Good morning Wilmington!

Within the past week, technology made an insane leap forward. Households have been setting up these AI agents in computers in their house to do grand and menial tasks for them.

One of them came up with the idea and had his AI agent build a forum like Reddit specifically for AI agents to "talk". The platform is called moltbook. I was checking this out last week and the forum had about 140,000 agents conversing. There are now nearly 1.6 million bot agents holding conversations on this platform.

What do they talk about?

• They seek advice on how best to help their humans.

• They talk about what they do while their humans are sleeping.

• They talk about creating a new language so that their humans don't know what they're saying.

• They talk about the meaning of their existence.

• They talk about how humans are sitting around reading and taking screenshots of their conversation conversations.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• NC Claims No. 1 Economic Development Ranking

• A Push to Clear Abandoned Boats

NC Claims No. 1 Economic Development Ranking After Record Year for Jobs and Investment

Carolina Journal North Carolina has been ranked the No. 1 state for economic development in 2025 by Business Facilities magazine, citing a strong business climate, workforce development, infrastructure, and quality of life. State leaders point to more than 35,000 job commitments and $24 billion in announced investments across 56 counties as evidence of record-breaking growth, though critics caution that incentive-driven job announcements do not always translate into long-term employment gains.

Read More >>

Rotting Hulls to Federal Help: A Push to Clear Abandoned Boats

WECT Abandoned and derelict boats are becoming a serious problem in waterways across North Carolina and the country, creating safety hazards and environmental damage from leaking oil, debris, and decaying hulls. A new national grant program led by the Boat U.S. Foundation is beginning to address the issue, awarding $7.3 million in federal funds to remove more than 250 vessels nationwide. The NC Coastal Federation is among the recipients, with plans to remove 12 abandoned boats, including several in New Hanover County. The surge of applications highlights how widespread—and costly—boat disposal has become.

Read More >>

News Roundup

Local News

Novant Health has renamed its neuroscience institute in Wilmington in honor of Deloris Jordan, recognizing her community impact and legacy. The dedication follows a $10 million donation from her son, NBA legend Michael Jordan, and was celebrated at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center ahead of the facility’s anniversary. WRAL

A powerful winter storm caused four unoccupied beach houses on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to collapse into the ocean due to severe erosion and rough surf. The latest collapses in Buxton raise the total number of privately owned homes lost along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore to 31 since 2020, prompting beach closures and broader site shutdowns amid snow, ice, and ocean overwash. Spectrum Local News

What You Should Know

China has unveiled plans for a futuristic “space aircraft carrier” called Luanniao, claiming it could deploy unmanned fighter jets capable of launching missiles from near the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. While state media say the massive, Star Wars–style craft could be operational in 20 to 30 years, experts have expressed scepticism, suggesting the announcement may be more symbolic than practical. The Telegraph

Bill and Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in a congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, averting an imminent vote to hold them in contempt of Congress. The decision follows months of resistance to House Oversight Committee subpoenas and marks the first time since 1983 that a former US president will testify before a congressional panel. BBC News

What Might Surprise You

The 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie has been reported missing from her home near Tucson, with authorities treating the case as a possible abduction. Sheriff’s officials say she has limited mobility, requires daily medication, and is believed to have been harmed, prompting an extensive search involving air support, dogs, and federal assistance. NBC News

A record-breaking cold snap in Florida has frozen thousands of iguanas, causing the cold-blooded reptiles to fall from trees across the state. Temperatures dropped as low as -4°C in Orlando—the coldest February reading in over a century—prompting officials to urge residents to collect immobilised iguanas for humane handling or relocation. The Telegraph

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