Wayne Week — Dec. 14, 2025

Wayne

WEEK DECEMBER 14, 2025

A biting cold did not stop thousands of people from coverging on downtown Goldsboro for the city's annual Christmas Parade.

BY KEN FINE / p. 16

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CONTENTS 4 Stein announces another win DECEMBER 14, 2025 Volume 3, Issue 19

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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.

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North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced Wayne County's latest economic development victory earlier this wek — two projects that will bring dozens of jobs and more than $1 million to the community.

6 Third person files for sheriff

As filing continues for a number of local 2026 races, a third candidate has officially emerged in what is expected to be a hotly contested race for Wayne County sheriff.

8 NDAA threatens F-15Es

No Strike Eagles can be divested in 2026, but the compromise National Defense Authorization Act unveiled by congressional leaders earlier this week would allow the Air Force to retire up to 51 F-15Es in 2027 and 2028.

11 Our take

A member of the Goldsboro City Council said he wants to see the "deliverables" before he agrees to vote to give money to the Wayne County Development Alliance. In our view, the organization has more than proven its value.

14 Our take

The Goldsboro Police Department's "Shop with a Cop" event was not about giving 50 local at-risk children a merry Christmas — at least, not entirely.

16 Cover Package

The Goldsboro Christmas Parade saw thousands converge on downtown Goldsboro — and gave us an opportunity to put more faces in the paper.

22 Public Notices

COVER PHOTOS BY KEN FINE newoldnorth.com

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NE WS +VIEWS

Bell: Wayne County gets another economic development “win.”

The latest announcement from Gov. Josh Stein involves two projects that will generate more than $1 million in private capital investment and 38 “high-paying” jobs.

BY KEN FINE

F

or the third time this year, Wayne County is on the receiving end of what State Rep. John Bell characterized as “huge” and “incredible” economic development news.

And while the announcement made by Gov. Josh Stein Monday — two state-supported projects that will generate 38 new jobs and more than $1.1 million in private capital investment — might seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the historic deals he unveiled earlier this year, Bell said the planned expansion of Goshen Engineering in Mount Olive and the renovation of a 121,000 square4

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foot facility in Goldsboro for Scout Limited were “big wins” in their own right.

“It’s about momentum,” he told Wayne Week. “These announcements are not always gonna be about hundreds of millions of dollars, but the smaller deals add up. So, yeah, this is huge. Wayne County has a whole lot to be excited about.”

Wayne County Development Alliance Existing Industry Director Julie Graham agreed.

“These investments highlight the strength of Wayne County’s industry base and our commitment to helping companies thrive,” she said. “From automation to distribution,

we are seeing diverse growth that strengthens our workforce and enhances our regional competitiveness.”

Here is what we know about the projects announced Monday: MOUNT OLIVE EXPANSION: Wayne County received a Building Reuse grant of $200,000 to support a 10,000 square-foot expansion at Goshen Engineering in Mount Olive.

Goshen Engineering provides industrial automation and engineering solutions for the automotive, electronics, and food production sectors.

This project will create 25 new jobs and represents a private investment of $794,501.

GOLDSBORO RENOVATION: Wayne County also received a Building Reuse grant of $95,000 to support the renovation of a 121,170 square-foot building in Goldsboro.

Scout Limited, a wholesale and distribution company, will occupy the facility.

This project will create 13 jobs with a private investment of $320,000.

Monday’s news comes seven months after Stein traveled to the Maxwell Center to announce that Prolec GE Waukesha would be making a massive investment in both Goldsboro — $140 million and the creation of 330 jobs — and North Carolina.

And just two weeks later, Pelsan Tekstil made its own announcement — that the Turkish company that makes breathable polyethylene films for the medical, hygiene, and insulation sectors, would soon create another 216 jobs in Wayne County.

But Bell cautioned local residents not to overlook Monday’s announcement as less significant.

“When you think about it, with the two big Maxwell Center announcements, that is a couple hundred million dollars and hundreds of jobs. And then you get a little nugget like this and it’s like, ‘Oh. OK. It’s only a million bucks,” he said. “But the truth is, those 38 jobs are high-paying jobs. It doesn’t always have to be a grand slam. I’ll take base hits all day. So, I’m on the way to Pikeville and I just drove past the new Waffle House that’s coming. There’s a new Jersey Mike’s coming to Rosewood. Those deals are big for this county, too, but they don’t get the economic development headlines. So, there are a lot of success stories that I think people really should be celebrating. And there is more to come.”

