Good morning Wilmington!

The Piggly Wiggly in Burgaw is selling a 40 lb. box of Party Wings for just $34.99! Another great reason that we love The Pig…and the chicken! Last day for this deal is August 1 or until supplies last.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• NC Law Enforcement Urges House to Pass Hemp Bill

• Wilmington Awarded a $2.4M Bridge Contract to the Mayor's Brother's Firm.

NC Senate passes bill requiring 21+ to buy CBD and hemp products

WWAY The NC Senate approved House Bill 328, which would prohibit hemp and CBD product sales to anyone under 21. Violations could bring a Class 2 misdemeanor and civil penalties up to $50,000. One Wilmington hemp retailer says the restriction may be moot once federal rescheduling takes effect — placing hemp products in the same regulatory category as marijuana. The bill still needs final House approval and the governor's signature; a House vote is expected the week of Aug. 3.

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Wilmington Awarded a $2.4M Bridge Contract to the Mayor's Brother's Firm

WECT Investigates The City of Wilmington awarded a $2.4M construction contract for the Front Street Bridge to Saffo Contractors, Inc. — a firm owned by Mayor Bill Saffo's brother. The city said the lowest bidder had "dropped out," but public records tell a different story: the city told that bidder, Paragon Building Corporation (whose $2.28M bid was $166,000 lower), that it wasn't "responsible" based on past performance on prior city projects. WHQR requested records in February and didn't receive them for five months. Mayor Saffo recused himself from the vote; city council approved unanimously.

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News Roundup

Local News

Contaminated soil at the Navassa Superfund site is heading to a landfill. The Kerr-McGee/Multistate Trust cleanup enters its next major phase — one pile in Unit 2 requires off-site disposal due to groundwater leaching risk. Unit 3 marsh cleanup follows, and community leaders are watching what ultimately becomes of the 150+ acre property. The next public meeting is in August. WECT

A Wilmington man faces felony charges after dragging a Wrightsville Beach officer 15 feet on an electric bike during a DWI stop. Zackary Mukensturm, 30, allegedly fled on foot and by e-bike when officers moved to arrest him. He's charged with two felony assault counts plus DWI, reckless driving, and resisting arrest — held on a $30,000 bond. WECT

What You Should Know

The American Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis, with less than a one-day supply of type O positive blood. Donations hit a four-year summer low — attributed to extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and widespread foodborne illness. Donors who give through July 31 receive a Fandango movie ticket; August donors get a $20 Amazon gift card. Schedule at RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Axios

Roughly 70 hours of private audio recordings of Joe Biden have been released after a two-year legal battle — and they show him identifying notes that may contain classified material. The tapes were made while Biden worked with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer on his 2017 memoir. On them, Biden says "Some of this may be classified... be careful" and "They didn't know I have this." Special counsel Robert Hur cited the tapes in 2024 when he characterized Biden as having "diminished faculties" — and declined to recommend charges, in part because a jury would view Biden as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man." CBS News

Kentucky's governor is demanding Sen. Mitch McConnell address constituents or resign. Gov. Andy Beshear sent a second letter to the 84-year-old senator — now more than 40 days absent after a June 14 fall — and copied Senate Majority Leader Thune, urging an investigation into McConnell's fitness to serve. McConnell's office says he's still recovering and working to return to his schedule. He retires in January 2027. Axios

What Might Surprise You

Iran-linked media released a video titled "How to Kill Melania Trump" — with surveillance-style footage of her movements, specific NYC locations, and suggestions for using nerve agents to poison her clothing. The video, from Tasnim News Agency (affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard), also includes a direct threat to Barron Trump: "This is just the beginning. Barron Trump, wait for us." Iranian billboards have also appeared showing Melania, Barron, and Ivanka with their eyes closed alongside threatening text. The Secret Service confirmed it is investigating. NY Post

The first Kenyan to play in the NFL has been deported to Kenya by ICE after a decade in the U.S. Daniel Adongo, a former Indianapolis Colts linebacker who made the leap from rugby in South Africa to American football in 2013, was deported June 20 following a March 2026 removal order. ICE says his visa expired in 2016; a 2020 criminal mischief conviction also factored in. The case is drawing renewed attention to what analysts describe as deportation rates for Black migrants that far exceed their share of the undocumented population. The Guardian

National News

Democrats are losing patience with DNC Chair Ken Martin as midterm season heats up. The party committee carries $2 million in debt, and insiders cite a string of concerns — including an HR complaint over an incident where Martin threw a phone at an aide's desk. Martin counters that he's raised a record $207 million for a party out of the White House, and defends his leadership across infrastructure and political strategy. The Hill