JANUARY 25, 2026
Thanks to a former city department head, the current Goldsboro City Council, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, and 125 private donors, a $1.5 million effort that will see historic Union Station stabilized will soon begin.
by Renee Care y / p. 16
JANUARY 25, 202 6
Volume 3, Issue 26
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EDITOR Ken Fine
EDITOR Renee Carey
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4 Goldsboro crime down 28%
Members of the Goldsboro Police Department told the City Council that a focus on community policing is one of the reasons the city is safer than it was in 2024.
6 HUD violations ding Mount Olive
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development warned the Mount Olive Housing Authority that officials must take immediate action to remedy several violations.
8 Project Light is coming into view Wayne County Staff Attorney Andrew Neal dropped several new details about what is expected to be another significant economic development victory for the community.
11
Former UMO staffer pleads guilty
A man who, at one time, taught at the University of Mount Olive, pleaded guilty after being charged with leading a Medicaid scheme.
12 City survey results are in Local residents remain concerned about crime — and the state of Goldsboro's roads.
16 Cover story/Our Take
Thanks to former Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation
Executive Director Julie Metz, the Goldsboro City Council, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, and 125 private donors, a $1.5 million effort that will see historic Union Station stabilized will soon begin.
22 Public Notices
COVER DESIGN BY SHAN STUMPF
Two weeks after a pair of residents directed their ire at City Council members and the Goldsboro Police Department, several members of the GPD showed the council the data — and said the numbers are moving in the right direction.
BY KEN FINE
Rodney Robinson said he was “tired of the lies” — and accused members of the Goldsboro City Council of lying and deceiving “my community.”
Nicole Dixon bemoaned the fact that a 13-year-old girl had been shot in the head and killed on streets she said had “become battlegrounds.”
“Our youth, our future, are caught in the crossfire,” she said. “When will the Goldsboro Police Department begin to truly protect and serve all of its citizens — especially those in our most vulnerable communities?”
But two weeks after Robinson and Dixon took aim at council members — and the GPD — during the board’s public comment period for what they characterized as a failure by law enforcement and elected officials to protect those living in at-risk communities, three members of the GPD presented data they say reflects progress being made in what feels, to them, like a never-ending battle against crime inside the city limits.
And Mayor Charles Gaylor, after Councilwoman Jamie Taylor suggested that, perhaps, more ShotSpotter devices could further decrease gun violence in certain Goldsboro neighborhoods, said that having a conversation about increasing funding for tools the GPD could use might very well make sense as the 2026-27 budget-planning season approaches.
Despite the eight murders that made headlines in 2025, the officers who delivered the crime data and community policing information to the council Monday said the numbers represented a reason to be hopeful, as dramatic reductions in everything from homicides to larcenies were reported from 2024 to 2025.
And the total number of crimes reported in 2025 — 1,636 — reflected a 28 percent decrease from the year before.
But what those officers did not say was that all of that happened in spite of a staffing crisis and the morale hits that have come with a deteriorating headquarters and lack of take-home vehicles
SOURCE: Golodsboro Police Department
— issues that have been documented repeatedly in Wayne Week since 2023.
In fact, GPD Chief Mike West said that while challenges remain — and crime can never be completely eradicated from a community — he is proud of the strides made by the men and women who serve under him.
And he believes their professionalism, and their resolve, deserve recognition he knows they would never ask for.
As for how they were able to put a significant dent in the crime rate?
West said it comes down to how the GPD polices the city.
The approach, the chief said, is a data-driven one.
“When we have an understanding of where
the crime is taking place — where our problem areas are — we can step up our presence in those areas,” West said. “It’s making a big difference.”
So, when he heard about Taylor and Gaylor’s comments regarding the potential of adding ShotSpotter devices, he agreed that technology has a role to play in continuing to reduce violent crime in Goldsboro.
But adding sensors — and/or other surveillance equipment — to neighborhoods in which crime numbers remain concerning would take an investment.
And before the council agrees to foot the bill, its members will have to weigh other multi-million-dollar needs.
In the public safety sector, that means deciding whether or not to move forward with
construction of a new police and fire complex.
According to a consultant who spoke to the council in 2025, that facility would likely cost between $50 and $65 million.
And with mold and mildew infestations, an HVAC system that has reached “the end of its service life,” and other concerns, the existing building was characterized as “very, very unhealthy” — and in desperate need of replacing.
