Shelby Raven Sholar was sentenced to 2-3 years in state prison for felony attempt to tra c methamphetamine following an investigation by the Duplin County Sheri ’s O ce Special Operations Division.
No four-wheelers on Kenansville roads
Kenansville The town of Kenansville has received reports of fourwheelers riding through town streets and residential areas. The town advises that it is against the law to operate four-wheelers on public streets or town rights- of-way and puts kids, pedestrians and nighttime drivers at serious risk.
Increase in vehicle thefts
Wallace
The Wallace Police Department has reported an increase in motor vehicle thefts in the Wallace area. According to authorities, in nearly every case, the vehicles were left unlocked with keys inside. Wallace PD is encouraging the public to secure their cars, never leave the keys inside the vehicle and report suspicious activity immediately.
Volunteers wanted
Kenansville
Duplin County Partnership for Children is seeking volunteers for its 2025 Back-to - School Community Day on Aug. 9. For more information, call Karen Pacheco at 910 -296 -2000.
Kenan Park closes temporarily
Kenansville
The Kenansville Parks and Recreation Department announced that Kenan Park will be closed starting July 28 to prepare for a new playground. Some trees will be removed to make way for safer, fun- lled play spaces for children.
Water Department’s drive-thru o ce now open
Kenansville
The new water department o ce is located in the former bank building in the Food Lion parking lot. The new o ce will utilize its drive -thru window for bill payments once technical issues with the intercom system are resolved.
Veterans honored, served at Duplin Stand Down
Veterans gathered in Rose Hill for a day of support at the Duplin County Stand Down event July 18. From BBQ meals and medical checks to free Bibles and legal aid, the event o ered more than just resources — it o ered community. Organized by Spiritual Destiny Ministries and hosted at the historic Charity Mission Center, the outreach honored those who served. To read the story, turn to B6.
Duplin dissolves Tourism Development Authority
The narrow scal window prompts a timely resolution on tax rate and governance
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — Duplin County is charting a new course for how it manages tourism following a recent decision by the Board of Commissioners to dissolve the Duplin County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and reduce the county’s Room Occupancy Tax rate.
During the special called meeting, County Manager Bryan Miller framed the change as part of a broader effort to streamline county services and create a more uni ed management structure. The move places tourism under direct county oversight.
“There have been several discussions in the past about the reorganization of tourism, speci cally to bring tourism under the wing of the county,” said Miller.
“There have been several discussions in the past about the reorganization of tourism, speci cally to bring tourism under the wing of the county.” Bryan Miller, county manager
Miller said it would be similar to how Human Services and Health Departments operate.
He also pointed out the TDA had never been properly established in its original form. He described a series of past e orts by the board to clarify the structure, including referring to the body as an advisory board rather than a true authority and inconsistencies in how TDA employees were designated as county employees.
By dissolving the current entity, Miller said the county can now “hit the reset button” and, if needed, reestablish a tourism
See TOURISM, page A6
Future on hold over wastewater crisis
With no easy x in sight, Mount Olive faces tough decisions on funding wastewater upgrades
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
MOUNT OLIVE — When Glenn Holland took on the role of interim town manager for Mount Olive in January, he was immediately confronted with a signi cant challenge that has lingered for over a decade: the town’s wastewater treatment issues. The handling and discharge of sewage through the town’s wastewater treatment facility have been sources of concern for years, and Holland is determined to tackle the pressing problem head on. Recently, he sat down with Duplin Journal to shed light on the situation’s history and discuss potential solutions.
The treatment and discharge of wastewater in towns and cities like Mount Olive are heavily regulated, with many guidelines established by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Duplin County responds to public scrutiny via social media
“We understand that on the surface, a golf membership may raise questions, and we welcome that scrutiny.”
Duplin County
O cials defended decisions in a public statement, citing transparency and long-term goals
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — In a rare and unusually candid social media post, Duplin County o cials responded directly to growing public scrutiny over several recent decisions — ranging from a corporate golf membership and sta ng changes to participation in regional events — saying they welcome the attention and are committed to building trust through greater transparency.
partnerships and maintain scal discipline.
The county’s post comes amid mounting questions and online debate, particularly over how public dollars are being spent during a time of nancial constraint. The message? “We hear you — and here’s the full picture.”
“We understand that on the surface, a golf membership may raise questions, and we welcome that scrutiny,” the county’s statement read. “But we view this as a targeted, strategic investment…one that opens doors, supports local institutions, and helps bring meaningful returns to Duplin County.”
County o cials emphasized that the events have resulted in tangible outcomes, including hundreds of thousands in grant funding and strengthened $2.00
O cials said their decisions were part of a broader, long-term strategy to strengthen county services, enhance
“We’re handicapped... We’re standing still.” Glenn Holland
and enforced by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. This regulatory framework is designed to ensure communities manage wastewater safely and e ectively.
The nightmare for Mount Olive came to a head when the town received a critical notice from DEQ’s Division of Water Resources. The notice indicated the town was not compliant with its operating permit for the wastewater treatment plant. The issues highlighted were serious: The town’s wastewater system was struggling to treat wastewater adequately, and the reclaimed water system was not functioning at its designed capacity.
The notice did not simply inform the town of the issue; it placed a sewer moratorium on
See WASTE, page A3
REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Ena Sellers
Michael Jaenicke
Allison Batts Advertising Representative
Loretta Carey O ce Manager CONTACT US
O ce Phone: 910 463-1240
To place a legal ad: 919 663-3232; Fax: 919 663-4042
CRIME LOG
July 14
• Samaijah Smith, 21, was arrested by Duplin County Sheri ’s O ce (DCSO) for simple assault, injury to real property and resisting a public o cer.
Crystal Kay La Pearl Bennett, 38, was arrested by DCSO for breaking and entering, attempted larceny, breaking into a motor vehicle and misdemeanor larceny.
Stephen Craig Blanton, 64, was arrested by Kenansville PD for second-degree trespass.
July 15
Marian Ann Turner-Gill, 61, was arrested by DCSO for breaking and entering and assault with a deadly weapon.
• Jessica Renee Lanier, 37, was arrested by DCSO for misdemeanor domestic violence.
Richard Eugene Lanier, 36, was arrested by DCSO for misdemeanor domestic violence.
July 16
• Robert Herbie Newton, 52, was arrested by Wallace PD for second-degree trespass.
July 17
Isis Marie Bowers, 48, was arrested by DCSO for driving with a revoked license and assault with a deadly weapon.
• Franchesca Dominique Fennell, 27, was arrested by DCSO for misuse of 911 system and possessing drug paraphernalia.
• Kawame Dearic Highsmith, 32, was arrested by DCSO for nancial card fraud, resisting a public o cer and providing ctitious information to an o cer.
• Jose Enrique Matute, 43, was arrested by DCSO for driving without a license.
• Dashauni Adrianna McKinnie, 24, was arrested by DCSO for possessing marijuana up to half an ounce, possessing marijuana paraphernalia, driving with a revoked license, operating a vehicle without insurance and parking near a re hydrant.
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Water, sewer rate hikes coming to Greenevers
Diane
By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal
GREENEVERS — Mayor Diane Brown swore in Roszena Bivens as a new commissioner at the town board meeting on July 14 at the Greenevers Community Center.
Wendy Henderson then addressed the board on behalf of the Duplin County Department of Social Services (DSS). Her presentation included the various ways DSS services can help the community, including food assistance, energy bill assistance and medical transportation. Henderson encouraged the community to contact DSS by either applying online at NC.gov, visiting 423 N. Main St. in Kenansville or calling 910 -296-2200.
Town Clerk Emma Brinson provided updates on various projects. No bids were received for the pump house rebuild, prompting the planning engineer to seek approval for an individual contractor. Well generators have been delivered and are being attached to existing well houses. New meters and lids are pending a response from the DOT. The 2023 CDG home rehabilitation project has completed title searches and will soon contact homeowners to discuss plans and begin the bidding process. A truck and a maintenance yard are currently up for sale, but no serious offers have yet been received.
Employee bene ts were discussed due to the expiration of the health bene t trust. Delta Dental, Metlife and USAA have secured replacement insurance starting July 1, but overall health insurance options remain open. The board discussed continuing to look at more options.
“Employees are more interested in getting help with retirement than they are with health insurance,” Brinson said. A draft of the subdivision or-
dinance was discussed. Bivens, who is also on the Planning Board, said that they are looking through the process to create a subdivision but training is needed. She also told the board that it would have to appoint a subdivision administrator for the work. Brown recommended contacting the Eastern Carolina Council of Governments for training and clari cation on the needed quali cations for a subdivision administrator.
An internal control policy was discussed to help meet the concerns of state audits for all ARP funding projects. The new policy will be ready for adoption at the August board meeting. Compliance forms necessary for USDA Rural Development funding were also discussed. Brinson planned to meet with USDA representative Stephanie Hardison to present the necessary paperwork and provide a walk-through tour of the funded projects in August.
Financial reports showed a net income of $25,660.66 for the month.
A proposal for services from Clear Gov was discussed. The board expressed skepticism for the business concerning changing rates on their services. The program provides translation of documents for
local government transparency to constituents. The board felt there was no need for the services “in such a rural area,” so it would “not be a good use of the town’s money.” The board approved sending letters to constituents regarding a 2.5% increase in water and sewer charges starting Sept. 1. The letters will also address their responsibility concerning replacing driveway tiles. Letters are going to be sent out in enough time for constituents with questions to attend the August board meeting.
Workshops with Strategic Planning will be held in Fayetteville Aug. 20 -21. The workshops would help the town develop plans for grant funding for infrastructure. A new vendor for cleaning ditches will be invited to the August meeting, and quotes for community center cleaning services are being sought.
Additionally, two nonprofits are hosting backpack giveaways at the Community Center on Aug. 16 -17. The re department announced the purchase of a new truck and the hiring of three part-time re ghters. The re department is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary in the fall.
Wallace Super Dollar to close
The store manager said company cited no speci c reason for the decision to shut down the stort
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
WALLACE — Super Dollar, a longtime discount store in the shopping center where Food Lion is located in Wallace, is closing. Tonya McCovery, manager of the store, told Duplin Journal there has not been a nal date set yet, but the closure will likely happen after selling as much of the remaining inventory as possible. Originally known as Super 10 and located in downtown Wallace, the store changed its name when it moved to the current location in 2000. The store is part of a company based in Henderson known as Variety Wholesalers. McCovery said when the company announced the closure of the Wallace Super Dollar, they did not provide a reason for closing the store. She said the company simply said it was a “corporate decision.”
The Super Dollar store in Wallace is set to close its doors after a nal inventory sale.
In addition to McCovery, the store has another full-time employee and two part-time employees who have the possibility of staying with the company.
“They’re giving us the option of going to another store,” McCovery said.
Francena Williams, an assis-
DUPLIN happening
SPONSORED BY
tant manager of the store, began working there in 2004. She said the closest other location is a 30-to-45-minute drive away. The news is sad for regular shoppers of Super Dollar like Joanna Robison of Wallace.
“I’m going to miss it. It’s close to me,” Robison said. “The cashiers here are really friendly.”
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Duplin County:
July 25
The Cookie Lady
11 a.m.
