The additional $1.14 million Wayne County Manager Chip Crumpler has recommended giving to Wayne County Public Schools falls short of the district's ask, but does reflect a significant increase from 2024-25.
5 Property tax increases 101
The rates might have decreased, but Pikeville, Mount Olive, Goldsboro, and Wayne County are all eyeing property tax increases despite the county's recent revaluation.
6 Commissioners OK incentives
The Wayne County Board of Commissioners passed a $5.5 million incentives package for Prolec-GE Waukesha — and are prepping for another huge economic development announcement.
9 Council says 'yes' to Edgewood
Assuming Wayne County Public Schools is willing to agree to a clarification in the contract presented to members of the Goldsboro City Council Monday, the city's Parks and Recreation Department will soon move into the former Edgewood Community Developmental School.
11 T&T: 130,000 came to WOW
Travel and Tourism staff said an estimated 130,000 people converged on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base for the Wings Over Wayne air show — a crowd that likely spent millons of dollars across the community.
14 Never forgotten
Memorial Day means something to those of us who understand that without the sacrifices made by those who never made it home from conflicts across the world, freedom would just be another word.
COVER DESIGN BY SHAN STUMPF
NEWS + VIEWS
County budget would give extra $1.14 million to WCPS
The number falls short of the school district’s ask but does reflect a significant increase from 2024-25.
BY RENEE CAREY
Back in April, members of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, Wayne County Board of Education, and staff that report to both entities converged on the Maxwell Center to hear — and respond to — a budget presentation from Wayne County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Whichard.
He seemed to remind them of a similar event that unfolded a year prior, at which some commissioners vowed to provide more funding if the school district “showed results” by, for starters, getting off the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s “Low-Performing District” list. (WCPS did just that during Whichard’s first year at the helm.)
And he told them that he would be making a series of asks from the county government this year — requests that, for the most part, fell into three categories.
The first involved teacher retention and recruitment and would require an increase in supplements.
For a price tag of $1,377,516, WCPS could ensure that every classified employee received $300, certified staff got an additional $500, assistant principals would net $2,000 more than they are getting now, and principals would gain $3,500 a year, Whichard said.
The second was highlighted by his request for $700,000 to ensure every WCPS campus had its own school resource officer.
And the third included capital expenses — everything from chillers, bleachers, and windows to roofs, doors, and security upgrades — that Whichard characterized as needs, not wants.
But from the reaction he received from members of the county board, it was clear that when County Manager Chip Crumpler released his recommended 2025-26 budget, there was no way everything the superintendent asked for would be funded.
“Let’s be honest. There’s no way we’re going to be able to fund your needs. It’s just not, I’m sorry, it’s just not gonna happen,” Commissioner Joe Daughtery said at one point.
But he did seem to open the door for some additional funding from the county.
“I would like you all to go through and … prioritize your needs. What’s your number one thing?” Daughtery said. “You need to give us a list of priorities so that we can, as we’re going through our budget process, try to go after
I look forward to continued discussions with county leadership and individual members of the Board of Commissioners.
what your number one needs are.”
A few weeks later, Whichard presented his actual budget to the School Board — a document that revealed he had reduced his new funding ask of commissioners by more than 50 percent to $2,854,844.
So, while the $1.14 million in new funding for WCPS revealed in the spending plan Crumpler presented to the county board earlier this week reflects a significant increase from previous years, Whichard feels there are still discussions to be had before that budget becomes official. It is unclear just what the school district, should the county manager’s budget get the OK from commissioners, would use the additional money for, as the capital outlay line item remains at $2 million, a figure BOE member Chris West said at the April meeting needed to go up to, at the very least, account for inflation.
But Whichard said he was “still in the process of reviewing” the county’s proposed budget and that he and his staff are determining “what the actual line-item funding differences are between the Wayne County Board of Education’s approved budget and Mr. Crumpler’s recommendations.”
Still, even if it does, in fact, fall short of his request, the superintendent told Wayne Week that he is appreciative of “any efforts being made by the county leadership to increase funding for our school district to help address critical needs” — and vowed to continue conversations with county leaders before the plan is formally approved.
“I look forward to continued discussions with county leadership and individual members of the Board of Commissioners as part of my ongoing efforts to help reduce any potential funding differences between our two budgets and/or any general misunderstandings about school district funding and needs that may exist,” he said.
Because in his view, he and his team are doing their part to live up to his promise to make WCPS worthy of the funding they ask for.
“Wayne County Public Schools has proven itself, both through academic achievement and financial management, to be a district on the move,” he said. “Commissioners along with Wayne County citizens can feel confident and assured that our Board of Education’s budget and accompanying funding requests are lean, more than fair, and will fully maximize every local dollar received for the betterment of our schools and the students and communities being served.”
WHY THE $1.14 MILLION FALLS SHORT:
When Wayne County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Whichard delivered his budget asks to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, the following list is what he provided.
In his view, these were not simply "wants." They were "critical" needs.
But after that April meeting at the Maxwell Center, he trimmed his request by more than 50 percent, hoping that by doing so, he might be able to convince the board to agree to his more modest proposal.
