WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) — A new drama series, which was shot right here in Wilmington, is premiering next week on ABC.

“RJ Decker,” is a new ABC drama about a former newspaper photographer and ex-con, who starts over a private investigator in South Florida. The series began filming in November, using local studios in Wilmington with scenes shot in Carolina Beach and Fort Fisher.

The series stars Kevin Rankin as Aloysius “Wish” Aiken. He said the series takes a new twist on traditional crime series and features many iconic Wilmington spots.

“Wilmington residents would like it, they would be able to see a lot of Wilmington in here, with a keen eye, that sort of thing, we did go to Fort Lauderdale to do come exteriors so people in Fort Lauderdale will be able to say ‘oh that is Fort Lauderdale,’ people in Wilmington will be able to say ‘that’s Wilmington,'” Rankin said.

The new series premieres next Tuesday, Mar. 3 at 10 p.m. on ABC and will stream on Hulu the following day.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an ongoing scam targeting families of people who are incarcerated.

According to the sheriff’s office, scammers are calling family members and falsely claiming money must be paid for an ankle monitor before their loved one can be released from jail.

Authorities say in some cases, callers are demanding large sums of money and using real information pulled from jail records to appear legitimate. The scammers have also used the names of actual sheriff’s office employees in an effort to gain trust.

Officials emphasized that the sheriff’s office does not call individuals to demand payment over the phone for ankle monitors, bonds or release fees. Release conditions are set by a magistrate or judge, not through unsolicited phone calls requesting payment.

The sheriff’s office advises anyone who receives a call like this to:

• Not send money.

• Not provide personal or financial information.

• Hang up immediately.

• Contact the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office directly using its non-emergency number to verify any claims.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Junior League of Wilmington is preparing for its 72nd annual Bargain Sale, a weekend event featuring new and gently used items to raise money for community programs and grants.

Junior League President Allison Bianchini said the organization collects and organizes donated items from members and community partners, offering everything from furniture and home décor to clothing, books, toys and sporting goods.

The event begins with “Sip & Shop” on Friday, Feb. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Elks Lodge on Oleander Drive. Tickets are $20 and include light hors d’oeuvres and beverages. Attendees will get an early opportunity to shop the sale items, and local vendors will also be on site. Admission to Sip & Shop includes entry to Saturday’s sale.

The Bargain Sale continues Saturday, Feb. 28, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. All remaining items will be discounted by 50%. Saturday-only admission is $5.

Bianchini said shoppers are encouraged to arrive early for the best selection. The organization is also sharing previews of items on its social media accounts in the days leading up to the sale.

Proceeds from the event support the Junior League’s mission of advancing women’s leadership and providing community impact. Bianchini said funds raised go toward community grants, local resource drives and volunteer efforts with area organizations.

Both cash and card payments will be accepted at the event, though card purchases will include a 3% processing fee. Organizers said the event will be held rain or shine unless extreme weather conditions prevent it from taking place.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Avelo Airlines has extended its Wilmington International Airport flight schedule through November 17, giving travelers an expanded booking window for fall travel.

The announcement follows an earlier schedule extension that allowed customers to book flights through August 18, 2026.

The airline said one-way fares begin at $47, and reservations can be made through the company’s website.

Avelo currently lists six nonstop destinations from Wilmington, including Nashville, Tennessee; New Haven, Connecticut; Tampa, Florida; Washington, D.C./Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia/Wilmington, Delaware; and Rochester, New York.

The schedule extension comes after Avelo previously announced it would close its Wilmington base and reduce service to several destinations as part of an effort to concentrate operations around its primary bases in other states.

At the time of that announcement, Wilmington International Airport officials said destinations affected by the reductions were also served by other airlines.

Avelo began service in Wilmington in 2021 and has transported millions of passengers systemwide.

Travelers can book flights through mid-November 2026 online.

(AP) — The Department of Homeland Security would be barred from using a full-body restraint device called the WRAP under a new bill introduced in the House on Wednesday.

The “Full Body Restraint Prohibition Act,” sponsored by U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., would prohibit future purchases of the device and create oversight and reporting requirements.

In announcing the legislation, Ramirez cited an Associated Press investigation that revealed several examples of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of DHS, using the device on people — sometimes for hours — on deportation flights dating to 2020.

The WRAP “fuels destruction in our communities and human suffering. This legislation is an additional step to end the pain and violence caused by DHS,” Ramirez said in a statement.

Made by California-based Safe Restraints Inc., the WRAP is the subject of several federal lawsuits likening its incorrect usage to punishment and even torture. Advocates have expressed concern that ICE is not tracking the WRAP’s use as required by federal law when officers use force, making it difficult to discern exactly how many people are being subjected to the restraints.

In addition to reporting on ICE’s use of the device, the AP identified a dozen fatal cases in the last decade where local police or jailers around the U.S. used the WRAP and autopsies determined “restraint” played a role in the death.

DHS has not answered detailed questions from the AP about the use of the WRAP and did not respond to a request for comment on the bill.

The AP found that ICE has used the device despite internal concerns voiced in a 2023 report by the civil rights division of DHS, in part due to reports of deaths involving use of the WRAP by local law enforcement. Ramirez also cited reporting by Bloomberg Law on the WRAP.

