BEULAVILLE — May marked the first year since Miley Byrd, a 19-month-old from Beulaville, lost her battle with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome — a condition where the left side of the heart doesn’t form properly. Miley spent much of her life in Duke Children’s Hospital, undergoing two open-heart surgeries and awaiting a heart transplant. Today […]
KENANSVILLE — Over 280 curriculum graduates turned their tassels on Thursday, May 8, at James Sprunt Community College’s 63rd annual Commencement Ceremony, representing the college’s largest graduating class to date. The college also celebrated over 150 graduates across 26 programs for their academic achievements at the school’s annual Workforce Development and Continuing Education Graduation Ceremony. […]
WALLACE — After more than five decades of teaching and inspiring generations through the art of dance, Jane Highsmith, owner of Dancer’s Corner, has retired. From tiny ballerinas taking their first steps to teenagers performing on stage, Highsmith has guided countless students with unwavering passion, patience, and dedication. Highsmith’s love of dance began in childhood, […]
KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Board of Education’s regular business meeting on May 6 included a special recognition for two students accepted into the prestigious North Carolina Governor’s School, the oldest state-wide summer residential educational program in the nation. Eduardo Gonzalez of Wallace-Rose Hill High School and Maya Smith of Duplin Early College High School […]
WALLACE — Dating back to the early 1930s, the Carolina Strawberry Festival is a symbol of local pride and historied tradition. Today, it represents the heart and soul of Wallace, celebrating the town’s people and its agricultural roots. The festival has become a tool for giving back, a driver of economic and cultural vitality and […]
The streets of downtown Mount Olive came alive with cheerful energy as thousands gathered for the 2025 NC Pickle Festival. The event featured live music and captivating performances throughout the day. Participants reveled in the pickle-eating contest, cheering for Haley Yu, who was crowned pickle-eating champion, devouring 12 pickles. Hot on her heels were Kaitlynn […]