Ben Schachtman
News DirectorBen Schachtman is a journalist and editor with a focus on local government accountability. He began reporting for Port City Daily in the Wilmington area in 2016 and took over as managing editor there in 2018. He’s a graduate of Rutgers College and later received his MA from NYU and his PhD from SUNY-Stony Brook, both in English Literature.
He and his wife met and were married in Wilmington; they returned to the area after nearly a decade in New York City.
Your can reach him at Bschachtman@whqr.org and on Twitter @Ben_Schachtman
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The confidential agreement is protected by state statute and, while the law requires the city and county to hold public hearings, virtually no information about the deal has been released to the public. -
On this episode of the podcast: New Hanover County commissioners unanimously approved giving the county manager access to $350 million to tackle 'community violence and school safety, a 'frank discussion' from an internal Novant meeting gets leaked, and three years later we remember Hurricane Florence... fondly?
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This week, Carolina Public Press launches a five-part series, looking at the impact of climate change on North Carolina’s fisheries — a project supported in part by the Pulitzer Center. WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman spoke with Jack Igelman about his reporting.
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Over the last month, as schools returned to in-class session the Cape Fear region has seen a major Covid surge, with numbers matching the peaks in January. WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman brought reporter Kelly Kenoyer into the studio to talk about the numbers.
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In the wake of a shooting at New Hanover High School, county commissioners approved a resolution, tapping part of $350 million in hospital sale revenue to address the issue of school safety. But the resolution offered no program or financial specifics, leaving it unclear how things will actually work moving forward.
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On Friday, a video clip taken from an internal Novant Health meeting was leaked onto social media. The meeting features the former chief of medical staff suggesting making messaging “a little bit more scary for the public” by including the number of “post-Covid” patients still in the hospital — patients who aren’t currently included as part of Covid’s impact on the hospital. This was described as “manipulating data” as part of a “fear campaign” on Twitter and Facebook — a charge the health system denies.
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On this episode: Over the last three years, rumors have circulated, alleging a toxic workplace at CFCC under the administration of President Jim Morton. In early 2020, WECT published a report with on-the-record allegations, but it seems little has changed. Now, new reporting from WHQR's Rachel Keith goes deeper than ever into issues at the college.
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On this episode: Over the last three years, rumors have circulated, alleging a toxic workplace at CFCC under the administration of President Jim Morton. In early 2020, WECT published a report with on-the-record allegations, but it seems little has changed. Now, new reporting from WHQR's Rachel Keith goes deeper than ever into issues at the college.
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Last night, Wilmington City Council voted 5-2 to keep the ‘Black Lives Do Matter’ mural up for another year, although one council member continues to call installation 'divisive.'
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County commissioners will hear the latest on $45 million in Covid-relief funds, the school board will revisit masks and the district's relationship with in-school law enforcement officers, and the City of Wilmington will consider extending the popular, but controversial 'Black Lives Do Matter' mural.
