On Tuesday, Wayne County voters will get to decide who will be on the ballot in November — and whether or not to support a quarter-cent sales tax hike. p.5
The Rosewood High School wrestling team put on a show at the NCHSAA state championship meet. p.18
The FBI executed a search warrant on a Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputy's phone after two of his family members were arrested. p.14
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CONTENTS
5 2026 Primary Preview
On Tuesday, Wayne County voters will decide who will appear on the ballot this November and whether or not to support a quarter-cent sales tax increase proposed by county leaders — a hike they say will allow millions of dollars a year to flow into the local school district's coffers.
7 Wayne County Sheriff
Sheriff Larry Pierce, Ricky Hooks, and Stevie Howell make their cases to voters.
10 District Attorney
Jeff Cannon and Mike Muskus both want the chance to replace District Attorney Matthew Delbridge, who chose against running for re-election.
13 Commissioner At-Large
Former Wayne County Board of Education member Jennifer Strickland and former Cooperative Extension Director Kevin Johnson want voters to put them on the Wayne County Board of Commissioners.
14 FBI investigating deputy
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has executed a search warrant on the phone of a Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputy who is related to two men who were recently arrested on drug trafficking charges.
18 Rosewood wrestlers win big
Members of both the Rosewood High School boys and girls wrestling teams brought state titles back to Wayne County — and Sports Editor Aviel Smolka was there to see it.
22 Public Notices
COVER DESIGN SHAN STUMPF
We don’t usually do much right before an election about telling people how we feel they should vote.
If we have done our job, and this year, we really think we have, you should already know whom we think would be the best person to sit in an office or to take up a spot on a General Election ballot — and more importantly, who shouldn’t.
So, when early voting rolls around, and the die has been cast, we give the candidates the chance to talk to you, to make their last pitches before you head to the polls.
We are not in the business of persuading at this point.
And if you have already done your research and made up your mind, then, well, we think that’s good, too.
Those standards are especially important to us during a primary.
Party faithful should make the decision.
After all, that person will be representing them moving into the General Election.
And you know better than anyone who represents your party’s vision — and if those values will be central to how they will govern or run an office.
2026 PRIMARY PREVIEW
After all, after the primary, that’s when the battle really begins.
The final decision of who will sit in the seat — this time, at-large county commissioner, District Attorney, and Wayne County sheriff — will be made by the voters this November.
But this time, the decision in the primary matters — a lot.
The good news is that there are some exceptional choices on the ballot.
And as we share their final comments to you, we hope you will think not just about what each candidate has to offer on paper but whether they have what it takes to lead this community forward.
As we have said many times over the last few weeks — and months, really — the leaders you choose are critical to the future of this community.
We are at a crossroads — the kind that can set the course for success or failure — and we have seen over the last few years what can happen when you put the wrong people in the seat.
There really are no throw-away votes, and blind loyalty is a luxury we cannot afford.
Choices have to be made this time with a very specific set of criteria in mind.
And if there is a doubt, any doubt, about the candidate’s ability or questions about an incumbent’s leadership, well, there is a hard decision to make — the choice that is the right one for the community we all love. It is an important responsibility.
So, we have talked to those who are seeking your vote.
We asked the questions we thought needed to be asked.
But you will have to decide if the answers they gave are sincere and meet the needs of the very important call that they will have to answer.
And it will take some gumption and some integrity, and a whole lot of honesty about where we need to be, to meet that challenge.
Bottom line: We cannot afford someone who is willing to play the game or to sit silent when important decisions and hard choices have to be made.
No posers.
None.
We cannot have another round of leadership that is focused on maneuvering for deals, backdoor power plays, and saying what the community wants to hear or not saying anything at all.
So, we are sharing that thought — and the important responsibility every voter has when choosing with whom to entrust the decision-making for the county’s future.
Your vote matters.
Use it wisely.
But all that being said, there was something we could not let pass.
We felt we had to point out a discrepancy and to make sure you understand why it matters.
Two deputies, one who had been entrusted with the management of the Drug Unit, and the other running the office itself, faced serious charges and potential prison time.
One of them, by the way, is serving that time as you read this.
The accusations were serious and the testimony during the hearings — and when both men admitted to the crimes — was shocking.
If there is still a doubt, a feeling that just doesn't sit right, please cast that ballot carefully. It matters. It just does.
It is the right thing to do.
In the pages that follow, you will see an interview with current Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce.
He has been your top lawman for 12 years — since the premature passing of then-Sheriff Carey Winders.
He was a Democrat back then, and switched parties so he could be appointed to the post after Winders’ death.
And that shouldn’t matter — and maybe it doesn’t — but it is an important factor to consider in a Republican primary.
But that is not why we felt the need to write this today.
It is what he said about what has transpired in the Sheriff’s Office over the past few years that took us aback.
There has been a major scandal — one that shook the community — under Pierce’s watch.
And it raised questions — big ones — about the operation of the Sheriff’s Office.
How did this happen?
Who knew what when?
In our view, the way to deal with that kind of a shock is humility and accountability.
It required an answer that reflected the leadership failures that allowed that kind of malfeasance to get that bad.
It called for an understanding that respect is earned, and is not maintained without dealing with the tough stuff head on.
We needed an answer that reflected that understanding, that acknowledged the trust was lost and the community was dealing with the embarrassment of having our county’s top law enforcement organization in state headlines.
We did not get it.
We got what we have gotten since the news first broke.
Pierce is still saying the violations did not occur on his watch, that he has since repaired the cracks in a department with policies he has reworked over the last 12 years.
We beg to differ.
Don’t believe us?
Google the indictment.
Follow the timeline.
Read the testimony on NewOldNorth.com
See what the prosecutors said.
And also note that there have been several incidents over the last couple of months that have suggested that the accountability and responsibility message is not filtering down to the deputies — that there is a leadership vacuum inside the WCSO.
That is not what we need — not now when the choices we will make are so pivotal.
Pierce might be a good man — one who has served his community and has been a responsible and generous businessowner.
He might be a faithful man and someone who deserves credit for the contributions he has made.
And he has not been charged with any crime.
But he is the boss.
And if you are a boss, you know the buck stops right there.
So, Pierce might have been the right man for the job after we lost Carey Winders.
But his answer to the question we asked him, well, that shows that he still doesn’t get it.
And that is exactly the question we want you to think about as you decide whom you want to lead this county’s law enforcement operations.
It is not just about a letter after a name — or a loyalty to a man many of us have known for decades.
It is about what is right for this community. It is one of those hard decisions — the type we hate to make but know we must. Wayne County has never shied away from tough moments.
And neither have its Republicans.
So, all we ask is that you think about that before you cast your ballot.
And if you do, and you decide that vote of confidence in Pierce has been earned, well, you will have made the choice you think is best.
But if there is a doubt, a feeling that just doesn’t sit right, please cast that ballot carefully.
It matters. It just does. n
He insists he still has work to do — from helping his office earn accreditation and refining policies and procedures to leading law enforcement officers as they attempt to intervene before young people choose a life of crime.
