The Wilmington Standard Daily Update

Give Us Your Feedback Daily update covers the Brown University shooting that killed College Republican leader Ella Cook and standout student Mukhammad Aziz Umurzikov and injured Kendall Turner, plus the ongoing manhunt. It links this tragedy to other recent attacks and details a foiled New Year’s Eve bombing plot by the pro-Palestinian Turtle Island Liberation Front targeting California sites and...

Give Us Your Feedback Charlotte is spending $3.4 million on a Texas PR firm to “enhance” public perception of CATS instead of hiring roughly 18 additional transit police officers over three years, despite recent stabbings on the light-rail. The Wilmington Standard argues the city should fix safety problems directly instead of hiding them behind expensive marketing campaigns. Support the show

Give Us Your Feedback The update contrasts a Kentucky child killer’s early release and quick reoffending with North Carolina’s stalled death penalty despite over 120 inmates on death row, some incarcerated since the 1980s. It argues that legal challenges over execution methods and the Racial Justice Act have delayed justice at taxpayer expense, and praises House Bill 307, “Iryna’s Law,” for reform...

Give Us Your Feedback This is the Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. A new DHS website lists 10,000 criminal illegal immigrants arrested in ICE raids across the country. The “Worst of the Worst” database exposes offenders ranging from drug traffickers and assault suspects to those convicted of crimes against children. DHS says the site lets Americans see for themselves who...

Give Us Your Feedback Twice-deported illegal immigrant Oscar Gerardo Solorzano-Garcia, from Honduras, allegedly stabbed a man on a Charlotte commuter train. Despite multiple convictions and prior removals, he reentered the U.S. illegally. ICE has filed a detainer under NC’s HB10 law requiring local cooperation. Support the show

Give Us Your Feedback The update reports that North Carolina’s State Board of Elections narrowly approved using the federal SAVE program to identify non-citizens on voter rolls, over unified Democratic opposition. It notes that federal law blocks major roll cleaning within 90 days of elections, but changes could be in place by November, and cites estimates suggesting anywhere from 1% to over 20% o...

Give Us Your Feedback District Attorney Jason Smith joins The Wilmington Standard’s Reuel Sample to break down his first year as DA for New Hanover and Pender Counties, from major murder trials and the rocky e‑courts rollout to rising youth gun violence and his 2026 crime‑prevention plans for at‑risk kids. Support the show

Give Us Your Feedback North Carolina Republicans face a three-way U.S. Senate primary between RNC Chair Michael Whatley, attorney and former Navy JAG Don Brown, and newcomer Elizabeth Temple. With semi-closed primaries allowing Independents to choose which party ballot to vote on, unaffiliated voters could heavily influence the GOP outcome. Republicans have four months to rally around a candidate...

Give Us Your Feedback Wilmington swears in its new, all-Democratic city council today, marking a political shift for North Carolina’s 8th-largest city. With over 130,000 residents, the city faces likely tax hikes as City Manager Becky Hawke proposes pay raises to match cost of living—moves she says will require tax increases. The Wilmington Standard suggests privatizing services, expanding automat...

Give Us Your Feedback Honoring Army National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, killed in D.C. after an Afghan national, brought here as a U.S. “ally,” allegedly drove cross‑country to ambush deployed Guardsmen. Her death, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe’s critical injuries, highlight how Democrat soft‑on‑crime policies, decimated police ranks, catch‑and‑release courts, and lenient judges have turned D...

Give Us Your Feedback Chicago’s latest outrage shows what soft-on-crime policies really mean. A repeat violent offender, long protected by a liberal justice system, allegedly torched an innocent woman on a Chicago train. While Democrat judges and activists downplay the threat, North Carolina’s Iryna’s Law proves that tougher bail, stricter sentencing, and Republican leadership put victims and comm...

Give Us Your Feedback In this episode of the Nikki and Reuel Podcast, Nikki Bascome shares her deep connection with Surfers Healing, a nonprofit organization that provides free surf camps for children with autism. The conversation explores the emotional journey of families, the challenges faced by children with autism, and the transformative experiences at the beach. Nikki emphasizes the importanc...

Give Us Your Feedback Parents in Jefferson County, CO are suing after an 11‑year‑old girl was allegedly assigned to share a hotel room and even a bed with a transgender‑identifying male classmate on a school trip, despite district assurances that boys and girls would be on separate floors. They argue the district’s policy allows biologically male students to room with girls based solely on gender...

Give Us Your Feedback President Trump plans to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. A new report reveals a long-term plan by the Brotherhood to infiltrate and undermine Western institutions, seeking to impose sharia law. The action targets the organization, not Islam itself, aiming to freeze assets and prevent support. Americans must remain vigilant against this on...

Give Us Your Feedback The Wilmington Standard Podcast debuts with Reuel Sample interviewing Richard Collier on the challenges of growth, affordable housing, and infrastructure in Wilmington. Collier shares his practical insights as an engineer and council candidate, addressing real estate, development, traffic, and the future of local politics—offering residents a candid look at how decisions are...

Give Us Your Feedback A new Fox News poll finds 76% of Americans view the economy negatively, surpassing the 70% at the end of Biden’s term. Trump’s early actions brought rapid results, but lasting solutions now require time and patience. Gas and interest rates are down, GDP is up 3.8%, wages rise, and capital investment is strong. Economic prosperity is on the horizon, but quick fixes remain elus...

Give Us Your Feedback This Wilmington Standard Daily Update highlights concerns about truck drivers with poor English skills. Rep. Pat Harrigan reports drivers failing English and safety tests still keep commercial licenses, risking families on the road. Surveys show 10-25% of truck drivers lack adequate English proficiency. A federal judge blocked a rule to remove non-English-speaking drivers fro...

Give Us Your Feedback State Representative Ted Davis Jr., serving since 2012 and long respected across North Carolina politics, announced he will not seek re-election. Known for his dedication, wisdom, and integrity, Davis leaves behind decades of service to New Hanover County and the state. His likely successor, Commissioner Dane Scalise, shares his conservative convictions, faith, and commitment...

Give Us Your Feedback Board of Education member David Perry questioned the group 100 Black Men based on its name, but failed to note that their local mentoring program includes white students. After meeting with the chapter president, Perry suggested a name change. There’s nothing wrong with an organization aimed at helping young black men, especially given family breakdown rates. 100 Black Men de...

Give Us Your Feedback Wilmington faces freezing temperatures this Veterans Day as many go without shelter or food. The Good Shepherd Center housed 118 people last night, including homeless veterans, relying on mostly private donations. Despite political differences, local groups like Good Shepherd and the Salvation Army Center of Hope are vital in helping those in need. As the holiday season begin...

Give Us Your Feedback The Wilmington Standard Daily Update for November 10, 2025, reports that U.S. senators voted 60-40 to advance a bill to end the government shutdown, though procedural steps remain before reopening. Democrats secured a promise for a December vote on extending the Obamacare Premium Tax Credit and guarantees of back pay and rehiring furloughed workers. The shutdown highlighted c...

Give Us Your Feedback According to several screenshots on social media, teachers in various parts of North Carolina are planning on having a tantrum today and call out sick. They are complaining about everything from a state budget that has not passed to lack of raises for veteran staff members. Support the show

Give Us Your Feedback It is time to end the Senate filibuster. Democrats, emboldened by election wins, use the filibuster to block Republican bills and continue the government shutdown. The host urges Republicans to eliminate the filibuster, reopen government, and swiftly pass policies on voter ID, taxes, immigration, and social issues, to showcase the impact of conservative policies. Support the...

Give Us Your Feedback Democrats swept Wilmington’s elections, giving Mayor-Elect Bill Saffo a fully Democrat-controlled city council. Low turnout hurt Republicans—only 27% of voters participated, despite over 103,000 registered. With independents breaking 60/40 toward Democrats, the GOP faced steep odds from the start. This is a civic failure conservatives will live with for the next two years. Su...

Give Us Your Feedback Will Republicans show up at the polls? Everything else is going in their favor - all the GOP now has to do in Wilmington is to get their party to the polls. Support the show