Duplin Journal Vol. 10, Issue 5 by North State Journal

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF this week

Duplin County joins statewide burn ban effort to prevent wildfires

Duplin County

An Open Burning Ban is in effect for Duplin County due to dry conditions and a heightened wildfire risk. The ban applies to all unincorporated areas and is part of a statewide burn ban issued by the North Carolina Forest Service covering all 100 counties. The ban prohibits all open burning, including previously issued permits, with new permits also suspended until further notice. Violations may result in a $100 fine and additional court costs. For questions, contact the Duplin County ranger at the N.C. Forest Service at 910-289-2735.

Police seek information on shooting incident

Wallace The Wallace Police Department is seeking information regarding an incident that occurred last Thursday at Camino Real, located at 607 N. Norwood St., at 9:52 p.m. The incident involved a middle-aged male who sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the police department at 910-2852126. Preliminary findings indicate the wound may have been self-inflicted, however, the investigation remains open. Law enforcement confirmed the man is not a resident of Wallace.

Beulaville employee arrested for drugs, embezzlement

Beulaville

Joseph Willis, an employee of Carlie C’s IGA in Beulaville, was arrested and charged with embezzlement, larceny by employee, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He received a $15,000 secured bond and is being held at the Duplin County Jail. According to the Beulaville Police Department, last Thursday, they investigated a report of employee theft involving Willis, who had failed to show up for work or return home. Local police located him in Warsaw, where he was allegedly found in possession of the stolen currency, cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Law enforcement reports that approximately $6,900 was stolen from Carlie C’s IGA.

Wallace breaks ground on new fire station

The town was awarded $5 million toward its construction

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

WALLACE — Officials and public servants came together Monday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of Wallace’s new fire station, an undertaking nearly 10 years in the making.

“This is a long time coming,” said Mayor Jason Wells in his opening remarks, explaining that

“This is a long time coming.”

Mayor Jason Wells

the lot for the new fire station was purchased back in 2006.

“I don’t want to say that was the easy part, but that was the cheap part, I guess I would say,” he said, eliciting laughter from those gathered for the ceremony. “You know, building

Proposed campground clears zoning hurdles

Conditional zoning for the travel trailer campsite expands Warsaw’s recreational opportunities

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

WARSAW — Wheels are in motion to develop a travel trailer campground in Warsaw. During a recent public hearing, the Warsaw Town Board approved a conditional rezoning of a parcel on Pete Quinn Road, which is located on the edge of Warsaw’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Austin Brinkley with Insight Planning & Development pre-

sented an overview of the proposed Smith Family Campground project, which would be developed on 117 acres in four phases.

The project will ultimately create a facility with 625 units, offering recreational and tourism opportunities for Warsaw.

“This proposal will contribute toward recreation and tourism in Warsaw and should have an overall positive effect on the economy,” Brinley said. “And it would provide a benefit both to the county and region as well through the provision of facilities for outdoor enthusiasts, tourists, families, and travelers.”

“It would provide a benefit both to the county and region as well through the provision of facilities for outdoor enthusiasts, tourists, families, and travelers.” Austin Brinkley, Insight Planning & Development

Brinkley explained that the campground will be family-oriented and open year-round from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., although hours may vary by season. There will be a full-time on-site manager available, and the campground is expected to employ 30 people when fully operational. The campground is affiliated with the Jellystone Group.

ing 100 units and then 175 RVs in phases two, three and four,” Brinkley explained. “The campground is proposing to provide a lot of amenities, such as the clubhouse, the pool, cabanas at the pool area and some recreation areas.”

Phillip Smith from Smith

“The first phase is propos-

Duplin trial ends with life sentence in long-running rape investigation

A Kenansville man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to multiple sex offenses

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

A HIGH-PROFILE rape trial came to an end last week as a Kenansville man was sentenced to life in prison.

The sentencing took place in Duplin County Superior Court after Delmus Foss Jr., 67, plead guilty to rape charges dating back to 1977 and 1984, and two counts of indecent liberties with a child from 2020.

According to the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, as the trial unfolded on its second day with district attorneys from the 5th Prosecutorial District presenting evidence, Foss’ defense attorney approached the prosecution, expressing that Foss wanted to end the trial and plead guilty.

during the investigation it was also discovered that similar activity took place to the victim’s sister, another juvenile, age 12. Foss was arrested in 2021 and charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a child.

The Sheriff’s Office reported that when the news of Foss’ arrest became public, two more victims came forward. The third victim was Foss’ cousin, a 54-year-old woman, who alleged she had been repeatedly raped by Foss during her childhood. Authorities later determined the rape occurred in the summer of 1977.

The DAs announcement stated the fourth rape victim was Foss’ niece, a 44-year-old woman who also came forward after the initial investigation came to light. According to law enforcement, it was determined that the woman was raped in December 1984. The victims were 8 and 11 years old at the time of the offenses. Foss was arrested on May 2021 and charged with second degree forcible rape for the offense committed in 1977, and first $2.00

The investigation began in November 2020 in Beulaville when Foss’ granddaughter, 6, reported Foss’ improper sexual conduct. According to law enforcement,

THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Members of the Wallace Town Council and Fire Department break ground at the future site of the town’s new fire station, March 24.

PHOTOS BY K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

See WARSAW, page A5

Golden shovels glimmered in the sunlight at Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the much-anticipated new fire station in Wallace.

Ena Sellers

K.D. Beard Reporter

Michael Jaenicke Sports Editor

Loretta Carey Office Manager

Office Phone: 910 463-1240

To place a legal ad: 919 663-3232; Fax: 919 663-4042

We stand corrected

To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

April 12

The Cabin Lake Youth Fishing Tournament will be held on April 12 at 8 a.m. at Cabin Lake County Park at 220 Cabin Lake Road in Pink Hill. Online registration closes on April 8. To sign up, call 910-296-2120. Participation is free for children ages 4 to 14. Prizes will be awarded in three age brackets, and a grand prize will be given for the biggest fish caught overall.

• The Pink Hill Eggstravaganza will take place on April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 201 Jones Ave. The egg hunt will begin at 11 a.m. The event is free to attend.

Easter in the Park will take place on April 12 at Clement Street Park from 1-3 p.m. Join the town of Wallace for a fun-filled day with the Easter Bunny! The event will include a train ride, a bounce house, an egg scramble, arts and crafts, vendors and much more. For additional information, call 910 -285 -2905.

April 15

The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Duplin County Center, will host an introductory canning workshop on April 15 at 10 a.m. at 165 Agriculture Drive in Kenansville. The session will cover basic canning techniques, necessary equipment and the differences between pressure canning and boiling water canning. This is an excellent opportunity for beginners or those returning to canning. To register, call 910-296-2143.

Happening Monthly

• The Board of County Commissioners meets the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 224 Seminary St. in Kenansville. For information, call 910 -296-2100.

The Beulaville town board meets the first Monday of each month at

6:30 p.m. at 508 East Main St. in Beulaville. For more information, call 910-298-4647.

The Town of Calypso meets at the council chambers the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 103 W. Trade St. For information, call 919-658-9221.

• The Faison town board meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., at 110 NE Center St. in Faison. For more information, call 910-267-2721.

The Economic Development Board meets the first Friday of the month at 7 a.m. at the Duplin County Airport Conference Room.

The Duplin County NAACP holds its monthly meetings on the first Sunday of each month at 4 p.m. at First Missionary Baptist Church at 336 West Hill St. in Warsaw.

• The Greenevers town board meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at 314 E. Charity Road. For information, call 910-289-3078.

The Teachey town board meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 116 East 2nd St. For information, call 910-285-7564.

• The Warsaw town board meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 121 S. Front St. For information, call 910-293-7814.

The Magnolia town board meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at 108 Taylor St. in Magnolia. For information, call 910-289-3205.

• The Rose Hill town board meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at 103 Southeast Railroad St. For more information, call 910-289-3159. The Duplin County Health Department is offering Diabetes Self Management Classes from 1-5 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 340 Seminary St. in Kenansville. For information, call 910-372-9178.

• The Wallace town council meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at 316 East Murray St. in Wallace. For more information, call 910 -285-4136.

Duplin County Beekeepers meet the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Duplin Extension Center.

• Friends of Horticulture meet the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Duplin Extension Center.

• The Duplin County Airport Commission Board meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Duplin County Airport.

a building takes a lot of money.”

The push for a new fire station was driven by the combined efforts of the local fire department and the town’s leadership. Wells credited former Fire Chief Chuck Farrior and Chief of Police Jimmy Crayton, who were both instrumental in this effort.

“I will say without the efforts of Chief Farrior and Chief Crayton, this building would not be possible. Because they did all the selling that day,” he said, praising their dedication and advocacy for the project.

According to Wells, a pivotal meeting was held with local and state officials two or three years ago to push the project forward. Sen. Brent Jackson, Rep. Jimmy Dixon, Councilor Jason Davis, along with Wells, Farrior and Crayton, came together to discuss the fire station’s future. The meeting resulted in Jackson and Dixon taking the cause to the state, ultimately securing the funding needed to bring the fire station to life.

