LELAND, NC (WWAY) — We want to hear your thoughts on the latest top news topics!

Click HERE to cast your vote and let your voice be heard.

Tune in to WWAY to see how the rest of the community votes.

WASHINGTON, DC (WWAY) — The Smithsonian National Museum of American History wants copies of your trips to Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California.

The museum is looking for pictures for all decades to show how the parks has changed over time.

Candid photos, posed phots, and even blurry photos are all OK and the museum wants your story behind the photos too.

Not all photos will be used due to limited space and privacy and permissions rules will be in place, but a great number are expected to be catalogued and kept for posterity.

To send your photos click here.  Don’t forget to include contact information!

 

 

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Omicron variant is making an already challenging year even harder for restaurants across the Cape Fear. Even the most successful shops in Wilmington say supply shortages, staffing issues, and price increases are burning local eateries.

Molly Kurnyn, co-owner of Cheesesmith says they close the restaurant Mondays to give staff a break. Though crowds are back, prices for basic supplies like to-go containers and food have gone up 25 percent.

“Everything. Cheese, bread. All the things we use in our food,” Kurnyn said.

Supply chain shortages also pushed back the brick and mortar’s opening.

She continued, “We literally were waiting to open to get refrigerators because they’re not manufacturing them.”

Kurnyn and her husband applied to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which according to NC Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Lynn Minges quickly ran dry last year.

“During that time, we saw about 2,500 restaurants in North Carolina receive funds,” Minges said. “But essentially there were about 6,000 that were eligible, that have not yet received funding.”

Congress will consider renewing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) this February. In the meantime, Kurnyn and her husband take on multiple shifts to make up for labor shortages. They hope customers will support local businesses more and complain about cost less.

“A lot of people come in and think that it’s insane there’s a 13 dollar grilled cheese,” the business owner explained. “But we just take a number of what it costs for us to make it, add in labor, and come up with this little sliver that’s left. And that’s what we keep. And as soon as a pipe breaks or our heat breaks, or whatever, that profit margin gets chipped away.”

Without grants, she worries hundreds of local restaurants could shut down by winter’s end. According to the National Restaurant Association, replenishing the RRF could save 1.6 million jobs.

Kurnyn hopes in spite of COVID-19 and the typical slowdown that comes with winter, people will step up and help out.

“It’s time for a beer and a grilled cheese,” she grinned. “Right now.”

 

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington is kicking off the new year with a huge list of programming for children and adults.  The events include Martin Luther King holiday programming for kids, homeschooling help, painting classes, readings, yoga, and the return of Jazz@cam.

Here is the complete list:

January 2022

Saturday and Sunday January 15^th and 16^th

KIDS @ CAM – I Have A Dream Peace Flag weekend

In-Person: Saturday, January 15^th or Sunday, January 16^th

Cameron Art Museum honors the life and work of civil rights activist Martin Luther King with the “I Have a Dream” Peace Flag Project. We invite the community to take inspiration from King’s iconic speech from 1963 and think deeply about our own hopes and dreams for ourselves, our city, our nation, and the world. These dreams will be written on squares of cloth, emblematic of the peace prayer flags created for centuries in Tibet. Your peace flag will be included in a community installation that will be displayed around the CAM pond. Together, these flags represent our collective desire for racial unity, community healing, and peace.

Packages for classes will be available. Please check our website for registration and participation details, or email education@cameronartmuseum.org to find out ways to involve your students!

 

Sunday, January 16

2 pm

Members: $16 Nonmembers: $20 Students: $12

USCT Public Programs Series: Mary D. Williams

Join us as musician, educator, and historian Mary D. Williams explores the legacy of the USCT through song. Williams has performed and provided her voice to the soundtrack of Blood Done Sign My Name (February 2010). She has also performed at the North Carolina State Capitol and has been featured on Dick Gordon’s The Story, as well as on National Public Radio. Williams is both a scholar and a musician, whose breathtaking voice takes listeners on a journey through time.

Tuesdays, January 18 – February 8

10am – 12pm

 

Homeschool Tuesdays

Instructor: Renato Abbate

CAM member price: $108; non-member: $120

This clay class will cover all the basic hand building techniques:  pinch, coil, and slab. Students will also discuss 3-D design elements as well as bisque and glaze firing.

Tuesdays, January 18 – February 22

10am – 1pm

 

Principles of Drawing

Instructor: Todd Carignan

CAM member price: $234; non-member price: $260

The foundation of all representational art is drawing. This class covers how to start a drawing, measuring, mark-making, arranging your subject and lighting, creating texture and depth.

Tuesday, January 18 – February 8

4pm – 5:30pm

 

Create a Story

Instructor: Carolyn Faulkner

CAM member price: $85.50; non-member: $95

Draw an outline using your favorite bird, insect, animal or whatever you choose. Even an anime character that you create! Then draw a story inside using designs and/or memories. This can be make believe or something personal you wish to express. You will then color with markers or colored pencil. Your story can be hidden, by attaching another cutout layer (such as a wing on the bird). It will be like opening a book! We will continue to explore more pieces and movement on your art as time permits.

Wednesday, January 19

9 – 10 am

 

Gentle Yoga with Steve Unger

Donation $5

Wednesday, January 19

1:30 pm

 

Public Tour

Free with admission

Wednesday, January 19

 

Capturing our Colorful Coastal Skies

Instructor: Carolyn Faulkner

CAM member price: $153; non-member: $170

Living in coastal Carolina you most likely have witnessed the variety of skies; from brilliant sunrises/sunsets to threatening thunder skies and everything in between. This course will provide you with the basic concepts of achieving some of those classic features found in our colorful skies. In this class you will learn the balance between soft and hard edges while creating beautiful multi-colored sunrises, sunsets, and storm clouds, using acrylic paints. This course will provide you with the confidence to be bold with your brush and colors as you softly blend colors to achieve that memorable look. Some key features of this course are understanding that nothing is truly white in the sky and the use of a variety of colors becomes an asset. Both sky and clouds have some of the softest edges found in nature. A balance between soft and hard edges are important to the painter to describe the volume of the clouds and their translucency.

Thursday, January 20

All Day

 

Member Preview of Confluence

Member tours at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 5:00 pm, and 7:00 pm

Friday, January 21

 

Public Opening of Confluence

11:00 am Gallery Talk with Artist Gene Felice

CAM Member $15/ NonMember $20

Thursday, January 20

10am – 4pm

 

Watercolor Fresh Market workshop

Instructor: Janice Castiglione

CAM member price: $171; non-member: $190

Spend two days painting still lives. There’s something to be said about painting from life and having it right in front of you. Each participant will be asked to bring in a fresh fruit or vegetable to add to existing backdrops. What fun! On Day Two, we will change places to work on new compositions, so bring a camera.

 

Educators Night

Thursday, January 20^th

4pm to 7pm

FREE for teachers

Spend a fun and relaxing evening at CAM with free admission during an exclusive event for educators and view our new exhibitions. Docents in the galleries will answer your questions and provide information about the exhibitions. Our Educators Night will provide information and materials about tours, workshops, and other free resources for area educators. All educators and administrators – from Pre-K to College – welcome and encouraged to attend and explore fun ways to bring art into your classroom and spark creativity in your students.

Thursdays, January 20 – February 24

6 – 9pm

 

Thursday Night Clay

Instructor: Renato Abbate

CAM member price: $225; nonmember: $250

A fun class for all skill levels. Make your own custom plates or mugs. Work on some wild sculpture. Explore how clay can work for you and gain a new appreciation for handmade pottery.

 

Gallery Talk: Antoinette Vogt

Saturday, January 22

1pm-2pm

Artist Toni Vogt will discuss the prints by Willy Cole in the Shadow We Create exhibition.  His printing process is akin to a collagraph, where found objects are used to create a printing plate.  By using ironing boards, Cole finds a new means to explore a familiar motif.

Antoinette Angela Vogt received a B.F.A. with a concentration in Drawing from the State University of New York at Purchase and a Master of Architecture from New Jersey Institute of Technology. She worked in Architecture for several years while teaching drawing at night through Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, NC. After moving to Norman, Oklahoma in 2011, she began volunteering at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art assisting in the classroom for their educational programs. Antoinette also taught drawing at a small art school in Norman before moving on to teach Drawing and Art Appreciation at Oklahoma City Community College.

Sunday, January 23

2 pm

 

Reading: Jason Mott, Hell of a Book, winner of the 2021 National Book Award

CAM members $10/ Nonmembers: $15

Free for students

Admission includes entry to the galleries

***2021 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER***

Winner of the 2021 Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction

Longlisted for the 2022 Carnegie Medal Fiction, the 2021 Joyce Carol Oates Prize and the 2021 Aspen Words Literary Prize

A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

One of Washington Post‘s 50 Notable Works of Fiction | One of Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Best Books of 2021 | One of Shelf Awareness’s Top Ten Fiction Titles of the Year | One of TIME Magazine’s 100 Must-Read Books | One of NPR.org’s “Books We Love” | EW’s “Guide to the Biggest and Buzziest Books of 2021” | One of the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Adults | One of Entertainment Weekly‘s 15 Books you Need to Read This June | On Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List” | One of The NY Post‘s Best Summer Reading books | One of GMA’s 27 Books for June | One of USA Today‘s 5 Books Not to Miss | One of Fortune‘s 21 Most Anticipated Books Coming out in the Second Half of 2021 | One of The Root‘s PageTurners: It’s Getting Hot in Here | One of Real Simple‘s Best New Books to Read in 2021 |One of The Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Best of 2021

Join National Book Award Winner Jason Mott for a reading from Hell of a Book. Hell of a Book is an astounding work of fiction from a New York Times bestselling author Jason Mott, always deeply honest, at times electrically funny, that goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans, and America as a whole. Jason Mott has published four novels. His first novel, The Returned, was a New York Times bestseller and was turned into a TV series that ran for two seasons. He has a BFA in Fiction and an MFA in Poetry, both from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. His poetry and fiction have appeared in various literary journals, and his most recent novel, Hell of a Book, was named the winner of the National Book Award for Fiction, 2021.

