JSCC, ECU establish transfer pathway for technical programs
Kenansville James Sprunt Community College has entered into a new agreement with East Carolina University that establishes a streamlined transfer pathway for students in technical programs. The partnership guarantees admission for JSCC graduates in diesel and heavy equipment, electrical systems and information technology programs, provided they maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. Students will be able to transfer up to 54 credit hours toward a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology at ECU. JSCC leaders said the agreement is designed to reduce barriers to four-year degrees and expand workforce opportunities.
Duplin GOP calls for online video access to county meetings, statewide livestreaming mandate
Duplin County The Duplin County Republican Party has unanimously approved a resolution calling on Duplin County to videotape and post its meetings online for public access. The party also urged the North Carolina General Assembly to require livestreaming of all county and municipal meetings, saying it would increase government transparency.
HCA names NC State dean as commencement speaker
Harrells
5 women aid victims in intersection crash the
Harrells Christian Academy has announced that Garey Fox, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University, will serve as commencement speaker for the Class of 2026. The ceremony is scheduled for May 21. School o cials said Fox’s career re ects a blend of agriculture, engineering and technology, aligning with the school’s educational mission and agricultural roots.
Wallace-Rose Hill
junior selected for Governor’s School
Wallace Kaylann Leon, a Wallace-Rose Hill High School junior, has been selected for Governor’s School this summer. Leon is a soccer captain, Beta Club leader and AIG student while maintaining top academic performance. Governor’s School brings together high-achieving students from across the state for an intensive academic and arts experience. Governor’s School is one of the state’s most selective academic programs.
$2.00
Strawberry Festival brings strong turnout, community spirit to Wallace
Warsaw mayor alleges barriers to access as board meetings grow contentious
The
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
WARSAW — Extended de-
bates over routine procedural actions and increasingly visible divisions at recent Warsaw
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — Five
women who work at a nonprofit daycare near Kenansville became heroes recently after assisting the victims of a serious crash that happened near the
board meetings are patterns that Mayor Wesley Boykin says re ect deeper governance challenges within the town.
In an interview with Duplin Journal, Boykin said the issues go beyond what residents
church where the daycare is located. The women were outside the Big Zion AME Zion Church on Summerlin Crossroad Road when they heard and witnessed the wreck. Duplin County ofcials visited the daycare and spoke with the women last week.
“We noticed it was a wreck,”
see during public meetings, describing ongoing administrative friction and di culty carrying out his duties as mayor.
Boykin alleged that Town Manager Lea Turner has denied multiple requests to place items on meeting agendas, has limited his access to information and restricted access to town hall. He also described a recent incident.
“She attempted to deny me entry into the o ce,” Boykin said, recounting an interaction last month when he went to town hall to sign April meeting minutes. “‘You don’t have any business back here.’ This is what the town manager said. “I sent an email before and
said Linda Tyson, who works for the nonpro t daycare and also serves on the Kenansville Board of Commissioners. “We saw the truck go up in the air and ip.”
The vehicle was a van carrying ve men. It had collided with a car in the intersection near the church after one of the vehicles ran a stop sign. Tyson, who has a law enforcement background, noticed there was a small re under the hood of the car, and her
County commissioners weigh property tax authority
The board moved forward with a revised property tax resolution
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
KENANSVILLE — Duplin
County Commissioners approved federal funding, infrastructure projects, administrative changes and a revised property tax resolution during their May 4 meeting. A major policy discussion centered on a resolution opposing potential state e orts to restrict or shift county property tax authority to the North Carolina General Assembly. Introduced by Commissioner Wayne Branch, the resolution was supported by concerns raised
through the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), which has encouraged counties to defend local control. Commissioners shared that locally elected o cials are best positioned to set tax rates based on community needs and warned that state control could reduce exibility and weaken local decision-making. Commissioner Jesse Dowe supported the resolution, noting that counties vary widely in needs and nancial structure, and that state lawmakers may not fully understand local needs. Commissioner Justin Edwards expressed hesitation, saying the issue remains in early stages and that he preferred to wait
“It’s just trying
Lisa Hughes, county manager
training kicked in automatically.
“I just took o running,” Tyson said.
The women found themselves teaming up to handle the situation while they waited for emergency crews to arrive.
The men in the van, now upside down, were all Hispanic. That put Elmita Velasquez to work communicating with the
THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Ella Barefoot left, traveled from Clinton to attend the kicko of the 2026 Carolina Strawberry Festival last Friday evening. The Carolina Strawberry Festival drew strong community support throughout the weekend. Turn to A6 for more.
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Ena Sellers
Editor Michael Jaenicke
Patsy Teachey Advertising Representative
Loretta Carey
O ce Manager
CONTACT US
O ce Phone: 910 463-1240
To place a legal ad: 919 663-3232; Fax: 919 663-4042
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: Weekly deadline is Monday at noon
men in her native language. She saw some of the men trying to go back to the van to retrieve items inside.
“I tried to stop them, telling them not to go back, but they wouldn’t listen,” Velasquez said.
She added that the driver, who was unconscious and face down in the dirt, appeared to be the most seriously injured.
“I ipped him over and put something underneath his head,” she said.
Another one of the daycare workers, Betty McKiver Smith, helped Velasquez assist the men in the van.
While Velasquez dealt with the seriously injured driver, Tyson was helping a woman in the other car in the crash get to safety. Another woman and a child involved in the wreck had already evacuated safely.
It wasn’t long before the small re under the hood grew until the car was engulfed in ames. By the time the re department arrived on the scene, the car had completely burned.
All ve women worked togeth-
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Students call for tougher nicotine laws in North Carolina
Advocacy day brings teens to Raleigh to support a bill raising the nicotine purchase age limit and regulating sales
Duplin Journal sta
A STUDENT from Duplin County joined 26 peers representing 14 counties last week at the North Carolina General Assembly to discuss nicotine laws and youth vaping during an advocacy day event. North Carolina currently allows individuals 18 or older to purchase nicotine products and does not require retailers to be licensed, policies that differentiate it from most other states.
“I de nitely felt heard in all of my meetings,” said Madison Kornegay of East Duplin High School. “They were very impressed with the amount of youth that were there today.”
Kornegay was among the group of student advocates who met with their district lawmakers during the 2026 session of the General Assembly to discuss House Bill 430. The proposal would raise the legal purchase age for nicotine products to 21 and establish a licensing system for retailers. It also includes a permit fee intended to fund additional enforcement sta within the state’s Alcohol Law Enforcement Division.
The bill is also known as “Solly’s Law,” named after Solomon Wynn, a 15-year-old who died in 2023 after a vaping-related medical emergen-
COURTESY PHOTO
Duplin County student Madison Kornegay, in pink, and other T21 Teen Council members meet with state Rep. John Bell on April 29 at the North Carolina General Assembly.
“They were very impressed with the amount of youth that were there today.”
Madison Kornegay
cy. His family has since advocated for changes to state law.
“I feel like the message was received better coming from us youth than the adults,” said Kornegay.
During the meetings, students shared observations from their schools, describing vaping as common and accessible.
Educators have reported similar concerns. Halifax County Schools Superintendent Eric Cunningham said incidents involving vaping devices in schools often
involve signs of dependence, which can complicate disciplinary situations.
Bryan House, director of Alcohol Law Enforcement, said his agency often relies on complaints and direct observation.
“We don’t have information for where these businesses are,” House said, noting that some stores appear near schools and military bases and may also sell illegal products.
Rep. Grant Campbell (R-Cabarrus) said stricter nicotine laws could improve long-term health outcomes, including those related to maternal and infant health, and reduce healthcare costs over time.
“In addition, these laws carry substantial cost savings in healthcare in the short, medium and long term,” said Campbell.
PHOTOS
Left, a screenshot from a video captured at the accident near Big Zion AME Zion Church near Kenansville shows the intensity of the car re after the collision. Right, a group of ve women — from left to right, Marcelia Best, Yuketia Bouyer, Elmita Velasquez, Betty McKiver Smith and Linda Tyson — were on the scene to help after the crash.
er to secure the accident scene and get everyone involved to safety. In addition to Tyson’s instinctive reaction, Smith summed up why they felt inspired to put themselves in harm’s way to help complete strangers.
“You’re thinking about your family,” Smith said. “You hope somebody will be there for them in case something like that happens to them.”
NOTICE
To: Brenda Ingram in reference to the property located at 1204 N. Norwood St. Wallace NC 28466. The property is in Violation of Chapter 92: Health and Sanitation/ Nuisance. The Town of Wallace needs you to contact the Planning Director (910-285-4136) to set up a meeting.
The women said this was not the rst serious accident at the intersection, adding the intersection needed a four-way stop.
The daycare, operated by DNA, which stands for Diversity, Nurtures and Achievements, provides after-school care during the school year and daytime care for children in the summer at no charge to the parents.
“You’re thinking about your family. You hope somebody will be there for them in case something like that happens to them.”
Betty McKiver Smith
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the Duplin County Board of Equalization and Review will hold its
on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 2:00 pm in the Commissioner’s Room, Duplin County
224 Seminary Street, Kenansville, NC. This meeting is held for the purpose of review and hearing appeals of listings and valuations.
The Board expects to adjourn on May 21, 2026. In the event of earlier or later adjournment, notice to that e ect will be published in this newspaper. Gary M. Rose, Clerk to the Board of E&R
Here’s a
May 8-9
Creekstone Rising Music Festival
The Creekstone Rising Country Music Festival returns to Tara Creek in Faison featuring rising country artists both nights.
136 Robert Hobbs Road, Faison
May 16
Fireman’s Day in Pink Hill
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pink Hill Volunteer Fire and Rescue will host Fireman’s Day. The family-friendly event will include local vendors, a car show, music, kids entertainment, barbecue plates and ra e prizes.
Downtown Pink Hill
Community Baby Shower
10 a.m.
The Duplin County Health Department will host a free Community Baby Shower for expectant moms and moms with newborns 0-3 months old. Free baby supplies available for the rst 30 moms. The event will cover pregnancy and postpartum topics at the Rose Hill Library.
113 South Walnut St., Rose Hill
May 19
Cedar Fork Community Club Meeting
7 p.m.
The Cedar Fork Community Club meets the third Tuesday of each month to discuss activities aimed at supporting the local community.
1412 Cedar Fork Road, Beulaville
May 22
Gold Star Monument Tribute
Noon
The Duplin County Historical Society will hold the ceremony at the courthouse square, honoring county residents who gave their lives in service to the U.S. The Gold Star, established during World War I, represents families who have lost a loved one in military service, and the ceremony serves as a tribute to their sacri ce. Duplin County Courthouse Kenansville
quick look at what’s coming up in Duplin County.