West has been vocal about what that could mean for officer retention, which he said was critical to keeping criminals at bay.
“These newcomers that come in … and see the conditions they’re working in, it’s hard to stay motivated to want to stay,” he said last year. “So, I think there’s a big concern there.” n
The organization was warned that noncompliance with federal regulations required "immediate attention."
BY KEN FINE
Not enough people are occupying public housing in Mount Olive.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has no record that the capital fund allocations it has sent to the Mount Olive Housing Authority since 2022 have been “obligated or dispursed.”
Based on the government’s Public Housing Assessment System rating, the MOHA received a financial score of 0/25 in 2022 and 2024. And because necessary protocols are years overdue, HUD has voiced concern that “accurate calculation of housing assistance payments” has been jeopardized.
The Housing Authority was told all that and more via a letter sent to Executive Director Erin Lambert Jan. 14.
And the notice, which was obtained by Wayne Week, said that HUD expects “immediate corrective action to address these deficiencies.”
More specifically, the government has given Lambert and her team 30 days to respond — and to take the corrective action spelled out by Office of Public Housing Director Shelia Hester. As reported in previous editions of Wayne Week, it has been a tumultuous few months for the Housing Authority.
It started in August, when Mayor Jerome Newton sent Housing Authority Vice Chairman Brent Heath a certified letter informing him that effective Sept. 1, his “role and term would expire.”
But what the mayor did not know was that removing Heath would start a chain reaction that would, by the board’s Sept. 16 meeting, leave it with only one member — that the others would resign in a show of solidarity.
Then, the Housing Authority’s attorney, Carroll Turner, resigned after telling Wayne Week he and former Commissioner Barbara Kornegay were being kept in the dark, which left him concerned about what might be happening inside the organization — particularly given the April 2021 arrest of the organization’s then-Executive Director Edward Wells Jr. for embezzling more than $30,000 in agency funds.
“You know, when you have people with access to a considerable amount of money and nobody is looking over their shoulder, it can be a recipe for disaster,” Turner said. “Now, I’m not suggesting that Erin Lambert is doing anything illegal because I wouldn’t know because Barbara Kornegay and I are not over there where we can look at anything. Again, I’m not saying that anybody has done anything illegal, but I don’t want to be blamed for something that’s going on over there.”
Note: In the interest of transparency, the list of infractions noted by HUD are included in this package. n - Ken Fine
9 1 9 - 2 9 9 - 4 0 5 8
BY RENEE CAREY
he company, for now, remains unknown, but new details dropped during the Wayne County Board of Commissioners’ Jan. 20 meeting have people in the community buzzing about the potential scope of an economic development announcement that seems imminent.
It happened ahead of a public hearing that gave residents an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed sale of 31.4 acres at ParkEast Industrial Park for $40,000 apiece, when County Attorney Andrew Neal told the board the following about “Project Light”:
• The interested buyer of the property is a developer based out of Florida.
• The plan, for now, is for that company to purchase the land, develop it, and then lease it to the yet-to-be-named business.
• The facility that is planned to be constructed would be a sprawling 100,000 square feet.
• The business that would occupy that facility, Neal said, is an “international company with a local presence.”
• To date, that company has committed to spending “at least $20 million” on capital improvements should the deal go through.
Neal also acknowledged that the $40,000 price per acre is lower than the published listing price but told commissioners to consider the reduction a way of setting Wayne County apart from other communities attempting to land economic development victories.
“We did have this listed for $50,000 an acre, so this is the form of their incentive — a $10,000
reduction on the property (per acre),” he said.
And, as has been noted in numerous 2025 editions of Wayne Week, the $1.256 million land deal is already a win for a community that has seen several success stories emerge in recent months.
There was the May 2025 announcement about a $140 million investment in Wayne County being made by Prolec-GE Waukesha — an expansion that would create more than 300 jobs that would carry an average salary of more than $70,000 a year.
There was Pelsan Tekstil, a Turkish company that makes breathable polyethylene films for the medical, hygiene, and insulation sectors, green-lighting an $82 million capital investment of its own.
And just before the new year, Gov. Josh Stein announced two state-supported projects that would generate another 38 new jobs in the community and see more than $1.1 million invested in Wayne.
So, it seemed fitting to board Chairman Joe Daughtery that Tuesday’s meeting would come to an end at ParkEast — after a tour of the Alianza USA facility that was announced, along with a more-than-$36 million investment by the company, in June 2024.
