Emily Featherston

Reporter

Wilmington, NC

Emily Featherston is a journalist with background in community reporting. She joined WECT in August 2018, and is a multimedia reporter focused on Wilmington’s local government.

Emily comes to WECT from the newspaper industry, most recently working as a community editor for Starnes Media, a group of hyper-local publications in Birmingham, Alabama.

While in Alabama, Emily won awards from the Alabama Press Association for her reporting on local news and education. She won the association’s 2017 Freedom of Information Award for her coverage of a discrimination lawsuit between the city of Vestavia Hills and a former employee. In 2018 she won first place awards for Best Online Breaking News and Best Use of Social Media for coverage of a flash flood.

Emily has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Samford University, as well as an MBA from Samford’s Brock School of Business. She was the 2016 Timothy Robinson Fellow at The Washington Post, and the editor in chief of her college newspaper, The Samford Crimson.

In her spare time, Emily enjoys cooking, going to the beach and getting to know the hidden gems of the Wilmington area.

Awards:

2017 Alabama Press Association Freedom of Information Award
2017 Alabama Press Association Best Local News Coverage, 1st Place
2017 Alabama Press Association Best Education Coverage, 1st Place
2018 Alabama Press Association Online Breaking News Coverage, 1st Place

Education:

Samford University - BA in Journalism & MBA in Management

Recent Articles by Emily

Pandemic-response elections bill headed to State House floor, but some legislators don’t think it goes far enough

It deals with the financial aspect of running an election during the pandemic

Emily Featherston

Published May 27, 2020 at 6:06 PM

NHRMC Epidemiologist: Antibody tests great for research, vaccine development, less so for personal decision making

As the novel coronavirus pandemic has progressed, there has been an increased interest in the practice of antibody testing.

Emily Featherston

Published May 22, 2020 at 5:27 PM

Novant would bring UNC Health, med school as part of partnership with NHRMC

Novant Health announced a new detail of its proposal to partner with New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Emily Featherston

Published May 21, 2020 at 10:40 AM

Despite ‘commitment,’ Trillium opts to go with Kentucky firm rather than Coastal Horizons for operation of controversial treatment center

A substance abuse treatment center that led to packed city council meetings and a lawsuit is once again raising concern — but this time with one of the very agencies that made it happen.

Emily Featherston

Published May 20, 2020 at 5:32 PM

Federal grand jury declines to bring charges against Chemours regarding Clean Water Act

An investigation into the conduct of Chemours at its Fayetteville Works plant did not result in federal criminal charges.

Emily Featherston

Published May 19, 2020 at 4:40 PM

Canceled by COVID: Loss of 2020 Azalea Festival will cost Cape Fear economy millions

The 73rd annual Azalea Festival was canceled because of COVID-19.

Emily Featherston

Published May 18, 2020 at 4:47 PM

WAVE’s Brunswick Connector route could be in trouble after Leland pulls funding

The new WAVE budget is expected to be presented on May 28.

Emily Featherston

Published May 14, 2020 at 5:34 PM

Mental Health Awareness Month highlighted by pandemic

Even for those who have not been diagnosed with a named illness, the stress, disruption and isolation brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has been overwhelming.

Emily Featherston

Published May 13, 2020 at 4:07 PM

District Attorney, law enforcement will make presentation on reducing violent crime and gang activity

The District Attorney's Office, along with the Wilmington Police Department and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office will be making a presentation about the effort in the coming weeks.

Emily Featherston

Published May 12, 2020 at 5:39 PM

The pandemic will drive up election costs, and so far NC isn’t ready

Despite the urgent need for funding — the 2020 general election is less than six months away — North Carolina lawmakers have yet to substantively address requests made by the state board of elections.

Emily Featherston

Published May 11, 2020 at 8:20 PM

’If you are a woman or you love a woman, this is something you should care about’: Raising awareness on World Ovarian Cancer Day

The disease that kills more than 184,000 women every year.

Emily Featherston

Published May 8, 2020 at 5:58 PM

NHRMC Partnership Advisory Group votes to take closer look at three respondents as exploration of hospital’s future continues

Out of a list of six, the group voted to further explore the details of potential relationships with three

Emily Featherston

Published May 7, 2020 at 8:39 PM

History of deficiencies at many NC nursing homes with big outbreaks

Statewide, cases at those facilities account for nearly 18% of all laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus and more than half of the total deaths reported in the state.

Emily Featherston

Published May 6, 2020 at 6:49 PM

Wilmington City Council extends local stay-at-home restrictions through May 8

The meeting is being held virtually.

Emily Featherston

Published May 5, 2020 at 11:39 PM

Advocacy group files lawsuit over N.C. absentee ballot restrictions, asks for changes in light of coronavirus

Absentee ballots have been a hot topic nationally. Now voters and advocacy groups are taking the issue to the courts.

Emily Featherston

Published May 4, 2020 at 11:14 PM

Perfect Storm: With an above-average hurricane season forecasted in the midst of a global pandemic, how local officials plan to have the cash on hand to respond

Hurricane season is less than one month away, and it could be an active, intense year for hurricanes on top of a global pandemic.

Emily Featherston

Published May 4, 2020 at 6:44 PM

NC care facilities, counties inconsistent in reporting outbreaks

In light of the new disclosure policy announced by DHHS on Monday, reporters asked county health departments to provide documents showing when individual care facilities reported outbreaks to their agency and how those reports were then transmitted to the state.

Emily Featherston

Published May 1, 2020 at 1:45 PM

’The pressures of the crisis are just unprecedented’: As coronavirus takes toll on physicians, hospitals look to help

In addition to fighting the virus, physicians and other healthcare workers face internal battles.

Emily Featherston

Published April 30, 2020 at 5:29 PM

Cape Fear area doctors say new COVID symptoms will help paint better picture of virus’ spread

While most patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus exhibit the hallmarks of the infection — shortness of breath, high fever and a cough — a growing number are displaying more flu-like symptoms.

Emily Featherston

Published April 28, 2020 at 5:05 PM

Coronavirus relief, transportation among Wilmington priorities presented to legislators

Wilmington leaders held a virtual legislative breakfast with state elected officials.

Emily Featherston

Published April 24, 2020 at 5:09 PM

Coronavirus is tearing through NC nursing homes, but the state won’t say which ones

Nursing homes and other congregate care facilities are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19

Emily Featherston

Published April 23, 2020 at 6:55 PM

Elections officials work to prepare for voting during a pandemic, in the shadow of an election fraud scandal

New laws are in place that combat absentee ballot tampering, but the coronavirus pandemic may provide further challenges.

Emily Featherston

Published April 23, 2020 at 5:51 PM

Attorneys launch new civil suit regarding former NHCS band teacher arrested for sex crimes

Attorneys have filed a new lawsuit against NHCS regarding the alleged actions of a former teacher.

Emily Featherston

Published April 22, 2020 at 6:00 PM

Key figure in NC09 election fraud case indicted on Social Security fraud charges

Leslie McCrae Dowless, the central figure in the election fraud investigation that led to a re-do of the 2018 congressional race in North Carolina’s 9th district, has been indicted on new charges related to his political activity.