the BRIEF
this week
Wallace Firefighters Association hosts toy drive
Wallace The Wallace Firefighters Association is hosting a toy drive to ensure families in western North Carolina have toys this Christmas. Anyone who wishes to help can drop off a new toy at the Wallace Fire Department now through Nov. 23. Toys can also be dropped off at Duplin Journal at 104 W Main St. in Wallace, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Nov. 22. For more information, visit the WFD Facebook page.
Pleasant Grove fire chief receives NCOSFM Valor Award
Mount Olive Chief Scott Rouse of Pleasant Grove Fire Department was honored with the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal Valor Award. Rouse was surprised with the award during a visit from the state fire marshal director of governmental affairs. He received the award for his courage and bravery, saving an elderly neighbor when he rushed into her burning home and pulled her from the blaze safely without a second thought or protective firefighting gear, announced NCOSFM.
Magnolia Police asks public for assistance
Magnolia Law enforcement with the Magnolia Police Department and Duplin County Sheriff’s Office are investigating gunshots fired on the night of Oct. 27 in the area of Croom and Murphy streets in Magnolia, where an occupied residence was struck by gunfire. Nobody was injured. According to Magnolia Police, the incident does not appear to be a random act. Anyone with information is asked to contact Magnolia Police at 910-289-9900.
Door prize donations needed
Kenansville
The Duplin County Cattlemen’s Association is seeking door prize donations for the Duplin County Cattlemen’s Association Christmas Party. Drop-off will be at the Soil & Water Department through Nov. 18.
Volunteers needed for Community Advisory Committees
Duplin County
The Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging is seeking volunteers for their Community Advisory Committees in Duplin, Lenoir, Onslow, and Wayne counties, among several others. These volunteers visit long-term care facilities to advocate for the residents’ rights, promote elder abuse awareness, and work locally to resolve complaints. Visit eccog.org for more information.
$2.00
THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
An Army soldier with the 82nd Airborne Division parachute jump team jumps off an aircraft with an American flag bringing excitement as the 104th Veterans Day Celebration and Parade kicks off Nov. 2 in Warsaw. See more photos on page A6.
Duplin County unofficial election results announced
Sen. Brent Jackson and Rep. Jimmy Dixon, both Republicans, secured an eighth term in office
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
FORMER PRESIDENT
Donald Trump won 64.15% of Duplin County’s votes over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris en route to winning North Carolina and a second term in office.
Republican Sen. Brent Jackson claimed more than 65% of the votes over Democrat Jamie Campbell Bowles in the state Senate’s 9th District, winning an eighth term in office. Jackson won 65.24% of the vote in Duplin County, besting Campbell by 6,694 in Duplin and more than 31,000 votes overall.
“I would like to thank all the citizens of District 9 that exercised their rights and took the time and effort to go vote,”
Jackson said.” I also would like to thank them for their vote of confidence in me. It has been truly a humbling honor to serve the citizens of District 9 and I look forward to continuing that service for the next two years.”
Jackson has held public office for the past 14 years, 11 representing District 10 and two after it changed to District 9, which includes Duplin, Sampson, Bladen, Jones and Pender counties. He chairs the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee, and the Appropriations Budget Committee.
State Rep. Jimmy Dixon also secured an eighth term in the North Carolina House of Representatives District 4, defeating Democrat challenger Vernon Moore with more than 63% of the vote.
Dixon won 65.13% of votes in Duplin County with a margin of more than 9,000 votes.
“I’m very thankful the cit-
Warsaw honors nation’s heroes
Thousands gather in Warsaw for the longest-running Veterans Day observation in the country
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
WARSAW — Thousands of people lined the streets of Warsaw last Saturday, joining the country’s longest-running consecutive Veterans Day observance and the state’s official Veterans Day parade. The parade kicked off with the North Carolina Forest Service flyover as excited crowds cheered on and watched in awe as members of the 82nd Airborne Division parachute team jumped off aircraft during the presentation of the U.S. Flag.
“The military saved my life because I had nowhere to go. It gave me something to look up to.”
William Watson, retired army sergeant major
From marching bands, JROTC units, Sudan Cruisers, Shrine Clubs and fire trucks to churches, car clubs, and homecoming queens and kings, more than 120 groups participated in the 104th Veterans Day Celebration and Parade with a festive display honoring the nation’s heroes. Crowns enjoyed live music, area vendors, bouncy houses, food trucks and activities for the whole family.
Eagle Scout builds flag retirement box for Wallace
Tattered US flags can be disposed of free of charge
By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal
WALLACE — Folks in the Wallace area have a new way to properly dispose of American flags, thanks to local Eagle Scout Jase Blanchard.
Blanchard, who’s been part of Troop 35 for 12 years and lives in Rose Hill, said he built the box for his Eagle Scout project because he saw a need in the community.
“The U.S. flag can only be disposed of by burning,” he explained. “The VFW does that for free at the American Legion in Wallace, but if the building isn’t open, a lot of people would just leave flags on the front bench or outside the door, so I
thought a box would be a better, more convenient way.”
Throughout his scouting career, Blanchard said he’s taken part in a lot of flag retirement ceremonies, so he immediately thought of doing the box when it came time for his Eagle Scout project.
When his mother, Shannon Barber, was on vacation, she happened to see a flag retirement box, and thus, the idea was born.
There’s no right or wrong way to build a flag retirement box, Blanchard said. “It could be a wooden chest or something like that, but I wanted something that looked cool.”
He and his father, Chris Blanchard, drew up the plans together and the younger scouts constructed it, with Jase Blanchard’s guidance. Gotcha
“Throughout scouts as a whole, they teach you how to live your life. It’s not just camping in the woods.”
Jase Blanchard, Troop 35 Eagle scout
Retired Army Sgt. Maj. William Watson told Duplin Journal that he appreciated being selected as grand marshal and the way people respect the military for its service. This recognition honors not only my time and age but also acknowledges all those who have served their country from day one, “and the sacrifices that they made for their country and the blood they shed in foreign countries
See VETERANS, page A6
ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
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Nov. 8
Anita Marie Savage, Duplin County Register of Deeds issued 52 marriage licenses for the month ending on Oct. 31.
• Tabitha Kaye Gautier, Mount Olive, and Anthony Richard Cruz Jr., Mount Olive; Anna Mckenzie Page, Kenansville, and Max Dail Craft, Kenansville;
• William Earl Rouse, Kenansville, and Janice Marie Cole, Kenansville;
• George Keith Baker Jr., Beulaville, and April Marie Bletzacker, Beulaville; Jansen Ray Sholar, Wallace, and Matthew Horace Rivenbark, Willard;
• Chase Edward Lapradd, Virginia, and Briana Rose Poalson, Virginia;
• Domonique SD Bryant, Goldsboro, and Jeramey Lavale Faison, Goldsboro; Joanna Crystal Hernandez, Wade, and Uriel Palacios Sanchez, Wade;
• Felipe Pineda, Harrells, and Virginia Pineda, Harrells; Keyshae Natasha Leach, Warsaw, and Donquez Zyshone Coppedge, Warsaw;
FRIDAY
8
• Bingo Night, a fundraiser for Pet Friends of Duplin County, will be held 6-9 p.m. at the American Legion, 529 E. Southerland St. in Wallace. Tickets will be available at the door and cost $10. Tickets include one card, chips and water, with additional cards available at a cost of $5 for one and three for $10. Pizza and bake sale items will also be available for purchase.
Nov. 8, 9
Celebrate the fourth annual Pickles, Pigs & Swigs festival in downtown Mount Olive at the corner of Center and East Main streets. The festival will kick off Friday, Nov. 8 with the introduction of the N.C. Pork Councilsanctioned whole hog barbecue cook-off teams. Saturday festivities will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will feature live music, rides on the Pickle Train, craft beer, free pickles, a classic car cruise-in, vendors, and more. Visit picklespigsswigs. com for more information or call 919-658-3113.
Nov. 12
Join the ECU Health Duplin Hospital Diabetes Education Fair in the extended dining
CRIME LOG
Oct. 30
• Thomas Kelly Lea, 56, was arrested by the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office for violating a protective order.
• Branden Keith Carter, 39, was arrested by DCSO for driving while license revoked (multiple counts), canceled/revoked/ suspended certificate tag, and no liability insurance.
Oct. 31
James Donnell Lewis, 45, was arrested by DCSO for possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Demetris Joshua Melvin, 38, was arrested by the Wallace
• Tristen Brooke Johnson, Maple Hill, and Joshua Rivers Ezzell, Maple Hill; Paul English Williamson, Magnolia, and Haley Ann Brown, Jacksonville;
• Ashtin Rosannah Benson, Ohio, and Philip andrew Dietrich, Ohio;
• Justin Ray Kelly, Beulaville, and Brittany Christin Blanchard, Beulaville; Mackenzie Grace Price, Wallace, and William Kobe Vann, Wallace; Heather Ann Perry, Mount Olive, and John Alvah Pike, Mount Olive;
• Luis Alberto Torres Escalera, Seven Springs, and Guadalupe Herrera Corona; Seven Springs;
• Daniel Hernandez Chupin, Teachey, and Yessica Maholi Lozano Hernandez, Teachey;
• Madison Raelyn Holmes, Pikeville, and Hunter Wayne Strickland, Mount Olive; Sarah Anne Martin, Warsaw, and Andrew Leonard Parment, Warsaw;
SATURDAY NOV 9
SUNDAY NOV 10
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room on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for wellness screenings, nutrition information, diabetes education and more. There will be 15 vendors on hand, sharing vital information and resources.
