Wayne Week — May 4, 2025

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Wayne

WEEK

THE ENTRENC

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Goldsbor o But now, leaders thought some of s them fea huttering Tent C it r it migh t have m y would put a de ade matt ers wors nt in the commun e. BY K E N ity's hom F IN E / p elessnes . 12 s crisis.

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CONTENTS MAY 4, 2025 Volume 2, Issue 36

NEWOLDNORT H .CO M

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

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Melissa Hamilton ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE McKayla Alves ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Lara Landers

PUBLISHER

New Old North Media LLC

CONTACTS EDITORS

kfine@newoldnorth.com rcarey@newoldnorth.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES hevans@newoldnorth.com llanders@newoldnorth.com malves@newoldnorth.com

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

4 Wayne County giant passes

Troy Pate Jr. was a key player when BRAC was considering closing Seymour Johnson Air Force Base — and a family member to thousands of young airmen who called the base home.

7 Paramount show sparks debate

The Goldsboro theater announced on Facebook that it was hosting a drag event this summer — and not everyone in the community is happy about it.

8 Former CBA teacher pleads guilty

Andrew Richards is the latest former Wayne County educator to take a plea deal after allegations of a relationship with a student were levied against him.

10 Our take

Wayne County has been compassionate, but as former Tent City residents become, according to Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West, more violent, and occupying land that belongs to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, it is time to come up with a solution to the community's homelessness crisis.

12 Cover story

Local leaders thought, when they shuttered Tent City, that they might have solved Goldsboro's homelessness crisis.

Now, it seems their plan might have made matters worse.

19 Ring leaders

As Wayne Week launches an internship program for aspiring journalists, two Charles B. Aycock high school students kicked things off with coverage of the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale.

COVER PHOTO BY CASEY MONZINGO

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NEWS +VIEWS

Wayne County giant passes Troy Pate Jr. once helped save Seymour Johnson Air Force Base when BRAC was considering shuttering the Goldsboro installation.

W

e have lost another giant.

Troy Pate Jr. of Goldsboro passed away this past week.

If you are a regular Wayne Week reader, you know just what we think of Mr. Pate and what he has done for this community and for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base — and, more importantly, the men and women who have passed through there.

If you think that those mourning his loss are just close to home, think again.

There are Air Force personnel all over the world — past and present — whose lives have been impacted by the warmth and the kindness Pate and his wife, Joyce, showed them.

His love for those who serve was palpable.

You knew it every time you saw him talk to a young airman or interact with their families.

Mr. Pate was a giant in the military world — a respected advocate for his community and the Air Force base he knew was a critical piece of his community’s future.

When he entered a room, he was considered a player and a visitor of significance — to the community leaders he talked with, the state elected representatives he lobbied, and the military brass he knew by first name.

And that mattered. It did.

Mr. Pate was a man who commanded respect, for sure, but he got it because he earned it and accepted it without an overbearing sense of entitlement.

He was a gentleman.

Mr. Pate said what he meant and meant what he said.

It is a distinction that not too many people can claim these days.

His word meant something because it was important to him that it did, and he respected those who operated by the same principles.

He was instrumental, along with some other heroes we have talked about in the past, with forging and nuturing the relationship between Seymour Johnson and its community.

His Seymour Support Council created a link between Air Force officials and the town that surrounded their base.

And from visits, gatherings, dinners and even down-home pig pickings to meetings and introductions, Mr. Pate and his fellow 4

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BY KEN FINE AND RENEE CAREY Seymour Support Council founders made Not entirely. the introductions that have resulted in a A relationship like Mr. Pate had with the Air decades-long relationship between Wayne Force is built with a personal touch — brick by County and the Pentagon. brick — with connections that were genuinely But even with all those meetings with gen- offered from the heart and nurtured with sinerals and lobbyists, mayors, cere intention. governors, and community The respect and love were leaders, the reason Mr. Pate real — and those associated (and Joyce) did what they did with Seymour Johnson Air was much more basic.

Force Base knew it.

They simply loved and reThat’s why when he visited spected the men and women the Pentagon, generals came who serve — past, present, out of their offices to greet him. and future.

It was out of respect.

Mr. Pate was himself, a vetThere are other names to eran, serving in the Navy during remember from those days — the Korean War as an air traffic Hal Tanner Jr., Tony Worrell, controller. and many others — who were Troy Pate Jr. So, the love of country and there when creating a relationfondness for those who serve ship with the base wasn’t easy. well, it came naturally.

They were also there when without that reIt wasn’t the uniform or the medals pinned lationship, the Base Realignment and Closure on it that caught his eye.

Commission might have created a whole difThe stripes and symbols did not really mat- ferent path for Wayne County. ter either.

So, no, the impact of the work these men He loved them all. did cannot be overstated.

The thousands of airmen who have passed They saved this community. through this community over the years were So, how do you remember someone who truly part of his and Joyce’s family — whether contributed so much? that was a wing commander, a pilot, a mainHow do we thank him for ensuring our families tainer, someone with decades of service, or a had a fighting chance to thrive in this community? young 19-year-old at his first duty station.

It’s pretty simple, actually.

The Pates kept up with them as they moved We carry on his mission. around the world and up the Air Force ranks.

