Mon., November 23, 2020 |

43.0°, Fair

WILSON’S LOCAL PRINT AND DIGITAL COMMUNITY INSTITUTION SINCE 1896

Citing 'pivotal moment' in virus fight, Cooper tightens state’s mask mandate

Gov. Roy Cooper gave North Carolinians a stark warning Monday as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to increase statewide. “We are in danger,” Cooper said during a …

Wilson deputies help capture Lenoir County shooting suspect

The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team helped capture a suspect accused of shooting a Lenoir County deputy and another man. Officers shot 30-year-old Robert Lee …

Tammy Grady’s family members stand together at Toisnot Park on Sunday as they remember the 35-year-old who went missing a year ago.

Vigil pays tribute to missing daughter, sister

Candles flickered as Tammy Grady’s family and friends formed a circle underneath the Sunday evening sky at Toisnot Park. Tears were shed as those gathered spoke about the 35-year-old, who has …

Thanksgiving

Families appreciate turkey giveaway

Volunteers from Crossroad Street Ministry gathered at Lamm Park on Sunday to hand out frozen turkeys to the needy. “Our ministry is a street ministry, and it is important because we want to …

Resident rallies for electric vehicles in Wilson parking deck

Wilson City Council members briefly discussed electric vehicle charging stations in the planned downtown parking garage following a resident’s remarks in a Thursday public hearing on the …

Steve Price of Joyner's Memorial, right, sets a new marker at the paupers' section at Maplewood Cemetery as Wilson Cemetery Commission members JoAnn Hickman and Charlie Farris stand nearby.

Cemetery memorial installed in paupers’ section

The Wilson Cemetery Commission has placed a new granite memorial marker describing the paupers’ section at Maplewood Cemetery. The commission will hold a dedication ceremony at 11 a.m. …

Jim Fitzgerald, right, stands with his son Christopher. Jim, a diabetic, needs a new kidney.

Diabetic needs a kidney transplant

Jim Fitzgerald doesn’t ask for much. He can raise money for the American Diabetes Association, but he doesn’t like borrowing it from people. If he forgets his wallet at lunch, he is uncomfortable …

Wes Berry, senior vice president and Wilson market executive for Truist, presents a $20,000 replica check to Tenesha Artis, Wilson Area Habitat for Humanity board Chairman Don Blackmon and construction committee Chairman Ken Jones. The Truist Foundation grant will help cover construction costs for Artis' home.

Truist Foundation bolsters Habitat home construction

A $20,000 grant has provided a much-needed financial boost to the latest Wilson Area Habitat for Humanity house. “I most definitely would like to say thank you and I’m very …

Cathy Brown Hardison, executive director of Wilson Arts, paints an ice cream castle on the Edna Boykin Cultural Center's front widnows. Wilson Arts is helping downtown businesses decorate for the Candyland Christmas theme.

Artists adding Christmas cheer to downtown Wilson shop windows

Area artists will be downtown Saturday painting merchant shops in festive scenes with a Candyland Christmas theme. Susan Kellum, Wilson’s downtown marketing and communications …

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, left, and Senior Associate Justice Paul Newby ran for the N.C. Supreme Court's chief justice seat. Beasley requested a statewide recount after unofficial results show Newby with a narrow lead.

Wilson County to recount votes in NC chief justice race

Trailing by 409 votes, N.C. Chief Justice Cheri Beasley’s campaign has requested a statewide recount in Beasley’s race against Paul Newby, the state Supreme Court’s senior associate …

Vigil marks a year since Wilson woman vanished

It’s been nearly a year since 35-year-old Tammy Grady vanished without a trace. Living with the unknowns day after day, month after month, has taken a toll on Grady’s sister, …

A person converses with a staff member through the front door at Wilson Intermediate Care on Tarboro Street. The facility offers COVID-19 testing.

