Warsaw The North Carolina Department of Transportation has temporarily closed a section of Abner Phillips Road for bridge maintenance over Grove Creek. The road is expected to reopen by 5 p.m. on Dec. 15, weather permitting. Local tra c may use a detour via Abner Phillips Road to West Ward’s Bridge Road and then to N.C. 50.
Special meeting to consider utility, tax rate cuts
Mount Olive The Town of Mount Olive will hold a Special Called Board Meeting on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. to consider reducing recent increases to water bills and property taxes. The board will review a proposal to lower the current 8% water rate increase and the 7.5% property tax rate. The meeting will take place in the Town Board Meeting Room at 114 E. James St. in Mount Olive.
Employees appreciation lunch set for Dec. 19
Kenansville
Duplin County will host its annual employee appreciation lunch Dec. 19 from 1-5 p.m. at the Duplin Events Center, honoring the hard work and dedication of county employees. All county o ces will be closed during the event.
Economic Development Board meeting rescheduled
Kenansville
The Duplin County Economic Development Commission has rescheduled its January meeting. Originally scheduled for Jan. 2, the meeting will now be held on Jan. 9 at 7 a.m. in the Duplin County Airport conference room.
Filing for 2026
elections open
Duplin County People wishing to run for the county commissioners board and Board of Education can now le for the 2026 election. Candidates must be at least 21 years old and live in the district they wish to represent. Filing fees are $100 for county commissioner and $5 for the Board of Education. If a candidate is not a liated with a political party, they must submit a petition with signatures from 4% of registered voters — 256 for District 2 and 289 for District 3. Petitions are due by noon on the primary election, March 3.
$2.00
State and local leaders turn the rst shovels of dirt to celebrate the
Duplin breaks ground on new Forest Service Region One Headquarters
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — State and local dignitaries gathered at the Duplin County Airport
last week for the long-awaited groundbreaking of the new $13.1 million North Carolina Forest Service Region One Headquarters at the Airpark. The facility will sit on a
Airpark development delays continue, but work moves forward
Despite setbacks, county leaders remain optimistic about progress
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — “It would have been a nice Christmas present.”
With those words, Duplin County Economic Development Commission Executive Director Scotty Summerlin told the board at their Dec. 5 meeting
that hopes of completing infrastructure work this month at the Duplin Airpark have been delayed again, this time due to an additional change order and several punch list items that need to be completed by contractors involved in the project.
Despite the additional delay, Summerlin reported, “It’s been a very productive month.”
Development of the Airpark project has been delayed past its initial estimated completion date
12 - acre tract across from the existing N.C. Forest Service Eastern Aviation Hub, which houses firefighting and observation aircraft. Along with office space, the building will include a dedicated training facility.
“We are so excited to be here today to begin building
the Region One Headquarters,” North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler told Duplin Journal, explaining that the new facility will bring air operations and ground operations back together again. “We
State nes Duplin County over animal welfare violations
An inspection found documentation errors, incomplete euthanasia records and care issues
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
STATE INSPECTORS have cited the Duplin County Animal Services Animal Shelter for multiple violations of North Carolina’s Animal Welfare Act, including incomplete euthanasia records, inadequate supervision of dogs and failure to provide water to several kittens, one of which died, according to state documents. On Monday, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a $1,700 civil penalty to Duplin County based on viola-
tions identi ed during a Nov. 17 inspection by the department’s Animal Welfare Section. The inspection followed a complaint received one week earlier alleging improper practices at the county-run shelter. According to the state, inspectors reviewed shelter operations, records and animal care practices for compliance with state animal welfare laws.
Inspectors found the shelter failed to properly document euthanasia procedures. Records for seven animals did not include the route of administration for euthanasia solutions, while computer records for six additional animals contained incorrect information about the method used.
“He was patient, loving, healthy and full of life.”
See HQ, page A5
Carolina Forest Service Region One Headquarters at the Duplin County Airport, marking
the making. ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL State, county and industry partners praise the teamwork behind the major project
MARK GRADY / FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Members of the Duplin County Economic Development Board look at a screen displaying bid information for land clearing in preparation to build several short-term rental units at the new Duplin Airpark.
Duplin Journal www.duplinjournal.com
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Wallace, NC 28466 Copyright 2025
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To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@ nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.
THURSDAY
Dec. 1
Nija Bethune, 29, was arrested by DCSO for felony larceny, possession of stolen automobile and failure to stop at stop sign or ashing red light.
Dec. 4
Ti any Renee Johnson, 35, was arrested by DCSO for larceny by employee.
• Aaron James Miller, 30, was arrested by DCSO for obtaining property by false pretense and larceny by employee.
Dec. 5
Johnathan Irizarry, 41, was arrested by DCSO for child support.
• Travis Scott, 37, was arrested by DCSO for assault on individual with disability and injury to personal property.
Dec. 8
Nydia Celina Perez, 49, was arrested by DCSO for felony possession of Schedule II controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle or dwelling place for controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license revoked and secreting lien property.
Francisco Lizardi Vargas, 50, was arrested by DCSO for second-degree trespass, soliciting alms or begging for money, disorderly conduct and intoxicated and disruptive.
Anita Marie Savage, Duplin County Register of Deeds issued 21 marriage licenses for the month ending on Nov. 30, 2025.
• Maria Isabel Tinoco Zamora, Seven Springs, and Miguel Angel Campos Tapia Greensboro;
• Luis Alberto Silva, Kenansville, and Aiyanni Ivette Hernandez Kenansville;
Clifton Lamont Moore, Kenansville, and Jocelyn Bournes Kenansville;
• Keegan L.K. Whaley, Pink Hill, and Emily Jade Davis Pink Hill;
• Milana Carmian Michelle Merendino, Wallace, and Jonas Alexander Byrd, Beulaville;
Tito Bauista, Mount Olive, and Marta Yennelis Casquez Recancoj, Mount Olive;
Luther Thomas Register Jr, Magnolia, and Hilda Faye Sholar, Magnolia;
• Larry Mccoy Powers, Wallace, and Rachel De-Vore Stephens, Burgaw;
Cristopher Omar Mejia Rivera Warsaw, and Ingrid Yamileht Velasquez, Warsaw;
Lee Ray Collins, Albertson, and Lucretia David Whaley, Beulaville;
• Amilcar Abdeneo Zunun Perez Seven Springs, and Amadilia Simon Perez Seven Springs;
James David Borden, Wallace, and Amy Michelle Stanley, Wallace;
Ryan Michael Carder Louisville, and Justin Lourdes Fritsch, Louisville;
• Mason Benjamin Cottle, Rose Hill, and Raegan
Conley Smith, Turkey;
• Jalen Corez Baker, Warsaw, and Shannon Mona Cox, Warsaw;
Kaitlin Alexandria Segari, Rose Hill, and Cole Everett Smith, Rose Hill;
• Yolanda Pablo Perez, Mt. Olive, and Roberto Lopez Giron, Mt. Olive;
• Christopher Ray Sharp, Maysville, and Marina D Mejia, Beulaville;
Dana Monique Boykin, Warsaw, and Mike Jerome Bell, Faison;
• Jordyn Isaac Wilson Australia, and Briggitte Clarissa De La Cruz, Warsaw;
• Alma Berenise Roldan Padilla, Warsaw, and Luis Eduardo Landa Ibarra, Warsaw.
Dec. 12
Christmas Tree Lighting
6 p.m.
The Beulaville Area Chamber of Commerce and the town of Beulaville invite the public to the Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday to celebrate the season with the town’s Christmas tree, songs from the East Duplin Chorus and refreshments.
508 E Main St., Beulaville
Dec. 13
Annual Wallace Christmas Parade
10 a.m.
Experience the magic of the holiday season at the annual Wallace Christmas Parade in Wallace on Saturday. Festive oats, twinkling lights and joyful music bring the spirit of Christmas to life. Parade lineup begins at 9 a.m. Downtown Wallace
Beulaville Christmas Parade 2 p.m.
