The County Commissioners accepted Miller’s resignation after a closed session
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
“AT THIS POINT, I would entertain a motion to accept the resignation of our manager, Bryan Miller, and delegate the duties of the manager to our deputy county manager, Carrie Shields, until such time as an interim manager is named.”
With these words from Duplin County Board of Commissioners Chairman Dexter Edwards, followed by a quick response and unanimous vote by the commissioners, Miller became the former county manager during a reconvened meeting on Tuesday morning.
The vote came after an hourlong closed session of the board following a brief agenda approving a few funding and budget items.
After reconvening the open meeting, Edwards made a brief statement before entertaining the motion.
“A lot went on in closed session,” Edwards said. “We’re not going to discuss a whole lot.”
After the vote on the motion, the board immediately left to attend a groundbreaking ceremony.
Miller, who was absent from the meeting, had faced criticism from local citizens regarding the handling of contracts and procurement processes. He had served in the role since October 2023.
THE BRIEF THIS WEEK
Man arrested on multiple felony sex o ense charges
Magnolia A coordinated e ort between the Duplin County Sheri ’s O ce and the New Hanover County Department of Social Services resulted in the arrest of a Magnolia man on multiple felony charges involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of a child. According to law enforcement, the investigation began after a 3-year-old child allegedly disclosed the sexual abuse to New Hanover DSS on Oct. 1. Detectives executed a search warrant in Magnolia on Oct. 7, resulting in the arrest of Robert Phillip Taylor, 28. He faces charges including statutory sex o ense with a child, indecent liberties with a child and multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Taylor is currently held in the Duplin County Jail without bond.
Michael Whatley visits Duplin
U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley, foreground, listens as Duplin agriculture leaders discuss farm issues during an Oct. 7 meeting at Duplin County Airport. Turn to B6 for the story.
UMO coach resigns amid rape allegations
The former coach resigned a day after the university began an internal investigation
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
MOUNT OLIVE — The University of Mount Olive has cut ties with its women’s ag football head coach after sexual assault allegations surfaced last week. Eric James, who led the pro -
gram since its launch in February, resigned a day after the university began an internal investigation. No formal charges have been announced, and details of the allegations remain undisclosed.
According to UMO o cials, on Oct. 7, the university became aware of the situation involving the former coach and took swift action.
“The University immediately initiated an internal review, and coach James was suspended during the review,” Rhonda
“The University immediately initiated an internal review, and coach James was suspended during the review.” Rhonda Jessup
Jessup, UMO director of public relations, told Duplin Journal, adding that by Oct. 8, he had resigned.
UMO o cials con rmed that university leadership met with members of the women’s ag football team and their families last week to address
concerns and provide support.
“We commend the students who had the courage to come forward, as their actions reect the values of integrity and accountability we seek to instill at UMO,” said Jessup.
See JAMES, page A2
Tyndall named superintendent of Duplin schools
The veteran educator was appointed after holding the position on an interim basis
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — After more than three decades of service to Duplin County Schools, Daren Tyndall has been ocially named Duplin County Schools superintendent following a unanimous vote by
the Board of Education on Oct. 7. Tyndall, who has served as interim superintendent since Aug. 4, will assume his permanent role on Nov. 6. “I am deeply honored,” said Tyndall. “I look forward to continuing to build upon the meaningful relationships and community support that make
Duplin County Schools a truly special place, and to ensuring our students and sta have access to outstanding educational opportunities.”
Tyndall’s deep roots in the district span 34 years, starting as a classroom teacher and progressing through numerous leadership roles, including principal and assistant superintendent for human resources. His experience
Public criticism mounts over fairness and employee abuse of the utility system
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
MOUNT OLIVE Town Commissioner
Delreese Simmons admitted during Monday’s town board meeting evening that he was the commissioner named in the recent state auditor’s report on mismanagement of the town’s utility bills and system.
“You all read the audit and it said a commissioner had also not paid their water bill, and that person was me,” Simmons said during the commissioners’ comments period near the end of the meeting. He claimed the bill should never have been in his name.
bill. I’m not going to pay it. I got it for homeless people.”
Simmons went on to make serious claims about how the town has handled water bills.
“A lot of businesses around this town owe thousands and thousands of dollars in water bills,” he said. “Not a hundred, thousands. We don’t lose hundreds of dollars a month; we lose hundreds of thousands per month.”
After the meeting, Duplin Journal asked Simmons if he had any documentation to support his assertion that the town is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars each month.
“They know,” he said.
The state auditor’s report noted the town lost a total of $210,000 in revenue due to an error in rate entries into the system. However, it did not indicate the loss is ongoing. $2.00
“This is not my home. Never lived there,” Simmons added. “I got that home for a homeless person. It’s not my water
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
COURTESY
Daren Tyndall
Ena Sellers
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
from page A1
Counseling services are being o ered to a ected students. Jessup stated that UMO prioritizes safety and well-being, providing resources such as educational programs, free counseling and support sta to empower students to report any concerns.
“We remain committed to fostering a safe, supportive, and Christ-centered environment for every student, guided by the University Covenant and the high standards of our faith-based community,” said Jessup.
THURSDAY
According to interim town manager Glenn Holland, the error has been corrected, and the town is in the process of installing new water meters that can be read remotely via radio transmission, which will make them much more accurate than the old system.
Simmons’ comments were partly in response to statements made by Mount Olive resident Brent Heath during the public comment period of the meeting.
“We all understand that water and sewer services cost money, but what we can’t accept is mismanagement and unfairness,” Heath said. “The state auditor’s report makes it clear that for years Mount Olive has had serious problems in the way utility bills were handled.”
Heath stated the existing problems have resulted in some residents paying less for water and sewer services and others paying more. He mentioned the system might be in the process of being corrected, however, those who have been overpaying have no way to be reimbursed for their excess payments. He
MEET YOUR MUNICIPAL CANDIDATES
Get to know the people running to represent you — candidate interviews inside and online
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
IN THE FOLLOWING pages, you’ll nd a series of Q&A excerpts from inter -
&
HUTCH JONES
Mayor Hutch Jones re ects on his time in o ce, highlighting Beulaville’s strengthened nancial position, infrastructure upgrades and e orts to balance growth with a ordability and small-town character. As he seeks a third term, he outlines his vision for the town’s future, including priorities like economic development, community wellbeing and responsible planning.
Re ecting on your time in o ce, what accomplishment are you most proud of, and how has it tangibly bene ted the community?
First, our nancial health: The Town of Beulaville is as nancially strong as it has ever been. We’ve worked hard to ensure solvency and long-term stability.
Second, we’ve positioned the town for future growth. In an ever-changing state and national landscape, we’ve laid the groundwork to ensure Beulaville can adapt and thrive.
And third, our infrastructure: We’ve secured grants and leveraged outside funding to make much-needed updates that directly improve the safety and wellbeing of our community.
We still have more to do, but I believe the results of our work speak for themselves.
also referenced the state auditor’s ndings, which indicated that some town employees had exploited the system.
“Two employees of the water department were found to have manipulated the system so that their own services were never cut o (for nonpayment of their bill),” Heath said. “And one of our very own commissioners had nearly a year’s worth of bills go unpaid while still receiving services.”
During Simmons’ comments, he pointed out Heath in the audience twice, saying, “You like to talk.” Mayor Jerome Newton responded to Simmons by saying, “Don’t point at anybody.” Simmons also questioned the legality of Holland serving in dual roles as interim town manager and town nance o cer. Holland assumed the nance o cer role after the previousnance o cer and two other employees left following the audit.
Town attorney Carroll Turner addressed Simmons’ concerns.
“Since there was a legal issue mentioned, I want to say we thoroughly investigated that, and there is absolutely no question that the town manager can
views with municipal election candidates. Due to space limitations, these responses have been condensed for print. However, the full interviews, featuring complete and uned-
ited answers, will be available online on our website.
Candidates who did not meet the print deadline are still encouraged to submit their responses for publication on our website.
Early voting for the Nov. 4 municipal election begins Thursday.
BEULAVILLE MAYOR
Looking ahead to your next term, what are your top three priorities for Beulaville? How do these priorities directly address the concerns and needs you’re hearing from residents?
Maintaining a sound budget has been our top priority. We’ve continued to move the town forward while staying within our means — reducing debt, applying for grants, and investing in infrastructure and quality-of-life improvements without compromising our nancial integrity.
These priorities re ect what we hear from our residents: They want a town that’s growing but not overextending; one that’s improving but still a ordable and safe.
Beulaville is leveraging state and federal grant programs to make long-needed infrastructure and housing improvements. What’s your administration’s long-term strategy for identifying, applying for and managing grant opportunities?
We are currently working with a number of developers to continue to expand the city limits of Beulaville through voluntary annexation and pursuing opportunities to develop additional water and sewer projects outside of our city limits to add to revenue opportunities for the town.
While major infrastructure upgrades are underway, residents have experienced issues like water outages and poor drainage. What short-term solutions are in place while long-term projects are underway?
Our goal is always to minimize disruptions while continuing the work necessary to improve our town’s infrastructure for the long term. Communication with
serve as nance o cer,” Turner said. “Mr. Holland didn’t have to (take on the nance o cer duties). He saved the Town of Mount Olive a lot of money being bonded. We were in a situation where we had to do something pretty quickly.”
Turner said it’s not uncommon for a town manager to also act as nance o cer in smaller towns.
During the town manager’s report at the meeting, Holland said work continues to nd a solution to the wastewater treatment problems that have plagued the town, forcing the state to place Mount Olive under a sewage moratorium, meaning it can not add any more ow into the town wastewater treatment facility. That has brought development in town mostly to a halt.
Holland said he met with a new consultant, TRC Companies, to discuss viable options for treating wastewater. He said the town will also meet with an engineer from McGill Associates to look at changes in both the wastewater treatment improvements and sewer collection rehabilitation projects.
the public is a top priority — we want residents to be informed and feel supported when these temporary inconveniences occur.
With real estate demand rising, housing a ordability may soon become a challenge. What is the town doing now to ensure that current and future residents, including young families, seniors and essential workers, can continue to a ord to live in Beulaville?
