Wayne Week — Feb. 15, 2026

Wayne

WEEK FEBRUARY 15, 2026

A former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office employee took a guilty plea, pursuant to Alford, for assaulting a handcuffed man inside the Wayne County Jail in front of several Goldsboro police officers on Jan. 26, 2025.

GUILTY... with a

CATCH

BY KEN FINE and MADELINE THOMAS P. 12

SPORTS + REC: From the Hot Stove Banquet to a Super Bowl watch party, new Sports Editor Aviel Smolka has the local sports scene covered

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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 15, 2026

4 Town Hall naming spurs debate

The majority of members of the Mount Olive Board of Commissioners have indicated they want to name Town Hall after former Town Manager Jammie Royall, who was fired from the post in early 2025, several months before his death.

Volume 3, Issue 30

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EDITORIAL EDITOR Ken Fine EDITOR Renee Carey SPORTS EDITOR Aviel Smolka DESIGN DIRECTOR Shan Stumpf PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Casey Mozingo NEWS INTERN Madeline Thomas

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Melissa Hamilton

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5

Smolka named sports editor

Award-winning journalist Aviel Smolka has joined the Wayne Week team — a move that will pave the way for a dedicated local sports section.

6 Langston resigns from board

Less than three months after he was elected to serve on the Pikeville Board of Commissioners, Randy Langston submitted a resignation letter to Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff.

8 Our take

In our view, the fact that a plea deal was offered to a former Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputy who was accused by members of the Goldsboro Police Department of excessive force — a crime that was captured on video — is a slap in the face to the GPD officers who took a risk by turning in a fellow LEO.

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Wayne County District Attorney Matthew Delbridge agreed to accept an Alford plea in an excessive force case that unfolded inside the Wayne County Jail.

16 Sports + Rec

Aviel Smolka's debut sports section includes photographs from the annual Wayne County Hot Stove Banquet and a piece about a Goldsboro High School Super Bowl watch party.

22 Public Notices COVER DESIGN SHAN STUMPF newoldnorth.com

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NE WS +VIEWS

Royall’s name could soon be on Mount Olive Town Hall Jammie Royall was fired in early 2025, but the majority of the Mount Olive Town Board believes he was treated unfairly — and should be honored for his work and for being a trailblazer as the first black chief executive in the municipality’s history.

O

ne said that his ability to do his job was stripped from him by the previous Town Board majority.

Another said that even before he took on the role of town manager, he did the lion’s share of the work inside Town Hall.

And one reminded those in attendance that he was the first African American to hold Mount Olive’s top leadership position.

For those reasons and more, they said, Jammie Royall’s name should be on Town Hall.

But before Vicky Darden, Harlie Carmichael, and Delreese Simmons cast their votes to honor a man who was fired from the post a little more than a year ago — and then died that summer — town residents will get an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed measure.

And it seems unlikely that at least one commissioner, C.J. Weaver, will end up supporting what seemed Feb. 5 like a foregone conclusion.

Because in his view, decisions on such matters should be made with heads, not hearts.

“Weights and measures, not emotion. Are we motivated to recognize someone because we think he was wronged or do we want to recognize someone for what they’ve done?” Weaver said. “I have no problems with Jammie. I loved Jammie to death. He helped me out and he was a good person to talk to. I just think we need to do weights and measures and not be emotional. So far, all I’ve heard is emotions.”

Darden did appear emotional as she spoke about why she felt so strongly Royall should be honored.

“I went to his funeral, and I have a picture of Jammie right here,” she said. “And he’s always going to be in my heart. Jammie always sat here beside of me, and I miss him so much.”

But she also noted that from the moment he was hired as town manager, “they” — the board’s majority — “was on him.”

“Jammie was doing everything they said he wasn’t doing. Jammie Royall was doing everything that he could do,” Darden said. “There’s a lot of things y’all don’t know. Y’all just don’t know.”

Commissioner Delreese Simmons elaborated — and accused former board members Barbara Kornegay, Danny Keel, and Tommy Brown of voting to make Royall sign a “piece of paper” that “stopped him from doing his job.”

“He couldn’t hire, fire, give raises, do anything,” Simmons said. “Maybe you guys should 4

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BY KEN FINE ask for the paper.”

And he doubled down on Darden’s position that Royall went above and beyond as Mount Olive’s chief executive.

“Whenever he went on vacation, I could call and ask him about things and he would answer the phone and say, ‘Do I need to come back?’”

Simmons said. “I worked with him every single day — Saturdays and Sundays.”

But all seemed to agree that it was Royall’s heart for the town, and its people, that made him so special.

“That man would give his shirt off his back to any employee in this town,” Simmons said.

“He’s paid bills for people. He gave people money for lunch.”

• • • Royall was hired in late 2020 as town manager, but Commissioner Harlie Carmichael said last week that he was leading the town long before he took on the role.

“Charles Brown had the job, but Jammie did the work,” he said.

Royall, who spoke to Wayne Week after he was fired in early 2025, did not disagree.

But he described the job as “stressful” and the work environment created by members of the Town Board as “hostile” — painting a picture of employees having to “watch their backs.”

And by 2024, he said he was beginning to feel as though he “couldn’t do anything right,” and was being “targeted” by the board’s majority, particularly then-Commissioner Barbara Kornegay.

