(WWAY) — Dry weather continues today with hot and humid conditions for Tuesday.

The high pressure remains anchored offshore early and middle portions of this week keeping dry… very warm and muggy weather in place. High temperatures today through Wednesday will be into the mid to upper 80s with sunshine and a few clouds. By late week… the combination of weakening high pressure… a cold front advancing toward the region and increased moisture flow will lead to a chance of some much needed showers or thunderstorms. On and off thunderstorm chances are expected for Memorial Day weekend.

WWAY FORECAST:                                              

Today: Abundant sunshine mixed with a few clouds. Warm and muggy high around 86.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. A hot & humid afternoon with high temperatures into the upper 80s.

Thursday: A few showers and thunderstorms. Highs into the upper 80s.

(CBS) — The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 131 from 513 suspected cases and there has been one death in neighboring Uganda, health authorities said Tuesday.

The head of the World Health Organization said he was “deeply concerned” about the outbreak.

“Early on Sunday, I declared a public health emergency of international concern,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the World Health Assembly in Geneva. “I did not do this lightly. … I’m deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic.”

One American doctor working with an aid group in Congo has tested positive, and several others are believed to have been exposed.

The outbreak is of particular concern to global health officials in part because the virus detected is a less common strain.

The virus behind this outbreak is the Bundibugyo virus, health officials have confirmed. This is only the third known outbreak of this virus, and there are no vaccines or treatments.

Ebola vaccine targets Zaire strain

Ebola disease is caused by orthoebolaviruses, of which there are multiple species.

Three of the viruses have been known to cause large Ebola disease outbreaks, according to the WHO. They are Ebola (or Zaire) virus, which has been the most common; Sudan virus; and Bundibugyo virus, the one identified in this outbreak.

The only approved vaccine and treatments are for the Zaire strain. Because each virus species has different genetic material, they need different vaccines.

There are some other vaccines in development, but nothing that targets Bundibugyo virus is close to being ready for use, said Dr. Céline Gounder, a CBS News medical correspondent and infectious diseases specialist who deployed in the response to a past Ebola outbreak.

2 previous Bundibugyo outbreaks

Before this outbreak, there were two known outbreaks caused by the Bundibugyo virus, and both were smaller than the current one.

The first discovery of the Bundibugyo strain occurred in the Bundibugyo District in Uganda in 2007. There were 149 cases and 37 deaths in that outbreak, The Associated Press reported.

The second known outbreak was in Congo in 2012, with 57 cases and 29 deaths reported, according to the AP.

Because there have been fewer outbreaks of this virus, there is far less data about how it behaves than for the Zaire virus, which has been around since 1976 and caused dozens of outbreaks, Gounder said.

Symptoms of Ebola disease

Bundibugyo virus disease, the type of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, is severe and often fatal. The virus spreads from person to person through direct contact with bodily fluids of someone who is sick or has died from the disease.

The early symptoms can often be mistaken for other illnesses, the WHO says. They include:

• fever
• fatigue
• muscle pain
• headache
• sore throat

Those can progress to other symptoms, including:

• vomiting
• diarrhea
• abdominal pain
• rash
• organ dysfunction
• internal or external bleeding (less frequent)

The fatality rate of Bundibugyo virus disease, based on the past two outbreaks, is about 30 to 50%, the WHO says. While still highly deadly, this is lower than the fatality rate of the Zaire strain, which can be up to 90%.

“Early intensive supportive care including rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms, can improve survival,” the WHO says. “Seeking early care can be lifesaving.”

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Former Los Angeles police detective Mark Fuhrman, who was convicted of lying during testimony at the O.J. Simpson murder trial, has died. He was 74.

Fuhrman was one of the first two police detectives sent to investigate the 1994 killings of Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in Los Angeles. He reported finding a bloody glove at Simpson’s home but his credibility came under attack during the trial as the defense raised the prospect of racial bias.

Under cross-examination, Fuhrman testified that he had never made anti-Black racial slurs in the past decade, but a recording showed he had done so repeatedly.

Lynn Acebedo, the chief deputy coroner in Kootenai County, Idaho, said that Fuhrman died May 12. The county does not release the cause of death as a rule.

Alan Dershowitz, a prominent lawyer and law professor who was a legal strategist on Simpson’s defense “Dream Team,” said Fuhrman was a “much better detective than he was a witness.”

“He’s very smart, and you know, a very, very aggressive detective. Ultimately his actions helped us win the O.J. case because of his use of the ‘n’ word,” Dershowitz said Monday evening. “I got to know him later, after it was all over, and we had a cordial relationship.”

Fuhrman retired from the Los Angeles Police Department after Simpson’s 1995 acquittal. He subsequently moved to Idaho with his family and set up a 20-acre (eight-hectare) farm, raising chickens, goats, sheep and llamas.

In 1996, Fuhrman was charged with perjury and pleaded no contest. He later became a TV and radio commentator and wrote the book “Murder in Brentwood” about the killings.

