An initiative to bring job opportunities to more military veterans and spouses concluded in Wilmington on Wednesday, including an appearance from Gov. Josh Stein. (Port City Daily/Libbie Parsons)
SOUTHEASTERN NC — An initiative to bring job opportunities to more military veterans and spouses concluded in Wilmington on Wednesday.
Unlock the Veteran & MilSpouse Advantage Roadshow is a statewide program that traveled to Durham, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Greenville, and Wilmington. Presented by the North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, its goal was to connect employers that want to explore how hiring from the military community strengthens the workforce.
“Veterans have a unique skill set, you can’t really teach how to be punctual or professional,” NCDMVA Secretary Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette said in UNCW’s Burney Center on Oct. 28. “Sure, you might not hire an infantryman, but you hire people who are professional, punctual, work well under pressure, are good team members, and are mission oriented.”
The Roadshow made its way to Wilmington because of the concentration of Marines in the area due Camp Lejeune located in Jacksonville — about 50 miles outside Wilmington. Camp Lejeune has nearly 40,000 active duty Marines.
Although UNCW has over 2,000 military-affiliated students and the Roadshow was held on campus, Mallette said they were not the target audience — rather, it was business leaders in the area, who wanted more information on hiring more military spouses and veterans.
“My hope is that these roadshows will be the catalyst and drive organizations to understand the value of recruiting, hiring, and retaining military spouses,” Mallette said.
An increase in employment rates for veterans and military spouses in North Carolina is anticipated because of the awareness the Roadshow has raised, according to Mallette.
The rate of veteran unemployment in North Carolina is 4% from ages 18-64, and the rate of unemployment in military spouses is about 20% to 24%.
North Carolina has approximately 90,000 active duty military personnel with 38,000 spouses living in the state. North Carolina has the eighth largest number of military veterans in the nation, with a population of 600,000 veterans. The state also has 150,000 military family members and the most populated Army base in the world, at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville.
Governor Josh Stein also was in attendance at UNCW Wednesday. He said the state is committed to becoming the best in the nation for service veterans, by offering employment opportunities and making certain necessities more readily accessible.
“Making it easier for people to remotely renew their driver’s license since military families are all over the globe,” Stein said. “Aiding parents in enrolling their children in public school; they know they’re gonna be moving to Fayetteville or Jacksonville, but they’re not there yet, and they want to get their kid enrolled and we want to make it easier for them to do it remotely.
North Carolina is the 15th best state for veterans because it ranks high in both the economy and workforce building, according to Stein.
Mallette said North Carolina’s military talent pool is “ripe for the taking.” The goal of the Roadshow was to show employers that veterans are willing to branch out into varied fields after service.
“A lot of times, I think that when people are leaving the military and they’ve been in that world, they don’t necessarily know how to translate the experience they’ve gained in the military into a civilian resume,” Mallette continued. “So, an employment manager or a company wouldn’t immediately understand that what they learned in the military translates into skills that will help them on the job.”
Thirty-four North Carolina companies achieved the HIRE Vets Medallion Award in 2025 from the Department of Labor for having 7% to 10% of their annual hires be veterans. However, Mallette and Stein said Wednesday that the Roadshows informed more businesses to make adjustments for more military hires.
“I met a business leader who came to the first Roadshow, and he said they thought they were doing good work for military spouses and veterans, but he learned at that Roadshow that they needed to do more,” Mallette said. “They have created a military spouse support program and added a special part on their application to indicate that someone is a military spouse when they’re applying for their jobs.”
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The Northwest Reverse Osmosis Treatment Facility in Brunswick County is nearing its completion, but its impending debut has drawn discussions of the costs and benefits of the plant’s filtration methods. While deemed most effective by academics, some commissioner candidates have voiced concerns over discharge and the price. (Courtesy Brunswick County)
BRUNSWICK COUNTY — The Northwest Reverse Osmosis Treatment Facility in Brunswick County is nearing its completion, but its impending debut has drawn discussions of the costs and benefits of the plant’s filtration methods. While deemed most effective by academics, some commissioner candidates have voiced concerns over discharge and the price.
The reverse osmosis plant has been in the works since 2018, with two lawsuits filed due to construction delays — including a refiling in August this year — and over $160 million spent to bring it online. It’s scheduled to open by the end of 2026.
The Northwest plant was part of discussion at Port City Daily’s Oct. 14 forum, hosted with WECT and WHQR. Democratic candidates argued the RO facilities are often wasteful, costly and would repollute the Cape Fear River with PFAS.
“New Hanover’s got a system. They destroy the PFAS they take out of their system,” Democratic candidate for District 1 Gary Woods said. “Our filters that they’re building supposedly — if we ever see it — it collects [PFAS] and we put it back into the river.”
Reverse osmosis is a filtration process that forces pressurized water through a semi-permeable barrier. It removes anything that isn’t water, including minerals, PFAS and salt, and is more efficient than GAC filters in targeting short-chain PFAS, according to Duke University professor and environmental engineer Mark Wiesner. He added that RO treatment for drinking water involves a remineralization process to restore essential mineral balance, improve taste and stabilize pH.
The PFAS is flushed out immediately by a high-pressure water flow, which then disposes PFAS-concentrated water back into the Cape Fear River.
