The Duplin Times chatted with Francisco Rivas-Diaz to talk about the new festival that runs during Hispanic Heritage Month on Oct. 12. Q: Please introduce yourself and your role in creating the Festival Cultural Latino! A: My name is Francisco Rivas-Diaz and I am a councilman for the town of Wallace. I also hold the title of Mayor Pro Tem. I was re-elected to my second term in November of...

KENANSVILLE — Duplin County Animal Services opened up a new facility this spring. The state-of-the-art facility is located at 287 Fairgrounds Drive and is twice the size of the last shelter in Duplin County. Over two million dollars were attributed to the new building to construct an animal services center for the county. The new facility was full on day one of opening this April. Controversy emerged in the last...

Duplin Agribusiness Fair at the Duplin Events Center The Agribusiness Fair will run Thursday through Saturday with exhibits, presentations, and a rodeo from September 12-14. More information can be found at duplinfair.com CSA Anniversary On September 13-15, 2024, the Charity School Alumni Association (CSAA) will celebrate their 35th anniversary weekend. The organization invites everyone who...

In honor of the late George H. Futrelle, a scholarship endowment has been established to continue his leadership, mentorship, and service legacy in aviation and the local community. The George H. Futrelle Scholarship Endowment will support the University of Mount Olive’s Aviation Program students, prioritizing those with an advanced Instrument Rating and Commercial License status. George H. Futrelle, who unexpectedly passed away on May 25, 2023, was a beloved figure in Wayne and Duplin Counties and in the aviation community. He began his journey at...

A hidden gem in Duplin County is now expanding to another two locations. Diversity Nurtures Achievements (DNA) located at 104 Revelle Road in Warsaw has been serving families for over 15 years, and is now excited to be able to help even more families. The building DNA is located in was once a family daycare that was started by her mother. Rivers grew up working with children her whole life. When it was her turn to take charge she decided to create DNA, a non-profit,...

Coffee is enjoyed by many Americans and other cultures. It is enjoyed for many different reasons such as its aroma — filling the atmosphere enough to alert you that it’s time to start your day. Maybe it’s the excitement you get from hearing the sound it makes as its filling the coffee pot from where you added your favorite coffee beans, and are now either patiently or impatiently waiting to get that first hot taste, that surge of caffeine to boost your energy and keep you awake, or lastly, it is the social interaction of meeting up with coworkers, friends,...

North Carolina had three recorded cases of West Nile virus this month, and state experts said the numbers will likely increase in the coming weeks as the post-Debby mosquito population continues to boom. Several suspected cases of West Nile virus are under investigation by the N.C. Division of Public Health’s Communicable Diseases Branch, Dr. Carl Williams, public health veterinarian with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, said this week. ...

UNC-Chapel Hill Professor Emeritus William Leuchtenburg is celebrating his 102nd birthday this month. He was born on Sept. 28, 1922. A few weeks ago, Oxford University Press released his latest book, “Patriot Presidents: From George Washington to John Quincy Adams.” Leuchtenburg earned his BA from Cornell and his PhD in History in 1951 from Columbia, where he taught before joining the history department at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1982. ...

It’s back to school, and we know a well-nourished child/teen will be able to pay attention to the instruction and perform better. Some experts say universal free meals are as important as books and school supplies for our children — the future of our nation. Q I’ve been around the medical center lately, trying to support a family member undergoing treatment for cancer. I have heard the term “precision medicine.” Can you help me understand what that is? — JK, Greenville ...

There are some truly fantastic native plants and there are great reasons to use these native plants in our landscaping. Native plants are part of our national heritage, many native plants serve as host plants and/or food sources for beneficial insects and wildlife, and many are simply attractive plants that are not often used in modern landscapes. Plants that are native to the United States, or North Carolina in particular, are naturally well adapted to our local conditions and tend to do well in our...

The GOP has given Democrats a delicious smorgasbord of radical positions to attack. In North Carolina, Republican candidates for most statewide offices are almost uniformly unqualified, extremist, and far outside the mainstream of state opinion. Democrats are well poised to exploit this lunacy. But if their efforts are splintered, each of the GOP radicals could slip through the cracks and attain the ominous power to implement an ultra-right-wing agenda. To take a choice specimen, Superintendent of Public Instruction nominee Michelle Morrow once speculated that Chinese...

A good friend, a lifelong Republican, was bemoaning the fact that he didn’t have a political party he could call home anymore. The bunch that had hijacked the Republican Party didn’t come close to traditional Republican values. My friend didn’t say he would vote Democrat but did say there was no way he was voting for Trump. A lot of traditional North Carolina Republicans feel the same. They aren’t saying much because they have witnessed the retribution that comes when you question or cross Trump....

Brace yourself. The arrival of Labor Day traditionally begins the homestretch of electoral campaigns. You may well join millions of fellow voters in utter exhaustion with the politics of 2024. But I promise you the candidates and their surrogates are raring to run this final leg of the race. That North Carolina is one of the nation’s top political racetracks requires no elaborate proof. You just need to consume media here for a month — no, scratch that, for a day. ...

I don’t know Tyreek Hill but I’ve spent some time learning about him and I don’t much like what I’ve learned. I’m a lifelong NFL and Dolphins fan and I honestly wish he didn’t play for either organization. Despite these sentiments, I still believe the way he was treated by Miami police last Sunday was wrong. He has been arrested on a few occasions and you can look into those...

Sometimes you go to one of those fancy indoor or outdoor settings, maybe a big wedding reception under a tent. There’ll be a couple of tables with a nice white tablecloth and plenty of goodies piled up on top, and a scrub-faced little boy whose job is to shoo away any flies. I’m thinking of the kind of get-together where they are not just serving Vienna sausages on paper plates (although there might be some of those little “barbecue weenies” served with a toothpick) or Cheetos. (And I am a big fan of all of these items.) ...

I saw it on the internet, so it must be a great idea, like posting pictures of how people dress when they visit chain discount stores. Here is the idea, a great way to handle the war with some of our smallest enemies: “Wish we could crossbreed mosquitoes and lightning bugs. Then at least we could see them coming.” Of course I laughed when I read it, and perhaps others...

On September 14, Duplin County will honor the age-old tradition of grape stomping in a lively event sure to foster community. Two weeks before the Muscadine Festival, the Duplin Winery in Rose Hill will host its annual Grape Stomp Festival from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 14. The festival boasts live music, amazing wines, and of course…grape stomping! The Grape Stomp Festival is a beloved tradition, celebrating the...

I have been a member of the State Employees’ Credit Union since 1974. I was a career employee with SECU where I enjoyed service in Raleigh, Goldsboro, Kinston, and Kenansville. Throughout the history of SECU, every member was treated with the same quality of service and loan rates. The average housekeeping assistant was given the same rate as the governor would receive on a similar loan. SECU lived up to its “Not for profit” cooperative concept. It was a unique rarity among financial institutions. Our...

Harrells Christian Academy 49, Wake Prep Academy 6

Friday night’s battle featured a tough rivalry game where turnovers and penalties hurt the home team, East Duplin Panthers, and a great passing attack helped the visiting Richlands Wildcats. Richlands opened up the game with a long first drive which included a six-yard touchdown run by Carson Littreal at the 11:04 mark in the first quarter. After the kickoff, both Shawn Davis and Keeshon Mckinnie had long runs for East Duplin that got them into the red zone before an interception by Richlands gave them...