Duplin Journal Vol. 10, Issue 6 by North State Journal

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF this

week

Join Hog Wild Cook-off Saturday

Beulaville

Beulaville’s annual Hog Wild Cook-off will be Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the corner of Highway 241 and Highway 41. Parking will be available beside the Realo store. The event will feature performances by Lily White and the Band of Oz starting at noon. There will be a variety of vendors, live local entertainment, a cake walk, children’s games, a 50/50 raffle and more. BBQ plates will be available for $10. The event is free.

Spring into Wellness April 12; receive free health screenings

Wallace The Duplin Coalition for Health and Wallace Train Depot announced their first Spring into Wellness Community Health Fair will take place on April 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Wallace Train Depot at 206 S. Railroad St. in Wallace. The event will feature a variety of free health screenings, including blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose checks, along with educational resources and information on wellness. There will be fresh produce, family-friendly activities, giveaways and more. Open to all community members, this is an opportunity for individuals and families to access health and wellness resources.

Free culinary medicine program offered through ECU Duplin County ECU Health is offering a free culinary medicine program, Dining With a Doc, on April 15 at 5 p.m. at ECU Health. This cooking demonstration is open to the community at no cost and provides education and skills to create healthy, plant-based meals. It includes recipes, and lifestyle medicine lecture notes. Registration is required. Contact wellness@ecuhealth.org to register.

Connect with local employers at Duplin Job Fair

Kenansville

The 2025 Duplin County Job Fair will be on Thursday, April 17 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at James Sprunt Community College. The event is open to the public. The event will offer the opportunity to connect with local employers and discover job opportunities. The rain date is April 24.

UMO AgFest sees record attendance

The annual event connects students with careers in agriculture

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

MOUNT OLIVE — The University of Mount Olive’s AgFest saw record attendance last Thursday as more than 2,200 students, educators, exhibitors and volunteers gathered to take part in the annual celebration of all things agriculture — and to learn about valuable career and academic prospects in the rap -

idly growing field.

“I think there’s a lot of times that people hear agriculture and they automatically think farming. And that’s kind of the limit,” said Edward Olive, director of the Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center at UMO.

At the event, students got to meet with farm- and nonfarm employers and groups to learn about agricultural opportunities that go beyond the obvious. It also acts as a recruiting event for the university, with nearly two dozen incoming students each year having attended

“We have tried to make it a little bit better every year.”

AgFest in the past. Seventy-five schools across the Carolinas were represented at the event. Ahead of an alumni meet and greet with country music sing-

er Walker Montgomery, UMO President H. Edward Croom addressed attendees.

“What you’re doing for bringing students here today is monumental,” Croom said. “I know it’s not always easy taking a group of high school students off for field trips and this type of activity. I appreciate that, from a principal’s, from a former school superintendent’s perspective.” Wallace-Rose Hill High School agriculture teacher and UMO alumnus Danielle Trim-

Body found believed to be missing Pink Hill woman

The Sheriff’s Office is waiting for autopsy results to confirm the identity of the body

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

AUTHORITIES are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman whose lifeless body was found in Pink Hill near a field located in the area of Burncoat and Jimmy Lee roads in Duplin County last week.

According to law enforcement,

the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office received a call March 26 from a citizen who found a body abandoned in a cutdown near a field.

Investigators believe the remains belong to Jamie Brooke Kennedy, who was reported missing from the Pink Hill area earlier in March.

“The clothing found on the body matches the description of what Jamie Brooke Kennedy was wearing when she was reported missing on March 9, 2025,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a social media post.

The 34-year-old woman was

last seen on Maxwell Mill Road near Albertson on March 2. Authorities had previously requested public assistance in locating Kennedy, and on March 21, Duplin County Crime Stoppers offered a reward for any information leading to Kennedy’s whereabouts.

The recovered body has been sent to the North Carolina Medical Examiners’ Office for a complete autopsy to confirm the victim’s identity.

The Sheriff’s Office stated that they are working in collaboration with the NCSBI in this investigation and will release

Second graders dive into agriculture at Duplin Grows

The annual two-day event brought agriculture to life for young learners through hands-on activities

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Last week, the Duplin Events Center came alive with excitement as second-grade students from all elementary schools across Duplin County arrived to participate in Duplin Grows.

The annual event has become more of a tradition and a vibrant celebration of agriculture, uniting students, enthusiastic volunteers, dedicated teachers and passionate agricultural professionals for two days of hands-on learning and exploration.

more information following the completion of the autopsy.

Sheriff Stratton Stokes expressed gratitude to the Duplin County Department of Public Safety, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their support in conducting searches since Kennedy’s disappearance.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Detective Sgt. Jon Green at the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office at 910-296-2150 or the Duplin County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 910-372-9202.

THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

K.D.BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

An AgFest attendee tries to go the full 8 seconds at the University of Mount Olive’s biggest-ever AgFest last week.

Edward Olive, Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center director

“Join the conversation”

Duplin Journal www.duplinjournal.com

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Ena Sellers News Editor

K.D. Beard Reporter

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Duplin student receives Victor E. Bell Jr. Scholarship

Shira Jiang’s scholarship is renewable for up to four years of college

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

WARSAW — Shira Jiang, a 12-year-old middle school student from Warsaw, has been awarded the 2025 Victor E. Bell Jr. Scholarship by the College Foundation of North Carolina. Diana Evans, a counselor at Warsaw Elementary School, made the announcement last week.

ive Pickle Company, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s Got to Be NC initiative, which promotes North Carolina agricultural goods and products.

“Those folks are the ones that make it happen.”

Olive also emphasized the impact volunteers have on the event’s success.

“We couldn’t do this if it weren’t for our UMO students that volunteer and our faculty and staff that come together.”

More than 60 exhibitors were present at this year’s AgFest, which requires meticulous care and planning to bring into fruition.

“This is really a weeklong process to get to what you see, but it’s a yearlong process to actually pull it together,” Olive explained. “We’ll start next week or the week after to debrief and say, ‘What didn’t work well or what could work better?’ We want to get those things down before we forget them,” he continued. “We have tried to make it a little bit better every year.”

“Shira is a hard-working, responsible student who is eager to learn.”

Diana Evans, Warsaw Elementary School

“Shira is a hard-working, responsible student who is eager to learn,” said Evans when asked to describe Jiang. “She is respectful to her teachers, and she is focused on her education.”

Named after the former chairman of the board of trustees for CFNC, the scholarship is awarded annually to 10 seventh grade students across the state. Each winner receives $2,000 annually, totaling up to $20,000 over the course of the scholarship.

The scholarship program is designed to motivate and empower academically talented students, helping them sustain their academic performance and ultimately secure a college degree.

According to the CFNC, the scholarship program was es-

tablished to assist students who demonstrate strong academic potential but face limited financial resources, making college a realistic option for those who might not have considered higher education otherwise. The scholarship encourages students and parents to start thinking about college at a young age and to prepare for the future. Every fall, deserving students are nominated by their middle school counselors or college access groups, recognizing their hard work, commitment and leadership.

Black belt surgeon offers free karate lessons

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

THROUGHOUT the week,

Dr. Keith Kreitz can be found providing life-saving medical care and advice to his patients at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville where he is a surgeon as well as the director of bariatrics. On Wednesday nights, however, the doctor hangs up his white coat and stephoscope to don a different kind of uniform — the white gi and black belt characteristic of a Shotokan karateka.

Kreitz, a second-degree black belt in the Japanese martial art of Shotokan, is offering free karate classes to anyone interested in learning at his Campbell Center dojo in Wallace to encourage people to get out and exercise.

“It’s passing on the art, I love it,” said Kreitz. “It’s something that’s become part of me.”

Kreitz began taking karate classes at 10 or 11 years old while his father was stationed at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, he says, though the far drive to the dojo resulted in the classes lasting only a summer. It wasn’t until he’d earned his medical degree and was working on his fellowship in bariatric surgery at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital in Louisiana that the doctor first became acquainted with the art of Shotokan through Dr. Pat Walken, an anesthesiologist at the hospital.

Walken explained to Kreitz that Shotokan was a karate style out of Okinawa that was transported to mainland Japan in 1922 by Ginchin Funakoshi, a pacifist and poet who wrote under the pen name Shoto. When Kreitz asked Walken where he could learn, the anesthesiologist told him of a gardener who taught Shotokan at the LA Fitness Center in Lake Charles.

“A gardener who teaches kara-

te? That’s like Mr. Miyagi! That’s the guy I need to see,” Kreitz recalled thinking.

Though Rod Prejean wasn’t exactly like “The Karate Kid’s” wise sensei, he was a proficient instructor who had been trained by two pupils of Shotokan founder Funakoshi: Takayuki Mikami and Teruyuki Okazaki. After his first few classes with Sensei Prejean, Kreitz developed a love for the art.

“It was a natural fit. Linear style, straight- orward, no pretentiousness,” said Kreitz. “I took a lot of knocks, but I learned a lot, and it stuck with me.”

Upon completing his bariatric fellowship at Lake Charles, the doctor returned to Pennsylvania, where he worked as a bariatric and general surgeon at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne. Eager to continue his training, Kreitz asked his sensei for help locating a Shotokan dojo in the Keystone State. Prejean referred him to the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF), one of the largest and most widespread Shotokan karate organizations in the world, founded in 1977 by Okazaki.

“I kind of had to start all over again,” said Kreitz of his time with the ISKF, adding that he was bumped from a first-degree brown belt to a sixth-degree green due to differences in the two school’s ranking systems. Ultimately, he feels the experience made him a better student.

After 17 years of doing karate with the organization, Kreitz achieved the rank of second-degree (or second dan) black belt, a testament to his dedication.

“The old joke is: what’s the definition of a black belt? A white belt that just kept showing up,” he remarked.

Now, the doctor seeks to share his love of Shotokan with prospective pupils of any age — completely free of charge.

“This is one thing where I can get people active, give them something they can do for life.”

Dr. Keith Kreitz

“It originally was that way,” explained Kreitz. “Karate wasn’t something you paid to do. In old Okinawa, you would teach karate in secret, usually at night. It wasn’t something you advertised, but it wasn’t something you charged for either.”

Kreitz hopes the classes provide the community with a way to keep active while learning valuable methods of self-defense.

“I try to encourage people to get out, get that exercise in, if it’s just walking every day or riding

your bike,” said Kreitz. “This is one thing where I can get people active, give them something they can do for life.”

For those uncertain or apprehensive about getting started, the sensei surgeon has sage insight.

“First thing they say with anything: take that first step and just show up,” advised Kreitz.

“I do medicine by day, I do weight loss surgery, I do seminars and stuff, and what I tell everybody is: First thing, you

show up and you learn about it.

