Local

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – The deadline has passed to apply for the New Hanover County Planning Director's job. Former director, Dexter Hayes, retired at the beginning of this month.

As the search committee sorts through the applications there are other vacancies in the area of planning that the county will have to fill as well. WHQR's Catherine Welch reports.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – City Council member Bill Saffo is the new mayor of Wilmington. Without the presence of council member Laura Padgett, the city council tapped Saffo. It was a special meeting in council chambers that literally took minutes.

Less than ten minutes after calling the special meeting to order the City Council selected Bill Saffo to serve as the next mayor.

By Catherine M. Welch

Raleigh, NC – A slate of bills greeted members of the House back to Raleigh as the short session kicked off at around noon. And on this first day many lawmakers from the region focused on the word short in this session's moniker.

After a ceremony by the North Carolina Highway Patrol honor guard, members of the House got down to business introducing more than a dozen new bills, including ones to cut the gas tax, raise the state minimum wage and eliminate the new requirement of mandatory eye exams for kindergartners.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – While residents in some parts of Wilmington remain concerned about the impact Autumn Hall will have on traffic, Wilmington city planners say it's a good example of actually reducing congestion on major roads. And they point to a more established Wilmington neighborhood's road system as an example of what failing to plan for traffic can look like. WHQR's Catherine Welch explains.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Martin Herring and incumbent Russell Tucker are the democratic candidates looking to challenge republican candidate Richard Kaiser.

When asked about the dwindling federal dollars for inlet dredging and whether the state should take over funding for dredging Herring says the like the new state Lottery, lawmakers should find a creative solution to drum up money for dredging.

By Catherine M. Welch

Wilmington, NC – Martin Herring and incumbent Russell Tucker are the democratic candidates looking to challenge republican candidate Richard Kaiser.

Herring studied political science at Fayetteville State and is the father of a son.

When asked about what needs to be done to bring new jobs to rural parts of southeastern North Carolina, he says the state needs to focus on developing small businesses.