Duplin Journal Vol. 10, Issue 49

Duplin Journal

Free income tax assistance available

Kenansville

Duplin County Senior Services volunteers are preparing to assist eligible seniors with income tax ling through the Tax Aide program. Information packets are available. For details, call the Senior Center at 910-296-2140.

Woman arrested following joint narcotics investigation

Duplin County A joint investigation by the Duplin County Sheri ’s O ce and the Lenoir County Sheri ’s O ce resulted in the arrest of a 20-year-old Duplin County woman on alleged narcotics-related charges. Kaylaan Record was located by the DICE Unit and taken into custody. Additional charges were led after suspected narcotics were located. She was placed in jail under a $20,000 secured bond.

Volunteers needed for long-term care committees

Duplin County The Community Advisory Committees for Long-Term Care Facilities are seeking volunteers for nursing home and adult care home oversight. Appointments are for one-year terms. Contact Regional Ombudsman Angelia Pridgen at 252- 638-3185 ext. 3007 or call 910-296-2140.

Voter registration deadline Feb. 6

Duplin County Voters must register by 5 p.m. on Feb. 6 to vote in the 2026 primary election. Party changes are not allowed after the deadline. The primary is March 3; the general election is Nov. 3.

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group

Kenansville

Duplin County Senior Services will host an Alzheimer’s caregiver support group on Feb. 3 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. The group provides support and resources for caregivers. Call 910-296-2140 for details.

Volunteer award nominations wanted

Duplin County Nominations for the 2026 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award are being accepted through Feb. 13. Up to 10 honorees will be selected. Call Duplin County Senior Services at 910 -296 -2140 for information.

$2.00

Leaders say expanded space will improve operations and support a growing community

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

WALLACE — The town of Wallace moved its o ces into the new town hall at 120 Municipal Drive on Jan. 20, celebrating the event with a ribbon cutting. The building is located behind the shopping center that houses the N.C. DMV License Plate Agency o of U.S. Highway 117. After cutting the ribbon, Mayor Jason Wells told the

“This is part of a much bigger project.”

Jason Wells, Wallace mayor

crowd the new town hall was just part of a series of changes in the town.

“This is part of a much bigger project,” Wells said. “We’ve

$3K local match unlocks $525K for Sun Valley

Magnolia board greenlights a grant match for a major mobile home park sewer improvement

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

THE MAGNOLIA TOWN Board convened for its regular meeting Jan. 13. Mayor Dawn

Ward explained that the originally scheduled 2024–25 audit presentation was postponed after auditors identi ed late adjustments that needed to be corrected. The auditors requested

additional time to revise the audit, prompting the board to remove the item from the agenda and replace it with a time-sensitive grant matter. The primary item of new business centered on a request for additional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for the Sun Valley Mo-

AirPark project draws frustration over drainage, paving issues

The Duplin County Economic Development Board pressed the project engineer on costs and construction concerns during a special meeting

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — With sev-

eral last-minute issues plaguing the AirPark development project, which has already taken much longer than predicted and been hit with unprojected costs, the Duplin County Economic Development Board held a special meeting Jan. 23 to address some of the issues.

The last item on the agenda was the one that created the most frustration with the board.

It involves a ditch along Airport Road that is insu cient to handle the needs for drainage along the road and does not meet the

requirements for the ditch bank to be easily maintained. At the last board meeting two weeks ago, the board agreed the cost of adding enclosed drainpipes in lieu of a ditch should be the responsibility of the project’s primary engineer on the project, Parrish & Partners. Board members basically said the company should have been more diligent in determining what was needed to handle the drainage issues along the stretch of Airport Road that will be in front of a new N.C. Forest Service regional headquarters currently under construction at the AirPark.

“The 20-year lifespan of this asphalt won’t be reached if we don’t address it.”

Matthew Ferguson, Parrish & Partners project engineer

“$3,000 for an additional $525,000 if we want this project to go through, I think, is a good use of the funds.”

Charles Banks, town manager

bile Home Park sewer improvement project. Town Manager Charles Banks explained that although the town had previously

O ce Phone:

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We stand corrected

To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@ nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

2 arrested in Mount Olive vehicle theft investigation

Duplin Journal sta

THE DUPLIN COUNTY

Sheri ’s O ce reported the arrest of two Mount Olive residents in connection with a stolen vehicle investigation. According to authorities, the vehicle was reported stolen on Jan. 21 and located the following day on Tram Road by a DCSO patrol deputy.

Steven Daniel Hanchey, 34, and Jerry Mowery, 19, were allegedly involved in the theft and charged with felony larceny of a motor vehicle and felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Mowery also was charged with simple possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. The investigation involved the DCSO Uniform Patrol Division and Criminal Investigation Division.

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

AIRPARK from page A1

Duplin County Economic Development Commission Director Scotty Summerlin told the board he and Deputy County Manager Carrie Shields had a lengthy conversation with Parrish & Partners President Je Kirby, which resulted in Kirby responding with an email. Summerlin read the email to the board.

The last portion of Kirby’s email read, “I do not feel Parrish & Partners should be responsible for any aspect to changes to the project to include an enclosed drainage system along Airport Road. We stand ready to discuss with county leadership at a mutually convenient time.”

Kirby’s response did not sit well with the board. Shields addressed Matthew Ferguson, Parrish & Partners project engineer, who participated in the meeting remotely.

“Matthew, I’m going to ask you if you will go back to Je and ask him to reconsider his stance,” Shields said. “The county has o ered to meet in the middle on expense to x this problem. I’m asking you to do that with the understanding we feel very strongly against Je ’s response. We don’t want to take additional steps, so I ask you to do that one more time.”

Economic Development Board Chairman Charley Farrior also addressed Ferguson,

saying, “We’re in support of Carrie’s comments, and we’ll look forward to hearing Je ’s response.”

“Yes, I can have that conversation with Je ,” Ferguson responded.

Another last-minute issue the board addressed in the meeting involved three subpar paved areas in the AirPark, as well as road striping applied on those roads. One of the areas with asphalt problems after paving the road is located near the intersection of AirPark Drive and West Best Road. Ferguson referred to that location as the one with the worst pavement issue due to asphalt segregation.

“Given the location of where it is, there is going to be a lot of tra c going in and out of the AirPark o of West Best Road, so that would be the one of most concern,” Ferguson told the board.

Another area showing asphalt segregation is in a cul-de-sac near a pump station in the AirPark. Ferguson said that area will only be used by maintenance tra c, making it less of an issue.

Board members looked at a photo of one other stretch of recent paving that revealed a damaged line of pavement about 35 feet in length not far from the new shell building being constructed. Ferguson said he doesn’t think that area is asphalt segregation.

“It looks like something got caught on the nishing roller and didn’t nish rolling correctly,” he said.

On how to x the paving issues, Ferguson said, “The 20-year lifespan of this asphalt won’t be reached if we don’t address it in some way, shape or form.”

His recommendation was to patch the problem areas of asphalt, noting that the patched areas would be noticeable. Most board members expressed dissatisfaction with that approach, recommending that some portions of asphalt be completely removed and redone, which would also repair mistakes made by the subcontractor applying tra c markings on the roadway.

Ferguson said that Chatham Civil Engineering, the contractor responsible for the paving and pavement markings, is planning to meet with Barnhill Contracting Company, the subcontractor who did the actual paving in the AirPark, to discuss solutions. The board agreed to wait to hear the results of that discussion before considering how to proceed with xing the issues. In other business, the board agreed to accept a bid from Rite Lite Signs of Concord to construct new signage at the entrance to the AirPark along Airport Road. Rite Lite Signs was the lowest bidder at $88,284.

Share with your community! Send your birth, death, marriage, graduation and other announcements to community@ duplinjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at noon.

Here’s a

Feb. 7

Duplin County Historical Society meeting

Noon

The Duplin County Historical Society meeting will be at Wesley Chapel UMC Fellowship Hall. Members and the public are invited to discuss the status of the organization and its future. Please note that the Duplin County Historical Society will not meet at the Rose Hill Restaurant. Annual membership fees are due and can be paid at the meeting.

1127 North N.C. 11-903 Highway, Kenansville Annual sheepshearing 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors can watch sheepshearing demonstrations, learn about wool grading and ber arts, and enjoy hands-on activities for all ages. Free admission. 141 Old Fountain Road, Richlands

Feb.

8

Pitch It Duplin!

Aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to compete in Pitch It Duplin!, a business pitch competition hosted by the JSCC Small Business Center in partnership with Marine Federal Credit Union and the Kenansville Area Chamber of Commerce. Participants will pitch their Duplin County business ideas for a chance to win: $3,000 for rst place, $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third. For details, call 910-659-6008.

JSCC Small Business Center 133 James Sprunt Drive Room 109, Kenansville

Feb. 10

Duplin County 2026 Soup-er Bowl 5:30–7:30 p.m.

The Duplin County Cooperative Extension will host the 2026 Soup-er Bowl cooking workshop. Participants will learn how to prepare healthy soups while exploring nutrition, food safety and culinary techniques. Teams will cook, taste and vote to crown the winning soup. Cost is $20. N.C. Cooperative Extension Duplin County Center, Kenansville

Community rallies to help Partnership for Children

The executive director said the December re destroyed all the materials used to serve Duplin County families

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — One of the victims of a re that destroyed a four-unit o ce building on Limestone Road in Kenansville on Dec. 29 was the Duplin County Partnership for Children. Christy Jones, executive director of the nonpro t agency founded in 1994, told Duplin Journal the re had destroyed all the organization’s belongings.

“We lost everything,” Jones said. “Our diaper pantry, we lost all those supplies. Our car seats, we lost all of those. All of our outreach materials that we use for events, all that’s gone, and we lost everything else; computers, supplies, materials. There is literally nothing that was salvageable in the building.”