Though the town initially requested $20 million in funding for the project, $5 million was awarded to begin the construction of the new fire station.

“We had this vision of a new fire and (police department) and town hall and trying to renovate all these buildings at once,” said Wells. “We still got a little work to do with the funding, but the state came back and they gave us $5 million dollars

FIRE DEPT from page A1

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL Mayor Jason Wells speaks with members of the Wallace Fire Department ahead of Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony.

Local high school students explore future careers

The Career and

College

Fair matches student interest with employers from 16 career clusters

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Approxi-

mately 700 10th-grade students from all five of the county’s high schools participated in the annual Career and College Fair at the Duplin Events Center in Kenansville last Wednesday, exploring potential professional and academic futures from all 16 available career clusters.

The event was sponsored by Duplin County School’s Duplin County Partnership for Career Planning and matches student interest with available career pathways through collaboration with various local businesses, organizations and industries.

The process for organizing the Career and College Fair starts as early as October, according to Erica Jones, director of career and technical education and 9-13 curriculum for the Duplin County school system. Students are surveyed by

“Your collaboration with our schools continues to open doors for our kids.”

Nicole Murray, Duplin County Schools

the schools in December and are matched with invited employers based on their top four interests. While careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics have historically seen the largest interest at the event, explained Jones, this year saw substantive increases in interest for careers in agriculture, architecture, art, business, and health. Given the district’s STEAMA-focused curriculum, which endeavors to provide students with personalized career pathways in STEM professions in addition to agriculture and the arts, the increased interest in those categories serves to indicate the initiative’s success.

Throughout the day, sophomore students rotated from booth to booth and engaged with service members, law enforcement, contractors, nurses,

business leaders, marketing executives, and many other industry and academic professionals. Presenters at each booth encouraged discussions, played games and shared stories to exhibit the nature of their respective careers for students considering those pathways as futures.

Deidra Grantham, manager of marketing and communications at Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation, challenged students during her presentation at the marketing booth to guess various companies based solely on their slogans, making a game of brand recognition to illustrate an important facet of a career in advertisement and marking.

Before the lunch separating the event, the chief officer for STEAM Curriculum and Instruction/Professional Development addressed the invited employers and educators, thanking them for taking time out of their busy schedules to take part in the Career and College Fair.

“You’re not just providing information,” said Murray. “Your collaboration with our schools continues to open doors for our kids.”

NC Museums rallied for Cowan’s climate-focused ecoBlast

The event was a longtime goal of Anne Skinner, the museum’s now-retired STEM educator

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

SATURDAY’S ECOBLAST

Climate Extravaganza at the Cowan Museum of History and Science in Kenansville was a labor of love for Museum Director Robin Grotke, who rallied presenters, volunteers and organizations from across the state to educate attendees on the Earth’s climate, the influence human activity and development has upon it, how these changes are impacting agriculture, wildlife and local ecosystems in an uplifting and fun-filled fashion that was accessible to all ages.

Though the museum has previously held ecoBlast and Earth Day events, last weekend’s Climate Extravaganza was the first of its kind, a conception of the museum’s cherished STEM Educator, Anne Skinner, who organized vendors for the event prior to her retirement.

“It was very important for me to go through with this,” shared Grotke. “I wanted to do something like this for the community, and so did Anne. It’s her dream.”

Agricultural communities have by necessity an intimate relationship with climate, their livelihood and prosperity in no small shape dependent upon its requisite respect and understanding. What crops are sown, which are reaped and whether they survive the season at all are each determined by its variation. As surface temperatures and emissions continue to increase as a result of human development, the climate is adapting — along with the ecosystems and communities that rely upon it.

“Climate change, in gener-

al, affects the extremes, the North Hemisphere and extreme Southern Hemisphere first, and then it comes downhill, so to speak,” explained Pen Croom, treasurer of the Duplin County Beekeepers Association. “So you see more changes in the Arctic than you would here, for instance. That’s why some people are able to deny it. But change is happening,” he added.

The organization maintains an apiary on the museum grounds and was present to share valuable information about how the insects impact the climate — and how the climate is impacting them.

“Our biggest challenge is land use. Loss of habitat for bees,” said Croom, echoing a sentiment shared by nearly every presenter at the event.

As humans continue to develop land and turn to new agricultural concepts such as clean farming, the perimeter of weeds and wildflowers that once rimmed fields to provide for pollinators is cut away to maximize profit.

“Bees are adaptable to a certain point, but they need our help now,” he continued.

Lisa Yemma with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences — Whiteville also referenced the adverse effect modern agricultural practices have had on the climate.

“A lot of our farmers farm but leave our fields like this,” she said, indicating an aerial photograph of a barren field. “They recommend a cover crop, but that just costs money. So what we’re noticing is: Where does the carbon go?”

As with concrete production, carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect. However, there may be a way to mitigate the damage such practices have caused.

“We know the solution — plant trees, plant crops, plant … plants!” Yemma advised, explaining that trees and other plants effectively reverse the processes that cause the greenhouse effect by consuming carbon and converting it into oxygen.

“Plant trees, plant

plant … plants!”

For Lyndon McCall of Nahunga Creek Tropicals in Warsaw, rising temperatures are less concerning than the rising fuel costs to maintain his greenhouses, though he did note that human expansion is impacting the natural habitats of certain plant species.

“Development is taking a lot of wetlands and bogs in different places where a lot of carnivorous stuff grows,” explained McCall, nodding toward a tray of Venus flytraps. “They’re historically found in Duplin County. They’re harder to find now because everything’s been drained.”

Representing WNCT9 of Greenville was meteorologist Christopher Tyndall, sharing knowledge with event-goers about severe weather preparedness as we enter the season and the effects rising temperatures are having on the weather.

“We are seeing a rise in our sea surface temperatures,” explained Tyndall. “Warm ocean water is fuel for hurricanes. In turn, we’re seeing more hurricanes.”

Coastal impacts have become evident as well, according to Tyndall, including coastal flooding, overwash and even the collapse of houses along the Outer Banks as a result of the wind and waves brought by severe storms and shore erosion due to rising sea levels.

As the evolving climate drives species like the American alligators further inland and further north in the state, ecosystems the world over are undergoing

their own transitions. Coastal and maritime forests are fading, with excess salinity killing trees and leaving “ghost forests” in their place. Eventually, these will transition into salt marshes.

According to Catherine Norris of the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, the names of these new ecosystems are nothing to be afraid of; ghost forests have provided nests for waterfowl, and many species thrive in salt marshes, such as the majestic Great Egret. Nature, it seems, is changing along with the climate.

The event was made possible through collaboration with other organizations and museums within the North Carolina Science Network, all of whom are grant recipients of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with grants administered by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.

“They’ve been telling us that we really need to partner together, and it’s very important for this granting program to work. So that’s what we’re trying to do,” Grotke said, adding that she hopes to help other network members with their events in the future.

In addition to the organizations represented, Master Blend Farms and Sippin’ Sunshine provided food and drinks for the event. Ten volunteers from Duplin Early College High School and James Sprunt Community College were also on hand to assist with the event and direct guests.

“I’m happy that these museums can spread their knowledge about this serious issue — and that it’s still fun for people,” remarked Grotke. Her heartfelt dedication to Skinner’s dream saw it realized over the weekend beneath an atmosphere of optimism and hope.

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Savannah Baker with State Employee’s Credit Union addresses sophomores at the business, finance, and government booth at the Career and College Fair on March 19. From left to right: Gloria Borja and Tomas Leon with Mi Lupita, Savannah Baker with SECU

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Lisa Yemma with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences uses a graph to illustrate rising carbon levels at Saturday’s ecoBlast Climate Extravaganza at the Cowan Museum of History and Science in Kenansville.

crops,

Lisa Yemma, N.C.Museum of Natural Sciences

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

Education for vocation

What struck me most about the students’ answers was how they plan to use their college educations to achieve their goals and prepare them for their life work.

THE MISSION of the Duplin County Education Foundation includes “promoting the development of character, integrity, leadership, and scholarship of young people attending public schools in Duplin County.”

One way the foundation meets this goal is awarding scholarships to graduating seniors. Thanks to the generosity of numerous individuals, the foundation is able to award generous grants to help students continue their education by attending college.

One component of the scholarship application is a 250- to 650-word essay in which the student is asked to “describe your educational and career goals and explain why you have chosen these goals.”

As a member of the foundation’s Board of Directors, I had the privilege of reading many of this year’s essays. I was impressed by the students’ responses, their educational and career goals, and why they have chosen these goals.

Here is a sampling of the variety of their career choices: teacher, horticulture/soil science, lawyer, nursing,

COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS

doctor, biomedical engineer/neurologist, dentist, radiologist, aerospace engineer/ NASA , filmmaker, business degree , social worker, wildlife conservation biologist, mechanical engineer, botany/ graphic design, veterinarian, computer/ electrical engineering.

