Duplin Journal Vol. 11, Issue 25

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 25 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2026

DUPLINJOURNAL.COM

Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

the

Gathering in prayer

this week

Duplin County faith-based leaders gathered Monday at the Duplin County Board of Education for the annual Prayer at the Pole, joining together in prayer for the upcoming school year.

BRIEF $1.15M bond set in Beulaville meth case Beulaville A Beulaville man faces multiple drug trafficking charges after the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office seized approximately 882 grams of methamphetamine while executing a search warrant July 14. According to the sheriff’s office, members of the Special Operations Division and Special Response Team served the warrant at a residence on Willard Edwards Road. Kyle Maley was charged with two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was jailed under a $1.15 million secured bond.

3 arrested in drug raid Warsaw Three people were arrested following a July 30 search warrant that resulted in the seizure of marijuana and firearms, according to the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office. Members of the sheriff’s Special Operations Division and Special Response Team executed the warrant at a residence on Works Farm Road. Billy Faison Jr., Billy Faison III and Nikeemoshay Davidson were each charged with felony possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance, manufacturing a Schedule VI controlled substance, maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. Faison III also was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Davidson and Faison Jr. were each jailed under $20,000 secured bonds. Faison III received a $30,000 secured bond.

Man jailed in occupied dwelling shootings Wallace A Wallace man remains jailed without bond after being charged in connection with multiple shootings involving occupied homes.

According to the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, Rayford Mangham Jr., 22, was arrested June 23 and charged with multiple counts of discharging a weapon into occupied property. Investigators said the charges stem from several shootings reported throughout May. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office at 910-296-2150 or Duplin County Crime Stoppers at 910-372-9202.

$2.00

COURTESY DARA BAILEY

Mt. Calvary disputes allegations as NC Justice Department review continues Complaints to state agencies allege financial and administrative misconduct

The nonprofit, which is led by Pender County Commissioner Jimmy Tate, came under scrutiny after citizen complaints were filed with the state. While the organization remains under fire, both its legal counsel and local officials are speaking out to clarify their positions on the matter.

Attorney Kennedy Thompson, who represents Mt. Calvary, said the organization has received a copy of the citizen’s complaint submitted to the Department of Justice and disputed the allegations.

“The allegations in the

Boltinhouse takes Miss North Carolina USA dispute to court

gal basis for removing her title.

Boltinhouse entered the Miss North Carolina USA competition without prior pageant experience but emerged as the winner after taking four of the competition’s five major categories: People’s Choice, Miss Congeniality, Fitness and Best Gown.

The daughter of immigrant parents who was reared in rural North Carolina, Boltinhouse’s victory was initially presented as a small-town success story and an example of the “American Dream.”

That changed when nega-

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WALLACE — The North Carolina Department of Justice is awaiting a formal response

from the Mt. Calvary Center for Leadership Development following allegations of misconduct, including Medicaid fraud, extortion and misuse of taxpayer funds.

Her attorney alleges discrimination and questions the basis for the pageant organization’s decision

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE NATIVE Brittany Boltinhouse’s brief reign as Miss North Carolina

USA 2026 has taken a dramatic turn, moving from the pageant stage to a legal dispute over the circumstances surrounding the loss of her title.

Patrick Mincey, Boltinhouse’s

attorney, says his client is pursuing legal action against the pageant organization over what her legal team describes as the “wrongful and unjustified stripping” of her crown. The case is expected to focus on allegations of discrimination, questions surrounding social media evidence and whether pageant officials had a legitimate le-

Wastewater enforcement discussed by Warsaw board Commissioners also appointed an interim town attorney and discussed public records requests

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WARSAW — The Warsaw Board of Commissioners addressed a disputed special meeting, wastewater violations and a breach involving sensitive employee information during its Aug. 11 meeting.

Procedural disputes dominated the meeting as the board revisited a special meeting held Aug. 7. Commissioner Ebony Willis Wells argued the previ-

ous meeting violated North Carolina General Statute 143-318.12 because notice was not posted at least 48 hours in advance.

Mayor Pro Tem Jack Hawes argued the website-posting provision only required posting before the meeting began. Mayor Wesley Boykin then cast a tiebreaking vote to rescind the Aug. 7 actions to “err on the side.”

Following the rescission, the board formally voted to appoint J. Blake Phillips as the new interim town attorney.

The board also heard an environmental status report from Cecil Madden of McDavid Associates regarding the town’s industrial pretreatment program.

See WARSAW, page A6

“I’ve made numerous requests in regards to receiving public records information.”

Commissioner Ebony Willis Wells

See REVIEW, page A5

See MISS NC, page A2

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

THURSDAY

8.13.26 #138

New hangar ready for tenants DUPLIN Airport commissioners discussed rental rates, utility costs and a potential maintenance operator

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal

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KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Airport Commission received updates on several construction projects during its July 28 meeting, including the completion of a new hangar, delays to the airport’s fuel farm and plans for future capital improvements.

Airport Director Joshua Raynor said the airport received a certificate of occupancy for the new hangar June 23.

“We are in warranty now until June of 2027,” Raynor said.

The board discussed the finished hangar, including how to use approximately $36,000 remaining in the project’s contingency fund and how to establish rental rates for future tenants.

After discussing whether the funds could be used for items such as appliances, members agreed to return the remaining money to the project’s transportation fund for future capital needs. Jon McCalmont of Parrish and Partners LLC advised that state grant requirements could limit the purchase of nonfixed equipment.

The board also discussed interest from a potential charter and maintenance operator who currently operates a business in Rocky Mount. Members said bringing the business to Duplin County Airport could restore full-service aircraft maintenance and avionics after the current provider

“They put a new management team together to finish the project. It’s still a few months out, but it feels like it’s going to get back on track to finish by the end of October.”

Hunter Boniface retires. The commission invited the prospective tenant to meet with members at a future meeting.

Rental rates were also discussed.

“The way the current lease is written, we are paying for all the utilities,” Raynor said.

“That’s a lot more now with the air conditioning and dehumidification systems in the rehabilitated hangars.”

The board discussed transferring utility costs to tenants through individually metered service. Members also agreed to notify tenants well in advance of any rent adjustments before considering changes during the next fiscal year.

Hunter Boniface, operations manager for Parrish and Partners, gave an update on the fuel farm project.

“They put a new management team together to finish the project,” Boniface said. “It’s still a few months out, but it feels like it’s going to get back on track to finish by the end of October.”

The fuel farm was originally slated for completion by July 14, but the revised schedule projects completion by Oct. 31. The board discussed whether additional costs could be incurred

because of delayed material deliveries, and Raynor said space is available to store fuel tanks on-site if needed before the project is complete.

The apron rehabilitation project with Michael Baker is out for bid. The board approved a work authorization for project management services totaling $355,114 and recommended it to the Duplin County Board of Commissioners for approval.

The board also discussed liquidated damages, with McCalmont explaining that they are intended to compensate owners for actual costs caused by project delays rather than serve as a penalty.

“It is a predetermined amount that you think the owner may be subject to that can be added to a project if it exceeds a certain amount of time,” McCalmont said. “It can’t be imposed as a penalty if you did not truly incur those damages.”

McCalmont said liquidated damages may help recover costs such as additional engineering oversight, inspection expenses or lost revenue, and contractors sometimes negotiate credits on other project costs instead of paying liquidated damages directly.

Raynor shared the airport’s budget and fuel sales report.

During the past month, the airport recorded 552 aircraft operations, 3,312 gallons of avgas and about 21,000 gallons of jet fuel.

The commission also discussed using a request for qualifications process to hire an engineer for a future maintenance building. Members said they preferred a practical design that would meet the airport’s needs without unnecessary design costs.

happening SPONSORED BY

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

Now through Aug. 31 Back-to-School Haircuts James Sprunt Community College’s Barber School and Cosmetology Department are offering free back-to-school haircuts to help students and families prepare for the new school year. Barber School appointments are available through Aug. 31, while the Cosmetology Department will offer free haircuts Aug. 19 to Sept. 3 for ages 4 and older. Appointments and walk-ins are available during designated hours.

James Sprunt Community College, Kenansville

Aug. 15.

Operation Giveback 2026 9 a.m. to noon

Kenansville prepares to fill 2 key town positions Town officials also approved a policy allowing staff to arrange payment plans for customers with unusually high utility bills

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal THE TOWN of Kenansville may soon put three help-wanted signs out to fill what are now two positions. Discussion about filling the positions held

by Town Manager Anna West and Public Works Director Garry Benson received top billing during the meeting of the town’s board of commissioners Aug. 4.

West announced her intention to step down at last month’s meeting, saying her last day in the position would be Jan. 2, 2027. Benson is retiring at the end of December.

In addition to serving as town manager, West has had a dual role as the town’s finance officer. The board discussed splitting the two positions.

“Having been here so long

MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Kenansville town attorney Joseph Ezzell, left, advises the town on a proposed payment plan for utility customers who receive unexpectedly high utility bills. and seeing all that goes on, I think it’s too much to put on one person to have to do,” Mayor Pro Tem Milta King said. “It’s getting more complicated every day.”

The board discussed the possibility of hiring from within versus advertising for outside applicants. West was asked if she thought her two positions should be split.

“Yes, because we’ve grown to the place now where there’s

MISS NC from page A1 tive comments and collages containing alleged social media posts from Boltinhouse’s past that contained offensive language and political commentary began circulating, and on Aug. 5, A Blaize Productions ended Boltinhouse’s reign.

Miss USA CEO Thom Brodeur cited a “zero tolerance” policy regarding racism, homophobia and transphobia, and said the decision followed a review of the “totality of the circumstances” over an extended period.

In a statement, Brodeur said that he had reviewed a forthcoming statement from Boltinhouse and that it demonstrated “ownership, accountability and apology.” The statement, howev-

COURTESY @ESPINO.SOSA / INSTAGRAM

Brittany Boltinhouse er, was not released to the media.

First runner-up Myla Hadley was named the new Miss North Carolina USA 2026.

Mincey said his legal team is challenging the decision and argues that the pageant organization targeted her because of

“I think it’s too much to put on one person to have to do.”

Milta King, mayor pro tem more going on,” West said. “As the town actively seeks more grants, it is a lot to do.”

