Duplin Journal Vol. 11, Issue 19

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 19 | THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2026

DUPLINJOURNAL.COM

Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

the

BRIEF

Faison marks 250 years with community celebration Spectators gathered at Stewart Precythe Sports Complex in Faison look on as fireworks light up the night sky Saturday, capping off the town’s 250th birthday celebration.

this week

Summer meal boxes available for children Magnolia Families can pick up a free seven-day meal box for children ages 18 and younger every Monday through Aug. 10.

Distribution will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 110 E. Carroll St. in Magnolia. The program provides a week’s worth of meals for eligible children during the summer break.

Turn to A6 for more photos.

Board of Elections meeting Kenansville The Duplin County Board of Elections will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2.

REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Independence Day closures Duplin County Duplin County government offices, including administrative offices and solid waste collection sites, will be closed Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.

Mount Olive July Fourth schedule Mount Olive The Town of Mount Olive will close offices Monday, July 6, in observance of the July Fourth holiday and reopen at 8 a.m.

Tuesday, July 7. The recycling center will be closed Saturday, July 4, and reopen Tuesday, July 7. Yard waste collection will also be adjusted the week of July 6 through July 10, with Monday routes collected Tuesday and Tuesday routes collected Wednesday. Thursday and Friday routes will run as scheduled. Residents with water or sewer emergencies may call 919658-5031, option 0.

Grant applications open July 3 Duplin County Nonprofits and government agencies in Duplin County can apply for $25,000 to $50,000 grants through the Louise Oriole Burevitch Endowment beginning July 3. The North Carolina Community Foundation fund will award $500,000 this year for education, health and human services projects, with preference given to programs serving women, children, youth and older adults.

Applications are due by noon Aug. 4. Eligibility information is available at nccommunityfoundation. org/Burevitch.

$2.00

Warsaw faces ultimatum on wastewater enforcement State says wastewater agreement depends on whether town will enforce its own industrial rules

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WARSAW — State regulators are conditioning a key wastewater compliance agreement on whether the town of Warsaw will

do something it has not consistently done in recent years: issue civil penalties against industrial users linked to repeated treatment plant violations, according to records from the North Carolina Department of Environ-

mental Quality.

The dispute, laid out in a June 22 letter from the N.C. Division of Water Resources, comes as the town has already been fined more than $558,000 over the past two years for wastewater violations — and now faces a deadline to decide whether it will formally enforce its own industrial pretreatment rules or risk losing

progress on a long-sought Special Order by Consent (SOC).

The SOC is intended to establish a compliance schedule for resolving ongoing violations at the town’s wastewater treatment plant and would temporarily shield the town from some penalties during required upgrades. However, negotiations have reached a stalemate over enforcement of industrial users.

According to the Division, Warsaw submitted revisions on May 15, requesting changes to compliance deadlines and commenting on scheduled corrective actions. But regulators focused See WARSAW, page A2

Mount Olive board approves budget after 3-2 vote on insurance change Officials say the switch could increase costs by $80,000 and affect employees with ongoing healthcare needs

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal MOUNT OLIVE — What was expected to be a quick special meeting by the town of Mount Olive Board of Commissioners to approve the budget for fiscal year

2026-27 on the eve of Monday’s state-required deadline was thrown off the tracks when Mayor Pro Tem Delreese Simmons introduced a last-minute motion to amend the budget by changing the health insurance provider for town employees.

The town was covered by a UnitedHealthcare policy. Simmons introduced a motion to switch to Blue Cross-Blue Shield.

Based on estimates from the town’s finance officer, the change could add about $80,000 to next year’s budget.

During discussion of Simmons’ motion, Town Manager Octavious Murphy was asked how switching to Blue Cross-

Officials seek to ease restrictions on family land divisions Planning director says county will consider reducing setbacks for some subdivisions and clarifying rebuilding after disasters

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal FACING GROWING criticism over restrictions affecting residential setbacks near livestock operations, Duplin County officials are proposing significant revisions to the ordinance adopted less than a year ago, including cutting the required setback in half for some subdivisions and creating new exemptions for family land divisions.

Planning Director Christopher Hatcher told Duplin Journal the proposed amendments

to the Unified Development Ordinance would also clarify that homes destroyed by natural disasters may be rebuilt.

One of the most significant clarifications concerns which properties are subject to the setback.

According to Hatcher, the setback does not automatically apply to every parcel located within 1,000 feet of an active livestock facility. Instead, he said the restriction applies only when new residential lots are created through subdivision See LAND, page A6

“Properties that were created prior to the adoption of the setback requirement are not subject to the 1,000-foot setback.”

Planning Director Christopher Hatcher

Blue Shield would change the figures in the budget they were voting on.

“We’re looking at about an $80,000 increase in cost to the town,” Murphy said after explaining that there would be a process to make the switch that would require them to underwrite with Blue Cross-Blue See MOUNT OLIVE, page A2

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

THURSDAY

7.2.26 #132

Teachey fire department DUPLIN happening clarifies name change SPONSORED BY

Fire chief says legal change will not affect emergency response or daily operations

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

“Join the conversation”

Duplin Journal

www.duplinjournal.com North State Media LLC 104 W Main Street Wallace, NC 28466 Copyright 2026

TEACHEY — Residents may notice a new legal name for the Teachey Volunteer Fire Department next year, but Fire Chief Richard Williams says nothing about the department’s service, personnel or operations is changing.

Williams said maintaining two legal names occasionally created confusion in paperwork, so consolidating them into one name will simplify the department’s records and legal

documents.

“We’re listed as two different (entities),” Williams told Duplin Journal.

Teachey Deputy Fire Chief Ronnie Page said the new name will be Teachey Fire-Rescue to better identify the services offered by the department. Page told Duplin Journal that many of the volunteers have become certified in various emergency medical response areas ranging from emergency medical technician to paramedic.

The new legal name will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027.

In the meantime, the all-volunteer department continues to remain very busy, especially for a small-town rural department.

“The last few years we’ve

been averaging about the same (number of calls), between 300 and 400 a year,” Williams said.

The Teachey Volunteer Fire Department has been more fortunate than other rural departments in the county considering it maintains a decent-sized volunteer force. Many other area fire departments struggle to find enough volunteers these days to meet their minimum needs. Part of the reason for Teachey’s success in that department is that the volunteers involved are very active in the community. Williams said being visible in the community has helped the department recruit volunteers and maintain staffing levels while many rural departments continue to struggle.

Trip Hoffend Publisher

Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Duplin County:

July 1 Independence Day Celebration 7 p.m.

Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church will host a free Independence Day celebration. The event will include a cornhole tournament, games, vendors and free food, followed by a fireworks finale. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of community fun.

130 Ed Edmundson Road Mount Olive

Ena Sellers News Editor

Sports Editor

July 4

Patsy Teachey

Westbrook Park 4th of July in the Park

Michael Jaenicke

Advertising Representative

5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Loretta Carey Office Manager

CONTACT US Office Phone: 910 463-1240 To place a legal ad: 919 663-3232; Fax: 919 663-4042

MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

The Teachey Volunteer Fire Department will consolidate its legal name beginning next year, a move Fire Chief Richard Williams said is intended to simplify paperwork while leaving the department’s operations unchanged.

Mount Olive’s annual Fourth of July in the Park will feature free food and beverages, live music, bingo with prizes, an inflatable slide, the Pickle Train and face painting. Families are encouraged to bring chairs and enjoy an evening of community activities. All events are free.

708 N. Chestnut St. Mount Olive

WARSAW from page A1 on one unresolved issue: whether the town will issue civil penalties against industrial users as required under its approved Enforcement Response Plan.

“The town’s consultant McDavid Associates, Inc., indicated that the Town has declined to take this action in the past and implied that this remains the town’s position,” the DEQ letter states.

The Division said it will continue SOC negotiations only if Warsaw confirms it will comply and issue civil penalties when required under its Sewer Use Ordinance and federal pretreatment regulations. If the town refuses, regulators warned that further discussions “will not be productive,” and the state will proceed with enforcement actions, including additional penalties.

“The Division requires a definitive response … regarding its intent to comply with the Pretreatment Program Enforcement Response Plan, including the assessment of civil penalties for Industrial User violations,” stated the letter addressed to Town Manager Lea Turner. “To date, the Town has not implemented this requirement despite clearly documented Industrial User Permit violations.”

The Division gave Warsaw 14 days to respond.

DEQ assessment records show Warsaw has been fined more than $558,000 in civil penalties between March 2024 and April 2026 for wastewater discharge violations at its treatment plant.

Beyond permit violations,

MOUNT OLIVE from page A1 Shield again.

Town Finance Officer Joseph Trollinger advised the board that making the change immediately could affect some employees with ongoing healthcare issues, meaning they might have to “start over” in reaching deductible requirements, which could affect them financially. Trollinger said he preferred Blue Cross-Blue Shield overall but recommended against making the change until it was clear how it would affect employees’ current health-

DEQ correspondence repeatedly identifies deficiencies in Warsaw’s industrial pretreatment enforcement program. State documents note repeated reminders that municipalities with delegated pretreatment authority are expected to actively regulate industrial contributors to maintain compliance at publicly owned treatment works.

Town correspondence reviewed by Duplin Journal indicates that officials frequently met with industrial users and requested corrective action plans rather than immediately issuing

penalties. In formal responses to regulators, town officials stated they could not achieve compliance with discharge requirements without corrective action from industrial users.