• Join the Cooperative Extension’s Nutrition Education Series every Tuesday through Nov. 26, 10 a.m. at Mt. Calvary Center for Leadership Development, located at 414 N Norwood St., Wallace. Each session will include a presentation, followed by a food demonstration, where participants will learn food preparation tips. For more information, call 910 - 665 -1352.
Nov. 15-16
UMO will celebrate Homecoming and Pickle Classic Weekend on Nov. 15
Police Department for injury to real property.
• Charles Anthony Faulk, 52, was arrested by DCSO for felony possession of Schedule II controlled substance, possessing drug paraphernalia, and obtaining property by false pretense.
Nov. 1
Christopher Tharpe, 40, was arrested by DCSO for driving while impaired and sex offender on child premises.
Anthony Sheneer Wright, 50, was arrested by DCSO for second-degree trespass.
• Lina Julia Garcia Figueroa, Rose Hill, and Leonardo Danilo Meraz Acosta, Rose Hill;
• Hector Ricardo Garcia Figueroa, Magnolia, and Sherley Jakelin Silva Pineda, Magnolia; Carol Dayanara Palacios Munoz, Wallace, and Manuel Antonio Loria, Mount Olive;
• Michael Bryce Lee, Mount Olive, and Carleigh Katherine Parker, Princeton;
• Adriana Garcia Perez, Warsaw, and Jose Brayan Velazquez Lopez, South Carolina;
• Leila Rei Anderson, Burgaw, and David Sampson Deer, Burgaw;
• Hattie Katherine Taylor, Kenansville, and Jeremy Scott Tyndall, Kenansville; Leslie Tate Jenkins, Chinquapin, and Sarah Elizabeth Apthorp, Chinquapin;
& 16, featuring concerts, food trucks, Kid’s Korner, a 5K run and 1.5-mile walk, a vendor fair, art and ceramics shows, and Pickle Classic basketball games. Registration for the annual Trojan Trot will be on Nov. 16 at 7 a.m. in front of the Poole administration building. The race will begin at 7:30 a.m. The Trojan Trot cost is $10 for adults and $5 for UMO students. The event is free for kids 10 and under. The Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament will swing into action on Nov. 15, at Southern Wayne Country Club. Registration and lunch will begin at 11 a.m., with the shotgun tee time set for noon. First and secondplace prizes will be awarded for each of the two flights. For more information, call 919- 658-7757.
Nov. 18
The town of Teachey will host
Joseph Ross Duncan, 34, was arrested by DCSO for injury to personal property.
Nov. 2
• Alvaro Escorsia Olin, 42, was arrested by DCSO for possession of firearm by felon, possessing/ selling/buying altered gun serial number, and possessing weapon of mass destruction.
• Robert Samuel Yopp, 32, was arrested by DCSO for injury to personal property.
Nov. 3
Avaire Ahmaad Armwood, 26, was arrested by DCSO for first-degree burglary,
• Haley Michelle Pearson, La Grange, and Brandon Wade Wright, La Grange; Maria Constancia Mancia Dias, Kenansville, and Javier Dario Lopez Hernandez, Kenansville;
• Kyle Thomas Lightbody, Wilmington, and Keanna Kapreisha Gulley, Selma; Oris Desir, Mount Olive, Ad Nathaie Morisenat, Mount Olive;
• Elias Vargas Lizardi, Mount Olive, and Tania Noemi Loria, Mount Olive;
• Tashanna Jolie Boone, Landis, and Dewayne Clayton Chasten, Magnolia; James W. Thomas, Richlands, and Melissa Ann Ebling, Richlands;
TUESDAY
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a Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Nov. 18, after the town board meeting, which was moved to Nov. 18, 6 p.m. at 116 East 2nd St. For information, call 910 -285 -7564.
Happening Monthly
• The Duplin County Board of County Commissioners meets the first and third Monday of each month at 6 p.m., at 224 Seminary St., Kenansville. For information, call 910-296-2100.
• The Beulaville town board meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at 508 East Main St., Beulaville. For more information, call 910-298-4647.
The Town of Calypso meets at the council chambers the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m., at 103 W. Trade Street. For information, call 919-658-9221.
• The Faison town board meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., at 110 NE Center St., Faison. For more information, call 910 -267-2721.
The Economic Development Board meets the first Friday of the month at 7 a.m. at the Duplin County Airport Conference Room.
larceny of a firearm, felony larceny, resisting a public officer, and assault on a female.
• Joshua Drake Hayes, 32, was arrested by DCSO for misdemeanor domestic violence crime, felony probation violation, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.
James Mikel Hill, 24, was arrested by DCSO for misdemeanor domestic violence crime.
William Scott Miller, 39, was arrested by DCSO for possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Dena’ Smith, Wallace;
• Nicholas Woodard Jr., Willard, and Ursula Yvonne Jamison, Willard;
• Jennifer Karina Silva Deleon, Albertson, and Gabriel Ponce, Fayetteville; Brain Alejandro SilvaSerrato, Seven Springs, and Seidie Michelle Salinas, Albertson;
• Wyatt Kane Davis, Richlands, and Lauren Mickayla Bonneville, Beulaville; Asameka Lanee Koonce, Clinton, and Michael Ray Smith, Chinquapin;
• Wilbert Jerrell Devone, Rose Hill, and Cherri Lena Wooten, Rose Hill;
• Aliah Michelle Chasten, Beulaville, Timothy Lemonte Commedo Jr., Beulaville;
• Jacob Alexander Simpson, Beulaville, and Rosario Jissel Castillo, Beulaville; Kayla Elizabeth Byrd, Turkey, and Nicholas Devone Peterson, Turkey;
• Eduard Darmany Ayala Castillo, Rose Hill, and Marielos Guadalupe Arevalo Linares, Rose Hill; Michael Miller Carrieri, Raleigh, and Ivy Noelle Armstrong, Florida;
• Amairany Gutierrez Bautista, Albertson, and Matthew Corey Tyndall, Deep Run;
• Richard Gaylor Cavenaugh Jr., Wallace, and Arianna
• Julian Cruz Cortes, Beulaville, and Karen Yakelin Morales Morales, Beulaville; Sharlatina Lemonique Lackey, Wilmington, and Jaquan Tavrouis James, Wallace;
• Eladio Socorro Franco Castaneda, Mount Olive, and Maria Del Rocio Frias Avila, Mount Olive;
• Robert James Harris, Warsaw, and Erin Brette Harris, Warsaw.
Carolina Strawberry Festival awards $15,100 in grants
Community projects will better the town of Wallace and help western N.C.
By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal
WALLACE — For just the second time in its existence, the Carolina Strawberry Festival has awarded grants to local organizations, this year totaling $15,100.
“I think a big thing with our festival last year was that it was the most financially successful festival to date,” said Charley Farrior, former Wallace mayor and president of the Carolina Strawberry Festival board. “We decided to use those extra funds to give back to the community. Last year, we gave out $11,000 in grants. This year, it was $15,100.”
The grants were awarded during an event on Oct. 30 at the Wallace Woman’s Club. The awardees were:
• The Wallace Chamber of Commerce, $2,500, for light pole banners, to be posted in downtown Wallace, the Wallace Crossing shopping center and Town and Country Shopping Center. The banners will be
izens of Duplin and Wayne counties have chosen me to represent them for another two years,” said Dixon.
The members of the Carolina
were on hand to present grants to several community projects during an event on Oct. 30.
large, heavy-duty vinyl.
• Helping Hands Outreach Ministry, $2,500, for its food drive project. Each Thursday, Helping Hands gives out 150 -200 food boxes to needy individuals in the area. The funds will be used for transportation
again. I will always support and fight to keep our Judo-Christian heritage alive and vibrant.”
of food, and for paving the food drive entrance.
• Pet Friends of Duplin County, $1,000, to help with the annual Pet Day in the Park event, held at Clement Park in Wallace.
• Town of Wallace, $2,500, for new wayfinding signs. “This first
phase of this project will install
two wayfinding signs on Main Street at each end of the historic downtown district as well as parking signage at the train depot,” explained Town Manager Rob Taylor. “Future signs will be strategically added throughout town in the coming years. The signs will keep with the branding theme the town has created with its new welcome signs.
A classic black and gold historical style marker will be used accented with red to signify strawberries.”
• Wallace Depot Commission, $2,500, for the rehabilitation of the Railway Postal Car.
“The Wallace Depot Commission feels that the Wallace Railway Postal Car is an amazing museum piece, and a wonderful asset to Wallace as well as our surrounding areas,” Depot Commission Chair Michael Blackburn said. “We feel that when our RPO is completed it will be an attraction that will bring additional visitors to Wallace and to the Depot to see the interior of this remark.”
• Friends of the Wallace Parks, $2,100, for a “Creature Comforts” project, which will install benches at the dog park at
Farrior Park. “With this grant we will purchase four benches for the canine companions to enjoy while their pets play,” said Georgia Farrior, chairperson of Friends of the Wallace Parks. “These all-weather, commercial-grade benches will last for decades.”
• Emily Ludlum, Melissa Stevens and Georgia Farrior, $2,000, for helping our western North Carolina neighbors. Ludlum, Stevens, Farrior and a few other ladies from the River Landing community have gathered supplies and donations for the victims of Hurricane Helene since the storm hit in September. The $2,000 will be used for the group’s next trip to the western NC community, which will be in December.
“We are really excited for what these grants will do to help the town of Wallace and to help folks in western N.C.,” Charley Farrior said. “It’s very rewarding to be able to give back.”
As for next year’s Carolina Strawberry Festival, Farrior said bands have already been booked and the dinosaur show will again return. There will also be another Garden Gala the weekend before the festival.