“This is just an amazing feat. In less than a year, they acquired the property, cleared the property, and built the entire plant,” he said. “They are in operation.” And that, Daughtery said, was yet another indication that Wayne County is on the move. n
Grounded in faith, service, Conservative ideals and family values, I will NEVER stop fighting for Wayne County!
Please vote JENNIFER STRICKLAND in the March Primary so we can win the County Commissioner At-Large battle, together, come November.
According to state prosecutors, Dr. Ekelekamchukwu Alphonsus Ngwadom was involved in a Medicaid scheme that defrauded taxpayers.
BY KEN FINE
According to a press release issued by the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office earlier this month, a former University of Mount Olive professor was convicted of 27 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses — a crime that involved a Medicaid fraud scheme and will carry two consecutive sentences of 6 to 17 months in prison.
But Dr. Ekelekamchukwu Alphonsus Ngwadom will not be incarcerated, because in exchange for guilty pleas, he was instead granted a suspended sentenced that includes 36 months of supervised probation, 90 days of house arrest, and a $72,014.66 fine.
He would end up in custody only should he violate the terms of his probation, which would require him to spend a minimum of a year and a maximum of three years in prison.
According to prosectors, between February 2020 and March 2021, Ngwadom submitted $72,014.66 in fraudulent claims to Alliance Health for providing behavioral health services to 27 Medicaid recipients, including children.
Alliance then paid Ngwadom based on those false claims.
But those services were never provided,
and when the company suspected foul play, it alerted the AG’s Medicaid Investigations Division, a unit that “investigates fraud and abuse by health care companies and providers, as well as patient abuse and neglect in facilities that are funded by Medicaid.”
What MID discovered was that Ngwadom billed families for services he alleged he had provided to children as part of an after-school program that was, in reality, shuttered because of COVID-19 closures.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson characterized the sentence as justice — insisting that his office would not tolerate those who defraud state taxpayers.
“When people defraud the Medicaid program, they are stealing money from North Carolina taxpayers and from those who rely on this care,” he said. “My office will not allow it, and we’re going to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to prevent fraud.”
According to UMO officials, despite the fact Ngwadom still, on his social media accounts, lists the university as his employer — and identifies himself as a sociology and psychology professor there — he has not been on staff since 2017. n
Survey results are in Not every Goldsboro resident had the chance to weigh in, but the results of the 2025 Goldsboro Community Survey have left city leaders with plenty to think about.
BY KEN FINE
In late 2025, the ETC Institute, on behalf of Goldsboro leaders, sent a six-page survey to randomly selected houses located inside the city limits.
The organization’s goal was to obtain at least 400 responses — feedback it believed would provide members of the City Council and department heads with a more informed understanding of how citizens were feeling about a myriad of issues.
To ETC’s surprise, 526 residents returned the form.
The following reflect some of the highlights of the study:
• The Goldsboro Fire Department received the highest satisfaction rating among major service providers with score of 80 percent.
• Only 50 percent of respondents said they feel safe in their neighborhood after dark.
• 18 percent said they had been the victim of a crime in the last 12 months.
• The maintenance of city streets received the lowest satisfaction rating in its category,
with a score of 22 percent.
• 77 percent of residents said someone in their household had used a Goldsboro park or recreation facility in the last 12 months, but only 47 percent were satisfied with the maintenance of those facilities.
The “Quality of Life” section of the survey could, perhaps, give leaders a reason for alarm, as all but one question saw at least a quarter of respondents check the “below average/poor box.”
The questions included:
• Goldsboro as a place to live (27 percent gave it the worst score)
• Goldsboro as a place that is welcoming and inclusive to all (26 percent gave it the worst score)
• The overall direction of the city (32 percent gave it the worst score)
• Goldsboro as a place to raise children (38 percent gave it the worst score)
• Overall quality of services provided by the city (34 percent gave it the worst score)
• Goldsboro as a place to work (38 percent gave it the worst score)
• Overall value that you receive for your city tax dollars and fees (46 percent gave it the worst score)
Another result of note — one that might not be surprising to those who have followed the council since early 2025 — was the item that received the highest level of dissatisfaction.
More than half of those who returned the survey said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the maintenance of city streets and sidewalks. That issue came to the fore a year ago, when WithersRavenel reported to the council that nearly half of city roads fell into the “very poor” condition category — and that in order to get every single street in Goldsboro to where they need to be would cost a staggering $51 million.
