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.”
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.
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.”
ROSE HILL — Michael Brandon Bradshaw was arrested by the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division while assisting NC Probation and Parole Officers on Jan. 31.
According to a release from the Sheriff’s Office, upon arriving at a residence on Cornwallis Road in Rose Hill, investigators confirmed that the man wanted for absconder warrants, was in the residence and arrested him.
A search of the bedroom and bathroom where Bradshaw was found, revealed he was in possession of two handguns, a sawed-off shotgun, approximately 11 grams of methamphetamine, one gram of fentanyl, marijuana, and miscellaneous items of drug paraphernalia. The items were seized.
Bradshaw was charged with possession of firearm by felon; possession of a weapon of mass destruction; possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver a schedule II-controlled substance; two counts of felony possession of schedule II; possession of schedule VI; possession of drug paraphernalia; and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. Bradshaw is being held with no bond.
ROSE HILL – Duplin County Schools issued the following statement on Feb. 24 in response to a gun found inside a Wallace-Rose Hill High School student’s vehicle.
“At approximately 8:20 AM, on Tuesday, January 24, the School Resource Officer at Wallace-Rose Hill High School was notified that a student was in possession of a firearm on school property. The School Resource Officer quickly investigated and found the student in the vehicle along with a loaded firearm and ammunition in the back seat. The School Resource Officer confiscated the firearm from the vehicle without incident. Both Duplin County Schools and the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office take these types of incidents very seriously and are issuing consequences that strictly follow NC law and board policy.We encourage anyone with information that may pose a threat to our school family to contact school administration or law enforcement immediately.Please be assured student and staff safety is a top priority for Wallace-Rose Hill and Duplin County Schools. Following the incident, the school was secure and students and staff were safe. There is an ongoing investigation by law enforcement.”
Candidates for Duplin County Commissioner were invited to participate in the Duplin Journal’sQ&A. Below are the candidates responses received as of press time.
Incumbent Elwood Garner (Rep) is being challenged by Cindy Sallis (Rep) in the County Commissioner District 01 race. Incumbent Wayne Branch (Dem) is running uncontested in the general election to keep the County Commissioner District 05 seat. Incumbent Jesse Dowe (Dem)is being challenged by Mary L. Williams-Boykin (Dem) in the County Commissioner District 04 race.
During the primary voters will choose which candidates should be their party of preference nominee, the winners will be on the general election ballot in November along with the candidates who are running unopposed. To become a party nominee, the candidate should get at least 30% of the votes, plus one.
If you have not registered to vote, the deadline to register is Feb. 9 by 5 p.m.
Q&A with Incumbent Elwood Garner
Why have you decided to run for re-election?
As a lifelong resident of Duplin County, a current business owner in the county and a former county employee, county government has always been and will remain an area near and dear to my heart.I also value the tax paying citizens of the county and I have and will continue to make the best decisions with them in mind.
What are the two biggest challenges facing the Duplin County Board of Commissioners? How would you approach those challenges?
The two biggest challenges to the Duplin County Board of Commissioners are:
a. Continuing to provide the current level of county services in the most efficient and effective ways possible.
b. Maintaining a level of taxation that tax paying citizens can afford.
The Board of Commissioners must work with the county administrative team to promote employee efficiency and operating cost saving measures to keep expenses as low as possible.
What do you see as the most pressing need for Capital projects in the county?
Recently, the board of commissioners have funded and approved the following capital projects:
Animal Care and Control Facility at a cost of $3.9 million
Public Transportation Facility at a cost of $4.2 million
Senior and Veteran Services Facility at a cost of $5 million
As most citizens have heard, the county is in the process ofbuilding a new detention center for the Duplin Sheriff’s Office.This facility could potentially be under contract during the month of February 2024.
All of the above projects have been funded to date with no tax increase.
Employee retention and recruiting have been a challenge in Duplin County, what solutions would you recommend if elected?
In 2021, the Board of Commissioners were informed by the former county manager and his management team there was a need to perform a county wide pay study for employees.
The Board of Commissioners voted to fund the pay study. The completed study was presented with three different options to address the employee compensation issues.
The commissioners voted to fully fund the proposed pay study effective July 1, 2022, at a cost of approximately $5 million in additional compensation across all county government.
However, this has not fixed the retention and recruitment issues across county government, as the commissioners were lead to believe.Commissioners are working with the current management team to view different options available to the commissioners.
How long have you lived in Duplin? Where is your hometown?
47 years. Kenansville.
Q&A with Cindy Sallis
Why have you decided to run for County Commissioner?
As a constitutional Republic, our elected officials are to selflessly serve the needs of their community as a whole and not special interests.Building and strengthening our county for all our families and the future of our children and grandchildren is my priority, increasing opportunities for our young adults and supporting our farm families so they can thrive.
What are the two biggest challenges facing the Duplin County Board of Commissioners? How would you approach those challenges?
