Sunday Edition

Wilmington city leaders caught some flak for a pricy trip to DC. Should they have scaled things back — and why did they have to go, at all? Plus, mapping some of the reactions after drunk teenagers apparently went berserk at Landfall. And, North Carolina again selectively celebrates CNBC’s annual rating of the states.

The Semiquincentennial celebrations can’t mask Americans’ deep frustrations. But there’s a lot to celebrate, and more to hope for — though it won’t come quick or easy.

The District Attorney announced there would be no charges for officers who shot and killed a man in March. Republicans wanted one of their own as New Hanover County's new elections director. And an exposé on the Cape Fear Proud Boys left some with questions, including News Director Ben Schachtman.

A veteran police chief alleges good ol’ boy corruption, a long-running human trafficking case is quietly dismissed, and prosecutors win a high-profile double-murder case without any physical evidence. Three stories this week illustrate the limits of what we can know about both civil and criminal court cases — and the temptation to use overarching narratives as shortcuts to patch the blank spots on the map.

A controversial valedictorian speech at a Wilmington high school prompted questions about ‘dog whistling,’ the art of saying something without quite saying it. What does that mean for journalists covering anti-semitism and other forms of bigotry? And how does that look against the backdrop of a creeping nihilism, where nothing means anything at all?

From this week's Sunday Edition: A battle over new hospital beds is coming this summer, and the county hopes to stay out of it. Plus, unpacking a local leader's quip about 'Joe Blow the ragman.'

The Endowment's leadership recently said, "We could not be more transparent.” That’s hard to square with their founding documents and some of their approach to openness and public discussion. So, maybe it's time for a level-set on what the word “transparency” means, at least to journalists.

For a long time, the City of Wilmington maintained a public terminal, allowing the press — and the public — to easily review city emails. Over the last few years, accessing the terminal became more difficult. Now, the city has discontinued it entirely, citing security concerns. That’s made it harder for journalists to cover Wilmington, which can be slow to reply to public records requests.

WHQR staff spend a lot of time watching meetings, but this Friday’s Wilmington budget workshop was a long one, even by our standards. Kelly Kenoyer spent all day covering it, which she swears she enjoyed. She filed this report for Sunday Edition.

From this week's Sunday Edition, a few notes on The Endowment's $116-million grant announcement, and a different perspective on New Hanover County Schools' 2024 budget crisis.