After it was revealed PFAS was in the river in 2017, Brunswick County hired consultants at CDM Smith in 2018, which determined reverse osmosis would be the most effective treatment option, based on a life-cycle cost analysis. The consultants — paid $25.5 million for their services — priced the RO facility at $99 million for construction and engineering and $59 million for operation and maintenance over a 25-year period.
The county issued revenue bonds to allocate funds to pay for the RO project.
However, since those determinations, the treatment plant has increased from to $167.3 million due to delays and lawsuits; this does not include the cost for operation and maintenance. The project is still covered by the bonds because the county upped the funds in the revenue bonds.
The county breaks it down to be $158.7 million for the expansion and low-pressure reverse osmosis treatment and $8.6 million for the concentrate pipeline, which transfers the discharge from the plant to the river.
“It’s gonna be a remarkable facility when it gets done,” Commissioner Randy Thompson, who currently serves district 1, said.
Thompson made the motion to approve the RO facility’s construction at the May 10, 2018, commissioner workshop wherein the plant was unanimously agreed upon. He answered in Port City Daily’s candidate questionnaire this year that the RO facility would be able to address the PFAS contamination issue in the county, though noted there could be additional options in the future to evaluate.
There are two county-owned water treatment plans in Brunswick. The Northwest Reverse Osmosis Treatment Facility will treat 36 million gallons of water per day to service the entire county, spokesperson Meagan Kascsak explained, since it is an open system with its Highway 211 water treatment plant. The 211 plant is not outfitted for PFAS treatment, and many localities receive blended water, or a combination of treated water from both plants. According to the county, 90% of the water entering the facility will be distributed to county residents; 10% of the water treated by the facility will be discharged back into the river through a pipeline.
The discharge will contain the PFAS it’s treating because the membrane in the RO filter catches all chemicals and substances in the water and washes them out. Then the higher concentrated chemicals return back to the river water, academics and research explain.
Brunswick County confirmed it does not have a filtration system for the discharge and the water does return to the Cape Fear River. In order to allow this, the county obtained a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the state, which legally regulates and controls the discharge of pollutants in U.S. waters.
“But it is also important to note that the discharged water will not increase the PFAS already present in the Cape Fear River due to upstream contaminators,” Kascsak said, implying it’s putting back contaminated water that was already there. “The best way to reduce the amount of PFAS in the river is to stop it at its source and to hold the contaminators responsible for reducing and removing these compounds from the river in the first place.”
Chemours has been dumping PFAS into the river for decades, dating back to 1980 when its predecessor DuPont operated the Fayetteville Works facility. Chemours built a mile-long barrier wall in 2023 to stop groundwater contamination, a treatment system for Outfall 003 and other projects and plans to stop the contamination. But Chemours has also allegedly broken its consent order with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and Cape Fear River Watch — even recently, for not meeting groundwater remediation and air emission control requirements as well as failing to prevent chemical discharge in groundwater moving around the site and PFAS discharge at outfalls leading to the Cape Fear River.
The company is allowed to continue operating as long as it is keeping contamination levels under the permitted limit, which is less than 10 parts per trillion of GenX, less than 10 parts per trillion of PMPA and less than 20 parts per trillion of PFMOAA.
Clean Cape Fear co-founder Emily Donovan said it was important to address the public health crisis and provide people with clean drinking water. She also thought objections to the RO plant, due to the discharge, were misdirected.
“If we really, truly are concerned about discharges of PFAS, a drinking facility is the last place we need to be concerned. We need to be concerned way upstream,” she said, pointing to Chemours.
However, the county could also buy and implement machinery to treat the discharge; there are several mechanisms that allow electrochemical treatment plasma and advanced oxidation, with varying costs depending on the scale, according to Wiesner.
Electrochemical treatment plasma breaks down toxic chemical compounds in wastewater, and advanced oxidation processes destroys pollutants and turns them into harmless end-products like salt. The processes could be added in conjunction with the existing RO system.
“But these are all gonna be more expensive than RO,” Wiesner explained. “Those would be the kinds of things you would want to put in to treat a much smaller volume of water in the form of the concentrate coming out of RO.”
For example, in El Paso, Texas, the Advanced Water Purification Facility, which cost $295 million,uses ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide advanced oxidation processes to degrade the concentrated organic matter and chemicals in the discharge. The majority of the cost was shouldered by taxpayers, who, most recently, had their rates increase by 12%.
Port City Daily reached out to county commissioners to ask if these discharge filtration methods were discussed at all and if they would be interested in implementing them at the Northwest RO facility. A response was not received by press.
Lawsuits and RO vs. GAC
Since the Northwest plant RO construction was first decided upon in a unanimous vote eight years ago, costs have increased for construction and engineering. This was attributed to delays in construction, errors in work completed and supply-chain backlogs for materials.
In 2020, Oscar Renda Contracting was awarded the bid to build the Northwest facility. At first, the company was given more than $117 million, but commissioners awarded an additional $5.6 million to expand the project further by adding three additional RO packaged systems.
While engineering and design was completed in late 2019, construction began in 2020 and was originally slated to be completed in 2023.
It was first delayed in November 2023, a month before the original deadline, attributed to pandemic-related setbacks by the contractor. However, the county pointed out there were personnel shortages on the job site and the crew needed to correct work already finished. The project deadline then was extended to May 2024, which the contractor also missed.