Wednesday, January 26

9 – 10 am

 

Gentle Yoga with Steve Unger

Donation $5

Wednesday, January 26

1:30 pm

 

Public Tour

Free with admission

Thursday, January 27

10 am – 11 am

 

Art Explorers with Airlie Gardens

Thursday, January 27

10am – 1pm

 

The Power of Pastels Returns to CAM!

Instructor: Jerri Greenberg

CAM member price: $171; non-member: $190

Come along and explore the sheer joy of painting in pastels, learn to use different brands, softness, papers, and lighting to make the “ordinary EXTRAordinary”. Each week we will work from a still life setup or a model, to expand your repertoire and your comfort zones, working with this wonderful, immediate medium.

Thursday, January 27

6pm – 8:30pm

 

Art Buzz- Mixed Media Fashion Illustration

Instructor: Jennifer Gironda

CAM member price: $45; non-member: $50

Join us for a fashion sketching session featuring mixed media collage materials.  We will work from various images from fashion magazines (feel free to bring images from YOUR favorite runway looks!) and we will go over how to do a quick croquis and then add the garments using a variety of 2D collage materials.  An assortment of papers and adhesives will be available, but please feel free to bring any scrap papers, magazine pages or other materials for your looks!

Thursday, January 27

7 pm

 

Exhibitions After Dark: Gallery Talk with Zedrick Applin

Learn about Stephen Hayes’s exhibition Voices of Future’s Past from the unique perspective of community member Zedrick Applin, Program Manager, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Involvement at nCino. Join Zedrick for this interaction conversation and grab dinner and a cocktail from CAM Café before or after. Free with admission.

Fridays, January 28 – March 4

10am – 12pm

 

Interactive color

Instructor: Lois DeWitt

CAM member price: $153; non-member: $170

Interaction of Color by Josef Albers was published by Yale University in 1963. A seminal study, it provided new perspectives on color and how it is perceived visually. Through a series of visual projects using Color-aid papers, students develop new cognitive and visual skills towards seeing and analyzing the perception of color. These skills can transfer easily to other artistic skills like painting, drawing and printmaking.  Keeping close to Alber’s instruction and projects, this six-week course leads students through a series of fascinating, unique and informative color theory using Color-aid and found papers.

Saturday, January 29

11– 4pm

 

Memory Jar – Capturing Your Past through Narrative and Assemblage

Instructor: Fritzi Huber and Dina Greenberg

CAM member price: $72; non-member: $80

Why is it so difficult to throw away all the “stuff” we accumulate? Perhaps these objects carry meaning beyond simple explanation. In this five-hour workshop: (1) We’ll first use (your chosen) objects to spark a brief work of creative writing: poetry, prose, or hybrid (2) create a three-dimensional “memory jar” to capture the meaning of your treasures.

  

February 2022

Wednesday, February 2 – 23

6pm – 8pm

 

VIRTUAL- Winter Words on Paper – Telling our Stories in Memoir

Instructor: Dina Greenberg

CAM member price: $108; non-member price: $120

You, dear writer, are uniquely qualified to tell the stories of your past, present, and perhaps even an imagined future.  This creative writing workshop in memoir for adult writers is open to community participants with varying degrees of writing expertise. The workshop follows a traditional format where group members critique one another’s work with the instructor’s guidance. Literature and craft articles will also be presented for discussion. The goal is to instill respect and compassion in the critique process while helping participants improve their writing and literary analysis.

Thursdays, February 3 – March 10

4:30 – 6:30pm

 

Foundations of Drawing: Teen and Young Adult

Instructor: Antoinette Vogt

CAM member price: $148.50; non-member: $165

Learn how to draw realistically through the study of still life. Students will develop drawing skills by understanding and improving ability to see objects in space to better represent them on the page. Learn how to see and draw objects in proportion and understand perspective. Topics covered will include working with line; blind and modified contour drawing; seeing and drawing negative space (the space around objects); visual perspective (perceiving angles using sighting technique); proportion (objects in relations to one another).

Friday, February 4^th

12pm

 

‘Resilience’ Community Screening

View the award-winning documentary ‘Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope’. The film screens in our spacious reception hall from 12 PM to 1 PM, followed by an optional brief discussion with other community members. Learn about the New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force. https://www.nhcbouncesback.org/

The CAM offers free screenings of ‘Resilience’ on the first Friday of each month (unless there is a holiday and then it moves to the second Friday). Feel free to grab lunch at the CAM café, or bring your own lunch!

No fee and no registration necessary.

Fridays, February 4 – 25

1pm – 3pm

 

Introduction to Ikebana

Instructor: Karen Chevrotee

CAM member price: $117; non-member: $130

IKEBANA, the Art of Japanese Flower Arranging. Originally used in Temples, simple, elegant, at once meditative. Following prescribed rules to create Beauty for your home or office with natural flowers, leaves and branches.

Friday, February 4

8-9am

 

All Levels Flow Yoga with Kim Gargiulo

Saturday & Sunday, February 5 – 6

10am – 4pm & noon – 4pm

 

Rock, Paper Stitches – Joomchi & Embroidery  – Virtual

CAM member price: $144; non-member: $160

‘Rock’ two slow-process crafts in one unique class! Day 1 will concentrate on learning an ancient Korean paper craft to create a ‘felted’ paper called joomchi. Joomchi utilizes layers of thin hanji papers that, through agitation and manipulation, create a sturdy piece that can be used alone or in other artistic endeavors. One such endeavor will be achieved on Day 2. Taking the previous day’s joomchi pieces, you’ll use simple hand stitches for mark making, to add found objects, or to stitch several joomchi together for a larger, dramatic piece of finished paper art. (This is not a paper making class.)

Thursday, February 10

7pm-8pm

 

Exhibitions After Dark: Gallery Talk with Cedric Harrison

Cedric Harrison, a Wilmington native, is the founder of both Support the Port and wilmingtoNColor. Harrison has dedicated his professional career to supporting and creating opportunities for economic growth and advancement for African Americans in the Wilmington area. He is a local historian (in his own right) and passionate about the rich history of African Americans in Wilmington, NC.

Due to his impactful efforts and work, Harrison has earned several accolades and much recognition in this space. Most recently, Harrison was a recipient of the 40 under 40 award presented by StarNews meds and Wilmington Chamber of Commerce – an award which recognizes professionals who are high performers in their field.

In 2019, Harrison was selected out of over 400 applicants to be part of the inaugural cohort of the All for NC Fellows. Since the fellowship, Harrison has seized the opportunity to continue his journey of bringing transformational change to his local community.

Cedric Harrison also had the opportunity to deliver his first TEDx talk in 2019 at the TEDx Airlie event in Wilmington, NC. His speech, Bridging the Racial Gap of Socio-Economics, provided viewers with a compelling history lesson on Wilmington in conversation with his personal experiences and journey.

Friday, February 11

8-9am

 

All Levels Flow Yoga with Kim Gargiulo

Saturday, February 12 & February 19

10 – 1pm

 

Collagraph Printmaking Workshop

Instructor: Antoinette Vogt

CAM member price: 81; non-member: $90

A two-day workshop to learn the art of collagraph printmaking using plates created by collage. In this workshop students will create printing plates by gluing elements onto the printing surface to create an image. Students are asked to gather collage supplies ahead of time and bring them to the first-class session. Collage items should not be more than 1/8″ thick and can include scraps of cardboard; textured item such as sandpaper, fabric, burlap or lace; string or twine, leaves. seeds, buttons, etc. Students will create their plates during the first session and print them during the second session.

 

Saturday, February 12

1pm – 2:30pm

CAM Members $20/ Nonmembers $25

 

Book Buzz- Women Who Misbehave

Instructor: Sayantani Dasgupta with Heather Wilson

Join author Sayantani Dasgupta for a discussion of her new novel, “Women Who Misbehave”. Dasgupta states, “Well-behaved or not, woman or not, each of our lives is made up of stories. How you tell it is where the art lies. Each of us lives through historic moments every day, and ends up with thousands of stories. Now who gets to tell stories, whose stories are valued and heard is another matter altogether.” Registration includes a glass of wine or sparkling water. Studio dinner and half-priced bottles of wine available from the CAM Cafe.

Sayantani Dasgupta has taught creative writing in the United States, India, Italy, and Mexico. She is an essayist, a short story writer, and the author of Fire Girl: Essays On India, America, & The In-Between- a finalist for the 2016 Foreword Indies Award for Essays- and the chapbook The House Of Nails: Memories Of A New Delhi Childhood. Born in Calcutta and raised in New Delhi, Sayantani received a BA in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, an MA in Medieval History from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Idaho.