“There’s a funny thing, though,” he added. “That’s most of life.“

As Kreitz continues to honor the teachings of Funakoshi and the art of Shotokan while promoting healthy habits in his community, the doctor endeavors to make as much of an impact on his student’s lives as his patients.

“They say if you do something at least for three weeks, you start to make a habit,” said Kreitz. “And if you can make a habit out of something, and it’s something good, it can become something for life.”

Kreitz’s classes at the Campbell Center are held Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Community members of all ages are encouraged to attend.

Duplin Agribusiness Academy hosts inspiring workshop

Women lead the charge at Duplin’s agriculture workshop

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Last week, the Ed Emory Auditorium in Kenansville was filled with palpable excitement as the Duplin Agribusiness Academy hosted the highly anticipated Women in Ag workshop.

Nearly two hundred students from Duplin County Schools and James Sprunt Community College gathered to explore the diverse opportunities available for female students in agriculture. The event provided a dynamic platform for participants to connect with agriculture professionals and engage in informative breakout sessions and panel discussions.

The workshop was designed to empower young women by bringing together students, industry leaders and educators who shared their insights and

experiences. Presenters stressed the critical role that agriculture plays in our economy and highlighted the expanding career possibilities for young women. They emphasized the transformative impact that women’s contributions can have on the industry, propelling innovation and sustainability for a brighter future.

Attendees heard from local women leaders who are making significant strides in agricultural technology, science and agribusiness. One speaker underscored the important role women are taking in agricultural education across Duplin County, inspiring the next generation of female leaders.

The atmosphere was one of collaboration and curiosity, where participants were not only informed but also motivated by the success stories shared. As the event concluded, attendees left equipped with valuable resources and a sense of excitement about their potential as future leaders in the agriculture sector.

COURTESY JAMES SPRUNT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The Ed Emory Auditorium in Kenansville was filled with excitement as the Duplin Agribusiness Academy hosted the Women in Ag workshop on March 20.

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Sensei Keith Kreitz leads his young pupils in a exercise at the Campbell Center in Wallace.

Dr. Keith Kreitz, a baratric surgeon with ECU Health Duplin Hospital, is a second-degree black belt in the Japanese martial art of Shotokan

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

| MICHAEL BARONE

Abundance versus ‘everything bagel’ liberalism

“IMAGINE BOARDING a train in the center of a city,” former President Barack Obama rhapsodized in April 2009. “No racing to an airport and across a terminal, no delays, no sitting on the tarmac, no lost luggage, no taking off your shoes. Imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour, walking only a few steps to public transportation, and ending up just blocks from your destination.”

It’s a curious statement to find one-third of the way into a book titled “Abundance.” Not 10% of Americans live or work in the middle of a city within walking distance of a passenger train station, but as coauthors Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson quickly make clear, their focus is on “the land that matters ... in the hearts of our cities,” by which they mean the giant coastal metropolitan areas where one quarter of the public live. They make it clear as well that they’re writing for fellow liberals. They expect 4 to 6 degrees Celsius of global warming, a high-side estimate in my view, and assert confidently that “the stocks of fossil fuels are finite,” even though fracking has shown that innovation can vastly increase the amounts recoverable. They decry “closing our gates to immigrants,” ignoring the nearly 1 million new U.S. citizens every year.

Nevertheless, “Abundance” is full of thoughtful analysis and useful perspectives on “the pathologies of the broad left.” They tell their intended audience — Klein writes for The New York Times, Thompson for The Atlantic — things already familiar to readers of conservative publications: How former President Joe Biden’s multibillion-dollar program produced just seven (or maybe 55) electric vehicle charging stations, how the Biden rural broadband project connected no one, how California’s high-speed rail program — authorized by voters in 2008 after

LETTERS

Truth-telling

Does truth no longer matter in the land of the USA

Are we at a place where you can’t believe what many people have to say

When did the truth lose it’s place

As the standard in speech once embraced

“A man is no better than his word”

When I was growing up were the words I heard

There was no need for a written deed

Your word and a handshake was all you would need

It was true then, it’s still true today

We reveal who we are by the words we use and say

Jefferson said, “The whole art of government consists in the art of being honest”

But truth-telling today for some seems to be the hardest

While abstinence is required to maintain sobriety

Honesty is required for a just society

It would restore our nation’s soul

Correct us when we go astray

If there was more truth-telling in government today

Charlie Albertson, Beulaville

spending unpredicted billions — is still struggling to connect the metropolises of Fresno and Merced. They understand why most voters think red states are governed better than blue states.

In the process, they tell the story of how the government in the 1970s vastly improved the quality and healthiness of air and water — a story little appreciated today because conservatives don’t like crediting the government, and environmentalists like to raise money by lamenting that things are worse than ever.

The corollary to that has been what Klein and Thompson call “everything bagel liberalism.”

The 2023 Biden semiconductor bill required an environmental questionnaire to assess environmental review, mandated an “equity strategy” for applicants, and required plans to include women and other disadvantaged people such as minorities, veterans and small businesses in their supply chains — something for every Democratic Party constituency.

They don’t have any recommendations for leaving any liberal constituency out in the cold. Nor do they make the point that Philip Howard makes in his several books that responsible individuals should make final decisions and not leave them to endless committee deliberations and court processes.

Instead, they point to what great things they think must be accomplished.

We need more solar and wind energy and hightransmission lines — they admit red Texas does better than blue California on this — and to double the electric grid because of artificial intelligence. Those solar and wind devices will require land the size of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, plus Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Then, “electrify everything,” replacing 1 billion machines “within the next few years.”

COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS

You will have to replace your accustomed gas stove with electric induction and your gas heat with an electric heat pump, both of which, they assure you, will work better. One suspects that the severalthousand-dollar outlays will not be voluntary, at least for nonmembers of “everything bagel” constituencies.

“The arc of history does not always bend toward our beliefs,” the authors admit in their conclusion. Americans are not lining up to turn in their gas stoves, and it’s apparent California’s electric car mandate won’t be met by 2035, as Democrats torch electric vehicles rather than buy them. American trust in expert scientists was frayed by the lies and misjudgments of Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, and others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s hard to see America making the transition from spending money to reduce carbon emissions to realizing economic gains from doing so — and even harder to see how Democrats who want to build things cut through the pettifoggery of “everything bagel” constituencies’ vetoes and get to the authors’ promised land of low-carbon-emissions abundance.

I guess that Klein and Thompson (briefly a nextdoor neighbor, and a very nice one, in my Washington apartment building) wrote this book to show their fellow liberals the need to change, to stimulate on national issues the innovative success urban liberals have scored on revising big-city zoning to allow more housing. And without any of the hatred, contempt and snobbish disdain so many liberals show for the views and habits of their fellow citizens who do not share their views.

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of “The Almanac of American Politics.”

When judges violate the Constitution

LEFTIST JUDGES WANT to turn President Donald Trump into a president in name only.

Look at all the ways that individual judges have hamstrung the Trump administration. A district court judge recently blocked Trump’s executive order removing transgender individuals from the military. Another judge ordered the Trump administration to send two men who are pretending to be women into a women’s prison. One federal judge ordered the administration to restore government webpages that promote the left’s transgender narrative.

A different district court judge stopped the Trump administration from disbanding the wasteful USAID. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appointed Jeremy Lewin to a high-level position in USAID. The judge later ruled that Lewin wasn’t allowed to serve in that role.

Last weekend, another federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting illegal immigrant gang members. He even unsuccessfully attempted to force them to turn around flights that were already in the air. These examples are only the tip of the judicial overreach iceberg.

Now, all presidential administrations face lawsuits, but what’s happening here is well beyond historical norms. In his four years in office, former President Joe Biden’s administration received 14 federal injunctions. In less than two months, judges have already hit the Trump administration with more than that.

These rulings are an affront to the Constitution. Article 2 gives “executive power” to the president, who is also “commander in chief” of the military.

Yet according to some federal judges, the judiciary is in charge of the executive branch’s military policy, hiring, spending decisions and deportation flights. The Trump administration can’t even take down a website. Contrast that judicial activism with what Alexander Hamilton laid out in Federalist 78.

“The judiciary is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of power,” he wrote. And “it can never attack with success either of the other two.”

But, Hamilton warned, while “liberty can have

nothing to fear from the judiciary alone,” it “would have everything to fear from its union with either of the other departments.”

That’s what some district court judges are attempting to do. These unelected, unaccountable judges are attempting to upend the constitutional order.

Most people take it for granted that the executive and legislative branches will abide by judicial decisions. And despite Trump’s social media bluster, his administration has been remarkably deferential to the judicial process in its actions. That’s likely in part due to a belief that higher courts, including the Supreme Court, will largely overrule these individual judges. That’s already happened in one case involving Trump’s push to eliminate DEI. Republicans in Congress are also working on potential solutions, such as requiring a three-judge panel to rule on injunctive relief.

The judiciary is more vulnerable than many activist judges seem to realize.

As Hamilton wrote, the judiciary “may truly be said to have neither force nor will, but merely judgment; and must ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm even for the efficacy of its judgments.”

In other words, if Trump tells the court to enforce its own rulings, the court can’t. It can only hope there would be a political price to pay for openly defying a court order.

Public support for the judiciary, however, could collapse quickly. The left has been attacking it for years. Biden openly disregarded a Supreme Court decision on student loan forgiveness. Some Democrats pushed to pack the Supreme Court, while others have wrongly smeared conservative justices as corrupt.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts needs to stop rogue district court judges from violating the Constitution — and quickly. If he doesn’t, support from the right could evaporate quickly.

A diminished court isn’t ideal, but neither is one that flagrantly violates the Constitution.

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

COLUMN

Confidence, purpose and faith

Meet Magnolia Mayor Dawn Ward

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 Magnolia Mayor Dawn Ward for a Q&A session.

As the mayor of Magnolia, Ward plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging among residents, involving them in the town’s decision-making process and ensuring their opinions are considered in shaping the town’s future. Her role in guiding the town’s development is vital to sustaining the community’s well-being and bringing people together to achieve common goals.

Ward’s leadership models resilience with a solution-oriented mindset, highlighting the importance of adapting to challenges and staying optimistic, even when faced with difficulties like adverse weather or community skepticism, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing that everyone, regardless of differences, contributes to making Magnolia a great place to live.

In this Q&A, Ward reflected on her learning journey in public office. She spoke with humility about serving as the mayor for the first time and concluded with a reflection on the diversity of Magnolia and the value it brings to the town.

How has your life changed since you were sworn in as mayor of Magnolia in December 2023?

My life since being sworn in as mayor has been one continual state of learning. People often ask me what I think about being mayor of Magnolia, and my response every time is, “It has been an education.” Becoming mayor has truly been a case of “I didn’t know what I didn’t know.”

What has been the most surprising part of this new chapter for you?