And for that reason — and because he loves his community — Sheriff Larry Pierce is asking voters to trust him one more time.
That is why the incumbent Republican who has served in the post for 12 years — since he was appointed after the sudden death of longtime Sheriff Carey Winders — decided to run for re-election.
His job, Pierce said, remains undone.
Chief among that work, the sheriff said, is seeking North Carolina accreditation for his department.
And that achievement, he added, takes a great deal of work and preparation — roughly three years to get the policies in place and to audit and to improve procedures to meet the scrutiny of the accreditation standard.
Pierce said he hopes to be ready for the final application within the next year.
Other initiatives matter to him, too — like seeking grants to fund programs targeting juvenile intervention and other efforts to prevent crime.
It is a vision he said he has had since he first put on a uniform.
Pierce was sworn in as a deputy in 1982, and ran for sheriff once, in 1994, as a Democrat — losing to Winders, who later appointed him as a special deputy.
When Winders passed in 2014, Pierce said he switched parties to be appointed to the post.
Over the years, he has seen criminal activity levels shift, adding that there are many dangers his deputies see — and face — as they do the work of keeping the county safe.
One area of particular concern is the safety of the community’s children, as during his career, Pierce said more and more young people seem to be facing degrading home lives, leaving them as easy targets for gangs and drugs.
“They don’t have a good, strong home base,” the sheriff said.
But that is not his only concern. The county has also seen an increase in car
Wayne County Sheriff
LARRY PIERCE
break-ins and gang activity.
And more and more youths — some as young as 11 — are carrying guns.
All of that suggests, Pierce said, that intervening and creating relationships with young people is critical.
But in order to lead effectively, the sheriff knows that the confidence of the community matters.
So, he addressed questions about the management of his department — and recent headlines that have thrust the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office into the spotlight.
after pleading guilty to his involvement in a bid-rigging scheme that directed WCSO contracts to Cox’s company, bypassing the requirements for the bidding process.
Pierce said those incidents stemmed from carry-over issues that started under Winders’ administration and that the violations manifested after he took over — that he simply transferred some of Winders’ key lieutenants into positions of authority, and that he has been, and is actively working to, clean up some of the policies and procedures that were in place when he took over.
“I love Wayne County. My thing is to be the best sheriff I can for all the people.”
- Larry Pierce
And when asked to speak specifically about the arrest and conviction of his former Drug Unit chief and second-in-command, he said some of the allegations made by the federal government “had not been proven.”
But that former Drug Unit Chief, Mike Cox, is currently serving a 74-month federal prison sentence for admitting to engaging in crimes with known drug traffickers.
And Pierce’s then-second-in-command, former Maj. Chris Worth, also faced penalties
Pierce, though, told Wayne Week he did not know about the malfeasance, and that he has taken steps to address concerns that were uncovered during the investigation, including mishandling of evidence including drugs and guns.
He said he was in the process of reviewing those procedures and “changing people” in the leadership team when the charges, which involved incidents that, according to the indictment timeline, all unfolded under his watch, were levied against Cox and Worth.
And those changes, he added, are ongoing.
“You can’t change it until you know it,” he said.
Pierce has also
faced scrutiny over the last couple of months after hiring a deputy who was involved in an animal abuse case in Wake County, and an incident involving the assault of a handcuffed inmate by a deputy at the Wayne County Jail — a confrontation that was reported by four members of the Goldsboro Police Department who witnessed the incident.
But the sheriff said that he has been actively reviewing how business is conducted on both the enforcement side and at the detention center, which he characterized as a very difficult job.
Pierce said that while there have been challenges during his administration, that most of the men and women who serve in the Sheriff’s Office take on a tough job and do it with class and integrity.
He said the department has created new processes, also, for evaluating complaints and dealing with potential violations by deputies and Sheriff’s Office personnel.
And if there is a serious infraction, Pierce said, he has no problem referring a case to state or federal authorities.
“If it is a criminal matter, we call in the FBI,” he said.
Pierce said he knows that there are comments being made about the sheriff’s office and his administration, and they are not always easy to hear.
“We have made so many accomplishments over the last 12 years,” he said.
Among those achievements, he said, is the construction of the detention center, a project that he said former Sheriff Winders was not able to make happen when he served.
That project, which cleared up problems with available jail space, he added, saved the county money, preventing the need for prisoners to be dispatched out to rented space elsewhere.
And Pierce said the office also has been very diligent about reviewing policies and getting more and better equipment such as body cameras and updated weaponry for the deputies and attracting — and keeping — quality enforcement and detention personnel.
Pierce also stressed that he feels communication with the community — about the good and the bad — is important, but added that he will never join in on or refute commentary online.
“People put things out there (on social media) that just are not true,” he said.
The sheriff said he prefers a more direct approach.
“I don’t do much on social media,” he said. “I don’t like to reply on social media. I like to meet face to face (or on the telephone).”
Because he believes that doing it that way allows him to live up to his goal — the same one he has had since he first took the job 12 years ago.
“I love Wayne County,” he said. “My thing is to be the best sheriff I can for al l the people.”n
For Ricky Hooks, running for Wayne County sheriff is not about looking for something to do.
“I don’t need this job,” the retired state highway patrolman said. “I want this job.”
And not because he has political aspirations or wants or needs the attention either.
Hooks said the people of Wayne County deserve better from their Sheriff’s Office, and he knows he can provide the expertise and experience to achieve it.
He said he has seen firsthand how the organization has been run.
“I did not like what I saw,” he said. “They are broken from the inside.”
What’s missing?
Accountability, structure, and organizational consistency, Hooks said.
Without all three, it is no wonder that there have been leadership questions, a high-profile scandal involving high-ranking deputies, and doubts about trust and professionalism.
It is a lesson that Hooks learned through his work not just as he worked his way up the ranks of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, but later as he modeled for his troopers as their commander, a position that put him in charge of 14 counties and 270 personnel.
He knows what it takes to lead, and after retiring in 2021, is ready to apply those standards of accountability and professionalism again.
He understands just how big a responsibility it is.
And he and his family did not make the decision lightly.
Doing it right, he said, means committing to excellence.
“I want to be the people’s sheriff,” Hooks said.
And that means leading from the front.
“You are not just going to see me every four years,” he said. “I am going to be out and about.”
And in the office itself, Hooks said he will not only insist on a standard of excellence, but will enlist the help of his leadership team to set the example.
And when deputies and personnel know what is expected, he said they have the support and tools to succeed.
“You don’t have to be a micromanager,” Hooks said. “But you have to be engaged.
Wayne County Sheriff
RICKY HOOKS
I always knew what was going on. And if I didn’t, someone answered for that.”
Rules, procedures, and a clear direction contribute to building not only a place where deputies feel comfortable and protected, but also creates an organization that serves the people.
And that means understanding the lay of the land, Hooks said.
His approach as sheriff would be data driven.
Knowing where the crimes hit and what the biggest concerns are allows for planning that doesn’t just result in arrests, but also in prevention.
