Good morning Wilmington!

If you're a local artist — or know one — here's a show worth entering.

The 11th Annual ARTfall Juried Art Show & Sale is accepting submissions through August 24. The show runs September 18–26 at the Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center, with an opening reception on September 17 from 6 to 8 p.m.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• Cabana Bar Taking Over Waterman’s Brewing

• WECT Investigates Flock Cameras

Cabana Bar & Grill Opens Aug. 17 in the Former Waterman's Brewing Space

WECT — Kevin Keatts and Clayton Gsell — the duo behind Yosake, Tempo 33, and Husk downtown — are opening Cabana Bar & Grill in the former Waterman's Brewing space on Pavilion Place near Wrightsville Beach. The Caribbean-American menu features jerk wings, tropical cocktails, and house-made syrups, with TVs throughout and a weekend brunch. Cabana opens Monday, August 17, serving lunch and dinner seven days a week.

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WECT Investigates: NHCSO Deputies Searched Flock System 6,000 Times Since June

WECT — Records obtained through a public records request show New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office deputies search Flock camera data daily — with some days recording nearly 200 searches. Drug and narcotics cases top the list, but homicide, burglary, DUI, and missing persons searches have all been made. The system can access data from more than 6,000 external networks, though the county says outside agency searches would have to be obtained directly from Flock, a private company. Attorney Mark Williams of the DeFlock Wilmington group says citizens deserve transparency about who’s looking at their data. The locations of the 28 leased cameras have not been disclosed; DeFlock advocates plan to address commissioners at the Aug. 17 meeting.

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News Roundup

Local News

What You Should Know

A DOJ investigation has concluded that Duke Law School intentionally limited the admission of white and Asian applicants, according to a report published Thursday. The finding is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to enforce the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on race-conscious college admissions. Townhall

National News

The Senate has confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as the third Chief of Space Operations, the top uniformed leader of the U.S. Space Force. Schiess, a 34-year military veteran nominated by Trump in May 2026, will be promoted to four-star general and join the Joint Chiefs of Staff, succeeding Gen. Chance Saltzman. Military Times

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was discharged from a rehabilitation facility Thursday and will continue intensive physical therapy at home. McConnell said he is grateful to his care team and plans to continue engaging with staff and colleagues on Senate business. ABC News

A federal appeals court has blocked construction of Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that congressional approval is required before the East Wing can be demolished and replaced. The DC Circuit’s 2-1 decision upholds an injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and gives the Trump administration two weeks to appeal to the Supreme Court. Forbes

Suisun City, California declared a state of emergency after a malware attack disrupted 911 routing, police and fire dispatch, and other critical city systems. The city council voted unanimously to activate its Emergency Operations Center; 911 calls are being rerouted through Solano County dispatch in the interim. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are investigating. CBS Sacramento

World News

Iran has erected a series of state-produced murals and billboards across Tehran targeting President Trump and his family, including one depicting Trump in a coffin and another showing his family in coffins with the slogan “Blood for Blood.” The murals are part of escalating Iranian state messaging amid growing military tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The Mirror

South Korea’s Danuri lunar orbiter has captured the first before-and-after images of the crater left by a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage that crashed into the Moon on August 5 near the Einstein crater region. The rocket stage — launched in January 2025 — had no fuel remaining for a disposal maneuver and was pulled in by lunar gravity at roughly 5,400 mph. Washington Times

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, killing at least 22 people and collapsing the passenger terminal at Matañca International Airport in Pereira. The epicenter was in San José del Palmar in the Chocó department; tremors were felt across Bogotá and several cities. The USGS issued an Orange Alert — its second-highest warning level — and suspended flights at six airports while inspectors assess structural damage. CNN