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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This week's Sunday Edition: Recently, a New Hanover County commissioner cast the lone vote against a resolution proclaiming a National Day of Racial Healing. We take a closer look at the objections to this — and other — proclamations. Plus, editor's notes on some ongoing stories. -
New Hanover County’s director of recycling and solid waste wants to more than double the number of years the county landfall has left. Reportedly, no other facilities have managed such a significant extension, but commissioners seemed supportive of bringing on a consultant to try. -
This week's Sunday Edition: Non-rhetorical questions in highly rhetorical times. What do we want from the state university system? What would restore the public’s trust in the institution? How do we parse reform from retaliation? -
On today's show, Rachel Keith gives us a behind-the-scenes look at SparkNC, a program that gives students some real-world preparation for the technology industry. And, Kelly Kenoyer unpacks what’s going on with the confusion around Wilmington Housing Authority’s rent increases — and how we got here. Plus, a preview of WHQR’s latest limited series podcast, Re-Education Nation with Logan Kennedy. -
Primary Election 2026: Rebecca Trammel is pursuing an unaffiliated campaign for NC Senate District 7On this edition of The Newsroom, we're speaking with Rebecca Trammel, a nonprofit founder, community organizer, and advocate for public education funding who aims to run as an unaffiliated candidate for North Carolina’s Senate District 7. We asked about her decision to run without major party support — and where she lands on some contentious state-level policies. -
From this week's Sunday Edition: What are some of the top stories we're tracking for 2026? You can never fully predict what an upcoming year will look like, but there are definitely some threads will be pulling at. -
On today’s show, we’re looking back at the year that was 2025 with my colleagues, Rachel Keith, Aaleah McConnell, Kelly Kenoyer, and Nikolai Mather. From the local impacts of DOGE and the Trump Administration to the struggles over education funding, from rural reporting to community engagement, we’ll recap the toughest, most rewarding, and some of the most fun stories of the year.
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A longtime Wilmington entrepreneur is launching a new chamber of commerce focused on minority-owned businesses. WHQR’s Ben Schachtman has more. -
From this week's Sunday Edition: The Endowment held its most recent public listening session this week. There wasn't a lot new on offer, but there were some notable shifts in tone, perhaps suggesting a more modest, down-to-earth approach. There were also some communication issues. -
Earlier this month, developers walked away from a proposed grocery store on city-owned property in the heart of Wilmington. WHQR’s Ben Schachtman and Kelly Kenoyer have more on what comes next — and what it might mean for another proposed grocery store, the Northside Food Co-Op.
