Duplin Journal Vol. 9, Issue 44 by North State Journal

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF

this week

Free adult wellness screenings at Thelma D. Bryant Library

Wallace ECU Health will offer free adult wellness screenings at the Thelma D. Bryant Library in Wallace on Jan. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. The screenings will include body mass index, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol checks and health coaching.

Walk-in clinic closed through Dec. 27

Kenansville The Duplin County Health Department walk-in STD clinic will reopen on Dec. 30. The testing clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8-10 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. at 340 Seminary St. in Kenansville.

Duplin County Partnership for Children reopens Dec. 30

Kenansville

Duplin County Partnership for Children will be closed for the holidays and will reopen on Dec. 30 at 8 a.m.

Duplin County 4-H closes the year strong

Duplin County Duplin County 4-H successfully reached 8,995 school-age youth in 2024, according to the annual report shared by County Manager Bryan Miller at the last County Commissioners meeting. Last year, 46 youth and 183 adults volunteered with Duplin County 4-H. “That’s the kind of participation you see out of a successful program,” said Miller. “I could not be more happy and more excited about Duplin County’s 4-H program.”

County offices

holiday closings

Duplin County Duplin County offices will be closed Dec. 24-26 in observance of Christmas, and on Jan. 1 in observance of New Year’s Day.

Law enforcement seeks help identifying two individuals

Warsaw The Warsaw Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying two suspects in a credit card fraud and identity theft case. These individuals have been linked to multiple incidents at gas stations in Warsaw and other locations throughout Duplin County.

Participants of the Dec. 18 N.C. Department of Environmental Quality public comment session in Kenansville urged DEQ to revisit Lear Corp’s draft permit regulating chemical discharges into the Northeast Cape Fear River. Speakers expressed concern for their families who swim, fish and rely on wells downstream of the facility, noting that fish in the river downstream of Lear, near the Sarecta bridge, are 20 times more toxic than those deemed unsafe to consume by the state. They also asked DEQ to mandate the implementation of technology-based effluent limits in Lear’s permit to remove PFAS before discharging into the river. Stay tuned for the full story on the Jan. 2 edition of Duplin Journal.

YEAR IN REVIEW Citizens plead for DEQ to revisit Lear Corp’s draft permit, protect public health

Duplin saw significant growth, infrastructure achievements in 2024

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

“It really brought up the need that we need to dredge our rivers.”

Carrie Shields, assistant county manager

KENANSVILLE — The year 2024 was marked by significant growth and notable infrastructure achievements in Duplin County, with a lot of development taking place at Duplin Commons and the Airpark.

One of the most notable highlights of the year was the county commissioners decision to move forward with building a new jail to replace the deteriorating facility currently in use.

An article published in January after touring the facility provided an inside look at the many challenges employees and inmates face daily. In February, the board took a decisive step and approved moving forward with the construction of the 236-bed facility, estimated to cost $44.1 million. On

July 22, Duplin County officials gathered at Fairgrounds Drive in Kenansville for the groundbreaking ceremony, marking “the beginning of a new era for our community, one that prioritizes safety, economic growth and the efficient use of public resources.” The new jail is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026.

Duplin celebrated the opening of the Duplin County Animal Care Control and Adoption Center, a $3.7 million facility, in May. Also, the Transportation Department moved to their $4.27 million facility at the Duplin Commons in the Spring.

June 4 marked a significant milestone for Duplin County with the unveiling of the George Futrelle Terminal at the Duplin County Airport in memory of the late airport

Duplin man makes it his mission to remember fallen servicemen

“I appreciate everyone who’s served and certainly those who have made the supreme sacrifice. It’s very important to me that they’re never forgotten.”

Charles Ingram

Charles Ingram recently visited a WWII soldier’s grave in Normandy

and certainly those who have made the supreme sacrifice. It’s very important to me that they’re never forgotten.” Because of his Navy service and his passion for honoring the military, as well as his post as president of the Duplin County Historical Society at the time, Ingram spearheaded an effort in 2006 to build a monument on Kenansville’s courthouse square to honor service members from Duplin County who died in the Vietnam War. He’d been inspired by his high school English teacher, Jo Jones, who wrote a column about the Duplin County men who’d died in the Vietnam War. Later, Ingram also helped place monuments for the Korean War, World War I and World War II. Through his research on $2.00

By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal

CHARLES INGRAM never knew Arnold Jackson, a 22-year-old Beulaville man who was killed in Normandy during World War II. In fact, Ingram was born years after Jackson’s death. But still, Ingram has made it his mission to remember fallen service members from Duplin County like Jackson who otherwise may have been forgotten in history. Ingram, an attorney, served in the U.S. Navy for 30 years and was born on July 4. “I’m a very patriotic person,” he said. “I revere the flag. I appreciate everyone who’s served

Shawn Miller won $3,000 on the popular game show

By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal

SHAWN COSTON MILLER, who lives outside Wallace, was recently a contestant on the longtime popular game show

“Wheel of Fortune.” Miller’s episode aired Dec. 18.

“She’s going to put Wallace on the map,” said her sister, Priscilla Coston. “It’s very exciting.”

Miller and her husband, Kelvin, flew out to Los Angeles the week of Oct. 17 to film the episode and waited almost two months for the show to finally air. In the meantime, neither of them told anyone what prizes she may have won on the show.

“They haven’t told anybody,” Coston said at a watch party in the Millers’ home before the show came on at 7 p.m. “Her daughter has been dying to

“It was literally the best experience ever.”

Shawn Miller

ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL

THURSDAY 12.26.24

WEEKLY FORECAST

“Join the conversation”

Duplin Journal www.duplinjournal.com

Neal Robbins Publisher publisher@northstatejournal.com

Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers jim@northstatejournal.com

Ena Sellers News Editor ena@northstatejournal.com

Abby Cavenaugh Features/Business Editor abby@northstatejournal.com

Michael Jaenicke Sports Editor michael@northstatejournal.com

Karen James Advertising Sales Representative karen@duplinjournal.com

Loretta Carey Office Manager loretta@northstatejournal.com

Office Phone: 910 463-1240

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

REVIEW from page A1

director, who passed away in May 2023 after postsurgical complications.

The Futrelle family and more than 60 local and state officials gathered at the Duplin County Airport to celebrate Futrelle’s memory and legacy. County Commissioner Dexter Edwards and Rep. Jimmy Dixon held back tears as they spoke about Futrelle’s leadership and kind soul. Sen. Ted Budd’s regional director, Sam Shumate, presented a U.S. flag to Futrelle’s widow Renee. Following the unveiling of the plaque for the George Futrelle Terminal, Futrelle’s photograph was placed in the vestibule, where it will be permanently displayed.

This year, the Duplin County Board of Elections welcomed Carrie Sullivan, who replaced Jasmine Gadsden as the new director only five months before the November election. Sullivan was sworn in on June 6 and hit the ground running.

Sullivan saw record numbers of voters compared to the previous presidential election, with more than 1,900 voters on the first day of early voting.

Duplin County Board of Commissioners Elwood Gar-

NYE CELEBRATION

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Magician’s choice

“When you own all the cards, erasing faith is easier than you might think. All you have to do is erase the mind it inhabits.”

David James Duncan, “The Brothers K”

IN SEPTEMBER 2024, the Federal Communications Commission cut a deal to rescue Audacy Inc. from bankruptcy. Bypassing decades of protocol and procedure, the FCC accepted a $415 billion offer made by Soros Fund Management.

