THURSDAYS TOGETHER WITH YOU

Delayed FAFSA is having a soft launch

[FAFSA] If you have a child that’s transitioning from high school to college this year then you probably know what FAFSA is. It’s like a consolidated portal for federal aid and loans for college. Typically FAFSA opens on October 1 and closes June 1. As soon as the portal opens parents scramble filling out an online application to receive federal aid or loans. Much of the aid is based on income so FAFSA requires you to fill out every little income stream that you can possibly think of–all the while, they have access to all of your tax info. Parents still fill this information in as quickly as they can shortly after it opens for two reasons: 1 - once the aid runs out there’s little left and 2 - parents need to know how much aid they will have because by June the child typically knows where he/she wants to go to school. The quicker the family knows, the better informed they are when they make their college selection.

This year FAFSA was delayed until the end of December. On December 15 FAFSA made an announcement that it will be delayed again until February 2024 AND it will be a “Soft Launch” so parents are encouraged NOT TO RUSH as they are expecting issues and delays which will require online maintenance.

Why is this such a problem?
Well for one: the information that you’re putting into this system is very private and it’s easy to lose confidence that your information is secure. Also, this delay with soft launch pushes the timeline in which families will find out whether they will receive a funds or a loan to use towards college. There’s actually a high potential that the student will be forced to make a college decision BEFORE he/she knows if there will be federal funds available to help pay for it!

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Mystery marine animal identified

[WECT] A video captured on Figure Eight Island shows a dead marine animal washed ashore, initially thought to be a sturgeon, one of the most endangered fish groups. However, biologists from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries identified it as a dead, decayed shark, though the species couldn't be determined due to decomposition. If a carcass is small, it may be stored for research; otherwise, it could be buried on the beach.

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NCDOT provides updated tentative timeline for Cape Fear Memorial Bridge repairs

[WECT] The NCDOT says the timeline is still subject to change:

• January 11: The contractor will start temporary lane closures on the outside lines in both directions from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. to let build a work platform and make other preparations. The closure will then shift to the inside lanes to build a barrier wall, and the outside lanes will be open.

• January 28: Both lanes heading into Wilmington will be closed. Crews will be working during the day.

• March 31: Inbound lane repairs complete, ideally in time for the Azalea Festival.

• April 9: Both lanes heading out of Wilmington will be closed.

• May 23: Repairs are scheduled to be complete.

The update was given during an NCDOT press conference on Wednesday, Dec. 20.

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Surf Forecast

THU AM: 1-3 ft - CHOPPY | PM: 2-4 ft - CHOPPY
FRI AM: 1-3 ft - FAIR | PM: 2+ ft - CHOPPY
SAT AM: 1-2 ft - FAIR | PM: 2-3+ ft - FAIR

provided by Swell Info

Weather Forecast

THU 21 Partly Cloudy | 58°/39° | 1% | N 7 mph
FRI 22 Partly Cloudy | 57°/41° | 4% | NE 8 mph
SAT 23 Partly Cloudy | 60°/46° | 7% | NE 6 mph

Provided by weather.com

Tide Forecast-WB

THU DEC 21

• High Tide at 2:02 AM, 4.06 ft

• Low Tide at 8:43 AM, 0.13 ft

• High Tide at 2:21 PM, 3.61 ft

• Low Tide at 8:50 PM, -0.44 ft

FRI DEC 22

• High Tide at 3:06 AM, 4.22 ft

• Low Tide at 9:42 AM, 0.06 ft

• High Tide at 3:26 PM, 3.46 ft

• Low Tide at 9:40 PM, -0.48 ft

SAT DEC 23

• High Tide at 4:07 AM, 4.40 ft

• Low Tide at 10:37 AM, -0.01 ft

• High Tide at 4:26 PM, 3.41 ft

Provided by Marineweather.net