When the plant was not completed a year after the new deadline, the county sued Oscar Renda Contracting, and its sureties Zurich American Insurance Co. and Federal Insurance Co., for the delays, poor workmanship, and a breach of contract. That was July 2025.
The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed by the county the next month, with the promise the two insurance companies would oversee and manage the remainder of the project, but the county refiled in August 2026.
According to Commissioner Thompson, that was always the plan, in order to prevent “blowback” from the contractor, such as the company asking for additional money because the deadline was pushed to 2026.
“The longer you work on something, the more it costs personnel-wise,” Thompson said. “So they could certainly come back and say: ‘We think you owe us this.’ In reality, you were contracted to have the job done for this amount on this timeline.”
County spokesperson Kascak clarified the county is “not planning on any additional steps at this time.”
Brunswick County leaned into RO treatment as the best option fiscally and practically. It was considering both RO treatment and the granular activated carbon filtration system — the latter used by Cape Fear Public Utility Authority in New Hanover County.
Much like Woods, Democratic candidate for district 2, Sara Singer, pointed to the current RO plant’s high cost as problematic, especially when compared to GAC filtration systems. CFPUA paid $43 million for its system and approved the bonds for it in 2019.
However, GAC systems require less hardware and are also easier to dispose of waste because they do not require pipeline connections and discharge permits, according to the EPA.
“[GAC systems] won’t filter out natural minerals and things. It focuses on the PFAS, but it is ultimately a cheaper filtration system to create,” Singer claimed on Oct. 14.
Port City Daily reached out to Singer’s opponent, Republican Patti Hewett, for her thoughts on the RO treatment coming to Brunswick County but did not receive a response by press.
“I’m not convinced that RO systems are the best option,” Singer also said at the forum. “They waste a lot of water in their ability to filter out.”
Generally speaking, reverse osmosis filters used at a municipal-level can waste 15% to 20% of the water they intake, according to research published by the American Chemical Society. Because the RO treatment process doesn’t involve trapping the chemicals but rather actively flushes them out, a portion of the intake water is siphoned off to carry the discharge from the filter back to the Cape Fear River to prevent clogging the system.
Heather Stapleton, an environmental chemist and professor at Duke University, told Port City Daily she thought reverse osmosis is the better option, even over the granular-activated carbon filtration used to treat PFAS. RO captures a wider range of contaminants, including ultrashort-chain PFAS.
“I know everyone is so focused on PFAS, but there are likely other things in there we’re not paying attention to that we’ll discover in the future,” Stapleton said. “The technology and the way the reverse osmosis works is just more comprehensive for a wider range of chemicals, and that’s why I prefer it personally. I’ve seen granular activated carbon filters where the small PFAS go right through. They’re not retained very well.”
Stapleton conducted a study alongside N.C. State professor and engineer Detlef Knappe — best known in the Cape Fear region for being one of the lead researchers who discovered PFAS in the river. Port City Daily reached out to Knappe, but was told he was traveling abroad.
Published in 2020, the study captured data from 89 residential reverse osmosis systems. They tested samples from across different types of household water filters to see how much PFAS remained in the water after treatment. Outcomes indicated reverse osmosis filters were the ideal way to filter PFAS chemicals, including GenX.
“The granular activated carbon filters had some problems and breakthroughs,” Stapleton explained to Port City Daily. “We had a couple homes where their filtered water was higher in PFAS than the incoming water because the filter had gotten so clogged with PFAS.”
GAC filters have carbon molecules chemicals stick to; however, the filter cannot catch minerals like salt, fluoride, iron or heavy metals, and it won’t stop microscopic bacteria or viruses. This means chemicals like ultrashort-chain PFAS are able to slip through.
RO filtration captures it by capturing the PFAS on a semi-permeable membrane and immediately flushing it out and discharging it through a pipe. It is a continuous flow of water which prevents buildup in the filter.
The Sweeney Water Treatment Plant servicing Wilmington from Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s GAC system has eight thick filters, 14 biological filters containing granular activated carbon and normal water treatment processes like clarification and disinfection. As of Sept. 29, the Sweeney plant found 1.16 parts per trillion of GenX in the treated water, up from June but lower than levels found in July. PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFHxS levels have all consistently been 0 since September 2025.
GAC gets rid of PFAS by capturing and containing the chemicals in a filter that is then moved off-site for thermal regeneration. This process burns the PFAS particles off the carbon molecules to allow the filter to be reused later.
Donovan pointed out this process really just redistributes back into the air. This has been conferred by environmental scientists and engineers in a 2016 study conducted in Japan that found ultrashort-chain PFAS in emissions from the thermal regeneration process.
“My understanding is that incineration is still a problem,” Donovan said. “And so whatever poor community that’s living near the facility that’s getting CFPUA’s GAC filters to recharge, no one’s written a story about what’s happening in those communities.”
CFPUA area utilizes RO treatments for the Richardson Water Treatment Plant, to service the groundwater coming from the Castle Hayne and Peedee aquifers. The CFPUA’s treated water contaminant level tracker indicates no PFAS chemicals have been found in the treated water as of September.
“Each technology was chosen for its respective water treatment plant due to numerous factors, including the size of the plants and the treatment technologies already in use at those facilities,” CFPUA spokesperson Cammie Bellamy explained.
She said because RO is better at removing short-chain PFAS, CFPUA utilized it at the Richardson plant, and installed reverse osmosis membranes, or filters.
