Military training to take place in Bladen County this month

BLADEN CO., N.C. (WECT) - White Lake in Bladen County and Sandyfield in Columbus County are among 34 communities chosen by the state to take part in the Creating Outdoor Recreation Economies (CORE) program. Per an announcement from the N.C. Department of Commerce, the communities will work with local stakeholders...

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says that its dive team helped detectives with a search off the Cape Fear River and found a handgun. “The handgun is now being sent to process to verify that it is a part of the investigation,” said the office in a release on Jan. 31.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The North Carolina Department of Transportation has announced that the right, southbound lane of U.S. 17 is reopen near N.C. 133. Previously, a traffic incident had caused one lane to close near Leland. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - South Brunswick High School will open its “Prom Closet” to county students on Feb. 2 in the school’s choir room. The event, running from 4 to 8 p.m., will allow students to choose prom or spring formal outfits for free. In their announcement, organizers at the school stated that they have hundreds of dresses and accessories available, while a limited number of suits and tuxedos will also be available.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - A wreck involving a tractor-trailer and a van on US 17 near Zion Church Road has cleared, and one driver is facing pending charges. According to Trooper Gardner with State Highway Patrol, the 18-wheeler was moving north when it went left of center and collided with the van as it was moving southbound.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The North Carolina Department of Transportation says that a crash that closed a lane of U.S. 17 near the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge has been cleared. According to the announcement, a vehicle crash caused the lane closure at 10:47 a.m., and the NCDOT posted that the crash was cleared at 11:21 a.m. on the same day, Jan. 30.

COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - Columbus County is set to receive more than $7.8 million in opioid settlement funds before 2039. Each year, the county must outline how it will spend its share of that money to combat the opioid epidemic. Commissioners recently approved spending $458,284 in 2023 on five...

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - Stores in Bladen and Brunswick counties are among 52 fined by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division due to price-scanner errors. “Our Standards Division continues to see about a quarter of all price scanner inspections fail and many stores are...

BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - A school bus was involved in an incident around 7:30 a.m. along Soup Haire Road in Bladen County on Jan. 30. According to a representative with Bladen County Schools, nine Bladen Early College High School students were on board the bus when it was struck. The representative told WECT that the bus was hit when another vehicle backed into it.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The City of Wilmington is scheduled to host two open house-style meetings for the community in relation to their Walk Wilmington plan. According to an announcement from the city, the first meeting will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 31 at Halyburton Park at 4099 S 17th St. in Wilmington, while the second meeting will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 1 at the MLK Community Center at 401 S 8th St.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Community members learned more about a plan to make it safer to walk around Wilmington as Walk Wilmington talked to people about how they hope to build on the city’s current pedestrian plan. “We’re really passionate about the downtown trail specifically,” said Emily Kohls, who...

SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WRAL) - On Monday after 10 p.m., officers with the Spring Lake Police Department responded to a home invasion on S. Fourth Street. Officers concluded that the suspect(s) entered the house and shot a man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity is being withheld until his next of kin can be notified.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The North Carolina Department of Transportation has announced that a lane of the Bobby Brown Bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 31. According to the announcement, the right lane of the I-140 W bridge will be closed to allow crews to complete maintenance work.

Man charged with murder in 2020 Wilmington shooting pleads guilty. Beacon Education to host 8th Annual Celebrity Chef Events, Emeril Lagasse and Rachel Ray to attend. Beacon Education to host 8th Annual Celebrity Chef Events, Emeril Lagasse and Rachel Ray to attend. Shallotte Police Department searching for missing man. Updated:...

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office announced that Deputy K-9 Flash passed away. “Flash was a highly trained and devoted K-9. Flash began his service in 2009 with the Kure Beach Police Department, then came to the Sheriff’s Office in 2013 and served with the Sheriff’s Office until 2018 when he retired,” a release from NHCSO said. “During his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Flash was responsible for the apprehension of numerous criminals and the recovery of numerous items of evidence. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Flash for his service and dedication.”

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office deputies had to clear Brogden Hall during a basketball game Tuesday night after a pair of fights broke out in the stands. A sheriff’s office spokesman says the fights broke out during tonight’s girls’ basketball game between New Hanover High...

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Wilmington police are searching for 23-year-old Curtis Lambert Morgan. He is 5 feet and 8 inches tall and 170 pounds. He has blue eyes and blond hair. Morgan was last seen on Jan. 31 in the 400 block of Darlington Avenue wearing a blue shirt with...

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - State lawmakers have their sights set on a law that’s been on the books in North Carolina since 1919 that requires a local sheriff’s permission and permit before a North Carolinian can legally buy a handgun. Senate Bill 40, or the Pistol Purchase Permit Repeal, would do away with the system some say is duplicative — and others say saves lives.

SHALLOTTE, N.C. (WECT) - The Shallotte Police Department has announced that they are searching for Raymond Morrison Thatcher. According to the release, 31-year-old Thatcher was last seen leaving his residence on foot in Shallotte on Jan. 16. Authorities ask anyone with information to call the Shallotte Police Department at (910)...

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The search continued Saturday in the North Myrtle Beach area for a boater not seen in over two days. The North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad said its water rescue team worked alongside the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Horry County Fire Rescue and the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. The squad added that sonar scans were used within the search area and added that “local and state resources are not giving up the search.”