COURTESY
Mount Olive board tables potential charter change
Residents voiced opposition to longer terms and concerns about the proposed property sale price
By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal
THE MOUNT OLIVE Board of Commissioners voted to table two items on the agenda during its Monday night meeting after hearing comments from people during the open forum.
The rst action item to be tabled would approve a change to the town charter which would change election of commissioners from two-year staggered terms to four-year staggered terms. The board held a public hearing on the issue last month during which a commissioner asked the audience to reveal by a show of hands whether they supported a change to four-year terms or to keep the current two-year terms. The majority raised their hands in support of keeping the current two-year staggered terms.
Mount Olive resident Ray McDonald addressed the board during the public forum on Monday and cautioned them not to vote on the ordinance.
“I think if you vote on this tonight and pass it as it’s formed, you will kill the opportunity to have four-year terms,” McDonald said.
He said passing the ordinance as presented would open the board up to be challenged by a referendum to overturn the ordinance. He said the referendum could be forced by collecting signatures.
“It’s not that high a bar to cross to get the signatures,” McDonald said. “In this situation, you need a few hundred signatures and then you’ll have a referendum to vote on something you are trying to add to the charter.”
Another resident, Linda Morgan, also addressed the board and mentioned the results of the April public hearing on the subject.
“We had a public forum on it, and all the commissioners were present,” Morgan said. “The majority of everyone here said they did not want four-year terms. The only thing I see a four-year term doing is locking us into a commissioner.”
The other action item the board voted to table involved considering a bid by the nonpro t ADLA Inc. to purchase the Dr. Spencer Durante Athletic Complex on South Breazeale Avenue for $20,000. The complex is home of the youth football program in town now run
by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
McDonald also expressed concern about that issue in his comments, believing the price is too low. He said between $300,000 and $400,000 had been raised in the community to build the football eld. He said selling it at that price would be “giving away the farm.”
Ervina Wentworth, an attorney representing ADLA Inc., addressed the board and defended the purchase price, saying that many expensive improvements would be made by the nonpro t to the facility, including a running and walking track around the eld that would cost approximately $300,000. She added that
Duplin airport to expand taxiway upgrades with
The allocation will support paving, milling and repainting as airport improvements continue
By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal
DUPLIN COUNTY Airport
o cials are moving forward with taxiway upgrades after receiving an additional $150,000 in state funding, allowing the project to expand as crews wrap up work on a recently completed connector.
“Saying ‘yes’ to being able to use the funding for this will strengthen our cause to needs in other areas,” Joshua Raynor, airport director, told members at the Duplin County Airport Board meeting on April 28.
Hunter Boniface explained how the extra funds would be used. According to Boniface, the
$150K in state funds
proposed plan would rehab a portion of the north side of the taxiway including milling, paving, and repainting it. Quotes were being requested for the work from the same company that did the rest of the taxiway rehab, S.T. Wooten.
Raynor gave an update on the hangar project.
“All the drywall is up, and they are starting to paint,” Raynor said. “Power is on, the fans are working, the apron concrete has been poured, windows are in, dirt has been removed and sewer connections are in. It should be done by the end of May or start of June.”
The board discussed marketing the hangar, and Raynor said a mass email was planned to target the hangar to potential interests in Wilmington and surrounding areas.
Raynor also shared that reroo ng on the corporate han-
“We are 20 days into a 90-day project, but we are hopeful that it will be straightened out since the progress meeting.”
Joshua Raynor and Hunter Boniface on the fuel farm
gars was done, and the reskinning on the T-hangars should be nished this week. He conrmed that the hydraulic doors that had been discussed were not used because they would not meet the budget.
Boniface and Raynor shared that the fuel farm was o to a slow start, and they had to have a progress meeting to discuss the issues and expectations.
the nonpro t was also working in partnership with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in operating the football program at the eld.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Vicky Darden made two presentations on behalf of the board. The rst was a certificate of appreciation presented to local pastor Bishop Timothy Dortch and his wife in recognition of their contributions to the community.
Darden also surprised Town Manager Octavious Murphy, asking him and the board to come in front of the commissioners’ table where she presented Murphy with a photo portrait of his mother, who died a week earlier and was buried
“We are 20 days into a 90-day project, but we are hopeful that it will be straightened out since the progress meeting,” they said.
So far, the old fence was removed. Temporary fencing was installed, and grading and piping had begun. Environmental testing returned from Phase 2, indicating that additional testing as well as an environmental management plan, needed to be done because of an issue discovered in the soil between the two northern fuel tanks. The board approved a work authorization amendment to allow up to $19,000 of the project’s budget to be reallocated to cover the need.
Greg VanderMolen gave an update on the apron rehabilitation project.
“The approach survey was recently done, and we should have the required certi cations soon,” VanderMolen said.
He explained that the project should be ready for bidding and funding soon, with a possible start date in the summer of 2027.
Raynor shared that plans are getting updated to access transportation funding for the airport maintenance building.
“The state will feel better
Saturday. Murphy was moved to tears by the gesture. In other business, the board voted to enter into an agreement with the town of Goldsboro to rent a VAC truck and two Goldsboro sta members to assist the town in cleaning sewage lines at a daily rate of $1,655.69. Mount Olive’s VAC truck has been out of service, needing extensive repairs. The board also, on a vote of 3-2, approved restoring Mayor Jerome Newton with full access to the town hall. Commissioners Gena Messer Knode and C.J. Weaver voted against the measure, which had been added to the agenda during the meeting by Mayor Pro Tem Delreese Simmons.
about using transportation dollars on it if it’s on airport property,” Raynor said.
The board discussed getting the necessary paperwork in place to secure funding and start bidding for the work before the funding due date expires in June.
The board discussed and unanimously reappointed four of its members: Chairman Jack Alphin and Board Members Larry Debose, A.J. Connors and Jerry Tysinger.
The board discussed and approved new signage for the airport. The new sign is part of a project by Economic Development to provide uniform signage at the airport and four industrial parks throughout the county. All the signs will feature a brick base, a white lighted sign with interchangeable business slots and the Duplin County logo.
Raynor shared the April fuel report. For April, there were 738 operations, 3,175 gallons of avgas sold and approximately 12,000 gallons of jet fuel sold.
The board discussed gas prices, personnel changes and activity in nearby airports. The meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Mount Olive Town Manager Octavious Murphy, right, is moved to tears as Commissioner Vicky Darden presents him with a photo portrait of his mother, who died a week earlier.
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
When does speech become dangerous?
The central issue is rhetoric that treats political opponents as criminals without proof, assigns monstrous motives without evidence and creates a cultural climate where violence feels justi ed.
AMERICANS LOVE arguing about free speech. We invoke the First Amendment as a kind of political force eld: You can say whatever you want, whenever you want, without consequence.
But the First Amendment only restricts government action. It does not guarantee you a career, a platform or immunity from backlash. The real question is not whether certain speech is legal but rather what kind of speech deserves social consequences — and what kind doesn’t.
And if we’re talking about reckless political speech, we should talk about Jimmy Kimmel. Years ago, he abandoned comedy in favor of applause lines, tearful monologues and the occasional performance of empathy. He’s an unfunny late-night scold who treats half the country as a punchline.
As annoying as that is, being unfunny is not a crime. The bigger issue is when media gures cross the line from tastelessness into rhetoric that creates a permission structure for violence.
To understand the di erence, it helps to break political speech into three categories.
First: illegal speech.
Yes, illegal political speech exists in America.
A classic example: “I want to kill the president.” That’s not merely commentary. It is an actionable, direct threat.
There is also incitement. Under the Supreme Court’s Brandenburg standard, speech quali es as incitement only if it is intended to and likely to produce imminent lawless action.
“Someone should do something about the president” is protected, though irresponsible, speech. “Go kill the president” crosses into territory the law can punish. It’s speech but also an attempt to trigger violence.
Second: typical in ammatory rhetoric.
American politics is lled with heated language. “Fight like hell.” “We’re going to war with the other party.” That sort of rhetoric can be ugly and excessive, but it is also normal.
We’ve seen how absurd it becomes when people try to treat that as literal incitement. After Gabby Gi ords was shot, some on the left blamed Sarah Palin because a campaign graphic had “targeted” certain districts. That was ridiculous. Using combative imagery is not the same as directing violence.
Third: the permission structure for violence.
A permission structure for violence is created when people repeatedly portray political opponents as monsters.
This is how you create the mental environment where unstable people conclude that violence is justi ed. If the president is a traitor, rapist, pedophile and mastermind behind a corrupt system, then how else could he be stopped?
This kind of rhetoric leads directly to chaos. It is also the kind of rhetoric Kimmel has tra cked in for years.
Recently, Kimmel tastelessly joked that Melania Trump had “the glow of an expectant widow.” It was disgusting, and she has every right to be furious. But it wasn’t a call to violence. It was a cheap, ugly joke suggesting she secretly wants her husband dead.
Kimmel later claimed he rejects violent rhetoric, then immediately pivoted to blaming Donald Trump for rhetoric that supposedly inspires violence. It was the standard modern play: Insult someone, then wrap yourself in moral superiority.
But when it comes to rhetoric that encourages violence, it isn’t the widow joke
that should be the focus; it’s the conspiracism. Kimmel has repeatedly called Trump a pedophile, suggested he is connected to Je rey Epstein and involved in a coverup, called him a rapist and accused him of protecting pedophiles, coming after voting rights, enriching billionaires while harming the poor, and manipulating the system to evade accountability. That is not “normal political speech.” It is speech that turns a political opponent into a movie villain — a gure so corrupt and monstrous that extreme action begins to feel righteous.
This kind of conspiratorial framing has a track record. It fuels ugly episodes of modern political violence: a steady stream of baseless accusations designed to convince audiences that the other side is not merely wrong but evil.
If someone eventually acts on that belief, we shouldn’t pretend it came out of nowhere.
So should Kimmel be red?
Firing him for the Melania joke would be punishing the wrong o ense. A tasteless, bad joke is not the central issue.
The central issue is rhetoric that treats political opponents as criminals without proof, assigns monstrous motives without evidence and creates a cultural climate where violence feels justi ed.
If America wants to lower the temperature, scrutiny should be directed at conspiratorial storytelling that teaches people to hate.
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author.
(Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
California copied Europe’s insane energy playbook
European governments routinely pile on $3-$4 per gallon in excise duties.
EVEN AS U.S. GASOLINE prices rise again amid ongoing Strait of Hormuz tensions, American drivers are still paying less than half what many Europeans and Asians endure at the pump. The reason is simple: America chose lower taxes and genuine energy security. Europe and California deliberately chose the opposite — and are now reaping the painful, predictable consequences.
Taxes explain most of the gap, as the Wall Street Journal detailed April 22. European governments routinely pile on $3-$4 per gallon in excise duties, VAT and “green” levies. In Germany, prices recently hit the equivalent of $8.75 a gallon, with taxes comprising more than half the total. Most U.S. states charge roughly 20 cents.
