Wilmington North Carolina News

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…

First responders join WARM in hurricane recovery efforts (Photo: Kate Cornell) WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, WARM, was founded after Hurricane Fran in 1996 to help people to recover. More than two decades later, they are going strong with Hurricane Florence recovery efforts. First responders in Wilmington tagged along as volunteers this week helping out a man living on Dock Street. – Advertisement – Wednesday, firefighters worked on the roof and kitchen at…

The historic cemetery has received around $8,000 in donations to aid in its recovery effort in 2019. WILMINGTON – Spring has sprung in Bellevue Cemetery and for its keepers, the sight couldn’t be sweeter. The historic non-profit cemetery off Princess Place Street was beaten and battered by Hurricane Florence eight months ago, and limited staffing and resources left its volunteers struggling to make a dent in the clean-up effort. Without a perpetual care fund or…

A meeting between local and federal emergency management agencies on Wednesday will make sure response and rescue teams are ready for hurricane season.

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter RALEIGH, NC (AP) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded slightly more than $336 million to North Carolina in response to damage caused by Hurricane Florence last fall. Gov. Roy Cooper says that the funding announced on Tuesday falls short of the state’s needs and is calling for Congress to pass additional disaster relief legislation. Cooper says in a news release that “far more is…

The cardboard boxes that sat near the sideline may have never been opened had things turned for the worse for Topsail’s boys lacrosse team in Friday’s playoff win over New Hanover.

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Damaged left behind due to a tornado on May 13, 2019. (Photo: WTVD) WAKE COUNTY, NC (AP) — Officials say that a tornado roared through Wake County for up to eight miles, uprooting trees and damaging houses and roads throughout the town of Zebulon. No injuries have been reported. Two rounds of severe weather moved through central North Carolina on Monday, dumping heavy rain on the region. WRAL reports that winds…

WRAL News is tracking a line of severe weather moving through central North Carolina.

A shelter designed to help people in need is finally done getting help it needed after Hurricane Florence. WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A shelter designed to help people in need is finally done getting help it needed after Hurricane Florence. The Salvation Army says its Red Shield Emergency Shelter at 802 N. 2nd St.in Wilmington will reopen next Monday. The Red Cross will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on Thursday, 4-7 p.m….

Mild winter doesn’t appear to have an impact on area blueberry crop so far. (Photo: Helen Holt/WWAY) BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — Sunday’s heavy rain was a good soaker for area farmers especially those located across Pender County where conditions were a bit dry. According to the Pender County Cooperative Extension Office, farmers are finishing up planting corn. Typically, they prefer to have the crop planted by May 1. Earlier this spring, they had a minor set…

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Wake, Durham and Franklin counties late Monday morning.

A three-day camping and concert event in Rockingham this weekend was expected to draw thousands for performances by the Foo Fighters, Judas Priest, Tool and other rockers. Instead, it drew a raft of complaints on social media about access, cost and security. And that was before the storms came.

A storm system is following a low-pressure boundary that comes with a cold front that will stall over North Carolina.

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter JACKSONVILLE, NC (AP) — A North Carolina city has received almost $5 million to help with disaster relief from Hurricane Florence. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says in a news release that it is reimbursing the city of Jacksonville for debris removal associated with the storm. – Advertisement – Beginning last September, Jacksonville hired contractors to remove vegetation and other debris throughout the city, and FEMA is reimbursing the…

The Carolina Hurricanes have been hosting watch parties at Carolina Ale House, along with 99.9 the Fan’s Sports Channel 8. The latest watch party will close part of Glenwood Ave. between Tucker St. and West Johnson St,, the city of Raleigh announced.

Management company says some residents will be able to return in mid-June. WILMINGTON — Jervay’s first resident stood in front of Wilmington City Council on Tuesday and asked the city to help her and her neighbors recover from Hurricane Florence. Acquanetta McNeil and her family moved into the newly renovated Jervay Place off of Dawson Street in 2004. About 14 years later, McNeil and the other residents of Jervay’s 100 units were told in November they…

Rep. David Rouzer said he would like to see CDBG-DR grants administered differently. BURGAW — Frustration was the prevailing theme Monday night at a Hurricane Florence recovery town hall hosted by U.S. Rep. David Rouzer. Monday’s event, which took place in front of about 150 people in Pender High School’s gym, was the second of its kind Rouzer has hosted. The congressman, whose southeastern North Carolina district took much of Hurricane Florence’s wrath last September,…

Rep. David Rouzer hosted a hurricane recovery round table for hurricane victims Monday night. (Photo: Kylie Jones/WWAY) PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — It’s been almost eight months since Hurricane Florence, but recovery is far from over. Congressman David Rouzer held a recovery round table Monday night to show residents that there is still help, and lots of residents still need help getting back on their feet. – Advertisement – Rouzer wants people to have the chance…

The Brunswick County town, famous for its lakes, is still missing its biggest attraction BOILING SPRING LAKES — A small mud puddle surrounded by stumps, clumps of grass, rocks and mud. That’s all that’s left of the Big Lake, also known as Patricia Lake, in Boiling Spring Lakes. The lake drained after Hurricane Florence dumped nearly 30 inches of rain on the city over the course of four days, causing dams around the city to…

