Red text indicates one of the year’s Top 10 story topics
January
Mike Giles, advocate for the North Carolina Coastal Federation, was named Lumina News Person of the Year 2013.
Woody White, New Hanover County Commission Chairman and Wilmington attorney, announced he will run for a seat in the U.S. Congress, following Rep. Mike McIntyre’s decision to retire.
Former New Hanover County Board of Education member Elizabeth Redenbaugh announced her campaign for the North Carolina Senate seat, held by Sen. Thom Goolsby.
Town officials from Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches met General Assembly Rep. Rick Catlin, R-New Hanover, Rep. Susi Hamilton, D-New Hanover, and Sen. Thom Goolsby, R-New Hanover, to request more Room Occupancy Tax spending flexibility, and the formation of a council for general advocacy against the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act.
President Obama signed into law a bill passed by the House of Representatives that will reduce some insurance rate hikes. But Wrightsville Beach resident and former alderman Bill Sisson said the delay only applies to homeowners whose rates will increase as a result of new flood maps expected later in 2014.
The North Carolina Rate Bureau, a state-sanctioned, private institution proposed a 35 percent increase in homeowners insurance for Wrightsville Beach and most of New Hanover County.
February
New Hanover County Commissioner Brian Berger was sentenced to 12 months’ supervised probation, participation in a drug and alcohol assessment program and 48 hours of community service for misdemeanor charges that occurred in 2013.
New Hanover County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution that opposed a controversial 35 percent increase in homeowner’s insurance premiums, proposed by the North Carolina Rate Bureau.
Winter Storm Pax covered Wrightsville Beach in almost ½ -inch of ice. More than 1,700 residents in Wrightsville Beach and more than 6,000 homes throughout New Hanover County faced power outages.
A long-term plan for teacher pay, calendar flexibility for dealing with missed school days and clarification of new testing requirements was heard by Rep. Rick Catlin, R-New Hanover, and Rep. Ted Davis Jr., R-New Hanover, from local school officials during the annual New Hanover County Board of Education legislative breakfast.
Intersection improvements to Causeway Drive and Waynick Boulevard were allocated $233,600 by the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Advisory Committee.
March
Wrightsville Beach parking rates were increased by 50 cents to $2.50 per hour, generating an estimated additional $448,000 in revenue.
Jim Smith was named the 2014 Nancy Faye Craig Volunteer of the Year for his service to the Town of Wrightsville Beach as co-chair of the Wrightsville Beach Foundation, and member of the citizen advisory committee for the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Cape Fear Transportation 2040 long-range plan.
American Bridge Company officially completed its $8 million renovation of the Heide Trask Drawbridge March 31, finishing punch-list items for the following three weeks.
April
Wilmington residents spoke out against a potential rate hike in water bills during a Cape Fear Public Utility Authority public hearing. The increase was intended to offset the operational costs that were expected to rise as a result of a decline in water consumption by 7.3 percent in 2013.
Weeks Marine began the Coastal Storm Damage Reduction project between Arrindale Street and the Blockade Runner Beach Resort, unloading piping from dredges and pumping sand in 1,000-foot increments.
The New Hanover County Board of Education unanimously approved an alternative to teacher tenure, which was eliminated following the Excellent Public Schools Act, passed by the General Assembly in 2013. The alternative offers the top 25 percent of performing teachers with a $500 per year pay raise and four-year contract.
All three New Hanover County beach towns requested half of the second 3 percent of the county-wide 6 percent Room Occupancy Tax for beach renourishment projects, but the Tourism Development Authority Board of Directors voted to maintain ROT distributions.
May
Wilmington lawyer Michael Lee replaced Danny McComas as chair of the N.C. State Ports Authority Board of Directors following McComas’ resignation. Gov. Pat McCrory appointed Robert Sar to Lee’s previous post as vice chair.
The collection and transport of town recyclables was transferred to New Hanover County through an interlocal agreement with the board of aldermen.
Wilmington City Council unanimously approved a recommended speed limit decrease from 45 mph to 35 mph on the easternmost portions of Wrightsville Avenue and Eastwood Road.
June
Chancellor Gary Miller of the University of North Carolina Wilmington resigned to take a position as chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
The extension of a reduced film incentive program was voted down by the North Carolina General Assembly House of Representatives Finance Committee.
New Hanover County Commissioner Brian Berger was arrested in Avery County, N.C., on six probation violations. Mercedes Pickney, his court-appointed lawyer, filed a defense motion requesting a forensic mental health evaluation before his case was considered by the courts.
A federal Clean Water Act lawsuit was filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of Cape Fear River Watch, Sierra Club and Waterkeeper Alliance. The organizations claimed Duke Energy violated the Clean Water Act by contaminating the state-mandated Sutton Lake fishery with coal ash.
A bill to de-annex a two-piece land parcel totaling 12.2 acres of Wrightsville Beach mainland to Wilmington was sponsored by Senator Harry Brown, R-Jones/Onslow. The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen unanimously voted for a voluntary de-annexation at a cost of $80,000 to be paid from the City of Wilmington to the Town of Wrightsville Beach during a 29-year period.
The Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Projection wrapped after a late start and unexpected setbacks. Weeks Marine stacked the remaining pipes and loaded equipment onto barges at the north end of Wrightsville Beach as the dredges departed.
The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen adopted a $12.4 million budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year, a 3.1 percent drop from the 2013-14 fiscal year, while maintaining a 13.3 cents per $100 tax rate.
July
Hurricane Arthur brought surfers from around the state to Wrightsville Beach for two days of consistently large and clean waves.
Former Brunswick County Sheriff Ron Hewett died July 12 while incarcerated in New Hanover County’s Detention Center.
After an internal investigation, New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon concluded there was no wrongdoing in the county’s detention facility leading to the death of former Brunswick County Sherriff Ron Hewett.
Wilmington City Council voted unanimously to place $44 million general obligation bond order for street and sidewalk improvements on the November ballot. Adding $11 million leveraged by the city, the package would require a 2 cent property tax increase for city residents.
New Hanover County Commissioner Brian Berger’s probation violation case was postponed after a forensic mental evaluation found him incapable to proceed.
Jason Windham was awarded the Wrightsville Beach Police Department’s Officer of the Year designation.
Pat Kusek was selected as the new chair of the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority Board, succeeding Jim Quinn.
August
Bertha, the second named storm of the 2014 hurricane season, passed east off the North Carolina coast, bringing high surf and rip currents, causing no damage.
Sen. Thom Goolsby, R-New Hanover, resigned from the North Carolina General Assembly.
The Lumina Commons Shopping Center sold for $13.87 million.
Former Wrightsville Beach Police Lieutenant Hovie Pope Jr. was indicted on charges of embezzlement by a New Hanover County grand jury. Pope was charged with embezzling $31,680 from the North Carolina Internal Affairs Investigators Association, of which he was an active member.
The North Carolina General Assembly filed adjournment resolutions after passing and sending a $21 billion budget to Gov. Pat McCrory for approval Aug. 2. The proposed budget boosted teacher salaries, but failed to include film incentives, historic preservation tax credits and Medicaid reform.
New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David announced the results of the SBI investigation into the death of former Brunswick County Sheriff Ron Hewett, stating no deputies would be charged in relation to Hewett’s death.
The executive committee of the New Hanover County Republican Party selected Wilmington attorney Michael Lee as the replacement for Sen. Thom Goolsby. The nomination then moved to Gov. Pat McCrory for approval.
The New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority board agreed funds dedicated to tourism-related activities would be reserved for inlet maintenance, but members differed over where $1 million in additional funds should be used.
U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster traveled to Wrightsville Beach for a discussion with leaders from New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick counties to hear their concerns about the effect of federal funding and regulations on coastal management projects.
Wylene Booth McDonald, a 57-year-old Wrightsville Beach resident, fell overboard a vessel in Banks Channel, rendering her unconscious. She was found and rescued by Wrightsville Beach resident Michael Brown and resuscitated by ocean rescue lifeguard Kyle Miess.
September
Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project coordinator Nancy Fahey and volunteer Ginger Taylor organized a beach sweep Monday, Sept. 1. Volunteers picked up 43 bags of trash from the entire beach strand.
The Wilmington City Council discussed new developments in the Wrightsville Sound area focusing on rezoning ordinances for the Galleria property and a new events center on Allens Lane.
New preliminary floodplain maps drew mixed responses from local authorities.