The most surprising part has been learning how much is required on a day-to-day basis to keep a town, even the size of Magnolia, operating. Although, I have also learned that, regardless of the size of the town, the needs are much the same. It is simply about scale.

In what ways has your involvement with the North Carolina League of Municipalities Legislative Committee shaped your approach to governance and your role as mayor?

Being appointed to the Legislative Policy Committee for

this biennium was a huge honor. Having an opportunity to participate in the process that helped to shape the North Carolina League of Municipalities’ advocacy goals was an education unto itself. I would not say it has shaped my approach to governance, per se. However, it did afford me the chance to collaborate with other elected officials and gain insight as to how small and large municipalities are similar and how they differ. What advice would you offer to young women who aspire to take on leadership roles in government?

I would tell them to know who they are. That they are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and they are God’s masterpiece created in Christ Jesus to do good works that God prepared in advance for them to do (Ephesians 2:10). To walk boldly in that knowledge.

As mayor, what have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced so far, and what achievements or moments are you most proud of in your tenure?

One of the biggest challenges has been dealing with an aging infrastructure, particularly with water and sewer. Another challenge has been working to earn the trust of the residents. There has been some turnover in the last few years in both elected officials and staff. I think that led to some folks feeling like their voices were not being heard, while others felt distrustful.

That, however, leads me to answer the second part of your question. I think the moment that most stands out in my memory since taking office was the tree lighting Magnolia hosted on Dec. 6, 2024. It was about 22 degrees that night, so we had no idea if anyone would even show up. About 150 people enjoyed hot chocolate, cookies, Christmas carols, crafts, pictures with Santa and, of course, the tree lighting itself. Our diverse population was represented that night, and a good time was had by all. I still get teary-eyed when I think of it.

Another proud moment was the summer feeding program

“The kids had a great time,” said Charmae Kendall, NC Cooperative Extension, Duplin County 4-H program assistant, adding that 725 kids participated in the March 25-26 event.

Students engaged in agriculture through interactive activities and even met live animals up close. From farm safety to agricultural production, the students had a blast

while gaining a deeper appreciation for the heart of Duplin’s agriculture.

The young adventurers “ro-

in which Magnolia partnered with Duplin County Schools last year. We became aware of the food scarcity issues being faced by some of the children in our town, and residents came together to not only find a solution but to bring that solution to the town very quickly.

What exciting projects or initiatives are you currently working on, and what are you most looking forward to in the future for Magnolia?

We have several projects/initiatives in the works. As you know, Magnolia learned last month we have been awarded $6.9 million in grants for five different water and sewer infrastructure projects. Once completed, they are going to be a huge “shot in the arm,” if you will, for the town. Our new town manager, Charles Banks, was also able to recover a grant for our library that is going to be used to do repairs to the building. The plan is to use the former library as a community building where various events can be held to benefit both young and old alike. Also, thanks to our local faith communities in Magnolia, we will be having an Easter event, including an egg hunt, on April 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the park.

How do you see residents and local community organizations contributing to the economic growth and future development of Magnolia? What steps are being taken to foster greater collaboration with them?

Earlier this year, we conducted a community land use survey. We offered the survey in both English and Spanish and received responses in both. The residents had good suggestions as to what they would like to see for the future growth of Magnolia. Most agreed they want to see Magnolia attract more businesses, update the park and add more activities for children. The general consensus was in fostering growth while maintaining a small-town feel. To aid with the direction of this development, the town has formed a planning board again. It had its first meeting on Monday, March 17 and will meet the first Monday of each month. Our faith communities collaborating together to host the upcoming Easter event is one example of the role local organizations can play in contributing to Magnolia’s forward progression as a town. Duplin County Child Nutrition Services has reached out to ask if Magnolia would like to be an official host site for their summer feeding program this year. I have already spoken with members of my Mayor’s Advisory Council about this initiative and asked for their assistance in recruiting volunteers for us to bring this program back to

tated through 12 stations,” Kendall explained. Each station provided unique insights, covering topics such as the types of produce grown in Duplin, the care of plants and animals, and the different breeds of cows and the products they produce.

Duplin Grows showcased how agricultural education can come to life for young learners, highlighting the essential role farming plays in Duplin County.

Magnolia for a second summer, but this time, as an official site for the entirety of the summer program. I will be reaching out to our faith-based communities to enlist their assistance as well. It is said that “it takes a village” to raise children, and ensuring Magnolia’s children are not hungry during the summer months is no exception.

I think the biggest way we are trying to foster collaboration is through inclusivity. Our current board of commissioners, town manager, chief of police, staff and I want our residents to know they all matter, and we want them to have a seat at the table. We want their voices to be heard. In an effort to ensure our Spanish-speaking residents feel included, we have begun publishing in both English and Spanish on our social media. Flyers related to upcoming town events are also presented in both languages. We have two staff members who are fluent in Spanish and can lend assistance should the need arise.

I think it is important to reiterate my earlier point, which is, we are all created in the image of God. We may look and sound different, but that is one of the things that makes Magnolia such a great place to live.

The diversity of its people. I am humbled and privileged to be the mayor of such a town.

What do you do in your spare time?

My husband and I are empty nesters. You may find us taking the Jeep out for a day at the beach or our RV on an extended trip. We are both avid readers, so sometimes my spare time is spent simply relaxing beside one another, reading a book.

What was the last book you read?

“During School Hours” by Joel Penton. He is the founder and CEO of LifeWise Academy, a nonprofit ministry that provides religious education for public school students during school hours. It is based on an approach called “released time religious instruction” that allows public school students to leave school during the day for off-campus religious instruction, provided certain legal requirements are met.

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

This a tough one. It really depends on my mood. Lol, I am not able to narrow it down to one, so I will have to pick two: The Rose Hill Restaurant and The Filling Station.

What, in your opinion, is the best thing about Duplin County?

Hands down, the people and their resilience. That spirit of neighbor helping neighbor.

Downtown Wallace Merchant Association hosts Shop Hop 2025

Wallace

The Downtown Wallace Merchant Association will be hosting the town’s annual Shop Hop event Saturday, April 5 to encourage the community to explore and support local businesses in the downtown area. Tickets are $40 and will include lunch at Burney’s, coffee from Mo’Joe’s, a swag bag that includes a free gift in addition to a deal, gift, or giveaway at every store participating in the event. Tickets can be purchased at Art of Hope, Evan’s Jewelers, Pink Willow Boutique or The Traveling Gypsy Boutique and are in limited supply.

Duplin County EMS educate eighth graders on CPR, AED Albertson Duplin County EMS teams recently visited BF Grady Elementary school to provide eighth grade students with education and instruction on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and manage sudden cardiac arrest. Eighth grade students had the opportunity to practice high-quality CPR and were instructed on the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), both of which have been shown to drastically improve the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest. According to Duplin County Emergency Services, bystander CPR saves lives, with immediate CPR doubling or even tripling survival chances. With around 356,000 cases of out- of-hospital cardiac arrest happening annually in the United States alone, most commonly due to heart disease, these life-saving techniques could make all the difference to anyone experiencing cardiac distress. Anyone interested in receiving CPR training is encouraged to reach out to Duplin County Emergency Services.

GROWS from page A1

Ward

“The kids had a great time.”

Charmae Kendall, NC Cooperative Extension, Duplin County COURTESY CHARMAE KENDALL / NC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION Second grade students enjoy hands- on activities at the annual Duplin Grows during a field trip visit to the Duplin Events Center in Kenansville on March 25.

CAROLINA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

First weekend in May In Historic Downtown Wallace

Delia (Kershner) Wallace

Dec. 24, 1953 –March 22, 2025

Delia Kershner Wallace, age 61, of Teachey passed from this life to her eternal rest on Friday, March 21. She was born in Anderson, Indiana to Clara Leach Jones of Teachey and the late David Kershner. Mrs. Wallace was also preceded in death by her daughter Magan Lewis.

Surviving in addition to her mother, Clara, is her husband Tommy Wallace of the home; her daughter Elizabeth Adkins and husband Jeremy of Fort Bragg, North Carolina; grandchildren Haydin Adkins, Devin Adkins and Steel Adkins; numerous extended family and friends that loved her dearly.

Delia was a devoted wife and caring mother. She was a simple woman who enjoyed the simplest things in life but her greatest joy was family. A lover of the outdoors, Delia enjoyed hunting and being around animals, especially horses. She was a strong-willed and determined lady with a big heart for others. Her grandchildren were the apple of her eyes and she would do anything she could for them. Delia will surely be missed but treasured memories will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

Graveside service was on Thursday, March 27 at Magan’s Farm Cemetery in Teachey. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to help with the funeral expenses.

Paul E. Arnette

July 27, 1953 –March 26, 2025

Paul Edward Arnette passed away Wednesday, March 26 at the age of 71. He was a life long resident of Mount Olive and surrounding areas.

Mr. Arnette had been employed at Duplin Farm Supply and Murphy’s Mill, both at Calypso, and with Jenkins Gas Company. Paul had enjoyed a long membership with Beautancus Saddle Club. He loved horses, the outdoors, especially fishing, and being with friends and loved ones.

He is survived by his children, Dexter Arnette of Mount Olive, Betty Anderson of Hampstead, and Rebecca Brock with husband Konner of Mount Olive; a brother, Willie Ray Arnette and wife Joyce of Sneads Ferry; grandchildren, Scarlett Blaze Murphy with husband Justin, Candace Lynn Arnette, Kaitlyn Abigail Arnette, Alona Summer Arnette, Ashley Arnette, Brandi Anderson, Timothy Anderson, Janey Kate Brock, and Josie Brock; greatgrandchildren, Kayden Murphy, MaKayla Murphy, Josiah Arnette, Journee Arnette, Emrys Arnette, Anna Villalon, Emilia Villalon, and Rimi Villalon; and two nieces, Kimberly Bradshaw and Stephanie Hardin. He is also survived by a great-nephew, Courtland Bradshaw.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Janet Arnette; parents, Lannie Edward Arnette and Flora Lee Dail Arnette Jones; and an infant brother, Dexter Arnette.

A gathering at which to remember Mr. Paul Arnette’s life was held Sunday, March 30 by the graveside at the Pate Cemetery. The family greeted neighbors and friends at the cemetery after the service.