Our administration is actively involved in conversations with developers, planners, and county and state partners to encourage a range of housing options. We want to ensure that as Beulaville grows, we are not just building — but building smart. That means supporting developments that include a ordable housing options. How is your administration using zoning policies and temporary development moratoriums to manage growth while preserving Beulaville’s small-town character and quality of life?
Most recently, our board and I enacted a temporary moratorium on the development of additional vape shops within town limits. To my knowledge, we are the rst municipality in the county to take such action. This decision wasn’t just about one type of business — it was about sending a clear message regarding the kind of community we want to build.
Actions like this re ect our broader strategy: to be intentional about growth, protect the health and wellbeing of our residents and reinforce Beulaville as “a place to come home to.” We will continue using every tool available — zoning, planning and public input — to guide development in a way that enhances quality of life while preparing for a strong future.
The town sought prices from both TRC and McGill on renovations, and both came in at $4 million over budget, Holland added.
In an update to the town’s response to the state auditor’s report, Holland said they have already taken care of issues revealed in the report regarding the Mount Olive Airport.
“All outstanding fuel invoices have been collected, the fuel account has been closed, and all utilities are being paid for by Bass Aviation,” Holland said.
In other business
The board approved a resolution to implement 11 policies required by towns participating in Community Development Block Grants.
A request to lease a town football eld to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which currently runs a youth football program with 60 to 100 participants, including athletes and cheerleaders, was tabled. The decision allows the town attorney to publish a public notice regarding the long-term lease required by the state.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Duplin County:
Oct. 20
Meet the Candidates Forum
6:30 p.m.
Community members are invited to attend a Meet the Candidates Forum at James Sprunt Community College Monk Auditorium. This public event o ers a an opportunity to hear directly from local candidates running for o ce. Attendees will be able to learn about each candidate’s platform, ask questions and engage in civic dialogue ahead of the upcoming election. All are encouraged to attend and participate in this community event.
133 James Sprunt Drive Kenansville
Oct. 28
Trunk-or-Treat at the Library
6:30 p.m.
Join the Duplin County Library for a festive Trunk-or-Treat at the Events Center. This is a safe, family-friendly Halloween celebration for kids of all ages. Come in costume and enjoy treats, fun and community spirit.
195 Fairgrounds Drive Kenansville
TYNDALL from page A1
within the system and strong community ties positioned him as a trusted leader during a challenging transitional period after the death of Austin Obasohan, the school system’s former superintendent. Tyndall is an alumnus of East Carolina University, holding degrees in ne arts and school administration.
“On behalf of the Board, I want to express our sincere appreciation to Mr. Tyndall for his leadership and steadfast dedication to student success throughout this transitional period,” said Brent Davis, Duplin County Board of Education Chair. “The Board remains committed to fostering learning environments where every student can thrive. Mr. Tyndall’s leadership style aligns seamlessly with the district’s mission and goals, and we are pleased to o cially name him as our new superintendent.”
Tyndall expressed gratitude for the board’s con dence, emphasizing his commitment to student success and community partnerships.
He will be formally sworn in during the board’s next regular business meeting in November.
JAMES
AUDIT
COURTESY
Eric James
Duplin County Elections &
Wesley Boykin didn’t plan to run for o ce, but after four years attending town meetings and watching what he describes as a pattern of inconsistent leadership and eroding public trust, he says he could no longer stay on the sidelines. In this Q&A, the rst-time candidate
As Warsaw heads into its next election cycle, longtime Mayor AJ Connors re ects on nearly eight years in o ce and outlines his vision for the future. In this Q&A, the mayor addresses the town’s most pressing challenges — from infrastructure and transparency to environmental accountability — and shares how he plans to build a more connected, inclusive and forward-looking community if reelected.
As Wallace continues to grow, so do the challenges and opportunities facing its leadership. In this Q&A, Mayor Jason Wells discusses the town’s biggest accomplishments to date, including new business development, park openings and critical infrastructure projects.
Looking ahead, he outlines his priorities for the next four years, with a focus on managing growth, expanding public services, and ensuring that Wallace remains a place where families, seniors and
shares how he would involve residents in the process and focus on long-neglected infrastructure issues if elected mayor of Warsaw.
Answers have been edited for spacing purposes; a full version will be available online.
What is your political background? What motivates you to seek o ce?
I have not held elected o ce before.
I did not set out to run for the mayor of Warsaw. I am a Warsaw native, and I love the residents of our town.
It is my home, and its residents are my people, my community.
I am vested in the progress and success of Warsaw. For four years, I attended commissioners’ meetings and witnessed poor decision-making, a lack of transparency and growing public frustration. After the 2025 budget
Re ecting on your time in o ce, what accomplishment are you most proud of and how has it tangibly bene ted the community?
I have proven to the citizens that I am a mayor for the entire town. We have seen much growth, and I am constantly in search of business opportunities that we can bring to the table.
Looking ahead, what are your top three priorities for the town if reelected? How do these priorities directly address the concerns and needs you’re hearing from Warsaw residents?
My priorities include continued e orts to build a better Warsaw. Infrastructure is an area we are in need of, and I am working with our state leaders to request funding for assistance. Community relations is also important. You can nd me supporting most events within the town and county to bring the community together. Working together with our law enforcement
WARSAW MAYOR
hearing, I realized the only way that I could impact the level of integrity and accountability on the board was to run for mayor.
What strategies would you use to restore trust between leadership and residents?
I will implement a results-based accountability model within a collective impact framework, ensuring all stakeholders are involved in identifying problems and tracking progress. This model fosters transparency, accountability and collaboration across government, civic and business sectors. This yields robust guidance to decision-makers and built-in accountability at all levels.
The town failed to inform the public for days after millions of gallons of partially untreated wastewater spilled into Stewarts
partners to bring a more secure and connected town is another priority of mine.
If granted another term, how will you ensure that all voices — including those of underrepresented or marginalized groups — are actively heard, respected and re ected in town decisions?
Throughout my entire time as mayor, I have had an open-door policy to whomever would like to come and speak with me. I also have been encouraging to ensure that all races are represented on our boards.
Many residents have expressed frustration with being left uninformed about major developments — including environmental spills, infrastructure planning and budget decisions. What steps will you take to foster a more transparent and inclusive local government?
WALLACE MAYOR
essential workers can a ord to live and thrive.
Looking back on your time as mayor of Wallace, what achievement stands out most to you, and how has it made a measurable impact on the community?
During my time as mayor, we have been able to recruit new businesses and development to town, open up Farrior Park, and starting construction of a new re station.
All of these things add to the quality of life in our town and will be vital as we continue to see more and more residential development come to town.
Looking ahead to your next term, what are your top three priorities for Wallace, and how were they shaped by the concerns you’ve heard from residents?
Our priority over my next term will to be to continue to improve the town’s infrastructure. With new growth comes increased demand on our wastewater treatment plant, so we need to ensure the longevity
and plan for additional capacity in the future. We will continue to replace aging water and sewer lines.
Increased tra c in the Tin City area will mean working with the state to widen Highway 41 in the future but must start planning now.
Wallace is seeing rapid residential and commercial growth. How will your administration ensure that infrastructure like roads, water and public services keeps pace without falling behind?
As I mentioned with the rapidly growing Tin City area of town, we must work to get that road widened and also provide safe walking paths up and down that corridor for increased foot tra c in the area. Our water and wastewater treatment plants are the No. 1 priority to maintain and plan for expansion as we grow. Those plans have to start now to ensure continued future growth.
As property values and taxes rise, housing a ordability is becoming a concern. What steps is the town taking to ensure
Creek. What would your administration do di erently to ensure transparency and timely public noti cation in future incidents?
This was a failure of leadership and communication. I will institute a standardized communication protocol involving community advisers, requiring timely public updates through press releases, summaries and presentations. Transparency will be a performance expectation, not an afterthought.
Warsaw has faced repeated violations of wastewater treatment standards. How will you restore compliance and trust, and what reforms would you propose to avoid future environmental breaches?
Building trust in sta and stakeholders is an area in which I
The town holds a public meeting every month in which I have on multiple occasions asked that people come and take part. There is a comment period in which citizens can speak and be heard. Information is posted on our website and digital signs of what is happening in Warsaw.
In the FY 2025 -26 budget, the town allocated $63,000 for drainage improvements despite ongoing issues, while more than four times that amount was designated for DreamWorks, an entertainment facility. How do you justify this budget decision to residents who are concerned about everyday quality-of-life issues like stormwater management?
Budget sessions are open to the public; myself as well as other commissioners, are open to hearing the concerns of the public. There again is a comment period at every meeting where these budget concerns can be heard. I myself
that young families, seniors and essential workers can continue to a ord to live and thrive in Wallace?
As we gain more and more interest in home construction in the Wallace area, we are constantly working closely with multiple developers to ensure we o er a variety of housing at every price point to ensure that everyone is able to make Wallace their home.
Growth brings funding demands. How do you plan to nance new infrastructure projects in a way that’s fair to current taxpayers?
We continue to look at all funding available at both a local, state and federal level and have been successful for securing grants for infrastructure, the repurposing of our Clement School Building, park, airport development. We will continue to explore all of these avenues and ensure that increased revenues from growth are invested back into our town to improve all services provided by the town.
Many residents are calling for
have 25-plus years of experience. Trust is built through integrity, respect and competence. I will prioritize team-building, clear administrative procedures, and consistent leadership focused on respect and accountability. As mayor, I will model the standards we expect.
Do you think critical infrastructure is being underfunded, and what would you do to change that?
The current budget process lacks prioritization and community input. I’ve managed multimilliondollar budgets and know that budgeting must be strategic, transparent and needs-based. I will push for a restructured, community-informed budget process that addresses real infrastructure needs.
do not put together the budget, nor do I vote on the budget, but it is a team e ort to ensure that the major priorities of the town are considered. Dreamworks is not an entertainment facility, it is a facility for exercise and improving a healthier community. Stormwater is of great concern to us, and we continue to make improvements as we can and look for grants to assist with the needs of our town.
What is the most challenging part of your job that you wish residents would understand better?