The “Soros Shortcut” allows Audacy to continue broadcast service to 46 media markets in the U.S. Audacy is the second largest radio content provider in the United States, reaching 165 million American listeners.

Audacy filed for Chapter 11 in January 2024, citing debt of $1.5 million, a decline in advertising revenue and tough competition from streaming services. Sensing weakness, George Soros and partners made an offer the FCC could not refuse.

The audacious play for control of the public radio market was met with sharp resistance by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Chairman James Comer (RKy.) published a press release saying the normal process for reviewing a transaction by a foreign entity had been breached. The intent to fast track this takeover was seen by many as a grab to gain control of the political narrative to influence the 2024 national election.

Also in September 2024, the FCC quietly tabled the Biden-Harris scheme to provide internet service to all rural America. The celebrated Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program (BEAD), with $42 billion in funding, vanished under a pile of red tape.

At the time, Elon Musk’s Starlink grant to expand broadband service to 640,000 rural homes and businesses was canceled. This was a blatant act of “digital discrimination” to let

the FCC micromanage pricing and control the buildout of services.

Recall it was Starlink that provided the connectivity to thousands of victims stranded in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. Free.

Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Omaha and America’s favorite investor, is in the process of rescuing SiriusXM from serious debt. Once the wealthiest man in America, active in the communications business, he was attracted to the “management style, the subscription model and the Sirius Sinatra channel.” In addition, “SiriusXM has a monopoly on satellite radio in the U.S. and holds a solid spot in the podcast game,” Buffett told Benzinga News.

The domination of public radio and subscription broadcast services by two of the most liberal philanthropic enterprises revealed the next tactic in the contest for the American mind. Debate raged, pitting “hate speech” against the inalienable right to free speech. But the bidding war between the First Amendment and “content moderation” has been trumped. Beginning January 20, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission will have a new leader. Brendan Carr, one of two Republicans on the five-person commission will take the table and change the stakes.

Carr, a commissioner since 2017, has been the voice of dissent during the Biden administration, calling out the lack of transparency and overreach of the commission. His scrutiny exposed the hypocrisy of the “60 Minutes” Kamala Harris interview and the unlawful television appearance of Harris on “Saturday Night Live” in the final desperate days of the presidential election.

He has effectively become the gatekeeper

North Carolina is proof of private capital’s importance to health care

Urgent care is an area where private capital is proving its worth.

PRIVATE CAPITAL HAS INVESTED

nearly $1 trillion in U.S. health care since 2006. These investments have funded critical research into devastating diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and revolutionized medical recordkeeping.

Despite the clear benefits private capital brings to health care, some state and federal policymakers are pushing to restrict how private capital can be deployed in the health care sector.

As a pharmacist and retiring state representative — the only pharmacist to serve in North Carolina’s legislature during my tenure — I believe such restrictions would be a mistake. Not only does private capital fund crucial medical innovation and research into new treatments, but it’s also expanding access to quality care in our state.

Across all sectors of the economy, North Carolina is among the top 10 recipients of private capital, with 600 businesses backed by private investors. Many of these recipients are in health care and making a difference for patients today. While dozens of privately backed North Carolina health care entities are worth highlighting, three recent success stories in the news illustrate why funding from private capital is essential.

The first success is Tryon Medical Partners in Charlotte. This practice demonstrates the power of private investment in physician care. The practice serves 200,000 patients in 10 clinics throughout the Charlotte area.

In October, the practice announced that it was teaming with private investors to access new

capital that would be used to run the business side of its practice and to provide resources to expand services.

Private capital will also help Tryon compete in a market increasingly controlled by a few big actors, including the third-largest tax-exempt hospital system in the U.S., Advocate Health. For Tyron and many other practices nationwide, consolidation presents a big problem. Private capital helps practices remain independent and compete with the most prominent industry players.

Another success story is Charlotte Radiology, which was recently featured at an event in Washington, D.C. Charlotte Radiology shows how private investment can transform and expand access to specialty care.

This practice received funding from private capital in 2018. New resources have helped it grow from 30 centers in Charlotte to more than 175 imaging centers in 13 states. In addition to helping the practice reach more patients, private capital enables it to improve care by adding tools like artificial intelligence to its arsenal.

Some critics argue for restrictions on private capital in health care, suggesting that private investments lead to diminished patient care. Charlotte Radiology tells a different story. The company reports that its patient satisfaction rates approach 98%.

The final example is American Family Care, an urgent care leader recently expanding into Lee County. American Family Care started with a single location in 1982. Access to private capital has since helped it expand to more than 350

of the FCC mission to protect the “basic tenet of national communications policy: that the widest possible dissemination of information from diverse and antagonistic sources is essential to the public’s welfare,” said Eugene Volokh, senior fellow at the Hoover Institute. Climate spokesman John Kerry recently schooled the titans at the World Economic Forum, saying, “It’s really hard to govern anymore. … People self-select where they go for their news. It’s much harder to build consensus.”

Indeed. The Soros-controlled Global Disinformation Index employs its own special brand of discrimination to identify and disrupt any business model deemed too risky for investment due to the “ever-changing disinformation landscape.” Controversial subjects deemed too unpleasant may be modified before entering the public domain. For example, a rounding error of 818,000 job losses could go unreported. Or publishing the true number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. as felons (425,000) could be scrubbed as disinformation. Governing would certainly be easier; consensus attainable.

A Magician’s Choice is a technique used to deceive the unsuspecting patsy into thinking he has successfully selected the right card, not knowing that the deck is stacked against him. Americans must protect the right to receive a “wide dissemination of information from diverse and antagonistic sources.” The Federal Communications Commission must honor the First Amendment principle of free speech. Americans want their information dealt from the top of the deck, not the bottom.

Connie Lovell lives in Pinehurst.

locations nationwide, including more than 10 in the Tarheel State.

Urgent care is an area where private capital is proving its worth. However, accessing health care is extremely difficult in too many rural areas. For example, 11 rural hospitals in North Carolina have either shut down or stopped providing inpatient care since 2005, and many more are at risk.

Urgent care clinics can help fill in the gaps in rural communities, and private capital can help make sure the resources exist to open more centers where patients need them.

Tryon Medical Partners, Charlotte Radiology and American Family Care demonstrate why responsible private investment must remain part of our health care system. It enables physician independence, drives technological innovation and maintains health care access in underserved areas. In North Carolina, we are fortunate to have leaders who understand the vital role of private capital in health care. Sen. Thom Tillis, for example, has correctly characterized the funding as a “very important part of the ecosystem.”

As discussions about private investment in health care continue and perhaps even reach the halls of Congress, we will need him and others to share stories from North Carolina and stand up for private capital’s positive role in our healthcare system.

Rep. Wayne Sasser is chairman of the North Carolina House Health Committee and represents Montgomery and Stanly counties.

COLUMN | CONNIE LOVELL

COLUMN | REP. WAYNE SASSER

iconic moments of 2024

ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL

New Detention Center marks a new era

Published July 25

On July 22, county officials officially broke ground on the construction of the new Duplin County Jail with a ceremonial shoveling of dirt. The facility will replace the current overcrowded and outdated jail. The construction and operation of this new jail will create jobs and invigorate the local economy, paving the way for a brighter future for the community.

JSCC Class of 2024 celebrates new milestone

Published May 16

The Duplin Events Center radiated with excitement on May 9 as hundreds of James Sprunt Community College students proudly received their degrees. Family members and friends erupted in cheers from the stands, celebrating the achievements of their graduates as they accepted their diplomas.