And that includes knowing what areas of the community need the most attention and where resources are best used.
Drugs, illegal guns in the wrong hands, and gang activity are key components in crime in Wayne County — and knowing that and making sure there are special teams ready to address stopping criminals before they strike and keeping neighborhoods safe is part of the job.
And along with that goes other factors, Hooks said.
And one key factor in crime prevention is starting young.
Hooks spent years as a school resource officer in Rosewood, working with young people to help them understand how to stay out of trouble and how to find paths away from the pitfalls that could land them in prison or worse.
“The core of the agency is shattered. It's time for a fresh restart.”
- Ricky Hooks
From addressing mental illness and physical disability to advanced training on crime prevention, Hooks said he wants to give his deputies the tools they need to serve and protect efficiently and responsibly.
“It is not just about enforcement,” he said.
“It is one of the most gratifying positions I have ever held,” he said. “I still have relationships with former students and their families today.”
So, as sheriff, he would put a priority on finding the right personnel to take on the SRO roles to “mentor and to help shape the future of children.”
If even one of them can be saved from making a disastrous choice, he said, the effort will be worth it.
And while Hooks said he understands just how hard it is to be a law enforcement officer, he added that a high expectation of professionalism is an absolute must.
So, his message to his deputies will be to treat their community — offenders and citizens — as they would want to be treated.
But the expectations he has for the men and women who work with him will be the same standards they can expect from him, Hooks said.
And that begins with being able to trust that there is structure and organizational consistency in their workplace.
“Law enforcement officers have a difficult job,” he said. “They should have a stable work environment.”
Hooks said there are good people in the Sheriff’s Office whose mission really is service to their community.
“It is a calling,” he said. “People don’t get into law enforcement to get wealthy. It is a calling to serve people.”
And keeping personnel or attracting new ones — whether it is on the enforcement of the detention side — requires creating a workplace that meets their needs and that has clear expectations and roadmaps for success and training.
“You have to hold everyone accountable,” he said. “And if they see an agency where people are happy and know the rules, and where they are applied equally and fairly, they come and they stay.”
Hooks emphasized that the procedures and policies he learned while at the NCSHP — a strict structure that holds leadership and personnel to the highest standard — has taught him how to model success for those who work with him.
“I am the only candidate that has chosen law enforcement as my full-time job, and who worked my way through a structured rank process,” he said.
The expertise he would bring to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office comes from those experiences.
“It is not something you can read from a book,” Hooks said. “I understand what the men and women who carry a badge go through.”
So, for Hooks, it’s time for them, and the county, to get the kind of sheriff and sheriff’s office they deserve — one focused on keeping its community and its citizens safe.
It is a promise that he is committed to and a standard he says he will provide without exception and without excuse.
Accountability, he says, includes being there to answer questions when he can and to take responsibility for the department he has been entrusted with.
It is how, he said, you earn a community’s trust.
And that change, he said, is a must.
“The core of the agency is shattered,” Hooks said. “It is time for a fresh restart. I am dedicated to bringing that level of professionalism to the office and to serve my community.” n
Stevie Howell is no stranger to hard work. Now, as an independent insurance adjuster, he has to balance availability and responsibilities with being there for his family.
So, that means his days start early and often stretch late into the evening.
“I have always had a lot of energy,” he said. It is not an easy balance, he says, but is one that has created a work ethic that has allowed him to find the resources and the umph to seek another important role, Wayne County sheriff.
Howell is no stranger to law enforcement — or to community service.
In fact, before he got into insurance adjusting, he spent 12 years as a road deputy for the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of the late Sheriff Carey Winders.
And he learned some things — important stuff — he thinks will help him lead a department that will be able to keep his community safer and bring back some of the standards and structure that he says made those days as a deputy so special.
You see, Howell thinks that not enough attention is being paid to the people who are actually out in the county doing the calls and handling the tasks on the road.
While those in leadership positions or who are tasked with special duties like drug or gang enforcement have critical contributions to share in stopping criminal activity, Howell said those men and women on the road who have direct contact with the community notice things — and can provide important insights into not only enforcement, but prevention.
But that’s not why he decided to run for the Republican nomination for Wayne County sheriff. That happened more than a few years back.
After he heard of the problems in the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Howell heard a rumor that incumbent Sheriff Larry Pierce was not going to run again.
So, he sent out some feelers — asking people he knew in the community how they would feel about him running for the job.
The reaction, he said, was encouraging.
But when he heard Pierce was running, he thought he might wait a bit.
Then, he heard about another candidate, Ricky Hooks, getting into the race and he checked again.
The reaction was still positive, so he decided to run.
Wayne County Sheriff
STEVIE HOWELL
Howell is financing his own campaign — and despite rumors to the contrary, he says he is not connected to Pierce or financed by him as a foil to swing the race.
Howell said the initial deposits in his account came through cashier’s checks, a way to transfer money quickly into his campaign account.
He said he has received some money from other sources, signed checks, but most of the funds he is using to mount his campaign came from his own account.
And he also denies that he and Pierce are neighbors at a lake property, saying the property in question is owned by his brother, and that his own land is simply an undeveloped plot.
“I did not know the sheriff or that he lived there until a little while ago,” Howell said.
It is important to Howell for the community to know that this is no political scheme.
He just wants to offer some expertise and insight he thinks would make the sheriff’s office better serve his community.
And what he tells the people he meets at festivals, pig roasts, and around the community, is that he wants to be the kind of sheriff that treats people with respect and who stands up for the men and women who serve with him.
“You treat everyone the way you would want to be treated,” he said. “That is how we did it.”
“You treat everyone the way you would want to be treated.”
- Stevie Howell
But he admits that holding down a fulltime job and running for office is stressful.
The days are long and he said he tries to spend as much time as he can meeting and talking to members of the community he hopes to serve.
“I have never run for office,” he said.
Howell said his time as a deputy was a job he loved — and, he added, the men and women he worked with loved it, too.
“We had pride in what we did and very little money,” he said. “We were there for each other.”
That’s not what he sees when he looks at the current sheriff’s administration.
“A lot of that has been lost over the years,” he said.
He cites a lack of clear rules that put constraints on those who have to do those hard jobs and no confidence that if there is a mistake that there will be someone to stand by them.
Deputies, he says, hesitate because they are worried they will lose their jobs and that management will not stand by them.
And that makes
everyone less safe, Howell said.
It is, in his view, why so many law enforcement personnel move on.
That’s not what it was like when he was a deputy, Howell said.
“We were glad to be there,” he said.
“There was never a time when we did not feel
like (the sheriff had our backs).”
Howell said an efficient Sheriff’s Office has to take into consideration that deputies will make mistakes, but also that complaints that come in are not always true pictures of what occurs.
Going after those who violate their oaths — through serious violations like those that have been recently reported — is critical to keeping a department honest, Howell said. But knowing when to back a deputy is just as important.
Howell said the best kind of organization — and the one he would lead if he is chosen to run for the seat — will be one that listens to the men and women with the badges and the community they serve.