The records reflect a reliance on voluntary compliance measures while industries worked to modify pretreatment systems.

Town officials acknowledged during an April meeting that the sewer enterprise fund has faced significant financial strain as penalties accumulated. Consultants told the board that the utility could face a deficit exceeding

$1 million if extraordinary costs are not recovered from industrial users.

“When you add the McDavid bill in, that takes you to a negative $910,000. Add the fines in... that takes you to a negative $1,043,000,” a consultant told commissioners.

In April 2026, the town board unanimously voted to seek reimbursement from Villari Foods and C2NC for approximately $1.074 million in wastewater-related costs.

Despite ongoing regulatory disputes, town records also reflect efforts to stabilize operations and improve long-term performance.

C2NC corrected earlier equipment failures and achieved sustained compliance for several months leading into 2026.

Villari Foods is constructing an expanded pretreatment system designed to reduce organic loading entering the municipal wastewater system. The project includes an extended aeration process and additional treatment infrastructure intended to improve effluent quality before discharge into the town system.

Warsaw is also advancing plans to expand its wastewater treatment capacity as the system approaches the state’s 80% planning threshold.

Engineering studies recommend increasing permitted capacity to 1.2 million gallons per day. The town is awaiting DEQ review of water quality modeling for Stewart Creek, which would determine whether “speculative limits” can be issued to allow formal design and permitting to proceed.

care situations.

Trollinger also told the board that Cigna and Aetna would not provide insurance quotes because they could not offer competitive rates based on the town’s claim history.

During discussion, Simmons said the UnitedHealthcare insurance was “bad.”

Commissioner Gena Knode challenged Simmons’ comments and motion.

“Can you define ‘bad’ for us?”

Knode asked Simmons. “Can you tell us what that means exactly?”

Simmons did not respond,

but Knode added, “The assistant town manager did a poll [of town employees] and I think the poll came out that said the bulk of the employees were fine with United.”

Despite concerns about the additional cost and the potential impact on employees with ongoing healthcare issues, the board voted 3-2 in favor of Simmons’ motion. Simmons, Commissioners Vicky Darden and Harlie Carmichael voted in favor, while Knode and Commissioner C.J. Weaver voted against it.

As has been a trend on contro-

versial issues since the last election, the vote was split with Commissioners Vicky Darden and Harlie Carmichael voting with Simmons for the motion while Knode and Commissioner C.J. Weaver voted against it.

During discussion of the additional amount required for the change to Blue Cross Blue Shield, Simmons questioned the accuracy of the proposed 2026-27 budget, saying, “There’s a lot of stuff in this budget. The numbers are wrong.”

Trollinger responded, “I stand by the numbers.”

NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY DOCUMENT

A June 22 letter from the N.C. Division of Water Resources to Town of Warsaw officials outlining conditions for continued wastewater compliance negotiations and requesting a definitive decision on whether the town will implement its industrial pretreatment enforcement program.

Tate Farm Water Slide Fest noon Tate Farm by the Pond will host a Fourth of July Water Slide Fest featuring live music, food vendors, family-friendly activities and a water slide throughout the day. Guests are invited to bring family and friends for an all-day Independence Day celebration on the farm. Admission is $10.

5514 NC 11 Willard

Fireworks Over Wayne 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Fireworks Over Wayne will feature food trucks, vendors, a car show, a chicken wing contest, BMX demonstrations, a tractor show and live music leading up to a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Gates open at 4 p.m.

Admission is free.

2801 U.S. 117 S. Dudley

July 10 Campout and Cook Out JCO Campground will host its anniversary campout and cookout July 10-12 at its 22acre lake property in Duplin County.

211 Baysden Pond Road Chinquapin

Murphy told Duplin Journal that the new budget includes a 3-cent reduction in the property tax rate for the town.

“We’ll have to go back to the drawing board tonight and tomorrow to accommodate the additional $80,000 for Blue CrossBlue Shield, but we can make it,” Murphy said.

While Murphy seemed confident the town will find a way to absorb the additional health insurance cost, questions remain about how switching providers could affect employees receiving ongoing medical care.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

Magnolia adopts $1.7 million budget Higher insurance, utility and landfill expenses leave no room for raises

“It’s not a lot, but I thought it would help the bottom line.”

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

Mayor Dawn Ward

MAGNOLIA — Magnolia officials approved a $1.7 million budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year that keeps the town’s property tax rate unchanged while absorbing rising costs for insurance, utilities and solid waste services. The plan includes Mayor Dawn Ward forgoing her annual salary to help offset rising insurance costs.

The budget represents a 4% increase over the current fiscal year and includes $958,125 for the General Fund and $690,500 for the Water and Sewer Fund.

Town Manager Charles Banks said the budget was tightened to absorb significant increases in operating expenses, including a 26% increase in employee health insurance premiums, a $22,000 hike. To help offset rising insurance costs and maintain the town’s 80/20 employee health insurance cover-

COURTESY

Dawn Ward, Magnolia Mayor age, the board approved Mayor Dawn Ward’s request to forgo her $3,600 annual salary for the upcoming fiscal year.

“It’s not a lot, but I thought it would help the bottom line,” Ward said.

Banks said several long-term contracts, including the town’s trash collection agreement, cannot be renegotiated until 2027. He also noted that landfill fees have increased to $65 per ton, with annual spending approaching $38,000. Proper-

ty liability insurance rose to approximately $46,500, water and sewer treatment costs rose more than 40%, and the town’s GFL solid waste contract increased 3.7% to $98,800. Banks also said the town’s insurance adviser has recommended planning for annual insurance increases of about 10% moving forward.

Projected revenue for gym rentals was decreased from $3,500 to $2,500. Banks explained that the town is not seeing the revenue from actual use and is experiencing ongoing issues with unauthorized access, nonpayment and damage to the facility.

Town Hall maintenance was also cut to $2,500, despite the building having a 20-year-old air conditioning system. Because of the rising costs, the

budget includes no funding for employee raises, Christmas bonuses or other discretionary spending.

Following approval of the 2026-27 budget on June 23, the board held a special meeting on June 26 to approve budget amendments and fund transfers to balance the town’s finances before the close of the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Banks reported that the General Fund finished the year with a surplus, but the Water and Sewer Fund faced unexpected expenses, including a $37,000 tank repair. To preserve the town’s unrestricted reserves, the board approved transferring money from the General Fund to the Water and Sewer Fund.

“We actually do have some unrestricted funds that we could use ... However... we feel like we want to leave those as they were,” Banks said. “That still leaves our unrestricted funds untouched and we hope to build on those because they are low.”

The board also approved a budget amendment reallocating approximately $24,000 within

the General Fund to cover administrative and police department expenses, delayed grant reimbursements and insurance proceeds. Banks said internal departmental transfers were also made to keep the town in compliance with state budgeting requirements.

The reallocations included $4,000 for administrative salaries, $4,000 for police salaries and $3,000 for reserve officers, funding for the Dodge Durango payments, which will be completed in 2027. It also included adjustments for a police grant and motor fuels tax revenue expected before the end of the month. Officials noted that while the police grant was awarded in 2023–2024, the town did not receive the reimbursement check until the current year, necessitating a backdated budget correction.

In addition to the formal amendments, Banks informed the board of departmental transfers — internal shifts within single departments that do not require a board vote but were shared for transparency. He said the transfers were managed with the assistance of financial consultant Tracy Chestnut to ensure the town remained in compliance with state requirements.

Airport board reviews project progress, fuel farm delays New hangar nears completion while board begins discussing rental rates and future growth

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — Progress on existing projects and plans for future ones were the bulk of the discussion at the June meeting of the Duplin County Airport Board.

Airport Director Joshua Raynor reported that Daniels and Daniels completed the hangar rehab work, and they were conducting a punch-list walk-

through on the new hangar that week.

“Everything as a whole has been good quality work, and we are very happy overall with everything from Daniels and Daniels,” Raynor said.

The board discussed hosting a grand opening when the new hangar is done in July.

However, they did not have any good news to share about Parrish & Partners’ progress on the new fuel farm.

“We have been hammering the contractor since day one and are very concerned about the timeline,” Hunter Boniface said.

“They are going to get it done, but it’s going to be behind schedule.”

The board discussed the consequences of exceeding the project deadline.

“Once they cross the deadline, the company will be responsible for liquidated damages of $1,500 a day,” Boniface said.

The board approved a $6,704.50 change order to remove a concrete encasement discovered around the duct bank at the apron vault for the project.

The apron rehabilitation project with Michael Baker has secured all its financing and is being advertised for bids. First bids on the $5.9 million project are due July 30.

Raynor discussed rent and fuel prices and recommended

beginning discussions about adjusting them in the future.

“Our prices have to reflect the current market and the expenses we’ve taken on,” Raynor said.

“We need to start thinking about how we can run this as a self-sustaining business and not need to take much from the county’s funds.”

The board discussed pricing for the new hangar and noted that the space includes a conference room, lobby, break room, bathrooms and 1,500 square feet of unfinished buildable space.

Though starting prices were suggested, the board decided it would be best to do some market research and discuss the is-

sue more definitively at the July meeting.

“Even if it takes a year to get the right person in there, it will be worth it,” Raynor said.

Director Raynor shared the June budget and fuel sales report. For the month of June, there were 457 operations, 1,867 gallons of avgas sold and approximately 13,000 gallons of jet fuel sold.

The board reviewed the sales compared with the same period last year and found they were approximately 50,000 gallons below last year’s total.