The Beulaville Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Christmas Parade Saturday, featuring festive oats, twinkling lights and a magical holiday atmosphere. The parade will begin in front of Carly C’s at Kennedy Street and proceed along Main Street East to Whaleys Super Market on Lyman Road.
Main Street, Beulaville
Dec. 15
Santa’s Mailbox open at Beulaville Town Hall
Children of all ages can drop o letters to Santa at Santa’s Mailbox, located just outside the main door of Beulaville Town Hall. Be sure to include a return address. The last day to drop o letters is Dec. 15, giving families a chance to be part of the holiday tradition.
508 E. Main St., Beulaville
Dec. 17
Beulaville Police Department Toy Drive
The Beulaville Police Department is collecting new, unwrapped toys and gift cards to support local children in need this holiday season. Donations will be accepted through Dec. 17 at Beulaville Town Hall.
508 E. Main St., Beulaville
CRIME LOG
Duplin County to save $1.2M through bond re nancing
The commissioners backed major bond re nancing and honored retiring deputies
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Board of Commissioners held its annual organizational meeting this month, unanimously electing Commissioners Dexter Edwards as chairman and Elwood Garner as vice chair for 2026.
The board also unanimously approved re nancing of the county’s 2016 Limited Obligation Bonds after receiving updated interest rate information. The newly secured 3.41% xed rate, down from roughly 5%, will save Duplin County over $1.2 million during the remaining 10-year repayment period. A public hearing drew no objections.
According to meeting documents, these bonds were issued in the amount of $52.64 million to nance the cost of improvements to B.F. Grady Elementary School, Kenansville Elementary School, Rose Hill’s Magnolia Elementary School, Wallace Elementary School, Warsaw Elementary School and North Duplin Elementary School.
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primarily because of the complexity surrounding the project.
Turning the land around the Duplin County Airpark into an industrial complex has involved a series of separate projects, including new roads, water and sewer development, and power installation, all while building the rst of two 50,000-square-foot shell buildings on the property and preparing another area for the construction of several short-term rental houses.
During the meeting, the board approved the project’s 20th change order, which involves repairs and improvements to part
Sheri Statton Stokes presented retirement plaques to 1st Sgt. Benjamin Parrish, Sgt. Randy Forster, Chief Deputy Philip Humphrey and Janice McCallop, who was not present.
“I’d like to thank the board for allowing us to be here and passing out these awards,” said Stokes. “It means a lot for county employees and especially the Sheri ’s O ce to be able to highlight people who gave their blood, sweat and tears to the county and the citizens.”
Parrish was the rst o cer
recognized for his service to Duplin County. He also received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. In his remarks, Parrish re ected on more than three decades of service, beginning with the Coast Guard in 1987, followed by two deployments to Iraq with the North Carolina National Guard in 2003 and 2007. Alongside his military service, he worked in law enforcement across several agencies before settling in Duplin County.
“This is where my forever place is, and my boys are right here in the school system,” said Parrish.
of the wastewater infrastructure on West Best Road. The contract supplement totals $4,013.68.
Once the punch list items are taken care of, several involving the new sewage system around the Airpark, Summerlin said there is hope the infrastructure development will be completed by the rst or second week of January.
Another factor in the delay is that multiple contractors are involved in di erent aspects of the project, meaning some could not access their work sites until others had nished their tasks.
In other action, the board voted to accept a bid of $30,000 from Gainus Lawn Maintenance of Beulaville to clear land
Retired 1st Sgt. Benjamin Parrish stands next to Sheri Stratton Stokes. left, accompanied by his family, after being celebrated for more than 30 years of service. Parrish received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. In the background are Jesse Dowe, Justin Edwards, Dexter Edwards, Wayne Branch and Elwood Garner.
Forrester was honored next for his service from 2003 to 2024 and received the Old North State Award. In brief remarks, he expressed gratitude for the privilege of serving Duplin County residents and credited his faith and community for their support. Humphrey followed, receiving
in preparation for the construction of a rst phase of short-term rental units at the Airpark. Board members also discussed whether to use prefabricated modular units or stick-built homes for the units.
Several board members commented on the very broad range of bids submitted for the land clearing, which ranged in price from $30,000 to $220,000 from ve bidders.
There were also several compliments regarding the groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Carolina Forest Service headquarters at the airport. The ceremony was attended by N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
recognition for his service from 1996 to 2025 and was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Humphrey thanked God and the community for the opportunity to serve. He re ected on his military and law enforcement career.
“I’m thankful and I’m bless-
ed, and I’m so grateful that Georgia Garner gave me a chance to be right here to work with Jesse Dowe on the road,” said Humphrey.
Interim County Manager Lisa Hughes announced several upcoming county events and introduced an Eagle Scout project presented by the son of judges Henry and Melissa Stevens. According to Hughes, the proposed project would add QR-coded historical information to courthouse portraits, and it received the board’s support.
Hughes also noti ed the board that the U.S. Mint’s discontinuation of penny production may affect departments handling cash transactions. Commissioners authorized a temporary policy to round totals down to the nearest nickel in the event of a coin shortage.
In other business
The board adopted its 2026 meeting schedule. Meetings will be held on the rst Monday of each month at 6 p.m., and on the third Monday of May and June at 6 p.m. If county o ces are closed due to a holiday or adverse weather, the meeting will be held on the next business day.
New playground project and software upgrades remain on track
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — Newly elected Kenansville Board of Commissioners member Michael Maddox was sworn into o ce at the board’s Dec. 2 meeting. Maddox works for Duplin County Schools and is senior pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Wallace. He also serves as a volunteer with the Duplin County Sheri ’s Department Chaplain Program.
Town Clerk Madison Jones conducted the swearing-in ceremony for Maddox, as well as for Mayor Stephen Williamson and Commissioner Linda Tyson for their new terms. During department reports, Garry Benson said the state’s inspection of the town’s wastewater treatment system was complete and had passed.
Mayor pro tem Milta King asked Benson about the taste
of her water, saying it “wasn’t bad, just di erent.” Benson said the di erence in taste was likely the result of a small amount of additional chlorine being added to the water supply to meet specication requirements of ECU Health Duplin Hospital.
Town Manager Anna West told the board that sta members are still training on the new software purchased from Black Mountain Software. She said the training was challenging but that they were making progress. The town is in the process of inputting data from the old software into the new program.
West also reported that equipment for the new $500,000 playground at Kenan Park is still on schedule to begin arriving just after the rst of the year. The playground is being funded by grants and donations.
In a closing comment, Williamson recommended the town send a letter to the Kenansville Area Chamber of Commerce commending it for staging an exceptional Christmas parade on Nov. 29.
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Incoming Kenansville Board of Commissioners member Michael Maddox, right, takes the oath of o ces as his wife holds the Bible.
AIRPARK
PHOTOS COURTESY DUPLIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Financial health boils down to good habits being the central theme
“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.”
Yogi Berra
THERE AREN’T MANY situations in life to which a good Yogi Berra quote doesn’t apply. As we head into the holiday season and 2026, it’s a great time to check in on where you are and where you are going.
Financial health boils down to good habits being the central theme. One other habit that is relevant to nancial literacy and health is the annual checkup. Just like going to the doctor each year, there are sources of potential dread in a nancial checkup — do I really want to know? Can it have gotten better with another year of age? It sure is easier to ignore problems! So just like your annual physical, if you don’t already take an annual snapshot of your nancial picture, nd some time over the holidays to do that. What that entails is up to you, but at a basic level I would suggest building your own “balance sheet” and potentially a cash ow plan for next year.