In other business, town clerk Madison Jones presented a pro-

her Christian faith and conservative political views.

Mincey contends that pageant organizers have not identified specific conduct that would justify removing Boltinhouse’s title.

“Our investigation has already uncovered evidence, including recorded statements that show pageant officials acknowledging the absence of any legitimate or legal basis for their decision to strip Brittany of her title,” said Mincey.

Those claims have not been resolved in court.

As the dispute moves toward legal proceedings, Boltinhouse’s legal team says it intends to present its case in court and maintains that, although the organization ended her reign, she “will not be cancelled.”

posal to the board that would allow payment plans for utility customers who receive large, unexpected bills. Currently, any resident seeking a payment plan has to come before the board for approval.

Under the proposed plan, a customer with a very large, unusual bill, resulting from a broken water pipe or other issue, could be granted a payment plan that would split the large bill into $100 monthly payments, provided they agree to pay all current bills in addition to the payments. The plan would allow town staff to enter into the agreement without board approval, but the board would receive a report on any agreements made by staff.

“In the past, you have agreed to do payment plans, and I know we had talked about putting something into the policy so they wouldn’t have to (go to the board) every time and wait a month to find out whether they have to fork out much money up front,” Jones said, emphasizing the plan would only apply to customers who have an unusually large, unexpected bill due to unusual circumstances.

Anyone seeking a payment plan outside of those circumstances would still have to appear before the board for approval.

The board voted unanimously to approve the new payment plan policy.

“Our investigation has already uncovered evidence, including recorded statements that show pageant officials acknowledging the absence of any legitimate or legal basis for their decision to strip Brittany of her title.”

Patrick Mincey

Operation Giveback 2026 will be held at Beulaville Town Hall. The event will feature school supplies, activities and additional community resources.

508 E. Main St., Beulaville

Back-to-School Community Day 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Duplin County Partnership for Children will host its annual event, which is open to Duplin County students in pre-K through 12th grade. Children must be present to receive supplies. Families also can enjoy games, bounce houses, entertainment and opportunities to learn more about the organization’s programs.

408 N. Main St., Kenansville

Jalen’s Bless the Block 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Jalen’s Bless the Block will provide school supplies and free haircuts. The event will feature special guests and family activities. Wallace Urgent Care is serving as an official school supply drop-off location.

683 E. Southerland St., Wallace

Aug. 22 End of Summer Bash 5 to 8 p.m.

The Duplin Events Center will wrap up the season with a free End of Summer Bash featuring live music by The Pink Slips. Families and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of entertainment and community fun.

224 Seminary St., Kenansville

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

Teachey town limits grow as board approves annexation The annexation clears another hurdle for a proposed townhome and housing development

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal TEACHEY — The town limits of Teachey officially grew Monday evening, but only by a little less than an acre after the Teachey Town Board approved an annexation request from Bert Properties that will bring the remainder of the proposed development near the intersection of N.C. Highway 117 and Hunter Street within town limits.

Most of the property was already within the town limits, but the property owners requested that the remaining portion be annexed so the entire property would be within the town.

The annexation approval came after a required public hearing during which no one offered any comments.

The annexation clears the way for future work to begin on the subdivision that will feature single-family homes and townhomes. Chad Lambert and Robert Stevens of Bert Properties have worked through several hurdles since January, when they appeared before the board requesting that the town create an ordinance allowing the construction of townhomes. It took several months for the town to develop and approve the new townhome ordinance.

Lambert told Duplin Journal in January that construction on the new project is estimated to begin in 2028 once all the town requirements are approved.

In other business, Town Clerk Morgan Jacobs and Utility Clerk Ally Casey updated the board on a new website developer the town has secured. The new sys-

PHOTOS BY MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

The Teachey Board of Commissioners meeting Monday fell on the birthday of Mayor Bobby Jones. His family joined him while the board presented him with a birthday cake and sang “Happy Birthday.”

The board voted to annex less than an acre in another part of town that now paves the way for construction to begin on a new subdivision featuring a mix of houses and town homes. tem is expected to take about eight weeks to complete and will include fillable forms for utility services and zoning permits, as well as a more efficient system for sending text and email alerts.

“It should be way easier to edit than what we have now,” Casey

told the board. “We can update it quicker and send out alerts.”

The new system also will offer an online utility payment service that charges a smaller fee for credit card payments than the current provider. It also will offer the option of

an ACH bank draft with no fee.

The board agreed to sell by auction a used 2002 Ford F-150 pickup truck owned by the town. The truck will be sold through sealed mail-in bids, with a reserve price and a Sept. 30 deadline.

Davelon Carr of GYT Prayer Center Church requested permission to use the town hall Aug. 22 from 3-4 p.m. for a community prayer initiative. Carr said the effort was intended to strengthen the connection between the church and the community. He said they had already held a similar session in Wallace.

“Scripture teaches us that we are to pray not just for one another, but specifically Paul instructed us to pray for all of those in authority,” Carr said. “And it’s real easy to complain, but it takes faith to not complain and

pray. But also understand the job that everyone does in authority.

Whatever the position is, it’s not an easy job because one thing is for sure, two things are for certain. You can’t please everybody.”

Mayor Bobby Jones expressed his support for the prayer initiative, saying he had already developed an extensive list of 15 prayer items for the town.

The board agreed to allow access to town hall for the prayer session and voted to waive the usual $50 building-use fee, citing the benefit to the town.

Another resident raised concerns about safety issues involving unpermitted residential work, including HVAC, sheds and electrical work. He also raised concerns about ATVs and bikes being operated dangerously on neighborhood streets.

The board discussed the difficulty of enforcing such violations. Officials said they must coordinate with the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office to hold violators accountable. They also noted that residents can be hesitant to testify because of concerns about retaliation.

The board also discussed a dispute involving a $4,700 water-leak repair bill from July 1.

The town is disputing the bill with contractor AC Schultz, which officials said is refusing to pay because the company maintains it called 811 for utility locates within the required timeframe.

Town officials said they believe the contractor called in the locate request for the wrong intersection.

During announcements, the board was updated on finances.

As of the meeting, officials said the town’s bank account held $322,580.47, while its NC Capital Management account held $1,299,490.41, for a combined total of $1,622,070.88.

Planning is also underway for the Teachey Fall Festival, which is scheduled for Oct. 10 from 1-7 p.m.

Monday’s meeting coincided with the birthday of Jones — the mayor turned 41. He was presented with a cake while those in attendance, including his wife and two children, sang “Happy Birthday.”

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

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

COLUMN | JIMMY DIXON

Time, freedom and the responsibility to vote

We cannot turn the clock back.

But we can and surely must manage ourselves.

I RECENTLY READ a talk given by Joseph B. Wirthlin titled “A Word to You: Generation of Destiny,” given in 1979. He begins by making some comments about the “Guinness Book of World Records.”

He makes reference to a group of college students who decided to establish a contest to set a world record for thumb twiddling.

The champion thumb-twiddler twiddled his thumbs for more than 20 hours.

Wirthlin concludes, “It is quite likely that these students had never heard of or at least had never taken seriously the advice of Benjamin Franklin, one of the wisest of Americans. He warned: Do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”

He then describes an old adage and a sage of great wisdom who attempts to answer a young man’s question: What is the greatest gift in the world? “The greatest gift in the world, my son,” replied the sage without hesitation, “would be to have all the time you need.”

Now would be a good point to remind ourselves that time is inextensible, which means that it is incapable of being stretched or extended. Each of us, whether we want to or not, spend it at a fixed rate of 60 seconds per minute. You may now be asking, “Well, what is your point?” First, since time is the “stuff” life is made of, shouldn’t we then make the best use of it?

Second, since the passage of time cannot be managed, shouldn’t we try to manage ourselves rather than trying to manage the clock?

Our Founding Fathers established, for the first time ever, a government Lincoln described as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” and he declared with anticipatory resolve that “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government shall not perish from the earth.” With those thoughts in mind, shouldn’t we the people then try to manage ourselves and safeguard the divinely inspired government they established?

The “new birth of freedom” statement was in reference to the attempt to cure the stigma of the servitude of one human to another human, which was a manmade flaw in our Constitution. It is true that “all men were created equal,” but it is very obvious that all men were not “born” equal. The bloody Civil War intensified this new nation’s attempt to have all citizens “live” free. We cannot turn the clock back. But we can and surely must manage ourselves with due diligence to safeguard the Constitutional Republic the Founders established that ensures that the right of all who abide by the laws of the land can live free.

Each new election is the most important election of our lifetime. Evil forces no longer try to hide their intent. In your wildest thoughts did you ever think our God-designed gender would be challenged? Did you ever think anyone would propose abolishing the police, the Senate, the Constitution or the presidency?

We who are people of faith know that these are the latter days spoken of in the Holy Bible wherein our ultimate work is to prepare ourselves, our children and our nation for the Second Coming of the King of Kings who will reign and govern with perfect judgment, justice, mercy and righteous power.

For the most part, our government is comprised of men and women of the two major political parties, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. We must therefore inform ourselves of the tenets of the two parties and the candidates representing those parties. At this point I will get very partisan because the national leadership of the Democratic Party is politically misguided. They want to destroy the basic commonsense principles upon which freedom and liberty depend.

There are two critical North Carolina offices up for election on Nov. 3; U.S. Senate and a N.C. Supreme Court justice.

Do not be fooled. The two Democrats will be fiercely loyal to the tenets of the Democratic Party. They will falsely disguise themselves as moderates.

We the people should make the time to inform ourselves about the real objectives of the Democratic Party and vote for Michael Whatley for U.S. Senate and Sarah Stevens for N.C. Supreme Court.

Rep. Jimmy Dixon represents Duplin and Wayne counties in the N.C. House of Representatives.

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

AI cannot give writers something to say

Those experiences are the bone marrow from which ideas are formed.

AFTER NEARLY 35 years as a talk show host, I’ve had many young broadcasters ask me, “What’s the secret?” My answer always surprises them because it’s so short.

“Have something to say.”

Most expect advice about voice, pacing, interview techniques, social media or how to handle callers. Those things matter.

But they’re secondary. If you don’t have an interesting idea, no amount of polish will keep an audience listening. The audience may admire your delivery for a while, but eventually it wants substance. It wants a reason to come back tomorrow.