And while, in order to stop the bleeding, the city appropriated $1.2 million for road construction projects in the 2025-26 budget, council members have acknowledged that amount of spending on roads is simply not
enough to keep up with the deterioration. Because of that, just what the council should allocate for 2026-27 will likely be a discussion in the coming months as budget work sessions unfold.
And it could be on the agenda for the council’s upcoming planning retreat — as could the results of the survey’s “Question 27,” which asked residents to rate what they believed should be the City Council’s top priorities over the next two years.
The results were:
Violent crime & gangs
Unhoused/homelessness
Public safety & all general fund infrastructure needs
Economic development
Affordable housing
Community appearance & blight
WWTP Plant expansion & water/ sewer infrastructure
Note: A more detailed breakdown of the ETC Institute’s survey will be provided in a future edition of Wayne Week. n
QUESTION: WHAT THREE PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS?
{ our TAKE }
It might not seem like something to jump up and down about.
After all, crime statistics are more than just numbers.
Regardless of “how many” of a particular incident are reported, each tick that is on the counter represents a family who experienced something traumatic.
And the impact on the community does not end there.
Criminals who victimize Goldsboro residents take their toll — on the city’s reputation and how safe people feel walking its streets.
And that has real consequences on everything from home values to economic development possibilities.
So, more than a year ago, when we first started talking about how important it was to back the Goldsboro Police Department — and to support making sure that we had the resources to keep our local force not only populated with experienced personnel, but able to attract new recruits — we knew that we had a battle ahead because the money was not immediately there.
In fact, the City Council had to take a leap of faith and do what was right with the understanding that there would need to be budget sacrifices and realignment.
And the city’s police officers and their chief, Mike West, had to take a leap of faith, too. They had to hope that the community they were working so hard to protect would not only support them financially but would also listen to their insight on what they needed to keep their fellow residents safe.
We haven’t ended crime in Goldsboro yet.
We are still losing too many people to drugs and to shootings in at-risk neighborhoods.
There is still theft.
There are still break-ins.
There is still vandalism.
In other words, we are like every community in the country that is trying to figure out how to send criminals like drug dealers, thieves, and gangbangers the message that they need to find somewhere else to ply their trade — that Goldsboro is no longer a community that is too distracted to address the problem head-on.
But the latest set of numbers are in, and they should give all of us real hope, because crime is down in the city by a whopping 30 percent.
And that means that while we still have the concerns we have always had — that the gangs and the drug dealers still have a grip on this community, that the homeless population seems to be a significant source of criminal activity, and that too many young people are ruining their lives or losing them as they get sucked into the thug culture — we have made the moves necessary to make a dent in our goal of being a safer community.
But Chief West has told community leaders and the public that there is a great deal of work left to be done to fix the problems that the staffing shortfalls of the recent past have caused.
And no, it is not just about getting bodies into police uniforms.
It is about making sure that the key units that work to prevent crime and to arrest those who commit them are strong and in place.
And one critical component to that is the community policing initiative.
While the city still cannot fully realize the
benefits yet, West and his team are making the connections they need to make Goldsboro a safer place to live.
And that is exactly what we need to make this city the kind of community where crimes get solved and criminals decide there are better places to be.
But the truth is that no police chief or police department is ever going to be able to completely eradicate crime.
There will still be murders and gang activity, and there will be theft rings and other less-than-desirable activities unfolding on city streets.
Still, the latest statistics suggest that we are on the right path.
How do we keep it up?
We need community members to become part of neighborhood watches and to share information with the GPD to put criminals behind bars.
If you need to know why, just ask Councilwoman Hiawatha Jones, who has seen strides made in her district thanks to her neighborhood watch initiative.
We need to continue to fund improvements to police salaries, benefits, and technology to make jobs here more attractive to experienced personnel.
We need to back the blue so that officers and their families know that the city is on their side.
And while we are on the subject, we need to see some movement on making sure that the police and fire departments have safe quarters.
Showing up to an office infested with mold and mildew that is, quite literally, collapsing, is not OK.
So, yes, the buildings they work in need attention and should be on the council’s agenda for the coming year.
All of that is how we take a 30 percent reduction in crime and turn it into an even better number next year.
And here is what we don’t need.
We don’t need to allow let the chants of activists distract us or the words of gaslighters direct the conversations.
We don’t need to be dishonest about how community attitudes and conditions contribute to crime statistics.