But doing so is about more than SeyIt was kindness born not of quid-pro-quo mour Johnson. potential, but from honest respect and love.

Mr. Pate was also a very active and generAnd it made a huge difference. ous contributor to many community organiIt offered so many young people far away zations — from the United Way and the Boy from home a safe harbor.

Scouts to the Kiwanis Club and Masons.

It mattered — a lot.

And you don’t have to look far to see Mr. It is the kind of kindness you remember, forever. Pate’s legacy either.

His work with his alma mater, East CaroliAnd that is the lesson so many have missed as they have tried to develop their own rela- na University, put a medical school on campus, and his association with the Wayne Economic tionship with Air Force officials.

It is not enough to swirl a glass of wine with Development Alliance, the Chamber of Commerce, and Wayne Memorial Hospital brought the big shots, or to rub elbows with generals.

A fancy dinner in Washington is not how investment and growth to this community.

Mr. Pate was a man of commitment and you keep a base in your community.

And getting just the right lobbyist doesn’t heart, a servant leader who was not afraid to speak up bluntly and forcefully when necesdo it, either.

sary — or to step up when no one else would.

He was a towering figure of a man, whose heart was almost as large.

So, his life is one to be emulated, and the lessons he learned — and taught — could be a guide to those who have accepted the mantle he has now put down.

There have been other men who have given much to their community, whose impact has been felt for decades and whose loss has left a large, open wound.

But there will never be another whose businesslike and honorable exterior was accompanied by such a large, patriotic, and giving heart and spirit.

Mr. Pate will be missed, and there are many people at home and around the world today who could tell you a story about how much he changed their lives.

We are among them.

But we suspect he would also want to leave a charge to those who are now in the position he was in so many years ago.

Money matters, it does. No doubt about that.

Strength of position and rank have an impact, too.

But true influence lies in understanding that personal relationships and true, humble intention for good works are what build an interaction and commitment that lasts a lifetime.

There will always be posers who don’t understand what that lesson teaches.

But we think, like Mr. Pate did, that there just might be the next generation of real leaders lurking in the shadows waiting to answer the call.

Now that he is gone, it is time for all of us to rise to that challenge.

It is the best way to say thank you to a man — and a family — who have given us so much.

Our condolences go out to Joyce and Mr. Pate’s children and their families.

We are mourning along with you.

And we vow to never let this community forget that without him, Wayne County would be a much different place than it is today.

So, thank you, Mr. Pate.

For everything.

You fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

We will proudly take it from here. n

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Paramount show sparks debate

When Paramount Theatre staff began promoting an event on the venue’s official Facebook page earlier this week, they had no idea they would be unleashing a firestorm — that hundreds of people would begin engaging in a vitriolic back and forth.

But the announcement of “Queens on Stage,” a June 28 drag show that will feature performances by Miss Gay America 2012, Miss Gay North CarBY RENEE CAREY olina 2000, and Miss Gay North Carolina 2022, has proven to be polarizing, to say the least.

Some called it “a disgrace,” “sickening,” and “disgusting.”

Others called it a “shame,” onebegan personpromoting characterizing hen Paramount Theatrewith staff an the show as “vileevent evilness.” on the venue’s official Facebook page earlier Many, on religious grounds, hosting and attending — the this week, they had no ideaclaimed they would be — unleashing event—was a “sin.” a firestorm that hundreds of people would begin engaging in a “Theand most loving thing you can do is tell people the truth,” one user vitriolic back forth. wrote.

“God never intended forona Stage,” man to adress act like a woman.”

But the announcement of “Queens Juneand 28 drag show And a performances few even pledged to boycott the Paramount andGay take aim at memthat will feature

by Miss Gay America 2012, Miss bers of the Goldsboro at the polls.

North Carolina 2000, and MissCity GayCouncil North Carolina 2022, has proven But those who defended the booking were just as passionate. to be polarizing, to say the least.

Theyitcalled the naysayers “bigots.”

Some called “a disgrace,” “sickening,” and “disgusting.”

They claimed the Paramount beingcharacterizing lauded for hosting Others called it a “shame,” with one person the religious prolike Dance for Christ and criticized for welcoming an LGBTQshow asgramming “vile evilness.” themed performance was “hypocrisy.”

Many, on religious grounds, claimed hosting — and attending — And dozens expressed “pride” in their community for being “inclusive.” the event was a “sin.”

“I will saything it louder,” wrote.the “Thank “The most loving you canone do woman is tell people truth,”you onefor userhaving such diverse events and Ifor willa man continue to support it all (because) I love the wrote. “God never intended to dress and act like a woman.”

And aParamount.” few even pledged to boycott the Paramount and take aim at The backlash the latest a series members of theonline Goldsboro CityisCouncil atin the polls. of issues that have surrounded similar events across the state.

But those who defended the booking were just as passionate.

In March 2024, Artspace in Raleigh was forced to evacuate after a bomb They called the naysayers “bigots.” threat was emailed into the venue in for response a Drag Story Hour TriThey claimed the Paramount being lauded hostingtoreligious angle event. programming and criticized for welcoming an LGBTQ-themed perforin 2022, a report published by GLADD said North Carolina and mance wasAnd “hypocrisy.”

Texas tied for the“pride” highestin number And dozens expressed their of drag events targeted by threats and protests, including demonstrations led by the Proud Boys. community for being “inclusive.”