Wilson fights COVID-19 spread: Hospital, health department urge precautions

Wilson Medical Center’s tighter visitor restrictions went into effect Thursday due to increasing COVID-19 community spread. The hospital’s change came two days after Wilson was …

Barton baseball staff pitched in to unload nearly 300 Christmas trees Thursday for the Wilson Evening Optimist Club lot on Ward Boulevard near Tilghman Road.

Optimist Club opens Christmas tree lot

Generations of Wilsonians have turned to area Optimists for live Christmas trees and wreaths, but this year, locals will only have one lot to support. The Wilson Evening Optimist Club lot opens …

N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper D.C. Wuebbles investigates a Wednesday crash between an SUV and Amtrak train near Van Slyke Road north of Wilson.

Driver injured when SUV strikes train

An Elm City man was taken to the hospital Wednesday after striking an Amtrak train at a rural crossing near Wilson. The wreck happened at the Van Slyke Road railroad crossing just north of Wilson …

Firefighter Jordan Childress from the Silver Lake Volunteer Fire Department sprays water into the Silver Lake Growers Cotton Gin trash building on Tuesday.

High winds spread fire at cotton gin

ELM CITY — Some 50 firefighters from five departments fought a stubborn cotton waste fire adjacent to the Silver Lake Growers Gin on Tuesday afternoon. Jason Bissette, assistant chief of the …

Kaydi Roberson, left, Amanda Creech and Terry Pierce tie winter gear to trees on the Wilson County Public Library lawn on Tuesday.

Winter gear available for Wilsonians in need

Scarves, gloves, hats and other winter wearables are adorning trees on the Wilson County Public Library lawn. Anyone in need, including homeless residents, can take the free items to keep warm as the …

Four sentenced in teen’s 2018 killing

A teenager will spend nearly two decades in prison in connection to the July 2018 killing of a teen victim who was gunned down in a failed robbery attempt. On Monday, Jah’marion Fleming was …

Wesley Shelter Executive Director Lynne White checks on the pump dumping several inches of water from the basement on Monday. Torrential rains last week flooded the agency's basement with 7 feet of water.

Rain floods Wesley Shelter basement, causing $10,000 in damage

It only took about 9 inches of rain to flood the Wesley Shelter’s basement with 7 feet of water after Tropical Storm Eta pummeled Wilson last week. “I’ve never seen water …

Mary Marlin, aging program director for the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, pets an animatronic dog to elicit a happy yip. Seniors throughout the region will receive dogs and cats to fight isolation without the responsibilities of caring for a live animal.

For seniors, animatronic pets provide comfort without the cost

Owning a pet can be a costly endeavor, but a new initiative is working to give area seniors the companionship of a dog or cat without the financial burden. “One of the reasons why I am so …

ELECTION 2020 CENTRAL

States, voters share uneasy balance of power

The climactic runoff in Georgia for two U.S. Senate seats will likely determine partisan control of the Senate. If two Democrats win, that party will, with the vice president’s vote as Senate …

Workers, volunteers kept our election secure

Parity extends down the ballot

New and old North Carolina collide — again

After canvass, Wilson County's vote totals are final

Who declares the winner?

Trump continues fight

Time for Cooper to make deals

Free Cunningham concedes to Tillis in US Senate race

Roy Cooper won big and lost big

These 8 factors shaped North Carolina's elections

Free Biden defeats Trump for White House, says it's 'time to heal'

Marijuana bans going up in smoke

Free Butterfield congratulates Biden, Harris

Free Push to relax drug laws gains big victories on state ballots

Follow our ongoing coverage of Cannon Hinnant

VIDEO

Lady Chargers shackle Greenfield for third straight win

Brian Trull would much rather talk about his team’s defense. But if the Wilson Christian varsity girls basketball team can continue this shooting touch from the outside, then the Lady …

View all Wilson Times' videos

Shop Local Wilson

LOCAL HEADLINES

Weathercast: Cool temps, mostly sunny skies for Thanksgiving

Kenly native publishes uncle’s World War II memoir

Finding reasons for gratitude in a dumpster fire

Barnes named state trucking association chairman

Weathercast: Cold front set to follow mild weekend

Pet of the week: Graham

BB&T tower prepared for demolition

Brian Center receives national award

Giving thanks to our community

Deed transfers: Who bought, sold property in Wilson County?