When my wife and I were planning our wedding, one of the traditions in the Catholic Church is pre-cana classes. These classes go through many of the logical issues that you would imagine the church would focus on, but they also covered the basics of a nancial plan. As we went through the session on this, it was amazing to me how many other engaged couples had no clue that their future spouse had massive credit card debts, or, in one case, that they were the bene ciary of a large trust fund. Knowing these things is really important to having any kind of a plan together, or even on your own.
Making your balance sheet is straightforward — you are looking to comprehensively total up your assets and your liabilities (or debts). Making a simple spreadsheet that lists the things you own and the amounts you owe will not only give you a good snapshot of where you are, but it also makes planning much easier in the future. You’ll start next year’s check-in from last year’s balance sheet, and the updates can be incremental that way. Moreover, your balance sheet will greatly simplify things for your heirs in the event tragedy strikes.
Starting with this snapshot, I would then suggest building a plan for next year. It can be simple — what are the big sources of funds that will come in next year, and what are the big uses of funds next year? I like to project mine monthly — I know what my paycheck should be, and what my mortgage payment and other monthly recurring expenses will be. Then I can see what I’ll have left over after the basics for more optional expenses.
As you do these over time, you will get a good picture of the progress you are making toward whatever goals you have. Progress won’t be linear — you’ll have some good years and some less good years — but by knowing where you are, you’ll have a much better chance of knowing where you are going …
Happy Holidays to everyone!
Brad Briner is the treasurer of North Carolina.
The melting pot is boiling over
Our society’s foundation isn’t the government.
IN ONE SENSE, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are the foundation of the country’s government.
The Declaration laid out the principles we aspire toward. The Constitution established the three branches of government. It contains many brilliant mechanisms to check the government’s power. The Bill of Rights o ers another layer of protection.
But mere words — even some of the most brilliant and in uential words ever written — didn’t create America’s greatness. Americans did.
Imagine you could magically impose America’s system of government in Somalia, Afghanistan or the Gaza Strip. Same Declaration of Independence. Same Constitution. Same Bill of Rights. Would it turn those Third World nations into First World successes?
Of course not. Just look at the 260,000 people of Somali descent living in America. More than 100,000 of them live in Minnesota. In recent weeks, there have been numerous stories about how Somalis in Minnesota stole billions of dollars from the government. That led to millions of dollars going to Al-Shabaab, an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group.
In one scheme, Asha Farhan Hassan created Smart Therapy, which supposedly o ered services for children with autism. She and her partners recruited Somali parents and worked to get their children fake autism diagnoses. They used that to secure Medicaid funding. Hassan then cut the parents in on the scheme.
“Several larger families left Smart Therapy after being o ered larger kickbacks by other autism centers,” the U.S. Attorney’s O ce in Minnesota wrote in a release.
Importing Somalis to America didn’t give them American values. They brought their preexisting values to America and ripped o taxpayers for billions. They brought clan rivalries from Somalia along with them as well.
Afghanistan provides another example of this. After 9/11, the United States took over the country. We spent more than $130 billion there. That’s more than America spent rebuilding Western Europe with the Marshall Plan, according to The Washington Post. The United States
even held elections in Afghanistan. But as soon as former President Joe Biden decided to surrender, the country fell to the Taliban. Despite all the money and lives lost, we couldn’t export democracy to a society with a vastly di erent history and heritage.
These di erences were punctuated by an Afghan national allegedly murdering a National Guardsman in Washington, D.C., recently.
Even democracy isn’t a cure-all. In 2006, Gaza Strip residents elected Hamas to run the region. Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre initially boosted Hamas’ favorability ratings among Palestinians.
What the Founding Fathers understood — but many modern Americans don’t — is that our society’s foundation isn’t the government. It’s the shared values, culture and history that bind individuals into citizens of a nation. Those are the pillars that uphold the government.
This is why importing millions of people who have fundamentally di erent worldviews is a terrible idea — and not just in America. Look at England. Grooming gangs raped thousands of girls over decades. Most o cials ignored the problem because the rapists were largely from Pakistan. They feared being accused of racism.
Even immigrants who support Western civilization and have Judeo-Christian values need time to assimilate. People aren’t interchangeable units of economic activity. They have religious values, customs and worldviews. Our country has an interest in making sure new arrivals learn ours. Learning English should be nonnegotiable. Those living in the same country need to be able to communicate with each other. This makes it easier to build trust and cohesion.
As of June 2025, America had more than 50 million immigrants. More than 15% of the country’s population was born elsewhere. That includes a staggering 19% of the workforce.
It’s too much. At this point, the melting pot is boiling over.
Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and host of the “Sharpening Arrows” podcast.
COLUMN | BRAD BRINER
Festive lights, local talent highlight Christmas by the Tracks
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
A STEADY, cold Satur -
day rain challenged daytime events at the 150th Christmas by the Tracks celebration in downtown Rose Hill, but the skies cleared just in time for the evening parade. Crowds gathered along Church Street — some huddled near propane heaters, others rushing forward to grab the candy tossed by participants. Parade entrants shone brightly with festive lights as they rolled through the streets.
Before the parade, center-stage entertainment showcased local talent, including the Vessels of Worship, the Beatitudes, Sydney Casteen, Adam Quinn and Renee Hoxie. Afterward, attendees enjoyed performances by Harvey Arnold Jr. — this year’s grand marshal — along with the Exit 380 East Band and the Johnson Boys. Despite the earlier rain and cold, Christmas spirit filled Rose Hill for this milestone celebration.
Above, Kayden Wells, Little Miss N.C. Poultry Jubilee 2025, is one of several queens riding in the 2025 Christmas by the Tracks parade. Top right, Duplin County has its “Singing Senator,” Charlie Albertson, and Rose Hill can claim its “Singing Commissioner.” Adam Quinn of the Rose Hill Town Board performed shortly before the parade at this year’s Christmas by the Tracks. Bottom right, Cohen Quinn of Rose Hill dons Christmas lights and a smile as she anticipates the start of the Christmas by the Tracks parade on Church Street.
are proud to be here in Duplin County — the county has been so good to deal with. And they wanted us here badly. So we’re at home, and we appreciate it.”
Region One of the N.C. Forest Service serves 27 counties in eastern North Carolina and functions as a hub for wild re response, forest management and emergency coordination. The headquarters also provides economic bene ts to the region, supporting public-sector jobs, purchasing fuel and supplies locally, and attracting visiting crews during re seasons and training events.
Scotty Summerlin, executive director of the Duplin County Economic Development Commission, said the project is on a 500-day construction schedule, with completion expected in April 2027.
“We’re just so excited,” Summerlin told Duplin Journal, adding that the e ort has been years in the making. Summerlin emphasized that the groundwork was laid by his predecessors, making this a long-term e ort nally moving from planning to reality. He said they are eager to see construction begin and just as eager to see it completed.
“There’s a lot of us here that have looked forward to this day for a long time — not only those of us here, but I feel the spirits of those who have gone on before us,” Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin) said. “It’s always a pleasure to see something like this happen.”
During the ceremony, each of the special dignitaries expressed deep gratitude for those who contributed.
“Thank you for being here and working with us on this project and many others that bene t the great responsibility we have in North Carolina to continue producing the food and ber necessary to remain a free nation,” said Dixon as he thanked Troxler for his support.
Dexter Edwards, chairman of the Duplin County Board of
Commissioners, voiced strong support for the project and praised the personnel already working at the Airpark.
“We’re looking forward to this building,” he said, adding that success with the two existing hangars has made the county eager for what comes next. He described the aviation team as one the community should be proud of.
“We appreciate it here in Duplin, and we feel that this is an honor to all of Eastern North Carolina,” said Edwards. “We’re glad we can be the hub housing these folks.”
Paul Stewart of Willard Stewart Architects thanked Region One sta , including Andy Meyer and Greg Hicks, for their collaboration.
“This project is just as much their vision as ours,” Stewart said. “It’s been an honor to work on something so important, and we’re excited to help reunite aviation and ground operations here in Duplin County.”