The board discussed projects, personnel and workflow before adjourning.

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Neighbors caring for neighbors Expansive services. Compassionate care. All right here.

We’re raising the standard of great care in and around Duplin County. We’re expanding our services and our team to ensure that you and your family have access to the care you deserve – whenever you need it. From advanced specialties to everyday wellness, we are committed to serving our community with compassion and expertise.

Because no matter how much we grow, one thing remains the same – everything we do is always about you.

910-296-0941 | ECUHealth.org/Duplin

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | JIMMY DIXON

A call to return to America’s founding principles

For liberty to be passed from generation to generation there must be “a frequent recurrence to undamental principles.”

GEORGE MASON famously asserted that for liberty to be passed from generation to generation there must be “a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.” As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, a deliberate and sustained effort is needed to heed that advice.

We must not fall into the traps of evil minions who are servile followers of the great Adversary opposing the destiny of America.

They and other elitists, progressives and secularists, would have us think the Founders were “backward, uneducated” men whose 1778 ideas about the structure of government for the United States of America and the Constitution they designed are outdated.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the national leadership circles of the once great Democratic Party of Harry Truman, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.

The Democrat Party’s national leadership of the last two decades has provided safe haven for concepts foreign to the values espoused by America’s Founders. Consider their support for same-sex marriage, defunding the police, lateterm abortions, transgender males competing against females, fighting against photo ID to vote, wide-open boarders and opposing legal efforts of ICE. Their social weapons of choice have triggered a systemic decay from within. Their secular goal is to diminish any adherence to the Ten Commandments, which are as necessary today as they were in Moses’ day. That decay and rot from within, if not quickly checked, will destroy

the moral tenets established by the Founders.

Contrast today’s rot with the character, education, and experience of some of the founders assembled for the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Seventy-four delegates were appointed, 55 attended, and 39 signed the Constitution. Representatives signed from each of the colonies except for Rhode Island.

The Constitution was signed before the Bill of Rights though these rights were discussed in the convention. As the Constitution was being ratified, each colony suggested amendments with 10 being adopted as the Bill of Rights.

The framers and their fathers had fought in four European induced wars during the previous 75 years. During these wars they learned much about war. Both England and France tried to tax the colonies to pay for the cost of the wars. Taxation and unrighteous control by the kingdom of England planted the seeds of revolution in the American Patriots.

Those Patriots were not backward uneducated men as some today say they were.

The movement for independence began soon after the French and Indian war. Some of the very best minds in the colonies were developed during those wars. Of the 39 signers of the Constitution, 26 had served in the Continental Congress. Nineteen had served in the Army, and 17 of them were officers. Four of them had served on Washington’s staff during the French and Indian war. (J. Reuben Clark Jr. “Constitution and its Signers,” BYU Devotional, 1957).

Washington and Madison were later

presidents of the United States. Benjamin Franklin had major experience in the diplomatic field. Hamilton became secretary of the treasury.McHenry became secretary of war, Randolph was attorney general and later secretary of state, and five of the signers became justices of the Supreme Court with two becoming chief justice. More than half of the framers were university graduates; Harvard, Yale, Princeton and William and Mary. Others were educated at Oxford, and Edinburgh.

Two of the greatest leaders, Washington and Franklin were not college graduates. They were all seasoned patriots.

Who can doubt but that like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Columbus, Wycliffe, Luther, and Tyndale, God raised up these men to establish a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” in the New World.

There was nowhere in the world to be found a suitable blueprint for which the framers could form an American government. They plowed through world history to find governmental institutions that they might follow, but found none suitable. One critical morning Franklin encouraged the Convention to pray for God’s help. The result was regular prayer going forward, and no doubt their prayers helped the convention succeed.

We, the people should realize that the destiny of America is to help the world prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and we should have a frequent recurrence to the fundamental principles proposed by our divinely inspired Founders.

COLUMN | ABBY EMANUELSON

Connecting solutions for a healthier North Carolina A child who shows up to school hungry isn’t just missing a meal, they’re missing the ability to concentrate, to learn.

PUBLIC POLICY conversations have a habit of happening in separate rooms. Health care gets discussed over here, education over there, workforce development somewhere down the hall.

Food, health care, education and economic opportunity are each assigned their own stakeholders, their own budget lines, their own lanes, as if the people affected by these issues live their lives the same way.

They don’t. At a time when state leaders are making consequential budget decisions, the way we frame these challenges matters just as much as the solutions we pursue.

For many North Carolinians, the challenges arrive together and compound one another. A parent struggling to put food on the table is often the same parent delaying a doctor’s visit because of cost. A child who shows up to school hungry isn’t just missing a meal, they’re missing the ability to concentrate, to learn, and eventually to emerge ready to contribute to the success of their communities. A rural community navigating health care shortages is rarely navigating that challenge alone. It’s often working to maintain access to maternity care, recruit teachers and health professionals who encourage families to stay and build their futures there.

At the North Carolina Alliance for Health, we work alongside organizations, educators, health care providers, advocates, and community leaders from across the state. Through partnerships, community conversations, and on-the-ground collaboration, we see firsthand how these challenges intersect in people’s daily

lives. What we hear, consistently and from every corner of North Carolina, is that the forces shaping people’s health and well-being rarely operate in isolation. Neither should the solutions.

Health shapes educational outcomes, workforce participation and economic mobility. It influences whether children are ready to learn, whether adults can show up for work, and whether communities can thrive.

As we are set to embark on our 25th year, if there’s one lesson the past quarter century has driven home, it’s that the most effective solutions are also, more often than not, the most practical ones. Children who are consistently fed learn better, miss fewer days of school, and are less likely to need costly interventions later. Adults with access to preventive care are less likely to end up in emergency rooms and better able to remain in the workforce. Communities with strong public health infrastructure are more resilient when crises hit. These aren’t just good outcomes for families. They’re good outcomes for the state.

That’s why we’re encouraging North Carolina’s leaders, as they finalize the state budget, to invest in the building blocks of a healthy and prosperous state. These investments may appear in different sections of the state budget, but they all contribute to the same outcome: healthier people, stronger families, and a more prosperous North Carolina.

That means maintaining a strong Medicaid program, including Medicaid expansion, so that North Carolinians can access preventive care, manage chronic conditions, and receive

treatment before health challenges become crises.

Medicaid supports children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working adults alike, while helping build a healthier workforce, stronger families, and more resilient communities.

It means the state invests in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and SUN Bucks that help families afford groceries and ensure children continue to have access to healthy meals when school is out of session.

It means ensuring that every child has access to healthy school meals so they can start the day ready to learn, grow, and succeed. By pairing investments in school meals with strong farmto-school programs, North Carolina can improve student health and academic outcomes while supporting local farmers and rural economies.

These investments help children thrive today while strengthening the workforce and communities our state will depend on tomorrow.

Across North Carolina, there is broad agreement that children shouldn’t go hungry, that families should be able to access care, and that communities deserve a genuine shot at success.

What’s sometimes missing is the high-level vision of how these goals are connected and how to achieve them through smart, fiscally responsible policy.

As leaders across the state continue shaping North Carolina’s future, the opportunity in front of us is significant. We can invest in solutions that strengthen families, support communities, and build healthier futures, not by treating every challenge as a separate problem to be solved in isolation, but by recognizing what North Carolinians have always known. Their lives are whole, their challenges are connected, and their solutions should be too.

This is a moment to invest in a coordinated vision for health, because when North Carolinians are healthy, our state is stronger.

Abby Emanuelson is executive director for the North Carolina Alliance for Health.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

Local farmer receives top pork industry honor Debbie Craig’s path from California to Wayne County helped shape an award-winning farming career

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal WHEN THE North Carolina Pork Council chose Debbie Craig of Wayne County as their “Pork Producer of the Year,” they were choosing a woman who has been on quite a journey, one that brought her across the entire country.

Originally from southern California, Craig moved to a farm in southern Missouri when she was 11 years old after her mother had remarried.

That’s where she was first introduced to farm life. Her new stepdad raised beef cows.

It was while living in the Show-Me State that she met her future husband. Like Craig, he had not been raised on a farm.

His introduction to livestock is one they laugh about to this day.

When her husband was a boy, his family went to a fair where one of the events was a pig scramble. The organizers would grease up pigs, turn them loose, and then let kids into the field to try and catch them and put them in a pen. Inspired by

that event, he and his brother convinced their parents to rent a home with some land around it so they could raise some pigs.

That was how he got started. He was in the hog business when he and Craig got married.

The early 1980s were a hard economic period for agriculture.

It became difficult to make ends meet on the Missouri farm they ran with her husband’s brother.

With three children to support, they decided to move to North Carolina where they could work in the industry without being responsible for all the finances.

Her husband worked for an outfit known at the time as Newhall Farms in Richlands while she worked for Goldsboro Milling Company.

After living in Richlands just a few years, they moved to Wayne County where they purchased their own small farm that was under contract with Prestige. After getting that initial farm up and running, they expanded.

“From the initial farm we got up and running, we bought another farm, and then bought another,” Craig told Duplin Journal in an interview. “Currently, we have three sow farms with a total of 4,700 sows.”

Two of their farms are under contract with Prestige, while the third is under contract with TDM Farms.

“The profit margin is so small it takes numbers for a family to make a living.”

Debbie Craig Their expansion did not end with the hog farms.

“We started a goat dairy to utilize the hay we were producing on our sow farms,” Craig said. “We milk 1,000 goats and we process that milk into cheese.”

