Wayne Week — Feb. 23, 2025

N E W OL D NORT H M E DI A P R E SE N T S A W E E K LY N E WS M AG A Z I N E

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Wayne

WEEK

FREEDOM'S ROOTS

Downtown Goldsboro’s Freedom Tree is rotten and, according to experts, beyond saving. But a plan to replace it is in the works.

N E WS & V I E WS: Former DGDC executive director just landed $600,000 to save Union Station.

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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 23, 2025 Volume 2, Issue 25

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

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4 Metz lands $600,000 for station Former Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. Executive Director Julie Metz, on behalf of the Saving Union Station group, wrote a grant that just netted more than $600,000 for stabilization of the Wayne County landmark.

7 Council vets city manager applicants Members of the Goldsboro City Council met in closed session Tuesday evening to go through applications submitted by those hoping to become the city’s next leader.

8 City earns demolition victory

Thanks to former Mayor Pro Tem Taj Polack, the owners of one of the houses on the city’s demolition list that was published in the Feb. 16 edition of Wayne Week did the work themselves — allowing the housing compliance officer to add more homes that are beyond repair to his list.

14 Cover story

More than 50 years ago, a “Freedom Tree” was planted in downtown Goldsboro to honor a missing-in-action fighter pilot who trained on the F-4 Phantom at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. But now, the willow oak is rotten to a point of no return — and a plan is in the works to ensure that once the tree is taken down, Maj. Peter Cleary will not be forgotten.

20 Spectator

Members of the Charles B. Aycock cheerleading squad are the county cheer champions — and a high school photojournalist nailed coverage of their winning routine.

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

COVER DESIGN

BY SHAN STUMPF

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NEWS +VIEWS

Metz lands $612,500 for Union Station stabilization Former Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. leader, on behalf of the Saving Union Station non-profit group she helped form, just secured a massive grant for the effort — and a victory, she said, for every single Wayne County resident.

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ore than a year ago, a group of Wayne County residents — led by former Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. Executive Director Julie Metz — pledged to raise $750,000 to foot half of the bill to stabilize Union Station.

And while both the Goldsboro City Council and Wayne County Board of Commissioners agreed to split a match of that sum — should the group succeed — to ensure the landmark did not literally fall to the ground, many were skeptical that the Saving Union Station group could deliver.

But Thursday, thanks to Metz and an eleventh-hour grant submission, SUS took a massive step toward proving the naysayers wrong.

Goldsboro officials were notified Feb. 20 that a $612,500 Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant had been awarded to the city for the stabilization effort — a victory earned because of Metz’s effort to write a grant she believed could move those on the selection committee.

And now, she said she feels confident that the long-neglected station will, in the not-toodistant future, have the second act she feels it — and the community it calls home — deserve.

“Saving Union Station is a worthy project,” Metz said. “But the story of our effort and the commitment is where we gained the Department of Commerce’s support. The burden on 4

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BY KEN FINE me was just to tell that great story in our application package.”

News of the grant comes just a month after city leaders activated the $375,000 the council voted to allocate to the effort shortly after SUS was formed — a move they said would ensure the most pressing needs at the station were addressed to buy the non-profit more time to pursue grant funding and more donations.

But back in late 2023, the situation was dire.

At that time, the effort to save Union Station began in earnest after Metz learned that an appraisal report from Birch-Ogburn & Co. had valued the landmark at negative $791,100 and outlined “detrimental conditions” found across the property — that $1.5 million would be needed to prevent the building from deteriorating beyond repair.

She was, admittedly, disturbed that the city had allowed such neglect in the years after she left the DGDC, but used her frustration as fuel to form a non-profit that could fight for what she characterized as an “irreplaceable” piece of North Carolina history.

“If Goldsboro loses Union Station, I can’t even tell you how devastating that would be for this community. So, there is no way we can let that happen,” Metz said then. “We’re going to save it. That’s the mindset. There’s no way we’re not going to save that train station.”

That meant compelling commissioners and council members to pledge to split $750,000

of the stabilization costs.

Some, including Commissioner Wayne Aycock, said they did not believe the SUS group would ever hit the mark that would necessitate the funds actually being allocated.

“Personally, I don’t ever think we’ll have to write that check,” he said before the board voted, in December 2023, to match the City Council’s $350,000 pledge should the SUS group hit its goal.

But within weeks of the two boards agreeing to contribute, positive news started rolling in.

Sen. Thom Tillis (NC-R) announced that he had helped secure $3.5 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to identify “potential new rail routes or improvements across the state” — money that would be used to “develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan.”

The Southeastern North Carolina Passenger Rail Feasibility Study was published — and identified Goldsboro, not Fayetteville, as the preferred connector between Raleigh and Wilmington.

The only problem?

Fundraising — and reaching the SUS group’s $750,000 goal to trigger the county’s $375,000 match — was stalling.

And with every passing month, Union Sta-

tion was inching closer to a point of no return.

Interim City Manager Matthew Livingston said that is why the city, in January, activated the $375,000 allocated by the City Council for the stabilization effort and put the project out for bid.

The sum, he hoped, would be enough to address the structure’s most pressing needs — and buy SUS more time.

“I don’t want to be one of those people who says, ‘Well, you know what? We should have done this,’” Livingston told Wayne Week.