The most challenging part of the job is that Warsaw is under a manager council and not a mayor council, and our citizens need to be more aware of the governing body of the town and how it operates. It is also important for the citizens to understand that you can’t please all the people all the time. Things take time to work themselves out and there is no magic wand to “ x” everyone’s demands.
higher pay for frontline sta . Do you support wage increases across departments? If so, how would you fund them?
In regard to wages for frontline sta , we evaluate our pay scale annually for all employees to ensure that we are providing adequate and competitive pay. Our people are our most valuable asset.
As mayor, how do you strike a balance in the town budget between critical services like re protection and sewer systems, and quality-of-life investments, such as parks, greenways and bike infrastructure?
I work closely with department heads, the town council, our town manager, budget committee and also evaluate citizen input when an annual town budget is implemented to ensure that town services are as adequately funded as possible. There will always be more needs than we can a ord, but we do our best to take input from all those listed above to ensure that we provide the services needed to both grow and keep our community safe.
WESLEY BOYKIN
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Good advice from the Peanuts gallery
“If we don’t, who will?”
CHARLES SCHULZ never liked Peanuts as the name of his beloved comic strip. He originally called the cartoon L’il Folks. Because of trademark issues, the publishing syndicate changed it to Peanuts, based on the “Peanut Gallery” in the popular TV show in the 1950s, “The Howdy Doody Show.” The Peanut Gallery was full of children who sang along with the puppet characters.
Peanuts just celebrated its 75th anniversary. The strip debuted on Oct. 2, 1950. Until his death in 2000, Schulz drew and wrote every one of the almost 18,000 comics. From a cast of characters made up entirely of children (and, of course, Snoopy and Woodstock), we have learned much about life with all of its ups and downs, joys and disappointments.
forgiveness, and the importance of genuine relationships over super cial acts.”
Charles Schulz HOW DO LEADING RETAILERS like Amazon and Walmart deliver low prices to their customers?
Schulz had a deep Christian faith and taught Sunday School at his church in Indiana. In 560 of his comics, he explicitly included scripture references and theological topics. Perhaps the most famous was the TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which aired on Dec. 9, 1965, and was watched by 15.5 million people. When Schulz suggested including the memorable scene when Linus recites the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke, the animator objected and said, “That’s not done in a cartoon.” Schulz’s response was, “If we don’t, who will?” According to one source, “Themes like the meaning of Christmas, the concept of salvation, and the challenges of living a faithful life are woven throughout the Peanuts narrative. Through the characters’ actions and dialogues, Schulz subtly conveys Christian values such as love, kindness,
Perhaps one of Schulz’s boldest moves was the introduction of Franklin, the little African American boy who met Charlie Brown while they played on the beach. Franklin appeared on July 31, 1968, after Schulz received a letter from a school teacher who asked him to include a black character. She wrote the letter on April 15, 1968, 11 days after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Schulz received pushback to Franklin, especially from Southern newspaper editors who objected to Charlie Brown inviting Franklin to visit him at his house and to Franklin attending the same school as the other children. When the president of the company that distributed the strip to newspapers asked Schulz to change the character, he replied, “Well, Larry, let’s put it this way: Either you print it just the way I drew it or I quit. How’s that?” Franklin remained.
The children in Peanuts are wise beyond their years, but they aren’t syrupy sweet. Charlie Brown is plagued with bad luck. Lucy is self-centered and crabby. Linus is insecure. Schroeder is obsessed with his music. Pig-Pen is, well, he’s a pig-pen. Despite their faults, or maybe because they are so real and relatable, the children in Peanuts have a lot to teach us.
Twenty- ve years after his death, Charles Schulz continues to share his faith and the importance of genuine relationships over super cial acts.
Philip Gladden is a retired minister who lives in Wallace.
How Trump’s FTC can keep drug prices down for working
The companies buy so much from their suppliers that they can demand discounts. That dynamic applies in the health care industry as well, as companies called pharmacy bene t managers (PBMs) negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to keep prices down. But it’s up to the Trump administration to keep it that way.
On Sept. 29, the Federal Trade Commission came one step closer to nally making a decision on the Biden FTC’s case against PBMs. A settlement will immediately bene t consumers while reinforcing the valuable role PBMs play in negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to drive down drug prices.
PBMs negotiate drug prices on behalf of employers, insurers and patients. Managing more than 90% of U.S. prescriptions (per the FTC) gives them leverage they need to demand discounts and rebates from Big Pharma.
The backdrop to the FTC case, which was led shortly before last year’s presidential election, is the 1,200% rise in insulin prices from 1999-2017. The Biden FTC claimed that “even when lower list price insulins became available that could have been more a ordable for vulnerable patients, the PBMs systemically excluded them in favor of high list price … insulin products”— because the more expensive drugs are, the bigger the rebates they receive.
When I rst took over as chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, I was a bit skeptical of PBMs because of all the negative ads I saw about them (which I later found out were sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies). However, when I dug into the data, I quickly noticed that the truth was far di erent from what some of the industry’s biggest players want us to believe.
The employers who hire PBMs love them. They are best thought of as akin to a bulk buyer at a market, using scale to drive better deals. If they weren’t buying in bulk, they would not have the leverage that’s needed with the pharma giants, which would drive prices even higher.
Americans
I’m sure, like in any industry, there are some bad actors, or at least some actors who have engaged in some brow-raising activities. Those entities should not escape punishment. That said, the overall net value of PBMs speaks for itself.
Even the FTC’s complaint admits PBMs pass on 90% to 98% of rebate dollars directly to their clients, as The Wall Street Editorial Board pointed out. Which raises the question: Did the Biden FTC even believe the arguments made in its own suit?
After all, Biden FTC Chair Lina Khan was not shy in intimidating that she was unconcerned about bringing weak cases to court. She believed that pursuing cases that wouldn’t stand legal scrutiny was important as a means of convincing the legislature to expand the law to her progressive liking.
Rather than taking the PBM case to federal court, the FTC led it in its own administrative court — meaning the agency felt compelled to act as both prosecutor and judge. If the commission wasn’t con dent that an independent judiciary would give the ruling it desired, that’s not a very encouraging sign.
All of this underscores the value of settling the PBM case, which is possible with Trump appointees now in charge at the FTC.
Taking this case o the FTC’s books and instead reaching a settlement with bad actors would protect consumers while preserving employers’ ability to hold the pharmaceutical company’s feet to the re.
Put another way, the FTC can punish any genuine misconduct while still keeping the buyers’ club that holds Big Pharma intact.
If Amazon or Walmart saw a deal that delivered lower prices for millions of Americans, they’d take it. Washington should too.
Joseph R. Pitts served as a member of the U.S. House from Pennsylvania. He chaired the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health. This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.
COLUMN | PHILIP GLADDEN
COLUMN | JOSEPH R. PITTS
Duplin County Elections &
WARSAW COMMISSIONER
Commissioner Al Searles says he’s focused on foundational improvements — from wastewater accountability to infrastructure upgrades. After one year on the job, Searles says the town has made quiet but crucial progress.
Now he’s calling for stronger engineering support, clearer nancial reporting and a renewed focus on how Warsaw grows. As he seeks reelection, he lays out a plan to strengthen infrastructure,
With over two decades of experience in health care leadership and recruitment, Sheree Shepard is no stranger to managing complex systems. Now she’s seeking to bring that expertise to the Warsaw Town Council. In this Q&A, she shares her quali cations, top priorities and vision for a more responsive town government.
Answers have been edited for spacing purposes; a full version will be available online.
In this Q&A, Councilwoman Ebony Wills-Wells re ects on her rst term in o ce, outlines her priorities if reelected, and shares her vision for restoring trust, xing critical infrastructure and making local government more accountable to the people of Warsaw.
Answers have been edited for
enforce industrial compliance and bring a long-term vision to town growth.
Re ecting on your time in o ce, what accomplishment are you most proud of?
In the short year since being asked to serve, we have not had a shortage of items to work on. We have had several successes and laid the groundwork for others.
We updated and reinstated the industrial pretreatment process and started charging surcharges for industrial users not meeting their commitments.
We redirected the state funding granted to us to work on our wastewater processing facility.
It had, for some reason, been directed to x in ltration issues.
While these need to be addressed, the pressing need is to make sure we are on top of our game in wastewater treatment.
We approved, budgeted and hired
What is your political background? What motivates you to seek public o ce?
I have a long history of community involvement and public service, including previous runs for Pender County commissioner, Burgaw Town Council and the Pender County Board of Education. I am motivated to seek public o ce in Warsaw because I want to bring fresh energy, forwardthinking ideas and a people- rst approach to help our town thrive.
Professionally, I bring over 20-plus years of health care experience and four years in high-level recruitment, overseeing teams and operations, which has prepared me to manage policy, budgeting and strategic initiatives e ectively. My experience leading teams, managing resources, and building strong community relationships equips me to serve Warsaw with integrity.
What capital improvement initiatives would you propose to address drainage and
spacing purposes; a full version will be available online.
Looking back on your tenure, what accomplishment are you most proud of, and how has it tangibly improved the quality of life for Warsaw residents?
While I don’t come from a background in politics, I have been actively involved in our community and government, serving as a city councilwoman for the past four years. I am also a longtime community member, stakeholder, resident, homeowner and small business owner. My professional experience includes corporate management, business and education, where I have consistently solved complex problems with limited resources, listened to stakeholders, and delivered results on time and within budget. I am asking for your vote to complete the work I started. During my four years on the council, I
a code enforcement o cer to work on code issues, which have been falling behind due to a lack of resources.
We are working on redirecting our police department to apply more of their resources to town safety and law and order and not only be seen as tra c cops in our community.
Looking ahead, what are your top three priorities if reelected, and how do these priorities directly respond to the most pressing concerns you’ve heard from the community?
Solving the industrial pretreatment issues. We need to bring in some new engineering help to help us prepare as Warsaw grows. We need strong leadership that develops answers and is not only interested in the blame game.
Use our resources to e ectively improve the infrastructure of our downtown spaces as well as plan for the growth that is already happening around us.
infrastructure issues in Warsaw and how would you fund those initiatives?