PROJECTED LARGE PROJECT CAPITAL NEEDS
Chillers (Tommy’s Road Elementary School, Rosewood High School, Charles B. Aycock High School)
Window Replacement (Eastern Wayne Elementary, Eastern Wayne High School, Dillard Middle School, Greenwood Middle School, Rosewood High School)
Asphalt Paving/Sealcoat Projects (Rosewood High School, Southern Wayne High School)
Gym Roof Replacement (Grantham Elementary)
$600,000
$750,000
$700,000
PROPOSED 2025-26 TAX RATES: UNWRAPPED
The actual rates might be lower than they were in 2024-25, but Wayne County, Pikeville, Mount Olive, and Goldsboro officials have all recommended property tax increases for the upcoming fiscal year.
Here is why many local residents are confused:
The revaluation process increased the value of the vast majority of properties in Wayne County.
That means officials could actually lower their respective property tax rates and still bring in more revenue than they did before the value of homes and businesses went up.
So, each municipality — and the county government — published “revenue-neutral” tax rates. Those rates would have allowed the governments to bring in exactly the same amount of tax revenue in 2025-26 that they did in 2024-25.
But Wayne County, Pikeville, Mount Olive, and Goldsboro leaders are all eyeing tax rates that are higher than the revenue-neutral amount.
Hence, you would pay more in property taxes despite having a lower rate.
More detailed dives into budgets for the county, Pikeville, and Mount Olive are coming in a future edition of Wayne Week
The following are the revenue neutral tax rates for Wayne County, Pikeville, Mount Olive, and Goldsboro — and the recommended property tax rates for the 2025-26 fiscal year:
• Increase Assistant Principal Supplement by $2,000
• Increase Principal Supplement by $3,500
$125,000
$175,000
$7,820,000
WAYNE COUNTY GOLDSBORO MOUNT OLIVE PIKEVILLE
County approves incentives package for Prolec-GE
The $5.5 million in “performance-based” incentives helped Wayne County secure the company’s $140 million investment in a new Goldsboro facility.
BY RENEE CAREY AND KEN FINE
Wayne County nearly missed out on the biggest economic development deal in its history, but ultimately fought off competition from Mexico and Louisiana to secure a $140 million capital investment from Prolec-GE Waukesha — and 330 new jobs that will pay, on average, north of $70,000 a year.
That is the message Wayne County Development Alliance Existing Industry Director Julie Graham delivered to the Board of Commissioners Tuesday, moments before it approved a $5.5 million “performance-based” incentives package for the company.
NC Global Transpark President Mark Pope added that the potential deal came to the fore in December 2022 — and that until recently, he was unsure Prolec-GE would stick with Goldsboro.
“We almost lost it to a different state,” he said. “We really didn’t know until recently that we had won the project.”
But Graham, after board Chairwoman Barbara Aycock asked what set Wayne County apart, said the community’s proximity to North Carolina State University, East Carolina University, and being the home of Wayne Community College helped.
“Waukesha has a lot of engineering employees,” she said. “And we have a capable workforce here in Wayne County. That’s what we were pushing.”
Aycock smiled.
“That’s what I wanted to hear — that we were ready,” she said. “And we could compete.”
The announcement was delivered May 14 by Gov. Josh Stein, who noted that beyond the local impact, North Carolina would benefit as well.
“Economists predict that this will lift North Carolina’s economy by $1 billion over the next 12 years,” Stein said. “This company is going to make a huge difference in the quality of life of the people of Eastern North Carolina.”
Prolec-GE, with locations in the U.S., Mexico, and Brazil, is one of North America’s leading manufacturers of power transformers.
According to the company’s website, it has been “internationally recognized for quality manufacturing and reliable performance for over 50 years.”
Juan Garza, the chairman of the company and CEO of its parent company, said the Goldsboro facility expansion would allow the company to double its production by 2030 — a win for a nation he said was at a crossroads.
“The United States faces both a unique challenge and an opportunity — to modernize its power grid and make it more resilient, efficient, and ready for the future,” he said. “That’s where Prolec GE and this investment come in.”
And the facility, which he said would be “high tech and future ready,” will be a sprawling 144,000 square feet that will allow for “promise and possibility” both for Wayne County and a country that is moving toward a cleaner, more sustainable, form of energy.
“We’re living in a time of fast and profound change,” Garza said. “Around the world, we’re witnessing a shift toward cleaner energy, smarter technologies, and more sustainable practices.”
Pope, at the commissioners’ May 20 meeting, said the new facility — the company is currently interviewing potential contractors to build it — would be “state-of-the-art.”
And the jobs that will be housed there would, he added, include “a lot of computer-based IT jobs.”
That, Pope said — and the fact that Wayne County, thanks to the deal, will house hundreds of more energy sector workers — shows that the community is on the rise.
“The energy sector is very, very attractive right now,” he said. “So, it’s very important for us to be a part of that sector.
This community and this state and this region really should be proud to win a project like this.”
Commissioner Joe Daughtery tipped his hat to the teamwork he said it took to land such a significant deal.
“People don’t recognize what goes on behind the scenes on economic development,” he said. “These projects don’t just materialize overnight.”
Aycock agreed, and said she is already anticipating future economic development announcements.
“We’re ready for the next one,” she said. It looks as though she will not have to wait very long.
An email sent by Pope to local elected officials that was obtained by Wayne Week told
them to save the date for a “Wayne County Economic Development Announcement” scheduled for May 27.
According to several sources, it is believed to confirm an early May news report published by The Triangle Business Journal that said Pelsan Tekstil, a Turkish company that makes products for the medical and insulation fields, was about to announce a plan to invest more than $80 million in Goldsboro — a plan that would create more than 200 jobs.