It is, as of press time, unclear whether Goldsboro officials will be forced “I will say it louder,” one woman wrote. to staff the event with members of the Police Department, but the Para“Thank you for having such diverse events mount, in response toitthe discourse published under its Facebook post, and I will continue to support all (bestatement Tuesday. cause) Ireleased love the aParamount.”

It is included this package.

The online backlash isinthe latest in a se-

For some, a drag show in downtown Goldsboro means inclusivity. For others, it’s “shameful.”

W

ries of issues that have surrounded similar events across the state.

In March 2024, Artspace in Raleigh was forced to evacuate after a bomb threat was emailed into the venue in response to a Drag Story Hour Triangle event.

And in 2022, a report published by GLADD said North Carolina and Texas tied for the highest number of drag events targeted by threats and protests, including demonstrations led by the Proud Boys.

It is, as of press time, unclear whether Goldsboro officials will be forced to staff the event with members of the Police Department, but the Paramount, in response to the discourse published under its Facebook post, released a statement Tuesday.

It is included in this package.n

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Former Aycock teacher pleads guilty

Andrew Clifton Richards is the latest Wayne County educator to take a plea deal in a case involving a relationship with a student.

BY KEN FINE Editor’s note: Some of the information in the following story could be perceived as graphic in nature and could be upsetting to some readers who might have experienced abuse or sexual assault.

Please proceed with that in mind.

J

ust more than a year ago, a young woman alleged that during the 201415 school year, she was in a relationship with one of her teachers — a man who was first employed by Wayne County Public Schools in 2011.

A week later, the Charles B. Aycock High School English teacher would resign.

And now, more than a year after he was charged with three felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a student, Andrew Clifton Richards is a registered sex offender — a status he will carry for at least the next 30 years — after a plea deal spared him of what could have been a lengthy prison sentence.

His story is not the only one of its kind to unfold in Wayne County over the last seven years.

In fact, charges have been levied against two other CBA teachers — another English teacher who allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with a sophomore in his classroom after hours and a history teacher who admitted to, among other things, buying a 15-year-old student a sex toy and being physically intimate with her in his classroom before he was sentenced to a prison term.

Additional cases have come to the fore, too.

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Like the Southern Wayne teacher who allegedly had a months-long relationship with a teenage girl.

Or the female teacher who resigned after an investigation was launched into her alleged relationship with a male student at Eastern Wayne — one that saw her, in front of coworkers, have him pick her up from a downtown Goldsboro bar when she was intoxicated.

There was the former Faith Christian teacher who prosecutors say molested two 11-year-old girls.

A former University of Mount Olive cross-country coach, before he was hired, allegedly had sex with a student he met at a party when he held the same position at Forestview High School in Gastonia.

A high school coach allegedly had an ongoing relationship with a female student-athlete.

A high school gym teacher was accused, on multiple occasions, of having inappropriate contact — and relationships — with teenage girls, but left Wayne County Public Schools before the allegations could result in an arrest.

And a principal, after being charged with

the rape of a 12-year-old on the Dillard Academy campus, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound before lawmen could take him into custody.

But of the 10 instances that have been reported in Wayne County since 2018, only three have been adjudicated.

And two of the alleged perpetrators pleaded guilty “pursuant to Alford” — a guilty plea that acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to convict the accused but allows them to maintain their innocence.

Only Ryder Webb, the aforementioned history teacher, saw the inside of a cell.

According to the North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission’s 2023 “Structured Sentencing Statistical Report” — as of press time, the 2023 data is the most recent available — of the 26,319 felony cases that unfolded across the state, 25,811 of them (98 percent) were resolved via a guilty plea, as only 508 jury trials took place.

And only 39 percent of those convictions landed the perpetrator in prison.

Andrew Richards is a registered sex offender — a status he will carry for at least the next 30 years.

But when former Gov. Roy Cooper signed the Protect Our Students Act into law in late 2023, his hope was that increasing penalties both for offenders and those who fail to report misconduct would deter would-be child predators.

Under the newer law, school personnel who engage in sex with students could be charged with a Class G felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 47 months in prison — double the penalty it was before the legislation passed both chambers and gained Cooper’s signature.

And even if harsher penalties did not stop would-be offenders from “grooming” students and committing the crimes, another requirement of the new law might, lawmakers hoped, embolden students to fight back — and report inappropriate behavior before physical abuse can occur.

Starting last fall, schools were required to show every 6th through 12th-grader in North Carolina a video produced by the Center for Safer Schools, which “serves as a hub of information and technical assistance on school safety to faculty and staff, law enforcement, youth-serving community agencies, juvenile justice officials, policymakers, parents/guardians, and students,” according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

And Wayne County Public Schools spokesman Ken Derksen confirmed, last year, that all WCPS schools would show the video during the first five days of the 2024-25 school year, as required under the new law. n

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PHOTO BY CASEY MONZINGO

{ our TAKE }

G

BEYOND THE POINT OF NO RETURN?

oldsboro has been wrestling with a problem that has finally hit the point of no return.

And that means we have to do something differently — right now.

Even after the city cleaned out the Tent City homeless encampment along Royall Avenue and even after services were offered to help get those who were living there off the streets and into programs to deal with the addictions that, in many cases, trapped them there, we still have no solution.

