Pat Bradford to step down as Lumina News publisher

Lumina News publisher/editor Pat Bradford and news director Terry Lane have reached terms on Lane taking over the weekly newspaper’s publishing and ownership. The Thursday Feb. 16 issue will be Bradford’s last as publisher, with Lane taking over the publisher/owner role for print and online editions the following week.

Bradford founded Lumina News in May 2002. Lane joined the paper in July 2015.

Lumina News has been a consistent first place award winner in its North Carolina Press Association newspaper category, including 9 new top awards for 2016, which will be awarded on March 9^th.

“I am excited and pleased by this passing of the torch. Lumina News is an outstanding community paper and I am confident Terry has everything it takes to make it thrive in this new age we are in. He loves the paper and he loves this community,” Bradford said Thursday, Feb. 9, when the news was released.

Bradford said she is proud of the status Lumina News enjoys in the Wrightsville and greater Wilmington community.

“When I went to Raleigh in years past to join the fight against legislation that negatively impacted newspapers, one of the heartwarming eye-openers was how widely read Lumina News was by state legislators including those who do not even represent this district,” she said.

Bradford said she will focus more of her attention on the stellar monthly sister publication she co-founded in fall of 2000, Wrightsville Beach Magazine.

“I am excited to go to work every day,” she said. “The magazine has never been more exceptional. It blesses me mightily to hear readers repeatedly express their increasing delight in the quality of Wrightsville Beach Magazine. Over our 17-year history I never dreamed we would reach so many people with stories of such importance. It is an honor to do what we do every month.”

Bradford also indicated she would be filing for local office for the next election cycle.

“I came to Wrightsville Beach on an impulse and wound up falling in love with it here. I’m humbled and honored to have this opportunity to deliver the news and stories about this wonderful place,” Lane said. “I’ve promised Pat that I will put every effort into preserving and growing the distinguished legacy she built at Lumina News. It will be a challenge, but one I enthusiastically accept.”