“My main task will be to continue supporting policies ensuring public safety, food security, and to improve public education, especially K12 and our community colleges. Also we must give a lot of attention to reassessing and eliminating many of the radical ‘woke’ crazy ideas from our university system. I will never abandon the needs of our hard-working farm families who produce the food and fiber that is necessary to keep America a free and prosperous nation. President Trump will have my full support, and we will make North Carolina and America great
Dixon has represented District 4 for the last 13 years. He chairs the House Agriculture Committee, is vice chairman of Appropriations, and senior chair of Appropriations on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources Committee.
Referendum results
A statewide referendum that would amend the North Carolina Constitution, changing the wording to, “Only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting shall be entitled to vote at any election in this State,” easily passed with 77.59% of the statewide vote.
Local voters also voted in favor of two county referenda, allowing the sales of unfortified wine (64.40%) and malt beverages (63.02%) both on and off premises.
Uncontested races
Board of Commissioners election, incumbents Elwood Garner, Wayne E. Branch and Jesse Dowe ran unopposed. They each won additional four-year terms in office.
us Morrisey were also reelected to the Duplin County Board of Education.
All N.C. District Court Judge District 5 candidates secured another four-year term. District 5 encompasses Duplin, Jones, Onslow and Sampson counties.
The Republicans who won reelection are Christopher J. Welch
3), Michael C.
4),
Incumbent Billy Kilpatrick was reelected as the Duplin Soil And Water Conservation District Supervisor in an uncontested race. ELECTION from page A1
Nearly 90% of Duplin County voters voted for the amendment.
In this year’s Duplin County
FRIDAY, NOV. 8, 6 PM COOK OFF
SATURDAY,
Democrat incumbent Anita Marie Savage also secured a second four-year term.
Incumbents Brent Davis, Reginald Kenan, and Claudi-
COURTESY KIM BUTTS
Strawberry Festival board
Front row (l-r), Elizabeth Hall, Jackie Nicholson, Kristyn Padgett, Keli Wilson, Kim Butts. Back row, Charley Farrior, Rob Taylor, Jason Wells, Teri Carter, Dean Butts, Jaime Rich. Not pictured: Lisa Robinson.
(seat
Surles (seat
Robert H. Gilmore (seat 5), Jim Moore Jr. (seat 6), William Shanahan (seat 7), Billy Sutton (seat 8), Walter Bateman (seat 9) and Melissa Blizzard Stevens (seat 10).
NCLEG.GOV
Left, Sen. Brent Jackson (R); Right, Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R)
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
A season of thankfulness
Our Duplin County Schools’ family is grateful, thankful and blessed because of you.
AS WE MOVE into the Thanksgiving season, we would like to thank all the special people who make positive differences in the lives of our students and staff each day. For every thoughtful and kind gesture, for lending a helping hand along the way, and for your prayers and support, we thank you!
Our Duplin County Schools’ family is grateful, thankful and blessed because of you! On behalf of our Board of Education, we thank every employee at Duplin County Schools (DCS). We are thankful that you choose to serve at DCS. Extra kudos to our classroom teachers and teacher
assistants. We owe you a debt of gratitude for your many sacrifices. Thank you for all you do to motivate and inspire student learning in our classrooms. It is no easy task, and we thank you for making learning fun!
We also thank our Board of Education members, Brent Davis, Reginald Kenan, Pam Edwards, David Jones and Claudius Morrisey for your commitment to not only our students, but our staff as well. Your discussions around the board table are solid proof of your passion for student success and the safety of our school family. Our district benefits immensely from your cohesiveness as a governing body, and we cannot
COLUMN | REPS. KEVIN CRUTCHFIELD AND DAVID WILLIS
thank you enough for remaining intensely focused on the overall success and well-being of our school community. We thank everyone again for their individual and collective efforts providing our children and staff exemplary teaching and learning opportunities here at DCS and in the world of public education. Most importantly, we give thanks for the goodness of God and pray that you and your families have a Happy Thanksgiving filled with bountiful blessings!
Austin Obasohan is superintendent of Duplin County Schools.
North Carolina must count every vote
We cannot afford to compromise the integrity of our elections in the name of political expediency.
AS ELECTED Republicans serving North Carolina, we are compelled to speak out against a proposal that could undermine one of the core tenets of our democracy: the people’s right to vote.
Recent comments from Rep. Andy Harris, head of the House Freedom Caucus, suggesting that North Carolina’s legislature should consider awarding its electoral votes to Donald Trump before all of the votes are even counted are troubling and antithetical to conservative principles.
We say this as staunch supporters of President Donald Trump and individuals who believe in his vision for America’s future. But our support for the president cannot come at the cost of fundamental democratic norms. The notion of precertifying electors without counting ballots not only risks violating state and federal law but also sets a dangerous precedent. It erodes the integrity of the election process and ultimately threatens the foundation of free and fair elections — something we conservatives must always defend. Even in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the General Assembly has worked hard to ensure access to fair elections for those affected. We have fought diligently to secure our state’s voter integrity, as it is our duty as elected officials to facilitate the process and ensure that every eligible voter can cast their ballot — no matter whom they support. But altering the process by which electors are selected before votes are counted is not the solution — it’s a step toward government overreach and a dangerous deviation from our
constitutional responsibilities.
Republicans have long championed the rule of law. It is what sets us apart from those on the radical left, who often embrace lawfare and the weaponization of government to achieve political ends. We, however, believe in law and order, accountability and equal application of the law.
The proposal to hand over North Carolina’s electoral votes before votes are counted resembles the very tactics that we often condemn when wielded by the left. Lawfare and weaponizing government to win an election are what radical leftists do, not Republicans. Instead of looking for ways to circumvent the electoral process, we should focus our efforts on helping affected communities recover from the storm and ensuring that voters can exercise their rights. That is the conservative, constitutional approach. If Republicans start embracing the tactics we criticize, we risk losing the moral high ground and alienating the very voters who put us in office. Furthermore, precertifying electors would have far-reaching implications, not only for our state but for the entire nation. Such a move would damage public trust, fueling accusations of election interference and disenfranchisement. We cannot afford to compromise the integrity of our elections in the name of political expediency. If Republicans endorse such actions, we risk becoming the very thing we oppose. Our party stands for freedom, not manipulation. We stand for integrity, not shortcuts.
We support the Constitution, not political schemes. We understand the urgency of this moment. We must ensure that President Trump receives fair treatment, and we must be prepared to address any legitimate concerns about the 2024 election. But precertifying electors — effectively picking winners before the voters have spoken — is not the way forward. It is neither fair nor conservative, and it is not how we win elections. If the results of the 2024 election are contested, there are legal avenues to ensure a fair review of the process. Let’s use those established mechanisms rather than preemptive measures that trample on the rights of North Carolinians to make their voices heard. Republicans must continue to be the party of law and order, not lawlessness and disorder. We call on our colleagues to reject any attempt to subvert the election process and to stand firm for what is right — counting every vote and respecting the will of the people. Only then can we preserve the trust that voters place in us as their representatives. In North Carolina, we don’t play games with democracy. We count votes, we follow the law and we uphold the Constitution — no matter the circumstances. That’s how Republicans should win elections: not by changing the rules but by earning the trust and support of the people we serve.
Rep. Kevin Crutchfield represents Cabarrus and Rowan counties, and Rep. David Willis represents Union County in the North Carolina General Assembly.
Organizers tickled pink over Swing for the Cure’s success
RLGALS’s annual fundraiser brought in $22,000 for ECU Health Cancer Care
By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal
WALLACE — Another Swing for the Cure event is in the books, and organizers say it was another great success. The River Landing Golf Association for Ladies (RLGALS) hosts the event in River Landing every year to raise money for cancer research and care at ECU Health.
“The fight against cancer has touched almost every family in our neighborhood and neighborhoods across the country,” said Kathy Russell, one of the organizers of the annual event. “The battle will continue until a cancer death becomes a rare event.”
The week before the tournament, RLGALS hosted “Putting for Pink,” a five-hole putting contest for adults and children.
“Jan Zoesch, Sue Bartnick, and golf Pro Kyle Hope created a challenge that tested everyone’s putting skill,” Russell said. “Winners and losers shared the experience over a pink cocktail created by The River Landing Club House Bar.”
The weekend before the annual Swing for the Cure event is Putting for Pink, a competition for all ages, from kids to adults.
On the actual tournament day, Oct. 19, 88 golfers took to the green. There were all-female teams, all-male teams, and mixed male and female teams competing in different flights.
The winners were:
• Flight 1: Liz Peterson, Cathy Harless, Cheryl Nichols, Suzie Zalar
Eating the Med
Med Instead of Meds program proves popular at Duplin Cooperative Extension Center
By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal
OVER THE PAST several weeks, folks have gathered at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Duplin County Center to learn about the benefits of cooking Mediterranean style.
“For the past several Tuesdays if you could have been a fly on the wall in our kitchen, you would have seen three to five groups of participants working together to prepare a variety of Mediterranean dishes,” said Rachel Ezzell, family and consumer sciences agent with N.C. Cooperative Extension Service’s Duplin County Center. “You might have heard beach music or instrumental jazz playing in the background or participants laughing. You might have smelled the red chili powder in the fruit chaat or the nutty aroma coming from the oven as our med meringues baked. You might have tasted, well, any of the 19 dishes we prepared together!”
• Flight 2: Jessi Batts, Haylee Parks, Marissa Parks, Mary Susan Thigpen
• Flight 3: Susan Carver, Brian Russell, Richard Russell, Kathy Russell
Closest to the Pin: Betty Earle, Don Thomas, Katie Peterson, Marty Fritz
Not all donations included golf, however. “Individuals and companies sponsored holes in memory of friends and family members who lost their battle,” Russell explained. “More signs celebrated those who won their battle along with those still in the fight. Diane Orlowski and Lori Bertucelli headed up this effort, culminating in 106 hole sponsorships.”