I would address drainage and infrastructure issues by continuing to improve stormwater systems, repairing roads and enhancing sidewalks. We would see if we could get funding from state and federal grants, prioritizing projects based on impact and urgency.
What steps would you take to improve the town’s nancial oversight, transparency and accountability?
I would improve nancial oversight by implementing regular audits, clear reporting and transparent budgeting processes. I’d ensure residents have easy access to nancial information, hold public meetings to review spending priorities and establish accountability measures for all town departments to ensure responsible and e cient use of taxpayer dollars.
If elected, What would be your top three priorities in
have consistently fought for the issues we are discussing today: responsible spending, transparent government and prioritizing our essential infrastructure. Too often, I have found myself in the minority when advocating for these causes. My motivation for running for reelection is to build a working majority on the council that is committed to getting our town back on track and nally prioritizing the basic needs of our residents.
What are your top three priorities if reelected?
My focus will be on building a coalition to take immediate action.
I will introduce a comprehensive ordinance to legally mandate transparency, including live -streaming meetings and creating a public documents portal. I will formally move to allocate funds for independent, third-party audits of our
See our transportation master plan updated and make sure we are using it as a road map as we grow.
Warsaw continues to face long-standing violations of wastewater treatment standards. What speci c changes have you proposed or would you advocate for to prevent future violations?
We need to continue to follow through with monthly surcharges, making sure all our industrial users are following the rules. In addition, we need to take the SOCs they have produced and place dates on them for compliance and add a penalty/ ne structure if they do not meet the commitments. We need to make improvements to our wastewater facility to be able to handle the demands of our current and future needs. We can do this by developing a one-, three- and ve-year plan.
What steps do you believe the town could take to improve transparency and accountability in its
your rst 90 days in o ce?
My top three priorities in the rst 90 days would be:
Assessing and addressing critical infrastructure and drainage issues, reviewing the town’s budget and nancial processes to ensure transparency and accountability, and engaging with residents and town sta to identify immediate needs and opportunities for operational improvements.
In August, the town waited ve days to inform the public after millions of gallons of partially untreated wastewater spilled into Stewarts Creek. What would you do di erently to ensure transparency and timely public noti cation in future incidents?
I would ensure that any environmental or public health incident is handled with clear leadership and the correct approach to inform citizens promptly. This includes immediate noti cation through multiple channels — social media, the town website and
wastewater, drainage and nancial systems, forcing a public vote and putting every council member on the record.
I will propose an immediate amendment to the current budget, calling for a freeze on all nonessential capital projects and the reallocation of those funds to an infrastructure emergency repair fund.
Warsaw continues to face long-standing violations of wastewater treatment standards. What reforms would you advocate for to prevent future violations?
Upon re-election, my rst action will be to request funding for an independent audit of our wastewater system. Based on the ndings, we’ll develop a multiyear Capital Improvement Plan — our top budget priority. We’ll seek state and federal grants to
nancial oversight processes?
The way the town reporting works by separating revenue lines and expense centers can make the information confusing. We could develop net costs by department reporting.
Why should residents vote for you?
I care about Warsaw and want to make sure we control the future of how our town grows. Unfortunately, we have politicians who have brought politics into our decision-making process, and they seem to be more interested in their followers and likes on social media than working together to help the town move forward. It makes the process harder, but if we let Warsaw grow without a plan and without clear direction, we will regret it. I have a lot of professional experience in moving projects forward and making sure that every dollar is used wisely. I want to serve the citizens of Warsaw to move our town forward.
local media — along with regular updates on actions being taken to resolve the issue and prevent future occurrences.
Given Warsaw’s repeated violations of wastewater treatment standards, how will you restore compliance and public trust? What speci c reforms would you propose?
I would ensure strict adherence to wastewater treatment standards through regular inspections, updated equipment and sta training. I would implement transparent reporting, establish accountability measures and create a preventative maintenance schedule.
Why should people vote for you?
Because I bring proven leadership, a results-driven approach and a deep commitment to our community. With a strong business background and experience in policy and operations, I will strengthen Warsaw’s policies, work closely with town sta to support them in their roles and ensure they thrive.
support local funds, implement a proactive maintenance schedule, and establish a citizen oversight committee to monitor progress and ensure accountability.
In August, millions of gallons of “partially treated” wastewater were released into Stewarts Creek, but the public wasn’t noti ed for ve days. You were the only o cial who raised the alarm before the town’s press release. What steps is the board taking to improve emergency response protocols and public health risk communication?
The handling of the Stewarts Creek spill was an unacceptable failure of leadership and a breach of public trust. As a member of the council, I will push to implement a new emergency communication protocol with zero ambiguity. The guiding principle is to never let the quest for perfect information delay the delivery of vital information.
Duplin County Elections &
WALLACE COMMISSIONER
As Wallace faces a period of rapid growth and critical infrastructure needs, longtime resident and Navy veteran Glenn Price is stepping forward to serve. Now retired after a decades-long career in military leadership and defense consulting, Price is running for town council with a focus on smart growth, transparency and improved communication with residents. In this Q&A, he shares his motivations, priorities and vision for the future of Wallace.
Appointed to the Wallace Town Council in 2023, Tasha Herring stepped into public service with a mission to help shape the town’s future. In this Q&A, Herring re ects on her journey into local government, the importance of diversity on the council, and how she plans to support Wallace’s growth while keeping residents engaged and informed.
As a lifelong Faison resident and local business owner, K. Alane Floyd is running for town council with a focus on revitalizing the local economy and improving access to food options. In this Q&A, Floyd shares her motivations, priorities and vision for a more vibrant, connected Faison — starting
What motivates you to seek o ce?
My entire adult life has been devoted to service, 29 years in the Navy followed by 14 years as a consultant supporting the Navy. This lifelong commitment to service has equipped me with the leadership, problem-solving and decision-making skills that are directly applicable to guiding Wallace through this critical time.
Now retired, I not only have the opportunity but also the time to devote to researching issues, carefully considering options and ensuring that every decision made by our town’s leadership serves the best interests of our citizens.
What are the most critical changes you believe Wallace needs right now? How do you plan to achieve those goals?
Appropriately, we are focused on growth along the I-40/Highway 41 East corridor, but we also must not lose sight of the need to restore and maintain historic downtown and our established neighborhoods.
Can you share your journey as a councilmember? What motivated you to enter politics, and what accomplishment are you most proud of during your time in service?
My political journey o cially began in March 2023. Mayor Jason Wells nominated me and the Wallace Town Council agreed for me to ll a seat on the council after the unexpected death of our beloved Wanetta Carlton. After multiple conversations with Wanetta’s sister, Darlene Leysath, I found that Wanetta had a heart that connected to the Town of Wallace. At that moment, I knew that I had to accept the challenge and continue what she started.
I knew I could never be who she was, so I decided to start a campaign in her honor.
The Steps of Progress will be a brick walkway at Dobbins Park. Focusing on the growth and progression of the community
The infrastructure, especially our streets and sidewalks show the e ects of years of temporary xes, leaving residents frustrated every time they pull out of their driveways or walk the sidewalks.
As a councilman, I will raise these concerns directly with town leadership and ensure priorities are set and tracked. I will actively pursue funding opportunities to support these e orts and track progress to completion. Additionally, council must improve communication with citizens keeping them informed about discussions, rationale for decisions and how those choices a ect daily life in Wallace.
What is your political background or what experience or skills make you a strong candidate to serve Wallace?
This is my rst time running for political o ce. I began my Naval career as an enlisted nuclear submariner serving on two fast-attack submarines and teaching nuclear plant operations
where we were raised, the school we attended and the lessons learned along the way.
With Wallace experiencing such rapid growth in both residential and commercial sectors, how will you ensure infrastructure keeps pace? In your opinion, what is the most pressing challenge we face right now?
By constantly staying in touch with the citizens and listening to their wants. One of the great things I love about our council is the diversity of members. Our board is not one-sided. As our community grows, the diversity of our board keeps a better understanding. Diversity means we are able to keep our infrastructure projects geared to our community’s needs. One of the most pressing challenges we are facing right now is keeping up with the community’s needs and understanding.
Growth often brings funding challenges. How do you
before commissioning through O cer Candidate School. As a Naval o cer, I served as department head on USS Porter (DDG 78) and as executive o cer on USS Barry (DDG 52). I later served as chief sta o cer for the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group and for Destroyer Squadron 22. In these roles, I managed complex projects, led teams of over 300 sailors, and oversaw the daily operations of ships and sta s. My responsibilities included developing and delivering training programs, ensuring professional quali cations and safeguarding the well-being of those in these commands.
After retiring from the Navy, I continued to serve as a consultant, supporting the development of surface-to-air missile systems, including Ballistic Missile Defense. I advised senior civilian and military leaders providing technical guidance on missile programs, overseeing multimillion-dollar contracts, and helping draft and revise Department of the Navy and Department of Defense policies.
plan to fund growth -related infrastructure without placing an unfair burden on taxpayers?
I believe we should explore every possible avenue to seek funding for upcoming projects. Some of these examples could include fundraisers, private donations and grant options.
What is your take on livestreaming and recording all public meetings? How important is it to you that budget documents are easily accessible for our residents?
Transparency brings trust. When the public sees and hears open conversations and planning from the council, it reduces questions and fear,
I am in favor of livestreaming and recording all public meetings. Even though we are experiencing growth, we have citizens who are not able to meet in person for a number of reasons. Also, livestreaming
FAISON COMMISSIONER
with downtown investment and community engagement.
What motivates you to seek o ce?
As a resident and business owner, I am concerned about the lack of business opportunities in Faison, both for entrepreneurs and residents.
What are the most critical changes you believe Faison needs right now? How do you plan to achieve those goals?
I think we need more food options, both grocery and prepared food. Well, I am currently looking to schedule food trucks, for both grocery and prepared foods, to bring in temporary options until a vendor is ready to open in the old Piggly Wiggly building.
What is your political background, or what experience or skills make you a strong candidate to serve the Town of Faison?
I do not have any previous political experience at a municipal level. However, I am accessible to residents daily at the hardware store to hear about any concerns.