Saturday, February 12

11am – 2pm

 

Woven Hand built Ceramic Basket

Instructor: Shannon Gehen

CAM member price: $50; non-member: $55

Learn how to make a woven ceramic basket, combining the tradition of basket weaving with the ease of a glazed surface for your kitchen, coffee table, or special event.

Sunday, February 13

 

WSO Sunday Concert Series

2-3pm

Thursday, February 17

 

Jazz@ CAM

6:30-8:00pm

$25 for CAM and CFJS members, $30 for non-members, $15 for students and military

The John Brown Quintet

The multi-talented John Brown brings his quintet to the CAM on February 3. The performance is part of our ongoing concert series, which begins at 6:30 PM.

A successful bassist, composer, educator and actor, John currently serves as Vice Provost for the Arts at Duke University. He has a long history of performance excellence. At the age of 13, he began performing with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. He was playing Principal Bass with that orchestra and performing with the Florence Symphony in South Carolina while still in high school.

John has performed in the United States and abroad with artists that include Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Elvin Jones, Nnenna Freelon, Diahann Carroll, Rosemary Clooney, Nell Carter, Lou Donaldson, Slide Hampton, Nicholas Payton, Frank Foster, Larry Coryell, Cedar Walton, Fred Wesley and Mark Whitfield.  He also has a Grammy nomination for his performance and co-writing on Nnenna Freelon’s 1996 Concord release, Shaking Free. His extensive experience includes performances at notable venues like Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Blue Note, Blues Alley, and the Hollywood Bowl and at major jazz festivals like the Playboy Jazz Festival, the JVC Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Free Jazz Festival (Brazil) and Jazz e Vienne (France).

For more information on any of these events click here.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Cameron Art Musuem’s Floating Lantern Ceremony is Sunday, January 9 on the museum’s grounds.

This year it returns to an in-person event at the Reflection Pond.  It is called an expression of remembrance, reflection, and gratitude.

CAM admission lets you into all the indoor exhibitions, but the Lantern Ceremony is free.  There will be live music near the pond, hot chocolates, beverages, and light food service from the CAM Cafe.

Lantern sales are happening now for you to decorate for $12 at the CAM Museum Shop.  The ceremony is from 4 – 7pm.

Click here for more information.

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — Country music megastars Shenandoah will bring ‘The Every Road Tour’ to Brunswick Community College’s Odell Williamson Auditorium on January 15.

Led by Marty Raybon’s distinctive vocals, the group is celebrated for hits like “Two Dozen Roses,” “Church on Cumberland Road,” and the Grammy winning “Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart.”  The band’s latest album includes collaborations with Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Lady A, and Brad Paisley.

The stop in Bolivia comes just days before the band returns to the Grand Ole Opry stage on January 21.

Tickets are available by clicking here.

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Two people including a state highway patrol trooper were killed in a traffic crash Monday night.

The accident occurred around 8:58 p.m. in Boiling Springs near the intersection of High Shoals Church Road and Goodes Grove Church Road.

Trooper John S. Horton had pulled over a driver and both of were standing alongside the road prior to the deadly crash.

The trooper’s brother, Trooper James N. Horton, also responded to the scene to assist. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Horton collided with his brother’s patrol vehicle striking Trooper John Horton and the detained driver.

Trooper John Horton was taken to a hospital in Spartanburg, SC, where he later died from his injuries. He was a 15-year veteran assigned to Rutherford County.

The detained driver died at the scene and the highway patrol has not released that person’s identity at this time.

Trooper James Horton was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and released.

“Our hearts are broken with the loss of our friend and our brother, Trooper John Horton” said Colonel Freddy L. Johnson Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol. “For all involved in this tragic event, the coming days will undoubtedly be difficult but we are committed to stand alongside with them with our thoughts, prayers and unwavering support.”

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the crash along with assistance from the NC State Highway Patrol Collision Reconstruction Unit.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.

The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.

Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.

But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.

“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”

He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.

“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.

“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.

For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.

“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”

“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”

Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.

Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.

With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.

“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”

The Raiders responded.

“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. … How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”

And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.

Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.

Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.

The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.

In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”

Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.

The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.

Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.

“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”

Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Cape Fear Public Utility Authority will be closed for New Year’s Eve on Friday, December 31.

The Customer Service Centers at 235 Government Center Drive and 305 Chestnut Street will reopen for regular business at 8am Monday, January 3.

Customers may manage their accounts using the Interactive Voice-Response system by calling 910-332-6550 or online via the Customer Self-Service portal by clicking here.

To report a water or sewer emergency during the holiday, call CFPUA’s emergency hotline at 910-332-6565.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Nobody won the Powerball or Mega Millions drawings this week, so there a lot of money on the line right now.

Tonight you have a chance to win more than 378 million dollars in the Powerball drawing. It has a cash value of nearly 276 million.

If you don’t win tonight you have another chance on Friday.  The Mega Millions Jackpot stands at 187 million dollars.  It has a cash value of more than 134 million.

Your chances of winning are estimated to be about 1 in nearly 14 million.

 

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The holidays can be difficult for military members, veterans, and military families.  Festive events can trigger feelings of loneliness, isolation, grief, survivor’s guilt, and sadness.  Large crowds and loud noises can bring on PTSD symptoms.

Coastal Horizons and the nonprofit Save A Vet Now (SAVN) are working to help veterans and military members get outpatient treatment services.  SAVN has a special account to cover any co-pay or self-pay costs for treatment at its Brunswick, New Hanover, or Pender outpatient locations.

Coastal Horizons offers services to promote healthier lives, stronger families and safer communities. Telemental Health Therapist and veteran Justin Gibson says “there is no need for them to ‘go it alone.’ Help is just a phone call away.”

If you need help reach out to Coastal Horizons at the following numbers:

•  New Hanover County        910-343-0145
•  Brunswick County              910-754-4515
•  Pender County                    910-259-0668

For immediate help call Mobile Crisis at 1-866-437-1821.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Saint Nicholas Foundation is spreading cheer near and far to make sure no child or elderly person is forgotten at the holidays.  The foundation gives toys and gifts to more than 500 people in six states.

Founder Nicholas Newell was born on Christmas day and is lovingly referred to as St. Nick.  The organization says it’s goal is to “Spread holiday cheer near and far.  Making sure no child or elder in need is forgotten.  Everyone makes our nice list.”

Newell says the pandemic changed how things were done the past two years but now he is “happy that we can at least bring them gifts.”  He adds that he “started this organization informally 8 years ago asking family and friends to donate so I could purchase stuffed animals for kids in hospitals. In 2018 we expanded to those in assisted living facilities.”

The foundation is accepting donations in various ways.  You can donate through Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and Corning Credit Union as well as other options.

Learn all you options by visiting here.

 

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — It’s a candy cane Christmas in Southport!  The Southport Garden Club displaying dozens of handmade candy canes in Keziah Park as part of Winterfest and to support a more beautiful and green city.

The Candy Cane Garden Party kicks off at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Keziah Park in downtown Southport.  It features candy canes decorated by local businesses, organizations, and individuals.  The event is free and includes hot chocolate and entertainment.

Other Winterfest events this week:

•  Annual Cookie Contest, December 8, 3 – 5:30pm, Community Building
• Supper with Santa’s Elves, December 8, 5-7pm, 209 Atlantic Ave., beside Southport Gym
• Christmas movie ‘Polar Express,’ December 9, dusk, Garrison Lawn
• Costumed Holiday History Tour, December 10, 3pm, 204 E. Moore St.
• Caroling with The Sea Notes, December 10, 5:30pm, Franklin Square Park Stage
• Light Up the Night Christmas Parade, December 10, 6:30pm, Howe St.
• Winter Craft Festival, December 11, 9am – 4pm, Franklin Square Park
• Winterfest Performing Arts, December 11, 9am – 4pm, Franklin Square Park
• Book Sale, December 11, 9am – noon, 727 N. Howe St.
• Santa’s Workshop, December 11, 10 – 11am, 209 Atlantic Ave., beside Southport Gym
• Southport Christmas Flotilla, December 11, 7pm, Southport Waterfront

For more information click here.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear looks to a world in which every family has a home, a livelihood, and the chance to build a better future.  It is celebrating 25 years of providing case management, transitional housing, and emergency shelter to families in need.

The 25th Anniversary Celebration Low Country Boil has a happy hour, dinner, and entertainment from comedian Orlando Jones.

Board member Karon Tunis says the event is about “educating people about Family Promise and letting them know that we have been active in the Lower Cape Fear for 25 years.”

The event is at Plaza on Princess in downtown Wilmington Tuesday, December 7, 2021, and kicks off at 6pm.

For tickets or more information click here.

 

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The 2022 North Carolina Azalea Festival has a signature event before spring arrives.  The 2022 Chef’s Showcase will bring together five chefs from around the state to the Hotel Ballast in January.

The Showcase is a seated culinary adventure consisting of a 5-course meal with fine wine pairings, light entertainment, high-end silent auction items, and a luxury vacation raffle. Notable chefs from our region (and beyond!) work together to prepare the dishes.

The chefs this year are:

•  Sheri Castle, host of The Key Ingredient with Sheri Castle, on PBS North Carolina
• Tiesha Lewis, the 2021 North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association Chef Showdown Pastry Chef of the Year
• Saif Rahman, the 2021 North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association Chef Showdown Chef of the Year
• Nathan Sims, Hotel Ballast Executive Chef
• Fabio Capparelli, Bluewater Grill Executive Chef

The event is Saturday, January 29, 2022, from 1 – 4pm at The Hotel Ballast in downtown Wilmington.