What struck me most about the students’ answers was how they plan to use their college educations to achieve their goals and prepare them for their life work. They shared their desire to use their education, including that received in our local public schools, to serve the people of Duplin County and beyond.

In different ways, the students described how they want to use what most interests them in ways that benefit society as a whole and individuals in particular. “Vocation” is a good word for what our seniors conveyed in their essays. The dictionary defines vocation as “a strong feeling that you are especially suited to do a particular job or to fulfill a particular role in life, especially one that involves helping other people” and “a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation. Leonardo da Vinci put

it this way, “Make your work to be in keeping with your purpose.” Author and theologian Frederick Buechner put the idea in these words: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Farmer and poet Wendell Berry adds his thought that “the old and honorable idea of ‘vocation’ is simply that we each are called, by God, or by our gifts, or by our preference, to a kind of good work for which we are particularly fitted.”

In their essays, seniors expressed their gratitude to Duplin County Schools and teachers for providing the education, experiences and encouragement they needed to help them fulfill their goals, continue their education and pursue their vocations, which will be of mutual benefit to them and our communities. This positive feedback is an indication that Duplin Schools is meeting the stated objective of providing excellent and innovative leaders, teachers, and personnel to ensure college and career readiness for all pre-K to 13 students.

Philip Gladden lives in Wallace and writes on behalf of Duplin County Schools.

Why Trump should ignore the stock market

For many new buyers, homeownership went from the American Dream to a Neverland fantasy.

PRESIDENT DONALD Trump’s economic priority shouldn’t be preventing a recession.

Stock prices are always a bit of a roller coaster. Over the last month, it’s mostly been a downhill ride. In mid-February, the S&P 500 hit 6,144. It’s now dipped below 5,525. That’s around a 10% drop, which means the market is in correction territory. This has people talking about the dreaded “r-word.”

“Stocks Plunge as Recession Talk Gets Louder,” a recent New York Times headline read.

Fox News host Maria Bartiromo asked Trump if he expected a recession this year.

“I hate to predict things like that,” Trump responded. “There is a period of transition because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing, and there are always periods of, it takes a little time. It takes a little time, but I think it should be great for us.”

That’s a different tone than he had on the campaign trail. Trump told voters that he’d deliver “the best jobs, the biggest paychecks and the brightest economic future the world has ever seen.”

What’s going on?

Start with this: Most Americans don’t judge the economy based on the stock market — and rightly so. From Election Day in 2020 to Election Day last November, the S&P 500 increased by more than 70%.

Yet the public rightly believed that former President Joe Biden oversaw a terrible economy. A 2024 ABC News exit poll found 45% of voters said they were worse off under the Biden administration. That was a higher number than in 2008 during the Great Recession.

Biden’s reckless spending and prolonged COVID restrictions drove inflation sky-high. It wasn’t just the high cost of gas and groceries that hurt Americans. For many new buyers, homeownership went from the American Dream to a Neverland fantasy.

Next, there is often a trade-off between short-term and long-term economic growth. Consumer spending drives much of the American economy. Firing federal workers and cutting government spending will reduce that, hurting the economy right now. But as those workers find jobs in the private sector, they’ll start producing more stuff, driving long-term economic growth.

Finally, the Trump administration isn’t trying to blindly boost GDP. That measure includes all economic activity, including what illegal immigrants generate. Trump and Vice President JD Vance want to make things more affordable for Americans.

For instance, by deporting illegal aliens and securing the border, Trump may hurt aggregate economic growth. But look at how it helps Americans.

“If you allow 20 million people to

compete with American citizens for the cost of homes, you are going to have a large and, frankly, completely preventable spike in the demand for housing,” Vance said in a recent speech.

He’s right. Mass deportations and closing the border will reduce housing prices by lowering demand. Shrinking the pool of low-skilled workers will also increase wages for Americans in that group.

Both moves may hurt GDP. So-called experts may even declare that there’s a recession. But deporting illegals will improve the personal finances of many Americans. So will Trump’s moves to deregulate the energy industry, although rolling back regulations can take years.

The focus on Americans is why Trump says he’s pushing tariffs. He wants companies to return to the U.S. and to extract noneconomic concessions from countries like Mexico and Canada. If he can use the threat of tariffs to reduce the flow of fentanyl, it’d be a major achievement. But tariffs raise prices. Playing tariff chicken with Canada may hurt both sides dearly and undermine his other economic efforts.

Trump’s economic success doesn’t hinge on the stock market. Voters want him to enact policies that lead to lower prices and better job opportunities — for Americans.

Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

COLUMN | PHILIP GLADDEN

Leading with dedication, purpose

Meet Rose Hill Town Administrator

Angela Smith

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

EACH WEEK, Duplin Journal highlights a community member whose hard work and dedication represent the spirit of Duplin County. This week, Duplin Journal invited Angela Smith, Rose Hill town administrator and finance officer, for a Q&A session.

Smith began her career with the town of Rose Hill in 2001 as an administrative assistant and utility clerk. Eager to hone her skills and contribute to her community, she quickly immersed herself in municipal operations and pursued specialized courses offered by the School of Government and the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM).

Her career took off as she advanced through the ranks, taking on senior roles that allowed her to directly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of the town’s financial operations. Nearly 24 years later, she continues to make an impact in local government.

As the town administrator and finance officer, Smith’s role is essential in the management, operation and financial oversight of the town of Rose Hill. Her journey is living proof of how dedication, hard work and perseverance can lead to great achievements.

In this Q&A, Smith shares insights into her journey in public service, her love for Duplin’s tight-knit communities, and the things that make it a special place to live and work. What inspired you to pursue a career in local government?

In 2001, after my youngest daughter was born, I knew it was time for me to return to work. A friend of mine informed me of a job opening at the Town of Rose Hill in the office. I applied, and here I am, almost 24 years later.

Can you share about your journey to becoming the town administrator and finance officer for Rose Hill?

I began in September of 2001 as an administrative assistant and utility clerk. Over the years, I took it upon myself to pay attention and observe and take advantage of educational opportunities to learn more about local government operations. I had experience in accounting already, but I did build on that with Rose Hill. I learned finance and budgeting. Not only hands-on, which is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to learn anything, but I did take courses over the years that the School of Government or NCLM would offer. I worked my way up from administrative assistant.

Deputy tax collector and accounts payable were added to my experience. I was eventually promoted to accounting operations manager/town clerk and deputy finance officer. I received my clerk’s certification through the School of Government during that time. I remained in that position for over three years; then, the town administrator position became open when our former administrator, John Bauer, retired — who, by the way, was a wonderful mentor. I put my name in the hat. The board had enough faith in me to give me the opportunity. That was the latter part of 2022.

What projects are you currently working on, or what future initiatives are you excited about?

The town has several projects going on: Stormwater, lead line replacement, AIA study, fifth-year resurfacing, and CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization. All of these are grants the town currently has open. Not that stormwater isn’t super exciting, but my favorite is the Neighborhood Revitalization Grant we received. This is serving low-income property owners in town that need help either restoring what they have or rebuilding what is not restorable and they can’t afford to do it themselves. We can’t help all that applied, but

we can at least help four. This is what it is about — the citizens. I can also see the town applying for another in three years. Hopefully, we can help at least four more. On a side note, the board has been excellent to work with. Voters should be proud that this group of six people they chose to make important decisions for and represent the town are doing so with them in mind.

What advice would you give young women who aspire to lead in government or other career fields?

Be yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself, either. Never say you can’t do anything. I am proof that hard work, motivation and the willingness to ask questions can move mountains. Dabble a little faith in there and you will succeed.

What role do residents and community organizations play in shaping the economic future of Rose Hill?

Their roles are essential. Providing a supportive environment for local businesses is crucial for businesses to thrive and boost the local economy. Both residents and community organizations do this. Residents that participate in community development can help improve infrastructure and create opportunities. Community organizations can help attract investment in the community by promoting our area’s strengths. They work hand in hand to promote Rose Hill so people can see it is a great place to live and work, yet still has that “hometown” feel.

degree forcible rape for the offense committed in 1984.

District attorney Ernie Lee shared in a press release that the case was particularly challenging due to its complexity and the need for extensive investigation uncovering the offenses dating back to 1977 and 1984.

“The investigation conducted by the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office included multiple interviews of victims, day care workers and family members of the victims, as well as traveling to various locations where the sex-

from page A1

Family Campground stated that any extended stays will be limited to six months, with only 50% of the park designated for this purpose.

“Solid waste is going to be contracted for collection with one of the landfills within the town or county,” Brinkley said.

“Water is going to be extended and either provided by the county or Warsaw at the developer’s expense, so the devel-

ual assaults occurred. The juvenile victims were interviewed, examined and evaluated by the Child Advocacy Center in Greenville,” stated Lee, adding that his office dedicated many hours to preparing the case.

“This office is grateful for victims who come forward and report these crimes, even after years of suffering from such violent acts in order to seek justice for themselves and others, including family members.