This isn’t an accident of geography or culture. Americans built a sprawling, car-dependent economy after World War II and have repeatedly rejected European-style punishment at the pump. Europeans tolerated it, and their politicians weaponized fuel taxes as an easy money grab and to force behaviors preferred by their central planners.
The result is embedded in ation across every sector: Higher costs for trucking food, shipping goods and powering industry. Europeans don’t just pay more to ll their tanks — they pay more for everything that moves on petroleum. Their living standards su er accordingly.
Energy security delivers America’s second big advantage. The U.S. produces more than two-thirds of its own oil and imports the rest mostly from Canada and other friendly Western Hemisphere sources. We are largely insulated from Middle East chaos.
Europe, by contrast, lectures the world about “energy transition” while remaining dangerously
dependent on imports even as it sits atop known, undeveloped reserves. The same nations that demonize oil and gas refuse to produce their own, choosing instead to outsource vulnerability rst to Russia, then to OPEC and now to U.S. LNG. This is not prudent policy. It is willful self-sabotage clothed in false virtue.
Nowhere is this failure more glaring than California, which has imported Germany’s disastrous model wholesale and turned itself into America’s premier energy basket case. With an 81-cent state gas tax, 60-70 cent cap-and-trade penalty, boutique “California blend” fuel mandates, and layers of environmental rules explicitly designed to punish gasoline and driving, the Golden State routinely posts pump prices $2 above the national average.
In-state production has been strangled. Re neries are closing or idling. The state now imports gasoline from South Korea, the Bahamas and the Middle East, exposing its residents to global shocks while preaching climate alarm orthodoxy.
Gavin Newsom and his bureaucrats want voters to believe it’s all President Donald Trump’s fault, but it isn’t. It is the entirely foreseeable outcome of using tax and regulatory warfare to force a premature energy transition. Instead of transitioning, California is deindustrializing and making its citizens poorer in the process.
The broader lesson is damning. High-tax, high-regulation, import-dependent energy policies do not deliver utopia or planetary salvation. They deliver chronic vulnerability, in ated living costs and economic drag. Europe’s drivers pay double or triple because politicians prioritized revenue and ideology over abundance. California followed suit and became a cautionary tale for the rest of America.
But most U.S. states reap the rewards of the opposite approach: Reasonable taxation that doesn’t treat fuel as a sin, aggressive domestic production that delivers record output and supply chains resilient enough to weather global crises without collapse. Prices rise during supply shocks, but there are no lines at the pump and no systemic shortages. That is the fruit of policy grounded in reality rather than fantasy.
America’s advantage at the pump is neither accident nor mystery: It is the direct result of rejecting the punitive European model that California eagerly embraced. Policymakers who ignore this lesson are not visionaries: They are ideologues imposing measurable harm on the people they claim to serve.
The current global turmoil should serve as a wake-up call. Punitive taxation and regulatory strangulation of conventional energy produce scarcity, insecurity and higher costs borne by working families.
America’s formula of lower taxes and energy dominance delivers a ordability, resilience and genuine energy security.
Europe — and California — stand as expensive warnings of what happens when nations choose ideology over reality. Americans outside of the Golden State should reject that failing path with zero apology.
David Blackmon is an energy writer and consultant based in Texas. (Copyright 2026 Daily Caller News Foundation)
COLUMN | DAVID BLACKMON
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
When Warsaw answered a joke with hospitality, the country noticed
A 1977 radio stunt inspired a community e ort that drew national praise
By Rebecca Whitman Cooke and Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
WARSAW — A recently rediscovered scrapbook once kept by former Warsaw mayor John L. Powell Jr. is bringing new life to one of the town’s proudest moments and revealing how far its impact reached.
Placed in the hands of a local resident for safekeeping just a couple of months ago, the scrapbook holds more than photos and clippings from a remarkable weekend in 1977.
Tucked inside are dozens of letters, many still in their original envelopes, sent from across the United States, each congratulating Warsaw for how it responded after becoming the punchline of a joke.
It started as a gimmick. In July 1977, WIS Radio (560 AM) in Columbia, South Carolina, ran what it called a “No Contest Contest,” poking fun at Warsaw and nearby Turkey. The grand prize was a bus ticket to Warsaw by way of Turkey along with “a carton of warm milk, an old magazine and a cheese sandwich.”
The station described Warsaw as an “out-of-the-way hick town.” Rather than object, local leaders organized a plan to welcome the contest winners and turn the joke into an opportunity to showcase the town’s character.
Letters went out to residents and businesses asking for small donations to help host the winning couple, Joseph C. and Joy Wilson of Leesville, South Caro -
WARSAW from page A1
because of the animosity, the disdain that I have been shown, I copy the attorney now on my messages. I get here, and they won’t let me in.”
Duplin Journal contacted Turner for comment about the allegations on April 27 and May 4 but has not received a response.
Separate from the mayor’s claims, recent board meetings have highlighted a range of operational challenges, with divisions among o cials often apparent. Meetings, sometimes lasting two to three hours, have at times become bogged down in procedural uncertainty, particularly over whether items require formal motions or are intended for discussion only. Commissioners have frequently spoken over one another while attempting to clarify how to proceed.
In an interview, Commissioner Ebony Willis-Wells said the issue is rooted in how meetings are structured.
“Often, you hear certain com-
TAX from page A1
for more developed proposals from the state legislature. He also voiced concern about aligning too closely with a statewide position, preferring that Duplin County maintain an independent stance rather than being grouped with all 100 counties through NCACC action.
O cials noted that early state discussions included eliminating property taxes entirely but later shifted toward proposals involving caps or limits on local tax rates. Commissioners raised concerns about how essential services such as EMS and public safety would be funded under such changes.
The board ultimately agreed to revise the resolution to clarify language, including explicitly supporting e orts to reduce tax burdens while opposing restrictions on local authority. The amended resolution passed 3–1. County Manager Lisa Hughes reported that the county applied for federal funding through U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy’s ofce. This includes a $32 mil-
REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Above, Joseph C. Wilson, right, and Joy Wilson, left, of Leesville, South Carolina, were guests of the town of Warsaw in 1977 after winning a radio contest that prompted a community response to a local joke. Right, a Big Spring (Texas) Herald article from Oct. 25, 1977, re ects national coverage of Warsaw’s response.
lina. The response was immediate. By August 1977, the couple had been contacted, and plans were set for an Oct. 21-22 visit.
“We are very proud of our town and the surrounding communities and, while Station WIS has put us down with their o -color description of our town, we will try to show you that any citizen in this country would be proud to call Warsaw their hometown,” Powell wrote in a letter to the Wilsons.
Milford Quinn, then owner of Quinn Wholesale Co., vol-
missioners saying, ‘We have always done it this way.’ However, as we all know, the old way of doing things hasn’t always been right and fair. When meetings devolve into hours of circular debate, it’s usually a failure of structure rather than a lack of passion,” said Willis-Wells.
At the April meeting, commissioners noted that the administrative o ce has been reduced from four to three employees responsible for managing municipal operations. Boykin said sta ng shortages alone do not explain the town’s di culties, pointing instead to concerns about leadership responsiveness.
Willis-Wells raised concerns about the town’s administrative structure, where the town manager is also serving as nance ofcer and town clerk.
“The arrangement where one individual holds the titles of town manager, nance o cer and town clerk is a common reality in small-town governance, but it is a ‘high-stakes’ e ciency.” She said the structure creates risk.
lion request for James Kenan High School renovations and $800,000 for the new public safety building. Hughes noted that both projects were submitted under a tight deadline due to the requirements of the congressional funding program. To qualify, projects had to be “shovel-ready,” meaning design work, planning or readiness documentation was already in place to support immediate implementation if funding is awarded. Preliminary feedback suggests the county may receive approximately $1.8 million in total funding. Final funding determinations are still pending and will depend on congressional allocation decisions.
In facility-related business, the board approved an $11,840 drainage contract for the Animal Services facility with Riley Landscaping and Lawn Maintenance. The project will improve stormwater drainage, extend runo systems away from the building and replace mulch with more durable erosion-resistant materials.
Commissioners also adopt-
unteered to y the couple in and back home on his six-passenger private plane. When the Wilsons arrived at Duplin Airport, they were greeted by “200 cheering residents.”
Powell presented them with a key to the town, and they stayed as guests of the Vintage Inn.
A pig pickin’ at the Duplin Country Club set the tone for the weekend. Over the next two days, the Wilsons were hosted by local families and toured through Warsaw’s neighborhoods, historic homes and
“While e cient, this structure creates a ‘single point of failure’ and violates the most basic principles of government oversight,” Willis-Wells said.
She added that oversight is lacking under the current arrangement.
“No adequate checks and balances exist when one person holds these three key roles,” she said.
Willis-Wells also said she does not believe the structure aligns with best practices.
Concerns about oversight extend to employee evaluations.
“I am not aware of any evaluations being done on any town employee. I have spoken with several employees and former employees who stated they have never been evaluated.”
She said this absence contributes to broader issues. She also emphasized the importance of transparency.
“Transparency is the foundation of local government. Without a documented evaluation process, the board cannot fully honor the trust citizens place in them to lead, enforce our laws
ed a new animal shelter emergency boarding policy, allowing temporary fee waivers for pets displaced by emergencies such as house res or vehicle accidents. Animals may be boarded free for up to seven days, with the county manager authorized to extend the waiver to 14 days in special cases. Hughes said the policy is intended to assist residents during emergency situations.
“It’s just trying to help people when they’re in their hour of need,” said County Manager Lisa Hughes. “In my 30 years in government, this is the rst time that I’ve ever had an incident like this happen.”
Administrative updates included several sta ng and structural changes. IT Director Frankie Herring retired April 30, with Brandon James appointed as the new IT director. Also, Deputy County Manager Carrie Shields submitted her resignation e ective May 28.
Hughes also announced an internal restructuring of county purchasing functions, consolidating procurement responsibil-
and as far north as North Dakota and Michigan. By year’s end, Powell had collected 33 letters and clippings from 17 U.S. states and one Canadian province. Many were from individuals who had read about the event and wrote to express support for the town’s response.
“I think it proved that Warsaw wasn’t as bad as the radio announcer thought,” resident Elizabeth Carlton said. “It also proves you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
The North Carolina Department of Commerce also took notice, commending the town’s civic pride and pointing to it as an example of what makes communities across the state strong.
“It’s this kind of spirit, civic pride and enterprise on the part of Tar Heels that has made North Carolina one of the top travel and tourist destinations in the nation,” wrote then-Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce D.M. Faircloth in a letter to Powell.
For those involved, the weekend left a lasting impression.
“It was a good project for the town to work together on,” said W.G. Britt, owner of Duplin Trading Company at the time. “It also helped clean up the town some. The people really put their best foot forward.”
