"Along For The Ride” is a heartfelt adaptation of Dessen’s novel that pulls at our heartstrings to tell a passionate coming-of-age story about spiritual independence. Wilmington and its sibling towns help bring the film’s setting to life while capturing lighthearted teen culture. The film is one of the better YA films in recent memory and one that paints a vivid picture of North Carolina.
The Cameron Art Museum is home to many beautiful exhibits and interactive events all year round. This weekend, they will be a host to not only new visual artists, but poets as well. On April 1, a handful of UNCW creative writing students, both in the BFA and MFA programs, will be a part of a live exhibit, showcasing their talents in poetry and paying homage to the theme “State of the Art.”
On the weekend of March 25-27, the Black Arts Alliance (BAA) held the 18th annual North Carolina Black Film Festival (NCBFF). From student shorts to feature length movies, the NCBFF hosts a wide variety of films from artists around the world. Recent years have brought challenges for the festival, to say the least. With Hurricane Florence in 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this year saw the festival’s in-person return with a great turnout.
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.
After nearly two years of wearing masks on campus, UNCW will no longer require them in most campus situations on March 7. An email was sent from OUR on Feb. 25 after UNC System President Peter Hans...
Abigail Celoria, Assistant Culture Editor
• January 28, 2022
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.
Caroline Straubel, Culture Editor
• January 20, 2022
In response to an ice storm warning for southeast North Carolina, UNCW announced classes are canceled on Friday, Jan. 21. Campus dining will continue to provide services for residential students during the storm, and areas with heavy foot traffic across campus will be salted by Housing and Residence Life. However, the university is urging students to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary trips across campus.
Chamiya Campbell, News Editor
• September 23, 2021
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.
Wilmington’s boom is credited to creative people who still want to execute their ideas that were interrupted by COVID-19. Creating their work in the city provides numerous job opportunities for UNCW film students, local filmmakers, and young actors searching for work.
Grace Hall, Contributing Writer
• September 12, 2021
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.