The same principle applies to writing.

Someone once asked me, “What makes a good writer?” My answer was the same: “Having something to say.” Good grammar helps. A large vocabulary helps. A clever turn of phrase helps. But readers don’t return because of sentence structure. They return because the writer consistently offers an insight, an argument or an observation they had not considered before. The style attracts attention. The ideas keep it.

That’s one reason the rise of artificial intelligence doesn’t worry me nearly as much as it worries some people. AI can make a sentence cleaner. It can tighten a paragraph.

It can suggest a better headline, organize research and identify weaknesses in an argument. It can save a substantial amount of time in tracking down sources. Those are remarkable tools. But recently, a judge blasted an attorney whose legal brief cited cases that were either nonexistent or did not support the proposition for which they were

cited. Blind and lazy reliance on AI was the likely culprit.

But AI cannot live your life for you. It cannot accumulate your experiences, your failures, your successes, your conversations or your observations. Those experiences are the bone marrow from which ideas are formed. AI can help you communicate an idea more effectively, but it cannot give you a lifetime from which original ideas are born.

The same lesson appears in coaching.

NFL coach Bum Phillips once paid Hall of Fame coach Don Shula perhaps the greatest compliment one coach has ever paid another: “He can take his’n and beat your’n. And your’n and beat his’n.” In other words, if Shula had the better team, he would beat you. But if you had the better team, he might beat you anyway. Phillips was saying that great coaches first maximize their advantages. Then, every so often, they overcome their disadvantages.

When I practiced law, I came to a similar conclusion about trial lawyers. A good trial lawyer wins all the cases he should — and a few he shouldn’t. He doesn’t lose the cases he should win through poor preparation or weak advocacy. Then, once in a while, through judgment, preparation and persuasion, he wins a case the facts and the law suggest he would lose. The exceptional performer first masters the fundamentals.

Only then can he elevate his craft.

In broadcasting, they ask about microphones instead of ideas. In writing, they ask about style instead of substance. In coaching, they ask about strategy instead

of talent. In law, they ask about courtroom theatrics instead of judgment. The essentials come first. Everything else is an enhancement.

Technology can improve prose, summarize documents and organize research in seconds. Those advances are valuable, even remarkable, but none answers the question that matters most: What do you actually think? If you have nothing worth saying, technology won’t rescue you. If you do have something worth saying, technology becomes a force multiplier, enabling you to communicate more clearly and more efficiently.

Despite all the technological changes during my career — from computers and the internet to radio and podcasts and now to artificial intelligence — the secret remains the same. It applies to writing a column, hosting a radio show, giving a speech or leading a meeting. People still hunger for fresh ideas, honest observations and genuine insight. They still appreciate someone who can make sense of confusing events or articulate what others struggle to say.

After all these years behind a microphone, through changing technologies and changing media, my answer remains the same. Every profession has an indispensable first principle. Miss it, and no amount of technique will save you.

Have something to say.

Larry Elder is an author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com.)

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

New detention center ready, but staffing delays opening

Acting Sheriff and Chief Deputy Charles Weaver speaks to the Faison Town Board about staffing challenges, recruitment and patrol coverage during the Aug. 5 meeting.

REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Public safety takes focus at Faison board meeting The acting sheriff discussed recruitment and patrol coverage as the department works to address staffing shortages

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal FAISON OPENED its board meeting last Wednesday with a moment of silence for Ronnie Taylor, a Calypso town employee who died recently. Financial reports for the new fiscal year were also reviewed, highlighting significant early expenditures for items such as insurance.

Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Scott updated the board on recreational sports.

“We are wrapping up adult volleyball this Saturday, and we start basketball on Sunday,” Scott said. “We’ve started registration for soccer and volleyball for the fall.”

Executive Administrator Jimmy Tyndall said that registration links had been sent out to previous users for the after-school program.

“The links will remain open through Aug. 17 before we open to other new users,” Tyndall said.

Tyndall said the ideal full capacity for the program would be 54 students, but it could be extended to 60.

Acting Sheriff and Chief Deputy Charles Weaver spoke to the board about the transition of leadership in the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office and the

REVIEW from page A1 complaint are false, and they are easily dismissed,” Thompson told Duplin Journal. “Mt. Calvary looks forward to continuing its positive work serving the community, and it will not be distracted by meritless, politically motivated allegations.”

Thompson said a formal response would be filed with the DOJ by the end of the week, which the organization expects will “clear up many questions and these highly disputed allegations.”

Pender County Commissioner Chair Randy Burton also clarified his role in the inquiries surrounding the nonprofit. Burton said his communication with state authorities was focused on financial oversight and was separate from the citizen complaints.

“It was a request to look into the financial reports of

department’s efforts to address staffing shortages.

“I don’t want to wait for an election to handle what needs to be done; I want to handle it now,” Weaver said.

He said the department has had significant turnover.

Weaver said the department is facing challenges with recruitment and retention. He highlighted a disparity in pay scales that has resulted in the department losing officers to municipal agencies such as the Warsaw Police Department, which offers starting salaries of around $55,000, he said. Weaver said the current starting pay for the sheriff’s office is $5,000 less than it was a year ago.

The department is currently operating with four officers per shift despite being allocated for six, Weaver said. He said the department is down approximately four patrol officers as well as several investigators in the narcotics and criminal divisions.

The staffing shortages come as call volumes have increased, Weaver said. Deputies handle an estimated 10 to 12 calls daily, compared with about three calls per shift when Weaver began working on the road, he said.

Weaver explained that the department has implemented a new north, central and south patrol car system designed to maximize coverage despite manpower limitations.

“We’ve created more distance, more space,” Weaver told the board, noting that by positioning road sergeants more strategically, the department aims to improve response times

the NGO, that’s all my conversation with the auditor was,” Burton told Duplin Journal. “I don’t have anything to do with the actual complaints from other folks.”

The controversy surfaced after complaints were filed with the North Carolina Department of Justice and the Office of the State Auditor regarding the operations of Mt. Calvary in mid-2026.

These complaints, submitted by Pender County GOP executive board member Kim McGahey and Burton, include criminal, financial and administrative allegations.

Publicly available tax and financial records show that salaries, compensation and employee benefits accounted for about 49% of the organization’s total revenue, while the listed program activities and related expenses accounted for about 1.8% of revenue.

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and ensure a more consistent presence throughout the county.

The board discussed its need for more police presence during high-activity periods to target issues like speeding and stoplight violations on Highways 117 and 403.

The town is also preparing to change internet providers after Open Broadband could no longer provide service. Tyndall said the town will transition to Brightspeed, managed by IPM. “We have to find something else, and Brightspeed has the best deals,” said Tyndall.

Brightspeed will cost $250 monthly for fiber internet and monitoring, and there will be a one-time $2,994 fee for equipment. The board approved the transition and the equipment upgrade, with funds moved from continuing education and maintenance budgets. They also approved budget amendments to finance the 2027 Fourth of July celebration and an amendment to continue returning security deposits to those who rent the Recreation Center.

In other business, the board accepted the resignation of Sharon Lee and approved the hiring of Sharon Talton as a part-time bus driver and Valerie Palomo for a part-time recreation position. Both hires are pending verification.

The meeting concluded with a discussion about a resident who used 9,100 gallons of water in less than half a month.

The board made plans to offer a payment plan if the resident requested it.

• Mt. Calvary reported $2,410,025 in total revenue for the period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

• The organization reported $1,170,399 in salaries, other compensation and employee benefits. Tate reported $180,488 in compensation and an average of 25 hours of work per week for the organization.

• The organization reported spending $43,417 on program activities, supplies, printing and youth trips.

• Received $1.85 million in state grant allocations.

County officials say the 250-bed facility cannot open until enough detention officers are trained

“It’s taking a little bit of time to get people hired, and then we’ve got to get them trained.”

By Mark Grady and Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

Charles Weaver, Duplin County chief deputy

KENANSVILLE — The new Duplin County Detention Center has been completed, inspected and approved for occupancy, but the $43.3 million facility remains empty as county officials work to hire and train enough detention officers before it can open.

The 57,700-square-foot detention center was built to replace the county’s aging jail after nearly three decades of advocacy by law enforcement and local officials to address chronic overcrowding, deteriorating infrastructure and operational challenges.

As of Monday, according to the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office inmate confinement roster, the jail housed 130 inmates, well above its 95-bed capacity.

The new detention facility will more than double that capacity to 250 inmates.

In an interview with Duplin Journal, Duplin County Chief Deputy Charles Weaver, who is serving as acting sheriff since Sheriff Stratton Stokes resigned last month, said it is taking time to hire and train additional staff as the county navigates some changes.

“The county implemented a new pay scale, and I think people are a little confused by it,” Weaver said. “I’m working with them, we’ve got things worked out.”

According to Weaver, the current jail requires four detention officers per shift, while the new facility will require eight per shift.

“We are hiring jailers. We’ve hired several this month,” Weaver said. “It’s taking a little bit of time to get people hired, and then we’ve got to get them trained.”

Existing detention officers have already been trained on a system that is entirely different from the one used in the current facility, Weaver said.

Weaver said the new facility operates differently from the current jail, with more technology integrated into daily operations. The facility uses a watchtower system with computer-controlled functions such as door access, requiring detention officers to be properly trained before it opens.

“It’s not a job where you can just walk in and sit there,” Weaver said. “It’s a safety issue, and we want to make sure everything’s in place like it should be.”

Weaver could not provide a specific timeline for when the new detention facility will be fully staffed and occupied.

“I would like to believe we would (be open) by the end of the year, but I can’t give you a specific time,” he said.

Interim County Manager Lisa Hughes said that as far as all the official paperwork and inspections are concerned, the new detention center is ready to be occupied.

“We have approval from the state to occupy the new facility, we just need to train the staff to make the transition,” Hughes told Duplin Journal.

Wallace taps state program to grow workforce, save taxpayer dollars A recent college graduate will gain municipal experience while supporting town projects

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WALLACE — The town of Wallace is investing in the next generation of local government leaders while keeping costs low for taxpayers through a partnership with the UNC School of Government Lead for North Carolina program (LFNC).

Charles “Chip” Roth, a 2026 graduate of Davidson College, began a 10-month municipal internship with the town Aug. 4.