Federal purchasing records show that DHS paid Safe Restraints Inc. $268,523 since it started purchasing the devices in late 2015, during the Obama administration, through June 2025. Government purchasing records show the two Trump administrations have been responsible for about 91% of that spending.

Charles Hammond, the company’s CEO, said in a statement that the WRAP was designed to provide a “safer, more humane, pain-free alternative to other restraint methods.”

“Eliminating The WRAP from these situations would not lead to safer outcomes; it would force the return to alternative restraints and tactics proven to cause pain, injury and even fatalities,” Hammond said.

The company made a modified version of the device for ICE, Hammond said. The ICE version had changes meant to allow people to be kept in it during flights and long bus trips.

Still, ICE officials have a much lower threshold for deploying the WRAP than the manufacturer advises, the AP found. Detainees interviewed by the AP said ICE officers used the restraints on them after they had already been shackled. They said this was done to intimidate or punish them for asking to speak to their attorneys or expressing fear at being deported, often to places they fled due to violence and torture.

Hammond told the AP that, if true that some people were not being violent and simply protesting verbally, putting them in the WRAP could be improper use.

After AP’s investigation in October, a group of 11 Democratic U.S. senators wrote a letter to top immigration officials citing the AP’s investigation and saying ICE’s use of the full-body restrains onboard deportation flights is raising “serious human rights concerns.”

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has filed a lawsuit against two wedding photographers and their company, alleging they misled and defrauded dozens of engaged couples across the state.

Jackson announced Tuesday that his office is suing Holly Christina Scott Ayscue, Christopher Owen Ayscue and their business, Holly Christina Photography. Since January, the N.C. Department of Justice has received 166 complaints from customers alleging about $750,000 in total financial losses.

“This photographer left engaged couples and newlyweds stranded without a wedding photographer, without refunds, and without memories from one of the most important days of their lives,” Jackson said in a statement. “Even before they shut down, they were deceiving customers to maximize their own profit. We’re taking them to court to get justice for these brides and grooms.”

According to the complaint, Holly Christina Photography sold photo and video packages to wedding clients, often requiring a 50% upfront deposit, at least $1,500 for most customers. More than half of the complaining customers paid the full cost upfront, averaging more than $5,000, in exchange for a 10% discount.

The lawsuit alleges the company either failed to provide all promised services or did no work at all. The defendants shut down abruptly on Jan. 25 but continued to solicit and accept deposits through early January.

Of the 166 complaints filed with the Department of Justice:

• At least 92 clients requested refunds on down payments for future weddings but have not received them.

• At least 38 clients received only a “sneak peek” of their photos and are still waiting for their full galleries and videos.

• At least 35 clients received only raw photos and video footage without the editing included in their contracts.

The complaint also alleges the defendants double- or triple-booked weddings on at least 60 dates in different parts of the state and, in some cases, the country. Two separate dates allegedly had five weddings scheduled. In some instances, backup photographers were sent without client approval.

The state also alleges the company pressured couples to book services by advertising that only one “last spot” was available. At least 76 complainants told investigators they felt rushed to secure what they were told was the final available date.

In one case outlined in the complaint, Carolina Roach hired the company in September 2024 for her September 2025 wedding, paying more than $6,000 in two installments. On her wedding day, different photographers and videographers showed up without prior notice. She and her husband received 156 preview photos in October but have not received the remainder of their package.

In another case, Alexis Sullivan hired the company in March 2025 for her March 2026 wedding, paying $7,656.90 upfront for a package that included wedding and rehearsal coverage, as well as a bridal portrait session. On the day of her portraits, a relative of Holly Ayscue reportedly took the photos instead. Sullivan later received only raw image files and an email stating the company had ceased operations. She has not received edited photos or a refund and is now searching for a new photographer ahead of her wedding.

The complaint also alleges at least 24 couples had weddings scheduled within 90 days of the company’s closure and were left scrambling to secure new photographers without assistance or refunds.

Jackson is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction, restitution for affected customers and civil penalties.

(ABC) — Midterms are traditionally a referendum on the president, and recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos polling shows that President Donald Trump is a deeply unpopular president who faces negative ratings on handling various issues along with majorities of Americans opposite him on key policy positions. But with Americans not trusting Democrats more than Republicans to handle the country’s most serious issues – registered voters say they would be nearly split between the two parties if they voted today.

Just a week before the first voters head to the polls for primary elections in some states, an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducting using Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel finds registered voters in America are roughly split between supporting the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate in U.S. House of Representative elections in their congressional district this fall, 47% to 45%.

That gap widens slightly to 4 points among adults overall, 43% for Democrats and 39% for Republicans. These margins are nearly identical to when ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos asked in October.

In a February 2022 ABC News/Washington Post poll, former President Joe Biden had a 37% approval rating and voters preferred Republican candidates in the midterm question by a 7-point margin. That year, Republicans went on to win the House. In a January 2018 ABC/Post poll, Trump had a 36% approval rating and voters preferred Democrats by 12 points. Democrats won the House that year.

Today, Trump’s approval rating is 39%. But Americans don’t trust Democrats more than Republicans to handle the country’s problems, the cost of living or immigration. And it’s clear that voters who are skeptical of Trump haven’t bought into Democrats’ messaging, at least yet.