Those factors, Royall said, made a successful tenure “almost impossible.”

“We had to watch our backs. That’s no secret.

Every employee knew this,” he told Wayne Week.

“It was a hostile work environment for all our employees. It’s been chaos up there.”

Then, after a performance review, he said his relationship with Kornegay reached a breaking point.

“She said things weren’t done like they should be. I said, ‘You can’t tell me that. You told me to do it. Nobody stated how to do it. So, as far as I’m concerned, it’s done,’” Royall said. “I said, ‘Barbara, I’m the town manager. You’ve told me what to do. I’ve done it. So, you can’t come back and tell me I didn’t do it because it’s not how you like it.’”

And the “piece of paper” Simmons referenced during the Feb. 5 board meeting became

an issue, too — leading Royall to solicit help from an attorney who, just before the manager was fired, sent a letter to Mayor Jerome Newton that included the following: “I represent Mr. Royall. Mr. Royall indicates that certain members of the Town’s Board of Commissioners have attempted to abrogate his statutory authority to hire and fire all Town employees. Those statutory duties and authorities are set forth in: N.C.G.S. § 160A-148. Powers and duties of manager. (a) The manager shall be the chief administrator of the city. The manager shall be responsible to the council for administering all municipal affairs placed in the manager’s charge by the council, and shall have the following powers and duties: (1) He shall appoint and suspend or remove all city officers and employees not elected by the people, and whose appointment or removal is not otherwise provided for by law, except the city attorney, in accordance with such general personnel rules, regulations, policies, or ordinances as the Jammie Royall council may adopt.

Mr. Royall recently exercised his statutory authority to appoint Watia Barfield to the position of Assistant to the Town Manager. The position was budgeted and open. After Mr. Royall announced this appointment, several Commissioners buttonholed him into a private meeting and told him he could not appoint Ms. Barfield. In the course of the meeting, they indicated that if he persisted in doing so they would seek his dismissal.

While the Town Manager serves “at the pleasure” of the Board, the Board’s discretion is not without limits. Certainly if the Board were to terminate Mr. Royall for insisting that he alone exercise his statutory authority to hire and fire, this would be a wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. Proof of the reason for discharge would begin with the threats made by the several commissioners, and the minutes of a closed session, and the unrecorded statements made

during such closed session, may ultimately be disclosed or accessed in legal proceedings.

The Town’s personnel policy defines a “regular employee” as “An employee appointed to a full position who has successfully completed the designated probationary period.” Thus while Mr. Royall serves “at the pleasure” of the Council, he is a “regular employee” for purposes of the personnel policy. That policy provides “regular employees” some procedural protections in the event dismissal is threatened or occurs.

And as I have noted in previous correspondence with the Town Attorney, dismissal of the Town Manager under circumstances publicly stating or implying misconduct of any kind must have been proceeded by a procedurally sufficient “name clearing hearing”.

I do not suggest you are unaware of these legalities; indeed I expect that you are striving to abide them. I write to you simply as the Chair/Mayor of the Board in the hope that you might influence the Board as a whole to abide them also.”

Royall would be fired soon after that letter was sent.

And while Newton expressed concern before the action was taken that it might be construed as racially motivated, Simmons has made no secret of the fact that he believes it was just that.

So, it came as no surprise to those who have heard Simmons speak on the matter that the commissioner inferred that a vote against Royall had more to do with the racial divide in the town than Royall’s legacy.

“Everybody you named was of a certain color,” he said, at one point, to Weaver. “If this come up — if this same topic come up — 10 years from now, it’s going to be the same feelings from certain people in town.”

A public hearing on the matter is set to be conducted during the board’s March meeting.

A vote could come as early as moments after the conclusion of that hearing. n

Aviel Smolka named Wayne Week sports editor

A veteran journalist who has won the hearts of Wayne County athletes, coaches, and fans alike has joined our team — and is poised to deliver sports storytelling the likes of which this community has never seen before.

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W

e did not ask Aviel Smolka to join the Wayne Week family because he is an award-winning journalist and photojournalist.

But he is.

We did not decide to make him an integral part of our newspaper’s expansion effort because he has covered this community for nearly a decade.

But he has.

No, the reason is far simpler — and, frankly, more significant.

You see, Aviel has a gift that not many in this profession possess.

He has an ability to immerse himself in the stories — and the people — he is covering.

Said a different way, he allows himself to experience those moments before he shares them.

Then, he takes the reader on that journey.

If you have been to a local sporting event in the last eight years, you Aviel Smolka have likely seen Aviel among the crowd.

You have witnessed him fist-bump members of the student section and high-five cheerleaders.

You have seen players and coaches run to the sideline before the game to pay him their respects.

You have watched him connect with star athletes and unsung heroes alike.

But you have not — at least in our opinion — seen all he is capable of just yet.

Well, get ready.

In our view, the key to being a quality storyteller is having a vested interest in the moment in which you find yourself and making sure the subjects of your finished product feel just how much you care about their plight.

And you can trust us when we tell you that not everyone has that gift.

Aviel does.

