Good morning Wilmington!

A 17-year-old has been charged with felony assault after a security guard was punched in the eye during the Fourth of July fireworks celebration at the Country Club of Landfall. Security guard Russell James was attempting to break up an altercation near Hole 1 on the golf course when he was struck. Witnesses say multiple teens — believed not to be community members — were seen running through the crowd before the fight broke out. Videos have been circulating on Facebook. Wilmington Police say the case remains active and more charges are expected. Anyone with information can call WPD at 910-343-3600 or submit an anonymous tip through Tip 411.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• New Hanover County's recycling rate is just 11%

• Reel Cafe owners buy the building they've called home

New Hanover County recycling rate sits at 11% — officials push for change during Plastic-Free July

WECT

Only about 11% of New Hanover County residents recycle — and according to state data, more than half of what ends up in the landfill could have been recycled in the first place. County Recycling Director Joe Suleyman is using Plastic-Free July to push for a change, and he wants people to know the rules are simpler than they think: if it's paper, it goes in. Cans and bottles just need a quick rinse, no scrubbing required. The biggest things to keep out are bags, hoses, and cords that jam machinery — though plastic bags can be dropped at most grocery stores. Suleyman's favorite stat: recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for two hours. Small steps, he says, keep thousands of tons out of the landfill every year.

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Reel Cafe owners buy the building they've called home for 25 years

WWAY Ray Jenkins and John Cordell — the owners of Reel Cafe — have purchased the building at 100 S. Front St. and 12 Dock St., also home to Wilmington Distillery. Both restaurants are continuing operations. Reel Cafe has been a Front Street fixture since 1998. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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News Roundup

Local News

New Hanover County Schools faces a roughly $2 million shortfall to extend the state's new salary increases and bonuses to all employees equally. The state budget — signed July 8 — funds raises for state-paid staff only, covering about 60% of NHCS employees. Superintendent Dr. Christopher Barnes says district savings should cover most of the gap. Teachers will see an average 8% raise; new teachers up to 17%. Bonuses range from $500 to $1,750. WHQR

What You Should Know

John Deere must now provide diagnostic and repair tools to farmers and independent shops after settling a right-to-repair lawsuit with the FTC and five state attorneys general. The settlement prohibits Deere dealers from retaliating against equipment owners who use independent repair shops. Deere will pay $1 million to Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin and faces 10 years of compliance oversight — its second right-to-repair settlement this year. Spectrum News

A growing cyclosporiasis outbreak is being reported across the Midwest, with Michigan logging more than 1,200 cases and Ohio topping 170. The intestinal parasite, spread through contaminated food or water, causes watery diarrhea, cramping, bloating, and fever — typically within a week of exposure. Treatment is the antibiotic TMP-SMX (Bactrim), taken for 10 days. The CDC recommends washing produce thoroughly and refrigerating pre-cut fruits and vegetables. WWAY

Raleigh leaders and youth organizations are calling for coordinated community action after a violent Fourth of July "teen takeover" on Glenwood Avenue left several arrested and city officials drafting a curfew proposal. A 16-year-old is in custody on felony riot and firearm charges. Mayor Janet Cowell says a draft youth curfew for those 17 and under is headed to City Council on Aug. 18. The Boys & Girls Club is working to redefine "teen takeover" as a positive experience for young people. Spectrum News

National News

The White House is touting the launch of 25 "Freedom Fuel" gas stations in the greater Philadelphia area and southern New Jersey, with the first location opening at $3.47 per gallon — a nod to Trump being the 47th president. The stations are privately owned and received no federal subsidies, according to a White House official. Industry experts caution that prices will fluctuate like any other station. NewsNation

New video obtained by CNN shows Sen. Mitch McConnell being loaded onto a stretcher and into an ambulance at his Washington, D.C., home on June 14. A neighbor who captured the footage said two ambulances, a fire truck, and Capitol Police blocked the street around 8:30 a.m. An EMS audio recording indicates responders were called for an "unconscious" person with "CPR in progress." McConnell's team has still not publicly disclosed the nature of his medical episode. CNN

Maine Democrats lost their Senate candidate this week after Graham Platner dropped out of the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, following a sexual assault allegation from a woman he dated. Platner denied the allegation but said it placed "an immense amount of weight" on him and that the movement couldn't continue with him at the helm. Maine's Democratic party has until July 27 to choose a replacement nominee via a party convention. NBC News

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invited senior ministers from more than 60 countries to a July 16 meeting aimed at designating antifa as an international terrorist organization — but several U.S. allies are pushing back. European governments have largely declined to label antifa a terror group, noting it lacks the legal structure of an organization. Some Trump administration officials privately expressed concern the effort could set a precedent a future Democratic administration might use against conservatives. Washington Post