The reasons “more is coming” are worth shining a light on, too, Bell said.

“We’ve got, really, two interstates running north and south through the middle of our county.

We’ve got a good quality of life here in Wayne County. People can afford to live here,” he said. “And in the past, one of the biggest challenges that we’ve had has been our school system. Well, that is now changing for the better and not just this year. It’s been a trend since Dr. (Marc) Whichard got the superintendent job. Add to that the University of Mount Olive — how much it’s excelling. And then, you’ve got Wayne Community College which is a hidden gem in Wayne County. Those things are putting us on the map.”

Goldsboro City Council member Chris Boyette, who also serves on the WCDA executive committee, agrees.

But he added that the Wayne County Board of Commissioners have played a “major role” in reminding potential investors that the community is “open for business,” by footing the bill for construction of move-in-ready shell buildings.

That is why, back in October, he was among those who celebrated the board’s decision to give the green light for construction of two 50,000-square-foot shell buildings — the

projects are expected to cost $6 million — at the ParkEast Industrial Park.

“What I’m saying is, if you’re not doing this, you have no chance of something happening because your competitors are doing it,” Boyette told Wayne Week the day after commissioners voted to begin construction.

“You’re not in the game if you’re not doing this.”

And that is also why he defended the WCDA after Councilman Roderick White seemed to scrutinize the city allocating $30,000 a year to the organization without the existence of a memorandum of understanding that spelled out “deliverables” for the city and ensured more Goldsboro elected officials had seats on the WCDA board.

“I have some apprehension if we move forward without an MOU that clearly defines that roles and the deliverables that would be for the city,” White said. “I truly want to make sure the city of Goldsboro has ample representation and a voice in what’s going on. This seems to be dominated by the county.”

Neal Benton, who spoke to the council on behalf of the WCDA, said the money would help to fund both salaries for much-needed additional staff and the purchase of more land.

“The momentum we’ve got right now is really good, but the industrial park is filling up,” he said, adding that it makes sense that the county has more representation on the WCDA board than the city, given the fact that the Wayne government has, “a significant financial stake in what we do.”

And he noted that over the last five years, the WCDA is, in part, responsible for more than $400 million in capital spending — a sum that Goldsboro benefits from as “all of these companies are either in the industrial park or are in close proximity to Goldsboro.”

“You can’t argue with the success we’ve had,” Benton told the council. “When you look at the 1,400 new jobs that we created in the last five years and the $400 million in capital spending, it’s unprecedented.”

It is unclear when the council will vote on whether to allocate the $30,000-a-year ask to the WCDA, but Mayor Charles Gaylor signaled that it needed to happen in short order.

“What we’re going to need to do at some point soon is try to figure out how we want to support WCDA,” he said. n

“And there is more to come.”

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ELE CT ION 2 0 2 6

Filing continues for 2026 races

So far, the lack of Democrats on the would-be ballots for the vast majority of local races has caught many by surprise.

T

he men and women who claimed victory in November have been sworn in, but many local residents have already turned their attention to the battles that will be waged over the next few months ahead of what promises to be a loaded, hotly contested March primary.

And since the Day One frenzy that saw more than a dozen people throw their names into the hat when the filing period for 2026 elections opened Dec. 1, a third candidate, Stephen Howell, has entered the Wayne County sheriff ’s race.

But the number of Republican primaries that will be on the March ballot is not the only storyline thus far.

As of press time, no Democrats have filed to challenge

incumbent Clerk of Superior Court Julie Whitfield, Rep. John Bell, Sheriff Larry Pierce, or any of the members of the Board of Education who are running for another term.

And nobody from the party has filed to run for district attorney or the Wayne County Board of Commissioners atlarge race, either.

In fact, to date, only Republican N.C. Sen. Buck Newton has drawn an opponent from the other side of the aisle.

There is, of course, still time for challengers to emerge, as the filing period does not officially close until Dec. 19 at noon.

For the final list, see the Dec. 21 edition of Wayne Week. n -From staff reports

WHO'S RUNNING SO FAR

The following candidate list is current as of press time, and we will update it in future editions of Wayne Week. For real-time updates, visit the Wayne County Board of Elections website.