Carol Mann headed up the sale of helicopter ball drop tickets with a total of 1,467 balls dropped from the helicopter — $8,000 worth. “Oh my goodness, local businesses have been tremendously supportive and generous,” Mann said.
The closest to the pin was the winner. The top three winners were Lindsay Skidmore, Summer Mills, and J Mann, with $1,920; Donnie and Elizabeth Bradsher, $1,152; and Perry Tully with Tully’s Car Service in Rose Hill, $768.
“The RLGALS Swing Committee is grateful for the support of River Landing Management, Pro Shop, Banquet staff, and our wonderful volunteers,” Russell said. “This year, $22,000 was donated to ECU Health Cancer Care. We thank everyone for their support and look forward to next October. The RLGALS will carry the torch. Everyone is invited to join in the joy of an October Saturday well spent.”
way can help keep meds at bay
“Eating the Med Way (Mediterranean) has been shown to
promote health and decrease risk of many chronic diseases.”
Rachel Ezzell, NC Cooperative Extension
iterranean) has been shown to promote health and decrease risk of many chronic diseases,” Ezzell said.
She added that throughout the program, participants learned about protein sources, different types of fats, and strategies to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diets. They also learned about the importance of snacking on nuts and seeds, refined vs. whole grains, and examining sugar added into their diets.
It was all part of the Med Instead of Meds program, which was created by a group of nutrition and health professionals from NC State University and N.C. Division of Public Health.
“Eating the Med Way (Med-
“We start each session with a presentation followed by hands-on recipe prep in the kitchen,” Ezzell said.
Those who participated in the Med Instead of Meds program also learned that the Mediterranean diet isn’t limited to just one flavor.
SCOUT from page A1
Signs from the Northeast community provided the graphics that grace the box.
“Throughout scouts as a whole, they teach you how to live your life,” Blanchard said.
“It’s more than just camping in the woods.”
“I think it’s pretty amazing,”
Chris Blanchard said of his son’s project. “I’m really proud of him.”
“Med Way dishes can fit into any flavor profile — Italian, Greek, Indian, Mexican, etc.,” Ezzell explained. “Med Way dishes are defined by the components that make up what you’re eating: high levels of fruits and vegetables, incorporating mono and poly-unsaturated fats, lots of fish, whole grains, etc.”
All of the participants raved about the program, according to Ezzell.
“Shopping at the grocery store became an adventure, it made the process enjoyable, learning new methods of food prep,” one participant stated, while another said, “I have made life-altering choices.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the Mediterranean diet, a free Introduction to the Mediterranean Diet workshop will be held on Nov. 19 in Wallace and another six-session series will be held in January and February 2025.
For more information on either of these opportunities, visit go.ncsu.edu/duplin-mim or email rachel_ezzell@ncsu.edu. There will also be an information table at the Diabetes Month Education Fair at ECU Health Duplin Hospital on Nov. 12 (ecuhealth.org/event/ diabetes-month-education-fair).
The Blanchards also pointed out that it’s difficult for teenagers to stay in the Boy Scouts past the age of 16, so a very low percentage actually complete Eagle Scout projects and earn the rank. In fact, only 6% of Boy Scouts earn their Eagle Scout badge.
“It’s a very small amount,” Chris Blanchard said, “so this is all a pretty big deal.”
Since Jase Blanchard completed his project in July, he
Duplin unemployment drops 0.9% to 3.1%
Duplin County
The Duplin County unemployment rate decreased to 3.1% for the month of September, according to numbers released Oct. 30 by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The 3.1% rate for September is down 0.9% when compared to August. That number translates to 777 people receiving unemployment benefits out of Duplin’s workforce of 25,124. Statewide, unemployment decreased in all 100 counties in September. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 5.6%, while Buncombe, Ashe, Avery, Currituck, Watauga, Swain and Dare counties each had the lowest at 2.5%.
JSCC offers free online seminars for small business owners
Duplin County
James Sprunt Community College’s Small Business Center offers free online seminars every month for small business owners, or those wishing to start their own businesses. Here are the online seminars available over the next few weeks: Red Flags: StartUp Business Owners Must See Important Pivotable Points Immediately, Nov. 7, 6-8 p.m.; Financing Your Small Business, Nov. 12, 7-8:30 p.m.; How to Start a Mobile Food Business, Nov. 13, 7-9 p.m.; Understanding Your Market and Your Customers, Nov. 19, 7-8:30 p.m.; Start-Up Loans: How to Start the Process, Nov. 20, 7-8:30 p.m.; Bookkeeping Basics, Nov. 21, 6-8 p.m.; Impuestos, información básica para dueños de salones de belleza y barberías, Nov. 23, 8:30 -10:30 a.m.; Publicidad y marketing para tu pequeño negocio, encuentra tu Nicho, Nov. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Grant Writing, Nov. 26, 6-8 p.m. To register for any of these courses, visit ncsbc. net/Events.aspx, choose “At Center” as the location, and then select James Sprunt Community College as the center.
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.
said the feedback has been nothing but positive.
“There’s been a ton of flags that have been left here in the box,” Chris Blanchard said.
“We’ve had people tell us they never knew what to do with their old, damaged flags until they saw the box.”
The box is located just outside the entrance of the American Legion in Wallace, and flags can be dropped off inside the box at any time, day or night.
Jase Blanchard of Rose Hill stands by the flag retirement box he built as part of his Eagle Scout project. The box is available at the Wallace American Legion building, and flags can be left inside the box at any time to later be disposed of in a flag retirement ceremony.
PHOTOS COURTESY KATHY RUSSELL
PHOTOS COURTESY RACHEL EZZELL
Jan Smith works on creating a Mediterranean dish as part of N.C. Cooperative Extension’s Med Instead of Meds program.
Rose Hill celebrates all things poultry at annual jubilee
for their country,” said Watson. Watson, a native of Wallace, served in the military for 29 years. He retired from the President’s Honor Guard at Fort Myer, Virginia, where he served as the command sergeant major. Watson served in multiple tours and was deployed twice to Vietnam. His son and grandson also chose to join the military, following in his footsteps. Watson expressed great pride in their decision to serve their country.
Watson told Duplin Journal that he was inspired by seeing
young men return to Wallace in military uniforms, proud to serve their country. He explained that the military positively impacted his life, providing him with direction and keeping him away from street gangs.
“The military saved my life because I had nowhere to go,” said Watson. “It gave me something to look up to.”
“Growing up in Wallace, I never thought a young black kid would be the command sergeant major of the President’s Honor Guard in Washington, D.C. That was a great honor for me,” said Watson.
VETERANS from page A1
Every year at the N.C. Poultry Jubilee, Rose Hill volunteer firefighters fire up the World’s Largest Frying Pan and cook fried chicken, which is then sold in plates or buckets to the thousands that turn out for the yearly festival.
A patriotic display of antique cars parades through Railroad Street in Warsaw as crowds cheer during the town’s largest and most awaited celebration honoring our nation’s heroes.
PHOTOS BY ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Left, two veterans smile as they enjoy the lineup for the Warsaw Veterans Day parade. Right, beauty queens, kings and princesses joined the day of celebration and remembrance at the 104th Veterans Day Celebration and Parade in Warsaw last Saturday.
PHOTOS BY ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL
This year’s N.C. Poultry Jubilee in Rose Hill featured a classic car show with automobiles from the 1920s and ’30s up to modern times on display.
Left, as is tradition, the N.C. Poultry Jubilee queens assembled the plates with fried chicken, boiled potatoes, green beans and rolls at the annual festival on Saturday, Nov. 2. Right, every year during the poultry jubilee, the festival queens perform various talents. This year, Junior Ambassador Queen Avery Dew performed a lively tap dance routine to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”
PHOTOS BY ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Hundreds of people lined up on the streets of Warsaw to enjoy the Warsaw Veterans Day parade, which has become a cherished tradition in the Warsaw community.
DUPLIN SPORTS
Bulldogs claim ECC title share
WRH beat JK for the 12th straight time to share the ECC crown
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
WALLACE — Running backs Irving Brown and Jamarae Lamb were key in Wallace-Rose Hill’s 17-14 win over James Kenan last Friday that gave the Tigers their first loss of the season. But none of that would have been possible without the Bulldogs’ defensive “Band of Brothers.”
They were the difference in a wellplayed game in which both teams didn’t have key turnovers, with most of the TOs being redefined as “turnover-on-down” on fourth down.
WRH won it with the muscle to
quash JK’s running attack while also making the passing of Eli Avent a nonfactor.
’Dawg brothers Jerrod Smith, Dexter Moses, Jeremiah Baker, Avery Murray, Adrian “Miami” Allen and Kay’jre Murphy limited JK to 200 total yards, including just 80 in the first half when WRH scored twice to take a 14-0 lead halftime lead.
The Bulldogs added a 20-yard field goal by Cesar Peria Fuentes for a three-score lead with 8:14 to play.
JK followed with quick scoring drives that ended with touchdowns from Jeremiah Hall (8-88) and David Zeleya, with Josh Mitchell (9-47) adding a couple of yardstick pushers.
The Tigers second came with just 53 seconds left on the clock.
“It was a great high school football
Unbeaten Rebels escape post-Halloween attack by Wildcats
See TITLE, page B4 See REBELS, page B3
Carell Phillips’ fifth touchdown in the waning moments led ND to a surprising comeback win over Hobbton, giving the Rebels the CC title
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
NEWTON GROVE — Who said Wing-T offenses can’t score quickly?
