Save $221 with the coupons inside today! The Wilson TimeWEEKEND EDITIONs Online Daily • Printed Tuesdays and Fridays | MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER — A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION SINCE 1896 | wilsontimes.com | Friday, April 23, 2021 | $2 Ellis property goes to local, national buyers By Brie Handgraaf Land near the rewarding to help the Ellis es- [email protected] intersection tate by marketing and selling | 252-265-7821 of Forest these properties,” House said. “I Hills Road definitely feel like there will be An Oklahoma investor has and Downing new development as a result of bought the former Bill Ellis Bar- Street could these properties selling. It will becue, but plans for the restau- get new life be great for Wilson.” rant have not been announced. as the Bill The sale of all but one of the “Bill loved this place and con- Ellis estate’s properties have closed, but buy- quered his mission in serving roughly 100 ers have not released any devel- the best barbecue and chicken acres was opment plans. to fine people for over 53 years,” recently sold Wilson County Register of the barbecue tycoon’s widow at auction. Deeds records show that new Tracy Ellis said. “My only hope Brie Handgraaf | owners include TJ Investments is this intersection will begin to Times and Aycock Provisions in Wil- live again.” son, several Lucama residents Ellis owned nearly 100 acres and BASE Enterprises in Rocky around the intersection of For- Mount. Morrisville-based EH est Hills Road and Downing Lifestyle Holdings spent more Street. Initially, his estate tried than $470,000 to purchase more to sell the 22 parcels tradition- owner of House Auction Co. ed in February, but ultimately 13 own one or more of the proper- than 33 undeveloped acres along ally, but at the end of 2020, it en- Forty-seven bidders registered buyers from eight states spent ties. the 2800 block of Downing Street listed the help of Walter House, for the online auction that start- nearly $3 million collectively to “It was a privilege and very and 2803 Forest Hills Road. What’s next for the mall? As buildings decay, owners seek ‘catalyst project’ By Brie Handgraaf [email protected] | 252-265-7821 The defunct Wilson Mall sits in an increasing state of dis- repair, while scattered around it are thriving businesses sup- ported by loyal customers who go to the movies, shop for a new outfit or grab a sausage biscuit on the way to work. Yet dozens of acres of prime real estate sit idle at the inter- section of Ward Boulevard and Tarboro Street. The owners have enlisted local leaders’ help to remove the eyesore from the popular crossroads. “The win for the community is not what comes back there. The win for the community is getting (the mall) down,” Hull Property Group Vice President John Mul- herin said. “The win for AMC is getting it down. The win for Abrams and Roses is getting the Since the Wilson Mall shuttered in 2015, this sign on Parkwood Boulevard has taken a beating. Brie Handgraaf | Times buildings down, because it is a blight.” relocation to the Raleigh Road As such, Hull has brought a you need a catalyst project that gone, and we could have raced Parkway corridor. variety of local leaders to the justifies the cost of demolition.” to the bottom by just choosing THE BIG PICTURE Mulherin admits demolish- table in the hopes of collaborat- Mulherin said Hull could have any tenant to get it occupied. ing the former mall is the first ing to find the right “catalyst transformed the once-popular We have chosen, though, not to The dilapidation didn’t hap- priority but estimates the cost project.” mall into a flea market, indoor junk it up with something that pen overnight. at several million dollars, with “I think we can all agree storage or a distribution center, is not conducive to the overall Starting in the 1960s, the re- measures to protect remaining that the best thing is to have it but the owners want to find “the needs of the area.” tail epicenter pulled shops from businesses adding to the price demolished, and whether it be- right use for the community.” Hull currently owns a variety Wilson’s downtown district as tag. comes something medical-relat- “To be a good steward of the of parcels near the intersection, individual stores were built, “We’re not proud of the prop- ed, a call center or who knows property isn’t necessarily about including the main mall build- and property owners in the late erty,” he said. “Reputationally, it what, it is going to take a multi- just taking any tenant you can ing, multiple shuttered bank 1970s enclosed the shopping is not good for us. Reputation- million dollar investment to tear find. Being