Almost all voters who strongly approve of Trump say they would vote for the Republican candidate if midterms were held today (97%) and 87% of those who approve of him “somewhat” also say they’d vote for Republicans. But while about 9 in 10 of those who strongly disapprove of Trump would vote for the Democratic candidate, among those who somewhat disapprove of the president, 46% would vote for the Republican candidate and 32% would vote for the Democrat in midterms.

Fully 96% of Democratic registered voters support their party’s candidate; a similar 94% of Republican registered voters support their party’s candidate.

Independent voters support Democrats by 15 points, 48% to 33%. In the February 2022 ABC News/Washington Post poll, independent voters preferred Republican candidates by 14 points — and the GOP went on to win in Congress. In the January 2018 poll, independent voters preferred Democratic candidates by the same margin — and Democrats won the House in November.

Nationalizing voting, FBI ballot counting and voter ID laws

Trump has continued to publicly repeat unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, despite all evidence showing that Biden was legally elected and no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Earlier this month, Trump doubled down on his earlier suggestion that the federal government should “get involved” in state elections, arguing that Republicans should “nationalize” elections in response to his continued false claims of voter fraud and refusal to accept his 2020 loss.

Most Americans (54%) oppose the federal government taking over election administration and vote counting in certain states, while only 23% support this.

About 9 in 10 Democrats (88%) along with over half of independents (55%) oppose the federal government taking over election administration in certain states, while just over half of Republicans support this (53%). About two-thirds of MAGA Republicans support it (66%), compared to about 2 in 10 non-MAGA Republicans (21%).

Trump has gone as far in his desire to relitigate the 2020 election as to have the FBI seize ballots from Fulton County, Georgia, where he lost in 2020. That election’s ballots were counted three separate times and the results were affirmed each time.

When asked about the FBI seizing ballots from the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County, Georgia, opposition outweighs support, 45% to 24% with 32% offering no opinion.

While two-thirds of MAGA Republicans support the FBI’s seizure of ballots in Fulton County, only about 2 in 10 non-MAGA Republicans support it with about half saying they have no opinion.

Trump’s repeated and unsubstantiated accusations of rigged voting is also tied to his backing of the “SAVE America Act,” a piece of legislation that passed the House earlier this month. The legislation would restrict mail-in ballots, require photo ID and mandate that states require proof of citizenship when people register to vote in federal elections.

Despite the fact that both voter fraud and noncitizen voting are exceedingly rare problems, Americans are generally in favor of voter ID laws. And the ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll finds that most Americans support the SAVE Act’s even more restrictive voter registration ID laws.

About 6 in 10 Americans say they support anyone registering to vote in federal elections to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, while about 2 in 10 oppose this. The question specified that people registering to vote would need to show a U.S. passport, birth certificate with matching photo ID or other official documents verifying citizenship and identity.

Trump and the future of the Republican Party

Despite Trump’s deep unpopularity and negative ratings of his policies and positions, Republicans still largely approve of him and say that their party should follow the president’s leadership, a number that has grown in the latest poll.

The poll finds 71% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say that Republican leaders should follow Trump’s leadership, while 28% say leaders in their party should lead the party in a different direction. The share saying the party should follow Trump has increased from 60% in 2022 and 57% in 2021.

About 9 in 10 self-described Republican MAGA supporters — who make up 54% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents — say the party should follow Trump’s leadership, compared with roughly 4 in 10 non-MAGA Republicans. More than half, 56% of non-MAGA Republicans — who make up 42% of the party — say Republican leaders should lead the party in a different direction.

Methodology – This ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll was conducted via the probability-based Ipsos KnowledgePanel, Feb. 12-17, 2026, among 2,589 U.S. adults and has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. The error margins are larger among partisan subgroup samples and other subgroups.

(ABC) — U.S. childhood and teen obesity rates have reached record-highs while adult obesity rates may be slowing, according to two new reports published early Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Researchers used measured heights and weights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) — run by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics — to track trends over more than six decades.

In the first report, the team found that, in the most recent survey conducted between August 2021 and August 2023, 40.3% of adults aged 20 and older were found to be obese, including 9.7% with severe obesity and another 31.7% classified as overweight.

By comparison, for the survey conducted between 1988 and 1994, 22.9% adults aged 20 and older were found to be obese including 2.8% with severe obesity and 33.1% classified as overweight.

However, some of the newest estimates suggest the rapid rise seen in earlier decades may be slowing slightly.

In the 2017-2018 survey, 42.4% of adults were classified as obese, which is the highest figure ever recorded. The decrease between the two most recent surveys could be indicative of a downward trend. Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor, noted that it aligns with observations of electronic medical record data.

“So, we’re seeing, for the first time in decades, that there’s like a leveling off and even maybe a slight decrease and I think this is like challenging a major shift from the long-held expectation that obesity would just be climbing year after year,” he said.

According to Brownstein, the decrease is likely due to many factors including public health policies and education about healthier lifestyles as well as medications such as GLP-1s.

GLP-1s, or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, mimic the GLP-1 hormone that is produced in the gut after eating.