We don’t need people to blame the council and GPD for inaction because their neighbors witness murders and refuse to cooperate with law enforcement.
In other words, if we want a safer Goldsboro, we have to do the work and hold one another accountable.
Why?
Because even one life lost is too many.
Even one child or adult whose life is ruined by drugs or gang involvement is too high a price to pay.
And we cannot — we just cannot — have some neighborhoods where children and families do not feel safe walking down the street.
So, while we mark the staggering reduction in crime achievement announced by the GPD, we still issue a challenge.
Now is not the time to rest on a laurel of a better number.
Now is the time to strive to stay focused on the real prize — a safer community for all residents of Goldsboro, no matter how difficult the conversations and decisions must be to get us there.
Thanks to a former city department head, the current Goldsboro City Council, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, and 125 private donors, a $1.5 million effort that will see historic Union Station stabilized will soon begin.
by Renee Carey
A drip here and a grand gesture there. That is all it takes to make a huge difference in a community.
We have seen it many times.
A call for help is sent out and like an answer to a siren’s song, people from all over Wayne County step up.
It is why so often we talk about how this community takes care of its own — and why we praise its strength and compassion.
Things happen here that don’t happen anywhere else.
So, when we put out the call for the community to donate to help raise the money to fund the stabilization of Union Station — with the hope that someday soon it could be restored to its former glory and become a hub for future rail projects — we knew it was a big ask.
Not just a couple thousand dollars.
Not even tens of thousands.
The figure that former Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation executive director Julie Metz told community leaders we would need to make sure we preserved this landmark for posterity was $750,000.
The number would be daunting for any community, let alone one that has faced some of the challenges we have over the years.
Sure, it seemed like a wise investment.
High-speed rail is not a maybe in the state of North Carolina, but a when.
And Goldsboro has a shot — a good shot, really — at being a major player when that investment is made.
Sure, it would be nice to see that corner of the city’s core refurbished and bustling again.
That, by the way, is also not an “if.”
It’s coming, too — evidenced by the efforts that have been made so far to that end that have brought
a whole bunch of investment and life back to Center Street and beyond.
Well, this would be one more jewel in that crown.
And, of course, more than a few people have more than a few stories about spending time with family at Union Station, and an incentive to preserve this piece of history.
But getting the project done required something a little more than just another grant application. It needed you to squint, to ignore the obstacles in front of you, and to dream just a little bit.
Call it a leap of faith.
Call it trust that future generations would see the project through.
Call it seeing a diamond in the rough.
Because the sad truth is, stabilizing Union Station was not an easy project to sell — especially with all the other work that needs to be done in Goldsboro, from road repairs and a new public safety complex to an expansion at the wastewater treatment plant.
But one of the advocates for the project, the late Judge Charles Gaylor, a man whose life was dedicated not only to justice and the rule of law, but also to the preservation of the history he so loved, charged his community with a challenge.
He needed all of us — all of you — to see with a vision that included the knowledge that even though the investment we were making now was necessary and important, we might not be around to see it come to fruition.
At least some of us anyway.
And Judge Gaylor was right.
He will not be here to see a stabilized Union Station.
He won’t be there when the doors to one of the passenger trains opens and families embark on an adventure.
He won’t be there to cut the ribbon.
But his children and grandchildren will.
And to the late judge, that is all that mattered.
He wanted to be able to pass the torch.
Well, that dream resonated with many of you.
As was announced this week at meetings of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners and Goldsboro City Council, the money that is necessary to get the stabilization project completed has been raised.
Even though so many families are finding life a little more expensive.
Even amidst the unrest and bickering that has become politics today.
Even though the dream is really a little bit farther away than we would like.
In spite of all those things, this community stepped up — again — and made it happen.
The Gaylor family did not want anyone to feel pressured to give.
They did not personally ask for donations to honor the late judge.
They aren’t those kind of people.
But you stepped up anyway.
The majority of the donations that were made to make the work possible were small ones — and they were made in honor of a man whose life’s passion was preserving the stories, the landmarks, and the footsteps of those who have been part of making Wayne County the wonderful place it is and has been for generations.
Continued on page 18
$91,034 raised in honor of the late Judge Charles Gaylor Donations came from 4 different states Donations ranged from $20 to $20,000 $100,179 raised through private donations Donations came from 23 different cities 125 donations were made
Call it a posthumous thank you, or simply a well-deserved tribute to someone who touched so many lives.