So, as he joins our team as Wayne Week’s first sports editor — and creates, from the

ground up, what we believe will be the best sports section this community has ever seen — we think you will find that even those who don’t consider themselves sports fans will gain something from his coverage.

His heart really will seep off the pages.

Because sports coverage, as Aviel knows well, is not about wins and losses.

It is not about championships or perfect games.

Not really.

It’s about following a journey that, more often than not, began with a child’s dream.

It’s about family traditions.

It’s about community — and school — pride.

It’s about role models and mentorship.

It’s about fandom and a sense of belonging.

And, perhaps most importantly, it’s about learning that before you fly, you have to fail and have the courage to get back up.

So, we hope you will join us as we welcome the newest member of our team.

We hope you will embrace him the way you have wrapped your arms around those of us who started this paper.

And if you see a story you feel this community could learn something from, send him a note — trusting that he will put everything he has into sharing it across this place we all love.

He knows our mission.

He understands the assignment.

And as people who do not take decisions like these lightly, we can assure you he is up to the challenge of hitting the standard we strive to meet every time we send our pages to the presses.

Good luck, Aviel — and welcome to Wayne Week. n Have a story idea for our sports editor or want to send him a welcome message? Shoot him an email at asmolka@newoldnorth.com

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Langston resigns from Pikeville board

His decision comes just a few months after he won a new term on the Board of Commissioners by 13 votes.

L

ess than two months after State Rep. John Bell swore in Pikeville’s newly elected mayor and commissioners, one of the men elected in November has resigned from the Town Board.

But Randy Langston did not, in the resignation letter he submitted to Town Manager Tim Biggerstaff, give a reason for his departure.

In fact, the notice, which was dated Jan. 30 and obtained by Wayne Week, was fairly concise, and announced his intentions to leave the board Feb. 6 — and served as a “thank you” for the “opportunity to have served the residents of the Town of Pikeville over the past two years.”

Mayor McKayla Alves said Monday that the town was “grateful” for Langston’s service, but noted she was eager to “continue building a board of individuals who are passionate about working together to improve Pikeville.”

And she announced, after the matter was discussed during the board’s Feb. 9 meeting, that an application window would be open through March 2 for those who wish to fill the vacancy.

Biggerstaff said that decision was made in lieu of simply appointing a new commissioner — a plan that emerged upon advice from the town attorney — and that he expected the seat to be filed at the board’s March 9 meeting.

The application will be made available both at Town Hall and on Pikeville’s website, www.Pikevillenc.gov In the interest of transparency, Langston’s letter has been included in this package. - Ken Fine

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{ our TAKE }

O

JUSTICE ... NOT SERVED

ur flag has a blue bar in it.

We back the blue.

And if you have been around us for more than a minute, you know that we have — and always will — come down on the side of the men and women who risk their lives every day protecting their communities.

We understand, although we cannot say we can even come close to fathoming, the pressure that goes along with rushing into a dangerous situation that the rest of us would run away from.

We get that we, all too often, ask these heroes to make a life-or-death decision to try to keep a tinder box from exploding.

It is a tough job.

And most of those who swear that oath to serve and protect do so with dignity and integrity and with the goal of making sure they respect the law and the people they encounter, both victims and suspects.

So, because we care so much about our LEOs, we think it is extremely important to point out when they have been failed.

And this week, they were.

Had it not been for Wayne Week, you might not ever have heard about the case that was lodged against a sheriff ’s deputy earlier this year because there is an election on the horizon and it doesn’t make a certain public official look too good.

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You definitely would not have seen the video (you will in the coming weeks if we have anything to say about it) of that same deputy being pulled off an inmate — albeit a mouthy one — by members of the Goldsboro Police Department as he was throwing him through a chair and pummeling him.

You might not have read how the four — we repeat, four — Goldsboro police officers who were inside the Wayne County Jail and witnessed the incident were so shocked and disgusted that they reported what happened to their boss.

And you would not have read the description of the shock on the face of the judge as she watched the video of what happened herself.

You see, there were a whole lot of people who did not seem to want questions asked about the day Andre Williams was beaten as he was waiting to be processed for the crime he was accused of committing.

And for a reason we cannot comprehend — although we can surely speculate — there was no trial.

Instead, there was an Alford plea, and excuses.

An Alford plea, for those of you who don’t know, allows a defendant to plead guilty without admitting guilt, saying that the evidence against them is ponderous, and they are conceding that fact, but it is not a mea culpa.

Not by a long shot.

And the excuse machine has already started.

“He was disturbing the magistrates.”

“He wouldn’t settle down.”

“This deputy is a veteran. He has gone through anger management sessions since the incident.”

“This is a frequent flier who has a history of being difficult.”

“If we go to trial, we will have to put him on the stand and calling convicts as witnesses can get dicey.”

Sure, if you look at it superficially, as somebody obviously wants you to, you can find a reason to accept those excuses, those “reasons.”

And if we did not have so much respect for the Goldsboro Police Department and our other honest local lawmen and women — if we did not think that right now, too many people find it so easy to pile on, to hurl insults, to make unfounded claims against them — we might consider stepping away from this one.

But we can’t, because it is not even close to the right thing to do.

To ignore this one, to let it pass with a whisper, does not honor the Goldsboro police officers who saw something and said something because it was the just, honorable thing to do.