While it might be the general belief, North Duplin’s clockgame went into fast-forward last Friday for a come-from-behind win in the final minute.
Carell Phillips’ fifth touchdown, a 40-yard sprint with
a minute left, gave the Rebels a 34-31 comeback win over Hobbton that sealed the Carolina 1A Conference title and top seed from the league in the postseason.
Unbeaten ND (9-0) jumped to commanding 21-7 and 28 -13 leads despite being without the services of three prospective all-conference players.
The Wildcats rallied for three consecutive touchdowns to take a 31-28 lead with 1:30 left in the game as fans must have wondered if it were a post-Halloween attack from the previous night.
Phillips’ score was set up by Garris Warren’s kickoff return to midfield and Luke Kel-
ly’s 10 -yard jaunt to the 40. Phillips ran the ball 32 times for 266 yards and four touchdowns and returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to make it 6-0.
One of the “little things” made a difference as Hobbton missed added points following four of its five scores. ND’s Noah Quintanilla was 2 of 4 on PATs, while Phillips ran for his fourth 2-point conversion of the season.
The Rebels were missing middle linebacker Turnage Ethan because of a suspension, RB/SE/ DB Donovan Armwood due to a family death and two-way tackle Rahmear Gates from injury.
EDUARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Anthony Kornegay and the ND secondary were tested by Hobbton quarterback Joe Corbett, who threw five TD passes.
PJ WARD-BROWN / DUPLIN JOURNAL
quarterback Eli Avent and his JK teammates.
The James Kenan defense surrounds Wallace Rose-Hill’s Jamarae Lamb.
Cougars explosive offense too much for Crusaders
High Point Christian lived up to its advanced billing as the No. 2 seed with a 45-7 win over No. 7 HCA
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
HIGH POINT — A respectable NCISAA football program has been put together in the self-proclaimed Furniture Capitol of the World.
High Point Christian Academy used a full-throttle offense last Friday to dust off Harrells Christian 45-7 in the first round of the 2A playoffs.
Jaylen Moore ran for 135 yards and three scores, Tyler Eley threw for a pair of touchdown passes, and Rhyne Russell and Cam Norton combined for 24 tackles as No. 2 High Point Christian stayed unbeaten at 10-0.
The Crusaders third-consecutive loss ended HCA’s season at 6-4.
Eley hit Moore for a 58-yard connection for the game’s first score 18 seconds into the affair.
Up 10-0, Moore then had touchdown runs of 2, 7 and 86 yards in the next three quarters, including a 51-yard punt return. He had a pair of receptions for 77 yards.
Eley connected on 9 for 14 for 158 yards.
Moore has ran for more than 1,500 yards this season.
Toot Clay had four catches
45-7 playoff
for 51 yards and a score.
Chamani Newton and Jeremiah Davis had interceptions for the Crusaders.
High Point faces No. 3 Trinity Christian (9-1) in the semifinals on Friday in Fayetteville. Trinity, which captured the Big East Conference, shut down No. 6 SouthLake Christian 45- 0. Trinity’s 41-6 triumph over HCA on Oct. 4 sealed the conference crown for the Cumberland County gang, its second in as many seasons. No. 1 Asheville (5-1) hosts No. 5. Hickory Grove Christian in the other semifinal bout.
The seeds all went according to plan in the 1A classification.
No. 1 Rabun School Gap (9 -2) beat No. 4 Christ School and No. 2 North Raleigh Christian, another Big East school, in the top half of the 1A bracket, with No. 2 Providence Day meeting No. 3 Charlotte Christian in the bottom half.
NRC, another Big East school, fell 52-7 to Rabun Gap. HCA will lose a handful of seniors, including defensive studs Coley Sasser, Eli Hardison and Hakim Murphy.
HCA, which lost to Covenant Day on opening night, won its next six games before a tough 38-35 loss to Ravenscroft on Oct. 18, which kicked off a three-game skid.
Davis, Bond carry Panthers past Stallions; playoffs next
ED stomped SWO 49-20 in its regular-season finale; Panthers enter the playoffs as an underdog
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
JACKSONVILLE — The East Duplin football team still has a tag attached to it. But this time it’s playoff sleeper. Or perhaps coach Battle Holley’s club is in a wide-open 2A East playoff field?
At any rate, coaches in the region with higher seed certainly don’t want to see the Panthers in the first couple of rounds.
While ED is an uncharacteristic 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the ECC following a 49-20 trouncing of Southwest Onslow, it’s a onegame season every Friday night from this point forward.
The good news is the Panthers might be able to forget about some of their mistakes, chalking them up as lessons, and start anew. And the coaching staff has two weeks to prepare for first-round encounters on Nov. 15. The playoff seeds will be announced this Saturday.
The NCHSAA moved the first round of the playoffs from Oct. 7 to Oct. 14.
ED will be traveling, though it’s hard to say there are many schools that Holley and his staff can’t find a way to beat.
The Panthers are the 25th-best team in the 2A East as per the NCHSAA’s RPI system, which combines a team’s winning percentage with its opponents’ winning percentage and also with
to turn the game around against SWO.
the winning percent of the opponents-opponents.
Whiteville in No. 1, James Kenan second and WRH fourth, though the Tigers will be a No. 12 seed at best since they lost to the Bulldogs on Friday. Both WRH and JK were 4-1, but the Bulldogs’ better schedule was the tiebreaker.
Here’s what ED might be able to pull off: A road winning streak. The 2A field is filled with parity, as there are many “good” teams and few “exceptional.” Well, to date.
WRH has shown seeds are meaningless in recent seasons, and ED and its staff may have a few surprises in store, like having a healthy roster. Injuries have played a major role in the Panthers’ projection.
And the running of Shawn Davis in the postseason may be the reason the Panthers pull off an upset, if that word is apropos for a team that has yet to click in the biggest moments that win games against quality schools.
Davis hits 1,000-yard mark
Davis passed the 1,000-yard mark for the second time by churning out 237 yards and two touchdowns against the Stallions. He has 1,070 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. The all-Duplin first-team fullback went for 1,144 yards and 22 scores a season ago. The junior made it 14-0 with his first score, a 47-yard scamper, after running back Aaron Hall scored from the 37.
The Stallions first pushback came on second-quarter scores that tied it at 14-14 at halftime.
Tate Whitehead threw a touch-
down pass to Gavin Helms, and Tyler Randolph scored from the 1. Keeshon Mckinnie ran for an 8-yard score early in the third quarter and following Davis’ 2-point conversion, ED went up 22-14.
Randolph’s 4-yard score made it too close for comfort for Panthers fans at 22-20 entering the fourth quarter.
ED produced four unanswered scores in the final 12 minutes.
Mckinnie notched his second score with an 11-yarder for a bit of comfort at 29-20.
And Landon Bond’s pick-six broke open the floodgates. Bond, an excellent defender, played quarterback when junior signal caller Branson Norris had a broken collarbone and missed six games. His interception was significant in letting the Stallions know it was all over.
Davis and reserve Dwayne Daivs added scores. Davis’ was from 57 yards out.
It was ED’s fourth straight win over SWO.
Panther paws
Hall ran the ball 15 times for 105 yards. Davis got 14 yards from Norris’ one completion in four tries. Davis
ED was 8 of 13 on third down; SWO was 2 of 12. The Panthers defense limited the Stallions to 106 yards of offense while cranking out 559. SWO had 12 penalties for 107 yards; ED five for 45 yards.
The Panthers have won two in a row just twice this season, taking North Lenoir and South Lenoir down on consecutive Fridays in October.
Wildcats’ pressure melts down Dixon in regular-season finale
Richlands improved to 9-1 by pounding the Bulldogs and now await their travel location in the 3A playoffs
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
RICHLANDS — It’s still a little hard to fathom, even for football fans who have watched the Richlands football team mow down foes.
The Wildcats beat Dixon last week 41-8 in yet another display of dominance that has head coach Pat Byrd’s team 9-1 heading into the first round of the 3A playoffs next Friday.
That’s not a typo: The same team that has lived in the bottom of its conference for decades can reach the 10-win plateau with a first-round win on the road.
Richlands is traveling because of its lone loss, a 34-14 verdict that gave White Oak (9-1, 5-0) the Coastal Conference crown and the league’s No. 1 seed in the 32-school East bracket.
How far have the Wildcats came under Byrd, a James Kenan graduate, whose father Billy was a coaching icon for the Tigers?
Three seasons ago, Richlands went 0-8.
Since then, the Wildcats have handled Southwest Onslow and Princeton twice, East Duplin and went 12-3 in conference play.
Finding someone who remembers Richlands winning a playoff game is next to impossible.
In fact, the Wildcats didn’t make the playoffs during its best three seasons under Kevin Wilson, when Richands went 32-7 (2001-03).
Byrd, who has 25 seniors on his roster, said the transformation would not be possible without the work of his assistant coaches, which include offensive coordinator Eric Leary and O-lineman coach Shawn Shoulders and defensive coordinator Bill Good and his line coach. Aarace Brooks.
“Coach Good has grown tremendously X and O-wise,” Byrd said. “He built a sound defense around and has always been around these kids in youth leagues.
“Coach Brooks has helped us build the foundation of our team (a line that includes Semaj Thompson, Trey Flanagan, Marcus Branthoover and CJ Marra, who is returning from an injury).”
Leary and Shoulders have used the running and passing talent of quarterback Caleb Simco, senior running back Christian Diaz, wide outs Tyler Clouatre and Lenny Halfter-Hunter and sophomore running back Noah
LeBlanc, the team’s leading rusher and future star.
“It’s all about figuring out what you can get from the talent you have on the roster, and I think both Eric and Shawn have done a great job in that department,” Byrd said. Richlands will likely be opposing a second-place finisher from another conference in the first round.
