Onslow County proclaims EMS and Tourism weeks and honors employees

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners used its May 4 meeting to proclaim Emergency Medical Services Week (May 17–23, 2026) and National Travel and Tourism Week, and to present the county’s first-quarter employee recognition awards.

Vice Chairman Robin Knap read the EMS proclamation, which highlights the role of emergency medical services providers and encourages public recognition of EMS personnel. A representative of Onslow County EMS accepted the proclamation and thanked the board, noting staffing and rising service demand while praising recent hires and team commitment: "This proclamation is not just a recognition of what EMS is. It is a recognition of who our people are," the representative said.

Commissioner John Davis read the tourism proclamation. The proclamation cited national travel-industry output and said tourism supports more than 2,464 local jobs and generates about $94.85 million in local payroll, and it urged residents to recognize the industry’s contribution to the county’s economy. Salem Clark, the county tourism manager, accepted the proclamation and described recent local tourism awards and promotions.

Interim County Manager Steve Eaton presented quarterly employee awards, naming parks-and-recreation operations staff as the Circle of Excellence recipient, Shirley Campbell Nunez for dedication to public service, and Gerald Cruz for leadership in veteran services. Commissioners and staff joined award winners for photographs and brief remarks.

The proclamations and awards were celebratory items on the meeting agenda; the board did not take policy action tied directly to the proclamations during the session.