Jones said the community is stepping in to help.

“The community is doing lots of diaper and wipes drives to help

“The community is doing

Christy Jones, Duplin County Partnership for Children executive director

us get that program back up and running,” she said.” There’re also drives for gently used children’s books, new or used. We use those because we have the Little Free Libraries that we sponsor in the county. We’ve had quite a few monetary donations coming in. We’ve also had donations of ofce supplies.” Of all the needs, the most pressing one is monetary donations, according to Jones.

“The reason for that is we cannot accept car seats from the public because they have to be new. We have to have the money to purchase those with. Every day we’re realizing that we go to do something and we don’t have it, so we need to have the funds to be able to purchase those things when we come across items that are missing that we need.”

Donations to Duplin County Partnership for Children can be made on the organization’s Facebook page. In addition, in-person donations can be made at their temporary o ces located in the Duplin County Department of Social Services at 423 N Main St., Kenansville.

The nonpro t’s phone system was also destroyed in the re, meaning the main telephone number is not in service. A temporary phone number has been created at 910-290-2057.

got the re department going up and when everybody is cleared out of the old town hall, we’ve got to nd some money to make (the police department’s) dreams come true.”

The old town hall will be renovated to become the Wallace Police Department headquarters.

Wells added the extra space is needed in the rapidly growing community.

“As you grow as a town and a community, we’ve got to grow as well and make sure we have space to operate.”

In an interview with Duplin Journal after the ribbon- cutting ceremony, Wallace Town Manager Rob Taylor echoed the mayor’s remarks about needing space to operate the town.

“We were pretty cramped where we were with the sta that we have,” Taylor said.

“This gives everyone more elbow room to get their jobs done. Now everyone’s in one place. Before, we were split on both sides of the hall with

utility on one side, myself and town clerk on the other side. Planning is all in one building now, instead of having to send people over to an auxiliary building.”

How the building that is now the new town hall came to ll the new role is an interesting journey.

“Years ago, this building was a medical building. It was built in coordination with Duplin’s General (hospital),” Taylor said. “Over time, they didn’t need it anymore, so the town was actually leasing this building from Vidant at the time as the parks and rec o ces. The land was donated to the town, and we added the land to Clement Park.”

When news got out about the town’s desire to possibly move town hall to the building, ECU Health, which eventually acquired Duplin General Hospital’s assets, donated the building to the town.

“We still spent a lot of money renovating it, but at least the building was free,” Taylor said.

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

| NEWT GINGRICH

Argentina’s Election and 2026

Argentina was once one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

ARGENTINE PRESIDENT Javier Milei’s extraordinary electoral victory in October could be a good omen for American Republicans in 2026.

Milei’s party, La Libertad Avanza, won 64 seats in the House of Deputies. His party and allied groups also won 14 seats in the nation’s Senate. Before the election, they only had 37 deputies and six senators.

If Republicans win a similar victory in 2026, it would mean something like 290 Republicans in the House (a roughly 140-vote majority) and 73 Republican Senators (a 36-vote majority).

Of course, a swing like that is impossible in America. Only one-third of the Senate is up for election in any given year, and gerrymandering has created some near disaster-proof House seats.

However, Milei’s victory has proven a reform movement can undertake deeply disruptive, painful changes and still increase its share of power.

Like President Donald Trump, Milei is a dedicated reformer who is determined to profoundly change a system that has been crippling his country for at least eight decades.

It is easy to forget that Argentina was once one of the wealthiest countries in the world. In 1913, the average Argentinian had about 80% of the income of the average American. It took several generations of socialist politicians to destroy Argentina’s wealth. Today, the average

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

Argentinian has about 30% of the income of the average American.

This is a lesson that followers of Zohran Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders should consider. If the American big government socialists do for the United States what Juan Peron and the Argentinian socialists did for their country, every American will rapidly become poorer.

Milei brought an intellectual understanding of conservative economics, a great television personality and a willingness to dismantle the old order. Elon Musk’s antics with the chainsaw was actually a tribute to Milei — who had won the presidency with that as his symbol. His pledge was to take a chainsaw to the bureaucracy, regulations and political machines crippling Argentina’s economy.

And Milei implemented his campaign promises. In his rst two years, he slashed spending by 30%, cut regulations and shrunk the bureaucracy by 55,000 workers (a 15% reduction). He has also cut the number of ministries from 19 to nine, lowered taxes, and encouraged economic growth and investment in Argentina. All this led to a budget surplus for the rst time in 14 years.

Milei clearly intends to build on this victory. He told an election night crowd, “Today marks the beginning of building a great Argentina. This result is nothing more and nothing less than the con rmation of the mandate we

assumed in 2023.” He attributed the victory to the voters’ “determination to change the destiny of the nation irreversibly.”

Milei has an ambitious follow-on reform program. He plans to change labor laws, make contracts more exible — and make even deeper cuts to federal spending and regulation. He plans to have more tax cuts and to dramatically streamline bureaucratic procedures. His major goal is to increase the economy and boost salaries and jobs. To achieve this he wants to make it much easier to start new companies.

As Milei summarized it election night: “Argentines showed that they don’t want to return to the model of failure. … We want to be a country that grows. We want to make Argentina great again.”

No wonder Trump took great pleasure in Milei’s victory — and why he and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent went all in to help him.

Every Republican should take heart. Faced with a choice between reform or decay, free enterprise or big government socialism, and freedom or bureaucratic rule, voters will side with what works. They did in Argentina.

Newt Gingrich is former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the founder of Gingrich360, where he writes syndicated columns and comments on politics and current events.

Trump’s outrageous threats get practical results

Trump has proved that the border can be controlled under current legislation.

THINK ABOUT IT. Heads of government do not normally reveal the texts of private communications from other heads of state. Yet that is what Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store of Norway two Sundays ago on the rst weekend of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the international press would have no di culty nding appalled foreign leaders to comment.

You could think of this as a hostile act of a statesman appalled that the American head of government does not know that the government of Norway does not decide who gets the Nobel Peace Prize. It is probably better to think of it as an intervention by a sympathetic observer who has noticed that Donald Trump backs down from untenable positions in response to ructions in political and nancial markets.

Which is what Trump has done between the publication of his letter and his speech at Davos last Wednesday. The Sunday before he seemed to be threatening war with Denmark, and European commentators, not without reason, lamented that he was risking breaking up the NATO alliance out of pique of not being awarded a prize by a committee that was never going to honor a nonleftist American president.

Proof of which was the granting of that prize to Barack Obama in 2009 for what even Obama himself admitted was for no tangible accomplishment. And Trump has never forgotten the ridicule heaped on him by Obama at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, ridicule that led directly to that ride down the Trump Tower escalator four years later.

Actually, Trump has some valid points on Greenland. It sits astride missile, drone and air transport routes between North America and western Russia and eastern Europe. The United States would have even more exibility than it does under current agreements with Denmark if it were to become U.S. territory.

That’s one reason the U.S. holds on to Guam in the west Paci c and has spent billions upgrading military facilities there.

All that said, Trump’s usual negotiating technique of starting o with extravagant demands was, in the careful words of social scientist Charles Murray, “next-level crazy.” Denmark has been an active ally of the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq, has increased its rate of defense spending above levels Trump demanded, and has adopted immigration policies in line with Trump’s advocacy.

With Denmark as with Canada, as with fellow Republicans in Georgia and other states, Trump’s obnoxious maximalist demands have alienated him from sympathy and empowered the forces against him. Other leaders have gured out that he requires gushers of praise to permeate every dialogue, and they’re probably ready with encomiums for his avowals in his Davos speech that he won’t use violence to obtain Greenland.

It has to be said that Trump’s bluntness and braggadocio have had some of its intended e ect. The American Enterprise Institution’s Yuval Levin, in an interview with The New York Times’ Ezra Klein, made the point that many of Trump’s lurching policy changes, not codi ed into law, can easily be wiped away by the next Democratic administration, perhaps even by a Democratic House of Representatives next year.

But despite his own preference for procedural regularity in making institutional change, Levin admits that “they’ve driven a lot of change that will be durable.” Initial polling reaction to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, has been negative. But there’s no doubt that Trump has proved that the border can be controlled under current legislation — which would increase the political cost of any subsequent administration adopting the open border policy of Joe Biden’s.

It is also telling that the best estimates of both pro- and anti-immigration analysts are that the substantial numbers of ICE deportations from within the United States, far above those of other recent administrations, are orders of magnitude lower than the numbers of self-deportations. As on other issues (like military recruitment), Trump is uninterested in institutional change but interested in sharply changing the behavior of the larger public.

The e ect of Trump policies, and the possibility that they may be put back in place at some later date, will likely discourage many illegal aliens from living in this country more or less permanently, as some 10 million have been up through January 2025. As I wrote last fall, “Who will want to make long-term plans that can be ruined by sudden deportation or hurried self-deportation?”

We learn from experience, and just as the former real estate developer sometimes seems to accept discipline from nancial markets, so the former reality TV show host sometimes seems to accept discipline from the ratings. On Greenland, he has responded to the cues of the markets and the ratings and backed o from threats of force while retaining the possibility of increasing the already signi cant U.S. presence there. Meanwhile, the NATO alliance remains in place, with its increased number of European members spending increasing percentages of their economies on defense. Three more years of this Trump administration will strain and irritate foreign leaders and American politicians, with wild threats and childish petulance driving one crisis after another. But it may continue to get them, often grudgingly, doing things Trump’s way.

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of “The Almanac of American Politics.”