The Business Journal, citing a number of confidential sources, said the company was planning on purchasing 32 acres in Goldsboro — and referenced an upcoming Board of Commissioners vote on “Project Istanbul.”
Complete coverage of the May 27 announcement, should it happen as scheduled, will appear in the June 1 edition of Wayne Week . n
A Waukesha transformer
Courtesy of Prolec-GE
2025 PROPERTY REVALUATION
Wayne County is conducting a property revaluation to ensure tax assessments reflect current market values, as required by North Carolina law.
Revaluation does NOT determine your tax bill. The Board of Commissioners will set the tax rate later. Property values are assessed fairly based on real market conditions.
is incorrect.
Council OKs Edgewood plan
Assuming Wayne County Public Schools agrees to allow for a “clarification” in the contract, Goldsboro’s Parks and Recreation Department will soon have a new home.
BY KEN FINE
Should Wayne County Public Schools agree to a “clarification” in the contract presented to the Goldsboro City Council Monday evening, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department will soon move into the former home of Edgewood Community Developmental School — a facility that has not been utilized since WCPS Superintendent Dr. Marc Whichard decided to shutter the campus and transfer its students to Eastern Wayne High School.
And City Manager Matthew Livingston said the decision would ultimately allow the council to provide a new recreation center to citizens without the $11 million-plus price tag that was floated to leaders a few years ago before the project died on the vine.
The contract, which the council unanimously approved on the condition WCPS was comfortable with clarifying language about big-ticket maintenance responsibilities, would be in effect for one year.
City Attorney Ron Lawrence said that time period would, effectively, serve as a trial period for the Parks and Recreation Department — to ensure the plan to move staff and programming to the facility could be executed the way the city envisions it would.
But Livingston said the long-term plan is to purchase the site from the school district.
“I would like to see us get ownership of that facility,” he said.
Parks and Recreation Director Felicia Brown agrees.
After the city closed the Herman Park Center in 2022 due to mold and other health concerns, her department was moved into “the little brick house next door” — a facility she said was ill-equipped to handle programming, from Senior Book Club and line dancing to the department’s popular pottery program and youth karate classes.
“We literally did not have the space, the capacity,” she told the council. “We’re on top of each other in that brick house.”
And as programming was moved — split between the T.C. Coley and W.A. Foster centers — it created confusion among those city residents who looked forward to participating in offerings that had become a part of their routine.
So, in her view, it has always made sense to “bring everything back under one roof.”
•
City leaders have been eyeing a new recreation center since 2004, when the former recreation facility on Walnut Street was destroyed by fire.
And a $9 million project looked like it was going to happen 15 years ago — leaders spent $1.2 million and the project even went out for bid — until a surprise vote to kill it unfolded in January 2011.
Then, in 2018, the council approved an $11 million contract with T.A. Loving Co. to design and build a new Herman Park Center — a would-have-been 43,000 square-foot facility with three gymnasiums, a youth game room, an adult fitness room, kitchen, laundry room, locker rooms and offices.
But the city’s inability to meet its financial reporting deadlines — and then, COVID-19 — made financing that expenditure impossible.
• • •
Edgewood has had a journey, too.
Back in 2019, the school faced potential closure, but thanks to then-Board of Education members Jennifer Strickland, Dr. Joe Democko, and the late Rick Pridgen, it was spared, although dozens of the student body’s youngest students were transferred to Meadow Lane Elementary School.
Then, in 2021, the board voted to require Edgewood’s sixth- through eighth-grade students to move to Greenwood Middle School.
And just more than a year ago, Whichard announced that the school would, indeed, be shuttered as part of a facility utilization plan that also saw Wayne School of Engineering, Goldsboro High School, and Wayne Academy students moved to new buildings.
The superintendent’s argument for making the moves was that it would both save nearly
$750,000 a year and give WCPS a way to take out of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners’ “arsenal” the argument that the school district should not ask for more funding for facilities until it maximizes use of what it already has.
Now, it looks as though the campus — one that has been a touchstone for many families in recent decades — will get a second act.
Livingston told Wayne Week he was excited about what he sees as “the possibilities” that would come as programming that is currently offered at the Herman Park Center — a building that would be razed once the move to Edgewood is complete — transitions to a building that comes with classroom space, an auditorium, and playgrounds.
And taxpayers, he said, could get a “huge impact” with not a lot of spending — for a monthly rent of $1,500, taking over the Edgewood site would not be cost-prohibitive either, the manager said.
Whichard seemed pleased, too — characterizing the partnership as a “win-win” for the city and WCPS.
“The proposed lease would allow the former Edgewood campus to be maintained at zero cost to the school district, with the city covering the cost of insurance, utilities, and grounds work,” he said, adding that “having a low monthly lease payment would also allow the city to be able to quickly move in and begin programming for city residents.” n
If you have been with Wayne Week since the beginning — or signed up within our first few weeks — you are nearing the end of your 1-year subscription period.
Officials: Estimated 130K attended Wings Over Wayne
Assuming that number is accurate, county tourism staff say more than $9 million might have been spent during air show weekend.
BY KEN FINE
The numbers are only estimates, but if the actual figures are anywhere close to those shared by local officials with Wayne Week, the Wings Over Wayne air show had a significant impact on the local economy.
Goldsboro-Wayne County Travel & Tourism Communications and Creative Services Manager Candance Clarkson said roughly 130,000 people attended what was, if you include the Friday practice run, a three-day boon.