No matter how you look at it, those small checks and warm notes of support were a community honoring a life well-lived.
We can tell you without a doubt that it mattered a lot to a family that has given so much and asked for so little in return.
It won’t erase their grief, of course, but it sure is a reason to be proud of the mark Judge Gaylor left on this community, and the example he set for generations to come. Charlie, as his friends called him, was right, by the way.
There is nothing more important than making sure this community knows who it is, where it came from, and the people who helped us get here.
Well, a revitalized Union Station is just one part of that mission.
More than 125 of you agreed.
And while, of course, there were some big checks written, the vast majority of those who contributed sent $20 or whatever amount they could.
That, in our view, makes the accomplish -
ment that much sweeter.
This is not the first time we have had stories like this to tell — families who gathered up a few extra dollars from the family budget, retirees who donated what they could just so they could be a part of something good happening in their community, or even charitable organizations that wanted to support efforts to make their city better.
Add to that some pretty special advocates — and there are not enough good things to be said about the effort Julie Metz put into making sure this landmark was not lost forever — and some local leaders with vision who were ready to champion the cause.
Nothing gets done when those who are tasked with representing the people don’t get behind it.
So, thanks also should go to the county commissioners, City Council, DGDC personnel, City Manager Matthew Livingston, and others who made sure the procedures were followed and the votes were cast.
It was, indeed, a community effort.
Of course, there were more than a few angels who, as usual, do not want any public attention or thanks for their support for the project.
But we have our inside information, of course, about who gave the big bucks — and the names would not surprise you.
They are always there when their community needs them.
And they don’t write checks for glory or lend their expertise with an expectation of something in return.
They step up because that is the kind of men, women, and companies they are.
So, we will respect their desire for privacy and not publish how much they gave.
But we will, in this package, share the list of donors with you.
Call it our small way of extending our thanks for once again being the leaders this community needs.
We could not dream of possibilities for the future of this community without you.
And make no mistake. Knowing you are there allows us to dream big.
You make a difference, every day, and while you don’t want it or need it, on behalf of your community, we say thank you.
Now comes the fun part.
We get to watch — when we take a detour on our way home from dinner or the office — crews from T.A. Loving begin to
stabilize Union Station.
We get to see Gaylor’s dream realized and witness all those dollars put to work.
And with every swing of the hammer, we will get one step closer to more stories and memories for a new generation of Goldsboro and Wayne County residents.
But as we celebrate, a word of caution.
The battle is not over.
There will be more work to do — and more times when we will have to gather as a community to ensure we keep our city and county’s history alive.
So, the next time the opportunity presents itself to be a part of something big, we hope you will join those listed here.
And as we celebrate this victory, we can take pride in something else, too.
Somewhere, Judge Gaylor is smiling proudly.
Deep down, he knew that if he told you the story and why it mattered, you would rally.
And you did.
Again.
But he had a reason to have faith.
He saw, over decades, that standing together is what we do here.
And he knew that was the reason this county was destined for greatness. n
n Judith McMillen/ Glenn Barwick
n Sally Johnson
n Fritz & Suzette Knack
n Rosanna Anderson
n Peggy & Ken Hemenway
n Richard (Rick) & Ani Best
n Allison Platt
n Dale McKeel
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n Patti & Tim Pfieffer
n Beverly Durham
n Liza Govan
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n Julie Whitfield
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n Borden Family
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n Lynda Moore
n Julie Metz & Ty Norris
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n Janet and Johnny Peacock
n William (Bill) Moon
n Anonymous
n Geoff & Lee Hulse
n David & Debbie Kornegay
n Emily Lewis
n Marlee Ray
n Evergreen Garden Club
n John (Jay) Kinsey
n Rebecca Kinsey
n Charlotte & Nick Weaver
n Joseph (Joe) and Pam Ponzi
n Duffy and Ashley Flemming
n Joe Daughtery
n Glenn & Ronda Barfield
n Siegfried (Ziggy) Yeh
n Harold & Jody Brashear
n Alta Foods
(Donnie & Nicole Barnes)
n Jesse & Norma Blackman
n Susan Durham
n Carmen Price
n Steve & Kaye Bryan
n Wayne Taylor
n Robert Rousseau
n Cameron and Meredith Taylor
n David & Bethany Perry
n Adrian & Selena Worrell
n Ruthie Thompson
n Randy and Jewel Sauls
n Jack Snypes
n Grimsley & Dorothy Hobbs
n Gaylor Family
n John & Jane Walston
n G.J. & S.M. Garcia
n Robert Boyette
n Sidney & Vicki Myers
n Randall & Helen Jernigan
n Robert & Debra Richter
n Louis & Kathie Brown
n R. Walter & Kimberly Krentz
n Charles & Hannah Rouse
n Hallie Hulse Evans
n Betsy Johnson Hulse
n Terry Light Humphrey
n Banks Peacock
n Heather Bova McAlduff
n Martha Whitley Stevens
n Kelly Hamm King
n Christa Serlick
n Brian Dawson
n Gretchen Reed
n Jacqueline Kannan
n Douglas Sliker
n Angela French
n Velton & Tina Bunch
n Ladies Lunch Group —
n Comestible Society
Note: Those who donated twice are listed twice.