New-look Farrior Park o ers history, hiking, family fun

The late-1700s grist and sawmill anchors Wallace’s renovated park, complete with trails, playgrounds and a kayak dock

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

WALLACE — As far as places to go and things to see in Duplin County, a stop at Farrior Park in Wallace is a must-visit on the list. It’s located just west of Tin City along N.C. Highway 41 in the heart of Wallace. You can see nature, sh, walk a trail, see history and the kids can take in a rst-class playground.

The centerpiece of Farrior Park is the historic Boney Mill and Pond, believed to be one of the oldest structures in Duplin County, dating back to the late 1700s. It served as a sawmill and

grist mill powered by water over a spillway from the pond.

It was the Boney family who rst settled the area. The entrepreneur of the family was Gabriel Boney, who became involved in everything from a cotton gin to a turpentine distillery. In fact, the town that eventually grew around Boney Mill could have easily been named Boney. However, when the railroad became a prominent part of the area’s growth, the town was named Wallace in 1899 in honor of Stephen Wallace, the president of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

Recently, thanks to a grant of almost half a million dollars, restoration on the historic mill building and several upgrades have turned the grounds into a park the town can be proud of.

The park was named in honor of Charley Farrior, who spent

years as the mayor of Wallace and was instrumental in helping the renovated park become a reality. The town purchased the property in 2014. During a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the park in 2024, Farrior referred to it as “a diamond in Wallace’s crown.”

The rules of the park are posted on attractive signage near the main parking area, as well as the parking area for the children’s playground and picnic shelter, just a short walk away from the pond. While the park is free to visit, a shing license is required if you want to drop a line in the pond and try your luck at snagging a freshwater sh. The picnic shelter is rst-come, rst-served basis, but reservations can be made through Wallace Town Hall for those wanting to secure the shelter for a special event.

been awarded grant funding for the project, recent bid openings revealed costs far exceeding expectations. According to Banks, bids came in roughly 200% higher than anticipated due to rising construction and material costs. Because the project involves a comprehensive sewer replacement, it could not be scaled back or completed in phases, making additional funding necessary to proceed.

After the town’s application for a new CDBG grant was denied, o cials were informed that unused funds from a 2020 CDBG allocation could potentially be repurposed. To access those funds, the town was required to commit a modest local match of approximately $3,000 in exchange for an additional $525,000 in grant funding. Banks emphasized the value of the proposal, stating, “$3,000 for an additional $525,000 if we want this project to go through, I think is a good use of the funds.” He also noted that the matching funds would not be required immediately and could be budgeted in a future scal year. Further discussion detailed the scope and importance of the Sun Valley sewer project. The existing system relies largely on outdated gravity-based lines that were installed decades ago.

“A lot of those lines were actually put in by previous owners that were not even contractors, they just owned the land years, many years ago,” Banks explained.

Poor grading, undersized pipes and limited ow have resulted in frequent blockages and service issues for residents. The proposed project will replace all sewer lines and install a lift station capable of providing su cient pressure to move wastewater eciently to the town’s treatment plant. O cials said the improvements would signi cantly reduce backups, increase capacity and improve reliability while also opening the southeastern portion of town to future development.

“They’re going to do all new lines through, down the right of way through Sun Valley and all of those mobile homes and then come out to the main road there,” he added. “With that pump being at the end, everything that is on those roads, East Carroll, Polk, anything on that end should have better capacity because that pressure is pushing it towards the sewage plant.”

Following questions from commissioners, the board unanimously approved the $3,000 local match required to secure the additional CDBG funding. Banks con rmed the necessary documentation would be submitted immediately to meet the grant deadline.

During departmental updates, Chief Jerry Wood provided a report detailing recent enforcement activity, speed control initiatives and ongoing code enforcement e orts. Wood provided updates on tra c measures, including the installation of speed bumps on selected residential streets once required signage is in place.

“One location is on Sandy, you’re looking at one on West Carroll, West Bleeker, South Peterson and North Peterson,” said Wood. Discussions also addressed junk and debris issues on private property. Ofcials expressed optimism that partnerships with county agencies would help improve compliance and neighborhood conditions.

Banks provided a nancial update indicating that the town remains in stable condition. Liquid cash balances were reported at just over $81,000, with additional deposits expected before the end of the cycle. The Capital Management Trust continued to show steady growth, reaching approximately $590,000, generating monthly interest revenue that Banks said could help fund future projects, including community building renovations.

Banks also acknowledged that a recent CDBG application for housing and community improvements was unsuccessful due to competitive funding priorities statewide. Despite the setback, o cials reiterated their commitment to pursuing future grant opportunities and alternative funding strategies. Banks noted that only six of 38 applicants were funded in the most recent cycle, with a significant portion of funds directed toward western North Carolina communities still recovering from hurricane impacts.

Plans for a mobile banking unit remain delayed. O cials said the provider was unable to provide a de nitive start date, though they remain committed to serving the town.

“This is not how they typically do business … These things can happen, and everybody wants to make sure it’s secure,” Ward said, adding that she hopes to have new information in the coming months.

Anne Stroud Taylor has dedicated her life to helping her town, state and country

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal

IF YOU TALK about local history with anyone in Duplin County, her name will inevitably come up. Anne Stroud Taylor, 94, is a local historian and an understated treasure of Faison.

Having lived through the Great Depression and World War II in Faison, Taylor is quick to highlight the greatness of others rather than herself.

Educators, students and community leaders will gather to discuss the future of

North Carolina schools

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

MOUNT OLIVE — North Carolina’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green, will take the stage at the University of Mount Olive for the 28th annual Braswell Lecture on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Southern Bank Auditorium.

The lecture series brings together educators, students and community members to explore current issues in education and the impact schools have on their communities. Each year, a guest speaker shares their perspective on teaching, leadership, and educational policy.

The announcement, made by UMO earlier this month, highlights Green’s contributions and the notable experience that he will bring to the discussion with more than two decades serving in North Carolina education. He has served as superintendent and deputy superintendent in some of the state’s largest districts, led a major education foundation and worked as a school board attorney. A double graduate of Duke University, he holds degrees in political science, economics and law, blending academic knowledge with practical leadership in public education.

“I was 10 when the Great Depression started — my brother was 12 — and all our lives we’ve told each other how lucky we were to live in that period of time,” Taylor said. “I have never seen people work together so beautifully.”

When war broke out, those who could serve, enlisted. Those who couldn’t went to Wilmington to build ships. Even farmers who stayed repurposed products for the war e ort. During World War II, Faison built a lookout tower atop the town hall, where Taylor trained as a plane spotter, reporting aircraft to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

“I did not know a soul who wasn’t trying to help this country, this town and this state,” Taylor said. “It was an experience that changed my life.”

Growing up in a small town made everyone close like family. The joys were celebrated together, and the losses were mourned together. Taylor still remembers when Clifton Edgerton died in Belgium. He was her neighbor and a Quaker who didn’t believe in war but went anyway.

“We are very di erent here in thoughts and politics and this and that, but we get along great. I think we just love each other,” Taylor said. “I don’t feel anything but harmony here — even when we disagree.”

She pointed to her friend William Edgar Thornton as an example of that community spirit.

“When William was 12 years old,

his father asked him to come into the room and talk to him,” she said. “He told William he knew he was dying, and he told him he wanted him to take care of his mother, the house and the farm that they had in the country.”

Thornton opened a repair business, xing radios, record players and televisions after school.

“He would go to school and go straight to that store afterwards,” Taylor said, adding that the town rallied behind him, bringing him their broken items to support the business.

Taylor said he went to college on Sundays, bumming rides the whole way to UNC and back, and he practiced football for games he could never play, but he never complained. Thornton later became North Carolina’s rst chosen astronaut. When he launched into space, Faison residents went to see the launch.

“It was as dark as creases, and when that ship went up, it looked like daytime. It was fantastic!” Taylor said. “About 200 of us went, and the rest gathered in the rehouse and watched it together. To me, this is what Faison is.”

Thornton later retired, taught others and is buried in the Faison Cemetery. Taylor grew up one of three children in a two-story Victorian home she still occupies. Her father owned a shop, and her mother was a schoolteacher. In 1953, Taylor completed a teaching degree and became a teacher herself. She was awarded Duplin County Teacher of the Year for her work at

North Duplin Elementary and Junior/ Senior High Schools.

In addition to playing piano at church, Taylor serves on multiple committees, acts as town historian and wrote the grant for Faison’s Recreation Center, now known as the Anne Stroud Taylor Recreation & Wellness Center.

Her legacy continues through her family. Her daughter-in-law, Margaret Taylor, leads local history projects, including work identifying individuals in a slave burial ground. Her grandson, Andrew Taylor, serves as president of the Faison Improvement Group.

“As a teacher, you want your people working together and learning. You just stay that way all your life,” Taylor said. “We want to work harder and do more for our town. I think we all just want to leave things better than we’ve found them. It’s not one person; it takes all of us. We should all just do the best we can with the gifts and talents we’ve been given to make things better. You won’t always succeed, but you still try — always do your best.” Taylor was recently honored with the Duplin Rotary Club’s Outstanding Citizen award.

“Whatever you do for Duplin County is really a privilege,” she said.

Known for her humility, she is widely regarded as an optimistic and steady in uence in the community. Her belief in the good of others has guided her lifelong service.

DUPLIN SPORTS

Tigers hoopsters continue steamrolling foes

JK boys bring winning formula from gridiron to hard courts

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

WARSAW — The basketball team without a contributing player taller than 6-foot is shu ing its way to an outstanding season.

The team matches the pro le of its coach, Taylor Jones, a former scrappy 3-point shooter at North Duplin.

But James Kenan, 12-2, 6-1 Swine Valley Conference, is getting results from ve players who were key starters on the Tigers’ football team that, you guessed it, went 12-2.