Nash County reports 13 new coronavirus deaths

Community Briefs: Thanksgiving meal, turkey giveaway planned

14 more Accordius residents diagnosed

Davis named Outstanding Optimist

Raffle helps with medical costs

Tourism board recognizes retiring member

NC criminal justice panel: Small amounts of marijuana should be decriminalized

Trash clogs city line, cases wastewater spill

Wilson County sees decrease in percentage of positive COVID-19 tests

School supply drive seeks online donations

University of Mount Olive students help Whirligig Festival go virtual

Wilson County Schools hires 10 employees

State COVID-19 alert system flags Wilson County for ‘critical spread’

Bell reelected as NC House majority leader

Save room for lovers at Thanksgiving table

Wilson County DSS needs adoptive, foster parents

Police: Man shot co-worker in his car

Community Briefs: Fremont board to meet

New funeral home offers personalized service

Wilson’s active virus case count hovers around 300

Lucama officials replacing water distribution pipe

BIKING FOR LIFE: Cyclists cross the state to fight veteran suicide

Downtown Wilson's Christmas tree installed

Evening Optimists install officers

More local news

SPOTTED: Whirligig Festival Outdoor Events 2020

THE BLACK EXPERIENCE

Randolph Sessoms, who served as Wilson County Schools' first African American superintendent, is pictured at his home near the Buckhorn community.

Leveling the playing field in education: Sessoms reflects on career in leadership

As the youngest of nine children in a rural Wilson County tenant farming family, Randolph Sessoms grew up to be Wilson County Schools’ first African American superintendent. “We grew …

Dante Pittman listens to Ruth Baines, curator at the Oliver Nestus Freeman Round House Museum, which celebrates African American history in Wilson County.

Black history often untold: Wilson native says museum helps fill educational gaps

Since moving back home to Wilson, Dante Pittman has visited the Oliver Nestus Freeman Round House Museum several times. “I am always blown away when I walk in and read,” Pittman said. The …

Bettie Applewhite of Wilson spent 25 years working in and around Washington for the federal government and the private sector before returning to Wilson in 2004.

Raising a child on a maid’s wages: College instructor’s mother was live-in domestic worker

When Bettie Applewhite was about 9, she remembers discovering that it was awfully hard to find a Black kid on television. Her rural Wilson County family had just installed a black and white …

Wilson resident Joan Pender Davis holds racial segregation placards she's collected over the years.

Segregation left lasting impressions

Joan Davis remembers the way things were when she was growing up in Wilson. The 77-year-old said the railroad tracks that slice through downtown Wilson were a line of demarcation with white on the …

Paul Sherrod, 86, stands in the mezzanine of The Boykin Center. Before the civil rights movement, African-Americans had to watch movies and shows from the top floor.

Sherrod sees changes upon return to Wilson

Civil rights icon U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ recent death caused Paul Sherrod to think about how far the nation has come and how far it has to go. Sherrod grew up trucking tobacco and picking …

SLICES OF LIFE

Students retire the colors

Lee Woodard Elementary students Giovanni Boseman, left, and Carlos Valdivizio join Gracie Skinner, not pictured, in the daily duty of lowering the United States and North Carolina flags at the end of the school day Tuesday.

Last walk across a century-old bridge

Bridgersville Road residents Emmalane Webb, Susie and Michael Sikes walk across the century-old N.C. Department of Transportation bridge spanning the Town Creek in rural Wilson County on Wednesday afternoon. The three had walked down from their homes to see and walk across bridge No. 105 perhaps one last time before it's torn down and replaced by a new span. The bridge was built in 1920. “It's a dangerous bridge because it is so narrow,” said Michael Sikes.

Great-grandfather time

Three-year-old Calle Batts passes the day on a bench with great-grandfather Henry Brice, 68, of Wilson, at the corner of Tarboro and Nash streets on Sept. 24.