The biggest challenge is possibly that the capacity of our county jail is far too small.Hopefully the county finds a way to move ahead with a 236 bed facility somehow.That said, interest rates are sky high so unfortunately since some of the cost likely may need to be financed, it would likely be most prudent to wait until those rates lower.Fortunately, many financial experts have predicted interest rates should start falling to some degree as soon as this summer.Interest rates and fluctuating building costs are essential considerations regarding timing.
The second biggest challenge is creating opportunities in Duplin for our young adults while preserving and protecting our character as an agricultural community so our farm families can thrive.As farmers cope with new regulations, a new marketing landscape, and so many expenses, I would love to see opportunities developed to enable and train young adults to support them even in less traditional ways.This can include as grant writers, handling their social media presence, and even flying drones.I would love to see James Sprunt offer specialized training for these things.Our county has vacant and available spaces, so brainstorming ways to bring in business that complements the character of our community, including adaptive reuse for older buildings, is important.So many community leaders came together and helped with the vision and bringing in the funding for the Duplin County Airpark.This should ultimately attract business and serve many Duplin farm families well.
What do you see as the most pressing need for Capital projects in the county?
One bridge needs to be replaced and one repaired on the US 117 and work should begin this year. Our county jail is inadequately small.The Department of Health is also outgrowing their space.Chinquapin Elementary School does not yet have an auxiliary gym and this is essential for the children.We are blessed that so many came together with a vision and have found the funding for several industrial parks that will surely bring more opportunities/employment to our community.The Duplin County AirPark will certainly be a game changer logistically for our local farmers.
Employee retention and recruiting have been a challenge in Duplin County, what solutions would you recommend if elected?
Our county employees are facing rising costs just like the rest of us yet they do not have cost of living increases.Incentives need to be looked at hard.The true value of the full county employee package needs to be well explained and understood.It is excellent that county employees have health care available in the way they do and also retirement pensions.These are benefits that are becoming scarce with other employers.Work environment, leadership development, and promotion opportunities or lack thereof can also play into retention.
How long have you lived in Duplin? Where is your hometown?
With a Master’s degree in Education, Mental Health Counseling, working as a controller, administrator, accountant, curriculum and grant writer, and paralegal work are all in my background. Additionally, serving the homeless, founding a non-profit focused on stopping intergenerational incarceration, preparing adults for the GED when English is their second language, bringing disaster relief to Southeastern North Carolina after major hurricanes, acting as parliamentarian, supporting Republican candidates and elected officials with shared conservative values mainly as a writer and researcher, and leadership positions within the Republican party are ways I have volunteered. My career interests, passion for service, and being a military spouse have brought me to places I once only dreamed of.
However, after my travels, that permanent sweet sense of home finally came with my move to Southeastern North Carolina about fifteen years ago.Everything that has led me here to Duplin County brings me gratitude because there is no place quite as special as our little homestead in Pleasant Grove.
Q&A with Incumbent Wayne Branch
Why have you decided to run for re-election?
After much prayer and meditation and after consulting with constituents in my district as well as other Duplin County citizens, I have decided to run for re-election to the Duplin County Board of County Commissioners. I ran for office to help make a difference in the lives of everyone living in Duplin County. I genuinely care about people and believe that citizens need someone who is committed to speaking intelligently about issues and willing to work diligently and collaboratively with others to find answers to resolve issues. I believe I have been effective in serving the people in my district as well as others throughout Duplin County. I have grown in the areas of courage, desire, knowledge and understanding. I believe these characteristics will aid me to be a more effective commissioner in a second term. I will remain committed to doing what is right for everyone, without reservation, every day.
What are the two biggest challenges facing the Duplin County Board of Commissioners? How would you approach those challenges?
Two concerning challenges facing the Duplin County Board of Commissioners is Recruitment and Retention of County Employees & Water and Sewer Capacity for County.
Regarding Recruitment and Retention, we need to consider having conversations with department leadership to solicit input from them as to what they consider to be barriers or obstacles to retention and recruitment and what can be done to eliminate the obstacles. Surveys and/or employee panel groups can be utilized to achieve results.
Regarding Water and Sewer, we need to start talks to determine what the actual and tangible needs are so a determination can be made regarding associated costs to provide the service. Subsequently, with input from the citizens, we can define and settle on how to meet the costs and provide the necessary services.
What do you see as the most pressing need for Capital projects in the county?
I must first say thanks to Senator Brent Jackson and Representative Jimmy Dixon for the support allocated to Duplin County in the 2023/2024 state budget for capital needs. As a result of their support, Duplin County received substantial funding to help us proceed with fulfilling capital needs in the county. One of those needs is a new detention center. Duplin County has needed a detention center for many years, and we are now closer to being able to meet that capital need.
How long have you lived in Duplin? Where is your hometown?
My name is Wayne E. Branch and I have lived in Duplin County for 25+ years. I am originally from Franklin County, North Carolina.
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
