than a few taxpayers wonder just where their money went, who was paying and approving the bills, and who knew what when.
And, from what the auditor’s office says, this might be the tip of the iceberg of a pretty serious money management problem in the town.
We think so, too.
The question will be who knew about it, who directed the actions, and who benefitted from those decisions.
We are still a long way from knowing that.
And while we have been watching with amusement mixed with a little bit of horror at the reactions of
those who are currently running the town — some of the members of its board, particularly — we do not know any more than you do, the state auditor does, or really anyone who got hit in the eyes with the findings about the airport fuel billing and the water accounts.
That’s why we were very pleased to hear that the town’s mayor, Jerome Newton, has sent a formal request asking the NCOSA to do a full, forensic audit of the town’s finances.
Again, it doesn’t mean anyone is guilty or innocent, but it means that someone is looking out for the taxpayers’ interests.
There has been a shift in how we look at politicians.
We are leery, very leery.
More than a few revelations over the last few years have made many of us wonder just who these people think they serve — and which ones really have the best interests of their community in mind.
It has happened several times in this community — and in others like it across the state and nation.
We aren’t going to fall for a sweet-talker telling us we don’t need to worry our pretty little heads about what is going on with OUR money.
We want the answers.
This is a no spin zone.
And the people of Mount Olive are no different.
They aren’t falling for the “fake news” cry. They aren’t swayed by the comments that there was nothing going on.
They want answers.
And they have already gotten an important one.
You see, some members of the town board have been running around saying that the “white cards” that were used for fuel at the airport did not exist.
Well, why then did the interim town manager just announce he was in possession of them — and had suspended their use — if they never existed in the first place?
See what we mean.
No spin.
None at all.
Every explanation, every reaction should be met with healthy skepticism until all the facts are out.
There is no way to fix what is broken financially in the town of Mount Olive unless we get to the bare bones, God-honest truth about what has been going on there.
There are more than a few big questions. Where did the millions in grant funds go for the should-have-already-been completed moratorium fix?
Why has new flow been added during the moratorium, prompting the state to threaten town officials with arrest?
What happened with the water bills and where is the money the auditor suggests should be there?
And what is the real truth behind the town’s airport contract — a legally binding agreement that was violated repeatedly?
Until we and the people of Mount Olive get the answers they deserve, there is no moving forward.
There is just spinning wheels.
And truth be told, when the League of Municipalities — an organization designed to help towns get out of such messes — says there is nothing it can do until your town’s finances are straightened out and there is a permanent finance director in place, you have a real problem.
So, Mayor Newton decided that he needed more than some fancy steps and a well-worded press release dropped to a friendly media source.
He decided he needed to know exactly what was going on in his community.
So, he asked Boliek to take a deep dive.
And we think it is a must if the town of Mount Olive is going to move forward toward the future we think it is capable of and the one its residents deserve.
A forensic audit will tell us exactly how the town got into this mess and who should be held accountable for it.
It might reveal criminal activity, and it might reveal some people who simply did not know how to get the town out of the hole it was in.
There might be innocent mistakes, or conscious decisions to make a buck.
But we won’t know exactly what we are dealing with until we get the full picture.
It is not easy calling for a full forensic audit of your community — especially when no one knows for sure what it will reveal.
But it was the right thing to do in what is an increasingly bad situation.
And the mayor is not the only one who wants to know the truth.
There are others in the Mount Olive town government who want to see justice served, too.
Because the truth is that we also do not want to see accusations being flung everywhere with no basis in fact.
And we should not stand for mass firings to cover up the bad hires or scapegoats who were the front for more powerful and connected “bosses.”
The truth and nothing but the truth is the only way to go.
Accountability comes after that.
We are all trying to make it as this country’s economy continues to work its way back.
None of us have extra money lying around for any municipality, school district, state, or county to waste.
So, it is long past time to make sure that the budgets balance and that taxpayer money is used for what it is supposed to be for — the benefit of the community.
So, no. We can’t yet tell you what the Mount Olive forensic audit will find.
And while we will continue to investigate based on where the facts are leading us, we don’t yet know for sure who is behind the decisions that have been made to get us to this point.
But your mayor thinks you deserve to know the truth — all of it.
That is called leadership.
And it is the right choice.
As we have learned time and time again in Wayne County since our newspaper journey began, there is nothing wrong with hearing the hard stuff before the tide starts to turn.