Cassandra Kelly Bryant

Dec. 23, 1950 –March 22, 2025

Cassandra Maxine Kelly Bryant, of Charlotte, NC, gained her heavenly wings on Saturday, March 22. She was born to Monroe Kelly and Agnes Ruth Boney Kelly on December 23, 1950 in Duplin County. Cassandra was never ashamed of being from a small town called Chin-quapin and would proudly let people know about her hometown. She was raised in Chinquapin and was the youngest of her 5 siblings. She was a member of First Missionary Baptist Church until her passing. Often referred to as “Sand”, “Aunt Sand”, “Sassy”, or “Kelly”, Cassandra was best known for her kind heart, smile, sassy personality, love of sports, baking, and gardening. She loved to laugh and have a good time with family and friends. Cassandra’s favorite sports were basketball, tennis, golf, and football. She loved traveling, playing Po-ke-no and Bridge. She was a member of bowling leagues in Charlotte and Wilmington. In 1978, Cassandra married Arnold E. Bryant in Wilmington and from this union, she had two children, Danielle K. Bryant and David K. Bryant. Cassandra was a mother to more than her 2 biological children. She was the mom that you could count on for an honest answer, a ride to practice, and a good meal. She was well-known for her homemade peanut brittle candy as well as other homemade baked goods. She attended Chinquapin Elementary School (1-8) and Charity High School (9-12). After high school graduation in 1969, she went to North Carolina Central University (NCCU). She graduated from NCCU in 1973 with dual majors in Business and Business Education. While attending NCCU, she worked all four years in the Athletic Department. After college graduation, Cassandra was employed as an Accountant with Dupont for over 28 years from 1973 to 2001. Afterwards, she continued her employment and worked for Brock & Scott law firm and Circle K Corporate office. Then in 2013, after working several years in their corporate office, she retired from Time Warner Cable. In November of 2023, Cassandra was inducted into The Society of Golden Eagles at her NCCU 50th class reunion ceremony. Cassandra passed on her mother’s birthday; and our family has comfort in knowing that she is in heaven with her mom. Even though we know she is in a better place, her great energy and positive spirit will definitely be missed. Cassandra was a firm believer in the Lord. As she battled with cancer, she would often say “I might not be the best, but I’m blessed!!”

She was predeceased by Monroe Kelly, father; Agnes Ruth Boney Kelly, mother; Arnold E. Bryant, husband; Carolyn K. Watson, sister; Garfield Thomas, brother-in-law; and Mocha Bryant, the world’s best little dog. Cassandra is survived by Danielle K. Bryant, daughter; David K. Bryant (Aisha Bryant), son; Cleveland M. Kelly (Patricia Kelly), brother; Clifton M. Kelly, brother; Carrie K. Thomas, sister; Calvin M. Kelly (Evelyn Kelly), brother; a very special step-daughter Trina Evans, son-in-law Oran Evans, bonus grandchildren Orianna Evans and Torin Evans; and great grandson Kysin Evans along with many nieces, nephews, great-grand nieces, great-grand nephews, bonus sons, bonus daughters, and many special friends to share her precious memories.

Jarmaine Devon

Frederick

May 28, 1978 –March 23, 2025

Jarmaine Devon Frederick, age 46, of Rose Hill passed away on Sunday, March 25 at the Wallace Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Wallace.

Funeral services were held on Sunday, March 30 at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Rose Hill. Burial will follow at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Cemetery in Magnolia

Left to cherish his precious memories: wife, Tammy Frederick of Teachey; son, Javyn D. Frederick of Wilson; father, Matthew Frederick Jr. (Joyce) of Kenansville; three brothers, Lavonza Frederick of Leland, Danille Jarman (Natasha) of Fayetteville, and Justin Frederick of Rose Hill; one sister, Linda Jarman of Clinton; mother-inlaw, Ruth Wiggins of Teachey; two uncles, Connell Frederick (Vera) and Clarence Moore of Magnolia; aunt, Clarice Moore of Magnolia; two step-sisters: Teresa Grant of Virginia and Laura Ann Williams of Charlotte; step-brother, Christopher Dewitt (Tamika) of South Maryland; three brothersin-law; two sisters-in-law; and numerous cousins and friends that will miss him dearly.

House will be set-up at the home of his father, Matthew Frederick Jr. in Kenansville.

Peggy Wellington Rogers Vick

Aug. 23, 1942 –March 28, 2025

Peggy Wellington Rogers Vick, former long-time resident of Faison, passed away Friday morning, March 28 at The Indigo in Pikeville, formerly known as Countryside and The Ridge. Peggy was 82. After having to give up housekeeping due to health reasons, Peggy lived with her daughter and son-in-law until the time came that they could no longer care for her in the way she needed, and she relocated to Countryside.

Peggy was preceded in death by her first husband, Melvin Lee Rogers; her second husband, John Vick; an infant son, Tony Lee Rogers; her parents, Rodney J. Wellington and Bernice Ball Welllington; and a brother, Rodney W. “Sonny” Wellington. She leaves behind a daughter and son-in-law, Sherry Rogers Grady and David Grady of Goldsboro; a granddaughter and husband, Lauren D. and Jimmie Fulghum of Goldsboro, and Bradley Davis, also of Goldsboro; a great-granddaughter, Natalie Fulghum of Goldsboro; a sister, Ginger Bank and husband, Marshall, of Wilson; and a brother, Jimmy Wellington and his lady friend, Mary Lou Godbold, both of Clinton.

Her life was remembered on Tuesday, April 1 at a graveside service in the Faison Cemetery. Pastor Jeffrey Dail officiated. The family greeted friends and relatives at the cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be made to Gentiva Hospice in Goldsboro. A note of grateful appreciation is extended to the staff of The Indigo at Pikeville, and also to Gentiva Hospice for their excellence in caregiving.

Mev P. Cummings

April 17, 1947 –March 23, 2025

Mary Evelyn Pleasants Cummings, 77, resident of Goldsboro, and former long-time resident of Mount Olive, passed away early Sunday morning, March 23 at Wayne UNC Healthcare. She was known as Mev Cummings to her family and most of her friends. Mev was retired from the Duplin County School System having worked in the guidance department. She will be remembered for her love for traveling and dancing, her relaxing by the pool with her favorite music playing, and also her spending time with her family, and more especially her involvement and attending any events involving her grandchildren.

Mev is survived by her husband of 49 years, Haywood Glenn Cummings; three children and their spouses, Dan Smith Jr. and Shanera of Texas, Robyn Smith Pullen and Danny of Goldsboro, and Corbett and Amanda Cummings of Pikeville; seven grandchildren, Javen Smith, Leah Smith, Adley Cummings, Evan Cummings, Kaleb Lane, Jordan Smith, and Avenell Pullen; and five great-grandchildren. Mev also leaves behind her beloved pet, Mollie. She has now embraced once more the love of her late parents, John E. and Ann A. Pleasants. Mev’s life was remembered on Wednesday ,March 26 at a graveside service in Wayne Memorial Park. Friends and relatives greeted the family at the cemetery, and also at Haywood and Mev’s residence in Goldsboro.

Ernest B. Kirby

April 26, 1949 –March 24, 2025

Ernest B. Kirby, known to most as Ernie Kirby, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 24 at Wayne UNC Healthcare. Born April 26, 1949 in Wayne County, he worked for 30 years with the N. C. Employment Security Commission, a career he dearly loved and enjoyed. Ernie was preceded in death by his father, Ray Kirby; his mother, Edna Brock Kirby; his brother Jimmy Kirby; and the person he loved more than life itself, his wife, Donna Kirby. He is survived by his sister, Carol K. Jackson and husband, James of Cape Carteret; a niece, Casey Miller and companion Troy Donahue of Goldsboro; a sister-inlaw, Sandra Barnes and husband Dean of Goldsboro; a sister-in-law, Kim Dean and husband Dwayne; a sister-in-law, Karen Routh of Randleman; a nephew, Stephen Tart and wife Dani of Grantham, niece, Caroline Warmack and husband Kyle of New Bern; nephew, Hunter Dean and wife Anna of Goldsboro; niece, Kennedy Dean of Goldsboro; and cousin and best friend, Billy Lassiter of Mount Olive.

Ernie loved nothing more than taking a ride on his motorcycle, any events relating to motorcycles, and just living life to the fullest. He made friends every where he went, was humble, and a wonderful friend to many.

Visitation was held Friday, March 28 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Ernie’s residence. A celebration of his life will be at a later date.

Andy W. Cashwell

Feb. 21, 1970 –March 23, 2025

Andy Worth Cashwell, 55, lifelong resident of the Mount Olive/ Calypso area, went to be with his Lord on Sunday, March 23 after a courageous battle with cancer. It claimed his body, but his soul is with Jesus, and will be forevermore.

Andy was a member of the 1988 graduating class of North Duplin High School. Following high school, he attended James Sprunt Community College studying the electrical program.

While in high school, Andy worked with the old Hardee’s in Mount Olive, after which he was employed with the Town of Mount Olive’s recreation department. He was employed with Standard Products in Goldsboro for a long tenure of time, followed by part-time stints with Don Pate Farms and Cottle Strawberry Farms, and Duplin County Waste Management. Lastly, Andy worked on an as-needed basis with Anchored Transportation.

Andy’s parents were the late Raymond Worth Cashwell Jr., better known as J. R. Cashwell, and Martha Rose McCullen Cashwell.

He leaves behind a loving family which includes a sister and brother-in-law, Sandy C. and Robert McCarty of Faison; brothers and sisters-in-law, Randy and Mary Cashwell of Mount Olive, Carlton “Toogie” and Peggie Cashwell of Calypso, and Jackie and Ruth Cashwell of Mount Olive. Andy also has many nieces and nephews which he loved very much: Skylar Holland and husband Nick, Shaily Rogers and husband Joseph, Caleb Cashwell and wife Shawn, Ivey Cashwell and friend Justin Edwards, Brandon Cashwell and wife Jessica, Jason Cashwell and wife Jenna, and Inga Thurston and husband Will; great-nieces and great-nephews to include Walker Holland, Collins Cashwell, and Case Cashwell; his life-long best friend, Craig Lane of Mount Olive; a special friend, Sonya Jackson of Goldsboro; and his two beloved doggie companions, Cesar and Fancy. The life of Andy Cashwell was remembered at a service held Wednesday, March 26 at the Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church, of which Andy had become a devoted member. Officiating was Pastor Jeff Dail, Michael Odom, and Pastor Kelvin Coates, with Skylar Holland offering special family memories. Burial followed the service at the Calypso Cemetery, with visitation with the family held at the cemetery after the service, and at other times at the home of Robert and Sandy McCarty in Faison.

Oct. 20, 1941 –March 25, 2025

Joseph Lee Simpson passed away on Wednesday, March 26. Graveside services were held on Tuesday, April 1 at the Simpson Family Cemetery in Richlands.

Joseph Lee Simpson

obituaries

Mary Jane Jones

Feb. 2, 1944 – March 27, 2025

Mary Jane Brinson Jones, long time resident of the Oak Ridge community near Mount Olive, passed away Thursday, March 27 at her home. Mrs. Jones was 81 years of age.

She was a farmer’s wife and an excellent homemaker, especially known for her abilities in the kitchen. She also had been a child care provider, a baby-sitter as she called it, at her home. She attended the Jones Memorial Community Church.

