Benjamin 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 loves spending time with his wife and playing rock'n'roll very loudly. You can reach him at BSchachtman@whqr.org and find him on Twitter @Ben_Schachtman.
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Board members voted to approve next year’s budget, which includes an ask for increased county support, as well as their priorities for additional state funding. The board chairman also announced that the district had settled a long-running lawsuit filed by the abuse victims of former teacher Peter Michael Frank. -
Ahead of its next twice-annual public meeting, slated for June, The Endowment’s board chair and CEO addressed county leaders to discuss the foundation's finances, grantmaking, strategy, and public engagement. -
Coleman and Emilie Paiva say a school resource officer intervened inappropriately, using more force than necessary, during an incident with their young son at DC Virgo. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says the SRO, who has since been reassigned out of the public elementary school system, did nothing wrong. -
Dan Mintz, the voice actor of 13-year-old Tina Belcher on Fox's Bob's Burgers comes to Dead Crow Comedy Room on Friday and Saturday. He spoke with WHQR's Ben Schachtman about his work as an actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. -
Periodically, WHQR publishes letters to the editor, which we welcome, regardless of topic, as long as they're civil. This letter comes from a Wilmington resident making the case for license plate readers, a technology that's helped solve criminal cases but also faced challenges in court. -
On this edition of The Newsroom, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman talks to reporter Aaleah McConnell, who has been looking into the arrest of a Wilmington man who claims he was the victim of law enforcement violence — and the laws and policies that govern the use of force by cops and deputies. -
For most local governments, budget negotiations are underway, as elected officials hash out details, and figure out what that means for their bottom lines. In our latest edition of Ask a Journalist, WHQR’s Ben Schachtman and Kelly Kenoyer answer the question: what’s going on with local taxes? -
The District Attorney’s office has decided not to bring charges against Dennis L. McCall, a former detective with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. McCall was investigated by state authorities after facing claims of harassment and misconduct, according to one alleged victim. -
From this week's Sunday Edition: For most local governments, balancing the budget means choosing between cutting spending and raising taxes. This year’s New Hanover County budget presents an interesting — and uncommon — third option: dipping into a nine-figure reserve fund. But doing that will take a bipartisan supermajority, which significantly changes the dynamics of budget negotiations. -
David Andrews, a Democratic precinct chair and former public official, faces allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. He recently retained an attorney to put alleged victims and witnesses on notice in letters demanding that they preserve documents, retract statements, and call on the media to remove news stories about the issue. In at least one case, an alleged victim has flatly refused, saying her statements were “accurate and completely truthful.”