“Because that is exactly what will happen. If it falls into the ground, people will say, ‘Well, you should have done this or this. You should have tried harder.’ And they would be right.”

But he had no way of knowing that Metz’s eleventh-hour grant submission would come through — that before the city inked a contract with whichever firm lands the stabilization job, another $600,000 would be available.

Metz, though, was always cautiously optimistic.

In her heart, she knew Union Station would find a way.

“I felt confident because this was not a project that sat in a vacuum. It has developed with a consistent purpose and with many contributors and partners over nearly 25 years,” Metz said.

“All of that combined makes a highly compelling story that people want to be part of and invest in. That was the key to our success in securing these competitive grant funds.” n

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Foo d & Dri

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WINNER

THANK YOU, WAYNE COUNTY FOR NAMING N.C. FREEDOM FEST

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Council reviews manager applications

Goldsboro has operated with an interim city manager since Tim Salmon resigned the post more than a year ago.

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BY KEN FINE

embers of the Goldsboro City Council met in closed session Tuesday evening to begin reviewing applications submitted as part of the city’s search for a permanent city manager.

And according to sources, Matthew Livingston, who has held the position in an interim capacity since Mayor Charles Gaylor announced in February 2024 that former City Manager Tim Salmon had resigned his post, is expected to be a leading candidate.

Salmon’s tenure was plagued by the resignation of department heads — a half-dozen left City Hall within his first two years as their boss — and a series of late audits that culminated in the excoriation of Goldsboro leaders by then-State Treasurer Dale Folwell, who ordered the Office of the State Auditor to complete a thorough deep-dive into the city’s finances.

The city’s inability to complete its financial reporting duties in a timely manner also resulted in one of the nation’s leading bond credit rating agencies withdrawing its rating on Goldsboro’s General Obligation Bonds and General Obligation Street Improvement Bonds due to “insufficient information,” a deficiency characterized by Folwell as a “serious matter” that he said was “a reflection on the quality of both governing board oversight and management practices of the city.”

To date, the city remains on the Local Government Commission’s “Unit Assistance List.”

The road to a formal search for Salmon’s replacement begin later than expected because, as several council members told Wayne Week, they were reluctant, back in February, to agree to an immediate search because they did not want to limit the pool by asking candidates to come to Goldsboro to clean up “a mess” that included a Finance Department that was still not caught up on its audits.

And as more time went by, there was a

general feeling that Livingston, who had been doing the job for months, should, perhaps, be given the job.

But by October, several members of the council said they still expected a formal search to unfold — if for no other reason than to ensure “best practice” was being adhered to.

Councilman Chris Boyette called their position “ridiculous.”

“I think it’s a complete waste of tax funds and a complete waste of the city’s funds to initiate a search to find a manager that can be successful when we have a manager in that position that is successful,” he said during the council’s Nov. 4 meeting. “It’s just my opinion.

I know I’m just one vote.

But I think it’s ridiculous to spend taxpayer money to do a search for that position.”

Particularly when, as he put it, Livingston had offered the council a “sweetheart deal” should he get the job.

Despite Boyette’s advocacy for the interim manager, Councilwoman Jamie Taylor, Councilwoman Hiawatha Jones, Mayor Pro Tem Brandi Matthews, and Councilman Roderick White formally green-lit the search.

And by the end of November, despite a last-ditch effort by the other three council members to forgo the process and hire Livingston, the same four ensured a contract was executed with Developmental Associates, a North Carolina firm responsible for helping the city find and hire several of its current department heads.

Gaylor stipulated that the fee “not exceed $26,000” and said he was confident the organization would deliver.

But just who has applied for the position — and what discussion was had Tuesday evening — remains unclear, as council members were warned about potential legal consequences should they speak out on what transpired during the session. n

But by October, several members of the council said they still expected a formal search to unfold.

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City convinces owner to raze house set for demolition

In doing so, the demolition of more properties that are too far gone to save can be funded with the money allocated by the Goldsboro City Council during its 2024-25 budget cycle.

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he first list he submitted to members of the Goldsboro City Council contained 10 addresses — representing 10 blighted homes that needed to be demolished.

But former Mayor Pro Tem Taj Polack, the city’s current housing compliance officer, said something has happened over the last few days that is a “win” for both the city government and the community it serves.

After being notified that a “burn house” located at 313 North John Street would soon be torn down — and that a bill from the city for demolition services would soon be delivered — the property owner opted, upon Polack’s recommendation, to hire someone to do the work.

“They went ahead and took my advice and saved some money,” Polack told Wayne Week Tuesday.

“You know why that’s good news for this city? Now, the money we were gonna have to spend tearing it down can fund at least two more demolitions. So, we get a house off our list that we don’t have to deal with anymore and we get more of these houses out of our neighborhoods.”

As reported in the Feb. 16 edition of the paper, it had been several years since Goldsboro leaders had financed a housing compliance officer — opting, instead, to forgo demolition in favor of a process known as “order to repair.”

But when District 3 Councilwoman Jamie Taylor was elected, she made a promise to her constituents that she would ensure that position, and demolition costs, were funded — the first step, she said, in making the city a safer place to live.