After New Hanover County Commissioner Brian Berger was found guilty of seven violations of his current probation, District Court Judge Robin Wicks Robinson ordered his participation in a jail diversion program and extended his probation a year from the Sept. 9 ruling.
The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen will appoint an ad hoc committee to study and determine the town’s long-term water and sewage needs with consultant Groundwater Management Associates, Inc.
Hundreds of citizens gathered in Riverfront Park during the first Moral Monday rally held in Wilmington. Guest speakers talked about a variety of issues, including education, healthcare and the film incentives program.
North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory and Secretary of Transportation Tony Tata visited Wilmington to unveil the governor’s 25-year plan for transportation infrastructure in southeastern North Carolina.
New Hanover County Commissioners approved the use of room occupancy tax funds collected in District U for inlet maintenance projects. The agreement specifically listed Carolina Beach Inlet and Masons Inlet as eligible to receive assistance.
Judith Margaret Nemeth was sentenced to serve 13-25 months in prison for the hit-and-run death of 27-year-old Zachary Paul Tyler, which occurred one year and two months earlier.
October
A request by New Hanover County officials for relief from bird monitoring requirements at the north end of Wrightsville Beach formally passed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for review more than one year after the request was first made.
Visitors from South Carolina to New England to the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History relayed memories of Hurricane Hazel in remembrance of the storm’s 60th anniversary.
Hope Sutton, research reserve southern sites manager for the N.C. Coastal Reserve and Estuarine Research Reserve, reported Masonboro Island saw far fewer loggerhead sea turtle nests in 2014 compared to the previous four years, with only 15 confirmed. She also reported the beach strand experienced significant sand loss, citing jetty structures as disruptive of sand flow around the island.
The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen agreed to a $292,000 Surface Transportation Project-Direct Attributable grant that would improve the crosswalks at Waynick Boulevard and Causeway Drive and create a sidewalk on Coral Drive.
The New Hanover Board of Education approved the purchase of 18 acres at 202 Edgewater Club Road for $1.6 million and design plans by LS3P Associates for a new school to serve the growing population at the county’s north end.
Wrightsville Beach Police Chief Dan House identified the dead man discovered on the Wrightsille Beach strand as 50-year-old Daniel G. Lloyd in a statement issued Monday, Oct. 20. Lloyd was found lying face down on a blanket immediately south of Public Beach Access No. 31 Oct. 17 by Wrightsville Beach park ranger Shannon Slocum.
To discuss beach renourishment and inlet dredging, Reps. Ted Davis Jr. and Susi Hamilton, Sen. Michael Lee, and New Hanover County Commissioner candidate Rob Zapple joined mayors and boards from Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches for a breakfast meeting at Carolina Beach Town Hall.
Wilmington Police Chief Ralph Evangelous addressed recent shootings following an uptick in gun violence in the south side of the city. He said the shootings could be acts of retaliation and part of the problem could be the recent release of certain repeat offenders.
Sixty-eight-year-old Roger Ackerman died while participating in the PPD Beach2Battleship Triathlon. Ackerman reportedly swam to an off-duty lifeguard on a paddleboard before falling unresponsive.
November
North Carolina voters showed up at early voting locations in unprecedented numbers during the 2014 midterm election, casting more than 1.1 million early votes compared to 960,998 in the 2010 midterm election.
Republican David Rouzer won Congressman Mike McIntyre’s seat against Democrat Jonathan Barfield Jr. and Libertarian J. Wesley Casteen. Republican Thom Tillis defeated Democratic incumbent Senator Kay Hagan by less than 50,000 votes.
Democrat Rob Zapple was elected to the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners, winning the No. 2 spot behind Republican Skip Watkins.
Sen. Michael Lee delivered his victory speech after defeating Democratic candidate Elizabeth Redenbaugh with 55.4 percent of the votes. Incumbent Rep. Rick Catlin defeated Democratic challenger Betsy Jordan with 62 percent of the votes.
The New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority approved guidelines for use of room occupancy tax collected in the unincorporated areas of the county for inlet maintenance.
Citizens responded with concern to a proposed consolidation of city and county fire services during two public information meetings.
The results of a study conducted by University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources from 2008-2014 using DNA from loggerhead sea turtle eggs suggested long-held beliefs about loggerhead nesting habits may not be accurate.