N.C. SENATE (DISTRICT 4) Jessica Rivera Buck Newton

N.C. HOUSE (DISTRICT 4) Jimmy Dixon Marcella Barbour

N.C. HOUSE (DISTRICT 10) John Bell

DISTRICT ATTORNEY Jeff Cannon Mike Muskus

N.C. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE (DISTRICT 09, SEAT 01) Roy Dawson

WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (AT-LARGE) Kevin Johnson Jennifer Smith Strickland

WAYNE COUNTY CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT Julie Whitfield

WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFF Larry Pierce Ricky Hooks Stephen Howell

WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (DISTRICT 1) Chris West

WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (DISTRICT 4) Bill Joyner

WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (DISTRICT 5) Dana Vinson Mull

WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (DISTRICT 6) Wade Leatham

State Rep. John Bell swears in Pikeville Mayor McKayla Alves Dec. 8 at Pikeville Town Hall.

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It is unclear whether Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Strike Eagles would be in jeopardy, but local military advocates say they are not particularly worried.

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BY KEN FINE

he compromise National Defense Authorization Act that was unveiled by congressional leaders Dec. 7 prohibits the Air Force from divesting “any F-15E aircraft” through the end of fiscal year 2026, but it does allow for the retirement of roughly a quarter of the nation’s Strike Eagle fleet in 2027 and 2028.

In fact, the Secretary of the Air Force would be given the authority, should the NDAA make it through Congress and gain President Donald Trump’s signature, to send as many as 51 of the U.S.’s estimated 218 F-15Es to the boneyard.

The news comes three months after Congressman Don Davis tried, and failed, to insert language into the NDAA that would have guaranteed two operational fighter squadrons were housed, in perpetuity, in Goldsboro.

But during a Goldsboro City Council meeting this fall, Ken Gerrard, who serves as a liaison between Washington-based lobbyists, Friends of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Wayne County, and the city, said “the sky isn’t falling” because Davis was unable to deliver.

And while he acknowledged that the NDAA could allow for divestment of some F-15Es in the coming years, Gerrard said he had been told only “two or three” of those Strike Eagles, if any, would come from Seymour Johnson.

In other words, the 4th Fighter Wing’s fleet would still remain relatively unscathed, as evidenced, he added, by the inclusion, in that same NDAA, of millions of dollars for a Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Complex.

“The staff at Sen. (Ted) Budd’s office and

the staff at Congressman Davis’ office, they are working with the Air Force. Well, we’re talking to the Air Force, too. And we’re confident and comfortable right now in terms of what we know about Seymour Johnson and its future,” Gerrard told Wayne Week. “We’re not losing any squadrons. We’re not losing any part of the mission.

We stopped that. We stopped the mission from changing and we stopped losing a squadron.”

He is not wrong.

After nearly losing dozens of F-15Es, the 333rd Fighter Squadron, and seeing the 4th Fighter Wing’s mission transitioned into a training-only one, the NDAA signed by then-President Joe Biden before he left office reversed a decision made a year earlier that would have made all of those losses a reality.

So, even though local military advocates would have welcomed Davis’ amendment being included in the 2026 version of the spending plan, its exclusion “doesn’t change where we are,” Gerrard said.

“I will say to you that the sky is not falling,” he said. “The community, as you know, always wants guarantees. Well, I can’t guarantee there’s going to be a tomorrow.

But what I can say is that we are confident because of what we’re hearing from Sen. Budd’s staff and Congressman Davis’ staff.

We think we are positioning ourselves well for the future. We have the right people in place to help Seymour get to where we want it to be — a base with an important mission and a bright future.” n

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RESULTS DON’T NEED TO BE SCRUTINIZED

e always hope that politicians — and the bureaucrats they choose — will act with the best interests of the community in mind.

We expect that when they speak, that they have at least done their research and that they are making comments not just to hear themselves talk, but because they have given the issue a lot of thought and have something important to say.

That’s the standard we hope they aspire to, anyway.

It used to be there were enough politicians who operated with those principles in mind that they could counteract the potential damage done by those who were not ready for primetime — you know, the ones who have no business being anywhere near decision-making power.

But lately, we have seen more and more politicians and bureaucrats who are not just speaking out of turn, but who are dangerous — whose rhetoric and uninformed pandering is countering the efforts of those who seek to lift this county up.

You know what we mean.

There are the inane questions parroted because the politician- or bureaucrat-in-question does not have even an inkling about the proposal on which they are about to vote.

There are the dramatic calls for “transparency” and “accountability” from political partisans who only seem to care about either when they apply to the other side.

And then there are those who throw out conjecture like it is fact as they “take a stand” for seemingly nothing more than getting an audience to clap and a social media following.

We have seen all of these species of politicians over the years — from both parties, all races, socioeconomic statuses, and locations.

