Thursday, October 21, 2021
GPD: Suspect Broke Into Apartment, Assaulted Juvenile

GPD: Suspect Broke Into Apartment, Assaulted Juvenile

Ken Conners

Tuesday night, the Goldsboro Police Department responded to a breaking and entering at an apartment on the 100 block of Fallin Boulevard.  Upon arrival, it was determined that a subject forced his way into the residence, assaulting a juvenile in the process. After gathering information from witnesses, a suspect description was determined and officers began canvassing the area. A subject matching the suspect description was located near the area. The subject was arrested and identified as 18-year-old Malachi J. Campbell of Goldsboro. Campbell was charged with First Degree Burglary and Second Degree Kidnapping. He received a $125,000 secured bond and was placed in the custody of the Wayne County Detention Center. The juvenile victim did not sustain any physical injuries. The GPD says the investigation is ongoing.    

UPDATE: Deputies Chases Suspect Near Goldsboro High, Wayne School Of Engineering

UPDATE: Deputies Chases Suspect Near Goldsboro High, Wayne School Of Engineering

Ken Conners

A vehicle pursuit led to a law enforcement presence near Goldsboro High School and the Wayne School of Engineering.  The incident unfolded Wednesday as a suspect vehicle attempted to cut across the campus and drove through a patio area near the cafeteria.  The suspect, who was not a student at either school, was apprehended a short distance away.  In a message to parents, Wayne County Public Schools says the incident was very concerning, and, fortunately, no one was hurt.

UPDATE: According to the crash/incident report, the suspect drove through the Goldsboro High parking lot area and crashed though a closed and locked gate as he was being pursue by Wayne County Sheriff’s deputies. The suspect was apprehended Holly and Pineview streets. The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day, and the vehicle tag did not match the VIN number. The suspect, who was identified as 19-year-old Jaylon M. Ray of Raleigh, will be charged by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

Council Denies Matthews’ Request For After Hours Access In City Hall

Council Denies Matthews’ Request For After Hours Access In City Hall

Ken Conners

A Goldsboro City Council member’s request for after hours access to certain areas in City Hall is shot down. 

The discussion came up at Monday’s meeting as Councilwoman Brandi Matthews asked for her own set of keys to access the Mayor and City Manager’s external office at City Hall.

She, as well as the other council members, are only supposed to be able to access those areas during regular office hours from 8 AM – 5 PM.

Matthews stated she specifically wants to access her mail box and the conference room.

Council member Matthews said, “I do not want to go in Mayor Ham’s office and spin around in his chair.”

Councilman Bill Broadaway says he’s never had access to those areas of City Hall after 5 PM.

Council member Hiawatha Jones was among those that saw it as a potential security risk.

The Goldsboro City Council voted 2-4 and denied Councilwoman Matthew’s request for after hours access to City Hall.

Tuna Relay Returns To Mount Olive

Tuna Relay Returns To Mount Olive

Ken Conners

The Tuna Relay /200 will return to Mount Olive this Friday, October 22. Runners will be on Wayne County roads beginning at 12:30PM on Friday through midnight.

The race starts in Garner, NC and runs through eastern North Carolina to finish in Atlantic Beach. Runners will approach Mount Olive from Four Oaks and the Bentonville Battlefield Historical Association before proceeding to Daughtry Field in Mount Olive.

Residents who live along the route are asked to secure their dogs while runners come through the area. Loose dogs can lead to dangerous situations for both the runners and the dogs.

Runners will travel:

  • From the Bentonville Battlefield Historical Association and run to Selah Christian Church along this route: Mill Creek Church Rd., Harper House Rd., St. John’s Church Rd./S Bentonville Rd., and Selah Church Rd.
  • From Selah Christian Church they will run to Eureka Christian Church by continuing on Selah Church Rd. to Dobbersville Rd.
  • From Eureka Christian Church runners will travel to New Saint Delight United Holiness Church using this route: Dobbersville Rd. to Marsh Kornegay Rd. and then onto Grimes Rd. Note that this is a new section of the course this year due to bridge construction along the old route from Church to Church.
  • From Grimes Rd. runners will travel to Daughtry Field while crossing briefly into Sampson County on: Suttontown Rd., Coker Store Rd./Waller Rd., Thunder Swamp Rd., Old Smith Chapel Rd. and Daughtry Field Rd.
  • From Daughtry Field the runners will travel to Union Wesley Church on these Mount Olive roads: Continuing on Daughtry Field Rd., Old Smith Chapel Rd./Smith Chapel Highway, W. Main St., NE Center St., E. James St., and Rones Chapel Rd./Summerlin Crossroads Rd. From Mount Olive the course heads to Pink Hill.