“Our goal is to win a state playoff game, which was made harder by losing to White Oak,” Byrd said. “We’ll be a 12- to 15-seed and travel. To me, it’s all about us this week as we prepare for an opponent we won’t know until Saturday.”
Simco passes, Diaz runs ’Cats past Dixon
Diaz ran for three scores and Simco had a touchdown pass to Halfter-Hunter as Richlands led 24-8 by halftime, shutting down the Bulldogs in the second half, though Dixon was able to move the ball.
Simco (9-15 for 190 yards) also has a running score from five yards out in the third.
“We got back to being physical, swarming to the football,” Byrd said. “They do a phenomenal job with the single wing, and based on film we had, I think we did as good a job on them as anyone.”
Isaiah Betton also kicked a pair of field goals, an aspect of the game Richlands hasn’t often needed this fall.
“We could have gone for the fourth-and-short plays, but I wanted to give Isaiah an opportunity,” Byrd said. “We could need that later.”
Diaz had scoring runs of 35 and 20 yards in the first half, and Betton belted a 32-yard kick through the uprights.
In the second half, Simco found the 6-foot-6 Halfter-Hunter for a 34 -yard connection, Diaz ran 75 yards for a score and Betton punched home the last score with his foot from 35 yard out.
Tyler Clouatre had three catches for 106 yards and Diaz two nabs for 35 yards. Nate Elbinger’s two catches went for 12 yards.
The top-six RPI teams in order in the 3A East are Havelock (9-1), Seventy-First (10-1), Northern Nash (10-0), Cape Fear (9-1), Jacksonville (8-1) and CB Aycock (10-0). Seventeen schools (half of the 32-team bracket) have two losses or fewer. In addition, powerhouse Scotland County (5-5), Southern Alamance (7-3) and Westover (7-3) are teams no school will want to see in the first round.
There are three unbeaten teams and, including Richlands, seven schools with only one loss and three teams with one loss. Nearly every school in the top 20 have played quality opponents.
EDUARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Eli Harrison ended a long and successful career at HCA last Friday in High Point during a
loss.
ED captain Landen Bond had a key pick-six
THURMAN PARKER
Christian Diaz ran for 148 yards and scored three times in Richlands’ 41-8 win over Dixon.
THURMAN PARKER
’Dawgs, Tigers, Panthers share ECC 2A soccer title
JK sweeps WRH, ED takes two from JK, and WRH tops ED twice resulting in a three-way tie
By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal
WARSAW — Welcome to the ECC soccer exchange, where Duplin County teams have dominated action for about a decade.
There won’t be a sudden victory shootout.
This fall’s special: A threeway tie for first place between Wallace-Rose Hill, James Kenan and East Duplin, all of which finished with 10-2 league marks on Nov. 1, the official end of the regular season.
Here’s how it happened.
WRH beat ED 5-2 on Senior Night in Warsaw where a Bulldogs win would have given the title to the defending champs.
The victory gave the Tigers a sweep of the season series.
Two days earlier, WRH popped ED 4-1, giving the Bulldogs a sweep of that series.
ED got into the equation by sweeping JK.
No other ECC school touched the Duplin threesome as WRH went 18-3-2 and will be the top seed from the league based on its RPI, while JK hits the playoff runway at 14-4 and ED at 136-1.
JK won the title from 2020 to 2022. Next season, the three schools may not be in the same conference as the NCHSAA is undergoing its four-year realignment, which is based on the average daily attendance of more than 420 schools.
Omega tops Zepeda as Tigers roll
The WRH-JK matchup featured a showdown between top strikers Peter Omega and Alex Zepeda.
Omega, a Tigers senior, had a hat trick, while Zepeda, the Duplin Journal’s top-goal producer, had one score.
JK and Omega turned the soccer match into a track meet.
“Yes, I can run fast, and my teammates know how to get me the ball,” Omega said. “They are
from page B1
The win gave the Rebels the No. 2 RPI in the 1A East playoffs, which start Friday, Nov. 15.
A bye week due to Hurricane Helene moved the postseason kickoff from Nov. 7.
The seeds and brackets won’t be official through the NCHSAA until Saturday.
ND and other schools, such as No. 1 Tarboro (9-1), whose only loss was to Havelock, the No. 1 seed in 3A, No. 1 Wilson Prep (9-1) and No. 4 Perquimans, who are getting style points for its 7-3 mark, could all be at home during the first round. Four of 34 schools in 1A are winless, and three others have just one victory this fall. The East and West Regions both have 32-team brackets.
JK’s Peter
very good at that. I have to play smart and run. But Wallace is a good team that can slow it all down.”
That didn’t happen much as Omega raced down both sidelines and the middle throughout the game.
He went end to end for the first score at the 32:29 mark of the first half, passing two defenders and getting an angle on the goalie before firing away to his left.
Omega was relentless and, even when he didn’t score, put pressure on WRH’s defense.
Nine minutes later, Omega took a rebound off Ronald Ramirez’s free kick to double the tally on their rival.
A minute after WRH’s Enil Gomez put the brakes on Omega on a 2-on-1 break.
About six minutes later Zepeda made it 2-1 with his 37th goal of the season.
Omega never stopped his motor, though.
“He has speed, and we play fast,” said JK coach Mitchell Quinn. “A lot went to his side. Robert (Ordones) is super-fast as well and can make plays on his side.
“Our defense was solid and pretty much has been all season,” he added.
Edier Ruiz, Kelbert David, Isias Ruiz and goalie Emil Gomez have played shutdown in the back for JK.
Omega got his third goal via a breakaway, even as Ramirez and Ordones worked spaces around him.
The finals are five days before Christmas.
Corbett throws Wildcats to lead
Hobbton junior quarterback
Joe Corbett fired away for five touchdown passes, hitting on 17 of 29 for 298 yards.
He tossed a touchdown pass to Javonte Johnson and two to Reggie Thompson late into the third and early into the fourth quarter to erase ND’s 15-point edge after Phillips ran 49 yards to pay dirt at the 9:30 mark as the first score of the second half.
Corbett and Johnson got together for a 45-yard score to Thompson to counter the opening score of the game.
ND then marched 71 yards in 10 plays, using Phillips’ 34 -yard
Omega set up Roldan’s score midway through the second half to up the margin to 4-1, though WRH wasn’t backpedaling as much as it was being beaten by the Tigers’ pace.
Ramirez scored inside the box to send it to 5-1.
Chris Mejia notched his 11th goal of the fall with 12:10 to play.
WRH had a goal rejected a few minutes later following an official’s conference.
JK beat WRH 2-0 on Oct. 7 in Teachey.
“They’re a good team and you have to play well to have a chance to beat Wallace,” Quinn said. “I won’t be surprised to see them again in the playoffs. They have good players, and they are well coached.
“It’s always a battle.”
WRH is hosting East Bladen and JK will travel to Swansboro for matches this week. JK was attempting to schedule a match against Richlands. The NCHSAA moved the first round of the playoffs to Nov. 9. The next rounds are on Nov. 12, Nov. 14 and Nov. 16, with the region finals on Dec. 19.
And the most unexpected season belongs to the Panthers, who sandwiched a six-game winning streak between losses to WRH and finished off by beating Southwest Onslow 3-0 on two goals from Yoskar Canales and one via Brayan Mendez. It was the 21st score for Caneles and seventh for Mendez as ED improved to 8-2 in its last 10 matches.
score and conversion to go in front 14-7.
A poor Hobbton punt led to Phillips’ 24-yard touchdown and a two-score lead, that Hobbton made into a 21-13 halftime score when Corbett passed to Thompson for a 51-yard score.
Sideline signals
Vance Carter added 53 yards on 12 totes and fullback Bryan Zambrano had 19. Phillips remains atop of the Duplin Journal leaderboard in yards (1,468) and touchdowns (28). It was his second five-touchdown day. He had five during a 50-8 opening-night win over Southside-Chocowinity. The 6-foot, 160-pound junior had four vs. No. 6 Lakewood and at least two every game, sans a 21-9 vic -
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED
BY BILL CARONE
Bill Carone
Carell Phillips
North Duplin, football
Carell Phillips scored five touchdowns, four via rushing and one from an 80-yard kickoff return, to lead North Duplin to a 34-31 win over Hobbton. The junior ran for 266 yards and scored the winning touchdown with less than a minute to play. Phillips leads the Duplin Journal area in rushing (154-1,468) and TDs (25).’
The win over the Wildcats helped ND (9-0) win a Carolina 1A Conference championship. They will likely be the No. 2 seed in the East in the postseason. The opening round is Nov. 14.
tory over No. 9 Northside-Pinetown, when he scored once.
ND won its first outright CC title since 2017 when the Rebels marched to the 1A finals at NC State only to fall to Cherokee 21-13, its lone loss of the season. ND coach Hugh Martin logged his 147th win of his career, 121 of which have come as the coach of his alma mater. Martin passed Richard Kaleel (113-77-5 from 1956-74) earlier this season as the Rebel’s second-winningest coach to Ken Avent Sr. (172-105 from 1975-99). Ken Avent Jr. (2000 - 04) and brother John Bert (2003 - 05) are the other football coaches ND has had since it started its program in 1955 under Eldon Thornton, who coached just five games before Kaleel took over the following season.
EDUARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
EDUARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Omega slips a shot past WRH’s Josthin Alvarado during his three-goal match that led to a 5-2 win.
REBELS
EDUARDO PUAC FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Lucas Dail, left, has an end-zone party with Carell Phillips following a touchdown.
PREP FOOTBALL
Vance Carter (ND) 95-460 5
Jamari Carr (WRH) 57-421 6
Imir Sanders (JK) 44-403 2
Christian Diaz (R) 57-452 8
J’Kaeshi Brunson (HCA) 65-320 4 Bryan Zambrano (ND) 56-308
Stukes (ED) 45-248
Shaw (WRH) 12-106
Turnage (ND) 11-103
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY
FILE#2023E000183
The undersigned, BERLINE DELVA, having qualified on the 4TH DAY of AUGUST, 2023, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of SOLADEAN YDUD DIXON, 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 15TH Day of JANUARY 2024, 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 17th Day of OCTOBER 2024. BERLINE DELVA, ADMINISTRATOR 2806 MCLAIN ST APT.A GOLDSBORO, NC 27534 Run dates: O17,24,31,N7P
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
game,” said WRH coach Kevin Motsinger, who is now 10-0 against JK, which has lost the last 12 rivalry games.
It tied both teams atop the ECC standings and moved both dramatically in terms where they will start in the 2A playoffs, which start Nov. 14.
“I felt other than two drives our kids’ strength showed up on the defensive end,” Motsinger said. “Defensively, we were where we were supposed to be most of the time, had our eyes looking in the right places and tackled well.”
Motsinger, the defensive coordinator, said his unit was resilient and made adjustments against a good offensive JK team.
“They switched back and forth from gun to super power and double tight stuff, making it really hard on us,” he said. “Our Band of Brothers did their jobs and were their brother’s keeper. We made mistakes but did them at full speed, the way things happen to you in real life.”
They carried the defending champ Bulldogs (7-3, 5-1) to the No. 5 seed in the East among 2A schools and dropped the Tigers (9-1, 5-1) to a playoff seed that is no better than No. 12. They will enter a wide-open 32-team bracket with as good as chance as any school, though the work will have to be done on the road.
WRH’s defense gave up an average of 14 points in wins over Kinston, ED and JK. And any team that has that kind of guard can afford to score just 17.3 points per game.
The ’Dawgs defense has allowed two touchdowns or less in every win this season, sans an 18-15 upset loss to North Lenoir.
While a bitter pill to swallow, a co-championship is as close as JK has been in more than a decade.
But the sun will rise on a good team when the lights go on during the first round. JK and East Duplin (5-5, 3-3) are among the seeds that will shock a higher-seeded school not prepared for Duplin-style football.
Two touchdowns and a whole lotta defense
A packed house at the Jack Holley Football Complex was treated early to big hits in the middle of the line, sacks and an all-out war in the trenches.
flected pass on fourth-and-4 stopped the Tigers.
WRH got to the JK 16 via Lamb (14-111) and Brown (28-141, 2 TDs) who were forced to earn every yard, often by taking a hard hit by one or more Tigers, including middle linebacker Hassan Kornegay and Ty Morrisey.
Early in the second quarter, WRH went on a 10-play, 53-yard scoring march that was signaled by a long run from Brown that was called back because of an off-the-ball penalty.
Lamb made up for it on the next play by pushing for 14 yards and had another first-down run later after Brown had a stick-moving run. Lamb took it to the JK 5 and Brown hit pay dirt from the 4 two plays later.
But the Bulldogs held off a late Tigers push in the final 48 seconds.
Hall started it with a 35-yard dash, but a sack by Smith put JK in a little bind, which was fixed when Avent hit Zeleya for a jump-ball gain to the WRH 16.
Two incomplete passes and a missed field goal with 4.3 second to play in the half kept WRH with a two-score lead.
Allen and Moses came up with huge defensive stops on three plays on JK’s first possession in the third quarter.
WRH chewed 7:03 off the clock during an 11-play drive that ended on the 21 with a missed field goal. Brown had an 11-yard run of third-and-11 and a first down on fourth-and-1 from the 26 but got stopped on third-and-9 from the 22.
JK’s worst decision came six plays later when it was shut down on fourth-and-3 from its own 37 on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Brown and Lamb ripped off runs of 15 and 12 yards, respectively, and in seven plays WRH got to the 6 but faced a third-and-5 hole.
2:59 to play.
Nine plays later, it was a three-point game, and the Tigers needed a miracle. An out-of-bounds kickoff took that away, and WRH went into the victory poise formation.
Gridiron notebook
WRH leads the all-time series 47-28, and in fact leads nearly every team it faces, a success that puts a bull’s-eye on the backs of the Bulldogs.
“Everyone picks us to lose on social media and elsewhere, even our people,” said Motsinger, who revived the Tigers program during three seasons (2003-05) with a 24-14 record before leaving for a nine-year stay 4A New Hanover, where he went 71-43.
“But these kids relax while everyone else was telling them they were going to get a whacked. Our kids defined Wallace-Rose Hill football, and the tree that starts with Jack Holley and includes Joey Price, Stu Innis, Battle (Holley) and everyone else, long before Kevin Motsinger.” Motsinger said he’s resting on Nick Saban’s statement about staying on top.
“He says, ‘It’s easier to get to the mountain than to stay on top, and when you’ve been here as long as we have. We are the mountain,’” he said. “Nobody believes me, but we’re everyone’s Super Bowl.”
Lamb, who had his seventh 100-plus yard game, upped his rushing total to 1,137 yards. Brown got his fifth and has 984 and a team-high 12 touchdowns. Both play key roles in the secondary. Mitchell has carried the ball 57 times for 530 yards, while Hall has 698 yards in 68 carries. They have combined for 11 touchdowns.
Peria Fuentes, who missed time because of an injury he got playing on the WRH soccer team, zipped a straight bullet through the uprights.
The Tigers’ last win over WRH came in 2015, a 33-15 win that the Bulldogs reversed 29-13 in the 1AA East Region final. TITLE from page B1
A Hall sack ended WRH’s first possession. JK then picked up a first down at midfield on fourth-and-2 with an 11-yard tote by Mitchell. Hall had a 19 -yard jaunt and Tyquise Wlson a catch as JK took the ball to the WRH 9 before a de-
NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE#2024E-000430 The undersigned, BRAXTAN JAMES AND MARY MICAL, having qualified on the 4TH DAY of OCTOBER, 2024, as CO-ADMINISTRATORS of the Estate of DAVID BRYON MICAL, 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 15TH Day of JANUARY 2024, 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 17th Day of OCTOBER 2024. BRAXTAN JAMES, CO-ADMINISTRATOR 109 SR-682 THE PLAINS, OH 45780 Run dates: O17,24,31,N7P
JK was seeking its first ECC title since 1991 — though it grabbed eight crowns in other conferences from 1997 through 2016.
JK needed seven offensive snaps to score to cut it to 17-7. The Tigers and a false start setback forced WRH to punt with
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF DUPLIN
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, SUSAN BASDEN, having qualified as EXECUTOR of the Estate of CHARLES MOORE, Deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said CHARLES MOORE, at the address set out below, on or before January 11, 2025, or this notice may be pleaded in bar of any payment or recovery of same. All persons indebted to said Decedent will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the address set out below. This the 17h day of October, 2024. SUSAN BASDEN EXECUTORS OF THE ESTATE OF SUSAN BASDEN c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405
NOTICE TO CREDITORS PUBLIC NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE# - 2024 E 000378 Having qualified as Administrator of the estate of John Wesley Sanders, Jr, late of Duplin County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them
NOTICE OF SCHEDULES, STANDARDS AND RULES AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR REVALUATION OF ALL REAL PROPERTY EFFECTIVE 2025
Notice is hereby given that on November 4, 2024 the Duplin County Tax Administrator submitted to the Duplin County Board of Commissioners the proposed true value and present-use value schedules, standards and rules to be used in the 2025 revaluation for the real property in Duplin County.
Notice is further given that a copy of the said proposed true value and present-use value schedules, standards and rules was filed in the office of the Duplin county Tax Department, 117 Beasley Street, Kenansville, NC 28349, on November 4, 2024 where said proposed schedules, standards and rules are available for public inspection.
Notice is further given that on Monday, November 18, 2024, at 6:00 pm the Duplin County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on said proposed schedules, standards and rules. All interested citizens are invited to be present and comment on said proposed schedules, standards and rules, if they desire to be heard. Said public hearing will be held in the Duplin County Administration Building 224 Seminary Street, Kenansville, NC 28349.
Notice is further given that the final schedules, standards and rules will not be adopted by the Duplin County Board of Commissioners until at least seven days after the public hearing herein referred to.
WRH’s Irving Brown scored both touchdowns for the Bulldogs.
WARD-BROWN / DUPLIN JOURNAL
obituaries
Garland Wade Burke
Nov. 9, 1951 – Oct. 27, 2024
Garland Wade Burke, 72, passed away Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 at home. He was born Nov. 9, 1951 to the late Willie Garland Burke and Oleta Joyce Carter Burke Fields. He was an avid hunter and fisherman who loved to be outdoors and tell tall tales about his expeditions. When he was not working, you could find him at home in the yard messing with something. He also served as a member of Warsaw Fire and Rescue for several years.
A memorial service was held on Friday Nov. 1, 2024 at Remnant Community Church in Wallace, with visitation following the service. The church is located at 401 N. Norwood St., Wallace, NC 28466.
Mr Burke is survived by his wife, Sarah Suzette Burke of the home; daughter, Nancy A Murray and husband Brandon of Wallace; son, Johnathan Wade Burke and wife Shenna of Warsaw; grandchildren, Madison Nicole Pogue of Chapel Hill, Emily Michelle Ellis and husband Blake of Wallace, Hope Marie Burke of Warsaw, Chloe Danielle Burke of Warsaw, and Johnny Quinton Murray of Wallace. He is also survived by his brother Jimmy Robert Burke and wife Jeannette of Clinton, as well as several nieces and other family members.
