Jacksonville, North Carolina News Updates

Gunman Identified in Apartment Complex Shooting
The Onslow County Medical Examiner has identified the man killed by Jacksonville police. Samuel Jarolim, age unknown, was shot and killed this morning after pointing his weapon at Jacksonville Police. Onslow County Emergency dispatchers received a 911 call at 8:03 a.m. about a man at Azalea Garden Apartments with several weapons.
When Police officers arrived, they told the man to drop the weapons. The gunman advanced towards the officers and one of them fired a shot. The gunman died at the scene. A Witness Todd Devita, manager of the AutoBrite Car Wash, said he saw the gunman standing in the driveway of Canterbury Apartments, which is across the road from Devita's car wash. Devita said he heard two gunshots before the gunman, who had a rifle aimed at police, dropped to the ground.

Gun in Hubert Murder Found by Police

Onslow County Sheriff’s investigators have located the weapon used to kill Hubert mom, Cheryl Dee Burgess.
Acting on a tip provided to the Sheriff's Department, investigators secured a search warrant for a particular home where the weapon was located. Investigators went to 203 Snapper Court in Hubert and located the shotgun which was found under the bed.
The shotgun will be processed at the Sheriff’s Department as evidence.
According to police records, a deputy was sent to 108 Queens Road late Wednesday to handle a disagreement between Justin Smith and Burgess, his mother. Smith was transported to another location.
Smith allegedly received a shotgun from a friend and returned to his mother’s house, according to police. He then returned the shotgun to his friend. Smith has since been charged with an open count of murder and is being held in the Onslow County Jail without a bond.

Man Charged with Muder in Mother's Death

UPDATED STORY:

Hubert, North Carolina -At approximately 10:00 a.m. Thursday, neighbors on Queens Road in Hubert, North Carolina heard screams coming from 108 Queens Road. They were the screams of a family member who had just made a gruesome discovery in the home. Onslow County Sheriff's arrived at the home located at 108 Queens Road where they found the body of Cheryl Dee Burgess.

Her son, Justin Randell Smith, 23, became a “person of interest” in his mother’s death and has now been located by the police. Investigators have charged him with an open count of murder, and he is being held in the Onslow County Jail without bond.
“I was watching TV and heard screaming,” said Krystal McKenzie, who lives directly across the street from 108 Queens Road. “I looked and saw a woman banging on a car screaming, ‘No! No!’”
Within minutes, the Sheriff’s Department and an ambulance arrived, said Eugene Vaughn, another neighbor. After a few minutes, the ambulance left empty.
Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown confirmed that the woman was dead when deputies arrived. Sheriff’s detectives and crime scene investigators spent a rainy afternoon at 108 Queens Road talking to witnesses and processing the scene.
The woman’s body was transported to the morgue at Onslow Memorial Hospital and Dr. John Alameida will perform an autopsy.
Neighbor, Krystal McKenzie said it had been quiet across the street for a few months, but before that, loud arguments between Smith and other family members would wake neighbors up in the middle of the night.
“(Smith) would be out in the front yard at 4 a.m. kicking the trash can over and shouting profanity,” McKenzie said.
Smith’s criminal conviction history includes assault of a government official on New Year’s Eve 2008, and several larceny charges and breaking and entering.
The time period neighbors said there were no altercations at 108 Queens Road coincides with Smith’s incarceration for probation revocation from April to until the end of June.

The Mission of The NAACP

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

Theblackurbantimes

THE MISSION OF THE NAACP
--To rebuild our communities and make others aware of the problems affecting and infecting Africans in the Diaspora, Black Americans and other people of color here in our communities.

--To enhance the economic, political, educational, social, and overall emotional and physical well-being of Black Americans and other people of color.
--To develop an appreciation of the African, Black American and other people of colors contribution to the development and growth of the United States.
--To develop emotionally intelligent youth who will one day lead our country and communities.
Nurture
Awareness
Advancement
Ccommunity
People of color

Support your local NAACP with financial donations or just your time. Make members of your community aware of the organization's existence. Telephone President, Albert W. Burgess Jr. at (910) 389-2222 for more information on how you can support this organization.