Knowing where the hot spots are for drugs and other criminal activity allows resources to be used more efficiently, and training officers on what to look for makes enforcement more efficient, Howell said.
And when a department is not functioning properly, well that hurts not only the safety of the community, but taxpayers’ pocketbooks as well.
“Bad management gets expensive,” Howell said. So, he said he will strike a balance of fiscal responsibility while advocating for the resources he needs to create an efficient and effective organization.
Accountability and transparency — communicating with the community, during good times and bad, and answering questions and being accessible — are how trust is built, Howell said.
And those are qualities he said would be keystones of his operation as county sheriff.
Add in training opportunities and working with young people through school resource officers and other outreach programs, and you have a department that is focused on preventing the crime that has claimed too many innocent lives over the years.
“People need to realize that keeping kids off drugs is much easier than getting them off drugs,” Howell said.
Addressing issues like gun violence and other criminal activity is how to create a plan to make the community safer.
It is a goal that Howell says he knows will take a lot of time and energy, and hard work. But it is a challenge, he said, he is more than ready to accept.
“I want to serve my community,” he said. n
JWayne County D.A. JEFF CANNON
eff Cannon has always known what he wanted to be when he grew up.
And that job centered on the law.
“I just knew it was what I was supposed to do,” he said. “Working with victims is what I wanted to do.”
And now, at 43, as he seeks the Republican nomination to run for District Attorney, he looks back at a law career that has been spent seeking justice for victims and their families.
After law school, Cannon spent his early career with the Department of Insurance, investigating criminal cases.
And getting to the truth and holding those who sought to defraud accountable meant attention to detail, organization, and being diligent about getting answers.
“My Christian faith drives me,” he said. “I try to do the right thing by everyone.”
For Cannon, it is not just about holding someone accountable when a crime is committed. It is about holding the right person accountable and remembering the effect prolonged trials can have on families and victims.
“This is not a steppingstone for me. I plan on being here in this district until I retire.”
It was through that work that he met current District Attorney Matthew Delbridge, who would later call him when there was an opening in his office.
- Jeff Cannon
Cannon took the job and was assigned the task of cleaning up the caseload in Lenoir County, which had become hopelessly backlogged.
Cannon cleared nearly 2,600 cases — maintaining offices in both Wayne and Lenoir counties.
It was not an easy task, he said, but an important one.
Criminal cases, he added, are not like fine wine. They do not get better the longer they wait.
And through his years of working with victims and their families, Cannon knows just how important it is to them to get justice.
“When you meet with a victim and you talk to them, you can see how much they are going through,” he said. “You want to do all you can for them.”
And helping those who are left behind or those who have been wronged find peace is a calling, Cannon said.
Sometimes, he doesn’t have the perfect answer for a victim.
The public trial they seek might not be the best choice.
So, Cannon prioritizes open communication with victims and families as they navigate the justice system.
And because he takes his job so seriously, he acknowledges the realities of a District Attorney’s Office that spans three counties and deals in thousands of cases each year.
Not every case will end up in front of a jury.
In fact, about 97 percent end in some sort of plea.
Many factors — the strength of the case, stress on the victim, evidence, not to mention other mechanics like the search and arrest — are part of the decision process.
In the end, it is about justice, and fighting for the people he has dedicated his career to serving.
Cannon said there will be times when he cannot comment on a case, or explain why a decision was made to prosecute or not to prosecute, but he feels openness and being present and accountable to the people who elected him are key to building trust and confidence in the DA’s office.
“I lead from the front,” he said.
And he knows that the job he is taking on will be 24/7, and his family — including his wife, Jessi, and his son — understand the responsibilities and support his quest to take on the new challenge.
And they know he is in it for the long haul. “This is not a steppingstone for me,” Cannon said. “I plan on being here in this district until I retire.” n
Wayne County D.A.
MIKE MUSKUS
After serving for more than 25 years as a prosecutor, Mike Muskus has seen it all.
He started by handling domestic violence cases, and saw firsthand the horror the victims go through not only from the attack itself, but from the aftermath.
“I have seen what folks will do to each other in a family setting,” he said.
It made an impression on him about victims, about justice, and why the job he was doing was so important.
It is an awareness and a responsibility he has taken with him through other assignments and years of courtroom work.
And now, he is taking the next step — to serve the residents of Wayne, Lenoir, and Greene counties as their district attorney.
The first step, he said, is earning a place on the ballot.
Muskus comes by his prosecutorial interest honestly.
“I don’t want to put a sloppy case in front of a jury,” he said.
He knows that being district attorney requires setting an example — and he is more than ready for that role.
“You are dealing with a person's freedom. You have to get it right.”
- Mike Muskus
His father, Eugene’s, work in the field is what inspired his son to follow in his footsteps, even assisting him during breaks from college and law school.
And those experiences taught Muskus that there is more to being a successful prosecutor than just a great courtroom presence.
The case has to be there, too.
So, over the years, he has worked with law enforcement officers, colleagues, and others to hone his and their craft — to make sure the pieces are in place to achieve the justice he says crime victims and their families deserve.
It is a standard that he says is critical, and one that he will insist on if he is chosen to serve as district attorney.
“We have great law enforcement officers, first responders, and fire investigators,” he said. ‘We have to be on the same page.”
And getting the procedures and policies in place allows for that justice victims deserve.
“I have always been a leader,” he said.
There will be tough decisions to make, Muskus said, times when the best move is not to go to trial, but to work out a plea agreement.
Not every case is suited for a jury and not every victim is best served by a court appearance, he said.
But knowing when to go full bore and when to go an alternative route, that is how an office that covers three counties and has an enormous caseload can make sure justice is swift and fair.
It is a responsibility that Muskus takes very seriously. It goes back to remembering the victims, and doing what is best for them and their families.
So, Muskus says he will be open to communication with those who elected him and will speak as much as he can, when he can, about decisions, about justice, and about the work he and his fellow attorneys are doing to make sure Wayne, Lenoir and Greene residents are served with integrity and responsibility.
“People need to know that the system is working for them,” he said.
But getting a conviction is not the only goal, Muskus added. Justice is about making sure that the person charged with the crime is the one who did the crime.
“You are dealing with a person’s freedom,” he said. “You have to get it right.”
So, while he and his wife, Meredith, and his family, know the job will not be easy, it is a commitment they are willing to make to do just that.
And he is certain voters will not be disappointed should they give him the chance.
“If the people of Wayne, Lenior and Greene counties hire me, they will not be disappointed,” he said. n
WAYNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER AT-LARGE
JENNIFER STRICKLAND KEVIN JOHNSON
Jennifer Strickland is not one to go along to get along.
As a former member of the Wayne County Board of Education, she has done battle on everything from distance learning and standards for school performance, to budgeting with taxpayers and facilities needs in mind.
She is not afraid to speak up — and now, she has set her sights on a seat on the Wayne County Board of Commissioners.
It is not a new goal, Strickland said.
She always intended to run for a seat on the commission, but held back out of respect for incumbents Wayne Aycock and Barbara Aycock.
