T.A. Loving Braves Weather for “Load the Loader” Event

T.A. Loving Braves Weather for "Load the Loader" Event

Cold and rainy weather didn’t dampen the generous spirit of T.A. Loving employees during the company’s “Load the Loader” event on Thursday at Sam’s Club. 

T.A. Loving collected canned goods and non-perishable items to donate to the Community Soup Kitchen of Goldsboro. 

Despite the weather, Bill Ryder, Utility Business Developer for T.A. Loving, and his co-workers in charge of collecting donations were moved by the community’s generosity. 

“We felt that at Easter time people would have more of a sense of giving,” said Ryder. “The soup kitchen always get busy this time of year. Sam’s Club has been great about giving us the spot and helping us out. At the beginning it was a little slow because there was torential rain out here, but so far it’s been fantastic. I’ve been very impressed with the people coming through.”

Currently in in its 99th year as a company, T.A. Loving also supports the community through its involvement with Habitat for Humanity, organizations that work to provide housing for individuals who have overcome substance abuse as well as other various non-profits. 

“It’s just a family environment anyway,” Ryder said. “I think it just helps bring everybody together. We do so many different family type things, and it’s a loving, giving company. I’ve only been with them a little over a year, but what I’ve seen with how they react to the community, people that work together, they’re a strong faithful group.”

WCPS to Host Find Your Next “Home” Event

WCPS to Host Find Your Next "Home" Event

On Apr. 20, Wayne County Public Schools (WCPS), in collaboration with the Goldsboro Wayne County Association of Realtors, will host an innovative Find Your Next “Home” with Wayne County Public Schools event to engage job seekers and future WCPS families.

“Like the name sounds, this event is designed to help individuals and/or families find their next ‘job home,’ ‘school home,’ or even ‘neighborhood home,” states Ken Derksen, WCPS Executive Director of Community Engagement and Student & Family Support.

The Find Your Next “Home” with Wayne County Public Schools event will be held at the Maxwell Center in Goldsboro from 10 AM until 1 PM.

Administrators say the event is much more than a job fair and school expo, it will be an opportunity for potential employees and families to find a “home” within the much broader community of the school district.

“Essentially, this event will allow families and other attendees to meet with school leaders and staff, ask questions, receive in-depth information about each school, and feel confident in any education transition or career decision being made,” adds Derksen. “All of our schools will have representatives who can meet with families about offerings and steps to enroll their child. Job seekers can meet with principals and Human Resources staff to learn about career options and openings. Realtors will also be on-hand to highlight housing trends and opportunities.”

In addition to jobs and homes, attendees will be able to learn about more unique school offerings available to students, such as Chinese and Spanish dual language immersion programs, Public Safety (EMT, Law Enforcement, & Firefighter Programs), Drone Technology, JROTC, and the Teacher Cadet Program to name a few.

Each high school will provide information about available career pathways that lead to career certifications and college opportunities.

Important information about the school district’s Exceptional Children Program and Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted programs will be available.

The three non-traditional school options, Wayne Early/Middle College High School, Wayne School of Engineering, and the new Wayne School of Technical Arts will also have information for interested attendees.

“We look forward to engaging new or returning families who are interested in choosing one of our schools for their child to take advantage of the various programming and opportunities that are offered, “states Dr. Marc Whichard, WCPS Superintendent. “We also look forward to helping prospective teachers and staff find a job or career which offers both benefits and the opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life. We appreciate the Goldsboro Wayne County Association of Realtors for its support with this event and for lending its expertise for new hires or families needing assistance with finding a home or apartment.”

WCC, Smithfield Foods Receive Award from State Board of Community Colleges

WCC, Smithfield Foods Receive Award from State Board of Community Colleges

 Wayne Community College and Smithfield Foods have been awarded a 2024 Workforce Development Pinnacle Award in the Apprenticeship Champion category by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.

The inaugural Pinnacle Awards recognize exemplary employers, businesses, or industry groups that have demonstrated extraordinary engagement and firm commitment to the education and professional development of its employees and/or to the development of NC’s workforce through its partnership efforts with one or more of the state’s 58 community colleges.

The Apprenticeship Champion award recipients demonstrated commitment to providing structured and meaningful apprenticeship experiences with creative approaches that go beyond traditional roles and responsibilities.

“Business and industry partnerships are integral to meeting the workforce needs of the present day and the future. Smithfield Foods partnering with Wayne Community College is a prime example of a true partnership working together to meet those needs,” said WCC President Patty Pfeiffer.

