Good morning Wilmington!

If you want to stay in tune with Wilmington’s vibrant music scene, subscribing to Port City Jams is a great start—but don’t stop there. Join the Talking Tunes in Wilmington Facebook group, where Mark Romeo keeps the conversation going year-round. This Saturday, swing by Wilmington Distillery to help celebrate Mark’s 71^st birthday and the 5th anniversary of Talking Tunes. Music starts around 8, and Frank Grant & The Feelin' take the stage at 9. It’s going to be a great night with even better company.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• North Carolina Angler Lands 449-Pound Marlin

• North Carolina’s Share of Opioid Settlement Nears $1.6 Billion

North Carolina Angler Lands 449-Pound Marlin at Big Rock Tournament

[WRAL] Lizzie Montague, a lifelong angler and Big Rock Tournament regular, landed a 449.7-pound blue marlin after a nearly three-hour fight off the boat Bankwalker, captained by her father, Bryant Montague. While the marlin didn’t meet the 500-pound mark needed to win the $807,500 prize for the first qualifying catch, the Montague family remains in contention for more than $2.3 million in prize money. The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament runs through Saturday in Morehead City.

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North Carolina’s Share of Opioid Settlement Nears $1.6 Billion

[WUNC] North Carolina will receive nearly $145 million from Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family as part of a nationwide opioid settlement now totaling $1.6 billion for the state. Attorney General Jeff Jackson confirmed that most of the funds will reach local communities within the next three years to support addiction recovery and prevention. The bankruptcy deal also bans the Sacklers from ever selling opioids again in the U.S. Between 2000 and 2023, more than 41,500 North Carolinians died from overdoses—numbers that continue to climb. Jackson calls the deal a milestone in accountability.

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News Roundup

Local News

• Actor Brady Hepner visited WWAY to promote The Waterfront, a new Netflix series filmed in Wilmington and Southport and set to premiere June 19. Hepner, a Winston-Salem native known for The Black Phone and The Holdovers, stars as Diller in the family crime drama created by Scream writer Kevin Williamson. The show highlights familiar coastal backdrops and follows a wealthy family resorting to illegal means to save their empire.
  WWAY

• The search continues for 22-year-old Matthew Robert Bauer, who was swept away by powerful inlet currents while swimming near Holden Beach on Monday evening. Bauer, a business owner from High Point, was with friends when he disappeared near the Lockwood Folly Inlet. Rescue crews and the U.S. Coast Guard responded, but as of Tuesday, no body had been found and officials have not confirmed a drowning.
  WWAY

• The City of Wilmington has appointed former Chief Ralph Evangelous as interim police chief, effective June 30. Evangelous, who previously led the department from 2004 to 2020 and has over 50 years of law enforcement experience, will guide the department during a national search for a permanent replacement. City leaders say his leadership and familiarity with the community will provide crucial stability.
  WWAY

Western North Carolina

• Interstate 40 is closed in both directions near the North Carolina–Tennessee line due to a possible landslide, with muddy water covering the road at Mile Marker 450 in Cocke County. All stuck vehicles have been cleared, but reopening will depend on evaluations once the water recedes. A detour has been established via I-81 North to I-26 East.
  WLOS

What You Should Know

• U.S. officials are reportedly preparing for a potential military strike on Iran in the coming days, following escalating tensions and Israeli involvement in recent operations. The Biden administration is weighing timing and consequences, according to Bloomberg sources.
  MSN

What Might Surprise You

• Recap: Karen Read acquitted of all charges except OUI —Read was only found guilty of one lesser offense included under the second charge, and will not be facing jail time.
  NBC Boston

Thursday

Friday