Several court cases, along with some heavy wind and rain, rocked Brunswick County last week.
Election season is not the only thing ramping up this week as lawsuits, criminal cases and new construction take over Brunswick.
A driving while impaired charge and more against Southport Alderman Robert Carroll has apparently disappeared
from the court system after an appeal filed by District Attorney Jon David's office was denied and cleared. A county court clerk also confirmed the case number no longer exists.Another court case involving residents and a developer is also on the edge of dismissal. Cherrytree Development leaders are asking a judge for dismissal and to impose sanctions against the residents and local conservation group that opened the case nearly
six months ago.
We finally got an update in the case involving the Southport mass shooting that killed three people in 2025. The case, as decided on Oct. 7 in court, will be treated as a capital offense by the state, with the death penalty sought for defendant Nigel Edge. Crime Reporter Bob Liepa has all the details on Edge's case right here.
On a historical note, John Staton last week took readers back in time to see how the old Brunswick River bridge changed the town of Belville.
Here we grow again
While residents argue the amount of development is too much, county development records show most approved units have yet to be seen. Brunswick's publicly accessible residential development dashboard shows 149 major residential developments totaling nearly 60,000 residential units have been approved since 2016. However, records indicate only 9,104 units have been built, while another 1,224 were under construction when the data was exported.
In Leland, plans for a shopping center are now being considered for N.C. 133. The town of Leland recently received and reviewed preliminary plans featuring a grocery store and more for the Mallory Creek community. Here's a look at what could come.
Let’s get social
For more news about what’s happening in Brunswick County, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BrunswickToday.
The agenda
Growth and development issues continue to dominate municipal meeting schedules this week.
The Brunswick County Planning Board meets today, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m.
The town of Leland will hold its regular council meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. Officials are set to consider annexation and zoning requests near Maco Road and River Road. Despite much anticipation, the proposed East Lake Subdivision rezoning has been postponed at the applicant’s request.
Ocean Isle Beach commissioners meet at 9 a.m. on Oct. 13. Discussion topics include a 224-lot phase of The Tides Planned Unit Development, airport ordinance changes and capital projects.
Also on Oct. 13, Calabash commissioners will meet at 7 p.m., following a 6 p.m. workshop, to hold a public hearing on a Thomasboro Road rezoning request that would allow commercial development.
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Savanna Tenenoff covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at stenenoff@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Court drama, growth battles and hundreds of homes on Brunswick's table