Playing with the puppies

Irma Molina plays with her three puppies, Nico, Z and Zeus, in the Toisnot Reservoir dog park on Saturday. Molina was there with her husband Darwia to run their young German shepherd and Siberian husky mix puppies.

Routing the runners

Barbara Taylor, a Wilson County resident who lives on Hornes Church Road, weaves fresh butterbean runners back through the vines in her garden under the hot sun Thursday. "Last year we didn't have much luck, but this year looks a lot better," Taylor said. "We planted the runner kind because they are easier to pick."

The last angler

Wilson resident Anthony Edwards fishes on Lake Wilson as the amber hues of sunset fade away on July 15.

Changing the marquee

Bella Johnson, an Arts Council of Wilson volunteer and intern, changes the Edna Boykin Cultural Center marquee on Sunday to promote the art show "Healing" by Juan Carlos Duron-Martinez.

Sunset on the pier

Brenly Yencho and Patricia Luy, both of Wilson, sit on a pier together as the sunset fades away over Lake Wilson on July 15.

Catching air at the skate park

Nine-year-old Brooks Johnson of Wilson performs skateboard tricks while his father Brandon Johnson takes pictures of daughter Bria Johnson, 14, at the Toisnot Park skate park Sunday.

'Push me, Mommy'

Rachel Kimbrell of Wilson pushes her 2-year-old daughter Penelope Brock on the swing Sunday at Toisnot Park.

Father and son time

Darnell Jackson and his son Trevien enjoy an afternoon of fishing in Wilson as rainwater spills over the Wiggins Mill dam on June 17.

Playtime at the park

Danny and Heather Stapp of Wilson play ball with their sons, 5-year-old Jackson and 2-year-old Carter, on the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park stage.

Trail riders

Families mount up for a ride together near the city of Wilson's Equestrian Trail at the end of Sullivan Road near the Buckhorn Reservoir banks in late April.

Calling the play

Wilson Rough Riders football player Kuvante Griffin, right, and brothers Jay and Dominique Hinnant practice on the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park grass Sunday.

Fishing the Buckhorn Reservoir

Stephen Chambers and son Kaiden Chambers bring in a fish while angling on the Buckhorn Reservoir at the end of Johnson Farm Road outside Kenly in rural Wilson County.

Feathered friends

Sisters Morgan and Megan Hall feed the Canada geese at the Toisnot Reservoir on Sunday.

A lazy afternoon

Dillon Lee of Stantonsburg and Kristen Henderson of Wilmington relax in the grass at downtown Wilson's Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.

Paddling on Lake Wilson

Kayakers Jessica Phillips, Martha Jo Stanley, Tammy Hooks and Summer Hooks paddle onto a placid Lake Wilson on Sunday.

Family enjoys fishing trip

His hands full, Emerson Watford helps his wife Kiara and their children, Tiffany, Xavier, Emily and Kinsley, rig their fishing poles at Wilson's Toisnot Reservoir on Sunday.

A stroll in the park

A couple walks hand-in-hand around Lake Wilson Park on Sunday afternoon.

Waiting for a bite

As the Town Creek's tannin-colored backwaters creep by, Alvin Williams and his 6-year-old fishing buddy Kevin Johnson of Elm City angle for freshwater fish off the new 75-foot-long bridge finished in April along Rock Quarry Road near Elm City.

Fishing for that pot of gold

Abraham Alonzo of Wilson, an avid fisherman around the local fishing holes, walks his tricycle up South Street as a rainbow arcs toward the ground ahead last Friday.

Wedding on the run

Alexander Hayman of Boston, left, and Suzanne Michalak of Durham walk down the steps of the Wilson County Register of Deeds after getting their marriage license Monday afternoon just in time for their wedding Monday night at the home of her parents, Daniel and Paul Michalak of Wilson. The couple had planned to hold and Asheville wedding, but that had to be canceled due to COVID-19. "We didn't want to wait another year to get married," the bride said. His parents are Bill and Radhia Hayman of Houston.