And that example, by the way, comes from the leadership of their chief, Mike West.

So, let’s look at the leadership that has come from the county sheriff.

He was pushed into commenting on this

incident several months after it happened — dismissing it to this newspaper as an acceptable reaction from a deputy who was faced with a difficult suspect who was being “aggressive” with the GPD. He told the community that the suspect was not injured.

He downplayed the encounter.

“Nothing to see here,” you can almost hear him saying.

And we might have accepted that, to have taken him at his word.

We might have overlooked what members of the GPD told us about what went down.

We might have accepted District Attorney Matthew Delbridge’s decision to seek a plea deal rather than a conviction.

We might have put aside our doubts about the sheriff’s rocky last few years.

We might not have wondered if the fact that he was in charge when two deputies — one of whom was his Drug Unit chief — were convicted of malfeasance by the federal government, misdeeds he said he had no idea were going on under his command, might have made him determined not to let another stain mar his re-election bid.

We might have accepted the explanation and let the questions remain unanswered.

But we can’t — for two reasons.

The first, because we were given a play by Continued on page 11

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Continued from page 8

play of that video and heard the audio — the same sounds and images that caused a sitting judge to pause as she heard the prosecution say there was an Alford plea.

The second, because Goldsboro police officers who were right there when the incident in question occurred were disturbed enough to turn in another man who wears a badge.

Keep this in mind, too.

The State Bureau of Investigations looked into this case and there would have been no referral to Delbridge had there not been something there.

So, we are speaking out because we think it is critical that we do.

It is important that we point out that there is nothing that a handcuffed-behind-the-back suspect can say that excuses the extent of the response that occurred in the jail that day — you know, having his head slammed against a wall, being punched and thrown to the ground, and being thrown into a wooden chair.

The response was not appropriate, and not acceptable, not at a time when those who seek to denigrate and demean those who wear badges have megaphones that they blast all over social media.

This adds fuel to their fire, and it hurts the vast majority of officers who do it right — who hold themselves and their fellow LEOs to a much loftier standard.

And it endangers every single law enforcement officer in this county who now has to answer for what happened to Williams that day because it perpetuates the narrative that those who enforce the rule of law are enemies.

So, yes, this case is over.

But it doesn’t matter that this deputy no longer works for the Wayne County Sheriff ’s Department.

And it should have mattered to that DA that the same man will soon be facing another assault charge — not in our county, but in the county he transitioned to after he left the WCSO. This time, by the way, it involved an alleged attack on a nurse.

And while he is innocent of that crime until he faces the charges in court — and no judgment on that will be made here until the facts of that case are told — we cannot help but wonder what would have happened if Sheriff Larry Pierce had stood up, did not worry about how another transgression on his watch would make him look or affect his re-election bid, and said Michael Anthony Layne’s behavior on Jan. 26, 2025, was unacceptable.

Would he have been hired in Lenoir County?

Would that woman, that nurse, have been allegedly traumatized?

We wonder if there might have been a different message sent — a different role-modeling that telegraphed what kind of service he expects from his deputies.

And we can also wonder, too, what happened to the tough-as-nails and tough-on-crime district attorney we so proudly supported when he ran for office so many years ago — the man who was known for his steadfast and honorable determination to uphold the law, no matter what the consequence.

When did plea deals become so big a part of his office’s repertoire?

When did teachers who committed crimes against children and a deputy who mercilessly beat a handcuffed man suddenly get a pass?

At this point, it probably doesn’t matter because Delbridge is not running for re-election.

And as journalists who endorsed him when he ran for the post many years ago, it saddens us to admit that’s probably a good thing.

You see, we learned something from our grandparents that remains true to this day.

When someone shows you who they are, you have to believe them.

That means we need a new DA. And it also means there is something wrong inside the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

First, the federal drug trafficking and bid-rigging convictions for crimes committed by deputies under Pierce’s watch.

Now, this.

It’s time to admit that we have a leadership problem — an accountability problem.

Some current and former deputies have told us it’s a “we can do no wrong” problem.

And they have also told us — several active deputies, mind you — that if you care about this community’s future, you have to think long and hard about what to do to fix it.

We think that means it is time for some new blood at the top — and we say that as we stand here wearing our Back the Blue T-shirts, proudly standing up for the men and women who choose to wear the uniform.

Anyone who has read this paper knows we have made it clear that our hearts and support are with our LEOs. They know we are not soft on crime, either.

They know that we understand that officers face danger and tough decisions none of us can possibly imagine.

And they also know that we get that mistakes can be made.

But when they are, we have to hold even those we respect and believe in accountable when something is just wrong.

And this, friends, was wrong.

If we don’t say that out loud, we dishonor those four GPD officers who lived up to their oath and did one of the hardest things someone who wears a badge can do — report one of their own.

So, we are proud to say that in this case, we are honored to stand alongside them, and that in our view, their courage mattered, regardless of an outcome that doesn’t come close to justice. n

KEVIN

JOHNSON COMMISSIONER AT-LARGE Kevin Johnson is a Wayne County conservative leader committed to protecting agriculture, supporting military families, and ensuring responsible use of taxpayer dollars through practical, results-driven leadership.