A criminal-court jury found Simpson, a former star NFL running back and actor, not guilty of murder in 1995, but a separate civil trial jury found him liable in 1997 for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million to relatives of Brown and Goldman. He served nine years in prison on unrelated charges and died in Las Vegas of prostate cancer in 2024 at the age of 76.

Kato Kaelin, a friend of Brown who also testified in the murder trial, wrote in a post on X that he wanted to respectfully acknowledge Fuhrman’s death and that he hopes Fuhrman’s loved ones can find peace.

“While we were never close personally, our lives were indelibly linked through our roles in the O.J. Simpson trial over thirty years ago. It was a deeply complex and painful chapter for everyone involved, but any loss of life is a time for reflection and solemnity,” Kaelin wrote.

Fuhrman’s father left when he was 7 years old, and Fuhrman often cared for his younger brother while his mother worked. As an adult, he joined the Marines and then the Los Angeles Police Department.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A ceremony held Monday, May 18th at the Wilmington Police Department honored the law enforcement officers, deputies and troopers who lost their lives while serving communities across the Cape Fear region.

The annual memorial ceremony, held at Wilmington Police Headquarters on Bess Street, brought together officers, family members and local leaders in a solemn tribute to the fallen and a reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face each day.

“I think it’s an honor to the officers who have fallen and to their families,” said retired Wayne Norris. “I think it’s showing respect. You don’t want to forget ’em.”

Norris, who spent 31 years with the Wilmington Police Department, said the ceremony also served as a personal reminder of officers he knew who were killed in the line of duty.

“There was an officer named Nunalee back in the ’70s who was killed on Wrightsville Avenue in an ambush,” Norris said. “I was close to Nunalee. It was tough, it took a while, I’ve never gotten over it, but I’ve accepted it.”

Officer James Nunalee Sr. was among 18 officers, deputies and troopers honored during the ceremony.

Dozens of officers from the Wilmington and Carolina Beach police departments, along with deputies from the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Offices and troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, attended the event to pay their respects.

Family members of fallen officers and deputies also participated in the ceremony, which is held annually during or shortly after National Law Enforcement Week, held this year between May 10th and 16th.

The memorial comes as Wilmington police have recently responded to several high-profile incidents, including two downtown stabbings, an officer-involved shooting, and an incident Sunday involving a suspect accused of punching an officer after stealing and crashing a fire truck.

Wilmington Police Chief Ryan Zuidema said those situations reflect the unpredictable and dangerous nature of law enforcement work.

“There’s obviously a lot of unknowns. It’s a very dangerous job for the men and women,” Zuidema said. “That is certainly demonstrated here tonight, how dangerous this job can be. But we want to make sure we provide all of our officers the best training we can, the best equipment we can and make sure that they have the support they need to go out and do their job each and every day.”

Norris said serving in law enforcement is more than a profession.

“Most definitely a calling,” he said. “It’s not something you just come in looking for a job. It’s got to be a calling. And I think it’s a special breed of men and women that receives the call.”

Zuidema also noted the ceremony comes as the department prepares for the busy summer season, with large crowds expected across Wilmington and the Cape Fear region during Memorial Day weekend and throughout the coming months.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new pop-up park in downtown Wilmington is set to officially open Friday, offering residents a temporary gathering space as part of the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration.

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Gov. Josh Stein has proclaimed May 18–22, 2026, as North Carolina Heat Safety Week, highlighting the growing risks of extreme heat and encouraging residents to take steps to protect themselves during the state’s heat season, which runs from May 1 through September 30.

The proclamation aims to raise awareness about the health dangers associated with high temperatures and to spotlight state and local programs designed to help communities respond to extreme heat.

“Being resilient to extreme heat means understanding how it can affect you and your community,” Stein said. “All North Carolinians can take actions to protect themselves and their families, employers can protect their workers, and local governments can protect their residents.”

State officials pointed to rising heat-related health impacts across North Carolina. In 2025, more than 5,700 heat-related emergency department visits were recorded, and last July ranked as the second-warmest July in state history.

Experts say vulnerable populations—including outdoor workers, older adults, infants and children, pregnant people, athletes, individuals experiencing homelessness, and those with underlying health conditions—face the highest risk during extreme heat events.

State agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the State Resilience Office, are expanding efforts to help local governments prepare for and respond to extreme heat. These include guidance for establishing cooling centers, public outreach tools, and the Heat Action Plan Toolkit, developed in partnership with Duke University’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub and other organizations. Eighteen local governments have completed the Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort program to date.

Public health leaders also emphasized prevention and awareness. Symptoms of heat-related illness can include heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea, muscle cramps, and fainting.

“We encourage everyone to sign up for heat health alerts, know the symptoms of heat-related illness and protect your health this summer,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai.

As part of its ongoing response, NCDHHS is also operating the NC Heat Health Alert System, which sends free email alerts when dangerous heat conditions are expected. Residents can sign up to receive notifications based on their county.