Craig now also finds herself dealing with beef cattle that she first was exposed to during her days in Missouri.

“My son works with me on the farm, and he also has 200 head of beef cows that I help him out with because of my beef background years ago,” she said.

Like any business today, Craig says it takes more to operate a farm.

“If you go back to the ‘70s and ‘80s, when I started, a family could make a living with a small herd,” she said. “It takes numbers now, a lot of pigs. The profit margin is so small it takes numbers for a family to make a living.”

Despite that challenge, there have been improvements in the

COURTESY DEBBIE CRAIG

Debbie Craig was recently named Pork Producer of the Year by the North Carolina Pork Council. industry, she added, saying, “The actual efficiency is much better. The production is much higher.”

Craig believes one of the biggest challenges in the industry is attracting interest in farming from the younger generation. She said even students in traditional programs tied to agriculture doesn’t mean they will go into farming. She is a member of the Grange, the oldest agriculture advocacy group in the nation. At a local Grange meeting, they had a group of students

belonging to Future Farmers of America (FFA) attend.

“In talking with these kids, they asked them what their future plans were, and all of them are in FFA, but none of them said they were going into farming.”

She hopes that internships being offered through the North Carolina Pork Council will help inspire students to consider agriculture careers in their future.

After all, based on current economic indicators, she believes the future for animal agriculture looks very bright.

Beulaville student gains experience on swine farm Kensley Bryant gains hands-on experience at Murphy Family Ventures while studying veterinary bioscience at UMO

Kensley Bryant, a University of Mount Olive student from Beulaville, is interning with Murphy Family Ventures this summer, gaining experience in commercial swine production.

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE — Kensley Bryant is spending her summer on a sow farm, adding another layer of experience to a path that has so far moved from contract nursery barns in Duplin County to a veterinary bioscience program at the University of Mount Olive.

Bryant, a Beulaville native, is interning this summer with Murphy Family Ventures, where she is working alongside employees in large-scale swine production. The experience builds on earlier work in the industry and a previous internship at Warsaw Animal Hospital.

“Growing up, I saw agriculture from the contract farm side,” said Bryant. “Now I’m getting to see more of the company side and understand everything that goes into making these operations successful.”

She said her interest in agriculture was shaped in part by her upbringing in a farming family, where she worked on contract nursery farms alongside her father. Her mother works as a nurse practitioner.

Bryant graduated from Duplin Early College High School with an associate in science de-

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT OLIVE

gree from James Sprunt Community College, along with an Animal Science certificate before joining UMO. She has also participated in the Animal Science Club and other campus organizations tied to her field of study.

Bryant said her focus shifted over time as she gained more exposure to different areas of livestock production and veterinary work.

“When I first came to UMO, I thought I wanted to work with all livestock,” she said. “But after taking more classes and spending time in the industry, I’ve realized I really want to focus on swine.”

Bryant said the internship has given her a closer look at day-today operations in commercial swine production, an environment that differs from smaller

contract farm settings.

“Murphy Family Ventures is very family-oriented,” she said.

“They make sure everyone feels like part of the family. From what I’ve seen, they make sure you have all the pieces you need to be successful, and if you don’t know something, they’re always there to help.”

Following graduation, she plans to attend veterinary

school. She said she is considering returning to eastern North Carolina, where livestock veterinary services remain in demand.

“Duplin County is in need of livestock veterinarians, especially people who understand the swine industry,” said Bryant. “I want to come back home, open my own practice one day, and serve the people and farms that helped shape who I am.”

A6

Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

A birthday celebration 250 years in the making

Faison celebrated its 250th birthday Saturday with an evening of food, rides and entertainment at Stewart Precythe Sports Complex.

Vendors offered a wide range of food and crafts, while children and families enjoyed bounce houses, a foam party and amusement rides.

The celebration ended with a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Hundreds attended despite the threat of rain, filling the parking areas and taking shuttles to the celebration.

PHOTOS BY REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

LAND from page A1 after Aug. 4, 2025.

“Properties that were created prior to the adoption of the setback requirement are not subject to the 1,000-foot setback,” Hatcher said. “Because Duplin County does not have countywide zoning, the regulation affects property only when it is subdivided.”

That clarification addresses questions raised after residents expressed concern that existing vacant lots and homes could become unbuildable solely because they were located within the setback.

Hatcher said lots created before Aug. 4, 2025, are exempt and “cannot be denied a building permit” because of the setback requirement. “Only if the lot was created after Aug. 4, 2025 does the 1,000-foot setback apply.”

The current ordinance classifies homes within the setback as legal nonconforming uses that may remain “until removed or destroyed,” language that prompted concerns among residents that homes lost to hur-

DUPLIN JOURNAL PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Above is a general representation of the 1,000-foot buffer area referenced in the county’s Unified Development Ordinance affecting residential setbacks near livestock operations. It doesn’t represent any specific mapped location. ricanes, fires or other disasters could not legally be rebuilt.

“If a home was destroyed by a natural disaster, then the home can be rebuilt, “The July text amendment intends to clarify this issue as well,” Hatcher told Duplin Journal.

The proposed changes would also establish a formal defini-

tion of “immediate family” and create an exemption allowing certain family land divisions that are currently restricted by the ordinance.

County Manager Lisa Hughes previously told Duplin Journal that requests from families hoping to divide land among children and relatives had become

one of the primary concerns raised since the ordinance was adopted.

Hatcher acknowledged that the county cannot estimate how many landowners could be affected by the setback because its impact depends on future subdivision requests.

“There is no way to determine whether the setback requirement will affect that property until it is subdivided,” Hatcher said. Likewise, he said the county has not calculated how many acres fall within the 1,000-foot buffers because the restriction is evaluated only when subdivision applications are submitted.

The planning department also explained how the setback is applied during the subdivision process.

Rather than relying on a countywide mapping system identifying all potentially affected properties, surveyors preparing subdivision plats are responsible for locating the setback line and identifying which proposed lots fall within it.

“When new lots are created the surveyor will indicate on the plat where the setback line

is located and what lots are affected,” Hatcher said. “Staff uses this information to make the determination.”

Questions remain, however, about how many residents may ultimately be affected if they choose to divide inherited property in the future.

Hatcher said any impact depends on whether the land qualifies for subdivision under the county’s development regulations and whether the proposed lots are intended for residential use before the setback provisions come into play.

“The setback requirement applies only to residential uses,” he said. “If the property is subdivided for a commercial use, the 1,000-foot setback does not apply.”

County commissioners are scheduled to consider the proposed amendments during a public hearing on July 13.

Editor’s Note: This is Part two of a three-part series examining Duplin County’s Unified Development Ordinance and its impact on rural landowners.

DUPLIN SPORTS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2026

MS. SOFTBALL 2026 Lilly Fulghum guided ND to the state finals her freshman and senior seasons and will play at Charlotte University next spring.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ED’s Ava Noble’s speed and awareness on the bases put pressure on a pitcher and defense.

Panthers’ Noble rocks in return to the diamond EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Going out with a bang Fulghum led Rebels to the state finals in 2023 and 2026.

Lilly Fulghum blasts and hurls her way into the Rebel record books

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal CALYPSO – After having a sensational freshman season in which she pitched North Duplin into the 1A finals, the future looked bright, despite a loss to Union Academy.

Yet could Lilly Fulghum continue to get better and make progressions each season?

Foes were hoping she would burn out and praying she had peaked.

The Rebel graduate heading to play softball at UNC Charlotte fall closed her ears to any criticism and continued to both train hard and advance her hitting and softball IQ.

In early June, Ms. Softball in Duplin County had returned to a state final, this time the 2A best-of-three against another select school, Roxboro Charter. ND fell in three games as the Fulghum’s prep era came to a halt.

“It’s about the work, that’s what it’s always about,” she said after Game 3 in Duke University.

Indeed. And the alwayson-the-run-with-a-travelingteam-year-‘round Fulghum fine-tuned her skills. And improved every year. Heck, one could probably count the growth patterns from season to season. The compounding of the seasons helped the Rebels make unimaginable bank interest on the diamond.

She will no doubt be a fourtime all-state player when the NC Softball Coaches Associa-

MS. SOFTBALL 2016: Rylee Pate, ND 2017: Haley Brodgen, ND

Ava Noble returns from a knee injury to lead ED to an ECC title and fourth round of the 4A playoff exit

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

tion releases its information on its spring season selections.

Fulghum, who was recently named the Journal’s Female

CALYPSO – Ava Noble went from a wounded knee to inflicting pain on a softball and the opposition.

East Duplin’s junior shortstop’s return after a year’s absence amazed nearly every fan and was enough for her to be Offensive Player of the Year.

Noble’s 46 hits were the most in Duplin County, and she filled up nearly every statistic in the scorebook.

She hit .568 with nine doubles, five triples and three HRs, scoring 40 times and driving in 25 RBIs “Wow,” said ED head coach Greg Jenkins, whose player was the ECC’s Player of the Year.

“That’s her. That’s what she does.”

Noble returned to the form she flashed as a freshman when she hit .538 with 17 extra-base hits, 34 runs and 16 RBIs. Yet she is a complete player who swiped 20 bases and forced defenses into errors.

Noble led a defense that set a school record for the least number of errors in a season (11) as ED kept teams in check despite not having a dominating, strikeout pitcher.