Roth, who earned bachelor’s degrees in history and French, will work alongside town staff on projects across multiple departments while gaining firsthand experience in municipal government.

Town officials said the LFNC program benefits both participants and communities by preparing recent college graduates for careers in public service while providing municipalities with additional talent at a reduced cost.

“The town pays only a nominal portion of the internship expenses,” wrote the town of Wallace in the announcement, explaining that the LFNC program funds

COURTESY TOWN OF WALLACE

Chip Roth

“The town pays only a nominal portion of the internship expenses.”

Town of Wallace the majority of the internship.

During the internship, Roth will assist with a variety of initiatives while developing skills in public administration, leadership and community engagement. Town officials said the partnership helps strengthen the town’s organizational capacity, advance important projects and make efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

A6

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

Nurses honor their own through Nightingale Tributes The volunteer group provides free tributes for nurses who have died and living tributes for those receiving hospice care

The appointments take effect on staggered dates throughout August

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal A ROOM FALLS quiet as a group of nurses in white uniforms and navy capes stand together. A small lamp is lit, its flame steady as the nurses prepare to honor one of their own.

The moment is part of a Nightingale Tribute, a brief ceremony performed by the Eastern North Carolina Nurse Honor Guard to honor nurses who have died, carrying out a tradition that recognizes their years of service to patients and their communities.

The ceremony ends with a final call to duty and the presentation of the lamp to the family.

Since 2018, the volunteer group has conducted 262 tributes across eastern North Carolina, including 46 this year.

For the nurses performing the tribute, it is a way to recognize a colleague and the profession they shared.

“Our organization is made up of nurses who are retired or actively working,” said Tracy Sobiesienski, a member of the ENC Nurse Honor Guard.

The volunteer organization has more than 90 members serving 25 counties across eastern North Carolina.

Sobiesienski said the organi-

WARSAW from page A1 Madden said Warsaw is currently in violation of its state discharge permit because of a failure in the disinfection process.

Madden detailed ongoing wastewater issues involving C2NC and Villari, noting that the town is currently under pressure from the state to issue civil penalties for permit violations. He said failed disinfection has led to high levels of fecal coliform in Stewart’s Creek.

Madden reported that the wastewater facility has been unable to provide enough chlorine to effectively kill bacteria because industrial waste products are “oxidizing” or “consuming” the chlorine before it can do its job. He pointed to a “gooey, stringy substance” discovered in the sewer system as a likely contributor to the disinfection struggles. The town has ordered testing of the material.

Madden said Villari’s wastewater treatment upgrade has significantly improved the company’s compliance. He said the company previously had 30 or more violations per month but is now averaging about 10. Villari is still working on a system to remove chlorides from its meat-brining process, with a reverse-osmosis system expected in late 2026 or early 2027.

Madden said C2NC’s original project was expected to cost about $100 million but grew to approximately $150 million, with another $4 million to $5 million spent recently to

Board approves new administrative appointments in Duplin schools

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

COURTESY EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA NURSE HONOR GUARD

Carolyn Fletchers, seated, is surrounded by members of the Eastern North Carolina Nurse Honor Guard during a living tribute honoring her 58 years in nursing.

zation began after founder and chair Tabatha Hall saw a video in 2017 featuring a nurse honor guard in another state. She presented the idea to the Nurse Congress at Vidant, now ECU Health, and received approval to establish a similar program in North Carolina. The first Nightingale Tribute was held in March 2018.

The group now serves communities from Duplin, Pitt and Onslow counties to Beaufort and

Currituck. Families are often referred through funeral directors, hospice nurses or friends.

The Honor Guard also offers living tributes for nurses receiving hospice care, allowing them to receive the recognition while they are still able to participate.

Each honored nurse receives a white rose, commemorative blanket, handkerchief, certificate and honorary membership in the organization.

For the nurses who perform the tributes, the ceremony recognizes more than a profession. It marks a lifetime of service — long shifts, missed holidays, difficult decisions and the everyday work of caring for patients.

Every ceremony is provided free of charge. For more information, email encnursehonorguard@yahoo.com.

address operational problems.

The town has an approved enforcement response plan calling for civil penalties, but it has not yet issued penalties because it lacked an established method for determining amounts.

Madden said the state requested changes to the town’s proposed penalty system and wants individual violations to receive separate penalties.

The meeting also included a discussion of disagreements between Boykin and Town Manager Lea Turner over communication and agenda items. Boykin said some items he submitted in writing, including matters involving the town attorney and closed sessions, were not included on the agenda. Turner said a family emergency had limited her time in the office. Boykin said the disagreements have also contributed to items being left off the agenda and what he described as “secret meetings” with state officials.

Boykin also raised questions about town hall security footage.

He said he was told the cameras did not exist or were not working despite previously being told they were operational.

Wells asked the interim town attorney to work with the town manager and town clerk to ensure access to outstanding public records requests.

“I’ve made numerous requests in regards to receiving public records information,” said Wells.

“These requests have been repeatedly made over the past couple years.”

The board then discussed a breach of sensitive employee information after a personnel document was discovered in the town hall parking lot.

Boykin had previously reported the discovery to Duplin Journal during a July 1 interview. He said the employee who found the document and alerted him has not been identified to protect the person from retaliation. Boykin said he photographed the document to have “proof,” arguing that without the photo, the report would merely be his “word.”

At the time of the interview, he said he was waiting to address it in closed session.

The document, titled “Supplemental Retirement Income Plan,” was dated May 20, 2026.

It contained detailed columns for employee names, full Social Security numbers, 401(k) contributions and specific amounts for loan payments taken out by at least five employees.

According to town officials, only the town manager and the payroll clerk have access to personnel records. The circumstances surrounding how the document ended up in the town’s parking lot were the subject of debate.

Ultimately, the board voted to have the manager research comprehensive credit protection for all employees and board members.

The meeting adjourned after the board declined to enter a final scheduled closed session and instead ended the public meeting following the commissioners’ reports.

“Our organization is made up of nurses who are retired or actively working.”

Tracy Sobiesienski

KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Board of Education approved several personnel assignments and reclassifications during its Aug. 4 meeting, filling leadership positions across the school district.

These leadership changes, recommended by Duplin County Schools Superintendent Daren Tyndall, are set to take effect throughout August 2026, impacting both the central administration and specific school campuses.

“Duplin County Schools is proud to recognize these dedicated professionals stepping into new roles across our district,” said Tyndall.

The following individuals have been appointed to new leadership roles within the district.

• Dara Bailey: Appointed

as chief assistant to the superintendent for Duplin County Schools, effective Aug. 7.

“Duplin County Schools is proud to recognize these dedicated professionals stepping into new roles across our district.”

Superintendent Daren Tyndall • Sharnell Dixon: Appointed as assistant principal at James Kenan High School, effective Aug. 10.

• Raymond Pearson:

Appointed as assistant principal at Rose HillMagnolia Elementary School, effective Aug. 10.

• Dennis Sutton: Appointed as director of maintenance for Duplin County Schools, effective Aug. 17.

Tyndall emphasized that these professionals were selected for their “leadership, commitment and steady focus on students,” noting that their new roles are intended to move the district’s mission forward and strengthen the schools.

Schools prepare for students’ return Board members approved contracts, donations and six flex days

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — Concerns about maintenance staffing across the district were addressed by the board and Superintendent Daren Tyndall at the North Duplin Board of Education’s Aug. 4 meeting.

“The principals that have requested extra help reached out to (Roger) Jones, and he has sent individuals out to provide the help,” Tyndall said in response to a question from Vice Chairman Reginald Kenan.

“We are also working towards bringing a committee of head custodians together to work with Mr. Jones to plan for next summer and how we might be able to do things a little differently,” Tyndall said.

Board members said principals needing additional help have coordinated with Jones and expressed confidence

schools would be ready before teachers return.

In the consent agenda, the board approved several agreements concerning health education and services and accepted donations totaling $50,800 for mental health and school nurse programs. The board also approved lawn care services, short-term contracts, and student and employee handbooks for the 2026-27 school year.

The board also approved an application for $25,000 in Education Lottery building repair and renovation funds to repair a damaged gutter and downspout at Chinquapin Elementary School. Additionally, the board approved the auction sale of modular units at East Duplin that generated $66,440.25 after auctioneer fees.

The board unanimously approved six flex days for staff during the 2026-27 school year.

Duplin Early College High School staff returned Aug. 3, while traditional 10-month employees returned Monday.

Open house is scheduled for Aug. 18, and the first day of school is Aug. 24.

DUPLIN SPORTS Rebounding Rebels “The work ethic has been tremendous as we were getting 50 kids a day during summer workouts.”

Hugh Martin

ND looks to stay in the upper echelon of 2A schools while rebuilding following a historic three-year stretch

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal CALYPSO — Football coaches often say they do not know their starting lineup until a few days before kickoff.

It’s not a smoke job at North Duplin, which is looking to replace players who were multiyear starters.

The Rebels’ remarkable 29-3 stretch the past three seasons ended the era of defensive end Trashawn Rufin, running

back Carell Phillips, linebacker Ethan Turnage, defensive tackle Issac Davis and defensive back Garris Warren.

ND will have a tough time replacing their talent and leadership and are without a doubt rebuilding a new team with a handful of returnees and varsity newcomers.

“What people tend to forget is that’s a lot of lost learning from your program,” said head coach Hugh Martin, entering his 25th season as a gridiron general. “We do our best to teach young ones, who are still learning our terminology and how to execute. We lost voices in practice and games that have been speaking for the past two, three, four years.

So it’s not only their ability.”

His club scrimmaged North Edgecombe last week and was to face Martin County, Rosewood, Northside-Pinetown and Manteo in preparation for an Aug. 21 regular season kickoff against Southside-Chocowinity.

Backfield under construction The Rebels’ first five games, including the opener, will be contested in the friendly confines of H.E. Grubbs Stadium.

“We did some things well in our scrimmage and of course found plenty of things to work on,” Martin said. “Defensively, we ran to the ball well. We had a lot of hats flying to it and one time over-pursued and it cost us.”

“Offensively, we executed our See REBELS, page B2

MICHAEL JAENICKE / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Richlands players finish off a practice pushing a sled.

