VOLUME 9 ISSUE 47 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2025
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Mount Olive dismisses town manager The Mount Olive town board held a closed session meeting on Monday night after which they voted 3-2 to dismiss Town Manager Jammie Royall. Glenn Holland, the town’s superintendent of utilities, was named interim town manager. See the full story on duplinjournal.com and in next week’s edition.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance Duplin County Duplin County offices will be closed Jan. 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Town of Magnolia reopens land use community survey Magnolia The Town of Magnolia has announced that they will reopen their Land Use Plan Community Survey through the first week of February to give Magnolia residents another opportunity to share their thoughts on the town’s growth and development. More than 40 Magnolia residents have already shared their perspectives. Don’t miss your chance to make your voice heard. This 18-question survey takes just a few minutes to complete.
Public invited to participate in dinner theater fundraiser Pink Hill Sandy Plain Church will host a Hee Haw Dinner Theater fundraiser for Lesser Ministries in the church gym on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. The church is located at 945 N.C. 241 in Pink Hill. There is no entrance fee, but donations will be accepted. Dinner starts at 6 p.m., and the show begins at 6:45 p.m. Registration is required. There will be a sign-up sheet at the church foyer.
Community gathering seeks to engage public in open discussions Warsaw Join the Town of Warsaw Community Gathering on Feb. 27 at the Warsaw Park and Rec Center on 309 Memorial Drive at 6 p.m. This is your opportunity to ask questions, share suggestions and meet with local leaders, elected officials, town employees, law enforcement, first responders and community organizations. Enjoy light refreshments and engage in open discussions.
ABBY CAVENAUGH / DUPLIN JOURNAL
Melissa Stevens sworn in as district court judge Melissa Stevens, who has practiced law in Duplin County for more than 30 years, was sworn in as the newest district court judge on Friday. Her husband Henry L. Stevens IV, a superior court judge, administered the oath during a ceremony at the courthouse in Kenansville. See the full story on Page A3.
Warsaw fined $19.7K for wastewater violations In the last 13 months, the WWTP has been fined more than $65,000 By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal WARSAW — On Jan. 8, the town of Warsaw was issued two notices of violation and assessment of civil penalties totalling $19,712.02 in fines for infractions at the Warsaw Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) . The first notice outlines a fine of $12,113.51 for 10 violations incurred last year from Aug. 17-31. During this period, the facility exceeded the weekly biochemical oxygen demand by 73% and the monthly average BOD by 13.8%. The WWTP recorded excessive levels of fecal coliform, exceeding three weekly thresholds by 505%, 505% and 441%, and the monthly geometric mean for fecal coliform by 620%. The notice also indicated violations of two weekly ammonia nitrogen standards by 42% and 198%, with the monthly average ammonia nitrogen exceeding limits by 205%. Furthermore, the facil-
The 40-mile project is targeted to cost roughly $750,000 By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — Cleanup of the Northeast Cape Fear River and its tributaries began last week at the Duplin/Pender County line and will cover approximately 40 miles.
The 21-year-old is currently being held at Duplin County Jail on a $250,000 secured bond
WARSAW — Darwin Solorzano Donaire, 21, was arrested on Jan. 7 following a search warrant in connection with an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation executed by the Warsaw Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security investigators. The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip via Instagram and obtained a search warrant. According to authorities,
during the search, detectives found that Donaire had been viewing, screen recording and sharing child sexual abuse material through Instagram Messenger. Multiple electronic devices were confiscated for further forensic analysis. Donaire has been charged with two felony counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and two felony counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He is currently being held at Duplin County Jail on a $250,000 secured bond. This investigation marks the Warsaw Police Department’s first operation as part of the ICAC Task Force and underscores the department’s commitment to protecting the community’s most vulnerable members.
The cleanup project was approved last year after Tropical Storm Debby reignited flooding concerns. The Board of County Commissioners appropriated $1.25 million to Soil and Water for storm debris removal in sections one through six of the river as a protective measure, declaring the debris and siltation in the river a public emergency. See RIVER, page A2
COURTESY DUPLIN COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION
See VIOLATIONS, page A6
Man charged with 4 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
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ity exceeded the monthly flow limit by 3%. The second notice details four violations incurred last year from Sept. 7-30 totalling $7,598.51. This document indicates that the facility exceeded the monthly average BOD by 5%, three weekly fecal coliform thresholds by 18%, 103%, and 505%, the monthly geometric mean for fecal coliform by 20%, and the monthly average ammonia nitrogen by 21%. According to the National Library of Medicine, high levels of fecal coliform in wastewater effluents indicate the potential presence of disease-causing pathogens. Poor-quality effluents can expose downstream users to waterborne diseases, which may enter the body through the mouth, nose, ears or cuts in the skin and increase the risk of illnesses such as hepatitis, gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, dysentery and ear infections. The documents noted that while the extent of harm has not been quantified, the summer Instream Waste Concentration was estimated at 92.2%. This metric is used
Northeast Cape Fear River cleanout begins
COURTESY PHOTO
Donaire
A yellow CAT performs river cleanup operations at the Duplin/ Pender County line as part of a cleanout project extending over six sections of the Northeast Cape Fear River and three creeks.