WEATHERCAST

Weathercast: Cool temps, mostly sunny skies for Thanksgiving

High pressure is forecast to stay around Tuesday to give the Wilson Times area mostly sunny skies and cool high temperatures in the mid-50s. After an overnight low in the upper 30s, winds will …

#spendlocalwilson

More jobs

Most recent videos:

High winds cause fire to leap from burn pile at Silver Lake Growers Gin on NC 58

High winds cause fire to leap from burn pile at Silver Lake Growers Gin on NC 58 Read More

A truck turns around Friday after the driver chose not to venture into floodwaters on N.C. 222 between Stantonsburg and Saratoga.

Stantonsburg 'like an island' as water rises after Tropical Storm Eta

STANTONSBURG — This southern Wilson County town was almost cut off from the rest of the world Friday as runoff from Tropical Storm … Read More

Flooding in Wilson

Wilson firefighters look into a 2009 Longview Drive E. home through the front door as fire crews work to extinguish a Wednesday blaze.

Fire displaces Wilson family

A Wilson family was displaced when a fire raced through a Longview Street home Wednesday afternoon. Battalion Commander Jim Miller … Read More

Greenlight's Connor Wolfe comes home to score on a double by teammate Jake Joyner in the third inning of Monday's WCLL city championship game versus E.B. Sports at Southern Bank Stadium. Greenlight won 6-3. The E.B. Sports catcher is Landon Cuddington.

Greenlight doubles up E.B. Sports to claim Little League title

The first time through the Greenlight batting order was a feeling-out process against E.B. Sports starting pitcher Brayden … Read More

RESTORATION NEWSMEDIA

THE ENTERPRISE

Highway Patrol probing roadside brutality claim

ROCKY MOUNT — Although no official complaint has been filed, the N.C. State Highway Patrol is investigating social media claims that trooper brutalized a Black woman during a recent traffic …

County OKs zoning for biomass plant: Power Resource Group plans to buy Masonite building

Spring Hope is focus of new feature film: Native directs love letter to town

Nearly $1 million in Nash County Detention Center repairs complete

Giant pumpkins tip scales in Spring Hope: National weigh-off to become annual tradition

JOHNSTONIAN NEWS

Son to face murder charges in parents’ deaths

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office plans to charge a 53-year-old man with murdering his parents. On Oct. 4, sheriff’s deputies went to 960 Olivia Way, Selma, to conduct on well-being check …

Former Kenly police officer pleads guilty

With Smithfield surgeon’s help, a Golden Knight aims to soar again

Virtual learning begins to fray parent, teacher relationships

Roundtable to tackle racism in education

FUN STUFF

COLUMN

Let's disagree more constructively

RALEIGH — When the Associated Press and other news organizations asked North Carolina voters for their perspectives on the just-concluded 2020 elections, there was no shortage of …

LIFE

Full services return in classroom: In-person learning benefits county’s exceptional children

Exceptional children resource teacher Lisa Harrison could see her fourth grade student was having trouble with the reading lesson. With in-the-moment precision, Harrison made eye contact, helped …

E-EDITION

Friday, November 20, 2020

View this issue

Browse other issues

BEST OF

Let them run: NCHSAA cross-country season opens Monday

As the North Carolina High School Athletic Association lifts …

Carolina Panthers quarterback P.J. Walker throws his first NFL touchdown past during the second half of a game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Nov. 22, in Charlotte. Walker, starting in place of injured Teddy Bridgewater, led the Panthers to a 20-0 win in his first NFL career start.

Walker wins first NFL start as Panthers blank Lions 20-0

CHARLOTTE — P.J. Walker was a third-string quarterback battling for a roster spot with the Colts 18 months ago when he received a strange call from his mother, Tamicha Drake. She …

St. John’s plays against Creighton to an almost empty Madison Square Garden in the first half of an NCAA basketball game in the quarterfinal of the Big East Conference tournament, Thursday, March 12, in New York.