Meanwhile, Bellamy explained GAC was selected as the best treatment technology option for the Sweeney Plant because, in addition to its effectiveness of treating PFAS, it could better integrate with other advanced treatment processes already in use at the Sweeney Plant.
Once Brunswick County’s Northwest Treatment Plant is live with the RO treatment, reports with testing results for PFAS and 1,4-dioxane in treated water will be available through the county website here.
[Ed. note: This article was updated to amend $143 million to $43 million for the cost of the Sweeney plant construction. Port City Daily regrets this error.]
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The Pender County School System has placed several schools on a code-red lockdown (Port City Daily photo/File)
The Pender County Board of Education could be taking up its district two vacancy at its Nov. 9 meeting, according to the board chair. (Port City Daily file)
PENDER COUNTY — The Pender County Board of Education could be taking up its district 2 vacancy at its Nov. 9 meeting, according to the board chair.
Don Hall told Port City Daily Thursday Jason Jordan is scheduled to be sworn in on Nov. 9. Jordan, a Republican, won the primary in February against Republicans candidate Kim McGahey. He is the only candidate on the Nov. 3 ballot for the board of education, meaning he is the presumptive winner without a Democratic challenger.
Election winners are normally sworn in during December’s education board meeting; however, the accelerated timeline of putting Jordan in on Nov. 9 is due to the vacancy left when former board member, Beth Burns, exited to fill the district 1 open seat for the Pender County Board of Commissioners.
Normally, the Pender County GOP would make the appointment since Burns, a Republican, stepped back for another position. However, the party confirmed it did not plan on making a recommendation before the Nov. 9 meeting, due to the short timeline between the appointment period and the election.
“With only one scheduled BOE meeting from Mrs. Burns’ resignation [on Oct. 5] and Election Day, Mr. Hall and I agreed that permitting the BOE fill this vacancy after the 30-day timeline was the best path forward,” GOP Chair Joshua Smith said.
Smith added the Pender County Republican Party remained focused on early voting and Election Day.
“They have a lot of stuff going on themselves,” Hall said.
North Carolina General Statute 115C‑37.1 states when filling a board of education vacancy, if the departing member was elected to the board as a nominee of a political party, then that party’s executive committee has 30 days from when the vacancy originally occurred to recommend a replacement. However, if the recommendation is not given within the 30-day window, Pender County Schools policy allows the remaining members of the school board to have appointment authority.
Hall said the board already had a Nov. 9 meeting scheduled, so adding Jordan’s appointment to the agenda seemed natural. The official meeting agenda has not been posted.
Hall believes the vote to appoint Jordan to the board will be “no problem.”
“He would have gotten the seat anyway in December, and it just makes sense to go ahead and put him in a month early,” Hall said.
Jordan has been consistently attending board of education meetings, according to Hall, so there is an expectation the candidate is familiar with what the board is working on.
“Not to mention his district is unrepresented right now, so it’ll get that taken care of as well,” Hall said.
Port City Daily reached out to Jordan for comment but did not hear back by press.
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Port City Daily's got you covered on last minute Halloween outfits and happenings in the Cape Fear region. (Port City Daily file photo)
Multiple private and public events are being hosted on Oak Island for families celebrating Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 31. Pedestrian and increased traffic is expected, so visitors should be prepared. (Port City Daily/File)
OAK ISLAND — Multiple private and public events are being hosted on Oak Island for families celebrating Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 31. Pedestrian and increased traffic is expected, so visitors should be prepared.
The town is asking drivers to watch for children and families crossing streets, by moving through the region slowly and cautiously at all times throughout the day and into the evening. Also, avoid driving impaired, whether under the alcohol or other altering substance and even on Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs).
Events taking place on the island include:
CANDY CRAWL A family-friendly Halloween event, the community can Trick-Or-Treat at local businesses throughout the entire day! Participating shops will hand out candy during their regular business hours on Halloween. This activity is free and is being promoted by the Town of Oak Island Business Advisory Board, open to all ages and meant to encourage exploration of local businesses while enjoying the holiday.
TRUNK-OR-TREAT The Oak Island Recreation Center will host a “Trunk-Or-Treat” event, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Parents are encouraged to bring their little ones in full costume, as vendors and community partners will be handing out treats from their specially decorated vehicles, Awards will also be presented for First, Second, and Third Place in Best Decorated Car.
TRICK-OR-TREATING Several neighborhoods and private community groups will be participating in multiple “trick or treat” and “trunk or treat” type events throughout the day and evening hours.
The town is also asking for everyone participating in holiday events to keep safety top-of-mind. Good practices include:
Walking together in groups, continually checking with each other to ensure everyone is watching for oncoming traffic
Wearing bright and reflective costumes, or ones that at least have reflective portions
Avoiding long, trailing fabric on costumes, to avoid tripping hazards or being caught on obstacles
Wearing masks with large holes cut out, as to not restrict vision or breathing
Usung flashlights or glow sticks to see and be seen, and do not rely on cell phone lights
Not using real flames or fire as part of a costume or home andvehicle decoration
Taking a picture of your child, showing their face and costume, to assist emergency personnel in locating them if they get lost
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Five Asian small-clawed otter pups — four males and one female — were born Monday, Oct. 19, at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher to otter parents Milli and Binx, bringing the aquarium’s otter family to 10. (Courtesy photo from Fort Fisher Aquarium)
WILMINGTON — Five Asian small-clawed otter pups — four males and one female — were born Monday, Oct. 19, at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher to otter parents Milli and Binx, bringing the aquarium’s otter family to 10.
