WILMINGTON — A Wilmingtonian for six months, Charlie Fossen hails from Rochester Hills, Michigan. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor’s degree in broadcast and cinematic arts, plus a journalism minor.
“I was first drawn to journalism by the idea of the Fourth Estate — the essential role of journalists holding officials accountable for their actions and inactions,” he said. “Combining my belief in accountability with a love for writing, the decision to pursue journalism when starting college was an easy one to make.”
Get to know a little more about Charlie below and if you want to support hiss work, click here for a one-time contribution — or get a Port City Daily subscription here.
Charlie on why journalism matters
Over the past six months as a reporter at Port City Daily, I’ve covered numerous issues important to the Cape Fear — large development proposals, navigating politics in Brunswick and Pender counties, and documenting the impacts of PFAS and 1,4-dioxane pollution in local waterways or fugitive dust particles in the air near the port.
It is always gratifying to hear from community members who thank me for the coverage on environmental issues. I believe the biggest decisions affecting people’s lives — whether it’s their drinking water or property rights — are made right here at the local level. This is what makes hyper-local news important to the community-at-large.
Being a voice for our community and bringing them the most important updates on varied topics, like the EPA rescinding PFAS regulations or DEQ’s updated permitting for wood-pellet facilities, have real-world impacts. I am grateful to be at the forefront covering it for our readers.
I’ll keep following these stories and more, so readers have the info they need to advocate for change they want to see.
A few of Charlie’s favorites…
Local spot: Greenfield Lake Park and across the Cape Fear River in Brunswick Nature Park.
Halloween candy and costume: It’s hard to beat a Reese’s peanut butter cup or a reliable Snickers bar. As far as costumes, I took the stage as Dracula when I was a live music host in college for the campus Halloween event — making sure to forego fangs so interviewing musicians would be a bit easier.
Movies: I consider myself a movie buff and love great special effects, so 2023’s “Godzilla Minus One” stands out. I love old sci-fi, too, like “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and the original “Blade Runner.”
Song to play each time you walk into a room: Probably one from my all-time favorite band, Rush. “Tom Sawyer” is hard to beat, but my personal favorite is “Fly By Night” — punchy, great drums and sets a tone of excitement for the journey ahead.
Book: Lately I have been into “Project Hail Mary” by sci-fi writer Andy Weir. It’s about an impossible mission to outer space to save the sun from losing energy. and is also set to be released as a movie in spring of 2026.
Dream vacation: My father is from the Netherlands. I have visited, but would love to return as a history and archaeology nerd to see notable sites — and travel to other parts of Europe.
Food you won’t eat: I am not picky and am often called a “garbage disposal.” If there had to be one food I would rather not eat, it’s fish and chips. After a battle with food poisoning, I’ll opt for a different meal.
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