Today's News

At about 3 a.m. on March 23, Easter morning, the Alaska Ranger, a fishing vessel with 47 people on board, started to take on water. As they prepared to evacuate the ship, the U.S. Coast Guard ship stationed in Alaska, was sent to help.

Jon Smith, a 2007 West Brunswick High School graduate, was a member of the crew who helped rescue 42 people that day.

Smith, a 19-year-old Longwood native, was involved in JROTC at WBHS for three and a half years and knew he wanted to join the military right after graduation.

The Brunswick County Relay for Life kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday, May 2, with the opening ceremonies and survivors’ lap around the track at West Brunswick High School.

The annual event is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraiser and is designed to honor cancer survivors and remember those who lost their lives to the disease. The relay is an all-night event that goes through until 1 p.m. Saturday, May 3.

Relay teams set up tents around the track and try to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.

Brunswick County Sheriff’s deputies investigated the following incidents last week, which are taken directly from sheriff’s office incident reports:

•Property damage on N.C. 211 in Southport; suspect dented victim’s car.

•Property damage on Butler Circle in Ash; suspect keyed victim’s car.

•Larceny of medicine on Robinson Park Trail in Supply; suspect took medicine from victim’s mailbox.

Agents with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit arrested a man suspected in being in the Hispanic-based street gang “18th Street.”

Jose Ascencion Ibarra, 23, of 9591 Holly Hills Drive, Leland, was charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine, one count of manufacture cocaine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.