VOTER EARLY OR MARCH 3 FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE AT KEVINFORWAYNE.COM/VOTE

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A former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office employee took a guilty plea, pursuant to Alford, for assaulting a handcuffed man inside the Wayne County Jail in front of several Goldsboro police officers on Jan. 26, 2025.

GUILTY... with a

CATCH

BY KEN FINE and MADELINE THOMAS

12

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Editor’s Note: The following story contains foul language. The inclusion of that language was not a decision we made lightly, but we felt it was necessary given its context.

A

t first, Special Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Freshwater Smith did not say a word.

She simply sat behind the bench — staring at the video playing on a laptop given to her by Wayne County District Attorney Matthew Delbridge.

She took off her glasses and drank from a bottle of water.

And when, moments later, the video stopped, she asked to see it again.

But the judge was not the only one watching.

In fact, as she started wringing her hands during the replay, others reacted, too.

The bailiff to her left inched closer to the bench, straining to get a better look at the television screen that was playing the same footage.

Even the court reporter was watching, before having to glance away — staring down at her feet once the audio kicked in.

There was screaming.

There was moaning.

There was crying.

And then, Andre Williams yelled at his alleged abuser.

“I’m in jail you bitch,” he shouted. “Y’all just beat the fuck out of me, bro.”

Those screams broke what had, until that point, been a deafening silence inside Wayne County Courtroom No. 4.

Michael Anthony Layne

But in the end, they were not enough to persuade Freshwater Smith to reject the plea deal a former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office employee agreed to enter into with Delbridge.

And as a result, Michael Anthony Layne got little consequence for assaulting a man whose hands were handcuffed behind his back before he was attacked.

In exchange for his guilty plea to assault inflicting serious injury, he got 24 hours of community service to be completed within 90 days, a fine, and a warning to remain law-abiding for two years.

Should Layne violate any of those terms, he would receive a 60-day jail sentence.

Department felt compelled to report what they believed was a case of excessive force inside the Wayne County Jail.

And after GPD Chief Mike West contacted Sheriff Larry Pierce to unwrap what he had been told, the case was turned over to the State Bureau of Investigations.

In the weeks that followed, the SBI confirmed the inquiry — one that included site visits, interviews with witnesses, and a review of video footage from inside the facility and police-worn body cameras.

And SBI Public Information Officer Chad Flowers confirmed, to Wayne Week, several details of the incident.

They included:

• • •

On Jan. 26, Goldsboro police officers made an arrest and, as is protocol, transported their “detainee” to the Wayne County Detention Center.

It started Jan. 26, 2025, when several officers from the Goldsboro Police

But before they officially relinquished custody, a WCSO employee allegedly assaulted the individual — raising concern among the arresting officers.

They reported what they saw to West, and the following day, Pierce contacted the SBI and asked them to assist with a case of “potential use of excessive force.”

Several months later, Flowers told Wayne Week the SBI had concluded its investigation — and said it would be up to Delbridge to, if necessary, convene a grand jury and potentially indict Layne.

But Delbridge, he said then, had not communicated with the SBI since and did not respond to requests for comment on the matter from the paper.

And Pierce, when asked for his thoughts, seemed to suggest the altercation was initiated by the detainee — a fact GPD Continued on page 14 newoldnorth.com

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Continued from page 13

sources refuted during the SBI probe.

“On January 26, 2025, Goldsboro Police Department officers brought two suspects before the magistrate for charges. While in the custody of the Goldsboro Police Department, one individual became aggressive with the officers, as well as two detention officers,” Pierce told Wayne Week. “A brief altercation ensued between one detention officer and the aggressive suspect. The suspect was not injured in the altercation, and the booking process continued. It was later discovered that the suspect was in possession of a controlled substance and attempting to conceal the controlled substance before the altercation.”

Layne’s name was never released — not by the GPD, WCSO, SBI, or Delbridge.

But during a review of upcoming trials, a case with details similar to those confirmed

by Flowers appeared on the Feb. 9 docket.

And a search of the case files revealed it did, in fact, involve the Jan. 26, 2025, incident — and included the indictment Delbridge never publicized that was handed up by the grand jury in October.

It read: “THE JURORS FOR THE STATE UPON THEIR OATH PRESENT that on or about the 26th day of January, 2025, in Wayne County,

“Michael Anthony Layne did unlawfully and willfully assault and strike Andre Williams, who was handcuffed with his hands behind his back.”

Michael Anthony Layne did unlawfully and willfully assault and strike Andre Williams, who was handcuffed with his hands behind his back, by grabbing him by the neck and slamming his head backwards into a wall, throwing him to the floor, throwing him face first into a wooden chair, striking him with his fist and driving his body face first into the floor, thereby inflicting serious injury consisting of a bloody mouth, knots on his head and headaches lasting two months.”

And while Delbridge had, at his disposal, video from inside the jail, body camera footage with audio, and eyewitness testimony from the members of the GPD who blew the whistle and launched the inquiry, the DA told the judge that he would be compelled to put Williams on the stand during the trial — and that because of his criminal background, his testimony could get “dicey.”

That, he said, is why he offered the plea deal.

• • •

• • •

Ultimately, Layne was given the ability to plead guilty pursuant to Alford, a legal agreement that allows a defendant to acknowledge that there is enough evidence to convict him while maintaining his innocence.

