Wayne Week — Oct. 5, 2025

Wayne

WEEK OCTOBER 5, 2025

“WE’RE GOING TO BEAT THIS ” In a matter of days, Brianna Long went from being a typical teenager getting ready to begin eighth grade to a 14-year-old battling leukemia. But thanks to the Grantham community, she is not fighting alone.

BY KEN FINE / p. 12

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 5, 2025 Volume 3, Issue 8

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

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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 GPD/GFD home is collapsing

The Goldsboro City Council was told during its last meeting that in order to repair the Goldsboro Police and Fire Complex, the building has to be torn down.

6 Turner out as MOHA attorney

Mount Olive Town Attorney Carroll Turner has resigned from his post as the legal counsel for the Mount Olive Housing Authority.

8 For all those who wear ribbons

Wayne Week Editor Renee Carey knows what it is like to be the loved one of someone who lost their battle with cancer. But she also knows what it is like to be diagnosed with the disease. So, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, she decided to share her story of loss — and survival.

12 Cover Story

In a matter of days, Brianna Long went from being a typical teenager to a 14-year-old battling leukemia. But thanks to the Grantham community, she is not fighting alone.

17 Spectator

The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair brought out the best in the community — again.

20 Public Notices

COVER DESIGN BY SHAN STUMPF newoldnorth.com

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NE WS +VIEWS

City’s Public Safety Complex is "collapsing"

Members of the Goldsboro City Council were told Sept. 21 that the only way to repair the home of the Goldsboro Police Department and Goldsboro Fire Department was to tear it down and spend north of $50 million to replace it.

BY KEN FINE

I

n November 2023, they were sleeping on mattresses stacked on the floor of what was supposed to be a classroom — the result of mold contaminating their sleeping quarters, requiring a waiver to be signed by those who chose to enter them.

And despite the fact that the issue was, back then, corrected, Goldsboro Fire Chief Ron Stempien said the hazard is “coming back again” — and that knowing firefighters will not be fully protected inside their headquarters unless the building is replaced is taking a toll.

“The fact that we’ve had that mold issue before and they know it’s coming back again, the firefighters keep asking,” he told members of the Goldsboro City Council Sept. 21. “So, it does affect their morale.”

But mold and mildew issues — consultant Andy Speck told the council there was “a lot … throughout the building” — are not the only reason a group that includes Stempien, Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West, and City Manager Matthew Livingston recommended a new Public Safety Complex be constructed.

The HVAC system has “reached the end of its service life.”

There are “cracks and crevices around windows” — creating a “very, very unhealthy” interior space.

The building, itself, is “deteriorating.”

And there is not enough space to house both the Fire Department and Police Department.

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“The space … is just not adequate,” Speck said. “The building is beyond its useful life.”

The bigger problem?

Repairing the facility, which was built in 1975, is not a viable solution.

“We would essentially have to tear it down in order to repair it,” Livingston said.

“That is essentially the repair that they’re advocating for.”

And while the safety of his officers — and the city’s firefighters — is, on its own, a reason for the council to begin to figure out how to finance what could be a $50- to $65-million project, West said there was something else to consider as he works to ensure the GPD is properly staffed.

“We can put a competitive salary together and I think we’ve got a competitive salary with other agencies, but what else do we have to offer to our employees? We have a building that’s collapsing around us. We’ve got unhealthy working conditions,” he said. “These newcomers that come in … and see the conditions they’re working in, it’s hard to stay motivated to want to stay. So, I think there’s a big concern there.”

•

• •

According to Speck, rectifying the problem would be accomplished in one of two ways.

The city could fund two separate buildings — an effort that would require more money

and more land — or it could build a “shared” public safety campus that would house both the GFD and GPD. West and Stempien believe a shared space makes the most sense, but cautioned that because of the construction of the HUB, there likely is not enough space to build the complex on the existing site on Center Street.

And West also noted that in his view, one of the buildings would probably be funded and constructed first.

“Who’s going to be the one that’s left behind?” he said.

Stempien shared his concern.

But for a council that has already been told tens of millions of dollars would be necessary to complete much-needed repairs of city roads — and the same amount would be required to make upgrades at the city’s water treatment plant — the cost-savings associated with a shared complex is likely appealing.

According to Speck, a 37,500 square-foot standalone fire station would require a 5.5- to 8-acre site — and between $25 million and $31 million.

The standalone 54,000 square-foot police station would require another six to eight acres of land — and an additional $29 million to $35 million for construction.

But a shared complex could be built on as little as nine acres.

And the low end of the total cost projection

is estimated at just under $52 million, a price tag that would save the city several million dollars.

Councilwoman Jamie Taylor said she believes the council needs to make construction of the new complex a priority.

“If we keep kicking this can down the road, it’s just going to get worse,” she said.

Assistant City Manager Kelly Arnold said he expects a thorough discussion on the matter to be had during the council’s February 2026 retreat to keep “momentum” going but acknowledged finding a funding solution was “some ugliness we’ve got to get through.”

And Mayor Charles Gaylor repeated what has been a consistent refrain for council members who, in their own words, seem to be on the board that is being asked to confront a myriad of expensive needs as a result of the inaction of some of their predecessors and the city’s inability to borrow money for the last half-decade because of the Finance Department’s inability to, until recently, meet its financial reporting obligations.

