Michael Praats

With multiple productions underway in Wilmington, the film industry is stronger than ever and that means, the demand for skilled workers is also on the rise. That’s why the City of Wilmington is looking to invest $400,000 dollars into workforce development for the production industry.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act ensures that COVID-19 testing is provided at no cost, nationwide, for everyone, including the uninsured – but some folks are having to shell out sometimes hundreds of dollars just to get tested.

State laws are meant to be followed by everyone, across the state, but so-called local acts grant specific rights to certain localities.

Buying a car can be a hassle, the premise behind the online car buying and selling company Carvana is to make things easier without haggling with a salesperson and selling your car from the comfort of your couch, but some folks are running into new issues with the company.

For those who struggle with disabilities, a service dog can make all the difference in the world, but one incident that took place at a restaurant in Hallsboro has one woman claiming she was discriminated against for having a service dog.

Pender County Schools social studies teacher was suspended from Topsail High School after having students take a poll conducted by the Pew Research Insitute, to help them identify where they land on the political spectrum.

In Warren County, a rural area of about 20,000 people along the Virginia border northeast of Raleigh, school leaders were troubled this summer over the area’s low COVID-19 vaccination rate.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s 10-year Postal Service plan is facing pushback from state attorney generals, including North Carolina’s AG Josh Stein.

Living in Southeastern North Carolina you get used to different kinds of wildlife, from sharks in the ocean to alligators in ponds and marshes. For the most part, these predators leave people alone, but every now and again, they can pose threats to humans and pets.

Finding a parking space at Wrightsville Beach on a weekend can be a challenge, now, some people are finding out the hard way that sometimes what might look like a parking space --- isn’t.

Wilmington International Airport has addressed the concerns of residents twice in the past year through press releases, but emails obtained by WECT show there have been ongoing discussions about the military use by airport officials.

Water quality concerns have been an ongoing concern in New Hanover County – since 2008 the county has conducted water monitoring studies of seven tidal creeks in the county tracking things like dissolved oxygen levels and elevated bacteria levels.

Port City Politics is a collaborative podcast between WECT and WHQR. Every two weeks, WECT’s investigative reporter Michael Praats and WHQR’s News Director Ben Schachtman will break down the latest happenings in local politics.

The Town of Carolina Beach is looking for a new parking management company after the Town Council voted to terminate their current contact with Reef, following some concerns ranging from faulty parking meters to a loss of revenues.

Election day is a little more than one month away but Sept. 28, 2021, is National Voter Registration Day, and the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 2 elections is fast approaching.

The CDC announced the approval of booster shots for those who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and local health departments are once again working to ramp up vaccination efforts which are starting to look like the initial rollout of the vaccine.

Youth violence is at the forefront of the public’s mind following a shooting that took place at New Hanover High School. Questions like what can be done to prevent these sorts of things from ever happening again are being asked.

People coming down with COVID-19 these days have a hard decision to make --- do you stay home for possibly up to two weeks sick and lose out on pay – or do you go to work sick and risk infecting others?

Homelessness is a growing problem in the Port City and Wilmington Downtown Inc. is looking to help address it through a new pilot program and hiring a street outreach specialist.

Seven of the geese that were rescued by Skywatch Bird Rescue at the end of August have been rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

The land located at 1000 Lake Park Boulevard was once a mini-golf course and then – home to a sign promising a Harris Teeter for years. Now, developers have plans to use it for a mixed-use development.

Port City Politics is a collaborative podcast between WECT and WHQR. Every two weeks, WECT’s investigative reporter Michael Praats and WHQR’s News Director Ben Schachtman will break down the latest happenings in local politics.

Drug overdoses have been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, the City of Wilmington took a big step in addressing the ongoing problems facing our community.

In late August, Nathan Coryell was waiting with his daughter at the bus stop in their Sunset Park neighborhood when he noticed a man acting strange and recording them as they waited for the bus.

For beach towns, beach nourishment projects help keep new sand on the beaches which is often a victim of erosion. Earlier this year the Department of Interior reversed a Trump-era decision that would have allowed dredging of sand from protected areas – like Masonboro Inlet.

Across the county beach towns charge for parking during the peak season – roughly from March to November – but Carolina Beach’s parking management company is recommending an end to the five free months and switching to a year-round program.