The aquarium reports the new arrivals are healthy, gaining weight and bonding closely with their parents and three older siblings. The newborns weighed approximately 82 to 91 grams each at birth, roughly the weight of a medium lemon.
The otter care team had been closely monitoring Milli in anticipation of the births. On the morning of Oct. 19, otter keeper Kristen Upton was watching the pair’s nesting box when she began hearing unfamiliar chirps coming from the behind-the-scenes den. What initially sounded like three newborns turned out to be five.
“We were delighted when we first heard three distinct pup chirps coming from the nest — and even more thrilled when we discovered five healthy pups,” said Upton. “Now that we’ve been able to examine the pups, we’re excited to see that each one is gaining weight and the entire family is bonding well.”
This is the second litter for Milli and Binx, whose first three pups — Nyx, Bohdi, and Baloo — were born Dec. 5, 2025. The older siblings have been offering food to Milli and assisting with nest construction — skills they learned from Binx. When both parents are away from the nest, one of the siblings often remains behind to watch over the pups.
For now, the family of ten will remain behind the scenes under the close monitoring of the otter care team.
The five pups also represent an important addition to the conservation breeding program for a species facing declining populations in the wild.
Milli, 8, arrived at Fort Fisher in January 2024 from Hong Kong, where she was born to parents who were confiscated by the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Binx, 6, joined her in fall 2024 from an Association of Zoos and Aquariums facility in Florida as a mate for Milli.
Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest otter species in the world, native to parts of South and Southeast Asia. They are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, with population numbers declining due to residential and commercial development, deforestation, the illegal pet trade, pollution, climate change and poaching.
While the Aquarium at Fort Fisher is closed for its renovation and expansion, the public can follow the growing otter family on the NCAFF social media platforms including Facebook, Threads and Instagram.
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WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH — Wrightsville Beach Police Chief Jason Bishop will retire March 1, 2027, following more than 28 years of service with the Wrightsville Beach Police Department.
Bishop joined the department in 1998 and advanced through the ranks, serving as sergeant and captain before assuming the role of interim police chief in July 2024. He took over from David Squires, who was abruptly fired in 2024 in a turbulent period where the town didn’t have a police chief, fire chief or town manager. Squires is now suing the town for wrongful termination.
Bishop was appointed as police chief in January 2025.
“Serving as Chief has been a privilege, and I am grateful for the trust placed in me throughout my time in this role,” Bishop said in a press release. “I sincerely appreciate the continued support of the Board of Aldermen, the Town Manager, and the residents of Wrightsville Beach. As I look toward the next chapter of my life, I remain committed to serving the Town and supporting the men and women of this department through the remainder of my service. Wrightsville Beach has been a part of my life long before my career in law enforcement, and I am thankful for the opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to me.”
Throughout his career, Bishop has received numerous recognitions, including the department’s Officer of the Year award in 2007 and 2020, the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Service Above Self Award in 2015, and the department’s Medal of Valor and Lifesaving Award in 2015. He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and criminology from the University of Mount Olive.
According to the town, the search for the department’s next police chief will begin in November 2026.
“The police chief serves as a vital member of the Town’s leadership team, working closely with the Board of Aldermen, Town Manager, and department heads to maintain the high standards of public safety that Wrightsville Beach residents and visitors expect,” Town Manager Haynes Brigman said in a press release.
The town says its recruitment will emphasize professional and accountable policing, employee development, strong community relationships, and collaboration with other town departments and public safety partners.
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WILMINGTON — A 33-year-old Wilmington man is in custody following an investigation by the Wilmington Police Department’s criminal investigation and gun crimes divisions.
Garry Hines is facing multiple charges, including assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill inflicting serious injury and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The charges are in relation to a shooting that left a 25-year-old woman with serious injuries last Saturday morning on Nixon Street. Upon arrival, officers located the woman lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound. She was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries by EMS. The WPD alleges she was shot by Hines following an altercation.
The Cape Fear Regional SWAT Team arrested Hines without further incident at a residence on Downey Branch Lane on Thursday morning. Additional charges are expected as a result of the search warrant. Hines is currently being held at the NHSO Detention Center without bond.
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The Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board has approved the allocation of $5.43 million in WMPO Direct Attributable funds for four transportation projects. (Port City Daily/file photo)
WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board has approved the allocation of $5.43 million in WMPO Direct Attributable funds for four transportation projects through the FY2029-2030 Locally Administered Projects Program Special Call for Projects.
The WMPO received seven applications from six member jurisdictions, with requests totaling $12.12 million. Based on available funds and scoring results, the board approved the following projects and allocations:
S. Lake Park Boulevard Sidewalk Grant – $921,600
New Centre Drive Sidewalks and Pedestrian Signals – $1.696 million
Medical Center Drive Sidewalk and Roadway Improvements – $1.84 million
South Navassa Road Multi-Use Path – $973,600
The four projects total $6.793 million, including $1.36 million in local matches. WMPO Direct Attributable funds will support each project through approved funding phases.