Nearly 50 years later, the scrapbook continues to capture that moment.
landmarks, including Warsaw Baptist Church, the Country Squire, Westwater Gardens, James Sprunt Community College and Liberty Hall — each stop another e ort to show the pride locals felt in their town. And the e ort didn’t go unnoticed. News of how Warsaw responded spread quickly, and the letters preserved in Powell’s scrapbook show just how widely the story resonated.
Newspapers and magazines spread the story as far west as Los Angeles and San Francisco
and manage the town’s resources e ectively.”
Willis-Wells said divisions are a ecting governance.
“I am one vote on this board, and I intend to make it count,” said Willis-Wells. “Over the next three months, my primary focus will be to voice the urgency of completion of a formal evaluation for the town manager to ensure our town’s leadership remains e ective and accountable.”
Boykin has suggested the town explore participation in a National Civility Program, which promotes respectful communication, collaboration and better decision-making practices. At the April meeting, he asked Turner to bring it as a future action item for board consideration.
All members of the board were contacted for comment. As of press deadline, only one commissioner — Willis-Wells — responded to Duplin Journal’s request for comment.
Duplin Journal submitted a public records request under North Carolina Public Re-
ities into a centralized system. A current IT department purchasing/business analyst will transition into a countywide purchasing coordinator role. The change will eliminate the IT-speci c purchasing position in the upcoming budget cycle and is intended to streamline procurement and centralize vendor tracking across departments.
In other business
O cials provided an update on a proposed sewer system project for Calico Bay and East Log Cabin. The system would use low-pressure pumps from individual homes feeding into centralized lines connecting to Wallace and Teachey, depending on nal routing decisions. Estimated costs for the Calico Bay portion are approximately $2.5 million, including construction and engineering. However, participation remains limited, with only seven of roughly 29 parcels expressing interest so far. Monthly costs are projected at $50 to $70 per household, in addition to exist-
“This was a big deal for Warsaw,” said Susan Frederick, the Warsaw resident who was given the scrapbook. “We want those who don’t know to learn about it and those that were there to remember.”
Many of those who organized the weekend are gone, but their legacy remains in the letters they received and the example they set.
For Frederick, the scrapbook documents not only the 1977 event, but shows what a community can accomplish when it comes together.
cords Law to the town manager on April 21. The request sought documents related to agenda-setting and communications, policies governing access to nancial records and administrative o ces by elected o cials, personnel evaluation policies, and any publicly releasable records associated with a $38,500 settlement involving a May 2025 incident with the Warsaw Police Department in which a man alleged personal injuries.
After a follow-up on April 27, Turner provided the following statement.
“We currently have a high volume of records request and we are short sta ed,” the statement said. “Records requests are answered in the order they are received, so please be patient with me. I will get you a response as soon as possible.”
Boykin said he plans to release additional information in the coming weeks outlining his assessment of the town’s progress and ongoing challenges, which he said will provide further clarity for residents.
ing water bills. Commissioners emphasized that feasibility depends on participation levels and funding availability. A follow-up is scheduled for June 1. The board voted to accept a $149,100 Federal Aviation Administration transfer from the Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport Authority to the Duplin County Airport. O cials said the county was noti ed late the previous week and must accept and transfer the funds by June 30 or risk losing them. The grant requires no local match. At the time of approval, sta said it was still unclear whether the funds would supplement or replace existing FAA allocations. The county will also implement a new preagenda review process for Board of Commissioners meetings. A sta -level meeting will now be held before agendas are nalized, involving the county manager, clerk to the board, deputy county manager, nance o cer, HR o cer and relevant sta . The goal is to ensure all supporting documentation is complete before items reach the public meeting.
a berry fun time
Strawberry Festival rolls on despite rainy Saturday
While the weather wasn’t ideal on Saturday for this year’s Carolina Strawberry Festival in downtown Wallace, the weekend still drew strong crowds and plenty of enthusiasm. Friday evening’s festival kicko , featuring the Band of Oz, rides, and a wide variety of food and vendors, brought many out to enjoy the festivities.
As soon as the carnival rides started operating Friday evening, parents and kids lined up, eager to buy tickets and join in the fun.
The real star of the show, strawberries, made their presence known in baskets of fresh berries
from Cottle Organics Farm, as well as on T-shirts and in a variety of foods, including ice cream. Despite Saturday’s rain, many runners participated in the 5K walk and run and the Strawberry Jam one-mile fun run. Even in wet conditions, families continued to turn out to support local vendors and take part in a long-standing community tradition rooted in togetherness and local agriculture. The rainfall was also welcomed across Duplin County after a prolonged dry spell, providing needed relief for area farmers, including strawberry growers.
Two tables of bright red strawberries from Cottle Organics Farm stood out at their booth during the 2026 Carolina Strawberry Festival in downtown Wallace over the weekend.
Haylin Mejia of Wallace tackles the tall rock-climbing wall during the 2026 Carolina Strawberry Festival in downtown Wallace.
Top, friends Asia Faison, left, and Haylie Kemp enjoy a sweet break with strawberry ice cream at the 2026 Carolina Strawberry Festival. Left, Wallace Mayor Jason Wells, right, and Wallace Chamber of Commerce President Brett Roderick welcome the crowd from the main stage at the 2026 Carolina Strawberry Festival. Right, the swings proved to be a popular ride during the 2026 Carolina Strawberry Festival.
PHOTOS BY MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
DUPLIN SPORTS Panthers sweep
Three-team photo nish
“They trusted the process,”
Dennis Ly, WRH coach
The ’Dawgs got past the Tigers to share SVC title with JK and Princeton
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
TEACHEY — Wallace-Rose Hill is unbeaten when Gabriel Debnam scores a goal.
The junior mid elder scored twice during a 3-0 win over James Kenan last week.
The ’Dawgs’ sixth win since losing to JK a month ago and the Tigers’ win over Princeton a day earlier resulted in a three-way tie atop the Swine Valley Conference leaderboard.
Senior middie Kaylee Guzman added her third score of the season, and WRH benetted when JK’s Aleyah Wilson hurt her shoulder 20 min-
utes into the match and was unable to continue. Wilson scored two late goals when the Tigers beat WRH 2-0 on March 31 in Warsaw.
“That changed the whole complexion of the match for us,” said JK coach Kenny Williams, whose club beat Princeton 2-1 the previous day to set up the matchup. “We were playing pretty well and controlling the play well. Wallace played really well, especially in the mid eld, which put pressure on us in the second half.”
Guzman’s redirected kick 13 minutes into the match came after Wilson had three solid chances of scoring in the box. It stayed 1-0 until the second half, but the Bulldogs’ passing and ball movement was clearly better than JK.
Goalie Gissele Licona made seven saves.
“We’ve worked on it all year long, and tonight it showed,” said WRH coach Dennis Ly. “They trusted the process. Our seniors didn’t want to come o the eld. No one expected us to be in this position, and our communication has been a key. We talk.”
It’s been a historic season for both schools.
WRH (11-7, 10-2) already has its most wins in school history, while JK (13-5, 10-2) collected its most wins since 2017’s squad went 17-4-2.
Debnam pushed in her ninth and 10th goals of the season in the second half.
The rst came nine minutes after intermission, and the second was midway through the second half o passes from Brianna Maradiaga and Bayleen Flores, WRH’s leading scorer with 16.
Debnam, a junior, has scored 10 times in three consecutive seasons. WRH is 8-0
See SOCCER, page B3
Blue Devils to capture ECC championship
East Duplin beat SL 2-1 and 7-6 for its rst ECC title since 2022
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
TEACHEY — Good baseball teams nd a variety of ways to win, and capturing one-run games turns the seed into banquet-style entrees.
Following a pair of one-run triumphs, Duplin captured its rst ECC title since 2022 following 2-1 and 7-6 triumphs over South Lenoir (13- 6, 7-3).
The Panthers needed just a split for the crown, which was held from them from 2017 to 2022 by powerhouse Midway, which ED played evenly though were often on the short end of the stick. It was the rst triumph over the Blue Devils in three seasons, covering ve games.
And make no doubt about it, the two wins were possible because of the e orts of a number of players.
In the 7-6 win, Shawn Marshburn, Luke Hall, Gavin Holmes, Jack Tuck and Hayes Lanier each had two hits. Colton Holmes and Brayden Jones each slashed a single and seven Panthers scored. ED (14-5, 10-0)
In the win that clinched the crown, JP Murphy and Gavin Holmes had a key run-scoring singles, Marshburn was 3 for 3 and Silas Jarman had two hits in three trips to the plate.
Thigpen also e ectively used three pitchers — Jones, Murphy and Gavin Holmes — in both wins. Holmes went 41⁄3 innings and Murphy 22⁄3 frames in the second win, while Jones, a freshman, went 32⁄3 innings, Murphy 21⁄3 innings and Holmes a scoreless seventh in the league-clinching victory, inducing three y ball outs to Murphy in center eld.
While the home win after claiming the title was impressive, the road win carries more weight since the Panthers won a tough baseball battle. Holmes, an all-state player from a season ago, drove in the rst run in the third. Murphy, a senior captain, made it 2-0 in the fourth, scoring Tuck, who bunted his way aboard.
ED’s three hurlers held a formidable Blue Devils lineup to six hits. Each were tough in key spots, with runners in scoring position and on ball-strike counts that favored hitters. SL had at least a runner
See BASEBALL, page B3
Road victory delivers Panthers share of ECC title
East Duplin beat South Lenoir 6-5 on the road and fell 5-4 at home to split the crown with the Blue Devils
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
DEEP RUN — Winning ugly beats any form of losing.
And though East Duplin softball coach Greg Jenkins described his team’s 6-5 road win over South Lenoir as “our worst game of the season,” it still put the Panthers in the driver’s seat of the ECC. ED would lose a 5-4 heartbreaker three days later to the
Blue Devils (15-7, 8-2) as both schools tied for the top spot in the 3A/4A league.
The split was enough to earn Jenkins and his 25th Panthers squad (17-3, 8-2) the No. 5 seed in the East in the 4A state tournament bracket.
SL, meanwhile, took the No. 6 seed in the 3A.
It was ED’s rst league crown since its 2023 squad went 12-0 in the loop. The two schools also tied for the crown in 2021 with identical 11-1 marks.
That’s all history as the Panthers await the winner of No. 13 First Flight and No. 20 Southwest Onslow for a second-round playo game on May 7. No. 5 Bunn (16-5) and
top seed Randleman (22-2) await as possible matchups.
Panthers slip past Blue Devils
ED had made just eight errors coming into the rst game of its series with SL but bobbled and errantly threw the ball away on ve plays. Jenkins and fans were in shock.
But the Panthers made enough plays and had enough o ense to claim the win.