This was an effort made by all those involved, Sheriff Stratton Stokes and the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, who conducted the investigation, the coura-

oper is aware that they will be responsible for paying for any kind of waterline extension to the property.”

He mentioned that all parking areas and vehicle surfaces will have a minimum gravel base and will be subject to a regular maintenance schedule. Brinkley also noted that emergency services will have full access to the campground to address any public safety concerns. The board discussed the in-

Managing the town’s finances is a significant responsibility. Considering the economic challenges that many small towns face, what strategies do you employ to ensure that Rose Hill remains financially sustainable?

Keep track of investments. Follow policy and procedure for obligating and purchasing. Consistently monitoring revenue coming in versus expenses going out. Consistent routine equipment maintenance. Monitor utility rates to make sure the town is bringing in the revenue to accommodate current and future capital expenditures. Keep the property tax rate sustainable for the town’s general fund without it being too much of a burden on the taxpayer. There are so many different things that help keep the town economically stable. One of the most important is good internal control. Without those checks and balances in place, it leaves the town vulnerable.

What do you do in your spare time?

Spend time with my grandchildren and my family. There is no better way to spend my time.

What was the last book you read?

The last book I finished was “The Shack” by William Young. Although it is taking me longer than it should, I am currently reading “The Rising” by Tim Lahaye/Jerry Jenkins.

Where’s your favorite place to eat in Duplin County?

I honestly do not have a favorite. But I am partial to the Rose Hill Restaurant. It is one of the few places locally to get good Southern comfort food. What, in your opinion, is the best thing about Duplin County?

The people. We still have tight-knit communities. That is something that is becoming nonexistent. Thank God Duplin County still has it.

Community spirit shines in mausoleum cleanup

Harvey Knowles and Michael Sublett from WoodmenLife of Wallace recently revitalized the mausoleum located across from the historic Rockfish Presbyterian Church in Wallace. On March 15, they dedicated five hours to cleaning and restoring its appearance, ensuring that it was well-maintained. This effort was part of a project sponsored by WoodmenLife of Wallace. Their work highlights the importance of volunteerism and makes a positive contribution to the community.

geous juvenile victims who initiated the investigation, as well as the brave adult women who ensured that Foss Jr. faced the consequences of his actions from as long as 48 years ago,” Lee wrote. Foss was sentenced to life in prison for the rape committed in 1984, an additional sentence of 20 to 50 years for the rape committed in 1977 and two consecutive sentences of 19 to 32 months for the offenses committed in 2020. He was placed on the sex offender registry and is currently in custody of the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

frastructure needs, noting that the property is currently outside of Warsaw’s sewer system. Any necessary water infrastructure may require annexation into the town. Commissioner Al Searles emphasized the importance of ensuring clarity on site-specific items, such as solid waste and water supply, to be included in the conditions to avoid future confusion. The board agreed that these specifics should be added to the agreement.

JSCC to provide computer basics for seniors

Kenansville

James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville will be offering Computer Basics for Seniors at Duplin County Senior Services starting on April 1. The course will consist of two sessions, with the first from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and the second from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The course is designed to provide the fundamental computer competencies needed to survive and prosper in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. The course will be hands-on and highly interactive. Those interested should contact Jennifer Moore at 910-296 2140 for more information.

Pink Hill Library Offers 4-week digital skills training

Pink Hill

The Pink Hill Public Library will be offering a series of four-week digital skills information sessions beginning in April as part of an East Carolina University College of Health and Human Performance research study. The schedule for the sessions is as follows: April 1, basic computer skills; April 8, online safety and privacy; April 15, how to search and find trusted information online; and April 29, using health care online. Light refreshments will be provided during the sessions. Additionally, participants who complete both the pretest and posttest will be entered into a drawing to win an iPad. For more information or to sign up, please call 252-568-3631.

Early Educators of Duplin County 2025 Provider’s Event

Wallace

The Early Educators of Duplin County’s 2025 Provider’s Event will be held at the Mad Boar Restaurant in Wallace on April 11 and will be free for Duplin County Early Educators. Each teacher will be responsible for registering by Friday, April 4. Space is limited. No children are allowed. Nicole Brown Harris will serve as guest speaker for the event, with special entertainment from the Wallace-Rose Hill Junior Varsity and Varsity Cheerleaders and Everly Friend. Call 910-296-2000 to register.

Angela Smith

PHOTO COURTESY MICHAEL SUBLETT

WARSAW

CRAFTS • FOOD • BANDS • RIDES • DINOS

CAROLINA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

First weekend in May In Historic Downtown Wallace

DUPLIN SPORTS

Lane’s guidance notches him top District 2 coach

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Two Duplin

County basketball teams that combined for 49 wins were lauded by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.

Four players from the area — East Duplin’s Kinsey Cave and Ja’Myah Pickettt, and North Duplin’s Tateyawna Faison and Addy Higginbotham — were tabbed to all-star squads for District 2, while Panthers head coach Mark Lane captured Coach of the Year honors.

Recognition hasn’t come easily for Lane despite fielding winning teams in all but two of his 17 seasons in Beulaville.

Part of that is because of next-level players and teams (Northside-Jacksonville, SWO) blocking the Panthers’ path

in the playoffs and conference finals.

Lane, who followed legendary coach Jerry Hunter and his 508 wins and state title in 1998, has worked hard to make his niche.

Last December, Lane picked up his 300th victory as East Duplin won 20 games for the ninth time during his tenure and has a career mark of 310-124.

The Panthers were 25-3, which is the second-most wins during that span. ED would no doubt have topped the 2019 club that was 26-2 if two ECC Tournament games had not been wiped out because of a winter storm.

Yet the biggest treat for fans was a run to the fourth-round of the 2A playoffs, as the season ended with a setback to

Panthers’ Kern twirls no-hit gem to beat Lui, ’Dawgs

East Duplin’s Kyle Kern had a memorable performance, striking out 14 during a 4-0 win over rival Wallace-Rose Hill

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

TEACHEY — Kaiden Lui was the best pitcher in Duplin County a season ago, though baseball insiders could see Kyle Kern finding his way into the picture.

The two right-handers combined for 25 strikeouts on Friday, as Kern threw a complete game to pace East Duplin to a 4-0 win in a game that wasn’t decided until Lui left after reaching the 105-pitch limit in the sixth.

For five innings, it was a pitching duel made in Cooperstown as both hurlers dominated.

Lui had two strikeouts in his first three innings and the fifth while whiffing the side in the fourth.

He fanned Austin Rouse looking with a man on second in the first and got a great tag from first baseman Luke Jack-

son to end the second. Consecutive strikeouts in the third left two on board. A three-base error in the fourth put JP Murphy on third with one out. And while Lui whiffed Jesus Mojica and Cain Graham, a wild pitch allowed the first run of the day.

Gavin Holmes’s hard grounder to third base was kept in the infield but put him on first with an infield single with one out in the fifth.

Lui responded by whiffing Colton Holmes and getting Shawn Marshburn to ground out, though he reached 93 pitches entering the sixth frame. He struck out 11, walked two and gave up three hits.

Rouse walked, swiped second base and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 as Lui gave way to reliever Davis Barnette, who got out of a jam by striking out of Mojica and inducing a ground ball by Holmes to end the threat.

But ED tacked on two more in the seventh via a hit by Marshburn and Calvin Harper.

Rebel strong: Davis transformation leads to college football

Nonstop work in the weight room and a 4-plus GPA lead North Duplin’s Isaac Davis to Bridgewater College gridiron

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Isaac Davis

flashed his familiar grin followed by a gawk and then a smile when looking at a picture of himself as a freshman.

Four years ago, few players would fear Davis on the football field, though some might have confused him with a too-young-yet-enthusiastic waterboy. His tale would have ended

there had the North Duplin senior not hooked up with 2024 grad and fellow lineman Oscar Romero.

They became the iron-pounding brothers in the weight room. Davis honed his skills to become a first-team all-Duplin player last season, providing the muscle for a 10-1 campaign that featured a Carolina 1A Conference title.

Davis is 6-foot-1 and plays between 215 and 225 pounds. But it’s hard to find a place to pinch his body fat, making him look more like a 180-190 pounds than a warrior in the trenches.

“Nobody has worked any harder and made the transformation as this young man,” said head coach Hugh Martin short-

ly after it was announced Davis signed a letter of intent to play college football at Bridgewater College (Va.) next fall.

And while the Rebels had 6-foot-3, 310-pound Trashawn Ruffin, who recently switched his commitment from Texas A&M to UNC, he could cover the entire field. Ruffin, a junior, and senior Ricky Caster each had 34 tackles.

The unsung and frequently ignored Davis had 44 tackles, including a team-high 13 for lost yardage, as ND gave up less than 14 points per game.