In addition, Operation Fan Heat Relief is currently underway through October 31, 2026, providing free fans to eligible older adults through local aging agencies to help residents stay cool during the hottest months of the year.

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Families of fallen veterans gathered Monday off the North Carolina coast to honor their loved ones during a memorial at sea, giving nine service members a final resting place beneath the Atlantic Ocean.

The ceremony was part of Veterans Memorial Reef, an artificial reef project that combines memorials with marine conservation efforts. A few miles offshore, the cremated remains of nine veterans were lowered to the ocean floor inside concrete memorial structures designed to create habitat for marine life while serving as permanent tributes.

As the memorials were lowered into the water, family members aboard nearby boats held individual services honoring each veteran.

Thomas Marcinowski, founder and CEO of Veterans Memorial Reef, said the ocean holds a special significance for many veterans, making it a meaningful final resting place.

“A lot of veterans want to be placed at sea, so this is a way of them not only getting closure, but getting them out onto the ocean where they wanted to be. The other part of that is veterans continue to serve the country. They are now on an artificial reef where you are going to provide growth, fish, everything else to keep serving the nation,” said Marcninowski.

Among those honoring a loved one was Martha Gabriel, whose father, Wade Huffstetler, served in the Navy during World War II. She said the memorial reflected both his service and his connection to the water.

“He would have loved this because of the Navy aspect and the water,” said Gabriel.

Marcinowski, a U.S. veteran himself, said the reef also serves another purpose: preserving the stories and legacies of veterans who may not have surviving family members.

“We have veterans out there who had no family that we’ve placed out there that will never be forgotten for what they did for their country,” said Marcinowski.

One of those veterans was John Fryar, who served during World War II and the Korean War.

Steve Muir with the Saint James American Legion Post said honoring Fryar reflected the group’s mission to ensure no veteran is forgotten.

“We wanted to see, based on his service, that he had a proper burial, and he did. That was one of his last wishes, several days before he died. I was with him, and he said, ‘I want to be buried at sea,’ so we made sure it happened,” said Muir.

This year’s event honored veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Organizers said this year’s ceremony also carried added significance, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.

The veterans’ legacies now live on beneath the waters of the Atlantic, where their memorials will continue serving both as places of remembrance and as part of a growing marine ecosystem.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — The City of Wilmington is continuing efforts to improve roadway safety this week with the installation of new speed bumps along Burnett Boulevard as part of its broader Vision Zero initiative.

City crews began work Monday to install nine new speed bumps along Burnett Boulevard between Sunset Avenue and Virginia Avenue. The project is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete.

Construction work will take place daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. However, road closures along Burnett Boulevard are expected to remain in place overnight and on weekends throughout the project.

The traffic-calming measures are part of Wilmington’s Vision Zero strategy, a long-term effort focused on eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries across the city.

The city’s Vision Zero plan sets a goal of reducing all traffic deaths and serious injuries to zero by 2036.

 

 

 

(WWAY) — Debate continues over the proposed Eastwood Road overpass project as supporters and opponents weigh in on what could become one of the largest transportation projects in the Wilmington area.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the estimated $81 million project would carry Eastwood Road over Military Cutoff Road, separating the two major corridors and eliminating the existing intersection. Transportation officials say the project is intended to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion at one of the region’s busiest intersections.

Still, opposition to the proposal remains. Some community members have questioned whether the project would significantly improve traffic conditions and have raised concerns about potential impacts during construction.

Among those concerns is the timing of the project alongside planned bridge replacement work in the Wrightsville Beach area. Susan Bulluck, chair of the Wrightsville Beach Chamber of Commerce, said she worries overlapping projects could create challenges because Eastwood Road serves as the primary route on and off the island.

“These brides will be built earlier and hopefully take less time, but they are scheduled to happen at the same time as the overpass, the hardscape,” said Bulluck.

Now, the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce is voicing support for the proposal, calling it an important investment for the region.

Natalie English, president and CEO of the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, said the project addresses both traffic and safety concerns at a heavily traveled intersection.

“It is a critical component of the state’s transportation improvement plan, and it’s at an intersection that is one of the top 5% in the state of North Carolina in need from a congestion and safety perspective,” said English.

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Pender County Schools is once again working to ensure local students have access to nutritious meals throughout the summer months through its 2026 Summer Meals Program.

In partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and No Kid Hungry North Carolina, the program provides free breakfast and lunch for children and teens while school is out of session.

Beginning Wednesday, June 3, 2026, and running weekly through August 12, families can pick up seven days’ worth of meals every Wednesday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at six designated locations: South Topsail Elementary, C.F. Pope Elementary, Malpass Corner Elementary, Rocky Point Elementary, Atkinson Town Hall, and Maple Hill Presbyterian Church.

No application is required to receive meals, though officials encourage families to pre-register online or complete a form at pickup.