Mount Olive is, in our view, worth the effort and the cost of a full audit, and its residents are more than capable of making
the decisions about where to go after it is completed.
And now, a warning.
This is not something to leave in local hands or to someone handpicked by a board with a majority that has been spinning since the NCOSA published its initial findings. It is the job of an impartial expert with no one to answer to or to influence the results. Then, it will be up to the sheriff and the county district attorney to do their jobs.
We will be watching to see that they do.
Mayor Newton’s request to seek the truth and nothing but the truth no matter where the chips fall has made all of that possible. All of us owe him a debt for being bold — and taking on this moment head-on. n
Wayne County has always understood just how important our veterans and our active-duty service members mean to this country.
And because of our years of support for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the thousands of men and women who have served there, we have seen up close and personal the sacrifices they make.
We have celebrated victories with them and mourned losses.
We have been there to see them off, and to welcome them back home.
It is what you do when you understand why something matters.
And those who serve matter to this community — a lot.
And because we have welcomed them like family, many of the men and women at Seymour Johnson have found a second home here and a slew of friends and supporters — not to mention memories.
It is something we are very proud of here in Eastern North Carolina.
And it is a responsibility we take seriously.
These men and women, and their families, are not just neighbors and acquaintances.
They are members of our congregations, school families, sports teams, and, in the case of the many Reserve airmen among us, our colleagues. So, we thank them when we see them in restaurants.
We shake their hands at special events. We let them know how much their service means to us and how much we admire their courage and devotion to their country.
And when they are away, we take care of their families, too.
It is, in our view, the most special part of who we are as a community.
And we don’t think that will ever change. Love of country runs deep here — and we know just what freedom costs. So, there will always be a moment when we choke up when we see an F-15E Strike Eagle fly by, because we know the stories of those who took to the cockpit and never made it home.
What is not so certain — something we know because some of the airmen have told us over the years — is the reception those same men and women have received in other parts of the country. They say they are not always welcomed, and that the residents do not always feel the same way
about being home to a military installation.
And that is why so many of them choose to come back here when their time in the service is finished.
Wayne County has become home.
But even though we make supporting Team Seymour a part of our daily lives, there are times when we are called upon to do a little more.
One of those moments is happening next Saturday in downtown Goldsboro.
N.C. Freedom Fest is more than just a chance to get out for an evening of family fun. It is yet another opportunity for us to answer the call — to thank those who put their lives on the line to preserve our way of life every day.
There will be food, music, a car show, and other entertainment — a way for everyone to let their hair down.
But our charge to you is this: Use it as a chance to say thank you.
War is not frivolity.
There is a serious commitment when any service member is asked to don battle gear to do the work of the nation he or she has pledged to serve.
And while it is an enormous responsibility,
it is also a sacred covenant.
When those service members — no matter in what branch they serve — take their oath, they are risking their lives for something bigger, something that will impact generations who will follow.
Without them, there would have been a very different world — from World War I all the way to the Global War on Terror.
Some might argue their role is even more important today, both as the defenders of freedom and as a deterrent for despots.
And here’s the part that gives us chills.
Many of them are not much older than their mid-20s.
How, at such a young age, could one possibly understand the significance when they head up in one of those fighter jets?
How do they rectify knowing that there is chance that they might not come home from a tour downrange?
How do they act so selflessly?
Because that’s what heroes do.
There are many, many stories about the impact the 4th Fighter Wing has had on the course of world politics.
In fact, not much longer than a year ago, 335th Fighter Squadron aircrews played a signif-
icant role in thwarting attacks against Israel.
Sure, we can’t always hear the details of what they have accomplished halfway around the world, but we know from those under whom they serve just how well they perform their duties every time they are called into action.
For that, we should be grateful.
That is why we have a special cover this week — and a preview of N.C. Freedom Fest — even though there is big news happening everywhere from Fremont to Mount Olive.
This is our chance to be what we are asking you, the community, to be next weekend — lovers of freedom and friends and neighbors to those who carry the mantle.
And there will, in the coming days, be other chances to remember as well.
As you will read in our cover story, a new Freedom Tree will be planted in downtown Goldsboro this week in honor of a fallen aviator, and Blue Star and Gold Star memorials will be unveiled.
Our hope is we see you at those events, too.
Because at a time when the world seems uncertain, and we have more and more peo -
ple choosing to see differences rather than commonalities, we all need a chance to remember what truly matters, to thank those who make it happen, and to be grateful that so many have sacrificed — and continue to sacrifice —for us.
