Good morning Wilmington!

Another day, another significant leap for AI. This time, it’s not just thinking or talking — it’s hiring. A new platform called RentAHuman.ai allows AI agents to find, book, and pay humans to handle real-world tasks they can’t perform themselves.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• Sen. Thom Tillis Seeks DHS Records

• John Deere to Build Excavator Facility in NC

Sen. Thom Tillis Seeks DHS Records After Controversial Charlotte Operation

WUNC North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis is pressing the Department of Homeland Security to release detailed records from a U.S. Border Patrol operation carried out in Charlotte last fall. While Tillis praised the arrest of immigrants with criminal records, he raised concerns about reports that U.S. citizens may have been detained, force used, or property damaged. He is requesting encounter-level data, arrest totals, and justification for stops ahead of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s upcoming Senate testimony.

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John Deere to Build $70M Excavator Facility in North Carolina

Carolina Journal President Donald Trump announced that John Deere will open a new excavator production facility in Kernersville, North Carolina, shifting some production from Japan to the U.S. The $70 million investment is expected to create more than 150 jobs and manufacture the only excavator fully designed and built in the United States. John Deere says the project reflects its commitment to American manufacturing and local economies. However, the company acknowledged that parts of the plan had previously been disclosed during the Biden administration, raising questions about the timing of the announcement.

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News Roundup

Local News

Carolina Beach is seeking state approval to issue $35 million in revenue bonds to fund major water, sewer, and stormwater system improvements. The proposal includes refinancing existing debt and would lead to increased utility and stormwater fees between fiscal years 2027 and 2030, pending approval by the Local Government Commission. WECT

Wilmington City Council unanimously approved $1 million toward the purchase of land for a new park on Greenville Loop Road. The council also passed a resolution calling for further review of the Wilmington Harbor dredging project, citing environmental concerns related to water quality, wildlife, and potential impacts from expanded shipping access. WWAY TV3

Kure Beach has introduced a new tiered pricing system for 2026 seasonal parking passes, with costs increasing as the season approaches. The virtual permits, available to both residents and visitors, range from $50 in early February to $225 later in the season and will be enforced through license plate scanning from March 15 through Sept. 30. WECT

What You Should Know

The Trump administration is drawing down 700 immigration enforcement officers, citing increased coordination between county jails and federal authorities, according to border czar Tom Homan. Homan said the shift allows more officers to take custody of “criminal aliens” directly from jails rather than conducting street operations, though he did not specify which sheriffs are cooperating and noted that jails are not being required to hold individuals beyond their release times. The Guardian

What Might Surprise You

Jill Biden’s former husband, William Stevenson, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife. Delaware prosecutors say Stevenson, 77, was indicted by a grand jury following a weeks-long investigation into the December death of his second wife, Linda Stevenson, who was found unresponsive after police responded to a domestic dispute at their Wilmington-area home. The Times

An alleged ransom note demanding millions in Bitcoin has surfaced in the investigation into the reported kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie. Authorities in Pima County say they are aware of the circulating note and are treating all tips seriously as detectives coordinate with the FBI amid the ongoing investigation. TMZ

The Washington Post is laying off one-third of its staff across all departments, not limited to the newsroom. The decision affects employees company-wide, reflecting significant organizational restructuring, according to an AP report. Insider Paper

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