LAPP is a program that distributes federal transportation funds to locally sponsored projects. Applications are evaluated using WMPO Board-approved criteria aligned with the region’s 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan goals, emphasizing safety, fairness, connectivity, resiliency, and proactive planning.
The FY2029-2030 Special Call for Projects builds on the LAPP process adopted by the WMPO Board in June. The original funding cycle allocated funds through FY2028, prompting this special call to identify projects for FY2029-2030.
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Li’l Friday features dozens of ways for people to enjoy the weekend via theater, music, art, culinary happenings and more. (Courtesy photo)
SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Li’l Friday features dozens of ways for people to enjoy the weekend via theater, music, art, culinary happenings and more.
All events featured were scheduled as of Thursday; however, it’s wise to check in ahead of attending any one. Inclement weather, changes in schedules and unforeseen circumstances may shift for organizers at the last minute.
Thursday, Oct. 29
Indigo Girls Wilson Center, 703 N. Third St. • Tickets: $55 and up
Originally scheduled at the Wilson Center to perform on Oct. 11, the Indigo Girls had to reschedule their stopover due to a fatal accident involving their tour bus driver, Kirk.
The Grammy-winning folk rock duo is coming to town on Thursday night and bringing along Songwriters Hall of Famer Linda Perry with them.
From Atlanta, Indigo Girls have had a 35-year-long career, releasing their first album in 1989, under the duo group name. The two are most known for their hit singles, “Closer to Fine,” “Galileo” and “Power of Two.” Since their debut, musicians Emily Saliers and Amy Ray have released 16 studio albums and sold over 15 million records. They received the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Recording in 1990 and were nominated seven times.
Perry is the former frontrunner of the alternative rock band 4 Non Blondes and an award-winning singer, songwriter, musician and producer. She released four studio albums during her solo career and has since produced and written music such as “Beautiful,” recorded by Christina Aguilera, and “Get the Party Started,” recorded by Pink. Perry was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS ‘The Evil Dead’ — Thalian Hall is showing a cult classic favorite on Thursday with Sam Raimi’s 1981 flick “The Evil Dead.” It was Raimi’s gore-spattered debut and has become a hallmark of horror cinema. Five college students travel to a remote cabin in the woods and unwittingly unleash a monstrous evil force hellbent on their total destruction. Tickets to the four screenings — 1:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. — are $10 to $12 here. It takes place at the Ruth and Bucky Stein Theater.
Tate Farm’s Halloween Attraction —Open every Friday and Saturday in October from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., Tate Farm is hosting a haunted trail in the woods, an 8-acre corn maze, and a hay-ride at 5514 N. North Carolina 11 903 Highway in Willard, North Carolina. Refreshments such as hot apple cider will be available. Tickets cost $20 and are available at the door.
Panic Attack Haunted Attraction — The haunted experience located at 3245 Pine Level Church Road in Nakina, North Carolina,, begins with a bus ride that drops off customers at a swamp. On foot, guests walk through the dark woods and fog leading to an asylum. This season will also feature a new “Nightmare On Elm Street” themed warehouse with red lights and fog. The trail is 1,000 square feet and the actors show off Hollywood-grade special effects to create a realistic fear factor. It is open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night in October starting Oct. 9 and closing Nov. 1. Tickets are between $39.99 and $79.99.
Galloway Farm’s Maze Craze — From now through Saturday, Nov. 7, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Galloway Farm in Hallsboro will host its 16th Maze Craze. Aside from the corn maze, the farm will feature opportunities to meet the animals, purchase food and dessert, and enjoy a giant pipe slide. Guests may go Tuesday through Friday by appointment only. Tickets cost from $15.27 to $37, depending on the package.
Cape Fear Community College’s Student Veterans Organization Trunk-or-Treat — There will be a family-friendly trunk or treat taking place on CFCC’s downtown campus in the student parking lot #2 located at 700 North Front St. The event is on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Festivities will feature candy decorated trunks, and Halloween costumes are encouraged.
“A Colonial Apparition” river cruise is a special collaborative event between Burgwin-Wright House Museum and Wilmington Water Tours. (Courtesy photo)
Friday, Oct. 30
The Colonial Apparition Burgwin-Wright House and Wilmington Water Tours 224 Market St. • Tickets: $40
“A Colonial Apparition” river cruise is a special collaborative event between Burgwin-Wright House Museum and Wilmington Water Tours.
Guests will hear stories of a snowy Christmas Eve in the late 1800s as Steamer Wilmington met ghosts of two Scottish Highlanders killed during the American Revolution on the Cape Fear River.
The cruise is offered during two holiday events — Halloween on Friday, Oct. 30, 6 p.m., and again on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS Cauldrons, Cocktails and Curiosities —A Mystical Mixer is coming to Wilmington to Azalea Station, welcoming attendees to dress up, play mystical trivia for prizes, enjoy curated mocktails and cocktails, engage with intuitive readers, vendors, and other spooky fun, with giveaways. It’s $35 a ticket and includes one beverage of choice and a swag bag. The event takes place at 1502 Castle St., 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Ghoulden Hour Paddle — For the eco-conscious looking to celebrate Halloween in a different way, enjoy a paddle in Greenfield Lake after hours. Among the moss-laced cypress trees, gators, birds and more, kayakers will learn about the ecosystem with Cape Fear River Watch, which will detail threats haunting the lake —and how protecting water quality helps protect the Cape Fear River Basin overall. One-seater ($15) and tandem kayaks ($20) are available and costumes are encouraged; a free treat and binoculars are included with registration. The event begins at 5:15 p.m.