The apprenticeship model developed and implemented by WCC and Smithfield Foods in 2019 has been replicated at other Smithfield Foods production facilities nationwide. According to WCC Executive Director of Apprenticeships and Career Development Kristie Sauls, there are over 100 Smithfield Foods maintenance apprentices at various community colleges in six states.

“Wayne Community College is honored to partner with Smithfield Foods because we are truly changing lives together,” said Sauls. “We are always collaborating to improve the program and bring more students into it.”

The first cohort of seven maintenance technicians graduated in the spring of 2023, and the sixth cohort will begin in the fall of 2024. Graduates of the apprenticeship program with Smithfield Foods earn a journeyman certificate from ApprenticeshipNC and the US Department of Labor, along with an Associate in Applied Science in Industrial Systems Technology degree.

“I am thankful that Smithfield Foods put their trust and faith in Wayne Community College to develop an apprenticeship model that will have a lasting impact on their business, as well as others, for years to come,” Pfeiffer said.

The award will be presented during the 2024 North Carolina Community Colleges Awards Dinner and Celebration on Apr. 17.

YOUR SEYMOUR SALUTE

YOUR SEYMOUR SALUTE

Every week, Your Seymour Salute highlights an airman serving at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro.

Senior Airman Josh Peck is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician for the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Senior Airman Peck has eliminated multiple ordinance items while stationed at the 4th Fighter Wing.

Senior Airman Peck oversees the tracking of training personnel and serves as a key member of the wing’s Multi-Capable Airman Training Program.

Senior Airman Peck has supported several U.S. Secret Service missions, providing hazardous device search operations across the world to ensure the safety of the President, Vice President, and other foreign dignitaries.

Former WCSO Deputy Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking and Procurement Fraud Conspiracies

Former WCSO Deputy Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug Trafficking and Procurement Fraud Conspiracies

WILMINGTON – Former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office deputy Michael Kenneth Cox, 49, pled guilty on Wednesday morning to two federal charges related to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and a procurement mail and wire fraud conspiracy.

Cox, who was employed by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) from 1996 until he retired as the head of the drug unit in 2018, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana.

Cox also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit procurement wire and mail fraud with his co-defendant Christopher Worth in connection with contracts his business received from WCSO. When sentenced, Cox faces up to 20 years for each charge.

“As a leader of the Drug Unit, Cox’s job was to put drug traffickers behind bars, not go into business with them,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “We trust law enforcement to uphold the law, but a rare few choose to abuse their positions with criminal side-hustles. Corruption like this undermines our institutions, cheats taxpayers, and endangers the public.  The people of Eastern North Carolina, and all the honest cops who put their lives on the line, deserve better and we won’t stand for it.”

“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with an incredible responsibility to serve our communities and ensure justice. Anyone who takes advantage of their position for personal gain or in persistence of criminal activity must and will be held accountable. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will continue to root out public corruption on behalf of the vast majority of hard-working officers who carry out their duties honestly and honorably,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge, Robert M. DeWitt.

According to court documents and other information presented in Court, while Cox was a sheriff’s deputy, he helped various drug traffickers operating in Wayne County evade charges.

In one instance, he intercepted a drug trafficker who had purchased from the target of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation. Rather than arrest the trafficker, he seized the drugs and reimbursed him $2000 for the sale, claiming it had been a planned, controlled purchase.

Even after his retirement, Cox continued his relationships with the drug traffickers, facilitating the purchase of drugs for other individuals.

In addition, Cox was engaged in a scheme in which contracts for upfits of WCSO vehicles were steered to a business owned by Cox, and employing co-defendant Worth, regardless of whether Cox’s company provided such work at the lowest price as required by the Wayne County procurement requirements. Cox was indicted in Aug. of 2023.

The FBI arrested Cox on Aug. 29, 2023, at his auto shop, Eastern Emergency Equipment.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. Chief District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea.

The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Duffy and Nick Hartigan are prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-260.

Internship Offered by WCPL in Memory of Marty Tschetter

Internship Offered by WCPL in Memory of Marty Tschetter

The Wayne County Public Library in Goldsboro is inviting undergraduate and graduate students to apply for a Local History internship.

This opportunity is generously funded by the Wayne County Public Library Foundation and
donations given by community members in memory of Local History Librarian, Marty
Tschetter.

“This internship is a wonderful way for a student who is interested in pursuing a future in librarianship or history to gain hands-on, paid experience. We are grateful that our library is able to offer this opportunity,” says Anna Mitchell, Local History Librarian.

For this summer opportunity, we are looking for an organized, self-directed student with an interest in learning about various aspects of library work, including managing historical collections, archives, digitization, and working with the public to share library resources.

