Good morning Wilmington!

Big news in the Wilmington music scene: local legends Tripodacus are in the running for Top Hitmaker 2025! It’s a huge opportunity for one of our most unique and talented bands—and your vote could help them take the spotlight. More below 👇

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• Wilmington Council Considers Juvenile Curfew

• Tripodacus Could Be America’s Next Top Hitmaker

Wilmington Council Considers Juvenile Curfew After July 4 Chaos

[Port City Daily] Following a chaotic Fourth of July weekend — including fireworks launched at pedestrians and a deadly downtown shooting — Wilmington Councilmember Luke Waddell is pushing for a juvenile curfew. Citing rising late-night juvenile disturbances and safety concerns voiced by business owners, Waddell says the measure would protect kids and restore public order. While curfews are already in place in cities like Charlotte and Myrtle Beach, critics argue such policies may be unconstitutional or ineffective. The idea is now under consideration as Wilmington joins a broader national conversation on youth safety and public policy.

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From Wilmington to Central Park? Tripodacus Could Be America’s Next Top Hitmaker

[WECT] Wilmington’s own alternative power trio, Tripodacus, is climbing the ranks in a nationwide music contest, America’s Next Top Hitmaker. The group—Chris Spratt, Jon Landau, and Mark Rudolph—is currently holding second place in their quarterfinal group. If they win, they’ll earn $50,000, a Rolling Stone feature, and a spot at the 2025 Global Citizen Festival in NYC. Voting is free, daily, and ends Thursday, July 17 at 10 p.m. ET.

Read More »

News Roundup

Local News

• Flounder Season Returns to NC Waters. North Carolina has announced that the 2025 recreational flounder season will open from September 1 through September 14 in coastal and joint waters.
  WWAY

• New Hanover County Schools will be rolling out a new student information system for the 2025–2026 school year. The switch comes as all North Carolina public schools transition from PowerSchool to NCSIS, powered by Infinite Campus.
  WWAY

What You Should Know

• Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to advance a $9 billion rescissions package, paving the way for cuts to USAID ($8.3 B) and CPB-funded public broadcasting (PBS/NPR) totaling $1.1 B
  Times of India

What Might Surprise You

• Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Coca-Cola has agreed to begin using real cane sugar in U.S. products instead of high-fructose corn syrup—following discussions he had with company officials.
  Reuters

• Eight healthy babies have been born in the UK through a revolutionary IVF technique that uses DNA from three individuals—a mother, father, and a donor—to prevent life-threatening mitochondrial diseases.
  The Guardian

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