But when Wayne Aycock passed last year, she decided it was time to move forward.
“Service to my community has always been a priority for me,” Strickland said.
That’s how Wayne County becomes a beacon for new investment and not an afterthought, she said.
Property taxes are one of the areas Strickland says needs the most attention, adding that unreasonable rates hurt Wayne County seniors and those who are trying to manage family budgets.
“Service to my community has always been a priority for me.”
- Jennifer Strickland
And she has ideas — lots of them — for moving Wayne County forward.
She said the county has potential that has not been realized — and challenges that will need to be overcome to get there.
And one of her first goals is sending a message about what a great place Wayne County is to live and to work.
The location allows those who want to be in reasonable distance to Raleigh and the beach the chance to live in an affordable community with lots of smalltown advantages.
And that is an asset that Wayne County needs to tout, Strickland said.
“We are a great place to live,” she said. She said that marketing campaign should target professionals — people who can come and start small businesses here like lawyers, accountants, and others, who are looking for a place to begin their lives and to raise families.
But to make the county even more attractive, property taxes have to be reasonable and regulations that discourage small business development have to be eliminated.
“It is just not sustainable,” she said.
But care must be taken, Strickland said, not to endanger the low-wealth funding that the county depends on.
“We want to grow at a steady rate,” she said. “But we will need some help from the state, maybe raising the low-wealth funding limit.”
It is the kind of conundrum the county will face as it continues to grow.
But finding the solution will take more than the usual empty words and “made-tobe-broken” promises.
And the first place to start is the county budget.
“We need to look at where we are wasting money across the county,” she said. “We need full transparency and the ability to communicate without getting angry. It is not personal. It is about what is best for the county.”
Having served on the school board, she knows that there is a need for more money for quality teachers and programs and for infrastructure repairs.
“Without a strong school district, the county cannot attract the investment it needs, but any spending has to be done responsibly,” Strickland said. “We have to give our kids the education they need and the jobs that will keep them here.”
So, she is prepared to speak her mind on the board — to learn and to listen, and to fight for what she sees as the best path forward.
That, in her view, is the way to get the job done.
“I am absolutely strong enough to stand up to the pressures that come my way,” Strickland said. “I will never be swayed for a vote. This is about doing what is best for the county, nothing else.” n
Kevin Johnson has been the man who looked after Wayne County’s farming and agribusiness community and its interests as part of the Cooperative Extension for years.
But he wants those who are considering him as a candidate for the at-large seat on the Wayne County Board of Commissioners to know that those years of work in agriculture have given him insights into county government and the business world as well.
He also has served for many years with the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and taken part in the Military Affairs Commission and other community efforts addressing the issues of small businesses and economic development.
And as a member of the Sunrise Kiwanis Club, Johnson has gotten to know not only his neighbors, but those who step up when they are needed.
It has given him perspective.
And that is dangerous for a community that doesn’t want to lose its farmland.
“We start losing what built our county,” he said. Johnson said it is a consideration that needs to be factored in as the county faces more economic development and residential growth. He wants to see the houses and the businesses, just not at the expense of the open land in Wayne County.
“I want to make sure Wayne County is a good place to raise kids.”
- Kevin Johnson
And now, Johnson has a new mission — to use that experience, those insights, and the lessons he has learned over the years to be part of planning his county’s future.
“I care about my county,” he said. “I want to make sure Wayne County is a good place to raise kids.”
Now, that goal is even more important to him, as he and his wife are expecting their first grandchild.
It changes the perspective – and the mission — Johnson said.
He sees the changes in agribusiness and the challenges farmers face.
And he knows that their interests and the $1.5 billion in investment they represent — which rivals that of the $1.2 billion generated by Seymour Johnson Air Force Base — are critical parts of the county’s future.
Most farmers, he said, do not farm fulltime, and they do not work their own land.
So, higher property taxes, massive development, and the pains that go along with growth are making it harder and harder to resist the temptation to sell.
And that starts with locating development closer to Wayne County’s urban areas and keeping property tax rates reasonable.
So, for him, protecting Seymour Johnson and the farmland/agribusiness community — smart growth, he calls it — go hand in hand.
“These two industries drive our county,” he said. “If we work at doing development and recruiting new industries around Goldsboro where we already have sewer capability, you can protect your farmland and get the jobs that we need.”
Education is also a priority. He knows that supporting the county schools as well as Wayne Community College is critical to the future.
And from affordable education options to workforce training programs, WCC is a critical component that needs to be supported and developed.
“We have a gem there,” he said.
But it was working with the Chamber’s Junior Chamber Board, seeing the possibilities for young people in Wayne County, that presented another reason he decided to get more involved.
He wants to see the potential of getting those young people to come back or to stay home because they have the chance to build lives and families here come to fruition.
“I want to be part of the solutions and visions for the future,” Johnson said.
Wayne County is a special place, he added, with the potential to become even stronger and economically successful.
The key will be remembering not only where we came from, but planning carefully for where we are going, Johnson said.
“People care,” he said. “They want to see their neighbors succeed and they are there for them if they need them.” n
Federal
NEWS + VIEWS
FBI investigating Wayne County deputy
agents requested “to dump” the cellular phone of the lawman — a man who was “immediately” placed on administrative leave — after it was discovered that he is related to two men who were recently arrested by the State Bureau of Investigation for allegedly trafficking cocaine.
BY KEN FINE
The Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant for the contents of a Wayne County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s cellular phone after two members of the local lawman’s family were arrested by the State Bureau of Investigation on drug trafficking charges.
But while he confirmed that the FBI “requested to dump the deputy’s phone to determine if there was any information pertinent to their case,” Sheriff Larry Pierce told Wayne Week the WCSO is “not under investigation.”
And he added that the deputy was put on administrative leave “immediately.”
“Out of abundance of caution, I immediately placed the deputy on administrative leave until the inquiry has been completed,” Pierce said.
The SBI case came to the fore in late January when Christian Daniel Hernandez-Castaneda and Gonzalo Castaneda-Orozco were charged with trafficking in cocaine and conspiring to traffic in cocaine after, according to an arrest warrant obtained by Wayne Week, the men “conspired” to sell “200 grams or more” of cocaine to an undercover law enforcement agent.
And according to a state law enforcement official who requested anonymity in order to discuss details of the investigation, the WCSO deputy currently on leave is CastanedaOrozco’s brother.
But that relationship — and the deputy’s more distant relationship to HernandezCastaneda — is not the only connection between the case and the Sheriff’s Office.
In fact, the last time the FBI and the WCSO crossed paths, when former Drug Unit Chief Michael Cox and Maj. Christopher Worth were indicted in 2023 on federal drug trafficking and bid-rigging charges — both men ultimately pleaded guilty to those charges and Cox remains in federal prison as a result — Hernandez-Castaneda, without initially knowing it, appeared in the indictment.
The following is how:
On May 18, 2017, Cox texted, to a Goldsboro drug trafficker, a photograph of a man referred to as the “Peele Road Drug Dealer” which was obtained from CJ Leads, a secure database for use solely by law enforcement.