’Cat seniors want to prove they belong Second-year coach William Good says Richlands can be competitive in the Coastal Conference

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

RICHLANDS — While others bash the Coastal Conference, Richlands head coach William Good has another take on the league.

“It’s one of the toughest in eastern North Carolina,” he said. “Every team (with the exception of Swansboro) went to the playoffs. And four of them went deep.”

Indeed, last season was a boom for the loop as once invisible Havelock (7-6) was pushed by Northside-Jacksonville (11-3) and Croatan (11-2), and all three wound up with 5-1 Coastal marks.

That left West Carteret (7-5, 3-3) and Richlands (3-8) in the middle of the field.

The top three seems to be ready for the season, and it’s hard to count out either the Patriots or Wildcats.

“Every game will be a fight,” Good said. “We’re not big nor fast, but I want us to be one of the most disciplined teams.”

Richlands will have a new quarterback in senior Chase Boutwell, who is getting pushed by sophomore Pedro Castro.

Graduate signal caller CJ DiBenedetto threw for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns last fall as Richlands’ biggest offensive threat. The running game supplied just 349 yards.

“How much we pass depends on how well we run the ball,” Good said. “We can’t put ourselves See WILDCATS, page B4

ND is expecting big things from running back Jayden Pope.

Talented Crusaders backfield seeking open Wing-T lanes How HCA’s O-line comes together is a key to the team’s season

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal HARRELLS — Football coaches tend to worry about their teams’ weaknesses.

This fall, Clayton Hall wants the core foundation of his football team to complement the flash of speed of its backfield.

Adding quarterback DJ Davis to running back Jeremiah Davis with a dash of fullback Demetrius Jones will be Harrells Christian Academy’s offensive plan of action this season.

Oh, that’s if the Crusaders fortify their O-line play.

“No one sees it if you have a weakness up front, and being that our skill positions are our best strength, we need our line to come together,” said Hall, who hopes veteran linemen Sam McKeithan and Noah Tanner can mentor and unify their mates.

“We’ve got a ton of players on the outside of them who can make plays.”

HCA went 9-3 last season via the legs of its backs and the arm of graduate signal caller Reid Strickland.

DJ Davis, who transferred from East Duplin two weeks ago, threw for about the same

number of yards as Strickland yet has the wheels to take off for the first-down marker. It’s an added dimension to Hall’s Wing-T offense, which NCISAA schools don’t often see.

“We fight in the box and teams from Raleigh and Charlotte hate playing us, though all we see is spread offenses,” Hall said.

The new Crusader was a key runner who supported two other backs — Shawn Davis and Aaron Hall — and played a key role defensively.

“It was an easy transition for him, and he’s more of a running quarterback who gives us all See HCA, page B4

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

HCA head coach Clayton Hall calls the offensive shots for the Crusaders.

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B2

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

Love of football leads James to flag football position

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Richlands’ first flag football coach, Jessica James, is married to a grid coach and has six children playing the game

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By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal RICHLANDS — Jessica James can’t get enough football in her life.

James, who teaches foods and nutrition at Richlands High School and is the school’s FCA coordinator, is a gridiron junky, though some of it may come from her environment.

James’ husband, Darrell, is an assistant football coach at Northside-Jacksonville, while their six children — Owen, 15; Jonathan, 14; Ethan, 12; Holden, 9; and twins Gavin and Cannon, 4 — all suit up in the fall.

Yet her game is played with three flags, a mouthpiece and cleats.

“Obviously, I have a very big football background,” she said with a laugh.

Richlands is having tryouts Aug. 29 for female athletes as one of the few schools in eastern North Carolina to take up flag football after the NCHSAA recently approved it as a sanctioned sport.

“This was sprung on everyone very quick, but we had 70 girls at our interest meeting,” James said. “We can only have 21 on our roster, and since it’s

CONTRIBUTED

Jessica James the fall, I think we’ll have a lot of soccer players show up.”

Girls’ flag football is bigger in Charlotte and Raleigh, and it’s starting to catch on in Wilmington. Yet Jacksonville has a club team for the past two years.

“It’s catching on and will be really big next year,” James said. “I learned a lot at a clinic in Goldsboro. But really, we’re all going to be learning this together. The state is still clarifying questions that arise. It’s a learning process.”

Indeed, flag football is one of the fastest-growing participatory sport in the U.S. Colorado, Florida and Georgia are some of the recent states to sanction the sport at a high school level.

“Colleges are fielding teams,

and it is an Olympic sport in 2028,” James said.

The Carolina Panthers are offering a $2,500 stipend for any school that tackles flag football, and Richlands was the lone school in Onslow, Duplin, Pender or Wayne counties to take the ball and run its own program.

“It’s basically 7-on-7 with an 80-yard field,” said James, who also reported that injuries are nothing like football that is streamed on Fridays and watched endlessly on Saturdays and Sundays.

James’ assistant coach, Ashanti Harris, played flag football at North Carolina A&T for four years and for a time in a professional circuit.

More than 100 colleges and universities offer club or varsity flag football across the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA, which serve as a complement to the numerous intramural teams, according to NFL Flag.

More than 60 NCAA schools offer flag football, and female athletes can receive scholarships, NIL deals and national team invitations.

James said Richlands might not be able to play against another team until Sept. 7.

“A couple of schools around here are still considering it,” she said. “I’m excited about the possibilities, especially for players, who have a chance to play the game in college and get a scholarship.”

REBELS from page B1 EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

James Kenan, boys’ soccer He’s back. Ronald Ramirez has returned to the soccer pitch for James Kenan. Ramirez, a first-team all-Duplin County player in 2024, was a top-scoring midfielder who scored 30 and 14 goals in consecutive seasons.

He missed his junior campaign but got back in action during a jamboree.

Ramirez is needed as JK seeks to build its offense around Ismael Covarrubias, Devis Gomez and Gerzon Diaz.

Last week, Ramirez had two assists during a 3-0 scrimmage win over Lakewood. He added two more assists when the Tigers beat Southern Wayne 4-2.

Look for JK to return to form after a rare and disappointing 10-10-2 season in ’25.

NOTICE The Duplin County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 in the Duplin County Administrative Building, Commissioners Meeting Room located at 224 Seminary St, Kenansville, NC to consider public input on the naming of the following private roads:

Location

Proposed Name

1715 2600 4200 S NC 11 4200 S NC 11

Back Forty Ln Calloway Dr Emerson Ln

Only those roads listed will be considered at this time.

Duplin County Board of Commissioners Jaime Carr, Clerk to the Board

base runs, and while it wasn’t perfect, we saw a comfort level. For some players, it was their first live varsity scrimmage. What’s important is that we now have tape to show our players when they missed a tackle, how a play could have been sprung with a block and things of that nature.”

Rebuilding at ND is different than most schools, though one of the smallest 2A schools in the state had 58 grid players on two squads, marking the fourth season in a row in which the Rebels fielded a junior varsity team.

“The work ethic has been tremendous as we were getting 50 kids a day during summer workouts,” Martin said.

While the head coach has concerns about his two lines, he’s more than likely going to use a “running back by committee” approach. The last three seasons, Phillips (4,876 yards, 67 TDs) has been a one-man show. He averaged 211 carries in ’24 and ’25 when he only failed to reach the 100-yard mark in one game.

That’s the consistency Martin is looking for with his pack of backs, which leads off with senior Jayden Pope (78-597, 6 TDs).

Juniors Messiah Cooper and Cole Grady will likewise be toting the pig. Newcomers Damarion Smith and Devin Carlton, both freshmen, will also get a chance to make a mark.

Fullback Noa Quintanilla and quarterback Brock Keiz revisit roles from a season ago.

Building Rebel lines in trenches The offensive line is anchored by guards Noah Bennett and

Hugh Martin makes a point during a recent practice.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Bryan Montes, center Brady Kelly, and tackles Josh Favilia and Iusa Aguirre, who appear to have the inside edge as the competition is keen on the line.

Guards Wilson Rouse and Elias Romero, tackle Zander Twist and center/tackle Marquis Frederick will seek playing time to block for the Rebels’ mostly Wing-T attack that runs between the hash marks.

Ben Kelly is the tight end, though Jackson Lee and Jayden Clemmons will see action.

Brady Kelly, Bennett and Montes will be key defensive linemen, though Bennett is currently getting over an injury. Look for Jose Bartolo, Eufronio Perez and Twist to shuffle in as needed.

Ben Kelly, Lee and Clemmons will play roles as outside linebackers with Quintanilla and Rouse on the inside.

Grady, Cooper, Smith and Pope are corners, while Rimi Villalon is the safety and will placekick and punt. Quintanilla likewise has a strong fourth-down foot. Brock and freshman Bryce Foster will likewise get time at safety.

“We still have a lot of position battles,” Martin said.

“It’s not a matter of one or two spots.”

Carolina Conference looks like power league Martin went on the offensive when he found out Spring Creek was playing a junior varsity schedule and connected with 3A Midway for a game. That means ND will face Lakewood, Midway, East Bladen and rising West Columbus, led by quarterback DJ Graham (1,982 yards, 19 TDs), in consecutive weeks, and then finish with East Columbus and Hobbton.

The conference race appears to be wide open with as many as five teams feeling they can be loop champs.

ND won 10 games the previous two seasons. It will take some work to get to that level this fall. The Rebels face longtime rivals Lakewood and Hobbton at home but otherwise are a road team in just three of their 10 games. Yet visits to the CC’s newest schools — East Bladen, West Columbus and East Columbus — are longer than normal road trips.

Martin’s gang must step up near the end of September when the schedule has formidable foes. Southside-Chocowinity, Rosewood and Jones Senior are lead-up games to the meatier part of the schedule.

TOWN OF BEULAVILLE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES The Town of Beulaville has received a Community Development Block Grant-Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) award in the amount of $950,000 by the North Carolina Department of Commerce (NCDOC) Rural Economic Development Division (REDD) for the 2025 CDBG-NR Project which includes approximately 3,900 LF of street overlay improvements throughout the Town. The project will take place over the next 30 months.

