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Ena Sellers

Duplin County to see 12 all-way stops in the next several months

By Ena Sellers, Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Duplin County officials, leadership, and the public recently shared thoughts about the existing and planned all-way stops for several areas in Duplin County during the Board of County Commissioners meeting. Currently there are 12 intersections scheduled to have all-way stops. 

Commissioner Wayne Branch brought the topic to the board’s attention to keep the board and the public informed about future changes. 

The intersections that will be impacted are: 

Tram Road at Bethel Church Road, Tram Road at Bennetts Bridge Road/Scotts Store Road, Tram Road at Red Hill Road, Bowdens Road at Revelle Road, NC 41/NC 111 at Jackson Store Road, NC 50/NC 403 at Warren Road, Warren Road at Solomon Street, Charity Road at Bay Road, NC 11 at Charity Road, NC 11 at Register Road/Stocking Head Road, Liddell Road at Drummersville Road, and NC 403 at Beautancus Road. 

Representative Jimmy Dixon expressed his concerns and asked those in attendance about their general thoughts on the all-way stops. 

“A lot of money is being spent and some of them (all-way stops) I just don’t see the logic. 

I am not on the Transportation Committee, but I have some colleagues that are, and they can’t get any information from the State Department of Transportation,” said Representative Dixon. 

Chair Dexter Edwards stated that to him it appeared that money was spent on putting four-way stops that may not be necessary. 

“There may be information that the state has from accidents and such that I’m not aware of,” said Chair Edwards. “I’m old school, but when I’ve rode down a road as many years as I have, all of a sudden I come under a four-way stop on it, I’m aggravated and, like I said, if it is preventing accidents, I’m not trying to argue with the data, but I don’t see the value myself today.”

Sheriff Stratton Stokes shared that he has not seen any data shared from the DOT, but that he learned from the fire department in Teachey that a particular four-way stop in Teachey has reduced severe crashes. “But now some of these places, I don’t know why they have picked them. I mean, like Little Road and way out in the country where you don’t have as much traffic.” 

Commissioner Branch shared that last year when the four-way stop was placed at the intersection of Bay Road and Highway 117 he received several calls about it. “So, I went out there and actually sat there a little bit and watched a lot of tires sliding as a result of not being aware. So, I contacted the DOT just to try to get an understanding as to why you would put a stop sign on a 55-mile-an-hour zone.” 

He explained that he was presented with the data and the study that supported the need for the four-way stop at that location, adding that a lot of effort goes on from DOT in making the determination of what is needed. He also explained that DOT must look at the costs, and stop signs are the most cost-effective compared to a roundabout or stop lights. 

“The decision is being made within that structure,” said Commissioner Branch about the all-way stops slated for Duplin. “My point was to make sure that we are aware so we can communicate, because I don’t know what efforts, if any, going towards it would redirect it after the fact, unless there is some study to present the data to change it… I had mentioned maybe we need something to indicate that these stop signs are coming up on them, and they are still investigating that. But it is a decision that is still being made without a whole lot of leeway in terms of changing it, unless enough people were to get behind it to boast their concerns and see what would happen.” 

Commissioner Garner shared that while he understands the purpose for them, he was unsure about the need for some of them. 

“A prime example is on 403 in Rose Chapel. You come out of Graham Road (and) there is a four-way stop. You go 100 yards to the intersection of Summerville’s Crossroads Road and 403, and there is another stop. Why do you need two of them within 100 yards of each other?” said Garner. 

Duplin resident Barbara Grady, who lives half a mile from the Wayne County line North of NC 111 Highway, shared that she is surrounded by four-way stops and that she appreciated them being there. Grady stated that she believes the four-way stop at Outlaw’s Bridge Road in Highway 111 has prevented several fatalities from happening. She also mentioned that it has been helpful with traffic no longer being stalled out for a long time by the Zion Church Road. 

“The one right up in Wayne County from me serves the people coming out of Butterball, and there had been a lot of traffic back up because they had to stop and 111 went right on. Well, now that you’ve got a four-way stop, there’s less congestion at that particular crossroads when it’s shift-change time at Butterball. So, I am in favor of them,” Grady added.

