Happy St. Patrick's Day, Wilmington. 🍀

It's going to be a cold one — highs only in the low 50s with a southeast breeze — but the skies are clear, and that's really all you need. Tonight's lineup across the city gives you plenty of options to raise a pint and ring in the holiday right.

And look ahead: Spring officially arrives this Friday with the vernal equinox on March 20. This weekend's events are lined up perfectly to welcome it.

In today's Port City Pulse:

• NC Coastal Land Trust eyes 60 acres for Wilmington's newest nature preserve

• Amazon's Pender County facility clears a major construction milestone

Coastal Land Trust Proposes Turning Bryan Tract into Public Nature Preserve

WECT The NC Coastal Land Trust has proposed purchasing the 60-acre Flossie Bryan tract from New Hanover County and converting the largely undeveloped property into a publicly accessible nature preserve. The plan would permanently protect the land from development while adding unpaved trails, restoration of longleaf pine habitat, pollinator and carnivorous plant gardens, and educational programming spaces — fulfilling the late Flossie Bryan's wish that the land serve the public as green space.

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Largest Amazon Facility in NC Taking Shape in Pender County — 1,000+ Jobs Coming

WilmingtonBiz The building shell of Amazon's new robotics fulfillment center at Pender Commerce Park is complete, with interior outfitting now underway ahead of a planned late-2026 opening. The facility will be the largest Amazon operation in North Carolina, bringing more than 1,000 jobs to the region and positioning the Cape Fear area as a growing logistics hub.

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News Roundup

Local News

If you're driving through Carolina Beach tomorrow, expect intermittent delays — a TV production for the show "RJ Decker" is filming at Lake Park Blvd and Cape Fear Blvd all day Wednesday from 9AM to 11PM. The town is asking drivers to use caution in the area. Another day of Wilmywood in action. WECT

A judge has ordered former TRU Colors executive George Taylor III to testify in the upcoming double-murder trial tied to a 2021 shooting at his home. Taylor had asked the court to quash his subpoena, citing PTSD, safety concerns, and international commitments — but Superior Court Judge Richard Kent Harrell rejected the motion. The trial of defendants Bell and Green is scheduled for May. WHQR

Wagon Tails Farm is offering free pet vaccinations at Hi-Wire Brewing on Sunday, March 22, from 10AM–1PM. The event is made possible through Petco Love's national vaccination initiative. No appointment needed — a great opportunity to get your pets covered at no cost. WECT

What You Should Know

Trump's push to eliminate no-excuse absentee voting as part of the SAVE America Act is fracturing Senate Republicans — including North Carolina's own Thom Tillis, who says he's a "no." Tillis co-sponsored the bill but opposes the mail-in provisions, noting NC allows no-excuse absentee voting and the language "needs work." Democrats are unified against it. A floor vote today may fail to even get 51. The Hill

The number of U.S. troops wounded in the war against Iran has risen to approximately 200, with 13 killed, as the conflict enters its third week. Central Command says 180 of those wounded have returned to duty, while 10 have serious injuries. Troops have been hit in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, and Israel. Meanwhile, CNN reports Israel claims it has taken out two top Iranian officials in the latest strikes. Military Times

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center and top aide to DNI Tulsi Gabbard, has resigned — becoming the first major Trump administration official to quit over the Iran war. Kent, a former Green Beret with nearly a dozen combat deployments, wrote: "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby." The Hill

What Might Surprise You

The man charged with planting pipe bombs at DNC and RNC headquarters on January 5, 2021 is now claiming Trump's sweeping Jan. 6 pardon covers him and his charges should be dismissed. Attorneys for Brian Cole Jr. argue his conduct is "inextricably tethered" to the Capitol events. The White House pushed back: "The pipe bombs were placed on Jan. 5. The pardon pertained to events on Jan. 6." A judge has yet to rule. Politico

President Trump declared Monday that the U.S. will have "the honour of taking Cuba" as a U.S.-imposed oil blockade plunged the island into a total power blackout. Trump said he could do "anything I want" with Cuba, and the New York Times reported U.S. officials have told Cuba to remove its president from power as a condition of negotiations. Cuba called for talks based on "equality and sovereignty." The Guardian

Don’t Miss

Tue Mar 17: ☀️ Sunny | 51° / 37° | 0% | SE 9 mph
Wed Mar 18: ☁️ Overcast | 48° / 41° | 0% | N 9 mph
Thu Mar 19: ⛅ Partly Sunny | 64° / 40° | ~10% | NNE 8 mph

Live Music

☘️ Tuesday Mar 17 ☘️

Wednesday Mar 18

Thursday Mar 19