For more information and tickets click here.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — The Wilmington Police Department will host its first Drone Day community event later this month, aimed at educating the public on how drone technology is used within public safety.

The event is scheduled for April 25 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the police department.

According to the Wilmington Police Department, attendees will have the opportunity to watch live drone demonstrations and learn how the technology is used in law enforcement operations.

Officials said the event will also allow community members to meet officers and drone operators, as well as tour the department’s museum.

The department said the event is designed to be family-friendly and will include STEM-related activities for children.

A local ice cream vendor is also expected to be on site.

Police said they are continuing to accept vendors interested in participating in the event.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Delta Foundation of the Cape Fear is set to present a Celebration of African American Arts & Culture as part of the 2026 North Carolina Azalea Festival.

The event will take place Saturday, April 11 at 4 p.m. at Union Missionary Baptist Church.

Organizers say the event will honor the rich and diverse culture of African Americans in the Cape Fear region through music, dance, theatre and visual art. The program is co-sponsored by the Women’s Impact Network.

Performances will feature a wide range of talent, including a Scott Joplin tribute by a quartet from the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, as well as performers from North Carolina Central University Performing Arts Department.

The university’s performers will include a jazz band, vocal jazz artists, theatre company, dance ensemble and choir.

The event will also honor the late Lloyd “Madafo” Wilson, described by organizers as a prominent community educator, musician, storyteller and artist. Guests will be welcomed by drummers from the Pamoja! Drummers Troupe.

In addition to performances, attendees can view visual art displays featuring works by Milton Gore Jr. and students from New Hanover and Brunswick counties.

Organizers say the Delta Foundation has been a featured part of the Azalea Festival for three consecutive years and continues its mission to promote diversity and celebrate the African American experience through the arts.

Tickets are available online.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Grammy-winning artist Lauren Daigle is set to perform in Wilmington this summer.

According to an announcement from Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Daigle will take the stage on Friday, June 12.

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 10 at 10 a.m., with presale access beginning April 8 at 10 a.m. through Live Nation’s All Access program.

Daigle is a prominent voice in contemporary Christian music, known for crossover success into mainstream charts. Her breakout album “Look Up Child” featured the multi-platinum hit “You Say,” which spent more than a year at No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian charts. She has won multiple Grammy Awards and Billboard Music Awards and is recognized for blending gospel, pop and soul influences.

In recent years, Daigle has expanded her reach beyond Christian music audiences, performing on major television programs and touring internationally

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived enemies.

The announcement follows months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation that made Bondi the target of angry conservatives even with her close relationship with Trump. She also struggled to satisfy Trump’s demands to prosecute his political rivals, with multiple investigations rejected by judges or grand juries.

The former Florida attorney general came into office last year pledging that she would not play politics with the Justice Department, but she quickly started investigations of Trump foes, sparking an outcry that the law enforcement agency was being wielded as a tool of revenge to advance the president’s political and personal agenda.

Bondi ushered in a period of intense turmoil at the department that included the firings of career prosecutors deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump and the resignations of hundreds of other employees. Her departure continues a trend of Justice Department upheaval that has defined Trump’s presidency as multiple attorneys general across his two terms have either been pushed out or resigned after proving unwilling or unable to meet his demands for the position.

Bondi rejected accusations that she politicized the Justice Department and said her mission was to restore the institution’s credibility after overreach by President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration with two federal criminal cases against Trump. Bondi’s defenders have said she worked to refocus the department to better tackle illegal immigration and violent crime and brought much-needed change to an agency they believe unfairly targeted conservatives.

Embracing, supporting and protecting the president

Bondi’s public embrace of the president, however, marked a sharp departure from her predecessors, who generally took pains to maintain an arm’s-length distance from the White House to protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions. Bondi postured herself as Trump’s chief supporter and protector, praising and defending him in congressional hearings and placing a banner with his face on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters.

She called for an end to the “weaponization” of law enforcement she said occurred under the Biden administration, even though Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, and Jack Smith, the special counsel who produced two cases against Trump, have said they followed the facts, the evidence and the law in their decision-making. Bondi’s critics, meanwhile, said she was the one who had politicized the agency to do the president’s bidding.

“You’ve turned the People’s Department of Justice into Trump’s instrument of revenge,” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary committee, said at a February hearing.

Bondi delivered a combative performance but few substantive answers at that hearing as she angrily insulted her Democratic questioners with name-calling, praised Trump over the performance of the stock market — “The Dow is up over 50,000 right now” —- and openly aligned herself as in sync with a president whom she painted as a victim of past impeachments and investigations.

Even Republicans began to challenge her, with the Republican-led House Oversight Committee last month issuing a subpoena to her to appear for a closed-door interview about the Epstein files.

Under Bondi’s leadership, the department opened investigations into a string of Trump foes, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan. The high-profile prosecutions of Comey and James were short-lived as they were quickly thrown out by a judge who ruled that the prosecutor who brought the cases was illegally appointed.

Trump repeatedly publicly praised and defended Bondi but also showed flashes of impatience with his attorney general’s efforts to meet his demands to prosecute his rivals. In one extraordinary social media post last year, Trump called on Bondi to move quickly to prosecute his foes, including James and Comey, telling her: “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility.”

Bondi oversaw the exodus of thousands of career employees — both through firings and voluntary departures — including lawyers who prosecuted violent attacks on police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; environmental, civil rights and ethics enforcers; counterterrorism prosecutors; and others.

Fumbling the Epstein files

She struggled to overcome early stumbles over the Epstein files that angered conservatives eager for government bombshells about the case, which has long fascinated conspiracy theorists. She herself had fed the conspiracy theory machine with a suggestion in a 2025 Fox News Channel interview that Epstein’s “client list” was sitting on her desk for review. The department later acknowledged that no such document exists.

Bondi was ridiculed over a move to hand out binders of Epstein files to conservative influencers at the White House only for it to be later revealed that the documents included no new revelations. And despite promises that more files were going to become public, the Justice Department in July said no more would be released, prompting Congress to pass a bill to force the agency to do so.

The Epstein files fumbles led to a stunning public criticism from White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, a close friend of Bondi’s, who told Vanity Fair that the attorney general “completely whiffed.” The Justice Department’s release of millions of pages of Epstein files did little to tamp down criticism, prompting a House committee with the support of five Republicans to subpoena Bondi to answer questions under oath.

Bondi, who defended Trump during his first impeachment trial, was his second choice to lead the Justice Department, picked for the role after former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.

FORT FISHER, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is inviting runners and families to take part in the 2026 Race for the Planet, a community event promoting conservation and healthy living.

The annual race is scheduled for Sunday, April 19 at 8 a.m. at Battle Acre Park and will also serve as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the North Carolina Aquariums.

The event includes a 5K race through the historic Fort Fisher area, with a route along the Atlantic Ocean, as well as a one-mile fun run for participants of all ages. Organizers say this year’s course will differ slightly due to ongoing renovations and expansion at the aquarium.

“Our race brings together runners of all levels and ages, teams, families and friends groups who are inspired to get moving for themselves and for the planet,” said Joanna Zazzali, director of the aquarium. “We are excited to welcome everyone for a special race this year in honor of our 50 years of inspiring wonder.”

Following the race, a community festival will feature activities including putt-putt golf, carnival games, food trucks and story time with Mr. Scooter. The anniversary celebration is open to the public.

Proceeds from the event will support the aquarium through the North Carolina Aquarium Society, a nonprofit organization that helps fund programs and initiatives across the state’s aquarium system.

Organizers encourage those interested in participating in the 5K or fun run to register ahead of the event.

RALEIGH (WWAY) — A statewide effort to prevent the spread of rabies in wildlife is resuming this month after a previous delay.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says it is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute oral rabies vaccines for raccoons across western North Carolina.

The program, originally scheduled for October 2025, was postponed due to a federal government shutdown.

Beginning April 8 through April 25, vaccine baits will be distributed by air across multiple counties, including Ashe, Buncombe, Henderson and Watauga counties. Additional distribution in the Asheville area will take place by helicopter and by hand from April 13 through April 16.

Health officials say the goal is to stop the spread of raccoon rabies west of the Appalachian Mountains, where the virus is not currently present.

“We are excited to partner with USDA on this important program to prevent the spread of rabies,” said Emily Herring, a public health veterinarian with NCDHHS. “North Carolinians can continue to do their part by making sure their pets are up to date on rabies vaccines and avoiding contact with wildlife.”

The bait packets contain an oral vaccine that activates a raccoon’s immune system when consumed. The packets are coated in fishmeal to attract animals and are typically about the size of a matchbox.

Officials say intact baits are not harmful to people, pets or wildlife. However, residents are advised to avoid handling them when possible. If a bait is found in a yard or driveway, it can be moved to a more wooded area using gloves or a towel.

State data shows rabies remains a concern. In 2025, more than 4,000 animals were tested for rabies in North Carolina, with about 6% testing positive. Raccoons accounted for the highest number of positive cases.

Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, making prevention critical. Officials emphasize that while the oral vaccine is safe, pets should still receive routine rabies vaccinations from a veterinarian as required by state law.

The distribution is expected to wrap up by April 25, depending on weather conditions.

RALEIGH (WWAY) — Drought conditions are worsening across North Carolina, with 15 counties now classified under extreme drought and most of the state experiencing severe or moderate drought, according to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council.