The initiative is part of a statewide effort to combat food insecurity and ensure students return to school ready to learn.

No Kid Hungry North Carolina, an initiative of Share Our Strength based at UNC-Chapel Hill, has worked since 2011 to expand access to healthy meals for children across the state. More information is available on the organization’s website.

(CBS NEWS) — Taylor Kiesel says she hasn’t slept through the night in three years.

“I wake up screaming, in a panic,” the 20-year-old said. These days she surrounds herself with reptiles she’s been collecting since childhood — Russian tortoises, geckos and snakes. Starting an animal rescue operation out of her home just outside Seattle has helped her turn what she calls “anger and sadness and passion” into something purposeful.

Getting to this point, she says, wasn’t the result of the mental health treatment she received — it was despite it.

Taylor’s struggles began early. Her father left when she was 5. In first grade, she was diagnosed with autism. By the time she was 6, she was expressing thoughts of self-harm.

“I remember driving in the car and she said, ‘Mom, what would happen if I just jumped out of the car right now?'” recalled her mother, Rachelle. “It’s not something that you would normally hear from a 6-year-old.”

After years of therapy and multiple hospitalizations failed to keep Taylor safe, Rachelle says a consultant recommended a longer-term placement at a residential treatment center in Missouri called Change Academy Lake of the Ozarks, or CALO. She toured the facility, spent hours on the phone with staff and said she asked nearly a hundred questions before agreeing.

“The first thing you think of as a parent is, I’ll do whatever it takes just to make sure that she’s OK,” she said. “I did a lot of homework.”

But once she arrived, Taylor says she felt right away that something was wrong.

“The way that other kids treated each other, how the staff would pit us against each other — that was not normal,” she said.

Behind closed doors

Taylor and Rachelle Kiesel are now among 15 families suing CALO in civil court, with allegations ranging from negligent infliction of emotional distress to battery. CALO declined to sit down for an interview but told CBS News in a statement the lawsuits are “without merit,” denying all allegations of abuse, neglect and battery.

CBS News spoke with dozens of CALO families, former residents and former staffers, many of whom described a violent, often out-of-control environment. Police records obtained by CBS News show more than 400 calls to the county sheriff’s office linked to CALO’s address over the past decade, including repeat and follow-up calls.

Hundreds of pages of incident reports paint a disturbing picture — a 12-year-old convulsing after apparently swallowing an unknown object, a 15-year-old cutting a large gash in her arm with pieces of a broken toilet, residents stabbing staffers with wooden shards from a broken bed frame.

CBS News also confirmed at least four former staffers have been convicted of crimes committed while employed at CALO, including sexually assaulting residents and possessing child pornography. In response, CALO said each individual passed state and federal background checks before being hired, that the incidents were immediately reported to the state, and that each employee was placed on leave and eventually terminated.

Caleb Cunningham served as the lead prosecutor in Camden County, Missouri, where CALO is located, from 2021 to 2023 and reviewed some of the records CBS News obtained.

“It’s worse than I thought it was,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

“It’s the perfect environment for these things to happen, and we see the same problems happening again and again and again, across the country,” Cunningham said, adding, “there’s very few problems in America where we just have ignored it entirely, like we have this industry.”

Missouri’s Department of Social Services told CBS News there have been five findings of physical abuse and five findings of sexual abuse involving CALO Programs over the last 20 years. The state’s attorney general says CALO is not under any active investigation through her office.

Often taxpayer-funded, loosely regulated

Taylor’s placement at CALO was funded, in part, through her Washington state school district under the terms of her Individualized Education Program, or IEP. Under federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act guarantees students with special needs a free education in the “least restrictive environment” possible. That law can, in some cases, enable children to cross state lines for private residential programs at public expense.

After Taylor was injured during a restraint by staff in 2022, Rachelle began pushing Washington state to remove CALO from its list of approved IEP placement options. She says the state told her CALO had been “responsive” to feedback and “has taken steps to address any past concerns.” CALO remained on the list.

There is currently no federal law mandating a minimum standard of care for youth residential treatment programs and oversight is largely left to individual states. A 2024 Senate Finance Committee investigation found four major companies operating residential treatment programs had documented cases of providing substandard care while receiving what the report’s authors say was billions in federal funds. CALO was not part of that report, and representatives for some of the companies named dispute the findings.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, authored the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, which passed in 2024 with bipartisan support — helped along by the advocacy of Paris Hilton, herself a former youth treatment program resident. But the bill stopped short of mandating federal oversight, instead directing the Department of Health and Human Services to study the programs. That study is expected to be completed as early as mid-2027

“The argument for a number of my colleagues was, we’re not sure how extensive the problem is,” Merkley said. “We’re reluctant to have regulation be a step taken before we understand it better.”

The price of therapy

Not every family’s story looks like Taylor’s.

Luca, now 20, entered a wilderness therapy program in 2019 at age 12, followed by a therapeutic boarding school. His mother, Martha — who asked that CBS News use their first names only to protect their privacy — says the experience saved his life.

