Local

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – The deteriorating Sinclair service station in historic Wilmington will be renovated into an office building.

Executive Director of Historic Wilmington George Edwards says a Connecticut tug boat operator will turn the early 20th Century gas station into his office. Edwards says for years prospectors have been looking at the old Market Street gas station.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Catching a glimpse from the top of the new PPD headquarters landed two men in jail early Thursday morning.

Wilmington police say security guards called police to report two men on the roof of the nearly 200-foot tall building.

Police arrested 20-year-old John J Martindale and 20-year-old Matthew W. Draeger as they tried to run away from the building.

Construction on the PPD headquarters is scheduled to finish early this year.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Plans to move a stretch of River Road to make way for a massive development were approved at Thursday night's New Hanover County Planning Board meeting.

Developers want to build a 1,340 acre development near Motts Creek. The board approved plans to move part of the road on conditions that developers meet with residents and also to make sure there is public water access.

By Megan V. Williams

Wilmington, NC – Drop a fishing line in North Carolina's coastal waters, and you'd better be carrying one of the state's new fishing licenses.

More than 3,600 people have bought the fishing licenses since the first of the year, when the licenses both went on sale, and became mandatory for any fishing in the state's coastal waters.

However, Nancy Fish of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries says the state won't start handing out tickets until they're sure fishermen have had a chance to hear about the program.

By Catherine M. Welch & Megan Williams

Wilmington, NC – Wilmington Police say a teenaged suspect is in custody for the murder of a Wilmington store clerk.

Police say 18-year-old Sherod Bernard Johnson was arrested Tuesday night in New York City for last month's murder of Mohammad Abdelhamid at a grocery store in Wilmington's historic district.

The victim's brother, Feras Abdelhamid says he's relieved that there's a suspect in custody.

By Megan V. Williams

Wilmington, NC – The County wants to build a $1.1 million methane collection system at the landfill outside of Saint Pauls, and then use the gas to power a privately-owned ethanol production plant.

The county would receive 6-percent of the plant's profits.

County Comissioners met Tuesday night to approve proposed plans for the plant. A final vote on the project is expected next month.

County Manager Ken Windley believes the facility, if approved, is still more than a year away from reality.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – North Carolina is part of a trend in southern states of making golf courses more environmentally friendly.

Audubon International has certified nearly 600 golf courses across the country that have taken steps to enhance wildlife habitat and reduce the amount of water and chemicals used for maintenance.

There are currently 18 certified golf courses in North Carolina, including the Carolina National Golf Club in Bolivia and St. James Plantation in Southport.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – New Hanover County officials are planning to roll out a new county seal in 2007.

The county's current seal shows a large, docked ship with the words imports, exports, industry. There are no records indicating why it became the county seal in 1945, and whether the ship represents the port, the Battleship North Carolina or a World War Two liberty ship.

Chairman of the New Hanover County Commissioners Bill Caster says the clock tower at the historic county courthouse will serve as a better county logo.

By Megan V. Williams

Wilmington, NC – Audio is of National Weather Service meteorologist Ron Steve describing our region's rainfall patterns through 2006 and looking ahead to 2007.

Although this year was only slightly wetter than usual in Southeastern North Carolina, a burst of fall storms pushed some rivers over their banks.

The region stayed very dry last winter and spring, with some areas receiving less than half their average rainfall.

By Megan V. Williams

Wilmington, NC – Wilmington ran a race against time with its sewer system this year.

A 60,000 gallon spill off Warlick Drive in February caused the State Division of Water Quality to place a moratorium on new sewer hook-ups to the Northeast Interceptor line, although many developers rushed to submit their applications before the ban took effect.