Now all-Duplin rst team players Zamarion Smith (LB), Jeremiah Hall (RB), Eli Avent (QB), CJ Hill (SE/RB/DB) and David Zelaya (FS and Defensive Player of the Year) — all seniors — and sophomore Kentrell Morrisey want another conference title to hang in the school to go along with the one they won in the fall.

To make that happen JK will have to beat Goldsboro on Feb. 3 in Warsaw as the Tigers seek revenge from their 68-66 loss to the Cougars on Jan. 9.

Smith, Morrisey lead charge in pivotal third quarter vs. Bulldogs

Smith, who got hurt and had to leave the game in which JK beat Wallace-Rose Hill 52-49, scored 14 points before his exit, including a 3-point play and layup that gave the Tigers a 30-26 lead midway through the third quarter.

Morrisey put JK in front at the 5:44 mark, and his rebound hoop upped the margin to six.

JK then went on a 9-3 spurt to go in front 41-29 via baskets by Hall, Avent and Mari Graham, a sophomore upstart who will play well with classmate Morrisey the next two seasons.

But WRH (12-3, 4-2) crawled to within 42-41 with ve minutes to play behind a pair of treys, a jump shot and a free throw by Jawon Carr, along with a hoop by freshman Kayden Keith.

Morrisey responded with a basket in

See BOYS, page B3

JK girls

win fth in a row ahead of Goldsboro rematch

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

WARSAW — The James Kenan girls’ basketball team will likely be as good as its defense.

The Tigers entered the week 12-2.

In those two losses, the game played out bigger for the victors as Croatan beat the Tigers 58-39 on Nov. 24 and Goldsboro took a 60-49 verdict Jan. 9.

Those scores do not favor JK, which is averaging 48.4 points.

Yet with just a handful of additional baskets, the 3A Tigers beat 7As Ashley (51-46) and Topsail (59-57) and 6A Jacksonville (58-57) during the holiday break.

“That showed our girls can play with anyone,” said second-year coach Aaron Smith. “We won those three by coming back in the fourth quarter. That was good experience.”

Next came a pair of wins over 4A

East Duplin, whose coach Mark Lane coached Smith as a junior varsity player and then had him on his coaching sta .

“Anytime you beat him it’s big,” said Smith, whose rst Tigers team nished 9-9. “I like our chances when we play four quarters. This team has so much potential.”

JK, 6-1 in Swine Valley Conference play, has six games remaining in its regular season, but none more important than a Feb. 3 rematch against the Cougars (14-2, 7-0).

“We’ll work hard this week against Rosewood and Midway to get prepared for Goldsboro,” Smith said. “We’ve made some changes and tweaked things that have proven to be good for us. It’s big.”

The Tigers will have to slow down Aziyah Bayer, who scored 24 points against them in the rst encounter. But JK will also have to watch Amari Beckom (10.8 points per game), Allisa Brown (9.8), Kennedy Barbour (9.6) and Nieirah Smith (9.0) and keep the ve starters o the boards, since they combined to haul down more than 20 rebound per night.

See GIRLS, page B4

Cave-less Panthers nearly whip unbeaten Dark Horses

East Duplin gave Clinton all it wanted playing without two-time Ms. Basketball Kinsey Cave

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

BEULAVILLE — East Duplin head coach Mark Lane came short of saying his Panthers would have tagged Clinton with its rst loss of the season if Kinsey Cave would have played. But Ms. Basketball in Duplin for the previous two seasons was on the bench recovering from an ankle injury from a week previous.

That only makes a 51-47 setback to the Dark Horses a reason to celebrate.

ND rallies from a 13-point de cit to beat Lakewood, see page B3.

Yet what they missed most was Cave’s ball-handling and rebounding.

“Obviously, a big, glaring state is turnovers,” said Lane, whose club made 31 miscues as compared to 18 by Clinton.

“But knowing what we were missing, I felt good about our play.

“We had two starters out

and still had a chance at the end. Rebounding has hurt us against good teams like Hoggard, C.B. Aycock and James Kenan. We struggled. But we’re getting better at both, understanding the need to box out and how we need to be careful with the ball.”

Rubi Davila scored 15 points, and Jayla Pickett and Phoenix Everett 10 apiece as Clinton improved to 18-0 and to build early edge atop the East Central Conference standings.

“I don’t like losses and our goal is still to win the conference,” Lane said. “We’re getting stronger on the ball, and it

See ED, page B3

ATHLETE

Antonio McKoy

Harrells Christian Academy, boys’ basketball

Basketball players work hard to have 1,000-point careers.

Antonio McKoy might double that gure before his Harrell Christian Academy career is nished.

The senior, who will play at Western Carolina University next season, entered this week with 2,687 points.

He’s averaging 28.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.1 steals and is amassing major point totals in part because of his 60% shooting from the eld.

HCA is 22-4 with ve regular season games remaining before the postseason kicks into gear.

And there’s a decent chance McKoy can both play well enough and have enough games to reach the 3,000-point plateau.

He’s currently 11th in the state in scoring.

Rebels, Panthers add traction with winning ways

ND’s Jae’lyn Ingram and ED’s Zachary Ball are leading the charge as both schools seek to compete in their respective conferences

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Prime time for basketball at North Duplin starts in the middle of January.

That’s when the Rebels start collecting wins, which usually follows nonconference schedule of bigger schools.

It’s happening for the third consecutive season for head coach Je Byrd’s club, which has won ve of its last six after a slightly shocking 57-54 overtime win over East Columbus, who is in rst place in the Carolina Conference.

The Rebels are riding high and evened their record at 8-8 behind the play of four sophomores and a handful of seniors.

On the other side of the county, East Duplin (6-8, 3-1) snapped its second three-game losing streak with consecutive ECC victories over Clinton and Pender. The Panthers have four players at least a free throw from double- gure averages.

Both the ECC and CC are wide-open races, and weather permitting both will have postseason tournaments the third week of February.

Ingram rises from shadows for Rebels

Jae’lyn Ingram has made a dramatic impact on North Duplin. The sophomore is averaging 17.1 points and 7.9 boards, and last week she scored 48 points and grabbed 23 rebounds as the Rebels won a pair of league games.

Ingram tossed in 26 points and had 13 rebounds in the win over the Gators (6-8, 5-2), and classmates Missiah Cooper, Noah Price and Noah Bennett combined for 12. Seniors Quan Stevens and Lucas Dail worked together for 13.

Yet Byrd said it’s defense that has been leading the way.

“We don’t shoot the ball well and against East Columbus because we kept them o balance with a half-court trap and other changes we threw at them,” Byrd said. “We missed free throws that could have kept us out of overtime. We were missing a few players as well (seniors Holden Williams and Carell Phillips, a leading rebounder for the Rebels).”

Three days earlier, Ingram netted 22, Price 13 and Phillips 10 in a 77-69 triumph over Lakewood.

ND’s recent push has the Rebels a game out of the league lead as East Columbus, West Columbus and East Bladen each have a pair of conference losses.

The Rebels have ve games remaining in their regular season.

“The conference is very even and up for grabs,” Byrd said. “So is the conference tournament and every team in this can win it. In fact, I feel we’re four or ve points from rst place (ND’s other league losses were 50-49 to West Columbus and 43-36 to East Bladen).”

“We’re going to be a tough out if we keep playing well together.”

Panthers in stretch run of ECC

Meanwhile, East Duplin (6-8, 3-1) also feels it can make a run at a league title, though it must jump over South Lenoir (10-6, 4-0) and Southwest Onslow (6-11, 2-2).

The ECC has parity among its six schools, aside from winless Pender.

Zachary Ball made sure the Patriots stayed embedded in the dark side with a career-tying 19 points, which matched his total from Dec. 23 against American Leadership Academy.

Ball (9.3 points per game) is one of four Panthers scoring sources. Aaron Hall is at 9.9, DJ Davis 9.6 and sophomore post Dominic Hall leads the group at 12.0 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Hall pumped in 23, Ball 16, Aaron Hall 12 and Davis 10 during a 67-65 triumph over the Dark Horses in Beulaville.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

team.

“Dominic kept us in the game or helped us extend a lead,” Lanier said. “We had a 12-point lead and let them hit a couple of 3s in the fourth to let them back in it. Really, what led us to the win was big defensive stops and how we were able to refocus after making a mistake.

“We’ve improved a lot since the beginning of the season, and that’s all you can ask.”

Lanier calls Ball, “our most consistent player” and Davis “not really a point guard, but he’s stepped up because our need,” and Hall, “a senior leader.”

“We’re a pretty good rebounding team when Dominic, Aaron and Ball hit the blocks,” he said. “And we have to play good defense to win games.” Crusaders win 20th game for fourth consecutive season

Harrells Christian beat Cary Academy 70-52 last week to log its fourth straight 20-win season. The Crusader then trashed Faith Christian 74-25 and Epiphany Global Studies 87-48 to improve to 22-4. HCA has gone 94-33 in the past four seasons after being 37-52 the previous four winters.

The di erence: the McKoy cousins, who have combined to score 4,328 points and grab 1,947 rebound in four years. Antonio netted 30 and Dashaun 23 in the triumph over the New Bern school. The Crusaders hit 59% from the eld and were 6 of 14 on 3-pointers.

J’Kaeshi Brunson’s eight assists set the table for the HCA o ense, which is averaging 71 points per game.

Rose lifts Rebels past Leopards

ND rallied from a 13-point de cit to beat Lakewood in a key Carolina Conference meeting

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Abby Rose made a driving layup by going through a Lakewood defender.

It back red, though, as an o cial called a charging foul to negate the basket.