Freshwater Smith could have declined to accept the plea.

And knowing that, Layne’s attorney, Micah Mooring, pointed out that Williams was walking around and refused to remain

quiet while he was awaiting processing — that he was breaking the rules by disrupting magistrates while they were trying to work.

“If I didn’t comply with what they were trying to do, what they instructed me to do — if they asked me to sit down and I didn’t sit down; if they asked me to keep my mouth shut and I didn’t keep my mouth shut — I would be removed,” he said. “It’s the responsibility of members of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department to act as law enforcement and to take control in situations that arise, often times, in the magistrate’s office.”

Mooring also noted that Layne was a veteran and had, since the incident, gone through an anger management program.

But Delbridge said he knew little about that process — and told the judge that since the incident inside the jail, Layne had gone to work in Lenoir County and had been charged with assaulting a nurse.

According to a criminal summons obtained by Wayne Week, that incident unfolded Dec. 18, 2025, and resulted in an assault on a female charge.

Freshwater would end up adding a mandatory mental health evaluation to the terms of Layne’s probation.

But there would, she said, be no active jail time enforced.

As of press time, it remains unclear whether Williams will file a lawsuit in the matter. n

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. Wayne WEEK . 15

SPORTS +REC

THE JARRAN THEY KNOW

For those who showed up at Goldsboro High School for a Super Bowl watch party, Jarran Reed was a champion long before he hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy after his Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots Sunday.

S

he can remember watching him compete in Pop Warner games — how, even as a child, he used to declare that one day, he would make it to the National Football League and win a Super Bowl.

She can see him at the many family gatherings they attended together.

And Sunday, even though she was among those caught up in the emotion of watching him compete on the NFL’s biggest stage — and was one of the many who erupted into cheers every time he appeared on the television screen set up inside the Goldsboro High School cafeteria — to Karina Taylor, he was not an NJCAA, NCAA, or, by the end of the evening, Super Bowl champion.

To her, he will always just be “Jarran.”

“He’s still the same,” Taylor said. “Like, on the field, people see him as this big football player, but Jarran is genuinely one of the most down-to-earth people you’ll meet.”

Claude Waters remembers coaching a much younger Jarran Reed — how it was clear he was different the moment he stepped onto the GHS campus.

“Jarran was one of those ones who already had the size,” Waters said. “You knew he wasn’t going to play JV at all.”

But the coach knew, from years of experience watching talented players fall by the wayside, that it would take more than a physical gift to get the young man to the next level.

So, seeing Reed reach the football mountaintop Sunday was particularly special because Waters said there were plenty of times throughout his career that the young man could have quit.

“As long as you’re willing to work, you’ll get to where you want to go, but you have to put in the work,” Waters said. “Jarran shows that because he easily could’ve given up during that path. He continued on, and the Lord just continued to open doors for him, and this is the result.”

Current GHS head coach Ronnie McClary Jr. agrees.

But for him, Reed’s story offers another 16

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B Y AV I E L S M O L K A

important lesson for those — like the children in attendance for that Super Bowl watch party — who are hoping to make it out of Goldsboro someday.

“He came up like the average kid from Goldsboro — single-parent home, in parts of Goldsboro that people think are dangerous, you know, like Virginia Street or wherever,” he said. “His mom, older brother, and grandparents were there

The following year, he would be drafted by the Seattle Seahawks.

Waters said that journey means “everything” to the young men he currently coaches, and those who are chasing other dreams.

“Because one thing with the kids now … if they can see success, that gives them inspiration,” he said.

And for the GHS community — a school

to raise him. He came up in the Wayne County Public School system, just like everybody else. No special things for him that made him do better than everybody else. He just wanted it.”

Wanting it took him from GHS to East Mississippi Community College — and then, to the University of Alabama where he won an NCAA championship in 2015.

and alumni base that, at times, feel they are constantly in the spotlight for the wrong reasons — McClary said Reed’s success sets an example others can follow.

“To have someone who walked through the same halls, had some of the same teachers, and became successful, that lets people know that his school is not as bad as some people think it is,”

he said. “It can produce anybody just like everybody else.”

• • •

Leading up the Super Bowl, it seemed as though Wayne County social media accounts were flooded with stories about how Reed is more than just a football player.

Non-profit organizations like the United Way shared that he had been “coming home and supporting his community for more than a decade” — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former GHS staff members and classmates shared anecdotes about the character of the young man who used to make classrooms brighter.

For his cousin, Taylor, that is what makes Reed’s Super Bowl victory so special.

Because in her eyes, he has always meant something to Goldsboro, GHS, and Wayne County.

Now, thousands more will understand why.

“Honestly, if I had to say what Jarran means to the city and school, it’s empowerment, that’s the word that comes to mind because these are children who are trying to get where he’s going,” said Taylor.

“Not even on a football scale, and one thing that I always say to people is he’s not just a football player. Just being a part of this community and giving back is where that empowerment word comes from.”

Waters hopes that pride results in a celebration for his hometown hero — a young man he said embodies “Cougar pride” and the popular social media tagline “from the Boro to the world.”

