Q&A with Fabian Vega, James Sprunt Community College Workforce Development Coordinator
As part of Duplin Journal’s Q&A, which shines a light on Latinos whose service and dedication make a difference in our community, we invited Fabian Vega to join us and share a bit about his roots.
Vega serves as a Workforce Development Coordinator and Continuing Education instructor at James Sprunt Community College. His programs include Spanish and English electrical, medical interpreter, and plumbing.
Can you share a bit about your own cultural identity?
I was born and raised in Mexico, so I try to go back at least once a year to visit my family and friends who are still there. Even though I’ve lived here more than half my life, I still follow many Mexican traditions here to teach my children and keep our culture alive.
What does National Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you personally?
While attending school in Mexico up to fifth grade, we learned a lot about our history and what it took for us to gain our independence; considering what my people went through, it’s something to be proud of, especially because a lot of the events that led up to that freedom happened in the state where I come from.
What is your driving force?
Primarily my family and seeing the number of Hispanics who attend James Sprunt Community College trying to better themselves, even when there may be a language barrier.
What has your experience been like growing up within the Hispanic community?
It has been a learning experience with different cultural identities. It’s amazing to see the differences in the various cultures and beliefs.
What has been the biggest change/challenge that you had to overcome as a Latino?
My biggest challenge to overcome, besides the language barrier, was having to prove myself to people because I am Mexican.
What is something you wish people would understand more about Latinos?
That our roots are sacred to us and that we are very family-oriented.
What traditions do you still practice that are connected to your heritage?
There are several that I still follow. Where I am from, the Day of the Dead is vastly celebrated, so I try to keep that tradition going.
MAGNOLIA — The Town of Magnolia approved a resolution to publish the names of 15 people who owe taxes at its Sept. 10 town hall meeting.
Town Manager Charles “Twig” Rollins shared that the town has tried to contact them but has not had any luck. He also asked the Board to approve a motion to start conversations with a law firm to handle the tax foreclosure proceedings. Currently, the town is owed about $20,000 by the people on the list. Rollins shared that they had about 70 people last year.
“It’s getting real serious here. I’d hate for somebody to lose their piece of property over $181 in taxes,” Rollins said.
“In most cases, it doesn’t cost us a dime,” Rollins explained. “If we have to sign a contract, certainly the board would have to approve that, but they take care of everything and even get their lawyer’s fees back.”
Rollins encourages people who owe taxes to go to the town hall and settle the debt to avoid foreclosure.
“The property owner can stop the foreclosure, but to stop the foreclosure, they’ll have to pay their back taxes,” said Rollins. “The sooner they pay, the sooner they stop that proceeding, the less money it costs.”
Other topics discussed at the meeting:
The Board approved resolutions to apply for funding for the following projects:
Automatic meter infrastructure;
Newberry Pump Station replacement;
2024 sewer rope rehabilitation replacement;
A water supply well replacement and
The wastewater treatment plant improvement
Joe McKemey, a project engineer with McDavid Associates, explained that the applications were to reapply for funding and keep the treatment plant compliant.
“The applications are automatically considered in the next funding round, but you’ve recently raised your water and sewer rates, and that’s going to increase your points,” McKemey said. “This funding is always very competitive. Sometimes, two points can make a difference between being and not being funded.”
The town manager also provided updates on the 64-year-old well that is undergoing repairs. Rollins explained that the well has a six-inch pipe that goes down 360 feet, which, over time, rusted.
“Sand got in the pipe, and we started pumping sand. That’s when we knew we had a problem,” he explained. “We’re going to try to pull that six-inch out and re-sleeve; if they are successful, they will go back and pump in our same amount of gallons per minute. However, if they’re not, they’re going to put a smaller pipe in, which will bea four-inch pipe, which will decrease our gallons per minute.”
Rollins also shared that they plan to meet with legislators soon to discuss the possibility of getting some earmarked money if they cannot secure a grant. He also mentioned the need for matching funds for the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant so they can apply next year to renovate the gym. He mentioned raising taxes as a possible way to get the money needed for the match.
Marco Barrientos, a Lead for North Carolina fellow from the School of Government serving in Magnolia, presented a proposed draft of the land use survey, and shared that he will be creating a Spanish version for the town’s Spanish-speaking residents.
Rollins recommended that the Board reactivate the planning board. “If not, then y’all are going to become the planning board, and that can become very politically contentious,” said Rollins. “Y’all still have the ultimate authority to overturn a planning board’s decision, but it’s best practice to have a planning board. If it’s your pleasure, bring a name next month of somebody who’s willing to serve.”
WARSAW — One of the main topics of conversation during the September meeting at the Warsaw town hall was the need for $44 million to update the water treatment plant.
“I’m aware that we do not have enough money for the update of the water treatment plant at this time. I am not aware of [whether] McDavid and Associates will be doing the work. However, they monopolize the whole county in obtaining contract work … they are always locating grants for the county, so my question is, why not Warsaw?” Angela Mainor, a Warsaw resident, asked the board, pointing out that neighboring towns have received funding for other projects.