As a single mom of two, I am used to juggling lots of things and have chaired and held o ces in the PTO of my children’s school when we lived in Rocky Mount.
If you were given $1 million to invest in the town, how would you allocate those funds and why? What priorities would guide your spending decisions?
First, I would want to hear what the current town o cials think are our most critical needs are. But I
would like to invest in downtown. There are some buildings that need some help in making them usable for others to open businesses to serve current residents. And then help solicit others to open small businesses downtown. Beauti cation and other initiatives to help this small area prosper.
How do you plan to engage with residents and ensure that all voices are heard and considered in town decisions?
As I stated above, I am available to all residents six days a week at the hardware store if someone wants to bring a concern to me.
If elected, what would be your rst action or initiative once in o ce, and why is it your top priority?
My rst priority is to get some regular grocery access to town. I
This broad experience spanning leadership, policy development, nancial oversight and training, has uniquely prepared me to serve e ectively as a councilman. I am committed to guiding Wallace’s growth with strong leadership, responsible oversight and a focus on the town’s continued success.
If elected, what would be your rst action or initiative once in o ce, and why is it your top priority?
My rst initiative as a councilman will be to strengthen how the council and town management shares information and responds to questions and concerns. When residents are unaware of decisions or the rationale behind them, confusion and frustration can arise. Strong e ective communication includes listening and responding to citizen concerns, sharing updates, priorities and resolutions. At the heart of it all, we must never lose sight of who we serve: the citizens of Wallace, and this begins with transparency in council actions.
all public meetings would allow transparency.
How do you ensure residents are involved in major decisions?
I have suggested that recorded messages be generated and dispersed by phone. Mailings, including churches and local civic groups.
When it comes to budget allocation, how will you balance spending between essential services like re protection and sewer maintenance, versus quality-of-life enhancements such as parks and bike lanes?
All departments are equally important. By collaborating with my fellow board members, department directors and stakeholders, we will collectively decide on the most pressing options rst and move forward to other items of interest as funding allows.
would love that to be the opening of a grocery store, but I am open to mobile options such as stands, food trucks or pop-up markets.
Where are you originally from, and how long have you lived in Faison? What do you love most about the town?
I am originally from Faison. I grew up in the Faison area, but outside town limits. I left town for college and marriage. I returned to Faison in the summer of 2018. What I most appreciate about the town are the good, hardworking people I see and work with every day. They have created a close-knit, safe community that o ers many positives in the current climate of uncertainty.
Many have encouraged me and my kids for decades. Now I want an opportunity to help those people in return.
GLENN PRICE
TASHA HERRING
ALANE FLOYD
‘Business’ trip win preps HCA for two showdowns
The Crusaders moved to 7-1 with two games left in the regular season
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
ASHEVILLE — It will be another week before the Harrells Christian Academy football team steps onto the gridiron.
The Crusaders (7-1) will use the time to prepare for Big East Conference games against rival Ravenscroft and league heavyweight Trinity Christian following last Friday’s business trip to Asheville Christian Academy.
HCA’s 55-14 romp was its fourth straight win.
“I just want to see us playing our best at the end,” said head coach Clayton Hall. “It was a tough drive to Asheville and back, but our kids took care of business. Now we get to heal and prepare. Hey, at this time of the year all you can ask for is two games to win a championship.”
To do that, HCA will need to handle the Ravens at Murphy-Johnson Stadium on Oct. 24. They venture to Fayetteville on Halloween night.
wins in 2020 and 2021 in which the Crusaders won the Big East and advanced to the NCISAA 2A nals.
“We also beat them the rst year with coach (Jack) Holley,” said Hall, whose been the o ensive coordinator for the bulk of 18 seasons in Harrells, though only the head coach the past two seasons.
“It’s there for us to take,” Hall said. “The kids know that, and now we have to get them focused in. To be honest, I’m a little surprised (we’re in this situation). We’ve got a really, really, really young o ensive line but are blessed with backs and athletes that can make some incredible plays. If they get in space, they are hard to catch and tackle and there’s a potential for an explosive play.”
Wildcats drop sixth straight with loss to Cougars
Kannon McBride threw for two touchdowns and Andrew Boucher had a pair of running scores as Croatan beat Richlands 38-7 last Friday in Newport.
The Cougars (7-1, 3-1) ran away after a 10-7 rst-quarter lead by scoring 28 unanswered points in the next three quarters in a Coastal 5A/6A Conference contest.
Richlands’ Carson Littreal hit Cale Wilges for a 72-yard touchdown. But the Wildcats complicated things by getting intercepted twice and drawing 90 yards via 13 penalties while gaining just 189 yards of total o ense.
Croatan snapped a three-game skid.
Senior J’Kaeshi Brunson (3-25) and freshman JC Carr (4 -32) also found the endzone.
“I like where we are,” Hall said. “I wasn’t happy with some of the plays we took o , but it’s tough when the game’s in hand, and we’re not competing. The
Jeremiah Davis (3-58), Demetrius Jones (2-33) and Jarrod Miller (2-50) had rushing scores, Dashaun McKoy an 80-yard kicko return and it was over by halftime as HCA led 35-7.
players knew I wasn’t happy.”
HCA got back defender Davis Bradshaw for the game and hope to have WB/WR Chamani Newton, lineman Drake Smith and Lathan Cashwell ready for the Ravens or possibly the trip to Trinity. Newton and Cashwell are recovering from bad ankle sprains and a separated shoulder.
HCA is 3-15 against the Ravens, which include back-to-back
Davis (68-806, 9 TDs) is fourth among all Duplin Journal schools in rushing and touchdowns. Miller (45-434, 6 TDs) is seventh, while McKoy (10 TDs, four 2-point conversions) is one of the most versatile players in the area as a threat running, catching, returning kicks or in the secondary.
HCA lost a 38-35 thriller to Ravenscroft in 2024 and were drubbed 42-6 by Trinity the following week.
Richlands’ o ense has scored 10 points in its past two games and is averaging 12.1 points per game.
Senior Joshua Wilson’s seven tackles paced the defense. Payton Hughes had six, Trea’vaun Flanigan and Matthew Stein ve apiece, and Joel Roberts and Beau Mills both came up with four takedowns.
The Wildcats (1-5, 0-3) travel to West Carteret (4-3, 2-2).
Panthers prep for Horses; Phillips supercharges Rebels
Aaron Hall sparked ED past Trask, while Carell Phillips lifted ND
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
BEULAVILLE — There are a number of football teams with less-than-desirable records have improved.
East Duplin head coach Battle Holley includes Clinton in that group. His Panthers will travel to Sampson County on Friday following a clockwork-like 38-6 triumph over Trask last Friday at Brian Aldridge Field.
“They’ve gotten better each week,” Holley said on Sunday as he prepared for a game at Robinson-Lewis Stadium. “They’re big up front, which is a problem for us and have some real good offensive tools.”
Enter quarterback Miles McCallop (78-144 for 1,184 yards, 14 TDs).
“He’s versatile and explosive and can move around while also having some guys who can catch it,” Holley said.
Indeed, the Dark Horses (3-4, 1-2) have three players with more than 300 yards in receptions.
Jonmah Boone (35-393, 7 TDs), Aaron Landrum (22-324, 1 TD) and Zaire Strickland (13-360, 4 TDs) have combined for more than 1,100 yards and 12 scores.
Running back Gavin Miller (115-511, 10 TDs) is the top rusher in a wild-open o ense.
Clinton, which has won ve state titles, went an uncharacteristic 2-8 in 2024. The Dark Horses went 15-1 in 2023 and were 2A runners-up. But trouble came immediately thereafter as head coach Cory Johnson bolted to Marlboro County, South Caroli-
THURMAN PARKER FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
ED’s Aaron Hall ran for 101 yards and three scores as the Panthers stumped Trask 38-6.
na, and took several players with him.
Former Clinton player Johnny Boykin was left to pick up the pieces.
“There’s a lot of talent there,” Holley said. “It’s going to be a war. It’s a tough place to play. When you go down there you better have your kids ready.”
Clinton lost three of its rst four games but has since gone 2-1. The lowest point was a 26-20 loss to 2A East Bladen (5-2). The highest was a 37-36 victory over Whiteville (5-2).
The in-between contest was a 50-45 setback to unbeaten Pender (7-0) in a key ECC matchup.
“They’ll be ready,” Holley said.
“We’ve got to eliminate big plays, hold onto the ball and not have turnovers and penalties.”
ED did all those things against the Titans.
Aaron Hall (8-101) returned from an injury to run for three
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
ND’s Carell Phillips ran for a season-high 237 yards and ve scores against West Columbus. He has 1,051 yards for the season and 15 rushing 15 touchdowns.
touchdowns, Branson Norris had his second consecutive two-touchdown game, and Shawn Davis (14-93) and Dewayne Davis (535) led a Wing-T attack that piled up 331 ground yards.
ED led 17-0 at halftime and the Titans (3-4, 1-1) lacked the punch to even stun the Panthers.
Hall twisted his ankle against Jacksonville and did not play in ED’ win over Southwest Onslow.
Phillips scores ve times as Rebels paste Vikings
While last Friday’s 49-14 win over West Columbus looked like a normal rout for North Duplin, quarterback DJ Graham gave the Rebels’ coaching sta and defense ts and headaches.
Fortunately, the damage came after the Rebels built a 21-0 lead.
“It was a di erent type of game to prepare for and the one we spent the most time prepar-
ing for in a while,” said ND head coach Hugh Martin. “He’s a very dynamic quarterback who is able to move around in the pocket and make plays late in a play.
“It was hard to keep him contained, and our DBs did a good job when he was scrambling. He threw a few times as he was going down or in the grasp.”
Yet the junior was overshadowed by Carell Phillips, who ran for a season-high 237 yards and scored ve times to pass the 1,000-yard for the second straight season.
“Explosive and the kind of running we’ve seen from him the past three years,” said Vance Carter (6-57), nursing a knee injury, Jaylen Pope (6-60) and Quan Stevens (3-18) added to the mix of a back eld missing fullback Noa Quintanilla after getting hurt and not playing in the second half against East Bladen.
