Wilmington North Carolina News

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Pender County Courthouse was damaged during Hurricane Florence. (Photo: WWAY) BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — More than 10 months since Hurricane Florence caused extensive damage in Pender County, the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court is coming to check out the impact on courts in the county. Chief Justice Cheri Beasley will visit court personnel and tour the temporary court facilities Monday. – Advertisement – The Pender County…

Katey Psencik, GateHouse Media Friday Jul 12, 2019 at 10:01 AM Tropical Storm Barry is moving closer to the Gulf Coast, expected to be near hurricane-strength when it makes landfall Friday night.  Want to watch the storm move in? Check out these live webcams from regions expected to be impacted by Tropical Storm Barry. New Orleans .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0;…

The City of Whiteville has two storm water projects underway 7/11/19. (Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY) WHITEVILLE, NC (WWAY) —  After flooding during hurricanes Matthew and Florence, the City of Whiteville is taking steps to improve its storm-water drainage system. But just how effective are the improvements? “This last Hurricane, we had about a foot of water in the shop,” said Lynn Simmons, manager of the Whiteville Body Shop. – Advertisement – Simmons knows firsthand how bad flooding…

A flooded street in New Orleans on July 10, 2019. (Photo: New Orleans Fire Department) By KEVIN McGILL and REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tropical Storm Barry formed off the coast of Louisiana on Thursday and threatened to blow ashore as a hurricane with drenching rains that could test the flood-control improvements made in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina 14 years ago. – Advertisement – Forecasters said the first hurricane of the…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter NEW ORLEANS (AP) — FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program are urging people on the Gulf and East coasts to act now to prepare for hurricane season and buy flood insurance. They sent news releases to coastal cities on Tuesday. The Hurricane Center said Tuesday that a tropical depression is likely to form in the Gulf of Mexico by the end of the week. – Advertisement – The…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Photos of NC Highway 53 in Pender County near Mapel Hill taken days following Florence in mid September 2018. (Photo: NCDOT) PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The power company for part of our area perhaps hit hardest during Hurricane Florence is getting reimbursed millions of dollars from the state and federal government. FEMA announced today that Four County Electric Membership Cooperative is getting $11.2 million to reimburse the utility…

NHC Fire Station 12 remains abandoned almost 10 months since Hurricane Florence. (Photo: Monique Robinson/WWAY) NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Nearly 10 months later, we’re still seeing the impact of Hurricane Florence. We have an update on New Hanover County Fire Station 12 thanks to a news tip from a viewer. If you drive by New Hanover County Fire Department Station 12 on US Highway 421, it appears abandoned. The fire station, which serves…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — Two people are in the hospital after being shot early Saturday morning in a car at the traffic light near the 2200 block of TV Road in Florence, according to Chief Deputy Glen Kirby with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office. Kirby said the driver and passenger were both shot. – Advertisement – Their conditions aren’t being released at this time. Kirby added while deputies were…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — More than $1.3 million is headed to Brunswick County Schools to help pay for costs related to Hurricane Florence. In a news release today FEMA said damage created by the storm posed a threat to public health and safety requiring emergency response activities and protective measures. The Brunswick County Board of Education contracted for emergency repairs and cleanup due to wind driven rain at…

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — After a Navy career lasting 20 years, a Wilmington veteran is receiving a major salute for his service, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Hank Weaver lost his roof to Hurricane Florence, and a loved one had received a life-changing diagnosis. – Advertisement – Friday morning, Step Up for Soldiers and Monarch Roofing surprised Weaver, announcing they will construct a new roof at his home in Wilmington. Weaver’s girlfriend…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Hurricane season is well underway. Even though it’s been a quiet season so far, agencies from North and South Carolina came together for what’s called a Tropical Integrated Warning Team Meeting. Agencies including Emergency Management from New Hanover and Brunswick counties participated. – Advertisement – The National Weather Service hosted the event. Teams talked about a variety of things from hurricane evacuations to forecasting….