Department of Transportation officials told the Duplin Journal that the schedules for the all-way stop installations have not been set and will be released once they are scheduled.

Wallace Town Council approves rezoning, annexation requests

The regular monthly meeting of the Wallace Town Council on Feb. 8 resulted in the approvals of one annexation and two rezoning requests, with three more rezoning requests set to be discussed at the March 14 meeting.

Public hearings were held on all three of the requests heard at the February meeting.

First up was an annexation request for 33 acres located at 4027 S NC 11 Hwy., property formerly owned by Martha Teachey. StrongRock Engineering Group PLLC requested the annexation. Two nearby residents commented during the public hearing, basically to ensure that their property would not be affected. After the residents were assured that it was not and that annexation must be voluntary, the council unanimously approved the request.

A public hearing was also held to discuss a rezoning request from Kosterman Bros., LLC for 8.71 acres on NC 11, across from a solar farm and just north of the John Deere Dealership. Planning director Rod Fritz stated that the property currently contains a storage facility, which is a non-conforming use for the residential zoning, but it was grandfathered in. Because the property transferred to new owners, a Highway Business zoning was required. There were no public comments on the rezoning, and it was approved unanimously.

A triangular piece of property on Old NC Hwy. 41, behind the McDonald’s and Walgreen’s, was also up for rezoning. Previously zoned R-6MH, Equity Trust Company was requesting that the property be zoned Highway Business. With no comments during the public hearing, the rezoning was approved unanimously.

At next month’s meeting, the council will hold public hearings on the following rezoning requests: .27 acres on East Boney Street from R-8 to HB, the Martha Teachey property rezoning for which annexation was approved Feb.8, and 150 acres on US Hwy. 117 near Willard.

Later in the meeting, the council also unanimously approved a bid for renovations to the Clement Park Community Center, which had been rebid at the December meeting, with the bids due by Jan. 31. Hatcher Builders was the low bidder, with $808,000, well within the $849,000 grant funding the town received for the project.

“That building will be almost completely gutted,” Town Manager Rob Taylor explained. “We’re putting in new windows, new flooring, painting, new HVAC systems, two new bathrooms — male and female bathrooms. You’ll have meeting areas, six meeting areas, where Scouts can meet. Two of the rooms are currently being used as the town gym; those will also be rehabbed.”

Council Member Jason Davis expressed concerns about not using the full $849,000 grant, but Taylor assured him there will be items that come up that will likely take up the entire funding.

In other business at the Feb. 8 meeting, the council:

  • Approved a proclamation designating February as Black History Month.
  • Heard an update on the Depot Commission from chairman Michael Blackburn.
  • Heard from Darlene Leysath, sister of late Mayor Pro Tem Wannetta Carlton, who requested that something be done in her sister’s memory. “My sister’s work has spoken in volumes, and it is my request that there’s some sort of recognition,” she said. “It can be a sign at Town Hall, it be a sign wherever to honor the great work she did.”
  • Heard from resident Joanna Whitfield, who asked that something be done about dogs in the neighborhood that killed her daughter’s cat and are known to chase children. She said she had called at least six times about the dogs, but nothing had been done. Mayor Jason Wells stated that he would follow up with her after the meeting.
  • Approved a contract with Highfill Infrastructure Engineering, P.C., for design work on a dike at the wastewater treatment plant.
  • Decided to invest airport grant funds in a two-year CD, with a rate of 4.1% APY.
  • Continued the meeting to Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

Beulaville OKs contract for sewer system check; zoning non-conforming use request also approved

The Beulaville Board of Commissioners approved a contract with Bio-Nomic Services during its regular monthly meeting on Feb. 5.

Ivey McCauley with McDavid Associates requested that the board approve the lowest bidder, which was Bio-Nomic, to perform a sewer system inspection, which will include any of the town’s sewer system that’s over 12 years old.