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Mary Maxine Suggs, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 4th 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 4th day of January, 2026.
Gwendolyn Pate, Executor of the Estate of Mary Maxine Suggs 974 Hinnant Road
Pikeville, North Carolina 27863
Published January 4, 2026, January 11, 2026, January 18, 2026, and January 25, 2026
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Nina Stroud Rouse, late of Wayne County, NC, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned c/o Atty. John E. Ryan III, PO Box 569, Mount Olive, NC 28365, on or before the 4th day of April 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said estate shall make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 4th day of January 2026.
Robert Rouse Executor of the Estate of Nina Stroud Rouse c/o Atty. John E. Ryan III PO Box 569 Mount Olive, NC 28365
Published January 4, 2026, January 11, 2026, January 18, 2026, and January 25, 2026
The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Majorie L. Blizzard, 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 4, 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 4th day of January, 2026.
Jeff C. Blizzard
Executor of the Estate of Marjorie L. Blizzard 4914 Richardson Drive Wilmington, NC 28405
Published January 4, 2026, January 11, 2026, January 18, 2026, and January 25, 2026
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Betty Bell, deceased, late of Wayne County, NC, all persons having claims against the estate must present them, duly verified, to the undersigned by April 15, 2026, or the claims will be barred. All persons indebted to the estate should make immediate payment. This 11th day of January, 2026.
Pamela Jones
Administrator of the Estate of Betty Bell 100 Orpington Landing Pikeville, NC 27863
January 11, 2026, January 18, 2026, January 25, 2026, and February 1, 2026
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Shirley W. Pate, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 20th 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 18th day of January, 2026.
Chris Anthony Pate, Executor of the Estate of Shirley W. Pate
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 January 18, 2026, January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, and February 8, 202 6
The Wayne County Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing Tuesday, February 3, 2026 to consider a proposed amendment to the Wayne County Zoning Map. The hearing will be held at 9:30 am in the Wayne County Commissioners Meeting Room, Wayne County Courthouse Annex, 224 East Walnut Street, Goldsboro, NC. The item to be discussed:
Z-25-02 – Amend the Wayne County Zoning Map by rezoning 2.817 acres from Community Shopping (CS) to R-10. The property is in Grantham Township at the intersection of Paul Hare Road and US Hwy 13 S and is listed in the Wayne County Tax Office as Parcel Number 2546734961.
The public is invited to attend and speak at this hearing and/ or submit any comments. Written comments before the
meeting may be submitted to the Wayne County Planning Department, PO Box 227, Goldsboro, NC 27533 or berry. gray@waynegov.com. Questions may be directed to the Planning Department by calling 919-731-1650.
BOWDEN CLERK TO THE BOARD
Published January 18, 2026, and January 25, 2026
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Edgar Gurley, Jr., 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 April 18, 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 9th day of January, 2026.
Christopher L. Gurley, Administrator of the Estate of Edgar Gurley, Jr. c/o L. E. (Trey) Taylor III, Attorney at Law Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, L.L.P. P.O. Box 1616, Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616
Published January 18, 2026, January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, and February 8, 2026
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Walter Howard Jones, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 18th 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 18th day of January, 2026.
Michael Lewis Jones, Administrator of the Estate of Walter Howard Jones 1093 Mill Creek Loop Leland, NC 28451
Published January 18, 2026, January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, and February 8, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ADEEN LEWIS GEORGE
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Adeen Lewis George, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 20th 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 18th day of January, 2026.