See FULGHUM, page B4

See NOBLE, page B4

2018: Haven Williams, WRH 2019: Haven Williams, WRH 2020: None (Covid pandemic) 2021: Callie Thornton, ND 2022: Co: Rachel Blanchard, JK; Co: Chandler Mobley, ED 2023: Reece Outlaw, ND 2024: Reece Outlaw, ND 2025: Addy Higginbotham, ND 2026: Lilly Fulghum, ND

HEART OF A CHAMPION 2026

Sloan’s transformation in circle key to JK’s success JK’s Shylah Sloan always had a swing of a star player, but this year added gutty pitching performances to her game

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal WARSAW – Imagine stepping inside the circle as a senior having not known the taste of a win.

Even with a good offseason what kind of chances does a softball pitcher have if she went 0-5 with an 8.95 ERA in 18 career performances spanning

three seasons?

It didn’t shake the foundation of Shylah Sloan, who long ago found her way as a hitter for James Kenan.

The past didn’t affect Sloan, a senior pitcher/shortstop who signed to play Division II softball at Elizabeth City State University, the Heart of a Champion honoree who morphed into a pitcher that helped JK go 17-4.

Sloan was 8-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 70 innings of work, striking out more than twice the number of hitters she walked.

And while the Tigers needed No. 2 pitcher and shortstop Ava Jones (4-0, 3.59 ERA in 10 vis-

its inside the circle), JK seems more in tune with the ball in Sloan’s hands.

“We talked about how we had to have less than six walks a game to have a chance of doing what we had set as a goal,” said JK head coach Brian Casteen.

And Casteen also knew his hurlers wouldn’t be strikeout queens and that cutting short rallies to avoid big innings would be crucial.

“I knew we were going to hit the ball,” said the Tiger coach who saw his team outscored its foes 262-94. “Last summer ShySee SLOAN, page B4

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Shylah Sloan didn’t win a game in the circle before this spring, when she was the ace of a JK staff that won the most games in school history.

EDWARDO PUAC/ DUPLIN JOURNAL

B2

Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

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State champs heading to Diamond World Series The Duplin Nationals captured a state softball title last weekend to earn a spot in the Diamond Youth 8U World Series July 23-27 in Laurel, Miss. Team members are Collins Toler, Demi Hyatt, Josie Blizzard, Kaytee Duff, Leni Sherrer, Maci McPhail, Madelyn Kennedy, Olivia Pate, Ruby Kennedy, Sawyer Holmes, Sophia Mobley and Sullivan Sandlin. Coaches are Karl Mobley, Seth Sandlin, Matt Holmes and Shane Duff.

COACH OF THE YEAR 2026

Higginbotham’s coaching instincts solidified Rebels during playoff run to finals ND’s Jaime Higginbotham edges ED’s Jenkins and JK’s Casteen to capture her fifth-straight topcoach honor EDWARDO PUAC/ DUPLIN JOURNAL

Wallace-Rose Hill, softball Jansley Page peaked as a softball player last spring, hitting a career-high .484, while being a stellar shortstop for Wallace-Rose Hill (11-11).

Her four-year mark at WRH is .407 with 99 hits and 96 runs.

Page is the best Bulldog player since Haven Williams (2016-19) hit .443 with 94 hits and 100 RBIs and went 38-15 in the circle.

Page, though may have been a better all-round athlete as she was an all-state 3A volleyball player in the fall and played was a team captain in basketball.

She is playing volleyball at Fayetteville Tech in the fall.

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By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal CALYPSO – Sometimes it’s the number of losses that are best remembered.

For the extreme fanatical softball followers, it’s an average of 5.2 the previous five seasons.

Just as reverent but less frenzied fans point to the Rebels’ 17.2 wins each season during that span.

It’s been more fun than a walk-off grand slam for head coach Jaime Higginbotham, who captures her fifth-straight Coach of the Year honors in Duplin County in as many years.

Higginbotham (86-21) captured the award by pushing aside quality pitches from East Duplin’s Greg Jenkins, whose Panthers (19-4) advanced to the fourth round of the 4A playoffs and Brian Casteen, whose first James Kenan squad (17-4) and won 12 more games than the Tigers did in ’25.

The on the biggest things Higginbotham did during the regular season was re-focus the Rebels following a mercy-rule 14-2 loss to East Columbus in ND’s third game.

Fourteen consecutive wins later, ND was playing in the 2A finals as the top seed in the East.

Once she got the Rebels back on track, ND pushed past Camden County (8-7) and Rosewood (6-4) to get to Manteo in the East Region final.

ND rallied for five runs in the top of the sixth in Game 3 en route to a 10-9 triumph after the two teams each won games on their home fields.

The Rebels won the first game in the best-of-three against Roxboro Community at Duke University, but the Bulldogs rallied to take the next two games to capture the title.

Along the way Higginbotham had her touch on this team, who was in the 1A final three seasons ago, falling to Union Academy.

Higginbotham, who guided the University of Mount Olive to pair of NCHAA playoff berths and was a three-time Conference Carolinas Softball Coach of the Year, did her part.

Sometimes by being patient

EDWARDO PUAC/ DUPLIN JOURNAL

Jaime Higginbotham has guided ND to an 86-21 mark since taking over in ‘22. with a player or situation.

Sometimes by making a bold move that will shake the house for good cause.

Sometimes its only seen in hindsight, but nearly everyone notices later that it was a wise and strategic call.

Higginbotham is sure to coach the Rebels the next three seasons, since her daughter Gracie is a rising sophomore and southpaw hurler.

That’s on top of the four years she was the top coach with her daughter Addy Higginbotham in the lineup (now at Wingate).

ND could have its biggest rebuild in years next spring, losing stars three longtime starters – pitcher Lilly Fulghum, center fielder Marissa Bernal and versatile infielder Ady Spence.

Barring injuries there’s enough talent to put together a solid team.

Few coaches can play their softball cards better than the Rebels’ skipper.

COACH OF THE YEAR 2015: Ricky Edwards, ND 2016: Ricky Edwards, ND 2017: Cory Lovelace, WRH 2018: Greg Jenkins, ED 2019: Greg Jenkins, ED 2020: No season (Covid pandemic) 2021: Ricky Edwards, ND 2022: Jaime Higginbotham, ND 2023: Jaime Higginbotham, ND 2024: Jaime Higginbotham, ND 2025: Jaime Higginbotham, ND 2026: Jaime Higginbotham, ND

B3

Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

ALL-DUPLIN SOFTBALL 2026 | FIRST TEAM

Joe, Page and Bernal leave legacies, Higginbotham soars

Zoe Turner, ED, Sr., P

Jourdan Joe, WRH’s Jansley Page and ND’s Marissa Bernal showcased senior clout, while frosh Gracie Higginbotham shows star power

Turner was a gutsy and sometime crafty hurler and much of the Panthers’ success (19 wins, co-ECC title, trip to fourth round of the 4A playoffs) is because of her efforts in the circle. She was 10-1 with a 2.81 ERA and had neither a lot of strikeouts (45) or walks (15) during a season in which she replaced the ECC Pitcher of the Year, Morgan Brown, a threeyear starter.

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal CALYPSO – There was once again an influx of young talent on softball fields last spring.

But seniors who were longtime staples out-numbered underclassmen 8-5 on the all-Duplin first team.

Two sophomores, two juniors and a freshman were stationed with the program staples at four schools.

Wallace-Rose Hill loses Jansley Page, James Kenan loses Shylah Sloan, Jourdan Joe and Kenadi Gideons, North Duplin Ms. Softball Lilly Fulghum, Ady Spence and Marissa Bernal.

The Rebels (19-4 and 2A finalists) and Panthers (19-4 and fourth-round club in 4A) each had four selections, while James Kenan (17-4) picked up three and WRH (11-11) a pair.

Look for stories about Coach of the Year Jaime Higginbotham, Ms. Softball Lilly Fulghum, Offensive Player of the Year Ava Noble and Heart of a Champion honoree Shylah Sloan are also in this week’s newspaper.

Here are capsule looks at the other players on the all-Duplin first team.

Gracie Higginbotham Without a doubt the best freshman in the county, Higginbotham hit .574 with nine doubles, four triples, a HR, 19 walks, and 16 RBIs.

20 bases, scoring 39 times and driving in 27 runs.

JK (17-4) had its best season in school history with Joe, as most foes see as her as the attacking Tiger who could do the most damage.

Shylah Sloan, JK, Sr., P/SS

EDWARDO PUAC/ DUPLIN JOURNAL

ND’s Gracie Higginbotham was the District 2 Pitcher of the Year in 2A (10-2) and was second in Duplin County in hitting (.574).

She was 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA in the circle in 53.2 innings.

Expect more explosions, awards and advanced accolades in the next three seasons.

She was the NC Softball Coaches Association’s Pitcher of the Year in 2A for District 2.

0

Errors by Panther First baseman Sophia Jones

Jansley Page, WRH, Sr., SS Page ended her prep career in fashion by ripping 30 hits (.484) to repeat as a first-team selection. She walked 13 times, swiped 22 bases and scored 25 runs, some of which came because of her speed on the bases. She hit .407 as a four-year starter and leaves one hit shy of 100.

Page played basketball on the 17-11 Bulldog squad and was an all-state volleyball player in 3A, helping WRH tie Midway for

the SVC title and advancing to the East Region final before getting tripped by the Raiders.

She was a four-year starter in that sport, too.