Data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center shows precipitation totals over the past six months are nearly 10 inches below normal in many areas, with some locations seeing even greater deficits. Rainfall stations at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Hickory and the Charlotte area have recorded their driest six-month periods on record.

The lack of rainfall has also led to historically low water levels. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, many streams and rivers across the state are at all-time lows.

“Winter is usually the time when North Carolina’s water supplies get replenished due to good rains and low-water demand, but those good rains did not happen this winter,” said Klaus Albertin, chair of the Drought Management Advisory Council. “The rain we’ve had so far has not been enough to make up for the precipitation deficit. The snowfall that we had this winter had lower-than-normal water content, with snow-to-water equivalents of more than 20 inches of snow to 1 inch of water.”

Officials say impacts have been somewhat limited so far due to lower water demand during winter months. However, more significant effects are expected if conditions continue.

“We could see poor growth for farmers at the start of the growing season, or delays in planting, low reservoir levels and closed boat launches,” Albertin said.

Counties experiencing extreme drought, also known as D3 conditions, are being advised to follow their Water Shortage Response Plans and implement water use reduction measures. These systems are required to report weekly water use and conservation status through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources.

Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender counties are under D2 conditions, which is considered a severe drought.

“The public should follow any local water supply restrictions,” Albertin said. “Municipal websites are usually the best place to look for information on restrictions that are in place.”

The drought is also increasing wildfire risk. The North Carolina Forest Service has issued a statewide ban on all open burning and canceled all burning permits effective March 28 until further notice.

North Carolina’s drought map is updated weekly and available here.

(WWAY) — The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles has launched a new online service allowing eligible drivers to upgrade from a Level 2 Limited Provisional License to a full Class C driver license without visiting an office.

The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles announced the change, which is available immediately to customers who are 18 years or older and within two years of their license expiration date.

“This online upgrade is a practical step forward in making DMV services more convenient and efficient for North Carolinians,” said NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine. “We’ve heard from customers who want simpler ways to handle routine transactions, and this change removes a long-standing hurdle for young adults who’ve already proven they can drive safely. It frees up our staff to focus on higher-priority needs while giving eligible customers the flexibility to complete the process from home.”

Previously, drivers with a Level 2 Limited Provisional License were required to visit a DMV office in person after turning 18 to complete sign recognition and vision testing, even after demonstrating driving competency during the provisional period.

Officials say moving the process online eliminates unnecessary office visits for a routine upgrade, reduces wait times at driver license offices, and allows staff to focus on more complex transactions.

 

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This week’s Throwback Thursday looks back at Easter traditions across the Cape Fear, from large community gatherings to classroom lessons and beachside celebrations.

In 1995, hundreds of families gathered at what was then known as Hugh MacRae Park, now Long Leaf Park, for an annual Easter egg hunt.

Nearly 2,000 children spread out across the park searching for colorful eggs filled with treats and prizes. Organizers said the large crowd required extra help to keep things running smoothly.

“We had the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department here, so we had sheriffs out in each of the areas, so just having the heavy authoritative figures out there helped a lot,” one organizer said.

Another story from March 1989 highlighted a unique Easter tradition inside a classroom at Topsail Middle School. Students learned how to create Ukrainian Easter eggs using wax and dye as part of a lesson on Soviet culture.

“Draw what you want and make the design, and if you want it to stay white, put the wax over the parts you want to stay white,” one student explained.

“It’s pretty hard to keep your hands steady, you melt the wax and then you put it on the egg and it pours down sometimes,” another student added.

The segment also revisited Easter weekend in 1985, when warm weather drew crowds to Wrightsville Beach. Sunbathers took advantage of the holiday sunshine, with some even sending greetings back home through the camera.

“Hi mom, hi dad!” one beachgoer said.

The segment is part of a new weekly Throwback Thursday series that will feature stories from WWAY’s historical news archives. That archive can be accessed here.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell last week as layoffs remain sparse despite a softening labor market and rising energy costs due to the Iran war.

The number of Americans applying for jobless aid for the week ending March 28 fell by 9,000 to 202,000 from the previous week’s 211,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 212,000 new filings analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting and within the range of the past several years.

Filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

A number of high-profile companies have cut jobs recently, including the software maker Oracle, which according to media reports cut thousands of workers this week.

Others that have recently announced job cuts include Morgan Stanley,Block, UPSand Amazon.

Weekly jobless aid applications have stabilized in a range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 since the U.S. economy emerged from the pandemic recession. However, hiring began slowing about two years ago and tapered even further in 2025 due to President Donald Trump’s erratic tariff rollouts, his purge of the federal workforce and the lingering effects of high interest rates meant to control inflation.

Employers added fewer than 200,000 jobs last year, compared with about 1.5 million in 2024, according to the data firm FactSet.

Last month, the Labor Department reported that U.S. employers unexpectedly cut 92,000 jobs in February, a sign that the labor market remains under strain. Revisions also slashed 69,000 jobs from December and January payrolls, nudging the unemployment rate up to 4.4%.

The March jobs report is due out Friday.

The surprisingly weak employment picture in February adds to the economic uncertainty over the war with Iran, which has caused oil prices to surge more than 40% and saddled business and consumers with higher costs.

This comes at a time when inflation was already relatively high in the U.S.

The Commerce Department recently reported that the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge rose 2.8% in January compared with a year earlier. That’s above the Fed’s 2% target and the latest sign that prices were persistently elevated even before the Iran war caused spikes in oil and gas costs.

That persistent inflation, combined with the uncertainties brought on by the conflict in the Middle East, led the Fed to leave its benchmark lending rate alone at its last meeting and raised doubts that a cut was coming anytime soon.

Central bank officials voted to raise the rate three times to close 2025 out of concern for a weakening job market.

The American labor market appears stuck in what economists call a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemployment rate historically low, but has left those out of work struggling to find a new job.

The Labor Department’s report Thursday showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which evens out some of the weekly swings, declined by 3,000 to 207,750.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending March 21 jumped by 25,000 to 1.84 million, the government said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states Thursday, demonstrating Tehran’s continued ability to strike its neighbors even as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the threat from the country was nearly eliminated.

Iran’s attacks on Gulf states along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world’s energy supplies with effects far beyond the Middle East. That has proved to be Iran’s greatest strategic advantage in the war. Britain planned to hold a call with nearly three dozen countries about how to reopen the strait once the fighting is over.

Trump has insisted the strait can be taken by force — but said it is not up to the U.S. to do that. In an address to the American people Wednesday night, he encouraged countries that depend on oil from Hormuz to “build some delayed courage” and go “take it.”

Before the U.S. and Israel started the war on Feb. 28 with strikes on Iran, the waterway was open to traffic and 20% of all traded oil used passed through it.

Iran continues to strike Israel and Gulf countries

Iran responded defiantly to Trump’s speech, in which the American president claimed U.S. military action had been so decisive that “one of the most powerful countries” is “really no longer a threat.”

A spokesman for Iran’s military, Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, insisted Thursday that Tehran maintains hidden stockpiles of arms, munitions and production facilities. He said facilities targeted so far by U.S. strikes are “insignificant.”

Just before Trump began his address — in which he said U.S. “core strategic objectives are nearing completion” — explosions were heard in Dubai as air defenses worked to intercept an Iranian missile barrage.

Less than a half-hour after the president was done, Israel said its military was also working to intercept incoming missiles. Sirens sounded in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, immediately after the speech.

Attacks continued across Iran on Thursday, with strikes reported in multiple cities.

In Lebanon — home to Iran-backed Hezbollah militants who are fighting Israel, which has launched a ground invasion — an Israeli strike killed four people in the south, the Health Ministry said.

More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran during the war, while 19 have been reported dead in Israel. More than two dozen people have died in Gulf states and the occupied West Bank, while 13 U.S. service members have been killed.

More than 1,200 people have been killed and more than 1 million displaced in Lebanon. Ten Israeli soldiers have also died there.

Nearly three dozen nations will talk about securing the Strait of Hormuz

Iranian attacks on about two dozen commercial ships, and the threat of more, have halted nearly all traffic in the waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.

Since March 1, traffic through the strait has dropped 94% over the same period last year, according to the Lloyds List Intelligence shipping data firm. Two ships are confirmed to have paid a fee, the firm said, while others were allowed through based on agreements with their home governments.

In order to bypass Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has been piping more oil to a Red Sea port, and Iraq said Thursday that it had started to truck oil across Syria to the Mediterranean.

The 35 countries speaking Thursday, including all G7 industrialized democracies except the U.S., as well as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, signed a declaration last month demanding Iran stop blocking the strait.

Thursday’s talks were focused on political and diplomatic measures, but British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said military planners from an unspecified number of countries will also plot ways to ensure security once fighting ends, including potential mine-clearing work and “reassurance” for commercial shipping.

No country appears willing to try to open the strait by force while the war is raging. French President Emmanuel Macron, while on a visit to South Korea, called a military operation to secure the waterway “unrealistic.”

But there is a concern that Iran might limit traffic through the waterway even after U.S. and Israeli attacks on it cease.

The idea of an international effort has echoes of the “coalition of the willing,” led by the U.K. and France, that was assembled to underpin Ukraine’s security in the event of a ceasefire in that war. The coalition is, in part, an attempt to demonstrate to Washington that Europe is doing more for its own security in the face of frequent criticism from Trump.