ND line coach Daniel Cates said Davis put in the work and played the game relentlessly.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ED coach Mark Lane is 310-127 in 17 seasons, which includes this winter’s 25-4 mark. The District 2 Coach of the Year has only had two losing seasons,has captured six conference titles and had nine 20-plus win seasons.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Isaac Davis signed a letter-of-intent to play football at Bridgewater College last Friday in front of his mother Lisa Anderson, grandmother Kaye Anderson, grandfather Wayne Anderson and North Duplin football coaches Brad Rhodes, standing from left, Hugh Martin, Daniel Cates and Grant Lee.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ED’s Kyle Kern is 3-1 this season with a 0.54 ERA. He has 51 strikeouts in 26 innings and the opposition is hitting .099 against the right hander.

The Panthers’ Kinsey Cave and Ja’Myah Pickett, the Rebels’ Tateyawna Faison and Addy Higginbotham were named to the all-star squads

ED sophomore guard Kinsey Cave

Panthers’ bats lower boom on Bulldogs

The Rebels and Tigers closes the week with victories

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

TEACHEY — The East Duplin softball team’s frustration didn’t show last Friday, though if it had an ugly face, it would have been evident after the Panthers had a pair of one-run losses and a 2-0 defeat.

Hitting the leather off a softball was good therapy, and a group picture emerged featuring Karsyn Parker, Kinsey Cave, Zoe Turner, Leighton Davis, Emory Raynor, Callie Newborn and Morgan Brown.

Each player laced a hit during a 9-0 start as 12 players went to the plate.

That was the beginning of the Panthers’ 16-1 win after suffering a 4-3 loss to Richlands three days previous. It was the fourth straight setback for WRH (1-6, 0-3).

East Duplin’s nonconference schedule leaves little room for error with two games against the Wildcats (8-3), West Carteret (7-0) and a pair against 1A power North Duplin.

The Panthers are 4-4 overall and 3-1 in the ECC following close losses to the Patriots (5 - 4) and South Lenoir (8-6), which is tied with sister school North Lenoir (7-0) for the league lead — both are 3-0 in the loop.

This week, head coach Greg Jenkins’ club will need to nab wins over James Kenan and Southwest Onslow to keep pace. Next week’s slate has higher-octane schools, starting on Monday with a trip to Calypso to face the Rebels, who they will host nine days later. Next Friday is a rematch against the Blue Devils.

Then two days will tell the tale of the Panthers’ regular season as they host the Hawks on April 15 and two days later travel to LaGrange.

ED beat Kinston twice last week (15-0 and 16-1).

Richland rallied for two seventh-inning runs for the 4-3 win last Wednesday in Beulaville.

LeNayah Jackson and Cameron Cubas drove in runs.

Makenzie Goin and Addi Andrew each stroked two hits as the Wildcats outhit East Duplin 10-5.

The Panthers got to hurler Goins for five hits and three earned runs in the third to go in front 3-1. Richlands got a tally in the fourth to get to within 3-2.

Wildcats face Bulldogs in key Coastal affair

Richlands, 8-4 overall, 1-0 in Coastal 3A Conference play, used a four-run second to key a 6-1 win over Swansboro last Thursday.

Cubas, who scored twice, laced three hits in four trips to the plate, while Andrews ripped a double and single and drove in a run.

Goin and Andrews combined to whiff 11, scattering six hits and three walks.

The Wildcats traveled Dixon (5-4, 0-1) early this week and host Midway Thurs-

day at 6 p.m. The Raiders (5 -1) suffered their lone defeat during a 2-0 Wildcat win on March 18.

Dixon went 22-5 last season and captured the Coastal title over Richlands by a game. The Bulldogs swept both games against the Wildcats (18-7).

Richlands has one of the toughest schedules in East, with games against strong programs — DH Conley, Pamlico County, Midway, Washington and East Duplin. Jackson (.395, 10 RBIs), Cubas (.343, nine runs), Andrews (.316, seven RBIs) and Goin (.294) as the top Wildcat hitters.

Rebels’ rally falls short against Blue Devils

North Duplin’s rally came up a hit or two short during a 7-5 loss to 2A South Lenoir.

The Rebels rallied for three runs in the seventh inning, yet it was too little too late.

Addy Higginbotham doubled and hit a two-run home run. Marissa Bernal singled and doubled in four plate appearances. Cadence Locklear had a two-run double, and Lilly Fulghum an RBI triple. Seven days earlier, the Rebels beat South Lenoir 7-5.

It was child’s play for the Rebels (3-1, 1-0) last Friday during a 15-0 destruction of Lakewood in Calypso.

Higginbotham teed off for a single, double and triple.

Ady Spence added a single and two-bagger, while Gabby Zamudio and Hannah Gonzalez each ripped a pair of hits.

Kloe De Hoyos’ hit forced an early ending to the game after three innings. ND scored five times in the first and nine times in the second.

North Duplin hosts Rosewood (6-1) Thursday at 6 p.m. and then East Duplin on Monday.

Tigers rally to top Stallions Scarlett Deluca’s line drive scored Kierra Williams as James Kenan beat Southwest Onslow 10-9 last Tuesday in a walk-off win in Warsaw. Williams walked to start the seventh by getting hit by a pitch. Big hits from Kenadi Gideons, Jourdan Joe, Shylah Sloan and Kinzely Sloan rallied the Tigers from a three-run deficit to tie it at 9-9 in the sixth. Gideon, Deluca and Joe made defensive plays in the infield in the top of the seventh to set up JK for the win.

Tigers (2-2, 1-0) went in front 2-0 as Gideon and Ava Jones drove in a run. Miscues got SWO back into the game and eventually a 5-3 lead, which was trimmed to a run when Gideon knocked in Deluca.

James Kenan will have double-duty this week via doubleheaders against East Duplin and Kinston this week.

Getting it done: North Duplin uses late push to topple Cougars

The Rebels executed during crunch time to rally past Neuse Charter and then did what it had to do during a one-run win over Lakewood

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Sometimes the most basic instruction to a hitter and execution by a base runner can lead to success — and winning.

Take Branson Martin, who was hitting in the seventh inning against Neuse Charter with Garris Warren on second base and one out.

Martin, a senior, went the opposite way with a pitch, and though he grounded out, Warren was able to hustle home for the winning run during North Duplin’s 7-6 win over Neuse Charter in a Carolina 1A Conference game last Tuesday on the Rebels’ home diamond.

Noa Quintanilla opened the inning with a single to center and was replaced by courtesy runner Warren, who stole second base to set up the final run.

North Duplin (3-3, 2-0) rallied after giving up six runs in the third to go in front 6-1.

The Rebels scored the final six runs.

Two came in the bottom of the third when Hunt Pate singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Quintanilla. Wesley Holmes knocked in Warren, who had walked.

Three more were flashed on the scoreboard in the fifth when Warren singled and the Neuse right fielder bobbled a fly hit by Quintanilla and ND would up with two runners in scoring position with one out.

Holmes doubled both home

with a drive to center and scored after Vance Carter doubled.

After Ben Kelly and Kaydenm Bowden gave up six runs, Noah Price, Keiz Bowden and James Graham went to work. The threesome limited the Cougars to two hits in the next four frames, while striking out 10.

ND outhit Neuse 10-3 but issued 11 walks. So while the game ended on a burst of excitement, the Rebels gave the Cougars far too many baserunning opportunities.

Two days earlier, the winning run came in the third inning. In fact, all four runs were tallied by both teams in the third.

The Leopards went up 1-0 when Warren walked two of the first three hitters he faced in the third. Hayden Miller took over and everything changed.

Miller struck out 10 in the next 4.2 innings and did not walk a hitter. He faced nearly as many batters (14) in 4.2 frames as Warren (14) did in 2.1 innings.

North Duplin struck back quickly as Keiz Brock hit an infield single, Pate doubled to center field and Price tripled to right field.

Miller whiffed away two outs in both the fourth and sixth and stuck out the side in the fifth and seventh frames.

The Rebels look to extend their modest two-game winning streak early this week against Union (0-4, 0-2) and then host CC champ Rosewood (7-4, 2-0) on Thursday.

Bulldogs, Tigers lose ECC affairs

Wallace-Rose Hill scored the final three runs, but only after North Lenoir took a 9-3 lead.

Kaiden Lui and Caden Gavin each drove in two runs, and Khalil Mathis, Reese Buckner and Hayden Lovette each laced a pair of hits in a 9-6 loss to the Hawks (5-3, 3-0).

Gavin doubled in the third to drive in Braydon Huffman. Mathis, who reached base via a walk, stole second, third and then home.

Lovette singled to open the Bulldog fourth and scored three hitters later to trim it to 9-4.

Gavin singled and Buckner walked and scored in the sixth

when Lui’s ball to the outfield was misplayed. WRH (2-7, 1-3), which lost a 4-0 heartbreaker last Friday to East Duplin, travels to Southwest Onslow and Trask this week as the start of five consecutive road games. James Kenan (2-4, 0-3) fell 14-3 to Southwest Onslow last Wednesday for its third setback in a row.

Crusaders fall to Faith Christian

Drake Smith and Reid Strickland threw well enough to win last Friday against Faith Christian.

Yet the Harrells Christian Academy bats were silenced by

ND’s Garris Warren scored the winning run in a 10-9 victory over Neuse Charter.