Northwest Fall Festival — At Northwest City Park, 4891 Vernon Road in Northwest, North Carolina, there will be a free fall festival and trunk or treat on Friday, Oct. 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It will consist of family games, costumes and food.
Phobia Haunted Trail opens through Nov. 1 in Winnabow. (Courtesy photo)
Phobia Haunted Trail — Open daily through Nov. 1, from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., the Phobia Haunted Trail includes a 30-minute walk with various horror actors providing jumpscares aplenty. The trail, located in Winnabow off Governors Road SE, will not be open on Halloween night. Tickets for general admission cost $27 and VIP tickets cost $37, with last sales taking place at 11 p.m.
Brunswick County Fall Festival —The Brunswick County Government Complex, 30 Government Center Drive NE in Bolivia, North Carolina, will host a fall festival on Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The free event will have food and water, a costume contest, games for all ages, hay rides and a walkthrough haunted trail.
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” —WHQR’s Cinematiqueis hostinga special screening of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” at 7:30 p.m. The film follows five friends driving through rural Texas to visit a grandfather’s grave. However, a family of deranged cannibals and a masked, chainsaw-wielding killer known as Leatherface enters the fray to terrorize them. Tickets are $10 and two screenings take place at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. A question-and-answer will follow with Juan Carlos Kase, associate professor and chair of the film studies department at UNCW.
A music and art festival at Walkerworld Organic Artist Retreat takes place in Castle Hayne on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 starting at 8 p.m.
There will be a haunted forest trail, live art by Zack Weaver, Brian Jones, Pat Briney, and Lacey Vilandry, a pirates and wenches themed costume contest, and live music from Domocile, Heter Pan’s Murder Mystery Band,Dubtown Cosmonauts, and Dirty Dead.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS Nirvana Unplugged Halloween Tribute — A local group of musicians, This Petty Luxury, are bringing to life one of the 1990s’ most popular albums from grunge-rock icons Nirvana. “Unplugged in New York,” produced by MTV, was released in 1993 and is ranked as one of the best live albums ever released, selling 16 million copies worldwide. The live concert was highlighted by a cellist, acoustic bass and guitar and drumming, all of which was stripped down and more reserved than the distorted reverb that Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl became known for in Nirvana. With guest artists from the Meat Puppets, as well as covers of songs by The Vasolines, Lead Belly and David Bowie, the Unplugged concert has been hailed for its emotional depth and haunting aesthetic. After This Petty Luxury performs the album, they’ll crank up full blast Nirvana’s headlining set at the 1992 Reading Festival in England. The free show takes place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Flytrap Brewing, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut streets.
Alley-Ween at the Dive — Head to Carolina Beach for Halloween in the alley— or as The Dive is calling it, Alley-Ween — on Saturday, Oct. 31. Two events will take place to celebrate the spooky holiday: a family-friendly one from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with carnival-style games, trick-or-treating, apple-bobbing, snacks, costume contest and more. Following will be a party for adults from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., with music from Jam Sandwich, a costume contest, dancing, and drinks. Both will take place near the Shag mural created by Brian “JEKS” Lewis, installed by the Carolina Beach Mural Project, along Raleigh Avenue near Lake Park Boulevard, next to The Dive Spirits and Food.
Boos and Brews Halloween Bash — Waterline Brewing is hosting an event from noon to 5 p.m. at its brewery under the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. It’s all ages and pet-friendly, with costume contests for both kids and four-legged friends, trick or treating, photo ops, Halloween movies, crafts, specialty drinks and more. Plus, there will be Smash n Dash on site serving up grub; it’s free to attend.
B.A.D Boo Bash — The Brooklyn Art District’s Boo Bash welcomes visitors from noon to 5 p.m., with entertainment, shopping, music, food and drink specials, decorations and a costume contest at 4 p.m. at Chow Town. It’s also a social district Saturday, meaning alcoholic beverages from participating bars and restaurants can carried in the public right to way along 10 blocks of the district. Trick-or-treaters are welcome all day.
Cape Fearful Skies — The new Cape Fear Museum’s Planetarium is open, and at 1 p.m. on Saturday, it’s hosting Cape Fearful Skies: Family Edition. Witches, ghosts and ghouls are welcome for a family-friendly Halloween planetarium show. A museum educator will take visitors on a live tour of tonight’s sky with plenty of spooks and surprises along the way. After, visitors will take off and fly out through the universe on a perilous journey. Suitable for all ages, the museum team will be in costume and welcomes the community to join them — though no masks or weapons allowed. The cost includes museum admission plus planetarium show, with the planetarium dome seating 58 people per show. Tickets available here.
Murder Mystery Costume Ball — Tempo.33 is hosting the Skull Manor Costume Ball. An old estate in the heart of Spider City has become renowned for captivating architecture, mysterious ambiance, and unspeakable history. While its townspeople bustle to prepare for a night of great food, conversations, and gossip, there is still dissension and discord among many Spider City’s residents, with rumors of scandalous controversies, blackmail and thievery running rampant. It comes to a head at the ball. Come dressed up and ready to solve the mystery at Tempo.33, with a $100 prize up for grabs. Tickets are $15, light bites included, and the event takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Zombie Fest — At the Eagle’s Dare, Zombie Fest continues its decades-long celebrations. Hosted on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., it will feature live music from The Tremors Band, The Phantom Playboys, and Screamin’ Rebel Angels. There will be a cash prize for the winning costume. Tickets start at $19.05.