Each of the Tuna Relay /200 teams will have one runner on local roads at a time with support vans and teammates nearby. The 200-mile course along the back roads of Eastern North Carolina is split into 36 legs, and teams of 4-12 runners will cover the 200 miles. The Tuna Relay /70 will begin at 3:30AM on Oct. 23 in Trenton, NC with teams of 2-6 splitting 12 legs.

Approximately 700 runners are expected to finish on the boardwalk in Atlantic Beach on Saturday. Counties through which racers will travel include Wake, Johnston, Wayne, Sampson, Duplin, Lenoir, Jones, Onslow and Carteret.

“After a year without racing, we are excited to be back! We’ve missed it, and the runners have missed it. The number of participants is down slightly, and we expected that. With this being an outdoor event with runners spread out over 200 miles, we feel we offer a safe and fun event,” Race Director Brian Malak said.

NCDOT Sets New Yearly Litter Collection Record Of 11 Million Pounds

NCDOT Sets New Yearly Litter Collection Record Of 11 Million Pounds

Ken Conners

The N.C. Department of Transportation’s crews, contractors and volunteers have collected more than 11 million pounds of litter from roadsides, exceeding the state’s record for litter collection set in 2019.  

“This is the kind of record we never wanted to break,” said Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “I am very proud of the hard working employees, contractors and volunteers who’ve helped us collect this trash, but litter shouldn’t be there in the first place. Keeping North Carolina beautiful starts with everyone doing their part.” 

Since Jan. 1, NCDOT has collected more than 11 million pounds of litter, totaling more than $15.8 million on litter collection efforts.  

In 2019, NCDOT forces and volunteers set the previous record by collecting 10.5 million pounds of litter statewide. 

NCDOT’s litter management programs are multifaceted. The department makes use of state-owned forces and contract services statewide. NCDOT’s Sponsor-A-Highway Program allows businesses, organizations and individuals to sponsor litter removal along roadsides. NCDOT is also proud to partner with the more than 120,000 participants in the Adopt-A-Highway Program, where volunteers pledge to clean a section of our highways at least four times a year. 

If you spot someone littering from their vehicle, report them with NCDOT’s Swat-A-Litterbug app by downloading the app at ncdot.gov/litter.  

Litter is unsightly, costs millions of dollars to clean up and can hurt the environment, tourism and the state’s quality of life.  

Boys Soccer: Spring Creek Topples Goldsboro On Senior Night (PHOTO GALLERY)

Boys Soccer: Spring Creek Topples Goldsboro On Senior Night (PHOTO GALLERY)

Avi Smolka

Spring Creek defeated Goldsboro 4-0 on Sept. 30, and history repeated itself on Tuesday when the Gators once again toppled Goldsboro 4-0.

“I think we overall performed excellently. I think it was a perfect game,” Spring Creek head coach Miguel Torres said. “I definitely made a message to the boys that this was an important game that we needed to win.

“Also, the way we won was important to me.”

From start to finish, the Gators had their wheels turning, and they scored their first goal five minutes into the contest.

Goldsboro goalie Noah MacDonald came out of the box to gather a loose ball, but when came out too far, which enabled Oswaldo Escudero to get by MacDonald and get off a shot into the open net.

11 minutes later, Adrian Tavera fired off a shot from 20 yards out that found its way into the top right corner of the net.

“Last time, it was Jonah there, and this time it was Adrian here, and those guys are phenomenal for us,” Torres said about the Gators’ long-distance goals. “They’re an important part of our team.”

During halftime, the Gators honored their six seniors – Fernando Trejo, Jonah Perez Velasquez, Escudero, Edgar Liberado Victoriano Apolonio, Alan Velasquez and Jason Napoleon Velasquez Perez – for their dedication to the Gators’ soccer program.

“They were freshman when I first started coaching here, and this senior class definitely holds a special place in my heart because these boys put their heads down, worked hard, and never complained,” Torres said. “They mean a lot to me.”