Jourdan Joe, JK, Sr., 3B Joe, who will play at Elizabeth City State next season, was one of the most feared hitters in the region, hitting .523, with 14 doubles, two triples and a pair of homers, while swiping

Sloan, who will join teammate Joe in Elizabeth City to play Division 2 softball, was nothing short of sensational.

She hit .455 and drove in 38 runs.

Marissa Bernal, ND, Sr., CF

She hit safely in 20 of 23 games, had a .500 on-base-percentage and did not make an error at first base.

Kenadi Gideons, JK, Sr., 2B Gideons walked five times in 82 plate appearances, sans the three free passes she got when JK blasted North Johnston 240.

Hitters such as the Panther second baseman find their pitches. The Tiger senior hit .493 with 10 doubles and two triples, scoring and driving in 30 runs.

Payton Tyndall, WRH, Jr., P Tyndall showed poise and is learning the art of not letting a bad pitch or inning cause her to pause.

She went 11-11 with 128 strikeouts, 51 walks, a 3.29 ER during a county-high 119 innings. Her best outing was a 5-2 conquest of JK in the second round of the 3A playoffs.

The Tigers had beaten the Bulldogs twice (8-2 and 9-6) during the regular season.

Bernal hit over .400 her sophomore and junior seasons but had a better campaign in ’26 because had better extra-base hits and drove in far more runs. She hit .353 with nine doubles, four triples, five homers, scoring 34 times and knocking in 27 runs.

She was a “hit-and-run” saver in centerfield, roaming into the gaps and forward and to the fence to snag balls. She was one of two NCHSAA’s Sportsman winner in 2A.

Ady Spence, ND, Sr., 1B/2B/P

Sophia Jones, ED, So., 1B

Ansley Hunter, ED, Fr., CF

The hype over Jones last season was real, though it took a spring for it to come to fruition.

Jones hit .426 with eight doubles, two triples, a homer, while driving in 28. She hit just .200 las a freshman. Fans expecting her to blossom in ’25 watched her turn into a monster slugger last spring.

Hunter introduced herself to prep softball by hitting .403 via 31 hits, scoring 20 times and knocking in 14 runs.

She drove in a run in 2-1 second round playoff win over First Flight and punched two hits and scored when ED slipped past Bunn 6-5 in eight innings in the next round.

Spence rapped out more than 20 hits in three consecutive seasons and was more productive driving in runs in ’26.

She hit .286 and drove in 24 runs. She hit over .400 and drove in 40 in her previous two seasons. Spence had four hits and four RBIs in the 2A finals series and four hits and five RBIs in the East Region finals series.

EDWARDO PUAC/ DUPLIN JOURNAL

Left, Marissa Bernal hit .353 and was a defensive wiz in centerfield for ND. Center, JK’s Jourdan Joe, who will play at Elizabeth City State College next spring, hit .523 and drove in 27 runs. Right, Zoe Turner led ED to a 19-win season.

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B4

Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

ALL-DUPLIN SOFTBALL 2026 | SECOND TEAM

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal THE ALL-DUPLIN County softball second team for 2026 is as follows: Ava Jones, JK, Sr., SS; Jones, the leadoff hitter in a powerful JK lineup, hit .449 with six doubles, a triple, two HRs and scored 32 times. She was also a sure-handed shortstop.

Kinzley Sloan, JK, So., C Sloan (.481) hit safely in all but three games for the Tigers, legging out 11 doubles, a triple and scoring 41 a teamhigh 41 runs. The catcher also paced JK in stolen bases (22) and fielding percentage (.989).

Mattie Gavin, WRH, Sr., C Gavin maxed out her fouryear career by hitting .407, while being a stellar catcher who blocks and throws the ball well.

Wyllow Holmes, ND, Fr., OF Holmes, a slap hitter, burst onto the scene to hit .400, scoring 34 times and driving in 15 runs.

Karsyn Parker, ED, Jr., 2B Parker (.333, 25 runs, 11

RBIs) took a step down from her previous two seasons (.408 and .435), but she was nonetheless productive.

She drove in three runs in ED’s final two playoff games.

She struck out once and walked twice. And according to head coach Greg Jenkins, “She hit the ball hard every time but at a fielder. Sometimes that the way it goes.”

She scored 25 runs and drove in 11.

Sadie Casteen, JK, Fr., 1B Casteen hit .387 with seven doubles and 35 RBIs, while notching a .982 fielding mark at first base.

Maggie Boone, WRH, Jr., OF Boone improved as the season progressed as any player in Duplin.

She hit .345 as the thirdbest Bulldog hitter after Page and Gavin.

Lorena Rodriguez, ED, Fr., RF On a given afternoon, Rodriguez was as good a hitter (.383) as any Panther. She drove in the winning run in the ninth inning in a second-round playoff win over First Flight and also had a key RBI when ED beat South Lenoir 6-5 to secure at least a share of the ECC title.

EDWARDO PUAC/ DUPLIN JOURNAL

Freshman Wyllow Holmes hit .400 and scored 34 runs for ND.

Sophia Sloan, WRH, Sr., 2B Sloan hit .320 during her four-year career and made just seven errors in her final two seasons at second base.

Peyton Ezzell, JK, Fr., OF Ezzell gave the Tigers punch (.444, five doubles, 14 RBIs) near the bottom of the order.

Leighton Davis, ED, So., 3B After a somewhat mediocre freshman season, the light came on for Leighton, who hit .342 with 16 doubles and a triple. She is also a solid third baseman.

Pitching has been a strength for Beulaville Post 511 Wins and close losses by the American Legion Sr. baseball team have been possible because of its pitching staff

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE – Some of the most important decisions Beulaville Post 511 intern manager Justin Carroll makes involve his pitching staff.

This summer, he’s pulled all the right strings. Even though his club is 6-4, it’s largely been because of the way Carroll exchanges pitchers during a game.

It’s worked a lot, and when it hasn’t, it’s more often another problem that led to Post 511’s downfall. The Area 2 American Legion baseball team lost a low-scoring affair to open last week but bounced back because its pitching and

NOBLE from page B1 While it’s difficult to imagine, based on the way the numbers are so high now, the rising senior could be in for a better season.

defense were solid.

Henry Bass gave up three hits and two earned runs in four innings and Cole Jarman, Daniel Boyette and Silas Jarman combined to yield two more runs as Post 511 beat Jacksonville Post 266, an Area 2 foe, 14-5.

Reed Davis and Gage Howard drove in two and three runs, respectively, while Shawn Marshburn added a single, double, walk and RBI. Bass, Carson Tew, Alan Clements and Eli Avent also knocked in a run as Post 511 scored all of its runs in the third through sixth innings after falling behind 2-0 in the opening frame.

A day earlier, Boyette and Christian Wooten took Beulaville into the fifth inning with a 5-1 lead and Jarman and Clements combined to allow one hit and no runs over the final two frames of a 6-1 triumph over Wilmington Post 10 Blue.

A simple eye test of her backs up the data. Noble is a game-changing player and a key reason the Panthers were 19-4, ECC champs and advanced to the fourth round of the 4A playoffs.

Avent had three hits in four trips and drove in a run, while Bass had a hit, two walks and three runs and Christian Jarman ripped two hits that scored a pair of runs.

Pitching wasn’t the problem early in the week during a 3-2 setback to Tabor City Post 507.

Jaxon Smith gave up an earned run and three hits in five innings, and he combined with Wooten and Bass to strike out 11 and not walk anyone.

Bass had two hits, a walk and drove in two of three runs that were scored by Carson Tew (1-3, walk) and Braden Barnett (1-4).

Post 511 is slated to play six regular season games before the Area 2 playoffs series begin on July 5. The semifinals start July 11 and finals July 17.

The State Tournament, which featured eight teams from across the state, is July 25-30 at Sims Park in Gastonia.

Noble is playing for the Region 2 team at the BodyArmor Games and plans to return to basketball in the winter.

So far neither a wounded nor the opposition can stop her progress.

NOTICES

NOTICE

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE NO. 26E000229-300 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administrator CTA of the estate of Malachi McNeal Southerland, Sr., deceased, late of Magnolia, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the said decedent to present them to the undersigned on or before the 25th day of September, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate are requested to make immediate payment.

This the 25 day of June, 2026.

Malachi M. Southerland, Jr. 13010 Chesdin Landing Drive Chesterfield, VA 23838

ESTATE OF EDGAR TYLER, DECEASED FILE No. 00E000193-300 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Edgar Tyler, deceased, late of Duplin County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before September 25, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Personal Representative: Vivian C. Tyler 308 Georgia Drive Raeford, North Carolina 28376 910-580-2531 Publication Dates: June 25, 2026 July 2, 2026 July 9, 2026 July 16, 2026

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SELL MOTOR VEHICLE Pursuant to applicable North Carolina law, notice is hereby given that the following motor vehicle is being held by Johnny’s Towing and Recovery and will be sold to satisfy towing, storage, and any other fees that may occur associated the with vehicle. The owner, lienholders, and any other persons claiming an interest in the vehicle are hereby notified of the intended sale.

Vehicle Description: 2021 Honda Accord VIN: 1HGCV1F10MA081927 Location of Vehicle: Johnny’s Towing and Recovery 717 NW Railroad Street Wallace, NC 28466 Date of Sale: July 22, 2026 at 10am

NOTICE North Carolina Duplin County Notice Having qualified as Executor of the estate of the late Mark Alan Price, this is to notify all people who have claims against his estate to present them to the undersigned Executor on or before September 18, 2026, or this notice or same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

Theresa Walton 200 Hyde Park Dr. Goldsboro, NC 27530 Administrator of the Estate of Mark Alan Price, deceased.

