TOGETHER WITH

Still wondering what to do for Halloween? 🎃 We’ve got your weekend mapped out. From downtown costume contests and haunted parties to live music that’ll keep the spirits dancing, Wilmington is packed with ways to celebrate. Check out the full list in our Port City Jams Halloween issue:
👉 Port City Jams Halloween Guide

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• North Carolina Faces Higher Power Bills

• Wilmington City Council Approves $1.3M for Greenville Loop Roundabout

North Carolina Faces Higher Power Bills as Duke Energy Pushes New Gas Plants

WUNC - Duke Energy’s 2025 resource plan outlines a path to carbon neutrality by 2050 but leans heavily on natural gas and delays renewable energy expansion. The plan, influenced by state and federal policy changes, includes extended coal plant operations, new gas plants, and eventual nuclear development, raising concerns over carbon emissions, customer bills, and air quality. While some business groups praise the plan’s reliability, environmental advocates warn it undermines near-term climate goals. Public hearings are expected next year before the utilities commission votes on the proposal, with stakeholders reviewing the massive filing and potential risks for ratepayers.

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HALLOWEEN at Wilmington Rock Gym!

Halloween's coming around the bend and that can only mean one thing... costume party!! 👻

Members, punch card, and semester pass holders are invited to bring a first-timer for free, and be sure to wear a costume for a shot at one of three marvelous prizes!

See you there! 🎃

Wilmington City Council Approves $1.3M for Greenville Loop Roundabout

WHQR - Wilmington City Council has approved $1.3 million in funding for the Greenville Loop Road Roundabout Project, covering the cost of relocating Duke Energy’s utility infrastructure that currently obstructs planned improvements. The project will extend Pine Grove Drive and add a two-lane roundabout, a multi-use path, and upgraded traffic signals at nearby intersections. Since Duke Energy holds prior rights in the area, the City must cover the estimated $1.5 million relocation cost before construction can advance.

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News Roundup

Local News

Bus stop violations in New Hanover County remain a serious safety concern. Despite efforts to enforce traffic laws, drivers continue to pass stopped school buses, putting children at risk. The school district plans to equip buses with stop arm cameras to capture violators and increase compliance. WECT

Wilmington Police are searching for 17-year-old Fortress Ocampo, who was last seen on Oct. 28. She is described as 5’4”, about 140 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and may be wearing a brown sweater. Anyone with information is asked to contact WPD at 910-343-3600. WECT

What You Should Know

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans are developing a new GOP health care plan as the government shutdown nears one month and ObamaCare subsidies face expiration. Johnson noted that House Majority Leader Steve Scalise is coordinating with key committee chairs on the proposal, drawing from policy ideas first outlined when Johnson led the Republican Study Committee. The Hill

Bold summary: The House Oversight Committee has declared all of President Biden’s autopen-signed executive actions “null and void,” citing concerns over White House staff handling and transparency. The 100-page report calls on the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Biden aides and examine the role of his physician in allegedly concealing his condition. The Gateway Pundit

Bold summary: President Trump praised Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during his visit, emphasizing strong U.S.-Japan ties and pledging support for the country. The visit included gifts exchanged, a golf club from Takaichi, and remarks to U.S. troops aboard the USS George Washington, where Trump also touched on domestic political issues and encouraged troops to buy Japanese-made vehicles. The Hill

The Trump administration announced that no federal food aid will be distributed on Nov. 1 as the government shutdown continues, with the USDA stating that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — which help about 1 in 8 Americans — cannot be issued without new funding. The administration declined to use $5 billion in contingency funds, blaming Senate Democrats for the impasse, while Democrats insist negotiations must include extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. ABC News

What Might Surprise You

A UFO-tracking app has logged thousands of reports of mysterious underwater objects, or Unidentified Submersible Objects (USOs), along U.S. coastlines. The app, Enigma, has recorded over 9,000 sightings within 10 miles of U.S. shores—many involving strange lights or craft entering and exiting the water without a splash—raising national security concerns among Navy officials. New York Post

Bold summary: A mysterious “flaming green ball” lit up the skies over Moscow early Monday, sparking speculation about meteors, missiles, and space debris. Experts later confirmed it was likely a fragment of space junk burning up in Earth’s atmosphere, though some Russians initially linked the sighting to Vladimir Putin’s recent tests of the nuclear-powered “Burevestnik” missile, nicknamed the “Flying Chernobyl.” Metro

A truck carrying “aggressive” Rhesus monkeys infected with herpes, hepatitis C, and COVID overturned in Jasper County, Mississippi, releasing several of the animals that were en route to a Florida testing facility. Authorities say all but one of the escaped monkeys have been killed, with one still on the loose as local and state agencies assist in the search. WTOC

Port City 2025 Halloween Guide

🎃 Your Ultimate 2025 Wilmington Halloween Guide — From haunted parties to costume contests and live music, find every spooky event happening around town this weekend! 👻

Check out the 2025 Port City Jams Halloween Guide»

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