The fact that Wayne County gets that sets us apart.
And when you’re constantly battling to keep an Air Force base in your town — and to keep it thriving long into the future — that matters more than you know.
So, join us as we live the “One Community” theme N.C. Freedom Fest’s “Freedom Week” has become known for these last few years.
Because when we pack the streets, the message of who we are will undoubtedly burst right through our county lines and roar all the way to the Pentagon — reinforcing what we have known since the first time we saw an F-15E rip through the clouds.
We — the home of what the late Goldsboro Mayor Al King called “the greatest fighter wing on planet Earth” — are the greatest military community in this nation.
Let’s show our brave warriors, once again, just how true that is. n
NCFREEDOM FEST2025
Downtown Goldsboro is getting a new Freedom Tree — and more— just in time for Freedom Fest.
N.C. Freedom Fest means something to the Wayne Week team.
It is why we humbly accept the privilege each year of creating the event’s official program.
And it is why this week, despite all the big news happening around Wayne County, we dedicated our cover story to the event.
But the event itself is not the only thing we will talk about in the pages that follow.
You will also hear about the effort made to ensure a new Freedom Tree — and a Blue Star and Gold Star memorial — are standing before Saturday’s festivities.
And you will get to take a look at more than a dozen pieces of original art create by Wayne County schoolchildren — their way of paying tribute to the military community that is raising them.
We talk about how fortunate we are to be a part of this county’s
story all the time.
And we try, as often as we can, to salute the men and women who fight for our freedom every day.
So, we hope what you read here will compel you to join us Saturday along Center Street.
We can think of no better way to spend a weekend than by, once again, showing those who serve — and their families — just how much their many sacrifices mean to us.
When former Goldsboro Mayor Tommy Gibson shed tears as a chainsaw-wielding crew brought downtown’s towering Freedom Tree to the ground on a late-June morning, every so often, a passerby would make him a promise.
One told him they would “never forget” all that the tree symbolized — or the man it was planted to memorialize more than 50 years ago.
Another pledged that one day soon, a replacement would be secured into the earth on what Gibson characterized as “hallowed ground” and “a gift from God.”
And Erin Fonseca, who leads the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation, vowed to ensure the site would “always be special” — and remain a “meaningful gathering place for families of members of the armed forces to remember their loved ones.”
But sitting there in his lawn chair as tears fell, Gibson could not have imagined just how quickly those promises would be honored.
Only a replacement Freedom Tree is not the only thing that will grace the former home of that willow oak.
For future generations, “Freedom Circle” will be so much more.
The existence of what was, until late June, a sprawling willow oak, started with a phone call — when the family of MIA aviator Maj. Peter Cleary asked Goldsboro leaders to consider honoring their loved one.
The Freedom Tree concept, they told
Gibson, was originated by Voices in Vital America, the organization that created POW/MIA bracelets that were worn across the country — and world — during the Vietnam War.
Gibson did not need much convincing, and not long after, a ceremony during which the Freedom Tree was planted was held.
From that moment on, that willow oak remained — still standing when Vietnam POWs touched down at Seymour Johnson and when Cleary was declared killed in action by the Department of Defense, his remains were identified in 2002, and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
But in recent decades, the tree began to decline, as it was overcome with disease.
And while city leaders put off cutting it down for as long as they could, it became clear in June that swift action was needed to avoid a potential safety hazard.
Then, in a matter of hours, the willow oak was gone.
What Gibson did not know was that the power of the DGDC’s volunteer corps was about to reveal itself.
There was Gretchen Reed who, along with other members of the Evergreen Garden Club, decided to erect Blue Star and Gold Star memorials at the site during “Freedom Week.”
“Our garden club, in 2013, erected a Blue Star marker on Highway 70. But hardly anybody saw it. It was not accessible,” Reed said. “So, I decided, I approached the Continued on page 16
club, and we decided to move the Blue Star marker to be with the Gold Star marker because they need to be together.”
So, she thought, why not downtown at the Freedom Tree site?
“The tree was a memorial to a serviceman, so in my mind, it just made sense. It all fits together,” Reed said. “And with all of these things being downtown, everyone will be able to see them and to visit the site to honor their loved ones.”
But markers alone would not, she thought, do servicemembers and their families justice.
Not in a military community.