Homer Elias Lopez Castro scored his third goal of the season in the 56th minute, while Escudero converted a penalty kick in the 71st minute to complete the scoring.

The Gators (11-2-1 overall, 9-0 NSC) will look to win their 10th game in a row against Beddingfield (0-9, 0-9) on Thursday. Spring Creek also earned the No. 1 seed in the Neuse Six 2A Conference tournament, which starts on Oct. 25.

“We just take it one game at a time,” Torres said. “We haven’t won anything yet, so we take it day by day, and we have to keep working hard.”

North Carolina News – October 20

North Carolina News – October 20

Ken Conners

STATE BUDGET

NC GOP leaders send new budget-bargaining offer to Cooper

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republican legislative leaders have sent another budget-bargaining offer to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. The offices of Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said the joint proposal was taken to Cooper’s office Tuesday. It arrived two weeks after Cooper provided his counteroffer to the initial pitch from GOP lawmakers. A state budget was supposed to be in place July 1, but slow work at the Legislative Building combined with still-significant differences with Cooper have extended talks from the summer into the fall. The goal is to locate a middle-ground measure that Cooper would be willing to sign into law.

EX-WORKER-ATTEMPTED ARSON

Sheriff’s office: Former worker tried to set fire at plant

TAR HEEL, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina woman is facing attempted arson charges after authorities say she tried to set fire to a break area at a Smithfield Foods plant and used a hammer to vandalize five cars belonging to management. News outlets report that the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office says a former Smithfield employee threw a jug filled with accelerant onto a canopy in the plant’s break area in Tar Heel last week. Deputies say witnesses identified her as Latasha Bittle. Two days later, officials say a woman broke the windows of five vehicles and was heard saying she would “burn the plant down and shoot it up.” A person who answered at Bittle’s attorney’s office said there’s no comment.

JUDGE-JURY DUTY

Court: Judge erred mentioning race, faith to possible jurors

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina appeals court has ruled that a judge went too far by discouraging fellow Black residents from avoiding jury duty and mentioning religious affiliation at the same time. The Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered a new trial for a man convicted in Guilford County. The majority opinion declares that Superior Court Judge Lora Cubbage’s comments during jury selection violated the defendant’s right to a trial before an impartial jury. Cubbage spoke when a potential juror said he couldn’t act as a juror because of his religion. A dissenting judge wrote her words were inappropriate but not enough to vacate the conviction.

UNC-ADMISSIONS LAWSUIT

UNC may keep affirmative action in admissions, judge says

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that North Carolina’s flagship public university may continue to consider race as a factor in its undergraduate admissions. The ruling goes against a group working to undo affirmative action. Students for Fair Admissions argues that race-based admissions puts white and Asian students at a disadvantage. But Judge Loretta Biggs says the University of North Carolina showed it has a compelling reason to pursue a diverse student body, and measurable benefits that result. The group’s president, Edward Blum, told The Associated Press he’s appealing and hoping the Supreme Court will consider this case together with his suit against Harvard University.

BANK ROBBERY-GETAWAY CAR

North Carolina police see bank robbers switch getaway cars

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Three men accused of robbing a bank in North Carolina had one flaw in their plans to elude police. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say in a news release that shortly after the men robbed a Bank of America branch on Friday, an officer saw them in a car turning into a nearby neighborhood and watched them trying to switch getaway cars. According to police, officers tried to stop the car but the driver kept going and crashed on a dead end street. The suspects were captured after police say they considered trying escape by running across Interstate 77.

AP-US-EPA-FOREVER-CHEMICALS

EPA unveils strategy to regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is launching a wide-ranging strategy to regulate toxic industrial compounds used in products including cookware, carpets and firefighting foams. Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Regan says his agency is taking a series of actions to limit pollution from a cluster of long-lasting chemicals known as PFAS that are increasingly turning up in public drinking water systems, private wells and even food. The chemicals are associated with serious health conditions, including cancer. The plan announced Monday in North Carolina is intended to restrict PFAS from being released into the environment, accelerate cleanup of PFAS-contaminated sites such as military bases and increase investments in research.