Representatives from Daniels and Daniels Construction also praised the partnership behind the project, noting the strength of the team that includes architects, county leaders and the Forest Service.
“This is absolutely the right team for a project of this caliber,” the company said. “The county is an exceptional partner and neighbor, and the Forestry Service is fortunate to have such a strong home base here.”
The rm added that by the time the ribbon is cut, they expect even greater excitement, con dent the team will deliver a high-quality facility built through strong collaboration. The ceremony concluded with the traditional shovel-turning. Dixon noted the facility’s future impact.
“This is going to be a magni cent facility here in Duplin County for the training of the forestry o cers and the entire sta ,” he said. “All of the training in Eastern North Carolina will be located right here. We’re really looking forward to it.”
PHOTOS BY MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
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Magnolia lights up season with tree ceremony, indoor festivities
A modest crowd braved cold, misting rain in Magnolia on Friday night for the town’s Christmas tree lighting. Mayor Dawn Ward welcomed attendees, sharing the stage with Santa before leading a 10-second countdown to illuminate the multicolored, star-topped tree. Afterward, the celebration moved inside the decorated gym, where families enjoyed cookie decorating, sel e stations, face painting and a cake walk. The back of the gym became the “North Pole,” where visitors of all ages lined up for photos with Santa and candy canes.
COURTESY
Shelter records for Jericho, a 10-month-old puppy, show he was euthanized before completing the state-mandated 72 -hour hold.
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Animal care violations included unsupervised dogs in an exercise area lacking a separate perimeter fence and absence of doghouses for outdoor dogs. Inspectors also cited failures to clean litter boxes twice daily, sanitize water bowls with hot water and disinfectant, and document social interaction and enrichment for animals held long term.
In addition to the civil penalty, the shelter received a written warning for other violations, including a broken electrical outlet in the dog kennel room, improper storage of cat isolation bedding and missing thermometers in multiple cat areas.
Fines included $200 for euthanasia documentation errors, $200 for unsupervised dogs and $500 for the incident involving water deprivation of kittens. The agency also issued a written warning for sanitation, storage and record-keeping deciencies. The department noted that continued or repeated violations could lead to nes of up to $5,000 per violation and potential suspension or revocation of the shelter’s registration.
“Our animal welfare section is working with the county and shelter administration to improve compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and make things better for the future at the shelter,” said Patricia Norris, Animal Welfare Section director. “Our inspection sta will continue to follow up with shelter sta as they work on improvements.”
Interim County Manager Lisa Hughes con rmed to Duplin Journal that the county is reviewing the notice and has requested for the state to consider a settlement. She said protocols and procedures had already been revised before the notice was received. Hughes did not respond to questions regarding possible disciplinary action following the state’s ndings, citing she “cannot discuss personnel matters.”
An AWS spokesperson told Duplin Journal that Duplin County Animal Services requested Veterinary Assessment Training from the Animal Welfare Section.
“This request has been granted, and the training should be scheduled soon,” the spokesperson said.
The new ndings come as critics raised concerns about what they describe as a broad-
er pattern of irregularities at the shelter.
Former county employee Hope Tucker, who reported concerns to the state, told Duplin Journal that a shelter employee routinely mishandled euthanasia procedures and regularly used intracardiac injections without verifying full sedation. She alleges the employee does not know how to run an IV line properly but was protected by shelter management, which she said claimed they could not a ord to lose anyone because of sta ng limitations.
While those allegations have not been substantiated by state inspectors in the enforcement action issued this week, the department did note a failure to properly document euthanasia procedures.
Tucker alleged that in one instance ve dogs were sedated with ketamine and xylazine and left unattended long enough to begin regaining consciousness before being resedated and euthanized. Tucker also alleged that prior to her termination, at least two dogs were euthanized before completing the state-mandated 72-hour holding period.
One was a female dog named Nanisca, whom Tucker said was friendly, healthy and adoptable. She alleges that after an employee euthanized the wrong dog, Nanisca was labeled as aggressive to conceal the error.
Tucker also alleges that Jericho, a dog still within the legally required holding period, was euthanized for “time and space” reasons, adding that several dogs had been on the adoption oor for nearly a month past their time, in addition to a few aggressive dogs they had in the back.
“He was patient, loving, healthy and full of life,” Tucker described. Intake documents reviewed by Duplin Journal described Jericho as friendly and playful.
Gretchen Kozen of Duplin County Animal Advocates, also corroborated in an email sent to Duplin Journal, with shelter documents, that the 10-month-old mixed breed puppy, was euthanized without ever being made available for adoption.
“I would love to know why he was given shots, dog tested and approved for adoption, only to be killed in four days,” said Kozen. “The euthanasia of the wrong animals needs to stop. Duplin County deserves better than this.”
PHOTOS BY REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
DUPLIN SPORTS
COLUMN
MICHAEL JAENICKE
Tiger seniors lay a solid foundation for the future
THE JOURNEY OF
the seemingly unstoppable machine known as James Kenan came to an end last Friday with a loss in the East Region nal to Kinston.
Last season, JK fell to Northeastern in the fourth round as the Tigers core of Cal and Eli Avent, Jeremiah Hall and David Zeleya went 24 - 4 during a two -year span.
The combo seasons put life back into a program that won two titles under Ken Avent Jr. (2007, 2013) and put to rest the dismal 26 -34 mark the Tigers had from 2016 to 2021.
That’s when Tim Grady, a longtime assistant and coach at Charity Middle, took over.
Kudos are in order for him and defensive coordinator John Bert Avent, Ken’s older brother and the only JK coach on the sta that didn’t graduate as a Tiger. He was a North Duplin Rebel, as was his father, Ken Sr., who coached the Rebels for more than a quarter- century (1975 -99).
“I’m very proud of our kids and how our community supported us,” Grady said.
“They fed us, cheered us, stood with us in tough times and made us feel so supported in all ways. But we came up short.
“And the biggest heartbreak is a talented team that brought it and did all the right things from the time we lost to Bedding eld.”
That was the nal game of the 2023 season when the Tigers fell apart late to nish 6 -5 after going 9 -3 in Grady’s rst campaign.
After the setback, Grady made an inventory of his players and thinned his troops. From that point forward, many players would play on both sides of the ball. His theory was less was more when more produced complacency and discord.
Winning became the by-product of work in the o season, practice and every routine before and after a game.
The biggest turning point was last season’s 14 -13 overtime win over Wallace Rose Hill in the third round of the 2A playo s. Two wins against its archrival this fall brought more electricity to JK than its pre - and postgame reworks on game days.
Old fans returned.
New ones came with loud voices, signs, chants and noisemakers.
Games became physical wars that drug the opposition into the turf.
Lopsided scores were as abundant as food trucks at Bill Taylor Field.
Vikings raid No. 1 Tigers’ compound
Kinston’s air attack and stingy defense slammed the lid on No. 1 JK’s state-title hopes
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
WARSAW — Kinston neutralized James Kenan’s Super Power o ense and showed everyone why its passing attack is feared during last Friday’s 30 -7 win over the top seed in the 3A East Region nal.
It was the rst loss in two years on Bill Taylor Field for the Tigers (12-2), who have had a revival as a power in the East.
The No. 14 Vikings face West champ and No. 10 Shelby for the title.
In a game of contrasting styles, Kinston’s defensive play was the most shocking development as no team has stopped JK’s running attack this fall.
“We knew we had to be very, very physical, and I think our guys answered the call,” said Kinston coach Ryan Gieselman.
The Vikings’ smaller defensive line manhandled the Tigers’ o ensive line, holding Jeremiah Hall and Taulil Pearsall to a season-low 209 yards.
“They had a great game plan with their No. 1 focus being physical on defense,” said JK coach Tim Grady, who is 45-16 (.738) in ve seasons. “I tip my hat to them. They did the job, and no matter what we did — zone block, gap block, whatever — we couldn’t move the ball and make plays. The line was excellent and No. 7 (inside linebacker Ex-Zavion Croom, who had 10 tackles).”