“The city has to shut down for Jarran Reed. Key to the city, Jarran Reed Day, a parade, the whole nine,” he said. “This is something that you don’t see in a small town. You see so much going on in Kinston, or places right around here like Tarboro, and now we have the right to be able to say that we have a Super Bowl champion right here in Goldsboro.” n

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HOT STOVE BANQUET HONORS BASEBALL’S BEST The Wayne County tradition marked its 18th consecutive year at Lane Tree Country Club.

B Y AV I E L S M O L K A

T

he energy inside the room said it all.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like baseball season.

But there was something different about this year’s Wayne County Hot Stove Banquet.

The event, which was held for the 18th consecutive year, is now officially named for Roger May. The purpose of the gathering, however, remained the same — to honor the past, present, and future of America’s pastime.

And while Wilson Warbirds General Manager David Lawrence delivered a keynote address about the team — formerly the Carolina Mudcats — and how its relocation to Wilson would impact the city and region, and other baseball luminaries, from Jerry Narron, Carl Lancaster, George Whitfield, and Doyle Whitfield, were in the house, too, the night belonged to those who took home top honors.

They included: • May presented two $300 checks, one to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and another to former Rosewood High School student-athlete Kaitlyn Vernon.

• Jerry Johnson presented umpires Ivan Daniels, Trey Meek, Leo Lockhart, and Joe Thomas with the Umpire Award.

• The Clyde King Award, given to the area’s top pitcher, was awarded to Rosewood’s Robbie Boren.

• The Jerry Narron Award, presented to a local player who has had a tremendous influence on the local baseball scene, went to Charles B. Aycock standout Janeson Steele.

• The Doyle Whitfield Award, given to the area’s top head coach from either Wayne County or surrounding counties, was presented to Whitfield’s son, Heath, who received the award for the third time.

• The John Thomas Award, presented to a volunteer coach who goes above and beyond, went to Justin Lewis of the Greater Pikeville Athletic Committee.

• Southern Wayne’s Brayden McKee was given the Charles Davis Award, which honors the area player with the most career high school pitching wins.

• Rosewood’s Jack Adams was awarded the George Whitfield Award, which honors a Wayne County baseball player who best exemplifies the traits of dedication, determination, sacrifice for the greater good of the team, and a genuine love for the game.

• The Carl Lancaster award, which honors a UMO baseball player, went to Lane McLean.

• The 2025 Rosewood baseball team was also honored.

n

Have a sporting event you would like to see covered in a future edition of Wayne Week? Email Sports Editor Aviel Smolka at asmolka@newoldnorth.com newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 19

the SPECTATOR Senior night

The Charles B. Aycock High School Athletic Department honored some of its seniors Tuesday as the Golden Falcons took on rival Fike in Pikeville.

Photos by Aviel Smolka

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. Wayne WEEK . 21

NO T ICE S NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Mildred Koonce Parsons, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 25th day of April, 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 25th day of January, 2026.

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Vernell C. Casteen, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 25th day of April, 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 25th day of January, 2026.

Roderick Eugene Parsons, Executor of the Estate of Mildred Koonce Parsons 7312 Cateswood Court Apex, NC 27539

Crystal Casteen Pullen, Executor of the Estate of Vernell C. Casteen 113 Valley Road Mount Olive, NC 28365

Published January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, and February 15, 2026

Published January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, and February 15, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Patricia Ann Steele, 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 April 25, 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 25th day of January, 2026.

James Arthur Steele, Executor c/o Henry C. Smith, Attorney Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, LLP P.O. Box 1616 Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 (919) 734-1841 Published January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, and February 15, 2026

22

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF NED A. COTTLE

Having qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of Ned A. Cottle, late of Wayne County, North Carolina, the undersigned do 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 April 25, 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 the 20th day of January, 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Redia Cannon Best, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 1st day of May, 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 1st day of February, 2026.

Rita Best Linville, Executor of the Estate of Redia Cannon Best 251 Meadow Beauty Drive Apex, NC 27539

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Barbara Jean Chance, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 8th day of May, 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 8th day of February, 2026.

Published February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, February 15, 2026, and February 22, 2026

Mark J. Hale, Jr., Administrator of the Estate of Barbara Jean Chance Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. Attorneys for Estate P.O. Box 916 Goldsboro, NC 27533-0916 (919) 735-7275

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF SYLVIA BURROUGHS SASSER

Published February 8, 2026, February 15, 2026, February 22, 2026, and March 1, 2026

Joy Dawn Cottle and Ron Ervin Cottle, Co-Executors of the Estate of Ned A. Cottle 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

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Sylvia Burroughs 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 May 1, 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 the 28th day of January, 2026.

Ronald Ransom Sasser IV, Administrator of the Estate of Sylvia Burroughs Sasser 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 January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, and February 15, 2026

Published February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, February 15, 2026, and February 22, 2026

. Wayne WEEK . newoldnorth.com

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BARBARA JEAN CHANCE

NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF DUPLIN IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO: 25 CV002158-300 PEGGY ANN GAY, Plaintiff vs.

WILLIAM MATTHEW COOPER, II, INDIA SONTEIA WHITFIELD (Deceased), Defendants.

TO: WILLIAM MATTHEW COOPER, II TAKE NOTICE THAT: A pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled civil proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Complaint for Child Custody.