Emptying out those woods — which were used not just by those who had nowhere else to go, but also

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became a magnet for criminals, drug users, and drug dealers — was a critical first step.

The mess they made and the danger they created through their increasingly erratic behavior — and the black eye it left on one of the city’s main thoroughfares — just could not be allowed to continue.

So, city leaders told the police to clean it out.

And Chief Mike West and his officers did just that.

But they knew something that others who deal with the homeless population in Goldsboro already predicted.

Few, if any, of those from that community ever intended to turn their lives around.

All they did was disappear temporarily and relocate.

And that is why we can no longer look simply with compassion and concern when we talk about what to do about this population.

You have probably seen the consequences when a city looks the other way when it comes to the homeless — and when those who don’t have to live amongst the filth and crime, and who do not have questionable encounters with those people on the street or on a subway decide to preach about how the problem should be handled.

They call for compassion, but they do not have to deal with the day-to-day concerns.

They criticize those who point to the potential crime or who are horrified by the stories of victims who did nothing except walk by an unhinged, or drug-addled, individual.

They call them heartless.

But they aren’t forced to dodge needles or piles of human waste on the street, or to clean up a landfill left in the woods along a railroad track.

It is what happens when the problem you have been asked to solve simply doesn’t ever hit your neighborhood.

So, rather than deal with the issue headon, you spout the company line.

But as a community, we can no longer accept it.

We should support vetted and accountable programs that work to make options available for those individuals to break the grip of addiction.

There are many good news stories about former addicts and homeless who were able to turn their lives around when they finally decide to accept help.

You will read one of them in this week’s cover story.

But there is a less than rosy “other side,” too.

Many of those who battle addiction might be too far gone to help or have no interest in ever seeking assistance.

And we believe West, Councilwoman Beverly Weeks, and Natasha Patterson are absolutely right when they said it’s time for real accountability.

The homeless problem is real in Goldsboro, and the crime and the drug use are, too.

And there are consequences when those problems are left to fester. We can no longer let them get any worse.

That means it is time to get tougher.

The latest concern is the newest gathering spot for the city’s homeless population — along the Stoney Creek waterway.

Set aside the obvious — that the trash and sewage that are part of an encampment like this and the lack of care and concern of those who live there about where they dispose of items like needles and other drug paraphernalia are significant health concerns for not just those who live in the area, but also passersby and those who would like to use their public parks or walk around their neighborhoods without worrying about whom — or what — they will encounter.

And, more importantly, what their children might accidentally encounter.

We cannot allow this problem to get any worse.

We have a community to protect.

But the eyesores these encampments create and the less-than-safe conditions inside them are just one concern.

Goldsboro police say their interactions with the homeless and drug population —

criminal encounters — are getting more and more aggressive.

The offenders know that if they are taken into custody, it will be no time at all before they are back on the street.

And there is a lot more crime associated with these populations these days, residents and law enforcement officers report.

From vandalism and encounters that include threats of violence and aggressive panhandling along the street to more serious crimes like theft, rape, and assault, there is more and more reason to be concerned that some of those who are part of this population are out of control.

So, spouting off a bunch of easy answers and touchy-feely platitudes is not going to make this any better.

It takes action — and the firm introduction of consequences — and the guts to make the hard decisions that will clean up what has the potential to be one very serious problem.

And as if the problems already mentioned were not enough, the criminals who think they are smarter than the police figured that to make sure they are out of their jurisdiction, they would jump the creek so they cannot be arrested.

Know where they landed?

Federal land — more specifically, part of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

And inside the tent law enforcement officers searched?

Two loaded guns.

You can guess how that is going to turn out and why making sure it does not continue is important as our county continues to fight to keep Seymour Johnson right where it is and thriving.

Goldsboro is not the only community that has had to deal with this issue, but hopefully, its leadership will be much smarter than most about how it is dealt with.

Compassion and concern for those who are battling through addiction and homelessness are admirable traits. We should try to help them change their lives if we can.

And yes, Goldsboro and Wayne County both have many organizations dedicated to just that sort of mission.

The county just disbursed more than $1 million among them — after the United Way threw hundreds of thousands of dollars at many of the same organizations.

So, the help is out there, and we have to help those who are caught in this vicious cycle of addiction know there are places to turn.

But we also have to hold the ones who refuse the help accountable.

We have to know when it is time to stop consoling and pitying them — or turning

our head and walking away — and set a whole new list of boundaries.

Because, as you probably have discerned by now, not having control of this issue — and/or a plan that is actively in motion to address it — is not a good look for a community trying to prove that this would be a good spot for not only industrial and residential investment, but for the retention of an active military base.

We are now at that point.

So, you might ask, what is the solution?

There is one simple first step that comes with a few addendums and quid pro quos.

First, we have to make it uncomfortable to set up a tent encampment in our city and county — and to make sure the GPD has our backing and the manpower to enforce those rules.

Perhaps, as leaders plan their 2025-26 budget, a task force could be funded.

And no, crime and drugs are not allowed.

So that means we need to put more teeth into city ordinances.

And when those rules are violated and these cases get to court, there must be enforced penalties up to and including jail time, in the hands of judges who have the backbone to do the right thing and to protect their community.