That will be about 63,000 feet of the town’s total 73,000 feet of piping, Cauley said. Bio-Nomic originally bid $309,750, which includes cleaning, CCTV of the interior of the pipes, and smoke testing. After McDavid suggested including 3,039 additional linear feet, the revised bid totaled $424,967.58. The amount is funded by a grant.

When Mayor Hutch Jones asked what the purpose of the study is, Town Manager Lori Williams responded, “Just the condition of our lines that are underground. Actually, everything on GPS, maps, video of the lines, smoke testing to detect any problems, just a really good inventory of our services.”

Later in the meeting, the board unanimously voted to approve the budget ordinance for the project, recommendation of award, and a resolution awarding the contract to Bio-Nomic.

Also at the Feb. 5 meeting, a public hearing on a zoning non-conforming use request was held.

Williams explained that the request had come from the former Methodist Church. “If you’re familiar with that area, there is currently a modular unit behind the church that is currently used for their fellowship hall,” she said. “They are going to discontinue the use as a church and convert it to residential.”

She added that the owners of the church plan to make some modifications in order to make it more like a residence. “It already has water and sewer, but they’re just asking for that unit to continue as a non-conforming use,” Williams said. “They’re going to renovate the inside to make it a living space. “

After some discussion with Town Attorney Justin Hunter, the board voted unanimously to add stipulations that the modular unit has to have a permanent foundation and be converted to real property.

In other business at the meeting, the commissioners:

  • Passed a resolution in honor or retiring Police Chief Jamie Rogers. Williams also reported that an offer had been made and accepted for a new chief of police. The town is waiting for paperwork from the state before an official start date and announcement of the hiring can be made.
  • Approved a contract for the annual audit with Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co., P.A.
  • Heard from Beulaville resident Brian Maddox, who advised the board that the town should work on the roads in south Beulaville, before they develop sinkholes.
Duplin cardiologist reminds individuals to listen to their heart

Duplin cardiologist reminds individuals to listen to their heart

It’s likely no surprise that the leading cause of death in Duplin County is heart disease, according to the 2021-22 Community Health Needs Assessment. What might be more surprising is that Duplin has all the tools and resources necessary to help detect, treat and prevent a variety of heart ailments.

ECU Health Heart & Vascular Care’s Dr. Anil George and Nurse Practitioner Jennifer N. Murphy work out of Kenansville, and see as many as 150 patients per week.

“I think we have everything and more that we need to start looking at the heart,” Dr. George told the Duplin Journal. “Should there be any sort of problem with any part of the heart, we have a good start at any one of our clinics.”

Most of the heart issues Dr. George and Murphy see fall into one of two areas — they’re either due to the fact that the heart is a pumping organ or that it’s an electrical organ. That translates to rhythm problems or valve problems, all of which can be detected and treated right here in Duplin County.

“The only thing that Greenville or Wilmington is going to have that we don’t have are processes that are intrinsic to the hospital,” Dr. George said, such as cardiac catheterizations, or stent placement.

Before heart problems develop, however, people have many options for prevention.

“A lot of it is talking to patients about diet and lifestyle, you know, not smoking, getting up and moving, things of that nature,” Dr. George said.

Smoking is a big issue in Duplin County, he explained. “We tell people not to smoke, we try to confirm they know that it causes cancer, it causes strokes, it causes emphysema, it causes loss of life, but they’re like, ‘yeah, but it’s hard to quit so I’m not going to stop,’” Dr. George stated. “That is an answer that’s very hard to swallow, but we have to sometimes.”

Diet is another big factor within the community. “Obviously [with some patients, we] find several areas where things can be improved,” Dr. George explained. “Like, what is your breakfast? What is your lunch? ‘Oh, it’s drive-thru. I just get a sandwich and a beverage from the vending machine and a Snickers bar.’ So then I’m like, what do you do in the evening, when you get home from work? Do you have 10 minutes to walk or 20 minutes to run? ‘Well, when I get home, I’m just so tired. I work until 5 and go back to work at 8 in the morning.’”

These are areas where individuals can work to improve their diet and get more exercise, Dr. George said. “When you go to the grocery store, you have to make choices. You really are what you consume.”

