News

INTRO – Seat belt usage declined last year in North Carolina. George Olsen has more.

INTRO – A Beaufort County manufacturer has announced it will expand operations at its Washington plant. George Olsen has more.

The lower Neuse Riverkeeper has resigned. George Olsen has more.

INTRO – Some New Bern area travelers may hit a detour starting Tuesday. George Olsen has more.

Backdrops and props for theater productions are normally temporary and change frequently.  But a 155 year-old hand painted curtain at Thalian Hall in Wilmington has survived – and is thought to be the oldest stage curtain in the United States.

We talk to an expert about armadillos and why they’re populations are spreading into southeastern North Carolina.

INTRO – The first bills under the “Tax and Tag” program come due Sunday. George Olsen has more.

   Good anytime this week

   On KELLY showlog as ECUHOM

INTRO – Next time your kids balk when you tell them to do their homework, you can back up your arguments with statistical evidence. George Olsen has more.

Summer time and the living is easy, but think twice if you’re tempted to re-live one of the joys of your youth riding in the back of a pickup truck.  We examine a recent fatality in our state that reminds us of the danger involved in what used to be a common sight on eastern North Carolina roadways. 

Riding in the back of a pickup truck can conjure up memories from childhood…

In less than a month, Cape Lookout National Seashore is expected to announce the winning bid for a contract to be the sole operator for passenger ferry service to the park.  We explore the ramifications of that plan and talk to the Park Superintendent about how the new ferry service would be implemented. 

An analysis by Triple A Carolinas lists Pitt County as the most dangerous county in the state for vehicle collisions for the fifth year running. Last year Pitt County had 4633 traffic crashes which worked out to about 307 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled… a rate about 50% higher than the state average of just below 205. Pitt County also was listed 2nd only behind Graham County for the rate of injuries sustained in crashes. TripleA Carolinas president and CEO David E. Parsons said consistently high ranking should be a wake-up call for better traffic enforcement or road design.

The Nature Conservancy announced the acquisition of 459 acres in Pender County. Half of the purchase price will come from the U-S Navy as the protected area will help buffer Camp Lejeune firing ranges from development. The Conservancy plans to restore a long-leaf pine forest to the area in order to expand habitat for the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. The land also has some historical significance.

Methyl bromide gas is considered a hazardous air pollutant by the EPA.  A fumigation facility proposed for the Morehead City port wants to use the chemical to treat lumber before export.  We explore the issue in advance of a public meeting that has yet to be set. 

A local non-profit is collecting school supplies during this last tax free weekend to help children in need

Back to school shopping has long been a tradition for Americans. Students are given a list of necessary materials to complete the school year. While this preparation for the first day of school can be a source of excitement for some, how do the students whose families can’t provide these items manage? Darlene Brown, the executive director of Craven County Partners in Education, has organized a fundraising event aimed at helping students in need.

What started off in 2010 with a few local kids and a tripod-mounted camera has developed into a full-blown production studio for young film enthusiast.  Lee Jenkins has more. 

Carteret County’s Teen Film Club now has 24 regular members from Havelock to Beaufort, aged anywhere between twelve and nineteen. So far, the club has produced a small TV show and a six episode miniseries called “The Persistence of Time.” As the name would imply, the miniseries deals time travel, explains Club Founder Melissa Bennett.

Methyl bromide gas is considered a hazardous air pollutant by the EPA.  A fumigation facility proposed for the Morehead City port wants to use the chemical to treat lumber before export.  This week on the Down East Journal, we talk about the issue in advance of a public meeting that has yet to be set. And, a local non-profit is collecting school supplies during this last tax free weekend to help children in need.  We’ll catch you up on “Stuff the Bus,” Friday at noon on all of the PRE stations. 

A theater troupe Magnolia Arts Center is bringing “A Raisin in the Sun” to Eastern North Carolina. The play, set in the 1950’s focuses on an African American family living in Chicago that suddenly acquires a large sum of money, and purchases a home in a white neighborhood.  Lee Jenkins spoke with members of the cast and crew, and has this sneak peek of the production, which begins its run in Greenville next week.

INTRO – Tryon Palace will get a national stage during the upcoming fall television season. George Olsen has more.