Ayden Tyndall, who allowed just two hits while whiffing 10 and not walking a batter as the Patriots won 3-1 in Rocky Mount.

Peyton Gomez drove in Dawson Smith in the third for the lone HCA run after the Pats struck for one in the first and two in the third.

Smith gave up two earned runs and three hits in six frames.

Strickland limited Rocky Mount to two hits during his stint of the same length. They combined for six strikeouts and three walks. Crusader Jaiden Stallings doubled but was unable to score. HCA (1-5, 1-1) is on its spring break and won’t play again until March 31.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

The softball will arrive in the glove of WRH first baseman Ta’Nyia Powell before ED’s Emory Raynor touches the bag.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Panthers’ booters shake off slow start with new energy

East Duplin has won two in a row and is generating energy it had during last spring’s ECC title-winning campaign

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

TEACHEY — The East Duplin soccer team is starting to warm up.

That’s not good news for foes but a welcome relief for Panthers fans as coach Joey Jones’ club scored 10 goals during a pair of wins last week.

The loud horn blew last Friday during a 5-0 lashing of Wallace-Rose Hill.

Hailey Maready scored twice, and Anamarie Rodrigues, Katelyn Jones and Kayleigh Chase added goals.

East Duplin went in front 4-0 by halftime and never looked back on a rival it has dominated since WRH started playing soccer. Zoe Cavanaugh, Ashleigh Sarmiento, Joselin Mata-Aguilar and Rodriguez all had assists. Rodriguez and Cavanaugh are returning to soccer shape after coming from the Panthers’ basketball team that advanced to the fourth round of the 2A playoffs.

WRH had few scoring opportunities, and those the Bulldogs had were taken care of by goalies Isla Miller and Kimberlynn Guzman.

East Duplin (4-5-2) won its second straight match and will visit ECC rival Southwest Onslow on Friday in Jacksonville.

The top spot in the league has been between the Panthers and Stallions for the past three seasons. East Duplin won it last spring and in 2022, with SWO taking the title in 2023.

The Stallions (7-1-1, 4-0) lost to 4A New Bern (6-2-1) and tied White Oak on opening night for both schools.

They have outscored their competition 32-7, with junior Peyton Berg’s 11 goals leading the way. Oriyanna Galloway has eight scores.

Rodriguez and Jones combined for 29 goals a season ago. Jones, Roblero and Maready each have four goals, while Rodriguez has eight in just four games. East Duplin has outscored the opposition 34-21.

The Panthers seized a bit of revenge from 3A Charles B. Aycock during a 5-2 win last Wednesday. The Falcons tied the Panthers 2-2 on opening day.

DAVIS from page B1

“He never had a bad practice,” Cates said, “and his leadership and 100% commitment to every play and what we are doing made him so coachable. Most players get tired of drills after a short time. Not him. He listens and catches on quickly.”

Davis’ school work is also top notch as the son of Lisa Davis pushed his grade-point-average over 4.0

Rodriguez, the Duplin County Player of the Year, scored all five goals. Tied at 1-1 at halftime, the second half became her showcase.

Roblero and Sarmiento gave her assist passes for two of her scores.

Davynn Godshall and Taryn Herrera found the back of the net for CBA (3-5-1).

East Duplin, which also plays James Kenan and White Oak (5-3-3) this week, didn’t have a win in its first six games (0 - 4 -2).

Flores’ sinks a pair of goals to push ’Dawgs past Hawks

Bayleen Flores, who leads her team with eight goals, scored twice, while Gabby Debman scored and added an assist last Wednesday when Wallace-Rose Hill (4-4, 1-3) beat North Lenoir 3-1 in Teachey.

Bri Maradiaga picked up her second assist of the season. Debman has five goals this spring.

The two ECC schools were tied 1-1 at halftime.

Bridgewater is a liberal arts college in Virginia’s Central Shenandoah Valley with nearly 1,500 students. The Eagles went 6-4 last season

Bridgewater is a Division III school in the Old Dominion Conference, which includes schools such as Averett University, Eastern Mennonite University, Ferrum College, Guilford College, Hampden-Sydney College, Hollins University, University of Lynchburg, Randolph College,

WRH has two one-goal losses to ECC schools James Kenan, Southwest Onslow it would like to reverse in the five weeks of the season.

Tigers fall flat in setback to Southwest Onslow Little went right for James Kenan.

Everything seemed to flow in the direction of Southwest Onslow.

For nearly the entire evening of a 5-0 loss.

Payton Berg scored a hat trick, and Victoria Tellez and Haley Smith added goals.

It was 3-0 at halftime, and nothing the Bulldogs tried in the second half did much to dent the armor of the Stallions during their visit to Warsaw.

James Kenan (4-3, 1-2) faced East Duplin early this week and is then off until a Tuesday visit from North Lenoir (4-4, 0-2).

The Tigers won 5-1 and 4-1 matches last spring against the Blue Devils.

Randolph-Macon College and Roanoke College.

“Isaac goes about his business and work with a quiet demeanor,” Martin said. “We could count on him to do everything to the best of his ability.”

Cate said the added strength of Davis set a new tone in his play.

“He always had speed and quickness and could crush to edge,” the coach said. “Once he picked up power and matured it make him a much better football players.”

Gavin Holmes

East

A future star is rising in the baseball skies if a fast start is any indicator.

With at least a small sampling, East Duplin’s Gavin Holmes is a sophomore ready to play in prime time.

Holmescan, who is capablevof playing any infield position and even pitches, is hitting .407 through nine games with three doubles and three RBIs.

He’s 11 for 11 in stolen bases and 1-1 on the hill with 10 strikeouts, three walks and six hits over six appearances.

The Panther hit .306 with 14 RBIs and 13 stolen bases last spring.

Duplin, baseball

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

East Duplin’s Kayleigh Chase and Wallace-Rose Hill’s Bri Maradiaga battle for a ball during Friday’s match which the Panthers won 5-0.

Seaforth. Yet overcoming SWO in the ECC was a reason for celebration for the Panthers, who played second fiddle in its own back yard to the Stallions for three seasons.

East Duplin went 24-5 the previous season and was a play away from the fourth round the after a close loss to West Craven.

Lane’s sixth conference title nearly mirrors the mark left by the 25-4 team of 2012. The other four crowns are linked — 2018 to 2021. It was Lane’s third unbeaten league mark, with conference perfection also coming in 2020 and 2012. Three other seasons the Panthers were 11-1 in conference play.

The Panthers lose two superb prep post players — Pickett and Carrie Carr — yet return next winter with enough to continue to make a playoff run.

Lane’s not finished watching game film or teaching and preaching up the Panthers’ defense.

Faison takes Rebels in the right direction

Durability and consistency have been keys for Faison, who was a second-team selection. Duplin’s other threesome were third-team picks.

The 6-foot post has been a four-year starter, scoring more than 1,000 points and grabbing more than 1,000 rebounds.

She hit for 16 points and 14.5 boards this winter while averaging 3.3 blocks as a rim protector.

BASEBALL from page B1

Kern baffles Bulldogs

Kern was even more powerful, striking out 14 and not allowing a hit.

He struck out the side in the second, third and fifth innings and got two punchouts in the first and sixth frames.

The senior set the side down in order in every inning, sans the fourth and second when he issued walks

A two-out free pass to Jackson was erased with a groundout. He wiggled out of a jam in the sixth during a rare time in which he fell behind hitters.

After striking out Caden Gavin and Brayden in the third, Kern hit Reese Buckner and walked Lui and Jackson to load the pond with ducks.

Kern struck out every Panthers hitter except two, and a whiff of Khalil Mathis to end the threat in the third left the put-the-ball-in-play tag only on Jackson.

He whiffed four straight and the top three in the Bulldogs’ batting order — Gavin, Buckner and Lui — as a highlight of the fifth.

In the sixth, Kern picked up a nubber off the bat of Jackson and sprinted to beat him to the bag, avoiding a throw. He whiffed the next two hitters and

Cave, Pickett, Higginbotham have skills, high hoop IQ

While both the first- and second-teams have “flashy” shooting stars, the third-team stars’ cred is a mix of fundamental skills and high basketball IQs. Enter Cave, the top player in Duplin County a season ago, who continued her climb by putting numbers into most statistical categories as a sophomore.

Yet the hoops world will never know how the Panthers would have fared if they had not lost starters Ava Noble and Za-

got two groundouts to start the seventh, needing to conserve pitches to stay on the hill.

Fittingly, he ended the night with a strikeout.

Kern is 3-1 this season with a 0.54 ERA. He has 51 strikeouts in 26 innings and the opposition is hitting .099 against the right-hander.

Dugout chatter

The win improved East Duplin to 5-4 but more importantly made the Panthers 4-1 in ECC play. The two teams split two games last spring. They play again in Beulaville on April 11.

The Panthers played James Kenan early this week and Thursday travel to Jacksonville to face Southwest Onslow (5-3, 2-2) in a key game in the league standings.

Preseason favorites South Lenoir (7-1) and North Lenoir (5-3) are both 3-0 in the ECC.

