LATEST NEWS
19-year-old killed in crash near Lake Waccamaw
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A 19-year-old from Lake Waccamaw was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Old Northeast Road (SR1730) near Lake Waccamaw on Wednesday afternoon, April 17. Per a N.C. State Highway Patrol representative, Sarah Cartrette was headed east when she partially ran off the road to the right,...
Elwell Ferry Back in Operation
Repair crews installed a new pulley at Elwell Ferry this week, bring the venerable river crossing back into service a month sooner than expected. “We found a spare pulley and installed it,” said Dept. of Transportation spokesman Andrew Barksdale, “and the ferry resumed operation (Tuesday).”. Inspectors recently discovered...
Crews respond to car fire in Leland
LELAND, N.C. (WECT) - Fire crews were able to quickly respond to a car fire threatening a home on Wakefield Street on Thursday afternoon. Crews arrived at 2:15 p.m. and were able to control the fire quickly. The home suffered cosmetic heat damage but no one was injured, according to...
Two arrested after Wilmington police find stolen guns, fentanyl
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A juvenile and 18-year-old Maleek Coutrier were arrested on firearm charges after an investigation by the Wilmington Police Department on Tuesday, April 23. Per the WPD, the juvenile was wanted in connection to a shooting in another city, and Coutrier was suspected of involvement in...
A ongoing budget battle and limiting residential development
Hello and welcome to the Brunswick Today newsletter brought to you by me, StarNews reporter Jamey Cross. When then-President Barack Obama visited my college campus in October 2016 campaigning for Hillary Clinton, I waited in line for hours with thousands of students across the political spectrum. It was the first time I would see a president in person.
Tips to prevent car fires as SENC sees uptick
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - WECT has reported about 4 car fires in Southeastern North Carolina in the month of April, including 2 in Leland. One of the fires started from equipment inside the car, while another came down to maintenance issues. Nobody was in either car, according to Leland deputy fire chief Buddy Brooks.
UNCW taking steps to reduce out-of-state freshman enrollment
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Leaders at the University of North Carolina Wilmington are taking steps to change the percentage of the school’s first-year class that is comprised of students from out of state. Last year, the UNC System Board of Governors voted to enforce a $4.1 million budget reduction...
New owner plans to preserve the legacy of this longtime Wilmington hotdog restaurant
A lot has changed along Carolina Beach Road near the state port since 1966. Back then it was a new frontier – or so said Elbert Bradshaw, who opened Frontier Food to Go in a red trailer near the corner of Shipyard Boulevard with the help of his wife, Pat. He could see the potential at the busy transportation center.
From the archives: In 1980, a proposal to freeze development on Wilmington-area islands
In March, a coastal conservation group began efforts to raise money to buy the undeveloped southern end of Topsail Beach, also known as "The Point." If a certain piece of legislation 44 years ago had gone through, the purchase wouldn't be necessary. According to a story in the April 28,...
Pedestrian dies following Monday morning crash on Carolina Beach Road
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The man who was hit by a driver early Monday morning has died. Wilmington Police say Jeremy McCumber, 35, of Wilmington died of his injuries. He was hit just before 6:30 a.m. on Carolina Beach Rd. near Orchid Rd. Police say the investigation revealed that...
Dark Branch Cemetery to be dedicated following restoration work
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at Dark Branch Cemetery starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, to commemorate restoration work on the site. Headstones have been cleaned, the road has been grated to be accessible to all vehicles and a new sign has...
Developer pulls proposal for Wawa at former Hops Supply Co. location
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The developer has withdrawn a rezoning request to build a Wawa at the former site of Hops Supply Co. on Oleander Drive. City of Wilmington Senior Planner Pat O’Mahony says that staff were asked by the applicant to withdraw the rezoning request on April 12, 2024, and the original application was submitted on Oct. 19, 2023.
Where are they (Burgaw) now? Post contest, here’s a look at what these chefs are doing
A year ago, Richard Johnson and his team at Burgaw Now were combing through hundreds of entries for their Own You Own contest where the chance to design and run a restaurant in the historic Pender County community was the prize. That possibility drew chefs from around the greater Wilmington...
From rice to film, this Brunswick plantation has seen a lot in 300 years
For more than a decade now, the goings-on at Brunswick County's fabled Orton Plantation have occurred largely out of the public eye. For nearly a century before Orton was purchased in 2010, however, the historic plantation house, parts of which are nearly 300 years old, as well as its sprawling gardens, were open to the public as a tourist attraction, though Orton has always had private owners.
This unique, ten-ingredient pie is sure to blow you away (and don't skimp on the toppings!)
Bibi Hutchings, a lifelong Southerner, lives along a quiet coastal Alabama bay with her cat, Zulu, and husband, Tom. She writes about the magical way food evokes memories, instantly bringing you back to the people, places and experiences of your life. Her stories take you all around the South and are accompanied with tried-and-true recipes that are destined to become a part of your memory-making as you share them with your friends and family.
NC child care grants set to expire soon, providers concerned about rising costs
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – As many parents know, finding care for your child can be expensive. For more than two years, several childcare centers in North Carolina have been able to rely on stabilization grants funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Funding for those grants, however,...
Parking downtown? These Wilmington streets were ticketed the most in 2023
More than 28,000 parking tickets were issued in the city of Wilmington in 2023. With 1,040 metered on-street parking spaces in downtown Wilmington, parking infractions aren't uncommon. However, certain streets are more notorious for these ticketed violations than others. Parking downtown currently costs $2.50 an hour in metered spaces, with...
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