6/18, 6/25, 7/2, 7/9, 2026

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF DUPLIN 26E000174-300 NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of CIRCIA ARROYO DE HECKROTH, late deceased of said Duplin County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before September 21, 2026, or this notice will be pled in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 10th day of June, 2026.

GLORIA ADRIANA ARROYO-DE MORENO Executor of the Estate of CIRCIA ARROYO DE HECKROTH C/O Brian M. Bullard, Attorney Bullard Law Firm, PLLC PO Box 1000 Faison, NC 28341 910-267-3151

PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF WALLACE TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE July 9, 2026, after 6:00 PM NOTICE IS HEARBY GIVEN that the Town Council of the Town of Wallace has called for a Public Hearing at the Wallace Women’s Club, located at 216 N. East Railroad Street, Wallace, NC 28466, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, after 6:00 PM for the following: The applicant is seeking to rezone 8.31 acres, Pin 3305 1046 5515 located off Old Wilmington Road, from R6-MH (residential, minimum lot size 6,000 sq. ft.mobile homes allowed); RA-20 (residential, minimum lot size 20,000 sq.ft. Persons wishing to speak on the issues are invited to attend and be heard at the scheduled public hearing.

Persons having questions may contact Rod Fritz, Planning Director at (910) 285-4136 or rfritz@wallacenc.gov.

PUBLIC HEARING SLOAN from page B1 lah and after volleyball in the fall, she was in the weight room doing pitching-related work.

“Then during the season she’s out pitching 45 minutes before practice. She put in the work, and it paid off.”

Sloan took control by hold-

FULGHUM from page B1 Athlete of the Year, beat out teammate Gracie Higginbotham, East Duplin’s Ava Noble and WRH’s Jansley Page for her marquee softball award.

The Rebel captain hit .586 with 11 doubles, four triples, 19 walks, six HRs, 41 runs and 39 RBIs, hitting either leadoff or out of the cleanup position.

She split time with Higgin-

ing clamping down on Swine Valley for wins on three straight league foes during a two-week 4-1 rush in midseason.

Yet, she one of her best performances from the heart came when she got battered around

by Midway (22-2, fourth round playoff exist in 4A) but kept competing well JK’s offense

came up just short in a 9-8 loss.

Sloan and Ms. Softball Lilly Fulghum, of North Duplin, tied for most HRs (six) and runs (41) in the county.

Sloan was third in RBIs with 37, while leading the Tigers in slugging percentage (.966) and lashing 10 doubles and legging out a triple.

botham in the circle, going 6-1 with a 2.07 ERA. Fulghum hit better (.617, 18 extra-base hits) and pitched less (5-2) in ’25 than she did this spring or in ’24. She was 16-2 with a 1.66 ERA, striking out 158 and walking 47 in 108 innings of work in ’23. She was 12-1 the following season.

Her bat speed and her exit velocity have been off the charts for a prep player for

quite some time.

Fulghum’s sophomore (.617, 11 doubles, five triples, eight HRs, 18 walks, 21 RBIs) and freshman (.526, seven doubles, four triples, 10 HRs) seasons were nothing short of sensational by any standard.

She was 39-6 during her four-year pitching career, bashing 31 HRs, driving in 127 RBIs and scoring 158 times.

TOWN OF WALLACE TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE JULY 9, 2026, after 6:00 PM NOTICE IS HEARBY GIVEN that the Town Council of theTown of Wallace has called for a QuasiJudicial Public Hearing on a Special Use Permit Application at the Wallace Women’s Club, located at 216 N. East Railroad Street, Wallace, NC 28466, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, after 6:00 PM for the following: The applicant is seeking to construct multi-family apartments on SE Railroad Street; zoned R-6 (residential, minimum lot size 6,000 sq.ft. Persons wishing to speak on the issues are invited to attend and be heard at the scheduled public hearing.

Persons having questions may contact Rod Fritz, Planning Director at (910) 285-4136 or rfritz@wallacenc.gov.

B5

Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

obituaries

Sarah Jane Bland Oct. 28, 1946 – April 2026 Sarah Jane Bland of Sneads Ferry (NC) passed from her earthly life in April 2026. Born on October 28, 1946, she is the daughter of the late Joe Bland II of Wallace (NC).

Left to cherish her memory are children—Robert Allan and Sharon Jean; brothers—Joe Bland III, Bob Bland, and Bill Bland; and grandchildren—David, Joey, Summer, and Van. Growing up in Wallace and Duplin County, Ms. Bland accumulated many memories with the friends she made during this time. These memories would remain cherished for the rest of her life, even though she made more memories in Sneads Ferry later in life.

Her life will be celebrated during the week of July 4, 2026, at the Topsail Island cottage, Living On The Edge, 203 N. Anderson Boulevard, Holly Ridge, NC, on July 5-10 between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm.

Odessa Miller Feb. 15, 1950 – June 26, 2026 Ms. Odessa Miller, age 76, peacefully transitioned into a world of eternal peace and rest on Friday, June 26, 2026, at ECU Health of Duplin in Kenansville, North Carolina. Her journey on this earth was marked by grace, strength and a heart full of love.

The arrangements are incomplete at this time. We extend our deepest condolences to the family, and please remember to keep the family lifted in prayer during their time of bereavement.

Mary Rose Brock Jan. 3, 1942 – June 16, 2026

Helen Frances Johnson Oct. 4, 1936 – June 26, 2026 Goldsboro- It is with deep sadness that the family announces the passing of Ms. Helen Frances Johnson, who left us peacefully on Friday, June 26, 2026, at the age of 89. Ms. Johnson passed at Brian Center Health and Rehabilitation in Goldsboro, North Carolina. She was a remarkable woman who brought joy, love and laughter in our lives and her absence leaves a profound void. The arrangements are currently incomplete at this time. We extend our deepest condolences to the family, and please continue to keep the family in your thoughts and prayers during their time of bereavement.

Mrs. Mary Rose Brock, age 84, of Murphy, NC, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Stonehenge Assisted Living following an extended illness.

Mrs. Brock was born on January 3, 1942. Raised in the Snow Hill Church community in northern Duplin County, NC, she attended B. F. Grady High School. She enjoyed gardening and flowers and was an avid reader. She attended First Baptist Church in Blairsville, Ga. Her career in health care began when she became a certified nursing assistant. She then attended school to become a licensed practical nurse, and a year later, she became a registered nurse. Finally, she attained her bachelor’s degree in nursing.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Roxan and Paul Andrews of Murphy, NC; a son, David Brock of Wilmington, NC; five grandchildren, Remi Canales, Hendrix Canales, Olivia Rose DeRoss, Lillian DeRoss, and Merritt Brock; and many other relatives and friends. She, too, cherished her beloved dog, Charlie.

The youngest of ten and the last surviving child of her late parents, Herman and Julia Rhodes Bishop, she had been married to Prentice Ray Brock, who died in 1980, and later to Sherwood Cook, who passed in 2021. Her late siblings were Chancey “Bud” Bishop, Doris B. Carrell, Athalene B. Jones, Hubert Bishop, Hilburn Bishop, Haylon Bishop, Ruth B. Houston, Marie B. Andrews, and Herman Ray Bishop Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 23, at Tyndall Funeral Home in Mount Olive, NC, at 6:00 p.m., with visitation following.

Officiating was the Rev. Mark S. Hobbs. Mrs. Brock was laid to rest following a committal service on Wednesday, June 24, at 10:00 a.m. at Devotional Gardens at Warsaw.

Funeral arrangements have been handled through Mountain View Funeral Home in Blairsville, Georgia, and Tyndall Funeral Home of Mount Olive, NC.

Frankie Yvette Armbrust Dec. 20, 1961 – June 22, 2026 Frankie Yvette Armbrust, 64, of Magnolia, NC, passed away June 22, 2026, at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville, NC. Funeral service will be at 12 noon Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Hawes Funeral Home in Warsaw. Public viewing will be 11:00 am - 12 noon (one hour prior to the service).

Ronnie Kemp Sutton July 3, 1962 – June 22, 2026 Ronnie Kemp Sutton, 63, passed away on Monday, June 22, 2026.

He is preceded in death by his father, William Lynn Sutton Funeral Service: Sunday, June 28, 2026 2:00 PM Community Funeral Home, Beulaville, NC Visitation will be held from 1:00 until 2:00 PM Interment will be private.

Survivors: Mother: Linda Jones, Albertson, NC Son: Corey Sutton, Kenansville, NC Daughter: ReeAnna Sutton, Kenansville, NC Brothers: Ricky Sutton, Kenansville, NC David Sutton, (Eva), Albertson, NC Sister: Angel Tyndall, Albertson, NC Step-Mother: Lannis Sutton Step-Brother: Brandon Whitfield Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the Sutton family.

Beverly Coley May 26, 1957 – June 25, 2026 Goldsboro- It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Ms. Beverly Coley, age 69, who transitioned from her earthly home on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at UNC Health Wayne in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The arrangements are incomplete at this time. The Staff of J.B. Rhodes Funeral Home and Cremations, Inc. extend our deepest condolences to the Coley Family, and please continue to keep the family in your prayers during their time of sorrow.