“Proud of what our backs have done, there’s been growth and progression,” Martin said. “Our o ensive line play improved since East Bladen. West Columbus’ ability to make plays defensively is amazing. Quan stepped up and so did Jaylen, while Vance played as he’s played the last two seasons.”
Graham, a junior, ended with 10-of-20 passing for 142 yards.
The somewhat easierthan-normal win came after ND played its two toughest games of the season, falling in a thriller to Lakewood and beating EB in a similarly tight a air.
ND used six plays to cover 60 yards for the rst score, a 10-yard e ort for Phillips, who is tied with James Kenan’s Jeremiah Hall and Wallace-Rose Hill’s Jamarae Lamb for the rushing touchdown lead in Duplin County with 15 apiece.
The Rebels defense forced a turnover on downs at the ND 35, and nine plays later it was 14-0.
Carter had a 22-yard push and Phillips back-to-back 13-yard sprints, the second of which landed his feet in the end zone at the midway point of the rst quarter. Long drive Friday continued as ND pushed the ball 67 yards in seven plays. Phillips had a 29-yard run and the 4-yard score.
Graham connected with Jahan Lesane-Powell for a 12-yard strike on fourth-and-9 to make it 21-8 at halftime.
Pope had a 56-yard run in the third quarter. Ethan Turnage added the conversion to up the lead to 29-8.
Lucas Dail intercepted a pass late in the fourth and returned it 25 yards for a score. Garris Warren tipped the ball before it reached Dial’s hands.
ND (6-1, 2-1) travels to face Union (2-5, 0-3) on Friday.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Richlands’ Cale Wirges has 15 catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns.
Avent (52), Zamarion Smith (50) and Jacquez (49).
Travis McIver has helped running back Jeremiah Hall (69-951, 15 TDs) come within 49 yards of his second-straight 1,000-yard campaign and also paced Chris Hill (23-250, 7 TDs) and Taulil Pearsall (43-383, 6 TDs) as the Tigers have averaged 10.1 yards rushing the football.
Tigers nd ways to move “Big” Cougars
Hall and Hill each scored three times against Goldsboro and Pearsall once.
Pearsall’s 55-yard push in the third completed the rout.
Goldsboro tacked on a meaningless fourth-quarter score as JK’s defense limited its foes to seven points or less for the fourth time this season.
Tiger gridiron talk
JK hosts Charles B. Aycock on Friday and will introduce its four new Hall of Fame members — Ken Avent Jr, Marcelias Sutton, “Mac” McNeill and Cassandra Stroud.
NCAA FOOTBALL
But the Tigers were persistent in running over the Cougars with their ground attack.
Hill scored from the 23 to open the contest. Hall added touchdowns from 10 and 5 yards out.
Hill’s scores from the 5 and 24 followed before Hall ripped o the longest score of the night with a 63 -yard jaunt to put an accent on JK’s 41-0 halftime lead.
“Interesting, they were huge up front and that’s an understatement,” Grady said. “I felt that early on when we weren’t busting plays like we normally do. I was going to open up the passing game, but they were very talented up front.”
John Bert coached at ND and has been and currently is a JK assistant coach. He said the success of his sibling is imbedded in his love of football and because of how he treats players and coaches.
“Absolutely loves football and can draw up the same play 1,000 times to look for something di erent in it,” John Bert said. “He’s constantly studied the game. He doesn’t holler or scream. He’s going to coach you and make you do the little things over and over again.”
Current Tigers coach Tim Grady said Avent’s California-low-key-but-intense approach was infectious.
“His personality is contagious and people — coaches and players — want to work with him,” said Grady, who was coaching at Charity Middle during the bulk of Avent’s time at JK. “He has a way of connecting and communicating with people that I can’t fully describe. He’s very smart but doesn’t go around bragging. But
35-34 lead with 1:44 left in the third.
WRH’s defense forced Midway into a three-and-out, and a bad snap on the punt attempt gave the Bulldogs a rst-and-goal from the Raiders 9. A lineman inadvertently juggled the ball lose from his running back, and Midway pounced on the football.
The Raiders punted from their own 19, but WRH fumbled it away to frame up Midway’s nal score.
The teams combined for nine rst-half scores in a wild gridiron a air.
Geremiah Blue scored from the 10 on the rst possession of the game, but WRH stu ed the 2-point conversion.
Lamb ripped o a 42-yard run on the Bulldogs’ rst play, and Jamari
FORECLOSURES
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE
23SP000130-300
AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE
NORTH CAROLINA, DUPLIN COUNTY
Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Hope Harding a/k/a H. Harding to The Shoaf Law Firm P.A., Trustee(s), which was dated March 3, 2023 and recorded on March 6, 2023 in Book 2023 at Page 630, Duplin County
having been made of the
by the
Deed of
he’ll talk football in a minute. Even today, I call him up or talk to him, and I see a spark in his eyes.”
Avent went 26-11 in three seasons at ND and 24-14 during the same span at NJ, which he led to the 1AA East Region nal in 2005, only to lose to WRH.
He was named AP Coach of the Year in N.C. in 2007 when his Tigers went 16-0.
JK went 15-0 in 2013 for a second 1AA title. Two 12-2 seasons followed, including one in which the Tigers upset WRH in the regular season but fell to the Bulldogs in the East Region nal during the Bulldogs’ streak of four-straight titles (2014-17).
WRH and JK played each other in the 1AA East nal for three straight years, with the Tigers winning in 2013 (28-14) and the Bulldogs biting back in 2014 (34-31) and 2015 (29-13).
The Tigers went to the 1AA state championship game in 2006, Avent’s rst season, and were unde -
Carr scored from the 2 two plays later. Dorlin Bonilla’s PAT put WRH on top 7-6. The defense held on fourth-and-5 from the WRH 9, and the next play Lamb rumbled 90 yards to up the margin to 14-6.
But Midway still had o ensive ght and tied it with a Blue (10-67) score and passing conversion by Williams.
A Bulldogs fumble four plays later helped the cause, and Wesley Tew’s (20-170) rst of two scores put Midway in front 21-14. Jamari Carr bolted 55 yards to tie it at 21-21 two snaps later. Williams connected with Soloman for a 9-yard score and Carr went 50 yards as a counter to knot it at 29-all with 3:57 to play before halftime. Williams’ scrambling ability
The Falcons (2-5, 0-4) have struggled in a new 5A/6A conference with Southern Nash, Rocky Mount, Northern Nash and Hunt, who have a combined record of 24-5.
They fell to SN 35-0, which nipped JK 44-42 in the season opener for both schools. CBA’s wins have come against Rosewood and Goldsboro, and the Falcons have been outscored 201-21 in their last four games.
feated until losing to Thomasville (13-7). “He’s such a great coach and person,” said Sutton, who played on the title-winning team in 2012 and went on to play for Oklahoma University for two seasons. “And he does a great job of using his talent, plus he makes everyone feel important.”
Avent, who is a commissioner for the town of the Faison, works for Clifton Seed. He retired from the public school on July 1. His California-cool sideline look and approach to the X’s and O’s and Jimmy and Joes were trademarks of his career.
And his reputation in the Tigers’ athletic community and statewide is right up there with WRH’s Jack Holley (412-96-9), second in the state in all-time wins, and East Duplin’s Brian Aldridge (251-95-1), who turned ED from at .333 winning percentage to .733.
Avent Jr. (173-105) coached for 18 years, while Ken Sr. (172-105) coached at ND for 25 years.
bought him time during a 83-yard march that gave Midway a 34-28 halftime edge as the Bulldogs foiled the running conversion attempt.
Motsinger said Midways’ 6-foot-3, 300-pound o ensive tackle John Williams had his way throughout the night.
“He’s the real deal, and he proved to me what I saw on tape and told our kids about all week,” he said. “He’s the best I’ve seen and has so much college potential.
“Two times we needed to settle our defense but scored quickly and didn’t have time to x it. But we only gave up eight points in the second half.”
WRH will host Spring Creek (0-8, 0-4) on Friday. Rosewood (2-5, 2-1) visits the Jack Holley Football Complex on Oct. 24.
release or prior conveyances of record.
Penn State res coach Franklin amid midseason free fall in lost season State College, Pa. James Franklin is out at Penn State. The school red the longtime head coach less than 24 hours after a 22-21 home loss to Northwestern. Terry Smith will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season. The Nittany Lions began the year with hopes of winning the national title, but those hopes evaporated by early October amid a string of losses. Penn State, which reached the CFP semi nal 10 months ago, lost at home to Oregon in overtime in late September. A road loss at UCLA followed.
NOTICES
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY
FILE#25E001388-300
The undersigned, TAMMY PARKER, having quali ed on the 1ST DAY of OCTOBER, 2025, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of EVELENE HATCHER CAVENAUGH, 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 16TH Day of JANUARY 2026, 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 16TH Day of OCTOBER 2025.
TAMMY PARKER, EXECUTOR 2927 S NC HWY 50 BEULAVILLE, NC 28518 Run dates:O16,23,30,N6p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY
FILE#25E001358-300 The undersigned, SHAMIKA PITTMAN-PICKETT, having quali ed on the 16TH DAY of SEPTEMBER, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of DONNIE VELMA PITTMAN, 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 25TH Day of DECEMBER 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 25TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2025.
SHAMIKA PITTMAN-PICKETT, ADMINISTRATOR 431 JOE HOP WILLIAMS RD. BEULAVILLE, NC 28518
Run dates:S25,O2,9,16p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY
FILE#25E001159-300 The undersigned, HENRIETTA M. WILLIAMS having quali ed on the 2ND DAY of OCTOBER, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of ANDREW WILLIAMS, 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 16TH Day of JANUARY 2026, 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 16TH Day of OCTOBER 2025.
HENRIETTA M. WILLIAMS 523 W. BONEY ST. WALLACE, NC 28466
Run dates:O16,23,30,N6p
and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on October 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Duplin County, North Carolina, to wit: Lying and being in the City of Warsaw, Duplin County, North Carolina and being more particularly described as follows:
Said property is commonly known as 605 Forrest Rd, Warsaw, NC 28398.