“We’ve got to make some hard decisions about things that come out of the General Fund,” the mayor said. “We’ve got to look at roads. We’ve got to look at at least one fire station. We need to look at the police station. … How do we balance that in next year’s budget?” n

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ess than a week after he told Wayne Now, I’m not suggesting that (current HousWeek he was concerned about his in- ing Authority staff are) doing anything illegal ability to, as the organization’s legal because I wouldn’t know because Barbara counsel, provide a check on Mount Olive Kornegay and I are not over there where we Housing Authority leaders, Carroll Turner re- can look at anything. Again, I’m not saying that anybody has done anything illegal, but I signed from his post.

But the decision, he said, was an easy don’t want to be blamed for something that’s call — particularly given the fact that he going on over there.”

And that, ultimately, was enough to move had not been invited to board meetings “for months” and was not asked for advice by him from “considering” resignation to acting Mount Olive Mayor Jermone Newton be- on his gut feeling.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist for fore he, in what appears to have been a violation of North Carolina General Statute, anybody to figure out that if you have almost the entire board to removed the Housing resign in one night that Authority board’s vice there’s an issue somechairman without givwhere,” Turner said. ing the official, Brent Requests for comHeath, an opportunity ment from both Newto defend himself. ton and Lambert remain “You would think that unfulfilled — as does a the mayor or the execurecords request for an tive director would conemail exchange between tact the Housing AuthorHeath and Newton filed ity attorney before they pursuant to the Freedom did something like that,” of Information Act. Turner told Wayne Week Because of that, it reahead of publication of mains unclear how the the Sept. 28 edition of Carroll Turner Housing Authority has the paper. “Well, that been able to operate with didn’t happen.” only one board member And while Newton’s decision — a move that started a chain re- — or if Newton has appointed people to reaction that would see all but one member of place Heath and those who resigned during the board resign — ended up being the “final the board’s Sept. 16 meeting.

Perhaps the most critical function of board straw” for Turner, it was not the only matter members is to ensure bills get paid, but both that gave him pause.

In fact, in light of the fact that then-Execu- Heath and Turner confirmed that in order to tive Director Edward Wells Jr. was arrested in do so, checks from the organization require April 2021 for embezzling more than $30,000 two signatures — one of which must be that in agency funds, the attorney said he found of either the board’s chairman or vice chairit troubling that Housing Authority Execu- man and as of now, it does not appear the tive Director Erin Lambert seemingly delib- board has either.

And while Newton has the authority to aperately ensured neither Turner nor Barbara Kornegay, the Town Board member who was point board members to fill the vacant seats, appointed to serve as a liaison between the in order for the organization to have a chairHousing Authority and Town Hall, were noti- man or vice chairman, quorum must exist, a meeting must be held, and an election must fied about board meetings.

“With that history, it concerns me,” Turn- take place.n er told Wayne Week. “You know, when you Note: This remains a developing story and have people with access to a considerable should the paper receive comment from Lambert amount of money and nobody is looking over or Newton, additional coverage will appear in a their shoulder, it can be a recipe for disaster. future edition of Wayne Week.

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{ our TAKE }

FOR ALL THOSE WHO WEAR RIBBONS

BY RENEE CAREY

I

f you have been a friend of ours for a while, you have heard my story.

I battled cancer — and beat it — 10 years ago this coming November.

It seems unreal now that nearly a decade has passed since I made my first trip to Duke Medical Center — 10 years since I got the call on Halloween that the symptoms I had been experiencing were not just a minor inconvenience but cancer.

“Cancer.”

I will never forget the feeling I experienced when I heard it.

If you have never been in that moment you cannot understand.

You can empathize, you can be supportive, and you can be ready with a shoulder or a hug, but you have to experience hearing the word to really comprehend the fear, the worry, and the

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way it changes your life forever.

When you hear, “you have cancer,” your mind goes blank and the word echoes through your head.

It takes a minute — or longer — to process the diagnosis.

All the fear comes rushing in.

The way it manifests varies depending on the person.

Some get ready to fight.

Some shrink into themselves to process the news.

Others start worrying — about the treatment, about the future, and about their families who might have to go on without them.

It is life changing.

I experienced all of that.

But I was one of the lucky ones.

I was able to clear out the bad stuff and to stay strong enough to make sure it never came back.

I had excellent doctors and was able to receive treatment at one of the best hospitals in the country.

Others I know had much tougher battles.

I had been active with the American Cancer Society for years before my own diagnosis, a part of my newspaper’s team.

We spent many weekends at Relay for Life — massive gatherings that were as much celebrations as they were memorials to those who had lost their fights.

The stories always inspired me.

The survivors I met were testaments to just how much a human being can overcome and how hope and faith can guide someone through some of the toughest moments of their lives.

I saw tributes aglow in the light of the hundreds of luminaries that lit up the Relay space, and families who gathered to honor and remember.

I heard their stories and watched as tears flowed.

But here is what I learned.

Cancer hadn’t won.

Those who were not able to beat the illness live on forever in the memories of the loved ones and friends who were left behind.