It can help produce more insulin, which reduces blood sugar and therefore helps control Type 2 diabetes. It can also interact with the brain and signal a person to feel full, which — when coupled with diet and exercise — can help reduce weight in those who are overweight or obese.

Many GLP-1s have become household names, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound and Trulicity.

“I do think the advent of the GLP-1s are absolutely playing a role,” Brownstein said. “At that point in 2023, they weren’t as widespread as they are today. So, we expect that these factors could play even more significant role in more recent times.”

Dr. Justin Ryder, an associate professor of surgery and pediatrics at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, said he’s cautiously optimistic about the slight decrease.

However, he added that it remains to be seen whether this is a blip or if the decrease is indicative of a longer-term trend.

“We’ve seen dips in the past and typically, when they do, in the next reporting period it goes right back up,” Ryder told ABC News. “And that’s because of how the sampling is done. This is a random sample of U.S. adults.”

He noted that the random sampling makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions.

“Could it just be the people who were sampled, or is it real?” he said. “And I think we won’t know that until we have another set or a larger set of data over either the same sampling period or a couple more years from now.”

Meanwhile, a second report found that more than one in five U.S. children and teenagers have obesity, which is the highest figure ever recorded.

The survey conducted between August 2021 and August 2023 found 21.1% of U.S. children and teenagers between ages 2 and 19 have obesity, up from 5.2% during the 1971-1974 survey.

Additionally, 7% of children live with severe obesity, an increase from the 1% seen 50 years ago, according to the report.

“This is exceptionally concerning,” Dr. David Ludwig, co-director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, told ABC News.

He added that in the 1970s, “children were certainly recognized [as obese] but it was the rare child, one in 20. And now we’re looking at one in five children with obesity.”

Ludwig said it had seemed for a short period of time that the prevalence of obesity was decreasing at least among 2-to-5-year-olds when rates declined from 12.1% in 2009-2010 to 9.4% in 2013-2014.

At the time, he viewed it as a “glimmer of hope” — but rates increased again and now sit at 14.9% for this age group.

“We saw that dip and we all got excited thinking that we were beginning to turn the tide,” Ludwig said. “In retrospect, that was more of a statistical aberration, more of mirage than a true glimmer of hope because the trend overall has continued upward.”

To reverse the trends among children, Ryder said the 2-to-5-year-old group will need lifestyle modifications such as healthier eating. The 6-to-11-year-old group will need similar methods although some medications are available, he said.

For children above age 12, Ryder said medications and bariatric surgery are options.

Nearly 23% of children ages 12 to 19 were considered obese in the most recent survey. Ryder said that means they meet the guidelines for intensive treatment, whether that’s lifestyle adjustments or in combination with medications or surgery.

“I think the only way that we’re going to see a downward trend in that number is if we take that adolescent group of 12- to 19-year-olds and actually start to apply the clinical practice guidelines and treat those kids seriously, offering them medications,” he said.

(CBS) — Amid a wave of lawsuits filed by pardoned Jan. 6 riot defendants against the federal government, some House Democrats are introducing legislation Wednesday to block any further taxpayer money from being awarded to participants in the Capitol siege, after at least one financial settlement.

The legislation is sponsored by Rep. Deborah Ross, a North Carolina Democrat who raised concerns at a hearing in January about the attempts by pardoned rioters to secure awards or restitution from their cases.

“The pardons have re-traumatized the victims,” Ross said at a hearing last month. Ross also noted that President Trump’s blanket clemency of riot defendants also absolved the attackers from having to pay restitution for the millions of dollars in damages they caused during the Insurrection.

Ross’ new bill in the House would prohibit the distribution of taxpayer money for any “January 6th compensation fund” and ban any further refund of damage payments made by convicted Capitol rioters.

“We now have the Proud Boys trying to take people’s tax dollars and act like they were the victims on Jan. 6, which we know is patently false,” Ross told CBS News.

“We have got to make it very clear that Congress does not think these insurrectionists need to be rewarded for trying to overturn an election and for defacing property and for injuring Capitol police officers,” she said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Ross’ legislation is similar to separate Senate legislation introduced in January by Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat whose committee has oversight over U.S. Capitol Police and Capitol grounds.

Mark McCloskey, an attorney whose social media page says he is “championing the cause of J6 compensation,” posted on his X feed in August: “To all the J6 political prisoners out there — I’m doing everything I can to [expedite] the establishment of a claims resolution procedure so we can get you back on your feet and get you some real justice.”

“I won’t stop fighting and I will never back down,” he wrote.

The Trump administration has already approved at least one civil settlement in connection with the mob that overran the Capitol on Jan 6, 2021. The Justice Department signed off on an approximately $5 million settlement to the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer while she breached a smashed window into the House Speaker’s Lobby.

At a Jan. 6, 2026 hearing held by congressional Democrats, members of Congress and a former Capitol riot prosecutor slammed proposals for Jan. 6 “reparations” for convicted rioters. U.S. Capitol Police officer Winston Pingeon, who responded to the riot, testified that the more than 140 police officers injured in the Capitol siege have not received a special “compensation fund” or reparations for their losses. Pingeon told the panel, “I don’t know of any officer who has received any kind of compensation for what they sacrificed on Jan. 6.”