“Even though I would have bad days when I was super upset or super depressed, staff handled it really well,” Luca said. “They weren’t just regular staff. They really cared.”

But the cost was staggering. Despite Luca having an approved IEP, Martha says the family depleted two savings accounts and two retirement accounts, and also took out a loan against other assets. The monthly bill, they say, ran around $12,000. Over two-plus years, they spent close to half a million dollars, with insurance and school district reimbursements covering only about a third of it.

“As a parent, you’re doing everything you can to find something that’s gonna work,” Martha said.

“It is very expensive, and I don’t have a good solution for that,” said Sen. Merkley.

A report by the Manhattan Institute think tank found that since 2010, the number of residential treatment centers has decreased by roughly 60%, as public scrutiny, funding shifts and other factors led some programs to close. This has left many families with fewer options, even as demand remains high.

Both families told CBS News they want the same things: a national database of programs that includes family reviews and complaints, standardized licensing requirements, a federal bill of rights for children in residential facilities, and requirements that programs retain security footage for longer periods following incidents.

“I would like to see stricter oversight,” Rachelle Kiesel said, adding that she doesn’t want to see anyone else go through what her family experienced.

Taylor, for her part, is focused on the future, which includes her reptile rescue and the animals she describes as “the unloved.”

“I am taking that anger and that sadness and passion that I feel,” she said. “I am turning it into something.”

In today’s episode of The Carolina Beat, host Katie Sasser talks about reverse mortgages with Greg Gianoplus, a Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional from Rate.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The two suspects in a Monday shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego are dead.

That’s according to a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss further details.

Authorities earlier said they believe multiple people have been shot at the Islamic Center about 9 miles (14 km) north of downtown San Diego. They have not released more details.

The Islamic Center is the largest mosque in San Diego County, according to its website. The campus includes the Al Rashid School, which the website says offers courses in Arabic language, Islamic studies and the Quran.

Aerial TV footage showed more than a dozen children holding hands and being walked out of the parking lot of the center that is surrounded by scores of police vehicles. The white mosque is in a neighborhood of homes, apartments and strip malls with Middle Eastern restaurants and markets.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said he was being briefed.

“We are grateful to the first responders on the scene working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow guidance from local authorities,” his office posted on the social platform X.

The Islamic Center’s website says its mission is to not only serve the Muslim population but also “work with the larger community to serve the less fortunate, to educate, and to better our nation.” Five daily prayers are held there, and the mosque works with other organizations and people of all faiths on social causes.

CLARKTON, NC (WWAY) — The Bladen County Health Department is warning residents after a raccoon collected near Clarkton tested positive for rabies.

Health officials said the department was notified on May 18 that the raccoon had tested positive for the virus. According to officials, Animal Control officers recovered the deceased raccoon on May 14 near the intersection of Burney Ford Road and Meares Lane in the Clarkton area before sending the specimen for testing.

Rabies is typically transmitted through the bite of an infected animal or through exposure of open wounds or mucous membranes to infected saliva.

Officials are asking anyone who may have had contact with the raccoon or been exposed to potentially infectious saliva in late April or early May to contact a healthcare provider or the local health department for a rabies risk assessment.

Health officials stressed that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin but is preventable if post-exposure treatment is administered quickly.

The health department is also reminding residents that vaccinating pets remains the most effective way to prevent rabies transmission. Under North Carolina law, all dogs, cats and ferrets are required to be vaccinated against rabies and wear a current rabies tag.

Officials noted that cats are the domestic animal most commonly identified with rabies in North Carolina.

If a vaccinated pet is exposed to rabies, officials say the animal should receive a booster vaccine. Pets not currently vaccinated may face euthanasia or a mandatory four-month quarantine under state law.

Residents are also encouraged to avoid contact with stray or feral animals and to never approach wildlife acting strangely. Raccoons are considered one of the primary carriers of rabies in North Carolina.

Anyone who observes unusual animal behavior is encouraged to contact Bladen County Animal Control. Residents seeking rabies exposure guidance can contact the Bladen County Health Department.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners approved a Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget Monday that maintains the county’s current property tax rate while increasing investments in public education, public safety and infrastructure projects.

The budget, which takes effect July 1, was approved in a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Stephanie Walker voting against the measure. The adopted plan keeps the county property tax rate at 30.6 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

“Times are tough for a lot of families, and keeping more money in their pocket matters,” said Board Chair LeAnn Pierce. “I support the plan we approved, which holds the line on the tax rate while investing in our schools, our public safety, and the continued work to preserve and connect greenspace across the county.”

Public education remained a major focus of the spending plan.

The budget allocates $111.4 million to New Hanover County Schools for operating expenses, capital outlay and Pre-K programs. The plan also increases the county’s per-pupil funding rate from $3,872 to $4,120 and restores Pre-K funding to the post-pandemic level of $1.95 million.

