Local

2015 Election Coverage

WHQR is your source for the 2015 Municipal Elections in the Cape Fear Region. We are bringing you the CoastLine Candidate Forums live from the MC Erny Gallery each Wednesday at noon from September 16th to October 28th as well as candidate profiles and general election coverage.Here's how you can participate:1. Be part of the live studio audience. Arrive at WHQR's MC Erny Gallery between 11:30 AM and 11:55 AM on the Wednesday of your municipality's race so you can settle before our hard start time of noon.As part of the audience, you'll have the opportunity to ask a question of the candidates.2. Send your question at any time to coastline@whqr.org. Just make sure it fits these basic guidelines: It's applicable to all the candidates in that race.It's in the form of a question.It fits within a 30-second time frame.We reserve the right to edit questions for broadcast standards and brevity.3. Tweet us during the live broadcast (12-1PM on Wednesdays) at coastlinehqr or email us during the broadcast at coastline@whqr.org.4. Stream the live radio signal from your computer. Just click the "Listen Live" button in the upper right-hand corner of the home page. It’s your town. Make your voice heard. THE 2015 COASTLINE CANDIDATE FORUM SCHEDULE:September 16, 12:00pm-1:00pm — Kure Beach Mayor & Town CouncilSeptember 23, 12:00pm-1:00pm — Oak Island MayorSeptember 30, 12:00pm-2:00pm — Oak Island Town CouncilOctober 7, 12:00pm-2:00pm — Wilmington City CouncilOctober 14, 12:00pm-2:00pm — Carolina Beach Town CouncilOctober 21, 12:00pm-1:00pm — Carolina Beach MayorOctober 28, 12:00pm-1:00pm — Leland Mayor & Town CouncilVoter Information:For more information about the 2015 election, voter registration, and polling places in your area visit the Board of Elections website for New Hanover County & Brunswick County.

Carolina Beach Town Council Candidates Weigh In On Boardwalk Extension

WHQR | By Isabelle Shepherd

Published October 15, 2015 at 12:55 PM EDT

This week, Carolina Beach re-submitted a proposal to extend the north end of the town’s boardwalk to Pelican Lane. At the most recent CoastLine Forum, the candidates for Carolina Beach Town Council weighed in on the proposal.

In order to move forward with the extension of the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, the Coastal Resources Commission must first approve the proposal. The Town has submitted and withdrawn the proposal twice in response to concerns from the CRC. This week’s attempt will be their third shot at acceptance. Current councilmember Steve Shuttleworth, who is running for reelection, supports the extension:

Steve Shuttleworth: “We have come back this time with a different plan. Instead of 16 feet wide, it’s 10 feet wide from the Hampton Inn, behind the cabana, to Pelican Lane. This is public trust property. It is funded with grant dollars. Yes, I support it. No, we are not wasting time or money.”

Tom Bridges and Tammy Hanson also support the full extension, but other candidates have their doubts. Patrick Boykin, Tom Elicson, and Lonnie Lashley agree that the boardwalk should be extended to the new Hampton Inn, but no farther. Here’s Tom Elicson:

Tom Elicson: “It’s great for the residents, it’s great for the visitors. It’s great for the businesses in the central business district. It should not be extended into an area that is primarily residential. So for us to be going and hiring an out-of-town, high priced lawyer to fight the CRC and to fight our own residents, that is a waste of money. That needs to stop.”

The request is expected to be heard by the Coastal Resources Commission at their upcoming meeting in mid-November.