Wallace street renamed after late council member

Published March 20

In March, the town of Wallace renamed a street in honor of longtime Wallace council member and educator David Edward Jordan. Jordan had 36 years on the town council, more than 30 years in education at Charity Middle School and Wallace-Rose Hill High School, and a heart for his community, and many said they couldn’t think of a better person to be honored with a street in his name. Mayor Jason Wells, former Mayor Charley Farrior, County Commissioner Wayne Branch and family members all shared memories of Jordan during the street renaming ceremony.

Airport terminal dedicated in honor of George Futrelle

Published June 6 June 4 marked a significant milestone for Duplin County with the unveiling of the George Futrelle Terminal at the Duplin County Airport in memory of the late airport director, who died in May 2023 after postsurgical complications. Sen. Ted Budd’s regional director, Sam Shumate, presented a U.S. flag to Futrelle’s widow, Renee.

Faison unveils William Thornton memorial

Published Nov. 28

On Nov. 22, 2024, the town of Faison unveiled the William E. Thornton Memorial monument and courtyard in honor of the late astronaut and Faison native. The 6-foot commemorative monument is the brainchild of Anne Taylor, who, alongside Carolyn Kenyon and Jimmy Tyndall, spearheaded the project with the invaluable support of the Faison Improvement Group and the generous contributions of the community. Today, the monument stands as a source of inspiration, bringing light to the life of a boy who reached for the stars, and with hard work, accomplished his dreams.

ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL

New Senior and Veteran Services Center

Published Nov. 14

A dream for a larger senior center became a reality Nov. 7 with the official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Senior and Veteran Services Center at Duplin Commons in Kenansville. The new facility, which spans 12,363 square feet, now houses the senior services and veterans offices. It enhances access to resources for more seniors and veterans, allowing both departments to offer comprehensive services and promote community engagement.

Murphy Family Ventures hosting blood drive Jan. 16

Wallace Murphy Family Ventures will host a blood drive on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MFV Corporate Office in Wallace. Those who donate can make a difference in someone’s life and get a chance to win a Super Bowl LIX trip for two in New Orleans, including airfare, hotel accommodations, game tickets and a $1,000 gift card. To schedule your appointment, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS and use the sponsor code “Murphy Family.”

ECU Health Duplin Hospital nursing assistants earn promotions

Kenansville

ECU Health Duplin Hospital recently celebrated three of its nursing assistants for advancing from Nursing Assistant I to Nursing Assistant II. Sonia Calderon, Vernica Chavez and Nicole Osorio “worked hard in their courses while continuing to provide excellent care on our Medical/Surgical Unit,” a Facebook post from the hospital reads. “We are incredibly proud to call them part of our ECU Health Duplin family.”

North Carolina’s unemployment rate at 3.7%

Statewide

The state’s seasonally adjusted November 2024 unemployment rate was 3.7%, unchanged from October’s revised rate, the N.C. Department of Commerce reported on Dec. 20. The national rate increased 0.1% to 4.2%. North Carolina’s unemployment rate increased 0.1% from a year ago. The number of people employed decreased by 1,747 over the month to 5,065,649 and increased 4,027 over the year. The number of people unemployed increased 109 over the month to 197,114 and increased 9,135 over the year. The next unemployment update is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 3, when the county unemployment rates for November 2024 will be released.

Got local business news? Let us know about any grand openings, new businesses, noteworthy achievements, or upcoming events, and we’ll share it with the community here! Note: editor reserves the right to edit for content, brevity, and clarity. Email Features/ Business Editor Abby Cavenaugh at _abby@ northstatejournal.com.

ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL

ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Prayer at the Pole

2024 lucky lottery winners

JANUARY

• Michael Cherry from Pink Hill won a $1 million scratch-off prize in January. He purchased his lucky $10 Million Spectacular ticket at Quinn’s General Store on N.C. 41 North in Pink Hill.

FEBRUARY

• Amy Darboe of Wallace tried her luck in a second-chance drawing and won the grand prize of $200,000 in February. She discovered she had won the top prize in the Holiday Second Chance drawing through an email notification.

APRIL

• Harold Eubanks from Beulaville won a $25,000-a-year-for-life prize in April. Eubanks bought a $2 Lucky for Life ticket at 365 Stores LLC on North Jackson Street in Beulaville.

MAY

• Bernard Phelps from Magnolia won a $100,000 prize in May. He purchased his lucky $10 Million Spectacular ticket from Tiger Mart on N.C. 24 in Warsaw.

JULY

• Odessa Chamblee hit it big in July, winning a $2 million prize. She bought a 100X The Cash scratch-off ticket at the Village Store on N.C. 41 in Wallace.

Duplin County military who gave their lives during World War II, he found Arnold Jackson, and the man’s story intrigued him. Or, perhaps, it was the lack thereof.

The only history Ingram could find on Jackson was that he was born Feb. 14, 1922, in the Limestone community, and his only education record is 45 days in grammar school in Beulaville. “He was a carpenter and didn’t have much schooling,” said Ingram.

Jackson enlisted on Oct. 15, 1942, at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), and was a private in the U.S. Army.

Jackson served in the 90th Infantry Division, 358th Regiment, 1st Battalion, Company M, in the Normandy region of France. Though he didn’t die in the infamous D-Day invasion, he died a month later, on July 6, 1944, from wounds. He was awarded a Purple Heart and World War II Service Medal.

Jackson is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in Collesville-sur-Mer, France, the only service member from Duplin County who’s buried there. In November, Ingram traveled there to visit Jackson’s grave.

“He was at Utah Beach, which was the westernmost beach on that front,” Ingram said. “It was not as bad as Omaha Beach. It wasn’t a cakewalk, but it wasn’t as bad.”

Of course, the storming of Omaha Beach was depicted in the film “Saving Private Ryan,” which shows in gritty detail what American forces faced as they tried to stop German troops from taking the beach.

The beach is calm today and filled with monuments to the Americans who gave their lives in the battle. “It’s one of the most moving places I have ever been,” Ingram said.

Ingram found Jackson’s grave, which is located at Plot F, Row 10, Grave 22. He said that no matter where you stand in the cemetery, all the

graves are in a straight line, which he called amazing to see in person. Ingram said he couldn’t find records that showed specifically how and where Jackson died, but he was able to track the 3rd Battalion’s movements, which may or

Duplin Journal

may not have included the 1st Battalion. The battalion met with stiff opposition on July 4 in les Belles Croix and went on to the town of Lithaire. Ingram thinks it’s around Lithaire where Jackson died. His parents were Paul Jackson and Weda Alma Brinson

“I appreciate everyone who’s served and certainly those who have made the supreme sacrifice. It’s very important to me that they’re never forgotten.”

Charles Ingram

Jackson. His brothers were Quintin S. Jackson, Winford P. Jackson and Durwood Jackson, while his sisters were Alma M. Jackson and Arthenia Jackson. Ingram said he could find no evidence of any living relatives. Arnold Jackson never married.

“These soldiers were young men, many of them anyway,” Ingram said. “Most of them were single, they never had a chance to marry, have children or grandchildren, they never had the chance to go to the beach on Memorial Day. … We owe these men a never-ending obligation.”

COURTESY PHOTO

This memorial at Omaha Beach in Normandy honors those who gave their lives during World War II, including Arnold Jackson of Beulaville.

COURTESY PHOTO

Charles Ingram of Kenansville traveled to France in November and visited the grave of Beulaville’s Arnold Jackson, the only Duplin County man to be buried at the Normandy American Cemetery.