And just as we hold the tent city residents accountable for their actions, property owners who look the other way while they are formed and then who let them get out of hand rather than deal with the expense of evicting the trespassers and cleaning up the mess, should face consequences, too.

Goldsboro has already set its sights on cleaning up its neighborhoods and demolishing eyesores.

And the campaign to back the efforts of Goldsboro police to make this community safer has been made a top priority as well.

Now, it is time to take the next step.

It is not just about a few stray shopping carts along Royall Avenue anymore. n

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THE ENTRENCHED

Goldsboro leaders thought shuttering Tent City would put a dent in the community's homelessness crisis.

But now, some of them fear it might have made matters worse.

STORY BY KEN FINE PHOTOS BY CASEY MONZINGO

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atasha Patterson had been running from her life for 13 years — since the young mother of four saw her marriage “go south” and “lost everything I had in one day.”

“I turned to the streets,” she said. “It numbed my pain.”

When she was high, she didn’t have to think about selling her body and dumpster-diving for survival.

She didn’t have to feel bad about stealing from neighborhoods and businesses.

She didn’t have to confront what she witnessed while she was living beyond the tree line off Royall Avenue.

And she didn’t have to worry about the future — or the fact that her children often wondered if she was dead or alive.

“Getting high, it causes more problems for you than you realize at the time, but when you’re in that situation, you don’t think about the things you should really be thinking about,” Natasha said.

But when, after years of turning down help from the leader of a local non-profit — Goldsboro City Councilwoman and Cry Freedom Missions CEO Beverly Weeks — she ended up in a jail cell, the decade-plus she had thrown away, at last, caught up with her.

“When you’re sitting there in that jail cell and you’ve got nothing else to do but think about where you went wrong … you start feeling bad,” Natasha said. “When you’re getting high, you don’t care about those things.

You’re not thinking about your kids. You’re not thinking about your family. You’re not thinking about having a real job or even being a member of society. You’re stuck in that life and it’s so hard to get out of it.”

So, now that, more than a year after the Tent City off Royall Avenue was shuttered, Goldsboro’s homelessness crisis is, again,

coming to the fore, she shared her story — to perhaps inspire people she used to consider family, including her sister, to change their lives before it’s too late.

“It’s worth it. They are savable. We are here to help them. I am here to help them,” Natasha said. “I love them.”

But loving them means holding them accountable — and being willing to call out organizations that are “enabling” their lifestyle.

“Until (Cry Freedom) actually held me accountable and removed me from that situation, I didn’t even know it was possible,” Natasha said. “In Tent City, it’s another world inside of this world. They have no accountability. They have nobody telling them what to do. They can do whatever they want to do.

They can go and steal. They don’t have anybody to show them there’s something else

out there if they stick to it. So, something is going to have to happen or they’re just going to keep moving and moving.”

T

he order came down in early 2024 from city leaders.

Goldsboro police — with assistance from a cadre of local non-profits and volunteers — were to clear Tent City and offer services to the dozens who were residing there.

But even as they shuttered the encampment, they understood that the city’s homelessness crisis would not just go away.

Instead, GPD Chief Mike West predicted the population would “scatter” — setting up several new tent cities across the community.

He was right.

And for a while, every time a new encampment popped up, the GPD notified them that newoldnorth.com

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enjoy the greenspaces and parks in the city with their families.

And neighborhoods, including Pill Hill, are also seeing “complications” with rental properties.

“In some situations, the names on lease agreements don’t match the people living in the home. In others, vacant homes are being broken into and illegally occupied,” West said. “In those cases, the unhoused are now housed illegally, creating serious concerns for neighbors and legal challenges for property owners.”

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eeks, from both an elected leader and non-profit leader perspective, is growing impatient.

In her view, there is always room for compassion, but as more and more crime and violence is tied to the homeless population, she wants to see more accountability.

“Can we not start pressing charges and actually arrest them?” she said. “We’ve got an outreach center open on Ash Street. We will feed you a meal on Tuesday. We will help you find shelter, housing, help you locate a job. If

Left: The mug shot from Natasha Patterson's arrest — the one she said changed her life. Right: Natasha today.

there’s anything that we can do for you on the medical side, we’ll make referrals. We will give you finance courses. All of that. But I will tell you that probably less than 1 percent have taken advantage of it. So, it’s time. I think there has to be accountability put into place.”

And not just for the homeless.

“The non-profits, if we’re not careful, we’re part of the problem and not part of the solution,” she said. “If we give, give, give with ab-

solutely no accountability, we’re really, truly enabling. If you have passion without wisdom, it equals foolishness.”

It is hard, she said, to rectify in her mind how millions of dollars — from both the United Way and opioid settlement money that was distributed to organizations from county coffers last year — have shown little to no results.

“Show me what these organizations have done. Show it to me. Because for the most Continued on page 16

HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN GOLDSBORO DOCUMENTED BY CITY POLICE OFFICERS

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they were trespassing — and charged those who refused to leave.

But West said his officers can only do so much.

“We’ve established pretty much that they don’t want the help to get out of there, so we can arrest them, but it’s not a high-priority criminal act to trespass or litter, so they get a written promise or a low bond, if any, and get right back on the street,” he said. “And even the ones that have been convicted of trespassing, when they get out, they’re right back down there again. There’s no real penalty for doing what they’re doing — other than being harassed by the police.”

