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Local News

  • Oak Island bridge to close to traffic through May 2019

    The North Carolina Department of Transportation has scheduled a bridge rehabilitation project for the G.V. Barbee Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway beginning in September and continuing through May 2019.

    This rehabilitation work includes replacing the existing girders on 27 spans, and installing a new riding deck and barrier rail. The project was accelerated to avoid conflicts with the N.C. 211 project that will begin construction in 2019.

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  • Leland man dies in U.S. 17 crash in Shallotte

    A 43-year-old Leland man died after his Jeep struck a van on U.S. 17 in Shallotte on March 20.

    Joshua Andrew Challeen was driving a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee north on the highway when it struck the back of a 2013 Chevy van about 9:45 a.m. just past Smith Avenue, North Carolina State Highway Patrol 1st Sgt. Matthew W. King said in a news release issued Wednesday morning.

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  • Drinking water treatment system carries $99M price tag

    BOLIVIA — Removing GenX, PFAs, 1,4-Dioxane and other contaminants from Brunswick County’s drinking water would cost $99 million if the county installed a reverse osmosis system, Brunswick County commissioners learned at their March 19 meeting.

    Representatives from CDM Smith, the engineering firm commissioners hired to study water treatment options at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant, recommended a low-pressure RO system as the best method to remove more than 90 percent of contaminants.

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  • Adams on primary ballot, but not campaigning for county commissioner race

    Tom Adams will be on the May 8 primary ballot as a Republican Brunswick County Commissioner District 1 candidate, but he has stopped campaigning for the race.

    Adams filed to run against incumbent Randy Thompson on Feb. 28, the last day of the filing period.

    But Adams said there is a potential conflict on interest with his role on the state Port Authority board.

    Former Gov. Pat McCrory appointed him chairman of the North Carolina State Ports Authority Board of Directors in December 2014. His term lasts through June 2019.

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  • County unemployment for January nears 7 percent

    The Brunswick County unemployment rate increased to 6.9 percent in January.

    Unemployment numbers have increased for Brunswick County each month since September’s rate dropped to 4.9 percent; October hit 5.2 percent, November reached 5.8 percent and the rate rose to 6.1 percent in December.

    A year-to-year comparison showed Brunswick County’s unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in January 2017.

    Unemployment numbers are released through the North Carolina Department of Commerce Labor and Economic Analysis Division.

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  • Belville to keep 9-cent tax rate for 2018-19

    BELVILLE — Belville officials have until June 30 to work out the 2018-19 budget, but decided March 17 to keep the tax rate steady for the upcoming year.

    “I don’t have any (interest) in increasing the tax rate. Plus I don’t think we need to, unless I’m missing something,” commissioner Noreen Slattery said.

    “I think we’re in good shape,” commissioner Joe Breault added.

    Commissioners increased the town tax rate last year to 9 cents per $100 of valuation, increasing property tax revenues to $156,600.

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  • Leland annexes land, tackles other issues

    LELAND — Leland Town Council members annexed a small piece of land into the town at the March 15 meeting to bring in a new medical office.

    They approved the preliminary site-specific plans for the SMP Medical Office Building on U.S 17 between Grandiflora Drive and Benton Brown Way NE, east of the Walgreens and agreed to update the Magnolia Greens master land use plan for the new medical office in December.

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  • State superintendent visits Union Elementary School

    SHALLOTTE —State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson visited to Union Elementary School on Friday to present a ceremonial check of funds available through the North Carolina Read to Achieve Program.
    Under this state law, third-graders who are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade will receive special help, including summer reading camps and other interventions that will make sure they can read well enough before doing fourth grade work, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website.

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  • Bolton woman faces prescription drug charges

    A Columbus County woman is accused of conspiring to sell prescription drugs illegally in Brunswick County.

    Jamie Michele Pridgen, 22, of Pauline Lane in Bolton was arrested March 15 and charged with conspiracy to sell or deliver a schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a schedule II controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

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  • Couple charged in Leland lottery ticket theft

    Leland police arrested two people accused of stealing lottery tickets from a gas station earlier this month.

    Davette Rae Artemisio, 30, of Carolina Beach Avenue in Carolina Beach and JonMichael Joseph Laurie, 27, of Seaview Road in Wilmington each face a charge of larceny from the person and felony conspiracy.

    Police said Laurie entered the Exxon station on Ploof Road followed by Artemisio on March 8 when the tickets were stolen, then left in a blue Dodge truck with damage to the front end.

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