Local Headlines

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Children are being exposed to screens and social media as early as toddlerhood, creating new challenges for parents trying to keep their kids safe online, according to a local youth services expert. Ashley Herndon, Clinical Services Program Manager with Youth Villages, said children today are developing digital literacy at increasingly younger

LELAND, N.C. (WECT) – The Leland Town Council took the next step toward potentially creating voting districts for town elections during a council meeting on Monday, Feb. 16. The consensus with the council was to move forward with a workshop led by a third-party expert that would be open to the public before any final

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Brunswick County Special Olympics will host a polar plunge fundraiser Saturday during the Mardi Gras Festival to support the basketball team’s trip to the USA Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The basketball team was featured this past weekend and will compete in the USA Games in Minneapolis. “Everything is covered through

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Three empty CSX train cars derailed in downtown Wilmington Friday night around 11 p.m., shutting down a major street for nearly 24 hours. The Wilmington Terminal Railroad said they are investigating the derailment but have not determined a cause. The company declined to answer questions on-camera Monday. “There were no injuries

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) women’s basketball player faces multiple drug charges following her arrest in the New Hanover High School parking lot. According to an arrest warrant, Paige Marie Smith, 20, was arrested Feb. 10 and charged with felony possession of marijuana, possession with intent to sell and

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) is looking for a person who allegedly led state troopers on a chase early Monday. According to NCSHP Trooper Malpass, the driver of a blue Ford Bronco ran a red light about 9:15 a.m., and the trooper pursued the driver down Kerr Avenue. During

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Highway 211 at the Lockwood Folly Bridge is down to one lane because of an accident, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO). BCSO issued a traffic alert advising drivers to expect delays in the area. Motorists are urged to use caution and reduce speed when traveling through the

COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies arrested three people over the weekend in separate cases involving trespassing and theft. On Feb. 14, deputies responded to a trespassing complaint at a farm on Edmund Road in Evergreen. The property owner reported seeing a vehicle on his land through a camera system

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is asking for community input on the 2026-2027 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons for waterfowl, webless migratory species and extended falconry. Every year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides season date frameworks from which NCWRC can choose hunting season dates within the established

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A police officer was injured in a crash at an intersection in Wilmington early Monday morning. The Wilmington Police Department (WPD) reported that an officer was heading north on North 17th Street when his patrol car entered the intersection of Grace Street/Princess Place Drive and was hit by a pickup truck.