More than wins, losses at stake as college basketball season arrives

As more than 300 teams prepare to start a season that will look nothing like any before it, the conversation isn’t so much about who will be cutting down the nets at the end of …

Alabama tight end Jahleel Billingsley (19) hurdles Kentucky defensive back Kelvin Joseph (1) after a catch at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday.

Alabama now unanimous No. 1; idle Tar Heels return at No. 25

Alabama is now a unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll, and Northwestern moved up to No. 11 on Sunday for its best ranking in 24 years. For the second …

Area Calendar, Nov. 23-24

Monday, November 23 High School Varsity Boys Basketball Lighthouse Homeschool at Wilson Christian, 7:30 p.m.; Raleigh Friendship Christian at Greenfield, 8 p.m. High …

N.C. State’s Vi Jones (31) and Isaiah Moore (1) celebrate after Jones blocked the field-goal attempt by No. 21 Liberty’s Alex Barbir (95) during the second half of N.C. State’s 15-14 win Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.

Wolfpack guarantees winning season with 15-14 win over No. 21 Liberty

Playing Florida State and Liberty in consecutive games is not what it once was. Just one week after comfortably beating Florida State, once a perennial national title contender, …

Jacob Dienes of Wilson signed his National Letter of Intent to play baseball at North Carolina State University during a ceremony on fall signing day Nov. 11 at Raleigh Road Baptist Church. Dienes, a home school student, plays for the Wake County Warriors home school program and for the Purpose Driven travel club.

All grown up: Former Little League star Dienes signs with Wolfpack

A nice little growth spurt as he eased into his teen years turned Jacob Dienes from a pretty good Little League baseball player into a pretty good college — and maybe pro — …

C.B. Aycock's Clay Matthews, center, surrounded by parents Brandi and Brad Matthews, recently signed his National Letter of Intent with the University of Mount Olive.

CBA’s Matthews keeps it in the family, signs with Mount Olive

PIKEVILLE — Look up “athlete” in the dictionary, and the face of Charles B. Aycock High senior Clay Matthews is a prime candidate to be situated next to the …

Sports home

College Sports

No. 21 Liberty visits NC State seeking 3rd win vs. ACC teams

Liberty’s wins against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents have been a highlight of its unbeaten start. Now the 21st-ranked Flames have a chance to claim another with Saturday night’s …

ACC could benefit from show of force behind 3 ranked teams

March Madness in one place? NCAA looking at Indianapolis

Tulsa in at 25; Indiana set for top-10 matchup

Knight exploding into kick return role for Wolfpack

School Sports

McGuire, Sutton cop WSCC women’s titles

The turnout was low but the drama was high as Willow Springs Country Club held its annual women’s golf club championships the weekend of Nov. 8-9. Sue McGuire rallied Sunday with a …

No harm, no foul

Lake Wilson 12U, 18U Green both improve to 5-1

Follow these tips to avoid hiking weirdness

‘06 Explosion ends regular season with 4th tie

EDITORIALS

Free, independent press is a uniquely American concept

Religion, speech, press, assembly, petition. If you can recite that list from memory, you’re ahead of 96% of American adults, according to the Freedom Forum Institute’s 2019 State of …

Our Opinion: Stealing signs squelches voters' political speech

Our Opinion: Cooper-Suggs, Rankin share their Raleigh road maps

Our Opinion: King's dream should convict, challenge and unite us

Our Opinion: Wilson benefits from frank talk on race relations

Our Opinion: Crime coverage doesn't require mug shot gallery

Our Opinion: Political clothing offers no excuse to mistreat guests

Our Opinion: Wilson can relax mural, sign rules to boost business

Our Opinion: Farmer-Butterfield gave Wilsonians a voice in government

Our Opinion: Founding principles still inspire America

Our Opinion: Mask mandate drafts cashiers, clerks as Cooper's cops

Our Opinion: Lunch shaming finally off the menu for Wilson County Schools

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR