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.

There is a lot of uneasiness in anticipation of this year’s midterm elections. One of the key races to determine the makeup of the nation’s Senate will be right here in North Carolina. Senator Richard Burr is not running for reelection, which leaves an empty seat that many North Carolina Republicans and Democrats are fighting to fill. Since the Senate is split 50-50 between both parties (two Independents caucusing with Democrats), every seat counts in this election. Without a clear predecessor to Burr, North Carolina might become a pivotal state in November’s vote.

The deal reached between Cape Fear River Watch, The Department of Environmental Quality and Chemours was finalized in 2020. The plan was written by The Chemours Company and was edited and revised to take immediate and sustainable action against contamination. The deal addressed the contamination of the river and Chemours responsibility for contaminating the groundwater. The plan will outline specific goals and deadlines for Chemours to install additional filtration systems and treat the groundwater and surface water in order to eventually remove 99% of PFAS.

Wilmington is ripe with countless opportunities at the moment for film studies students and graduates to become involved with the town’s productions. North Carolina is on track to exceed a $400 million production value in what many people are considering to be one of the state's most successful years for film in quite some time.

On Sept. 15 and 16, the Board of Governors for the University of North Carolina school systems met to discuss COVID-19 protocols and their effects on budgets. Key points of focus from the meeting were the continuation of lessening COVID-19 restrictions, as well as a potential budget increase that will be discussed and voted on Nov. 17 and 18. Both topics will have immense effects on students of UNC institutions.

For those victims of police violence, Senate Bill 300 seems to be the light at the end of a tunnel. Finally, action is backing words, and seems to herald a new age in which law enforcement officers will be held to a higher standard, and more importantly, will be held accountable for their actions. While many in the police force aim to protect the American people at any cost, for those that go overboard and begin resorting to violence, it could be their new reckoning.

Cawthorn should be using his platform to amplify that people with disabilities are in fact normal. He could do this in a variety of ways. First, he could talk about his own experiences as a person with a wheelchair. Undoubtedly, he has had these experiences and they have played a huge role in his life. Second, he could start weekly conversations with other people with disabilities in North Carolina which would not only amplify the disability community but also enlighten him as a representative of the people.

Since incumbent Senator Richard Burr announced he would not seek re-election in 2022, many North Carolinians have expressed interest in taking his place. The federal government already operates...

Over the past year, a new term has entered the political lexicon in the United States. Critical race theory, an theory in legal academia analyzing race as it relates to the framework of society, has taken...