DUPLIN SPORTS

Panthers’ Lanier scoops up second Coach of Year award

ED entered league play 3-3-1 and proceeded to win eight of its 10 ECC matches, including seven straight, its longest winning streak since 2017.

Tiger’s Omega choked full of speed, determination

James Kenan striker Peter Omega was almost always the fastest player on the soccer pitch during an all-state campaign

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

WARSAW — James Kenan has been blessed with outstanding strikers the past decade.

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

BEULAVILLE — Blake Lanier was a Panthers staple in basketball and soccer during his youth.

Lanier, who was recently got married, still believes in what his first two loves in life teach teenagers.

The two-sport coach at East Duplin in putting together his hoops team a few days removed from a memorable fall on the soccer pitch.

Lanier, who guided the Panthers’ revival season, is the Duplin Journal’s Coach of the Year. East Duplin went 15-7-1

overall and 10-2 in East Central 2A Conference play to capture a share of the league title with Wallace-Rose Hill and James Kenan, two schools that dominated the loop the past six seasons.

The Panthers finished above .500 for the first time in seven seasons.

Lanier is the first top coach from East Duplin since the man he replaced, Joey Jones, earned the honor in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018

Yet the season didn’t show as much promise when East Duplin opened it with a 2-3-1 mark, even though one loss came to eventual 2A champ Clinton.

The biggest moments during the streak came when the Panthers whipped James Kenan twice — 2-1 and 3-2 — within six days. The Panthers’ only loop losses were to WRH. The Tigers did ED a favor by sweeping two matches from WRH.

Lanier, who was voted top coach by the ECC family, beat out JK’s Mitchell Quinn and WRH’s Rodrigo Diaz to capture Coach of the Year honors in Duplin County.

“I don’t know that we did many things different,” Lanier said. “It was more about our players doing what we had been teaching.”

The latest can match any of the Tigers legends such as Makenly Augustine and Alexis Paz.

Striker Peter Omega’s play and exploits the past two seasons has been nothing short of sensational. Omega, who was nipped by Wallace-Rose Hill’s Alex Zepeda for Mr. Soccer, had one over the Bulldog and just about every other player in 2A — his blinding speed.

The Tigers senior scored 31 goals and dished out 19 assists as James Kenan went 17-5-1. He was selected as a first-team all-state player in 2A by the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association. He was a huge threat on the field due to not only his

Peter Omega scored 31 goals and had 19 assists during an all-state season in which he guided JK to the

scoring ability but also his tremendous speed, ball handling and passing skills,” said head coach Mitchell Quinn. “He’s the best longball passer I’ve seen. It was very common for opposing teams to have more than one player trying to guard him, and even with that, he was able to be our top scorer. “All of our seniors will be

Bulldogs all-state striker Zepeda keeps Mr. Soccer crown

The WRH senior edged out James Kenan’s Peter Omega and East Duplin’s Yoskar Canales as the top player in Duplin County

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

TEACHEY — Alex Zepeda always had the talent to be a star soccer player.

Learning everything else took more time, even after a fantastic beginning.

During his sophomore season, he was pulled up from the Wallace-Hill Rose junior varsity team and scored the lone goal during a 1-0 win over St. Pauls in

the first round of the 2A playoffs in 2022.

It was the first 2A postseason win in Bulldogs’ history, even though WRH won three state titles in 1A. It avenged a 1-0 firstround loss to St. Pauls the previous season.

It was also an omen of things to come for both Zepeda and the Bulldogs.

“He’s matured and grown up a lot since then,” said WRH coach Rodrigo Diaz, whose team won the ECC two years ago as Zepeda averaged two goals per match with his 45 goals and had 24 assists.

WRH went 17-5-2 after beating North Johnston and Midway in the first two rounds of the

playoffs and then falling to Jordan-Matthews 1-0.

While Zepeda walked off with Mr. Soccer honors, the Bulldogs graduated Rovin Pacheco (25 goals, 29 assists) and defensive specialist Brando Romero (Willam Peace College), two vital players to the team.

That’s when Zepeda had to step up or be stepped on and knocked off the ball.

“He got in the weight room and started to understand the game is played different here than it is in Honduras (his native country),” Diaz said. “Becoming a leader was the biggest hurdle. And some of his growth was about taking

EDWARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Blake Lanier, left, had East Duplin playing its best when the ECC season started.

EDWARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Alex Zepeda scored 93 goals and had 48 assists in two seasons to lead WRH to a 39-9-4 mark over that stretch, which included an outright ECC title, one shared crown and two third round playoff appearances.

PHOTOS BY EDWARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

fourth round of the 2A playoffs before losing to eventual champ Clinton.

ED’s Blake Lanier, who was named the boys’ basketball Coach of the Year in 2019, takes that honor in soccer following a revival season that resulted in the Panthers winning a share of the ECC title

Panthers reboot with experience of surviving 2024

Calvin Harper and the East Duplin basketball team have put last season’s finish in the rearview mirror, making changes after a tough 2-22 campaign

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

BEULAVILLE — East Duplin

had a fall-flat-on-its face 2-22 season last winter, and head coach Blake Lanier said the Panthers were forced to “look in the mirror” for answers.

“It was an eye-opener and a sign that we have to do things differently, even for me,” said Lanier, who was 42-42 in his first four seasons.

Optimism is growing as the Panthers have won three of their first four games to start their reboot.

“As bad as it was last year, we got valuable game experience, and I expect seniors to be leaders.”

East Duplin doesn’t have tall trees in the paint and rebounding is more of a concern than in recent seasons.

“We struggled with it our first four games, games where if we rebound well, we win by a comfortable margin,” Lanier said. “We gave up too many second-chance points.”

The Panthers return first-team all-Duplin guard Calvin Harper, who connected on 67 3-pointers and 16.3 points per night last season. The senior is at 17.5 and

3.5 rebounds, with 13 of 30 accuracy from downtown.

“He’s obviously a good shooter, but he’s going to have to change his game to be productive and step up and make opportunities for other players, especially when he’s doubled,” Lanier said.

“He’s going to get attention.” Ryan Jenkins, also a senior, will run the team from point guard after working to be a mainstay in the rotation.

“He just loves the game and probably didn’t get as much playing time as he would have liked, and I think that disappointment changed him, as he’s grown as a leader,” Lanier said.

Jenkins has averaged 6 points in his first four games as the Panthers have beaten North Duplin (65-51) and Hobbton (53-26), and split two tilts with Richlands (58-53 win, 52-44 loss).

Zachary Ball (5.1 points per

Heavy losses force Byrd to rebuild Rebel forces

ND’s Jeff Byrd, a three-time coach of the year in Duplin County, is in the process of molding the Rebels after winning the first conference title in 22 years

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Decembers have not always been kind of the North Duplin basketball team.

The Rebels overcame a bad start last season by winning 13 straight to finish 17-10, capture a regular and postseason title in the Carolina Conference, and put up their sneakers after a third-round 1A tournament loss to Wilson Prep.

The road will be similar this season as the North Duplin’s schedule is filled with 2A schools and quality foes in Lejeune, Bear Grass Charter and Wayne County Day.

Yet it will be harder than expected for Jeff Byrd, Coach of the Year last winter, and also in 2016 and 2017 as the top man at James Kenan.