Winning pitcher Zoe Turner (8-0) retired the side in order in the rst and third, gave up two runs in the second and
See SOFTBALL, page B2
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
WRH’s Angela Rosales (1), Bayleen Flores (18) and Yasmin Melendez (6) celebrate Gabriel Debnam’s (5) goal against JK.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
ED’s Leighton Davis (17) has emerged as a hitter and third baseman for the Panthers.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
SPONSORED BY BILL CARONE
Adrian Glover
Wallace-Rose Hill, track and eld
It’s no secret Adrian Glover has speed. He ashed it on the football eld last fall.
Last week, he documented it on the track at the Swine Valley Conference Championships at Princeton High.
The Wallace-Rose Hill juniors nal lunge in the 200 beat Goldsboro’s Alexandro Innocent by 0.06 seconds as Glover hit the tape in 22.10 and his counterpart in 20.16. But Innocent prevailed by 0.08 seconds in the 100 (10.89 to 10.97).
Glover and Innocent recently showed the big schools how it is done at the Seahawk Invitational at UNCW.
Glover also ran a leg on the Bulldogs’ winning 400 relay team, sharing the baton with Jamari Carr, Matt Wells and Azaryon Clibbons to clip the Goldsboro foursome by 0.08 seconds.
Look for more highlights from Glover in the NCHSAA’s East Region championships in Kinston on May 9, according to longtime track coach Will Je ers.
Tigers, Rebels crash into playo s with loaded lineups
ND shared the CC title and earned the top seed in 2A, while JK is No. 5 in 3A
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
TEACHEY — James Kenan and North Duplin took care of business in a big way last week.
Both earned a rst-round bye in the state playo s and will host a second-round a air on May 8.
While it was somewhat expected in Calypso, the Tigers had a record-setting spring.
JK (17-3) won its most games in at least 25 years. Its last winning season was 2022 (12-9).
The Tigers failed to win a game in 2016 and 2018 and just two in 2017, and they were 17-37 from 2023 to 2025.
But the current Tigers can smack the ball around the diamond.
JK scored ve times in the fth inning o Wallace-Rose Hill hurler Payton Tynall and held on for an 9-6 win to sweep the Duplin County rivalry series.
Kenadi Gideons, Scarlett Deluca, Sadie Casteen and Peyton Ezzell each had two RBIs, and Shylah Sloan scored twice and drove in a run.
Jansley Page and Maggie Boone scored on a triple by Isabella Parker as WRH (9-10) went in front 2-0.
JK would take the lead for good in the second with three runs as Deluca and Ezzell each doubled and Gideons singled.
Doubles by Casteen, Ava Jones and Kinzley Sloan put up ve on the scoreboard for JK in the fth.
WRH hung close behind a run-scoring hit by Azee Monk in fourth and an RBI triple by Hannah Baker in the sixth.
Up 9-4 with three outs left, WRH took advantage of three walks by Jones and two errors that scored a pair of runs.
And there is a chance for a third meeting between the two foes.
If No. 12 WRH beats No. 21 Pasquotank (4-10) in the rst round, it will travel to No. 5 JK on May 8. That winner will likely see No. 4 Trask (13-4) in the third round.
The Tigers’ win over Northside-Jacksonville dropped JK one spot in the RPI rankings.
Rebels continue supremacy of Carolina Conference
North Duplin captured a share of rst place in the Carolina Conference last week with mercy rule wins over West Columbus 15-0 and Lakewood 10-0.
SOFTBALL from page B1
stopped the Blues from big innings in the fourth, fth, sixth and seventh frames.
She walked the opening two hitters in the seventh and allowed a run, just as she did in the fourth and sixth.
The senior intentionally walked Rylan Wade, who had homered in the sixth, and then whi ed Lily Cole to end the game.
ED got out of the fth without allowing a run as shortstop Ava Noble recovered from an error by making a jumping catch of a line drive that would have scored two runs.
Lorena Rodriguez keyed a double play in the sixth following the solo shot by Wade, and Turner induced a weak ground ball for the third out.
Noble scored o a sacri ce by Karsyn Parker in the second inning for the rst run of the a air.
SL countered with two in the home half of the inning for its only lead.
It didn’t last long as ED tied it in the third and got key hits from Sophia Jones, Leighton Davis and a run-scoring ground out from Lorena Rodriguez to go in front 3-2.
JK’s Sadie Casteen snags a throw to send WRH’s Sophia Sloan to the dugout. Lilly Fulghum was in the circle three years ago when ND advanced to the 1A nal. ND in No. 1 in the East and will host a secondround playo game on May 8. 7
Strikeouts for ND’s Gracie Higginbotham in three innings during a 10-0 win over Lakewood
The Rebels (13-1, 10-1) have won 10 straight and captured at least a share of the title for the past six years. The No. 1 seed in the 2A playo s will await the winner of Northampton and West Columbus for a second-round game in Calypso.
Senior Lilly Fulghum had three hits and three RBIs in the win over the Vikings. Fulghum was on the mound three years ago when ND made it to the 1A nals. Fulghum didn’t yield a hit and struck out six in three innings.
Marissa Bernal, Wyllow Holmes, Ady Spence and Gracie Higginbotham each had a pair of RBIs.
Fulghum and Bernal each drove in three against the Leopards.
Southpaw Higginbotham threw three innings in the circle, whi ng seven and walking one, while Spence had two hitless innings.
No. 5 Rosewood, No. 4 East Carteret and No. 8 Camden County pose threats in the top half of the bracket. No. 3 Perquimans and No. 2 Manteo are obvious threats in the bottom.
Crusaders to host rst-round playo game
Harrells Christian Academy (9-8, 4-7) thinks it can play with the big players in the NCISAA.
The Crusaders got their chance with an opening 2A playo game against Berean Baptist Academy on May 5. Last week, they escaped with a 6-5 win over Cape Fear (6-5) and then ripped Wilmington Christian 15-0.
In the walk-o win Amory Merritt, Emily Patram, Landry Singletary and Savannah Stevens had RBIs. The Crusaders led 5-3 in the fth, and after a scoreless sixth, both teams scored twice in the seventh.
Breelyn Peed limited the Eagles to one hit, striking out 10 and not allowing a walk. HCA scored four runs in each of the rst three innings.
Mary Willow Rumbold had two hits and drove in three runs. Patram and Peed each had two RBIs.
Freshman Lorena Rodriguez is playing like a seasoned player for ED.
Turner singled to start the two-run fth that put ED in control of a tight game. The Panthers took advantage of two SL errors to lead 6-3. Rodriguez singled and scored in the next inning o an RBI rocket to left eld from Noble. A lunging catch of a line drive o the bat of Jones prevented two runs from crossing the plate in the sixth as left elder Lyndsey Phi-
lyaw made a sensational play. Kellynn Swinson limited the Panthers to four hits in the Blue Devils’ 5-4 win in Beulaville. SL led throughout and 5-1 until ED scored three times in the sixth.
Hunter knocked in two teammates with Jones driving in the third run. Makenzie Herring and Carley Boone combined for ve of SL’s 10 hits and four RBIs.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
PHOTOS BY EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Warren, Williams, Price carry Rebels to seventh victory in nine games
The Bulldogs beat the Tigers to get a rst-round home game in the playo s
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
CALYPSO — A pitcher from the old guard and a hitter rising like a Phoenix carried North Duplin to a 4-2 win last week over winless West Columbus.
Rebels right-hander Holden Williams gave up a run in the third and one in the sixth. The senior also drove in a run.
Meanwhile, sophomore Noah Price continued to prove he’s on an elite level by going 3 for 4.
Price, who has cracked 13 hits in his last six games, is hitting .571. He’s had a hit or an RBI in 14 of 15 games this season with 11 walks and one strikeout in 60 plate apperances.
ND got run-scoring hits from Kayden Bowden and Cole Grady and scored all of its runs in the third inning.
Three days later, the Rebels won a 17-11 slugfest with Lakewood for its seventh win in their last nine games. ND (9 - 6, 7-4) tied East Bladen (10-11, 8-4) for third place in the Carolina Conference.
Price, Garris Warren and Keiz Brock each bashed three hits against the Leopards. Grady drove in three runs with two base knocks.
The teams combined for 34 hits. Three Rebels hurlers gave up six walks and eight earned runs.
ND split with second-place
SOCCER from page B1 when she puts the ball in the back of the net this spring. Her only two-goal output came in a 5-3 win over Pender in which she also had two assists.
Goalie Gissele Licona made seven saves.
Flores had a hat trick during
ED’s Gavin Holmes was an all-state shortstop last season. This spring, he’s also contribute heavily to the pitching sta , getting the save against South Lenoir to win the ECC title.
East Columbus and East Bladen while losing two close a airs with Hobbton (16-4, 10 -2).
The No. 12 Rebels were slated host No. 20 Eno River Academy (6-8) this week in the rst round of the 2A playo s.
The winner gets a shot at No. 4 Voyager Academy (15.6) on May 8 in Durham.
Jackson delivers walk- o hit for Bulldogs
Luke Jackson’s shot into the left-center gap drove in the winning run for Wallace-Rose Hill in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 10-9 revenge win over James Kenan.
The junior had three hits and a pair of RBIs on Senior Night.
June graduates Hayden Lovette, Will Brooks and Zachary Fisher were a combined 6 of 11.
Junior Gray James had two hits in three trips and scored twice.
Lovette gave up four runs in six innings while whi ng seven and walking three.
JK scored ve times in the visitor’s half of the seventh to tie the game.
Eli Avent drove in a pair of runs, and twin brother Cal, Shane Braswell and Hunter Grady added RBI singles.
WRH (8-10, 4-7) fell to JK 6-3 on March 31 in Warsaw.
The No. 16 Bulldogs earned a home playo game from the win. They were to host No. 17 Louisburg (7-12).
No. 18 JK (9-10, 4-7) travels to face No. 15 South Columbus (9-12).
a win over Rosewood two days before topping JK. Debnam added an assist, and reserve keeper Salma Sabillion made four saves in the goal. WRH logged its ninth shutout of the season and will play 4A East Duplin (14-6) this week before entering into the 3A playo s. The Panthers
Crusaders nab most
wins since 2022
Harrells Christian Academy has a shot of playing the top team in the NCISAA’s 2A playo s.
The No. 5 Crusaders (13-6, 5-4) have won ve of their last six games, including a two-game sweep of Coastal Plains member Liberty Christian.
HCA beat the Richlands school 23-0 at home and 21-1 on the road with an explosive inning in both a airs.
Davis Rogers, Reid Strickland and Jesse Smith each drove in three runs in the four-inning game in Onslow County that saw the Crusaders tack up 16 runs in the second inning.
Drake Smith and Luke Weeks each added two hits and two RBIs.
A 14-run outbreak in the fth was the highlight of the game in Harrells.
Collin Cole had three hits and four RBIs. Luke Weeks drove in three, Peyton Gomez had three hits and Strickland’s two sin-
beat WRH 5-1 on April 13 in Beulaville.
