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In today’s Port City Pulse:

• “RJ Decker” Among NC Film Grant Recipients

• Tuition and Campus Upgrades Move Forward at UNCW

NC Film Grants Boost Local Jobs as “RJ Decker” Films in Wilmington

WECT
Several television and film projects shot across North Carolina have been awarded funding through the state’s Film and Entertainment Grant program, generating more than 4,900 jobs and $113 million in production spending, according to Gov. Josh Stein. Locally, the first season of the TV series “RJ Decker,” currently filming in New Hanover County, was approved for up to $11.6 million in grant funding. Officials say the program supports film crews, small businesses, and North Carolina’s growing reputation as a top destination for TV and film production.

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UNCW Approves Tuition, Housing, and Meal Plan Increases Starting FY27

WECT UNCW’s Board of Trustees approved a series of tuition, housing, and meal plan increases set to take effect in Fiscal Year 2027, along with multiple campus facility upgrades. Tuition will rise 3% for incoming resident undergraduates, all graduate students, and nonresident students, while current in-state undergraduates are protected under the NC Fixed Tuition Program. Housing rates will increase 4%, and all-access meal plans will rise 5% due to higher labor and food costs. Trustees also approved planning for major facility projects, including DeLoach Hall modernization and expanded housing development.

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News Roundup

Local News

The Wilmington Fire Department delivered 3,600 pounds of donated food to Nourish NC to help provide healthy meals for children in need across New Hanover County, nearly doubling last year’s total after weeks of community donations collected since early November. WWAY News

A local Oak Island restaurant, Paul’s of Oak Island, has pulled all Sycamore Brewing products from sale following the arrest of co-owner Justin Brigham, who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl. The restaurant announced it will donate proceeds from remaining Sycamore products to the Coastal Horizon Rape Crisis Center, while Brigham’s wife stated he will have no further involvement in the brewery. WECT

What You Should Know

The FDA is investigating claims that deaths across multiple age groups may be linked to COVID-19 vaccines, following an earlier memo alleging child deaths without evidence; federal officials have not disclosed what data is under review, and serious vaccine side effects remain rare despite more than 700 million doses administered in the U.S. WECT

A mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach underscores a sharp rise in antisemitic violence in Australia, where more than 3,700 anti-Jewish incidents have been recorded since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The surge — five times higher than the previous decade — has included graffiti, arson attacks on synagogues, and growing concern from Jewish leaders worldwide. NPR

A manhunt continues after a deadly mass shooting at Brown University left two students dead and nine others injured, as police released a previously detained person of interest and say evidence now points elsewhere. Classes and exams have been canceled while authorities search for what they believe is a lone shooter, and campus and city leaders are urging unity as the investigation enters its third day. CNN

What Might Surprise You

The Liberal government is backing a Bloc Québécois proposal to remove the religious exemption from Canada’s hate speech laws, amending the Criminal Code as part of its anti-hate legislation. The change, added to Bill C-9, ensures that speech cannot escape hate speech provisions simply by being framed as religious, while Justice Minister Sean Fraser clarified that it will not criminalize legitimate religious expression. CBC News

Researchers have created the world’s smallest autonomous robot—smaller than a grain of salt—capable of sensing, computing and acting on its own, a breakthrough that could eventually enable precision medical tasks like targeted drug delivery or nerve repair without surgery. MSN

National News

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home, with injuries consistent with a knife, prompting a homicide investigation by the LAPD. Authorities say the Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating the circumstances, and no further details have been released. TMZ

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