And while work on the list of 10 to-be-demolished homes is not expected to begin until March 1, Polack said his hope is that more property owners follow the lead of the family that just had 313 North John Street razed.

“If we apply enough pressure, a lot of these people are gonna follow suit,” he said. “And like I said, if the property owners do the right thing, they get the benefit of saving a substantial amount of money and we win because we get to tear down more dangerous houses. If you could hear the excitement in the voices of the people around that John Street house — neighbors and businesses — you would understand how I’m feeling right now. Making this city better is a special thing to be a part of.” - Ken Fine

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{ our TAKE }

NOT A TIME

FOR GAMES 10

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here is a disease in politics and more and more people are becoming less afraid to call it out.

Here’s how the racket goes.

A politician — or a bunch of politicians — get harassed by a group trying to make hay over an incident that occurred in a community.

They are loud — and they are threatening.

They know what words to say — the ones that no politician likes to hear because they result in FOLV (Fear of Losing Votes).

And they insinuate that if you don’t agree with them and do not make the appropriate public comments about their latest complaint, you are a bigot or a racist.

You know how it works.

And because the politicians in question are often all about shutting down any kind of controversy — especially if it is close to an election season — they do one of two things.

They rush, appropriately falling all over themselves to not only mouth the right words, but also to stand among the protestors and proclaim themselves one of them — while doing absolutely nothing to solve the actual problem or to dig out the truth of the situation.

Or they come up with some special coalition, study group, or investigative effort to “get to the bottom of this.”

They know that coalition won’t have any teeth, and that the people they will likely put on it will do nothing but use it as a megaphone to continue to sow unrest and disruption — without any interest in actually addressing real concerns affecting the lives of those who work and raise families in the community.

But at least they can look like they are doing something, right?

Because, you see, it is not really about finding a solution or making the community better.

It is about virtue signaling that you are responding to those few loud and persistent voices.

All of that explanation is necessary to prepare you for what happened at this past week’s Goldsboro City Council meeting.

For the last few weeks, accusations of police brutality in the city have been flying on social media.

Here’s what we know so far. And yes, despite what people think, these are the only actual facts that have been released: Staff members at an office on Day Circle called 911 because there was a man on the property who had been threatening employees.

He was in possession of at least one concealed weapon.

They had tried to have him officially banned from the premises before, but for whatever reason, it didn’t happen.

At first, officers tried to gather some information, but the man refused to identify himself.

So, he was detained.

But during the ensuing arrest, he shouted at the arresting officers, tried to squirm when being placed in handcuffs, and, according to sources who have seen the body camera footage, kicked an officer.

What happened next was, some said, an excessive use of force — the man, wearing a medical boot, was slammed onto the pavement by an officer and sustained an injury that required medical attention.

If we’re being honest, it didn’t look great, and we assume there are, at the very least, many lessons to be learned from what transpired.

But, of course, it isn’t that simple.

That’s why an internal investigation is ongoing as you read this.

And because the body camera footage is protected under General Statute, and therefore has not been released to the public, the “event” triggered the usual suspects who, whenever there is a concern about an arrest, call for mass firings at the GPD. Those are the same city police, by the way, who have been keeping Goldsboro safe under less-than-optimal conditions for more than a few years.

And they are the same police who, while underpaid, understaffed, and overworked, busted their butts last summer to protect all of us when bodies were dropping all over this city, thousands of bullets were flying, someone was murdered inside the Ash Street Food Lion in broad daylight, and a group of teenagers got into a firefight inside Berkeley Mall.

But we digress.

The point is, we still do not know all the facts.

All we have is that not-so-great look we saw on social media.

The only people who do know what really happened are those involved and those who have seen the body camera footage in its entirety.

And let us be clear.

If we find out that this officer was in the wrong, we have, we think, proven that we are not afraid to go after the rare “bad lawmen” that are certainly out there.

But at this point, crucifying him — or the police department as a whole — is more than premature.

And for any member of the council to weigh in before the investigation is complete is, in our view, inappropriate — and it looks a lot like pandering.

It undermines the overwhelming percent of “good cops” who have thrown themselves into harm’s way day after day and served as members of the GPD and other law enforcement organizations with honor.

And it sends a message that they are more interested in ensuring they gain — or don’t

lose — votes from the handful of people who were outraged enough by the snippet they saw to show up to the last two council meetings than in waiting for the process to play out before stating their opinion.

Here's another problem: Now that a few council members have danced around the issue, expressing “concern” but vowing to “trust the process” at the same time — in reality, you can’t really do both because trusting the process means listening to your attorney and not commenting until the investigation wraps — it puts those who are following the proper protocol in a bind.

And it has given those same people who are “outraged” when they haven’t even seen

What happened that afternoon on Day Circle is not the reason we have problems in Goldsboro.

the body camera footage the opportunity to call those who have stayed silent — council members Beverly Weeks, Chris Boyette, and Jamie Taylor — racist.

Oh, and the police chief?

His silence must mean he’s involved in a “coverup.” It couldn’t possibly be that policy requires him to keep quiet during an ongoing investigation.

But not to worry. Mayor Charles Gaylor has a solution.

You see, instead of waiting until the GPD had finished its investigation to weigh in, he felt like he had to say something Monday evening in response to a citizen who called for the creation of a “civilian advisory and review board for police accountability” to look at incidents like this one.