Get ready for a treat and join the Library’s Fun Friday at the Ed Emory Auditorium. Enjoy a delightful morning with The Cookie Lady, an event perfect for the entire family. For more details, call 910-296-2117.
165 Agriculture Drive Kenansville
Aug. 1 Paint Party
11 a.m.
Join the Duplin County Library for a colorful morning at Paint Party with Erica Maready happening at the Ed Emory Auditorium. Call 910-296-2117 for more details.
165 Agriculture Drive Kenansville
4H EGG-cellent Egg Contest
Don’t miss the 4H EGG-cellent Egg Contest. Open to active 4-H members with laying hens, the contest challenges participants to submit up to two sets of eggs judged on uniformity and quality — inside and out. The registration deadline is Aug. 1. To sign up, visit go.ncsu. edu/2025eggcontest. Winners will be announced on Sept. 30.
Aug 2
BackStreet Music Festival
10 a.m.
Get ready to groove at the BackStreet Street Music Festival in Wallace. Held at 208 SW Railroad St., the event aims to bring the community together, promote local history and conservation, and raise funds for Tri-County Youth Services. The event will feature live music from the 919 GoGo Band. The event will also feature an Elvis Presley impersonator, dance groups, arts and crafts, vendors and the Queen City Baggers bike show.
208 SW Railroad St. Wallace
Mayor
Brown swore in new town commissioner
REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Greenevers Mayor Diane Brown (left) o cially swore in Commissioner Roszena Bivens (right) during the July 14 board meeting.
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Kornegay Arena set for major seating overhaul
A $250,000 boost fuels the bleacher replacement project set to begin in December
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
AFTER SERVING the University of Mount Olive community for more than four decades, the George and Annie Dale Kornegay Arena is set to undergo a signi cant upgrade, beginning with the replacement of its original bleachers.
“This is a major upgrade,” said Joey Higginbotham, UMO athletics director. “It gives us a safe environment with the comfort fans deserve and elevates the atmosphere for high-level Division II athletics.”
The rst phase, set to begin in December, will involve replacing the arena’s original 1984 bleachers with modern stadium- style chairback seating. The bleacher replacement is expected to be completed by January 2026.
Higginbotham noted the visual and functional upgrades will greatly in uence how the university is perceived by prospective student-athletes and
the town, meaning no new sewer taps, extensions or additional ow would be allowed through the wastewater treatment plant until the problems were resolved. No additional ow through the wastewater treatment facility means the ability to issue new building permits for homes and businesses is becoming di cult to approve if it means more wastewater would have to be treated at the plant.
“We’re handicapped. We can’t do anything. We’re standing still,” Holland said, referring to the moratorium.
With this backdrop, Holland is focused on nding viable solutions to restore compliance.
The journey to relieve the town of the wastewater moratorium was addressed by the state in April when the town entered into a Special Order of Consent with the Division of Environmental Quality. The seven-page document outlines a series of complicated steps the town must take before a removal of the moratorium would be considered. The document also included a ne for being in
from page A1
relationships with key partners like Tri- County Electric and ECU Health Duplin.
“Tri-County is a valuable partner that has provided $50,000 for the AirPark Master Development Plan and $30,000 for product development. These are not symbolic contributions; they are tangible investments in Duplin’s future … there was a separate tournament where County ocials helped secure a $500,000 grant for local development.”
Still, o cials acknowledged the optics can be tricky. “Public trust isn’t a guarantee,” the county wrote. “It’s something we must earn and maintain.”
UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT OLIVE
Edward Croom (right) talks to Joey Higginbotham about the rst phase of the Kornegay Arena renovations, which will focus on replacing the original bleachers with modern, stadium-style chairback seating.
the broader community.
“It will be the rst thing recruits see when they visit campus,” Higginbotham added. “It
creates a ‘wow factor’ and positions us as having one of the top facilities in Conference Carolinas.”
JOURNAL
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN
Mount Olive interim town manager Glenn Holland holds two documents from the state dealing with the town’s wastewater treatment system. The documents include a moratorium limiting the town’s wastewater capability and the steps needed to bring the system into compliance. The solutions will likely cost the town millions of dollars.
violation of discharge restrictions at a cost of $50,000. The order also contains a list of ve potential violations if the town does not complete the required steps by speci c dates. The
County o cials stated they will continue to evaluate its use and impact, like they do with any other expenditure, to ensure it aligns with the county’s long-term goals and the public’s expectations. The statement also noted that the “membership is available to all County employees.” This statement prompted questions from area residents, as traditionally golf clubs cap usage to a set number of designated users.
Duplin Journal called Duplin County Country Club to get clari cation about county employees using the golf course; however, the sta member directed questions back to Duplin County administration.
Duplin Journal reached out
penalties for the violations include $100 per day for failure to meet a scheduled date, and that is increased to $500 per day after seven days. Any reportable sewer over ow from the main
to County Manager Bryan Miller for clari cation about the corporate golf membership now available to all county employees.
“We’ve already made a statement on our Facebook page. I’m just going to point you to that,” said Miller.
When asked if the county had a policy that explains eligibility or a sign-up procedure for employees who may want to take advantage of the new bene t, Miller responded that they are handling that communication internally.
“We’re addressing that with our employees,” Miller told Duplin Journal in a phone call.
On the sta ng front, Duplin County addressed changes within its Social Services and Health
The legacy of the Kornegay Arena is deeply intertwined with the university’s identity. The facility has wit-
trunk line or main pump station would result in a $5,000 penalty per event day. Bringing the wastewater treatment system into compliance will not be a simple process and will likely cost the Town of Mount Olive millions of dollars, according to Holland. The moratorium and costs required to meet the state’s demands have placed the town in a “can’t win for losing” scenario. The order states the town “will not be permitted to accept any additional wastewater from any domestic, industrial or commercial sources without prior approval from the Washington (N.C.) Regional Supervisor and the Water Quality Permitting Section.”
Without the ability to add to the town’s tax base due to the restrictions on any additional wastewater, the question becomes how the town will afford the millions it will take to bring the system into compliance. That’s a question likely on the mind of the mayor and members of the board of commissioners.
Holland said one solution would be to change where the
departments. Plans to privatize the Child Support Unit are expected to reduce annual costs by half without resulting in job losses, as all a ected employees will have opportunities to transition within DSS. Similarly, consolidation within the Health Department aims to boost nurse compensation and retain talent.
Roles are being consolidated or privatized to save costs, with employees o ered alternative positions — some with better pay. The shifts, the county said, are part of a broader e ort to manage a $5 million de cit without cutting core services or raising taxes.
Duplin County emphasized that it has made strategic invest-
“It creates a ‘wow factor’ and positions us as having one of the top facilities in Conference Carolinas.” Joey Higginbotham
nessed generations of students walking across its stage, athletes rising through its ranks, and families gathering to celebrate. With this new phase of investment and modernization, the arena is being reimagined for the future.
University President H. Edward Croom expressed gratitude for the Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trust No. One’s $250,000 grant, emphasizing that such partnerships help the university ful ll its commitments to current and future generations.
“This project re ects our continued commitment to enhancing the student experience and ensuring that Mount Olive remains a destination of choice for students, athletes and the broader community,” said Croom.
town discharges treated wastewater. Mount Olive’s current discharge point is into a tributary of the Northeast Cape Fear River. The size of the river at that point restricts how much wastewater can be discharged there under EPA rules.
If the town could pipe the treated wastewater to a larger body of water, such as the Neuse River, it could allow the town to add to its discharge capacity, which is currently restricted to 1 million gallons a day into the Northeast Cape Fear River.
The problem with that possible solution goes back to cost. Holland said it would cost millions of dollars to accomplish that feat. In fact, all currently considered scenarios have multimillion- dollar price tags associated with them. In the meantime, Holland continues to meet with engineers in hopes of creating a workable and a ordable solution.
Town leaders are hoping the solution to the wastewater treatment woes will not force the town to place more demands on Mount Olive citizens.
ments in public safety and employee compensation. Recent accomplishments include breaking ground on a $44 million detention center, opening a $3.7 million animal shelter, and completing a new Senior and Veteran Services Center — all without raising taxes.
County leaders emphasized their ongoing commitment to long-term community success, stating that every decision is made with the future of Duplin County in mind.
“We are committed to operating transparently, making informed decisions, and always keeping Duplin County’s longterm success at the center of what we do.”
SCRUTINY
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Share the good news about Duplin Schools
Receiving good news can bene t both our mental and physical health.
“NOTHING TRAVELS faster than the speed of light, with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws.” Such is the observation of British author and humorist Douglas Adams. In a similar vein, stand-up comedian Tracy Morgan says, “Bad news travels at the speed of light; good news travels like molasses.” Although they both exaggerate to make their points about how fast bad news seems to spread, it is true that information can travel on the internet over ber optic cables at 60 -70% of the speed of light. And there certainly seems to be an extraordinary amount of bad news these days, especially on social media.
Did you know, however, that hearing and even reading good news has many positive e ects? Scienti c studies have shown that receiving good news can bene t both our mental and physical health, and our common bonds as neighbors. Being exposed to good news can improve your mood and reduce stress, increase your optimism and give you a more positive outlook on life, enhance your feelings of gratitude, strengthen your social connections with your community, and
inspire you and others to act in more positive, caring and productive ways.
In this day and age, when it is so easy to get caught up in doom-scrolling on the internet and be in uenced by negative stories about local public schools, here is a sampling of good news from our Duplin County Schools.
Tanya Smith, principal of the Duplin Early College High School, was selected as one of the two early college leaders in North Carolina to serve on the National Early College Leaders Network. She will work with other early college leaders to determine ways to make early college high schools more successful.
Three teachers have achieved National Board Certi cation: Hannah Bell from James Kenan High School, Heather Bradburn from B. F. Grady Elementary School and Samantha Rouse from B.F. Grady Elementary School. Two recent graduates gained recognition for their outstanding academic careers. Daniel Jones from East Duplin High School received the prestigious Morehead- Cain Scholarship and will study at UNC Chapel Hill. Elier Marquez- Chavez from Wallace-Rose Hill
How the world flipped in 6 months
It turns out that staying in the U.S. consumer market is the top priority of our trading partners.
IN LESS THAN SIX MONTHS, the entire world has been turned upside down. There is no longer such a thing as conventional wisdom or the status quo.
The unthinkable has become the banal.
Take illegal immigration — remember the 10,000 daily illegal entries under former President Joe Biden?
Recall the only solution was supposedly “comprehensive immigration reform” — a euphemism for mass amnesties.
Now there is no such thing as daily new illegal immigration. It simply disappeared with commonsense enforcement of existing immigration laws — and a new president.
How about the 40,000-50,000 shortfall in military recruitment?
Remember all the causes that the generals cited for their inability to enlist soldiers: generational gangs, obesity, drugs and sti competition with private industry?
And now?
In just six months, recruitment targets are already met; the issue is mostly moot.
Why? The new Pentagon ipped the old, canceling its racist DEI programs and assuring the rural, middle-class Americans — especially white males — that they were not systemically racist after all.
Instead, they were reinvited to enlist as the critical combat cohort who died at twice their demographic share in Iraq and Afghanistan.
How about the “end of the NATO crisis,” supposedly brought on by a bullying U.S.?
Now the vast majority of NATO members have met their pledges to spend 2% of gross domestic product on defense, which will soon increase to 5%.