The Town is proposing to provide approximately 3,900 LF street overlay improvements throughout Town. The Town Board of Commissioners are soliciting requests for qualifications for professional engineering services to assist the Town in

subsequent engineering design and bid package services and construction inspection services related to the project once release of funds is received. All work for this project will be conducted to ensure compliance with all applicable federal requirements and regulations under the North Carolina CDBGNR Program. Engineering payment terms will be negotiated with the selected firm. The fee for professional engineering services will be paid with CDBG funds.

Copies of the detailed request for qualifications (RFQ), including a description of the services to be provided by respondents, the minimum content of responses, and the factors to be used to evaluate the responses, can be obtained by contacting Lori Williams, Town Manager, at 910-298-4647 or by visiting Town Hall located at 508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518 The above information should be submitted no later than August 25, 2026, 2:00 p.m. to Lori Williams, Town of Beulaville,

508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518. For more information, contact Lori Williams, Town Manager, at 910-298-4647.

The Town of Beulaville is an Equal Opportunity Employer/ Housing and invites the submission of proposals from minority and women-owned firms, historically underutilized businesses, and certified/registered Section 3 business concerns.

This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Town Manager at 910-298-4647 or at 508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518 for accommodations for this request.

Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Town Manager al 910-298-4647 o en 508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.

Date: August 6, 2026 Hutch Jones, Mayor Equal Housing Opportunity

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

North Duplin Rebels

Harrells Christian

Richlands Wildcats

Coach: Hugh Martin

Coach: Hugh Martin

Coach: William Good

2 .........Cole Grady.......................... RB/DB .................Jr.

1 ..........Demetrius Jones ............... FB/DB ..................Jr.

1 ..........Camden Warren................. WR/ DB/P ...........Sr.

3 .........Ben Kelly ............................. TE/LB ..................Sr.

2 .........Jeremiah Davis .................. HB/CB .................Sr.

2 .........Payton Hughes .................. MLB/ TE ..............Sr.

4 .........Messiah Cooper................. RB/DB .................Jr.

3 .........DJ Davis .............................. QB/CB/FS...........Sr.

3 ........Cameron Moore................. DB/WR ................Jr.

5 .........Jayden Pope ....................... RB/DB .................Sr.

5 .........Will Owen ............................ WR/C ...................Sr.

4 .........Camden Good .................... RB/LB ..................Sr.

7 .........Rimi Villalon ........................ RB/DB .................Jr.

7 .........Amir Moore ........................ TE/DE/DT ...........Sr.

5 .........Gabriel Mentor ................... RB/DB .................Sr.

9 .........Henry Pope......................... QB/DB .................So.

8 .........Riley Falatovich .................. WB/QB/FS .......... Jr.

6 .........Braylen Allen ...................... CB/WR ................Sr.

10 ....... Keiz Brock .......................... QB/DB .................Sr.

9 .........Matthew Wilson ................. WB/DE .................Sr.

7 .........Isaiah Betton ...................... K............................ Sr.

12........Jackson Lee........................ TE/LB ..................Sr.

12........ Javion Peterson ................ HB/DB/LB. .........Sr.

8 .........Jamari Watson ................... RB/DE/LB ...........Sr.

14........Devin Carlton ..................... RB/DB .................Fr.

15........ Chance Evans .................... WR/K ...................So.

9 .........Chase Boutwell .................. QB/WR ................Sr.

21........Bryce Foster ....................... RB/DB .................Fr.

20 .......Landon Pusey .................... WB/TE /DB .........So.

12........Nicholas Mullins................. LB/TE .................. Sr.

23 .......Braydon Brock ................... RB/DB .................Jr.

21........Hayes Clifton ..................... FB/LB ..................Fr.

13........Pedro Castro ...................... QB/DB .................So.

24 .......Bentley Hughes ................. RB/LB ..................So.

22 .......JC Carr ................................ HB/DB ................So.

14........Baylee Rathe ...................... RB/DB/QB ..........Jr.

26 .......Damarion Smith ................ RB/DB .................Fr.

23 .......Holt Campbell .................... TE/DB .................Fr.

15........Nathaniel Littreal ............... RB/LB .................Jr.

30 .......Jaylin Rouse ....................... RB/DB .................Sr.

50 .......Colton Little ........................ OT/DT .................Fr.

16........Wyatt Thornton ................. LB/RB ..................Jr.

32 .......Reyangel Flores ................. TE/LB ..................Jr.

51 ........Jessiah Sawyer .................. OT/LB ..................So.

21........Qaivon Allen ....................... DB/WR ................Sr.

44 .......Noa Quintanilla .................. FB/LB ..................Sr.

52 .......Trey Owen ........................... OT/DT ..................Sr.

22 .......Anthony Kohler-Howard ... RB/LB ..................Jr.

50 .......Elias Romero ...................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

54 .......Sam McKeithan ................. OG/LB .................Sr.

23 .......Khalil Wright ....................... WR/DB ................Sr.

51 ........Joshua Favilia ..................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

55 .......Caven Chambers ............... C/OG/DE.............Jr.

25 .......Richard West ...................... RB/LB ..................Jr.

52 .......Logan Taylor....................... OL/LB ..................Jr.

56 .......Noah Tanner....................... OG/LB .................Sr.

44 .......Wyatt Smith ....................... DE/TE .................. Jr.

53 .......Noah Bennett ..................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

58 .......Cooper Sasser ................... OT/OG..................Fr.

50 .......Alejandro Cruz ................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

54 .......Eymer Chilel ....................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

60 .......Henry Stevens ................... OG/DT .................Fr.

52 .......Timothy Jones ................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

55 .......Justin Grandy ..................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

62 .......Lathen Cashwell ................ OT/DE/ DT .........Jr.

53 .......Caleb Jackson .................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

56 .......Isua Aguirre ........................ OL/DL ..................Sr.

65 .......Taylor Stampe.................... C/OT/DT..............Fr.

54 .......James Mitchell ................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

57 .......Landon Pate ....................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

66 .......Brewer Britt ........................ OG/DT .................Fr.

55 .......Jamison Saunders............. OL/DL ..................Jr.

58 .......Wilson Rouse...................... OL/LB ..................Sr.

71 ........Joseph Mejia ...................... OT/DT .................Fr.

56 .......Jayden Braswell ................. DL/OL ..................Sr.

59 .......Brady Kelly ......................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

80 .......Miller Ludlum ..................... WR/DE .................Jr.

57 .......Erick Polingo ...................... DL .........................Jr.

62 .......Alejandro Zavala ................ OL/DL ..................So.

88 .......Jerman Ayllon .................... WR/DB ................Sr.

58 .......Joel Roberts ....................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

63 .......Jose Bartolo ....................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

66 .......Kaleb Sparks ...................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

64 .......Zayvon Dixon ..................... OL/DL ..................Jr.

71 ........Ayden Straub ..................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

65 .......Bryan Montes..................... OL/DL ..................Sr. 68 .......Jose Guz.-Flores ................ OL/DL ..................Sr.

Crusaders at a Glance

70 .......Eufronio Perez ................... OL/DL ..................Sr.

Coach: Clayton Hall (entering third season)

73 .......Marquis Frederick.............. OL/DL ..................Sr.

Career record: 15-7.

75 .......Porter Best ......................... OL/DL ..................So.

Coaching staff: (OC) Clayton Hall, (DC) Steve Mallard, Tracey Thornton, Bryan Merriman, Jonathan Carr, Josh Rackley, Winfred Johnson, Nolan Hall, Greg Moore

76 .......Zander Twist ...................... OL/DL ..................So. 77 .......Rodrigo Olivos .................... OL/DL ..................Sr. 82 .......Mitchell Hardy .................... RB/LB ..................Sr. 85 .......Jayden Clemmons ............ TE/DE ..................Sr.

Record 2025: 9-3, lost in second round of NCISAA’s 2A state playoffs

Rebels at a Glance

State titles: 12 in NCISAA (1971-73, 1977, 1986-89, 1993, 2003, 2005, 2008)

Record 2025: 10-2, tied for first in CC (5-1) with Hobbton. Lost to Edenton Holmes 34-28 in overtime in the third round of the 2A playoffs.

Coach: Hugh Martin (22nd season at ND) Career record: 159-125. ND (141-102 from 2006-25), East Duplin (18-23 from 1990-93).

State titles: 1972. ND was 2A Division II runner-up in 1981 and 1A runner-up in 1975.

Notable: Went to 1A title games under Martin in 2007 and 2017. Martin was assistant coach at 2023 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. He is 22nd in all-time wins among current N.C. coaches.

Coaching staff: Brad Rhodes, Grant Lee, Daniel Cates, Wilfredo Puac, Colton Chrisman Key losses: RB Carrell Phillips, DL/TE Trashawn Ruffin, LB Ethan Turnage, OL/DL Issac Davis, DB Wesley Holmes, DB Garris Warren, LB Austin Wolfe Key returnees: RB Jayden Pope, LB Noa Quintanilla, DE/LB Brady Kelly, G Bryan Montes, G Joshus Favilia, DL Noah Bennett, LB/TE Jayden Clemmons, OSLB Jackson Lee, QB/DB Keiz Brock.

Key returnees: Sr. RB Jeremiah Davis (103-1,143, 14 TDs), Sr. RB Demetrius Jones (75-383, 7 TDs), OL/DL Amir Moore (54 tackles, 5.5 sacks), LB Noah Tanner (63 tackles), Sr. G/LB/K Sam McKeithan (46 tackles), QB/DB/WR Riley Falatovich (33 tackles, 2 INTs), transfer QB/DB DJ Davis (40-383 for 383 yards, 7 TDs, 7.7 tackles at East Duplin in ’25), Key losses: QB Reid Strickland (43-86 for 823 yards, 13 TDs), RB/SE/DB Dashaun McKoy (35-269, 4 TD, 15-426, 6 TDs receiving, 46 tackles, 5 INTs), FB Jarrod Miller (86-694, 11 TD), WB/WR Chamani Newton, OL/DL Xander Garcia (45 tackles), DB Davis Bradshaw (49 tackles), OL/DL Jesse Smith (46 tackles, 6 sacks), FB/LB J’Kaeshi Brunson (32 tackles), The skinny: HCA has enough talent to compete with nearly every 2A school, though High Point Christian is the current superpower. They are No. 1 in the MaxPreps rankings. The Asheville School is second, Trinity third and HCA fourth. Hickory Grove, Covenant Day and Wayne Christian, all on the Crusaders’ schedule, are fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

76 ......Cooper Seese .................... OL/DL ..................Jr. 77 .......Elijah White ......................... DL/OL ..................Sr.