“I really want us to revisit the advisory committee for GPD,” the mayor said. “I think that could be a really positive thing and I think that’s something we’re gonna want to talk about here very soon — very, very quickly.”

There it was, the magic solution — the

words that would quell the protests, the name-calling, and virtue signal that this mayor cares.

And we have no doubt that Gaylor does care about that the rights of people being arrested are not violated and that they receive a fair shake when they encounter police in the city.

Because, despite what some who seek to divide us might infer, most members of this community would not stand for police brutality in any form — and they would be the first to call for the firing of any police officer who overstepped that boundary.

But they understand something else, too.

What happened that afternoon on Day Circle is not the reason we have problems in Goldsboro.

There have been too many young people lost at the hands of drug dealers, gangs, and guns — and too many criminals who seem to think they can get away with anything in this city.

They knew our Police Department was undermanned and overworked last year, so they did not think twice about committing violent crimes — sometimes in the middle of the day.

But after a broad-daylight murder inside Food Lion, the community hit a breaking point.

They wanted something done about the lawlessness.

And the City Council answered their call for action.

But supporting the Goldsboro Police Department is about more than a pay increase.

It also means saying no when the wolf whistle of “racist cops” and “police brutality” are used to get a reaction.

And no, we don’t need a civilian review board. We just don’t.

Don’t believe us? Do some research on similar groups formed by North Carolina cities.

They. Don’t. Work.

Even the head of the state Black Lives Matter movement called them, “a façade of accountability.”

Why? Because these cases are very complicated — and involve records and information that are simply not available to the general public, whether that public sits on a review board or not.

And the Legislature has sent every bill attempting to give these groups more power — subpoena power, the ability to interview witnesses, access to personnel files, etc. — to die in committee.

So, any conclusion that these groups reach will not only be a toothless and likely uninformed analysis, but it will also have no impact whatsoever on making conditions better in this city.

But you know what it will do? Deter people from wanting to be Goldsboro cops.

What we really need is a serious look at the concerns this community is facing.

It starts on the streets — with the young people who still don’t quite get that actions have consequences, and the parents who haven’t taught them anything about how to live with honor, respect, or dignity.

By the way, those kids and those parents come in every color and socio-economic background.

And to pretend that the problem for criminals in this city is the “out of control” police is naïve at best.

It is a way to avoid the tough conversations we need to have about what has changed in this city and how we are going to fix it.

You know, that conversation Gaylor promised this community we would have a year ago during a special-called meeting about gun violence, but haven’t heard a word about since.

When did we lose control, and how are we going to get the message to young people that we are not going to just sit back and shake our heads anymore?

Do we need more afterschool programs?

Are our schools — and parents — doing the job they need to?

And what do we do about the gun and gang cultures?

A civilian review board will not answer those questions or facilitate that very necessary conversation.

And creating one for show and votes in the next election disrespects the good, honest men and women who put on uniforms at great personal risk every day to keep our community safe.

We hired Chief Mike West because we trust him to do the right thing. And in our view, he has.

He won’t stand for bad behavior in his department — and if he does, there are a bunch of people on the City Council who will be ready to call him out and to hold him and his officers accountable, including Boyette, a former lawman.

We don’t need another dog and pony show.

Those just waste time and money.

What we need is real work to get to the heart of the problems this city faces and to create a coalition to find the solutions that will really move the needle.

And here’s one last thing to think about.

Some of those same people shouting about accountability were awfully quiet when a few hundred teenagers witnessed a 15-yearold get shot to death at a Spring Break pool party and refused to identify the shooter to law enforcement because they didn’t want to break the code of silence.

So, as long as we’re talking about accountability, maybe we should be looking for it in the communities that raised those young people, too. n newoldnorth.com

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OF SACRIFICE AND HOPE

he service members who stood around the tall, majestic tree near the center of downtown Goldsboro made sure that those who passed in front of it were careful not to disturb the ground.

“Please step around,” they said.

It was a matter of respect.

They were there to honor their comrades in arms — and they expected others to do the same.

You see, the name on the marker that was arranged at the foot of the Freedom Tree that day was more than just a tribute to a man who had served their country — Maj. Peter Cleary lost his life doing so.

That was just one of many times when the tree became more than just a lovely arboreal decoration in downtown Goldsboro.

Over the years, others had gathered — to remember, to support, and to accept the responsibilities that go along with being a community charged with supporting an Air Force base and the airmen who serve there.

In the years since, the tree has been a centerpiece of the respect this community feels for all those who have put on the uniform.

It is a symbol and a tribute — to those who have protected and those who still serve their nation on battlefields and bases around the world.

Consider it a love letter of sorts — a thank you to heroes.

Tommy Gibson’s voice was full of emotion when the tree was first christened in 1973 — and over the years as it stood in honor of veterans who came home, those who were serving far from home, and those who would never come home.

Sure, on the surface, it was just a tree with ribbons or deco-

rations to honor service and commitment.

But to Gibson and his family, it was an important acknowledgement of the fact that freedom is never, ever free.

It is a lesson he passed on to his children — and later, his grandchildren, like so many Wayne County residents have done over the years.