Iconic neutrals like Sweden and Finland have become frontline NATO nations, arming to the teeth. The smiling NATO secretary-general even called Trump the “daddy” of the alliance
What about indomitable, all-powerful, theocratic Iran, the scourge of the Middle East for nearly 50 years?
Although it had never won a war in the last half-century, its terrorist surrogates— Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis — were supposedly too dangerous to provoke.
Now?
Most of their expeditionary terrorists are neutered, and their leaders are in hiding or dead. Iran has no air force, no real navy, no air defenses and no active nuclear weapons program.
Its safety apparently depends only on the mood of the U.S. or Israel on any given day not to y into its airspace and take out its missiles, nuclear sites, generals or theocrats at will.
What happened to the supposedly inevitable recession, hyperin ation, stock market collapse, unemployment spikes and global trade war that last spring economists assured us would hit by summer?
Job growth is strong, and April’s in ation rate is the lowest in four years. GDP is still steady. The stock market hit a record high. Trade partners are renegotiating their surpluses with the U.S.
It turns out that staying in the U.S. consumer market is the top priority of our trading partners. It seems their preexisting and mostly undisclosed pro ts were large enough to a ord reasonable U.S. symmetrical tari s.
For now, news of tax cuts, deregulation, “drill, baby, drill” energy policies displacing Green New Deal strangulation and $8-$10 trillion in potential foreign investment has encouraged — rather than deterred — business.
Then there were our marquee elite universities, whose prestige, riches, and powerful alumni made them answerable to no one. And now, after the executive and congressional crackdown on their decades of hubris?
Supposedly brilliant university presidents have resigned in shame. The public has caught on to their grant surcharge gouging.
Campuses have backed o their arrogant de ance of the Supreme Court’s civil rights rulings.
They are panicked about the public exposure of their systemic antisemitism.
They are scrambling to explain away their institutionalized ideological bias, tawdry pro t-making schemes and mass recruitment
High School was accepted at three Ivy League colleges and will enter Duke University as a Benjamin N. Duke scholar.
This summer, two of our Duplin students participated in the North Carolina Governor’s School, a four-week residential program for talented high school students. Eduardo Gonzales from Wallace -Rose Hill High School studied at Greensboro College and Maya Smith at Meredith College.
Rose Hill-Magnolia Elementary School teacher Tanya Novakowski was selected as one of 30 North Carolina teachers in the 2025 -26 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State University.
We celebrate all of these accomplishments and more in Duplin Schools. Do yourself a favor and read the good news on duplinschools.net. And once you’ve read the good news, help it move along faster than molasses, even almost at the speed of light, as you share the good news with your family, friends and neighbors.
Philip Gladden lives in Wallace and writes on behalf of Duplin County Schools.
of wealthy foreign students from illiberal regimes.
So the mighty Ivy League powerhouses are now humbling themselves to cut a deal to save their nancial hides and hopefully return to their proper mission of disinterested education. What happened to the trans juggernaut of sex as a social construct and its bookend gospel that biological men could dominate women’s sports?
People woke up. They were no longer afraid to state that sex is binary and biologically determined. And biological men who dominate women’s sports are bullies, not heroes.
Where are the millionaire-scamming architects of Black Lives Matter now? Where is the “DEI now, tomorrow and forever” conventional wisdom?
Where is professor Ibram X. Kendi and his $30,000 Zoom lessons on how to ght racism by being racist? They have all been exposed as the race hustlers they always were. Their creed that it is OK for supposed victims to be racist victimizers themselves was exposed as an absurd con.
So what ipped everything?
We were living in an “emperor has no clothes” make-believe world for the last few years. The people knew establishment narratives were absurd, and our supposed experts were even more ridiculous.
But few — until now — had the guts to scream “the emperor is naked” to dispel the fantasies.
When they nally did, reality returned.
Victor Davis Hanson, a senior contributor for The Daily Signal, is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show.” This article was rst published by The Daily Signal.
COLUMN | PHILIP GLADDEN
COLUMN | VICTOR DAVIS HANSON
New antique store brings rustic charm to Warsaw
MaryBeth and Michael DeTuro are the dynamic duo behind Warsaw’s newest vintage shop
By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal
WARSAW — A new antique store opened this month in downtown Warsaw.
Hen & Houndstooth Antiques and Collectibles takes over a former grocery at 114 N. Front St. A large window display with their houndstooth-framed logo on the glass and a houndstooth rug greet guests outside the antique white double doors leading into the business.
Inside, two rooms are lled with an eclectic mix of wares from books and china to furniture and metalwork. Everything has a rustic European feel, like lithograph prints of a Quebec seaside village or pottery with scenes of Asia.
“I wanted to be a crusty, old British shop that felt like it’s been here for decades, and I think I’m on my way,” owner MaryBeth DeTuro said of the store’s style.
The husband and wife team of MaryBeth and Michael DeTuro share a love of old things. They moved into the area almost three years ago when they fell in love with and bought a 113-year- old house on E. Hill Street. MaryBeth decorates their home in antiques.
“(What you see in the store) is how I style my home; this is an extension of my house,” MaryBeth said.
The houndstooth branding
and the name were just MaryBeth’s way of making the store something uniquely her own.
“I’ve been attracted to old quirky things, antiques and furniture in general,” she said. “I’ve always had this passion for decorating and redecorating even when I was little and didn’t understand it.”
MaryBeth worked as an interior designer for years for a company in California, then for 10 years at Thomasville Furniture in Raleigh.
About a year ago, she admitted she would really like to own an antique shop. The dream be-
came a reality because of the help and encouragement of her husband.
“When we moved here, there were a lot of vacant buildings,” MaryBeth said. “We decided to put some money back into the community by buying some real estate and converting it into a store.”
Michael joked he is “just the underpaid, hired help,” but his assistance is so much more than that.
“He handles all the business part of it, and I get to do all the pretty parts,” MaryBeth said.
Together, they enjoy sourc-
ing auctions and estate sales to stock their store. If a customer is looking for something speci c, a note is pinned to a board behind the shop’s desk with their name and the item for the DeTuros to “keep an eye out” for it.
“We try to keep a (steady ow) of new stu coming in several times a month, and we are always looking,” MaryBeth said.
Every item in the store has a story and coding on the tags to help MaryBeth remember each one of them. She enjoys learning the history of things and sharing them with others.
“It makes me happy that
How a Faison family turned a dream into a regenerative
At Acorn Acres, the Stroud family grows food and nurtures young minds
By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal
ACORN ACRES Farm is a dream that started on one acre of land in Faison.
Josh and Kim Stroud started microfarming to provide better quality food for their family.
Kim was a full-time teacher with a master’s degree in education when she decided to take time o for their children. When that time o became permanent, she started homeschooling the children and became an entrepreneur.
Happy Heart Elderberry makes a natural immune booster syrup that is sold in local shops and online. Meanwhile, Josh was working for a commercial pork company while raising his own meat animals at home.
“You don’t have to have a farm to raise animals,” Josh said. “The biggest prohibitor for people getting into farming now is the investment cost.”
One of the ways Josh cut costs farming is with temporary poly acrylic and metal electric fencing.
“Permanent fencing costs a lot of money, but using temporary fencing and rotating your animals, you can grow a lot more on less land and with less money. It’s an easier way for people to get into farming,” he explained. “Moving the animals is also good for the soil. The animals eat the plants and fertilize it with their
“You don’t have to have a farm to raise animals. The biggest prohibitor for people getting into farming now is the investment cost.”
Josh Stroud
manure, so the grass grows more when they are moved than if they were in a pasture and never moved at all.”
Working in the commercial farm industry, Josh observed many practices that he did not agree with or practice on his own farm. The family sold their home in Faison and moved to a property with 38 acres in Mount Olive.
On this little slice of rural heaven were all the seeds of what they hoped for and more: natural water, trees, nutrient-rich grasses, rolling hills, and space to grow.
Growth meant a way to give back to the community with quality food products and Acorn Acres Nature School. By August 2024, Josh was able to leave commercial farming and focus full time on regenerative farming at Acorn Acres.
“We raise the same kind of chickens that people are used to from commercial growers; we just raise them di erently,” Josh said.
Kim and Josh Stroud discuss the growth of their farm in their farm store.
All Acorn Acres animals are kept in portable pens controlled by portable electric fencing, so they are able to be moved around daily. In the summer, the pigs graze at the edge of the woods with natural shelter from the trees and mud wallows near the creek. In the winter, they move to portable shelters in the pasture.
Geese help protect the birds, while a donkey named Tennessee and two guard dogs get ready to protect meat sheep and cows, the farm’s next meat ventures.
While a lot of meat farms have customers purchase part of an animal or become shareholders, Acorn Acres o ers prepackaged meats.
“A lot of people don’t understand where di erent cuts come from and get confused translating what they want with how to tell that to the butcher. We take
care of all that for you,” Josh explained. “We grow it, take it to the processor, get it back, and make bundles for you to purchase what your family will want.
People can choose to be monthly subscribers and receive products at a 15% discount, or they can purchase products directly through the farm’s shop online, in person or at farm events like the Clinton Farmer’s Market or Feast Downeast in Burgaw. Community Supported Agriculture members can start with packages as low as $50 a month, and they have some choice in what is included in the packages.
The Nature School provided a hands-on learning experience for children ages 5-10 to be creative and explore nature. Structured classes meet twice a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays
“We decided to put some money back into the community by buying some real estate and converting it into a store.”
MaryBeth DeTuro
it’s going some place good and somebody else likes it just as much as I did,” MaryBeth said of selling her wares.
The DeTuros grew up across the street from each other on Long Island in New York. They dated as teens, but when he joined the military they went their separate ways.
“He got married. I got married. We lost touch with each other for decades. … Things changed, and we reconnected,” MaryBeth said. “He was in California, and I was in Long Island at that time. We got back together, and we’ve been married over 20 years now. It was one of those meant-to-be things; I never forgot him, he never forgot me. You just never know what’s going to happen.” Warsaw has been very welcoming to the new store, and customers have come in from all over eastern N.C. to purchase wares posted online.
“People come in and ask about what else Warsaw has to o er,” MaryBeth said. “I would love to see this whole town come back to life. Maybe doing this will make others think they should bring their business here too.”
homestead
and Thursdays during the school year, and summer camps are available once a month during the summer break.
“My Mission is to o er a high-quality education through experiential learning in God’s creation and on our farm,” Kim said. “Kids are given time to learn, explore and play outdoors. They are encouraged and taught through child-led methods that consider the whole person: mind, body, spirit.”
Some of the kids most excited about the farm are the ones with a lot of screen time at home.
“They come here and have the chance to see things and do things here that they wouldn’t normally be able to see,” Josh said. “They miss it when they are not here.”
One of the favorite spots for the kids is the Fairy Garden, an outdoor play area sheltered by trees. At the Fairy Garden, there is a mud kitchen for kids to make stu with mud, water and foraged items from the land. There is also a sand pit seeded with fossils and hammocks to hang out in. During Nature School, students eat their lunch and play at the Fairy Garden. During the summer, the Stroud kids jump in a golf cart to go back to the Fairy Garden and play.
In the future, they hope to host community events like Homeschool Swap Shop and outdoor movie nights on the farm.
“It’s not as much about pushing products as it is about giving back to the community,” they said.