The Friday performance, she said, brought in a 10,000-person crowd; Saturday saw an estimated 80,000 people converge on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base; and what started as a rainy Sunday still pulled a crowd of some 40,000.
“This wasn’t just an air show. It was a boost to Goldsboro’s economy and a reminder of our deep connection to the base,” Clarkson said.
Travel & Tourism Director Amanda Justice agreed, adding that while a detailed economic impact report is not yet complete, a “very rough” estimate reveals more than $9.1 million was spent in Wayne County that weekend — at everywhere from hotels and restaurants to gas stations and boutiques.
But the money, Clarkson said, is only part of the reason the air show is such a significant event.
And she should know. She was born
on the base.
“In a town where everyone either works at Seymour Johnson, knows someone who does, or benefits from it indirectly, the base isn’t just a military installation. It’s the beating heart of Goldsboro,” she said. “So, to me, Wings Over Wayne is a celebration and a statement of who we are: resilient, proud, and ready to rise. I think we should lean into that, invest in it, and celebrate it every chance we get.”
May could turn out to be a profitable month for local businesses thanks to the air show and this weekend’s Dillard-Goldsboro Alumni & Friends reunion.
Clarkson said the reunion is just another example of how an event can transcend the dollars and cents they bring to local coffers.
“The Dillard-Goldsboro alumni have been doing this for decades and the family atmosphere they create is truly something special,” she said. “Saying that I feel fortunate to have a job that puts me into contact with so many incredible people who plan and execute these events is an understatement. It doesn’t get much better than what we got to experience this May in Wayne County.”
Other air show data indicates that 75 percent of attendees drove more than 30 miles to be a part of Wings Over Wayne.
Once the complete report is available, it will be published in a future edition of Wayne Week. n
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he problem with repurposing a building is that someone, somewhere has a memory that stalls the progress.
And we are not going to lie, seeing Edgewood Community Development School close was not easy — not for the parents, not for the community, not for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, and not for the teachers who have nurtured and taught the special needs children who have come through its doors.
We worried about what would happen to the chil-
dren — some of the community’s most vulnerable. We knew, because the parents told us, that change was not going to be easy for them and we cared about what happened to them.
How would they adjust to knowing that their home away from home would soon be gone?
The truth is, Edgewood was a shining star in Wayne County — one of the places that truly set our community apart from others.
Service members asked to be stationed here so that their children could attend, and there was a fervent
system of supporters, parents, and educators who fought to make sure it got the recognition it deserved.
So, when Wayne County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Whichard announced he would be closing it, it was risk.
But as much as it pains us to say it, it turns out it had to be done.
Whichard was right.
The cost of operating a stand-alone building was just too much for a district that was facing the fiscal challenges that have plagued WCPS for the better part
of the last decade.
But that doesn’t mean the transition was not problematic.
Sending the Edgewood students to new schools came with drama, and parents were not happy — mostly because they were worried about the effect of the move on their fragile and, in some cases, very sensitive children.
But the decision was made, and a once-unfathomable move is now complete.
And while we understand the need for fiscal responsibility — and ultimately agreed with Whichard — we cannot help but mourn the loss of what was such a special place.
And we would be remiss if we did not point out that he should never have been put into that position.
Someone, long before he came to Wayne County, should have made sure Edgewood had the funding it needed and the priority consideration it deserved.
So, we got here because we did not take care of a very important asset in our community.
We should learn from that mistake.
But there is some good news on the horizon.
Even though we have officially said goodbye to Edgewood as a home for our community’s most precious children, we now have a chance to see something positive come from its shuttering.
thriving, well-used recreation program.
And thanks to the foresight of City Manager Matthew Livingston, a new plan was born.
There are still a few details to work out, as you have read in our News + Views section.
There are expenses to be considered in the event of a major structural repair.
But for $1,500 a month, the city would, in our view, be getting a steal — and we would not have to watch the steady disintegration of a building that has meant something to this community.
That sure sounds like a win-win to us.
And city officials say they hope to purchase the facility from the school district someday.
We happen to think that is a great plan, as long as the T’s are crossed and the I’s dotted.
The last thing the city of Goldsboro needs is a money pit.
We would be saving a facility that has a host of memories for many, many people.
The potential agreement between the city of Goldsboro and Wayne County Public Schools would see the city take over the facility to use as its Parks and Recreation hub.
That is a story in itself.
For years, decades really, Goldsboro leaders have been trying to build a new recreation center after the one it had previously burned down in 2004.
That’s right, for more than 20 years, the city has been trying to come up with a plan to rebuild that center.
The ball has been dropped more than a few times, with more than $1 million wasted and an audit mishap costing the city the abiliy to secure the financing to get it done.
And then there was COVID.
We all know what a number that did on any attempts to create new opportunities in communities like ours.
But when the news came of Edgewood’s closing, some officials in our community put their thinking caps on and came up with the plan to replace the current Herman Park facility, which is cramped and really not suited to a
But if the decision is made carefully, which we think it will be, and if the pros and cons are weighed, we believe this could be good for everyone.
Edgewood is the perfect location for a recreation program.
There are ready-made classrooms and auditorium facilities.
And having a robust recreation program in this city that isn’t scattered all over town has a lot of advantages.
There will be more places for seniors to gather and to share in activities that will keep them young at heart.
There could be new programs available to city teenagers — a way to keep more of them off the streets and out of trouble.