They all almost unilaterally have one thing in common.

They are about keeping the power, keeping the seat, and turning influence into money.

And lately, they seem to be managing to find a way to slither into positions of power all over this community.

We are not sure where Goldsboro City Councilman Roderick White falls on this hierarchy.

We hope he really is not as ill-informed as he seemed during last week’s council meeting — that it was just an oversight when he decided to play hardball during a discussion about extending city funds to the Wayne County

Development Alliance; that he did not really need anymore “receipts” to know what has happened as a result of that organization’s efforts on the county’s behalf.

We hope that the announcement of not only two major projects earlier this year — by companies that will be bringing significant jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment to this community — but also yet another pair of projects this week were enough “proof ” that the tiny offering the city has made to the WCDA was worth every penny.

And we hope that White also understands that the city’s contribution to the funding that will go to hire staff, buy land, build more shell buildings, and other work that goes into the tremendous task of connecting potential business investment with this county is small.

News flash: The county bears the majority of the expense and the burden.

So, honestly, you don’t get to throw your weight around when you don’t have a lot of skin in the game.

You don’t get to demand “more seats” at the table.

And, lastly, but absolutely just as important, are those lingering questions about whether White’s comments Continued on page 12

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Continued from page 11

T U R N E R JA M E S WE ST - D E C E M B E R 4 , 2 02 5 -

Chris and Julie West, of Goldsboro, are overjoyed to announce the latest addition to their family, grandson Turner James West.

Turner was born December 4 to Kasey and Noah West and was, at the time of his birth, 8.3 pounds and 20.5 inches.

He was welcomed by grandparents Hardy and Diane Pittman and his brothers, Bennie and Joyner West.

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at the council meeting were more about putting on a show for voters — you know, the shaking-hands-and-kissing-babies kind of performance designed to tell those who are listening exactly what they want to hear.

But we can tell you one thing for certain.

After hearing him speak, we can understand why so many organizations that do the heavy lifting in the economic development department — or those who are concerned about the future of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base — get tired of answering questions about their motives.

It’s as if every request for more money to do the work to make sure these elements are in place and to continue the county’s growth spurt becomes an opportunity for those who want to grandstand to let the voters know that they are on the job.

And dealing with all that, well, it is exhausting for those who are really doing the work — who are making the changes and who are moving this community forward.

So, we had a hard time not rolling our eyes when we heard White call for “deliverables,” “a voice,” and receipts to show that the city’s potential $30,000 investment in the Wayne Development Alliance was worth a vote.

He can’t be serious, right?

All he had to do was look back at that pretty snazzy press conference Gov. Josh Stein and State Rep. John Bell held just a few months ago at the Maxwell Center — or read the press release that dropped this week.

The truth is, Wayne County is on the right track.

And this next round of investment, well that is to keep the momentum and the announcements coming.

So, the fact that White decided to quibble about a $30,000 contribution to an organization that has been a massive part of the 2025 announcements that hundreds of millions in capital investment is heading here — a Wayne County record by a long shot, by the way — is ludicrous.

Now, before you misunderstand, let us say this.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with holding public agencies and others who are tasked with doing the people’s business accountable.

You probably have noticed that a whole bunch of blind votes have caused some pretty significant problems in Wayne County over the last decade.

But the good news is — as Bell put it during our discussion with him about this week’s announcement — Wayne County is doing well, really well, and it is getting attention from those who are looking for a good place to call home.

And we got here because we asked questions about what was going on — and because

we demanded accountability in our school district, county, and city.

But we have also noticed something else over that same time period.

Some leaders let their egos and their need for attention get in the way of making sure the best decisions are made for the county’s future.

They say things that embarrass our community.

They clog up the procedures and the possibilities with manufactured due diligence and demand accountability only when it suits their political purpose.

And they don’t do their homework — and it shows.

Well, we have, and Wayne County is on a hot streak.

We are telegraphing to the rest of the state that this is a place that is laser-focused on not only opening up more opportunities for our residents, but on fixing the areas we know need tweaking.

And that makes us a player.

So, while we encourage all those who have placed their hands on a Bible and sworn to serve the public with integrity and honesty — and who have also promised that they are there to serve the people’s interests, not their own, and to ask questions — we also remind them that there is a responsibility that goes along with that.

Ask for audits.

Review plans and ask for clarification if necessary.

But please, don’t get in the way.

And before you say something laughable, take a deep breath and count to 10.

We don’t need another round of embarrassing faux pas as we continue to try to show potential investors that this community has its act together.

