Local

The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners, in a 3 – 2 split vote, have moved to pursue the possible sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center. That means the largest employer in the county, a healthcare system that serves seven counties, could soon be on the market. The meeting Monday afternoon was contentious and emotional.

Kimberly Spader is running for Wilmington City Council. She works as a licensed clinical social worker, and wants to use her listening skills to create open dialogue between city council and residents.

Harry Smith Jr. is running for the first time for Wilmington City Council. After watching this year’s short-term rental housing debate, he decided to get involved.  He’s not a fan of how the city gets things done.

On Monday, New Hanover County Commissioners voted to clear a path to explore the sale of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center. It doesn’t guarantee the not-for-profit healthcare system will be sold, but it opens the door to such a possibility. WHQR looks at how we got here.

Barbara McKenzie, co-founder and artistic director of Chamber Music Wilmington, and WHQR's Pat Marriott, honorary advisory board member, join Rhonda Bellamy in the studio to discuss CMW's 25th season.    

Wilmington City Council Candidate Mack Coyle is a newcomer to the race. Also new? His ideas. The small business owner installs mobile solar generators, and wants to convert all electricity in city buildings to solar and wind power, and all municipal vehicles to electric. But he has other priorities, too.

Carolina Beach is the largest of the three beach towns in New Hanover County.  At a population of about 6,300, it’s around three times the size of the county’s next largest, Wrightsville Beach and 95% white, according to the U.S. Census.  Median household income is $62,000 a year – higher than nearby Wilmington. 

It was a dramatic day yesterday on the floor of the North Carolina House of Representatives. House Speaker Tim Moore called a surprise vote to override Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of the current fiscal budget. Only about half of the 120 members were present. WHQR reports the move made some Democratic elected officials furious.

North Carolinians in two Congressional districts went to the polls Tuesday.  In the 3rd district, Republican Greg Murphy beat Democrat Allen Thomas by a wide margin – nearly 25 percentage points.  That's not a surprise in a district long represented by the late conservative Congressman Walter Jones.  But the ninth district was a different story. 

  This edition first aired February 21, 2019.

Coastal communities on barrier islands will not exist as they are in 30 to 150 years from now.  

Wilmington sales executive Neil Anderson is hoping to win his third term on City Council. He serves on the Transportation Committee and says a key to the continued development of the region will depend on rail and port improvements, and work along the Route 421 Corridor. 

Wilmington City Council Member Paul Lawler is running to win a second term. One of his priorities:  how the City can recruit more high-paying jobs to the area. And he’d like to see public transportation in the region improve and grow. 

Wilmington Mayor Pro Tem Margaret Haynes hopes to win a third term on City Council.  While she admits a love-hate affair with public service, overall, she is proud of her contributions.  

By early afternoon Friday business owners were removing the plywood panels over their windows downtown, and residents were raking leaves and debris in their yards. It was almost like Dorian was never here for some. 

The sun came out Friday afternoon… just hours after Dorian left the Cape Fear region. People came out - walking, jogging, riding bikes, and waiting for the bus.

Dorian has left the Cape Fear region, but its impact lingers. While counties spent nearly a week preparing for Thursday night’s wind and rainfall, the most significant damage may have happened hours before the storm actually hit: from tornadoes.

Two weeks ago, an innocuous tropical depression began a quiet westward trek, churning over the Atlantic until it strengthened into a hurricane. That’s when Dorian announced her presence.

Hurricane Dorian is slowly closing in on the Cape Fear region. It’s expected to reach here this sometime evening, as conditions deteriorate.

Hurricane Dorian is now a category 2 storm, and is closing in on the Cape Fear region. It’s full force is expected to reach here this evening. 

Hurricane Dorian is taking its time creeping up the southeastern coast.  Forecasters with the National Weather Service say they’re expecting sustained wind speeds along the coast of 65-85 mph when the storm passes the Cape Fear region.  

The major concerns:  wind damage and flooding. 

From the Cape Fear Region to Surf City, National Weather Service Meteorologist Mark Willis says winds could gust up to 100 mph.  Dorian makes its closest pass late Thursday into Friday. But a little wobble to the left or right could change the intensity.

If you are planning on leaving ahead of Dorian, today is the day to do it. Governor Roy Cooper is urging people to evacuate before the storm approaches the area tomorrow. For drivers who do need to be on the roads while or after the storm hits, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is stressing caution.

As a powerful Category 2 hurricane, Dorian could bring life-threatening storm surge and flooding. But the intensity of those impacts depend on how close Dorian comes to the North Carolina coast.

"The most likely arrival time of tropical storm force winds will be early Thursday morning and through the day with the worst conditions expected Thursday afternoon through the evening hours."

That’s National Weather Service Meteorologist Matt Scalora. 

This afternoon Hurricane Dorian is continuing to move up the coast of Florida. It’s expected to reach the Cape Fear region, some 25 miles offshore, early Thursday morning.

Hurricane Dorian is forecast to pass 25 miles off the coast of Wilmington between 2 and 4 am Thursday morning. With it could be up to 10 inches of rain, and maybe more. But local officials say flooding should not be as severe as it was a year ago. 

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has issued a mandatory evacuation order for the state’s barrier islands.