Graduate students pursuing a degree in Library Science or a related field and undergraduate junior and senior-level students pursuing degrees in either history, public history, or a related field are encouraged to apply.

Internship and application information may be found here.

For more information about the Local History programs and resources offered at the library, contact Mitchell at (919) 735-1824 ext. 1830, or email her at [email protected].

Rescheduled Daffodil Festival to Offer Something for Everyone

Rescheduled Daffodil Festival to Offer Something for Everyone

FREMONT — With beautiful weather in the forecast for Saturday and no shortage of entertainment and food options in the works, the rescheduled 36th annual Fremont Daffodil Festival promises to offer something for everyone. 

Despite weather forcing the festival to reschedule from Mar. 23, most of the entertainment acts, vendors, and food trucks have remained committed to attending.

“Everybody has been so supportive with our vendors,” said Brenda Paul, the Daffodil Festival committee chairperson. “We did lose some due to just scheduling conflicts and also due to it being Easter Weekend. Overall, we were able to fill all the Vendor Spots that we had before, and we’ve actually added a few more. The response and the understanding of everyone when we made the decision last week to reschedule has really been good.”

The third annual Keith Stewart Daffodil Dash begins at 9 a.m. It honors a former co-chair of the Daffodil Festival who served in his position for over 20 years before he died. 

The Daffodil Festival begins at 10 a.m. and the Bandit Flight Team will fly over downtown Fremont during the opening ceremonies. 

Entertainment during the Daffodil Festival will include Fremont Preschool, A Step of Class Dance Studio, Fremont Stars, North Tower Band, Jimmy Deve, In Motion Entertainment, Tony Jonez and NorthBound Worship

The Embers were originally scheduled to be the Daffodil Festival’s headline entertainment but a scheduling conflict arose once the festival was rescheduled. North Tower Band has stepped in and will perform on Stage 2 from Noon to 2 p.m. 

The Daffodil Festial will also feature a children’s area with inflatables, a car show with the Wayne County Cruisers, and the Eastern Carolina Vintage Farm Equipment Club. NC Party Pals will also be in attendance. 

“We do try to have entertainment throughout the day that appeals to everyone,” Paul said. “We are very excited to have North Tower Band, who plays very similar music (to The Embers). Throughout the day we will have inflatables in our children’s area. We have a huge car show that kics off at 10 a.m. with the Wayne County Cruisers, and we are very luck this year to have the Eastern Carolina Vintage Farm Equipment Club.”

There will be options to satisfy a variety of different appetites at the Daffodil Festival with food trucks offering various coffee, food, drink and dessert choices. 

“We have so much food, no one will leave hungry, I can assure you,” Paul said. “We have everything from iced coffee, to gourmet cinnamon rolls. We’ve got a Mexican food truck, we’ve got Justo’s Grillin from here in (Goldsboro) that’s a local food truck that has a little bit of everything. We have hot dogs, hamburgers, you name it. We have barbecue chicken, barbecue pork, we have a Chick-fil-a wagon that will be here, we will have Icee trucks, cotton candy, candy apples, any kind of food imaginable will be at our festival.”

The Daffodil Festival will also feature nearly 150 vendors that will line Main Street in downtown Fremont along with the adjacent streets as well. 

Parking options for the Daffodil Festival will be available throughout downtown Fremont. Paul suggests arriving to the festival earlier rather than later to ensure finding parking as close to the festival as possible. The 2023 Daffodil Festival attracted an estimated crowd of 15,000 people. 

“We do have local parking at local businesses in downtown Fremont which would basically be on 117,” Paul said. “We do have parking that will down towards 117 on the north side of town by where our Wayne County Public Library was. We’ve got parking at the local school as well. There is parking, throughout the day parking may be harder to find than it is first thing in the morning.”

Brenda Paul on Rescheduling Daffodil Festival
Brenda Paul on Activities and Entertainment at Daffodil Festival
Brenda Paul on Food at Daffodil Festival
Brenda Paul on Daffodil Festival Vendors
Brenda Paul on Daffodil Festival Parking
RBPCDC Awarded $250,000 USDA Grant to Help Small Farmers

RBPCDC Awarded $250,000 USDA Grant to Help Small Farmers

Rebuilding Broken Places CDC (RBPCDC) has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support its Farm to Table Sustainable Food Collaborative that will promote sustainable agriculture and foster community food security.

The Farm to Table Sustainable Food Collaborative will create space for small-scale local farmers, gardeners, and food-related business owners to connect, especially those in under-served communities.