We just don’t.

Particularly from a man like White who has been tremendously helpful in the past with asking questions that needed to be asked as the city takes its next steps.

You see, we think the majority of Wayne County is right where it needs to be.

We have work to do, but we are on the right path.

And while there will be times when additional scrutiny is necessary, there will also be moments when those who are in over their head need to admit it by staying silent and following the lead of the professionals and the elected officials who have more experience.

Addressing legitimate concerns is admirable.

Trying to grandstand for the voters and the cameras when you don’t know what you’re talking about is not.

We hope every city and county leader knows the difference.

Because trust us, those potential investors are watching. n

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More than a free toy

I

t’s a happy Christmas story.

A group of Goldsboro police officers taking local children on a holiday shopping spree.

For some, it will be the only gifts this year.

It matters — a lot — to families who are struggling to make ends meet.

And it is a great day for the officers, whose encounters with the public aren’t always so fun — and who see some of the worst the city has to offer every day and have to deliver messages that are more about sorrow than hope.

But there is more to the Shop with a Cop program than just another feel-good photo op.

Chief Mike West and his officers know that moments like these help create the relationships that offer families closure and allow justice to be served.

And that brings us to the story of Tra’sond Marquail McNeil.

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He has been missing for more than a month — a 21-year-old Goldsboro police say was “taken” from the 600 block of Sherard Court just after noon November 8 and driven toward Dudley.

His family believes he is dead — that the moment McNeil was forced into that blue car, his fate was sealed.

And while, in the aftermath of his alleged abduction, his photograph was shared hundreds of times across social media platforms — and residents offered prayers for his safe return — law enforcement officials said those efforts and well-wishes are simply not enough.

For some of them, news of the incident served as a reminder of a Spring Break pool party that turned into a murder scene back in 2023 — how what was supposed to be a celebration turned into a violent mass shooting

that left 15-year-old Joyonna Pearsall dead.

In both cases, there were witnesses.

The information they could share with investigators could make a difference.

But as has been the case countless times in some of the city’s most at-risk neighborhoods, the code of silence enveloped those who could have helped — and still could help — deliver justice to a grieving family.

And it’s a shame.

We have said it before, but we feel it bears repeating.

All too often in Goldsboro, death is met with balloon releases and calls for action instead of prison sentences.

And that is not, by the way, an indictment of the men and women who serve in the Goldsboro Police Department.

They are on the front lines of those seeking

justice, but if nobody is willing to speak up, their hands are tied.

At that Spring Break pool party, hundreds of teenagers saw the gunman who killed Joyonna.

Several of them have told Wayne Week that they know her killer’s identity.

But going to the GPD is not an option, they said.

Not in the neighborhoods they come from.

And so, the cycle of unchecked bloodshed will likely continue.

That is why what unfolded Saturday morning was so important.

This year, the number of children who will get Christmas gifts courtesy of the GPD exploded to 50.

And because of the community’s kindness, not only will 50 at-risk youths get a holiday gift, they also will get to meet the men and women who need their trust when tragedy strikes their neighborhood.

It will mark the beginning of a relationship.

Last year, when the number of shooting deaths inside the city limits ballooned, Chief West told members of the City Council that because the COVID-19 pandemic prevented his officers from close-contact policing, the loss of control in crime-ridden areas was to be expected.

His department’s strength, he said, was “community policing,” and finding a way with thinning ranks to get back to that initiative would be a critical part of reducing gun violence.

That is why Shop with a Cop is such an important event.

The truth is, when law enforcement is able to build relationships with young people — through events like that, the School Resource Officer program, and the specialized units West has just lately been able to staff back up — crime goes down.

And when, God forbid, a tragedy hits, a flow of information is far more likely.

So, we should do whatever we can to ensure we support those initiatives.

No family, regardless of where they come from, should ever be left to wonder what happened to their loved one.

Nobody should have to live without justice.

But the sad truth is that until we build a bridge between law enforcement and those who have been raised to distrust them, there will never be answers for families like Joyonna’s or Tra’Sond’s.

And that is simply not acceptable — ever.

Our support of our police is more important than ever as the chief and his officers keep trying to make this community safer.

And building trust is Job 1.

It is a partnership — and an important alliance — for not only crime victims and at-risk youths, but for our community.

That is how we will keep the progress we have made.n

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hen it's the holiday season and you are a community newspaper, you take seriously the notion that despite your mission, at this time of year, readers want to read — and see — some positive things on your pages.