He lost Mr. Basketball Dujuan Armwood (16.1 points per game), inside players Micah Lesesane (11.0, 6.2 rebounds), Trashawn Ruffin (6.3, 5.3) and Thomas Morrisey (2.3, 3.6), and Dylan Tyndall (5.6 points) and Brady Byrd (4.3), who were all a part of two five-player rotation squads that ran and wore down the opposition in the second half.

ND returns four “starters” from a team that won the school’s first conference title in 22 years.

Senior point guard Donovan Armwood was the third-leading scorer at 9.9 points, and the top assist man at 3.9.

Forwards Branson Martin (5.1), Luke Kelly (3.1) and Andrew Kornegay (1.0) will need to step up.

Martin and Armwood were on one platoon squad, and Kornegay and Kelly on the other.

“We’re working toward a two-platoon system but can’t do that right now,” Byrd said. “It takes a while to learn how we want to play defense and our trapping style.”

Senior Nick Price, juniors Holden Williams, Lucas Dail, Kaniel Guo, Kayden Bowden Jr. and Carson Barwick, and fresh-

ND’s Donovan Armwood is leading North

and rebounds.

man Jaelyn Ingram-Mathis and Noah Price are hoping to be in the Rebels’ rotation.

His early practices were limited as the Rebels football team advanced to the third round of the playoffs.

“We practiced three or four days,” said Byrd, whose club fell to Lejeune (74-59), East Duplin (65-51) and Spring Creek (61-53). “We led in all three games in the third quarter, so I was pleased about that. We were definitely not in shape, with so many players on the football team.

North Duplin begins Carolina 1A Conference play on Jan. 4 by visiting Neuse Charter (5-5).

“We play a very tough schedule and hopefully that will help,” Lanier said. “Our conference will be kind of balance, so when we get to that point of the season, I think we’ll be competitive.”

Point guard Ryan Jenkins is running the East Duplin offense.

game), Aaron Hall (6.3) and Luke Hughes (4.5) are returnees, while Mason Whaley (5.5) is back after missing the bulk of last season with an injury.

Ball, a 6-foot-2 junior, put in minutes in key games.

“He’s athletic, quick and one of our better rebounders,” Lanier said. “He’s a do-what-you-say kid. I put him in some tough situations, often with the ball in his hands. That’s paying off.”

from page B1

It was the second time Lanier received accolades from his Duplin peers. He was Coach of the Year for the boys’ basketball team in 2019. Lanier wasn’t teaching at the time and has since become a faculty member. Lanier’s father, Fred Lanier, is the PA announcer at football and basketball games.

The younger Lanier played a key role on the 1990 basketball team that won 23 games and made a run in the state tournament. He went on to play at Methodist University. He worked at Bill Carone Chevrolet and Ford alongside his father before returning to the classroom and sports venues.

Whaley might be the Panthers’ second-best shooter.

“I like him with open looks,” Lanier said. “And I think as a team we can shoot the ball well.”

Hughes, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior, plays forward opposite Ball.

“Luke’s just a hard worker, a smart player, who will be a leader and get our players to the right spots on the floor,” Lanier said.

Hall, also a junior, is coming off a solid season as a running back.

“He has speed, is strong, can jump and the only thing he needs is confidence,” Lanier said. “He’s learning quickly when to pass it and when he can drive it to the basket.”

Classmate and newcomer Jordan Pickett has put in 4.5 points for far.

Juniors Yoskar Canales and Sawyer Whaley are battling through injuries, while Keeshon Mckinnie’s knee woes, which limited the sophomore on the gridiron, have kept him off the court.

Lanier said the Panthers also need muscle up on defense.

“We’ve got to rebound when we go against Wallace, James Kenan, Kinston because they will be physical,” he said. “It will help us stay in games.”

“I like how we’ve been down in the second half in all our our games and came back. We’re good enough play well enough to be competitive in the conference. We have to shore up our weak points, rebound, take good shots, share the ball and hit our shots.”

He said that while the Panthers improved their play, getting over the hump to win came after his team believed they could win and fought through adversity.

“It was more about our players doing what we had been teaching.”

Blake Lanier, ED boys’ soccer coach

Lanier, who teaches business at East Duplin, took over for Robert Ross in basketball.

“Because of our training, we were in shape enough to withstand 80 minutes and 100 (overtime) if we needed to,” Lanier said. “The other part of that is having the belief we could do it. A lot of those games we were down and had to come back.” Lanier said his team’s approach got the Panthers to focus.

“Soccer is a game in which it takes only one mistake and you’re down,” he said. “You have to have the mindset that you can recover because in this game, things are going to happen.

“That confidence and push through things were probably bigger than anything in terms of what helped us win games.”

missed, but he will be missed in a big way.”

Omega could wind up playing college soccer at William Peace in Raleigh, which has a solid Division II program.

Omega is such a good passer and dribbler he often didn’t understand why his teammate couldn’t or were unable to get him the ball in time and in position to charge the goal.

“He’s that good, and I had

to explain to him why others were not on his level,” Quinn said. “Peter’s a special player. He went from good to great, and most players can’t do that. Most stay good until they leave.”

Yet Omega had another attribute beyond his speed and skills that increased his stock.

“His determination is something you can’t coach,” Quinn said. “He was always asking me to leave out balls in the back of the building so he could practice on his own.”

LANIER

OMEGA from page B1

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Duplin in points

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Luke Kelly will be counted on for leadership and more points than in the past.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED

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NCHSAA realignment needs a lot of work — as usual

We’re all tired of seeing winless or two‑ to three win teams making their way into the big show and getting clobbered beyond recognition.

THE NCHSAA released its first version of conference realignment throughout the state as the organizing body of sports in more than 400 high schools in North Carolina.

The move comes after the organization moved from four classifications to eight.

As in many of the NCHSAA’s initial drafts in the past, there will be changes, possibly even major movement by numerous schools as the committee considers the average daily membership (ADM) number of each school and the travel time for schools within a conference.

I’ll revisit this later, possibly before the second, and often final, version is released.

For now, here are some obvious concerns.

First, East Duplin, a 4A that is currently in the ECC 3 with WallaceRose Hill and James Kenan, is in a conference with Southwest Onslow, another 4A, and 5A schools Havelock, Northside -Jacksonville, Dixon, Croatan, Richlands and West Carteret.

JK and WRH are in a 3A-only league that includes just three other schools — Goldsboro, Princeton and Spring Creek.

That’s an instant problem for WRH’s football team, which can’t find a school its size that will play the Bulldogs in football.

Let’s be serious, the classifications are set up for nearly every school’s money-making program, and football is king in North Carolina.

Perhaps the Panthers want to get away from their Duplin rivals? If so, they’ll have to handle powerful Havelock to win a conference title.

That’s a tall task. And remember finishing second in a conference automatically put a school at the No. 12 spot in the postseason bracket, even if that school was 9-2. Richlands had that problem this fall after losing just once in the regular season to Coastal 3A Conference champ White Oak.

Moving ED and Southwest Onslow, both of which are currently in the ECC, to the conference with their Duplin County rivals is a no -brainer.

To do that leaves the other conference with six schools and the ECC with seven.

Therein lies the problem statewide since taking from one conference affects another league.

And often some of these proposals sound too good of an idea for the NSHSAA to implement.

You heard me.

Here’s another swamp to clean out: a 3A, 4A and 5A conference.

That’s where 4A Clinton and 3A Whiteville, both gridiron powers, were placed, joining 3As Trask, Pender and West Bladen with 4As Fairmont, Red Springs and South Brunswick, the lone 5A in the league. OK, but does South Brunswick get an automatic bid to the 5A postseason?