The Collab will provide technical assistance, education, and resources on sustainable practices, product development, packaging, branding, and assistance in developing market strategies.

Through access to NRCS state staff, leveraging local partnerships and other available resources, the Farm to Table Sustainable Food Collaborative will offer Collab sessions, workshops, career fairs, farmer’s markets, garden events for adults and children, and entrepreneur expos, all designed to address food sustainability and food access challenges in underserved Wayne County communities.

The Farm to Table Sustainable Food Collaborative will host a Meet and Greet on Apr. 3rd at 10 am at Greenleaf Vision of Faith Community Center, 2105 North William Street.

Local small farmers, with a special invitation extended to African American, Latino, and female-owned farms, and food-related business owners, are encouraged to attend this important session.

Jeb Minarik, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Manager from NC NRCS, will provide valuable insights into available resources for small farmers and what to expect in the coming year.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant from the USDA, which will allow us to support small-scale farmers, gardeners, and food-related business owners while promoting sustainable agriculture practices,” said John Barnes, C.E.O.  RBPCDC. “This funding will help establish a resilient and equitable food system that benefits the small farms, consumers, and the environment.”

The Farm to Table Sustainable Food Collaborative works with local farmers, community organizations, and stakeholders to strengthen the local food economy and increase access to fresh, healthy food for all residents.

Cheryl Alston, from Little Washington Growing Group, a small, female-led farm in Goldsboro, will spearhead this collaborative endeavor.

“We are committed to supporting our local small farmers and promoting sustainable farming practices that protect our natural resources while supporting the health and well-being of our community,” said Christina Slocum-Kornegay, Project Director of the collaborative. In addition, we want to support food-related business owners by linking them with the resources they need to grow their businesses and thrive.”

Additionally, RBPCDC is proud to announce partnerships for this endeavor with Wayne Community College, Community Success Initiative, Down East Coal Ash Environmental and Social Justice Coalition, and North Carolina Food Systems Advocacy Coalition.

Together, with local farmers, food-related business owners, community partners, and stakeholders, we aim to create a healthier, more resilient food system for all.

For more information about the Farm to Table Sustainable Food Collaborative and its initiatives, please visit rbpcdc.org/Farm-to-Table-Sustainable-Food-Collaborative or contact Christina Slocomb-Kornegay, [email protected] or call (919) 581-9178, x104.

City of Goldsboro Receives T-Mobile Hometown Grant

City of Goldsboro Receives T-Mobile Hometown Grant

On Wednesday the City of Goldsboro became the latest city to receive one of T-Mobile’s 25 Hometown Grants.

The $30,287 grant will go toward installing automatic doors at the Wayne Opportunity Center, providing a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment for the community.

“Automatic doors will provide a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment for the community while the picnic tables and park benches will enhance our outside patio area,” said Amy Hartley, Executive Director, The Wayne Opportunity Center. 

Through Hometown Grants, people in communities nationwide are kickstarting projects that make a real difference and help their towns thrive.

Since launching its five-year commitment to small towns in April 2021, T-Mobile has awarded a whopping 275 communities across 46 states and over $12 million in funding. 

 In addition, T-Mobile is boosting its largest, fastest, and most awarded 5G network in communities across rural America, recently announcing expanded Ultra Capacity 5G network performance for nearly 60 million customers over nearly 300,000 square miles from Auction 108.  

Each quarter, T-Mobile awards 25 Hometown Grants to small towns with populations of 50,000 or less. To apply for a Hometown Grant, visit here. To learn more about this quarter’s recipients, visit our newsroom.  

Third Annual Honor Our Firsts Gala Celebrates First Responder Community

Third Annual Honor Our Firsts Gala Celebrates First Responder Community

The Third Annual Honor Our Firsts Gala celebrating first responders was held Mar. 22 at The Maxwell Center in Goldsboro.

Nearly 700 people attended from Wayne County and across Eastern North Carolina representing multiple local and state first responder agencies. Hosted by Premier Sponsor, Deacon Jones Auto Group, attendees enjoyed a catered meal from The Chopping Block with desserts from Mickey’s Pastries Shop.

House Majority Leader, Wayne County Representative John Bell, from the North Carolina House, gave a keynote speech thanking and honoring members of the first responder community. The night concluded with fun and dancing thanks to local Wayne County DJ Johnnie Carr.

More than $9,000 was raised from 40 plus raffle items donated by local businesses, leaders, and community members.

Honor Our Firsts is a non-profit organization under the Wayne Charitable Partnership. All proceeds from the event are donated to organizations and causes to support first responder initiatives and families. For more information, please visit: www.facebook.com/HonorOurFirsts

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