Local

By Megan V. Williams

Brunswick County, NC – Brunswick County is worried explosive growth is eroding water quality in Lockwood Folly River, endangering fish stocks and closing large areas to shellfishing.

Now a county-appointed roundtable is soliciting public comment on its newly-released proposals for managing stormwater runoff in the watershed.

Assistant County Manager Steve Stone says the roundtable's work is getting a positive response from developers.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – It's back to the drawing board for the town of North Topsail Beach to figure out to pay for beach renourishment.

A $34 million bond referendum to replenish the beach was voted down Tuesday night, leaving town leaders searching for another solution.

Beach erosion is a problem for the northern end of Topsail Island as well as Figure Eight Island, the north end of Ocean Isle Beach and Holden Beach.

By Joel Fernando

Wilmington, NC – With more than 100 films featured at this year's Cucalorus Film Festival, freelance producer Joel Fernando put together an audio movie that we call Meta Cucalorus.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – AirTran Airways is considering flying into Wilmington, and is asking residents to let it know if Wilmington should become its next destination.

The discount airline has a list of dozens of possible destinations on its website, including Wilmington, and asking people to click and vote from the list.

The Atlanta-based airline currently flies out of Myrtle Beach, Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte and offers some 700 flights out of 50 locations.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Not all of the precincts were in by early Wednesday morning, but here are the results so far.

North Carolina House 17th District

In the 17th House District Race, with 20 of the 22 precincts reporting Republican Incumbent Bonner Stiller has 63% of the vote compared to Democratic Challenger Allan Dameron's 37% of the vote.

The 17th House District is considered a swing district with an even split between Democrats and Republicans and a sizable block of unaffiliated voters.

By Ede Baldridge

Wilmington, NC – Ede Baldridge writes about memorable people and places in the southeast.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – New research finds a link between landfill locations in North Carolina and significant minority populations.

After sifting through more than 500 permits on record at the North Carolina Department of Waste Management, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that landfills were twice as likely to be located near communities with a minority population of more than 10% and average housing worth less than $100,000.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Wilmington City Council member-elect Pat Delair will be sworn into her city council seat at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Delair beat the sitting council member J.C. Hearne during last month's special election.

Last summer the council tapped Hearne to fill the term started by Councilman Bill Saffo who moved over into the mayor's seat when Spence Broadhurst left for Greensboro.

By Megan V. Williams

Kure Beach, NC – The ferry to Bald Head Island will bear an unusual load of creativity with it this Friday, as more than 20 artists set sail for the No Boundaries colony.

For the past eight years, the gathering has assembled a wide range of artists to create their work together, alternating annually between local and international gatherings. This year's group includes representatives from nine foreign countries, including artists from Wilmington's sister cities: Bridgetown, Barbados; Dandong, China; and Doncaster, England.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Wilmington and New Hanover County planning departments teamed up to create zoning plans for future development on the west bank of the Cape Fear River.

Wilmington's planning board got a look at the plan last night and now the New Hanover County Planning Board gets its look at it Thursday nigiht.

Ever since the Battleship USS North Carolina nestled in across the river from Wilmington little has disturbed its peace over there.