The still-closed historic building in Burgaw was heavily damaged by Florence last September PENDER COUNTY — Since the Pender County Courthouse is still closed some eight months after Hurricane Florence heavily damaged it, rumors about the status and future of the historic Burgaw landmark continue to circulate and grow. Those rumors, especially the most dire of them — that the courthouse will have to be demolished and rebuilt — are unfounded, said Assistant County Manager…

The Carolina Hurricanes advance to the Eastern Conference Final (Photo: NHLCanes/Twitter) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Teuvo Teravainen and Greg McKegg scored 66 seconds apart in the second period, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 5-2 on Friday night to sweep their second-round series. Teravainen and linemate Sebastian Aho each finished with a goal and an assist, captain Justin Williams and rookie star Andrei Svechnikov each added insurance goals and goalie Curtis McElhinney…

With all the momentum on their side, the Carolina Hurricanes will be in no mood to give it back.

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Aerial views of Bladen County flooding after Hurricane Florence. (Photo: WTVD) CAPE FEAR, NC (WWAY) — A study being conducted at UNC Pembroke aims to look at the physical and mental effects of storms such as Hurricane Florence on rural counties and researchers want your help. The study will evaluate the ways individuals have adjusted following traumatic events of Florence. – Advertisement – It seeks to survey 300 hurricane-affected…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Surf City continues to recover from Hurricane Florence. Now, they’re looking for volunteers to help clean up. Surf City Beautification and Appearance Committee will be leading a street sweep before summer visitors arrive. – Advertisement – Groups will be organized and supplies will be handed out at Soundside Park at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 11. You will need to bring your own gloves, pickers and safety…

According to FEMA, there are several ways to prepare for hurricane season, which officially starts on June 1.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo is headed to Washington. According to the city, he will be in DC representing the Eastern North Carolina Disaster Recovery & Resiliency Alliance, a bipartisan group of more than 50 regional leaders that came together in the wake of Hurricane Florence to advocate for improved policies and other resources that encourage better hurricane recovery and resiliency. – Advertisement – Saffo was reportedly asked to help lead a three-day…

As Hurricane Florence’s winds decreased on its September approach to the Carolinas, the anxiety of meteorologists rose. When the long-lived storm was a fierce Category 4 cyclone with 140 mph winds, people took notice, preparing, evacuating, “freaking out,” as one North Carolina forecaster put it this month at the National Hurricane Conference in New Orleans. Then Florence faltered, weakening to a Cat 2, then a Cat 1. National Hurricane Center forecasters stopped talking Saffir-Simpson scale…

Eric and Mimi Marquis thanked the first responders who saved his life when he suffered a heart attack. (Photo: Kylie Jones/WWAY) WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Imagine getting ready for a hurricane and then suddenly seeing your life flash before your eyes. That’s what happened to Eric and Mimi Marquis. On Thursday they said ‘thank you’ to the first responders who saved Eric’s life. – Advertisement – “It’s not something I’d thought about a lot before,” Eric…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter The Carolina Hurricanes beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals in double overtime on April 24, 2019. (Photo: NHLCanes/Twitter) RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) — Tickets for the second round of the NHL Playoffs go on sale at noon Thursday. The Carolina Hurricanes beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals in double overtime Wednesday night. – Advertisement – The team has a short turnaround before playing their first second round game…

It will be warm and quiet Thursday, but the Triangle’s risk for severe weather has been increased to a level 1 for Friday.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) celebrates his goal with right wing Nino Niederreiter, right, left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86), of Finland, and defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) during the third period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals, Wednesday, April 24, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) WASHINGTON (AP) — Jordan Staal tied it in the third period, Brock McGinn scored in the second overtime and the Carolina…

Damage to Pender Co. schools due to Florence (Photo: Pender County Schools) NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — State superintendent has announced North Carolina is receiving a $2 million grant to aid in continued hurricane Florence and Michael recovery efforts for area schools. The funds will help restore learning environments in hundreds of schools in 12 districts and help more than 130,000 students. – Advertisement – The money will help rebuild playgrounds, transporting students displaced by the…

By Ben Steelman StarNews Staff Wednesday Apr 24, 2019 at 2:20 PM Apr 24, 2019 at 2:20 PM Audrey Hart heads an alliance of government agencies and civic groups dealing with recovery and disaster preparedness Audrey Hart has been named director of the New Hanover Disaster Coalition. Formed in October 2018, the group is an alliance of government agencies, businesses, non-profit groups and churches working toward long-term hurricane recovery and disaster preparedness. “We act as a liaison among groups,” Hart said. “We bring them all…

BRUNSWICK COUNTY — It’s a sunny afternoon, the weather is warm, and many schools are out for spring break. But the parking lot at the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site stood empty last week except for three cars belonging to staff members. In the span of two hours, only two cars pull into the parking lot. The visitors — two couples — wander the grounds. One of the women approaches the museum building and…