Freedom, he told them, must be defended, cherished, and appreciated.

And as long as that tree stood in tribute, it reminded all those who wore the uniform — past and present — that this was a community that understood.

So, hearing that the tree that was so lovingly planted so many decades ago will likely have to be removed because of rot and an insect infestation, well that hit hard — especially for those who understand just what its leaves and branches represent.

But there is good news.

The son of the man who planted that tree, Ben, has been saving acorns for more than a year — the seeds that have fallen from that tree’s limbs.

And he has a sapling ready to take the original tree’s place — the next generation if you will.

So, while we will, at some point, have to say goodbye as a community to the original Freedom Tree, there will be a new young sapling ready to grow with us as we chart the next course, the new direction for a community that always has and always will be one that welcomes those who serve and their families.

Goldsboro is starting a new chapter — both as a community that is planning for a much brighter and more prosperous future and also as one that is safeguarding a long-term relation-

ship with the men and women who serve at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

The work will not be easy.

There have already been challenges to overcome.

We just recently got a second chance after narrowly escaping losing the base — or, at least, a significant part of its fleet and mission.

There is no time left to sit back and breathe a sigh of relief.

The elements that will make a path forward for a future that cements SJAFB’s role in this community must be put in place now.

So, that new Freedom Tree will be a symbol of the growth ahead.

And as the tree puts down its roots and sprouts new leaves and branches, Goldsboro, too, will step forward into the next generation.

And those who know the tree’s story will share how it grew and what it meant to the community and those who served.

It will be just another evolution of the story of a community that will never, ever forget what it takes to protect a nation and will never take those who defend it for granted.

The tree we will have lost is where we have been as a community.

The sapling we hope will someday grow strong and tall in its place is where we are going.

It might take on a new form, but its heart will be the same — just like the one that was christened so many years ago, and the community that grew along with it.

And landscaper Mark Metzler is right.

It will be time for the next generation to share the story of what it costs to keep a nation free — and to tell the stories of the men and women who stepped forward to serve.

Seems like a great setting for a new beginning, doesn’t it? ç newoldnorth.com

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FREEDOM'S ROOTS

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Goldsboro’s “Freedom Tree” might need to come down, but many are fighting to ensure the man it was planted for is never forgotten.

BY KEN FINE

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t’s been more than 50 years, but former Goldsboro Mayor Tommy Gibson can still feel the weight of the shovel he held in his hand on a sunny day back in 1973.

He can still see the sunlight hit the leaves of the willow oak he planted near the intersection of Spruce and Center streets — a tree that, on that day, stood just barely taller than himself.

He remembers being caught up in a wave of emotion as he looked out at the family members of a fighter pilot who had, only a few months earlier, been declared missing in action after, on his way back from a successful mission, his F-4 Phantom dropped off a military radar.

And every time he has driven down Center Street over the last decade, he has given a nod to the heavens — acknowledging that God must have had a hand in ensuring that as hurricanes and other weather events took the other trees that once graced that block of downtown Goldsboro, Maj. Peter Cleary’s “Freedom Tree” never fell.

So, when he heard that what is now a sprawling willow oak was too far gone to save — that rot and insect infestation would likely mean the end of its presence near the intersection of Spruce and Center streets — he felt compelled to remind his neighbors just why it is such an important Wayne County landmark.

Former Goldsboro Mayor Tommy Gibson, right, and his son, Ben.

“That tree is very, very special to a lot of people. And unfortunately, a lot of folks might just think it’s an old tree that the mistletoe killed and bugs got inside, but it’s a whole lot more than that. It’s a gift,” Tommy said.

“To be able to plant that tree and let it be a part of the unity between Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the city of Goldsboro, it’s something that’s just been very special. And I doubt there’s a military community that has the feeling of love for its base like we do for Seymour Johnson. So, you don’t know how much I swell up now when I see that tree.

It’s magnificent.”

And he felt a sense of duty to ensure a new tree is planted on what he considers “hallowed grounds.”

“It does not look like the massive tree it used to be because it is full of disease, so I have no problem with them removing it,” Tommy said. “Just as long as we can put something back in its place.”

I

t started with a phone call.

Family members of an MIA fighter pilot who had trained at Seymour Johnson wanted the city that housed the installation to consider honoring then-Capt. Peter Cleary.

But how?

Tommy said they had a suggestion.

The Freedom Tree concept 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. And the mayor could see, with his own eyes, just how much his neighbors supported that organization.

“Half the people in Wayne County had green wrists from wearing those copper bracelets,” Tommy said. “So, the Freedom Tree, I thought that would be a wonderful way to honor him.”

There was a ceremony.

The tree was planted.

A plaque was handed to the pilot’s wife.

And from that moment on, that willow oak remained.

It was still standing when Vietnam POWs touched down at Seymour Johnson.

“There must have been thousands of people out there on that tarmac when our POWs came home,” Tommy said, choking up. “That was very special.”

And it remained a fixture of downtown when Cleary was declared killed in action

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN GIBSON

by the Department of Defense at the end of the decade.

By the time the fighter pilot’s crash site was identified in 1994, it had grown into something more sprawling than Tommy could have ever imagined.

And when Cleary’s remains were positively identified in 2002 — and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery — that tree was healthy and strong.

