VOLUME 10 ISSUE 18 | THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2025
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Suspect in deadly hit-and-run identified Beulaville A Sanford man has been identified as the suspect in a fatal hit-and-run last Saturday. Court documents obtained by Duplin Journal revealed that an arrest warrant for Bryan Lawrence Cox, 41, was issued June 23 in connection with the death of 25-year-old Noah Garret Inman. Cox was subsequently arrested and charged with felony hit-and-run resulting in the death of Inman. Additionally, Cox faces charges for failing to report the accident and has been placed on a $25,000 secured bond. The warrant states the accident caused property damage to a 2019 Ford F-350 truck, amounting to $1,000 or more. According to authorities, Inman’s body was discovered in a ditch Monday morning after a postal worker alerted the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office of a man laying along N.C. 24.
Boil water advisory in effect for Magnolia Magnolia A boil water advisory is currently in effect in Magnolia after a fire hydrant was struck June 19, causing the town’s water tank to empty completely. The situation has prompted the implementation of emergency protocols, including the advisory, to ensure public safety. As of press time, the advisory remained in effect. Mayor Dawn Ward emphasized that the precaution is necessary to prevent health risks from potential water contamination. She also noted that the advisory will remain in place until the town receives official clearance from the state confirming that the water is safe to drink.
Two killed in head-on collision Pink Hill Two people were killed last week in a headon vehicle collision on Highway 111. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Nathaniel Sullivan, 21, of Kenansville, was traveling north near N.C. 903 on the evening of June 9 at a high rate of speed when he crossed the centerline and struck a vehicle driven by 50-year-old Odilon Velasquez-Lopez. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in Velasquez-Lopez’s vehicle sustained serious injuries.
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Juneteenth takes center stage in first countywide celebration Attendees at the Duplin County Juneteenth Celebration stand as Mya Sloan sings “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on Friday at the Duplin Events Center in Kenansville. The song became known as the black national anthem during the Civil Rights Movement. Juneteenth featured local and national talent, including comedian Charles Pickett, DJ Jsmooth, actress Christianee Porter and musical performer 803 Fresh. Turn to page A6 for more.
Damaged utility poles prompt public outcry After a year of inaction, Duke Energy stepped in to remove hazardous poles By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal WALLACE — A few Wallace-area residents used social media recently to discuss their concerns over damaged utility
Site work underway for new $3M shell building Duplin County aims to attract industry with a new high-ceiling shell facility at Wallace’s industrial park By Curt Simpson For Duplin Journal WALLACE — Trees are already coming down and earth is being moved on a 5-acre parcel of land in a Wallace’s industrial park. The work is being done to make room for what economic development officials hope
will be Duplin County’s next big business. An affirmative zoning vote from the Wallace Town Council on June 12 cleared the final hurdle for the project to begin. Duplin County Economic Development Director Scotty Summerlin requested the variance to allow smaller side set-
other distraction, by the way.” Those concerned about the utility poles noted that at least one of them, beside the rear parking lot of Piggly Wiggly near the corner of West Southerland Street and North College Street, was damaged in an accident that occurred more than a year ago.
backs on the county-owned property in the SouthPark Business and Industry Center. The move makes room for the new building. It was unanimously approved. Summerlin said Friday that the 50,000-square-foot building at 160 SouthPark Drive will be attractive to industries looking for a place to do business. The building’s 30-foot clear-span ceiling height means the building can be used in many ways. “The attractive shell building will be partially completed inside in order to be finished to meet the future owner’s specific needs,” Summerlin said. “All the strong bones will be in place to be built upon for complete cus-
tomization. Water, wastewater, electricity and data are all in place at SouthPark and ready to be extended to the building with relative ease.” The shell building will cost approximately $3 million, and it’s made possible by a state-directed grant from the legislature, he said. Daniels and Daniels Construction, a company based in Goldsboro, will be building the facility and local subcontractors will also be used. “Clearing and early site work is underway,” Summerlin said. “We expect the first phase of the shell building to be complete and ready for upfit in January
Commissioners tackle road safety, pass FY 2025-26 budget without tax hike “When they finish cutting it, some of that debris, heavy chunks of that grass, is blown back into the highway.” A.J. Connors, Warsaw mayor
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poles in the area that appear to be dangerous. Two postings on the Nextdoor app said people had spoken with Duke Energy and town officials, but those contacts had yet to result in any action. Duplin Journal reached out to
Duke Energy spokesperson Logan Stewart, who investigated the issue and contacted the company’s local team. “Both of the poles that were damaged were the result of traffic accidents,” Stewart said. “Those types of accidents happen to be the No. 1 cause of power outages in the state, mainly from drivers texting while driving or some
Officials cited hazards from uncleaned mowing debris; the budget includes capital upgrades By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — Concerns about hazardous road conditions and infrastructure needs took center stage on June 16 as county commissioners met to approve the FY 2025–26 budget. One significant concern raised was the accumulation of grass clippings on roadways after state-contracted mowing. Mayor A.J. Connors voiced the dangers posed by thick grass left on highways,
especially after rainfall, which can make roads slippery and hazardous. “I know the DOT contracts individuals to cut the grass on the side of the road, but by the time they come to cut, that grass is tremendously high, and when they finish cutting it, some of that debris — heavy chunks of that grass — is blown back into the highway. Yet they do not have a sweeper behind them to blow it off,” Connors explained. He specifically noted that contractors often leave grass debris on the pavement, particularly on Carrolls Road near Highway 24, instead of blowing it onto the shoulder. See BOARD, page A2
See UTILITY, page A5
See INDUSTRIAL, page A2