Rose made up for it three minutes later by taking the ball to the iron from the same side of the court through a pair of Leopards.

The hoop and free throw gave the Rebels a two-point edge, but Lakewood took a 39 -38 lead o a 3-pointer.

Rose then fed a cutting Abigeal Norris in the lane for a deuce, and she and Maggie Brown each connected on a pair of charity tosses in thenal 1:26 as ND beat the Leopards 45-43.

ND held the ball for 43 seconds before Rose canned the victory from the line.

Rose, a sophomore, had ve of her 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Classmate Brown’s 11 makers were the sixth time she reached double gures this season. She had 14 rebounds and eight blocks as ND’s defense was as important to the key Carolina Conference win.

Brown’s junior sister Norris added seven points, four boards and a pair of blocks.

Lilly Fulghum netted six and Reagan Herring ve as ND won its ninth straight to remain in contention for the league title.

The Rebels (12-3, 6-1) lost

to East Columbus (10-4, 6-1)

three days after the 45-29 humbling in Lake Waccamaw. The two schools lead third-place East Bladen (13-4, 4-2). ND has ve regular season games on its schedule before the loop’s postseason tournament.

Rebels erases 13-point rst-half de cit

Lakewood (10-7, 4-3) went on a 15-4 run in the second quarter that left the Rebels in a 25-12 de cit at halftime.

The Leopards’ contested shots went mostly astray, however, in the third as Rose went end-to-end for a hoop and Reagan Herring nailed a trifecta during a 6-0 run.

Brown was a trigger for the next Rebels run, scoring twice o feeds from Fulghum. Rose’s step-into-the-lane jumper and a basket by Herring with 1:01

to play in the third gave ND the momentum it needed.

Roses’ reverse layup put ND on top 35-32 after three quarters.

Yet the Rebels had no answers for East Columbus’ Mila Graham, who tossed in 21 points. The 6-foot senior post is averaging 24.7 points and 10.6 rebounds, and she has 1,486 career markers.

Aleigh Godwin, a 5-5 sophomore guard, added 11. EC held a 14-7 edge in converted charity tosses and had six 3-pointers. ND was without a bomb. The Gators had a 34-21 advantage in rebounding. ND was outscored in every quarter. The setback ended an eight-game winning streak as Rebels turnovers helped build the de cit.

Rose (16.1 points) and Fulghum (12.8) each had eight points.

skid against the Bulldogs.

the half-court set and then a steal and layup. Hall added a charity toss and JK was back in control at 47-4.

WRH’s Matthew Wells and Smith traded 3-pointers and a score in the paint by Aspen Brown cut the lead to 50-47 with 1:15 to play.

A driving score by Hall was the nal score JK needed. WRH got a putback from Wells at the buzzer.

JK scored the rst six points of the game via scores from Hill, Morrisey and Smith.

WRH accounted for the next 12 as Wells went o for eight, Keith a deuce and a block, and a converted power move in the lane by Brown to go in front 12-6.

Morrisey notched ve points before the second quarter was concluded, Avent added a rebound hoop and Zeleya a buzzer-beater as JK trailed by just three at halftime — 21-18 during 16 minutes of unimpressive basketball by both teams. Smith hit for 14, and Hall might have had the best all-around game with eight points, 11 rebounds, six assists and eight steals. They resumed the rivalry with better basketball, and JK snapped a three-game

showed against Clinton as we overcame it and battled back.”

Sophomore Bennett Holley red in 13 points, senior Zoe Cavanaugh added 11 and Lorena Rodrigues nine. Andraia Scarborough had nine and 17 rebounds.

ED travels to Clinton on Feb. 6 for the rematch. The two schools could also play in the league’s postseason tournament.

Cave played “four or ve minutes” three night later during a 49-7 clobbering of Pender in Burgaw. She’s averaging 14.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.9 steals while hitting 71% from the free-throw line.

“She’s been released, but we’re taking it slow,” Lane said. “It’s about cutting and quick move-

The two rivals play Feb. 13 in Teachey.

JK nished o its week by trampling Spring Creek 77- 42 as Morrisey poured in 33 points. Hill, Zeleya and Avent each had eight markers, and Hall added six along with 11 assists, four boards and three steals as a replacement for point guard Smith, who sat out to rest after his injury.

He’ll be back and so should WRH, which dropped an 82-79 road loss to Trask three nights later.

Both schools must face Princeton, Midway and Rosewood — three schools JK and WRH beat earlier in the season — while also having a date against Goldsboro.

JK needs three more wins to surpass its 14-win total in 2023 -24. That would be the best mark since Jones came from Spring Creek six seasons ago, though JK was 11-3 in the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020-21.

WRH is two wins from the 2023-24’s 14-win campaign and could wind up with its best record since going 11-3 in the pandemic season and 18-8 in 201516, under longtime coach Steve Robinson, who won two state titles during his tenure in Teachey.

ments right now. We are not going to push things.”

ED crushed Pender 49-7 three days later as 13 players scored. Senior Lauren Cottle (seven), classmates Cavanaugh (six) and Zakoya Farrior ( ve) and freshman Holley (six) paced the attack.

A 22-3 rush in the opening quarter became standard as the game progressed, with ED’s defense limiting Clinton to four points the rest of the way.

ED (12-5, 3-1) is 2-2 since Cave was hurt against James Kenan. With her, they fell 44 - 41 to JK. Without her, they lost 47-31.

The Panthers travel to Southwest Onslow on Friday to play the Stallions in what has become a competitive rivalry.

Tigers have plenty too many o ensive weapons for Bulldogs

JK asserted its dominance early during a 51-29 win over Wallace-Rose Hill, which was playing without injured leading scorer Madison Francis.

Y’Anna Rivers (17.6 points) and Gabi Outlaw (11.5) hit 3-pointers, and Aleyah Wilson (13.6) scored after making a dandy cut in the lane as JK led 10-0 before

anyone could say rivalry game. Rivers added another bomb and so did sophomore Kendia Smith, while Wilson scored inside and then via a steal and layup.

Other things happened, but to WRH, it was a blur as the Bulldogs trailed 23-7 at halftime.

Wilson and Rivers combined for nine straight points to start the third quarter, and scores by both in the nal minute gave JK a 35-13 edge entering the fourth, which by and large was a repeat highlight reel for the Tigers.

RESOLUTION STATING THE INTENT OF THE TOWN OF WALLACE TO ANNEX PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE EXISTING MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES(water tower)

BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Wallace that:

Section 1. It is the intent of the Town Council, pursuant to G.S. 160A-31 to annex the property described in Section 2, which is owned by the Town of Wallace. Section 2. The legal description of the property is as follows:

Located in Island Creek Township, Duplin

JK’s Labria McGowan tries to get through WRH’s Jansley Page and Angelina Cavallaro.

Rivers nished with 22 points and Wilson 17.

Three nights later, Outlaw netted 13, Kendonya Morrisey nine and LaBria McGowan as the Tigers dusted one-win Spring Creek 47-7.

JK has its most wins since 2014 when Wendy Lanier guided the Tigers to a 16-6 mark.

The Tigers have not won a conference title since the legendary Sherman Futch was the head coach. That dates to the early 2000s, according to Lanier, who is still teaching at JK.

NOTICE

County, North Carolina and beginning at an iron pipe being located at the southwestern end of a 12 foot wide utility and access easement to the Town of Wallace (Easement No. 1) per Deed Book 659 at Page 328, Duplin County Registry. Said pipe is also located South 49 degrees 10 minutes 33 seconds West – 9.19 feet and South 59 degrees 33 minutes 47 seconds West – 210.27 feet from NCGS Grid Monument “Miller”, having NC Grid Coordinates (NAD 83/2001) of North = 368,466.62 and East = 2,300,002.31 as shown on a map for E.W. Godwin’s & Sons, Inc. and the Town of Wallace as recorded in Map Book 30 at Page 300, Duplin County Registry.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

FILE#26E000002-300

The undersigned, IRIS JEAN BLANTON, having quali ed on the 5TH DAY of JANUARY, 2026, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ALVIN JOE BASS, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 15TH Day of APRIL 2026, 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 the 15TH Day of JANUARY 2026.

IRIS JEAN BLANTON, EXECUTOR 118 CLAY HILL FARM DRIVE ROSE HILL, NC 28458

Run dates:J15,22,29,F5p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

FILE#25E001060-300

The undersigned, RONNIE DEAN ENGLISH, having quali ed on the 5TH DAY of JANUARY, 2026, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ROBBIE ENGLISH, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 8TH Day of APRIL 2026, 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 the 8TH Day of JANUARY 2026.

RONNIE DEAN ENGLISH, EXECUTOR 1725 KINGS LANDING RD. HAMPSTEAD, NC 28443

Run dates:J8,15,22,29p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

FILE#25E001476-300

The undersigned, BRYAN RHODES, having quali ed on the 22ND DAY of DECEMBER, 2025, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ARLINE RHODES, aka, ARLINE C. RHODES, aka ARLINE CAVENAUGH RHODES, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 8TH Day of APRIL 2026, 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 the 8TH Day of JANUARY 2026.

BRYAN RHODES, EXECUTOR PO BOX 905 NEWPORT, NC 28570 Run dates:J8,15,22,29p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

FILE#25E001473-300

The undersigned, DANIEL R. BLIZZARD, having quali ed on the 3RD DAY of DECEMBER, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of CONNIE BLIZZARD TYNDALL, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to

Running thence from said point of beginning, South 59 degrees 33 minutes 47 seconds West – 210.00 feet to a point; thence North 11 degrees 38 minutes 13 seconds West –156.34 feet to a fence post; thence North 59 degrees 33 minutes 47 seconds East – 210.00 feet to a fence post (crossing over an iron rod at 194.83 feet); thence, South 11 degrees 38 minutes 13 seconds East – 156.34 feet to the point of beginning (crossing over iron rods at 32.82 feet, 96.10 feet and 143.66 feet), containing 0.71 acres, more or less. Being the same property as described in Deed Book 659 at Page 307 and map attached.