So, she contacted Mark and Lauren Metzler, the owners of Landscape Design of Goldsboro — and fellow downtown supporters — to see if they would be willing to create a landscape plan.
They did more than that.
Beyond creating — and providing plants for — the Freedom Circle, the Metzlers also helped the garden club raise the funds necessary to purchase the marker.
And the finishing touch?
A brand-new Freedom Tree — even though it is being planted as a “place holder” in the event one of the saplings born from an acorn that fell from the original willow oak survives long enough to, ultimately, be downtown’s permanent symbol of sacrifice.
“Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, the original Freedom Tree declined and had to be removed, but although that was a sad day, we saw it as an opportunity to do something that everybody in Goldsboro could celebrate for future generations to come,” Mark said. “We are just happy to be a part of something like this since we all grew up in Goldsboro and know how special our military and veterans are to this community. Hopefully, the act of replanting the tree 52 years later will instill the same meaning in the younger generations that it instilled in all of us as we were growing up.”
And that is why both he and Reed are encouraging everyone who is able to attend the dedication of the Gold Star and Blue Star markers Wednesday at 10 a.m.
“All of us have busy lives and I know that some people will just not be able to make getting downtown on a weekday morning work,” Metzler said. “But I really do hope that Goldsboro and Wayne County pack the end of Center Street that day because of the message it will send to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, our veterans, and the family members of those who are fighting for us and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Everybody needs a hero. We just happen to be lucky enough to be surrounded by them every day. A few minutes of our Wednesday to recognize that in a public way just feels like an obvious thing to do.” n
FREEDOM FEST SCHEDULE
9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M. CAR & BIKE SHOW REGISTRATION & SHOW
12:00 P.M. TO 5:00 P.M. STREET FAIR
• Two Kids Zones
• Static Displays
• Art Contest Finalists Exhibit
• Street Fair Vendors
• Downtown Merchants
ENTERTAINMENT ON HOPE EXTENDED STAGE
12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. — Northbound
12: 45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. — Hope Center Ministries
1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. — Lydia Williams
2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. — Hwy 581
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. — Shelby Ray Marshall
3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. — Encore
4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. — Northbound
5:00 P.M. MAIN EVENT AT FREEDOM FIELD
• Opening Ceremony (4:45 pm)
• F-15E flyover
• Eli Winders
• Awards for Art Contest & Military Appreciation
• Headline Band – Ashley Cooke
the SPECTATOR
Patriotic prints
Local schoolchildren have submitted their entries for an art contest that will be judged during N.C. Freedom Fest.
Marilyn Landeros Garcia, 8th Grade, St. Mary’s School “Goldsboro’s Helpers”
Gweneth Terrell, 12th Grade, Eastern Wayne High School, “Untitled”
Yohanne Escalona, 1st Grade, North Drive Elementary School “A Salute to Those who Serve”
Niyali Martinez, 4th Grade, Grantham Elementary School, “Even They Remember”
Rylee Lewis, 7th Grade, Eastern Wayne Middle School, “Salute to Heroes”
Kyndell Lee, 3rd Grade, Meadow Lane Elementary School “Brave Enough to Bloom”
KyMari Stevens, 12th Grade, Rosewood High School, “The American Abyss”
Magaly Gonzales, 5th Grade, Eastern Wayne Elementary School “Salute to Our Military”
Leah Wyman, 5th Grade, Spring Creek Middle School. “Purple Up“
Amelie Banasing, 12th Grade, Charles B. Aycock High School “A Salute, to Those in the Horizon, to Those who Serve”
Erilynn Jordan, 4th Grade, Northwest Elementary School “Our Heroes”
Rebecca Vernon, 8th Grade, Rosewood Middle School “Lest We Forget”
NOTICES
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA WAYNE COUNTY
THE UNDERSIGNED, Edward Luis Hester, having duly qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Peggy Waters Hester, 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 Edward Luis Hester, Administrator at 107 South Breazeale Avenue, Mount Olive, NC 28365 on or before the 10th day of November, 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.
DATED: August 10, 2025.
EDWARD LUIS HESTER
ADMINISTRATOR ESTATE OF PEGGY WATERS HESTER
W. CARROLL TURNER
ATTORNEY FOR THE ESTATE
POST OFFICE BOX 547
MOUNT OLIVE, NC 28365
Published August 10, 2025, August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, and August 31, 2025
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Rosetta High Coley, deceased of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 10th day of November, 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 10th day of August, 2025.