N.C. Woman Sentenced in Traffic, DUI Death

By LINDELL KAY
Daily News Staff
An Onslow County jury convicted a Jacksonville woman of second-degree murder Thursday in the 2007 traffic death of a mother of three.
Stephanie Megahan was sentenced to 10ﾽ to 13 years in prison after a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder and aggravated felony death by motor vehicle in the death of Tabitha Morrison. Megahan pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and driving while license revoked, responsible for red light violation and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
She was ordered to seek alcohol treatment while incarcerated, according to a ruling by Judge Gary Trawick of Pender County.
Morrison was driving home from church the night of Nov. 30, 2007. Her husband and three small children were in a vehicle behind her. Morrisons family witnessed her vehicle being struck by Megahans vehicle, Assistant District Attorney J.B. Askins said.
This is the most egregious case like this I have seen in 10 years as a prosecutor, he said after the trial.
{Photo Left: Tabitha Lynn Morrison and Family.

Photo courtesy of Morgan Funeral Home, Jacksonville, NC}

Witnesses testified during the trial that they saw Megahans vehicle fail to stop for the red light at Old Bridge Street and Marine Boulevard. Megahans blood alcohol concentration at the time of the crash was 0.25, prosecutors said.
Since Megahan had been previously convicted of driving while impaired in 1996 and 2006, prosecutors argued for a minimum of 13 years in prison.
I am pleased with the jurys verdict, but I am disappointed with the judge sentencing the defendant in the mitigated range of punishment, said Dewey Hudson, the district attorney for the 4th Prosecutorial District, which includes Onslow County.
The jury deliberated for 35 minutes before returning to the courtroom with the verdict.

North Carolina News Briefs

By Alicia Cruz
Senior writer
theblackurbantimes.com
CAMP LEJEUNE
The death of a Camp Lejeune Marine in Iraq is under investigation.
Lance Cpl. Nelson M. Lantigua, 20, of Miami, died Tuesday as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, according to a Department of Defense press release.
Lantigua was a field artillery cannoneer with 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment. He joined the Marine Corps on Oct. 29, 2007 and deployed to Iraq in October. His awards include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

CHERRY POINT
Bound for Brig, Marine Gives Handlers The Slip
Military and civilian authorities are searching for a Cherry Point Marine who escaped from custody Thursday morning, according to officials. Andre Angus James, who is described as a 20-year-old black male, escaped and may be with Whitney James driving a 2002 Dodge Stratus with Georgia license plates, according to police. James escaped as he was about to be put in pretrial confinement, according to Mike Barton, spokesman at Cherry Point. He would not name the crime for which James is charged. He said the escape happened as the Marine was being prepared to be sent to the Camp Lejeune brig. Barton cited an ongoing investigation in not releasing details on how the escape happened. Authorities have not released any pictures of James nor any further description.

ONSLOW COUNTY
Severe weather expected this morning
Severe weather forecast for the overnight in Onslow and Carteret counties could still be in the area this morning, forecasters say.
Casey Dail, duty forecaster for the National Weather Service in Newport, said the peak window for the weather was between midnight and 6 or 7 a.m.
Dail warned that there could be "damaging winds and isolated tornados." "You could get some small hail as well, but wind and tornados are the main threats," she said

MAGISTRATE'S WOUNDS SELF INFLICTED, REPORT PHONY
Police learn truth after second call to Magistrates home
On Monday night a local Magistrate was found stabbed in her bedroom by Beulaville police after they went to check on her welfare. Today police now know that the magistrate filed a phony police report and her injuries, on both occasions, were self-inflicted and there was no home invasion or robbery. The magistrate, Catherine Rhodes, of Stanford Street in Beulaville, told police that her home had been broken into on Monday evening and that she was stabbed. Investigators with the Beulaville Police Department and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation were suspicious of Rhodes’ initial claims on Monday, but had no proof that she was not being truthful.
Rhodes was hospitalized Monday night with non-life threatening injuries and released on Wednesday. Just hours after her release from Duplin General Hospital on Wednesday, a neighbor of Rhodes' called 911 and told dispatchers that he observed Rhodes breaking out one of the front windows, a report says.
According to a statement by the district attorney for the 4th Prosecutorial District, which includes Onslow and Duplin counties, Dewey Hudson, "When police arrived, Rhodes told them that her home had been broken into and she had been stabbed again, but eventually broke down and admitted the truth," Hudson said. Hudson said that his office does not plan to press charges against Rhodes. Rhodes is still a magistrate, but Hudson expects she will resign. "She has not performed her duties as magistrate since Monday," Hudson said. “Finally, I would like to express that the public should not be angry with Ms. Rhodes,” Hudson said. “She is the loving mother of two children and needs your thoughts and prayers. Some personal, family issues led Rhodes to have an “apparent breakdown,” Hudson said, adding that she is “suffering from severe emotional and mental strain. This apparent breakdown could happen to you or members of your family.”“I want to ensure the people of Beulaville and Duplin County that there is no threat or danger to their safety,” Hudson said.Rhodes, a former Onslow County prosecutor, used to work for Hudson.“The Catherine Rhodes I personally observed April 1, 2009, is not the same Catherine Rhodes I know and worked with,” he said. Rhodes is currently hospitalized and under doctor’s care, he said. My sincerest prayers are with Ms. Rhodes and her family.
Alicia CruzSenior writertheblackurbantimes.com