Church members from Detroit helped rebuild a woman’s home in Hampstead. (Photo: Kylie Jones/WWAY) HAMPSTEAD, NC (WWAY) — It’s been almost 10 months since Hurricane Florence tore apart homes throughout our area. As the storms come and go, this one hit home for 89-year-old Jeannine Smith. Smith had to gut most of her Hampstead home. – Advertisement – With the help of some visitors, 10 months later she says she is finally starting to see that…

Mulch made from Hurricane Florence debris spread across several acres at the New Hanover County Landfill on June 26, 2019. (Photo: Kate Cornell/WWAY) NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Department of Environmental Management has turned nothing into something, and that something is pretty dirty, but in a great way. There was more than 3 million cubic yards of vegetative debris collected in the county after Hurricane Florence. It has been converted…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter The NCDOT decided to replace the road with a pair of bridges to prevent the problem from happening again. NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — More than nine months after Hurricane Florence repairs to a major roadway continue to progress. Flooding from Florence washed out a section of US 421 near the New Hanover-Pender county line. – Advertisement – The NCDOT decided to replace the road with a pair…

Mission Serve replaces a roof on a damaged home in Tabor City on 6/24/19. (Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY) COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Plenty of people in our region are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Now some are getting relief, thanks to students willing to sacrifice part of their summer break to help others. “Spreading the love of Christ in a practical way,” that’s this year’s slogan for Mission Serve. Mission Serve is…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Megan Petersen and Hannah Black edit the last bits of their film “Drought” on June 21, 2019. (Photo: Kate Cornell/WWAY) WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A couple years ago we told you about a film called “Drought.”The creators, Hannah Black and Megan Petersen, entered and won the “Hometown Heroes” Film Competition in 2017. Now they’re almost done. Winning the contest helped fund their production, but they still need a little help….

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter View of Hurricane Florence from the International Space Station on Sept. 12, 2018. (Photo: Alexander Gerst/NASA) WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — It’s been nine months since Hurricane Florence tore through the North Carolina coast, and now we’re two weeks deep into a new hurricane season. According to our meteorologists, we won’t be experiencing any tropical storms or hurricanes in the very near future. – Advertisement – However, that doesn’t…

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A non-profit in the Cape Fear is looking to bring some comfort to hurricane survivors in the area. Quilts2Heal is a registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit and has distributed more than 700 quilts to people in 12 states. Recipients range from children who are victims of violence, World War II veterans, and people who have lost everything in fires, floods and hurricanes. – Advertisement – Quilts2Heal began by now Leland…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Crush & Grind reopens in Carolina Beach nine months after Hurricane Florence damaged it. (Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY) CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) —  Another area business forced to close after Hurricane Florence has reopened its doors, roughly nine months after the storm hit. Crush and Grind is a coffee shop on the Carolina Beach boardwalk that also serves beer and wine. – Advertisement – It’s been around for about three years,…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter NC farm flooded during Hurricane Florence (Photo: Mary Junell / U.S. Army / (CC BY-NC 2.0)) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The state House is reconstituting an oversight committee that will keep monitoring challenges state government has had in distributing federal long-term housing grants to hurricane victims in eastern North Carolina. House Speaker Tim Moore announced Tuesday that the House Select Committee on Disaster Relief has been authorized to meet…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter LINCOLNTON, N.C. (AP) — A chunk of North Carolina’s mountains and foothills are facing flash flooding that’s being blamed for three deaths. The National Weather Service said Sunday that six inches or more of rain has fallen in parts of the region between Boone and Lincolnton since Thursday. – Advertisement – Media reports say three men died Saturday after their vehicle hit high water on a road west of…

Churches fund raise to pay for Florence damage repairs (Photo: Kate Cornell) HAMPSTEAD, NC (WWAY) — Churches are working together to raise money to cover Florence damages that still need to be taken care of in Hampstead. After Hampstead United Methodist Church took a beating, Blair Road United Methodist Church in Mint Hill decided to put together a picnic and turned into a fundraiser. – Advertisement – Feeling so humbled by the gesture, the congregation…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter The Ply Gem plant in Fair Bluff on June 7, 2019. (Photo: Monique Robinson/WWAY) FAIR BLUFF, NC (WWAY) — A Columbus County town is on the road to losing its only manufacturing plant. Fair Bluff Mayor Billy Hammond believes the plant is part of the life blood of the community. – Advertisement – Hammond says the Cornerstone Building Brands site, known as Ply Gem in Fair Bluff, is expected…

Arvil Stephens overlooks the pit behind his home that was once Patricia Lake. (Andrew James/WWAY) BOILING SPRING LAKES, NC – Base property values are going up in Brunswick County according to the tax assessors office. No tax rate increases are expected in the new budget, but the increase in home values in some areas is not sitting well with homeowners impacted by hurricane Florence. The base rate for tax rates is set to remain unchanged in…

In September the StarNews followed Kyle Stenersen around his Scotts Hill farm as he tried to keep going after the storm. His fields still flooded, he had to kayak out into the woods just to feed his free-range hogs. But now three seasons later, Stenersen said he has almost completely bounced back, thanks to community support and a blitz of replanting his vegetable fields. Humble Roots is an organic, free-range and non-gmo farm that provides…

The fountain’s lead liner was ripped off by the storm and exposed the top bowl to deterioration. WILMINGTON — The Kenan Fountain will be taking the summer off as the city prepares to address damage during Hurricane Florence. The iconic centerpiece of the Fifth Avenue and Market Street intersection was ravaged by last September’s storm, during which high winds ripped up and folded over the lead liner that protects the top bowl of the water feature….

