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Wilmington Star-NewsWilmington Star-News
Wilmington Riverfest cancellation will have cultural, economic impacts

Wilmington Riverfest cancellation will have cultural, economic impacts

In the court of online opinion, the announcement that Wilmington's biggest fall festival was canceled for 2026 elicited both outrage and yawns.
Wilmington Star-NewsWilmington Star-News
4 things we learned from Wilmington's historic first night of flag football

4 things we learned from Wilmington's historic first night of flag football

Girls flag football officially arrived in Wilmington as Hoggard, North Brunswick and Ashley opened the sanctioned era with Week 1 wins.
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NCDHHS Invests $1.9 Million to Strengthen North Carolina's Clubhouse Network for Mental Health Support

NCDHHS Invests $1.9 Million to Strengthen North Carolina's Clubhouse Network for Mental Health Support

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), through its Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, is investing $1.9 million to enhance the state's Clubhouse network. This multi-year initiative focuses on training, accreditation, and modernization of these facilities. Clubhouses are non-clinical environments designed to help individuals living with serious mental illness build connection, purpose, and stability through shared work and community involvement. This psychosocial rehabilitation model offers a supportive level of care that is less intensive than clinical or residential treatment but is recognized for its effectiveness in promoting long-term recovery. The investment includes $1 million for facility modernization, $650,000 for a contract with Clubhouse International to support existing sites and establish 7-10 new Clubhouses over the next five years, and $250,000 for accreditation, specialized training, and membership dues. These fund...
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North Carolina Governor Josh Stein's Lawyers Argue Against Foster Care Lawsuit in 4th Circuit Court

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein's Lawyers Argue Against Foster Care Lawsuit in 4th Circuit Court

Lawyers representing North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, the Department of Health and Human Services, and seven county governments are urging the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a September 2025 trial judge's decision to dismiss a lawsuit challenging conditions in the state's foster care system. The original lawsuit, filed in September 2024, alleged that North Carolina's foster system is in crisis, with children frequently moved between placements and institutionalized at twice the national average. The trial judge dismissed the case, ruling that the adults who filed the suit did not have sufficiently close relationships with the foster children to represent them in court, failing to qualify as a 'next friend' under court rules. Government lawyers argue that allowing 'near-strangers' to litigate on behalf of vulnerable individuals poses a 'danger' and could open federal courts to policy reform efforts rather than the vindication of specific individuals' rights. They cite the 4th Circuit's 2002 ...
Asheville Citizen-TimesAsheville Citizen-Times
Marshall rejects age restriction for unsupervised youths at parks

Marshall rejects age restriction for unsupervised youths at parks

In its initial discussion with Town Administrator Ryan Cody on its parks ordinance Aug. 17 , the board considered 16 years old and up for its rules.
Asheville Citizen-TimesAsheville Citizen-Times
Parts of Asheville Blade case over reporter arrests can move on: Judge

Parts of Asheville Blade case over reporter arrests can move on: Judge

Asheville Blade reporters shot video of police officers as they dismantled an encampment and asked protesters to vacate Aston Park.
Wilmington Star-NewsWilmington Star-News
Man found guilty of murder in Carolina Beach stabbing

Man found guilty of murder in Carolina Beach stabbing

A jury convicted a man of first-degree murder in the 2024 stabbing death of a Carolina Beach man.
Wilmington Star-NewsWilmington Star-News
Gas station chain plans two locations in Brunswick County

Gas station chain plans two locations in Brunswick County

Another national convenience store chain is bringing two new locations to Brunswick County.
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Duke Energy Introduces PowerPair Rebate Program in North Carolina for Solar and Battery Storage

Duke Energy Introduces PowerPair Rebate Program in North Carolina for Solar and Battery Storage

Duke Energy has launched the PowerPair NC rebates program, offering up to $9,000 in incentives for North Carolina homeowners who install solar panels paired with battery storage systems. This initiative aims to reduce peak load demands on the local electric grid, particularly during periods of high consumption like hot summer afternoons and cold winter mornings. The program is administered by Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC) and Duke Energy Progress (DEP) and is designed to enhance grid stability while helping homeowners offset high utility rates. To qualify, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems must meet specific sizing limits, with rebates calculated at $0.36 per watt-DC for solar capacity, capped at 10 kW-DC. Battery storage systems must have a usable capacity of at least 10 kWh, with rebates at $400 per kWh, capped at 13.5 kWh. Homeowners must work with approved solar installers within Duke's Trade Ally Network and ensure their systems are correctly sized and documented to be eligible for the program's lottery-b...
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North Carolina Authorities Identify Remains of 15-Year-Old Girl Missing Since 1977, Investigating as Homicide

North Carolina Authorities Identify Remains of 15-Year-Old Girl Missing Since 1977, Investigating as Homicide

Authorities in North Carolina have identified human remains found nearly 49 years ago as Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15-year-old girl who ran away from her Maryland home in the spring of 1977. The skeletal remains were discovered on December 29, 1977, in a wooded area near a manufacturing facility in Wilson County, North Carolina, approximately five hours south of Blizzard's residence. A medical examiner at the time determined the remains belonged to a white female between 16 and 23 years old and had likely been there for six months to two years. Due to the circumstances of the discovery, investigators are treating the case as a homicide, though the manner of death remains undetermined. The case went cold for decades as forensic technology was insufficient for identification. It was reopened in 2010 by a state anthropologist who submitted the remains for DNA testing. Significant progress occurred in 2024 when the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's (SBI) Cold Case Investigative Team utilized advan...
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Nearly 300 Individuals Evaluated for Rabies Exposure from North Carolina Petting Zoo Goats

Nearly 300 Individuals Evaluated for Rabies Exposure from North Carolina Petting Zoo Goats

Hundreds of people in North Carolina are being evaluated for potential rabies exposure after interacting with goats from a mobile petting zoo. Three baby goats from Farm Adventures in Harmony, North Carolina, tested positive for rabies, and a fourth was presumed to have the disease; all four were euthanized. State health officials reported that between July 28 and August 27, the farm took these goats on a statewide tour to 10 different locations. As a result, nearly 300 individuals have been evaluated for possible exposure, with over 200 advised to receive rabies vaccinations. The goats are believed to have been exposed to rabies by a skunk that entered their pen in late July. Farm Adventures stated on social media that the baby goats were too young to be vaccinated against rabies and that they were unaware any of the goats had been bitten.
Wilmington Star-NewsWilmington Star-News
These historic Wilmington neighborhoods know how to make an entrance

These historic Wilmington neighborhoods know how to make an entrance

Take a look at five historic Wilmington neighborhoods that have distinct entrances, including three of the town's oldest suburbs.