Mrs. Jones was preceded in death by her husband, Kirby S. Jones; an infant daughter, Cynthia Ann Jones; her son-inlaw, GeraldMalpass; her parents, Hallie Brinson and Betty Virginia Barwick Brinson; two brothers, Earl Brinson and James Brinson; three sisters, Jackie Evans, Betty Mae Thigpen, and Carolyn Brinson; and two infant brothers.

She leaves behind a loving family to include a daughter, Joy Jones Malpass of Mount Olive; two sons and daughtersin-law, Tim and Lisa S. Jones of Faison, and Matt and Billie Jo Jones of Moss Hill; grandchildren, Corine M. Holmes and husband Glen of Goldsboro, Abby M. Harper and husband Gary of Kenansville, Josh Malpass and wife Kelly of Mount Olive, Trevor Jones of Faison, Taylor Jones of Southport, Rylee Jo Jones of Mount Olive, and Madelyn Jones of Mount Olive; greatgrandchildren, Emma Holmes, Allie Holmes, Landon Harper, Alivia Harper, Lucas Malpass, Savannah Malpass, and Ivy Malpass; a sister, Marilyn B. Brock of Wallace; and several nieces and nephews from both the Brinson and Jones families.

The life of Mrs. Jones was remembered at a graveside service on Sunday, March 30 in the Jones Family Cemetery. Officiating was Minister Coy Brock. The family received friends at Oak Ridge Community Building prior to the service. Following the service, the family received friends at the cemetery, and at other times at the residence.

Flowers are welcome, or memorial gifts may be made to Jones Memorial Community Church, c/o Mrs. Coy Brock, in Mount Olive.

A special note of thanks is extended to the Gentiva Hospice Group, especially Nikki Wolfe and Jamie Tolar, for excellent care and support, and whose tireless efforts did not go unnoticed.

David Wayne Pierce

Nov. 3, 1960 –March 24, 2025

David Wayne Pierce, 64, passed away on Monday, March 24 in Maryville, Tennessee. He is survived by his sister, Vickie Brown (Reuben) of Backswamp; brother, Jody Pierce (Nova) of Durham; a friend close as a brother, Shane Lane of Tennessee; niece, LeAnn Vaden (Taylor) of King; and nephew, Thomas Joiner of Durham. Funeral Service was held Wednesday, April 2 followed by visitation at the Community Funeral Home Chapel in Beulaville. Graveside services were held April 3 at the Simpson Family Cemetery in Richlands.

Elise Price Moye

Aug. 16, 1941 –March 26, 2026

Elsie Price Moye, native of the Pricetown community, and long time resident of Mount Olive, passed away early Wednesday morning, March 26. She was 83.

Elsie Jane, her name from childhood, and known to her closest friends and kin, had been employed at Young Squire Industries, and then Burlington Industries. A member of Zion Methodist Church from her early years, she remained faithful to its congregation for many years. Later, she would join Northeast Original Free Will Baptist Church due to its close proximity to her home.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Marshall Gary Moye; a son, Robert “Bobby” Alan Moye; her parents, Charles Isaac “Ike” Price and Celia Price; and sisters, Maxine P. Barwick and Annie P. Phillips. Surviving family members include her daughter and sonin-law, Robin M. and Randy Jackson of Mount Olive; her son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Christy Moye of Pikeville; grandchildren, Sarah Jackson and partner Dustin Sasser of Mount Olive, Lacy Jackson of Mount Olive, and Allen Cansler and wife Kelsi also of Mount Olive; great-grandchildren, Raelynn Sasser, Marshall Sasser, and Karson Cansler. Also surviving is a sister, Carol P. Ham of Kinston; and many nieces and nephews who were very special to their Aunt Elsie.

Funeral services were held Saturday, March 29 at Tyndall Funeral Home. Officiating was her pastor, the Rev. Bryan Wheeler. Burial followed at Wayne Memorial Park. The family received friends at the funeral home during the hour before the service. Flowers are welcome; however memorials gifts may be made to Kitty Askins Hospice in Goldsboro or Northeast Church in Mount Olive.

Peggy Mobley Sanderson

Sept. 14, 1942 –March 24, 2025

Peggy Mobley Sanderson, 82, passed away on Monday, March 24 at the Kitty Askins Hospice Center in Goldsboro. She is survived by her sons, Kenneth M. Sanderson Jr. of Beulaville, Victor Sanderson (Yvonne) of Pink Hill, Ricky Lynn Sanderson (Denissa) of Albertson; her daughter, Kaye Hardison (Ronnie) of Kinston; sisters Mary Lou Moriarty of Florida, Linda Mobley and Gail Raynor of Garner; grandchildren, Meagan Wood (Pete), Hillary Williams (Tony), Austin Sanderson, Morgan Sanderson, Jordan Sanderson (Kayla) and Wesley Sanderson; and greatgrandchildren, Ashton Jarman, Marybeck Sanderson, Maverick Wood and Brayden Willoughby. She is preceded in death by her parents, James & Ruby Mobley and her spouse, Kenneth Sanderson. Visitation was held Thursday, March 27 at the Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, followed by funeral service and interment at the East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville.

Ralph Ellis Myers

Oct. 31, 1944 –March 25,2025

Ralph Ellis Myers, 80, native of the Beautancus area of near Mount Olive, passed away Tuesday evening, March 25 at the home near Greenville that he shared with his soulmate.

Ralph had been a painter, a carpenter, and had been a truck driver.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Myers and Margaret Winders Myers; and a sister, Paulette M. Holloman.

Ralph is survived by his soulmate, Frances Street; five children, Wayne Myers of Goldsboro, Joy M. Sulllivan and husband Ray of Goldsboro, Ralphie Myers and wife Tammy of Goldsboro, Paula and husband Bo of Goldsboro, and Gerald Myers of Goldsboro; six siblings, Doris M. Whitley and husband Earl of Mount Olive, Rufus Ray Myers and wife Rhonda of Mount Olive, Brenda Joyce M. Morton and husband Danny of Greenville, Sharon M. Dixon and husband Arnold of Mount Olive, Randy Lynn Myers and wife Jeannie of Mount Olive, and Gerald Myers and friend Cindy of White Lake; numerous grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Ralph’s life was remembered in a graveside service held Friday, March 28 in the Calypso Cemetery.

Charles Markham Balkcum

June 21, 1952 –March 24, 2025

Charles Markham “Mark” Balkcum, 72, of Currie, passed away on Monday, March 24 at his residence. He was born on June 21, 1952, in Sampson County, to the late James Tyson Balkcum and the late Emojeanne Maynard Balkcum. Mark, the son of a peanut farmer, was the former owner of Balkcum Motors in Wallace, NC. He was a jokester who loved fishing on the river, fast cars, old trucks, gardening, and tinkering. Most of all Mark loved his son and granddaughter. Mark is survived by his son, Charles Landis Balkcum; his granddaughter, Hadleigh Blayke Balkcum; his brothers, Jim Balkcum (Dot), Anthony Balkcum, Jeff Balkcum (Kelly); his sister, Lauren Balkcum; and many other family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the funeral home to assist with funeral expenses. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 pm on Sunday, April 6, 2025 at Quinn McGowen Funeral Home in Burgaw.

Joe Harris, believed to be oldest surviving WWII paratrooper, dead at 108

He served in the “Triple Nickles” 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion

By Hallie Golden The Associated Press

SGT. JOE HARRIS, believed to be the oldest surviving World War II paratrooper and a member of the U.S. Army’s first all-black parachute infantry battalion, has died. He was 108.

Harris died March 15 in a hospital in Los Angeles surrounded by family, grandson Ashton Pittman told The Associated Press. He will be honored with a full military funeral on April 5.

“He was a very loving, loving, loving man,” said Pittman. “That was one of the things that he was very strict upon was loving one another.”

Harris was among the last surviving members of the historic 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, nicknamed the Triple Nickles. The battalion helped protect the U.S. from deadly Japanese balloon bombs, according to Robert L. Bartlett, a retired Eastern Washington University professor who specializes in the 555th. In 1944 and 1945, the Japanese launched thousands of the balloons to be carried by the Pacific jet stream to the U.S. mainland to explode and start fires.

During World War II, black Americans were often relegated to more support-level jobs in the racially segregated military, and President Franklin Roosevelt faced pressure to put them in combat units. As a result, the military recruited Harris and hundreds of other black men, trained them and sent them into blazes on the West Coast,

Walker Wilson “Mac” McNeill

Nov. 26, 1942 –March 25, 2025

Walker Wilson “Mac” McNeill, 82, of Warsaw passed away Sunday, March 23 at New Hanover Regional Medical Center of Wilmington. Mac was born in Wayne County, November 26, 1942, to the late Archibald Walker McNeill and Edith Alline Wilson McNeill.

A funeral service was held Thursday, March 27, at the Warsaw Baptist Church with burial to follow in the Devotional Gardens.

McNeill leaves behind to cherish his memory wife, Jean Chambers McNeill of the home; sons, James W. “Bo” McNeill and wife Beth of Mt Olive, Michael “Mike” McNeill and wife Mara of Texas; daughter, Catherine Alliene Barthel and husband Doug of Greenville; grandchildren, Sydney McNeill, Zach McNeill and wife Jess, Caleb McNeill and wife Bri, Micah McNeill and Drew Barthel; brother, Dan Kelly McNeill and wife Maureen of Fayetteville; sister, Barbara Miller of Warsaw. In addition to his parents, Mac was preceded in death by brother, Boone McNeill.

By the time he was honorably discharged in November 1945, he had completed 72 parachute jumps.

where they fought fires, Bartlett said.

Throughout their time in the military, they faced overt racism, including being barred from going to the base commissary and officer’s clubs unless they were specifically for black people.

“This unit had to fight to be recognized as human beings while training to fight an enemy overseas, fight in their own country for respect even within the military,” Bartlett said. That was not lost on Pittman, who said his grandfather was brave enough to serve the U.S. “during a time when the country didn’t love him, honestly, didn’t care about him.”

Harris was born on June 19,

1916, in West Dale, Louisiana, according to Tracie Hunter, spokesperson for WWII Beyond The Call, a nonprofit organization that works to document veterans’ accounts. After filling out his draft registration card, he began his military service in 1941 when he was 24.

By the time he was honorably discharged in November 1945, he had completed 72 parachute jumps, according to Hunter.

After the war, he worked for the U.S. Border Patrol. He also spent more than 60 years in Compton, California, where Pittman said he was the neighborhood patriarch, a man everyone on the block knew and gravitated to.

“His life is to be celebrated,” Pittman said. “Obviously people are going to mourn because he’s not here anymore. But ultimately what I know from conversations that I’ve had with my grandfather is that he wants to be celebrated. He deserves to be celebrated.”

