VOLUME 10 ISSUE 42 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2025
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
the
BRIEF this week
Abner Phillips Road closed for bridge maintenance Warsaw The North Carolina Department of Transportation has temporarily closed a section of Abner Phillips Road for bridge maintenance over Grove Creek. The road is expected to reopen by 5 p.m. on Dec. 15, weather permitting. Local traffic may use a detour via Abner Phillips Road to West Ward’s Bridge Road and then to N.C. 50.
Special meeting to consider utility, tax rate cuts Mount Olive The Town of Mount Olive will hold a Special Called Board Meeting on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. to consider reducing recent increases to water bills and property taxes. The board will review a proposal to lower the current 8% water rate increase and the 7.5% property tax rate. The meeting will take place in the Town Board Meeting Room at 114 E. James St. in Mount Olive.
Employees appreciation lunch set for Dec. 19 Kenansville Duplin County will host its annual employee appreciation lunch Dec. 19 from 1-5 p.m. at the Duplin Events Center, honoring the hard work and dedication of county employees. All county offices will be closed during the event.
Economic Development Board meeting rescheduled Kenansville The Duplin County Economic Development Commission has rescheduled its January meeting. Originally scheduled for Jan. 2, the meeting will now be held on Jan. 9 at 7 a.m. in the Duplin County Airport conference room.
ENA SELLERS / DUPLIN JOURNAL
State and local leaders turn the first shovels of dirt to celebrate the long-awaited groundbreaking of the new $13.1 million North Carolina Forest Service Region One Headquarters at the Duplin County Airport, marking the official start of a project years in the making.
Duplin breaks ground on new Forest Service Region One Headquarters State, county and industry partners praise the teamwork behind the major project By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — State and local dignitaries gathered at the Duplin County Airport
last week for the long-awaited groundbreaking of the new $13.1 million North Carolina Forest Service Region One Headquarters at the Airpark. The facility will sit on a
12-acre tract across from the existing N.C. Forest Service Eastern Aviation Hub, which houses firefighting and observation aircraft. Along with office space, the building will include a dedicated training facility. “We are so excited to be here today to begin building
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See HQ, page A5
Airpark development delays continue, but work moves forward Despite setbacks, county leaders remain optimistic about progress By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal KENANSVILLE — “It would have been a nice Christmas present.” With those words, Duplin County Economic Development Commission Executive Director Scotty Summerlin told the board at their Dec. 5 meeting
that hopes of completing infrastructure work this month at the Duplin Airpark have been delayed again, this time due to an additional change order and several punch list items that need to be completed by contractors involved in the project. Despite the additional delay, Summerlin reported, “It’s been a very productive month.” Development of the Airpark project has been delayed past its initial estimated completion date See AIRPARK, page A3
MARK GRADY / FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Members of the Duplin County Economic Development Board look at a screen displaying bid information for land clearing in preparation to build several short-term rental units at the new Duplin Airpark.
Filing for 2026 elections open Duplin County People wishing to run for the county commissioners board and Board of Education can now file for the 2026 election. Candidates must be at least 21 years old and live in the district they wish to represent. Filing fees are $100 for county commissioner and $5 for the Board of Education. If a candidate is not affiliated with a political party, they must submit a petition with signatures from 4% of registered voters — 256 for District 2 and 289 for District 3. Petitions are due by noon on the primary election, March 3.
the Region One Headquarters,” North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler told Duplin Journal, explaining that the new facility will bring air operations and ground operations back together again. “We
State fines Duplin County over animal welfare violations An inspection found documentation errors, incomplete euthanasia records and care issues By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal STATE INSPECTORS have cited the Duplin County Animal Services Animal Shelter for multiple violations of North Carolina’s Animal Welfare Act, including incomplete euthanasia records, inadequate supervision of dogs and failure to provide water to several kittens, one of which died, according to state documents. On Monday, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a $1,700 civil penalty to Duplin County based on viola-
tions identified during a Nov. 17 inspection by the department’s Animal Welfare Section. The inspection followed a complaint received one week earlier alleging improper practices at the county-run shelter. According to the state, inspectors reviewed shelter operations, records and animal care practices for compliance with state animal welfare laws. Inspectors found the shelter failed to properly document euthanasia procedures. Records for seven animals did not include the route of administration for euthanasia solutions, while computer records for six additional animals contained incorrect information about the method used. See FINES, page A6
“He was patient, loving, healthy and full of life.” Hope Tucker