Local

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Governor Mike Easley announced yesterday Pender County will get a nearly $300,000 development grant.

The money will go toward renovating and equipping a facility at Cape Fear Community College in Burgaw that teaches entrepreneurs commercial food preparation.

The facility will also help the develop product lines from produce grown in the area such as blueberries.

Pender is one of seven rural counties that received Community Development Block Grants.

By Megan V. Williams

Wilmington, NC – William Ivey Long has created costumes for movies, ballets, and more than fifty Broadway shows, including Guys and Dolls and Hairspray. He toured the Cameron's galleries last week to begin designing the exhibit. Having grown up in the Carolinas, Long says he's honored to be asked to display at the Cameron.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Rabies test done on a hooded seal came back negative. The young, male seal bit an employee at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science center who was trying to help him.

A spokesperson for the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center says the employee has several stitches and is recovering, although upset about the seal's death.

By Gary Popp

Wilmington, NC – "Slide-Stock 2006 , a festival that showcases the art of the slide guitar now eight years running, will be making its Wilmington debut this weekend.

Wilmington blues man, Mojo Collins, along with others will showcase their talents during the two-day festival.

It's got a pretty thriving blues scene here and I think it will help it out a lot and will expose a lot of people to this particular art, it is kind of a lost art to be truthful with you.

By Gary Popp

Wilmington, NC – The Castle Hayne Steering Committee is holding a B-B-Q this weekend to give candidates a chance to tell voters where they stand on the issues.

Organizers say this will be a non-partisan event with an expected 25 candidates ranging from local seats to the U.S. Senate.

Event organizer, Tom Radewicz, says this is an opportune time to for voters to get some one-on-one time with the candidates.

By Megan V. Williams

Virginia Beach, VA – The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center put down the arctic ice seal to conduct a rabies test after the animal bit a staff member.

Stranding Response Program Coordinator Susan Barco described the bite as a public health issue.

Barco said staff briefly lost control of the seal while they were trying to move the animal, leading to the bite. And although she defended the Aquarium's current handing techniques, Barco said that the staff has little experience with ice seals.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Researchers at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher say the young hooded seal found stranded on Wrightsville Beach last Friday is doing well.

Police found the juvenile male seal by the Oceanic Pier early Friday morning. Bob Schoelkopf is founding director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in New Jersey.

By Megan V. Williams

Wilmington, NC – Under the Heritage Tree Program, the Wilmington Tree Commission will have the power to confer landmark status on the city's historic and noteworthy trees. Nominated trees will have to meet criteria for size, age, rarity, or historic value.

The program requires property-owner consent and has no power to prevent the removal of designated trees. However, Wilmington Environmental Planner Philip Preet, an ex officio member of the Tree Commission, says he hopes the program someday takes on a more binding role.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Congressman Mike McIntyre says while a lot more needs to be done on U.S., immigration policy he voted for a Mexican border fence to beef up border protection.

The House passed legislation Thursday that authorizes but does not fund 700 miles of fencing along the U-S Mexican border.

Nine other members of the North Carolina delegation joined McIntyre while three voted against the bill.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Congressman Mike McIntyre will be making the rounds to some Wilmington elementary schools this week answering questions from school kids about what it's like to be in Congress.

While they're not the Washington Press Corps McIntyre says the school children have some pretty solid questions.