Beginning at a concrete monument at the northeast corner of the intersection of Forrest Road with Mitchell Street and running thence with the east line of Mitchell Street North 15-05 West 199.52 feet to an iron pipe; thence North 74-55 East 199.56 feet to a concrete monument; thence South 15-05 East 200.00 feet to an iron pipe in the north line of Forrest Road; thence with the north line of Forrest Road South 74-55 West 200.00 feet to the point of beginning containing 0.91 acres all according to a map by McDavid Associates, Inc ., dated October 26, 1989. For further reference see Deed Book 582, page 231, Book 616, page 533, Book 806, page 793, Book 903, page 219, Book 1029, page 207 and Book 1264, page 103 all of the Duplin County Registry. Subject to those certain Restrictive Covenants as recorded in Book 573, Page 547 of the Duplin County Registry.
Save and except any releases, deeds of
A certi ed check only (no personal checks) of ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.
Said property to be o ered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being o ered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements,
rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Hope M. Harding.
An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be e ective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the e ective date of the termination.
Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale
WRH from page B1
Travis McIvern
HOF from page B1
Stedman McIvern
obituaries
Donna Ruth McLean Smith
Dec. 21, 1958 – Oct. 7, 2025
Warsaw - Donna Ruth McLean Smith, 66, passed away Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at her home. Mrs. Smith was born on December 21, 1958, in Harnett County, NC, to the late Charles and Ethel Lovette McLean.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2025, in Devotional Gardens, Warsaw, NC.
Mrs. Smith is survived by son, Timothy Jackson and Renee Moore of Goldsboro; daughter, Jessica Daughtry of Warsaw; granddaughter, Karsyn Daughtry; brother, Scott McLean of Sanford; nieces and nephews, Stuart McLean, Charity McLean, Angela Koelbl, Sean McLean; and special niece, Sarah Fairweather.
In lieu of owers, memorials may be made to the Duplin County Humane Society, P.O. Box 88, Kenansville, NC 28349.
Pearline Hill
Nov. 16, 1944 – Oct. 5, 2025
Pearline Hill, 80, of Wallace, NC, passed away on Oct. 5, 2025, at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare in Wilmington, NC. A wake will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at Hawes Funeral Home in Warsaw. Mrs. Hill will be entombed at Calverton National Cemetery in Wading River, NY.
Victor Jay Albertson
Nov. 22, 1967 – Oct. 5, 2025
Victor Jay Albertson, 57, passed away on October 5, 2025.
He is preceded in death by his parents, J.A, and Linda Albertson and a brother, Michael Albertson
All services are private.
In lieu of owers, donations may be made to Community Funeral Home, P.O. Box 715, Beulaville, NC 28518
He is survived by his sisters Rhonda Brown and Cynthia Penny (Darrell), both of Beulaville, NC; brother Timmy Albertson (Ann), of Chinquapin, NC; and many nieces and nephews. Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Albertson family.
Latie Kevin Johnson
Sept. 12, 1977 – Oct. 6, 2025
Mr. Latie Kevin Johnson, age 48, of Magnolia, NC, passed away on Monday, October 6, 2025, at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Rose Hill, NC. Burial will follow at Hu n Family Cemetery, Byrd’s Chapel Road in Rose Hill, NC.
Left to cherish his precious memories are four sons: Latie Johnson, Jr. of NY, Jeremiah Johnson of CT, Jordan Johnson and Joshua Johnson, both of NY; father, Tony G. Snowden of NY; grandmother, Joyce Snowden McGee of Magnolia, NC; ve brothers: Bishop Johnson, Brandon Johnson (SwaQueena), Lataef Johnson, Javin Snowden and DeCorey Snowden, all of NY; ve sisters: ChaTori Snowden, Dalia Snowden and Nicole Johnson, Tatyana Snowden, all of NY and Cashae Johnson of NJ; two step-brothers: Antonio Elliot and Amorie Elliot of Las Vegas, NV; seven aunts, eight uncles and two great-uncles; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss him dearly.
Judy Nye Thompson
Oct. 24, 1943 – Oct. 2, 2025
Judy Nye Thompson, 81, passed peacefully from her earthly life on Thursday, October 2, 2025. She was born on October 24, 1943, in Bladen County, the daughter of Walter Earl Nye and Mary Clark Nye. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Robert “Toby” Earl Nye.
Judy is survived by her daughters, Beth Thompson (Je Kilgore) and Lori Thompson; granddaughters, Ella Grace Kilgore and Ava Pearl Wells. Judy grew up in Lisbon, attended grade school in Clarkton, and was a graduate of Campbell University, where she earned her degree in education. Judy was an excellent schoolteacher, teaching in Columbus and Pender County schools. Through her years of teaching, Judy taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels of education. She was a guiding light to many students. Judy was always an educator with her bright, sunny smile, instilling words of wisdom and learning in her students. She was a devoted and remarkable mother and grandmother who loved her family. Judy was always impeccably dressed and had a beautiful smile to greet you. Judy will truly be missed.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at Mt. Horeb Presbyterian Church Cemetery on NC Hwy 87, Council, NC, with the Rev. Teddy Lawson conducting the service.
Patricia Maready Mobley
Sept. 23, 1957 – Oct. 5, 2025
Patricia Maready Mobley, 68, entered her heavenly home holding her daughter’s hand on October 5, 2025, at ECU Medical Center, Greenville.
Patricia was proceeded in death by her parents, Elbert and Jeanette Maready, Husband WJ Mobley, and special friend Ernie James.
She is survived by her daughter Jenell Wheeler and Husband Mike. The apple of her eye, her grandson Joseph Wheeler. Sister Faye Boyette and husband Lee, Brother Glenn Maready and wife Karry, Blake Maready (Nephew), Kaylee Maready (Niece). Her extended family Wanda Sholar and husband Robert, Runt Mobley, Granny Pat to Blake Sholar (Theresa), Chad Mobley, Tamara Cherry (Blake), Jesse, Memphis, Zephyr, Korbin, Bannick, and Gypson. She was grandma to many.
Patricia was born on September 23, 1957. She would give you the shirt o of her back and help people even when she couldn’t help herself. She loved to cook, work in her yard, and spend time with her grandson. Even in pain she never missed a beat when it came to him. You could often hear her cheering from the stands or watching him receive an award. They loved to play rummy, go shing, or just cuddle in the chair. He was her reason to ght. She fought so hard every day of her life, but she is now walking the streets of gold, pain-free.
Arrangements are as follows: Thursday, October 9, 2025
1-2 p.m. Visitation
2 p.m. Funeral followed by graveside at Amos Lanier Cemetery on Maready Rd. Chinquapin.
In lieu of owers, memorial contributions may be made to Community Funeral Home, P.O. Box 715, Beulaville, NC 28518
Prince Albert Snowden Jr.
March 10, 1946 – Oct. 6, 2025
Mr. Prince Albert Snowden Jr., age 79, of Rose Hill, NC, passed away on Monday, October 6, 2025, in Bishopville, SC.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Rose Hill, NC. Burial will follow at Hu n Family Cemetery, Byrd’s Chapel Road in Rose Hill, NC.
Left to cherish his precious memories are his sister, Joyce Ann Snowden McGhee of Magnolia, NC; two uncles: Bobby Hu n (Virginia) of Teachey, NC and Samuel Hu n (Lynetta) of Leland, NC; two adopted children: Sharon Snowden-Hu of Mooresville, NC and Amber Hadden of Gastonia, NC; one grandchild, Braydin McMillan of Mooresville, NC; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss him dearly.
Abner Rivenbark
Dec. 11, 1938 – Oct. 1, 2025
Abner Rivenbark, 86, formerly of Burgaw, North Carolina, and Fort Washington, Maryland, went home to be with his Savior Jesus Christ on October 1, 2025. Abner was born on December 11, 1938, in Horse Branch, Watha, North Carolina. When he was just three years old, his father died in a car accident, and at an early age, he helped his widowed mother, along with his siblings, tend the family farm during the latter years of the depression. His chores included loading mule carts full of butter and eggs before sunrise to transport them and sell them in Wilmington, North Carolina, and fending o nighttime moonshiners who used the creek running through their farm to transport whiskey. At the age of 17, Abner entered the United States Air Force.
In the Air Force, Abner served 20 years during the height of the Cold War, including deployments to Greenland and ten years of service in the Presidential Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base. There, he worked directly on Air Force One, installing and repairing interior furnishings for the President of the United States. He retired as a Senior Master Sergeant E8 and maintained lifetime friendships with many fellow servicemen. Abner then served 18.5 years for the United States Congress on Capitol Hill, where he supervised the House of Representatives drapery shop, creating and installing drapery and upholstery for Congressmen and the House of Representatives Chamber. He also oversaw the design and installation of the drapery and buntings that decorated the exterior of the United States Capitol building during four di erent Presidential Inaugurations. After retirement, Abner and
Leslie “Sonny” Rowe
July 25, 1932 – Oct. 4, 2025
Though our hearts are heavy, we celebrate the life of Leslie C “Sonny” Rowe who lived 93 long, loved, blessed years and passed from his earthly life Saturday, October 4, 2025. Sonny was born on July 25, 1932, on the homeplace in Currie, one of twelve children born to the late David Franklin Rowe and Mildred Laura Ward Rowe. He attended Long Creek School and graduated from Zebulon High School, where he played basketball. Sonny served in the Navy from 1950 to 1954 on the submarine USS Chopper 342, which was stationed in Key West and served in the European Occupation following WWII. After his service, he returned home to Pender County and the Wilmington area. One night at the Ocean Plaza in Carolina Beach he met a young lady, Bernice Herring. Sonny and Bernice were married for 57 years before her passing in 2018. They had ve children, David Rowe, Doug Rowe, John Rowe, Gina (Larry) Hesse, Tina St. Pierre and seven
his wife, Annie, returned home to Pender County, North Carolina, and continued his passion for building, repairing, and maintaining his home. He enjoyed farming, growing vegetables, blueberries and owers. His church, family, friends and many people in need were helped by his kindness and generosity. Abner loved his big gatherings and never met a stranger who didn’t leave as his friend. He enjoyed his large family and as the years progressed, he and Annie became a hub of activity for each new generation. Many happy memories were made as they generously opened their home to family and friends, too numerous to count. In their later years Abner and Annie lived in South Carolina, moving to be closer to family. Abner is now reunited with his beloved Annie and his family, siblings, many cousins, uncles and aunts that he so enjoyed. We imagine that he is already happily mowing the grass in heaven. Abner is survived by his sisters, Julie Collins and Nettie Daub; daughter, Dana (John) Soltis; sons, Don (Terri) Collins and Mark (Beth) Collins; grandchildren, Rachel, Kadric, Michael, Samuel, Anna and Benjamin Soltis, Justin (Amanda) Glenn, Tayor, Trey, Samuel and Kate Collins; greatgrandchildren, Lorelai and Liam Glenn; cousin, Hildreth Gallagher. nephews, Daniel, Joe, Charlie, Delane, and Darrell Rivenbark and Will Daub. Plus many loving cousins, nephews and nieces throughout our numerous family.