WRH (2-7, 1-3) will likewise have a confrontation with the Stallions this week and also travel to Trask (1-8) on Thursday.

Lui (.429), Gavin (.346) and Mathis (.350) are pacing the Bulldogs’ attack, with frosh Buckner at .292.

Gavin Holmes (.407), Marshburn (.304) and Rouse (.300) are the Panthers’ hit leaders.

koya Farrior to season-ending knee injuries.

Cave averaged 11.8 points, 4.6 rounds, 3.8 assists and 2.4 steals while also handling the point guard duties, including her ability to dribble or pass her way through a press.

Her shooting has improved, and that’s the only thing in the way of huge progress she’s made in terms of showing her total market value to a prospective college.

Keep in mind, she has two more seasons to play prep basketball.

In some ways, Higginbotham

is a similar player, especially in how she leads on the court.

The senior, who will play softball at Wingate University, averaged 10.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.4 steals as a point guard.

Yet her biggest contribution might have been overseeing the development of younger players, such as Abby Rose and Maggie Brown.

Pickett, meanwhile, was a feared player in the paint, giving the Panthers toughness, rebounds and defense.

Though often shorter than the opposition, the senior’s body

2025 NCBCA GIRLS

District 2

Coach of the Year

Mark Lane, East Duplin (308-124 in 17 seasons)

First Team

Tristan Shivers, Jr., Hoggard, MVP

NeNe Ward, Sr., East Bladen

Kelize Velez-Galan, Sr., JAX

Brianna Stanley, Jr., N. Hanover

Areona Mckoy, Fr., Lakewood

Second Team

Tateyawna Faison, Senior, ND

Laila Smith, Sr., E. Bladen

Oriyanna Galloway, Sr., SWO Ryan Lambert, Sr., Topsail India Williams, Fr., Laney

Third Team

Ja’Myah Pickett, Sr., ED Kinsey Cave, Soph., ED

Anna Kate Chance, Jr., Hoggard

Addy Higginbotham, Sr., ND Malia Graham, Jr., E. Columbus

positioning and ability to jump like the track and field star at the 2A finals, she helped East Duplin win wars through her constant grinding.

She averaged 10.4 points and 9.8 rebounds.

Anyone who didn’t know the force of Pickett found out in her final game against Seaforth, when she made as many as five next-level plays.

JOB OPENING: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Duplin Christian Outreach Ministries (DCOM) is seeking an Executive

and collaborate with the Board of Directors to implement

experience in nonprofit leadership, strong management skills, and a

and to apply, please visit www.duplinchristian.org.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ED’s JP Murphy goes all out into the base as WRH’s Davis Barnette reaches for the ball.

ED senior forward Ja’Myah Pickett

ND senior guard Addy HIgginbotham

Edith Ortega

March 8, 1972 –March 13, 2025

Edith Ortega, age 53, of Pink Hill passed away on Thursday, March 13at ECU Medical Center in Greenville, NC.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 22, at Iglesia Vision Trinidad Divina in Wallace, NC, and Sunday, March 23, at Rose Hill Funeral Home in Rose Hill.

Left to cherish her precious memories are her children: Jhonatan Alexander, Walter Esaw, Joseph Aviles, Emanuel Cheverria, and Hugo Hernesto; numerous cousins and friends that will miss her dearly.

William Edgar Kelly

Oct. 16, 1941 – March 19, 2025

William Edgar Kelly, 83, a Mount Olive resident, passed away Wednesday, March 19, at Wayne UNC Hospital.

William Kelly had been employed with Mt. Olive Pickle Company, retiring as a warehouse manager with 32 years of faithful service. He was a member of Mount Olive Presbyterian Church.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Sutton Kelly; their children and spouses, Cindy and Dale Carroll of Arden, David and Lisa Maxwell of Clayton, Janet Maxwell of Lucama, and Arthur and Elizabeth Maxwell of Goldsboro; grandchildren and spouses, Billy and Magean Carroll, Landon and Renetta Carroll, Karen Maxwell, Leah and Matt Kelly, Linda andRyan King, and Ryan Maxwell; greatgrandchildren, Hailey Carroll, Avery Carroll, Peyton Carroll, Fletcher Kelly, Adelyn Kelly, Ella Paige Kelly, and Wynn Kelly; a niece, Terri Nelson and husband, Bob; great-nephews, Chris Davis and Brooks Davis, along with their families.

He was preceded in death by a grandson, Kevin Maxwell; his parents, Willliam Fernie Kelly and Ethel Turner Kelly; and two sisters, Lois Kelly and Mary “Flip” Kelly.

Funeral services were conducted on Friday, March 21 at the chapel of Tyndall Funeral Home. Officiating was the Rev. Savannah Demuynck. Burial followed in the Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation took place during the hour before the service. In lieu of flowers, it is requested that memorial gifts be made to the Marfans Foundation or The V. Foundation.

Myrtle S. Thompson

Aug. 7, 1929 – March 21, 2025

Myrtle Lee Strickland Thompson, long-time resident of Mount Olive, passed away Friday evening, March 21, at ECU Duplin Hospital. She was 95.

Myrtle Thompson had been employed with Mt. Olive Pickle Company before retirement.

She leaves behind seven of her eight children and spouses, Robert Thompson of Mount Olive, LaVerne and Jody Thompson of Alabama, William and Beverly Thompson of Florida, David and Barbara Thompson of Beaufort, Danny and Nan Thompson of Goldsboro, Michael and Ronda Thompson of Mount Olive, and Sheila Sutton of Mount Olive, along with her friend, Doug Swinson, also of Mount Olive; a brother, Raven Strickland and wife, Goldie, of Mount Olive; 17 grandchildren; 34 greatgrandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She joins in death the company of her husband, Wilbert Thompson; a daughter, Patsy Thompson; a grandson, DeWayne Thompson; parents, Carl and Addie Mae Strickland; sisters, Lena Mae Venable and Barbara Ann Fognini; and brothers, Carroll Strickland, Edward Strickland, Bob Strickland, and Eldon Strickland. Visitation was held at Tyndall Funeral Home on Tuesday, March 25. The funeral service followed with Pastor Jeff Dail officiating. Burial will follow at Wayne Memorial Park. Family and friends were also received at the home of Sheila Sutton in Mount Olive.

Frances Ann Peragine

Feb. 25, 1942 –March 20, 2025

Frances Ann Peragine, 83, a resident of Mount Olive, quietly passed away Thursday, March 20, after a period of declining health.

She was born in Brooklyn, New York and spent her early life in New Jersey. She served in the United States Army, andfor which the Bronze Star was bestowed upon her. She was one of a few women who served in Vietnam during that time. Captain Pergine had been stationed at Okinawa and at Fort Simmons in Denver.

She was also at Maddigan inWashington state.

She was a registered nurse, had been a nurse practitioner, and was a nurse anesthetist. As a devout Catholic, after last rites were administered to her on Thursday, it was just moments later that she passed away.

Frances is survived by her best friend and companion, Jo Ann Beasley, of the home, and a brother, Frank Peragine of New Jersey.

Her parents were the late Frank and Sophie Kolarcik Paragine.

Captain Peragine’s life was remembered on Monday, March 24, at a graveside service in the Maplewood Cemetery of Mount Olive, with Chaplain Aaron Bissette presiding and military honors rendered. Visitation with Jo Ann and Frank was held at the cemetery.

In lieu of floral expressions, it is requested that memorial gifts be made to a local animal shelter or rescue or one of her favorite charities.

Eleanor Futral Boron

Jan. 1, 1935 – March 13, 2025

It is with great sadness that the family of Eleanor Grace Futral Boron, 90 years young, announces that she passed away peacefully on Thursday night, March 13.

Eleanor was born to Roscoe and Callie Futral on Jan. 1, 1935. The youngest of 9 siblings, she grew up surrounded by family and continued to deeply cherish time spent with her siblings, nieces and nephews over the years.

She was happiest when she was taking care of her two grandchildren. She was an excellent cook, known far and wide for her delicious food (especially her homemade cakes). She enjoyed traveling and took many unique trips with friends and family as often as she could.

She was a member of Potters Hill Advent Christian Church since childhood. She also attended Sandy Plain Original Free Will Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Adult II Sunday School class as well as Tom McMahon’s “Come As You Are” home church. She loved the Lord and often spoke of his goodness toward her. Eleanor was a loving mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.

She was preceded by her daughter, Melissa Kennedy; husband and father of her children, Lloyd H. Kennedy; her beloved second husband, Leo Boron; her four brothers, Gordan Futral (infant), Leslie (Beatrice), Nathan (Rosa) and George Wayne Futral; and four sisters, Ruby Futral (infant), Letha Whaley (J.B.), Geraldine Quinn (Raeford) and Macy Casey (George).

She is survived by her two daughters, Patsy Houston (Gregg) and Rhonda KennedyQuinn (Bob); grandchildren, Joseph Murray (Nicole) and Callie Johnson (Jared); and greatgrandchildren, Will Murray, Isla Grace Johnson and Ives Johnson.