Oil prices rise again even as Trump suggests the war could end soon

The conflict is driving up prices for oil and natural gas, roiling stock markets, pushing up the cost of gasoline and threatening to make a range of goods, including food, more expensive.

On Thursday, Brent crude, the international standard, rose again and was at $108 in spot trading, up about 50% from Feb. 28 when Israel and the U.S. started the war.

Though the oil and gas that typically transits the strait is primarily sold to Asian nations, Japan and South Korea were the only two countries from the region joining Thursday’s call about the strait. The supply of jet fuel has also been interrupted by the conflict, with consequences for travel worldwide.

___

Weissert reported from Washington and Rising from Bangkok. Associated Press writer David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, contributed to this story.

(AP)–Oil rose more than 10% and U.S. futures tumbled Thursday after President Donald Trump said in his first national address since the Iran war began that the United States will escalate its campaign in the coming weeks.

Futures for the S&P 500 tumbled 1.5% before the opening bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.4%. Nasdaq futures slid 2%.

Thursday is the last day of trading this week due to the Good Friday holiday. Markets have not posted a weekly gain since the war began in late February.

A spokesman for Iran’s military insisted Thursday that Tehran maintains hidden stockpiles of arms, munitions and production facilities.

“The centers you think you have targeted are insignificant, and our strategic military productions take place in locations of which you have no knowledge and will never reach,” Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari claimed.

Just before Trump began his address — in which he said U.S. “core strategic objectives are nearing completion” — explosions were heard in Dubai as air defenses worked to intercept an Iranian missile barrage.

Trump did not mention a looming deadline he set for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway for global oil and gas transport, after he threatened Iran earlier with U.S. attacks on its energy infrastructure if the strait was not reopened. He did not offer a clear path to end the supply disruptions that have sent energy prices soaring.

Oil prices shot sharply higher following Trump’s remarks. The price U.S. crude on Thursday actually shot higher than the type of crude that has been bottled up by the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose $10.11 to $110.24 a barrel outpacing Brent, the international benchmark. Brent jumped more than 8% to $109.38.

“The market has shown disappointment because the speech President Trump made was far less than what the market expected,” said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at Monex in Tokyo. “There were no concrete details about the end of the hostilities with Iran.”

“What the market wants is a clear outline for the ceasefire,” he said.

In overnight equities trading, General Motors slid more than 2% after the automaker reported a nearly 10% decline in first quarter sales. That dragged most automakers lower early Thursday as several others prepare to post their latest results.

At midday in Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.6%, France’s CAC 40 fell 1.3%, and Germany’s DAX lost 2.4%.

Asian shares closed lower. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was down 2.4% to 52,463.27 on Thursday. South Korea’s Kospi lost 4.5% to 5,234.05, also after government data showed consumer prices in March rose 2.2% from a year earlier on soaring fuel costs.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.7% to 25,116.53, the Shanghai Composite index was down 0.7% to 3,919.29.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.1%, while Taiwan’s Taiex traded 1.8% lower.

Gold and silver prices fell. Gold was down 3.9% to $4,627 per ounce, while silver lost 6.9% to $70.85.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — In rain, snow and bitter cold, a steady drumbeat of small protests have been held in recent months on the Ohio State University main campus with a single goal in mind: removing billionaire retail mogul Les Wexner’s name from buildings where it’s emblazoned.

At issue — for union nurses at OSU’s Wexner Medical Center, for former athletes at the Les Wexner Football Complex, and for some student leaders who may walk past the Wexner Center for the Arts near the campus oval — is Wexner’s well-documented association with the late sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein.

Similar cries are arising over a Wexner-named building at Harvard University and others around the country named for different Epstein associates, including Steve Tisch, Casey Wasserman, Glenn Dubin and Howard Lutnick.

It’s all part of the backlash across higher education against figures with ties to Epstein, who cultivated an extensive network including powerful people in the arts, business and academia. Scrutiny has landed on university donors as well as several academics whose emails with Epstein surfaced in the latest files, including some who have resigned.

Wexner complaints cite Epstein association

Wexner hasn’t been charged with any crime in connection with Epstein, the one-time financial adviser by whom he says he was “duped.”

But a group of former Ohio State athletes who survived a sweeping sexual abuse scandal at the school argues that the retired L Brands founder ‘s generosity to his alma mater is now tainted by the knowledge that Epstein was entangled in many of his family’s spending decisions, including around the football complex’s naming.

“Ohio State University cannot credibly separate itself from these facts, nor can it justify continuing to honor Les Wexner with an athletic facility,” their naming removal request read. It went on, “To do so is to ignore the voices of survivors, former athletes, and the broader community who expect accountability, transparency, and moral leadership.”

At Harvard, a group of students and faculty at the prestigious Kennedy School has targeted the Leslie H. Wexner Building and the Wexner-Sunshine Lobby. The renaming request submitted in March cites Wexner’s “strong ties to Epstein” and argues Epstein profited off Wexner, “which enabled Epstein to use his wealth and power to traffic and abuse children and women.”

Some Harvard students and alumni also want the Farkas name removed from Farkas Hall, which hosts the Hasty Pudding Theatricals Man and Woman of the Year. The building was renamed in 2011 following a significant donation from Andrew Farkas, graduate chairman of the Hasty Pudding Institute, in honor of his father.

Farkas had a longtime personal and business relationship with Epstein, including co-owning a marina with him in the Caribbean. He also repeatedly asked Epstein to donate to Hasty Pudding. Between roughly 2013 and 2019, Epstein regularly donating $50,000 annually to secure top-tier donor status, for a total of more than $300,000.

“As I’ve said repeatedly, I deeply regret ever having met this individual, but at no time have I conducted myself inappropriately,” Farkas said in a statement.

Pressure building on campuses

Pushback against buildings named for Epstein associates is growing on some U.S. campuses.

Just last weekend, the student body at Haverford College in Pennsylvania voted to urge President Wendy Raymond to forge ahead with the renaming process for the Allison & Howard Lutnick Library. The building is named for the U.S. commerce secretary who has faced resignation calls over his relationship with Epstein.

Raymond had said in a February open letter that she wasn’t ready to do that. In a statement to The Associated Press following Sunday’s vote, Raymond said she respected the process and would respond to the resolution within the customary 30-day period.

At Ohio State, pleas against the Wexner name are making their way through a five-step review procedure, most of which takes place outside public view and with no set timeline. The university’s new president, Ravi Bellamkonda said, “I think the process is thorough, fair, and open, and I will promise you that we will give each request a full consideration.”

A spokesman for Harvard confirmed the school has received the Wexner-related name removal request but would not comment further. It would be the university’s second name change, after the John Winthrop House, which bore the name of a Harvard professor and a like-named ancestor, was changed to Winthrop House in July over their connections to slavery.

Tufts University, home to the Tisch Library and the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center, said it continues to look at the matter. The library has moved to clarify that it was not named for Steve, but, in 1992, for his father Preston Tisch, an honored alum. The sports center removed a set of Steve Tisch’s handprints during spring break. The university said that was part of a planned renovation.

UCLA’s Wasserman Football Center and Stony Brook University’s Dubin Family Athletic Performance Center also are named for Epstein associates.

Namings often tied to philanthropic giving

The current clamor bears some resemblance to the controversy that surrounded the wealthy Sackler family’s culpability in the deadly opioid crisis, because in both cases the institutions involved had received vast sums from the family.

Some major institutions — including museums in New York and Paris, Tufts and the University of Oxford in England — did remove the Sackler name, but Harvard chose not to. In a 15-page report explaining its 2024 decision, the university said the legacy of Arthur M. Sackler, whose company Purdue Pharma made the potent opioid OxyContin, was “complex, ambiguous and debatable.”

The Epstein associates whose names are on campus buildings also are typically generous donors, as well as alumni.

Wexner, his wife Abigail and their charities have given Ohio State well over $200 million over the years, for example. That included $100 million to benefit the Wexner Medical Center; at least $15 million for the Wexner Center, a contemporary art museum named for Wexner’s father, Harry; and $5 million split with an Epstein-run foundation toward construction of the football complex. The Wexners have given another $42 million to the Harvard Kennedy School.

A moral and financial bind for universities

Anne Bergeron, a museum consultant and author who specializes in the ethics of building naming rights in the cultural sector, said universities are serious about their gift acceptance standards while also recognizing that the conduct of individual donors may be judged differently over time.

“It’s no surprise that a lot of these situations arise within the university sphere, because with students — especially the younger generation — there is virtually no tolerance for being associated with anyone who doesn’t represent the best of humanity,” she said

She called this “a moment of reckoning” for universities and said they have to guard against the appearance of a quid pro quo in their building namings.

Michael Oser, a Columbus-area resident, articulated the frustration of some defenders of retaining the Wexner name in a recent letter-to-the-editor of The Columbus Dispatch.

“OSU took the money. Built the buildings. Cut the ribbons. Smiled for the photos There were no formal ‘morality clauses’ attached back then, just gratitude and applause,” he wrote. “Now, years later, some want to play moral referee while the university keeps the cash and the concrete. That’s not accountability. That’s convenience.”

Supporters of name removal see opportunity for healing

Lauren Barnes, a student in the Kennedy School’s master’s program leading the effort to remove Wexner’s name, said she struggles most days as a survivor of sexual abuse and the mother of a 14-year-old to walk into a building with a name linked to Epstein.

