Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Podcast August 31 – Surf City campaign gets ugly and weird; New Hanover school issues continue

We devote this week to two major stories: the increasingly bizarre events around the Surf City mayoral race and the steady flow of potentially disturbing allegations out of the New Hanover County School system.

In Surf City, a fake website surfaced, mocking the personal and political life of councilman and mayoral candidate Jeremy Shugarts. The site went down shortly after we reported on it, but not before we were able to link it to a business owned by current Mayor Doug Medlin and his son Chris, who is also his treasurer. The Mayor denied any involvement but his son refused to flat-out say he wasn’t involved.

And, if that wasn’t strange enough, Shugarts was then indicted on six felony election violations after the North Carolina State Board of Elections investigated him — based on a complaint from Pender County.

What’s going on? We get into it.

Shifting gears, we look at a series of stories coming out NHCS, especially involving Forest Hills Elementary. For years, rumors – and the occasional story – have come out of the school, including allegations of harassment, hostile work environment, and even retaliation. Now, a current school employee has come forward with specific details about what was going on at the school — and how things were handled when she tried to bring those issues to the attention of the administration and the board of education.

Spoiler alert: it did not go well.

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

Surf City Mayor says he’s not involved with political attack website that’s using his family business’s email

Surf City mayor’s son and campaign treasurer refuses to deny involvement in political attack website

Surf City mayoral candidate and sitting councilman Jeremy Shugarts has been indicted for election violations

Attorney, Surf City respond to election violation indictments brought against councilman and mayoral candidate

Surf City councilman and mayoral candidate once lived at address listed in election violation indictments

Superintendent, former Forest Hills principal offer differing perspectives on Spanish immersion program

Former Forest Hills principal told New Hanover superintendent to be ‘honest.’ Now, no one is talking

After alleging discrimination, harassment, and safety issues, NHCS ‘whistle blower’ got demotion, pay cut

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