I have been one of those family members, too.

You see, my mom, Margaret Wasiloff Lavoie, died of breast cancer when I was just 5 years old.

In case you are calculating in your head, that was nearly 55 years ago.

She wasn’t there when I stood at the bus stop on my first day of kindergarten wearing the navy dress my grandmother made for me — the one with a cutout of an apple with my name on it pinned to it.

She wasn’t there for the 11 other “first days” either.

She wasn’t there to help me with my veil on my wedding day.

She wasn’t in the audience for my high school or college graduations.

I lost her way too soon.

And she lost her life when she was just 35 years old.

Think about that.

She did not have nearly enough time.

Her life had really just begun.

She was just a kid, really.

It just seems so unfair.

But I did not understand that yet.

All I knew is that nothing would ever be the same.

And this little girl trying her best to be brave was forced to grow up quickly.

I could feel how important it was for me to be the “woman” of the house and the steady big sister, even at that young age.

I will never forget holding my brother’s hand as my dad told us that our mommy was not coming home.

I can still remember how I felt, how I gathered myself up and let Brian know that I was there for him and that everything was going to be OK. He was only 3 years old.

But I still did not understand what was really happening.

Neither of us could comprehend just how momentous the news was or what a profound effect it would have on our futures.

All we knew was that our dad was sad.

In fact, he did not talk much about those days throughout most of my life.

I think it just hurt too much.

And the moment was sobering for him, too.

A young man himself, Dad had gone from a husband raising two children with his wife to a single parent with two traumatized children under the age of 7.

It must have seemed like a mountain to climb.

There were offers to take over.

My grandmother offered and so did one of my aunts.

But he wasn’t going to let us go — no matter how hard it got.

It might seem like that would have been the easy answer.

After all, he was our dad.

But it wasn’t.

It was hard.

He had to make sure he was ready for the challenges that would come with raising two small children on his own.

But he was there for both of us.

We were lucky.

I don’t remember much about my birth mom.

I only know her through pictures and some of the stories my dad tells about her.

My memories from my life center around my stepmom — a woman who was there for me throughout almost all of my life.

But I know that at the end, when Margaret was so sick that she could not leave the hospital, she asked my dad not to bring us by.

She did not want our last memories to be that hospital room, the tubes, and the pain.

She was brave that way.

Mothers usually are.

She gave us the gift of happy stories instead of sad goodbyes.

You see, just as every cancer patient chooses his or her own way of handling the illness and treatment, so, too, do they choose how they will pass on.

I know it wasn’t easy for her to let us go.

But we were her first and last priority — even as she faced the battle of her life.

I know that many of you have similar stories about the courage and selflessness of the cancer warriors in your lives.

I know because over the years, many of you have shared them with me.

And if you are out there right now in mourning, know that the loved one you lost loved you very much — that knowing them, even for a short time, was a gift, even if being the one left behind leaves scars.

For me, I had to learn how to navigate life with this heartache as part of my story.

It was hard not having the memories to fall back on — to not be able to remember her hugs or kisses or to have a memory of her telling me she loved me or to have milestones to remember that we shared together.

And those scars are particularly pronounced when cancer roars back into your life like it did to mine.

I did not see it coming.

I thought I had been careful.

But then it got me, too.

Dad told me later that when I called him on Oct. 31, 2015, to tell him about my diagnosis of uterine cancer, it all came flooding back — the worry, the fear, the realization that not much was in his control.

He was scared for his little girl in the same way he had been so worried about his young wife.

It was not until years later that he told me what it was like to sit there, helpless, as he watched my mom battle.

It was the early 1970s, and we did not know as much about breast cancer as we do now.

The treatments were brutal, and the diagnosis was grim — especially for my mom’s type of tumor.

The support system was not in place.

The investments had not been made.

Doctors were learning not only how to treat the cancer, but also to help the families navigate the news.

It is no walk in the park to get a cancer diagnosis today, but in those early days, it was very, very difficult, and hope was a longshot for many.

But I like to think that what my mother

went through set the stage for the progress and that the chance for a cure has increased exponentially because of the steps my mother took back in 1971.

Cases like hers — and others like her — formed the basis for some of the advancements that are saving lives today.

She was a pioneer — and a heroine.

And if you have lost a loved one to cancer, your loved one is a hero, too.

From their journeys, doctors have learned so much, and it is on their shoulders that cancer survivors like me stand today.

You see, it really doesn’t matter what color the ribbon is.

We are all battling the same foe.

But those of us who have heard the word and who have weathered the storm know something very, very important.

Life will throw all kinds of obstacles your way.

Our stories are always full of peaks and valleys.

But strength, faith and the support of those we love and who love us are how we get through.

So, I will never forget that 35-year-old — the mom who never got to see her kids grow up, and the lessons her life taught me.

Be strong.

Be hopeful and have faith.

Miracles and healing come every day.

And most importantly, cherish those moments you have with the people you love.

Life can be fleeting.

It is way too short to be caught up in arguments, jealousy, or guilt — three of the most destructive emotions in any human life.

So, live like Margaret.

It takes courage to see a life beyond your own, and to understand that giving up a bodily form is not the end.