You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than March 20, 2026, and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you

will apply to the Court for the relief sought.

This the 8th day of February, 2026.

J. Blake Phillips, Attorney at Law Post Office Box 525 Warsaw, North Carolina 28398 Telephone: (910) 293-2030 N. C. State Bar: 61836 Published February 8, 2026, February 15, 2026, and February 22, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE — LEASE OF COUNTY PROPERTY

The Wayne County Board of Commissioners intends to enter into a lease of the following County-owned properties located at the Wayne County Executive Jetport: 224 Aviation Road, Pikeville, NC 27863 236 Aviation Road, Pikeville, NC 27863 The County intends to lease the properties to Wayne Community College for a five-year term; Wayne Community College will have the option to renew the lease for one additional term of five years. In consideration of the lease, Wayne Community College will pay the County an annual rent of $20,521.80. If Wayne Community College renews the lease, the annual rent during the second term will be $21,547.89.

All persons interested in this lease are invited to attend the meeting of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners to be held on March 17, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners Meeting Room in the Wayne County Courthouse Annex, 224 E. Walnut St., Goldsboro, NC. At that time, the board intends to authorize the lease of the property described above.

Carol Bowden Clerk to the Board Published February 15, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF EUGENE MILLER HEAD

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Eugene Miller Head, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 15th day of May, 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 15th day of February, 2026.

Kimberly Head Glass, Executor of the Estate of Eugene Miller Head 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 February 15, 2026, February 22, 2026, March 1, 2026, and March 8, 2026

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Goldsboro will conduct a public hearing during the course of their open meeting which starts at 5:30 P.M. on Monday, March 2, 2026, in the City Hall Council Chambers located at 214 North Center Street to consider establishing the following Article under Article 6 Supplemental Regulations of the Unified Development Code (UDO): Article 6.8 Engineering Design Manual has been developed to provide clear guidance for developers, engineers, and contractors regarding required design criteria, construction standards, and submittal procedures for public infrastructure improvements.

All interested persons are encouraged to attend. To accommodate disabilities and to comply with ADA regulations, please contact City Hall if further assistance is needed. All inquiries regarding this matter may be directed to the City of Goldsboro Engineering Department at (919) 580-4317.

Jonathan Perry Engineering Services Manager Published February 15, 2026

AMENDED GENERAL NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAYNE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 23CVD002253-950 WAYNE COUNTY, Plaintiff vs.

ERICK IVAN FABELA ROMERO, ARACELY PEREZ ROBLERO, Defendants TO: EMMA LOIS COLEMAN TAKE NOTICE THAT: 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 vs.

ERICK IVAN FABELA ROMERO, ET AL., the undersigned Commissioner will on the 25th day of February, 2026, 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: 857 STANLEY CHAPEL CHURCH ROAD, MOUNT OLIVE (PIN: 2593557914) Being Lot No. 6, containing 2.33 acres, more or less, as shown on a map entitled “Division of Property of Kenneth Mack Best & wife, Brenda Eddins Best, Indian Springs Township, Wayne County, N.C.” which is recorded in Wayne County Registry in Plat Cabinet L, Slide 50-H, of the Wayne County Registry.

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 the 15th day of January, 2026.

Andrew J. Neal Wayne County Staff Attorney Attorney for the Plaintiffs PO Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533 (919) 705-1713 Published February 15, 2026, and February 22, 2026

BID REQUEST NO. # FB 2026-001 INVITATION TO BID 2026 PAVEMENT PRESERVATION PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF GOLDSBORO, N. C. Pursuant to General Statutes of North Carolina, Section 143129, sealed proposals are invited and will be received by the City of Goldsboro, North Carolina, in the Large Conference Room, City Hall, located at 200 North Center Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina, 27530 until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday March 18, 2026, for the #FB 2026-001 2026 PAVEMENT PRESERVATION PROGRAM project.

The work shall consist principally of: • Approximately 4,100 tons of asphalt resurfacing • Approximately 21,700 square yards of milling asphalt pavement • Approximately 2,700 lbs. sealing existing pavement and joints Bidders shall submit two (2) sealed envelopes containing the following: Envelope #1Bid Security Documentation, a copy of the Bidder’s current General Contractor’s License and all published addenda; Envelope #2- the bidder’s proposal. Both envelopes shall be clearly marked with the bidder’s Envelope # (1 or 2), Name, Address, General Contractor’s License Number, To: City Procurement Manager, and BID# FB 2026-001, PROPOSAL FOR 2026 PAVEMENT PRESERVATION PROGRAM. 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 N. Center Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina, 27530 or U.S. Mail Service to Post Office Drawer A, Goldsboro, NC 275333-9701.

It is fully the Bidders’ responsibility to ensure their package arrives before the bid deadline.

in North Carolina, payable to the City of Goldsboro, in an amount equal to not less than (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 oblige 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 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. A pre-bid meeting will be held on Thursday March 5, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at 200 N. Center Street Goldsboro NC, 27530.

The City of Goldsboro, NC Catherine Gwynn Finance Director Published February 15, 2026

Each proposal must be accompanied by a certified check, drawn on a bank or trust company authorized to do business newoldnorth.com

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