Kenneth Coley and Lori Brantley, Co-Administrators of the Estate of Rosetta High Coley 216 Marlin Lane Pikeville, NC 27863
Published August 10, 2025, August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, and August 31, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORSOF JANET
HOLLOWELL WHITFIELD
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Janet Hollowell Whitfield, 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 November 10, 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 the 4th day of August, 2025.
Thomas Hollowell Hooks, Executorof the Estate of Janet Hollowell Whitfield 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 August 10, 2025, August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, and August 31, 2025
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Kenneth Eugene Brown, 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 November 30, 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 the 31st day of August, 2025.
Oramanee K. Edwards, Administrator of the Estate of Kenneth Eugene Brown 164 Brook Meadow Lane LaGrange, NC 28551 August 31, 2025, September 7, 2025, and September 14, 2025, and September 21, 2025
NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAYNE
IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO: 24CVD001959-950
WAYNE COUNTY, Plaintiffs vs. BRAD DEAL, ASHLY COTTLE DEAL, Defendants.
TO: ASHLY COTTLE DEAL
TAKE NOTICE THAT:
A pleading seeking relief has been filed in the above-entitled action and notice of service of process by publication will begin on August 17, 2025. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on real property located in Wayne County, North Carolina and described as 302 Grace’s Farm Road, La Grange, NC (PIN:3546118609), which is more completely described in the complaint; to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes. Plaintiff seeks to extinguish any and all claim or interest that you or others may have in said property. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than (40) days after the date of the first publication of notice, August 17, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This the 5th day of August, 2025.
Published August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, and August 31, 2025
NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAYNE
IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO: 25CV002015-950
WAYNE COUNTY and the CITY OF GOLDSBORO, Plaintiffs vs.
CASEY’S TRAILER LODGE, INC.; LONNIE CASEY, JR.; LONNIE CASEY, JR. IN HIS CAPACITY AS TRUSTEE FOR THE LONNIE CASEY, JR. REVOCABLE FAMILY TRUST, Defendants.
TO: LONNIE CASEY, JR.
TAKE NOTICE THAT:
A pleading seeking relief has been filed in the above-entitled action and notice of service of process by publication will begin on August 17, 2025. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on real property located in Wayne County, North Carolina and described as 1700 S. Slocumb Street, Goldsboro, NC (PIN:3508175377) and Harris Street, Goldsboro, NC (PIN: 3508270215,) which is more completely described in the complaint; to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes. Plaintiffs seek to extinguish any and all claim or interest that you or others may have in said property. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than (40) days after the date of the first publication of notice, August 17, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This the 5th day of August, 2025.
Andrew J. Neal Attorney for Plaintiff P.O. Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533 (919) 705-1713
Published August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, and August 31, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS
OF SAM A. JERNIGAN, III
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Sam A. Jernigan, III, 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 November 17, 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 7th day of August, 2025.
Eleanore Jernigan, Executor of the Estate of Sam A. Jernigan, III 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 (919) 734-1841
Published August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, and September 7, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS-ESTATE OF RONALD MICHAEL YOUNGFILE NO. 25E001637-950
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Ronald Michael Young, deceased, of Wayne County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before November 17, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 17th day of August, 2025.
Brian Young, Administrator c/o Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC 121 E. Main Street Clayton, NC 27520
Published August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, and September 7, 2025
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Frances Preston, deceased of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 17th day of November, 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 17th day of August, 2025.
Derald G. Preston, Administrator of the Estate of Frances Preston 404 Miller Ave. Goldsboro, NC 27530
Published August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, and September 7, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF TERRI SASSER
Having qualified as Fiduciary of the Estate of Terri Sasser, 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 November 17, 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 17th day of August, 2025.
Shanna Gurley, Fiduciary of the Estate of Terri Sasser 4893 Wyse Fork Road Dover, NC 28526
Published August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, and September 7, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
OF JEFFREY LANE WELLS
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Jeffrey Lane Wells, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 17th day of November, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recover. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 17th day of August, 2025.
Ashlee Schallert, Administrator of the Estate of Jeffrey Lane Wells 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 August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, and September 7, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS
OF LINWOOD E. HINES
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Linwood E. Hines, 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 November 17, 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 the 13th day of August, 2025.
