Ena Sellers

By Abby Cavenaugh

Duplin Journal

Four Duplin County students have been selected to attend the prestigious North Carolina Governor’s School this summer. The four students were each honored at the April 9 meeting of the Duplin County Board of Education.

Nicole Murray, chief officer of STEAMA Curriculum and Instruction/Professional Development for Duplin County Schools, introduced the students to the school board members. “The NC Governor’s School is the oldest summer residential program in the nation that serves gifted high school students,” Murray explained. “These students will participate in a four-week residential on-campus program, where they will work on academics, the arts and lots of unique courses on each of two campuses across the state.”

Governor’s School East will be at Meredith College in Raleigh, while Governor’s School West will be at Greensboro College.

“The interesting thing about Governor’s School is that the curriculum is all about exploration,” Murray added. “There are no grades, no tests, these students just get to go and learn about the things that they love and enjoy.”

The four Duplin County Schools students selected for the honor are:

• Jordan Hooper, son of Jenyse McMillan, a student at Duplin Early College High School. He was selected to attend Governors School West, where he’ll study English.
• Elier Marquez-Chavez, son of Adela Chavez and Lutgardo Marquez, a student at Wallace-Rose Hill High School. He was chosen to attend Governors School East, where he will study social science.
• Lily Stringer, daughter of Jamie Alphin and Forrest Stringer, a student at North Duplin Jr./Sr. High School. She was selected to attend Governors School West, where she will study natural science.
• Jaclyn Williams-Briggs, daughter of Gretchen Williams and Anthony Briggs, a student at Wallace-Rose Hill High School. She was chosen to attend Governors School East, where she’s going to study choral music as a first soprano.

“So, these students represent the best of Duplin County and North Carolina students based on what they have worked for and what they’ve achieved,” Murray said. “The application process to get into Governors School is extensive, and it’s very, very strenuous. The fact that we had four students chosen from Duplin County, we’re very proud of that.”

She went on to thank each of the students’ parents, as well as their teachers, administrators, and counselors.

“Congratulations to all four of you,” School Board Chairman Brent Davis told the students. “It’s really an amazing accomplishment, a real testament to your work ethic. We hope the experience is all that you want it to be and that you get a whole lot out of it.”

In other business at the April 9 school board meeting, the board approved the consent agenda, which included various field trip requests and contracts for IEP (individualized education plan) services, including a sign language interpreter, nursing care. The consent agenda also included approval to name the East Duplin High School Track & Field after former principal, Kenneth Kennedy.

After a closed executive session, the board approved the superintendent’s request for personnel changes. Board Member Pam Edwards also motioned to continue to pay positions in exceptional children math and science bonus money, which was approved unanimously.

Superintendent Dr. Austin Obasohan reminded the board that a strategic plan review is scheduled for May 6 at 6 p.m. at the Kenansville Elementary School cafeteria.

“Our annual review of the DCS Strategic Plan is important as it will clarify our vision, goals, priorities and action plan,” Dr. Obasohan said. “It also gives us an opportunity as a family to measure our progress, celebrate successes and find ways to improve.”

By Abby Cavenaugh

Duplin Journal‌

The potential for downtown apartments — especially ground-level, accessible apartments — was a huge part of the Wallace Town Council’s regular monthly meeting on Thursday night, April 11.

Town Manager Rob Taylor and Planning Director Rod Fritz have been having discussions recently about an ordinance to govern residential spaces downtown, because as Fritz said, there are many downtown buildings that are not being used.

As part of the discussion, developer EB Pannkuk addressed the board, sharing information about similar historic preservation projects he’s worked on in downtown Wilmington. He said he’d like to see downtown Wallace prosper as downtown Wilmington has.

“I think everybody here has seen a marked improvement in the historic district north of the railroad tracks,” he said. “On Railroad Street, those buildings haven’t necessarily been taken care of. That sense of prosperity is not really present on Railroad Street. What I’d like to see is more development in that area to restore historical buildings.”

There are limited opportunities in downtown Wallace currently, Pannkuk said, which translates to many of the businesses on “the wrong side of the tracks” not necessarily thriving. “The other thing I think in general is a problem is not having first-floor apartments because there’s really no handicap-accessible units downtown anywhere,” he said.

Wallace realtor Curt Simpson shared that he gets calls every day from people seeking rentals, even though he works exclusively in real estate sales. There’s office space available downtown, but many people now work from home. “So if you want people downtown, and you put apartments down there, you’re going to have people downtown,” he said. “They’re looking for places where they can live and work at the same time.”

Mayor Jason Wells made a lengthy statement on his feelings about creating more living space downtown, whether it’s in upstairs apartments or ground level ones.

He admitted that the buildings are old, and the town has already had to tear down the former Market Furniture building due to the fire. “I don’t want to get into the business of having to tear buildings down because they’re not being used,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of houses coming, we’ve got a lot of commercial property coming. What’s going to keep people downtown? Is it going to be change and growth, or are we going to keep downtown the same and have to tear part of it down?”

“If you wanna sit here and stare at some empty buildings,” he continued, “then we don’t need to do anything. … What I am talking about is looking at some options that would allow for a handicapped person to have an accessible apartment. Just because it hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it can’t be done.”

Taylor said he would work on drafting an ordinance, and bring it before the council at the May meeting.

Also at the April 11 meeting, the council approved the master plan for Clement Park. As Taylor pointed out, a public forum on the park’s master plan was held in March. “There are two grant opportunities here,” he said. “We’re going to put in for an accessibility grant and the original PARTF grant.”

The existing playground will be moved to Dobbins Park, and will be replaced with an inclusive playground, which the town hopes an accessibility grant will help pay for. The PARTF (Parks and Recreation Trust Fund) grant portion of the plan, which is estimated to be about $250,000, includes tennis courts, a multi-use field, pickleball courts and some shade areas, as well as new parking areas. Some of those items may have to be trimmed, Taylor said, depending upon the grant awarded.

In other business, the council:

• Approved tax releases totaling $65.27.
• Approved the purchase of new radios for the fire department. Fire radios will be changing frequencies on Jan. 1, 2025. The funding totals $112,000, less $45,000 in Covid funds that were approved in November 2023.
• Approved a one-year lease for 45 acres of farmland at Farrior Park, at a cost of $55 per acre, or $2,500.
• Approved the appointment of Logan Brown to the library board for a six-year term ending in 2029.
• Approved the sale of a piece of property at the corner of North Norwood Street and East Murphy Street. The property will be advertised and then sold on GovDeals.com.
• Reappointed Mayor Pro Tem Francisco Rivas Diaz as the town’s voting delegate for the North Carolina League of Municipalities.