NOTE: A magistrate is often used as a generic term for any independent judge who is capable of issuing warrants, reviewing arrests, etc. When used in this way it does not denote a judge with a particular office. Instead, it denotes a judge or judicial officer who is capable of hearing and deciding a particular matter.“It appears from all the evidence that the alleged break-ins into the residence of and the alleged assaults upon Ms. Rhodes did not occur as reported by Ms. Rhodes,” said Dewey Hudson, the district attorney for the 4th Prosecutorial District, which includes Onslow and Duplin counties.

CAMP LEJEUNE
MARINE PLEADS GUILTY IN ENTICEMENT CASE
A Camp LeJeune Marine plead guilty in a general court martial to charges of online enticement of a minor and received five and a half years in the brig, according to information released Thursday.
Sgt. Donald Ira Mundell, 27, of 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force, also received a reduction in rank to E-1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances while confined, a bad conduct discharge, sex offender registration and DNA processing.
Mundell met and chatted with what he thought was a middle school-aged girl on the Internet for the purpose of arranging sex. The “girl” was actually an undercover detective with the Pender County Sheriff’s Department in North Carolina.
Mundell was one of several men arrested during an eight-month undercover sting operation conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement. Mundell previously pleaded guilty in September to similar charges brought against him by NCIS in a separate case.

HUBERT/CAMP LEJEUNE
MARINE CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING COCAINE
Winston Doctrine, 38, of Charlton Road in Hubert, was charged Wednesday by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department with two counts of trafficking, maintaining a residence for a controlled substance, and possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine. Doctrine is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marines.
He was taken into custody at his Hubert home during the execution of a search warrant by local and federal authorities and taken to the Onslow County jail. More than four ounces of powdered cocaine was seized during that search. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $12,000.
“Sheriff’s Office investigators developed information (about SSgt. Doctrine) in a joint effort with federal authorities over the last several days,” Sutherland said. SSgt. Doctrine joined the Marine Corps in February of 1999. He is a food service specialist. He is a mobilized reservist, currently serving with the Wounded Warrior Battalion East, said Capt. Leticia Reyes, a spokeswoman for the Wounded Warrior Regiment. The Marine made his first appearance Thursday morning in district court. His bond was set at $350,000.

Newport Pig Cookin’ Schedule
The 31st annual Newport Pig Cookin’ Contest kicks off tonight with opening ceremonies and entertainment at Newport Town Park. Activities continue all day Saturday, with judging in the country’s largest whole-hog pig cooking contest, entertainment and the serving of barbecue plates.

Dressing For Success Not SEX, Says 'Dear Abby'

Sometimes I wonder if Abigail Van Buren reads my mind. My day got off to an early start this morning - a feat for a night-time journalist since I don't get off work until 2 a.m. some times. I had to drop off a press release I wrote for a company which meant I had to stop by one of the largest employers in Onslow County, ECom.
As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed this extremely large crowd of people clamouring at the front of the building. Truthfully, had it not been for the time of day, I would have thought I was parked in the lot of discotheque. Mostly all of the young men and women were dressed like they were auditioning for rap video or waiting for a club to open.

If you look like this before you leave your house for work, go back to your closet and find something else to wear!

I saw everything from sequined blouses to mini-skirts and "hooker" boots heels to Hot pants (what we called Biker shorts only these were longer) and low-cut, cleavage bearing blouses
As I passed through the crowd some were on cell phones having loud arguments with "skeet" about where he was Saturday night to "How in da Hell is you gon' charge me a damn dolla for every minute I'm late and I'm only phukin' two hours late?!" to "Look at all deese hoes thinkin' they cute." All of this in front of their place of employment.