Mark McCloskey, an attorney whose social media page says he is “championing the cause of J6 compensation,” posted on his X feed in August: “To all the J6 political prisoners out there — I’m doing everything I can to [expedite] the establishment of a claims resolution procedure so we can get you back on your feet and get you some real justice.”

“I won’t stop fighting and I will never back down,” he wrote.

The Trump administration has already approved at least one civil settlement in connection with the mob that overran the Capitol on Jan 6, 2021. The Justice Department signed off on an approximately $5 million settlement to the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer while she breached a smashed window into the House Speaker’s Lobby.

At a Jan. 6, 2026 hearing held by congressional Democrats, members of Congress and a former Capitol riot prosecutor slammed proposals for Jan. 6 “reparations” for convicted rioters. U.S. Capitol Police officer Winston Pingeon, who responded to the riot, testified that the more than 140 police officers injured in the Capitol siege have not received a special “compensation fund” or reparations for their losses. Pingeon told the panel, “I don’t know of any officer who has received any kind of compensation for what they sacrificed on Jan. 6.”

(ABC) — President Donald Trump’s surgeon general nominee is set to appear before the Senate on Wednesday for her confirmation hearing.

Dr. Casey Means was originally scheduled to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee in October, but it was postponed for four months after she went into labor.

If confirmed, Means would become the nation’s top doctor, leading more than 6,000 members of the U.S. Public Health Service, including physicians, nurses, scientists and engineers working at various federal health agencies.

Means’ views largely mirror those of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with a focus on tackling the chronic disease epidemic, creating a healthier food supply and expressing vaccine skepticism.

Senators are expected to grill Means on her qualifications as well as her business endeavors. In prior filings, Means pledged that, if confirmed, she would resign from her position as an adviser for a wellness company and promised to stop working as an influencer promoting supplements and other wellness products.

“Dr. Means would clearly be an atypical or unusual person to serve in the role of surgeon general,” Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told ABC News. “Typically, the surgeon general has been viewed as the nation’s top doctor or America’s doctor, but Dr. Means has never practiced medicine, and so that is unusual. The part that’s not unusual is that the surgeon general’s impact is largely through influence. Dr. Means is skilled in this regard, when it comes to influence.”

Means graduated from Stanford School of Medicine in 2014 with plans to become an otolaryngology surgeon, also known as a head and neck surgeon, but she dropped out in her fifth year, according to her website.

Means went on to study functional medicine, which uses a holistic approach to prevent disease and illness by studying the root causes of health issues. The field has been criticized for promoting some interventions that are not evidence-based and for an overreliance on expensive supplements. Having never completed residency, Means is not board-certified in a medical specialty, and she does not hold an active medical license.

Over the course of her career, she co-founded Levels, an app that allows people to track their food, along with biometric data like sleep and glucose monitoring, to see how their diet is impacting their health.

Means wrote a book with her brother, Calley Means, titled “Good Energy,” which was published in May 2024 and claims to take a look at why Americans are sick and how to fix it.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran pushed back Wednesday against U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure tactics ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program, alternating between calling his remarks “big lies” to saying negotiations may yield an agreement through “honorable diplomacy.”

The remarks by two Iranian officials ahead of Thursday’s talks come as America has assembled its biggest deployment of aircraft and warships to the Middle East in decades, part of Trump’s efforts to get a deal while Iran struggles at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month.

If the negotiations fail, Trump repeatedly has threatened to attack Iran — something Mideast nations fear could spiral into a new regional war as the embers of the yearslong Israel-Hamas war still smolder. Already, Iran has said all U.S. military bases in the Mideast would be considered legitimate targets, putting at risk the tens of thousands of American service members in the region.

Satellite photos shot Tuesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by The Associated Press appeared to show American vessels typically docked in Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, all out at sea. The 5th Fleet referred questions to the U.S. military’s Central Command, which did not immediately respond. Before Iran’s attack on Qatar in June, the 5th Fleet similarly scattered its ships at sea to protect against a potential attack.

Iran responds to Trump’s State of the Union speech

Trump on Tuesday night in the U.S. gave his annual State of the Union speech, touching on Iran and the nuclear negotiations.

“They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” Trump said. “They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, and in particular nuclear weapons, yet they continue. They’re starting it all over.”

Satellite photos earlier analyzed by the AP showed Iran beginning to rebuild its missile production sites and doing some work at the three nuclear sites attacked by the U.S. in June. Iran long has maintained its nuclear program is peaceful. The West and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Iran had a nuclear weapons program until 2003. It had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity before the June attack — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Responding to Trump, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei sought to compare him to Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler’s propaganda minister. He accused Trump and his administration of conducting a “disinformation & misinformation campaign” against Iran.

“Whatever they’re alleging in regards to Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January’s unrest is simply the repetition of ‘big lies,'” Baghaei wrote on X.

Trump said in his speech at least 32,000 people were killed in the protests, which is at the further end of estimates offered by activists for the death toll. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency has so far counted more than 7,000 dead and believes the death toll is far higher. Iran’s government, which long has downplayed death tolls in other unrest, offered its only toll on Jan. 21, saying 3,117 people were killed.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, separately said the U.S. could either try diplomacy or face Iran’s wrath.