Members of the Warsaw town board discuss the need for $44 million to update the town’s water treatment plant. Photo by Ena Sellers
The sentiment was echoed by other residents who spoke about the subject, questioning transparency in relaying what goes on in the town and wanting to stay updated on what is happening.
Commissioner Jack Hawes thanked Mainor for bringing up the topic of grants.
“We need $44 million, ain’t no ifs, ands, or buts about it. … Everything shouldn’t be going around us when we’re knocking on [legislators] doors, and I ask you to do the same. Knock on their doors because we need it. We need that $44 million.”
“Seven years ago, McDavid and Associates told us we got 10 years on our water and sewer. Well, ladies and gentlemen, seven years have gone by … Back then it was $20-some million. Now it’s $44 million. We’ve got to do something, and we’ve got to do it quick because if we don’t do it, our growth is stunted. We can’t do nothing. We can’t hold the capacity. We can’t push the water out, plain and simple,” said Hawes. “The time has passed [for] talking about it. We’ve got to do something about it. We’ve got to do something about it — quick.”
Mayor A.J. Connors also addressed the subject.
“I have seen Senator (Brent) Jackson. I’ve seen House Representative (Jimmy) Dixon. I’ve seen our county commissioners, and I’ve expressed to them as well as others that if Warsaw does not get a waste treatment plant increase, then West Park will come to a standstill because they need sewer at West Park,” said Connors, explaining that because Warsaw is the closest one, in order to supply West Park with sewer it needs to increase its capacity.
“That means that if they are trying to sell any property out there, that will have come to a standstill because we cannot supply them with the sewer. So we’re dealing with that. We’re not just the only ones hurt by it. The county will be hurt by that as well. The county did give a letter of endorsement that was sent to our state leaders as well as our federal state leaders, and these were sent out. I know because the town manager prepared it, sent the package out to them, making the request. We’ll be meeting with Congressman Murphy’s assistant to discuss this even more. And the reality is that Warsaw is growing, but we are having to be very careful,” said Connors.
The mayor added that people want to live in Warsaw.
“Those new homes that are being built over there on Wade are being sold as swiftly as they can get them completed, as well as the ones over here off of Victoria. I think the majority of all those have been sold at this point in time, and there are more houses that are in line to be built here off of West Bay as well as off of Plank Street,” said Connors, adding that more homes are in line to be built and improvements are taking place. “Things are happening here… The growth with jobs. Jobs are here, and they’re being filled as people come in and are willing to apply for those jobs.”
Connors asked the public to be patient as the town grows and improves.
“It may not be going as fast as you want, but it is moving forward. Cleaning up old buildings and using spaces for inward growth. There’s some property on Front Street that cannot be bought because the person who owns it has a price tag on it so high that no one can afford to buy it … And there’s some on Front Street that need to be repaired … So, yes, things are happening, and there are some things that are not happening that we would love to see happen.”
He spoke about how repairing Front Street took a while, and people complained, but to remember that if there’s going to be improvement, there will be problems while things are getting done.
“We have to be patient,” said Connors. “It takes a little time to get things done, and progress is not something that happens overnight all the time. There were complaints about Sheetz being out there,” he said, adding that the tax value that Warsaw will receive off of Sheetz is likely more than what 10 homes would bring to the area.
“And the other part of it is, thank God Sheetz did come because it brought the prices of gas down in Warsaw. You can be upset about it all you want, but it brought the prices down, and it’s staying down for right now,” said Connors.
In other business:
The board carried a motion to move the Nov. 11 meeting to Nov. 12.
Town Manager Lea Turner provided an update about a survey the town and Eastern Carolina Council have been working on as they gear up for the 2025 grant period.
“We are asking everybody’s participation in this survey,” said Turner, pointing out how citizens can address specific requests to be considered in the survey.
“Please help us spread the word. … We even have some downstairs in the town hall,” said Turner, adding that they need them back by Oct. 22. “I’ve also put the links on our website for these surveys. If you would, we would like your input.”
Hawes shared that Hawes Funeral Home will host a community appreciation day at the Warsaw Recreation Center from 12 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 5. The public is invited to attend and enjoy free food and a day of fellowship.
Turner also provided updates about the trunk-or-treat event planned for Oct. 31, 6-7.30 p.m. on Front Street.
A donation of classroom supplies alleviates burden often placed on teachers.
As hundreds of Duplin County students headed back to the classrooms, organizations like Smithfield Foods rallied to help area teachers with classroom supplies.
Thanks to a $10,000 donation from Smithfield Foods, children in 13 Duplin County Schools are better prepared and teachers don’t have to stress about additional expenses.
“Teachers typically purchase these classroom items out-of-pocket but don’t have to this year,” wrote Smithfield Foods in an email to the Duplin Journal.
Local Smithfield team members volunteered to sort and pack the items that were later distributed to Duplin County Schools teachers.
“Teaching the next generation of leaders is a noble calling,” said Rhonda Campbell, senior community development manager for Smithfield Foods. “Smithfield Foods is proud to support Duplin County teachers and schools by reducing the burden of paying out-of-pocket for essential supplies that many students rely on.”
The donated classroom supplies included dry erase markers, notebook paper, highlighters, pens, pencils, glue sticks and more.
