GARLAND — A major development could soon be coming to the town of Garland, and town leaders are calling it a long-overdue step forward, not just for their community, but for the entire southern end of Sampson County.

Legislation authorizing a new Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driver’s license office in Garland has advanced to the governor’s desk for signature, a development that both Mayor Pro Tem Ralph Smith Jr. and Mayor Austin Brown say could be a game-changer for local access, convenience and economic potential.

The DMV initiative, which originated from a personal frustration from Smith and some other civilian insight, started rolling with just a few phone calls to a couple N.C. Congressmen.

Smith, a longtime advocate for improving services in the town and its surrounding areas,

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