Wilmington North Carolina News

May 10, 2022 RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting project applications from local governments for coastal storm damage mitigation projects. According to the department, $18 million has been allocated to the Division of Water Resources’ Coastal Storm Damage Mitigation Fund. Funding may only be used for costs associated with beach nourishment, artificial dunes, and other projects to mitigate or remediate coastal storm damage to the ocean beaches and…

May 9, 2022 BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — The 2022 hurricane season officially begins in just over 3 weeks on June 1st, but local officials say now is the time to begin preparing. A hurricane conference was held today at Brunswick Community College in Brunswick County, discussing ways residents can stay safe this year. “You can tell the communities that plan ahead and those that do not,” Commissioner Randy Thompson said. Thompson says past hurricanes have…

May 5, 2022 ANDOVER, KS (WWAY) — The City of Andover shared video from two City Hall security cameras Wednesday showing Friday’s destructive tornado as it formed in southern Sedgwick County and moved into town. Andover is now assessing more than 180 structures damaged by the storm. All have been given the rating of safe, unsafe, habitable or limited entry. Four people suffered minor injuries. In Sedgwick County, 35 structures were impacted and more than…

May 2, 2022 WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Hurricane Season begins in less than a month, starting on June 1st. It’s never too early to make sure you have everything squared away before the next storm strikes the Cape Fear. North Carolina’s annual Hurricane Preparedness Week kicked off Sunday and runs all this week, through Saturday, May 7th. Each day has a different topic to focus on to make sure everyone across the Cape Fear is…

April 30, 2022 Credit: WLOS TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — A wildfire burning near the Blue Ridge Parkway has grown to an estimated 370 acres and is now 50% contained, officials with the U.S. Forest Service said on Saturday. Officials say the fire, officially named the Barnett Branch Fire, has been burning in rough terrain of the Pisgah National Forest off the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Pisgah Inn since April 27. The growth in…

April 28, 2022 RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — A contractor who came to the area following Hurricane Florence in 2018 is being sued by the State. On Thursday, Attorney General Josh Stein filed a lawsuit against Dennis Daugherty, his Illinois-based company Green Lantern Services, and his North Carolina company Green Lantern Roofing and Restoration for defrauding North Carolinians who were attempting to repair storm damage after Hurricane Florence. “Dennis Daugherty saw North Carolinians struggling to rebuild…

April 22, 2022 RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Seth Jarvis scored on a contact-filled rebound at 8:21 of the third period to help the Carolina Hurricanes overcome a two-goal deficit and beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 on Thursday night. Teuvo Teravainen and Jaccob Slavin also scored in the rally for the Hurricanes, who remained tied with the New York Rangers for the Metropolitan Division lead. Captain Jordan Staal added an empty-net goal in the final minute….

The Wilmington City Council approved a massive stormwater project at its meeting Tuesday night to address flooding in a major problem area of the city. April 19, 2022 Cars drive through flood water at New Centre Drive in Wilmington during Tropical Storm Hermine on Sept. 2, 2016 WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington City Council approved a massive stormwater project at its meeting Tuesday night to address flooding in a major problem area of the…

April 16, 2022 (WWAY) — It’s been 11 years since the greatest one-day tornado outbreak on record for North Carolina. 30 tornadoes touched down on April 16, 2011, with 13 of those being classified as strong (EF2 or greater). In all, 24 people died across North Carolina with more than 400 injuries being reported, and over 900 homes and businesses being destroyed. The Cape Fear saw multiple tornadoes on that day. The strongest being two…

April 11, 2022 (Photo: Lisa McNee / BLM / CC BY 2.0) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pacific Gas & Electric has agreed to pay more than $55 million to avoid criminal prosecution for two major wildfires started by its aging power lines in Northern California. PG&E does not admit wrongdoing in the two settlements reached with prosecutors for last year’s Dixie Fire and the 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County. PG&E also will submit to…

April 9, 2022 ALLENDALE, S.C. (AP) — Officials say severe storms that moved across South Carolina earlier this week caused at least 13 tornadoes and hail the size of baseballs. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division says 14 homes were destroyed as the twisters moved through Tuesday in Allendale, Bamberg, Clarendon and Orangeburg counties. Officials say another five homes were damaged by a storm that dropped baseball size hail in Horry County on Thursday. The…

April 7, 2022 (Mary Perez /The Sun Herald via AP) (CNN) — After dozens of tornadoes rolled through the South, another storm is threatening to deliver powerful winds and possibly more tornadoes Thursday to the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia along with parts of Florida. More than 12 million people are under a slight risk (Level 2 of 5) for severe thunderstorms in parts of North Carolina, Virginia and Florida, as the Storm Prediction…

April 5, 2022 CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — ‘Sunny Day Flooding’ has been a worsening problem for years in Carolina Beach, especially along Canal Drive. One organization is setting out to track the flooding and help the area adapt to the problem. Researchers with North Carolina State University and UNC Chapel Hill are partnering to place sensors in storm drains around the town. They say the project has been in the works for nearly 2…

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The Carolina Hurricanes have announced a partnership with the North Carolina Warriors Hockey Program, which provides ice hockey teams for disabled military veterans. “The ‘Canes have long been dedicated to supporting our local military families, and with this partnership, it allows us to support these families directly through the sport of hockey,” said Shane Willis, Hurricanes’ Director of Youth Hockey & Community Outreach. “The Warriors have a great mission, and we…

March 19, 2022 (STARNEWS) — More than three years after Hurricane Florence devastated Boiling Spring Lakes, officials say the city is finally coming close to recovering. According to City Manager David Andrews, the city has cleared a major hurdle by obtaining an easement from the Army Corp of Engineers, which has held back their dam reconstruction efforts for the past two years. “It’s major,” Andrews said. “We still have a lot of work to do and we’re still…

March 7, 2022 COLUMBIA, SC (AP) — A breezy, dry Monday has led the state Forestry Commission to issue a statewide Reg Flat Alert for outdoor burning in South Carolina to try to prevent wildfires. The alert discourages outdoor fires, like burning debris, and can trigger local county bans on outdoor burning. The Forestry Commission says more than 100 wildfires have been reported in the state since Thursday and the recent dry, warm weather has…

March 5, 2022 WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Next week is North Carolina’s annual Severe Weather Preparedness Week, running from March 6th through March 12th. The National Weather Service and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety are teaming up to bring this severe weather safety campaign to all of North Carolina’s residents. With warmer weather quickly approaching, now is the time to prepare for the severe weather season. Severe weather preparedness week focuses on a…

March 3, 2022 RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The Carolina Hurricanes know their opponent and the date for their outdoor game next year — the Washington Capitals on Feb. 18, 2023. The team made the announcement on Thursday, just hours before the two teams met in Washington. The Stadium Series game will be played at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium. The ‘Canes were supposed to host the outdoor hockey game on Feb. 20, 2021, but the COVID-19…

March 1, 2022 (Photo: North Carolina Marine Fisheries) MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WWAY) — The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting applications for the Federally Funded Fishery Disaster Relief Program for Hurricane Florence. Financial relief is available to eligible seafood dealers and processors, ocean fishing piers, for-hire fishing operations, and bait and tackle shops affected by Hurricane Florence. The division has mailed application packets to eligible licensed seafood dealers, ocean fishing piers, and for-hire fishing…

February 15, 2022 BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — One year after a deadly tornado devastated parts of Brunswick County, Emergency Services Director Ed Conrow believes the region still has a little ways to go go to fully recover. Conrow says he remembers listening to dispatch just before bed. He realized there was a problem when his crews began getting calls. Just 10 minutes later, Conrow was driving around debris into the dark Ocean Ridge Plantation neighborhood….

James Jarvis and the Disaster Relief Vechicle (Photo: Juliana Lane, WWAY News) Wilmington, NC (WWAY)- One year ago today, members of the American Red Cross in the Cape Fear region were called out to help those in Brunswick county when a very powerful EF-3 tornado came in and ripped through the community taking the lives of 3 people, and injuring several others. James Jarvis, the Executive Director of the Cape Fear area chapter of the…

February 15, 2022 BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — Just outside the Ocean Ridge neighborhood, last year’s tornado nearly destroyed several homes, businesses, and Seaside Christian Fellowship Church. Pastor Dwight Reeves has led that congregation for more than 30 years. Though the tornado ripped the church’s sign to the ground, damaged the roof, and blew off the doors, Reeves had faith the small church of 40 people would survive. Even without power of doors, Reeves says people…

February 15, 2022 BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — After losing one of their own to a fatal tornado a year ago today, the Ocean Ridge Quilters are using their skills to patch  up a community. Melanie Kelley, Debbie Krzywicki, and Carol Dunham say Phyllis O’Connor was a force of nature. She was a woman on a mission to help her area and beyond with her talents. According to quilting co-chair Kelley, the beginning of last year…

A church in Wilmington is collaborating with the faith community and other organizations to gather donations for tornado victims in Kentucky.  January 17, 2022 Union Missionary Baptist Church is collaborating with the faith community and other organizations to gather donations for tornado victims in Kentucky (Photo: Sydney Bouchelle/WWAY) WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A church in Wilmington is collaborating with the faith community and other organizations to gather donations for tornado victims in Kentucky. Union Missionary…