Less than a month later, Cox sent the man another text, the government claimed — a message that included a “pin drop” providing the “exact location” of what Cox allegedly
stated was “the man’s house.”
The drug trafficker responded that he was “going to pay em visit,” and, the following day, he allegedly texted Cox again to tell him he “went out there n scoped it out.”
Ten days later, a home invasion unfolded at the house on Peele Road that resulted in a Wayne County teenager and his sister left for dead in the trunk of a car.
That crime, according to federal prosectors, was orchestrated by Cox.
And when one of the victims — who was, at the time of the home invasion, 14 years old — saw a screenshot of a September 2023 Wayne Week article six years later that covered one of Cox’s pre-trial hearings, he realized that the July 2017 home invasion prosecutors were talking about was the same one that resulted in him and his sister nearly being killed.
That young man was Christian HernandezCastaneda.
Back then, before Cox pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 74 months in federal prison, he spoke to Wayne Week about the incident and its aftermath.
“I wish this would just go away — all this pain — but now, I can’t avoid it, you know? Before, not knowing who did it, in a weird way, it made it easier. Like, maybe it was random or something and they had the wrong house,” he said. “But now, every time I look at (a WCSO deputy), it’s like, ‘One of you did this to me and my family. I was just a little kid. My sister was only 19. How could you do this?’ I feel like I have to look over my shoulder everywhere I go.”
To understand what Christian said had been haunting him since that home invasion on Peele Road, he painted a picture of what happened that night.
He was playing video games in his living room while his sister was cooking a meal in the kitchen.
He had a headset on.
But then he started feeling “vibrations.”
“You know how in older houses you can feel the vibrations when people are walking?” Christian said. “Well, it felt like it was more than one person. Then, it felt like somebody was running through the house.”
Worried about his sister, he took off his
headphones and jumped out of his chair.
“That’s when I heard my sister screaming,” he said.
Christian started running toward the hallway, but froze when one of the two men who was “on my sister” pointed a gun at his chest.
“He said, ‘Freeze. Don’t move,’” Christian said. “That’s when they took us in the kitchen and duct taped us.”
Their hands now bound behind their backs, the brother and sister were dragged to the living room.
At that point, a third intruder emerged.
“They were screaming, ‘Where’s the money at? Where’s the money at? Where’s the drugs?’” Christian said. “We kept telling them we had no idea what they were talking about.”
But his sister had access to the family’s savings — not even $1,000 — and gave it to the men.
“They got mad,” Christian said. “They said, ‘That ain’t what we’re looking for. Don’t play with us.’”
And then, “boom.”
“They pistol-whipped her,” Christian said. “She’s screaming. She’s bleeding. Boom. They pistol-whipped her again.”
Moments later, they dragged her to the kitchen and slammed her head into an active burner on the stove — leaving a “massive” wound that exposed her skull.
“I thought she was gonna die, but I’m only 14 years old. I’m telling them, ‘We don’t know what’s going on,’” Christian said. “Bam. They pistol-whipped me.”
The violence would continue for nearly a half-hour.
“They kept hitting me with the gun and at one point, they hit me in the face and I had blood spraying out of my nose,” Christian said. “I was on my knees and when they hit me that last time, I fell. I tried to open my eyes, but I was real dizzy.”
That’s when the teenage boy blacked out — regaining consciousness only as two of the men dragged him outside and threw him into the trunk of a car before, not even a minute later, “stuffing” his sister next to him.
“They shut us in there, but I could hear them talking. One of the guys got mad because they didn’t find nothin’ and said, ‘(Expletive) this. They got to die,’” Christian said. “They were about to come kill me and my sister.”
Continued 0n page 16
Christian Hernandez-Castaneda
PHOTO BY CASEY MOZINGO
Stl YOUR Conservatve Voice !
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.
Continued from page 14
Luckily, another of the three talked him out of it, saying, ‘Don’t make it worse. Let’s go. Let’s just go.’”
And when they finally left, Christian pulled the emergency latch inside the trunk and he and his sister drove to their aunt’s house.
911 was called, but as they waited for first responders, the brother feared his sister would die before help arrived.
“There was blood everywhere. My sister, I think she was getting ready to bleed out. Her whole head, it was just covered in blood,” Christian said. “And I was drenched in blood. The police, they kept asking us, ‘Did somebody die? Did somebody die?’ They found so much blood.”
Christian had a severe concussion and a fractured jaw.
“My head was (expletive deleted) up, so I basically dropped out of school right after it happened,” he said. “It was so hard for me to pay attention. I would look at the board and the teacher is teaching and I am just zoning off thinking about that other stuff.”
And he said he lived in fear of going home — so much so that he “started roaming the streets.”
Not long after his story was published in Wayne Week, Christian and his attorney said he had been offered a cash settlement in exchange for his vow to not file a lawsuit against the WCSO or the county it operates in — one the young man ultimately accepted. (The county government has never disputed that a settlement was paid.)
KEVIN JOHNSON
COMMISSIONER AT-L ARGE
Kevin Johnson is a Wayne County conser vative leader committed to protecting agriculture, suppor ting militar y families, and ensuring responsible use of taxpayer dollars through practical, results-driven leadership.
His sister, who was in much worse shape, was treated and, like her brother, ultimately recovered physically.
Shortly after, Christian dropped out of Eastern Wayne High School.
CITY OF GOLDSBORO — ADVERTISEMENT TO BIDDERS
BID: FB 2026-002, WTP FACILITY REPAIRS
Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute, bids will be received by the City of Goldsboro, North Carolina until 2:00 pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at City Hall, 200 North Center Street, PO Drawer A, Goldsboro, NC 27530. Bids shall be enclosed in a sealed envelope and clearly marked on the outside of the envelope, “Bid Documents: FB 2026002 WTP Facility Repairs Project.” Bids may be delivered by parcel service, U.S. Mail delivery or presented in person to the above address. It is fully the Bidders responsibility to ensure their bid arrives before the bid deadline.
Each proposal must be accompanied by a certified check, drawn on a bank or trust company authorized to do business in North Carolina, payable to the City of Goldsboro, in an
It remains unclear whether federal investigators have made the connection between Hernandez-Castaneda and Cox — or whether the young man’s previous connection to the FBI’s 2023 investigation into the WCSO relates to his recent arrest or the bureau’s current probe of his relative.n
NOTICES
amount to at least equal five percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that a contract will be entered into and that a satisfactory performance bond will be executed. In lieu of a certified check, the bidder may submit a bid bond in the form prescribed by G. S. 143-129 as amended by Chapter 1104 of the Public Laws of 1951. Contractors are notified that Legislative Acts relating to licensing of contractors will be observed in receiving bids and awarding the contract.
A pre-bid conference shall be held at 2:00PM on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the project location of 1201 Jordan Blvd, Goldsboro, NC 27530. Bid package instructions and specifications will be reviewed with attendees and a tour of the project area will be provided.