Wildcats at a Glance Coach: William Good (entering second season) Career record: 3-8 overall, 2-4 in Coastal 5A/6A, lost first round of playoffs Coaching staff: Eddie Floyd, Reed Schumann, Shayvon Kornegay, Matthew Boutwell, Karl Jackson, Keith Littreal, Jason Spruill Record 2023: 3-8 overall, 2-4 in Coastal Conference Key returnees: MLB Payton Hughes (9.1 tackles), Sr. RB Camden Good, Sr. OL/DL Joel Roberts (3.8 tackles), Sr. K Isaiah Betton (6-10 FG), LB Jamari Watson, QB/WR Chase Boutwell.

Key losses: QB CJ DiBenedetto (90-1778 for 1,252 yards, 9 TDs), Sr. WR Tyler Clouatre (17-613, 6 TDs receiving), Sr. DL Tre’Vaun Flannigan (6.1 tackles), Sr. RB/DB Darryl Jackson (2-114), Sr. WR/QB Cale Wilges, Sr, LB TJ Bratcher (4.5 tackles), Beau Mills (6.7 tackles).

The skinny: Last season, Richlands beat archrival Southwest Onslow for the fourth straight time. The Stallions won the previous 32 encounters. Croatan, Northside-Jacksonville and Havelock tied for the Coastal Conference title, with Richlands and West Carteret (6-6, 3-3) extremely competitive. The same could be said of Dixon (7-5, 3-3). Even Swansboro (2-8, 0-8) showed significant improvement, falling in OT to East Carteret, by a point to West Carteret and by a 14-0 count against the Wildcats.

The skinny: ND won 10 games the previous two seasons, but the Rebels look to be in a tough conference. They tied Hobbton for first in the CC with a 5-1 mark, yet East Bladen and Lakewood were both 4-2 in league play. In addition, West Columbus will be vastly improved.

ND will have to go without one of its all-time leading rushers (Carrell Phillips) and UNC recruit Trashawn Ruffin. The Rebels play seven of 10 games at H.E. Grubbs Stadium.

ND scored 447 points last season while giving up 153, and it will likely have closer games this fall.

Its defense must play well early as the offense has changed in terms of personnel, even though the Rebels are running the same offensive and defensive schemes.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Amir Moore and Riley Falatovich work to take down a foe last season. Both will be key for HCA this fall.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Richlands is looking to get more production from its running attack this season.

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B4

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

HCA from page B1 kinds of shotgun action,” Hall said. “I’ve had one in 19 years who could run and pass it into the end zone.”

He will likely be a great second or third option for Jeremiah Davis, who last season had a breakout season that included 1,143 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 11.1 yards per carry.

“He’s a little more confident and a little more shifty, yet it’s his added confidence that is the biggest difference from last season,” Hall said. “The game slows down with his athleticism and speed.”

Jones (75-383, 7 TDs) split time with Jarrod Miller last season at fullback and will be taking a bigger role as Miller transferred to Wallace-Rose Hill.

“He’s fast, and when he gets an opening he can take it to the house,” Hall said.

Another playmaker could be Riley Falatovich, who will be a wing back.

“He can play any backfield position and wide receiver too,” Hall said. “He’s a weapon.”

So too might be Amir Moore, a 6-foot-7, 270-pound NC State recruit who plays tight end. And that position is central in the Wing-T. D-fence, D-fence Yet Moore’s bigger contributions could come on defense.

“We’re getting him to give everything he has and then give him breaks,” Hall said.

“We need him defensively.”

Matthew Wilson, Lathen Cashwell and Trey Owens join Moore on the line.

McKeithan, Tanner and Javion Peterson will be linebackers. DJ Davis and Jeremiah Davis are cornerbacks with Falatovich at safety and Jones

Jeremiah Davis was one of the best running backs in the NCISAA last season.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE#26E000306-300 The undersigned, LYDIA JUDD CARROLL, having qualified on the 21ST DAY of JULY 2026, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ARTHUR LOWENBACK CARROLL, JR., deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 6TH Day of NOVEMBER 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. This the 6TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

LYDIA JUDD CARROLL, EXECUTOR 1235 N NC HWY 41 PINK HILL, NC 28572 Run dates:A6,13,20,27p

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 26SP000052-300

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

and JC Carr as defensive backs.

“This team has to be a little better at the little things,” Hall said. “Last year, we made mistakes and (Dashaun McKoy) and a few others would make up for it with pure athleticism.

“I also feel like we have to force turnovers. We practice team tackling and do strip circle drills in practice. And like I said before, we have to make some noise up front.”

HCA is on the road the first two weeks of the season.

It hosts the Christ School on Sept. 4 at Murphy-Johnson Stadium.

There are only five teams in the NCISAA’s Big East Conference. Trinity Christian (Fayetteville) is the power player, though North Raleigh Christian and Ravenscroft are

games HCA must play its best to win.

“The past five years or so it’s come down to us and Trinity, and it’s always a big one on the last Friday of the season,” Hall said. “But Ravenscroft is a huge rival, and North Raleigh always plays us hard.”

Muscle memo board There’s an achievement list on a board inside the weight room at HCA, and McKeithan’s 1,210-pound total makes him the Crusaders’ No. 1 lifter. It’s a combination of his bench, squat, dead lift and power clean numbers.

Tanner (1,170) is second, Jessiah Smith (1,045) third, Peterson (980) fourth and Cashwell (970) fifth.

WILDCATS from page B1 in bad positions on second and third downs. We have to set ourselves up to control the pace of the game and get our coaches to find a flow of getting kids on and off the field.”

Senior Jamari Watson and Gabe Mentor, and juniors Baylee Rathe, Anthony Howard and Cameron Moore will be toting the pig for the Wildcats.

“It’s about ball control and running the clock,” Good said.

“This senior group is eager to win the close games that got away from us. We had too many three-and-outs last year, and it put too much pressure on our defense.”

Tight end Payton Hughes and wideouts Camden Warren, Braylen Allen and Khalil Wright are potential throwing targets for Boutwell.

Richlands’ defense has been a key to success the past three seasons, even as the offense struggled.

“We lost some players that have big shoes to fill, no doubt, on both sides,” Good said.

Seniors Joel Roberts, Elijah White and Watson, and junior Wyatt Smith will see time in the defensive trenches.

Hughes, one of the better ’backers in the area, will join Camden Good and Wyatt Thornton as linebackers.

Qaivon Allen and Braylen Allen will play at the corners, while Moore is at safety.

Richlands starts out the season with a rivalry against Southwest Onslow and stays in the hot seat with games against White Oak, 4A power East Duplin and South Bruns-

TAKE NOTICE

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a Deed of Trust executed by BETTIE HILL PICKETT dated September 24, 2001 in the amount of $85,000.00 and recorded in Book 1362, Page 488 of the Duplin County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Duplin County, North Carolina, in Book 2113, Page 839, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Duplin County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on August 19, 2026 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Duplin, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 13-2777 ADDRESS: 105 DEER HOUND DRIVE KENANSVILLE, NC 28349 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): BETTIE HILL PICKETT THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF DUPLIN, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 1362, PAGE 488, AS FOLLOWS: LOCATED IN KENANSVILLE TOWNSHIP. DUPLIN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT NO. 1, AS SHOWN AND DELINEATED ON THAT RECORDED MAP ENTITLED “DEER HOUND PLANTATION”, AND APPEARING OF RECORD IN MAP BOOK 12, AT PAGE 253, DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY, AND REFERENCE IS HERE MADE TO SAID RECORDED MAP FOR A MORE ACCURATE DESCRIPTION. AND FURTHER BEING THE SAME PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN A DEED FROM RALPH DAVID MOULTON AND WIFE, JUDITH LOUDEN MOULTEN, DATED JULY 7, 1997, RECORDED IN DEED BOOK 1215, PAG 772, DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of FortyFive Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on,

at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANK-RUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Sarah A. Waldron or Terrass Scott Misher, Esq ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee 13010 Morris Rd., Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

NOTICE OF SALE Tenant:

Benton, Ann ...................................... D61311 Duffy, Steve & Zoey .......................... 350718 Hicks, John ....................................... D66284 Kravitz, Annette ............................... D50609 Locklear, Blair ................................... D66482 Register, William ............................... 705010

MICHAEL JAENICKE / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Quarterback Chase Boutwell threw a number of pinpoint passes during a recent practice. wick before opening conference play with a trip to Havelock on Sept. 18.

“It’s challenging, and even though we have several starters returning, we lost big players,” the coach said. “We’re tired of being a star on teams’ schedules for a win.

“Our numbers are not up, but the kids we have out are excited and want it. We had a good summer with our num-

bers fluctuated from 30 to 35 and up to 65 kids. There was a lot of good to see at Pender. And also, many things in which we can work on.

“Our kids are all 5-foot-10 to 6-2 and all weigh between 200 and 255. But they can really move. Our offensive line has to find its niche and work as a group. I’d like to think that’s one of our strengths. We’re an athletic team.”

Unit #

1-800-Pack-Rat (NC-Wallace-6154), 5752 US Hwy 117 S, Wallace, NC 28466, has possessory lien on all of the goods stored in the units above. All these items of personal property are being sold pursuant to the assertion of the lien on 8/18/2026 at 10:00 AM in order to collect the amounts due from you. The sale will take place on www.storagetreasures.com from 8/18/2026 to 8/25/2026 at 12:00 PM

TOWN OF BEULAVILLE – REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS GRANT ADMINISTRATION SERVICES The Town of Beulaville has received a Community Development Block Grant-Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) award in the amount of $950,000 by the North Carolina Department of Commerce (NCDOC) for the 2025 CDBG-NR Project which includes 2 housing units to be rehabilitated/reconstructed and approximately 3,900 LF street overlay improvements throughout Town. The project will take place over the next 30 months.

The Town Board of Commissioners are soliciting proposals for grant administration services to assist the Town in the administration and management of this project in compliance with all applicable requirements under the North Carolina

CDBG-NR Program. The fee for grant administration services will be paid with CDBG-NR funds.