He is survived by his son, Pirate Joe Harris Sr., and two daughters, Michaun Harris and Latanya Pittman, along with five grandchildren, according to Hunter. His wife, Louise Harris, died in 1981, and a sixth grandchild has also died. Pittman said that his grandfather would sometimes ask him if he would ever jump out of a plane. In October, Pittman had the opportunity to follow in his grandfather’s airborne footsteps.

For a week, he did paratrooper jump training in Corsicana, Texas, through the Liberty Jump Team, an organization that works to preserve the memory of veterans.

“When I got my wings, I actually broke down and started crying because everything in that moment just resonated with me,” he said. “It was like, dang I’m literally doing what my grandfather did.”

Shortly before Harris’ death, he got a landing zone, in Tuskegee, Alabama, dedicated in his name. Pittman said he plans to be the very first person to jump in the Sgt. Joe Harris Dropzone.

TRACIE HUNTER VIA AP

This undated photo shows Sgt. Joe Harris.

DUPLIN SPORTS

Stallions break through in 12th to nudge past Panthers

Kyle Kern and JP Murphy combined to strike out 27, but East Duplin fell to Southwest Onslow

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

JACKSONVILLE — East Duplin found several reasons to feel good about its baseball team, even after a heartbreaking 3-2 loss in 12 innings to Southwest Onslow last Friday night.

Right-hander Kyle Kern had Stallion hitters having nervous breakdowns trying to hit his stuff.

He left after seven innings with the score tied 1-1 after striking out 15 and allowing four hits.

Surely all hope was lost for the Panthers with their ace on the bench.

Enter JP Murphy, a southpaw senior who brought his best to the hill, whiffing his way to 12 outs in four frames of work.

“The difference was they got

the two-out hit and we didn’t, though both teams had chances and fought off adversity,” said East Duplin head coach Brandon Thigpen, whose team had won four of five games entering the key ECC confrontation. “It was a heck of a high school baseball game.

“Yet to say it out loud, that we got 27 of 36 outs from strikeouts says how well we pitched. And Southwest is a good hitting team, the second best in the ECC. Well, that kind of pitching makes it easy for a defense.”

Kern, who had a masterful shutout over Wallace-Rose Hill a week previous, has shown he has the kind of pitches and concentration to be an ace on nearly anyone’s pitching staff.

“He was sharp but wasn’t quite as sharp as he’s been all year,” Thigpen said. “I always knew he had it in him. Now, I think he believes it. The seed’s been planted.

“He’s a lot like Nick Cavanaugh (2023 grad and star southpaw on team that a set school mark of 23-1) in that it all

came together his senior year, the mentality and the pitching understanding. I’m not big on comparing, and I’m doing this in terms of how they process the game and by the results.”

Murphy also drew high praise.

“That’s his best outing ever,” Thigpen said. “He threw three pitches for strikes. It’s getting him to believe he can do that night in, night out.”

SWO (7-3, 4-2) scored twice in the opening inning and then not again for another 11 innings.

East Duplin (6-5, 5-2) countered with two in the third as Gavin Holmes and cousin Colton touched the plate, one via an RBI hit by catcher Sawyer Marshburn. Marshburn and Jack Tuck each had a pair of hits.

Stallions ace Jonathan Pittman fanned 11 and walked two before exceeding the pitch limit (108) with one out in the eighth.

Tito Escalera worked the

Middle, bottom of Rebels’ lineup gets to Rosewood ace

North Duplin worked over Eagles ace McCandless St. John in a key CC game

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — M’chelle Jaco,

the No. 9 hitter for the North Duplin softball team, drove in the first two runs, and the middle and bottom half of the Rebels lineup card added two more tallies.

By the time No. 2 hitter Addy Higginbotham secured the final RBI of the sixth inning, the Rebels had put on an impressive audition to continue as Carolina 1A Conference champs with a 6-4 win over Rosewood (8-2, 2-1).

ND (5-1, 3-0) beat a quality pitcher in Eagles sophomore McCandless St. John, who has struck out 71 in 24 innings and has a 1.67 ERA.

Yet there were many great moments for the Rebels offensively, defensively and in the pitching circle.

The most memorable will be the sixth frame, which started when Candence Locklear and Iala Overton both had quality at-bats, working the count in their favor and then lacing solid strokes on balls that left the infield like a pool cue racing to a pocket.

Then ND head coach Jaime Kylis-Higginbotham asked sophomore catcher Abigeal Norris bunted both runners to the next base.

Norris’ 3-foot placement in front of the plate was so perfect it loaded the bases. Jaco followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, and Bernal’s two-run blast to put ND in front 5-1.

One out later, Higginbotham found the gap and let her legs take her to third, well after Norris touched the plate.

Rosewood never found comfort against winning pitcher Ady Spence until the seventh. It was ND’s worst face, as the Rebels made two errors, which

North Duplin will win more games this season than it has in a decade as second-year coach Daniel Cates reboots the Rebels into a new era

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — The girls’ soc-

cer program at North Duplin has had six coaches during the past decade-plus, and the Rebels’ track record does not include a winning season.

North Duplin, a small 1A school that will be in the 2A classification next fall when the NCHSSA expands from four to eight classifications, has started a new tradition un-

der head coach Daniel Cates: winning.

The Rebels were 5-1 heading into Monday’s match against 2A East Duplin. Cates guided ND to a 5-11 mark last spring during his first season in Calypso. Yet both seasons are high-water marks for the program.

ND won four matches in the 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2023 seasons and had a 28-105-4 record the previous nine years.

Chatter about a conference championship and state play-

off berth are both new ideas in Rebel-land, but with a 3-0 mark in Carolina 1A Conference play, it turns it into a conversation about the growth of soccer at North Duplin.

Junior Tristen Stemmler and senior Jisel Hernandez scored goals during Friday’s triumph 2-0 over the Eagles.

Stemmler, who leads her team in goals with eight, scored from the field, while Hernandez converted a penalty kick following a foul.

Freshman goalie Natalie Carreon made 13 saves, as North Duplin won for the

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

East Duplin second baseman Jesus Monica got this out and punched a hit when the Panthers fell to Southwest Onslow in a key ECC game last Friday.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

M’chelle Jaco drove in the first two runs during ND’s win over Rosewood.

Tristen Stemmler leads North Duplin with 10 goals.

Rebels’ Price leaves imprint despite falling to Eagles

The freshman pitched well enough to keep North Duplin in the game during a 2-1 loss to Rosewood

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Noah Price introduced himself to the Carolina 1A Conference last Thursday.

The future and present converged when the Rebel freshman hurler scattered five hits over seven innings during a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to longtime league champ Rosewood.

While not logging the strikeout count of 11 by Eagles pitchers Ed Gardner and Robbie Boren, Price induced outs and did not allow a walk, whiffing four and not allowing an earned run on his ledger.

Certainly, he deserved a better fate, though the close encounter with Rosewood (10-4, 4-0) was a huge moral win for a rebuilding Rebels’ program which is finding their way after losing a handful of quality pitchers in the past five years.

And ND lost staff aces — Eric Rossa, Richard Noble and Ricky Cameron — going back to when current assistant coach Thomas Brickhouse was a Rebel in 2016-17. All three went on to pitch in college and were pitchers that were hard to replace at the prep level, as they were feared by hitters.

Rosewood scratched its way to single runs in the second and fifth innings as four Rebels miscues led to a 2-0 deficit, though North Duplin remained upbeat, even after Jack Adams and Graham Lassiter com-

bined for all but one of the Eagles’ hits.

ND’s (4-5, 3-1) most-seasoned hitter, four-year starter Hunt Pate, doubled in Garris Warren to trim the deficit to one run in the home half of the fifth. Pate reached base two other times via walks.

Price, who is hitting .304 during his first varsity campaign, threw 95 pitches.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for North Duplin, which went on a three-game road trip against league foes after facing 2A East Duplin on Monday.

ND will face ED again and 2As North Lenoir, South Lenoir and Midway a week after finishing its CC schedule.

ED won a 6-5 game that went to eight innings on Monday. Read about the details in next week’s Duplin Journal.

PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP

Quintanilla, Martin, ND bash Spartans

Tuesday’s 23-0 win over Union was just a bit more than batting practice as Noa Qunitanilla drove in four runs and Branson Martin three.

Wesley Holmes, Keiz Brock and Garrett Steven each ripped a pair of hits, as the Rebels scored 11 times in the second and 12 in the third for an early ending mercy-rule win.

Brock (.434) leads ND in hitting, followed by Quintanilla (.389) Holmes (.364), Price (.301), and Pate (.273). Quintanilla, Pate and Holmes have all scored eight times.

Bulldogs trounce Titans to snap skid

Caden Gavin had four hits, Reese Buckner drove in three

runs, and Kaiden Lui struck out 13 and didn’t walk a hitter last Thursday when Wallace-Rose Hill beat Trask 13-3.

Davis Barnett and Luke Jackson plated two runs apiece with hits as the Bulldogs scored five times in the third and fifth frames.

Lui settled down after allowing two runs in the first to limit the Titans to two hits during an 84-pitch complete game to help WRH snap its three-game tailspin.

It was different from the beginning than when the two schools hooked up Feb. 28, in a game in which the Bulldogs needed three runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 13-12 win.

WRH (3-8, 1-4) got rid of some of its frustrations following Tuesday’s 12-7 loss to Southwest Onslow (7-3, 4-2), in which the Stallions went in front 12-2 after three innings.

The Bulldogs scored in every inning except the sixth and were only out-hit 12-11 though were unable to extend rallies beyond a run just one time.

Lui, Devon Sloan and Will Brooks each had two hits and an RBI.

Jonathan Pittman and Kannon Huffman combined to go 6 for 8 with seven RBIs for SWO, which edged ED 2-1 in 12 innings on Friday.

Wildcats recover from loss to sink Vikings

Richland’s game plan was simple: put up a big number on the scoreboard, keep pounding away and get solid pitching and defense.

Jacob Flemming, Lucas Roberts and Jaden Goins each laced

a pair of hits, and Hayden Turner mopped up for starter Tanner Brison as the Wildcats beat White Oak 7-2 last Friday on the Vikings’ diamond. Goin knocked in two teammates with a single and double and scored twice, including once in the four-run third that gave the Wildcats a 5-2 lead.

Brinson allowed five hits and four walks in five innings, whiffing seven. Turner didn’t give up a hit and had four strikeouts in two frames of relief.

The win came after Tuesday’s 5-0 setback to Dixon in which Turner stroked the Wildcats’ lone hit as Chris Teagle fanned 14.

The Wildcats, 5-5 overall and 1-2 in Coastal 3A play, travel to Croatan (5-2, 2-1) early this week and on Friday welcome West Carteret (5-5, 2-1), which lost to Swansboro 2-1 last Friday.