Add to that the fact that the city has other issues that require the GPD’s attention, like gun violence, which takes priority over the larcenies and breaking-and-entering incidents he believes are being perpetrated by the homeless.

“It’s gotten to the point where we have to move onto other things — like ramping up for the summer where there is typically an increase in violence,” West said. “So, what am I supposed to do? VICE is doing the homeless stuff now, but I need them for guns, drugs, and trafficking. That’s the game. It’s who can wait the other one out.”

That, he said, is why more and more encampments are popping up across the city.

And that is why the homeless population is becoming more brazen and “violent.”

“We had an officer assaulted two weeks ago,” West said. “We are getting more threats.

It’s, ‘Stop coming out here harassing us or we’re going to shoot your ass.’”

It is a mentality that he believes has been fostered by a lack of real consequences — one that recently led someone to set up a tent on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base property.

When lawmen searched it, they recovered two handguns.

That, West said, fits the pattern of increased criminal activity and violence among those who once resided in the now-shuttered Tent City.

“Officers have responded to several incidents involving individuals — some believed to be unhoused — unlawfully entering vehicles, removing property, and causing damage.

In multiple cases, the stolen property has been traced back to local businesses,” he said.

“We’ve also dealt with an officer being assaulted by an individual tied to one of the encampments. In addition, some camps are guarded by dogs during the day while their owners are away — often protecting property suspected of being stolen.”

The dogs — and the needles discarded in the vicinity of these new sites, many of which are located along Stoney Creek — are troubling, the chief said, because they have the potential to cause harm to those who are attempting to

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WAYNE COUNTY

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

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

Property values are assessed fairly based on real market conditions.

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

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

LEARN MORE AT WAYNEGOV.COM/REVALUATION newoldnorth.com

. Wayne WEEK . 15

Continued from page 14

part, come on. Come on. They are passing you out the resources that you need to stay on the criminal side, because guess what? You’re breaking the law,” Weeks said. “I would like for you to show me a chart of the groups who received that money and how it actually has contributed to these individuals getting out of Tent City. Did they open an outreach center? Did they start a (substance abuse) class? Do they have a support specialist out there on the street? Do they offer mental services? Do they offer anything? Is there a document that you can show me that progress?”

She has her doubts.

“Again, have we crossed the line when we give, give, give without accountability? If you come to (Cry Freedom) and you say, ‘I need x, y, and z,’ we are going to give you a onetime emergency assistance. After that, you have to take some kind of finance class, some kind of rehab. You have to check in with a peer support specialist at least once a week,” Weeks said. “But, have we gotten to where we’re a society that has so much grant money and so much income that people have to get rid of, that we do too much and enable them to stay out there on the street?”

Natasha thinks the answer is yes.

But she was reluctant to appear to be attacking the men and women, including her sister, who are still living on the streets, because she knows what it is like to battle an addiction.

“I’m not gonna stop fighting to help save their lives because they all deserve it,” she said.

“They just have to believe in their selves.”

And she was sensitive to how it feels to be unsure about the people offering a hand-up.

That is why she is joining the fight.

She could have stayed away from Wayne County.

It would have been easier to stay sober and avoid the temptations that come with being so close to the life she left behind.

But she knows Goldsboro’s homeless have to be willing to trust that those who are offering them a way out are sincere.

Her hope is that because she was once one of them, she can be a part of the solution — and convince them that people like Weeks mean it when they say they can offer a path toward salvation.

“For a long time, I wasn’t ready for help, but when I was, (Weeks) was there,” Natasha said. “So, I am back here because I want to be that person. I did my recovery for me, first and foremost, but I did it because I wanted other people to see me and know that if I could do it, they could do it. I came back because I want to help.” n 16

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SOURCE: Goldsboro-Wayne County Travel and Tourism

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the SPECTATOR I didn't know I was destined to be a journalist when, at 17 years old, I took an internship with the Durham Herlad Sun. By my high school English teacher, Jordan Adair, told me I was a writer — that for my Durham Academy Senior Project, I should link up with the paper's thenFeatures Editor Cameron Tew. A few weeks later, after being assigned to the publication's "teen section," I was hired as a freelance reporter.

The rest is history.

I told Renee Carey that story when she interviewed me for a position with the Goldsboro News-Argus back in 2005, and in the many years since, we have often talked about paying my experience forward — offering budding young writers and photographers an opportunity to see their work, and names, in print.

So, it is with great pleasure that we are finally able to do just that.

What you will see in the pages that follow is what happens when young people are given a chance to spread their wings.

And while we had no idea what we would receive when we sent Charles B. Aycock Yearbook students Ryleigh LeGrand and Owen Davis to the Wayne County Fairgrounds, we are confident that we will not, once you have read the story

and viewed the photos, have to tell you that they delivered in a big way.

But they are not the only teenagers thinking about a career in storytelling.

In fact, you might know someone who has their eye on a career in journalism, wedding photography, or marketing.

So, we hope that as we continue to open our pages to these talented young people, more will join their ranks — giving us another way to ensure Wayne Week can live up to our mission of being a true community newspaper.