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@duplinjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
MaryBeth DeTuro stands inside Hen & Houndstooth Antiques and Collectibles in Warsaw.
REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Teens nd their roots at ag immersion camp
Serving Duplin’s most vulnerable
Feed Our Hungry Children delivers vital nutrition and hope one backpack at a time
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
WALLACE — Anyone who makes regular trips to the local grocery store knows it’s economically challenging to feed any family these days. It is especially hard on families living in homes experiencing what some people call “more month than money.”
As a result, the statistics are concerning. It’s estimated about 3,560 children in Duplin County are living in homes with food insecurity. A ministry in Duplin County is helping feed those children on a large scale.
COURTESY OF CONNIE PERKINS
Mike Stone, a volunteer with Feed Our Hungry Children ministry, unloads a truck full of food items that will be distributed to children across Duplin County who are in food insecure homes.
the weekends,” Perkins said.
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
HIGH SCHOOL students from across the state stepped out of the classroom and into the elds during the 2025 Supervised Agricultural Education Experience Institute program, which took place during the second week of July.
The camp provided an in-depth introduction to the agricultural industry, highlighting the essential role it plays in North Carolina’s economy. Hosted by the University of Mount Olive and supported by the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, the program allowed students to gain rsthand knowledge of modern agriculture through direct exposure to farms, agribusinesses and industry professionals.
Instead of traditional classroom learning, participants engaged in experiential learning by touring active farms and agribusiness operations. These included crop elds, dairy farms, swine production facili-
“It doesn’t just teach students about agriculture — it shows them where they belong in it.”
Edward Croom
ties and a veteran- owned meat ranch.
“What makes SAE Camp so special is that it doesn’t just teach students about agriculture — it shows them where they belong in it,” said UMO President Edward Croom.
Students had the opportunity to see rsthand how agricultural products are cultivated, processed and brought to market. Each location served as a case study for a speci c sector of agriculture, allowing students to observe various production methods, technologies and business models.
The camp also focused on agricultural literacy and career awareness. Through workshops and discussions led by advisers, students explored how skills in science, technology and business directly apply to agriculture.
“It’s about showing young people the breadth of opportu-
nity in this industry and helping them nd their place in it,” said Edward Olive, UMO’s Lois G. Agribusiness Center director.
Students learned how to document their experiences using the Agricultural Experience Tracker, an essential tool for those pursuing agricultural education and FFA projects. Advisers received professional development training on how to guide students through these experiences following the camp.
“I came from a rural area, but I had never seen the diversity of agriculture like this,” said Leah Canada, a middle school adviser. “The kids light up when they see it all — and I do too.”
The program highlighted the variety of career paths available in agriculture, including farming, animal science, marketing, education and agribusiness management.
“Whether they go on to be farmers, agribusiness professionals, educators or advocates, this experience plants a seed of purpose that will grow for years to come,” Croom said.
Croom expressed his appreciation to the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission for supporting the weeklong overnight camp, which was free for students and teachers.
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Section 5311 (ADTAP), 5310, 5339, 5307 and applicable State funding, or combination thereof.
This is to inform the public that a public hearing will be held on the proposed Duplin County Community Transportation Program Application to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation no later than October 03, 2025. The public hearing will be held on August 04, 2025 at 6:00pm before the (governing board) Duplin County Board of County Commissioners.
Those interested in attending the public hearing and needing either auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or a language translator should contact Ashlie D. Strickland on or before July 31, 2025, at telephone number 910-296-2333 or via email at ashlie. strickland@duplinnc.gov.
AV SO DE AUDIENC A PUBLICA Sección 5311 (ADTAP), 5310, 5339, 5307 y fondos estatales aplicables, o una combinación de ellos.
Esto es para informar al público que se llevará a cabo una audiencia pública sobre la Solicitud propuesta para el Programa de Transporte Comunitario _del Condado de Duplin_ que se presentará al Departamento de Transporte de Carolina del Norte a lo más tardado el 3 de Octubre 2025. La audiencia pública se llevará a cabo el día 4 de Agosto 2025 a las 6:00 PM ante (junta de gobierno) los Comisionado del Condado de Duplin Las personas interesadas en asistir a la audiencia pública y que necesiten ayuda y servicios auxiliares conforme a la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA) o un traductor de idiomas deben comunicarse con Ashlie D. Strickland en o antes del día 31 de Julio 2025 al número de teléfono (910) 296-2333 o por correo electrónico a shlie.strickland@duplinnc.gov
The Community Transportation Program provides assistance to coordinate existing transportation programs operating in Duplin County The total estimated amount
AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PUBLICA
Sección 5311 (ADTAP), 5310, 5339, 5307 y fondos estatales aplicables, o una combinación de ellos.
Esto es para informar al público que se llevará a cabo una audiencia pública sobre la Solicitud propuesta para el Programa de Transporte Comunitario del Condado de Duplin que se presentará al Departamento de Transporte de Carolina del Norte a lo más tardado el 3 de Octubre 2025. La audiencia pública se llevará a cabo el día 4 de Agosto 2025 a las 6:00 PM ante (junta de gobierno) los Comisionados del Condado de Duplin.
Las personas interesadas en asistir a la audiencia pública y que necesiten ayuda y servicios auxiliares conforme a la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA) o un traductor de idiomas deben comunicarse con Ashlie D. Strickland en o antes del día 31 de Julio 2025, al número de teléfono (910) 296-2333 o por correo electrónico a ashlie.strickland@duplinnc.gov.
El Programa de Transporte Comunitario brinda asistencia para coordinar los programas de transporte existentes que operan, en el condado de Duplin así como también brinda opciones y servicios de transporte para las comunidades dentro de esta área de servicio. Estos servicios se proporcionan actualmente utilizando vehículos de transporte público, como camionetas equipadas con ascensores y vehículos de tránsito ligeros. Los servicios son rendidos por medio del
Departamento de Transporte Público del Condado de Duplin. La cantidad total estimada solicitada para el período del 1 de Julio de 2026 al 30 de Junio de 2027. Esta aplicación puede ser Transporte Público del Condado de Duplin desde las 8 AM hasta las 5 PM. Los comentarios escritos deben dirigirse a Ashlie D. Strickland antes del día 31 de Julio 2025.
Feed Our Hungry Children, associated with Duplin Christian Outreach Ministries, is currently led by co-directors Connie Perkins and Jim Perry. Duplin Journal spoke with Perkins about the work of feeding Duplin County’s children in need. She said the history of the ministry dates back to 2009.
“Faye Sellars read an article in what I believe was the Wilmington paper about children not having su cient food on the weekends,” Perkins said.
“She told her husband what she read, and he said, ‘If there are children hungry there on weekends, I’m sure there are children that are hungry here too.’”
From that conversation, Feed Our Hungry Children was born.
After many years, Sellars eventually contacted Perkins and said she thought it was time to pass the torch of operating the ministry. That’s when Perkins and Perry took the reins.
In the early part of the ministry, the focus was on helping children who did not qualify for free or reduced lunches at school but were still a ected by economic challenges within their families. They were the ones left behind because they could not a ord lunch at school. Feed Our Hungry Children turned to churches and began collecting donations to pay for school lunches for those children.
Eventually, school systems began providing free lunches.
“As for school lunches, if they’re getting free lunches there, they probably don’t have su cient food on
body in the future — this time with the proper framework in place. Timing played a crucial role. Part of the impetus for the change stemmed from a review. Miller said the administration discovered the county had a narrow window, as outlined in General Statute 153A-155, to pass a resolution in the current scal year to adjust the Room Occupancy Tax rate. Missing the deadline would have delayed any action for another year.
“We’re still working through the process. We do have a long-term plan, but it’s developing as we nd out more and more what was being done,” Miller told Duplin Journal during an interview Tuesday.
The two sta members previously employed by the TDA — a director and a deputy director — are no longer with the county as a result of the dissolution.
Miller emphasized that local input remains a vital part of the transition, adding that they met with the folks who are impacted by the change.
“We’re hearing what people have to say — the people that are potentially impacted,” said Miller. “And we’re taking their thoughts and recommendations seriously, and we’re going to move forward.”
In the meantime, tourism responsibilities will not be neglected.
The ministry stepped in and began focusing on food backpacks for the weekends, as well as during the week during the summer. So far this year, Feed Our Hungry Children has distributed 8,052 backpacks to children in need. This summer, an additional 750 backpacks have been given to children who do not have transportation to reach one of the school system’s nutrition sites open during the summer months.
According to Perkins, the ministry locates those children who can’t make it to nutrition sites by reaching out to social workers in the county.
While the contents in the backpacks vary, Perkins opened one and shared its contents with Duplin Journal. The backpack contained a microwaveable container of spaghetti, Pop-Tarts, a can of beans and franks, a fruit cup of diced peaches and a squeeze pack of apple sauce. It also contained a pack of peanut butter crackers, two oatmeal cakes and two bottles of water.
The Feed Our Hungry Children backpack ministry currently serves students at ve Duplin County schools.
Perkins said she and Perry met on the afternoon of her interview with Duplin Journal to begin the process of gearing up for the upcoming school year.
Distributing more than 8,800 food backpacks so far this year has not been an inexpensive endeavor. The ministry is dependent on contributions from churches, organizations, businesses and individuals to accomplish their mission.
“The tourism positions will be absorbed,” said Miller. “Those duties will be reassigned to other people that are in-house now.”
Carrie Shields, the assistant county manager, will continue to oversee tourism from the county’s perspective, a role she has already been fullling.
“As you know, the tourism and tourism employees were employees of the TDA,” Miller told Duplin Journal. “Now that the TDA has been dissolved, I would imagine Carrie will continue to oversee tourism from an administrative standpoint.” Miller also indicated the funds previously allocated to the TDA would remain dedicated to tourism.
“Every penny of that, of the occupancy tax collections, by state statute, have to remain with tourism,” he explained.
Interestingly, despite lowering the Room Occupancy Tax rate, which previously funded tourism initiatives, the county may actually come out ahead nancially.
“The gross loss would be about $58,000,” said Miller, “but because of the reduction in salaries, it’ll actually be a positive, I don’t know, $100,000 swing for the county in funds that are allocated for tourism.”
While tourism e orts will continue under a newly restructured, county-led model, the reduced tax rate could enhance Duplin County’s competitiveness in attracting visitors and lodging partners.
TOURISM from page A1
The weeklong camp gives high schoolers hands-on farm experience and a fresh perspective on agriculture
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT OLIVE
Students in the Supervised Agricultural Education Experience Institute learned about a variety of row crops, including cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans and peanuts.
DUPLIN SPORTS
ACL injuries have become an unstoppable epidemic
Even with medical advancements, the most common sports injury is still damaging
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
BEULAVILLE — The Detroit Lions ruled defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike out for the season with a torn ACL, a tough break for a team expected to compete for a Super Bowl berth before training camp even started. That caused an alarm bell to go o . Didn’t Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs have that same injury, as well as NBA all-pros and Olympians Kyrie Irving and Damien Lillard?