Slow week for Tigers, Crusaders

In other action lost week, James Kenan thumped Kinston 17-7 and fell to East Duplin 12-3, while Harrells Christian Academy was idle during its spring break week.

The Tigers (3-5, 1-4) go for an upset early this week when they host ECC-leading North Lenoir (7-3, 4-0). They get the Vikings again on Friday via a trip to Kinston.

Paxton Smith, Eli Avent and Trip Phipps had hits for the Tigers against the Panthers.

The Crusaders (1-5, 1-1) have tough tilts against Faith Christian (10-3, 5-0) and Wayne Christian (5-5, 3-4) this week. The later game is Thursday in Goldsboro.

Panthers top Tigers for win fourth straight, Blue Devils next

The East Duplin softball team won two close games to James Kenan ahead of a visit from South Lenoir on Friday

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

JACKSONVILLE — The Tigers gained confidence, while the Panthers picked up their fourth consecutive win.

The East Duplin softball team couldn’t have been happier with a 5-0 and 11-5 doubleheader sweep of James Kenan, which was more competitive against the Panthers than it had been in more than a decade.

“We were tied in the fourth after a triple and got sideways after not getting the lead run in,” said Tigers coach Craig Armstrong, whose team fell to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in ECC play. “We kind of lost it when we went into the field. Still, it was a great game and effort by our kids.”

Shortstop Karsyn Parker alertly backed up an errant throw over the head of third baseman Leighton Davis, to cut down Jourdan Joe, who had tripled.

While East Duplin made amends for an error, it had three fielding miscues during the fourth.

“Ironically, we’ve made only three errors all year before this

game,” said Panthers coach Greg Jenkins. “But you have to like throwing out the winning run at home. It was an exciting game.”

Armstrong is hoping the Tigers’ fight and improved play will continue as James Kenan needs a push in the final half of the season to make the 2A playoff field. They are currently 28th in RPI among 2A schools in the East Region. Thirty-two schools make up each of four classification brackets.

“They’ve finally got their confidence up,” Armstrong said. “They saw they could make plays and think and react to the game. They’re getting better and better.”

Panthers still in the hunt

Don’t count out East Duplin (7-4, 6-1) in the No. 13 spot or in its second go-round against league teams, even though they trail loop leader South Lenoir (6-3, 4-0), with North Lenoir (7-2, 3-1) pushing hard. It looks like a three-team race to the finish. An 8-6 setback to the Blue Devils was damaging but can be overcome, as the Panthers have a handful of hitters with sizzling bats in Parker (.433), Rebecca Beach (.500), Kinsey Cave (.500) and Callie Mewborn (12 RBIs).

East Duplin won for the fourth-straight time and sixth of its previous seven games last Friday after a 14-2 conquest of

Southwest Onslow (4-8, 1-5) in Jacksonville.

Parker laced three singles, a double and had two RBIs.

Beach had four hits in five trips to the plate and drove in four.

Mewborn had a pair of singles in three trips and knocked in three runs.

Left-handed hurler Morgan Brown limited the Stallions to six hits, while whiffing 13 and not walking a hitter.

She threw her most pitches in the fifth (21) but needed just seven in the seventh to end the game and finish with 94 for the contest.

East Duplin led 2-0 before piling on four runs in the fourth, five in the fifth and three in the sixth. SWO tallied somewhat meaningless runs in the fifth and sixth.

Jenkins and company will arguably face its toughest three-game stretch, which starts Monday and ends next Wednesday with home-and-away challenges from 1A power North Duplin (5-1). The Rebels went to the fourth round of the 1A playoffs in 2023 and the finals in 2022.

While neither will affect conference standings, quality RPI points and bragging rights are at stake for both schools.

And win or lose, it’s a game that coaches want to be involved in because of its anticipated intensity.

Jenkins formed a one-day, four-team tournament April 19, which will feature the Panthers taking on White Oak, while Rosewood tangles with Dixon.

The winners play for the title, the losers for third place.

ED’s has two other huge games, traveling to North Lenoir on April 15 and two days later hosting the Hawks.

On Monday, the Panthers lost a 12-7 contest with the Rebels. Read about the details in next week’s Duplin Journal.

Cats top Midway, two Coastal foes

Call Richlands a title contender.

The Wildcats had big wins over Midway, Dixon and White Oak, the latter of which was Richlands’ fifth-straight victory.

Last Tuesday, hurlers Makenzie Goin and Addi Andrews and all-Coastal outfielder LaNayaah Jackson led the way during a 6-3 decision over the Bulldogs (5-7, 0-3).

Goin went six innings, yielding a run while whiffing eight and walking two. Andrews threw the seventh.

Richlands scored four times in the final two frames to overcome a 2-1 deficit, as Jackson went 4 for 4 with an RBI and Goin and Piper Turner each had two hits in four at-bats.

Yet a bigger win came when Goin fanned 16, walked one and allowed just two hits versus Midway (7-2). Andrews, Turner and Jailah Wilson had run-scoring hits as Richlands picked up two runs insurance runs in the sixth.

Richlands (11-4, 3-0) used late offense to beat White Oak last Friday, scoring three times in the sixth to rally from another 2-1 deficit.

Turner knocked in two runs, and Goins and Cami Teal had run-scoring slugs.

Richlands and West Carteret (10-0, 2-0) are the lone unbeaten teams in the very competitive Coastal 3A Conference.

WARSAW PLANNING BOARD VACANCY

Warsaw Planning Board has a vacancy for an in-town member. A North Carolina Municipal Planning Board member is a citizen appointed to review and recommend land use development applications, including zoning changes, subdivisions, site plans, and other development proposals, to the governing board of a municipality, ultimately guiding the community’s growth and development by ensuring proposed projects align with the comprehensive plan and local ordinances; their primary responsibility is to analyze plans, gather data, and provide informed recommendations to the town council on matters related to the physical development of the municipality. Interested individuals need to submit interest letter/resume to Town Manager, Lea Turner at manager@townofwarsawnc.com.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Freshman Noah Price did everything well enough to beat Rosewood on the mound, giving up just two runs.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL East Duplin senior pitcher Morgan Brown’s left arm will be key during the final month of the regular season and into the playoffs.

| MICHAEL JAENICKE

Hog wild: NCHSAA expands playoffs to 104 more schools

THE LATEST bit of wisdom from the NCHSAA sounds as far-fetched the first time you heard about “snipe hunting.”

Word out of Chapel Hill last week from the governing body for high school athletics for 444 schools says going from four to eight classifications in the fall will lead to an increase of more than 100 teams in the state playoffs.

Under the new plan, 81% — roughly 360 teams — will qualify for the postseason.

The first seven classifications, which each have 60 schools, will have 48-team brackets, with the top 16 receiving first-round byes.

The 8A classification, with 60 schools, will have a 24-team bracket.

The NCHSAA feels the first-round byes will help avoid major mismatches in which players can get injured and teams embarrassed, often traveling hours to get smoked by a team that was clearly superior.

What it will do instead is water down the field, and grid teams that absolutely don’t deserve a ticket to the postseason will be as invited as 20-win schools, even though some were winless or had just a handful of victories over the course of long seasons.

Top-heavy classes will feature more blowouts than a bubble gum factory.

The best rule to follow would be requiring a school to have a .500 record to be playoff eligible. That’s the method used in several states, including New Jersey, which has all but set the mold for prep athletics in the nation.

Try not reporting a football score on a Friday night in the Garden State and on Monday morning that coach will be in the principal’s office to explain his lack of action.

The playoffs are a reward for things done during the regular season.

The NCHSAA is still working on how teams will qualify, especially given the large number of two - classification conferences it made during the realignment process. They are reviewing the current RPI system and other ways to grade schools.

Common sense, often nothing more good direction and plans, are not a specialty of the NCHSAA under

About 81% of the 444 NCHSAA schools will get tickets to the postseason in eight classifications through expansion.

Commission Que Tucker. More often, they run their engines on getting as many gate receipts as possible, thus more playoff games under the guise of more classifications and eligible teams.

Thirty-two teams are enough for the first seven classifications. Heck, it would be hard for me to even come up with enough worthy schools, not counting the many that do not belong.

They don’t.

They need to stay home and give their players participation ribbons because the bottom line is that it’s simply not fair. They showed little to no evidence they could compete and then get into the big show like they belong. There will be 20 “bad stories” for every one-win football team that wins a first-round game.

For example, what are the odds of a bad gridiron team beating East Duplin last year in the first round?

Remember, the Panthers had a rare down season (6-6) and were seeded No. 25 in the 2A playoffs. The Panthers went out and whipped No. 9 St. Pauls in the opening round, but how likely will a team ranked No. 32 to No. 48 in the new system fare against a team higherseeded teams in the new setup?

No one needs advance metrics to figure that one out.

Given the situation, ED would crush the weakling school by five or six touchdowns. If you need proof, go check past schedules of Duplin County’s three 2A teams against under .500 schools.

And since the playoff format is largely created for football, it will take a while for fans to

SOFTBALL from page B1

were converted into three runs via a pair of RBI singles and a groundout.

Spence was fully in control until the seventh, though staff ace Lilly Fulghum bailed her out by inducing two pop flies to end the game.

“The plan was to leave her in until they had saw her three times and then we were going to Lilly,” Kylis-Higginbotham said. “We don’t want an off-speed pitcher going any longer. But Ady was doing so well we stayed with her.”

see the brazen mismatches, which will eventually show up on basketball courts, diamonds and soccer pitches.

What an opener: ’Dawgs-Panthers

In case you forgot, WRH and JK will be in a 3A conference in the fall with Spring Creek, Goldsboro, Midway, Princeton and Rosewood, the lone 2A in what is called the Swine Valley 3A/2A.

ED is in the ECC with fellow 4As Clinton and Southwest Onslow and 3As Pender, South Lenoir and Trask.

ND is in the Carolina 2A/1A with East Bladen, Lakewood, Union, West Columbus, Hobbton and the Rebels as 2A schools and East Columbus as the lone 1A.

Swansboro, a 6A school, petitioned and got entry into the Coastal 5A/6A, which has six 5A schools — Havelock, Croatan, Dixon, West Carteret, Northside-Jacksonville and Richlands.

Yet here’s a note football fans will love: the season opener on Aug. 22 features a WRH-ED matchup.

Few rivalries match this clash of titans in terms of excitement and how close nearly every game in the series is when put under a microscope.

The last 14 games between WRH and ED have been decided by eight points or fewer, with the Bulldogs holding a 17-15 advantage since 1996.

The winner of their regular season game has been the reason WRH or ED won the ECC for three of the previous four seasons. WRH’s last long run was to the 2A finals in 2021, a season before ED won its first state title.

Stay tuned as the NCHSAA attempts to get its plans together. Expect problems and concerns.

Until the NCHSAA gets its act together, there will be more than fans yelling in the stands.