How many tourney bids does a conference get with three schools from the same classification?

Tarboro is the lone 2A school in its league that has six 3A schools — Ayden-Grifton, Beddington, Greene Central, Farmville Central, Kinston, and South Lenoir.

Rebels best gas up their buses

North Duplin, which needs to be in a conference with more than the present five in the Carolina 1A, is now a 2A school.

So are fellow CC members Rosewood, Union and Union. Add in 2A West Columbus and 1A East Columbus and it’s clear that the Rebels will be taking a lot of road trips during this conference proposal.

East Bladen is 1 hour and 21 minutes from North Duplin, while East Columbus is 1:40 and West Columbus 1:40.

By contrast, check out the odometer to Lakewood (44 minutes), Rosewood (33 minutes) and Union (36 minutes).

The answer could be moving Hobbton in and tossing out the Columbus County schools while keeping East Bladen, though still a hike on a week-night.

Schools will be petitioning NCHSAA officials until the next version is released.

Some won’t like where they were placed. Some will see it as a traffic wreck on the field trying to be competitive that feels like a church-bus trip to New York to return home.

Moving to eight classifications was the right move, yet the NCHSSA made sure its money flow would remain the same or increase.

Getting schools in the best possible conference isn’t easy.

And yet what it could have but has not yet addressed is a better system for teams getting into the postseason.

Many states do quite well with a minimum .500 record as a qualification standard.

We’re all tired of seeing winless or two- to three-win teams making their way into the big show and getting clobbered beyond recognition.

These 3 new sports dramas punch above their weight

Inspirational coaches highlight three films about the fight game

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press

NEW YORK — The sports movie can easily fall victim to overly familiar story beats. An underdog challenger. A big match.

But a trio of new movies brings some original moves, and a few curveballs, to a genre where tried-and-true formula often reigns supreme. Each, curiously enough, is a directorial debut by an industry veteran. And each features an inspirational coach.

“Day of the Fight”

Jack Huston’s “Day of the Fight,” currently playing in theaters, stars Michael Pitt as down-and-out middleweight boxer “Irish” Mike Flannigan. He is, like some battered boxers before him, seeking redemption. Flannigan’s once-promising career was long ago derailed by a fatal drunk driving accident. But on this day, he’s preparing for an unlikely opportunity: an undercard bout at Madison Square Garden.

“Day of the Fight” culminates in the Madison Square Garden match, but the movie is largely about the preamble to the fight.

The movie follows Flannigan on a series of poignant errands.

“I wanted to make a film

where you didn’t necessarily need the boxing match,” Huston says. “The boxing match became icing.”

Cornerman: Ron Perlman.

Though “Day of the Fight” is graced by a several father figures (Joe Pesci, Steve Buscemi), the one that really stands out is Perlman’s coach.

“Unstoppable”

William Goldenberg, the Oscar-winning editor (“Argo,” “Heat”) directs this based-ona-true-story drama about the life of NCAA champion wrestler Anthony Robles, played by Jharrel Jerome. The film, which arrives Jan. 16 on Prime Video, chronicles Robles’ constant hardships, not the least of which is that he was born without his right leg.

It’s less about Robles’ overcoming one challenge than it is about his perseverance through constant adversity. Jennifer Lopez co-stars as his mother, with Bobby Cannavale as an abusive stepfather.

“It was a constant battle,” says Robles. “That’s kind of how I felt going through my life, whether it was on a mat against a flesh-and-blood opponent or it was in my family life or the world. There was always something I was fighting against.”

Cornerman: “Unstoppable” is the rare sports drama to give you not just one excellent coach but two. Because it spans Robles’ wrestling career in high school and college, we first get

Michael Peña as his most devoted supporter, and later, Don Cheadle as his initially more skeptical coach in college.

“The Fire Inside”

“The Fire Inside,” directed by decorated cinematographer Rachel Morrison (“Fruitvale Station,” “Mudbound”), is also about a real champion, the Olympic gold medal winner Claressa Shields (played by Destiny Ryan).

The first half of “The Fire Inside,” which opens Dec. 25, is somewhat conventional. It charts her rise as a female boxer leading up to the 2012 Olympics. Once she’s won gold, you might even glance at your watch and wonder why they wrapped things up so quickly.

But the film then turns into something else. Shields’ glory is short-lived. A tough black woman in a bloody sport who makes no apologies for her interest in knocking out her opponent is unappealing to marketers. As “The Fire Inside” continues in its thought-provoking third act, it asks questions less about who wins and more about who gets to be deemed “an American hero.”

Cornerman: Brian Tyree Henry plays Shields’ devoted cornerman Jason Crutchfield. Henry, a tender and soulful actor, is more of a co-star than a supporting player. Of all the coaches in these three films, he’s the one you’d most want cheering you on.

Bill Carone

Savannah Smith

Wallace-Rose Hill, junior

Savannah Smith is rising quickly in the ranks of scoring in the ECC.

The Wallace-Rose Hill junior averaged 5.6 points as a freshman and 8.6 in her second. She’s picked up her pace to 15.8 through three games this season.

Smith hit for 18 in the season-opener against Laney, 13 against East Bladen and 19 in the Bulldogs’ 32-25 triumph over Pender.

The junior guard has hit on 21 of 34 from the field for a whopping 62% accuracy.

care of the little things that allow the big things to come through. Tactics are different here than Honduras.”

Without an established scoring sidekick, Zepeda started to attack like never before.

“We got the ball to him a lot,” Diaz said. “He gained more confidence in himself and it spread to our team.”

He scored despite being double-teamed, beginning with a hat trick against Southern Wayne in the season opener.

He notched four more hat tricks, scored twice in seven matches and posted a six-pack

of scores against Granville Central in the first round of the playoffs. Zepeda logged a goal or an assist in all but the season finale, a 2-1 setback to Southeast Alamance in the third round of the playoffs.

Zepeda wound up with 48 goals and 24 assists and was an all-state 2A player for the second consecutive season.

WRH won 22 matches and were 39-9-4 during Zepeda’s two seasons as the Bulldogs’ top striker.

“He was really raw as a sophomore, and it’s a credit to the work he did to get to where he is today,” Diaz said. “He’s a complete soccer player.”

EDWARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

ZEPEDA from page B1

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MLB study: Velocity, max efforts likely causing pitching injuries; rule changes should be considered

Findings

quantify the

increase in pitcher velocity and injury rates

By Ronald Blum The Associated Press

NEW YORK — A yearlong study by Major League Baseball concluded rising velocities, pitch shaping and emphasis on maximum effort are the likely causes of the vast increase in pitcher injuries and recommended exploring rules changes to address the problem.

The 62-page report said the trends extended to high school and youth baseball because of the incentive to get noticed by professional scouts. The study said there is no evidence linking the pitch clock to injuries.

The report was based on interviews with more than 200 people that included players, front office executives, orthopedic surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, biochemists, major league, college and independent coaches, and international trainers.

Major league pitcher IL place-

ments increased from 212 in 2005 to 485 this year and days on the IL rose from 13,666 to 32,257.

“The most significant causes are likely the increased velocity of pitches, the emphasis on optimizing ‘stuff’ (a term referencing the composite movement characteristics of pitches, including horizontal and vertical break and spin rate), and the modern pitcher’s focus on exerting maximum effort while pitching in both game and non-game situations,” the report said.

The report said experts recommend MLB consider rules

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove exits the game during the fourth inning in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series in October.

changes to “increase the value of pitcher health and durability and decrease the value of short-duration, max-effort pitching.”