Those interested in joining our teen crew — a more formal name for this initiative will be announced soon — can email us at kfine@newoldnorth.com All we ask is that you include a note about why you are passionate about telling stories, and a recommendation from a teacher, mentor, pastor, or coach.

And our promise is that we will help guide you as you explore all the possibilities journalism has to offer.

Because the truth is, had Mr. Adair never pointed me toward Mr. Tew, Wayne Week would not exist — and my life would not be nearly as full as it has become as a result of the incredible people I have met on this journey.

- Ken Fine

RING LEADERS

Dozens of local youths recently participated in the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale.

STORY BY RY LEI G H LEG RAN D & P H OTOS BY OWEN DAV I S

W

hen Lane Tyndall strutted into the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale, it was clear that the 7-year-old meant business.

He certainly looked the part — Wrangler jeans, a plaid button-down, and boots — but it was his laser focus on the judge and the tight grip on his show stick as he guided Boss Hog around the ring for the first time that caught the eye of the dozens who showed up for one of the community’s most-anticipated events.

Laughter, cheers, and the clatter of cages filled the air as young exhibitors proudly led their animals into the

Wayne County Fairgrounds ring — ready to showcase months of hard work and dedication.

For more than 70 years, the event has been an opportunity for Wayne County youth to grow in knowledge of animals, to work on their showmanship abilities, and to improve their confidence.

The 2025 edition was no different.

More than 60 young people competed this year — some, like Lane and his sister, Lilly, first-timers, and others hardened veterans.

But no matter their experience level, all of them came to have a good time.

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“The pig project and the show were so fun,” Lilly said. “I learned a lot of responsibility doing this.”

And the participants learned other valuable life skills, too, like overcoming the “jitters” that manifested differently for each of them as they prepared to put their skills on display.

“The adrenaline rush when stepping into the ring makes it all worth it, because every part counts,” Southern Wayne High School student Haley Wingate said. “The unknown of how your goat is going to do in the ring excites me since you train over and over for just one day and one ribbon, but it’s ultimately not about winning, it’s about the time built up and the process you go through.”

For 7-year-old Bless Hobbs, that process required weeks and weeks of preparation.

And during those long hours, she bonded with her animal.

“I enjoyed working and brushing my heifer and spending time with her,” she said. “She’s so sweet, she licks my face, and I love her.”

Their connection paid off.

Bless and Black Magic took home the title of Grand Champion.

But winning isn’t everything.

In fact, it is the sense of community that seems to bring so many people back year after year.

That is why many of the participants were proudly sponsored by local businesses and community members.

Nahunta Feed Supply is one of them.

“Roger and I take great pride in providing the feed and any information needed for the kids in these shows,” owner Gale Pittman said. “They truly become like family, and it brings us great pleasure and joy to help them in any way possible as we love and appreciate each one of them.”

Those sponsorships not only help offset the costs of raising and showing animals, but also strengthen the bond between the exhibitors and their community.

And while one of the goals of the show and sale is to bond families, businesses, and their community, those who showed their animals say there is nothing like the bond between the exhibitor and his or her animal.

That is why after the event, when the animals are routinely sent to market, nothing prepares them for the moment when their animal is loaded onto the truck to leave.

Lane learned that lesson the hard way.

“My pig, Boss Hog, did well in the show, and it was really hard to say goodbye to him,” he said. “But even though it was hard, I hope to keep showing animals in 4-H.”n

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NO T ICE S NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF EVELYN THOMPSON DAVIS

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Evelyn Thompson Davis deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 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 13th day of April, 2025.

Michael Carroll Davis and Mitchell Neil Davis, Executors of the Estate of Evelyn Thompson Davis 406 North Chestnut Street Mount Olive, North Carolina 28365 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JULIAN BOYD NELMS

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Julian Boyd Nelms, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 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 13th day of April, 2025.

Julian Boyd Nelms, Jr., Executor of the Estate of Julian Boyd Nelms 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 April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JACQULINE WILLIAMS

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Jacquline Williams a.k.a. Jacqueline Williams, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 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 13th day of April, 2025.

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Jennie L. Williams, Executor of the Estate of Jacquline Williams 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 April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF DURWOOD GENE LANIER

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Durwood Gene Lanier deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 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 13th day of April, 2025.

Candace Lanier Herring, Executor of the Estate of Durwood Gene Lanier 217 Kings Way Goldsboro, NC 27530 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BEE JULIUS LEE

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Bee Julius Lee, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 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 13th day of April, 2025.

Julie Ann Graham, Executor of the Estate of Bee Julius Lee 750 N.C. Highway 581 South Goldsboro, NC 27530 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF LULA SMITH KEARNEY

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Lula Smith Kearney, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of July, 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 20th day of April, 2025.

Peggy Daniels, Executor of the Estate of Lula Smith Kearney 3113 N.C. Hwy 111 North Goldsboro, NC27534 Published April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, and May 11, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF CARROLL EDWARD GRADY

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Carroll Edward Grady, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of July, 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 13th day of April, 2025.

Diana Murphey Grady, Executor of the Estate of Carroll Edward Grady 2395 O’Berry Road Mount Olive, NC 28365 Published April 13, 2025, April 20, 2025, April 27, 2025, and May 4, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Hilda B. Jones, 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 27th day of July, 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 27th day of April, 2025.

