Lumina News Your Coastal Community Newspaper Since May 2002
Source: National Weather Service
Oct. 2–8, 2014
Progress on new sea level rise report inches forward
Arboretum rings in 25 years
DREAMers toast Tracy Wilkes
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improvements coming
By Cole Dittmer Staff Writer
Improvements to the roadways and streetscapes of Wrightsville Beach are both close to finishing and about to begin. In a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Town of Wrightsville Beach, the beautification of the town’s entryway project on the east side of the Heide Trask Drawbridge is almost complete. The project includes a series of plant beds and mulch from the edge of the bridge to just past the Causeway Drive and Keel Street intersection where crews from Good Earth Associates installed three garden walls
Staff Writer
n See sea level Page A5
Outdoor spaces
Wisthoff wins triathlon Town roadway, streetscape
By Miriah Hamrick A handful of scientists and engineers tasked with providing a reasonable estimate of sea level rise on North Carolina’s coast over the next 30 years are still discussing ways to interpret data variances as an internal deadline for the first draft of a report looms. The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission Science Panel is not conducting new modeling for the report, instead relying on existing data, mostly from tide gauges operating for different periods of time at locations along the coast. Existing data does not immediately suggest a linear rate of sea level rise, so the panel must also determine how other factors, like varying rates of land subsidence and ocean currents, skew the numbers. One method presented by panel member Tom Jarrett, a Wilmington-based engineer who retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, examines the relationship between longterm data and short-term data to produce a modest rate of sea level rise over the last century. Jarrett estimated sea level rise
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made of concrete retaining blocks. The next areas of concentration for the plan were the eastern front portion of the median between Causeway Drive and Old Causeway Drive, and the head of the median dividing Causeway Drive and West Salisbury Street. The edges of those medians are now outlined with 6-inch cobblestone pavers and Tifway 419 Bermuda sod. Other small plants included in the median areas are droughtand salt-tolerant varietals like dwarf yaupon, red oleander, Little Richard abelia, Japanese yew, daylily, juniper, muhly grass and sage. The larger trees featured in those medians are crape myrtles and live oaks. n See improvements Page A5
Coeds line up for beach living By Cole Dittmer Staff Writer
“You would think we were unveiling an new iPhone or something,” said Intracoastal Vacation Rentals operations manager Luke Waddell, looking on the mass of University of North Carolina Wilmington students outside the Wrightsville Beach Intracoastal Rentals office at 605 Causeway Drive. The students arrived well before dawn, some with beach chairs, some with blankets and some with boxes of bagels, all for a chance to live on Wrightsville
Beach. Every year around Oct. 1, the Wrightsville Beach Intracoastal Vacation Rental opens registration for college rentals on the beach for next year. Students waiting in line Wednesday, Oct. 1, were hoping for one of the 15 student rentals for late August to early May of the 2015-16 school year. The line started at 4:30 a.m., with a group of three fraternity brothers waking up early to secure their space. “Getting in line at 4:30 a.m. was pretty rough but it turned out to be the sweet spot because we were the first here,” said n See coeds Page A5
Matthew Wisthoff wins the Wilmington YMCA Triathlon with a final time of 1:01:12 Saturday, Sept. 27 in Wrightsville Beach. ~ Emmy Errante
School bond Voter registration fraud warning tax impact The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating possible still disputed fraud, warning citizens to be wary of anyone attempting to collect personal inforBy Miriah Hamrick Staff Writer
Citizens tasked with the decision to approve or deny a $160 million school bond in November face a spectrum of possible increases to New Hanover County’s property tax rate, with estimates ranging from 2 to 9 cents by July 2015. County officials have predicted a 4 cent raise for the 2015-16 fiscal year if the bond passes, in addition to a 5 cent hike suggested by county manager Chris Coudriet to accommodate existing debt. But Bruce Shell, Republican candidate for the New Hanover County Board of Education and Coudriet’s predecessor, stated a 2 cent increase could pay for debt issued through the school bond plus existing county debt. Shell served as the county internal auditor for six years, county finance director for more than 11 years, and county manager for more than five years. Shell used the county debt schedule to calculate the bond’s impact. He said the difference n See school bond Page A5
mation for a new voter registration card. A local resident informed Sheriff Ed McMahon a white male, 30-40 years old, wearing glasses, approached a couple who were having lunch in the Golden Corral located on New Center Drive and informed the couple he was signing people up for the new voter identification card. The suspect stated he needed all of their information such as name, address, party affiliation, and social security number to get them signed up for the new voter identification card. Detectives with the sheriff’s office are currently investigating this case and additional information will be released as it becomes available. For any information related to voter registration, please contact the New Hanover County Board of Elections at 798-7330, http://elections.nhcgov.com/
Dogs return to beach
Staff photo by Cole Dittmer
University of North Carolina Wilmington students line up outside the Wrightsville Beach Intracoastal Realty rental office Wednesday, Oct. 1, for the chance to sign up for student rental properties on the beach for the 2015-16 school year.
Ten Years After
The Hut bites the dust By Emmy Errante Staff Writer
Staff photo by Allison Potter
Zachary Erickson and Beth Christensen walk Zelda on Wrightsville Beach Wednesday, Oct. 1. Pets on leashes accompanied by owners are permitted on the beach strand from Oct. 1 through March 31.
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Ten years have gone by since Pizza Hut closed its doors, leaving an empty lot on Salisbury Street and a void in Wrightsville Beach’s pizza buffet market. “I can’t believe it’s been that long!” exclaimed Fran Russ, who said she used to walk over to Pizza Hut from her house to pick up dinner. July 22, 2004, bulldozers reduced the iconic Pizza Hut with the muted red roof to a pile of rubble. The building was destroyed after Pizza Hut decided, possibly for economic reasons, not to renew its lease. Reports at the time indicate the
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restaurant had been paying a monthly lease of $2,000 for the waterfront property, and the cost per month was set to increase to as much as $15,000. The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen voted to rezone the property from commercial to residential, though both citizens and town officials were divided on the issue. Land-use plans encourage retaining commercial property on the island whenever possible, a point which led to an unfavorable recommendation from planning and parks staff. Even the aldermen were split, voting 3–2 in favor of rezoning. JoEtta Joris of Live Oak Drive spoke up for the Wrightsville Beach citizens. n See Hut Page A5
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