SPONSORED BY QUINN MCGOWEN FUNERAL HOME

Wilma Herring

Patrick Divers

Sept. 2, 1930 – June 24, 2026

April 9, 1996 – June 26, 2026

Wilma Gray Martin Herring, formerly of Warsaw, NC, passed away peacefully on June 24, 2026, at the age of 95. Wilma was born on Sept 2, 1930, to the late Irene Boney Martin and Irven Vance Martin.

Wilma (Wilma Gray when she was in “trouble” with her brothers”) was known for her determination, resilience and strength. She faced life’s challenges with courage and grace, never backing down from hard work or adversity. Throughout her life, Wilma devoted herself to caring for others, selflessly giving her time, energy and love to family, friends and her community.

Wilma married Melvin Herring on June 17, 1949. Wilma and Melvin were integral members of Unity Methodist Church where Wilma served as the church pianist for many years. She was the planning force behind many events and programs at Unity: BBQ plate fundraisers, homecoming dinners, women’s teas, VBS, Easter egg hunts, and the church’s Backpack Buddy program.

Wilma was the owner of The Drapery House and was proud to have made window treatments for countless homes in Duplin County and the surrounding area. Her work was featured in Colonial Homes magazine and once graced the rooms of the NC Governor’s Mansion.

Never one to take it easy, when she wasn’t designing and making draperies, she was helping Melvin run the farm. In her “spare” time she was growing gorgeous ferns, tending to her flowers and garden, canning and freezing enough food to feed the county, assisting the elderly and shut ins in the community, and working at her brother Bobby’s store, The Florist at Warsaw.

Once she moved to an assisted living environment, Wilma quickly immersed herself into her new extended family, leading morning prayer and daily exercise while proudly serving as her community’s Resident Ambassador.

Wilma juggled many roles, but the ones she mastered most of all were Mama, Grandma, Nana, and MeMe. She was the surrogate mother to many in her community, Mama Wilma to many who were unrelated to her and Aunt Wilma to anyone with even a smidgen of shared DNA. Wilma was predeceased by her husband Oscar Melvin Herring, Sr., an infant son Tony Lee Herring, son Danny Ray Herring, daughterin-laws Shirley Edwards Herring and Lori Strickland Herring, son-inlaw Douglas Kent Bettenhausen, brothers William (WC) Martin and Bobby Ray Martin.

She is survived by son Mel Herring, and daughter Sandra Bettenhausen; grandchildren Danna Westerbeek & husband Kraig, Toni DeVane & husband Clay, Jonathan Bettenhausen & wife Laura, Allie Bettenhausen, Heather Catlin & husband Bryan; Greatgrandchildren Kyndall Marshburn & husband Carries, Kari Roberts & husband Brady, Kelli Westerbeek (friend Isaiah) Karsyn Westerbeek (friend Mack), Cate, Claire & Carter DeVane, Kaile, Paisley, & Eliza Catlin; great-great-granddaughter Leighton Marshburn, one joyfully anticipated great-greatgranddaughter Willa Grace Roberts (due in October); brother Irven (Marty) Martin & wife Betsy; sisterin-laws Colleen Martin and Virginia Herring; daughter-in-law Bunny Herring and many dear nieces and nephews. Wilma is also survived by her best friend forever, Mary Lou Hoy, proving you are never too old to make a new best friend.

The family will receive visitors on Monday, June 29 at 1 pm at the Unity Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 1760 W. Wards Bridge Rd., Warsaw, NC. A funeral service will follow at 2:30 in the church sanctuary, with burial immediately afterward at Pinecrest Cemetery in Warsaw.

Because of Wilma’s love of gardening, flowers are encouraged, but donations in her memory may also be made to Unity Methodist Church, c/o Shirley Byrd, 1229 Bowdens Rd, Warsaw, NC 28398.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Mr. Patrick Divers, age 30, who entered into eternal rest on Friday, June 26, 2026, at UNC Health Wayne in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The arrangements are currently incomplete at this time. We extend our deepest condolences to the family, and please continue to keep the family in your prayers during their time of sorrow.

Lillie Thompson Crumpler March 16, 1948 – June 28, 2026 Lillie Annette Thompson Crumpler passed away in her beloved home on Old Chinquapin Road, on Sunday, June 28, 2026, surrounded by loved ones after a years-long fight with cancer.

She was a beloved mom, stepmom, aunt (“Aint Nette”), friend, cousin, neighbor, and most importantly, grandmomma. She was loved by so many because of how much love she gave.

She is preceded in death by her loving partner and love of her life, Gale Williams, her younger brother Tommy Earl, and her parents, Odell Thompson and Carrie Lou Cole Thompson.

She is survived by 8 brothers and sisters and their spouses, 3 Sons and a spouse, 3 Stepsons and spouses, and 15 grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews that she was a big part of their lives. Plus, the six-million-dollar three-legged dog, Oliver.

Most of her closest family live in North Carolina, with a few living out of state. Annette was known to be a loving mom, grandmom, aunt, and sister, who was willing to help anyone who needed help or just needed cheering up (you couldn’t talk to her on the phone without getting a smile on your face: she was a master story-teller).

Besides being at home in Beulaville and taking walks on her land at the river, her favorite place in the world was at Swansboro, where she and Gale spent many a day and night fishing, gigging flounder, and frying up enough fish or BBQ chicken to feed 30 or more people at a time. In her later years, helping to raise her grandchildren became her obsession and they are better people because of it. Anyone she was around is a better person because of her.

She will be missed by many.

Funeral service at Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, NC, at 7 pm, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

Graveside Burial Service will be at the family Cemetery (behind her home), at 1259 Old Chinquapin Road, Beulaville, NC. Visitation to follow after the burial at her home at 1259 Old Chinquapin Road.

B6

Duplin Journal for Thursday, July 2, 2026

Pitch It! Duplin winners, organizers, sponsors and community partners gather for a group photo following the recent 2026 entrepreneurship competition at James Sprunt Community College.

COURTESY JAMES SPRUNT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

A winning pitch starts here Three entrepreneurs receive startup funding through Pitch It! Duplin

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — Every new business has the potential to change a community, whether by creating jobs, filling a local need or inspiring someone else to take a chance.

That’s the idea behind Pitch It! Duplin, an annual entrepreneurship competition at James Sprunt Community College that helps local residents turn business concepts into companies.

Modeled after “Shark Tank,” the competition—referred to locally as having “Bulldogs” rather than sharks — provided participants with an eight-week REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning) program covering business planning, financial strategy, and marketing. Participants also received one-on-one mentoring and business planning assistance before presenting their ideas to a panel of local business leaders.

The 2026 Pitch It! Duplin Awards, held at James Sprunt Community College, celebrated the culmination of the intensive entrepreneurial program.

The competition began with five participants and concluded with three finalists who successfully navigated the curriculum and rigorous mock interviews.

The awards included cash prizes from Marine Federal Credit Union and the Wallace Chamber of Commerce, along with one-year memberships to local chambers and business resources.

This year’s top prize went to Francisco Andres of Albertson, owner of FA Welding Services, whose mobile welding business received a combined $5,500 in startup funding.

Second place went to Angelica Santibanez of Beulaville, whose vision is more than a coffee shop. Her proposed Coffee Studio within a Community Center would create a place where residents could gather while supporting local connections.

“It is an opportunity for us to fundraise to give back a third space while also fundraising for

“I am so blessed to be able to work in a career where I get to breathe life into people’s dreams.”

Joy Wynne Salucas which is a nonprofit that helps our community here in Dupin and surrounding counties,” Santibanez said.

Bryan Bonilla Aguilera of Beulaville placed third with New Leaf Outdoor Solutions, earning funding to continue growing his company.

Their success came after completing the REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning) program, an eightweek course that challenged participants to think beyond their passion and focus on the realities of running a business.

Participants worked alongside mentors to build business plans, develop marketing strategies, understand finances and prepare presentations before pitching their ideas in a Shark Tankstyle competition judged by local

business leaders.

The judges evaluated each proposal on innovation, financial feasibility and long-term growth potential while offering feedback entrepreneurs can use long after the competition ends.

Joy Wynne, director of the Small Business Center and dean of Continuing Education/WestPark at James Sprunt Community College, said the program is designed to help entrepreneurs build businesses that can succeed long after the applause.

“I am so blessed to be able to work in a career where I get to breathe life into people’s dreams,” Wynne said. “We hear people’s dreams, their thoughts, their ideas and we help them decide if it’s viable and if it’s worth pursuing.”

She said every participant benefits, regardless of where they finish.

“Real economic growth and individual opportunity lies in helping become and train job creators not just job seekers,” Wynne said.

For rural communities like Duplin County, that preparation can have ripple effects beyond individual business owners.

Every successful small business represents new jobs, additional local investment and services that residents might otherwise have to leave the coun-

ty to find.

James Sprunt Community College President Shannon Hair said entrepreneurship continues to play an important role in strengthening the local economy.

Hair credited community partners with helping make those opportunities possible.

Marine Federal Credit Union, the Wallace Chamber of Commerce, the Kenansville Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Center Network and the Small Business and Technology Development Center all contributed funding, expertise and support for the competition.

Erica Bakion, community outreach specialist for Marine Federal Credit Union, said investing in entrepreneurs ultimately means investing in the future of Duplin County.

“Even if you don’t win you can’t take that knowledge away ... it’s got to feel so amazing that you can contribute to places and elevate them with your vision,” Bakion said.

The event concluded with a call for new participants for the 2027 competition, emphasizing that while prize money helps launch businesses, the knowledge, mentorship and professional connections gained through the program remain valuable long after the competition ends.

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