Lisa J. Tyree, Administrator for the Estate of Hilda B. Jones, 202 Worth Drive, Goldsboro, North Carolina, 27534 Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ERNEST BUNN KIRBY

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Ernest Bunn Kirby, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of July, 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 27th day of April, 2025.

Casey Miller, Executor of the Estate of Ernest Bunn Kirby 141 Perry Drive Goldsboro, NC 27530 Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF KENNETH BRIAN ROSSMAN

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Kenneth Brian Rossman, deceased, of Wayne County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This 27th day of April, 2025.

Shawn Patrick Rossman, Administrator c/o Whitaker & Hamer, PLLC 121 E. Main Street Clayton, NC 27520 Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF LINDA C. CASH

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Linda C. Cash, 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 July 27, 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.

Stephanie Cash Ham, Administrator of the Estate of Linda C. Cash 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 April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The UNDERSIGNED, Stephanie Mackie Anderson, having duly qualified as Executor of the Estate of Jennie Mackie, 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 Stephanie M. Anderson, Executor at 217 Creekside Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27534, on or before the 27th day of July, 2025, said date being three (3) months from the date of first publication hereof, or this notice will be pleaded in bar to their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of April, 2025.

Stehpanie Mackie AndersonExecutor of the Estate of Jennie Mackie Published April 27, 2025, May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

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 Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, L.L.P. P.O. Box 1616, Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 Published May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025

NOTICE OF SERVICE

BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAYNE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION FILE NO: 24 CVD 1681 WAYNE COUNTY, Plaintiff vs.

REGINA CLEVENGER TO: REGINA CLEVENGER 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 4, 2025.

The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Foreclosure on real property located in Wayne County, North Carolina and described as 254 Union Grove Church Road, Fremont, NC (PIN: 2695281434), 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 4, 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 23rd day of April, 2025.

Andrew J. Neal Attorney for Plaintiff P.O. Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533 (919) 705-1713 Published May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, and May 18, 2025

CITY OF GOLDSBORO NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FY 2025-2026 BUDGET The public is hereby advised that per G.S. 159-12, the City Manager shall submit the proposed budget for the City of Goldsboro for FY 2025-2026 to the Mayor and the City Council on Monday, May 5, 2025. The City Manager will present the recommended budget at the Council meeting on May 19, 2025. As part of the FY2026 budget process, the City has calculated the revenue-neutral tax rate in accordance with G.S. 15911(e). The revenue-neutral rate is estimated at $0.5632 cents per $100 of assessed value. The proposed budget recommends a tax rate of $0.69 cents per $100. A copy of the proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026 will be on file in the office of the City Clerk and on the City of Goldsboro’s website, http://www.goldsboronc.gov/. The budget will be available for public inspection during normal business hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. until the budget ordinance is adopted. The City Clerk’s office is located in the City Hall Addition, 200 North Center Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina.

The City Council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget during their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 2, 2025 at 5:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as may be heard, in the Council Chambers located at City Hall, 214 North Center Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina. Any person who wishes to be heard on the budget may appear.

Laura Getz, City Clerk City of Goldsboro Published May 4, 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 OF PUBLIC HEARING NORTH CAROLINA WAYNE COUNTY Notice is hereby given for the Wayne County Tourism Development Authority’s (WCTDA) proposed budget for Wayne County Tourism Development Authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, was presented to the Tourism Board on April 23, 2025, and a copy thereof is on file for public inspection in the Tourism Office in the Travel and Tourism Board Room, at 119-C North Center Street, Goldsboro, NC. Notice is hereby given the Wayne County Tourism Development Authority will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in the Travel and Tourism Board Room at 119-C North Center Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina to receive public comments on the adoption of the 2025-2026 Budget.

Written or oral comments may be made to the following: Amber Herring, Administrative Assistant Goldsboro-Wayne County Travel and Tourism 119-C North Center Street Goldsboro, NC 27530 (919) 734-7922 aherring@goldsboronc.gov This is the 1st day of May, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF RICHARD E. CASEY

The undersigned having qualified as Ancillary Administrator of the Estate of Richard E. Casey, deceased, of Glynn County, Georgia, who died owning property in Wayne County, North Carolina, this is to notify all creditors of said estate to present their claims to the undersigned on or before the 4th day of August, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in a bar of recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate settlement of the same. This is to further notify all persons having claims against said estate that they may serve the same upon Sherri Brewer of Hogan & Brewer, PLLC, Attorney for the Estate, 229 North Main Street, Hendersonville, North Carolina 28792.

This is the 4th day of May, 2025.

R. Shaughn Casey, Ancillary Administrator Estate of Richard E. Casey, deceased c/o Hogan & Brewer, PLLC 229 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC HOGAN & BREWER, PLLC, Attorney 229 North Main Street Hendersonville, NC 28792 Published May 4, 2025, May 11, 2025, May 18, 2025, and May 25, 2025

Amber Herring Administrative Assistant Published May 4, 2025

If you would like to join the Wayne County government and make Wayne Week the new home of your public and legal notices, you can:

SEND US an email to IS NOW AN notices@newoldnorth.com OFFICIAL PAPER CALL US at 919-648-9905 STOP BY our downtown Goldsboro OF RECORD! office, located at 219 North John Street

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