I had to learn to listen closely, and to open my mind to a new way of looking at the world.

She is with my every day.

I see her.

And if you, too, have lost a loved one, you know what I mean.

This month, we are honoring those, like my mother, who have battled breast cancer.

I have heard many of their stories and they are awe-inspiring.

They are testaments to faith, love, and courage.

We have come a long way in the years since I lost my mother, but we are still losing too many.

So, let’s vow not to rest until we not only find one cure, but all the cures.

I will do it for my mom.

Join me.

Together we will not only make sure our loved ones are never ever forgotten, we will also make sure no other little girl has to squeeze away the tears as she tries to be strong for her little brother.

That is a goal worthy of fighting for. n

MT. OLIVE . KINSTON . MOREHEAD CITY . WENDELL . MEBANE 701 Patetown Road

l 919-734-4071 l

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More tough decisions are on the horizon T

here are lessons that are learned the hard way.

And we have learned a lot of them in Wayne County over the last few years.

But sometimes, it is important to be reminded of those hard days so that we don’t make the same errors again and again.

And it is also important to share our own stories so that others don’t make those same critical mistakes.

But more on that later.

Let’s start here.

The city of Goldsboro has been through a lot.

Years of poor leadership from an embarrassment of a city manager and a few bad key hires resulted in some serious mistakes that set this community behind — not just a few months, but years.

And there was a cost to all of those consequences — a significant one.

Because, you see, bad leadership, and letting simple problems snowball into massive ones, well, that is what happens when you don’t pay attention and you just keep thinking someone else is going to make the hard decisions, to take the risks, and to point out what needs to be done.

And when no one steps up, complaining does nothing to move the city forward.

Sometimes, it takes someone brave to speak up, to take charge, and to make the tough decisions that turn a setback into a comeback.

The voters of the city of Goldsboro decided in 2023 that it was time to elect some new leadership — that they were tired of a bickering council and jobs that just weren’t getting done.

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And there were some honorable people who decided to step up — to do more than complain about how their city was being run.

They decided to make the hard decisions necessary to change things.

Since then, the Goldsboro City Council’s newly elected members and the city’s new mayor and manager have been trying to dig out from under the mess some of their predecessors created.

First, it was the years of missed audit deadlines that put the city in the state’s crosshairs and put some funding in jeopardy.

Then came the added consequence of not being able to borrow money.

You see, when you can’t get access to funding, and your financial house is not in order, projects, important projects, don’t get done.

And we have learned over the last few months that happened a lot in Goldsboro.

From not being able to put competitive salaries together to attract and to keep police officers to not being able to secure funding to fix roads and infrastructure, including critical upgrades to the city’s water treatment plant, the current City Council is now faced with an untenable situation.

There is just too much to do and not enough money to get everything done.

Raising taxes and water rates, those are not easy decisions.

No council wants to be the one that takes more money out of taxpayers’ pockets.

But the truth is, there really is no other viable option.

Because in reality, there is no more time to wait on fixing the problems at the water treatment plant or to make a plan to fix the city’s roads.

And now, add the conditions at the city’s police and fire complex where there is mold that threatens the health of the men and women who work there — where the building is quite literally falling apart.

That is not an optional fix.

It is a must.

So, for the city’s council and mayor, the tough decisions continue.

First, it was making the very unpopular choice to bite the bullet and to fund the salaries that were necessary to get the police officers we needed to battle a shocking increase in gun violence in the city.

Then, it was clearing out the city’s homeless populations and putting a stop to the theft, blight, and drug use that were rampant in their encampments.

And they also moved to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to knock down deteriorating structures.

None of those were easy votes.

But this council made them.

And there will be more tough decisions in the coming months.

But get ready.

The haters and backseat drivers are waiting.

You will know when they appear because they start saying things like, “residents cannot afford more taxes,” and “the city police force/Air Force base/downtown (choose one) is

taking too much of the city budget.”

The latter is usually followed by, “We need more money for the city’s low income neighborhoods. Money should be spent helping Goldsboro citizens, and the budget should be adjusted to reflect that.”

It sounds good.

And yes, there are a lot of poor neighborhoods in Goldsboro, and there is work to be done there, too.

But these sorts of platitudes are just what candidates who want power say.

They are easy shots during a campaign where the view is pretty good from the cheap seats.

We have fallen for their lines in the past.

No new taxes.

Defund the police.

Don’t put more money into keeping the Air Force base, economic development, or downtown Goldsboro.

Cut budgets.

Cut spending.

Put city residents first.

Keep taxes low.

And in the past, perhaps we could have indulged a few of those wishes — and maybe even had a reasonable discussion about how to achieve a balance.

But we are long past that point.

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And anyone who tells you otherwise, well, they are just telling you what you want to hear to get themselves into a position of power.

This city cannot afford another costly mistake.

And trust us when we tell you that there are forces at work right now trying to sway potential 2027 voters into believing that those who are making the tough decisions now that should have been made years ago are just greedy politicians who do not care a wit about the constituents they serve.

They are saying what people want to hear, and using social media and other despicable siren calls to try to discredit those who are in the trenches doing the dirty work.

We are watching it happen in real time.

So, here is the reality check.