A similar alarm rang in the locker room at East Duplin as ve players were slammed with knee injuries, and of course they play more than one sport to the impact of missing time is key. All but one were ACL related. Anamarie Rodgriguez, who longtime soccer coach Joey Jones calls, “his best female scorer,” was forced out of soccer just before the state playo s. Hoopsters Ava Noble and Zakoya Farrior also had knee injuries and were sidelined. Noble’s was an ACL. Farrior had an operation on her knee to repair around the ACL, but not ofcially the ACL. Noble, a rising junior who desires to play softball in college,
wasn’t able to play either sport in 2024-25.
Gridiron players Noah LeBlanc and Luke Hall also have ACL issues. LeBlanc, a transfer from Richlands who will be a junior, had his big fall two months ago.
Every year, more than 200,000 people in the U.S. go under the surgeon’s knife for ACL reconstruction. And while recovery time is from nine to 12 months before athletes return to the eld, many are not the same as before their injury.
East Duplin saw that in 2014 when Jonisha McCoy averaged 16 points and 8.1 rebounds as a sophomore and had
Wallace-Rose Hill and James Kenan are the top schools
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
BEULAVILLE — Perhaps the NCHSAA got it correct when placing football super powers Wallace-Rose Hill and James Kenan in the same conference.
Adding neighboring East Duplin or Clinton would have been too much for one league. And after all, isn’t realignment all about making sure football, the revenue sport for schools, has parity.
The push from four classi cations to eight has watered down football and will allow many schools with awful records into the playo s.
To not qualify in a classi cation takes a lot of serious work, as 48 of 58 teams in 3A will qualify.
Clinton and ED, both of
which are regrouping, are in the East Central with a group of schools that do not put fear in sports fans or players — Trask, South Lenoir, Southwest Onlsow and Pender. Expect a two-dog race, but will it be the same for JK and WRH in the Swine Valley Conference?
Most likely. But Midway and Princeton will be sti er competition this season and in the years to come. Spring Creek, Goldsboro and Rosewood shouldn’t be able to hold serve against Duplin two 3A schools.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect.
Goldsboro program has sunk to new lows
Coaches scream, “But they have great athletes.”
Perhaps, but everything else is missing in Goldsboro, which
North Duplin and Lakewood don’t like one another and tend to go “beast mode”
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
CALYPSO — North Duplin and Rosewood have knocked heads on a football eld for more than 50 years, and it’s meant something because both were in the same conference most seasons.
That streak will end this fall as the Eagles become the lone 2A in the Swine Valley 3A Conference, though they will con-
tinue their rivalry with the Rebels.
Yet the game against ND’s ercest football rival, Lakewood, will remain a black-and-blue fall classic between two physical league teams that just don’t like one another and tend to bring out the beast-mode mentality on both sides.
The Rebels, Lakewood, Hobbton and Union remain in the Carolina Conference, which is exclusively 2A schools, sans 1A holdout East Columbus.
The NCHSAA’s realignment committee also shifted West Bladen and West Columbus to the league, giving the Rebels
six conference games. That’s a nice change since ND had just four league games the previous four seasons, and thus one bad game could echo over a season.
With all that as a backdrop, expect the hottest teams from the old CC — North Duplin and Lakewood — to be kingpins of the Carolina Conference.
Don’t be surprised if Hobbton changes direction. Union and the three CC newcomers will struggle to be near the top of the pack.
Here’s a quick rundown on the new league.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
No team in the Carolina Conference or otherwise stopped ND senior Carell Phillips from going over 100 yards last season.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
The knee takes the biggest beating in sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball and football.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL WRH and JK split two close games last season, and the action was physical in both a airs.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
SPONSORED BY BILL CARONE
Baylor James
Wallace Diamond Youth 8U, baseball
Baylor James isn’t thinking about school this week. All that matter is how his team will play in the 8U Diamond Youth World Series.
Wallace, the runner-up in North Carolina, opens play Thursday in the Coach Pitch tournament in Riegelwood.
James is the son of Bubba and Joy Chambers. This is the only Duplin County team in either the Dixie or Diamond Youth World Series.
Other team members include Carter Lovelace, Johnny Cooper, Axton Pickett, Nathaniel Paylor, Walker Rivenbark, William Blackwell, Grayson Donnelly, Xander Peterson, Bryson Powell, Jack Newton and Tate Bradshaw. Cory Lovelace, Blake Peterson, Cory Blackwell, Bubba James and Steven Paylor are the coaches.
Duplin 14U team is runner-up in Dixie Youth State Tournament
The Duplin County Dixie Youth 14U team endured a six-game stretch to nish second in the state last weekend at Town Creek Park in Winneba (near Leland). The team, which has players from all over the county, includes Konnor Sholar, kneeling from left, Chance Kibbey, Hatch Becher, JJ Rouse, JC Williams, Gage Kildow; standing, Sammy Mojica, Brayden Jones, Hayes Lanier, Silas Jarman, Hayden Foy and Brayden Miller. Coaches are Dwaine Jarman, Ryan Lanier, Matthew Marshburn and David Miller.
Hungry Panthers enter as overwhelming league favorite
Clinton, Pender and a cast of wanna-bes will be aiming to strike down East Duplin
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
BEULAVILLE — East Duplin caught a huge break when the nal version of realignment took powerhouse Havelock out of the East Central Conference.
That and the downtrodden program at Clinton made the Panthers the overwhelming choice to rebound and capture the league crown.
This time, they will contend with James Kenan and Wallace-Rose Hill as independent foes, as both are in the Swine Valley 3A Conference.
ED fell to both of its smaller-sized neighbors, but the Panthers are in the 4A ECC that has little fanfare with mediocre opponents such as Trask, South Lenior and Southwest Onslow. Pender too might fall into that group, though the Panthers clearly have a superior program. The Pats will be over their heads facing Battle Holley’s team.
Panthers put reputation on the “line”
It’s hard to say East Duplin is rebuilding, but that’s the case for its two lines and defense following a rare 6-6 season. It’s Battle Holley’s worst showing since going 3-4 during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.
But ED returned to form by going 11-2, 15-1 and 10-2.
The best moment of the 2024 campaign was a 33-13 upset of No. 9 St. Pauls in the rst round of the playo s.
But ED must play Panthers football up front and allow less than 23 points as they did in 2024, which also featured losses to Richlands, West Craven (twice) and Kinston.
The season marks a now-or-never spot for fullback Shawn Davis, who ran for more than 2,600 yards and scored 37 touchdowns the previous two seasons.
Davis was hurt last season and never found his way as a lead man on the superstar highway for running backs.
If he gets there, the Panthers will be back on track as a dominant team.
Finding running back Aaron Hall (799 yards, 9 TDs) might have been the best happening last fall. Having quarterback Branson Norris (26 -71 for 404 yards) healthy at the start of the season is another positive factor.
And if Keeshon Mckinnie (455 yards rushing) can stay o the injury list, his production could double.
Sophomore RB/DB Dwayne Davis could also develop into a playmaker in Holley’s Wing-T o ense that can chew up the clock and end with touchdowns.
What in the world will Clinton look like?
A proud program took ve giant steps backward last fall as Clinton fell to 2-8 after going 15-1 in 2023 and winning an East Region title. And the Dark Horses had many dark Fridays. They were outscored 146-7 during losses to
WRH, Northside-Jacksonville, Lumberton and Whiteville. Setbacks to Midway and Princeton followed. They won two of their nal four games, though Fairmont and West Bladen had two combined wins.
So much for talk of the school’s ve state titles. Former player Johnny Boykin was there to pick up the pieces when Cory Johnson exited the state with a few Dark Horse players and others from across the state.
Johnson had to forfeit games at Marlboro County shortly before playing for a conference title. Clinton fans had a collective sigh amid what could only be described as a scandal. It wasn’t a death certi cate for the Dark Horses, who will beat at least half of the teams in the ECC this fall.
Here’s why: Clinton’s football pedigree is too big to be pounded into the ground. The Dark Horses had basically a junior varsity team last fall. Expect them to begin to grow and ex their gridiron muscles.
Johnson did great damage to the program, but he wasn’t able to kill the feeder system. Here is the other “why”: limited talent from other teams in the ECC, sans ED.
Eanes’ Patriots have outside shot at being a contender
Pender, which went 10-4 last season, still has coach Tom Eanes, who has an 85-54 career mark and can develop talent. He’s succeeded when others could not — Bob Lewis (25-36), Gary Lewis (16 -54) and Glenn Sellers (30-40). Eanes is the winningest coach in Patriots history.
The Patriots averaged 41 points last fall from a team that rushed for 5,250 yards, including senior Jeremiah Johnson (2,636 yards, 43 TDs).
Four running back returnees combined for just 360 yards last fall. Yet half of Pender’s wins came from weaklings, Lejeune, West Columbus, East Columbus, Union and Chatham Central, which had a combined record of 8-45.
Titans look to advance o base line
Trask has had winning marks the past three seasons (6-5, 6-5, 7-3) after going 0- 9 in 2021. They were 15-24 the previous four seasons.
But the Titans will have their third new coach in three
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Adoption of the Town of Rose Hill Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Notice is hereby given that the Board of Commissioners of the Town of Rose Hill, North Carolina, will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 6:00 PM or shortly thereafter, to consider adoption of the Town of Rose Hill Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The meeting will be held at
years as Ty Lovette takes over in Rocky Point. His top running back is junior Jaiden Young (1,240, 11 TDs).
Even so, Trask is on a three-year push (19-13) that ranks among the school’s best ever during a span of three or more seasons.
And while that’s a positive, the Titans will have to do more than that just to be a middleof-the-pack player the ECC.
Blue Devils struggles in the league continues
South Lenoir went 5-34 in a tougher ECC the previous four years, and much of the same is expected in Deep Branch in the fall.
But the Blue Devils will be in the mix in games against Lejeune, Spring Creek, Jones Senior and sister school North Lenoir, but only because of the rivalry.
Wins will be scarce otherwise, meaning in the ECC. South Lenoir went 0-10 last season and scored a mere 34 points while giving up a whopping 495.
That alone is enough for some fans to ask, “When does basketball season start?”
The great mystery of the Stallions’ demise
Southwest Onslow and ED are the lone 5A schools in the ECC. The other four are 4A schools.
Yet no one has fully explained how the Stallions program went from winning four state state titles (2000, ’03, ’04 and ’12) and were runners-up three times (1999, 2012 and ’13) under head coach Phil Padgett (295-69).
But SWO has been in shambles since 2019 (15-30) and unable to beat even mediocre teams. Stallions lost only one game by less than a touchdown, so they took some hard hits.
Former player Charlie Dempsey sustained success from the past, and now ex-Stallion Zach Garvey takes over and is all but starting from the beginning.
Here’s where they are a week before teams can practice: facing the reality that they only beat South Lenior and Goldsboro last season.
The Stallions are miles away from the glory days yet in a spot to start building.
So that schools can once again be in awe of the Stallions before they march onto the eld.
That’s likely a two- to three-year project.
the Rose Hill Town Hall, 103 SE Railroad Street, Rose Hill, North Carolina. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend.
Copies of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan are available for review by the public at Town Hall during normal o ce hours. The public is encouraged to review the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and to attend the public hearing. For additional information, please contact the Town at 910-289-3159.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
ED’s comeback tour starts on opening night when Battle Holley’s club faces archrival Wallace-Rose Hill.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Beulaville Post 511 joins Legion staples at State Tournament
A seven-game winning streak and sweep of Tabor City put Post 511 in the big tournament
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
BEULAVILLE — A temporary lack of interest in baseball and the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to Duplin County’s American Legion team.
