Wilmington North Carolina News

Residents begin recovery process in northern New Hanover County NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Christina Bahrs watched Saturday morning as nearly everything she owned was stacked on her curb. Cabinets, bikes, carpet, pictures, books — a houseful of things heaped in a pile, still dripping with the flood water that invaded her Northchase home during and after Hurricane Florence. “I’ve lost everything,” she said. “It’s total damage on the bottom floor. Upstairs, we’re gonna have to take out…

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — UNC Wilmington will open its preseason basketball practices at North Carolina due to lingering effects of Hurricane Florence. The school announced the move for both the men’s and women’s teams on Saturday. The Seahawks men’s program will have a brief workout Monday in Chapel Hill before holding the first official practice Tuesday in the practice gym at the Smith Center. – Advertisement – The…

Cars traveling down NC-133 just past Mallory Creek and Westport on April 30, 2018. (Photo: Basil John/WWAY) BLADENBORO, N.C. (AP) — Travel remained dangerous Saturday in southeastern North Carolina, where the governor warned of “treacherous” floodwaters more than a week after Hurricane Florence made landfall, and urged residents to stay alert for flood warnings and evacuation orders. Gov. Roy Cooper said nine of the state’s river gauges are at major flood stage and four others…

Gov. Roy Cooper said Saturday that North Carolina is still trying to recover from Florence, one week after the monster storm drenched parts of the coastline and southeastern parts of the state.

A Wayne County woman faces charges after authorities say she operated an illegal operation when sheltering animals during Florence. (Source: WNCN) WAYNE COUNTY, N.C. (WNCN) – A Wayne County woman faces charges after authorities say she operated an illegal operation when sheltering animals during Florence. Tammie Hedges took in 27 dogs and cats during Florence, housing them in a warehouse she was in the process of converting into a shelter.  On Monday, after the storm…

A car is pulled from a flooded roadway in Columbus County on Thursday. (Source: Jeff Denton) COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – An elderly couple drove their vehicle around a barricade on NC 87 in Columbus County on Thursday and had to be rescued from the sinking car. The man driving the car tried to “gun it,” according to Acme-Delco-Riegelwood Fire Chief Steve Camlin and when he did, the vehicle went straight into a flooded area….

A car is pulled from a flooded roadway in Columbus County on Thursday. (Source: Jeff Denton) COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – An elderly couple drove their vehicle around a barricade on NC 87 in Columbus County on Thursday and had to be rescued from the sinking car. The man driving the car tried to “gun it,” according to Acme-Delco-Riegelwood Fire Chief Steve Camlin and when he did, the vehicle went straight into a flooded area….

Wilmington Chef Keith Rhodes says someone used his name to create a fake Facebook account and solicit money for hurricane relief. (Source: WECT) WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Disasters bring out the best, and in this case, the worst in people. Wilmington celebrity chef Keith Rhodes says someone used his name to solicit donations for hurricane relief by pretending to be him on Facebook was asking people to buy Amazon gift cards in order to help victims of…

Wilmington Chef Keith Rhodes says someone used his name to create a fake Facebook account and solicit money for hurricane relief. (Source: WECT) WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Disasters bring out the best, and in this case, the worst in people. Wilmington celebrity chef Keith Rhodes says someone used his name to solicit donations for hurricane relief by pretending to be him on Facebook was asking people to buy Amazon gift cards in order to help victims of…

Attorney General Josh Stein (Source: WECT) SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA (WECT) – North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said Friday his office has received more than 600 complaints of price gouging since Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina. Stein spoke with WECT’s Jon Evans about price gouging in the wake of the storm and said while most of the incidents are concentrated in Southeastern NC counties, complaints have come in from all over the state.  “The vast…

People living in Fair Bluff say Florence resurfaces all the bad memories from Matthew. (Source: Kolby Skidmore | WECT) By Nick Ochsner FAIR BLUFF, NC (WBTV) — The only way to get through Main Street in Fair Bluff on Thursday was in a boat. In a scene reminiscent of the weeks after Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, three to four feet of water flowed over benches and past door handles of buildings along the town’s main…

(Source: Pixabay) NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in New Hanover County on Sunday. According to the NWS report, the tornado hit at 12:48 a.m. Sunday in Silver Lake. Around half a dozen pine and oak trees up to 14 inches in diameter were snapped or twisted on River Vista Drive. The estimated wind speed was 95 miles per hour. Copyright 2018 WECT. All rights reserved.

The New Bern-based firm that prints most of the ballots to be used in North Carolina for the upcoming general election has met a Saturday deadline for absentee ballots despite legal wrangling over what should appear on the ballot and flooding from Hurricane Florence.

A day after Gov. Roy Cooper called for an October special session to approve initial funding needs for the Hurricane Florence recovery, legislative leaders said they’re prepared to meet next week.

A woman with her child receives free diapers and shower gel on Sept. 7 in Manati, Puerto Rico. (Source: The Associated Press) NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – New Hanover County has set up a donations hub to make it easier for individuals and organizations to assist with hurricane recovery efforts. Information on how to volunteer and where to donate supplies can be found at EmergencyNHC.com or by calling 910-798-7337. The call center will be…