Vicky J. Benton Lancaster, Executorof the Estate of Linwood E. Hinesc/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 August 17, 2025, August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, and September 7, 2025
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against John Wesley Southerland, deceased of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 24th day of November, 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 24th day of July, 2025.
Edward A. Southerland Administrator of the Estate of John Wesley Southerland 701 Rosemont Avenue Wilmington, NC 28403
Published August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, September 7, 2025, and September 14, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORSOF EMMA JEAN KILPATRICK WILLIAMS SCOTT
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Emma Jean Kilpatrick Williams Scott, 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 November 24, 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 the 19th day of August,2025.
Thelma Susan Williams McClenny, Executor of the Estate of Emma Jean Kilpatrick Williams Scott 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 August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, September 7, 2025, and September 14, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF RUBY LEE PITTMAN RAINS
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Ruby Lee Pittman Rains, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 24th day of November, 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 24th day of August, 2025.
Mary Deborah Rains Davis and Timothy Rowe Rains, Co-Administrators of the Estate of Ruby Lee Pittman Rains 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 August 24, 2025, August 31, 2025, September 7, 2025, and September 14, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH LEE
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Christopher Joseph Lee, 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 November 30, 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 the 22nd day of August, 2025.
Matthew Joseph Lee, Administrator of the Estate of Christopher Joseph Lee 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
August 31, 2025, September 7, 2025, and September 14, 2025, and September 21, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF ALLEN NELSON CUNNINGHAM
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Allen Nelson Cunningham, 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 November 30, 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 the 21st day of August, 2025.
Joyce Anderson Cunningham, Administratorof the Estate of Allen Nelson Cunningham 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
August 31, 2025, September 7, 2025, September 14, 2025, and September 21, 2025
INVITATION TO BID FLOW METER I NSTALLATION PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF GOLDSBORO, NC
Sealed bids will be received by the City of Goldsboro until 2:00 PM on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, for the FLOW METER INSTALLATION PROJECT at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read.
The work shall consist principally of Installation of Transit Time Flow Meters for the Seymour Johnson AFB, Fork Township areas and two Flow Meters at the City Water Treatment Plant.
Bidders shall submit two (2) sealed envelopes containing the following: Envelope #1- Bid Security Documentation, a copy of the Bidder’s current General Contractor’s License and addendums #1 and #2; Envelope #2 - the bidder’s proposal. Both envelopes shall be clearly marked with the bidder’s Name, Address, General Contractor’s License Number, To: City
Procurement Manager, and BID# FB 2025-003RB, PROPOSAL FOR FLOW METER INSTALLATION PROJECT. All proposals must be made on the blank forms provided for that purpose. and may be delivered by parcel service, presented in person to the City Hall Addition at 200 North Center Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina, 27530 or by U.S. Mail Service to Post Office Drawer A, Goldsboro, NC 27533-9701. It is fully the Bidders’ responsibility to ensure their package arrives before the bid deadline.
Each proposal shall be accompanied by a certified check, drawn on a bank or trust company authorized to do business in North Carolina, payable to the City of Goldsboro, in an amount equal to not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount of the proposal. In lieu of making the deposit as above provided, such bidder may file a bid bond executed by a corporate surety licensed under the laws of North Carolina to execute such bonds, conditioned that the surety will upon demand forthwith make payment to the obligee upon said bond if the bidder fails to execute the contract in accordance with the bid bond. This deposit shall be retained if the successful bidder fails to execute the contract within 10 days after the award or fails to give satisfactory surety as required herein.
Contractors are notified that Legislative Acts relating to licensing of contractors will be observed in receiving bids and awarding the contract.
Plans and specifications are on file and may be examined in the office of the City Engineer, Goldsboro, North Carolina; and may be downloaded in Adobe PDF format at the City of Goldsboro website: www.goldsboronc.gov under the Bid Listings link.
The right is reserved to reject any or all bids, to add or delete work, to waive informalities, and to award a contract which, in the opinion of the City, appears to be in its best interest.
The right is reserved to hold any or all proposals for a period of sixty (60) days from the opening thereof.
This 30th day of August 2025.
Catherine Gwynn Finance Director
Published August 31, 2025
ERNEST C. KELLY
Ernest C. Kelly, 91, of 119 Love Dr., Dudley, passed away on August 11th in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He was born on September 24, 1933, in Swift Creek, North Carolina, to Ernest and Rosie Velt Kelly.
Arrangements were handled by Haskins Memorial Services, Inc.