Beulaville Post 511 returned in spectacular fashion by going 11-4 and earning a spot in the American Legion State Tournament this weekend in Cherryville. Post 511 manager Brandon Thigpen worked frantically following the high school season to put together a team of East Central Conference all-stars, included players from his East Duplin squad.
Not many would have expected Post 511 to make the eight-team State Tournament, but a seven-game winning streak and sweep of No. 2 seed Tabor City in the Area 2 playo s paved the way. Beulaville won the best-of- ve series in three games. They will be joined in Cherryville by the following Legion teams:
• Wilmington Post 10 (22-7)
Perennial contender won Area
Leopards and Rebels are clearcut favorites
North Duplin lost one time last season — 26-20 in the third round of the 1A playo s to Lakewood, who won 10 games for the second-consecutive season.
The Rebels won the regular season bout 43-24 to capture the league crown. In fact, ND stomped every foe on its schedule, sans Hobbton. ND had to rally to beat the Wildcats 34 -31 in what was supposed to be the regular season nale.
ND and Lakewood clash Sept. 19 in Roseboro. It’s their usual conference opener, and neither school needs to hold a pep rally to get the players excited.
Leopard head coach John Holt, who played and coached at Appalachian State and coached at Western Carolina and Georgia State, has a running back that can dominate a game.
Calvin Lacewell ran for 1,095 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, averaging 7.9 yards per carry as a sophomore, and more will be expected from the 5-foot-9, 200-pound bull with cleats.
Linebacker Dashaun Carr (117 tackles) is a force on the other side of the fall.
Lakewood will also have a strong o ensive line and solid defense, both of which are foundation to the program.
Yet the Leopards were a mediocre 15-27 from 2019-23. Another turn of the wheel came when James Lewis led Lakewood to a 39-17 stretch from 2014-17.
ND, meanwhile, is similarly built.
Its defense allowed just 12.8 points per game, while the offense put up 30.6. They run the football and
2 and have captured four state titles and been runner-up four times.
Garner Nation (22-3)
• Rowan County Post 342 (26-9)
• Union County Post 535 (22-7) Pitt County Post 39 (17-5)
• Beaufort County Post 511 (18-5) Asheboro Post 70 (26-1)
Post 511’s (11-4) season started with two losses in three games, and they had three- and two-game streaks, though they have clearly not played the number of games as the other seven nalists.
Jaxson Smith and Kyle Kern have been the workhorses on the mound.
Smith, a rising senior at Clinton, has thrown a team-high 242⁄3 innings and has an ERA of 2.55. He’s struck out 30 and walked just ve. Kern, Mr. Baseball in Duplin County and one of the strikeout
dare you to stop them between the tackles. Head coach Hugh Martin’s Wing-T o ense keeps the ball for long stretches of time and then deposits it into the end zone.
Carell Phillips (1,913 yards, 31 TDs) led Duplin in yards and scores in 2024.
Vance Carter (573 yards, 6 TDs) is solid but not as dynamic a runner as Phillips.
ND returns nearly everyone but defensive end Isaac Davis, quarterback Luke Kelly and DB/RB Donavan Armwood. Middle linebacker Ethan Turnage, defensive end Trashawn Ru n, and linebackers Noah Quintanilla and Garris Warren bring a wealth of experience. Ru n will play at NC State in 2026.
The Rebels are built for now and could still be upset over losing to the Leopards in the playo s.
Scronce’s Wildcats play spoiler role
New Hobbton coach Adam Scronce had less than three weeks to coach the Wildcats before its opener against 3A Midway. His team will play Lakewood and North Duplin in its nal two regular season tilts.
Yet Scronce and company could make up ground when playing the other four league foes.
He replaced Joe Salas, who was 38-42 the last seven seasons before being red.
He had just two .500 seasons. Hobbton’s struggles go further. The Wildcats were 11-68 from 2011-17. They’ve had only three .500 or better seasons since 2008.
The athletes are in Newton Grove, and Scronce has begun teaching the principals of the Wing-T he learned under Jack Holley, the state’s No. 2 all-time winner.
Eagles land in middle of CC
East Bladen returns four key o ensive players from last season’s 5-7 club, but mediocrity lives in the Eagles’ heart.
EB is 22-26 in its last four seasons, very removed from its 50-16 ledger from 2014-18. They were fourth to White -
pitchers in the state while playing his senior season for East Duplin, whi ed 29 and walked 11 in 211⁄3 frames. He’s 2-1 with a save. Cole Jarman and Christian Wooten have combined for 25 innings, a 3-1 mark with 21 strikeouts and 12 walks.
The Post 511 bats have hit .299 with Jake Howard (.425), Cole Jarman (.389) and Austin Clements (.414) leading the way. But the foursome have gotten help from Smith (.341), Blayden Pridgen (.321), Gage Howard (.304) and rising Panthers senior Sawyer Marshburn (.294). ED’s Jack Tuck has raised his average to .250 following a slow beginning.
Two more big tournaments possible
Defending champ Wayne County Post 11 did not make the cut to advance.
Action in Cherryville will continue until July 30.
From there, the champ advances to the Southeast Region Tournament, which runs from Aug. 6-10 at McCray Park in Asheboro.
The American Legion World Series is at Keeter Stadium in Veterans Park in Shelby. It runs Aug. 14-19.
ville (13-2), South Columbus (8-3) and Pender (10-4) in the Waccamaw 1A/2A Conference last fall.
Quarterback Kewone Maynor (559 rushing yards, 9 TDs), and running backs Dashon Campbell (750 yards, 8 TDs) and Torean Cogdell (353 yards, 3 TDs) give East Bladen a chance to rise above .500.
Spartans, Gators are bottom feeders
Union, East Columbus and West Columbus were a combined 3-29 last season.
Based on previous success or lack thereof Union is the pick to sweep the bottom of the conference.
The Spartan have gone 2-26 in the CC the previous four seasons and were “lucky” enough to make the 1A playo s last winter.
But the winless streak continued during a 51-0 loss to North Moore in which the visitors had to drive 212 miles to end 0-11.
East Columbus, 8-34 in the past four falls, did not win a game in 2024 as it did in 2014. The team had one each in 2015, 2016 and 2017. They Gators have been over .500 just one time since 2008. Vikings nd winning ways under Williamson
The past four seasons at West Columbus has been about as good as any in recent history.
While Lamont Williamson’s club went 3-8 last season, it followed 12-2, 9-4 and 6-6 campaigns. The 30-20 mark puts salve on a seven-year stretch from 2011-17 in which the Vikings were 16-68.
Junior running backs DJ Graham (560 yards) and Christ Norton (428 yards) will pace the Vikings attack this fall.
CC from page B1
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Gage Howard is tied for second in hits this summer for Beulaville Post 511.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
did fairly well when in the ECC a few years ago.
The Cougars were 1-9 last fall and 8-36 since leaving the ECC (that had ED, JK and WRH) ve years ago. It’s particularly alarming since the Neuse River 2A was a minor league conference in football compared to the ECC.
Goldsboro isn’t without hope, yet more than a handful of victories is almost impossible to fathom.
Will Gators be able to eld a team the entire season?
It’s a valid question considering the past. Spring Creek and Jones Senior belong in a leauge of their own, one that usually horrible Lejeune (4-7 last fall but 6-36 in the last four years) would t up until last season.
Few do football worse, and the argument for eliminating it is strong in Gator World.
But the rural Wayne County school is stubborn and wants to t in, apparently, even if they stick out like a swollen ankle.
Competitive?
The Gators will be fortunate to score a token touchdown late in the fourth quarter when the opposition empties its bench.
They went 6-32 the past four years and were 3-50 from 2009-13. Their best and only .500 season was 2005’s 6-6 mark.
Will 2A Rosewood to be overwhelmed?
Rosewood, the lone 2A in the Swine Conference, isn’t ready to face the big boys week in and week out.
The Eagles have softened since longtime coach Robert Britt left after the ’23 season.
Head coach Josh Smith, the
o ensive coordinator for more than a decade, has struggled to the tune of a 13-12 mark in two seasons.
That e ort won’t work in the Swine Valley, leaving the Eagles just above the basement-living Gators.
Running back Bryson Hobbs (900 yards, 9 TDs) returns, but Smith lost quarterback Hunter Sasser (1,113 yards, 19 TDs, 9 interceptions) and will be backpedaling to move the football.
Raiders built to compete this year
Midway, which went 8-3 last season, might be the sleeper
to have ACL surgery in the o season.
She missed her junior season and returned in 2016 to net 14.3 points and 6.8 boards per game, yet she was clearly not the same player, and that lost edge transferred to her college years at NC A&T.
Unpreventable tears
One of ve athletes will have an ACL tear during their career, and one of six from that group will have a second tear.
The risk during a competition is seven times greater than in practice, and 75% will have a tear without direct contact.
Soccer, basketball, volleyball and football have the most ACL injuries as the knee is stressed by quick stops, change of direction, jumping, planting, landing and through direct contact.
The ligaments separate into two pieces or are torn o the bone in ACL injuries. Often other parts of the knee is damaged, such as in meniscus tears and damage to other cartilage and ligaments.
“It’s the most common serious injury aside from ankle sprains,” said Heather Houston, the trainer at East Duplin. “You can’t prevent them from happening, even given the best training.”
Houston suggested an aggressive approach before and after the injury.
“It’s about building up the muscles around the knee before a surgery and then working hard and being dedicated to recovery,” she said. “And I’ll stress that you have to be dedicated to it.”
Females more at risk than males
Females are up to nine times more likely to su er an ACL tear.
They tend to use the muscle in front of the thigh (quadriceps) when cutting and jumping as opposed to using the hamstrings, put-
pick in the Swine Conference. If quarterback Tanner Williams (53-117 for 701 yards, 7 TDs) and running backs Gehemiah Blue (113-779, 10 TDs) and Nathue Myles (51-557, 5 TDs) step up, the Raiders could be in the mix for a league title.
But it will take much more than o ense for coach Barrett Sloan’s club to nab Swine victories.
Midway is 28-17 in the past four seasons and had a big win over JK before it left the ECC.
The Raiders fell to JK 41-6 and were blown out in theirnal two games against St. Pauls (59-22) and Greene Central (41- 6).
ting too much pressure on the tibia, the larger of the two lower leg bone. Hamstrings actually work to pull the tibia backward. So females overuse the ACL and underuse the hamstrings.
“Females tend to tear their ACL in noncontact situations many times because most of their weight in on one leg,” said Dr. Anderew Cosgarea in reporting to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who mentioned “hormonal uctuations that can affect ligament laxity” as uctuating estrogen levels impact the ACL’s stiness and stability.
Oh, and while it’s a health issue, an ACL surgery carries a $17,000 and $25,000 price tag.
Recovery time is a bummer
Here’s the problem: Many athletes, will never be the same after an ACL surgery. ACL repair is becoming more common, and the surgery may produce a better range of motion and faster than a complete tear down and rebuild of the joint.