JK gets a rematch against Southwest Onlsow in Warsaw this week. The Stallions nipped the Tigers 1-0 on April 10 in Jacksonville. Yet there will be a divide between the Tigers and Bulldogs when the playo s start as JK
at second base in four innings.
Nab No. 5 seed in 4A playo s
ED’s sixth straight win came following a four-game tailspin against high-caliber competition during the Easter break.
To say the Panthers responded is an understatement: Losses to North Johnson, Rosewood and Charles B. Aycock came by a combined score of 42-15, though two games were relatively close.
gles allowed two run to cross the plate. If HCA gets past the winner of Rocky Mount Academy (8-11) and Liberty Christian (2-11) it will travel to No. 4 Burlington on May 8 in The Crusaders beat the Eagles (11-10) 9-7 on April 31 and lost an
entered this week as the No. 12 RPI team in 3A, while WRH is 24th. Princeton (14-4-2) may not have its top scorer, Taylar Johnson, but the Johnston County squad in 11th. She has 28 goals but has not played since April 2 because of an injury.
The Panthers earned the No. 5 seed in the 4A playo s and with a bye wait for the winner between No. 12 Roanoke Rapids and No. 21 Fairmont.
The Yellow Jackets gave ED its lone loss in 2022 as the No. 9 seed foiled the top seeded Panthers, who had a 23-game winning streak.
This spring, No. 1 Bunn (19-3) and No. 1 Randleman look like roadblocks for many teams in 4A.
Holmes (.433, six doubles, three triples, 20 RBIs), Marshburn (.507, 7 RBIs) and Tuck (.448, 21 runs, 17 RBIs) are hit-
Sophomore Noah Price (.571) has been a consistent bat in the ND lineup.
ND is getting pitching and hitting from Holden Williams since he returned to the lineup.
8-7 decision to its league foe in 10 innings three days later. The survivor travels to play No. 1 Freedom Christian (17-6) on May 12 in the quarter nals. The top four teams received a bye into the third round, while HCA and three other teams were given rst-round byes.
Williams took solace in the setback to JK. “It’s not what we wanted, but overall it’s been a good regular season,” he said. “But sharing it is better than not having anything at all. We picked a bad night to have a bad night, and Wallace was pumped up and deserved to win.”
ting leaders. Seniors Luke Hall (.309, four doubles, 12 RBIs), Murphy (.245, 17 walks, 10 RBIs) and Colton Holmes (.273, 18 walks, 14 RBIs) have likewise made contributions.
So have underclassmen Lanier (.294, 17 RBIs), Jarman (.258) and Jones (.237), each of whom improved to the varsity level as the season progressed.
It’s taken that kind of team effort to bring ED’s second league title since Thigpen took over in 2017. The Panthers made up for their lack of depth by contributions from nine positions.
EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
PHOTOS BY EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Rebel booters seek Carolina Conference Tournament title
ND preps for the state tournament; the Panthers and Bulldogs excelled at the conference track championships
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
CALYPSO — North Duplin shared the Carolina Conference regular season title with Hobbton but can separate itself from the eld by winning the league’s tournament crown this week.
ND (13-2, 10-2) captured the CC by thumping Lakewood 9-0 as Carrly Strickland scored four goals.
Strickland has 25 goals and 10 assists as the Rebels’ top scorer.
Tristen Stemmler had a hat trick to raise her total to 20. Roselin Orozco added two goals and two assists.
Keeper Natalie Carreon stopped three shots in goal, which included a penalty-kick attempt
It is the rst time the Rebels, who started playing soccer in 2013, were even close to winning a championship.
ND’s 13 wins and eight shutouts are the most in its short history.
Sasha Arguijo has been another key contributor. She knocked in three goals during the Lakewood drubbing. The junior has 16 for the season.
Strickland had ve scores and Jazmine Manzanares a pair of goals.
ND will get a bye into the semi nals where it will face the winner of No. 4 Union and No. 5 Lakewood at East Bladen High.
The host school is the third seed and will face No. 6 East Columbus, with the winner face the survivor of No. 2 Hobbton and No. 7 West Columbus.
ND whipped the Wildcats twice this season (4-0 and 3-0), yet losses to the East Bladen 3-0) and Union (2-0) cost the Rebels the outright regular season title.
ND was 8-7 last season, its rst winning season. The previous high for wins was four (’15, ’18 and ’23). The Rebels had a three-win campaign in ’17 and had two wins in ’16 and ’22.
Here’s another way to explain ND’s past: The Rebels were 36 -114 from 2015 to the start of this season.
ND has the 10th-highest RPI among all 2A schools in the state and could be seeded as high as No. 3 in the East when the pairings are announced, though No. 1 Franklin Academy (18-0), No. 5 Camden County (16-3-1), No. 7 Lejeune (9-2-1) and even No. 9 Voyager Academy (12-4) are having banner seasons.
So too is No. 14 Hobbton (12-5), who could jump ND in the ratings with a win over the Rebels in the CC Tournament nals.
First-round games begin May 14.
TRACK AND FIELD
Several double winners at conference championships
Ten Panthers, ve Rebels and three Bulldogs captured individual track and eld events at three conference championships last week.
ND’s Abby Rose and Jair Quintana, ED’s Anamarie Rodriguez and Andraia Scarborough, and Wallace-Rose Hill’s Azaryon Clibbons were double winners.
Rose was nearly a triple winner, taking rst in the 200 (26.76) and 400 (1:05.1) while nishing second in the 100 (12.2) at the Carolina Confer-
ence meet at Lakewood High School.
Quintana was rst in the boys’ 1,600 (5:19) and 3,200 (12:26).
ED’s Rodrigues owned the 400 (1:03.5) and 800 (2:40.1) at the East Central Conference meet at Trask High.
Clibbons was the jump king at the Swine Valley Conference meet, winning the long jump (20-6) and triple jump (40-5).
Both Panthers squads returned from Pender County with tons of medals.
Scarborough controlled the discus (92-10) and shot put (33 -1).
First-place winners were Tabor Holley in the 300 hurdles (51.77), Angela Hernandez in the 1,600 (6:06), Alaina Dela Rosa in the 3,200 (13:48) and Jakayla Carr in the 100 hurdles (17.58).
The Panthers boys were led by winners DJ Davis in the long jump (19-8), Aaron Hall in the triple jump (40-3), Branson Norris in the 100 hurdles (15.88) and Zachary Ball in the 300 hurdles (41.62). Norris was second to Ball in the 300 and was voted the top eld athlete at the meet.
Other rst-place winners at the CC meet included Carell Phillips in the 400 (51.5), Messiah Cooper in the 110 hurdles (15.81) and Katy Lopez in the 3,200 (17:15).
Wallace-Rose Hill’s winners at the Swine Valley Conference championships in Princeton were Adrian Glover in the 200 (22.1) and Kentrel Williams in the 800 (2:16.6). Glover added second-place points in the 100 (10.97), as did Tashi Hu n in the shot (39-7).
WRH’s girls were paced by second-place nishes by Angelina Cavallaro (13.12 in the 100) and Zy’mira Carr (26-10 in the shot).
ND’s Sasha Arguijo (10), who has 16 goals this season, doesn’t get pushed around much in the box area or otherwise.
TOWN OF ROSE HILL PUBLIC HEARING
PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL
obituaries
Richard Love Mulliner
Nov. 5, 1947 – April 22, 2026
Richard Love Mulliner, son of Richard L. Mulliner and Ruth Anita Swartz, a devoted husband, father, grandfather (“Poppie”), veteran, and accomplished broadcast engineer, passed away, leaving behind a legacy of courage, curiosity, and a deep connection with those around him.
Born in Los Angeles in 1947, Richard grew up in California alongside his parents and sister, all of whom preceded him in death. From an early age, he carried a natural curiosity, quick wit, and outgoing spirit that would de ne his life and the many paths he followed.
Richard proudly served his country as a member of the United States Army Special Forces from 1966 to 1973 during the Vietnam War. His service was marked by extraordinary bravery and sacri ce. He received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service, re ecting his courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to others.
Following his military service, Richard pursued training in radio and television technical engineering, launching a distinguished career in broadcast engineering and production. He spent decades in New York contributing his expertise to major networks, including 27 years with ABC/Disney, 9 years with WLNY, and 24 years with CBS, where he was chief engineer until his retirement. Outside of his work, Richard was especially proud of his son, Richard Mulliner Jr., PhD, whose accomplishments in the aviation industry—as a former air tra c controller
Michael “Mickey” Anthony Blue
Sept. 15, 1949 –April 22, 2026
Michael “Mickey” Anthony Blue, 76, of Leland, NC, formerly of Great Meadows, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, April 22, 2026, at the Davis Health Care Center in Wilmington.
He was born on September 15, 1949, in Newark, NJ, and lived in East Newark, Hudson County, until he joined the military, to the late Anthony Blue and the late Winifred Crawford Blue.
Mickey graduated from Queen of Peace High School in 1967, located in North Arlington, NJ. During high school, Mickey was a skilled musician in piano and accordion and played in a band (The Four Echoes) for weddings and other events and competed in band competitions.
1968-1969 - Completed two-year program in aviation mechanics at Teterboro School of
and current pilot—brought him immense pride and joy.
His work took him across the globe, where he played a role in bringing some of the world’s most signi cant moments into people’s homes. Over the years, he traveled extensively, working on coverage of major elections, international sporting events, royal state dinners, and countless historic occasions. He was part of the team behind the 1984 Summer Olympics, earning a Sports Emmy Award, and also received a Daytime Emmy Award for his work on All My Children. He took great pride in being behind the scenes of events that shaped world history.
In retirement, Richard embraced a quieter but no less ful lling chapter of life in Wallace, North Carolina, where he lived with his beloved wife, Louise. There, he found joy on the golf course and built a close-knit community at River Landing. True to his nature, he made friends everywhere he went—e ortlessly connecting with people through his warmth, humor, and genuine interest in connecting with others. Richard happily spent summers afternoons catching sh and lizards, relishing in the joy of his grandchildren.
Richard had a gift for bringing people together. He loved a good toast and knew how to command a room with ease, whether through a well-timed story, a quick laugh, or a heartfelt word. He knew people from all walks of life and never met a stranger— only future friends.
Above all, Richard will be remembered as smart, funny, kind, and endlessly engaging. He always had a story to tell, and those stories—along with the laughter and connection they brought—will live on in the hearts of those who knew him.
Richard is survived by his loving wife, Louise Mulliner; his son, Richard Mulliner Jr.; stepchildren, beloved nieces, his cherished grandchildren; and an extensive family and community of friends who will continue to celebrate his life and legacy. His was a life well lived—full of service, adventure, friendship, and love—and he will be deeply missed.
Services will be announced at a later date.