Fellow linebacker Christian Ham and strong safety JeMorris Poole each had 13 takedowns
Greenville native and quarterback Tyler Jones (18-28 for 184 yards) red touchdown passes to Genesis Wiggins, Reginald McNeil and NCSU recruit Tyreek Copper (6-58), while Mar-
shall-bound Brandon Chambers (6-68) made several key catches to keep drives alive. Wiggins (13-77) also scored via a run.
“We couldn’t get a lot of pressure on the quarterback, though really, we held them to some of their lowest numbers this season,” said JK defensive coordinator John Bert Avent. “We gave them the ball on some short elds. They have an outstanding o ense with a lot of weapons.”
Grady, who beat Kinston three times when the Vikings and Tigers were in the ECC 2A Conference, said it was a bitter loss, though he praised Kinston for its play and its players.
“I feel pretty con dent (Copper) is going to the NFL and another is going to Marshall, and the quarterback is as good as I’ve seen in a long time,” Grady said. “We made them make plays, and they did. They responded to everything we threw at them. Hat’s o to Kinston and coach Gieselman and his sta .” Close game in rst half
The Vikings made more little plays that led to scores than crowd-rousing plays. They did not have a turnover and held JK to just two plays for more than 10 yards.
Double teaming Cooper proved to be a mistake as other receivers made their presence known.
Neither team scored during its rst three possessions in the opening quarter.
McNeil capped an 8-play, 70 -yard drive with an 8-yard scoring reception for the rst score.
Chambers saved the march with a catch for 38 yards on third-and-20 from the JK 36, and Wiggins had an 11-yard romp to put the ball on the 15.
JK responded with a 65-yard drive
North Duplin’s smiling giant Ru n signs with Tar Heels
Trashawn Ru n was all set to play at Texas A&M until Bill Belichick took over at UNC
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
CALYPSO — Trashawn Ru n has been a boy-man for a number of years. And while the 6-foot- 4, 315-pound defensive lineman will be remembered as a player the opposition had to double-team, he’s also got two other glowing attributes: his radiant smile and cordial way of engaging with teammates, players and the North Duplin community.
Ru n, who originally committed to play football at Texas A&M, will be a Tar Heel next fall.
The power player for his redirection was Bill Belichick, who led New England to a record eight Super Bowl titles and is third all-time among NFL coaches in wins. He trails only George Halas and Don Shula.
“Bill Belichick, you can’t turn that down,” Rufn said last week at during his o cial signing in the
’Dawgs’ Lamb leaves large legacy as he shifts energy to Lenoir-Rhyne
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
TEACHEY — Jamarae Lamb hit a wall during Wallace-Rose Hill’s opener against East Duplin. Playing behind a new o ensive line, the senior struggled for 60 yards, though he did average 5 yards per carry. That was the last time anyone suggested he was just another high school running back. Lamb, who last week signed a letter of intent to play at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne last week. The senior rambled for 2,426 yards and 30 touchdowns, garnering more than 200 yards ve times and 317 against Midway. His lowest total
See LAMB, page B4
See RUFFIN, page B4
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Zamarion Smith, Stedman McIver and Cal Avent work in unison to take down Kinston running back Genesis Wiggins.
Jamarae Lamb signed to play football at the Division II school after nishing third in the state in rushing
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
ND’s Trashawn Ru n switched from Texas
A&M to UNC when former Patriot coach Bill Belichick became the Tar Heels coach.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY BILL CARONE
WRH could be in line for its rst winning season since 2015 behind returnees, new additions and transfers
Jeremiah Hall
James
Kenan, football
Jeremiah Hall ran for 2,051 and 27 touchdowns this season and had the lone JK score in a 30-7 loss to Kinston in the 3A East Region nal.
Hall went for 1,150 as a junior and hit pay dirt 13 times.
He ran for more than 200 yards three times this fall and four times charted three touchdowns in a game for 12-2 JK.
He’s seventh among all runners in the state while playing spot duty on defense.
JK has won at least a share of a conference title the past two seasons.
“He’s had just a tremendous season,” said JK coach Tim Grady, whose running back passed all-time JK great Marcelias Sutton’s 1,804 total from 2002.
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
TEACHEY — First-year
coach Jermel Miller said his rst order of business for the Wallace-Rose Hill basketball team is to have his players jell o the court.
While that sounds a little strange, it’s not given the Bulldogs have a handful of returnees, several players with limited court time, newcomers and transfer players.
“We have to trust each other and pull for one another to work a new o ense and defense,” said Miller, who was the top assistant for the WRH boys’ team for six years. “When you see them pulling for each other, then you will see them together on the court. While all this doesn’t feel like basketball, it’s key to the success of this team.”
So are returnees Savannah Smith (13.9 points per game), backcourt mate Sophie Sloan (4.9) and post player Jansley Page (7.2).
“Sophie is a go-getter who is going to give you all she has and is a phenomenal defensive player,” Miller said. “Savannah shoots the ball well at times and is working on her ball-handling to get her shots o better.”
Page, an all-state 3A volleyball player, returned to basketball last season.
“She shoots the ball well from the line, from closeup and mid-range, and her handle (dribbling) is a lot better than people think,” Miller said.
Her fellow spiker and senior classmate, Angelina Cavallaro, will likewise be playing in the paint area.
“We’re getting up and down the court, and she’s very athletic and she likes challenges,” Mill-
man QouRyiona Vines give Miller backup at the guard position.
“Vines is very fast, and we’re super excited about her because the sky is the limit,” he said. “She’s just a freshman, but she understands the plays and can go.”
WRH started the week with a 1-2 mark, which included losses to 8A Laney and 4A Clinton and a win over 4A Pender.
The Bulldogs went 6-15 overall and 5-8 in 2A play when there were just four classi cations.
er said. “She’s wants one last go with her fellow seniors. She’s going to be a good rebounder and able to get back up the court and play tough defensively.”
Both players will get help in the middle via senior center Madison Francis, a 6-foot transfer from Pender, 5-10 sophomore Azee Monk, 6-3 junior Kira Murphy, 6-1 senior power forward Syara Fennel, 5-10 senior Alex Boney and Moniqua Pearsall, a 5-10 junior, who will play in a swing position for WRH.
“We should be at the free-throw line a lot,” Miller said. “Our frontcourt is starting to understand how to take advantage of situations. Madison handles the ball well, has a nice shooting touch and can dominate on the glass.
Point guard Zikiya Philyaw, a senior point guard who transferred from Kinston, will see extended minutes and is ready for the call to duty.
“She understands the game, is a good leader and takes to younger players when she’s not on the court,” Miller said.
Seniors Mahoganie Judge and Amana Newkirk and fresh-
This fall WRH plays in the Swine Valley 3A Conference (with Goldsboro, Princeton, Midway, James Kenan, Spring Creek 2A Rosewood) in the eight-classi cations setup. It keeps the Bulldogs away from solid programs at East Duplin, Kinston and Southwest Onslow, though Miller has scheduled the Panthers, Vikings and Stallions and 7A New Bern.
“I love us being the underdog,” Miller said. “Nobody will respect you until you win, and we need to change the concept of us being in the basement. I think we can compete for the conference championship. We have a real shot. We’ll de nitely be competitive and will hustle until the nal whistle.”
Miller has 15 varsity players and 12 more on the junior varsity squad.
Yet the Bulldogs won’t likely use the 1-3-1 or 2-3 schemes of former coach Will Je ers.
“We believe we are better with a man-to-man defense, though we’ll go to a zone sometimes,” Miller said. “We’re going to be pushing the ball much more.”
It’s been since 2015 that WRH had a winning record.
Expect Miller and his gang, which were 20-60 the last four seasons, to over the .500 hump this winter.