“The medical and sports communities are working hard on ACL treatment and prevention,” said Dr. Jon Kornegay, a physician for ECU Health in Duplin and the head coach of the girls’ basketball team at North Duplin. “A good deal of it is biomechanical and workload management. But we don’t have a clear medi-
Jacob Holland, a 6-foot-5, 240 defensive lineman and tight end, and Kash Johnson and John Williams, who are both 6-3 and 300 pounds, will need to control the line of scrimmage for Midway to be successful.
The “other” Bulldogs have two dynamic runners
Princeton, which beat East Duplin three consecutive times, including the 2022 season in which the Panthers won a 2A title, is a scary prospect for Swine Valley schools.
Head coach Travis Gaster’s single-wing o ense bowled over foes for the better part of eight years before going 7-5 last fall. They were 9-4 in 2023, which followed 12-2, 13-1, 10-2 and 9-1 campaigns.
He’s 85-34 leading the Bulldogs and second all-time to Harvey Brooks (110-78) in school history. His father, Jack Gaster (230-72-3), won three state titles for Albemarle.
Princeton, which sells out for o ense, returns sophomore Teo McPhatter (233-1,739, 27 TDs) and Austin LeWallen (161-1,1136, 18 TDs)
Dawgs, Tigers are measuring sticks for Swine teams
Any school that nds a way to beat either JK or WRH early in league play could be in line for at least a share of the Swine title since the Tigers and Dawgs collide on Halloween in Warsaw for the season nale for both schools.
JK broke a 13-game skid against WRH last season in the third round of the playo s by the slimest of margins — 14-13 in overtime as the Dawgs failed to convert a two-point conversion against a defense led by the
ACL surgery will keep an athlete o the eld for eight to 12 months — and when they return they will need time to adjust.
cal answer for all the causes of it.”
Dr. Anthony Phillips, a UNC physician, said plyometric training, strength training and neuromuscular training will reduce the risk of having an ACL problem.
Females develop lower body power through plyometric training and help with proper jumping and landing techniques.
Strength training focuses on strength imbalances between the quads and hamstrings.
Neuromuscular training focuses on increasing the stability of the knee joint. It deals “muscle ring patterns” that increase the knee’s stability.
Less severe ACL injuries can heal on their own with the proper rest and rehabilitation, but when the injury crosses the bridge to where surgery is required, there is seemingly no return.
“They’ve come a long way in regard to the surgery itself,” said Kornegay. “It used to be the end for a lot of people.”
Currently the injury is followed by dark cloud of recovery.
Most need a year. Some can do it in eight months. Others fail completely. And yes, some do fully recover.
Research says preventative measures can be very e ective. Not many coaches address the problem until it is a problem. Therein lies the real problem.
state’s leading tackler, Hassan Kornegay.
Ten of the previous a airs were not close encounters as WRH beat its rival into the ground with lopsided scores.
Key returnees for the Tigers include quarterback Eli Avent (62-125 for 1,022 and 11 TDs), running back David Zeleya (483 yards rushing, 250 receiving), FB/DL Cal Avent (30-156, 93 tackles) and TE/WR Chris Hill, OL/DL Alex Vasquez and DB/ RB Zamarion Smith.
Yet the loss of Kornegay, Ty Morrisey, Josh Mitchell and Denario Bailey cannot be overstated.
Defensive coordinator John Bert Avent has to nd an identity for the Tigers without ve iron-tough defenders with attitudes to match.
WRH is without longtime o ensive coordinator Adam Scronce, and that’s a big a loss as losing running back Irving Brown to Ohio University.
Yet it opens the door to Jamarae Lamb (1,361 yards, 8 TDs), though every team will be expecting his number to be called on most plays.
Another back — Jamari Carr, Darrius McCrimmon, Matthew Wells, Adrian Glover, Devon Sloan — will slip in and become a second option. Top defensive players back include defensive linemen Adrian Allen, Will Brooks, Jeremiah Baker and Kha’jyre Murphy.
Despite a brutal nonconference slate, WRH went 9-4, though the Bulldogs had their rst ECC slip in four years with a 18-15 setback to North Lenoir. They regrouped for consecutive wins over Kinston, ED and JK to nish the season and tie JK for the ECC crown. Teams can begin to practice July 31.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY
FILE#25E001253-300
The undersigned, DONNA RENEE KENNEDY MCGEE, having quali ed on the 26TH DAY of JUNE, 2025, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of PATRICK D. MCDOWELL, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 3RD Day of OCTOBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 3RD Day of JULY 2025. DONNA RENEE KENNEDY MCGEE, EXECUTOR 372 LYMAN RD. BEULAVILLE, NC 28518 Run dates: Jy3,10,17,24p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY
FILE#25E001212-300
The undersigned, CHARLES L. WILSON, having quali ed on the 4TH DAY of JUNE, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of JAMES LLOYD WILSON, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 3RD Day of OCTOBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 3RD Day of JULY 2025. CHARLES L. WILSON, ADMINISTRATOR 64 MUSTANG POINT BOULEVARD ROCKY POINT, NC 28457 Run dates: Jy3,10,17,24p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY
FILE#25E001266-300 The undersigned, ANGELA N. GLASPIE, having quali ed on the 7TH DAY of JULY, 2025, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of EMMA
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
This distance to the end zone was the di erence in JK advancing to the fourth round of the playo and WRH ending its season. The win broke a 13-game skid for the Tigers.
ACL from page B1
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
obituaries
William “Billy” Smith
July 12, 1952 – July 16, 2025
On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, William “Billy” Smith, age 73, of Teachey, North Carolina, left many friends and family deeply saddened as he unexpectantly left this earthly life for his eternal rest with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He was born on July 12, 1952, in Onslow County, the son of the late Earl and Dollie Mae Walton Smith. Billy, as he was known, was preceded in death by his siblings Ervin Smith, Mae Ezzell and Margaret Guyer. Surviving to cherish his memory is his devoted daughter, Gerri Lynn Smith DeBose and husband Jason of Rose Hill; his sons William Tracy Smith and wife Victoria of Teachey and Joseph Harrell and wife Morgan of Teachey; grandchildren Rachel Mobley, Dominic Samuels, Holly Smith, Colten Harrell, Miranda Harrell, Everley Harrell, and Bradley DeBose; great grandson Noah Ramirez; brother Tommy Smith of Rose Hill; sister Linda Lanier of South Carolina; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and too many friends to count that loved Billy dearly. Billy was the best ‘Daddy’ and ‘PaPa’ in the world. He was a simple man who feared God, loved his fellowman and a true friend to so many. Billy loved his family, who were his whole life and were always there for them. His grandchildren and great-grandson were the apple of his eye. With a heart full of love and compassion, Billy coached baseball for hundreds of kids for many years during his life. After he had to give up coaching, Billy was always at his grandchildren’s games and was their number one supporter. He was a great provider for his family in many ways.
Billy loved people and people loved Billy. Billy loved Wallace, North Carolina. His favorite pastime was going to the Piggly Wiggly in Wallace where he met several friends, ate lunch or sat around discussing the world’s problems, guns, hunting and/or shing. Billy also enjoyed going to Walmart and gun shops and he always found someone to talk to. He was truly loved by everyone who knew him. Billy will surely be missed by so many, but cherished memories will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 21, 2025, at First Assembly of God of Wallace with Pastor Leo Bracken o ciating.
The family will receive friends from 10-11 a.m., one hour prior to the service at the church.
Interment will be at Rock sh Memorial Cemetery following the funeral service.
Annie Pearl Cavenaugh Bray
June 10, 1937 – July 15, 2025
Annie Pearl Cavenaugh Bray, age 88, of Wallace left this earthly life for her eternal rest on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
She was born on June 10, 1937, in Duplin County, the daughter of the late Isaiah and Florence Cavenaugh. Mrs. Bray was also preceded in death by the father of her son Raymond North Bray; her siblings Aubrey Cavenaugh, Virgie Pro tt, John David Cavenaugh, Bertie Gilbert and Ray Cavenaugh. Surviving is her devoted son Tony Bray of Raleigh; grandchildren Jessica Bray Knott and husband Shane, Joshua Adam Bray and friend Kerry Brobston and Jacob Benjamin Bray and ancé Alema Shaw; great grandchildren Jaxon Knott and Adalyne Knott; brother Aaron Cavenaugh and wife Jenny of Wallace; sisters-in-law Doris Cavenaugh of Wallace and Mary Lou Cavenaugh; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends that loved Annie Pearl dearly.
Annie Pearl was a loving mother, caring grandmother and greatgrandmother who loved her family dearly. She was a simple woman who worked hard all her life to provide for her and Tony. Annie Pearl worked numerous jobs, including National Spinning, being a waitress at Register’s and Dot’s Grill, selling Travelers Insurance, and running a country store and restaurant in the Northeast community. Annie Pearl’s favorite job was running a paper route for Star News, which she did for over 30 years. She felt most free when she was delivering papers. She enjoyed ancestry and being around people. Annie Pearl believed that ‘the more you give, the more you will get back. ’ She will surely be missed but will never be forgotten. Graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Cavenaugh Cemetery, Hwy 41 E, Wallace, NC, with Reverend Kevin Peterson o ciating.
Lee Ernest Giddings
March 23, 1948 –July 15, 2025
Lee Ernest Giddings, age 77, of Wallace passed away unexpectantly on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. He was born on March 23, 1948, in New York; the son of the late Ernest and Lila Giddings. Mr. Giddings was also preceded in death by his beloved wife Gail Hutterman Giddings and his brother Harold Giddings. Surviving are his son Joe Giddings and wife Anne of Wilmington; grandchildren Paytan Giddings Granda and husband Jacob, and Sydney Giddings; soon-to-arrive granddaughter Makayla Jordan Granda; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends who loved Lee dearly.
Lee was a loving father and caring grandfather who loved his family with all his heart. He enjoyed being outside in God’s beautiful world whether it be hunting, shing or spending time with friends and family. Lee will surely be missed but never forgotten. At Lee’s request, there will be no services at this time. Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Wallace.
Rinda Kay Brinkley Willard
Aug. 6, 1949 – July 19, 2025
Rinda Kay Brinkley Willard passed from her earthly life during the early evening of July 19, 2025, while at home. Born on August 6, 1949, she is the daughter of the late Buren Uriah Brinkley Sr. and Elene Carter Brinkley. She was also preceded in death by her husband—Bruce Carroll Willard; sisters—Blenda Faye McLamb and Peggy Glenda Sholar; and brother—Buren Brinkley Jr.
Left to cherish her memory are her children; Samantha Swinson and husband Frankie of Pender County, her oldest son Duaine Cavenaugh and wife Tanya of Duplin County, and her baby boy Will Canady and wife Katie of Duplin County; grandchildren— Baylie Thornton and husband William of Duplin County, Bradley Knowles and wife Anna of Harnett County, Brantly Hobbs and Ashleigh Guidry of Wake County, Allena “Alyie” Matthews and husband Marshall of Duplin County, and Holly Eye and Aiden of Spartanburg (SC); great grandchildren—Lauren, Braylie, Brinkley, Lacey, Savannah, Logan, Dallas, Wrendly, Carsyn, Ryan, Lucas, and Carter; and her stepchildren and stepgrandchildren.