So, with that in mind, we roamed Center Street for several hours during Goldsboro's annual Christmas Parade — determined to get as many faces in this week's edition as possible.

Yes, it was cold.

Sure, there were more than a few children wrapped up in blankets begging to get back into their family's heated car.

But there was far more cheer on display — from the event's organizers and those in the crowd to those who braved the weather to ensure their float was a memorable one.

So, our hats are off to those who made this year's parade one of the best we can remember.

And we hope that like us, you left the event feeling a little more hopeful about the community in which we live — a place in which, when we come together, we really are at our best. n

Photos continue through page 20

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. Wayne WEEK . 21

NO T ICE S NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of David Randolph Brown, Sr., 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 February 23, 2026, 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 November, 2025.

David Randolph Brown, Jr., Administrator of the Estate of David Randolph Brown, Sr. 823 Possum Walk Lane Mebane, NC 27302 Published November 23, 2025, November 30, 2025, December 7, 2025, and December 14, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF TIMOTHY NEIL HARRINGTON

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Timothy Neil Harrington, 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 February 23, 2026, 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 November, 2025.

Kimberly Atkinson, Executor of the Estate of Timothy Neil Harrington c/o Caroline Taylor Phillips, Attorney at Law Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, L.L.P. P. O. Box 1616, Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 Published November 23, 2025, November 30, 2025, December 7, 2025, and December 14, 2025

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. Wayne WEEK . newoldnorth.com

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF LARRY EARL VAUGHN

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Larry Earl Vaughn, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 2nd day of March, 2026, 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 30th day of November, 2025.

Sandra Denise Vaughn Stokes, Executor of the Estate of Larry Earl Vaughn 107 Valleyview Drive Goldsboro, NC 27534 Published November 30, 2025, December 7, 2025, December 14, 2025, and December 21, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF PATRICIA EILEEN O’CONNELL

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Patricia Eileen O’Connell, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 9th day of March, 2026, 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 7th day of December, 2025.

Scott Thomas Fisher, Executor of the Estate of Patricia Eileen O’Connell 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 December 7, 2025, December 14, 2025, December 21, 2025 and December 28, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate of Terry Jeanne Kriger, deceased of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 9th day of March, 2026, 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 7th day of December, 2025.

Tori Lynn Gautier Administrator of the Estate of Terry Jeanne Kriger 165 North N.C. 50 Hwy Faison, NC 28341 Published December 7, 2025, December 14, 2025, December 21, 2025, and December 28, 2025

GENERAL NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAYNE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 25CV003650-950 WAYNE COUNTY and the CITY OF GOLDSBORO, Plaintiffs vs.

WILLIAM HENDERSON, LINDA HENDERSON, Defendants & THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC., Defendant Lienholder Under and by virtue of an Order of the Clerk of Superior Court of Wayne County, North Carolina, made and entered in the action entitled “WAYNE COUNTY and the CITY OF GOLDSBORO vs. WILLIAM HENDERSON, ET AL., the undersigned Commissioner will on the 17th day of December, 2025, offer for sale and sell for cash, to the last and highest bidder at public auction, at the courthouse door in Wayne County, North Carolina, in Goldsboro at 10:00 a.m. the following described real property, lying and being in State and County aforesaid and more particularly described

as follows: 109 Brogden Street, Goldsboro (PIN: 3600111523) BEGINNING at a stake, E.W. Cox’s corner, 190 feet from the corner of Brogden Street and Railroad Street and runs northward with E.W. Cox’s line 177 feet to a ditch, Governor Brogden’s line; thence Eastward with the said ditch 40 feet to a stake; thence southward 127 feet to Brogden Street, thence westward 40 feet to the beginning.

The sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvements assessments against the above-described property not included in the judgment in the above-entitled cause. A deposit of 5 percent (5%) of the successful bid will be required or $750.00, whichever is greater, in the form of cash, certified check or money order.

This 21st day of November, 2025.

Andrew J. Neal County Attorney Attorney for Plaintiff P.O. Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533 (919) 705-1713 Published December 7, 2025, and December 14, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF DANNY MASSEY

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Danny Massey, Deceased, of Wayne County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before March 14, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the decedent or estate shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 14th day of December, 2025.

James Massey, Administrator c/o Henry C. Smith, Attorney Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, LLP P.O. Box 1616 Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 (919) 734-1841 Published December 14, 2025, December 21, 2025, December 28, 2025, and January 4, 2025

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. Wayne WEEK . 23

JERICHO FA R M S

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