For boaters wanting to take an overnight trip to the port city don’t plan on spending the night at the city’s docks – over the summer the city quietly moved away from allowing boaters to stay for a few nights to restricting the use of the city’s docks to daytime use only.

For those who are deaf or hard of hearing interactions with law enforcement can be a challenge – that’s why New Hanover County’s Office of Diversity and Equity has partnered with the state, local law enforcement, and Coastal Kia to make things easier for everyone.

In Carolina Beach, the sport has a loyal following, but it’s a new pickleball court tucked away in the back of a neighborhood that has caught the attention of some neighbors and the town.

County Commissioners took a major step on Friday to address violence in our schools and the community by authorizing County Manager Chris Coudriet access to $350 million to do just that.

Homeowners impacted by COVID-19 are now getting a lifeline from New Hanover County thanks to the implementation of the Homeowner Assistance Program, a $3 million program funded by American Rescue Plan money.

Some of the biggest questions following Monday’s shooting at New Hanover High School are how did it happen and what, if any, security measures are in place at the school?

It’s a project that started roughly four years ago, a seemingly simple plan to dredge the Carolina Beach Lake Park lake that turned into a headache for everyone involved.

It’s been a little more than a month since the deadly shooting at the home of TRU Color’s COO George Taylor III and now, his father George Taylor has broken his silence with the media.

Visiting loved ones in places like hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices have proved to be a challenge for many since the pandemic started as facilities implemented strict no-visitor policies.

A mask mandate is in effect as of Friday of last week in New Hanover County – but there are questions as to what the county plans to do when it comes to enforcement.

On Friday, Congressman David Rouzer stopped by the port to take a look at the new growth and expansion happening down on the river.

Port City Politics is a collaborative podcast between WECT and WHQR. Every two weeks, WECT’s investigative reporter Michael Praats and WHQR’s News Director Ben Schachtman will break down the latest happenings in local politics.

A digital billboard in Wilmington is catching the eyes of drivers but it’s not the ads for insurance or beer that are leaving people with questions.

Hurricane Florence was an eye-opening event for Southeastern North Carolina. While the storm itself was only a category one hurricane when it made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, the devastation from the sustained rains caused unprecedented flooding.

The North Carolina State Bar (NCSB), the state agency tasked with regulating lawyers is continuing its investigation into New Hanover County Commission Chairwoman Julia Olson-Boseman, and a new letter shows that it could be December before the review of her case is complete.

In response to a WECT report that Navassa Mayor Euless Willis had been appointed as the acting administrative chief of police following the departure of its previous chief and other officers, top law enforcement officials in Brunswick County again voiced concerns over the lack of a traditional police department.

Mayor of Navassa, Euless Willis, has been appointed as the acting ‘administrative’ police chief following the departure of the prior chief, as well as every police officer in the town.

With sold out shows at Riverfront Park and Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, and the upcoming Azalea Festival street fair, events in Wilmington are back. No additional restrictions, such as mask mandates, are being implemented, but they could be.

A nonprofit group is looking to help bring new trees to Pleasure Island and help change the conversation surrounding trees and development.

Balancing private property rights with the need to protect the environment is a challenge local governments must face – one way they do that is through tree ordinances. In Carolina Beach, there has been a cry from residents for town leaders to take a more active role in protecting trees – but a proposed law could make it challenging for local governments to regulate trees.

Short-term rentals have become a point of contention not only in places like Wilmington, where full-time residents are pushing back against the transient nature of rentals but in places like Wrightsville Beach, where they are ubiquitous.

A federal lawsuit against the US Army Corps of Engineers has been filed by the Cape Fear River Watch, the Defenders of Wildlife, and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation for the USACE’s latest rollback on dredging restrictions.

Port City Politics is a collaborative podcast between WECT and WHQR. Every two weeks, WECT’s investigative reporter Michael Praats and WHQR’s News Director Ben Schachtman will break down the latest happenings in local politics.

It’s been six months since Novant Health acquired New Hanover Regional Medical Center, an acquisition that was met with staunch community resistance. Despite the opposition, President of NHRMC Shelbourn Stevens says the transition has already seen success in the short time since Novant acquired the hospital.