“We have a tough schedule leading up to league play, but that’s only going to help us,” he said. “It’s going to get us ready.”
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL Senior Jansley Page and new WRH players will give the Bulldogs a bigger presence in the paint.
New era as Rebels regroup behind a strong sophomore class
Key returnees Abby Rose, Lilly Fulghum and Maggie Brown lead North Duplin in post-Faison and Higginbotham era
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
CALYPSO — The No. 9 has magical math properties. Multiply any number by 9, and the remaining digits will always add up to 9. (3 times 9 is 27, 2 plus 7 is 9).
The number is also a symbol of rebirth in some religious communities.
North Duplin head coach Jon Kornegay is looking for a bit of transformation from his nine basketball players after graduating two special players in June.
“Four of our girls played in very big games,” said second-year coach Kornegay, who is a physician dealing with the loss of guard Addy Higginbotham and Tateyawna Faison, staple stars for four years running.
Higginbotham (10.5 points., 5.0 assists, 4.4 steals) and Faison (16.0 points., 14.0 rebounds) are gone after leading ND to a 68-17 record the previous four seasons. Both scored more than 1,000 points during their careers, and Faison had more than 1,000 rebounds.
Faison was second among all players in the 1A East in rebounding, while Higginbotham was third in assists.
Both are irreplaceable, but Kornegay’s x for the Rebels is to develop a team around ve sophomores, a pair of juniors and senior Lilly Fulghum.
Fulghum averaged 6.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists and was a complementary player to Faison, who led 1A in scoring last season.
Fulghum, who was an all-Carolina Conference performer last winter, will need to score, rebound and be a bigger part of the team’s production department
before leaving to play softball at UNC Charlotte.
“She does a lot of things on both ends of the court, and we’ll lean on her experience and competitiveness,” Kornegay said.
Rose, a sophomore who will take Higginbotham’s place as point guard, had a good freshman season last winter when ND went 24-5 and advanced to the fourth round of the 1A playo s before falling to East Bladen (26-4), who lost to Cherokee in the nals.
“She’s a really good athlete working into a new role that isn’t an easy position,” Kornegay said.
Rose scored a game-high 18 in a 48-27 road win over Rosewood last week on the Rebels’ home court.
Brown, also a sophomore forward, chipped in with 12.
“She started as a freshman, and that’s a lot of pressure,” Kornegay said. “She will be big for us o ensively and defensively.”
Brown’s step-sister, Abigeal Norris, a junior, will provide a solid force in the paint.
“We’re looking for increased scoring as well as more rebounding from her,” Kornegay said.
Sophomores Camden Cox,
Natalie Carreon and Scarlet Dyer and freshman Reagan Herring will see plenty of minutes for Kornegay.
“The younger players must learn from the older ones,” Kornegay said. “Herring will contribute, so will Cox and Sophia, and Scarlet will have a learning curve. It’s a young group all the way around as even Maggie and Abby Rose are underclassmen.
“It’s a great group of girls who had a great o season and summer league in Clinton. It will take the patience of our sta with players adjusting and learning the game and what we want to do.” The new Carolina Conference includes ND, East Bladen, East Columbus, West Columbus, Lakewood, Hobbton and Union.
“A number of teams have really good returning players,” Kornegay said. “Our young girls need games to develop and to learn to play as a team.
“Our goals haven’t changed. We will be competitive, but this is a better conference than last season.”
COLUMN from page B1
And now it’s all over. Hardly.
“Last year, we wondered how we would replace Hassan Kornegay (the state’s leading tackler and Mr. Football in Duplin County),” Grady said. “And we did it. Now we must do the same Eli, Cal, David and Jeremiah.”
Grady stopped abruptly to add a bit of optimism to the surface.
“I was talking with Lee (assistant coach Sutton) on Friday, and we gured we have 13 potential starters for eight positions on both sides of the ball,” he said. “We’re going to be OK, especially if our younger players lead like this senior group has.”
After stopping for another thought, Grady mentioned that those who return could have been sprayed with a magic winning powder.
“You know, I think they believe, and that’s so much of the battle,” he said.
“Teams like Tarboro and Northeastern believe they can make it to the end.
“I think we do too.”
John Bert Avent realized Tiger pride had returned and the ripple e ect football had on a community that relishes and celebrates hard tackles and physical punishment on the gridiron.
“It’s huge for the community and our kids,” he said. “We have a small group of nine or so seniors that answered the call of duty and turned this around.”
And for the Tigers, keeping up or being ahead of Duplin rivals WRH and East Duplin is vital to the blood ow of sports in and around Warsaw.
Because in this county, football is a third-and-short behind family and God.
The road to the region and state nals continues to run through Duplin County.
ED won the 2A title in 2022 and WRH was in the 2A nals in 2021 and had a run of six titles in nine seasons that ended in 2017 after four consecutive titles.
This season, Duplin had three running backs among the leaders in all classi cations.
WRH’s Jamarae Lamb (279 -2,398 yard and 30 TDs) was third in the state in yards.
Hall (183 -2,051, 27 TDs) will likely end up at No. 7 and North Duplin’s Carell Phillips (22 -2,049, 28 TDs) at No. 9 after Tarboro’s Kamerin McDowell-Moore plays one more time in the 2A nals.
Avent didn’t make a decision on returning to coach but did say Sutton would “be a great defensive coordinator.”
Grady will be back on the sidelines and in the future have many Tigers return to the den.
The lifelong bond between JK players, coaches and fans is the real treasure chest.
Nearly every program or team experiences a “down” period.
Ask the Kansas City Chiefs (6-7), Clemson Tigers (7- 5) or even the Havelock Rams (7- 6).
JK’s reentry into football royalty put a silence to such things as a 12 -game losing streak to WRH. It happened, but that’s now the distant past for the gridiron history books. The future is nothing but clear skies and sunshine. And the Tigers know how to keep out the clouds and rain.
Cal and Eli Avent,
David
guided JK to a 24-4 mark the past two seasons.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
David Zeleya and his Tiger teammates will share many memories from JK’s 12-2 season, which ended Friday with a loss to Kinston in the East Region nal.
Jeremiah Hall and
Zeleya
NORTH DUPLIN GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Senior Lilly Fulghum does a little bit of everything for ND.
was 140 yards against winless Spring Creek, and he averaged 8.8 yards per tote.
He was third in the state in rushing behind Dixon’s JJ Gulat (3,361) and Princeton’s Teo McPhatter (2,457).
Even so, he had to earn his keep as teams keyed on him as WRH’s other backs and its passing game grappled to move the yardsticks.
Lamb downplayed his do-it-all role.
“It was my senior year, and I wanted to go out with the best season I could have, and my teammates pushed me,” said the 5 -foot-11, 175 -pound speedster who was nearly impossible to bring down in open space.
“Lenoir-Rhyne is getting a true ’Dawg, a great young man, and another example of how awesome WRH is because of people like Jamarae “Bubba” Lamb,” said Bulldogs head coach Kevin Motsinger.
During his career, Lamb — who was nicknamed “Bubba” by his grandmother Ruth “Bay” Wiggins — ran for 4,686 yards and 47 scores, with 21 games over the 100 -yard mark.
He averaged more than 200 yards per game this season and 120 for his career.
His numbers might have been bigger had he not shared the ball his junior year with Irving Brown, who ran for 1,227 yards before signing to play for Division I Ohio University, while Lamb stretched for 1,261 yards.
Both were needed as WRH recovered from an upset by North Lenoir to capture the ECC title with ve straight wins.
school’s media center. “When UNC came into the picture with an NFL coach going to an ACC school, it changed everything.”
So did Ru n, who started as a freshman and then developed into an all-conference two-way player, leading the Rebels to a 29-5 mark the past three seasons and at least a share of three conference titles.
