Need an excuse to buy a kiddie pool? The Eagle's Dare has you covered.

Their Fourth of July Bring Your Own Pool party might be one of the most uniquely Wilmington events we've seen in a while. Throw one in the back of the car, invite some friends, and cool off while enjoying live music. Then keep the celebration going with concerts, fireworks, and plenty more music happening across the Port City all weekend long.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• NCDOT's first DriveNC app includes live traffic cameras, storm evacuation planning, and personalized route alerts.

• Wilmington-area beaches earn national recognition

NCDOT launches redesigned DriveNC for real-time travel info

WECT The North Carolina Department of Transportation has rolled out a completely overhauled DriveNC website and app — the platform's first major redesign in 26 years. The new tools combine live traffic cameras, road closures, accident reports (including driver-submitted Waze data), rest area and ferry status, and a dedicated Major Events section built for storm planning and evacuation routes. Drivers can also create a free MyDriveNC account to get personalized alerts for specific routes and times.

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Wilmington-area beaches earn national recognition

StarNews Wilmington's beach towns are getting national love this summer, with Southern Living readers ranking North Carolina beaches among the best in the country. The Wilmington area's mix of watersports at Wrightsville Beach, boardwalk charm at Carolina Beach, and the laid-back Fort Fisher Aquarium scene at Kure Beach continues to draw attention well beyond the state line.

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News Roundup

Local News

North Carolina bar owners suing over COVID-era shutdown orders want former Gov. Roy Cooper and ex-health secretary Mandy Cohen to testify under oath. The motion to compel arrives as Cooper campaigns for the state's open US Senate seat, six years into a case the NC Supreme Court revived last year; a hearing is set for July 7. Carolina Journal

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states can count mail ballots arriving after Election Day, rejecting a Republican National Committee challenge. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and the court's three liberal justices, dealing a loss to the Trump-backed RNC effort. The Hill

What You Should Know

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that states can ban transgender girls and women from competing in school sports, upholding laws in West Virginia and Idaho. Justice Kavanaugh authored the majority opinion, concluding the bans don't violate the 14th Amendment or Title IX; the ruling is expected to affect 25 other states with similar laws already on the books. NBC News

The Supreme Court struck down Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship in a 6-3 ruling, reaffirming the 14th Amendment's guarantee of citizenship for anyone born on U.S. soil. Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion, concluding the order — issued on Trump's first day back in office and blocked by every lower court that reviewed it — was unconstitutional. NPR

National News

President Trump's annual financial disclosure revealed he made roughly $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency ventures during his first year back in office. The bulk of that — about $635 million — came from a meme coin licensing deal, with hundreds of millions more from his World Liberty Financial token operation; he also reported holding more than $50 million in Bitcoin. NBC News