North Carolina has become the 40th state to expand Medicaid. The proposed plan from Roy Cooper addresses mental health, specifically in youths ages 10-18, as suicide attempts have doubled, increasing from 6% to 12% since the pandemic.
In the 2022 report released by the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), North Carolina ranked ninth in the nation for human trafficking. As of 2021, 922 signals were received by NHTH, 318 of those being from victims or survivors of human trafficking.
On Tuesday, April 25, North Carolina Senator Michael Lee (R) received the Razor Walker Award for Public Policy from UNCW’s Watson College of Education. The award is to distinguish those who overcome barriers and take professional risks to support childrens’ education, and “walk the razor’s edge” alongside students.
Dozens of people gathered on the steps of Thalian Hall on International Transgender Day of Visibility to protest for trans rights. Every year, March 31 is dedicated to recognizing trans visibility and rights. Trans Day of Visibility was initially created by transgender activist Rachel Crandall in 2009 to foster joy and celebrate transgender people.
On Jan. 10, Wilmington’s city council voted unanimously to purchase The Salvation Army’s N 2nd St. property for $4.8 million. The city is currently leasing the property to the organization until its eventual closure in May of this year. A new facility off Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy. is still under construction and will not be completed for at least a year.
In honor of Rosa Parks' birthday, Feb. 4, Wave Transit in Wilmington, North Carolina reserved a seat through Feb. 6 in the front of the bus in remembrance of her contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. The seat contained a placard describing Park’s role in desegregating public transportation.
In 2019, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) began working with granular activated carbon (GAC) filters to reduce traces of Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in Wilmington drinking water. PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been used in consumer products such as household cleaners since the 1940s.
On Nov. 10, 1898, a crowd of roughly 2,000 members of the then Democratic party invaded the second floor of Free Love Hall, the building that contained The Daily Record, and set it on fire. The attackers swarmed the rest of the city, killing what some reports indicate to be 60-300 victims.
Conservation efforts are being made in the Pleasure Island area. The NC Land and Water Fund honored Freeman Park with a land grant of $4 million dollars this past month, and the money will go towards preserving wildlife and the upkeep of the Carolina Beach sanctuary.
When the Supreme Court repealed the long-standing abortion rights established by Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in Dobbs v. Jackson at the end of June 2022, the discussion around abortion caught the attention of the country. Now, the legality of abortion is up to each state to determine for themselves, and as the midterms approach, students across the political spectrum at UNCW are determined to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
The voting process in North Carolina has begun to ramp up as the state prepares for its eventful election season. State and local governments are encouraging all individuals to register and cast their ballots.
With no wetsuit, Nelson completed the swim against 12 mph winds, an incoming tide and 66 F ocean water with a total time of seven hours and four minutes. Wetsuits not only serve as a tool to warm the body in cold water temperatures, but also add a small amount of buoyancy which can greatly assist in open water swimming. All of these factors on top of the great distance Nelson covered in the water is hard to fathom, but Nelson simply said, “A recon Marine would rather die than quit.”
An ordinance was proposed in New Hanover County last month that aimed to deter homeless people from camping out on county property, including the Wilmington Public Library downtown. Sleeping would have been prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and items left for more than two hours would be discarded. The ordinance initially included a $50 fine for violations, but this was soon removed. Violators of the ordinance could have been removed by law enforcement and prosecuted for trespassing, although government officials did state that this would be used as a “last resort.”
This year's midterm election carries uneasiness and uncertainty for future control in the House of Representatives. All 435 House seats are open for this year’s election, with each party seeking the needed 218 seats to gain a House majority. Recent redistricting controversies in the state have complicated the election even more.
On Jan. 18, the Wilmington City Council unanimously passed the resolution calling for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment with seven “yea” votes from Mayor Pro Tem Magaret Haynes, Mayor Bill Saffo, and Councilmembers Charlie Rivenbark, Clifford Barnett, Kevin Spears, Luke Waddell and Neil Anderson. The city’s resolution is part of a growing movement across North Carolina petitioning the General Assembly to ratify the amendment. This proposed amendment to the Constitution would become the 28th if ratified and calls for the legal guarantee of equal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Almost 50 years since its first proposal to state legislatures in 1972, it is again receiving attention as states appeal for Congress to remove the initial ratification deadline.