“Thinking about all the children in this world that deserve safety and also all the survivors on campus that have to walk under the Wexner name, I know what that’s like to have my heart race and my hands get sweaty,” she said. “I hate that anyone else has to have that feeling walking under that name and just dealing with it kind of everywhere on campus.”

One protester at Ohio State, Audrey Brill, told a local ABC affiliate that it now “feels gross” thinking of women delivering babies at OSU’s Wexner Medical Center “given everything that we’re learning about where this money went” — and she feels removing Wexner’s name could help.

Some protesters also want the name of Dr. Mark Landon, a prominent Ohio State gynecologist who received five-figure quarterly payments from Epstein between 2001 and 2005, removed from a visitor’s lounge in the hospital’s new $2 billion, 26-story tower. Landon have said the money was for biotech investment consulting for Wexner, not health care for Epstein or any of his victims.

ABC NEWS — The effect of the Iran war on oil prices is now costing you more not just at the pump. Diesel prices are driving near-record ground-shipment surcharges due to the Iran war, including first-ever package surcharges from the United States Postal Service (USPS).

Shippers on the East Coast say they are now charging 30 to 40 cents more per mile in diesel surcharges since the start of the war, according to companies that spoke with ABC News, representing roughly a 50% to 93% jump in per-mile surcharge rates.

One company’s oil analyst called it an “off-the-charts increase,” saying that these levels have not been seen since the weeks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

ABC News reviewed weekly surcharge indices from two companies, both of which specialize in shipping lumber, construction materials, gardening supplies and heavy machinery. To protect their pricing structures and customers, both requested anonymity.

Shippers vary in how they apply fuel surcharges. Some, like those who spoke with ABC News, charge per mile, while others apply a percentage of total shipping costs. USPS, for example, is preparing to introduce an approximately 8% surcharge on packages for the first time in its history, which will be based on the total shipping cost, according to their surcharge announcement.

The surcharge on certain products will start April 26 and last until Jan. 17, 2027, USPS said.

“Transportation costs have been increasing, and our competitors have reacted with a number of surcharges,” USPS said in a statement on March 25 announcing the surcharges. “We have steadfastly avoided surcharges and this charge is less than one-third of what our competitors charge for fuel alone.”

Martha Johnson, a spokesperson for the USPS, disagreed that the price hike was a “fuel surcharge,” saying in a statement to ABC News that it is “the reality of overall transportation related costs (which is inclusive of fuel).”

USPS delivered approximately 6.8 billion packages in fiscal year 2025, according to their records.

The average price of a gallon of diesel as of April 1 stood at $5.46, jumping over a dollar since the beginning of March, GasBuddy data shows.

Emily Stausbøll, a senior shipping analyst at freight intelligence platform Xeneta, told ABC News that the Iran war is causing freight shipments to become much more expensive across the globe.

“Average spot rates from the Far East to North Europe and Mediterranean have increased 28% and 30% respectively since 28 February. Further increases are expected in April,” Stausbøll said.

“No trade is completely insulated from the ripple effects of this conflict, with shippers across the globe managing the financial and operational cost on supply chains,” she added.

This increase in per-mile surcharges aligns with what experts are seeing at FreightWaves, a global freight market price reporting agency. Most shipping companies base their fuel surcharges on weekly diesel price data from the Department of Energy, rather than day-to-day indicators, according to FreightWaves editor John Kingston.

SHALLOTTE, N.C. (WWAY) — According to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, a crash has shut down a portion of U.S. Highway 17 North in the Shallotte area, prompting traffic diversions as emergency crews respond at the scene.

The incident occurred near North End Light.

Authorities have not released details about the number of vehicles involved or whether there are any injuries.

Traffic is being rerouted while first responders work to clear the roadway, motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

Officials said drivers traveling nearby should use caution as crews remain on scene.

We will continue to update as we get more information.

ABC NEWS — Hershey said it will use classic recipes for all Reese’s products starting next year, a change that comes after the grandson of Reese’s founder criticized the company for shifting to cheaper ingredients.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have always been made with real milk chocolate or dark chocolate and peanut butter. But a small portion of Hershey’s and Reese’s products, like mini Easter eggs, are now made with a coating that contains less chocolate.

Hershey said that in 2027, it will shift those products to “their classic milk chocolate and dark chocolate recipes.”

The Hershey, Pennsylvania-based company said it will also be making other changes to its sweets portfolio next year, including transitioning to natural colors and enhancing Kit-Kat’s recipe to make it creamier. The company said it plans to increase its research and development funding by 25% next year.

“Hershey is committed to making products consumers love and that means continually reviewing our recipes to meet evolving tastes and preferences,” the company said in a statement.

Brad Reese, the grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, ignited the controversy in a public letter he sent to Hershey’s corporate brand manager on Valentine’s Day.

“How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place?” Reese wrote in the letter, which he posted on his LinkedIn profile.

Hershey acknowledged some recipe changes but said it was trying to meet consumer demand for innovation. High cocoa prices also have led Hershey and other manufacturers to experiment with using less chocolate in recent years.

The Associated Press left a message with Brad Reese on Wednesday seeking comment.

Brad Reese is the grandson of H.B. Reese, who spent two years at Hershey before forming his own candy company in 1919. H.B. Reese invented Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in 1928; his six sons eventually sold his company to Hershey in 1963.

 

(ABC) — “Bob’s Burgers” voice actor and comedian Eugene Mirman suffered serious injuries after crashing his car into a toll plaza and being pulled from the fiery wreckage by a state trooper assigned to protect the governor of New Hampshire.

The crash happened just before noon Tuesday when a northbound electric vehicle struck the Bedford Toll Plaza and caught fire, New Hampshire State Police said. Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte and her security detail came upon the crash soon after, and a trooper and two others pulled Mirman from the burning car through a window, said State Police Col. Mark Hall. The governor, who left her vehicle and retrieved a fire extinguisher, was not in any danger, he said.

“Eugene was in a very scary car accident,” Mirman’s agent Jay Glassner confirmed in a statement Wednesday. “He wants to thank the bystanders, state police, first responders and hospital staff who saved him. He is grateful to be on the mend. At this time, we kindly ask for privacy for Eugene and his family as he focuses on recovering from his injuries.”

Hall called the actions of the rescuers “heroic.”

“Without hesitation, they put themselves in danger to render aid to someone who was in need of it,” Hall said.

State police identified the driver as Yevgeny Mirman, 51, of Massachusetts. Mirman, who was born in Moscow and grew up in Massachusetts, is known for voicing musical middle child Gene Belcher in more than 300 episodes of the animated comedy “Bob’s Burgers” and its movie, in addition to roles on “Flight of the Conchords,” “Delocated” and “Archer.”

Ayotte said she and her husband were praying for the driver’s recovery.

“I want to thank the Trooper on my security detail and the bystanders who stepped up to help at the scene of the crash for their brave lifesaving efforts,” she said in a statement.

The crash remains under investigation. No charges have been filed.

(ABC) — Millions of dollars tied to artificial intelligence are pouring into the 2026 midterms.

Interest groups funded in part by AI industry leaders are split on how the government should oversee AI — and that’s already having an impact on political ads, some experts told ABC News.

“It’s sort of an open question as to what regulation is going to look like,” University of Rochester professor David Primo told ABC News. “The stakes are really high because once a regulatory system gets entrenched, it’s really hard to change it.”

An AI-related political group, Innovation Council Action, tied to two of President Donald Trump’s advisors, announced on Sunday that it would spend at least $100 million, The New York Times reported.

The donations associated with the AI sector go beyond party lines. Federal Election Commission filings show that key industry players are pouring money into committees supporting both Democrats and Republicans, with certain groups criticizing candidates who have expressed support for new AI-related laws and others doing the opposite.

“Companies have always tried to shape regulations, and they’ve always tried to shape them in their favor. What we’re seeing now, though, is that the big companies are not united,” Primo said.

With AI’s presence being increasingly felt, some politicians are calling on their colleagues not to accept money from the burgeoning industry.

“Their money will end up being toxic anyway,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., posted on social media. “People are catching on.”

1 industry, different political priorities

In February, Anthropic, the developer of Claude AI, announced it would give $20 million to an organization called Public First Action, explaining that it agreed with most Americans that not enough was being done to regulate AI and that the technology comes with “considerable risks.”

Public First Action spokesperson Anthony Rivera-Rodriguez said that they have already run advertisements thanking Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill., Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Rep. Josh Gottheimer D-N.J., for their AI records.

Gottheimer introduced a bill in February that would provide tax credits for companies training workers on AI development.

It is not yet clear who else has contributed to Public First Action, which describes itself as a “pro-regulation” group.

“Public First Action doesn’t disclose its donors,” Rivera-Rodriguez told ABC News. “To date, the project has raised around $50 million. The aligned super PACs will publicly disclose their contributors in their upcoming FEC reports.”

One of Anthropic’s main competitors, ChatGPT owner OpenAI, has voiced support for nationwide “common-sense rules of the road,” but has cautioned that the U.S. should not fall behind other countries.

In an economic blueprint released last year, OpenAI compared AI’s ascent to the rise of the car, pointing out that while the motor vehicle “industry’s growth was stunted by regulation” in the United Kingdom, the U.S. “took a very different approach,” causing the American automobile sector to grow.