But shortly after his funeral, the willow oak planted in his name began to decline.

Mark Metzler, owner of Landscape Design of Goldsboro, said the Center Street streetscape project created a point of no return.

“The tree had been in decline for the past 10 to 15 years, but (that project) was sort of the final nail in its coffin,” he said. “You can only expect so much out of a tree when it’s surrounded by asphalt and concrete.”

Tommy’s son, Ben, said it a different way.

“The city killed it,” he said. “The city killed that tree.”

But they agree on something else.

A new Freedom Tree should replace it.

“To me, it would be a crying shame to see that corner turn into something else. It would Continued on page 16 newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 15

WHO WAS MAJ. PETER M. CLEARY? An F-4 Phantom II pilot assigned to the 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 7th Air Force, based at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, Capt. U.S. Air Force Capt. Peter M. Cleary and his WSO, Capt. Leonardo “Lenny” Leonor, took off On Oct. 10, 1972, on their final mission over North Vietnam.

Cleary, a decorated pilot who trained on the F-4 at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base as a young aviator, was due to be rotated home after the flight, but during their final mission — after completing their objective — their Phantom dropped off the radar.

After an extensive search failed to locate any evidence of what happened to them, the two airmen were officially listed as Missing in Action. Seven years later, they would be officially designated as Killed in Action by the Department of Defense.

It was later determined that the men crashed after successfully completing their mission, dying instantly. And while, in 1994, the United States located the wreckage of the airmen’s F-4 — it had crashed into a remote mountainside in Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam — and the remains of two individuals, those remains were not positively identified as Cleary and Leonor until 2002.

Once they were positively IDed, the airmen were brought home to the United States and buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

Both earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses during their year in combat for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial combat and were posthumously promoted to major.

Continued from page 15

almost be a slap in the face to do anything but put another tree in that spot,” Ben said.

“What I don’t want to see happen down there is for that to just turn into another location for another piece of modern art. We have enough of that down there. Hell, Seymour Johnson is in the city’s motto. That’s what this city has been all about. This city is still thriving because of that base.”

And for Metzler, planting a new tree — and ensuring a “big deal” ceremony is held when it happens — would reinforce, to younger generations of Wayne County residents, what it means to make the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

“All the powers that be need to look at the bigger picture. The reason that tree is so important … is because those people were there when it was planted and they lived through that war, and they saw that tree and watched it grow,” he said. “So, the best thing the city could do is replace the tree, make a big deal about it, and get a bunch of kids out there to educate them on why it matters so that symbol endures for the next 50 years.”

C

urrent Mayor Charles Gaylor said no official discussion has been had about the future of the Freedom Tree — and has “no

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. Wayne WEEK . newoldnorth.com

idea” who put the caution fencing around it.

“All I have is one email that was shared with me that was expressing concern that the inside of it, sadly, had become rotten and that the tree was unable to be saved,” he said.

But he vowed, in the event the tree must come down, to ensure it is handled “respectfully.”

A shot from the Freedom Tree dedication in 1973.

rough, I had tried to figure out, if this thing has to go, how could we replace this tree?” he said.

“Well, it just so happens I was watching TV one night and there was a guy growing trees from acorns.”

So, last year, he went to that site near the intersection of Spruce and Center streets.

“ THERE IS NO WAY THIS CITY

LETS THAT SITE HOUSE ANYTHING BUT A FREEDOM TREE.” “Whenever we need to officially start having some conversations about this, I want to do something ceremonial. It’s got to be done the right way,” Gaylor said. “It can’t just be, show up on a Tuesday and there’s chainsaws.”

And like the Gibsons and Metzler, he, too, believes that a new tree should be planted on those “hallowed grounds.”

Fortunately, Ben is two steps ahead of him.

“The first time I saw that tree looking

“I picked up probably 30 or 40 acorns that had fallen off that tree. After that, I watched a video on how to grow a willow oak from an acorn,” Ben said. “So, you take those acorns and you put them in water. The ones that float are no good. Then, you can take the ones that are still laying in the bottom of that bowl and put them in dirt, put some water in that dirt, put them in a Ziplock bag, and put it in your refrigerator until the spring.”

Then, he planted eight of them in pots.

“I had one that came up. I’ve got it on the deck right now,” Ben said. “It’s only about a foot tall, but it’s something.”

Gaylor said replacing the Freedom Tree with that sapling could be ideal.

“The goal, of course, would be to put the sapling back,” he said. “The downside of that is that then it’s going to look a little silly for a couple decades. So, you’ve got to figure that out.”

Metzler has a solution.

“We would be happy to take those acorns and put them in a nursery so they can get the care they need for several years while they grow,” he said. “And in the meantime, we could donate a larger heritage oak as a placeholder.

That might be the best course of action.”

But whatever happens, Gaylor said the city is committed to remembering why that willow oak is so important as the next step — whatever it might be — comes to fruition.

“The emotions tied to this thing are real,” he said.

He doesn’t have to tell the Gibsons that.

“There is no way this city lets that site house anything but a Freedom Tree,” Ben said.

“That family deserves it. This city deserves it.

And hell, every POW and MIA deserves it.”

His father, just as passionate, said it differently.