Additional school-related funding supports school resource officers, nurses, mental health therapists and violence prevention programs, bringing total direct and indirect school funding to approximately $143.4 million.

The county also approved $15.9 million for Cape Fear Community College operations and capital expenses, along with an additional $9.6 million for debt service.

Public safety funding totals $122.6 million in the adopted budget, including enhancements for the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office that will fund three new positions and several equipment and software upgrades.

Commissioners also approved nearly $89.8 million in capital funding over the next five years to support projects including multi-use trails along Carolina Beach Road, improvements at Holly Shelter Business Park and renovations at four county fire stations.

For residents living in unincorporated areas of the county, the Fire Service District tax rate will remain at 7.25 cents per $100 of assessed value. Stormwater utility fees will remain at $6.14 per equivalent residential unit per month.

The budget also includes an increase to landfill tipping fees, which will rise from $52 to $61 per ton. County officials said the increase will support a long-term capital plan for landfill cell closures and efforts to extend the landfill’s lifespan.

County officials said a budget summary document will be available in the coming weeks through the county’s finance department website.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Thousands of rubber ducks will once again race down the Lazy River at Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park as the 11th annual Coastal Duck Derby returns Friday, May 29.

The popular community fundraiser will begin at 5:30 p.m. and is expected to send 20,000 rubber ducks into the water in support of Coastal Horizons and its Crisis Intervention Services programs.

Organizers say the family-friendly event raises funds for several programs serving vulnerable youth and adults across the region, including the organization’s Rape Crisis Centers, Open House Youth Shelter & Services, and transitional living programs for homeless youth and young parents.

One lucky duck adopter will win a week-long vacation for two, with the choice between trips to Italy or Hawaii that include airfare and accommodations. Ducks can be adopted for $5 each.

“The Duck Derby is one of the most joyful events of the year because it combines fun, community spirit, and a meaningful mission,” said Elizabeth Redenbaugh, Vice President of Development and External Affairs for Coastal Horizons. “Every duck adopted helps provide safety, shelter, advocacy, and support to youth and adults facing crisis situations throughout our community.”

In addition to the race itself, attendees can enjoy music, food available for purchase and access to the children’s splash pad throughout the evening.

The event is free and open to the public.

More information about duck adoptions, team participation and sponsorship opportunities is available through the Coastal Duck Derby website.

(AP) — Days after Spirit Airlines shut down in the middle of the night, a lawyer for the defunct budget carrier stood before a bankruptcy judge and apologized to the price-conscious customers who might struggle to find affordable flights in its absence.

“We apologize most specifically to those Americans who may now be priced entirely out,” Spirit lawyer Marshall Huebner said in court, thanking all the passengers who relied on the airline during its 34-year run, many of whom, he said, “could not otherwise have afforded air travel.”

Spirit’s May 2 demise is not the only curveball confronting people planning trips a week before the summer travel season has its traditional U.S. launch on Memorial Day. Rising jet fuel costs tied to the Iran war have pushed up airfares and associated fees across the commercial aviation industry. Two of the remaining U.S. budget carriers just finalized a merger.

The uncertain outlook for economical air travel reflects how difficult it has become for low-cost, no-frills airlines to operate while squeezed by volatile fuel prices, inflation and increasingly fierce competition. While budget airlines appeal to customers motivated by fare prices alone, traditional carriers can more easily generate revenue to offset fuel costs through premium cabins, membership rewards, corporate travel programs, add-on charges and pricing algorithms.

“Dynamic pricing has taken away one of the last structural advantages that low-cost carriers had,” said Shye Gilad, a former airline captain who now teaches at Georgetown University.

For decades, low-cost carriers thrived by offering fares that traditional airlines often couldn’t match without losing money. But that edge has weakened as the “big three” — American, Delta and United — got better at tailoring prices to different travelers, and as JetBlue, Southwest and other airlines that long positioned themselves as less expensive alternatives began chasing higher-paying customers.

Today, big airlines can sell a handful of bare-bones seats at Spirit-level prices while still charging more for standard and premium tickets elsewhere on their planes. That has made it harder for budget airlines to compete solely on price.

“They can’t just be the cheapest airline anymore,” Gilad said. “They have to be the smartest low-cost airline.”

Like gasoline and diesel prices, the price of jet fuel has jumped since the Iran war put a chokehold on Middle East oil shipments 11 weeks ago. The strain prompted the Association of Value Airlines, a U.S. trade group representing Allegiant Air, Avelo Air, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, to ask the Trump administration in late April for $2.5 billion in temporary financial aid.

Airlines for America, the trade group for Alaska Airlines, American, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest, opposed the idea, saying that federal help would give the budget airlines an unfair advantage.

“Government intervention on behalf of those airlines would punish other airlines that have engaged in self-help in order to deal with increased costs and reward airlines who haven’t made those tough decisions,” Airlines for America said in a statement. “And, in the long-term, sustaining businesses that cannot earn their cost of capital harms competition and consumers by making it more difficult for other airlines to compete.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy rejected the request the day Spirit stopped flying.