Abner was predeceased by his cherished wife of 26 years, Annie (Shupe) Rivenbark: parents, Mary Katheryn and Abner Coy Rivenbark; brothers, Coy Taylor Rivenbark, Edward Lee Rivenbark, and Jimmy Rivenbark; and sister, Marjorie Katheryn Malpass.
The family thanks Gloria and Jerry Taylor and Glenda Shelton for their loving assistance in so many ways to both Annie and Abner over several years as their health declined. Also, we owe gratitude to Melissa and Larry Rivenbark, who stayed around the clock with Abner during his nal days.
The family will receive friends at noon on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at Quinn McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw Chapel. The funeral service begins at 1 p.m., with Rev. Randy Little and Rev. Dean Walker conducting the service.
Burial will follow in Riverview Memorial Park.
grandchildren, Ashley (Tyler) Small, Adam Rowe, Nicholas, Lauren and Christian Hesse and Zach and Abbey St. Pierre; and a great-grandchild on the way.
Sonny is also survived by his brother, John “Shaby” Rowe; and many nieces and nephews. While Daddy’s military service took him to exciting destinations around the world and his days as a truck driver took him all over the United States, his heart and home were always in the history and heritage of his family here in Pender County. He loved the land and farming. Sonny farmed many crops but had a passion for Strawberry farming. He ran a successful strawberry plant business that sold plants all over the US. He was an innovator in brining plasticulture strawberry farming to NC. The Sonny Rowe Farm Market has served up their trademarked “Carolina Sweetie” strawberries and Jumbo peanuts to travelers and the community for over 60 years, with a roadside produce stand rst on Hwy 421, then in Rocky Point. Daddy loved farming but also had a great interest in genealogy and loved talking with customers, friends and family about genealogy and the history of Pender County. He was a huge history bu and an avid reader about the Civil War. He was a fun and lively storyteller who loved to cut up with his friends at their morning “board meetings”. He will be laid to rest on the land and farm he loved. The graveside service will be on Friday, October 17, 2025, at 11 a.m. on the Rowe Farm at 10895 US Hwy 421, Currie. After the service, family and friends are invited to join us at Moore’s Creek Baptist Church for visitation and fellowship.
Senate candidate Whatley visits local farmers
Agribusiness leaders highlighted the industry’s billion-dollar impact on the local economy
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — Michael Whatley, the man hand-picked by President Donald Trump to face o against former Gov. Roy Cooper in the race for the U.S. Senate seat after North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis announced he would not seek reelection, dropped into the Duplin County Airport on Oct. 7 to meet with area agriculture leaders.
The race is predicted by political observers to be the most expensive Senate race in U.S. history. The meeting was arranged by 4th District state Rep. Jimmy Dixon.
Local representatives from several agricultural companies, farms and groups lled the lobby at the airport for the meeting, including House of Raeford, Cottle Farms, Mount Olive Pickles and Chad Herring, president of North Carolina Family Farms.
Dixon, introducing Whatley, pointed out to the candidate the signi cant economic contributions agribusiness in Duplin County makes.
“House of Raeford, Nate
Johnson and Sons, with sales last year in excess of a billion dollars,” Dixon said. “They employ several thousand people.”
Dixon also singled out Herring, who Dixon said owned 42 chicken houses “at a cost of $260,000 apiece.”
Whatley told the group he was very familiar with Duplin County, especially after being asked by the Trump campaign to quickly arrange a rally.
“When we were looking to hold our rst ag-oriented event, I was on the phone with the Farm Bureau and I said, ‘Hey, I need a place to hold a Trump rally.’ Jimmy (Dixon) called me back and said, ‘We got a place in Kenansville.’”
Whatley said he called the campaign and said, “We got a place in Kenansville, North Carolina, population 855. They said, ‘You sure about this?’”
He said he got the same response from Trump Tower after hearing how small Kenansville is, but they had the event at the Duplin Event Center. Whatley said it ended up being “fantastic.”
After serving as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, he was chosen by the president to become chairman of the Republican National Committee until he got a call from Trump after Tillis decided against seeking reelection.
Teresa Cottle, left, of Cottle Farms, expresses concerns about H2-A visa issues with U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley during a meeting in the lobby of Duplin County Airport on Oct. 7. The meeting with agriculture leaders in the county was arranged by Duplin County state Rep. Jimmy Dixon, who represents District 4.
“The president asked me to step aside at RNC and step into this race and run,” Whatley said.
In an exclusive interview with Duplin Journal after his meeting with farmers, Whatley noted the di erence between how larger population areas versus more rural areas think, and the improtance of rural areas to him.
“They’re tremendously important,” Whatley said. “We’ve got 100 counties in North Car-
olina. We’ve got a microcosm of America. Agriculture is the No. 1 part of our economy. The agriculture issues, you’re not going to learn, you’re not going to talk to people about what they care about and get that input on agriculture issues if all you ever do is go from Charlotte to Raleigh and back.” Republicans have dominated many elections throughout the state, including success in judicial races and a nearly ve -
to-proof majority in the General Assembly, but North Carolina voters have also leaned toward Democrats in other statewide races.
“We’re a purple state,” Whatley said. “We’re 30% Republican, 30% Democrat, and 40% unafliated. When we think about the federal races, whether it’s president, Senate or Congress, the Republicans win when we listen to the voters, and we understand what they care about and put solutions on the table.”
Whatley addressed two issues he believes are very important to voters in the state — the economy and safety.
“When I look at North Carolina as a whole, the economy really, really matters,” he said. “It matters to everybody in every community. We need more jobs. We need to raise wages. We need to have policies that are going to help our manufacturers and our small businesses and our farmers.”
On safety, Whatley said, “If your community isn’t safe, then that’s a huge problem. We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep every one of our communities and our families safe.”
He added one more issue he believes is important to the state.
“And of course, everybody cares about the military here in North Carolina.”
Dunkin’ celebrates grand opening of Wallace store
A local single mom of four
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
WALLACE — Jessica Hansley of Wallace woke up last Wed-
nesday morning with a plan.
“I was on a mission to get free co ee for a year,” Hansley told Duplin Journal in an interview. Dunkin’ had an-
nounced the rst 100 people at the grand opening of its new store would receive free co ee for a year.
“You know how they say ‘America runs on Dunkin’? Well, I run on ca eine, I have to have it to function,” Hansley added with a laugh.
Wallace Rotary donates dictionaries to Chinquapin third graders
The Wallace Rotary also donated dictionaries to Wallace and Rose Hill-Magnolia Elementary schools
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
CHINQUAPIN — For as long as Rotary Club members can remember, they have donated student dictionaries to third graders. Last Friday, Duplin Journal was there when Steve and Carol Paes of the Wallace Rotary Club presented the dictionaries at Chinquapin Elementary School.
Two representatives from each third grade class came to the lobby to accept the dictionaries and have their photo taken as part of the presentation. The students were wearing pink Friday as part of the school’s breast cancer awareness day.
Chinquapin Elementary Assistant Principal Jessica Whitman told Duplin Journal the dictionary donations from the Wallace Rotary Club are very welcome.
“We’re able to use them in the classroom as a resource and teach students how to use them,” Whitman said. “Without them, students are deferred to the internet, so having a book in their hand to teach them how to appropriately use it is very bene cial. We can do a
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Chinquapin Elementary School Assistant Principal Jessica Whitman, far left, joins Steve Paes of Wallace Rotary Club, school counselor Susan Matthews-Raynor and Carol Paes of Wallace Rotary Club, all in back row, along with student representatives from each of the school’s third-grade classes to accept donations of student dictionaries from the Wallace Rotary Club last Friday.
lot of things with a dictionary.”
Carol Paes of the Wallace Rotary Club added the dictionaries’ bene ts go well beyond the school since the students are able to eventually take them home.
“It also bene ts the family,” she said. “They bring the dictionary home and kids that haven’t received them have access also.”
In addition to the dictionary, each contains a colorful bookmark promoting the well-known Rotary Club Four Way Test, which encourages the use of four questions to consider before making decisions, taking action or
speaking. The questions are:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be bene cial to all concerned?
Other local third graders who bene ted from the Wallace Rotary Club student dictionary donations included students from Wallace Elementary School and Rose Hill-Magnolia Elementary School.
Hansley, a single mom of four children, was glad her plan worked.
“As soon as I got the girls on the bus, I went straight down there,” Hansley said. “I got there just after 7 a.m. and the line was already wrapped around the building. I was
worried I wasn’t going to be one of the rst 100, but when they passed out the cards, I got number 69.” Hansley said they collected the card once she was in the store and traded it for a coupon book that allows for four free co ees a month for a year.
Sheri Statton Stokes, left, poses with Capt. Denise Mitchell, who was recently appointed president of the North Carolina Jail Administrators Association at the organization’s yearly banquet in Greensboro. Mitchell is a jail administrator for the Duplin County Sheri ’s O ce and the rst Duplin County o cial to serve as president of the NCJAA.
COURTESY DUPLIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Duplin County captain takes helm of N.C. Jail Association