Copies of the detailed request for proposals (RFP), including a description of the services to be provided by respondents, the minimum content of responses, and the factors to be used to evaluate the responses, can be obtained by contacting Lori Williams, Town Manager, at 910-298-4647 or by visiting Town Hall located at 508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518.

The above information should be submitted no later than August 25, 2026, 2:00 p.m. to Lori Williams, Town of Beulaville, 508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518. For more information, contact Lori Williams, Town Manager, at 910-298-4647.

The Town of Beulaville is an Equal Opportunity Employer/

Housing and invites the submission of proposals from minority and women-owned firms, historically underutilized businesses, and certified/registered Section 3 business concerns.

This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Town Manager at 910-298-4647 or at 508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518 for accommodations for this request.

Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Town Manager al 910-298-4647 o en 508 E Main St, Beulaville, NC 28518 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.

Date: August 6, 2026 Equal Housing Opportunity

Hutch Jones, Mayor

B5

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

obituaries

Melba Carawan Weston June 24, 1937 – Aug. 1, 2026 Melba Carawan Weston, 89, passed away on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

She is preceded in death by her spouse, Richard Elmer Weston, and a step-son, Leniol “Pete” Weston.All services are private.

She is survved by step-so John Weston (Sally) of Wallace, NC; and grandsons William Robert Carawan and B.J. Lanier, both of Beulaville, NC.

Wendell Bowen July 31, 1960 – Aug. 4, 2026 Mr. Wendell Bowen, age 66, of Wallace, NC, passed away on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at ECU Medical Center in Greenville, NC. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 3:00 pm at the Newkirk Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 2990 Willard Road, Willard, NC. Interment will follow at the African American Community Cemetery, 2190 Willard Road, Willard, NC 28478 Left to cherish his precious memories are his son: Marcus W. Bowen, Radford, VA; one aunt: Patricia Boney, SC; a host of cousins and friends that will miss him dearly.

Helen Esther Brown Henderson Sept. 22, 1934 – Aug. 4, 2026 Wallace-Helen Esther Brown Henderson, 91, of Wallace passed away Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at ECU Duplin. Mrs. Henderson was born September 22, 1934, in Duplin County to the late Ennis Brown and Florence Sholar Brown.

A visitation will be held from 7 to 9 pm Friday, August 7, 2026, at Community Funeral Home of Rose Hill.

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Oakdale PFWB Church. Burial will follow in the Henderson Sholar Cemetery.

Left to cherish her memory are daughter, Wanda Henderson; brothers, Clifton Brown and wife, Frances of Wallace, Jackie Brown of Harrells Store and half-brother, Bobby Mobley and wife, Love of Wallace; sisters, Doris Mott and Linda Mott and husband, J. W. both of Harrells Store; grandchildren, Michael, Timothy, Kendall, Joshua and Jonathan Hunter, Sabrina Sutton, David Henderson, Helen Hughes, and step grandchild Angie Mitchell; 19 great grandchildren and 9 step great grandchildren; 6 great great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Henderson was preceded in death by her husband, Bronnie Henderson; sons, David Henderson and Donald Henderson; and great-grandson, Christopher Hunter; brothers, Jessie Ferrell Brown, James Roosevelt Brown and Woodrow Franklin Brown and Jimmy Lee Brown; sisters, Polly Louise Brown and Shirley B Thornton.

SPONSORED BY QUINN MCGOWEN FUNERAL HOME

Jamrica LeVar Pearsall

Linda Carol Kraulik

Nov. 5, 1978 – Aug. 4, 2026

Dec. 15, 1955 – Aug. 4, 2026

Jamrica LeVar Pearsall, 47, of Rose Hill, NC, passed away August 4, 2026, at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville, NC. Funeral service will be 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Hawes Funeral Home in Warsaw. Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at Hawes Funeral Home.

Linda Carol Kraulik, 70, of Magnolia, NC, passed from this earthly life to her eternal rest on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at ECU Health in Greenville after a lengthy illness.

She was born on December 15, 1955, in Harvey County, Kansas to William Clinton and Dolores Bradshaw Kraulik Smith.

She was also preceded in death by her brother Donald Kraulik, nephew Ethan Kraulik, and stepfather William C. Smith.

Linda was an Optometric Assistant with Optometric Associates in Wallace for 40 years until her health caused her to have to retire.

Surviving to cherish her memory is her fiancé James Eugene Baker, Sr. of Magnolia; her sister Janice Peterson of Wallace; brother Gary Kraulik and wife Bonnie of Turkey; niece Hannah Kraulik and Gracie Brigman; nephews Ethan Brigman and Ayden Brigman; her furry feline friend “Tom”; numerous cousins, extended family and friends.

Linda was a sweet, kind and yet strong lady who loved her family dearly. She was a dedicated to her family and her job. Linda loved animals, the beach, going on cruises and talking to people. She was a people’s person who never met a stranger. Being a good cook Linda enjoyed grilling and spending time with family and friends. Linda will surely be missed but treasured memories of her will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

There will be a private family memorial service at a later date.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home, Wallace, NC.

Wyatt Declency Ragland Sr. Nov. 24, 1949 – Aug. 5, 2026 Dudley- “With humble acceptance of God’s will, we announce the passing of Mr. Wyatt Declency Ragland Sr., age 76, who answered the master’s call on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at UNC Health Wayne in Goldsboro, North Carolina, surrounded by his loving spouse.

Though Mr. Ragland is no longer with us in body, his spirit remains forever in all who knew him. The arrangements are currently incomplete at this time. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and continue to keep the family in your thoughts and prayers during their time of bereavement.

The family would like you to know they will be receiving friends at the home beginning Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.

Ben Jones, ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ actor and 2-term US House member, dies at 84 The N.C. native credited his iconic TV role with pulling him out of self-destruction

By Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press BEN JONES, who played the good ol’ boy mechanic in “The Dukes of Hazzard” TV series and parlayed his fame into a political career and two terms in the U.S. House, has died. He was 84.

Jones had a heart attack in his home Sunday in Washington, Virginia, as he was waiting to watch his beloved Atlanta Braves play baseball, his wife said on social media. Rappahannock County Sheriff Connie Compton confirmed his death.

Jones’ fame came from his role as Cooter Davenport, the mechanic who got the Duke boys out of jams as they tried to do the right thing and fight the corrupt Boss Hogg in the fictional Hazzard County, Georgia.

After playing Cooter for all seven seasons of the series from 1979 to 1985, Jones turned to politics and was elected to the U.S. House from a district near Atlanta in 1988. The Democrat served two terms before he was redistricted out of the seat.

Jones was born in North Carolina and in college got involved in acting and civil rights, he wrote in his autobiography

JOE HOLLOWAY JR. / AP PHOTO

Jones, then running for Congress, center, prepares to watch the Hawks-Pacers NBA game at the Omni Arena in 1988 in Atlanta.

“Redneck Boy in the Promised Land: The Confessions of ‘Crazy Cooter.’”

Acting took over his life.

Jones performed in numerous stage productions and had a few minor TV and movie roles in Atlanta during the 1970s before his life-defining break came on a TV show Jones defended as a modern-day morality tale and a fine example of Southern values.

For seven seasons, Jones was one of a small band of friends and family helping Bo and Luke Duke in “The Dukes of Hazzard.” The brothers were on probation for running moonshine and were constantly trying to clear their names and stop the

crooked and powerful Boss Hogg from stealing or cheating.

The Duke boys drove a modified 1969 Dodge Charger called the General Lee with a Confederate flag on its roof. Cooter owned “Cooter’s Garage” in the town square. Nearly every episode involved a car chase with jumps and stunts and a patrol car badly in need of repairs.

Cooter was often on the CB radio in his pickup truck saying, “Breaker one, Breaker one. I might be crazy but I ain’t dumb.

Crazy Cooter coming at you.”

“The Dukes of Hazzard” was a hit for CBS, and its popularity never waned. It went into syndication and later became a prominent fixture on cable’s The Nashville Network.

Jones also credited the series with pulling him out of a self-destructive, alcoholic lifestyle that led to the failure of several marriages.

“It was like being in a Beatles movie,” Jones said. “Our lives changed.”

After “The Dukes of Hazzard,” Jones went into politics.

He kept his aw-shucks personality but took the issues seriously.

In his four years in Washington, Jones was known as a Democrat who could buck his party. He was liberal on social issues and conservative on economics.

But even in politics, he made a splash. After losing in 1992 in his redrawn district, Jones ran for Congress again in 1994.

“It was like being in a Beatles movie.”

Ben Jones He lost to Newt Gingrich in the elections that elevated the Republican to the Speaker’s Office.

Jones would file an ethics complaint that Gingrich used tax-deductible donations to fund his partisan college course, leading to a House reprimand and Gingrich’s decision to leave the body.

Jones always embraced his role as Cooter. After moving to Virginia, he would open at least three “Cooter’s” country stores in Nashville and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and near his home.

They sold plenty of T-shirts, key chains and insulated tumblers and included Dukes of Hazzard memorabilia, including one of the 300 or so General Lee cars used and abused in the TV series.

The show and Cooter lived on because it was funny, had plenty of action and car chases and had a good, family-friendly heart, Jones told the Richmond Times-Dispatch at a 2001 car show where he played in a band, signed autographs and met fans.

“The show reflects the values of the heartland of America. The good guys always win,” Jones said.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 13, 2026

InflataFest fills Duplin Event Center with family fun From football and basketball inflatables to obstacle courses and virtual reality games, the Duplin Event Center was packed with activities Saturday. Families stayed cool and dry indoors while children played, built stuffed animals and explored the InflataFest’s many attractions. Food trucks were also set up outside the arena.

PHOTOS BY REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE

Veterans Museum expands hours to welcome more visitors The Duplin County Veterans Museum has expanded its hours of operation to provide more opportunities for visitors to explore the stories of local veterans and learn about their service, sacrifice and courage.

The museum is now open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with Saturday visits available by appointment.

The museum is located at 119 East Hill Street in the historical district of Warsaw. The museum can be reached via telephone at 910293-2190.

COURTESY EARL HARDY, DUPLIN COUNTY VETERANS MUSEUM PRESIDENT