VOLUME 11 ISSUE 5 | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2026
DUPLINJOURNAL.COM
Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Traffic stop leads to drug arrest Beulaville A March 23 traffic stop resulted in multiple drug charges for a Pink Hill man, according to the Beulaville Police Department. Police say Elton Mitchell was stopped for displaying fictitious registration plates. During the stop, authorities say they located drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle and recovered narcotics nearby. Allegedly Mitchell attempted to conceal evidence by discarding two plastic bags near the vehicle. The bags reportedly contained approximately 15.5 grams of fentanyl and 4.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine Mitchell faces numerous charges, including trafficking fentanyl, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, and obstructing justice. He is being held at the Duplin County Jail under a $500,000 secured bond. Authorities say he was on federal probation at the time of the arrest.
NCDOT begins safety project Beulaville The North Carolina Department of Transportation has begun a road safety improvement project near Beulaville. Crews are converting the intersection of N.C. 24 and Williams Road into a reduced conflict intersection, a design intended to lower the risk of crashes. Drivers should expect daytime lane and median closures in both directions Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The project is expected to be completed by late April when the new traffic pattern will fully open.
Carolina Strawberry Festival announces 2026 queens Wallace Organizers of the Carolina Strawberry Festival have announced the winners of the 2026 pageant. This year’s queens include Baby Miss Magnolia Layne Gore, Wee Miss AnnaBryan Davis, Little Miss Avery Dew, Petite Miss Layla Crater, Junior Miss Isla Blanton, Young Miss Savannah Stephens and Teen Miss Windsor Farrior. The annual festival, a longstanding tradition in the area, celebrates local agriculture and community spirit.
MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL
Hands-on learning takes root at Duplin Grows Students from Warsaw Elementary School take turns petting a chicken during Duplin Grows at the Duplin Event Center on Tuesday. The event featured hands-on activities and demonstrations highlighting agriculture. Turn to A3 for more.
Mount Olive commissioner files lawsuit alleging board misconduct Delreese Simmons seeks compensatory and punitive damages over alleged defamation and interference
on March 10 alleging misconduct by fellow members of the town’s governing board. According to the lawsuit, tensions escalated in early 2023 after Simmons says he began questioning financial discrepancies and governance practices. He alleges those concerns were met with resistance that deteriorated into open
conflict among board members. Central to the dispute is a disagreement over whether Simmons was formally censured. In his complaint, Simmons contends that an initial effort to censure him during a 2024 public meeting failed to pass and that subsequent claims
Chamber gathering spotlights growth, new businesses
Quick Care in that same shopping center, another urgent care.” Taylor also referenced Royal Farms, a convenience store and gas station being built at the corner of N.C. Highways 11 and 41 in the Tin City area. He added that near Eastwood Acres there will be a Chickfil-A, and a new shopping center on N.C. Highway 41 will be home to a Starbucks. In downtown development, Taylor said the old Jim Russ Chevrolet build-
By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal MOUNT OLIVE — A newly filed lawsuit by Mount Olive Commissioner Delreese Simmons is drawing renewed scru-
Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and Royal Farms are among the businesses coming to Wallace By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal WALLACE — Members of the Wallace Chamber of Com-
merce gathered in the ballroom of the River Landing Clubhouse on March 19 and heard from local leaders about the rapid growth coming to the area.
Wallace Town Manager Rob Taylor told the group that businesses rumored to be coming to town for years are finally headed this way. “Most of you have seen the new Dunkin’ and probably had a couple of lattes there,” Taylor said. “There’s also Carolina
Duplin County man gets 27 years for producing child sexual abuse material The investigation began with an online tip and led to discovery of thousands of files By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal
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tiny to longstanding divisions within the town’s leadership, raising competing claims about misconduct and the limits of elected officials’ conduct. Simmons filed a complaint in Wayne County Superior Court
A FEDERAL JUDGE has sentenced a Duplin County man to 27 years in federal prison after he admitted to producing child sexual abuse material, according to federal authorities. Shawn Keith Green, 55, pleaded guilty following an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the case began when a cloud storage provider reported sus-
pected child sexual abuse material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Investigators with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation linked the account to Green, who is a registered sex offender living in Duplin County. Authorities said the U.S. Secret Service executed a search warrant on Green’s account and discovered more than 10,000 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, with “some as young as newborn infants.” See CRIME, page A3
“We will never tolerate disgusting behavior like this.” Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney
See LAWSUIT, page A3
See CHAMBER, page A2