This city has made some momentous steps forward since this council was sworn in.

The audits are finally caught up — although there is still reason to keep a sharp eye on the city’s financial house — and the decision to prioritize safety for the city’s residents has been made.

And, most importantly, there is a new sense of decorum in the council chambers.

No more embarrassing outbursts.

No race-baiting.

And zero tolerance for anyone who does not

have basic manners or the ability to control what they type on social media.

Here’s more good news: The city’s current leadership understands how important it is to get the work done to shore up Goldsboro’s continued relationship with the Air Force base and has become an active partner in doing the work to ensure that billion-dollar economic engine stays right here.

What we need now is to not let those who seem to have little knowledge or experience in building a community “hate speak” their way into power.

We cannot let a small group of citizens decide the future of this community and that means doing the work now.

So, if you own a business here, if you own a home, or you hope to see your children come back some day to build their families, you need to pay close attention over the next year.

There are bellwether decisions that are coming down the pike — critical votes that will determine if Goldsboro will be able to stay focused on growth and development.

Without both of those, and continued progress in getting the infrastructure it needs in place, there will be no increase in home values, a weak job market, and not even close to a chance

that this city will see the prosperity that gives everyone a leg up.

Subsidized housing does not build strong cities, and neither do crime-ridden streets and crumbling infrastructure.

So, no. There is no more kicking this can down the road.

And those we have tasked with fixing the problems caused by those who did deserve our support.

That is why we are not going to sit back and watch as the naysayers slither in to call out brave decisions that they took no risk to make.

We have seen what happens when the wrong people are in charge.

And if we don’t want to see it again, there is no time to indulge those who are not just irresponsible, but completely unqualified for the challenges this city faces moving forward.

Said another way, we have come so far already — and there is simply no time to waste going backwards.

And don’t worry, we are prepared to call it out — anywhere we see it, including one very important community in the southern end of the county that is about to make the same mistake Goldsboro made unless its residents step in now and do something about it.

But more on that next week. n

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“WE’RE GOING TO BEAT THIS ” In a matter of days, Brianna Long went from being a typical teenager gearing up for eighth grade to fighting leukemia. But thanks to the Grantham community, she is not fighting alone.

BY KEN FINE

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B

rianna Long stares at the horizon — her long, brown hair riding the wind rolling off the ocean.

Her bare feet are not quite touching the water, but whitecapped waves are inching toward her.

It’s July 29.

Ten days earlier, she shot a video of her little brother dancing.

A month before that, she and a friend were lip-synching to a country music song in a car.

Back in May, she was wearing a formal gown and a corsage.

Earlier this spring, she was playing softball.

She was, as her mother, Rebecca, put it, “any old teenager.”

And Brianna seemed to understand the things that really mattered — being the best big sister she could be; spending quality time with her friends; representing her school with pride on the Grantham Middle School diamond and volleyball court.

She was “carefree.”

Family photos of Brianna through the years

A

few days after that barefoot 14-year-old stood on the wet sand and stared at the horizon she was back in Wayne County.

She told her mother she wasn’t feeling well — that her chest hurt, her throat was sore, and she was feeling lightheaded.

“She felt like she was gonna pass out,” Rebecca said.

So, her parents took her to the hospital, where doctors ordered bloodwork, did a CT scan, and took chest x-rays.

They had no idea that she would need to be transported to Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville — that their lives were about “to change forever.”

But on Aug. 1, that’s exactly what happened.

“We got a diagnosis of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,” Rebecca said. “We

were told it would be a two-and-a-half-year process. That’s when I lost it.”

Brianna was upset, too.

But for the 14-year-old, it wasn’t the cancer that tugged at her emotions.

It was knowing she would not be able to spend time with her friends — that she would not be going to Grantham Middle School for her eighth-grade year; that she was not going to be able to play sports.

Over the next few days, she shared those emotions on social media.

“Finding out you have cancer will destroy you,” she posted Aug. 2.

“Maybe in another life I wouldn’t have cancer and I would be happy and there would be no hurting or crying and everything could be normal,” she wrote the following day.

But Aug. 5, after her first round of chemotherapy, she found her strength.

“I got this,” she posted Aug. 6.

And within a few weeks, she was back home — back to dancing with her little brother, albeit this time, while wearing a mask.

S

itting on a couch inside Brianna’s hospital room, Rebecca fights back tears when she talks about what it is like to be the mother of a teenage girl being forced to fight cancer.

Her life has changed since that diagnosis, too.

She has exhausted her sick leave and missed valuable time with her students at Grantham Elementary School.

She has cried through more sleepless nights than she can count.

Continued on page 14

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Brianna and her family celebrated her 15th birthday in her hospital room.

Continued from page 13

“I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Rebecca says as tears form in her eyes. “I wish it was a nightmare. When she was first diagnosed, I would go to sleep crying, I’m crying in my sleep, and wake up crying. It’s just like a nightmare, but when you wake up, it’s reality.”

She has been forced to try to explain, to Brianna’s younger siblings, all their big sister is up against.

“It’s been hard for them — hard for all of us — to be away from each other. We just, you know, we tell them that her body’s sick,” Rebecca said. “We say cancer, but they don’t really know.”