January 3, 2022 WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Local Red Cross volunteers are on the ground in Kentucky helping the area recover from deadly tornados. Cape Fear Red Cross Executive Director James Jarvis left for counties surrounding Mayfield, Kentucky less than a week ago. Since then, he and his team of 14 volunteers from our area have helped house and feed thousands. With about 77 people dead from the twisters, Jarvis and volunteers are hoping to…

January 3, 2022 WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A strong area of low pressure pushed across the Carolinas overnight and into today, leading to wind and flooding damage in parts of the Cape Fear. Winds gusts upwards of 40 mph pushed water onto West Bay Street in Southport with more flooding along the Brunswick County coast in Ocean Isle Beach. Around an inch of rain fell in Wilmington from the storm. Sporadic tree damage was reported…

January 1, 2022 NEBO, N.C. (WLOS) — In a final update, Pisgah National Forest officials reported Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 that the wildfire burning in the Lost Cove area of Nebo, North Carolina is 80% contained. They said the fire, which started Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2021, has burned 1,000 acres. It is burning in the Wilson Creek watershed on the U.S. Forest Service Grandfather Ranger District in Avery County. Light rain and humidity over…

January 1, 2022 SUPERIOR, Colo. (AP) — Colorado authorities were searching Saturday for two people reported missing from a wind-whipped winter-season wildfire in Denver’s suburbs that destroyed hundreds of homes and left thousands of people trying to salvage what belongings they could from the fast-moving blaze. Authorities had said earlier no one was missing in the area hit by Thursday’s blaze, but Boulder County spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said Saturday they were now trying to find…

December 31, 2021 Wildfire in Colorado in late Dec. 2021. (Photo: KMGH via CNN) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Tens of thousands of Coloradans driven from their neighborhoods by a wind-whipped wildfire anxiously waited to learn what was left standing of their lives Friday as authorities reported more than 500 homes were feared destroyed. Charles “Chuck” Thurlow (Photo: Red Cross) In response, the American Red Cross is deploying volunteers including one from Brunswick County. The…

December 31, 2021 Wildfire in Colorado in late Dec. 2021. (Photo: KMGH via CNN) DENVER (AP) — Tens of thousands of Coloradans driven from their neighborhoods by wind-whipped wildfires are anxiously waiting to learn what’s left standing of their lives after the flames burned an estimated 580 homes, a hotel and a shopping center. The fires erupted Thursday outside Denver, following an extremely dry fall and a winter so far nearly devoid of snow. At…

The wildfires engulfed parts of the area in smoky, orangish skies on Thursday December 30, 2021 DENVER (AP) — An estimated 580 homes, a hotel and a shopping center have burned and tens of thousands of people were evacuated in wind-fueled wildfires outside Denver. At least one first responder and six others have been injured, though Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle acknowledged there could be more injuries and deaths could be possible due to the…

December 29, 2021 SPC severe weather outlook on Dec. 29, 2021. (Photo: WWAY) HUNTSVILLE, AL (AP) — Several southern states are at risk of tornadoes, large hail and high winds as severe storms fire up over the region. Northern portions of Alabama and Mississippi and parts of Tennessee will have an enhanced risk of damaging weather in Wednesday’s storms, forecasters said.“A few tornadic supercells are possible, along with sporadic damaging gusts and isolated severe hail,”…

A North Carolina wildfire has now exceeded 350 acres in two days and is barely contained, according to fire officials. December 26, 2021 ROSEBORO, N.C. (WNCN) — A North Carolina wildfire has now exceeded 350 acres in two days and is barely contained, according to fire officials. The Lost Cove wildfire was discovered around 9:40 a.m. on Christmas Eve when it was about 2 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service. By Christmas Day, the…

December 18, 2021 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — All of the people reported missing in Kentucky after tornadoes swept through the state last weekend have been accounted for, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday. Beshear hailed the report by state emergency management officials and said he hoped it meant that no additional people in Kentucky would be found dead from the storm. “How about a piece of good news today?” Beshear said at the beginning of a…

Donate to the America Red Cross for Midwest tornado relief – WWAYTV3 December 17, 2021

December 16, 2021 WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Eleven Southeastern North Carolina Red Cross volunteers are on the ground near Mayfield, Kentucky, providing supplies and counseling to tornado survivors. The Red Cross’s Cally Edwards said yesterday, the group saw Mayfield’s destruction first hand. It was worse than a anything Edwards had ever seen in her years working with the Red Cross. One woman she helped had to hold onto her bathtub for dear life to survive…

December 16, 2021 Tornado damage in Kentucky on Dec. 13, 2021. (Photo: Salvation Army EDS) BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Local groups are working to collect donations for tornado victims in Kentucky. Oak Island Water Rescue said a local trucking company, CGC Trucking, that has provided relief trips in the past is planning another mission to Kentucky. One donation drop off location is at 1531 Howe Street in Southport, right next to Walgreens. This location…