“His physical ability and talent as a football player are tremendous,” North Duplin coach Hugh Martin said. “He makes others around him better. He’s been a huge blessing for us, the big smile, st bump, hugs, the attitude, and the joy that he brings it to practice to the weight room and to everything he does. It adds to positive growth, and I think his teammates have fed o of that.”
hard and gotten bigger and faster at the same time,” Ru n said. “It’s happened since I was a freshman.”
Nearly every Power 5 school and many other smaller schools wanted Ru n on campus. Belichick and the Tar Heels need playmakers and defensive help after going 4 -8 this season. UNC ranked last in defense among ACC schools. The Tar Heels’ defense was also 10th in yards allowed per play, 11th in rushing defense, 12th in yards per game and 13th in passing yard allowed.
Yet there were positives for defensive coordinator Stephen Belichick, the coach’s son. UNC’s red zone defense was fourth, and Melkaart Abou Jaoude’s 10.5 sacks were tops in the league.
Brown had 1,696 yards that season and Lamb 839 yards during his 96 - carry debut. Lamb is also a shutdown defensive back and could end up playing defense at the next level.
“I want to stay for two years and transfer to another school,” said Lamb, who was heavily recruited by 10 Division I schools.
WRH has sent a string of running backs to colleges since 2017, which include Javonte Williams (UNC, Broncos, Cowboys), who ran for 3,151 yards; Kanye Roberts (Appalachian State), who ran for 7,318 yards; and Cameren Dalrymple (Navy), who ran for 3,076 yards.
Lenoir-Rhyne went 6 -5 this season, which included a sea-
“I tried to follow the paths of Irving and Corbin (Kerr, who rushed for 2,252 yards in 2023), Brown said.
FOOTBALL from page B1
that saw Hall (29-119) score from the 5 to knot the game at 7-7.
Cooper then made a next-level catch on third-and-13 from the 16, going high between two Tigers defenders to snag the pass. He has a touchdown catch in every game this season.
JK jumped o sides on the PAT, and Kinston let Wiggins run for the conversion for a 15-7 halftime lead.
All downhill in second half for JK
Kinston (11- 4) stopped JK on its rst drive of the third quarter, a fourth-and-6 from the JK 39 in which Grady gambled on his offensive line.
But the Tigers held on fourth-and-6 from the 9.
A pair of three-and-out possessions allowed Kinston to score twice and take control.
McNeil scored from the 18 via a screen pass on a 4 -play march, and after a stop on third-and-7 from its own 15, JK hiked the ball out of the end zone for a safety.
The Vikings went 46 yards in seven plays to make it 30 -7, scoring a rugby scrum play that JK has used frequently this season.
That might have been the ultimate insult with 8:02 left to play.
The Tigers coughed up the ball twice via fumbles, both during drives in which they were marching toward a score.
Gridiron notebook
According to longtime sportswriter Bill Rollins, Grady (2021-25) is rst Tigers grad as a JK head football coach
son-ending win over Catawba and close losses to Wingate (38-36 in OT), Newberry (20-17) and Anderson College (35-30).
The Bears were 10 -3 in 2024 and advanced to the second round of the postseason.
The liberal arts school in Hickory recruits nationwide, but is heavy into prospects from both Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama.
“Bubba knows how I feel about him, and I would like to thank his family for blessing me with such an honor of working with you these past four years,” Motsinger said. “I am so proud and so happy for him. He is truly beyond deserving of this opportunity and blessing.”
Lamb begins his next journey in January.
since Billy Byrd (1978-94). He’s fourth all-time in wins in school history.
Hall had the most Tigers rushing yards at 2,051 yards in a season in at least this quarter- century.
Tops in that time had been JK Sports Hall of Fame member Marcelias Sutton, who had 1,804 yards in 16 games as a junior in 2012, with 8.9 carrries and 128.9 yards per game with 26 total touchdowns, including 19 rushing, ve on receptions and two on kicko returns.
This was the Tigers’ fourth trip to the fth round, now with a record of 2-2. The other three were state nals, with a loss to Thomasville in 2006 (13-7) and victories over West Montgomery in 2007 (13- 6) and 2013 (42-14). The Tigers’ state title in 1960 had its nal in the fourth round.
The son of Sean Ru n, the younger Ru n — an all-conference pick that last three seasons — thanked his family, coaches, teammates and the ND community for cheering his growth on and o the eld.
Ru n’s o -season workouts, particularly weight-lifting and speed training, were key to his development, as both his muscle and quickness morphed beyond the level of most high school players.
“I’m not sure how that happens, I just know I’ve worked
AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE
Posted By:________________ FILE NUMBER: 25SP001078-300 Date
UNC’s 2026 class includes about 40 players from 19 states and is ranked in the top 20 among nearly every recruiting service. The Tar Heels signed nine defensive backs, seven linemen, ve linebackers, two wide receivers, two tight ends, a quarterback and a punter.
Even so, the verdict is still out on UNC, which is 755-584-54 all-time with ve ACC trophies in Chapel Hill, the last of which came 45 years ago when there were eight league schools.
Today’s ACC features 17 schools, including the addition of former powers such as Florida State, Clemson and Miami.
Posted: ______________ Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by JUAN HERVERT SOLARES dated August 17, 2022 in the amount of $191,958.00 and recorded in Book 2009, Page 184 of the Duplin County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the O cial Records of Duplin County, North Carolina, in Book 2087, Page 487, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door in Duplin County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on December 23, 2025 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Duplin, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 03-1109-1 ADDRESS: 1779 SUMMERLINS CROSSROAD RD, MOUNT OLIVE, NC 28365 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): JUAN HERVERT SOLARES THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF DUPLIN, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 2009, PAGE 185, AS FOLLOWS: BEING THAT CERTAIN PARCEL CONTAINING 0.87 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, AS SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN SURVEY ENTITLED “BOUNDARY SURVEY FOR JOHN DAVID HOWELL” RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 33, PAGE 301 OF THE DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY. BEING A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY CONVEYED BY DEED RECORDED IN BOOK 1086, PAGE 304 OF THE DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the o cers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or 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, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal
below in the instance of bankruptcy protection. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANK-RUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.
Sarah A. Waldron or Terrass Scott Misher, Esq ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee 13010 Morris Rd., Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Telephone: (470)
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Jamarae “Bubba” Lamb will play Division II football next fall at Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory.
obituaries
Patricia Anne Moses
Aug. 24, 1945 – Dec. 1, 2025
Clayton- Patricia Anne Leggett Moses, 80, transitioned peacefully on Monday, December 1, 2025, at SECU Hospice House of UNC Health Johnston in Smith eld, NC, surrounded by her family and friends. Patricia was born on Friday, August 24, 1945, in Goldsboro, NC, to the late Robert L. and Mozetta R. Leggett.
Patricia was a faithful and devoted woman of God who was a radiant example of grace, compassion, and unwavering faith. She lived a life rooted in service to the Lord and love for her family and community.
Patricia leaves to continue her legacy one aunt, Ossie Williams; four siblings: Noma Bradley, Donzella Richardson, Sherill (Edwina) Leggett, and Edward Leggett; ve daughters: Tornesia L. Moses, Ervette L. Moses, Odesha S. Moses, Markesha D. (Kevin) Matthews, and Shanelle L. Moses; six grandchildren: Nautica Moses, Shannon Moses, Satchel Needham, Kevin Pierce Jr., Dale Langley Jr., and Darnell Langley; one great-grandchild: Naudia Blu Moses and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. The Celebration of Life will be Saturday, December 20, 2025, at noon at J.B. Rhodes Jr. Memorial Chapel, 1701 Wayne Memorial Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27534. There will be a viewing from 10 a.m. to noon. She will be laid to rest at Wayne Memorial Park, 2925 US Hwy 117 South, Dudley, NC 28333.