And she has told herself to keep it together in the toughest moments to keep Brianna mentally strong — like when, as her daughter brushed her long, brown hair, it started falling out.

“It’s like everything stopped,” Rebecca said.

“You know, one day her friends posted videos of her laughing and carrying on, and then I come up here. It’s like, none of those things are going to be happening this year. She’s not going to be able to do much. She’s not able to go out. She’s not able to see her friends like she wants to. She’s not even able to play sports. She has no energy.

She has no desire to do anything. It’s crazy that things like this can happen.”

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hrough the ups and downs, Rebecca knows she has to be there for her daughter — and for her husband and their other children.

But when, in the darkest moments, she felt like she had nowhere to turn, she was picked up by a community that wrapped its arms around her family.

The Grantham Youth Sports Association held a 50/50 drawing to raise money for Brianna’s family.

Orange bracelets have been made and many, including Rebecca, wear them proudly to show their support for the teenager.

A benefit hunt is being held Oct. 26 and barbecue chicken plates are being sold. “#BriStrong” T-shirts and “Team Bri” clothing have been pressed.

A dinner and bake sale are being held in November.

If you drive around the southern end of the county, you will likely see orange ribbon window stickers on a car or two — the driver’s way of honoring one of their own.

And prayers are being uttered in congregations both across the community and beyond the county lines.

“The prayers, they have gotten us through this. Sometimes, I ask why, but I know God

has got us and He is gonna get us through this soon,” Rebecca said. “And I’m so thankful that people are willing to donate to my daughter and to the family. I pray for things, and it always seems to work out, but knowing that there’s people out there that will help us, it means a lot. It’s just special.”

B

rianna Long stares at an oversized birthday card that was delivered to her hospital room.

She wasn’t expecting to be sleeping at Maynard Children’s Hospital again so soon, but after she began complaining about the way she was feeling, her parents brought her back to Greenville and doctors felt she needed a twoor three-week stay to ensure her body was strong enough to keep fighting.

She does not look like the same teenage girl who was wearing that formal gown and corsage in May — or the one who was lip-synching to a country music song with her friend this summer.

The treatments have taken a toll on her body.

But the things that upset her these days still have less to do with what she is up against than what the cancer is taking from her.

Like the fact that she won’t be able to get a caramel apple and ride the rides at the Wayne

Regional Agricultural Fair.

Or how instead of spending her 15th birthday barreling down a waterslide, she was watching TV in a hospital bed.

But what that teenage girl does not know is that she is creating a legacy — that with every tear she holds back and every procedure she endures, she is teaching her elders things they will carry with them long after she is declared cancer-free.

“I just didn’t know what bravery was until I’ve actually seen it in my daughter,” Rebecca said, again fighting back tears. “I always knew she was strong, and she was a fighter, but this is something more. Her faith and the strength that she has is remarkable.”

And she has no idea that in her mother’s eyes, a once-little girl with “pretty tight curls” has become a hero — an inspiration.

“When I look at her, I just know we’re going to beat this,” Rebecca said, a tear rolling down her face. “I am so proud. I am so proud that Bri is mine.”

Editor’s Note: Those who wish to participate in the many events that will soon take place to raise funds for Brianna’s family can find more information — and following the 15-year-old’s cancer battle — on Facebook by following “Brianna’s Fight Against Leukemia.” n

Have hope, have faith, and never, ever give up!

This message is for those of you out there who have just heard the words, “You have cancer.”

I know how you feel.

You are scared.

You are trying to be brave.

You don’t know what the future holds and where to turn.

Your life will never be the same again.

I know it’s hard.

But I want to share a couple of stories with you, about two of the bravest people I know, and how their words changed my life.

The first is Bill.

He was diagnosed in his early 30s with COPD, a severe lung illness.

They gave him only a few years to live and told him he would soon be incapacitated.

Well, they did not know Bill.

Not only did he prove his doctors wrong, but he also made it decades past that initial death sentence.

And he did something else.

He became an advocate.

Bill worked for the COPD society for years and became familiar with every drug and treatment as well as their possibilities for longer and better lives for COPD patients.

He was my husband’s friend for more than 30 years.

Bill traveled the world, speaking at conferences to physicians, scientists, and healthcare professionals about the realities of COPD and the toll it takes on health, well-being and psyche — from the perspective of someone living with the disease.

But the most important part of that sentence was that he traveled — even with COPD — in pressurized cabins and into the smog and poor air quality.

He went to Paris — that’s right, I said Paris — navigating the city on a scooter with an oxygen mask affixed to his face.

He did not let his disease stop him.

Not once.

Of course, he could travel internationally.

Of course, he could tell his story to a sea of faces at a massive conference and then act as an ambassador for those who battle the disease.

Of course, he would defy the odds.

And she kept going, for years, with a I learned Bill’s secret years later after diagnosis that many would have called a my own cancer diagnosis.

He called me soon after he heard the news. death sentence.

Battle won. War waged again. Battle “I know it was hard to hear,” he said. “I won again. Over and over. know you are scared right now.”

I asked her how she did it and if she “But remember this,” he added in a matterof-fact voice. “Cancer is just a word. It only has shared her story.