There is a lot happening across the Triangle this week!

If weather conditions right, they can form — and be dangerous WILMINGTON — Residents can be thankful that tornadoes are relatively rare in Southeastern North Carolina, but when they hit, they can be deadly. A 1,000-foot-wide tornado with winds approaching 200 mph struck the eastern Columbus County community of Riegelwood early on the morning of Nov. 16, 2006, plowing through a mobile home park. Eight people were killed, including two children, and 20 were injured….

Residents participate in activities guided by Coast Guard members. (Photo: Monique Robinson/WWAY) OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — With 2019 hurricane season officially underway, the United States Coast Guard Oak Island station and neighboring public safety agencies want you to prepared. Petty Officer Micheal Roberts calls the 14th annual Public Safety Day at the Oak Island station an open house for the general public to see what the Coast Guard and the other local agencies do…

Local officials reflect on the storm’s legacy SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Every hurricane, disaster situation is a learning experience. So what do local officials say they learned from Hurricane Florence, a storm that uniquely hammered the Cape Fear region last September not with its raw power, but with its slow speed and torrential rains? ‘Develop a plan’ Brunswick County Commissioner Randy Thompson has seen many storms over the years. As the former emergency services director for…

Signs of the battering the region took from Florence last September might be receding, but many wounds still remain The memory of Hurricane Florence lingers in the region’s twisted tree limbs, in the chain link fence that stands around Wilmington’s damaged Jervay housing neighborhood, and in countless other ways. “There’s a lot of people in the county, to some extent, who are emotionally not over what happened during Florence. Their scars are still visible. ……

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter LELAND, NC (WWAY) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is going to reimburse Leland for debris removal following Hurricane Florence. Days after the hurricane hit, the town hired contractors to remove what Florence left behind. – Advertisement – According to a news release, the cost of clean-up will be paid back. The town has approved to receive more than $1.6 million from FEMA and the state. SHARE Facebook Twitter

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter A family forced out of their home after Hurricane Florence live in this trailer in their yard. (Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY) BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — Nearly nine months after Hurricane Florence, people across the Cape Fear are still not able to live in their homes. Many are staying in trailers in their yards. The insulation of a trailer is not the same as the insulation of a home, leaving many…

Celia Rivenbark and Kevin Parker’s dinner theater play, subtitled “A Cat 5 Comedy,” runs weekends through June 29 at TheatreNOW in Wilmington. MORE: Sign up for the free StarNews weekly entertainment newsletter right here: Register It takes some stones to put the word “blows” into the title of your play. But Celia Rivenbark and Kevin Parker don’t worry about tempting fate or, for that matter, headline writers who might be too clever for their own…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Many local residents remember the devastating flooding impacts from Hurricane Matthew. (Photo: WWAY) RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina officials say a deadline is looming for homeowners who suffered damage in a 2016 hurricane. The application deadline for a Hurricane Matthew housing recovery program is Friday. – Advertisement – That’s the last chance for eligible single-family homeowners to apply for aid through the state’s Hurricane Matthew Community Development Block…

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Cape Fear Region is still in need of volunteers and supplies to keep rebuilding efforts moving forward for victims of Hurricane Florence. The Cape Fear Volunteer Center (CFVC) was created to assist with connecting volunteers to homeowners or business owners with needs across the region. – Advertisement – Right now, CFVC volunteers are assisting an elderly couple in Burgaw with yard cleanup, ramp repair, pressure washing and moving furniture into…

Congregation is finally back in their church after it sustained heavy damage from last September’s hurricane WILMINGTON — “Welcome home.” Those were the first words parishioners heard at Cape Fear Presbyterian Church earlier this month as congregants gathered in the sanctuary for the first time since Hurricane Florence made landfall last September. The four-day storm caused significant damage to the church, located off Shipyard Boulevard. As parishioners returned, they barely made mention of the hurricane….

