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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Next week, the Wilmington City Council will vote on a resolution dedicating $1 million toward acquiring land for future parks and recreation use. The city will also seek grant funding from The Endowment — as well as a one-to-one match from the county, a request which caught some commissioners off guard. -
All this week, WHQR has been airing episodes of our series, “CAFO Country,” taking a look at concentrated animal feeding operations. WHQR’s Ben Schachtman sat down with environmental journalist David Boraks, who reported and produced the series, to recap the big takeaways. -
On today's show, a slightly overdue conversation with Josie Barnhart, Republican vice-chair of the New Hanover County Board of Education, and a mother of three. Earlier this year, Barnhart challenged the book Blended in the district, leading to some tough questions about the intersecting roles of parent and elected official, as well as how to handle books in 'grey' areas of appropriateness. -
From this week's Sunday Edition: A memorial to Charlie Kirk, painted on one of UNCW’s ‘Spirit Rocks,’ became a flashpoint for political tensions on campus, and then spun out into a social media frenzy, online threats, and a chaotic three-hour hunt for a phantom gunman. Plus, unpacking the latest news on The Endowment. -
A memorial created as part of a vigil for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been a flashpoint for political tensions on UNCW’s campus this week, leading to online threats and heightened security. Chancellor Aswani Volety said he was "appalled" at a video of the memorial being painted over by protestors, adding that the university was taking all physical and online threats seriously.
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On today's show, a candid sitdown with Spence Broadhurst, who helped steer the hospital sale that led to the creation of The Endowment, served as its first board chair, and has, in his words, acted as a watchdog for its founding documents. We discuss the challenges and debates the board has faced. And we touch on some of the tension around the recent county commissioner vote, which effectively removed him from The Endowment board.
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At this morning’s meeting, New Hanover County's Republican-majority Board of Commissioners effectively ousted a founding member of The Endowment’s board in an attempt to "switch things up." There were also allegations of behind-the-scenes pressure to shape the final vote. -
From this week's Sunday Edition: Charlie Kirk, a popular and controversial conservative activist, was assassinated at an event in Utah on Wednesday. What can we say about the brutal murder, what does the aftermath say about us, and where do we go from here? -
From this week's Sunday Edition: A national student walkout prompted some questions about what, exactly, a student protest should look like — adults giving kids a chance to be heard, or kids taking an opportunity to make a political impact. Plus, a broader look at adult protest, including different approaches at New Hanover County school board meetings. -
On Tuesday afternoon, several dozen protestors lined the street in downtown Wilmington and later spoke at a New Hanover County commissioners' meeting, asking elected officials to push Novant to improve conditions at NHRMC. The hospital's administrators say they take concerns seriously and have been making progress.