December 16, 2021 A tornado approaches Interstate 80 near Atlantic, Iowa, as a semi truck rolls eastward on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. A band of strong storms swept across much of the plains states on Wednesday, producing powerful wind gusts and tornadoes. (Photo: Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register via AP) OMAHA, NE (AP) — One person has died as a powerful storm system swept across the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures, bringing…

December 15, 2021 Wilmington, NC (WWAY) — WARM, the Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, is seeking volunteers for rebuilding projects to help local homeowners whose houses may need a little extra TLC this season. WARM Communications Director Suzanne Jalot spoke with Good Morning Carolina’s Donna Gregory about a current project, and the recurring need for volunteers for projects in the future. “We had one homeowner whose issues really started all the back with hurricane Florence, believe…

December 13, 2021 WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — People in the Cape Fear are no stranger to the devastation natural disasters can cause, with Brunswick County seeing an EF-3 tornado earlier this year. That’s why many people are heading west to help. Many local organizations and churches are sending volunteers over the coming days and weeks to lend a hand in any way they can. Local volunteers say they felt inclined to go after seeing the…

Two men from the Cape Fear are headed to Kentucky to provide disaster relief after a deadly tornado ripped through the Midwest.  December 12, 2021 CAPE FEAR AREA, NC (WWAY) — Two men from the Cape Fear are headed to Kentucky to provide disaster relief after a deadly tornado ripped through the Midwest. Mike Thompson of New Hanover County is deploying on Monday to serve as a government operations liaison and a representative for the…

December 11, 2021 MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s governor says a devastating tornado touched down for 227 miles — more than 200 in his state — and deaths were feared in 10 counties. Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference Saturday that at least 70 people were feared dead in Kentucky, and the death toll could exceed 100. “This will be, I believe, the deadliest tornado system to ever run through Kentucky,” Beshear said….

November 30, 2021 Pilot Mt. fire on Nov. 30, 2021. (Photo: Jenna Kurzyna / WFMY) PILOT MOUNTAIN, NC (AP) — A wildfire at North Carolina’s Pilot Mountain State Park had grown to more than 1,000 acres by Tuesday afternoon, twice its size of a day earlier, authorities said. Officials said the blaze, which has burned more than 1,050 acres on Pilot Mountain, is about 20% contained and is burning only inside the park, news outlets…

November 30, 2021 Flooding in Baltimore from Hurricane Ida (Photo: WJZ) NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — The active 2021 Atlantic hurricane season officially concludes Tuesday having produced 21 named storms, including seven hurricanes of which four were major hurricanes. “NOAA provided the science and services necessary to protect life and property before, during and after storms all season long,” said NOAA Administrator, Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “From essential observations to advanced warnings to critical response actions, NOAA…

With winds reaching up 200 mph, the tornado traveled for seven miles, killing eight and injuring 21 others. November 16, 2021 Damage left behind from Riegelwood tornado in 2006. (Photo: WWAY) COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Tuesday marked the 15th anniversary of the deadly tornado that swept through Columbus County. A F-3 tornado struck the Riegelwood community around 6:30 a.m. when many people were still asleep. Several homes were tossed off their foundation and others…

Fire at the southern tip of Sauratown Mountain in November 2021. (Photo: NC Forestry District Center via WFMY) WINSTON-SALEM, NC (AP) — State and local firefighters are trying to get control of a wildfire in a rugged and remote area of North Carolina, officials said. Dakota Paris, a forester for the N.C. Forest Service, said the fire at the southern tip of Sauratown Mountain started sometime early Tuesday morning, The Winston-Salem Journal reported. It’s not…

(Photo: Matthew Huddleston / WWAY) CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The Cape Fear experiences King Tides every year when the moon is closest to the earth, causing an increase in tide levels. But the Wilmington National Weather Service says this year’s King Tide was elevated thanks to the right ingredients coming together. “At the same time as we had these King Tides, we had this non-tropical low form right off our coast,” Victoria Oliva with…

Flooding near Carl Winner Ave. in Carolina Beach on Nov. 8, 2021. (Photo: WWAY) CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A portion of the north end of Carolina Beach will remain closed Monday due to the ongoing tidal flooding and rough beach conditions. The town posted online Monday morning saying Freeman Park is closed until further notice. – Advertisement – Already had to move the car twice from land that went from dry to covered in…

William Dewayne Simmons (Photo: Columbus Co. Sheriff’s Office) COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Three years after the body of a missing man was found floating in a ditch near the Bladen and Columbus County line, the man responsible for shooting and killing him will spend life in prison. According to the district attorney’s office, a jury found William Simmons guilty of First-Degree Murder and Robbery with a Firearm. Superior Court Judge James Hardin then sentenced…