Aeronautics in Teterboro, NJ.
1969-1973 – Served in the United States Air Force during the height of the Vietnam War, servicing and repairing B-52 bomber aircraft with tours in Guam, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Turkey.
Mickey also served in the Army Reserves and the Air Force Reserves with 23 years combined military service, retiring in 2010. During this time, he also attended New Jersey Institute of Technology to study mechanical engineering, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and then continued his education to obtain his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management. During this time, he started MAB Construction Company, buying properties and building houses, and doing various home improvement projects.
After obtaining his degrees, Mickey was also employed as an engineer for Chugach Government Solutions based in Picatinny Arsenal.
Mickey is survived by his son, Jamie Blue; his sisters, Susan Porter and her husband, Ken, Elaine Russo and her husband, Henry; his grandchildren, Christopher, James, Alexander; his nephews, Eric Porter, Gary Porter, David Russo; his nieces, Kimberly Porter, Cherlyn Russo, Diane Russo-Cheng; and a host extended family and friends who were loved dearly.
In addition to his parents, Mickey was also preceded in death by his wife, Ellen Blue.
Myrtle Lee Hall
July 22, 1943 – April 23, 2026
Myrtle Lee Hall, 82, of Warsaw, NC, passed away April 23, 2026, in Warsaw, NC. A visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Hawes Funeral Home. Immediately following the visitation, there will be a celebration of life service.
Interment following the service at Middleton Cemetery in Kenansville, NC.
Katie Maready Brininger
April 28, 1946 – April 26, 2026
Katie Maready Brininger, 79, passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2026, in ECU Health Duplin Hospital, Kenansville, NC
She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Mary Alice Maready. Brothers Elwood Maready, Harley (Ina), L.D. (Lucille), and Winfred Maready A graveside service will be Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Frank Maready Cemetery at 340 Cypress Creek Road in Wallace.
She is survived by daughter Krystle Brininger Futrell (Keith) of Wallace, NC; grandson Jameson Futrell of Wallace, NC; granddaughters McKenzie Futrell and Helena Futrell, both of Chinquapin, NC; and Brooklynn Futrell of Wallace, NC; sisters-in-law: Becky Maready (Elwood) and Betty Maready (Winfred), both of Wallace, NC; and special niece and caregiver Diane Conway.
In lieu of owers, donations may be made to Community Funeral Home, P.O. Box 715, Beulaville, NC 28518.
Consonja Hall
April 22, 1958 – April 17, 2026
Kenansville- With deep sorrow, we announce that Ms. Consonja Hall, age 67, was called home to be with the Lord on Friday, April 17, 2026, at ECU Health Kenansville in Kenansville, North Carolina. Her unwavering faith was an inspiration to all, and we nd peace knowing she is resting in the arms of the Savior. The Celebration of Life will be on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 1 p.m. at J. Bernado Memorial Chapel, 195 Kenansville Hwy. Warsaw, NC 28398. There will be no viewing prior to the service. She will be laid to rest at Miller Cemetery, Perry Miller Road, Kenansville, NC.
SPONSORED BY
QUINN MCGOWEN FUNERAL HOME
Annie Fussell
Aug. 9, 1937 – April 25, 2026
Annie Jean Dail Fussell of Rose Hill (NC) departed her earthly life at midday on Saturday, April 25, 2026, while at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville. Born on August 9, 1937, she is the daughter of the late Lee Hampton and Beatrice Mobley Dail. Also preceding her in death are her husband—Bill Fussell, and her brother—Haywood Dail. Left to cherish her memory are her children—Anita Caryl Merritts and husband Rick of Burgaw, Pam Yvonne Fusssell of Warsaw, William Mark Fussell of Albemarle, Phillip Fussell and wife Becky of Willard, and Frankie Watkins Young and husband Dennis of Southport; and siblings—Brenda Baker of Kenansville and Lee H. Dail and wife Carolyn of Wallace. Mrs. Fussell was born in Duplin County and spent most of her life there. Her career involved work as a seamstress in local textile mills and was a well-known hairdresser in her neighborhood. A very outspoken person, she was very loved by all. One of her greatest joys in life was entertaining family on every conceivable occasion especially on birthdays where children and grandchildren’s birthdays were always special events. Many of these celebrations were at the “old homeplace” where many memories were made and remembered by family. She always loved playing the piano for anyone to also enjoy. Her friends would always say “she would give her shirt right o her back if she thought someone needed or wanted it”. It should be noted that she cherished everything that anyone ever gave her. A graveside service to celebrate her life is set for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in the Fussell Family Cemetery (o Corinth Church Road) in Rose Hill.
Geraldine Webber Register
Aug. 16, 1934 – April 25, 2026
Geraldine Webber Register, age 91, of Sneads Ferry, North Carolina, passed from this life to her new eternal life on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Lower Cape Fear Hospice in Wilmington. She was born on August 16, 1934, in Greene County, the daughter of the late Frank and Mertie Holloman Webber. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Carl Register. Surviving are her children William Joe Bell, Vernon Wayne Williamson, and James Ray Williamson; her granddaughter Carla; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends that love her dearly. Mrs. Register was a loving mother and caring grandmother who loved her family with all her heart. She was a hard worker when her health permitted. She enjoyed people and spending time with family and friends. She will surely be missed but treasured memories of her will remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her forever. There are no services planned at this time.
David Arthur Lucas
July 1, 1942 – April 23, 2026
David Arthur Lucas, 83, of Willard, North Carolina, left this earthly life for his eternal rest on Thursday, April 23, 2026. He was born on July 1, 1942, in Darlington County, South Carolina, to the late Arthur Taylor and Amie Hall Lucas. David was also preceded in death by his rst wife, Dollie Howard Lucas, and his son-in-law, Chuck Coates.
David proudly served his country in the US Army. He was employed with Carolina Power and Light Company for 32 years as a lineman. He was a longtime member of Poston Baptist Church but for several years he attended Awaken Church. David also served as a Gideon for many years.
Surviving to cherish his memory is his best friend and wife of 34 years Gayle Batts Lucas; his sons David Arthur Lucas Jr. and wife Lee Ann of Burgaw, NC and Ernest Joseph Lucas of Beaufort, NC; his daughter Cynthia Lucas Coates of Creedmoor, NC; grandchildren Journey Chandler and husband Kyle Gray, Je ery Lucas Chandler, Jesse Lucas and Jennifer, Seth Coates, Cori Melton, Tess Melton, Kala Melton; great grandchildren Traylan Thorpe, Ivory Nash and Adonis Bullard Lee; siblings Virginia Murray of Wallace, Betty Culbreth of Magnolia, Judy Bellamy of Supply, Joyce Rackley of Willard, Donald Lucas of Forest City, NC; Jerry Lucas of Rock Hill, SC and Robert Lucas and wife Rhonda of Reidsville, NC, honorary grandson Johnathon Orr, numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. David was a loving husband and caring father, Paw-Paw, brother and friend. He was a good hearted and kind man who loved his family dearly. David enjoyed hiking, shing, hunting and working on old cars. He was a jack of all trades. There was nothing that David could not do. Most of all, David loved everybody and everybody loved him. He had a heart of gold and loved being a husband, a “Paw-Paw” and “Uncle David”. He looked forward every year spending time with the close-knit group of men he worked with at CP&L at the Outer Banks. David loved to travel and has visited every state in the United States and many places around the world. He loved missions and was a true servant of God. David traveled to Alaska, Cuba and El Salvador on mission trips where he acquired many friends. He served one week a month for one year in Mississippi during the Hurricane Katrina Relief. David hiked over 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail. He also traveled to Oregon and hiked part of the Paci c Crest with his son, David Jr. David loved the Lord and is now receiving his rewards that he laid up in Heaven all these years. He will surely be missed but will never be forgotten.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home in Wallace.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 27, 2026, at Poston Baptist Church with Pastor Brad Carter and Pastor Chris Jarman o ciating.
Burial will follow at Rock sh Memorial Cemetery in Wallace, NC. In lieu of owers, the family requests that memorial gifts be sent to Baptist Men Mission, PO Box 1107, Cary, NC 27512, or to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 372140800.
Devon Carroll “Bill” Herring
Dec. 7, 1934 – April 26, 2026
Mr. Devon Carroll “Bill” Herring, Mount Olive resident, passed away very peacefully and surrounded by family, early Sunday morning, April 26, 2026, at his home. He was 91. Funeral services were on Tuesday, April 28, at 7 pm. at First Pentecostal Holiness Church of Mount Olive, with visitation afterward. O ciating was Pastor Je rey Dail. Burial was on Wednesday, April 29, at 11 a.m. at Maplewood Cemetery in Mount Olive and included military honors.
A native of the Pleasant Grove community in Duplin graduated from B. F. Grady High School with the class of 1954, after which he enrolled at North Carolina State University. In 1957, he answered Uncle Sam’s call to enlist in the military. It was in the United States Army that he served for two years. Among the places his duty took him were Germany, Austria, and Europe.
After his service discharge, he became employed with FCX in Clayton, and soon thereafter, he relocated to Clinton, becoming manager of the Clinton FCX Service. In 1981, he and his family moved to Mount Olive, and the following year, he became associated with Scott and Jones, Inc., where he was planning coordinator, engineer, and outside salesperson. Remaining
Roger Ross
March 22, 1946 –April 20, 2026
Roger Ross, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away on April 20, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of love, hard work, and cherished memories for all who knew him.
Roger had the biggest heart and loved his family deeply, especially his grandchildren, who meant the world to him. He never hesitated to drop everything to be there for them. He was someone you could always count on— steady, dependable, and full of love. If there was ever a way to make things better, he would nd it. That’s just who he was.
He was a skilled mechanic who could x just about anything and was always willing to lend a helping hand. He took great pride in passing his knowledge down to his family, teaching them not only how to work with their hands, but the value of patience, dedication, and doing things the right way. His legacy will live on through the hands and hearts of those he taught.
Roger was a hard worker and a provider in every sense. Whether he was selling his homemade
with Scott and Jones until its closure, he retired. In retirement, he thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship and fun moments shared with others at Mount Olive Senior Citizens Center. He was a member of the First Pentecostal Holiness Church of Mount Olive. In his younger years, he and his wife were known to be frequently called upon to provide music and singing at area weddings. He was a proud American and had been a 60-plus-year member of St. John Masonic Lodge.