Judice George McAdams, Executor of the Estate of Adeen Lewis George 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 January 18, 2026, January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, and February 8, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Tony Brent Best, having duly qualified as Executor of the Estate of Kenneth Brent Best, deceased, late of Wayne County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned at 106 Ridgecrest Drive, Mount Olive, NC 28365, on or before the 20th day of April, 2026, said date being three (3) months from the date of first publication hereof, or this notice will be pleaded in bar to their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 18th day of January, 2026.
TONY BRENT BEST EXECUTOR ESTATE OF KENNETH BRENT BEST 106 RIDGECREST DRIVE MOUNT OLIVE, NC 28365
Published January 18, 2026, January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, and February 8, 2026
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.
Roderick Eugene Parsons, Executor of the Estate of Mildred Koonce Parsons 7312 Cateswood Court Apex, NC 27539
Published January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, and February 15, 2026
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
NORTH CAROLINA WAYNE COUNTY
Notice is hereby given that the Wayne County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on February 17, 2026, at 9:30 am in the Commissioners Meeting Room in the Wayne County Courthouse Annex, 224 E. Walnut St., Goldsboro, NC. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive public comments regarding an economic incentive agreement with Goshen Engineering. The Board of Commissioners will consider a $45,000 incentive grant payable over three (3) years in exchange for the company’s commitment to invest $3,912,601 in capital improvements and create 25 jobs in Wayne County.
All interested parties are invited to attend this public hearing and be heard. Written comments may be made in advance to the following:
Carol Bowden, Clerk to the Board Wayne County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533-0227 (919) 731-1445 carol.bowden@waynegov.com
This the 25th day of January, 2026.
Carol Bowden Wayne County Clerk to the Board
Published January 25, 2026
Notice is hereby given that the Wayne County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on February 17, 2026, at 9:30 am in the Commissioners Meeting Room in the Wayne County Courthouse Annex, 224 E. Walnut St., Goldsboro, NC. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive public comments regarding an economic incentive agreement with Scout Limited, Inc. The Board of Commissioners will consider a $8,450 incentive grant payable over three (3) years in exchange for the company’s commitment to invest $455,000 in capital improvements and create 13 jobs in Wayne County.
All interested parties are invited to attend this public hearing and be heard. Written comments may be made in advance to the following:
Carol Bowden, Clerk to the Board Wayne County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533-0227 (919) 731-1445 carol.bowden@waynegov.com
This the 30th day of January, 2026.
Carol Bowden
Wayne County Clerk to the Board
Published January 25, 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.
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
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.
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
Published January 25, 2026, February 1, 2026, February 8, 2026, and February 15, 2026
The County of Wayne is seeking proposals for Psychological Services for the 911 dispatch and EMS. Wayne County reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals and reserves the right to accept the proposal most advantageous to the County. The County of Wayne encourages all businesses, including minority, women owned businesses to respond to all Request for Proposals. The RFP Packages need to be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope “Psychological Services-RFP.”
Proposals shall be returned to Wayne County Finance at P.O. Box 227, Goldsboro, NC 27533, on or before 2:00 p.m., February 19, 2026. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to: Mandy Trujillo, Procurement specialist for the County of Wayne at amanda. trujillo@waynegov.com. Questions concerning the RFP requirements must be submitted in writing.
For more information as it relates to the RFP or to obtain a copy of the document, please contact Mandy Trujillo, Procurement Specialist at 919-7051714 or access the County of Wayne’s webpage at https:// www.waynegov.com/703/ Public-Notice
Mandy Trujillo Procurement Specialist Finance Department
Published January 25, 2026
Pursuant to NC General Statute 158-7.1 notice is hereby given to all interested parties that the Goldsboro City Council will hold a public hearing on a proposal to amend an incentive grant agreement with Alianza USA (Team Foods USA, Inc.). The original agreement was approved at the Goldsboro City Council meeting on July 15, 2024.
The proposed revision to the agreement is to provide water and sewer improvements for a total amount of $210,293. The public hearing will be held on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, City Hall, 214 N. Center Street, Goldsboro, NC.
All interested parties are invited to attend this public meeting and be heard. Written comments may be made on or before Monday, February 2, 2026 by 1:00 pm to:
This is the 22nd day of January 2026.
Laura Getz, City Clerk City of Goldsboro PO Drawer A Goldsboro, NC 27533 lgetz@goldsboronc.gov
Laura Getz, City Clerk City of Goldsboro
Published January 25, 2026
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