Turns out she had been mentoring othpower over you if you let it.” er cancer patients And that is for years. exactly how Young and old.

Bill lived.

Rich and conCOPD did not nected and poor define him. and resourceless.

It certainly did The difference, not limit him. she said, was not And Bill never the money, the let his diagnosis fancy hospitals or cripple him. even the doctor.

He lived, as hard The care and as long as he mattered and the possibly could. treatment options And he beat that were important, death sentence — but they were not for decades. the determining Attitude matters. factor in who Bill was living made it and who proof. didn’t.

He finally lost Renee Carey “Renee,” she his battle this past said. “I have seen year — fighting young women, in until the end. their 30s and 40s who faced much less But here’s the powerful thing: severe diagnoses than me, but they Bill knew that COPD was eventually were dying earlier and more frequentgoing to claim his life. ly. And they all had the same thing in He just wasn’t going to give it, or those common.” whose business it is to predict longevity, You guessed it. the satisfaction of claiming him even one Many of those who were lost much hour earlier than he had to. earlier than they should have been did not He decided. And he lived. take Judy’s advice to heart.

Medicine and advancements matter, You just have to keep the faith and too, but there is something about minddecide that you are going to fight until set, about faith, and about courage. the end.

Remember that as you decide your No getting hung up on “having cancer,” path forward.

Because, after all, like Bill, you will have or ruminating about the odds and the statistics. some say in that.

Just hit it head on and keep going.

The other story I have for you is about Judy kept going for years. a woman in her late 70s that I met just Cancer slowed her down, and took about seven years ago. away a few years, but Judy fought it off Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer for more time than any doctor told her not once, not twice, but three times, Judy she would. had heard all of the doom and gloom.

She played tennis every day and stayed She knew the odds were bad. an active part of mentoring young cancer But she decided, too.

patients and supporting them through their diagnosis and treatment.

Sometimes, she even helped them keep the faith when her own was being tested.

She had purpose in her life — and courage.

Attitude matters.

There is no blueprint for a cancer journey.

No one can tell you how to navigate the feelings and fear that goes along with it.

And the truth is, there is no wrong way.

There’s only your way.

But there are lessons to be learned from those who have faced a diagnosis that is life changing.

So, be like Bill and tell cancer and its scare tactics that they have no power over you — that your life will end not one minute before the date that God has in his big book.

And be like Judy and decide that the best way to tackle any challenge is to battle through it — that age is not a barrier but a gift of experience and self-awareness and knowing what matters and that sharing the fight with those who need your hand and heart is a purpose that can put any health challenge into perspective.

Be brave, fearless, and kind.

And never, ever quit until you have left a legacy and have drawn your last breath.

To all of you, be strong, rely on those around you who love you and enjoy every precious minute of the life God gave you.

Sure, there are stories of loss and battles surrendered.

But there are also miracles and stories of those who turned challenge into triumph.

You can do this.

I promise.

And one more little bit of advice.

Don’t be afraid to reach out.

Our arms are ready to hug and comfort, and our ears are ready to listen.

Those of us who have been there are a family, and you can trust us.

So, call on us if you need us.

I promise, we’ll be there.

Love and light to all of you. You are going to make it.

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the SPECTATOR

What a fair!

The Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair brought about the best in this community — again.

PHOTOS BY C asey Mozingo

Photos continued page 18

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NO T ICE S NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

All persons, firms, and corpo- Having qualified as Adminrations having claims against istrator of the Estate of NaBrian Lee Hitch, deceased of thaniel Tyner, late of Wayne Wayne County, are notified County, North Carolina, the unto exhibit them to the under- dersigned does hereby notify signed on or before the 15th all persons, firms and corporaday of December, 2025, or this tions having claims against the notice will be pleaded in bar of estate of said decedent to extheir recovery. All persons in- hibit them to the undersigned debted to the estate will please at the address below on or bemake immediate payment to fore December 21, 2025, or this the undersigned. notice will be pleaded in bar This 14th day of September, of their recovery. All persons, 2025. firms and corporations indebt ed to the said estate are asked Brianna Marie Hitch to make immediate payment to Administrator of the Estate of the undersigned.

Brian Lee Hitch This the 21st day of September, 1001 Broadbank Drive 2025.

Apt. 329 Leland, NC 28451 Ann H. Tyner, Administrator of the Estate of Nathaniel Published September 14, 2025, Tyner September 21, 2025, 2307 Labrador Court September 28, 2025, Greensboro, NC 27406 and October 5, 2025 Published September 21, 2025, September 28, 2025, October 5, 2025, NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION and October 12, 2025 All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Jamie Royall, deceased of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 21st day of December, 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 21st day of September, 2025.

Khary Royal Administrator of the Estate of Jamie Royall 226 Jeff Outlaw Road Mount Olive, NC 28365 Published September 21, 2025, September 28, 2025, October 5, 2025, and October 12, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF DALE O’BRIEN BIZZELL

Having qualified as Executors of the Estate of Dale O’Brien Bizzell, 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 December 21, 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 21st day of September, 2025.