Even before the latest run-up in fuel costs, consolidation was already underway in the budget airline sector. Alaska Airlines completed its $1 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024 after the two carriers agreed to maintain the level of service on key routes within Hawaii and between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland where they didn’t face much competition.

Spirit was an unsuccessful merger target of both Frontier and JetBlue as its losses mounted after the coronavirus pandemic.

Allegiant said last week it had finalized its roughly $1.5 billion acquisition of Sun Country, a deal first announced in January. The combined airline brings together passenger service with Sun Country’s cargo operations and charter business serving sports teams, casinos and the U.S. Department of Defense.

“Consolidation is a signal” of weakness in the industry, Gilad said. “If you can remove a competitor and improve your product offering, you might be able to eke out more profit.”

Other experts note the diversity within the budget airline sector, a factor that could make some carriers more resilient to spiking fuel costs and market disruptions than others.

“Budget airlines are a pretty peculiar creature,” Vikrant Vaze, an aviation systems expert at Dartmouth College’s engineering school, said, describing a category that has encompassed struggling carriers like Spirit to giants like Southwest Airlines, which grew from a low-cost pioneer into one of the largest U.S. airlines.

“Even though they can be clubbed together as budget airlines, if you want a big umbrella term, they’re very different from each other,” Vaze said. “They have very different levels of budget-ness.”

Allegiant’s focus on leisure travel centers on smaller airports with less direct competition. JetBlue, a hybrid low-cost carrier, leans more heavily on premium seating and loyalty perks than Spirit ever did.

Frontier comes closest to Spirit’s model as an ultra low-cost carrier, though analysts say it entered this period of volatility with stronger liquidity and could benefit from Spirit’s exit. It has already begun expanding in former Spirit-heavy markets that include Las Vegas, Detroit and the Florida cities of Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.

Gilad sees echoes of his own experience working as a pilot and flight-training instructor at Independence Air, a short-lived low-cost airline that previously served as a regional carrier for United and Delta. The airline, which launched in mid-2004 as fighting between U.S.-led forces and insurgents in Iraq sent fuel prices soaring, shut down during bankruptcy proceedings in January 2006.

“They burned through almost $200 million in 18 months,” Gilad said. “It was just that quick that they were gone.”

He said the same structural pressures remain in place today, but there are fewer remaining budget airlines to share them.

OAKLAND, CA (AP) — A federal court on Monday dismissed claims filed against OpenAI and its top executives by Elon Musk, who accused them of betraying a shared vision for it to remain a nonprofit dedicated to guiding artificial intelligence’s development for the good of humanity.

Musk, the world’s richest man, was a co-founder of OpenAI, which launched in 2015 and went on to create ChatGPT. After investing $38 million in its first years, Musk accused OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his top deputy of shifting into a moneymaking mode behind his back.

The nine-person jury found that Musk waited too long to file his lawsuit and missed the deadline for the statute of limitations. The jury had deliberated only two hours.

The jury served in an advisory role, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers accepted the verdict Monday as the court’s own and dismissed Musk’s claims.

The three-week trial in Oakland, California shed light on the bitter falling-out between the two Silicon Valley titans and the beginnings of OpenAI, now a company valued at $852 billion and moving toward potentially one of the largest initial public offerings in history.

Altman and OpenAI claimed there was never a promise to keep OpenAI a nonprofit forever. In fact, they argued, Musk knew this and filed his lawsuit because he couldn’t have unilateral control over the fast-growing AI developer.

Musk was seeking damages to be paid to the altruistic efforts of OpenAI’s charitable arm as well as Altman’s ouster from OpenAI’s board. Musk’s decision to stop funding the company contributed to a bitter rift between the former allies. Musk says he was responding to deceptive conduct that OpenAI’s board picked up on when it fired Altman as CEO in 2023 before he got his job back days later.

Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The three-week trial saw testimony from Musk, Altman and his top lieutenant Greg Brockman, along with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and a slew of others in the tech titans’ orbit. Musk told jurors on his first of three days on the stand that, fundamentally, “I think they’re going to try to make this lawsuit … very complicated, but it’s actually very simple,” Musk said. “Which is that it’s not OK to steal a charity.”

Musk’s lawsuit claimed that, in addition to “breach of charitable trust,” Altman and Brockman unjustly enriched themselves from the windfall as the ChatGPT maker soared in valuation. Brockman revealed during the trial that his stake in OpenAI is worth about $30 billion.

OpenAI has brushed off Musk’s allegations as an unfounded case of sour grapes aimed at undercutting its rapid growth and bolstering Musk’s own xAI, which he launched in 2023 as a competitor. During cross-examination, Musk was sometimes combative with OpenAI lawyer William Savitt.

“Your questions are not simple,” Musk said at one point. “They are designed to trick me essentially.”