Romanstasy Ball — The second annual Romantasy Ball is hosted by Burning Pages Bookstore. There will be sealed fortunes and forbidden romance, with vendors, authors, dancing, live entertainment, food and fantasy to help create a magical evening. The event takes place at The Elia, 254 N Front St., and tickets are $165 to $225 here, which come with signed merch and event swag, live music, a biscuit and dessert bar, plus affogatos, interactive experiences, photo-ops, author meet and greets and more. The theme is Gothic Regency, so come dressed to impress.
The Great Downtown Pumpkin Hunt — From noon to 4 p.m., downtown Wilmington is turning into one big pumpkin hunt this Halloween. Explore downtown, discover businesses, and find hidden pumpkins along the way. The Downtown Business Alliance is hosting the Great Downtown Pumpkin Hunt and participating businesses will hide special pumpkins in their shops, restaurants and other spaces. Find as many as you can for a chance to win prizes, including passes to Cape Fear Museum, the Children’s Museum of Wilmington and the Wilmington Railroad Museum. Register online at greatpumpkinhunt.com/dba, then explore downtown at your own pace. Each pumpkin has a unique QR code to scan, check in, track progress and earn an entry for a chance to win.
Satellite Bar and Lounge — Known for decking out its digs in spiders, webs, pumpkins and more, the Greenfield Street bar is hosting its annual Halloween Bash on Oct. 31. They will feature live music from Kicking Bird and DJ Professor Dub, as well as a costume and dance contest. The bash starts at 8:30 p.m.
Shadows in the Parlor — It’s your last chance to catch Latimer House’s Shadows in the Parlor. The Latimer House is offering night ghost tours at the 126 S. Third St. home for attendees to be immersed in Victorian spiritualism and paranormal investigation from Carolina’s Unknown Paranormal Research, while learning about the tales, lore and legends surrounding the property. Guests 12 years of age and up are welcome and tickets start at $30 here.
Topsail’s Halloween Walking Tour — A 1-mile Halloween walking tour takes place on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., for all ages. It is also wheelchair and stroller accessible. The meeting place is the Missiles and More Museum; registration is free and costumes are welcome.
After being delayed due to weather earlier this month, Art in the Arboretum is returning this weekend to the New Hanover County Arboretum. (Courtesy photo)
Sunday, Nov. 1
Art in the Arboretum New Hanover County Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Drive • Admission: $5, free for kids 12 and under, military members, friends of Arboretum
After being delayed due to weather earlier this month, Art in the Arboretum is taking place this weekend at the New Hanover County Arboretum. It takes placeSaturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Multitudes of vendors will be set up selling their artwork in the 7-acre gardens. A special display of youth art will showcase the creativity, and talent of young artists from the Dreams Center for Arts Education and from Kids Making It also will be on display. A fun activity will also be provided for youth by the New Hanover County 4-H Youth Development program.
There are raffle tickets sold as well to win 14 different prizes. Learn more here.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS Trask Family Farms’ Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch — Through Sunday, Nov. 1, between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., Trask Family Farms located in Castle Hayne, will open their corn maze through Sunday featuring 10 acres, with four different games inside the maze. Attendees who solve it will win a prize. There are also pumpkins, hay rides, a flower field, local honey for sale, homemade ice cream, food from local vendors, live music, and more. Tickets for the corn maze, sold at the farm or available online, cost between $10 to $15. Entry for the maze is allowed until an hour before closing, and children 3 and under are free.
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Almost a dozen fire departments responded to another fire in the Old Georgetown Road area on Wednesday evening. The area has already had two wildfires, one in the summer and another earlier this month; however, this time crews responded to a structure fire. (Courtesy Calabash Fire Department)
BRUNSWICK COUNTY — Almost a dozen fire departments responded to another fire in the Old Georgetown Road area on Wednesday evening. The area between Shallotte and Ocean Isle Beach has already had two wildfires this year, one in the summer and another earlier this month; however, this time crews responded to a structure fire.
Departments were called around 6:26 p.m. to a commercial/industrial structure located on Old Georgetown and Hale Swamp roads. On site were fire crews from Shallotte, Shallotte Point, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Civietown, Grissettown-Longwood, Waccamaw, Sunset Harbor, Tri-Beach, Calabash, Horry County (SC), Brunswick County Fire and EMS.
Each came with varied equipment from trucks to tankers to a water shuttle to help fight the flames. By 9 p.m., the fire was under control as crews remained on the scene, according to the Calabash Fire Department.
It’s unclear what started the fire, though there were calls made to 911 of explosions in the area. Nothing has been verified yet, but dispatch reports have indicated the structure had tanks on site. Black plumes of smoked emanated from the area before sunset, indicating it could be carbon-rich, petroleum-based or of synthetic materials.
At Port City Daily, we aim to keep locals informed on top-of-mind news facing the tri-county region. To support our work and help us reach more people in 2026, please, consider helping one of two ways: Subscribe here or make a one-time contribution here.