All bearings are in angular relation to NC Grid North and all distances are horizontal eld measurements.

Section 3. The property described in Section 2 is contiguous to the current municipal boundaries.

Section 4. A public hearing on the question of annexation of the property will be held at the Wallace Women’s Club after 6 o’clock pm on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Section 5. Notice of the public hearing shall be published once in Duplin Journal, a newspaper having general circulation in the Town of Wallace, at least ten (10) days prior the the date of the public hearing. Adopted this 8th day of January, 2026.

NOTICE OF PRIMARY ELECTION - DUPLIN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

The statewide primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they vote. All voters will be allowed to vote with or without ID. If a voter does not have ID, they will vote on a provisional ballot. Registered voters who lack ID can get one for free from their county board of elections. Find out more at ncsbe.gov/voter-id.

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

Early voting will be held at the following location from Thursday, February 12, 2026, to Saturday, February 28, 2026:

Ed Emory Auditorium, 165 Agriculture Dr., Kenansville, NC 28349

Thursday, February 12 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Friday, February 13 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Monday, February 16 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Tuesday, February 17 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Wednesday, February 18 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Thursday, February 19 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Friday, February 20 8:00 AM-7:30 PM Sunday, February 22 1:00 PM-5:00 PM Monday, February 23 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Tuesday, February 24 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Wednesday, February 25 8:00 AM-7:30 PM

Thursday, February 26 8:00 AM-7:30 PM Friday, February 27 8:00 AM-7:30 PM Saturday, February 28 8:00 AM-3:00 PM

Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who have requested them beginning Monday, January 12, 2026. A voter can ll out an absentee ballot request at votebymail.ncsbe. gov, or by lling out a request form provided by the county board of elections o ce. The request must be received through the website or by the Duplin County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. February 17, 2026.

In the general election, voters will select candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, N.C. General Assembly, state

and local judges, district attorney, and county o ces.

The voter registration deadline for this election is 5 p.m. Friday, February 6, 2026. Eligible individuals who are not registered by that deadline may register and vote at any early voting site during the early voting period. New registrants will be required to provide documentation of their residence.

Absentee meetings will be held at the Duplin County BOE O ce located at 160 Mallard St., Kenansville, NC 28349. Absentee meetings will be held at 5:00 PM on January 27, February 3, February 10, February 17, February 24, and March 2. Other business may be transacted by the Board at these meetings.

Legal Notice

NOTICE TO THE VOTERS OF THE ROCKFISH PRECINCT

Due to the decision made by the Duplin

County Board of Elections and accepted by the State Board of Elections on 05/06/2025, the Rock sh precinct polling place will now be located at the American Legion building in Wallace at 529 E. Southerland Street, Wallace, NC 28466.

NOTICE TO THE VOTERS OF THE LOCKLIN PRECINCT

Due to the decision made by the Duplin County Board of Elections and accepted by the State Board of Elections on 05/06/2025, the Locklin precinct polling place will now be located at the American Legion building in Wallace at 529 E. Southerland Street, Wallace, NC 28466.

Questions? Call the Duplin County Board of Elections O ce at (910) 296-2170 or send an email to dcboe@duplincountync.com

Ann Henderson, Chairman Duplin County Board of Elections

RESOLUTION STATING THE INTENT OF THE TOWN OF WALLACE TO ANNEX PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE EXISTING MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES(WWTP)

BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Wallace that:

Section 1. It is the intent of the Town Council, pursuant to

obituaries

Rushion J. Carr

March 14, 1953 – Jan. 17, 2026

Mr. Rushion J. Carr, aka “Little Bud”, age 72, of Greenevers section of Rose Hill, NC, passed away on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh, NC.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel. Viewing will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will immediately follow the service at Carr Family Cemetery on Edd Carr Lane, Rose Hill, NC

Left to continue his legacy: wife, Doris Carr of the home, Darrell Carr and wife Brenda of Rose Hill, NC, Termonja Carlton and wife Shashawnda of Knightdale, NC, Je rey Carr and wife Katina of Rose Hill, NC, Michael Carr and wife Dianne of Creedmoor, NC, Reginald Carr of Kenansville, NC, Rushion Carr, III and wife Lakia of Durham, NC; one daughter, Alesia Renne’ Carr of Fayetteville, NC; thirteen grandchildren; four greatgrandchildren; one brother, Johnny Lee Carr of Rose Hill, NC; ve sisters: Rita Conley Rose Hill, NC, Katie LaTouche and husband Joseph of Baltimore, MD, Henrietta Smith and Sharlene King both of Rose Hill, NC and Hilda C. Evans of Baltimore, MD; three sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Kea, Sudie Gail Wells and Selma Glover and husband Glover; one brother-in-law, Willie Kea, Jr; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss him dearly.

Zannie Futrell

Aug. 22, 1932 – Jan. 20, 2026

Zannie Christine Futrell, 93, passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in ECU Health Duplin, Kenansville, NC

She is preceded in death by her spouse, Ervin Futrell, daughter and son-in-law, Delma & Zack Newbold, sister, Evelyn Winstead (Bill) and a brother, Durwood Brown (Saundra).

Funeral Service: Friday, January 23, 2025

Noon

Community Funeral Home, Beulaville, NC

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.

Interment: Onslow Memorial Park, Jacksonville, NC

Survivors:

Son: Charles Futrell (Donna), Richlands, NC

Daughter: Sharon Wallace, (Mike), Albertson, NC

Sisters: Virginia Nye, VA.; Louise Schreiner, SC.; Grandchildren: Rodney Newbold (Velvet), Justin Futrell (Karley), Michelle Rouse (Scott), Kayla Santifort (Tyler), Megan Bourque (Frisco), and Elena Futrell.

Great-Grandchildren: Chandler Gillette (Daniel), Lauren Taylor (Trent), Austin Rouse, Bailey Rouse, Riley Santifort, Emerson Santifort, Insley Santifort, Wyatt Bourque, Mason Bourque, Kaci Bourque, Olivia Futrell, Ivy Futrell and Ava Futrell.

Elwood Coombs

Dec. 31, 1937 – Jan. 17, 2026

Elwood Coombs passed from this life into the presence of his Lord on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at home surrounded by his family. Born December 31, 1937, he is the son of the late Stanley Coombs and Olivia Williams Coombs in Lenoir County. He is also preceded in death by siblings Larry Williams Coombs, Barbara Ann Coombs, Bernice Edna Coombs and nephew Michael William Coombs.

Elwood was a loving husband, father and Poppie. Left to cherish his memory and carry his legacy is his wife of 60 years Sherry Cavenaugh Coombs; son, Roger Lee Coombs (Michelle) and daughter, Susan Coombs Bradshaw (Ashley); grandchildren, Madelyn Coombs, Olivia Bradshaw, Maggie Ray Bradshaw, Claire Elizabeth Bradshaw and Robert Stanley Coombs; and special family, Beth and Bo Fussell and Kim and Dennis Patram.

He loved his country, serving in the US Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet from 1956 to 1960. He was a poultry farmer and retired from textiles; however, after retirement, he enjoyed driving a rollback for his son’s business, delivering peanuts for English Family Peanuts, and working for Padgett Funeral Home. He loved people and brought laughter and joy wherever he went, wearing crazy wild socks and sharing a joke to lift spirits and bring smiles to others.

He loved his church and served his Lord with enthusiasm. He helped with the Backpack ministry of Westview Methodist Church packing bags of food and sharing in delivering them to the schools. He loved air-frying turkeys for the Heroes In Training (HIT Squad) gatherings, helping them in any way he could. He enjoyed the children of the church and delighted in them being “children”.

His greatest love was his Grands – Madelyn, Olivia, Maggie Ray, Claire-Beth and Robert. He had a special relationship with each one and spent as much time with them as they would allow. Whatever they wanted, he tried to make happen. He loved being their Poppie!

Elwood’s family will greet friends at a visitation on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, from 6-8 p.m., or on Wednesday, January 21, at 1 p.m., with a service in the chapel of Padgett Funeral Home at 2 p.m. After the service, interment will be in Riverview Memorial Park of Watha. In lieu of owers, please consider a contribution in his memory to the Westview Methodist Church HIT Squad, 5610 Hwy 53 West, Burgaw, NC 28425.

Betty Evans

Oct. 15, 1932 – Jan. 19, 2026

Betty Jean Hall Evans, lovingly known as Grandma Betty Jean, passed away peacefully on January 19, 2026, in Watha, North Carolina, at the age of 93.

Born on October 15, 1932, in Watha, North Carolina, Betty Jean lived a life rooted in faith, family, and service. She was a devoted follower of Jesus and a faithful member of Hopewell Presbyterian Church. Her love for the Lord shaped how she lived and how she loved those around her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Malcolm and Louise Hall, and by her siblings, Virginia Ruth King, Dorothy Perseghin, Sylvia Walker, and James Malcolm Hall Jr. (Jimmy).

Betty Jean is survived by her two sons, James Evans (Cindy Evans) and Ralph Evans (Tina Evans); six grandchildren, Blake Evans, Blair Wilkes (Jason Wilkes), Aaron Evans (Ariel Evans), Sydney Harvey (Nick Harvey), Rebecca Teague (Curtis Teague), and Victoria Morales (Boris Morales); and six greatgrandchildren, Tegan Evans, Anderson Evans, Jamison Wilkes, Pearl Wilkes, Zayn Harvey, and Elliana Evans, who were among her greatest joys.