“If you choose the table of diplomacy — a diplomacy in which the dignity of the Iranian nation and mutual interests are respected — we will also be at that table,” Qalibaf said, according to the semiofficial Student News Network, a media outlet believed to be close to the all-volunteer Basij force of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

“But if you decide to repeat past experiences through deception, lies, flawed analysis and false information, and launch an attack in the midst of negotiations, you will undoubtedly taste the firm blow of the Iranian nation and the country’s defensive forces.”

Talks hang in balance

Iran and the U.S. are due to meet Thursday in Geneva, their third round of talks under the mediation of Oman, long an interlocutor between Tehran and the West.

If the talks fail, uncertainty hangs over the timing of any possible attack, as well as its mission and goals.

The U.S. has not made clear the aims of possible military action. If the goal is to pressure Iran to make concessions in nuclear negotiations, it’s not clear whether limited strikes will work. If the goal is to remove Iran’s leaders, that will likely commit the U.S. to a more massive, longer military campaign. There has been no public sign of planning for what would come next, including the potential for chaos in Iran.

The status of Iran’s nuclear program is another mystery. Trump earlier said American strikes “obliterated” it. Now, dismantling whatever remains of the program appears to be back on the administration’s agenda. IAEA inspectors have not been allowed to inspect those sites and verify what remains.

There is also uncertainty about what any military action could mean for the wider region. Tehran could retaliate against the American-allied nations of the Persian Gulf or Israel. Oil prices have risen in recent days in part due to those concerns.

PARIS (AP) — The home of the ‘Mona Lisa’ is getting a new boss. Two French officials told The Associated Press that art historian Christophe Leribault, a veteran museum director, is taking over at the Louvre.

He will shoulder the challenge of getting the world’s largest museum out of crisis after the brazen heist in October of the French crown jewels. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the appointment expected to be approved at a Cabinet meeting and announced later Wednesday.

The challenges that Leribault will inherit are formidable.

The daylight robbery — among the highest-profile museum thefts in living memory — exposed alarming security holes at the Paris landmark.

The former royal palace has also suffered a broad array of other problems that have presented a picture of a treasured national institution spiraling out of control.

They include a burst pipe near the “Mona Lisa” and water leaks that damaged priceless books, aging buildings, and staff walkouts over overcrowding, understaffing and ticket price-hikes for most non-European visitors.

Pressure for new leadership deepened in recent weeks when authorities revealed a suspected decade-long ticket fraud operation linked to the museum that investigators say may have cost the Louvre 10 million euros ($11.8 million).

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As we approach the end of Black History Month, an event held at one of the iconic monuments in the Cape Fear region honored the forgotten patriots who fought in the first fight for freedom in America.

Zachariah Jacobs, also known as Holmes, was born in New Hanover County in 1760.

A free man, Jacobs fought in the Continental Army against the British during the American Revolutionary War.

One of his descendants, Kevin Graham, shared his experiences during the war.

“He was drafted in the Revolutionary War in 1778,” Graham said. “He saw battle actually in 1779 at the Battle of Briar’s Creek. After that, he actually served at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in Greensboro. There he was wounded, captured twice. He took parole. The British told him if he ever fight again, he would be hung. He then fought again.”

Jacob is one of the more than 460 North Carolinian African American men, both enslaved and free, who fought during the Revolutionary War.

More than 2 dozen people gathered for a presentation at these forgotten black patriots on Tuesday night at the Battleship North Carolina.

The battleship’s museum educator, Trevor Freeman, gave the presentation about these men, talking about several other patriots, the battles and tragedies they saw, and for those who survived, what their lives were like after the war.

He said he is proud to share these stories with the public.

“With all these names, the Chavis’, the Bass family, the Jacobs, so many of the descendants are still around today and they know of their ancestors, but a lot of us don’t, so we are trying to include them in the story also and explain you know, how, how did we become this independent country,” Freeman said.

The presentation is part of the week-long First in Freedom Festival taking place throughout the state, which celebrates North Carolina’s role in the fight for independence.

Other First in Freedom events will take place, including one commemorating the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge on Thursday, February 26th.

Graham and his brother Kevin have ensured their ancestor’s memory will be memorialized, with the unveiling of a historical marker at 3rd and Chestnut Street in downtown Wilmington on March 26th.

SHALLOTTE, NC (WWAY) — One of the biggest nationwide debates going on is regarding data centers and the enormous amount of energy they use.

In mid-February, a task force created by Governor Josh Stein published a report highlighting challenges the state might face with data centers, including who should pay for new energy generation to accommodate them.

In Brunswick County, the town of Shallotte’s Board of Aldermen took a proactive step regarding data centers by unanimously approving zoning definitions for them last month.

While there are some requirements, such as being fully enclosed with all of its equipment, not using residential roads for access, and not operating any retail or commercial services at the site, the possible impact to electricity bills was not mentioned.

Town mayor Art Dornfield said the approval was aimed at being prepared for any future proposals.

“We have not been approached by anybody who wants to build a data center, but we want to be proactive just in case somebody would,” Dornfield said. “This is a heavy industrial zoned thing, and, uh, Shallotte right now is not have anything zoned for heavy industrial.”

There are already 40 data centers currently operating in North Carolina.

But, according to the website Cleanview, which tracks clean energy and data center projects, no data centers are operating or under construction in southeastern North Carolina.

PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WWAY) — Cape Fear Community College is celebrating a major expansion in Pender County.

The college hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 24, at the Alston W. Burke Surf City Center located off Highway 210.

Cape Fear Community College launched a construction project last May to add more than 10,000 square feet to its Surf City location.

Jim Morton, President of Cape Fear Community College, says there are many new opportunities here for students to explore.

“Additional offerings which will be workforce development so we can start training for plumbing, HVC, spark engines Yamaha program here, but also expanding our university transfer programs with biology, even biology lab which you see in the background, and we offer chemistry as well,” said Morton.

The expansion has doubled the size of the existing facility and includes two economic and workforce development labs. As well as this, there is a new biology lab, a dedicated veteran’s support center, and additional faculty office space.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WWAY) — Turning compassion into action, a co-worker gives the ultimate gift. Dolores Fallon, and Portia, are co-workers at Brunswick Novant Medical Center.

The pair built a bond after meeting at another co-worker’s memorial service.

At that gathering, Fallon told Portia she suffered from kidney disease and needed a transplant. Portia suggested she take a blood test. The results indicated they were a match, and shortly after, Portia decided to donate one of her kidneys.

Fallon had this to say about the generous decision, and her surgery as a whole.

“She left to go into surgery, I don’t even remember going into surgery and here we are, I’m doing better than I ever had in my life, I feel great, the kidney is one-hundred percent working.”

Portia followed that quote with her own, “Donation is not a scary thing, it’s a beautiful thing, and we all should consider it if we can.”

The pair remain close friends, even receiving matching kidney pillows after the operation concluded.

PENDER COUNTY (WWAY) — The Pender County Sheriff’s Office hosted a special search and rescue training on Tuesday.

Law enforcement officers moving through the woods practicing a high-stakes scenario.

The Pender County Sheriff’s Office, along with other agencies, took part in a manhunt using K-9 units and drones to sharpen search and rescue operations.

“We try to train like it’s real life, that way there’s no surprises when the real thing does happen,” said Josiah Dorton.

Sergeant Josiah Dorton says this scenario-based training better equips deputies to serve the community.

“Learning, you know, by the book is awesome, but then putting it to real use is the most important part because that’s what’s going to affect the community the most,” said Dorton.

The training focuses on communication between drones with a bird’s eye view and the boots on the ground K-9 teams.

“Drones have come a long way in the past 10 years,” said Robert Knight.

Robert Knight with the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia says using drone technology adds an extra layer of safety for the officers on the ground.

“We’re able to put a drone safely in the air, follow a team, and let them be aware of what’s their surroundings. The woods are thick, you don’t know where somebody is located at with a gun or someone that’s hurt, so the drone can do an overwatch looking down on the person and give them enough time to realize you have danger ahead,” said Knight.

Officers ran multiple scenarios with different challenges.

Dorton says the training in different terrain is critical, especially for K-9s.

“Some of the dogs might not be exposed to these types of environments. Some people are from the inner city, so they don’t get to work in the woods a lot. So, it’s good for the dogs to be exposed to different environments,” said Dorton.

Ultimately, Dorton says this training helps them and helps the community.

“Our job is about taking care of the community, getting guys that don’t need to be out about by themselves, getting them in custody, taking care of them, and also locating missing persons to help, you know, help the community for anything that they need,” said Dorton.

With the inclusion of other companies, these trainings build connections with other law enforcement companies.

PENDER COUNTY (WWAY) — A naturalization ceremony was held as part of the First in Freedom fest in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence.

57 individuals gained US citizenship at the ceremony after completing the citizenship process.

Just a few of the 25 countries that were represented include India, Russia, Poland, China, and Mexico.

All 57 applicants swore into the oath of allegiance and were awarded a certificate of citizenship.

Caroline Makepeace is originally from Australia and has been living in America permanently since 2017.

“Very proud. Very excited. I love living in America, so it’s special to have reached this milestone to become a citizen, to participate in society here, to vote, I’m just very, very excited,” said Makepeace.

Makepeace said the ceremony being held at the battlefield added another special touch because of the historical significance of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge in the Revolutionary War.

One of the people who attended today’s naturalization ceremony is Kasia Foltyn.

She’s the founder of “Pierogi for the People.”

She started the local group 4 years ago following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Foltyn says “Pierogi for the People” has worked to raise money for Ukraine and Ukrainians.

“‘Pierogi for the People’ realized that we could raise a lot of money for locals, so we’ve been able to, almost 4 years, raise tens of thousands of dollars,” said Foltyn.

Foltyn adds that “Pierogi for the People” has helped locals with groceries, diapers, fuel, and shelter.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Board of Education voted Tuesday to approve a settlement negotiated by the district’s insurer in the second civil lawsuit brought by survivors of abuse by former teacher Michael Kelly.

During the meeting, board member Pat Bradford made the motion to approve the agreement in the cases involving John Does 15-17 and New Hanover County Schools. All members voted in favor.

The settlement stems from a lawsuit filed against the board after Michael Kelly, a former New Hanover County Schools teacher who pleaded guilty in 2019 to multiple counts of indecent liberties with a child, indecent liberties with a student and second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, sexually abused students while teaching at both Laney High School and Isaac Bear Early College High School.