The Scope of Work will be on file in the office of the Finance Department, Goldsboro, North Carolina and on
Notices continued 0n page 22
the City of Goldsboro website http://www.goldsboronc. gov/finance/bid-listings/.
The right is reserved to reject any or all bids, to add or delete work, to waive informalities, and to award a contract which, in the opinion of the City, appears to be in its best interest. The right is reserved to hold any or all proposals for a period of sixty (60) days from the opening thereof.
The City of Goldsboro has an affirmative policy of fostering, promoting and conducting business with women and minority owned enterprises. Women and minority contractors are encouraged to participate in the pre-qualification process.
This the 1st day of March, 2026.
Catherine Gwynn Finance Director
Published March 1, 2026
9 1 9 - 2 9 9 - 4 0 5 8
I V
SPORTS + REC
EAGLES 'LET IT FLY'
Khiry Reese became a back-to-back state champion, but she was not the only Rosewood High School wrestler to win a title.
BY AVIEL SMOLKA
Khiry Reese is not used to being stressed before she wrestles.
So, she was in unfamiliar territory as she prepared to step onto the mat for a shot at a second consecutive North Carolina High School Athletic Association state title.
“I was really nervous,” she said. “I wrestled the same girl in the state finals like five times. That kind of gave me a little bit of PTSD coming into this one because that was our third time wrestling, so we kind of learned each other’s style and stuff.”
But before the match began, she went over to her coaches.
They reminded her to trust herself.
And then, the Eagle “kind of let it fly.”
Less than 10 minutes later, she would become a back-to-back state champion.
“It feels great,” Khiry said after winning her second straight title. “I got loose and just wrestled.”
Khiry is no stranger to seeing her name in the storied Rosewood High School wrestling program’s history books.
Last year, she and Sophia Marshall became the school’s first females to win state wrestling championships.
Now, she stands alone as the first female wrestler to successfully defend a title.
And while last year’s feat added to the pressure she felt coming into the 202526 season, Khiry said the rewards this go-round have been that much sweeter because she has earned them as a member of Rosewood’s legendary program — and
because her father was a member of the Eagles’ first wrestling team.
“Wrestling makes me feel good, and I just love rolling around,” she said. “I didn’t even realize how much work I was putting in until I, like, started seeing results, but it just feels really great.”
Khiry was not the only Eagle who soared at the state meet.
SPORTS + REC SPONSORED BY :
In fact, not long before she took to the mat, Jameson McCoy won her first state title in thrilling fashion.
Down 11-1 late in the third round against Manteo’s Gabriella Aguirre Gomez, Jameson needed to pin her opponent to clinch a victory.
And when, suddenly, Aguirre Gomez made a wrong move, Jameson met the moment — flipping her over and pinning her to become a champion.
“I’m just really happy because I’ve come a really long way, and I’m blessed to be where I am,” Jameson said. “I don’t really think much during my matches, but I was just waiting because when I saw her start to get gassed, that’s when I knew I had my chance.”
Her emotions were on full display after she pinned her opponent.
First, she embraced her coaches — even before the referee could raise her hand in victory.
Then, after her win was made official, she jumped up onto the railing to hug her parents — a moment that was particularly special because wrestling has been a bonding
PHOTOS BY AVIEL SMOLKA
experience between her and her father, a man she does not see as much as she would like because of his military service.
“Wrestling has really strengthened our bond,” Jameson said. “And I’m glad to be able to walk in his and my uncles’ footsteps because they were also both wrestlers.”
And during the parade of champions, tears fell from her eyes.
“I was so happy about it,” Jameson said. “It’s just a lot of hard work to get here.”
The young ladies, though, will have to share the spotlight with some of their male counterparts.
Aldinio Previl and Jaylin Darden joined Khiry and Jameson atop the podium.
Isaiah Mazura, Shane Mangroo, Nick Wade, and Josh Lemke were all state runners-up.
And both wrestling teams also won individual tournament runner-up trophies — capping off a banner year for a program that is no stranger to reaching the mountaintop.
Khiry said talent was part of Rosewood’s success, but it was the team’s chemistry that put the Eagles on a championship path.
It was the perfect blend, she said, of steady seniors and energetic underclassmen — a team without egos or singular stars.
They were, simply, just a united group with a shared dream.
That selfless spirit is why so many Eagles ended up standing on that podium.
And with all they had to endure to get there, every one of them felt like they had truly earned what they got.
“We’ve been working our butts off all season,” Khiry said. “We deserve it.” n
RRHS PUTS STATE ON NOTICE
Team victories show 'group effort' mantra was effective.
BY AVIEL SMOLKA
osewood knew it had the talent.
Now, the state of North Carolina does, too.
The Eagles left no doubt at East Wilkes High School during the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2A Dual Team Playoffs, capturing the program’s first dual team state championship since 2018 — and its third overall.
But longtime RHS coach Hal Kilpatrick said he doesn’t measure success in titles.
At least, not entirely.
“It’s just the kids putting in the work,” he said. “They were so deserving.”
Kilpatrick isn’t wrong.
On the road to their championship, the Eagles proved doubters wrong match after match, with standout performances and unwavering team spirit.
They overcame the loss of head coach Josh Gordon before the start of the season.
They were forced — wrestlers and coaches — to rally around one other.
“It was a group effort,” Kilpatrick said.
That showed when, as the season went along, the Eagles’ practices improved each night.
Then, wins started to rack up, too.
And that gave Rosewood a fighting chance to do something special — one they capitalized on at East Wilkes Feb. 17.
The Eagles took down American Leadership Academy 41-32 in the Regional
Semifinal and then faced South Stanly in the Regional Championship match.
“South Stanley had two excellent kids at 165 and 175, and I didn’t know how we would get through that, and it turned out that we won one by decision and lost one of them by decision,” Kilpatrick said. “That 175 match was huge because even though we lost, it was only a decision, and I thought then that we had a chance.”
After that, Rosewood went on a tear, winning multiple matches in a row to come back and defeat South Stanley 36-30 to advance to the State Championship against the home team.
And from the first title match, they dominated the Cardinals en route to a decisive 56-15 win that shocked even their coach.
“I felt that we matched up better with East Wilkes than we did against South Stanley, but I had no idea that we’d go on a roll like we did,” Kilpatrick said. “We had those upper weight guys that were, you know, the seniors, the leaders, and they came in and they were working hard from Day One.”
Perhaps no wrestlers embodied that leadership more than seniors Jaylin Darden and Nick Wade.
Both longtime wrestlers at Rosewood, Darden was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, while Wade carried on a family tradition, becoming one of three brothers who has suited up for the Eagles’ wrestling program.
Jaylin said he was honored to bring home top individual honors, but said it was the collective pride of celebrating not just his own victory, but also his team’s state title, that made the moment unforgettable.
“It was so electric,” he said. “Everybody was cheering for one another. I’m just glad that I got to be a part of this good run here at Rosewood. Yeah, it was an honor for the coaches to choose me to be the MVP, but it could have been anybody.”