With elections around the corner, many citizens in Duplin County are looking forward to making their votes count.
Carrie Sullivan, Duplin County Board of Elections director shared with Duplin Journal the efforts of an assisted facility that is going above and beyond to help their residents be able to vote in the upcoming election.
“Megan [Freeman] has worked with her team to get any resident that wants to vote registered and has partnered with us to get the free voter ID cards,” said Sullivan, explaining that Freeman, who is the administrator of Wallace Rehabilitation & Health, reached out to the Duplin County Board of Elections to find out what she needed to do to make it possible for her residents to be able to go into a polling site and vote during the upcoming election.
“I think it is a great thing for a facility to care so much about their people that they want to make it possible for them to vote in person again — which many have not done in years,” said Sullivan, adding that the multi-partisan assistance team will be visiting the facility to aid with absentee ballots for anyone who is not able to go in person.
“We have issued voter IDs to 18 residents at Wallace Rehabilitation & Health and will be going back to issue, I believe, three more that have requested them since our last visit,” said Sullivan.
“The joy that the residents have about being able to go vote at a polling location instead of only through an absentee ballot is truly inspiring. Megan and her team have not only ensured that all residents that want to vote are registered, but they have followed up with staff as well. A few of her team members live in other counties and were not registered, so they filled out registrations and we imported them and transferred them to their correct county BOE office for them,” she added.
Freeman told Duplin Journal that her staff helped by finding out which residents wanted to register, and they coordinated with the BOE to get the ball rolling. She also coordinated arrangements for the facility to transport the residents to the polls.
“Our transport driver has cleared his schedule so that once early voting is open, he can transport residents to the polls to vote. Our goal is to get as many residents to the polls as possible,” said Freeman. “We believe every individual has a right to vote and we are proud to be able to provide our residents this opportunity.”
The Duplin County BOE will be holding a registration drive at the Muscadine Festival on Sept 28.
In-person voting will begin Oct. 17 and run until Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Ed Emory Auditorium, located at 165 Agriculture Drive, Kenansville and at the American Legion Post #156, located at 529 E. Southerland Street, Wallace. Curbside voting is available at both sites and will be available at all 19 precincts on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Individuals who are not registered to vote in Duplin County can register during early voting.
Visit ncsbe.gov to see your voter status, request an absentee by mail ballot and to locate your place to vote. For questions, call the Duplin County BOE office at 910-296-2170.
Q&A with Cindy Zuniga Nolasco, Duplin County Health Department Public Health Educator
A month-long celebration that runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 celebrates the positive impacts of Latinos and Hispanic Americans whose ancestors came from Central and South America, Mexico, Spain and the Caribbean.
National Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with national independence days in various Latin American countries and dates back to 1968. Originally a week-long celebration, it was expanded to a month in 1988 and passed into law by President Ronald Reagan.
Duplin Journal will be shining a light on Latinos — who make up 23.2% of the county’s population — whose service and dedication make a difference in our community.
This week, Duplin Journal invited Cindy Zuniga Nolasco, Duplin County Health Department public health educator, to join us and share a bit about her roots.
Cindy is 22 years old. She was born and raised in Duplin County and is the oldest child in a family of six.
Can you share a bit about your own cultural identity?
My cultural identity is being able to speak two languages, English and Spanish. Although I was born in the United States, I have family roots in Honduras. We love to have family gatherings with food and music.
What does National Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you personally?
National Hispanic Heritage Month means to me celebrating freedom. It means embracing our culture with our music, food, and natural drinks traditions. It is celebrating our beautiful Hispanic culture with pride.
What is your driving force?
My driving force is my family. My sisters, Keidy, Sophia, and Ally force me to be a better person because they look up to me. But most importantly my parents Argelia Nolasco and Fredin Zuniga. My parents came to the United States to provide me with a better future. I owe them for that because now I can do the things they dreamed of doing when they were younger.
What has your experience been like growing up within the Hispanic community?
My experience growing up within the Hispanic community has been impressive. I see a lot of the Hispanic children that I grew up with, that are breaking barriers that hinder our parents from doing things in their own country. Our community is growing and glowing. We are making our culture proud.
What has been the biggest change/challenge that you had to overcome as a Latino/a?
The biggest challenge I have had to overcome as a Latina first-generation student was having to learn how to navigate college on my own. I had to learn through it myself. My parents did not have that privilege, but I made it happen and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from accomplishing my dreams and making them proud.
What is something you wish people would understand more about Latinos?
Something I wish people would understand about Latinos is that we are here to succeed for our families. If you go to their countries, you will understand the situations that happen there.
What traditions do you still practice that are connected to your heritage?
The traditions that I still practice that make me feel connected to my heritage are celebrating the day of Independence on Sept. 15, Semana Santa (Good Friday), Navidad (Christmas), and Año Nuevo (New Year). I love enjoying food such as Baleadas (homemade flour tortilla with beans, Central American cream, and cheese), and pollo frito con tajadas (fried banana plantains, cabbage, tomato sauce, shredded cheese, and fried chicken). Can’t forget the tradition of eating tamales at Christmas.
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