Don’t be misled to think that organization has found its way a few years after they were called out by the N.C. Senate for having a $40 million surplus, while many schools statewide were lacking for equipment, uniforms, officials and playing surfaces.

ND won in more ways than one. Spence got big-time experience against a quality lineup, she saw some of her weaknesses, and it sets up Fulghum in a cleanup role, also giving her a peak into the role of a late-inning reliever.

Left fielder Gabby Zumudio and center fielder Overton each made outstanding catches in the fourth, the same frame in which Norris also gunned down a baserunner at second base.

In the fifth, Jaco made a running catch of a ball hit down the right field line. Overton also

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY BILL CARONE

Bill Carone

Marissa Bernal

North Duplin, softball

Marissa Bernal is ready to be a prime-time softball player.

A season after hitting .404 for the third-highest average on North Duplin, the junior has shown she can fly with bigger eagles.

Bernal is off to a .579 beginning with 11 singles, three doubles, four walks and a .704 on-base percentage through eight games.

ND improved to 7-1 on Monday after getting past East Duplin 12-7.

ran a long way to catch the final out of the sixth. Spence singled and Overton doubled in the second, and both were plated by Jaco as the Rebels jumped to an early 2-0 lead. ND is seeking its sixth-straight CC crown. Fulghum had four RBIs during Tuesday’s 16-0, four-inning win over Union. Higginbotham had a single, double, RBI and scored three times. Spence checked in with two hits and two RBIs, and Overton dropped a pair of hits in four trips to the plate.

The Rebels hosted 2A East Duplin on Monday of this week and play again next Wednesday (April 9) in Beulaville.

ND travels to Hobbton (3 -8, 1-2) a day after its confrontation with the Panthers and will not play again for another week.

The Rebels are hitting .419 as a team, with Higginbotham (.706), Bernal (.538), Spence (.526), Fulghum (.500), Zamudio (.471) and Norris (.419) carrying hot sticks.

ND beat ED 12-7 on Monday. See next week’s Duplin Journal for the details.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

COLULMN

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Ady Spence went into the seventh before being lifted for Lilly Fulghum.

SIDELINE REPORT

NWSL

Arnold saves penalty for Thorns in scoreless draw

Portland, Ore.

Mackenzie Arnold saved a second-half penalty kick as the Portland Thorns played out a goalless draw at home to the North Carolina Courage at Providence Park in Portland. The Australian goalkeeper pulled off an athletic dive to her right to deny Jaedyn Shaw from the spot in the 76th minute. It was Arnold’s second penalty save for the Thorns since joining the team in July. The shutout is the first for Arnold with Portland, and the team’s first of the 2025 NWSL season. The Courage and Thorns are both now 0-1-2.

NFL Proposal would move touchback to 35, make dynamic kickoff permanent New York

The NFL competition committee is recommending making the dynamic kickoff rule permanent and moving touchbacks to the 35-yard line in hopes of generating even more returns. The competition committee released several potential rule changes for 2025, including an expansion of instant replay that will be considered this week at the league meetings. Any rule change must be approved by 24 out of 32 team owners. Teams submitted several proposals last week that also could be voted on at the league meetings, including banning the “tush push” and changing playoff seeding rules.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Sanders’ contract at Colorado extended through 2029

Boulder, Colo.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders has received a contract extension through the 2029 season. The school said the extension increases Sanders’ yearly base salary to $10 million in 2025, making him the highestpaid football coach in the Big 12. The deal was reached with three years remaining on Sanders’ existing fiveyear, $29.5 million deal he signed when he was brought in from Jackson State. Sanders and the Buffaloes are coming off a 9-4 season in which they earned a spot in the Alamo Bowl.

BASEBALL from page B1

final 4.2 innings. He bailed out Riley Luff, who walked two of the six batters he faced.

The two teams play again April 29 in Beulaville.

And while it was a tough defeat to stomach, it wasn’t hard to see how well the Panthers played in most phases of the game.

“You have to like games like these because of how well we played all-around and how exceptional we pitched,” Thigpen said. “But a loss is a tough pill to swallow.”

East Duplin didn’t have as many of these special moments last season when it finished 10 -12.

Dugout chatter

The Panthers host South Lenoir on Friday. The Blue Devils whipped East Duplin 5-1 on March 14 in Deep Run. East Duplin will host its next two ECC games against WRH (3 -8, 1-4) and North Lenior (8-2, 4-0).

Nabbing three wins is key to East Duplin’s title hopes, though both Lenoir schools entered as preseason favorites.

Last Tuesday, Gavin Holmes drove in three runs, Colton Holmes two and Austin Rouse had a pair of hits and an RBI in a 12-2 win over James Kenan (3 -5, 1-4) in Beulaville.

Jesus Mojica had two singles and scored twice, and Jack

SOCCER from page B1

fourth-straight time following a 4-0 setback to Lejeune in the season opener for both schools.

Earlier in the week, Stemmler scored twice and Carrly Stickland and Jazmine Manzanares also found the back of the net in a 4-1 disposal of CC foe Union.

Stemmler had a hat trick during a 9-0 smoking of Lakewood on March 21 in the Carolina Conference opener for both schools.

Strickland and Hernandez each slipped in a pair of scores, while Ivet Campos and Sasha Arguijo through with their first goals of the season.

Carreon had an easier time in the net, saving seven shots.

North Duplin was to host 2A East Duplin on Monday and then go on a three-game CC road trip to face Hobbton, Neuse Charter and Lakewood.

They get another shot to upset the Panthers on April 9 before closing out at home in two of its final three league affairs.

North Duplin has outscored its foes 20-7.

Stallions shut down Panthers to take control of ECC

Payton Berg and Oriyanna Galloway each scored a pair of goals last Thursday when Southwest Onslow (9-1-1, 6-0) shut down East Duplin 4-0 in Jacksonville. The win was the ninth in a row

Tuck had a pair of walks that were converted into runs.

Cain Graham struck out five and gave up three hits and an earned run in three innings. Murphy pitched two hitless innings, whiffing four and walking one. The Panthers scored three

times in the fourth and fifth innings to force the mercy-rule win.

East Duplin has raised its team batting average to .269 behind Gavin Holmes (.389), Colton Holmes (.301), Marshburn (.300), Rouse (.294) and Tuck (.276). Five play-

for the Stallions, who have seven shutouts this season.

SWO’s lone loss came by a 4-1 verdict against 4A New Bern (6-3-1) on March 1.

Berg knocked in her 13th score of the spring, while

A patient approach at the plate has helped

raise his average to .300.

Galloway notched her 10th.

East Duplin (5-7-2, 4-1) will get another shot at the Stallions on April 20 in Beulaville. Two days earlier, the Panthers fell 2-1 to 3A White Oak (6-5-3).

Raelyn Muniz scored the

ADVERTISEMENT FOR UPSET BIDS - SALE OF COUNTY

ers have six or more

RBIs, with Rouse topping the list with eight and a team-high five doubles.

Kern lowered his ERA to 0.64, with 66 strikeouts in 33 innings, averaging two K’s in every inning he pitched. He gave up a mere 13 hits.

game-winner with 33 seconds left in regulation.

Katelyn Jones gave the Panthers a 1-0 first-half lead seven minutes into the match.

East Duplin has nine scheduled games left in the regular season, which includes nonconference matchups against North Brunswick (4-7) and West Carteret (5-4-1), two matches with 1A North Duplin, a pair of duels against South Lenoir and matches versus North Lenior and Wallace-Rose Hill.

The Panthers are the No. 16 RPI team in the East as places are being set for the 32-team 2A playoffs, which start on May 12. SWO is No. 4, James Kenan (4 - 4, 1-3) is No. 20 and WRH (4 -6, 1-4) No. 25. Thirty-two teams make up the playoff field.

Next season that number will increase as the NCHSSA transitions from four to eight classifications.

Last Tuesday, Jones, Anamarie Rodrigues and Anastan Holley scored during a 3-0 shutout of James Kenan.

The Tigers suffered their second straight shutout, falling to SWO 5-0 a week previous to its rivalry loss.

WRH also lost to ED and SWO in consecutive matches and then were nipped 4-3 by Trask (7-1-2) last Friday.

Bayleen Flores scored twice and leads the Bulldogs in goals with 10 and is tied with Bri Maradiago in assists with three.

The Bulldogs and Tigers will play May 1 in Warsaw.

Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160A-129, this is notice of a negotiated offer to purchase surplus property held by Duplin County. An offer of $1,000.00 has been made to purchase Tax Parcel ID No. 01-E272 in the township of Warsaw. Within ten (10) days, any person may raise the $1,000.00 bid by not less than ten percent (10%) of the first one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and five percent (5%) of the remainder. When a bid is raised, the bidder shall deposit with the Duplin County Tax Office five percent (5%) of the increased bid, and the Duplin County Tax Office shall re-advertise the offer at the increased bid amount.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

East Duplin’s Joselin Aguilar, left, will get a rematch with Southwest Onslow on April 20 in Beulaville. The Stallions won 4-0 last week in Jacksonville.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Panthers junior Colton Holmes

Duplin Journal Vol. 10, Issue 6

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF this

week

UMO AgFest sees record attendance

The annual event connects students with careers in agriculture

Body found believed to be missing Pink Hill woman

Second graders dive into agriculture at Duplin Grows

SPONSORED BY DUPLIN CALENDAR

Duplin student receives Victor E. Bell Jr. Scholarship

Black belt surgeon offers free karate lessons

Duplin Agribusiness Academy hosts inspiring workshop

THE CONVERSATION

VISUAL VOICES

Abundance versus ‘everything bagel’ liberalism

LETTERS

Truth-telling

When judges violate the Constitution

Confidence, purpose and faith

Meet Magnolia Mayor Dawn Ward

CAROLINA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

Delia (Kershner) Wallace

Paul E. Arnette

Cassandra Kelly Bryant

Jarmaine Devon

Frederick

Peggy Wellington Rogers Vick

Mev P. Cummings

Ernest B. Kirby

Andy W. Cashwell

obituaries

Mary Jane Jones

David Wayne Pierce

Elise Price Moye

Peggy Mobley Sanderson

Ralph Ellis Myers

Charles Markham Balkcum

Walker Wilson “Mac” McNeill

DUPLIN SPORTS

Stallions break through in 12th to nudge past Panthers

Middle, bottom of Rebels’ lineup gets to Rosewood ace

Rebels’ Price leaves imprint despite falling to Eagles

Panthers top Tigers for win fourth straight, Blue Devils next

WARSAW PLANNING BOARD VACANCY

Hog wild: NCHSAA expands playoffs to 104 more schools

Marissa Bernal

North Duplin, softball

SIDELINE REPORT

NWSL

NCAA FOOTBALL

ADVERTISEMENT FOR UPSET BIDS - SALE OF COUNTY