Mr Burke was preceded in death by his father, Willie Garland Burke, his mother Oleta Joyce Carter Burke Fields, his ste-father Dennie Fields, and his sister Odell Joyce Burke Tadlock Luxich.
In lieu of flowers, memorials maybe made to Remnant Community Church, 401 N. Norwood St., Wallace, N.C. 28466.
Lawrence Tramaine Marible
Aug. 12, 1975 - Oct. 26, 2024
Lawrence Tramaine Marible 49, of Turkey humbly submitted all his cares to the will of God on Oct. 26, 2024 at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center of Fayetteville. The funeral service was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 at Mt. Carmel Church of Christ, Clinton. Visitation was held one hour prior to the service. Interment followed in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Clinton.
Sharon Denise Reddish
Aug. 5, 1986 – Oct. 27, 2024
Sharon Denise Reddish, 38, of Warsaw entered into eternal rest on Oct. 27, 2024 at ECU Duplin Hospital, Kenansville. Visitation was Nov. 3, 2024 at Hawes Funeral Home Chapel. Memorial services will be announced at a later date.
Joel Otto Kimery
Nov. 15, 1931 – Oct. 23, 2024
Joel Otto Kimery, 92, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 at Savannah Court and Cottages in Oviedo, Florida.
Joel was born Nov. 15, 1931 and graduated at the age of 16 from Norwood High School in June 1948. He was sworn into the US Navy in November 1948 in Charlotte. Serving his time on two ships, the USS Jackson APA18 and the USS Dixie, where his spent the majority of his time. Joel was discharged from the Navy in November 1952 in San Diego, California, serving a few days shy of four years. After his service in the US Navy, Joel when on to pursue a degree in Geological Engineering at NC State University and graduated in June of 1958 with honors. He married his beloved Carolyn on March 14, 1964. He and Carolyn would spend the majority of their lives together traveling the world as Joel pursued his career but they made their home in Florida. Joel leaves behind his beloved wife, Carolyn Jones Kimery and son, Robert “Bobby” Kimery both of Oveida, Florida.
A graveside service was held Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in Devotional Gardens, Warsaw.
Joseph Shawn Williams
June 12, 1983 – Oct. 29, 2024
Joseph Shawn Williams, 41, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at his home.
Funeral service, followed by visitation, was Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 at Community Funeral Home, in Beulaville. Interment will be private. Survivors include: spouse, Holly Williams of Wallace; mother, Dorothy Brown Cotter of Wallace; son, Zackary Williams of Wallace; daughter, Raylynn Williams of Wallace; brother, Michael David Williams of Wallace.
Brenda Taft Cain
June 27, 1944 – Nov. 2, 2024
Brenda Michelle Taft Cain, 80, died early Saturday morning at ECU Health Duplin. She is survived by her loving husband, Bennie Cain of the home; her daughter, Belinda C. Sessoms and her husband Matt of Faison; her two sons, Chris Cain, and Scott Cain and his wife Cynthia, all of Alabama. Brenda is also survived by her grandchildren, whom she adored: Ashley Britt and husband Sam, Alli Cain and fiancee’ Marcos Camp, Hannah Bright and husband Matt, Josh Cain and his wife Tammy, Joey Cain, and Kyle Sutton; and 11 greatgrandchildren; and a sister, Cynthia Cochren and husband Bobby of Alabama. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilson and Calla Jackson Taft; a sister, Frances Cain, and a brother, Steve Taft. The family welcomes visitors at the home of Mr. Benny in Faison, and will remember Brenda in a private service to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be directed to her church; Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church and designate on the donation for “Helene Relief” to assist in the church’s food truck.
James Madison Myers II
June 13, 1941 – Oct. 30, 2024
James Madison Myers II of Garner, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, while at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh. Born on June 13, 1941, he is the son of the late James Madison Myers I and Mildred Kathleen Rowe Myers Best. Left to cherish his memory are his sons, James Madison Myers III and wife Veronica of Wilmington and Mark Edwin Myers and wife Emily of Wallace; grandchildren, Madison Leigh Myers, Gian Lukus Myers, Mason Bentley Christopher, Maximus George Matrakas, and Eliana Jo Matrakas; and sister, Linda Simmons of Raleigh.
Mr. Myers was born in New Hanover County where he spent his early childhood.
After graduation from UNC Wilmington, he then received his master’s degree in business administration from Campbell University. A great portion of his work career was in banking as an executive director and afterwards in the community college system at Wake Community College. Military service led him to three years in the US Army, three years in the Army Reserve and 16 years in the North Carolina National Guard. During the army enlistment, he was in the U.S. Special Forces as a Green Beret in the 101st Airborne Division, 187th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and 30th Infantry Regiment. He enjoyed hunting in his time away from work and enjoyed fishing and surfing at Carolina Beach, where he was a lifeguard. He was very proficient in woodworking, building ships, and hand-making furniture.
Warsaw’s VFW memorial service honors veterans past, present
Guest speaker highlights the importance of preserving the legacy of the nation’s veterans
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
WARSAW — Last Saturday, before the official start of the 104th Veterans Day Parade in Warsaw, approximately 25 area veterans, residents and community leaders gathered at the Veterans Park on Railroad Street for the Veterans of Foreign Wars memorial service.
“Today is a day for every citizen to remember and honor the sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. Those who fought during the time of war and those who fought to maintain peace,” said Alice Wilson with VFW Auxiliary 9810 in Warsaw. “The sacrifices and accomplishments made by today’s generation of patriots are many, and their dedication to our way of life and the values our country was founded upon serve as a reminder that tyranny and evil will never prevail.”
Wilson emphasized the importance of keeping the legacy of our nation’s veterans alive to inspire future generations to celebrate the unity, courage, bravery and shared purpose that make up the strength of a free country.
“Veterans Day holds a special place in my heart as it does for all who have worn the uniform of this great nation,” said Wilson.
“It is a day that reminds us of the commitment we made to defend the principles of freedom, liber-
ty and justice. It is a day when we reflect on the time spent away from home, the bonds that we formed with our brothers and sisters in arms, and the sacrifices made on both our native and foreign shores to protect the Amer-
ican way of life and to aid those striving to safeguard their own freedoms.”
Wilson encouraged other veterans to share their experiences, educate future generations about the American spirit, and
A veteran’s journey back-to-school
Duplin Journal staff
JANAEI FARGO grew up in a family of seven children. Raised by a lifelong missionary mother, she was profoundly influenced by her experiences, which gave her the early exposure to service that shaped her life. At age 25, she joined the Air Force Reserves, where she served for nearly two decades. Fargo, a University of Mount Olive student, is the subject matter expert for the 916th Air Refueling Wing and interim base training manager at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro.
“Her next big mission is transitioning to civilian life,” said a UMO news release. “Balancing a demanding career, personal life, and education has been challenging for Fargo, but her determination keeps her focused.”
Fargo acknowledges that managing her education alongside her career has been difficult.
“I definitely don’t have a lot of
free time, but I have a goal, and I will achieve it,” said Fargo, emphasizing that education is incredibly important to her and something that can never be taken away.
“Her achievements demonstrate her commitment to excellence and her ability to excel in various roles,” wrote UMO about Fargo, who was named Civilian of the Quarter twice and Senior Civilian of the Quarter for FY 23 and FY 24, according to the news release.
The Air Force veteran is set to graduate in December 2025 with a human resources degree. Reflecting on her journey, Fargo said she looks forward to celebrating her graduation with her family, who will travel to North Carolina next year to witness her success.
“Her journey from Rochester, NY, to Goldsboro, NC, and from the Air Force to the classroom is a testament to her resilience and determination to build a bright future. Her journey back to college is not just about earning a degree but about fulfilling a lifelong commitment to learning and serving others,” wrote UMO.
remind the nation that Veterans Day is an opportunity to remember that despite different beliefs and lifestyles, our desire for a better life has always united Americans.
“Every veteran that has proudly worn the uniform of our nation has served alongside countless individuals from different backgrounds who may even have had opposing viewpoints or opinions, and yet all veterans put aside those differences to focus on the intrinsic values of freedom and liberty, and that’s what brings us together,” said Wilson.
Rudolf Beckton, a veteran of the Korean War, played Taps. At the same time, everyone in attendance placed their hands over their hearts to honor the memory and bravery of members from all five branches of the military who lost their lives in service.
Beckton was drafted into the military when he was only 18 and served in the Army infantry for two years.
“I was in Korea in 1956,” Beckton told Duplin Journal, adding that he was also stationed in Japan and later was sent to Fort Bragg, now known as Fort Liberty. Beckton was discharged from Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, where he completed his service.
“Let us remember what our veterans do for us and the past and what our soldiers are doing for us now, and let us continue to pray for not just them but their families while they are apart from them and as the mayor and members of the board we thank God for our soldiers of all branches,” said Warsaw Mayor A.J. Connors, who was also in attendance at the memorial service.
The UMO student is preparing to transition into civilian life
COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT OLIVE
Janaei Fargo is preparing for her transition into civilian life. She is a student at University of Mount Olive pursuing a degree in Human Resources.
ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
With their hands over their hearts, attendees of the VFW memorial service reflect on the sacrifices and bravery of members from all five branches of the military who lost their lives in the line of duty.
PHOTOS BY ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Left, approximately 25 people gathered at the Veterans Park last Saturday to honor the sacrifice of the nation’s veterans at the Veterans of Foreign Wars memorial service. Right, Alice Wilson with VFW Auxiliary 9810 in Warsaw highlighted the importance of preserving the legacy of our nation’s veterans during a heartfelt speech at the VFW memorial service in Warsaw on Saturday, Nov. 2.