Richard Ervin Brown
Feb. 5, 1932 – Dec. 3, 2025
Richard Ervin Brown, 93, passed away on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Mary Grace Brown, sons, Keith and Malcolm Brown, and a granddaughter, Constance Brown.
The funeral service is Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at Hallsville Baptist Church at 1291 Hallsville Road in Beulaville, NC.
Visitation will take place one hour prior to the Service.
The burial will be at Hallsville Baptist Church Cemetery in Beulaville, NC.
He is survived by his son, Emery Brown (Becky) of Beulaville, NC; daughter-in-law Rhonda Brown of Beulaville, NC; and granddaughter Stephanie Brown.
Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Brown family.
Betsy Horne Mitchell
Sept. 2, 1954 – Dec. 2, 2025
Betsy Horne Mitchell, 71, passed away on December 2, 2025.
The memorial service is Monday, December 8, 2025, at 6 p.m. Visitation will follow the service.
She is survived her her husband, Jimmie “Randolph” Mitchell of Beulaville, NC; daughters Viki Miller (David) of Beulaville, NC, and Brittany Smith (Adam), of Rockingham, NC; sister: Lisa Long (Gary) of Beulaville, NC; brother Timmy Horne (Ta y), of Richlands, NC; grandchildren J.D. Broome, Hailey Mitchell and Victoria Horne (Brandon); and great-grandchildren Paxton Horne and Levi Horne
The family asked for family and friends to wear bright colors instead of black.
Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Mitchell family.
Bobby Glenn Westbrook
April 27, 1952 – Dec. 4, 2025
Bobby Glenn Westbrook, 71, passed away on Thursday, December 4, 2025. Arrangements are incomplete. He is survived by his sons, Bobby Glenn Westbrook Jr. of Texas and Fonezy Westbrook of Mount Olive, NC; daughter Bobbie W. Taylor of Wilmington, NC, sister Mary Low Westbrook of Kenansville, NC; brothers Warren Westbrook of Warsaw, NC, and Robert Allen Westbrook of Beulaville, NC; and six grandchildren. Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Westbrook family.
Robena Payton
March 25, 1934 – Dec. 4, 2025
Goldsboro- Ms. Robena Payton, age 91, a remarkable woman of strength and resilience, passed away on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at her residence, surrounded by her family. There will be a Celebration of Life on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at New St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1307 S. Slocumb St., Goldsboro, NC 27534. The public church viewing will be from 10-10:50 a.m. The Sta of J.B. Rhodes Funeral Home & Cremation Inc. extend our deepest condolences to the family, and please keep the family in your prayers during their time of bereavement.
Karon Tee Stallings
May 1, 1978 – Dec. 2, 2025
Karon Tee Stallings, 47, of Beulaville, NC, passed away on December 2, 2025, at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC. Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at Macedonia Holiness Church, 1630 S NC 41 111 Hwy, Beulaville, NC 28518. Public viewing will be noon – 1 p.m. (one hour prior to the service)— interment following the service at Hill and Whitehead Family Cemetery in Chinquapin, NC.
As requested by the family, in lieu of owers, please make a monetary donation towards the funeral service for Mr. Stallings.
Herbert Carroll Aycock
July 10, 1939 – Dec. 5, 2025
Herbert Carroll Aycock, 86, passed away on Friday, December 5, 2025, at his home.
The funeral service is Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, NC
Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service.
The burial will be at Aycock Family Cemetery at 4545 South N.C. 50 Highway in Chinquapin, NC. He is survived by his wife, Linda Jones Aycock of Wallace, NC; daughters Denise A. English (Shelton) of Wallace, NC, Lynn McGee (J.T.) and Carolyn Hull (James), both of Lexington, SC; Pam Grimes of Willow Springs, NC, and Wendy Lanier of Chinquapin, NC; son Kirby Bolin (Suzanna) of Burgaw, NC; 11 grandchildren and ve great-grandchildren.
Baby girl Daylin Lizeth Matute
Dec. 3, 2025
Baby girl Daylin Lizeth Matute was born sleeping on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at ECU Health Wayne in Goldsboro, NC.
A service will be held on Sunday, December 7, 2025, from noon to 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Funeral Home Cemetery in Magnolia, NC.
Left to cherish her precious memories are her parents: Yeni Matute and Cesar Trejo Navarro; brother, Iam Yahir Trejo Matute and sister, Larissa Isabel Trejo Matute.
Alma Wilson Hu man
June 23, 1927 – Dec. 4, 2025
Alma Wilson Hu man, 98, passed away on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Earl Hu man, Sr., son, Donald R, Hu man, grandson, Scott Knapp and a great-grandson, Cody Hu man.
The funeral service is Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 6 p.m. at Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, NC. Visitation will take place after the service.
The graveside service will be Monday, December 8, 2025 at 11 a.m. at Simpson Family Cemetery in Richlands, NC
She is survived by her sons, Earl Hu man (Sandra) and Preston Hu man (Sandra), both of Richlands, NC; daughter Judy H. Zepeda (Jim) of Richlands, NC; daughter-in-law Wanna Hu man of Richlands, NC; eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Jeaneth Kattan Rivenbark
Oct. 14, 1939 – Dec. 5, 2025
Jeaneth Kattan Rivenbark, 86, passed from her earthly life on Friday, December 5, 2025. She was born on October 14, 1939, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, in Central America, one of thirteen children born to Abraham Kattan and Amada Martinez Kattan. In addition to her parents, Jeaneth was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Rivenbark; son, Joseph Abraham Avery; sister, Nery Kattan Fields; and son-in-law, Thurman Wirt Casey.
Jeaneth is survived by her daughter, Maria A. Casey; grandchildren, Mindy Hewitt, Elizabeth Casey Langdon (Brittany), Vanessa Starr Avery, and Julia Avery; great-grandson, Elijah; and by her remaining sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews in Honduras.
Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, 1303 US Hwy 117 S, Burgaw, NC. Father Steven DiMassimo will conduct the service.
A private family Rite of Committal will be in the church cemetery. In lieu of owers, please consider a memorial gift to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, 1303 US Hwy 117 S., Burgaw, NC 28425.
June 8, 1949 – Dec. 3, 2025
Glenn Robert Hopkins, 76, passed away on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
He is preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Heather Hopkins
The graveside service is Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 2 p.m. at East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville, NC He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Piner Hopkins of Beulaville, NC; step-daughter Erica Futral Miller; step-son Jamie Futral; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Hopkins family.
July 20, 1935 – Dec. 6, 2025
Memorial Service
A celebration of Marie’s life will be held at a later date.
Wilmington, NC
Olive Marie Sloan, 90, passed away on December 6, surrounded by family.
Born in Richlands, North Carolina, to Lacey and Prudie Humphrey, she grew up in a large and lively family. She was preceded in death by her parents and six siblings: Ruth Stevens, Krissie Ramsey, Christine Williams, Cecil Humphrey, Katherine Matthews, and Billy Humphrey.
Marie was married for 66 years to her beloved husband, Gordon Levern Sloan, who passed away in 2020. True to form, she left this world just in time to join him again for what would have been their 71st wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve.
She was well-known throughout the Maple Hill community for her many years at Lanier’s Grocery, where her welcoming spirit brought warmth and life to a quiet corner of town. Sassy, funny, and full of heart, Marie loved her family ercely. If she ever called you “Sug,” you knew you had a special place in her life.
She is survived and celebrated by her children: Gary Levern Sloan and wife Ginger of Covington, TN, and Kimmie Sloan Moore and husband Gary of Wilmington; two sisters, Betty Mae Brinson and Linda Whaley; three grandchildren, Aaron Freeman (wife Jaci), Chip Moore (wife Fallon), and Adam Sloan (wife Teri); and ve greatgrandchildren: Suzanna, Banks, Walsh, Rhodes, and James.
Marie loved all children, and in her honor, the family asks that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in lieu of owers. A celebration of Marie’s life will be planned at a later date; no service will be held at this time.