Dr. George and Murphy also emphasize the importance of being aware of symptoms. “Unfortunately,” Dr. George said, “we have a lot of people who are either very busy or stoic or just don’t care, and push through life. I have people who are like, ‘well, this was hurting for about eight months, but I just took a couple of Motrin and went to work.’”

It’s especially important for women to be aware of their symptoms, he added, because their symptoms aren’t the typical sudden grabbing of the chest as depicted on TV shows and movies. “A lot of women come in and all they’re having is gas pain, acid reflux, and you do an EKG and they’re having a heart attack right in front of you,” Dr. George stated. “If anything doesn’t feel right, just get an EKG. It only takes 10 minutes to do an EKG. If it hurts every time you go up the steps … that is your heart trying to get more oxygen and there’s a blockage. Some people are very insistent, it’s not pain, it’s like a tightness in my chest. I think taking symptoms seriously would be another key aspect.”

Murphy pointed out that individuals should also be aware of their blood pressure before they develop hypertension. “They call it the silent killer,” she said. “You may not even have symptoms.”

Dr. George compared staying heart healthy to taking care of your vehicle. “I mean, you would take your car to the mechanic to keep it from breaking down,” he said. “‘Oh shoot, I didn’t see that the air pressure was low.’ I went to the mechanic last week, and they said my battery was so corroded they couldn’t get a read on it. So I was like, ‘OK, take care of it.’ That’s like medical care. Preventing something before it starts.”

New scholarship fund empowers women seeking careers in Agriculture

Three business owners from Grifton give back to the community 

MOUNT OLIVE –The University of Mount Olive recently announced that starting in the spring of 2024, one UMO student will be awarded a Women in Agriculture scholarship sponsored by Gap Ready! Farm Services.  

According to UMO’s press release, business owners Paula Manning, Leigh Page, and Grayson Shreves established the fund to share their good fortune and passion for agriculture as they assist growers. 

“The premise of this scholarship is to help young women, like myself, who have a passion for agriculture and want to make an impact in the predominately male-dominated field,” said Page, who graduated from UMO in 2010.  

“We are humbled to be in the position to offer this scholarship opportunity to young women, who are seeking to make an impact on the future of agriculture,” said Page. “And I know from my own experience that there is no better place to start than at the University of Mount Olive. 

According to UMO officials, scholarship applications will be accepted through April 1.  

The scholarship can be awarded consecutively for up to four years. The recipient must demonstrate financial need and maintain a 3.0 GPA. 

“We want our success to translate to academic success for future UMO females in ag,” said Manning. 

For information, email nbalsamello@umo.edu. 

County Commissioners move forward with $44.1M new detention center project

County Commissioners move forward with $44.1M new detention center project

By Ena Sellers, Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE – The atmosphere was joyful as approximately 30 people gathered at the County Office for the Board of County Commissioners’ monthly meeting on Feb. 5. 

One of the highlights of the evening was the board’s unanimous vote to approve the construction of the new detention center. 

Representative Jimmy Dixon made a ceremonial check presentation in the amount of $80,206,000 representing the cumulative total of the funding secured for Duplin County over the last two General Assembly budgets.

“For many years, we were at the lower end of the feed trough and not very much consideration,” said Dixon, explaining that Senator Brent Jackson, himself, and other colleagues in non-urban leadership positions have been able to secure funding for Duplin County. 

“Every penny of this money that we have gotten for Duplin County could have gone through the competitive bid process and there’s billions of dollars that do go through competitive bids,” said Dixon, explaining that they get dibs on where to allocate about 15% of the funds available. 

“We think that 170 people know better where the needs are, than career bureaucrats sitting in these places where you send your project request… so we have been able to convince leadership to let us spend some of the money. This is not new money. It is money that was going out… local representatives get significant input on where that money goes,” said Dixon. “It has been a long time since we have had a Governor sign one of our budgets. The current Governor … didn’t sign this one. But we do have a supermajority, and we were able to get around his veto.” 