“I think it’s a gift from God,” Tommy said. n

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

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

Property values are assessed fairly based on real market conditions.

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

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

LEARN MORE AT WAYNEGOV.COM/REVALUATION newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 17

NO T ICE S NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF RALPH RONALD GRIFFIN

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Ralph Ronald Griffin, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 2nd day of May, 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 2nd day of February, 2025.

James Patrick Griffin and Laura Elizabeth Meyer, Co-Executors of the Estate of Ralph Ronald Griffin 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 Feb. 2, 2025 and Feb. 9, 2025, Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JENNIFER LEE WILLIAMS KUYKENDALL

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Jennifer Lee Williams Kuykendall, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 2nd day of May, 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 2nd day of February, 2025 Judith D. McMillen, Administrator of the Estate of Jennifer Lee Williams Kuykendall 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 Feb. 2, 2025 and Feb. 9, 2025, Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Debra Ann Mills, deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of May, 2025, or this notice 18

will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 25th day of January, 2025.

notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 9th day of February, 2025

Tiffany Wheeler Administrator for the Estate of Debra Ann Mills 5271 U.S. Highway 117 North Pikeville, North Carolina, 27863 Published Feb. 2, 2025 and Feb. 9, 2025, Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025

Mark J. Hale, Jr. Administrator CTA of the Estate of Howard Felix Pooler, Jr. Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C. Attorneys for Estate P.O. Box 916 Goldsboro, NC 27533-0916 (919) 735-7275 Published Feb. 9, 2025, Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025 and March 2, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Brian Kent Abbott deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of April, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 29th day of January, 2025.

Rosalyn Abbott Administrator for the Estate of Brian Kent Abbott 1601 East Holly Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina, 27530 Published Feb. 2, 2025, Feb. 9, 2025, Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ALMA B. MARTIN

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Alma B. Martin, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 10th day of May, 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 9th day of February, 2025.

Pamela B. Minshew Executor of the Estate of Alma B. Martin 300 Princeton Road Princeton, NC 27569 Published Feb. 9, 2025, Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025 and March 2, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF HOWARD FELIX POOLER, JR.

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Howard Felix Pooler, Jr., deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 9th day of May, 2025, or this

. Wayne WEEK . newoldnorth.com

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ANTHONY WAYNE WESTBROOK

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Anthony Wayne Westbrook, deceased, of Johnston County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 9th day of May, 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 9th day of February, 2025 Geneva Westbrook Cox, Executor of the Estate of Anthony Wayne Westbrook 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 Feb. 9, 2025, Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025 and March 2, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Annie Davis, deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 16th day of May, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 16th day of February, 2025.

Coretta Mewborn Administrator for the Estate of Annie Davis, 721 Oliver Street, Mount Olive, North Carolina, 28365 Published Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2024, and March 9, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of John Norman Hunter, deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 16th day of May, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 16th day of February, 2025.

Robert Neil Hunter III Administrator for the Estate of John Norman Hunter 2401 Buffaloe Road, Garner, North Carolina, 27529 Published Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2024, and March 9, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF RUSSELL ALAN HENNING

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Russell Alan Henning, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16th day of May, 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 16th day of February, 2025.

David Russell Henning Administrator of the Estate of Russell Alan Henning 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 Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2025, and March 9, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF FRANCES TYNER HINNANT

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Frances Tyner Hinnant, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16th day of May, 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 16th day of February, 2025.

Betty F. Waters and Billy R. Farmer, Co-Executors of the Estate of

Frances Tyner Hinnant 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 Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2025, and March 9, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BARBARA ANN MILLER JACKSON

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Barbara Ann Miller Jackson, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16th day of May, 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 16th day of February, 2025.

Joseph C. Jackson, Administrator of the Estate of Barbara Ann Miller Jackson 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 Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2025, and March 9, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JANICE HEAD KORNEGAY

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Janice Head Kornegay deceased, of Duplin County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 16th day of May, 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 16th day of February, 2025.

Donnell Edwin Kornegay, Jr. Executor of the Estate of Janice Head Kornegay 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 Feb. 16, 2025, Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2025, and March 9, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE LEASE OF COUNTY PROPERTY The Wayne County Board of Commissioners intends to lease the following County-owned property: PIN: 2556137448 / 3173 S. US 13 HWY, Goldsboro BEGINNING at a point in the southerly right-of-way of U.S. Hwy. 13, said point being an existing iron rebar and being the northeast corner of the property of now or formerly Gilbert David Rutledge, Jr. property (DB 3063 Pg 557).

Said point being located S. 79° 10’ 11” E, 2097.75’ from a NCGS Monument “Grantham” having grid coordinates of N. 564169.29 and E 2249512.69.