She spent most of her life in Pender County, North Carolina, with a few years in Corpus Christi, Texas. Betty Jean graduated from Burgaw High School in 1951 and later attended trade school. While she held various jobs over the years, the majority of her career was spent as an inventory clerk at J.P. Stevens in Wallace, North Carolina.

Betty Jean had a deep love for cooking and caring for others through food. Her kitchen was a place of comfort, laughter, and connection. She was especially known for her homemade fudge and fruitcakes, which became cherished traditions for family and friends. These recipes were more than desserts; they were expressions of her love, generosity, and joy in serving others.

An exceptional athlete, Betty Jean was also known for her basketball talent in high school, averaging over 30 points per game. She continued playing basketball in various leagues after graduation and enjoyed sports throughout her life. She also played softball, primarily as a pitcher, and was an avid bowler, competing in numerous leagues and traveling across the United States for tournaments. Her highest bowling score was an impressive 297.

Above all, Betty Jean will be remembered for her unwavering faith, her servant’s heart, and her deep love for family. She spent her life loving Jesus and her family well, and now she has heard the words she lived for: “Well done.”

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, January 31, at noon at Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 4682 US Highway 117, Burgaw, North Carolina 28425.

In lieu of owers, donations may be made to Hopewell Presbyterian Church.

Guests are welcome to wear her favorite colors: light pink and Carolina blue.

Christopher Coy Reaves

Sept. 15, 1972 – Jan. 22, 2026

Turkey - Christopher Coy Reaves, 53, of Turkey, passed away Thursday, January 22, 2026, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center. Christopher was born in Wake County on September 15, 1972, to Linda Faye Johnson Reaves Tadlock and the late Coy Cleo Reaves.

A private graveside service will be held in the Turkey Cemetery, Turkey, NC.

Mr. Reaves is survived by, wife Susanne H. Reaves of Turkey; mother, Linda Tadlock and husband, Gerald of Clinton; sons, Christopher Allen Reaves and wife, Allyson of Teachey, and Zachery Reaves wife, Leah, and Matthew Austin Reaves; sisters Cathy Jo Hall and husband, Donnie of Smith eld, and Tina Reaves of Stem; grandchildren, Alaina Reaves, Anna Reaves, Mattie Reaves and Little Walker Reaves. He is also survived by nieces and nephew, aunts, uncles, cousins and a sister-inlaw.

Teri Wynne Brinegar

May 11, 1958 – Jan. 19, 2026

Teri Wynne Brinegar, 67, of Warsaw, NC, passed away January 19, 2026, at The Laurels of Pender in Burgaw, NC. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Harvest Church, 604 E. College St., Warsaw, NC 28398.

Melinda Houston Kennedy

April 8, 1954 – Jan. 21, 2026

Ella Melinda Houston Kennedy, 71, passed away on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at her home. The funeral service will be Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 7 p.m. followed by visitation at Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, NC.

The graveside service will be Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 11 a.m. at East Duplin Memorial Gardens in Beulaville, NC. She is survived by daughters Miranda K. Wells (Johnny Ray) of Wallace, NC; and Samantha Kennedy (Alexei Morales) of Pink Hill, NC; brothers: Brantley Houston (Dail), Dean Houston (Wanda) and Wayne Houston (Debbie), all of Pink Hill, NC, and Sandy Houston, of Greensboro, NC; grandchildren Kiley Wells, Cristian Morales and Kennedy Morales; honorary son Eric Davis; and sister of the heart Susie Kennedy.

Ben Scott

Dec. 20, 1941 – Jan. 20, 2026

Ben Scott, 84, of Castle Hayne, passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on December 20, 1941, in New Bern, North Carolina, to the late Lorenzo Scott and Olive Dean Scott. Ben earned a Bachelor’s in English from ECU in 1964. He later married the love of his life, Betty. He was an avid bird watcher and an exceptional photographer. In his spare time, you could nd him reading a good book, playing chess or watching the ECU football game. Ben was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather.

Ben is survived by his wife of 60 years, Betty Wright Scott; his sons, Christopher Benjamin Scott and his wife, Tonia, Mark Stuart Scott; his granddaughter, Kelsie Puskas; and his grandson, David Paul Puskas II.

In addition to his parents, Ben was also preceded in death by his sister, Rebecca Ann Scott.

A Celebration of life will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026, at Northside Church with Mickey Easterling o ciating. In lieu of owers, a donation in Ben’s honor can be sent to Northside Church or Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.

Bonita Boney

July 18, 1960 – Jan. 19, 2026

Bonita Gail Murphy Boney, 65, of Wallace, NC, passed away January 19, 2026, at ECU Health Duplin Hospital in Kenansville, NC. Funeral service will be at noon on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at Peter’s Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Wallace, NC. Public viewing will be prior to the service from 11- 11:50 a.m. Interment following the service at Murphy Family Cemetery in Wallace, NC.

Tommie Smith

Aug. 13, 1937 – Jan. 24, 2026

Tommie Smith, 88, passed away on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at his home. The funeral service will be Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Community Funeral Home, in Beulaville, NC. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Oak Ridge Memorial Park in Pink Hill, NC

He is survived by wife Julia Dean Weston Smith of Richlands, NC; daughters Libby Smith Jarman (David), of Richlands, NC, and Jamie Smith Williams (Larry) of Seven Springs, NC; and sister Carolyn Brown, of Chinquapin, NC.

Duplin members celebrate sorority’s 113-year legacy

The Duplin County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., celebrated Founders Day on Jan. 13, joining thousands of chapters worldwide. The event honors the 22 women who founded the sorority 113 years ago. Locally, the chapter’s Delta Dears held a re ective dinner at Rose Hill Restaurant, while younger members, Divas and Dolls, gathered at Casa Amigas in Wallace. Through programs in education, health, political awareness, economic development and international involvement, the chapter continues to serve the community year-round.

RESOLUTION STATING THE INTENT OF THE TOWN OF WALLACE TO ANNEX PROPERTY OWNED BY THE TOWN WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE EXISTING MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES(Farrior Park)

BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Wallace that:

Section 1. It is the intent of the Town Council, pursuant to G.S. 160A-31 to annex the property described in Section 2, which is owned by the Town of Wallace.

Section 2. The legal description of the property is as follows:

Located in Island Creek Township, Duplin County, North Carolina and beginning at an concrete monument, located on the western right of way of Rose Avenue (39 foot public right of way); said concrete monument being located N 07°37’11” E – 388.02 to an existing iron rod and N 07°39’07” E – 399.39 feet (passing over an existing iron rod at 272.68 feet) from an existing iron rod in the right of way of East Southerland Street (NC Highway 41, public right of way varies), also being Point “A” on map recorded in Map Book 27 at Pages 441 – 444, Duplin County Registry; thence N 68°35’22” W - 699.56 feet to an existing concrete monument; thence N 68°35’22” W - 10.36 feet to a point; thence S 35°28’15” W - 110.99 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 39°11’27” W - 65.28 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 59°45’17” W - 75.11 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 65°19’34” W - 63.40 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 76°36’43” W - 206.72 feet to an existing concrete monument; thence N 00°31’59” W - 274.31 feet to an existing concrete monument; thence N 55°40’55” W – 572.46 feet (passing over an existing concrete monument at 551.46 feet) to the centerline of Harry Nicholson Lane (50 foot public right of way); thence N 16°47’05” E436.95 feet along centerline of Harry Nicholson Lane; thence S 81°15’24” E – 671.84 feet (passing over an existing concrete monument at 20.00 feet) to an existing iron rod: thence N 14°03’54” E - 527.79 feet to an existing concrete monument; thence N 08°41’57” E280.61 feet to an existing concrete monument; thence N 12°40’14” E - 1493.84 feet to an existing concrete monument, also being Point “B” on map recorded in Map Book 27 at Pages 441 – 444, Duplin County Registry.

Thence along an agreed line per map recorded in Map Book 14 at Page 170, N 27°01’59” E - 263.78 feet to an existing iron rod; thence N 25°59’10” E - 34.87 feet to an existing iron rod; thence N 79°32’37” E - 111.07 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 58°13’04” E - 94.13 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 82°19’39” E - 207.27 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 38°27’51” E - 70.89 feet to an existing iron rod; thence N 58°33’37” E - 83.36 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 48°54’56” E - 266.91 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 56°53’24” E - 76.24 feet to an existing iron rod; thence S 77°37’03” E

feet to an existing iron rod; thence N 14°13’48” W - 193.04 feet to an existing iron rod; thence N 02°09’46” E - 170.48 feet to an existing iron rod; thence N 05°25’42” E - 184.23 feet to an existing iron rod; thence N 52°58’24” E - 167.40 feet (passing over and iron rod on the southern right of way of Stallings Road at 125.64 feet) to an existing railroad spike in the centerline of Stallings Road (60 foot public right of way), also being Point “C” on map recorded in Map Book 27 at Pages 441 – 444, Duplin County Registry; thence along the high water mark of the Boney Mill Pond per map recorded in Map Book 13 at Pages 231-232, Duplin County Registry, N 52°58’24” E - 109.21 feet (passing over an iron rod on the northern right of way of Stallings Road at 41.05 feet) to iron rod set; thence S 65°30’00” E - 159.00 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 26°10’15” W - 56.41 feet (passing over an iron rod on the northern right of way of Stallings Road at 26.02 feet) to a point in the centerline of Stallings Road, also being Point “D” on map recorded in Map Book 27 at Pages 441 – 444, Duplin County Registry; thence S 26°10’15” W – 30.39 feet to an iron rod on the southern right of way of Stallings Road; thence, continuing with the high water mark of Boney Mill Pond S 26°10’15” W – 6.78 feet to a point:

thence S 37°42’19” W – 73.31 feet an iron rod set; thence S 41°25’43” W - 56.11 feet to a point;

thence S 39°05’45” W - 36.63 feet to a point;

thence S 11°05’33” W - 19.00 feet to a point;

thence S 53°12’06” E - 26.88 feet to a point;

thence S 28°06’44” E - 13.48 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 10°53’12” W - 15.76 feet to a point;

thence S 40°51’18” E - 29.79 feet to a point;

thence S 17°41’19” W - 37.66 feet to a point;

thence S 12°32’28” W - 30.40 feet to a point;

thence S 10°48’47” E - 53.45 feet to a point;

thence S 18°04’15” E - 63.42 feet to a point;

thence S 24°18’47” E - 30.64 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 13°46’02” E - 49.87 feet to a point;

thence S 27°52’03” E - 36.43 feet to a point; thence S 19°29’11” E - 23.68 feet to a point; thence S 13°15’56” E - 18.56 feet to a point;

thence S 17°48’31” E - 24.72 feet to a point; thence S 10°51’28” W - 53.74 feet to an existing concrete monument; thence S 02°52’29” W - 28.52 feet to a point; thence S 04°32’15” E37.23 feet to a point; thence S 16°58’38” W32.66 feet to a point; thence S 05°22’16” W40.24 feet to a point; thence S 11°35’57” E - 84.18 feet to a point; thence S 00°19’10” W - 58.14 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 18°15’40” E - 51.16 feet to a point; thence S 29°57’24” W - 133.38 feet to a point; thence S 14°59’05” W - 68.46 feet to a point; thence S 05°34’34” E - 50.31 feet to a point; thence S 14°42’11” E - 47.87 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 26°17’17” E - 79.68 feet to a point; thence S 44°26’44” W - 75.43 feet to a point; thence S 48°08’53” W - 59.89 feet to a point; thence S 19°08’35” W - 68.01 feet to a point; thence S 27°17’53” E - 50.73 feet to a point; thence S 67°23’39” E - 50.66 feet to a point; thence N 80°13’35” E - 48.20 feet to a point; thence S 78°34’58” E - 33.24 feet to a point; thence S 39°36’21” E - 43.52 feet to a point; thence S 29°35’55” W - 61.00 feet to a point; thence S 02°12’17” E - 69.72 feet to a point; thence S 12°25’42” W - 102.18 feet to a point; thence S 14°03’43” E - 80.06 feet to a point; thence S 40°14’39” E - 14.30 feet to a point; thence S 80°59’07” E - 40.22 feet to a point; thence S 61°07’51” E - 33.93 feet to a point; thence S 35°44’22” E - 13.30 feet to a point; thence S 36°54’02” W - 43.37 feet to a point; thence S 16°18’15” E - 54.52 feet to a point; thence S 33°33’17” W - 49.78 feet to a point; thence S 81°04’45” W - 46.80 feet to a point; thence S 41°54’38” E - 103.43 feet to a

point; thence S 48°44’41” E - 38.39 feet to a point; thence S 25°53’07” W - 33.63 feet to a point; thence S 04°56’53” E - 36.04 feet to a point; thence N 74°35’45” E - 32.59 feet to a point; thence S 17°15’24” E - 39.65 feet to a point; thence S 25°41’52” W - 28.66 feet to a point; thence S 11°05’32” W - 45.37 feet to a point; thence S 03°06’00” W - 60.88 feet to a point; thence S 06°13’20” E - 26.67 feet to a point; thence S 25°32’11” W - 34.65 feet to a point; thence S 17°44’46” W - 44.28 feet to a point; thence S 03°32’33” W - 44.89 feet to a point; thence S 18°11’21” E - 25.29 feet to a point; thence S 39°00’14” E - 34.11 feet to a point; thence S 39°40’40” E - 70.79 feet to a point; thence S 09°33’16” E - 40.73 feet to a point; thence S 06°15’09” W - 103.11 feet to a point; thence S 68°36’54” W - 25.19 feet to a point; thence S 80°52’53” W - 49.36 feet to a point; thence S 56°49’43” W - 47.99 feet to a point; thence S 46°06’17” E - 43.04 feet to a point; thence S 29°57’50” E - 47.65 feet to a point; thence S 04°03’04” E - 41.50 feet to a point; thence S 12°22’28” W - 45.84 feet to a point; thence S 18°05’39” W - 68.12 feet to a point; thence S 12°27’41” E - 72.50 feet to a point; thence S 17°53’45” W - 33.80 feet to a point; thence S 11°37’25” E - 32.67 feet to a point; thence S 04°43’45” W - 31.15 feet to a point; thence S 11°46’30” W - 75.54 feet to a point; thence S 13°16’52” W - 49.90 feet to a point; thence S 05°25’57” E - 53.17 feet to a point; thence S 20°54’14” E - 28.58 feet to a point; thence S 43°37’29” E - 63.40 feet to a point; thence S 37°29’51” E - 68.61 feet to a point; thence S 12°01’09” E - 35.65 feet to a point; thence S 46°17’35” E - 53.92 feet to a point; thence S 39°37’04” E - 39.38 feet to a point; thence S 50°11’12” E - 24.47 feet to a point; thence S 31°52’56” W - 148.57 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 25°57’46” W - 39.78 feet to a point; thence S 02°37’24” E - 46.99 feet to a point; thence S 03°38’24” E - 53.92 feet to a point; thence S 33°54’40” W - 58.24 feet to a point; thence S 08°46’02” W - 108.85 feet to a point; thence S 31°02’27” E - 61.20 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 40°45’26” E - 54.30 feet to a point; thence S 08°08’04” E - 19.89 feet to a point; thence S 28°20’26” W - 94.54 feet to a point; thence N 85°10’26” W - 41.91 feet to a point; thence S 71°23’23” W - 70.66 feet to a point; thence S 31°28’58” W - 53.56 feet to a point; thence S 19°14’26” W - 84.75 feet to an iron rod set; thence S 10°25’07” E - 95.43 feet to a point; thence S 15°55’55” W - 82.95 feet to a point; thence S 16°26’28” E - 94.45 feet to a point; thence S 11°39’50” E - 74.68 feet to a point; thence S 06°15’14” W - 77.22 feet to a point; thence S 01°45’08” W - 125.25 feet to a point; thence S 04°56’38” W - 162.88 feet to a point; thence S 68°08’18” W - 51.57 feet to a point; thence S 65°27’39” W - 50.65 feet to a point; thence S 42°58’56” W - 71.38 feet to a point; thence S 12°42’12” W - 68.32 feet to a point; thence S 33°36’03” W - 46.81 feet to a point; thence S 15°20’08” W - 44.59 feet to an old gum tree corner, also being Point “E” on map recorded in Map Book 27 at Pages 441 – 444, Duplin County Registry. Thence along the current Town Limits line, S 40°50’14” W - 89.20 feet to existing iron pipe; thence S 67°54’04” W - 39.92 feet to an existing concrete monument; thence S 67°52’21” W - 102.86 feet to an existing iron pipe; thence N 54°05’31” W - 62.51 feet to an existing iron pipe; thence N 80°43’35” W - 57.80

Niccoya Dobson; rst row, left to right, Valerie Carr-Williams, Kimberly Carlton, Roszena Devione-Bivens, Tina Pitts, Lakisha Miller, and Nicole Smith; back row, left to right, Denise McAllister, Tekeiya Sloan, Tonya CarrStewart, Dessa Jordan-Brown and Sha’Niyah Spencer.

N

E - 41.02 feet to a point; thence N 58°52’05” E - 49.85 feet to a point; thence N 39°09’13” E - 45.18 feet to a point; thence N 17°05’57” E - 25.28 feet to a point; thence N 07°29’13” W - 52.19 feet to a point; thence N 16°55’49” E - 24.08 feet to a point; thence N 36°41’33” W - 24.04

N 48°37’24” W

feet to a point; thence S 80°35’49” E - 23.44 feet to a point; thence N 30°03’15” W - 16.48 feet to a point; thence N 86°23’25” W - 91.11 feet to a point; thence S 88°23’03” W - 17.85 feet to a point; thence N 16°00’13” W - 12.19 feet to a point; thence N 85°47’41” E - 48.49 feet to a point; thence N 47°38’46” E - 19.64 feet to a point; thence N 62°19’56” W - 16.54 feet to a point; thence N 46°48’50” W - 68.34 feet to a point; thence N 75°44’06” W - 65.93 feet to a point; thence N 74°01’57” W - 30.06 feet to a point; thence S 67°27’04” W - 49.05 feet to a point; thence N 85°44’05” W - 23.79 feet to an existing iron pipe, also being Point “G’ on map recorded in Map Book 27 at Pages 441 – 444, Duplin County Registry. Thence N 69°36’40” W - 63.83 feet to an existing iron pipe; thence N 37°17’22” W114.83 feet to an existing iron pipe; thence N 72°06’46” W - 86.73 feet to an existing iron pipe in the western right of way of Rose Avenue; thence along the western right of way of Rose Avenue (39 foot public right of way), S 07°38’25” W - 543.11 feet to an existing concrete monument which is the point of beginning.

Section 3. The property described in Section 2 is contiguous to the current municipal boundaries.

Section 4. A public hearing on the question of annexation of the property will be held at the Wallace Women’s Club after 6 o’clock pm on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Section 5. Notice of the public hearing shall be published once in Duplin Journal, a newspaper having general circulation in the Town of Wallace, at least ten (10) days prior the the date of the public hearing. Adopted this 8th day of January, 2026.