A graveside service was held on Saturday, March 22, at the East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville.

Esley “Sutton” Quinn Jr.

April 13, 1946 –March 17, 2025

Esley “Sutton’ Quinn Jr., 78, passed away on Monday, March 17 at his home. Surviving are his spouse, Gail Kennedy Quinn of Comfort; daughter, Dondi Quinn Taylor (John) of Comfort; brother, Robert Quinn (Avonne) of New Bern; and grandchildren, Josh Austin Taylor and Samantha Taylor Quijano (Michael). He is preceded in death by his parents, Esley Sutton Quinn Sr. and Myrtle Ireland, and his sister, Carol Quinn Jennings. Funeral Service was held Friday, March 21, and the visitation was at the Community Funeral Home in Beulaville. Graveside Service was held Saturday, March 22, at the East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville.

Pat Kornegay St. Cyre

May 29, 1958 –March 18, 2025

Pat Kornegay St. Cyre passed away Tuesday, March 18, at her home in the Grantham/Mar-Mac area of Wayne County, with loved ones and closest friends gathered close around.

Patricia Louise Kornegay St. Cyre was a native of Mount Olive. She was a member of the 1976 graduating class of Southern Wayne Senior High School. Pat had been employed at a variety of career choices, which include the Faison Produce Market, Mount Olive Piggly Wiggly Produce Department, Sonoco, where she was on the ERT team and had acquired many accolades, Mortex Manufacturing, a sewing factory in Faison, and Walmart Market on Tommy’s Road as her last place of employment. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Goldsboro.

Pat is survived by her husband of 24 years, Walter F. “Buz” St. Cyre II; her mother, Annie Frances Kornegay of Mount Olive; her twin sister, Pamela “Pam” K. Best and husband, John, of Mount Olive; her brother, Johnny Daniel “Danny”Kornegay and wife, Jo, of Princeton; her motherin-law and father-in-law, Betty and Ray Strickland of Mar-Mac; her father-in-law and mother-inlaw, Walter “Buz” and Nancy St. Cyre of Warrenburg, Missouri; a sister-in-law, Wendy Lamm and husband, Stephen, of Castle Rock, Colorado; a brother-in-law, Chad Strickland and wife, Carli, of Princeton; nephews, Michael Best and wife, Jenna, Blake Kornegay and wife, Meghan, Evan Lamm, Gavin Gray, and Hunter Peacock; nieces, Kelly Minnich and Chalie Strickland; four great-nephews; three great-nieces; and two greatgreat-nieces.

She was preceded in death by her father, Bobby Ray Kornegay, and a great-nephew, Patrick Best. Pat’s family wishes to express deep gratitude to Gentiva Hospice, especially staff Nikki Wolfe and Ayana Tucker, for exemplary care and support, and also to dear family friend Tracy Coker Millard and family members Jenna Best and Pam Best for all that they did to provide comfort and care.

The life of Pat St. Cyre was remembered on Saturday, March 22, at a service in the chapel of Tyndall Funeral Home in Mount Olive, with Pastor Rudolph West presiding. Visitation with the family followed the service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial gifts be made to Calvary Baptist Church in Goldsboro, Cure for the Colors in Goldsboro, or provide funds, food, and/or bedding supplies for a local animal shelter or animal rescue mission.

April 22, 1968 –March 15, 2025

Curtis Williams, 56, of Kenansville, passed away on March 15 at his residence. Funeral service was held Tuesday, March 25, at Hawes Funeral Home in Warsaw.

Aug. 8, 1924 –March 16, 2025

Leslie Ray “Ike” Nunn Jr., 90, a long-time resident of Calypso, died Sunday afternoon, March 16 at Kitty Askins Hospice Center. Ike Nunn had been a past member of the Calypso Fire Department. An entrepreneur, he was a part of a wide range of business entities. He began as a bread route deliveryman and later operated a grocery store in Calypso. Then he operated Duplin Farm Supply Co. in Calypso. He ran a woodworking shop where small household fixtures and decor were made and sold. His last business venture was Roots and Nuts Wholesale Co., which operated in Calypso for a long time. He is survived by three of his four children, Gail N. Jones of Dudley, Phyllis Ann N. Hinson of Fayetteville and James Nunn of Orlando, Fla.; ten grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Barwick Nunn; a son, Leslie Ray “L. R. “Nunn III; his parents, Leslie Ray Nunn and Fannie Byrd Nunn; and his siblings. Graveside funeral services were held on Wednesday, March 19, in the Calypso Cemetery. The family greeted relatives and friends at the cemetery.

Aug. 20, 1968 –March 20, 2025

Larry Bryan Bradshaw, 56, of Rose Hill, passed from this life to his eternal rest on Thursday, March 20. Bryan was born on August 20, 1968, in Duplin County, the son of Larry Bradshaw and the late Eloise James Bradshaw.

Surviving, in addition to his father and stepmother, are his brothers, Roy Neil Bradshaw, Tim Bradshaw, and Christopher Mobley; his sister, Renee Gray; wife Barbara of Rose Hill; numerous nieces, nephews; extended family and friends who loved him dearly.

Bryan was a unique and simple man who found great joy in the simplest things, but his greatest joy was spending time with his family. Being a lover of the outdoors, Bryan enjoyed hunting and wild animals. He also had a green thumb and could make anything grow. Bryan was a kind man who loved people. He will surely be missed, but he will never be forgotten.

The funeral service was held on Monday, March 24, at Oak Grove PFWB Church, with Pastor Durwood Maready officiating. Burial followed the service in Riverview Memorial Park, Watha.

Ike Nunn

Curtis Williams

Larry Bryan Bradshaw

(Miller) Kissner

the daughter of the late John Henry and Isabel Rivenbark Miller. She was also preceded in death by an infant son, Jeffrey Kissner.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, Wayne Kissner; sisters, Ann Outlaw of Warsaw, Evelyn Jernigan of Clinton, Catherine Fussell of Rose Hill, and Grace Giddens of Penderlea; granddaughter, Heather York and husband Steven of Dunn; grandchildren, Levy York, Noah York, Ava York, and Chloe York; and best friend, Joy Davis of Rose Hill. Helen was born and grew up in Duplin County. She operated her beauty shop in Rose Hill for many years, where she met a wealth of people and made many very good friends. She was a very mild-mannered lady who loved working on the farm or in her garden, where her flowers were her delight. Her greatest love in life was for her family, with the grandchildren at the center of this love. A private family graveside service to celebrate her life was held on March 25 at Devotional Gardens of Warsaw, with Reverend Jimmy Johnson officiating.

Qua’Ron Marquis Faison

Sept. 8, 2006 –March 11, 2025

Qua’Ron Marquis Faison, 19, of Warsaw passed away March 11. Public viewing was held Wednesday, March 19 atHawes Funeral Home in Warsaw. Funeral service was Thursday, March 20 at New Christian Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Rose Hill, followed by interment in Devotional Gardens of Warsaw.

Harrells

Christian Academy recognizes Terrific Kids

Harrells Christian Academy honored its “Terrific Kids” on March 6. Students were nominated by teachers for consistently being responsible, respectful and caring. While all HCA Lower School students are enthusiastic participants, these 12 stood out: (Back row) Aubrey Bryant, Dalton Davis, Will Starling, Harleigh Sholar and Anna James Rouse. (Front row) Vanna Claire Rackley, Callie Jane Cottle, John Bullard, Mary Walton Phillips, Jacob Wells, Hollan Sholar and Aiden Davis.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@duplinjournal.com

COURTESY HARRELLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Duplin Journal Vol. 10, Issue 5

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF this week

Wallace breaks ground on new fire station

Proposed campground clears zoning hurdles

SPONSORED BY DUPLIN CALENDAR

April 12

April 15

Happening Monthly

Local high school students explore future careers

The Career and

Fair matches student interest with employers from 16 career clusters

NC Museums rallied for Cowan’s climate-focused ecoBlast

THE CONVERSATION

Education for vocation

Why Trump should ignore the stock market

Leading with dedication, purpose

Meet Rose Hill Town Administrator

Pink Hill Library Offers 4-week digital skills training

Early Educators of Duplin County 2025 Provider’s Event

CRAFTS • FOOD • BANDS • RIDES • DINOS

CAROLINA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

DUPLIN SPORTS

Lane’s guidance notches him top District 2 coach

Panthers’ Kern twirls no-hit gem to beat Lui, ’Dawgs

Rebel strong: Davis transformation leads to college football

Panthers’ bats lower boom on Bulldogs

Getting it done: North Duplin uses late push to topple Cougars

Panthers’ booters shake off slow start with new energy

Gavin Holmes

East

JOB OPENING: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Edith Ortega

William Edgar Kelly

Myrtle S. Thompson

Frances Ann Peragine

Eleanor Futral Boron

Esley “Sutton” Quinn Jr.

Pat Kornegay St. Cyre

(Miller) Kissner

Qua’Ron Marquis Faison

Harrells