For Nick, getting to join his older brother, Andrew, as a state champion is something that he’ll treasure forever.
And so will the ride back to Rosewood High School at 2 a.m. after winning the title.
Because as the team bus crossed back into Wayne County, it was met by fire trucks from the Rosewood Fire Department and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office deputies — a legion that escorted the Eagles the rest of the way home.
“The community support to me, that actually tickled me. I thought that you probably don’t see this everywhere,” Coach Richard Nobers said. “I kind of felt like it meant a lot to the community because of how
much support they’ve given us. It was noticeable, and I appreciated it, and I know the kids appreciated it, too.”
And they will savor the moments they spent with Kilpatrick, as he will soon step down to start a new journey in Florida.
Nobers said the coach will be more than missed, but he — and his wrestlers — are happy they got to be a part of sending him out on top as a champion once again. n
Aldinio Previl
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BARBARA JEAN CHANCE
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Barbara Jean Chance, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 8th day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 8th day of February, 2026.
Mark J. Hale, Jr., Administrator of the Estate of Barbara Jean Chance Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C.
Attorneys for Estate P.O. Box 916
Goldsboro, NC 27533-0916 (919) 735-7275
Published February 8, 2026, February 15, 2026, February 22, 2026, and March 1, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF EUGENE MILLER HEAD
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Eugene Miller Head, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 15th day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 15th day of February, 2026.
Kimberly Head Glass, Executor of the Estate of Eugene Miller Head c/o Mark J. Hale, Jr. Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale, P.C.
Attorneys for Estate P.O. Box 916
Goldsboro, NC 27533-0916 (919) 735-7275
Published February 15, 2026, February 22, 2026, March 1, 2026, and March 8, 2026
WAYNE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS — CALL FOR UPSET BIDS
The Wayne County Board of Education has proposed to accept an offer of fifty one thousand three hundred and twenty seven dollars and fifty four cents ($51,327.54) to purchase approximately 4.3 acres at the address of 105 Pender St., Fremont, North Carolina, 27830, and its adjoining lot, all of which are identified by the following PINs: 3605358293, 3605357258, 3605356361, 3605356129, 3605356104, 3605355088, 3605356099, 3605358049 and 3605348909 and approximately 4.2 acres at the address of 101 North Pine St., Fremont, North Carolina, 27830, identified by the following PIN: 3605441986, totaling 8.3 acres and hereinafter referred to as the “property” as identified in the Board’s December 1, 2025 resolution.
The property is being sold “as is” and on condition that the property shall not be used for a competing educational institution, and the deed shall contain a restrictive covenant preventing the use or sale of the property for any such purposes.
Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160A-269, the Board will accept upset bids for the next ten days, ending at 5:00 PM on March 2, 2026.
Any upset bid must increase the previous $51,327.54 offer by at least ten percent (10%) of the first one thousand dollars and five percent (5%) of the remainder. The bidder must deposit with the Board five percent (5%) of their total bid. Upset bids and the accompanying bid deposit certified check or money order must be delivered to the Wayne County Public Schools Finance Department.
This process shall continue until no further qualifying upset bids are received. Inquiries about the property may be directed to Dr. Gary Hales, WCPS Assistant Superintendent. The Board reserves the right to reject any offers.
Dr. Gary Hales Assistant Superintendent for Support Services Wayne County Public Schools 919-731-5900
Published February 22, 2026, and March 1, 2026
NOTICES
WAYNE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS —CALL FOR UPSET BIDS
The Wayne County Board of Education has proposed to accept an offer of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) to purchase approximately 0.46 acres at the address of 805 E. Holly St., Goldsboro, North Carolina, 27530, and identified by the following PIN: 3509375642, totaling 0.46 acres and hereinafter referred to as the “property” as identified in the Board’s February 3, 2025, resolution.
The property is being sold “as is” and on condition that the property shall not be used for a competing educational institution, and the deed shall contain a restrictive covenant preventing the use or sale of the property for any such purposes.
Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160A-269, the Board will accept upset bids for the next ten days, ending at 5:00 PM on February 27, 2026.
Any upset bid must increase the previous $2,000 offer by at least ten percent (10%) of the first one thousand dollars and five percent (5%) of the remainder. The bidder must deposit with the Board five percent (5%) of their total bid. Upset bids and the accompanying bid deposit check or money order must be delivered to the Wayne County Public Schools Finance Department.
This process shall continue until no further qualifying upset bids are received. Inquiries about the property may be directed to Dr. Gary Hales, WCPS Assistant Superintendent.
The Board reserves the right to reject any offers.
Dr. Gary Hales
Assistant Superintendent for Support Services
Wayne County Public Schools 919-731-5900
Published February 22, 2026, and March 1, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS— ESTATE OF JANE PRICE GARDNER NORTH CAROLINA WAYNE COUNTY
THE UNDERSIGNED, Donna Jill Price, having duly qualified as Executor of the Estate of Jane Price Gardner, 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 Donna Jill Price, Executor, at 103 Eagle Lane, Hampstead, NC 28443 on or before the 22nd day of May, 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.
DATED: February 22, 2026.
DONNA JILL PRICE EXECUTOR
ESTATE OF JANE PRICE GARDNER
W. CARROLL TURNER
ATTORNEY FOR THE ESTATE POST OFFICE BOX 547 MOUNT OLIVE, NC 28365
Published February 22, 2026, March 1, 2026, March 8, 2026, and March 15, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against William Everett Wise, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 22nd day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 22nd day of February, 2026.
Rena Gail Wise Johnson, Executor of the Estate of William Everett Wise 5417 U.S. Hwy 13 South Mount Olive, NC 28365
Published February 22, 2026, March 1, 2026, March 8, 2026, and March 15, 2026
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Albert Ray Jenkins, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 22nd day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 22nd day of February, 2026.
Daniel Clay Jenkins, Administrator of the Estate of Albert Ray Jenkins 103 East Lockhaven Apt. G Goldsboro, NC 27534
Published February 22, 2026, March 1, 2026, March 8, 2026, and March 15, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Hilda Jean Smith, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 1st day of June, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 1st day of March, 2026.
Walter Smith III, Executor of the Estate of Hilda Jean Smith 105 Raven Ridge Drive Goldsboro, NC 27530
Published March 1, 2026, March 8, 2026, March 15, 2026, and March 22, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Mabel Christine Frederick, a.k.a. Mable Christine Frederick, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 1st day of June, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 1st day of March, 2026.
Lori F. Collins, Executor of the Estate of Mabel Christine Frederick, a.k.a. Mable Christine Frederick, 787 3rd Street Ayden, NC 28513
Published March 1, 2026, March 8, 2026, March 15, 2026, and March 22, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Norman Elissimer Herring, Jr., deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 1st day of June, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 1st day of March, 2026.
Melissa Herring Burchell, Co-Executor of the Estate of Norman Elissimer Herring, Jr. 1250 Governors Blvd Heath, TX 75126
Published March 1, 2026, March 8, 2026, March 15, 2026, and March 22, 2026