Once inside, I asked the gentleman who I was there to see if his company had a dress code for the employees. To my surprise he answered yes, but said that with a high turnover rate, very few employees (new hires) adhere to it claiming they have no money to buy "professional looking clothes for a job they might not even keep."

How can one ever be prepared for success in the work world with that type of mentality.

A crisp, collared shirt/blouse doesn't have to cost $50. You can actually buy career oriented clothing from many stores for much less than some of the cheap, knock-off over-priced clothing I've seen at stores in the mall. Some of those "club outfits" are cheap and no good once you wash them twice.

The clothing I saw many of these young women and men wearing, I have seen hanging in shop windows of stores that sell BabyPhat and Kimora Lee Simmons wear. True, many are likely knock-offs, but I've been in those stores and saw the prices and they're extremely over-priced! Extremely.

So I'm thinking, if they can afford to pay $49 for a pair of knock-off Baby Phat jeans, $55 for Roccawear boots, $20 for a Roccawear T-Shirt, why not take $150 and go to JC Penneys and shop their career wear clearance section and have five mix 'n' match outfits well suited for the office?

To come to your place of employment dressed for a Saturday night out on the town is highly unprofessional and does not indicate you're serious about work. This generation is far more advanced and privileged than my generation was yet some of them do very little to reflect this.

Is it spoiled or just a lack of caring on their part?

This is a cute weekend outfit for a barbeque or get-together, but NOT work unless you're working at 7-11 or as a bartender in a local pub.

And this outift you get you a ticket and a pink slip! Just a nasty, hot mess.

At any rate, I went to compose a page for our Tuesday newspaper when I came across the 'Dear Abby' article for page B4 and it read:
YOUNG WORKERS MUST LEARN HOW TO ‘DRESS FOR SUCCESS’
DEAR ABBY: You’re in a position to do young people a great service by educating a generation that has grown up in a casual-dress world that there’s a line between how one dresses in one’s personal life and how one dresses for work. Cross it, and it could negatively affect your career.
I work for a large multinational company, and I am often shocked at the way people dress. Although there are clear business/casual guidelines, these lines are crossed by men and women alike. Talks behind closed doors have no effect. Sending out the corporate dress code to the staff has yielded no change in behavior.
I finally consulted the HR department and came up with an approved solution. The dress code was again sent out to all employees in my department, with the warning that the next violation would mean being sent home and deducting the time as a vacation day.
Sure enough, "Disco Dolly" showed up in a sheer, low-cut, sleeveless blouse with a micro-mini skirt and strappy sandals. When I sent her home, she complained that she was saving her vacation days. I told her she had violated the company’s dress code — again.
I also pointed out that her chances of promotion were now compromised thanks to the demonstration she had given that following simple instructions was beyond her capabilities. If you want to be regarded as a serious professional, dress like one!

Some "suggestions":
1. DRESS FOR SUCCESS, not sex. Women should not dress like streetwalkers. Leave the sexy, short, filmy dresses, cleavage-baring blouses and spaghetti straps for your personal life. This is an office, not a cocktail party.
2. COVER UP. No sandals or designer flip-flops. We don’t want to see your pedicure, your toe rings, the crust on your heels, or smell your feet.
3. MAKE IT FIT. Anything that hugs the body too tightly is not right for the office. We have a woman working here who looks like a sausage stuffed in a floral polyester casing. It’s hard to take her seriously. The same goes for a man whose pants are so tight that you can tell his religion. Ditto for pants that are so loose and low-slung you can see his underwear or her thong.
4. DON’T POLLUTE. By this I mean go easy on the fragrance. Some people have breathing problems and allergies. Do not pollute the office with a scent that arrives 10 minutes before you do and lingers hours after you’ve gone. This applies to men as well as women.
5. BATHE. There seems to be a new "natural" cult popping up whose adherents believe that washing removes vital oils from the skin and should be avoided. This phenomenon is more often, but not always, a male habit. Anyone in close contact with others should bathe or shower DAILY. — TRYING TO RUN A BUSINESS IN FLORIDA
DEAR TRYING: I’m willing to wager that your letter will be posted on millions of bulletin boards in the business world. Your "suggestions" make good sense. While many companies allow employees to dress down on "casual Fridays," any business that wants the people it hires to be taken seriously should impress upon them that they must present themselves in a professional manner. Some companies do this in the form of an employee manual that lays it out in black and white. Because your directive was ignored, you were right to let "Disco Dolly" know there would be a penalty for noncompliance.
** ** **
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.