HOUSE RETIREMENTS

2 more House Democrats retiring, underscoring 2022 obstacles

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Two longtime Democratic congressmen with a combined six decades of experience have announced plans to retire at the end of their terms. Eighty-one-year-old Rep. David Price of North Carolina and 68-year-old Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania said Monday that they will not seek re-election next year. The news comes just days after Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth of Kentucky announced his own decision to retire. The men cited various motivations, including the realities of redistricting and a desire to spend more time with their families. But the decisions underscore the challenges Democrats face as they try to hang on to their majorities in Congress in 2022.

MISSING WOMAN-BOYFRIEND CHARGED

Ex-boyfriend charged in death of North Carolina woman

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina woman who was reported missing last week has been found dead in South Carolina, and authorities have charged her boyfriend in her death. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said in a news release that 30-year-old LaPorscha Baldwin was found dead on Thursday in Fairfield County, north of Columbia, South Carolina. She was reported missing on Oct. 10 after failing to report for work after going to church. On Saturday, police in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, arrested 35-year-old Charles Williams Combs of Charlotte and charged him with first-degree murder. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say Combs is awaiting extradition to North Carolina.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cross Country: WCDS Boys, Wayne Christian Girls Win CPIC Conference Titles (PHOTO GALLERY)

Cross Country: WCDS Boys, Wayne Christian Girls Win CPIC Conference Titles (PHOTO GALLERY)

Avi Smolka

Teammates Billy Strickland, Shepherd Cowan and Aaron Waddy crossed the finish line first, second and third, respectively, and Wayne Country Day emerged as the top team at the Coastal Plains Independent 2A Conference championship meet on Monday afternoon.

The Chargers had four boys finish in the top five.

Strickland ran the course in 18 minutes, 54 seconds. Cowan crossed the finish line 19 minutes, 50 seconds, while Waddy completed the course in 20:22. Jacob Gribbin wound up in fifth with a time of 21:10.

Wayne Christian’s R.J. Shealy claimed fourth in 20:52.

Wayne Country head coach Robert Glass was named the coach of the year, while Strickland was named runner of the year.

Wayne Chrisitan claimed the girls’ portion of the meet by having four girls finish in the top 10.

Addie Devaul (23:54), Hayli Verme (24:17), A.J. Verme (25:17), Natalie Rheingrube (25:17) finished in second, fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

Wayne Country Day’s Hannah Best (24:19) wound up in fifth. while Greenfield’s A.G. Beddingfield (23:47) claimed first place.

Wayne Christian head coach Michael Richards was also named coach of the year.

Dedication Of Chief Donald M. Gray Bridge (PHOTOS)

Dedication Of Chief Donald M. Gray Bridge (PHOTOS)

Ken Conners

A rebuilt bridge is named in honor of a former Wayne County fire chief. 

Tuesday, the N.C. Department of Transportation dedicated the Chief Donald M. Gray Bridge.   

The bridge carries Mark Edwards Road over Bear Creek near the U.S. 70 Bypass.

Donald’s son Jason Gray spoke on behalf of the family, and said the bridge represented a “boundary” that marked their home.

Gray went on to challenge his family to think of a way to honor his father’s legacy every time they cross that bridge in the future.

Donald Gray, a Wayne County native, served the New Hope Volunteer Fire Department for 42 years.

In 2020, he was inducted into the Wayne County Agricultural Hall of Fame. 

The speakers for the ceremony included George Wayne Aycock Jr., chairman of the Wayne County Board of Commissioners; Adam Caldwell on behalf of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis; Mike Causey, N.C. Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal; and Melvin Mitchell, the Division 4 representative from Rocky Mount on the N.C. Board of Transportation.

The N.C. Department of Transportation rebuilt this bridge in 2018, replacing a 71-year-old structure.

PET OF THE WEEK: Sam Powered By Jackson & Sons

PET OF THE WEEK: Sam Powered By Jackson & Sons

Ken Conners

Meet Sam! He is a handsome little domestic short hair cat. The 7-month-old feline is very sweet and friendly. Sam is waiting at the Wayne County Animal Shelter to find his FUR-ever home.

To make an appointment at Wayne County Animal Services call 919-731-1439 option “0” or email animals@waynegov.com

Click here to view all the pets available for adoption through Wayne County Animal Services.

The Wayne County Animal Shelter is located at 1600 Clingman Street in Goldsboro.

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