FEC disclosures show that OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife each contributed $12.5 million to a group called Leading the Future, which describes itself as supporting candidates who “champion policies that harness the economic benefits of AI and reject attempts to hinder American innovation.”

Committees with links to Leading the Future have already made millions worth of contributions, filings indicate.

One group spent more than $500,000 each in support of North Carolina Republican House candidate Laurie Buckhout and Texas Republican House candidate Jessica Steinmann. The same committee spent more than $700,000 supporting Texas Republican House candidate Chris Gober.

Buckhout, Steinmann and Gober each won their March primaries. All three candidates include similar statements on their websites, mentioning that China cannot overcome the U.S. in the AI race.

Millions spent in Manhattan alone

Nowhere is the role of AI more front and center than in New York’s 12th Congressional District.

Numerous Democrats are running in this Manhattan race, but Assemblyman and former ​​Palantir employee Alex Bores, who co-sponsored New York’s Responsible AI Safety and Education Act, is the candidate who has largely had AI’s focus.

Bores’ website says that he hopes to hold large AI companies accountable and would work to create national safety and privacy requirements.

A PAC associated with Anthropic-supported Public First Action is supporting Bores, Rivera-Rodriguez confirmed. Leading the Future is not.

“Alex Bores is a hypocrite pushing policies that would undermine America’s ability to lead the world in AI innovation and job creation,” Leading the Future spokesperson Jessie Hunt told ABC News.

As of March 16, a super PAC tied to Leading the Future had already spent more than $2.2 million opposing Bores, FEC filings show.

“There’s a few Trump megadonors that made billions of dollars from AI that don’t think there should be any regulation of AI whatsoever,” Bores told ABC News following a recent forum.

With so much AI-related money flowing into races like NY-12 around the country, Primo said these funds are not being spent secretly or for bribery. Instead, the cash is being used to convince voters of who they should elect.

“This might actually be democracy functioning really well,” he said.

(WWAY) —  Warm weather continues this afternoon with temperatures back into the 80s.

-Meteorologist Jason Korver

 

MANADO, Indonesia (AP) — An undersea magnitude 7.4 earthquake toppled buildings in parts of northern Indonesia, sent people fleeing from their homes, killed at least one person and generated a small tsunami Thursday.

Strong shaking lasting 10 to 20 seconds was felt in Bitung in North Sulawesi province as well as in Ternate city in neighboring North Maluku province, according to the Disaster Management Agency. The provinces border the Molucca Sea, where the quake was centered.

Initial assessments showed light to severe damage in parts of Ternate, including a church and two houses. In Bitung, damage assessments were still underway, the agency said.

“We had just woken up and suddenly the earthquake hit… we all ran out of the house,” Bitung resident Marten Mandagi said. “The shaking was very strong,”

Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency reported a 70-year-old woman died in a building collapse in North Sulawesi’s Manado city and another resident was injured. At least three injured people were hospitalized in Ternate.

Videos released by the rescue agency showed damaged structures and flattened houses, while television stations broadcast scenes of people rushing outside and gathering in streets to avoid the risk of collapsing buildings.

Dozens of aftershocks followed, including one of 6.2 magnitude. Authorities are continuing to gather information on damage and possible victims from multiple areas, particularly remote villages, as they work to assess the scope of the disaster.

Tsunami waves up to 75 centimeters (30 inches) above normal tides were recorded at several monitoring stations around the Molucca Sea coast. Indonesia’s meteorological agency lifted its tsunami warning hours after the quake, and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said there was no destructive threat to the country, which is north of the quake’s epicenter.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 280 million people, sits on major seismic faults and is frequently hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

(AP) — President Donald Trump said U.S. forces will keep hitting Iran “very hard” in the next two or three weeks and bring the country “back to the Stone Ages,” even as he touted the success of U.S. operations and argued that all of Washington’s objectives have so far been met or exceeded.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists created virtual replicas of patients’ diseased hearts so precise that blocking a dangerous irregular heartbeat in these digital “twins” showed doctors how to better treat the real thing.

One of the first clinical trials of these custom models suggests it might improve care for ventricular tachycardia, a notoriously difficult-to-treat arrhythmia that is a major cause of sudden cardiac arrest, blamed for about 300,000 U.S. deaths a year.

The study, by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, was a small first step. The Food and Drug Administration allowed the digital twin technology to guide treatment for just 10 patients, and much larger studies will be needed.

But the results reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine come as doctors increasingly are exploring how a technology long used in aerospace and other industries might be harnessed for better health, too.

Dr. Jeffrey Goldberger, a heart specialist at the University of Miami who wasn’t involved with the study, experimented with more rudimentary iterations 15 years ago and praised the new findings. “This is what we envisioned,” he said.

Doctors have long used 3D models, both physical and computer-generated ones, to simulate disease and practice techniques. But Hopkins biomedical engineer Natalia Trayanova said true digital twins predict how a real organ can react to different treatments. Her lab is pioneering colorful interactive models developed with an advanced MRI scan and other data from each patient.

“We treat the twin before we treat the patient,” Trayanova said. “Did it work? And if it did, are there new things that arise” that will require more or different care?

The heart’s electrical system powers our heartbeat. Ventricular tachycardia is a super-fast heartbeat triggered when an electrical wave short-circuits in the organ’s bottom chambers, the ventricles, and prevents them from pumping blood out to the body.

“You see this heart that is basically quivering,” Trayanova said.

Medication can help but the main treatment is ablation, when doctors thread catheters to the heart to burn misfiring tissue. But it’s a bit trial-and-error, as patients spend hours under anesthesia while doctors determine where to aim. Repeat ablations are common, and many patients have an implanted defibrillator as backup.

Enter Trayanova’s digital twins of patients’ ventricles. Colors swirl on a computer screen – blue, green, yellow and orange – showing how the heart’s electrical wave moves across the chamber’s healthy areas before getting stuck on damaged tissue. It’s trapped in a circular motion that she compares to the swirl of a hurricane.

“It allows me to recreate the functioning of the patient’s organ and then predict what is the best way to ablate,” she said.

The technology locates a dysfunctional region where the electrical wave repeatedly hits. Virtually ablating it will show if that solves the problem or if another arrhythmia forms that also will need zapping. “Then we poke it again,” she explained.

Trayanova’s team created customized ablation targets for each of the 10 study participants. Cardiologists transferred them to a mapping system they use as a guide and aimed just at those targets instead of hunting their own.

More than a year later, eight patients had no arrhythmias while two experienced only a single brief episode while they were healing — better than the treatment’s typical 60% success rate, said Dr. Jonathan Chrispin, a Hopkins cardiologist and the study’s lead author. All but two also stopped their anti-arrhythmia medicine.

More importantly, cardiologists may burn away less tissue by targeting “specifically the areas that we think are critically important,” Chrispin said. “We could potentially make these procedures shorter, safer, more effective.”

The Hopkins team hopes to study the digital twin approach in a larger study with other hospitals, and has begun a trial using it to treat a more common type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. Other researchers are studying digital twins for cancer care.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday lifted sanctions on Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, according to an Office of Foreign Assets Control entry on the Treasury Department website.

The newly announced sanctions relief is the latest U.S. recognition of Rodríguez as a legitimate authority in Venezuela ever since the U.S. military captured her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife on Jan. 3 in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.

The pair have since been taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges and both have pleaded not guilty.

The move allows Rodríguez to more freely work with U.S. companies and investors. Without explicitly mentioning the sanctions targeting her, Rodríguez, in a statement, expressed hope for U.S.-Venezuela relations.

“We value President Donald Trump’s decision as a step toward normalizing and strengthening relations between our countries,” she said on her Telegram channel after the Treasury’s announcement. “We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of current sanctions against our country, enabling us to build and guarantee an effective bilateral cooperation agenda for the benefit of our people.”

Rodríguez and her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, were hit with U.S. sanctions during Trump’s first term for their role in allegedly undermining Venezuelan democracy.

The siblings — along with other members of Maduro’s inner circle — were added to the Treasury’s list in September 2018, months after Maduro won re-election in a contest widely considered a sham because opposition politicians and parties were banned from participating.

“Maduro has given Delcy Eloina Rodríguez Gomez and Jorge Jesus Rodríguez Gomez senior positions within the Venezuelan government to help him maintain power and solidify his authoritarian rule,” Treasury said in a statement at the time.

The current Trump administration, however, chose to work with Delcy Rodríguez, instead of Venezuela’s political opposition, after Maduro’s ouster. She has since led Venezuela’s cooperation with the administration’s phased plan to turn the country around, pitching her oil-rich nation to international investors and opening the nation up to private capital, international arbitration, and scrutiny.

Last month, the administration recognized her as the “sole Head of State” of Venezuela in an ongoing civil case in U.S. federal court.

The U.S. has lifted sanctions on major Venezuelan industries. In March, Treasury issued a broad authorization allowing the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., or PDVSA, to directly sell Venezuelan oil to U.S. companies and on global markets, a massive shift after Washington for years had largely blocked dealings with Venezuela’s government and its oil sector.

Meanwhile, Maduro legally is still Venezuela’s president.

In the hours after the Jan. 3 operation, the country’s ruling-party-loyal high court declared his absence “temporary,” effectively eliminating the need for a speedy election and preserving the protections the office grants him under international law. The court ordered Rodríguez to take office for up to 90 days with the possibility of extending it to six months if approved by the National Assembly, which is also controlled by the ruling party and presided over by her brother.

The 90-day period ends Friday.