A renovated Edgewood building could also be another gathering place — a location local families and neighbors could use for events and meetings.
And the city might even be able to add some after-school programs and childcare options for its employees that would benefit local children and provide one heck of an incentive for current and future employees.
The best part?
We would be saving a facility that has a host of memories for many, many people.
Edgewood would not be gone.
It would just have a new purpose.
And wouldn’t it be something if that same building could house a program or two for the community’s special needs population?
It sure could be a possibility.
There is no question that if the city has a good plan, and a vision for how the facility will
be used — and someday, hopefully expanded — there would be the potential to obtain funding to make another stab at a strong and vibrant recreation program in Goldsboro.
It is just another one of those steps toward adding the kind of “pluses” that make a community more attractive to business and residential investment.
It is thinking out of the box to find economical and responsible ways to improve your community.
So, our hats are off to Livingston.
But there are some cautionary tales, of course.
We have seen what happens when there is a burst of energy and a lot of enthusiasm — and then there is the lull when the work has to start, and sometimes restrictive red tape that slows the progress to a crawl.
We have been here before — several times.
This is going to take hard work and communication if it is going to benefit the city and take an empty building off the county school district’s hands.
So, yes, if done right, it would be a good thing for everyone.
But be prepared.
There will be the usual naysayers — those who will come up with reasons of all kinds why this is not a good move — and nefarious reasons for why it is being pursued.
They are the negative nellies whose purpose always seems to be on the wrong side of progress.
Don’t let them stomp out the enthusiasm. This can be done responsibly and with a budget in mind.
And it could have a big impact on the lives of residents of all ages.
It is what we call forward thinking. Frankly, we need to do more of it.
So, if you are still on the fence about whether or not the City Council should have ended up putting Livingston in the driver’s seat, we just have one thing to say.
If he keeps making moves like this, all of us should be thankful that he threw his name into the hat. n
Never Forgotten
We are losing a generation of heroes — the last members of the Greatest Generation, the men who went to war as boys, mostly as volunteers, and saved the world.
As journalists, we have tried to tell their stories — to share the details of the battles that fought off the scourge of the Nazis, liberated millions, and saved the Jewish people from extermination.
We would not be where we are today without them.
Freedom would mean something different had they not raised their hands and headed across the world to fight for and to protect people they had never met.
There are nations and communities who will never forget them either — or the incredible cost of their sacrifice.
For those in Normandy, where fields of headstones honor those who died on D-Day as they stormed the beaches, those heroes will never, ever be forgotten.
They know that without selfless young Americans, the outcome for France and Europe might have been very different.
So, there are probably many whose courage will never be fully recognized — because they just considered it doing their duty.
Here in Wayne County, we have told as many of their stories and shared as much of the history as we can during our 20 years sharing war tales on weekends like this one.
But the truth is, we only know a fraction of what they experienced or just how immense their contribution was to history.
And now, many of them are gone.
So, for us, it seems particularly fitting to think about them this week as we prepare for our Memorial Day celebration.
They are part of a band of brothers — a progression of heroes who have given much to their nation and to the world.
They are soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast
And the Jewish people who met the soldiers as liberators after the fall of the Nazis — when the gates of the death camps were finally opened — they know keenly just what would have happened if the Allied forces had not arrived.
The truth is, there are generations of families who are here today because of those heroes.
But those who came home from World War II did not consider themselves the ones deserving of honor.
Instead, they talked about those whose lives ended on those battlefields across Europe and in the Pacific theater.
And the ones who came home with decorations were not eager to share their experiences during the war — or to talk about their contributions to the Allied victory.
In our time covering this community, one that has always been filled with veterans, we have found that to be a trademark of a true hero.
Humble, uncomfortable with attention being drawn to their service, and acutely aware of the sacrifice of those who fought alongside them and never came home.
Guardsmen, and Marines — all of whom raised their hand to serve their country and to fight for freedom at home and abroad.
And their losses are felt most poignantly by their families who miss them and their fellow service members who understand just what they gave to keep their nation free.
But World War II stories are not the only ones we have been privileged enough to share.
There are countless other heroes who have picked up the torch of the Greatest Generation — servicemen and women whose experiences were just as harrowing and whose contribution just as life-changing.
They put on their uniforms for the same reason.
They answered the call of freedom.
You see, there would be no free world with-
Observance of the National Moment of Silence will be held Monday at 2:30 p.m. at the Wayne County Veterans Memorial, located at 239 East Walnut Street. A wreath-laying ceremony will be held at the Wayne County Courthouse Doughboy statue immediately following the moment of silence.
out those who are willing to risk their lives to protect it.
And we have generations of servicemen and women who have stepped up to do just that.
We talk a lot about the veterans of World War II because it was a pivotal time.
But we have others to honor as well, as we pause to remember the cost of freedom this Memorial Day.
There were those who served in Korea.
And then, those who battled in Vietnam.
There were many who lost their lives in those jungles and then others who succumbed to the effects from the battles after they came home.
Some went down in fighter aircraft — their remains finally being returned to the United States decades later.
In our view, we owe all of them a thank you now.