Jurors also heard from witnesses including OpenAI ex-board members Helen Toner and Tasha McCauley, who spoke about the decision to fire Altman in 2023. They were ousted from the board themselves when Altman returned to his role a few days later.

Altman and Musk both vied to be OpenAI’s CEO in its early years. In his testimony, Altman said he had concerns about Musk’s attempts to gain more control over OpenAI, which was aiming to safely build a better-than-human form of AI called artificial general intelligence.

“Part of the reason we started OpenAI is we didn’t think AGI could be under the control of any one person, no matter how good their intents are,” Altman said.

Near the end of his testimony, Altman said that before things turned sour, he had thought very highly of Musk.

“I felt like he had abandoned us, not come through on his promises, put the company in a very difficult place, jeopardized the mission, didn’t really care about the things I thought he cared about,” Altman said. “It’s been an extremely painful thing for me … to have someone that I respected so much not acknowledge that and continue to publicly attack us.”

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — As Memorial Day travelers prepare to hit the roads for one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, state and local law enforcement agencies across North Carolina are urging drivers and passengers to buckle up every time they get in a vehicle.

The annual Memorial Day “Click It or Ticket” campaign, led by the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, began Monday and will continue through May 31.

The statewide campaign combines public awareness efforts with increased law enforcement patrols focused on seat belt enforcement and reducing preventable traffic deaths and injuries.

“Wearing a seatbelt remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself in a crash,” said GHSP Director Mark Ezzell. “Taking just a few seconds to buckle up can save your life and the lives of others in your vehicle.”

During last year’s Memorial Day enforcement campaign, officers across the state issued 4,762 citations to drivers and passengers who were not properly restrained.

According to state officials, more than 460 people were killed and another 1,027 seriously injured in 2024 in crashes where seat belts or child safety seats were not being used.

Throughout the campaign, drivers can expect increased enforcement of North Carolina’s seat belt laws on highways and local roads statewide, particularly during the busy holiday travel period.

Officials are also reminding travelers to avoid distractions, obey posted speed limits and plan ahead before traveling during the Memorial Day weekend.

(CBS NEWS) — The Trump administration announced Monday it’s adding additional screening measures and restricting people who don’t have U.S. passports from entering the country if they have been in three African nations affected by a growing Ebola outbreak. At least 80 people are believed to have died from the latest outbreak of the virus, according to the World Health Organization.

People without U.S. passports who have traveled to Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the past three weeks will be restricted from entering the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced.

The CDC also said the U.S. would enhance public health screening for people traveling from areas affected by the outbreak.

The travel order is among several measures announced by the CDC that take effect immediately and will be in effect for 30 days. The CDC said the travel order doesn’t apply to U.S. citizens, green-card holders or U.S. service members.

At least six Americans were exposed to Ebola virus in Congo, sources with international aid organizations told CBS News, although it was unclear if any had been infected. It also wasn’t immediately clear whether the Americans were still in Congo.

The agency also said it would try to identify people who have been exposed to the Ebola virus by coordinating with airlines, international partners and port-of-entry officials.

“We will continue to evaluate the evolving situation and may adjust public health measures as additional information becomes available,” the CDC said.

The CDC said the outbreak posed a low immediate risk to the U.S. general public.

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of threatening President Donald J. Trump, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Christopher James Hill, 32, of Wilmington, is accused of posting messages on Facebook that contained threats to kill and injure the President between Oct. 3, 2025, and Oct. 13, 2025.

According to the indictment, the posts were made publicly on Facebook.com and included statements that prosecutors allege constituted threats against the President of the United States.

If convicted, Hill faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The announcement was made by W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service.

Authorities emphasized that the charges are allegations. Hill is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The First Fruit Ministries will host its annual Community Summer BBQ Celebration, known as the Freedom BBQ, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, inviting residents across the Wilmington area to gather for an afternoon of food, music and fellowship.

The event will take place on the First Fruit Ministries campus from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature a full barbecued pig, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities including yard games for guests of all ages.

Live music will be provided by the band Vintage Misfits, adding to the festive atmosphere designed to bring together volunteers, supporters, neighbors and local businesses.

Organizers say the Freedom BBQ is intended to strengthen community connections while highlighting the organization’s ongoing outreach mission.

“This event is about bringing people together in a meaningful and welcoming environment while highlighting the incredible community support that makes our mission possible,” organizers said in a statement. “We are grateful for every sponsor, volunteer, and guest who helps make events like this happen.”

The Freedom BBQ is part of First Fruit Ministries’ broader mission to serve individuals experiencing hunger, homelessness and human trafficking throughout the Wilmington area by offering outreach programs rooted in support and care.

For more information about the Freedom BBQ, visit the organization’s website.

In today’s episode of Self-Care Share, host Tiffany Cripps talks with Kelly Purcell, a Burnout and Nervous System Coach & Consultant with Ground. Connect. Empower.