Danya Bizzell a nd Dwight Bizzell Co-Executors of the Estate of Dale O’Brien Bizzell 2221 Rainy Lake Street Wake Forest, NC 27587 Published September 21, 2025, September 28, 2025, October 5, 2025, and October 12, 2025

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF VIRGINIA LEE DOWERS

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against Virginia Lee Dowers, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 29th day of December, 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 28th day of September, 2025.

Mark J. Hale, Jr., Administrator of the Estate of Virginia Lee Dowers 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 September 28, 2025, October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, and October 19, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Jessie Lee Williams, Sr., 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 January 5, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate are asked to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 5th day of October, 2025.

Valorie Denise Brown, Administrator of the Estate of Jessie Lee Williams, Sr. 875 Dollard Town Road Goldsboro, NC 27534 Published October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, October 19, 2025, October 26, 2025

NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Kay Jefferson Dudley, 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 December 29, 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 28th day of September, 2025.

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of James Ernest Dove, 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 January 5, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate are asked to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Shirley D. Deans, Administratorof the Estate of Kay Jefferson Dudley 314 Crown Point Road Greenville, NC 27838 Published September 28, 2025, October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, and October 19, 2025

Allison B. Dove-Jones, Administratorof the Estate of James Ernest Dove 2423 Pa Will Trail Burlington, NC 27217

This 5th day of October, 2025.

Published October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, October 19, 2025, October 26, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF GEORGE ALAN AYCOCK

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of George Alan Aycock, 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 January 5, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate are asked to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 26th day of September, 2025.

Melynda Sullivan Snead, Administrator of the Estate of George Alan Aycock c/o Caroline Taylor Phillips, Attorney at Law Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, L.L.P. P. O. Box 1616, Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 Published October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, October 19, 2025, October 26, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF JOHN M. LEWIS

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against John M. Lewis, deceased, of Wayne County, are notified to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of January, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebt-ed to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 5th day of October, 2025.

Teresa E. Lewis, Executor of the Estate of John M. Lewis 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 October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, October 19, 2025, October 26, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE OF COUNTY PROPERTY

An offer of Five Thousand Three Hundred Dollars ($5,300.00) has been submitted for the purchase of certain property owned by the County of Wayne and the City of Goldsboro located at 305 N. Vance Street, Fremont (PIN: 3605651227) more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a point at the Western edge of Vance Street, and in the center of the run of Aycock Branch, at the intersection of said Branch by said street, it runs in a Southerly Direction with Vance Street 98 feet to a stake; thence Westerly in a line parallel with North Street, 82 feet to the center of a ditch; thence Northerly with the center of said ditch to a point in the center of the run of Aycock Branch; thence Easterly with the center of said Branch to the Point of Beginning. And being the same property conveyed by deed recorded in Book 714, at Page 411; being also the same property conveyed to Stephen Edgar Ferrell and wife, Frances G. Ferrell by deed dated September 9, 1971 which will be found duly recorded in the Wayne County registry, in Book 794, at Page 54. And being the same property conveyed to Ernest W. Hamilton and wife, Mary S. Hamilton by deed recorded in Book 1342, Page 657 of the Wayne County Registry.

Persons wishing to upset the offer that has been received shall submit a sealed bid with their offer and the required deposit to the office of the Wayne County Manager, 224 E. Walnut Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530 by 5:00 P.M. on October 15, 2025.

At that time the Clerk to the Board shall open the bids, if any, and the highest qualifying bid will become the new offer.

If there is more than one bid in the highest amount, the first such bid received will become the new offer.

A qualifying higher bid is one that raises the existing offer at least 10% of the first $1,000 and 5% of the remainder. A qualifying bid must raise the existing offer to an amount not less than $5,660. A qualifying higher bid must be accompanied by a deposit in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid; the deposit may be made in cash, cashier’s check, or certi-

fied check. The County will return the deposit on any bid not accepted, and will return the deposit on an offer subject to upset if a qualifying higher bid is received. If no other bids are made the original offer to purchase will be accepted.

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

Andrew J. Neal Wayne County Staff Attorney PO Box 227 Goldsboro, NC 27533 (919) 705-1971 Published October 5, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF JIMMIE LEE EDMUNDSON

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Jimmie Lee Edmundson, 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 January 5, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the decedent or estate shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 5th day of October, 2025 Donna Edmundson, Executor c/o Henry C. Smith, Attorney Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, LLP P.O. Box 1616 Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 919-734-1841 Published October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, October 19, 2025, October 26, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF LINWOOD EARL GRADY

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Linwood Earl Grady, 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 January 5, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery.

All persons indebted to the decedent or estate shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 5th day of October, 2025 Sheila Grady Morales and Pamela Grady Street, Co-Administrators c/o Henry C. Smith, Attorney Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, LLP P.O. Box 1616 Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 919-734-1841 Published October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, October 19, 2025, October 26, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF LILLIAN OVERMAN BRIDGERS

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Lillian Overman Bridgers, 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 January 5, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to the decedent or estate shall please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 5th day of October, 2025 John W. Bridgers, Executor c/o Henry C. Smith, Attorney Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith, LLP P.O. Box 1616 Goldsboro, NC 27533-1616 919-734-1841 Published October 5, 2025, October 12, 2025, October 19, 2025, October 26, 2025

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