“For instance, playing rules could be adjusted or designed to encourage or require starting pitchers to preserve enough energy to allow them to pitch deeper into games,” the report said. “These incentives could be supported by roster rules that more appropriately regulate the availability of pitchers on a roster or in a team’s bullpen for a given game, including potential changes to the number and frequency

NBA announces All-Star tournament plan for this season

The showcase will feature four teams and three games in one night

By Tim Reynolds

The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — The NBA ‘s All-Star Game is going to be an All-Star tournament this season, with the league announcing on Tuesday that it has finalized plans to use a different format for the upcoming midseason showcase in San Francisco.

And scoring is sure to be down — way, way, way down.

This season’s format is a fourteam, three-game, one-night

tournament, three teams of eight All-Stars apiece and the fourth team being the winner of the Rising Stars challenge for first- and second-year players. The winning team in all games will be the first to score 40 points. It’ll happen Feb. 16 at the home of the Golden State Warriors. The Rising Stars event is there Feb. 14, headlining All-Star Friday.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has wanted a more competitive All-Star event for some time, and this change comes after the teams combined to score a record 397 points — 211-186 was the final — in last season’s game in Indianapolis.

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The teams combined to take 289 shot attempts in last year’s game, 94% of those being either inside the paint or beyond the 3-point line.

“Obviously, with the elephant in the room being us competing, them trying to shake things up is expected and makes sense,” said Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a likely All-Star selection this season for the third time. “At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to whether the players want to go at it, and I would love to see that. Love to be a part of that for sure, and hopefully it happens.”

There have been other All-Star format shakeups in recent years.

of transactions that allow clubs to replace pitchers on their rosters.”

Among the data points:

• Tommy John surgeries for major and minor league players increased from 104 in 2010 to a peak of 314 in 2020 and declined to 281 this year.

• Since 2008, average mph velocity in the major leagues has risen from 91.3 to 94.2 for four-seam fastballs, 82.8 to 84.6 for sliders, 75.7 to 79.5 for curveballs and 81.7 to 85.5 for changeups. During that period, fastball usage declined from 60% to 48%.

By comparison, fastball velocity in Nippon Professional Baseball was 91.1 this year.

• IL days for pitcher elbow injuries rose from 3,940 in 2005 to 12,185 this year and for shoulder injuries increased from from 2,634 to 5,445.

• IL placements from spring training through opening day rose from 61 in 2017 to 112 this year, and from day two through the end of the regular season from 303 to 352.

• Starts of five or more innings dropped from 84% to 70% in the majors from 2005 to 2024

After the first 66 All-Star Games were basically played like a normal game — Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference, four quarters, 12 minutes apiece — the league switched to a format where the leading vote-getters from each conference served as captains who got to draft their teams.

LeBron James served as one of the captains all six times, with Giannis Antetokounmpo the other captain three times, Kevin Durant twice and Stephen Curry once. In four of the captain’s-pick years, All-Star Games used a target score at the end of games, ensuring that the winner was decided on a made shot. Fourth quarters were untimed and the winner was the first team to reach whatever the leading team’s score was after three quarters, plus 24 points — the 24 being a nod to Kobe Bryant’s last jersey number. It went back to the East vs. West format last year and saw

and from 68.9% to 36.8 in the minors.

• Thirty-five players selected in the top 10 rounds of this year’s amateur draft had Tommy John surgery, up from four in 2005.

• Prospects who threw 95 mph or higher at the Perfect Game National Showcase increased from three in 2018 to 36 this year.

• UCL surgeries among youth and high school pitchers at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Center rose from 10% of all UCL surgeries in 1995 to 52% in 2021.

• Pitchers per team during the season averaged 15.1 in 1980, rose to 34.4 in 2021 and declined to 32.5 this year.

• International players had more UCL surgeries than domestic counterparts in 2023 for the first time since 2010.

• Average innings over the previous season for college starting pitchers selected in the first three rounds of the amateur draft dropped from 1011/3 in 2012 to 74 this year.

• Pitchers selected in the first three rounds of the draft fell from 73.3% in 2014 to 41.7% this year.

a record point total, along with Luka Doncic trying a 70-foot jumper, Donovan Mitchell throwing a 50-foot underhand inbounds pass, Bam Adebayo inbounding the ball to himself by tossing it off Nikola Jokic’s backside, Tyrese Haliburton trying and making five 3-pointers in a 92-second span, and Damian Lillard capping the night with a 44-foot jumper — which wasn’t even his longest shot of the game. “I think something could be done about it,” Lillard said after his MVP-winning performance in last year’s game. “I’m not sure what, but I think there’s a way to make it a more competitive game.”

The league hopes it has found the answer.

TNT analysts Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith will draft teams from the 24-player All-Star pool on Feb. 6. The teams will bear their names — Team Shaq, Team Charles and Team Kenny.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

FILE#2024E 000506

The undersigned, DAKOTA JAMEL HOLMES, JR, having qualified on the 5TH DAY of DECEMBER, 2024, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of SHARON DENISE REDDISH, 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 19TH Day of MARCH 2025, 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 is the 19th Day of DECEMBER 2024. DAKOTA JAMAL HOLMES, JR., ADMINISTRATOR 113 RUNAWAY LANE YORKTOWN, VA 23692 Run dates: D19,26,J2,9p NOTICE North Carolina Duplin County Notice to Creditors File #

LIST YOUR DUPLIN COUNTY TAXES BY MAIL

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

All property subject to ad valorem taxes shall be listed as of January 1, unless otherwise provided for in the General Statutes of North Carolina. Listing shall begin on January 2, and continue through January 31, 2025.

Personal property such as unlicensed vehicles, campers, mobile homes, boats & motors, jet skis, airplanes, all farm equipment and machinery, rental household personal property and business personal machinery and equipment must be listed EVERY YEAR. If you received a listing form it should be completed and returned to the County Assessor’s Office, PO Box 968, Kenansville, NC 28349 by January 31, 2025.

IMPROVEMENTS OR OTHER

CHANGES TO REAL PROPERTY MUST BE REPORTED BY JANUARY 31, 2025

Duplin County has the permanent listing of REAL PROPERTY; therefore,

JANUARY 2, 2025 THRU JANUARY 31, 2025

real estate can be brought forward; however, improvements (such as additions, new construction, decks, outbuildings, remodeling etc.) or other changes made to your real property MUST BE LISTED. You may be penalized for failure to report such improvements.

PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR ELDERLY AND PERMANENTLY DISABLED PERSONS

North Carolina General Statute 105277.1 excludes from property taxes the greater of twenty five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) or fifty percent (50%) of the appraised value of a permanent residence owned and occupied by a qualifying owner. A North Carolina resident age 65 or older (whose income does not exceed $37,900.00) or totally and permanently disabled (whose income does not exceed $37,900.00) is eligible to apply. The exclusion covers real property occupied by the owner

as his or her permanent residence or mobile home used by the owner in connection with his or her permanent residence. Disposable income includes all moneys received other than gifts or inheritances received from a spouse, lineal ancestors, or lineal descendants. Both incomes (husband & wife) must be reported. Application must be received in the Tax Office by June 2, 2025.