a good steward at buildings, the recently vacant center to create the mall. ally, it is not good for the city, it down and get it to where the this point is actually not letting Firestone, Abrams and Bojan- Changes in shopping habits in and it is not reputationally good property is marketable for some the wrong tenant in,” he said. gles as well as the theater and the coming decades led to major for the county or the hospital, other use,” he said. “When it re- “It is a hard concept to grasp, retailers’ closure and stores’ which is the biggest neighbor.” quires that kind of investment, but the era of retail at the mall is See MALL, Page 7A Wilson’s police chief set to retire June 1 From staff reports Thursday news re- men and women of the Wilson through the police department’s him the National PAL Law En- lease. “Our greatest Police Department that are re- ranks over his 26-year career forcement Officer of the Year in Wilson Police Chief Thomas strengths are the sponsible for the department’s and was named chief in Febru- 2018. Hopkins said he plans to Hopkins has announced his re- strong bonds and successes.” ary 2010. City leaders credit continue with PAL as a volun- tirement, effective June 1. relationships with City officials will make an an- him with building a department teer after he retires. “It has been an honor for me our citizens and nouncement about Hopkins’ based on community-orienting During Hopkins’ tenure, the to serve the citizens of Wilson youth. It is our citi- successor within the next week, policing. long-accredited department as police chief over the last Hopkins zens, city staff and according to the release. His dedication to the Wilson 11 years,” Hopkins said in a the hardworking A Wilson native, Hopkins rose Police Athletics League earned See POLICE, Page 10A Weathercast With Albert Thomas Jr. Preview of FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY the week posted Tuesdays. Preview of the weekend Mostly Sunny Occasional Showers Mostly Sunny posted Saturdays. wilsontimes.com HI 66 LO 48 HI 65 LO 56 HI 73 LO 47 2A THE WILSON TIMES | wilsontimes.com Friday, April 23, 2021 CORONAVIRUS CRISIS Wilson works to overcome vaccine hesitancy By Olivia Neeley PROTECTION A health at least seven COVID-19-re- 16 hospitalized COVID-19 department [email protected] County officials and lated deaths since April patients with active infec- employee | 252-265-7879 partners are working to- 1. More than half of those tions and two in the ICU administers gether to notify residents decedents were men and with infections, she said. a COVID-19 Officials say supply is that vaccines are avail- women in their 40s and 50s, “The most important vaccine at the outpacing demand for able. Wilson County according to county data. thing to do right now is the COVID-19 vaccine. Ellen said officials have Agricultural The state’s daily percent- continue to wear a mask, For the first time, Health already seen instances Center. Drew C. age of tests returned posi- social distance to the best Director Teresa Ellen said where people directly ex- Wilson | Times file tive is 7.4%. Wilson Coun- of your ability, wash your the Wilson County Health posed to COVID-19 never photo ty’s rate is lower, coming hands frequently and get Department is having fell ill and didn’t have in at 6.9%, according to the your vaccine,” said Dr. difficulty filling appoint- to quarantine because most updated data. Ron Stahl, Wilson Medical ments. they’re fully vaccinated. cinate farmworkers and said during a Wednesday Ellen said positive cases Center’s chief medical of- “The unfortunate thing “This is something that are open to collaborations news conference. have slightly increased over ficer. “Everyone is eligible is that we are starting to excites me —no sickness with employers and com- Cooper said with the the past couple of weeks, now, so please to your part see a decline in the de- and people living normal munity partners to expand state’s COVID-19 trends which officials expected and be a vaccine hero. mand for the vaccine,” lives,” she said. access of the vaccine,” stabilized and continued due to spring break. County This is the best way we Ellen recently said. “The Ellen said many people Owens said. vaccination success, his health officials say Wilson can get closer to ending virus is not going away. don’t intend to receive the Vaccine appointments administration expects has gone from about 13 We really want folks to vaccine. She hopes that are available at both the to lift mandatory social newly positive cases per this pandemic.” know the importance of will change so life can re- health department and distancing, capacity and day to about 20 per day.