Thursday, March 28, 2024

Newsroom Podcast August 4 – What went down with State Trooper arrest? Plus, multiple restaurant closings

Our weekly podcast takes a deeper look at recent stories, answers reader questions, and goes behind the scenes of the Port City Daily newsroom.

We start this week by taking a deeper look at the Wilmington Police Department’s arrest of a state trooper, followed a week later by the dismissal of that arrest. Reader comments that followed the dismissal fell into two camps: (1) this a case of cronyism, allowing the trooper to “get away” with a DWI, or (2) this was a mistake by the police officers, despite the fact the the WPD continued to call it a “good arrest.”

We worked the story from a number of angles to shed more light on the incident.

Also this week, what happened with the New Hanover County Government Building? Competing stories reported an “active shooter,” a “planned drill,” and the accidental triggering of an alarm.

Next up, Carolina Beach breaks months of silence on Freeman Park. After two back-to-back closed-door meetings, town officials announced it had retracted its notice of eminent domain intent for the land around Freeman Park. We talk about what led up to this, and why it might have happened.

In development news, after approving a string of controversial mixed-use developments along Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington’s Planning Commission voted against a project on South 17th Street. The property, as it turns out, has an interesting history.

Finally, in “Brews and Bites” developments, we saw three different restaurants close this week, making a gloomy, rainy week a little bit gloomier.

If you missed any of these stories, you can catch up below — then take a deeper dive with our weekly podcast.

Engine off, keys in pocket: WPD arrested State Trooper despite evidence he was innocent

Carolina Beach rescinds eminent domain notifications at Freeman Park

County court brokers land deal, cuts $15,000 check to Assata Shakur, one of FBI’s most wanted

South 17th St. developer’s plans for apartments instead of Lidl fail at Planning Commission

Chops Deli’s Wrightsville Avenue shop closed for good, other locations to remain open

Halligan’s at Lumina Station closes its doors, Masonboro location to remain open

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