A generation later, our service members
Continued on page 17
SONS OF WAYNE COUNTY WHO DIED IN COMBAT
WORLD WAR I
Jesse J. Baker
Joseph B. Bass
Roscoe Benton
Andrew Best
James H. Blalock
Willie L. Blalock
Bruce L. Blevins
Levi C. Branson
Irving Bryant
Fred Lawton Casey
Carol B. Clinton
Eulas Lee Collins
Roland Cox
John Creech
Marion Lee Daniels
Daniel Davis
Harvey D. Davis
Gaston L. Dortch
Mack Elliott
James Irvin Fulford
William James Gardner
Andrian H. Grantham
Moses Hadley
Samuel Hadley
Herbert Lee Handley
George R. Hardesty
Faison Harris
Sears Herring
James Hill
Sidney W. Hinson
Wyatt Hinson
James Herbert Hogan
Harry B. Hood
James H. Hogans
Sam G. Hummell
Cleon Ray Jones
Ezra A. Mayo
Ezra Moore
William O. Mozingo
Charles Raynor
Fred Reed
Mortimer Roscower
Jesse Ruffin
Herman P. Shackleford
Charlie Dixon Shaver
Leslie Jurney Short
King David Simmons
Willie Simmons
Foster B. Stevens
Isaac Stevens
Elam Summerlin
James G. Summerlin
Ben Ira Taylor
Jasper Thomason
Nathaniel K. Thornton
Arthur Turner
William Walston
R.H. Westbrook
Grover Cleveland Wiggins
Major Williams
Danzie Winn
Guy S. Winstead
Shade Wooten
WORLD WAR II
Robert E. Abel
Albert J. Adams
Henry W. Allen Jr.
Bruce Anderson
Raymond R. Anderson
Cleveland Balkcum
George W. Barber
William A. Barwick
Jerry H. Beamon
Benjamin F. Bell
William H. Bell
Robert O. Benton
J.R. Best
Norman E. Best
James Horace Blackman
James Lee Blackman
Paul L. Borden Jr.
William Louis Britt
Ben R. Brock
Glennie M. Brock
James L. Byrd
Raeford L. Campbell
Archie B. Carter
Carl C. Casey
Earl Chestnut
Linwood Ray Coombs
Harold Crawford
Lawton Crumpler Jr.
Wayne Garland Crumpler
Woodard W. Crumpler
Edward Carlyle Daily
Jake Davis
I.D. Dickerson
James Edmundson
Clarence M. Edwards
Wayne Roland Edwards
Albert L. Ellington
William H. Ellis
Richard Elmore
Gene J. Elzas
Ray E. Eubanks
Marvin L. Faircloth
Stephen P. Faircloth
Joseph Farah
Louis H. Faulk
Reulien R. Floyd
Thurston D. Fogleman
Alleyne Foster
Carl E. Franklin
Ralph Giddens
George E. Grantham
Robert Greenfield
Clifton Hamm
Thomas P. Harrison
Robert R. Hatch
Henry Edward Herring
Cecil Hertford
May S. Higgins
David R. Hill
Ray Hill
Liston Levi Hines
Wilbert O. Hodge
John Hollingsworth
Horace Horton
Roland W. Horton Jr.
Charles M. Howell
Ernest C. Howell
George F. Howell
James L. Howell
W.A. Harry Hundley
Alton Jarmon
Louis J. Jernigan
Douglas T. Johnson
Wayne Lee Johnson
Jack Jones
J.C. Jones
Melvin B. Jones
Roy Wayne Jones
Charles C. Keller
Roscoe Kelly
Charles S. Killette
Ben R. King
Willie Lane
Harvey J. Langston
Raymond J. Langston
Charles C. Lassiter
Henry H. Lee
Rayford S. Lynch
Hugh D. Marshburn
James T. Marshburn
Carl O. Martin
Wilbert C. Massey
Margus I. McCarty
Gary L. MacDonald
James P. McLamb
Tyson Hardy Mewborn
James Allen Mozingo
Earnest Newsome
Melville W. Odom
James L. Parker
William F. Parker
Tryphon D. Peacock
Willis G. Peele Jr.
Boddie Perry
William J. Pierce
Charlie E. Pike
Donald N. Pope
Dudley A. Powell Jr.
James A. Powell
Charles Malcom Price
Leon Price
Royal Puckett
Roscoe Quinn
Blanton E. Reaves
Joe Renfrow
Bryant Roberts
Willie Rogers
John C. Rose Jr.
John G. Rowe
John Sauls
Leonard O. Savage
Charles Marcus Scott
Ira S. Smith
L.L. Smith
Earl C. Smith
Lavert L. Smith Jr.
Harold H. Smothers
Emmett Spicer
Kermit Stallings
Alvin T. Strickland
Richard Summerlin
Daniel C. Sutton
Edd Leddell Sutton
Herbert A. Sutton
Benjamin W. Taylor
Henry A. Taylor
James L. Taylor
Robert L. Taylor
James A. Thomas
James Richard Troutman
Johnnie Joseph Turnage
Ira Wade
Charles Warren
Henry Edwin Weeks
Gordon Whitaker Jr.
Charles E. Wiegand
Cecil H. Wiggs
Robert E. Williams
William C. Wilson Jr.
Joseph D. Winchester
George B. Womble Jr.
Donza Wood
Bernice R. Wynn
Ray Edwin York
KOREAN WAR
James Elias Bass
Daniel Joseph Carter
William Lloyd Howell
John Henry King
James Lee Kornegay
John W. Lamm
I.L Littleton
James Merrit
Forrest L. Price
VIETNAM WAR
Emmett E. Ballree
Murray L. Borden Jr.