Sutton Lake was reclassified as a water of the state. Previously it was maintained as a public fishery by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and a wastewater treatment facility for Duke Energy’s nearby Sutton Plant.
Stakeholders from coastal storm damage reduction projects on Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches were invited to hear updates from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A strategy to keep future projects within established time frames by securing federal funds and awarding contracts was discussed.
Work plans to assess groundwater contamination at Duke Energy’s 14 coal-fired facilities, including the Sutton Plant near Wilmington, were deemed insufficient by the N.C. Division of Water Resources and returned for revisions after more than one month of review.
Russell Bennett of Poe’s Tavern was offered a conditional use permit and a parking exemption to operate his limited family-friendly franchise at 212 Old Causeway Drive.
Candidates for County Commission and District Court Judge, Dr. Derrick Hickey and Kent Harrell, requested recounts following a canvass of all 66,939 votes cast in New Hanover County.
Former local law enforcement officer Hovie Pope pled guilty to three counts of embezzlement before 5th District Court Judge Alan Cobb Jr.
The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen rejected the addition of 27 boat slips and other amenities at 202 Summer Rest Road. The proposal, made by representatives of Bailey and Associates, Inc., impacted the town’s only sewer connection leading from the island to Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s wastewater treatment plant.
Elections director Marvin McFadyen was arrested on charges of assault on a female days before the New Hanover County Board of Elections and county elections staff recounted ballots to verify the outcome of two close county races.
Economic development opportunities related to the Garner Economics report were discussed by elected officials during the second joint meeting between New Hanover County Commissioners and Wilmington City Council. Topics included film incentives, the announcement of a new, regional micromarketing effort led by North Carolina’s Southeast and supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.
After hearing inaugural results of an annual survey tracking sand movement on New Hanover County’s beaches, coastal leaders agreed the surveys would ultimately help them tackle beach management projects more efficiently and effectively.
The scheduled seating of New Hanover County Commissioners-elect Rob Zapple and Skip Watkins was delayed while the North Carolina State Board of Elections handled an appeal of an elections protest alleging improper influence in one precinct on Election Day.
The North Carolina Holiday Flotilla committee partnered with CastleBranch to introduce a new charity element to the title sponsorship of the event. Corporate sponsors CastleBranch, PPD and McGladry combined efforts to raise $10,000, with $4,000 sponsoring the flotilla and $6,000 going to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics education program at D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy.
A recount of all votes cast in New Hanover County confirmed the elections of Lindsey McKee Luther and Cheri Beasley to District and N.C. Supreme courts. The 186-vote margin between commissioner-elect Rob Zapple and Dr. Derrick Hickey remained unchanged after the recount, but the results could not be certified until an elections protest appealed to the North Carolina State Board of Elections was resolved.
December
Rep. Rick Catlin and Sen. Michael Lee forecast approaches to coal ash management, offshore oil and gas exploration, and updated sea level rise predictions during their two-year terms in the N.C. General Assembly.
Residents living along Coral Drive in Wrightsville Beach expressed support and concerns regarding a proposal to build a sidewalk and speed humps along the street, discussing advantages to schoolchildren, lost yard space and parking, and removal of native trees.
The renovation and expansion of Wrightsville Beach School was delayed by one year following an adjusted schedule to complete projects funded by the voter-approved $160 million school bond referendum.
Mixed-use projects with a proposed height greater than 40 feet received a favorable recommendation from the Wrightsville Beach Planning Board.
The EPA released a ruling to regulate coal ash containment. To ensure existing coal ash storage ponds do not collapse or seep heavy metals and other toxins into nearby water sources, the rule requires each pond undergo groundwater monitoring and regular inspections of structural integrity. Existing ponds that do not meet new requirements will be closed. Coal ash ponds constructed after the rule’s release must be outfitted with liners.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin struck down an increase in homeowner’s insurance for coastal, eastern and western inland regions of New Hanover County. Beaches will see 5.6 percent, the eastern portion 1 percent and the western portion 18 percent. Reductions become effective June 1, 2015.
New Hanover County Commissioners Skip Watkins and Rob Zapple were sworn in Dec. 22. Jonathan Barfield Jr. was elected chairman. Beth Dawson retained her seat as vice chairwoman.
