Caroline Burkard
Reporter
Wilmington, NC
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Caroline Burkard joined WECT as a multimedia journalist in July 2018. She was born and raised in a small town in Kansas City, KS and has dreamed to work in the beautiful state of North Carolina since she was young. Caroline graduated from University of Kansas with a degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in psychology.
During her time at KU, she was a student reporter and news anchor for her campus station KUJH News. Caroline also interned at Channel 6 News in Lawrence as a reporter. Before working for WECT, she was a Saturday morning producer and evening reporter for WIBW in Topeka, KS.
Caroline loves exploring the outdoors, staying active and getting to know new people. You can find her roaming the streets of downtown or relaxing at the beach. Don’t be afraid to say hi to her and reach out for any story ideas!
If you have story ideas email Caroline at cburkard@wect.com or reach out by facebook and twitter!
Education
Affiliations
Updated: Jun. 14, 2019 at 9:17 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
School is out and summer is here and that means everyone is going to be at the beach more often.
Updated: Jun. 13, 2019 at 9:44 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The Southport Marina has requested the city increase the limit on building heights from 40 feet to allow structures to reach 50 feet.
Updated: Jun. 12, 2019 at 9:44 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Creekwood residents have seen three murders so far in their community in 2019.
Updated: Jun. 12, 2019 at 6:01 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
So far this year, about 25 rip current rescues have been reported in Carolina Beach with another 30 in Wrightsville Beach.
Updated: Jun. 7, 2019 at 5:28 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The x-ray machine that checks bags at ILM is broken.
Updated: Jun. 5, 2019 at 6:01 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Bus drivers in New Hanover County will not be receiving pay the week of June 10.
Updated: May. 30, 2019 at 6:07 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Hundreds of inmates and prison staff throughout the state are suffering the extreme heat in numerous prison facilities because they do not have air conditioning systems.
Updated: May. 29, 2019 at 6:02 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Since Cape Fear Public Utilities encouraged customers to conserve water, one business has been doing its part to abide by the recommendation.
Updated: May. 24, 2019 at 10:27 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
State Highway Patrol says 37.6 million motorists will be on the road for Memorial weekend and they urge all drivers to take extra caution.
Updated: May. 23, 2019 at 10:12 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
As temperatures continue to rise into the heart of summer, officers are working double time to remind parents and animal owners to never leave them inside a vehicle.
Updated: May. 21, 2019 at 9:49 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Lynn Shoemaker, who founded WoW, says the group provides a safe space for parents to share stories, look for resolution and bond about their experiences.
Updated: May. 17, 2019 at 8:51 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Donald Browning celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by friends and family Friday afternoon.
Updated: May. 16, 2019 at 4:42 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
NC Department of Transportation will host a public meeting Thursday at the Brunswick Senior Center in Supply to discuss a proposal that would change a Brunswick County intersection to an interchange.
Updated: May. 16, 2019 at 5:51 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is suing JUUL because he believes the company designed their products to target a young audience.
Updated: May. 15, 2019 at 5:56 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The N.C. Department of Transportation recently conducted a feasibility study looking at replacing the Heide Trask Drawbridge, the only bridge in and out of Wrightsville Beach.
Updated: May. 13, 2019 at 5:57 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The U.S. Coast Guard held a boat safety class Saturday for anyone 30 years old and under who needed to get certified to operate a boat.
Updated: May. 13, 2019 at 5:57 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Kure Beach town hall opened its new town hall, police station and fire station Saturday after construction was pushed back due to Hurricane Florence.
Updated: May. 12, 2019 at 9:43 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Khatijah Amir Hakim celebrated her birthday by walking down the aisle to accept her diploma from the School of Arts and Sciences at University of North Carolina Wilmington Saturday.
Updated: May. 10, 2019 at 4:44 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
After officials with Cape Fear Public Utility Authority confirmed Thursday six of 25 ground water wells tested came back positive for PFAS in the northern area of New Hanover County, private well owners are wondering if their water is safe.
Updated: May. 10, 2019 at 6:05 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Community members and New Hanover County commissioners met Thursday evening at Cape Fear Community College Union Station to discuss further details on Project Grace and address in questions the community has.
Updated: May. 9, 2019 at 5:57 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The House passed a bill Tuesday that would require landlords to make accommodations for people with disabilities to have medically approved emotional support animals in a unit.
Updated: May. 7, 2019 at 8:42 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Crashes caused by distracted drivers have become such a problem that the state wants to pass the Hands Free NC bill, making it illegal to drive with any distractions at all.
Updated: May. 1, 2019 at 4:40 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The amount of backlogged untested rape kits has caught the attention of State Attorney General Josh Stein. He recently announced his bill he is working to pass called Survivor Act.
Updated: Apr. 30, 2019 at 8:49 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The outage is planned for 9 p.m. Tuesday until 4 a.m. Wednesday.
