WHQR-FM (Wilmington, NC)

19 hours ago | whqr.org | Benjamin Schachtman

The New Hanover County District Attorney’s office confirmed this week it will not prosecute a DUI case against Mary Vigue, the deputy city manager of Wilmington. Vigue was arrested two years ago after she was stopped by a daytime license checkpoint near her home in the Greenfield Lake area. Officers from the Wilmington Police Department and deputies from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office were both present.

1 day ago | whqr.org | Benjamin Schachtman

Throughout this year’s New Hanover County budget cycle, conservative commissioners repeatedly suggested that The Endowment could pick up the county’s annual funding for nonprofits. In interviews with WHQR, Republicans Dane Scalise and LeAnn Pierce both suggested The Endowment was better positioned to fund nonprofits, noting that that was the intended purpose of taking $1.3 billion from the sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center and creating a private foundation.

3 days ago | whqr.org | Rachel Keith |Brenna Flanagan

The board voted 5-1 to maintain the ban on Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds’ book exploring America’s history with racist ideas that was removed from the AP English curriculum in August 2023. The book will remain prohibited in district course content but will be available in high school libraries. The day prior to the board’s vote, the district's curriculum committee unanimously approved the book's return to AP English classrooms.

3 days ago | whqr.org | Rachel Keith

Note: This is a developing story and may be updated as we receive more information. This month, the New Hanover County Commissioners voted to approve the budget 3-2. Republicans Bill Rivenbark, Dane Scalise, and LeAnn Pierce were in favor; Democrats Stephanie Walker and Rob Zapple were not. Part of their reasoning for voting against the budget was major cuts to funding preschools worth $975,000, prompting the district to make some tough decisions.

4 days ago | whqr.org | Benjamin Schachtman

WHQR's Sunday Edition is a free weekly newsletter delivered every Sunday morning. You can sign up for Sunday Edition here. Off the Rails? Eight years ago, I met Laura Padgett – who’d been Wilmington’s longest-serving council member – at a Port City Java to talk about a bold new transportation plan she’d been tasked with heading up.