Dan Bullock
James R. Coates
William D. Crawford
Donald E. Daniels
Edgar F. Davis
James P. DeVaney
Robert A. Govan
Joseph M. Grantham III
William W. Hail
Phillip D. Hardy
Joseph N. Hargrove
Casco D. Howell
Ernest R. Howell
Ralph Howell
Robert H. Irwin
Dan L. Jenkins
Stokely J. Jones
Wilbert E. Jones
Bobby R. Lane
Billy W. McKeel
Rudolph S. Parrish
Hubert Pearsall Jr.
Phillip W. Pigford
George P. Power
James L. Ratliff
Richard V. Riggs
William C. Sutton
Edmund R. Toler
Paul G. Underwood
Kenneth E. Vanhoy
Albert Vick Jr.
Richard W. Watson
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIRMEN WHO DIED IN COMBAT
VIETNAM WAR
Capt. Thomas E. Reitmann
Lt. Col. Melvin J. Killian
Capt. Samuel E. Cornelius W. Watson
OPERATION
DESERT SHIELD/ DESERT STORM
Maj. Donnie R. Holland
Maj. Peter J. Hook
Maj. Thomas E. Koritz
Airman 1st Class Rocky J. Nelson
Capt. James B. Poulet
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
Capt. Eric B. Das
Lt. Col. William R. Watkins III
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
Capt. Thomas J. Gramith
Capt. Mark R. McDowell
Staff Sgt. Leslie D. Williams
headed to the Persian Gulf.
After 9/11, more young people raised their hands — many of them vowing to fight after they watched those towers fall, a tribute to the thousands of people who died that terrible day.
Some of those brave volunteers never made it home.
And yes, we still have men and women fighting overseas today — serving at bases around the world.
Some gave their lives during that service — perhaps most notably in 2021, when 11 Marines, a Navy corpsman, and an Army special operations soldier were killed by a suicide bomber at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan.
It is a stark reminder that freedom comes with a cost, and that no one who is charged with directing the military or deciding to send servicemen and women into battle should ever be allowed to forget just how high a price that is.
So, for us, Memorial Day is a time to remember those who are no longer with us — those who never made it home to their families, and whose graves, in some cases, are thousands of miles from home.
We cannot imagine what it must have been like for them — the courage in the face of
grave danger, the last moments before their lives were lost — and we cannot truly appreciate how lost their families have been without them, and the heartbreak of knowing they were never coming home.
But we do know that it is a sacrifice like no other, and one that it is critical we remember.
The sad fact is not all of us do.
Memorial Day has become one of those holidays that is more about a day off than a true commemoration.
Too often we find ourselves forgetting as we stay busy planning cookouts, parties, and long weekends — not thinking about why we have a day off in the first place.
Some see the flags and know why they are there, but don’t really understand their significance.
They don’t watch the parades or participate in the ceremonies to honor the fallen because they do not know the stories.
And that is how we become numb — how we forget just how much the service of our airmen, soldiers, sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and Marines matters, today and every day.
So, we could have just put up a flag on our cover and wished you a blessed Memorial Day.
It would have been an adequate tribute.
But we wanted to remind you about those young men, many who lied about their age to
join the fight, who raised their hands, put on uniforms, and saved the world — and the generations of young men, and now women, who have done the same since.
We would not be here without their sacrifice.
And we will never forget.
We hope you won’t either.
Because in reality, we protect freedom by understanding the incredible cost of keeping it.
And we prove how grateful we are to the generations of American service members who gave their lives to protect it by never ever forgetting.
So, while we might not know every name of the hundreds of thousands who have given their lives across the generations, we can pause a moment on this special weekend to say a prayer of thanks to them and to the families who have had to go on without them.
We can send a message the here in Wayne County, we remember.
We can remind our neighbors that those flags that are flying mean something in this community — today and always.
And we can teach our children the same lesson — to ensure future generations really understand why the freedoms we enjoy as Americans should never be taken for granted. n
The Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Memorial.
the SPECTATOR
Welcome home!
This weekend, members of the Dillard-Goldsboro Alumni & Friends will mark their 70th Homecoming celebration. The public is, as always, invited to the annual parade, which will be held in downtown Goldsboro Saturday at 10 a.m.
PHOTOS by KEN FINE
NOTICES
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF TERRY BRYAN BUTLER
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Terry Bryan Butler, 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 August 3, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate are asked to make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 23rd day of April, 2025.
Ralston Daneel Butler, Executor of the Estate of Terry Bryan Butler 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 May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF LUTHER NAMON HARE
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Luther Namon Hare, 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 August 4, 2025, 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 24th day of April, 2025.
Cheryl Lynn Hare, Executor of the Estate of Luther Namon Hare c/o L.E. (Trey) Taylor III, Attorney at Law
Published May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF LEONARD MARK NEWSOME
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Leonard Mark Newsome, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 4th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 4th day of May, 2025
Regina Hargrove Newsome Executor of the Estate of Leonard Mark Newsome 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 May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ALBERT DEKALB PARROTT
III
All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Albert Dekalb Parrott III, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 11th day of May, 2025.
Reid Lancaster, Executor of the Estate of Albert Debkalb Parrott III 416 Innisbrook Lane New Bern, NC 28562
Published May 11, 2025, May 18, 2025, May 25, 2025, and June 1, 2025
NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAYNE
IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO: 25 CV001889-950
WAYNE COUNTY and the CITY OF GOLDSBORO, Plaintiffs vs.
THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF SADIE REID and all assignees, heirs at law and devisees, together with all of their creditors and lienholders, regardless of how or through whom they claim, and any and all persons claiming any interest in, by, under or through the Estate of Sadie Reid; Defendants.
TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF SADIE REID
TAKE NOTICE THAT:
A pleading seeking relief has been filed in the above-entitled action and notice of service of process by publication will begin on May 11, 2025. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on real property located in Wayne County, North Carolina and described as 720 E. Chestnut Street, Goldsboro, NC (PIN:3509241354), which is more completely described in the complaint; to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes. Plaintiffs seek to extinguish any and all claim or interest that you or others may have in said property.
You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than (40) days after the date of the first publication of notice, May 11, 2025, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This the 5th day of May, 2025.
Published May 11, 2025, May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JONATHAN CARL WORRELL
All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Jonathan Carl Worrell, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 18th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 18th day of May, 2025.
Timothy Charles Lail, Executor of the Estate of Jonathan Carl Worrell 131 Durham Street Holden Beach, NC 28462
Published May 18, 2025, May 25, 2025, June 1, 2025 and June 8, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF GEORGE JOSEPH HALLOW
All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against George Joseph Hallow, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 18th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 18th day of May, 2025
Sheryl Ann Hallow Executor of the Estate of George Joseph Hallow 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 May 18, 2025, May 25, 2025, June 1 2025, and June 8, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF CHRISTOPHER CONRAD BAUN
The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Christopher Conrad Baun, 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 August 18th, 2025, 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 18th day of May, 2025.
Charley Baun, Executor c/o Henry C. Smith, Attorney Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, L.L.P. P.O. Box 1616, Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 (919) 734-1841
Published May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025, June 1 2025, and June 8, 2025
GENERAL NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAYNE
IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO: 24 CVD 1815
WAYNE COUNTY, Plaintiff vs. THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF WAYNE SCHWARK and all assignees, heirs at law and devisees, together with all of their creditors and lienholders, regardless of how or through whom they claim, and any and all persons claiming any interest in, by, under or through the Estate of Wayne Schwark; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF KAREN REDMAN and all assignees, heirs at law and devisees, together with all of their creditors and lienholders, regardless of how or through whom they claim, and any and all persons claiming any interest in, by, under or through the Estate of Karen Redman; BRIAN SCHWARK; JANET SCHWARK; SHANE SCHWARK, Defendants & BEVERLY P. BEST, Defendant Lienholder
Under and by virtue of an Order of the Clerk of Superior Court of Wayne County, North Carolina, made and entered in the action entitled “WAYNE COUNTY vs. THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF WAYNE SCHWARK, ET AL., the undersigned Commissioner will on the 28th day of May, 2025, offer for sale and sell for cash, to the last and highest bidder at public auction, at the courthouse door in Wayne County, North Carolina, in Goldsboro at 10:00 a.m. the following described real property, lying and being in State and County aforesaid and more particularly described as follows:
Lots 8, 9 and 10, Polly Watson Acres, Section Three, as shown on a plat recorded in Plat Cabinet K, Slide67-A, Wayne County Registry.
The sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvements assessments against the above-described property not included in the judgment in the above-entitled cause. A deposit of 5 percent (5%) of the successful bid will be required or $750.00, whichever is greater, in the form of cash, certified check or money order.
This the 23rd day of April, 2025.
Andrew J. Neal Wayne County Attorney Attorney for Plaintiff P.O. Box 227 Goldsboro, North Carolina 27533 (919) 705-1713
Published May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the estate Eleanor Goller Clark, deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 25th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 25th day of May, 2025.
Steven J. Clark, Administrator for the Estate of Eleanor Goller Clark, 510 Panorama Park Place, Cary, NC 27519
Published May 25, 2025, June 1, 2025, June 8, 2005, and June 15, 2025
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the estate of Helen Byrd Jackson, deceased, late of Wayne County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 25th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 25th day of May, 2025.
Robin Pate-Edwards, Administrator for the Estate of Helen Byrd Jackson, 600 Kentucky Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27530
Published May 25, 2025, June 1, 2025, June 8, 2005, and June 15, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE — FILING OF BUDGET ESTIMATE AND PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given the County Manager’s proposed budget for Wayne County for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, was presented to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners on May 20, 2025, and a copy thereof is on file for public inspection in the office of the Clerk to the Board in Room 470 in the Wayne County Courthouse Annex, 224 E. Walnut Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina. The budget is also available on the county website at www. waynegov.com.
Notice is hereby given the Wayne County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room in the Wayne County Courthouse Annex, 224 E. Walnut Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina, at which time all citizens have a right to appear and give oral or written comments pertaining thereto. The public may view the hearing on www.youtube.com/@WayneCountyGovernment.
Written comments may be made to the Clerk to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners before the public hearing. The Clerk will make those written comments available to all members of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners prior to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners’ vote on the budget.
WAYNE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Carol Bowden, Clerk to the Board P.O. Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533-0227 carol.bowden@waynegov.com May 20, 2025
Published May 25, 2025, and June 1, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ELLA HAMER
All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Ella Hamer, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 25th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 25th day of May, 2025.
Lisa Hampton, Executor of the Estate of Ella Hamer
1008 Edgerton Street Goldsboro, NC, 27530
Published May 25, 2025, June 1, 2025, June 8, 2025, and June 15, 2025