FILE FOR THIS EXEMPTION DURING LISTING PERIOD LISTING BY MAIL IS ENCOURAGED LIST EARLY TO AVOID LONG LINES AND/OR LATE POSTMARK IF YOU LIST IN PERSON, BRING YOUR FORM WITH YOU

LISTINGS RETURNED BY MAIL MUST BE POSTMARKED BY THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31, 2025 TO AVOID THE LATE LISTING PENALTY

Anyone having questions concerning the forms or need help with the

listing should contact the County Assessors’ Office, 117 Beasley Street, Kenansville, NC, between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm Monday through Friday from January 2 –January 31, 2025. Telephone number is (910) 296-2110.

COMPLETED LISTING CAN BE PLACED IN THE DROP BOX LOCATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TAX OFFICE BUILDING AT 117 BEASLEY STREET – BOX IS CHECKED TWICE A DAY

TAX OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2025

Applications for Present Use (Land Use) valuation must be filed with the office of the county assessor during the regular listing period (by January 31, 2025). Applications are available in the county’s assessor’s office.

GARY M. ROSE TAX ADMINISTRATOR DUPLIN COUNTY

GREGORY BULL / AP PHOTO

obituaries

Janice Marie Faison Ellerbe

June 8, 1950 – Dec. 14, 2024

Janice Marie Faison Ellerbe, 74, of Rose Hill, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville.

Funeral services were held on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024 at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel, 472 Wells Town Road in Rose Hill. Burial followed at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Cemetery in Magnolia.

Left to cherish her precious memories: husband, Nathaniel Ellerbe of Rose Hill; two sons, Gregory Johnson (Priscilla) of Greensboro and Larry Johnson of Rose Hill; daughter, Claudia Lanier (Authur) of Wallace; stepdaughter, Racella Newkirk of Raleigh; brother, John Carr (Emma) of Rose Hill; four sisters, Linda Carr and Lillie Bell Carr of Wallace, Rebecca Coston (Samuel) and Judy Wilson (Johnnie) of Teachey; 12 grandchildren and 18 greatgrandchildren; mother-in-law, Betty Lou Brockett of Jamaica Queens, New York; one brotherin-law and one sister-in-law; special friend, Erica Washington of Harrells; a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends that will miss her dearly.

Christopher Jeremaine Carr

Jan. 2, 1972 – Dec. 18, 2024

Christopher Jeremaine Carr, 52, of Wilmington, formerly of Duplin County, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at Duke University Hospital in Durham.

Funeral services were held Monday, Dec. 23, 2024 at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel, 472 Wells Town Road in Rose Hill. Burial followed at Duplin Memorial Gardens in Teachey.

Left to cherish his memories are his wife, TorWanda Love Carr of Wilmington; children, Jazmon Carr of Greensboro, Alena Carr of Durham, Christopher Carr II of Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina, and Kameran Love of Jacksonville, Florida; stepdaughter, Kawanna Jefferson (Chad); mother, Lillie Belle Carr of Wallace; father, William A. Gray (Rita) of Richmond, Virginia; sister, Shari Sally (Tyrone) of Fort Washington, Maryland; brother, Tarick Gray of Amsterdam, Netherlands; aunts, Joan Halle of Lanham, Maryland, Linda Carr of Wallace, Rebecca Coston (Samuel) and Judy Wilson (Johnnie) of Teachey; uncle, John W. Carr (Emma) of Rose Hill; grandchildren, Melody and Kali Love, Kingston and Princeton Jefferson; niece, Camryn Gray; a host of cousins and friends that will miss him dearly.

William Lynn Sutton

Feb. 16, 1941 – Dec. 17, 2024

William Lynn Sutton, 83, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.

A celebration of his life was held on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, 1127 North NC 903 & 11, Kenansville.

Survivors include: spouse, Lannis Sutton of Kenansville; sons, Ricky Sutton (Jennifer) of Kenansville, Ronnie Sutton of Albertson, David Sutton, (Eva) of Albertson, Brandon Whitfield (Natalie) of Seven Springs; sister, Sherry Heft of Smithfield; brother and sistersin-law, Dwight and Sandra Davis; grandchildren, Kyle Sutton (Alicia), Trent Sutton (Tiffany), Corey Sutton, Ree Ann Sutton, Braydon Whitfield and Hannah Whitfield; great-grandchildren, Cayden Sutton, Morgan Sutton and Callie Sutton; and several nieces and nephews.

Flowers are welcome or In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Hebron Colony, 356 Old Turnpike Road, Boone, NC 28607 in honor of Lynn Sutton.

Duplin remembers

In 2024, we said goodbye to several individuals whose contributions will always be remembered as they played vital roles in shaping our communities. Among those we lost were dedicated leaders who tirelessly worked for the betterment of their neighborhoods, including esteemed judges who upheld justice and compassionate doctors who attended to the health of our residents. Each of these remarkable individuals added to the rich tapestry of our community’s history, leaving a lasting legacy that will be felt for generations to come.

Woodrow Tyndall

Sept. 10, 1933 – Dec. 19, 2024

Woodrow Tyndall, 91, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 in Harmony Hall Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Kinston. He is survived by his wife, Frances Tyndall of Kinston; daughter, Sherial Whaley of Beulaville; son Randall G. Tyndall of Pink Hill; brothers, Edward Tyndall of Pink Hill, Prentice Tyndall of Pink Hill; four grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren.

Graveside service was held Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 at East Duplin Memorial Gardens, Beulaville.

Levern Hayes

Nov. 16, 1962 – Dec. 14, 2024

Levern Hayes, 62, of Kenansville, answered the Master’s call on Dec. 14, 2024 while at home. A Celebration of Life was scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 at New Christian Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Rose Hill. The Rev. Hankins was the Eulogist.

Addie Pearl (Hodges) Price

Dec. 5, 1931 – Dec. 18, 2024

Addie Hodges Price, 93, of Warsaw, went from the labor to reward on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at her home. Funeral arrangements were incomplete as of press time.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Duplin Journal at abby@ northstatejournal.com

Dr. Hervy B. Kornegay April 1933 - Feb. 2024

Stratton Murphy Jan. 1973 - April 2024

Russell Eason, Warsaw Commissioner March 1954 - May 2024

Rubylene Lambert, Calypso Mayor May 1939 - Aug. 2024

Stephen M. Williamson, District IV Court judge Oct. 1937 - Aug. 2024

Duplin Journal Vol. 9, Issue 44

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF

this week

Duplin saw significant growth, infrastructure achievements in 2024

WEEKLY FORECAST

SPONSORED BY DUPLIN CALENDAR

NYE CELEBRATION

THE CONVERSATION

VISUAL VOICES

Magician’s choice

North Carolina is proof of private capital’s importance to health care

iconic moments of 2024

2024 lucky lottery winners

Duplin Journal

DUPLIN SPORTS

Panthers’ Lanier scoops up second Coach of Year award

Tiger’s Omega choked full of speed, determination

Bulldogs all-state striker Zepeda keeps Mr. Soccer crown

Panthers reboot with experience of surviving 2024

Heavy losses force Byrd to rebuild Rebel forces

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED

BILL CARONE

NCHSAA realignment needs a lot of work — as usual

These 3 new sports dramas punch above their weight

Savannah Smith

Wallace-Rose Hill, junior

MLB study: Velocity, max efforts likely causing pitching injuries; rule changes should be considered

Findings

increase in pitcher velocity and injury rates

NBA announces All-Star tournament plan for this season

PIANIST WANTED

LIST YOUR DUPLIN COUNTY TAXES BY MAIL

obituaries

Janice Marie Faison Ellerbe

Christopher Jeremaine Carr

William Lynn Sutton

Duplin remembers

Woodrow Tyndall

Levern Hayes

Addie Pearl (Hodges) Price