We kick off this week with a whale of story (and other bad whale-related puns). When a humpback whale showed up off the coast of Carolina Beach, the town’s lifeguards took the opportunity to swim out to see it up close. It sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it’s also a federal crime. We take a closer look at what happened and what we learned.
Next: a story that’s part of a larger conversation about the relationship between the city of Wilmington and developers. As we’ve seen in the past, when developers violate city codes, the city often offers them settlements instead of enforcing the fees and other penalties for those violations. By contrast, when individual residents violate those codes, the treatment is noticeably different.
Then it’s time for a round of beach (and coastal) towns: a new police chief at the Southport Police Department, the police chief and his top assistant step down in Oak Island, and we may finally see some movement on the Carolina Beach Publix planned for the Federal Point Shopping Center, despite the efforts of the developer of a Harris Teeter to delay it.
Lastly, a round-up of this week’s Brews and Bites stories. Long-time Wilmington chef Kirsten Mitchell – known for her cooking at 1900, Ceviche’s, and the Vittles food truck – finally gets her own place: Salt Fish Restaurant and Tiki Bar serving French Polynesian in the former Holy Smokes BBQ in Carolina Beach (and yes, Mitchell saved the smoker and is putting it to good use). Also: Leland gets its own wine store and bar, and Flying Machine sets an opening dates after two years of planning and construction.
If you missed any of these stories you can catch up below, then take a deeper dive with our weekly podcast. You can find all our Brews and Bites stories here.
Wilmington property owner fined thousands and told to plant 25 trees for cutting without permit
Three years later, Wrightsville Ave Galleria developer hasn’t paid fine or replanted trees
Oak Island breaks silence, says top police resignations not connected to arrest of mayor’s son
City of Southport replaces Police Chief with Board of Alderman member, department still shuttered
Demolition ahead for Federal Point Shopping Center, still no word on Carolina Beach Publix