 Dixon spoke about the many projects the county has been able to fund with the money secured and how Senator Jackson and himself coordinate to distribute the funds. 

“The big jewel is that, cumulatively, we’ve gotten a little over $32 million for the jail,” said Dixon. “I was greatly influenced over the years by the need that we have had for a long time… I hope that is enough impetus to get the board in a position to where we can build the jail with the three pods on it and take care of our needs for some period of time… it’s been a great honor and a pleasure for me to be able to secure these funds to help you guys out.”

“The reason I can support these kinds of projects is because every bit of this is going to be put into something hard, something that has to be bought, and it is going to be bought more economically today than it would be later. Think about how long we kicked the can down the road on the jail.” 

After the presentation of the ceremonial check, Sheriff Stratton Stokes took to the floor to say a few words. 

“I know it’s been a long path, but through the leadership of Representative Dixon and also this board, we’ve made progress in a short period of time,” said Sheriff Stokes. “This is for all of Duplin County and like it says on the check, future generations, this has made a major impact for everybody and [will make an impact for] our kids and grandkids. 

The next person to address the board was County Manager Bryan Miller. He presented the board with a detailed breakdown of the costs to build the new Duplin County Detention Center and requested authorization to enter contract negotiations with the certified low bidder, Daniels and Daniels Construction. 

The total expense for the detention center project is $44,169,591, this amount includes the $40,223,100 for construction, $2,695,128 for engineer services, $1,000,000 for the road leading to the facility, $100,500 for the commissioning agents and $150,863 for the special inspection. 

“The interest for the grant year-to-date is $1,372,335, an anticipated future interest of $1,000,000 while the detention center is being built. There are also three REDLG interest-free loans that we will apply for, and those total $2,360,000 each for a grand total of $7,080,000. The total revenues that we have for the project at this time are $41,752,335,” said Miller. “The difference being $2,417,256.” 

Miller added that they have an unassigned fund balance of $35,849,716, praising the Board for an outstanding job with a healthy fund balance. 

“Our recommendation for the detention center project is to utilize the grants, the red-leg loans, and appropriate $2,417,756 from our unassigned fund balance.” 

Commissioner Elwood Garner made a motion to accept the loan bid for construction of the detention center, before it passed unanimously.

Commissioner Justin Edwards said a few words. 

“I don’t think anybody in here really truly wants a jail but let’s face the fact, we have to have one. It is a part of life, it is a part of society, not everyone will buy it. But I think this is a step that our county has needed to take for many, many years,” said Commissioner Edwards. “I think this is a step that will benefit our taxpayers, myself, and our future taxpayers.” 

All the commissioners echoed the sentiment, as one by one each said a few words. 

“If anybody had ever asked me, are we going to be able to build this size jail and not raise taxes, I would have never believed it,” said Chair Edwards as he expressed his gratitude for the funding. 

“We have the opportunity to put some things in place that are truly going to benefit the county as a whole and also help in terms of safety for our employees. So, I will be looking forward to seeing it go on the ground and hope we can continue to move forward together making these tough decisions,” said Commissioner Wayne Branch. 

Commissioner Jesse Dowe added that “a lot of people have had their fingerprints on this endeavor” and he was thankful for everyone who was involved in the process including those who were not present. 

Commissioner Garner shared that the jail project was near and dear to his heart. “The last time that the jail was adding on, my father was sheriff. He did what the commissioners would allow him to do … Now here I sit as a commissioner, and Sheriff, I am glad that we have been able to build you the 236-bed facility… I worked in the jail as a jailer for roughly 12 months, so I know what it is like to work there, 12-hour shifts. I think this new facility will allow things to happen much more efficiently and a whole lot safer.” 

Sheriff Stokes told the Duplin Journal that he was thankful for everyone who worked hard to make this project come to fruition. Adding that it will benefit “the people of Duplin County and it should help us protect our inmates and our [employees] and our citizens, hopefully for the next three or four generations. It has been a long time coming, probably 20 years, but everybody has had their fingerprint on it. I am just thankful that it worked out tonight like it did.”

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