Updated: Apr. 30, 2019 at 5:38 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
As southeastern North Carolina’s population grows, the NC Department of Transportation is mapping out different plans to add a bridge to relieve traffic congestion in our area.
Updated: Apr. 26, 2019 at 9:10 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Anne Smith knew she was part of a price gouging scheme when her tree service kept raising the price of her tree removal by thousands of dollars after Hurricane Florence.
Updated: Apr. 26, 2019 at 6:11 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
After a closed session with only two out of the four commissioners and the Belville Mayor Mike Allen, no decision, no action and no votes were made to appeal the judges ruling.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2019 at 6:15 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Judy Wright and her family have witnessed countless wrecks. She and her neighbor’s houses on Antoinette Drive have been the scene of many of them.
Updated: Apr. 24, 2019 at 5:38 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
In the digital age, everyone has a difficult time restricting themselves from their tablets, phones and TVs. To help with that, Snipes Elementary school hosted a film Tuesday evening for parents and students to learn how to cope with screen addiction.
Updated: Apr. 23, 2019 at 5:48 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
More than 85,000 skydivers have jumped out of planes since Cape Fear Regional Jetport welcomed Skydive Coastal Carolinas.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2019 at 9:14 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Varno’s Musical Instrument Repair reopened this week after six months of being closed because of Hurricane Florence.
Updated: Apr. 18, 2019 at 10:09 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Businesses near a proposed 200-bed treatment center for drug addicts have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to shut the operation down before it even opens.
Updated: Apr. 17, 2019 at 9:43 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Paula Grado and her family of nine were scammed $1,900 when they tried to rent a home last month.
Updated: Apr. 15, 2019 at 11:28 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Charrise Hart walked downtown to purchase art and eat a late lunch when she and her friends noticed smoke.
Updated: Apr. 11, 2019 at 6:12 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The Wilmington Police Department posted on social media it has responded to 51 wrecks in a five-block radius near South College Road in the last 60 days, and the police say it’s because of distracted driving.
Updated: Apr. 9, 2019 at 9:01 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Porters Neck is adding several new businesses to the community, including its first hotel.
Updated: Apr. 8, 2019 at 9:04 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Cody Bollinger is one of the nearly 800 students in Pender County Schools still displaced after Hurricane Florence made landfall in September 2018.
Updated: Apr. 5, 2019 at 9:58 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
With the Azalea Festival expected to bring a bunch of visitors to Wilmington this week, law enforcement will be on high alert as festival goers have fun — but hopefully not too much fun — downtown.
Updated: Apr. 4, 2019 at 8:46 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Like many businesses, Indigo Sol is ready for increased sales this week.
Updated: Apr. 3, 2019 at 9:04 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Pender County was one of the hardest hit areas in the state and they are still working on recovering six months later. Pender County Long Term Recovery Group works with thousands of families to connect them to nonprofit agencies such as Baptist Men, WARM, and Catholic Charities.
Updated: Apr. 3, 2019 at 6:12 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Boiling Spring Lakes City hall held a meeting discussing updates on Florence recovery Tuesday evening. A major problem the city has been fixing are the five dams that were breached during the storm
Updated: Apr. 3, 2019 at 6:10 AM EDT
|By Frances Weller and Caroline Burkard
Greg Jordan was sworn in Tuesday night as Boiling Spring Lakes police chief
Updated: Mar. 30, 2019 at 11:10 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Brent Herring sold everything he had to open his dream business, 10th Street Bar, last May. But hurricane Florence set him back, keeping him closed for five months.
Updated: Mar. 30, 2019 at 10:09 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Perryn Miller has been fighting brain cancer since he was diagnosed last Christmas Eve. Dozens of friends and family gathered at 10th street Grill in Surf City to raise money for Miller and raise awareness for St. Baldrick’s foundation.
Updated: Mar. 28, 2019 at 2:57 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The students worked for two hours using small exercises to guide them through simple coding to build a smart device that senses humidity, temperature, and barometric pressure.
Updated: Mar. 28, 2019 at 5:39 AM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Two men are working to stop the violence, starting in their own community and hoping to spread the message nationwide.
Updated: Mar. 24, 2019 at 8:08 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Mad Mole brewery opened in May 2018 as the first brewery in Wilmington powered by solar energy. The brewery installed 65 solar panels for $60,000.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2019 at 11:31 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
Dozens gathered to Riverfront Park in downtown Wilmington to honor those who are currently missing or died while missing Saturday evening.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2019 at 5:09 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
The Community Boys & Girls Club of Wilmington teamed up with NourishNC, NHRMC, DREAMS of Wilmington, and The Blue Ribbon Commission to host “Nourishing the Northside."
Updated: Mar. 22, 2019 at 2:55 PM EDT
|By Caroline Burkard
A woman in Wilmington got a citation from the city to remove a 13-year-old privacy fence from her yard after the community complained.
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