Mrs. Willard chose to spend most of her adult life caring for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In her philosophy, “the more family there was, the better she liked it”. Her most favorite thing on earth was loving the grandchildren. At di erent points in her life, she worked for Billy’s Pork & Beef Center and Walmart. While being a softhearted lady, she was something of a jokester and is described by family as “spicy and spunky”. At the same time, one did not have a desire to make her angry with them. Cooking for family and friends was one of the special joys in her life. These same friends would become family in a short period of time, if they were not careful. Other pleasures in her life were sewing, puzzles, and iPad games.
The family will greet friends at a visitation set for Tuesday, July 22, from 6 until 8 p.m. in the chapel of Padgett Funeral Home. A graveside service is set for Wednesday, July 23 at 10:30 a.m. at the Potts Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Willard, NC.
Padgett Funeral is proudly serving the Willard family.
Jerry Dean Simmons
Sept. 28, 1946 – July 19, 2025
Jerry Dean Simmons, 78, passed away on Saturday, July 19, 2025, in the Wallace Health and Rehab. Center, Wallace, NC
Arrangements are incomplete at this time.
Survivors: Spouse: Gail Simmons, Richlands, NC
Son: Robert Hall, Richlands, NC
Daughter: Melissa Hall, Chinquapin, NC
Niece: Tracy Simmons
Kornegay
Nephew: Will Simmons
In lieu of owers, memorial gifts may be made to Beulaville Fire Department, 205 North Wilson Ave. Beulaville, NC 28518.
Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Simmons family.
Joseph Leonard Wallace Jr.
Dec. 9, 1935 – July 16, 2025
Joseph Leonard Wallace Jr. went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the afternoon hours of July 16, 2025. He passed away peacefully in the home he loved, surrounded by family.
He was born on December 9, 1935, in the Duplin County town of Teachey, the only child of Joseph Leonard Wallace, Sr., and Eunice Wells Wallace. He greatly admired his father and adored his mother, who often called him Sonny. At age ve, Joe Jr. and his parents moved “down the railroad tracks” to Wallace, where he spent his formative years surrounded by extended family, classmates and some exceptional friends. He frequently recalled his childhood and teenage years spent in Wallace with great fondness, having produced lifelong, special friendships.
After graduation from Wallace High School in 1954, where he excelled in sports, he attended East Carolina College and began a long devotion and love for the Pirates, which he later passed down to his family.
In 1957, Joe, Jr. began his banking career at The Bank of Eastern North Carolina in Wallace. A few short years later, he would meet the love of his life, Judith Blake Wallace, after she started working at the bank. They married in 1963 and enjoyed 62 years of marriage until her passing in January 2025. He dearly loved Judy and her passing greatly a ected him. She was his life partner and supported him in all his endeavors. They were a perfect team and a shining example of true devotion and love.
In 1973, their family moved
Sonja Carole Lanier Hanchey
Feb. 22, 1943 – July 15, 2025
Sonja Carole Lanier Hanchey, age 82, of Wallace, North Carolina, passed away early Tuesday morning, July 15, 2025, at her home. She was born February 22, 1943, in Duplin County; the daughter of the late John Edward and Hazel Madeline Sholar Lanier. Mrs. Hanchey was also preceded in death by her devoted husband of 60 years, William Gerald Hanchey.
Mrs. Hanchey was in the rst graduating class of Practical Nursing – LPN at James Sprunt Community College. She received her RN in 1973. She proudly began her career in the hospital caring for the needs of others. She was a long-time dedicated member of Northeast Free Will Baptist Church. Surviving to cherish her memory is her daughter, Deanna Hanchey and ancé Gregg Blanchard; her son, Edward Jerald Hanchey and wife, Tracie, all of Wallace; grandchildren, Kora Hanchey, Heather Cole and husband, Tommie, and Jonathan English and wife, Danielle; great grandchildren, Grayson English, Wyatt English, Keegan English,
to Sanford and began a journey with some exceptional friends to start Mid-South Bank and Trust, where he served as President and later CEO and Chairman of the Board. Together, working with their very special Mid-South Family, the bank ourished and quickly grew from one branch in Sanford to several across the Sandhills and Central portions of North Carolina. He and Judy often spoke of how very fortunate they were to be associated with Mid-South Bank and all the remarkable people who made up their “Bank Family.”
Joe, Jr. was a loyal and supporting father to his three children and their spouses throughout every stage of their lives, putting their needs ahead of his own. He always wanted to know everything going on in their lives, helping them navigate all the highs and lows, which he did with his grandchildren as well.
For many years, Joe, Jr. and Judy were members of First Baptist Church in Sanford, and after returning full-time to his hometown of Wallace in 2014, they joined Wallace Presbyterian Church.
Joe, Jr. is survived by his beloved children Lynn Alexander (Matt), Blake Wallace (Leah) and Dave Wallace (Kendra). Also surviving him are his precious grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, who he adored, Winston Barger (Matt), Morgan Benning eld (Drew), Wells Wallace, Joe Wallace, III, Kaylie Robinson, Camden Wallace, Lawson Benning eld, Tate Benning eld, Beau Barger and Bennett Barger. In lieu of owers, the family requests donations be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation or the building fund of the Wallace Presbyterian Church.
The family would like to express our sincere appreciation for all the prayers, calls, texts, cards, visits and food during the last several months. Further, the family is truly grateful to Dr. Danny Pate and the entire Duplin County ECU Hospice Team—especially Shanda Bass, DeAnne Batchelor and Leigh Ann Underhill.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10 a.m., at Rock sh Cemetery on Highway 41 in Wallace. Casual, purple and gold dress is encouraged.
Brody Cole, and Kynsley Cole; sister Glenda Scronce of Wallace; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends who loved Sonja dearly. Sonja was a loving wife and caring mother, grandmother and sister. She was a woman of uncommon character, beauty and grace; and to those who knew her, “an instrument of God’s love on this earth.” Sonja was always a busy woman caring for her family and taking care of sick people, still she found time to serve her church and community. With a big heart and love for people, Sonja taught Allied Heath Science and was very involved with HOSA. While teaching she developed special relationships with her students. She loved to travel, and her favorite trip was to Israel where she was baptized in the Jordan River. Sonja loved owers, crocheting and cross stitching. Most of all, she loved the Lord and although she will be truly missed, her family and friends are glad to know she is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Funeral service will be held at Northeast PFWB Church at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025, with her pastor, Reverend Kevin Peterson, o ciating.
The family will receive friends from 10-11 a.m., one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. Burial will follow the service at Riverview Memorial Park, Watha, NC. The family gives special thanks to Ms. Tarell Teachey, Ms. Linda Lanier, Ms. Pam Cole and the sta of Gentiva Hospice for the love and great care you gave to Sonja during her illness.
Memorial donations may be given in memory of Sonja Hanchey to Northeast PFWB Church, 4910 NC-41, Wallace, NC 28466.
More obituaries
Michael Ray Tartt
March 2, 1952 – July 19, 2025
Michael Ray Tartt, age 73, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 19, 2025, in Chinquapin, North Carolina. He was born on March 2, 1952, in Wilmington, North Carolina, to Paul Wesley Tartt and Ethel Register Tartt.
Michael was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
He married his soul mate, Pamela Melvin Tartt, in 1972. They shared 22 joyful years of marriage until her passing in 1994. Their love for each other and the Lord was beautifully apparent to all who knew them.
A proud Wildcat, Michael graduated from New Hanover High School in Wilmington. He went on to enjoy a career at CP&L as a lineman for many years. He later received a B.A. in Accounting from Miller Motte Business College. With a head for numbers, he was great at math, taxes and sudoku. As an avid puzzler, he also loved doing jigsaws, crosswords, word searches and any other type of brain teaser.
Devout in his Christian Faith, Michael loved the Lord and was loved in his community. He served as a deacon for many years while attending Myrtle Grove Baptist Church and Whispering Pines Baptist Church, both in Wilmington. He loved his Cedar Fork Baptist Church family in Beulaville as well. Michael will be remembered for his strength, wisdom, silliness,
loving heart, unwavering faith and willingness to help others. On the surface, he appeared quiet and reserved, but the more anyone got to know him, the more his friendly, humorous and playful nature emerged. He told the best “Dad jokes”. Michael had a smile that could light up a room, and dance moves that were just as bright. He was an enormously gifted singer who loved singing in his high school and church choirs. Ever a big sports fan, Michael enjoyed playing golf and softball, as well as watching all kinds of televised sports.
Michael is preceded in death by his beloved wife Pamela, his parents and his twin sister, Gloria Gardner.
He is survived by his children, Kerri Mitchell (William), Marylou Tartt, Justin Tartt and Sabrina Tartt. He is also survived by his siblings, Joyce Lanier (Lane) and Paul Tartt (Donna). He drew immense joy from his relationship as “Poppie” to his three cherished grandsons, Hayden and Ben Mitchell and Trevor Tartt. He deeply loved his many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws and “Outlaws”.
While it is impossible to summarize the legacy of Michael’s life brie y, the impact of his love, kindness and support will remain in the hearts of his loved ones for eternity.
In lieu of owers, the family requests that donations be made to Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, or another foster care and adoption charity, to honor Michael and Pamela’s own priceless gift of love to children in need.
Funeral Service:
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
7 p.m.
With visitation at 6 p.m. Community Funeral Home, Beulaville, NC
Graveside Service: Wednesday, July 23, 2025
3 p.m. Oleander Memorial Gardens, Wilmington, NC
Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Tartt family.
The Rose Hill event brought hope and help to local veterans
By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal
ROSE HILL — The Duplin
County Stand Down event held July 18 in Rose Hill became a powerful example of community collaboration and grassroots support for veterans.
Drawing more than 60 attendees — many of them veterans — the event provided not only practical help like hygiene kits and medical screenings but also a heartfelt sense of gratitude and connection.
Free Bibles and thank-you bags helped lift spirits, while a freshly grilled BBQ chicken lunch o ered a taste of local hospitality.
The event was organized by Spiritual Destiny International Ministries, Inc., a mobile nonpro t that travels to bring ser-
“In a disaster, everything shuts down so we can help assist with what’s going on.”
Tammy Weeks
vices directly to those in need. For founder Deniece Cole, the work is deeply personal. Inspired by the struggles of her stepfather, Freddie Beckett, an 80-year-old Vietnam veteran exposed to Agent Orange, Cole has dedicated her life to connecting veterans and others with critical resources.
“Spiritual Destiny was founded in 2005 in order to connect people to the right resources,” said Cole.
More than 15 organizations were on-site with information about their services. The North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran A airs, Legal
Aid of NC, Duplin County Social Services, Disability Rights of NC, Eastern Carolina Human Services Agency, Disabled American Veterans, Substance Use Coalition, Services for the Blind, Marine Federal Credit Union, United Healthcare, National Association of Black Veterans, NC Works and Smith eld Foods were some of the vendors participating in the event.
The venue itself — the historic Charity High School, now home to the Charity Mission Center — added depth to the day’s message. Once an all-black high school, the building now serves as a base for NC Baptists on Mission to carry out community-focused projects like disaster response and construction assistance.
Tammy Weeks of the Charity Mission Center explained that the facility is a disaster response/mission camp.
“In a disaster, everything shuts down, so we can help assist with what’s going on.”
Veterans gathered at the Charity Mission Center in Rose Hill on July 18 for the Duplin Stand Down. This event connected veterans with essential services and support.
More than 15 organizations were present, o ering medical screenings, resources, free Bibles and thank-you bags.