Mr. Herring is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Michael Carroll Herring and Amy Blackburn Herring, of Mount Olive; his daughter and son-in-law, Media` Herring Lee and Chris Lee, of Mount Olive; beloved grandchildren, Dr. Hannah Lee Carpenter and husband, Andrew Carpenter, of Fountain, Dr. Micah Lee McCullen and husband, Karson McCullen, of Newton Grove, and Elijah Lee of Mount Olive, and his signi cant other, Arabella Crews of Burgaw; a sister-in-law, Faye Howell, of Mount Olive; his “second daughter,” Vicki Outlaw Best, of West Melbourne, Fla.; special cousins, Becky Scott, of Albertson, and Sandra H. Lee of Mount Olive, who made special e orts to call and visit when possible; a special friend, Lynn Joyner, of Mount Olive; many other cousins, and several nieces, nephews, and their families. Bill loved his entire family, and how tting it was that he was called home on the morning of the Herring Family Reunion where he had attained the recognition of being the oldest Herring grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol Ann Howell Herring; an infant grandson, Brandon Carroll Herring; his parents, Taft and Mary Lou Scott Herring; sisters and brothers-inlaw, Jean H. and Cecil Kornegay, and Janet H. and Larry Howard; and a brother-in-law, Ellis Ray Howell.
“Roger’s Fishing Weights” or sharing fresh pecans, he found joy in giving and took pride in the things he created and provided for others.
In his free time, he found peace and happiness shing, enjoying the quiet moments by the water.
He loved to joke and had a way of making people laugh, even in the simplest moments. He would always tell it like it is—his honesty was something people respected and appreciated.
He shared a deep and lasting love with his wife, Melanie, the love of his life. Their bond was truly special, built on years of devotion, partnership, and unwavering care for one another.
He loved her ercely and was always looking out for her, a love that was clear to anyone who knew them.
Roger’s family and friends were his greatest pride and joy. Whether sharing laughs, spending time together, or o ering guidance, he made sure everyone knew how much they meant to him. We were so lucky to have him. His presence was a constant source of comfort, and his love is something that will be carried on forever.
He will be deeply missed but never forgotten by all who loved him.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Melanie Ross; his children, Maria Whaley (James), Michael Garcia, and Roger Scott Ross; his grandchildren, Mikhayla Minton (Chris), Ghabriel Whaley (Logan), Destinie Kornegay (Zion), Jordyn Dick (Daniel), Brodeigh Whaley (Alpha), Dharian Whaley, Lyllianaha Whaley, Ethan Garcia, Payton Garcia, and Lauren Ross; and 9 great-grandchildren. Services are private.
NC, to the late Harvey G. Culbreth and Eliza Sutton Culbreth.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Faith Independent Baptist Church, Magnolia, NC. Mr. Culbreth will be buried in Magnolia Cemetery.
Mr. Ralph is survived by wife, Betty L. Culbreth of the home; son, Ralph Culbreth and wife, Jean of Kinston; daughter, Lynette Busbee and Ronald Pigott of Magnolia; grandchildren, David Culbreth and Missy, Aaron Busbee, Amie McClure and Amanda Wood and Gregory; great grandchildren, Barrett, GrayLynn, Braxton, and Bryson McClure; and sister, Jewel Hordinski of Willoughby, Ohio.
Garland Maddox
Aug. 28, 1938 – April 20, 2026
Garland Ervin Maddox, 87, of Beulaville, NC, passed away April 20, 2026, in Kenansville, NC.
Funeral service will be at noon, Monday, April 27, 2026, at Daisy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Beulaville, NC. Public viewing will be from 11 a.m. to noon (one hour prior to the service). Interment following the service at Daisy Chapel MBC cemetery.
Mildred Wallace
March 12, 1954 – April 20, 2026
Mildred Wallace, 86, of Kenansville, NC, passed away April 20, 2026, at her residence. Funeral service will be at noon on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at The Kingdom Hall, 405 Rosemary Road, Rose Hill, NC. Burial will take place at Devotional Gardens in Warsaw following the service.
Margaret Rivenbark Kennedy
April 24, 1931 – April 21, 2026
Margaret Rivenbark Kennedy, 94, of Willard, NC, passed away Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Lower Cape Fear Life Care Center in Wilmington, NC. Born in Pender County on April 24, 1931, she was the youngest daughter of the late William Owen Rivenbark and Maggie Murray Rivenbark. Also preceding her in death were her husband of 61 years, Henry Scott Kennedy; sisters, Lola Rivenbark, Catherine Shephard, and Lillian Romanak; and brothers, William Ivey Rivenbark and Cleveland Rivenbark.
Left to cherish her memory are her sons Henry Scott Kennedy Jr. and wife Brenda of Je erson, NC and William Franklin Kennedy and wife Tammy of Willard, NC who were her care givers for ve years, granddaughters Sherry Ramsey and friend Dan Marks of Wilmington, NC and Windy O’Kelley and husband Scott of Kernersville, NC. In her earlier years, Margaret was employed with Townsend Auto Parts and Blanchard Pontiac in Wallace, NC, as a bookkeeper. Later in life, she worked at Spanky’s Cleaners. She loved working in the yard and gardening. She was a devoted fan of the North Carolina Tar Heels. She was a member of Watha Baptist Church. Graveside services and internment will be Sunday, April 26, at 2 p.m. at Riverview Memorial Park in Watha, NC. The service will be o ciated by the Reverend Scott Kennedy, Pastor at Watha Baptist Church. Active pallbearers will consist of Richard Murray, Roy Evans, Charles Hawley, Todd Peterson, Glenn Batten and Red Robbins.
Robert Ray Hebert
July 1, 1938 – April 20, 2026
Robert Ray Hebert, known a ectionately as “Papa” or Mr. Bob, a longtime resident of Kenansville, North Carolina, passed away on April 20, 2026. He was 87 years old.
Born on July 1, 1938, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Robert’s time in the United States Air Force brought him to Goldsboro, North Carolina. There he began a multifaceted career as an electrical contractor, real estate agent, and all-around entrepreneur. Through his hard work and dedication, he provided a strong foundation for his family while building a life rooted in eastern North Carolina. He later made Kenansville his home for many years and was the beloved husband of Jon Ann Dutton Hebert.
He is survived by his wife, Jon Ann Dutton Hebert; his sister, Juanita Wilson and husband Don, of Covington, Louisiana; his sisterin-law, Joanne Hebert, of Houma, Louisiana; his sister-in-law, Gloria Hebert, of Gladstone, Missouri; his daughter, Terry Lynn Carter, of Stedman, North Carolina; his son, Robert Ray Hebert II, and daughter-in-law, Terri Hebert, of White Oak, North Carolina; his son, James Grady Dutton Jr., and daughter-in-law, Dawn Dutton, of Panama City Beach, Florida; his son, Jonathan Stewart Dutton, and daughter-in-law, Janice Dutton, of Panama City, Florida; seven grandchildren; six greatgrandchildren; and other loving family members who will carry forward his memory. He will be remembered by those who knew him in the Kenansville community for his entrepreneurial spirit and the love he showed his family. Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Alcie and Lillian Hebert; his brother, Darrell “Sonny” Hebert; his brother, Alcie Paul “AP” Hebert Jr.; Paul Ray Hebert, his son; and his son-inlaw, Bobby Carter.
There will be no formal funeral service. Instead, the family will hold a celebration of life at a later date. Details will be announced as they become available. Friends and loved ones are invited to share memories and condolences with the family. Updates can be found through Serenity Funeral Home. In lieu of owers, memorial donations may be made to Word of Faith Food Ministries in Kenansville, NC.
Pinkey Copper
Jan. 4, 1952 – April 20, 2026
Raeford Bruce Kennedy
Feb. 1, 1927 – April 21, 2026
Raeford Bruce Kennedy, 99, died on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Onslow House, Jacksonville, NC.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Ellen Williams Kennedy, and a son, Craig Kennedy.
The funeral service is Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 3 p.m. at Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, NC. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service.
Interment will be at East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville, NC
He is survived by son Andy Kennedy (Joyce) of Roanoke Rapids, NC; grandchildren Kathryn Kennedy-Slagle (Mark) of Hanover, NH, and Carolyn Hennessey (Matthew) of Greensboro, NC; great-granddaughter Laurel Hennessey of Greensboro, NC.
Maggie Gibbons
April 26, 1944 – April 22, 2026
Mrs. Maggie Frances Gibbons, age 81, of Bryans Road, MD, passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Alexandria, VA.
A viewing will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, one hour prior to the service from 2:30-3:15 p.m., immediately followed by the funeral service at 3:30 p.m. at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Rose Hill, NC. Burial will follow at Little Mission Cemetery in Magnolia, NC.
Left to cherish her precious memories are four daughters: Gail, Angela, Shenita and Kendra; three sisters: Alice, Evelyn and Veretta; eight grandchildren: Ebony, John, Darnell, David, Bryahna, Keonna, KeSean and DaeSean; six great-grandchildren: Chalel, Riley, Ryan, Breon, Zay’d and Zay’mir; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss her dearly.
84,
Monday, April 20,
In addition to his parents, Mr. Culbreth was preceded in death by his brothers, Bill and Dewey Culbreth, and his sisters, Goldie Stoddard and Margaret Culbreth.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the sta of the Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Car Care Center for exemplary care and compassion given to Margaret Kennedy in the nal stage of her life.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center in her name.
Mrs. Pinkey Mora McArthur Copper, age 74, of Chesapeake, VA, formerly of Duplin County, NC, passed away in Chesapeake, VA. A viewing will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, one hour prior to the service from 10-10:45 a.m., immediately followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Rose Hill, NC. Burial will follow at Dobson Family Cemetery in Magnolia, NC. Left to cherish her precious memories are four brothers: Earl McArthur Jr., Calvin McArthur, Dexter McArthur, all of Brooklyn, NY and Benjamin McArthur (Marie) of Columbus, GA; four sisters: Angelyn McArthur and Barbara Stephens, both of Brooklyn, NY, Mary Reid of Queens, NY and Quenia D. Kenneybrew of Inglewood, CA; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss her dearly.
Ted Ellis Thigpen
March 12, 1954 –April 20, 2026
Funeral Service
Thursday, April 23, 2026
7 p.m. followed by visitation Serenity Funeral Home, Beulaville
A graveside service is Friday, April 24, 2026, at 1 p.m. at East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville, NC.
Ted Ellis Thigpen, age 72, died Monday, April 20, 2026, at home. He is survived by his wife, Judy Thigpen of Beulaville; sons, Kevin Thigpen of Beulaville, Brian Thigpen and wife Zenda of Beulaville; sister, Joan Price and husband Tony of Pink Hill; brothers, Frankie Thigpen and wife Rhonda of Chinquapin, Phillip Thigpen and wife Cathy of Chinquapin; ve grandchildren, Austin Stewart, Annika Thigpen, John John, Jordan Thigpen, Sara Thigpen, Ty Thigpen; and two great grandchildren, Declan Thigpen, and Landon Thigpen.
Ralph Earl Culbreth
March 18, 1942 –April 20, 2026
Ralph Earl Culbreth,
passed away
2026, at his home in Magnolia, NC. Mr. Culbreth was born on March 18, 1942, in Duplin County,