Thence from said point beginning S. 79° 26’ 09” E. 711.58’ with and along said southerly right-of-way of U.S. Hwy 13 to an existing iron pin. Said pin being the northwesterly corner of the now or formerly James Dolan Baker, Jr. property (DB 3098 Pg. 730), cornering thence along the westerly property line of said Baker property and along the westerly property line of the now or formerly Billy Mosley Kornegay property (DB 3118) Pg. 107) to an existing iron rebar, said point being the northeasterly corner of the now or formerly Edward Dale Hester Property (DB 2213 Pg. 714), cornering, thence N. 46° 40’ 31” W, 711.52’ with and along the northeasterly now or formerly property lines of the following: Edward Dale Hester (DB 2213 Pg 714), George R. Overton (DB 2624 Pg 844), Franklin Lewis (DB 1919 Pg 696), James S. Jones, and wife Amy Jones (DB 2068 Pg 42), Dillon R. Thornton, Jr. (DB 2407 Pg 374), and Gilbert David Rutledge, Jr. (DB 2788 Pg 305) to an existing rebar, cornering thence with and along the easterly property line of the now or formerly Gilbert David Rutledge, Jr. (DB 3063 Pg 557) to the point of beginning. Said property containing a total of 8.32 acres and being the combination of three parcels as follows: Now or formerly John Keith Thornton (DB 2927 Pg 82) 4.33 acres: now or formerly John Keith Thornton (DB 2927 Pg 82) 3.42 acres; and now or formerly Richard Van Flowers (DB 3057 Pg 126) 0.50 acres,

as recorded in the Wayne County Registry. And being those tracts of land as shown on map recorded in Plat Cabinet O, Slide 18-A of the Wayne County Registry.

The County intends to lease the property to Cody Pipkin for one year with the option to renew for a maximum of nine additional years. In consideration of the lease, Gilbert David Rutledge, Jr. will pay an annual rent of $800.

All persons interested in this lease are invited to attend the meeting of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners to be held on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 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.

Andrew J. Neal Wayne County Staff Attorney Published February 23, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Hazel Marie Crowley, deceased, late of Wayne County,

this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 24th day of May, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 23rd day of February, 2025.

Elizabeth Sarno Administrator for the Estate of Hazel Marie Crowley, 502 Church Street, Seven Springs, North Carolina, 28578 Published Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2025, March 9, 2025, March 16, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF DONALD MONROE SUMMERLIN

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Donald Monroe Summerlin deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 24th day of May, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 23rd day of February, 2025.

Donna Marie Summerlin Hamm Executor for the Estate of Donald Monroe Summerlin

111 Long Point Circle, Powells Point, North Carolina, 27966 Published Feb. 23, 2025, March 2, 2025, March 9, 2025, March 16, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE OF COUNTY PROPERTY An offer of $3,600 has been submitted for the purchase of certain property owned by the County of Wayne and the Town of Mount Olive located at 107 Short Street, Mt. Olive, NC (PIN: 2572658205) more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an iron stake on the Southern edge of Short Street, said beginning point being located N. 52 degrees 47’ 06” W. 100 feet from an iron stake within the most Southwestern intersectional corner of Center Street and Short Street; thence from the beginning with the Southern right of way of Short Street, N. 52 degrees 47’ 06” W.100.00 feet to an iron stake; thence leaving the Southern right of way of Short Street, S. 36 degrees 30’ 00” W. 154.19 feet to an iron stake; thence S. 53 degrees 04’ 14” E. 84.86 feet to an iron

stake; thence N. 87 degrees 10’ 12” E. 19.56 feet to an iron stake; thence N. 36 degrees 30’ 00” E. 141.18 feet to an iron stake on the Southern right of way of Short Street, the point of beginning containing 15,298 Square Feet or 0.351 Acre more or less.

Persons wishing to upset the offer that has been received shall submit a sealed bid with their offer and the required deposit to the office of the Wayne County Manager, 224 E. Walnut Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530 by 5:00 P.M. on March 5, 2025. At that time the Clerk to the Board shall open the bids, if any, and the highest qualifying bid will become the new offer. If there is more than one bid in the highest amount, the first such bid received will become the new offer.

of the bid; the deposit may be made in cash, cashier’s check, or certified check. The County will return the deposit on any bid not accepted, and will return the deposit on an offer subject to upset if a qualifying higher bid is received. If no other bids are made the original offer to purchase will be accepted.

Further information may be obtained at the Wayne County Manager’s Office, 224 E. Walnut Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530 or by telephone at (919) 705-1971 during normal business hours.

Andrew J. Neal Wayne County Staff Attorney PO Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533 (919) 705-1971 Published February 23, 2025

A qualifying higher bid is one that raises the existing offer at least 10% of the first $1,000 and 5% of the remainder. A qualifying bid must raise the existing offer to an amount not less than $3,830.00.

A qualifying higher bid must be accompanied by a deposit in the amount of five percent (5%)

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. Wayne WEEK . 19

the SPECTATOR

C-H-A-M-P-S The Charles B. Aycock cheerleading squad recently won the county cheer title — and a young photojournalist from the school's yearbook crew captured their routine.

PHOTOS by OWEN DAVIS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE CHARLES B. AYCOCK YEARBOOK, “THE GOVERNOR”

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. Wayne WEEK . newoldnorth.com

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. Wayne WEEK . 21

Congratulations to the BEST team in NORTH CAROLINA!

The Wayne County Clerk’s Office was one of only six offices in the state to achieve an “Effective” audit opinion for our internal audit — the highest opinion given, which indicates excellence in minimizing potential risks.

I feel so blessed to work with all of you.

Thank you for helping Wayne County shine!

Sending you love and best wishes as we take on this new year together as a community!

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. Wayne WEEK . newoldnorth.com

Julie Whitfield, Wayne County Clerk of Court

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