VOLUME 9 ISSUE 21 | THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2024
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Authorities investigate second death at Warsaw motel Two people are suspected to have died of an overdose at Relax Inn By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WARSAW — The Relax Inn located at 509 N. Pine St. in Warsaw has been a topic of concern for Warsaw residents and public officials alike due to nuisance and criminal activity.
From this January through June, Duplin County 911 Communications received 63 calls for assistance including medical and law enforcement to be dispatched to the Relax Inn. Commissioner Jack Hawes brought up his concerns to Warsaw Police Chief Patrick Giddeons during the Warsaw town hall meeting on July 8. “You’ve had another person who died at that hotel. … What are we going to start doing to start putting pressure on that owner?” Hawes
asked Giddeons. “I think his negligence is getting too far.” Giddeons explained that due to the nature of the investigation involving an overdose at the Relax Inn, he was not able to provide further details at that moment, but reassured the commissioners that he would bring them up to date over the following week. Giddeons told Duplin Journal that a woman recently died on the premises.
“You’ve had another person who died at that hotel. … I think his negligence is getting too far.” Commissioner Jack Hawes
See DEATH, page 3
the
Wallace joins Main Street initiative
BRIEF this week
Duplin County Detention Center groundbreaking set for July 22
The Wallace Town Council also discussed festivals and a bike/pedestrian plan
Kenansville Duplin County will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the Duplin County Detention Center on July 22 at 9 a.m. at 325 Fairgrounds Dr. in Kenansville as they begin construction of the new facility.
U.S. 117 north of Teachey to close temporarily for drainage improvements starting on July 22 Duplin County The N.C. Department of Transportation announced the temporary closure of U.S. 117, north of Teachey beginning July 22 to replace a crossline pipe underneath U.S. 117. The road is expected to reopen by the end of July. Detour signs will send drivers onto Charity Road, Interstate 40, N.C. 11 and N.C. 41. NC DOT is asking drivers to be mindful of the longer commute while using the detour, and to be cautious near the work site.
JSCC to hold smart farm ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 29 Warsaw James Sprunt Community College will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the hydroponic smart farm on July 29 at 10 a.m. The smart farm at the Westpark Campus is located at 946 Penny Branch Rd. in Warsaw.
Free healthy food distribution Duplin County Mt. Calvary Center for Leadership Development in partnership with Tate Farm by the Pond is offering free locally grown produce from their community garden every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon at their Wallace office located at 414 N. Norwood St. Produce is free to the community, while supplies last. Please call 910-665-1352, for more information. People needing to request a produce basket for delivery can do so online at mcleadership.org/ community-garden by filling out the form.
By Abby Cavenaugh Duplin Journal
ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL
A red pickup truck is removed from the scene of an accident on I-40 near the 382-mile marker on July 11. Rescue crews had to remove the top of the vehicle to extricate the patient.
I-40 accident near Wallace sends man in critical condition to hospital A firefighter was injured while trying to extricate the man from the vehicle By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal A MAN WAS rescued last week after Fire and EMS units responded to a call at approximately 7:30 a.m. on July 11, requesting help for an overturned vehicle with a person pinned inside. The accident occurred on I-40 westbound lane near the 382-mile marker during a heavy downpour. The driver of the red pickup truck ran off the road and struck a tree. Units working on the patient extrication had to remove the top of the pickup truck to rescue the man. “It was a prolonged extrica-
tion due to the way the vehicle came to rest on its side in the wood line,” Brandon McMahon, Emergency Medical Services director, told Duplin Journal, adding that the extrication of the patient took approximately one hour. The patient was transported to ECU Health Duplin Hospital and later transferred to ECU Medical Center in Greenville. He is in critical condition. “It was raining terribly hard when we were called,” Rose Hill Fire Chief Gary Boney told Duplin Journal. During the rescue, a firefighter was injured while trying to extricate the patient from the vehicle. The firefighter received an electrical jolt when lightning struck the downed fence he was touching. He was wearing protective equipment at the time he was injured.
“It was a prolonged extrication due to the way the vehicle came to rest on its side in the wood line.” Brandon McMahon, Emergency Medical Services director “Lightning struck away from us on that fence and it ran the fence. He felt it in his hand,” Boney told Duplin Journal, adding that the firefighter went to the hospital to get checked and he is doing fine. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol there is an ongoing investigation.
WALLACE — Members of the Wallace Town Council and Mayor Jason Wells asked only, “Where do we sign up?” after a presentation by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Main Street Initiative and Rural Planning Program during the monthly meeting on July 11. Samantha Darlington, community economic development planner, explained that the initiative works all over the state with towns, cities and communities to help with strategic planning and historic preservation. “Our whole goal is to help communities prepare for economic growth,” Darlington said. The Main Street Initiative provides strategic planning services, implementation services, technical support, and training and education. “Economic development happens intentionally,” Darlington said. “It is not something that happens by accident. Because of that, we want to be intentional in how you are growing by creating a plan. These plans are not something you put on a shelf and you never touch it.” She further explained that working with Main Street helps towns and communities see their goals, tasks and action items come to fruition. In addition to helping foster growth, the planning can also See WALLACE, page 3
Warsaw approves resolution for street dedication A Warsaw resident asked for committees to be implemented so people can get involved in improving the town By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WARSAW — The Town of Warsaw held their monthly meeting on July 8. After the approval of the consent agenda, Mayor A.J. Connors swore in Commissioner Al Searles. He will fill the vacant seat left by the late Commissioner Russell Eason until the 2025 municipal election. Warsaw residents Christine Dewitt and Marzella Morrisey signed up for public comment. Dewitt addressed the board about code enforcement. She said it was good the town is looking to hire a code enforcement officer and asked the
board that the businesses in town be held to the same standards as residents are when it comes to code enforcement. Morrisey expressed her disapproval for how the town’s budget was handled, stating that she felt the citizen’s opinions were not considered. “You did not allow any citizens’ input. ... It was as though we didn’t exist,” said Morrisey. “We are citizens of Warsaw, Duplin County, North Carolina, but we were not allowed ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL to ask for a dollar to improve anything. You made it so we Christine Dewitt, a Warsaw resident who signed up for public couldn’t speak during the bud- comment, asked the board that businesses be held to the same get, that we could only speak standards as residents are when code is enforced. at the end once you had made a decision.” Morrisey also reiterated mittees — a subject that has her request to establish com- been brought up at about every mittees so the people of War- town hall meeting for several saw can get actively involved months. Morrisey shared she is in helping the board improve aware that commissioners have the town. Morrisey has been other responsibilities in adpersistent in her desire for the board to establish com- See WARSAW, page 6
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