In 2023, the board reached a separate $5.75 million agreement with 14 survivors of Kelly’s abuse. John Does 15-17 were not involved in that first lawsuit.

In a statement regarding Tuesday’s settlement agreement, attorneys with Rhine Law Firm and Lea-Schultz, who represent the victims, said:

“Our John Doe clients were relieved to reach a settlement in their lawsuit against the New Hanover County School Board. They were each groomed and sexually abused by Michael Kelly, a former science teacher at Isaac Bear Early College High School. Unfortunately, our school boards in New Hanover County have allowed predators to prey on our children for decades. What happened under the school system’s watch will follow our clients for the rest of their lives. The astonishing bravery of these young men has forced the school system to improve its practices such that something like this should never happen again.”

Details of the settlement have not yet been released.

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY-TC) – Carolina Beach officials shared an update on Tuesday during a council meeting after the town fell victim to two cyberattacks late last year.

The attack occurred in December last year and resulted in the theft of more than $487,000. The town says it believes the hack occurred while updating its cybersecurity policies.

During Tuesday’s town council meeting, Oakley said the attack was no fault of anyone on staff and all procedures were followed.

Officials said the crimes are international in scope and are connected to an ongoing federal investigation in another state. Oakley said the town is looking at its budget and what they have left to spend this year, including what town positions have been filled.

Oakley said they are considering delaying or cutting unfilled positions or delaying projects and purchases so this attack won’t affect taxpayers.

“That said we all feel this great responsibility to tax payers, council and citizens and I know how hard we’ve worked with council to get our fund balance up, we want to make sure this doesn’t affect our fund balance,” Oakley said.

Oakley said these attacks are ongoing and staff are receiving more training to combat future attacks.

The town will also be hosting a cyber security workshop on Mar. 3 at council chambers that is open to the public.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) – The New Hanover County Community Justice Center received a major donation from Duke Energy on Tuesday.

The CJC opened in November 2024 at The Harrelson Center in Wilmington. The center serves victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other crimes.

Duke Energy donated $10,000 to the center on Tuesday during a Rotary Club of Wilmington meeting.

Former district attorney and CEO of the CJC, Ben David said this money will make a difference for grieving children who have witnessed a crime.

“A 100% of any of the giving from the community to the CJC goes to the survivors of violence we serve, doesn’t go to our operations, does not go to any salaries or anything else it goes straight to the people we serve,” David said.

David said the $10,000 will help send children to “Camp Hope,” a closed recreational site with programs for kids impacted by trauma.

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is urging renters across the state to review their insurance coverage following a large apartment fire in Morrisville that left several people injured and dozens displaced.

Six people were hurt and about 70 people were displaced after a fire at the Camden Westwood Apartments near Park West Village shopping center Monday night.

Causey emphasized that a landlord’s insurance policy does not cover a tenant’s personal belongings or provide liability protection in the event of fire, storm damage, theft or other disasters.

If you rent an apartment, house or condominium, your landlord’s policy typically only covers the building itself.

“I think there is a misconception because some people may mistakenly believe the landlord may have some type of insurance, but the only insurance the landlord has is on the actual building,” Causey said. “So, unless people have renters’ insurance, the loss is on them. It’s very inexpensive and it has so many benefits that people don’t think about above and beyond property loss.”

While renters’ insurance is not required by law, some landlords require tenants to carry coverage as part of their lease agreement.

Renters’ insurance policies generally cover personal belongings, medical expenses and temporary housing costs if a renter is displaced. Causey said many policies are affordable, with some starting at about $25 per month.

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office is investigating multiple reports of illegal dumping along Big Island Road in the Old Dock community.

According to the sheriff’s office, trash has been unlawfully discarded on private property and along the public roadway. Officials say the debris includes household garbage, construction materials and other discarded items.

Authorities said illegal dumping damages property, creates safety hazards and negatively impacts the environment.

To address the issue, the sheriff’s office has installed signs and surveillance cameras in the affected areas in an effort to identify those responsible. The sites have also been cleaned up using the State Misdemeanor Confinement Program roadside inmate crew.

Anyone who witnesses illegal dumping is encouraged to call the sheriff’s office at 910-642-6551, submit an anonymous tip through the agency’s mobile app, or file a report online.

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — A 40-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to cyberstalking charges stemming from nearly a decade of harassment targeting gay men in the Raleigh-Durham area.

According to federal court documents, David Ryan Winters stalked, harassed and threatened victims both online and in person beginning around 2016.

Prosecutors said Winters became enraged at the gay community in Raleigh-Durham over perceived slights and began targeting individuals by obtaining their personal information and sending threatening messages. Court records state that he showed up at victims’ homes and sent them photographs of their residences.

Authorities said Winters repeatedly threatened to kill specific victims and gay men generally, referencing the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Florida and stating he wanted to make national headlines.

In one instance, prosecutors said Winters went to a victim’s workplace, shattered a window and threw a metal trashcan onto the victim’s car.

Officials said the harassment campaign caused significant fear, with some victims moving or taking other protective measures.

“We believe in protecting all citizens who deserve to live their lives in peace,” U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle said in a statement. “This antisocial behavior cannot fester without serious attention and prevention.”