Lincoln Elementary will receive $10,000 from NC Education Lottery BRUNSWICK COUNTY — Elise Barrett knows a thing or two about saving money and stocking up. A teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Brunswick County, she works to make the most of her earnings by extreme couponing. Those skills came in handy and helped her assist the community after Hurricane Florence last fall. The N.C. Education Lottery announced that for her efforts, Barrett was selected as…

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The 2019 hurricane season in the Atlantic basin starts June 1, and now we have an idea of how many tropical systems forecasters are expecting this year. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its outlook, predicting a near-normal season with a 70 percent chance of nine to 15 named storms, which have sustained winds at least 39 mph. – Advertisement – Of those, four to eight will…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Hurricane Florence as seen from the ISS on Monday morning. (Photo: Ricky Arnold / ISS) HOLLY RIDGE, NC (WWAY) — The National Weather Service office in Morehead City is holding community forums to make sure we are all prepared for the next major storm. Happening Thursday, May 23, you can attend one of the free public discussions on hurricane preparedness. – Advertisement – You will hear a presentation from…

Mother Nature this week delivered the first storm of the Atlantic hurricane season that was powerful enough to earn a name: Subtropical Storm Andrea. It wasn’t long though before Andrea began to weaken and was downgraded. The storm wasn’t expected to pose a hazard to anyone on land, according to the National Hurricane Center. But that got us thinking — now that we can scratch Andrea off the official roster of Atlantic tropical cyclone names…

The “Cat 5 Comedy” by Rivenbark and Kevin Parker starts a six-week dinner theater run at TheatreNOW in Wilmington on May 24. Are we ready to laugh about Hurricane Florence yet? The destructive, marathon storm hit Southeastern North Carolina more than eight months ago. And while it caused plenty of misery, no one who endured Florence’s worn-out welcome can deny, in retrospect, that she spawned a few funny situations as well. Mining our collective storm…

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A tornado touched down Tuesday near Tulsa International Airport, injuring at least one person and damaging about a dozen homes, amid storms in the Southern Plains that brought a deluge of rain and powerful winds, closing an interstate and flipping campers at a raceway. Storms could bring more tornadoes and flash flooding to parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma on Tuesday. – Advertisement – Storms Monday evening flipped campers…

Summer’s just around the corner and you might be ready to hit the beach. But is the beach ready for you?

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A North Carolina government watchdog agency says administrative mistakes and a lack of expertise caused delays in the state’s distribution of certain federal long-term recovery funds following Hurricane Matthew. The report released Monday by the non-partisan Program Evaluation Division also found $3.7 million in unnecessary state spending. – Advertisement – The state received a federal block grant of $199 million in December 2016, which was…

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Meteorologists are monitoring an area of showers and thunderstorms to the north of the Bahamas that may become the first named tropical system of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season. This cluster of stormy weather has a short window of opportunity to strengthen into a more coherent area of low pressure. – Advertisement – This disturbance could become a subtropical or tropical depression as it wanders to the north-northeast into Tuesday. An Air…

Audubon officials have measured a colony of more than 1,000 birds on Lea-Hutaff Island PENDER COUNTY — When Hurricane Florence made landfall in September 2018, its heavy winds and crashing waves punished Lea-Hutaff Island, a 4-mile spit of land that is one of the last undeveloped barrier islands on the North Carolina coast. The force of that storm laid the groundwork, months later, for the largest recorded colony of least terns in the history of…

Wrightsville Beach (Photo: WWAY) WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — It’s no secret that Hurricane Florence did quite a bit of damage to our coastline. It’s damage that could be leading to dangerous swimming conditions this spring and summer. Assistant Professor at UNCW Joseph Long says Florence was a storm that did quite a bit of damage. – Advertisement – “It takes Mother Nature sometimes years to bring that sand back up onto the beach to…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — After 10 months out of commission, The Salvation Army is finally celebrating the reopening of its Red Shield Emergency Shelter. The shelter hosted an open house Thursday afternoon. – Advertisement – The Red Shield Shelter suffered major roof damage and water damage throughout the building during Hurricane Florence. Major Mark Craddock says the roof came off, so they had to replace a lot of furniture, kitchen…

The community celebrated the ribbon cutting for the Oak Island Pier Wednesday morning. (Photo: Kylie Jones/WWAY) OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — If you’re headed to the beach this weekend, you might want to check out the brand new Oak Island Pier. The community celebrated the ribbon cutting of the new pier Wednesday morning. – Advertisement – After two summers without the pier, hundreds of people came out to see it. Officials say the turnout really shows…