Public Spaces

One step closer to snuffing out smoking bans

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013, 1:25pm

RALEIGH, NC (WECT) – State lawmakers moved closer to
stopping any local governments from regulating outdoor smoking on government
property Tuesday afternoon.

A co-sponsor of Senate Bill 703 mentioned Wrightsville Beach
by name before the Senate
Agriculture/ Environment/ Natural Resources Committee passed the bill.

Sen.
E.S. ‘Buck' Newton (R – Johnston) told committee members that he was alarmed
when he read headlines about the beach town's effort to ban smoking on the
sand. Newton said he could not imagine how smoking a tobacco product at
a windy beach could be a criminal act.

The bill would prohibit local governments from regulating outside smoking more than
state law allows.

Wrightsville
Beach was the first beach town in the state to make smoking on the beach
illegal after a vote in November 2012. Town
Manager Tim Owens said the law would force Wrightsville Beach to repeal the
ban.

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Town leaders meeting to consider changes to pier ordinances

Submitted by Craig Reck, Reporter

Friday, May 10th, 2013, 7:33am

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WECT) - Thursday night, Wrightsville Beach town leaders took a second look at plans to keep safety restrictions around piers in line with the distances life guards actually enforce.

Surfers are supposed to stay 500 feet from Johnnie Mercer's pier, with swimmers needing a distance of half that. But lifeguards generally enforce the distance on surfers when they're within 200 feet, according to town records.

That information will go before the Board of Aldermen Thursday night. At their previous meeting, town leaders voted on favor or changing the restrictions to 200 feet for everyone.

There are two piers in Wrightsville Beach, with Johnnie Mercer's considered more if a concern in this case. It's bigger in size and attracts more people, according to town records.

There are four options before the board, so return to this story for an update on the decision.

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This is the weekend of all weekends to get your comic book fix

Submitted by WECT Web Staff

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013, 7:22am

Fanboy Comics Press Release:

For eleven years, Fanboy Comics has been celebrating Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), giving away thousands of comics each year, and this 12^th year looks to be one of the biggest so far.

Fanboy will give away more than 20 different FCBD comic titles, over $3000 in door prizes, gift bags to the first 100 people in line, free early bird breakfast supplied by Chick-Fil-A of Mayfaire, $500 in Fanboy Comics gift certificates, 100 movie passes from Regal Cinemas of Mayfaire, and lots more.

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Expect delays during the Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Half and Full Marathon

Submitted by Debra Worley, Digital Content Director

Friday, March 15th, 2013, 12:21pm

Expect delays during the Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Half and Full Marathon

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WECT) – Expect delays this weekend during the Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Half and Full Marathon .

Thousands of people are expected to be around Wrightsville Beach for this annual event.

The Wrightsville Beach Bridge will close to one lane starting at 6:10 Sunday morning.

Click here to see the course maps. If you’re going to watch the race, click here for the best places to park.

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Plans for Joe's Crab Shack in Wrightsville Beach shut down

Submitted by WECT Web Staff

Friday, March 15th, 2013, 7:52am

Plans for a Joe's Crab Shack at Johnny Mercer's pier were rejected by Wrightsville Beach alderman.(Source: Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco)

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WECT) - Plans for a Joe's Crab Shack at Johnny Mercer's pier were rejected by Wrightsville Beach alderman, who echoed concerns from residents about parking and traffic.

The proposal was discussed for nearly three hours at a meeting Thursday night.

The idea drew criticism from some Wrightsville Beach residents, who were concerned about the restaurant increasing parking problems near the pier.

Residents said the parking lot around the pier is already "extremely congested" during the busy tourism season.

Plans called for the restaurant to renovate the pier house to accommodate 270 guests and 30 employees.

Under town code, a restaurant of that size must have 83 spaces. The restaurant developer was asking to be exempted from these rules.

The aldermen voted unanimously to deny a special use permit for the project.

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How to live a plastic-free life

Submitted by WECT Web Staff

Tuesday, March 12th, 2013, 7:34am

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - A woman who now lives a life free of plastic shared her experience and tips at UNCW Monday night.

Beth Terry is the author of Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too. She started out small five years ago by using reusable shopping bags and water bottles. She also kept track of how much she used over a year's time.

Terry is now down to a single plastic bag full of plastic used per year.

She says in order for the environment to actually change, legislation will have to change, "Things like no smoking on Wrightsville Beach are steps in the right direction because cigarette butts contain plastic."

Terry started reducing her plastic use when she saw a picture of a dead chick that died because it thought the plastic it was eating was actually food.

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Friends of New Hanover Public Library to host book sale

Submitted by Iisha Scott, Weather Anchor/ Web Producer

Friday, March 8th, 2013, 11:41am

Friends of New Hanover Public Library to host book sale

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WECT) - Friends of New Hanover Public Library will host a book sale fundraiser at the Northeast Regional Library starting Saturday, March 16, according to http://www.nhclibraryfriends.org.

Thousands of books will be heavily discounted, and all money raised will go back to the library to purchase new materials.

The sale will end Wednesday, March 20.

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