TOGETHER WITH

Good morning Wilmington!

I stopped by Total Beer and Wine and was shocked to learn their best-selling product was THC products. North Carolina lawmakers are moving toward sweeping regulations that will determine where NC stands in the national legalization landscape.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• NC Lawmakers Push to Rein In Unregulated Hemp and Cannabis Products

• Guns, DEI & More: Lawmakers Push Back on Governor’s Vetoes in Raleigh

NC Lawmakers Push to Rein In Unregulated Hemp and Cannabis Products

[NC Health News] North Carolina leaders are weighing sweeping regulations on hemp-derived and cannabis products after years of debate over the unregulated market. Currently, people of almost any age can purchase THC-infused gummies, drinks, and vape products. Governor Josh Stein formed a 24-member advisory council to recommend comprehensive regulations as lawmakers consider bills that would ban sales to anyone under 21, require retailer licensing, and tighten packaging restrictions. Both the House and Senate versions of House Bill 328 would also ban delta-8 and delta-9 THC on school grounds. The proposals come amid a rise in pediatric ER visits linked to cannabis ingestion and growing concern over youth access.

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Kid’s Open Gym on Wednesdays @ Wilmington Rock Gym!

Wednesdays | Until Aug 13, 2025 | $15 PER VISIT | Ages 5 to 13 | 1 - 4PM

Are you looking for something fun for your kids to do this summer? Bring them to the climbing gym! On Wednesdays, we'll have open gym time for them to climb and have fun! We'll have staff available each Wednesday to help them with the ropes if they want to climb higher. This isn't a class/camp but is a great way for children to join in the fun of indoor rock climbing! This is great for first time climbers and more advanced gym monkeys alike! Parents must stay with their kids.

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Guns, DEI & More: Lawmakers Push Back on Governor’s Vetoes in Raleigh

[WECT] North Carolina lawmakers overrode eight of Gov. Josh Stein’s vetoes on Tuesday during what Senate leaders called a “veto-rama.” The bills now becoming law include firearm law changes, restrictions on the state auditor’s powers, and revisions related to sexual exploitation, among others. Republicans hold a veto-proof majority in the Senate and are one vote shy of the same in the House. Other high-profile bills, including proposals to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in public education (SB 227) and permitless concealed carry for 18-year-olds (SB 50), now head to the House for potential overrides when it reconvenes.

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News Roundup

Local News

• Wilmington’s Good Shepherd Center is urgently asking for donations as a dangerous heat wave threatens the city’s homeless population. The shelter, which houses 100 people overnight and serves up to 300 at its day center, needs water, food, sunscreen, bug spray, umbrellas, and volunteers to support those without shelter during extreme temperatures.
  WECT

• The NC State Bureau of Investigation has deployed four elite K-9 search teams to Texas to aid in flood recovery efforts in Kerr County. SBI officials say the teams, among the best in the nation, will spend the next two weeks helping locate people still missing after devastating floods.
  WWAY

What You Should Know

• The FBI is warning Americans about a rise in “Phantom Hacker” scams, a sophisticated app-based scheme capable of draining victims’ entire bank, savings, or investment accounts. Seniors are most often targeted as scammers pose as tech support, banks, and government officials to build trust and access high-value accounts.
  Metro

• A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, the strongest in the region since 1952, triggered tsunami waves nearly five feet high in Japan and evacuation orders for nearly two million people. Hawaii residents also scrambled to higher ground after officials observed water receding by up to 30 feet, causing traffic gridlock and raising fears of incoming waves. Tsunami warnings have since been downgraded, with Hawaii lifting evacuation orders but keeping an advisory in place as aftershocks up to 7.5 magnitude remain possible.
  Daily Mail

What Might Surprise You

• Las Vegas’ Sphere is set to debut an immersive “Wizard of Oz” experience on Aug. 28, combining its massive 160,000-square-foot LED screen with real-world effects like tornado simulations, flames, and flying monkeys to recreate iconic moments from the 1939 film. Executives say the production will deliver a level of scale and interactivity never seen before.
  Hollywood Reporter

• Wyoming’s expanding AI data centers could soon consume more electricity than the entire state’s households combined, raising questions about sustainability.
  Ars Technica

✅ Save $10 by purchasing your tickets to Port City Rock Jam in advance!

✅ Today is the last day in 2025 that you can get your 20-lb. propane takes filled for just $8/tank (limit 2) at Parker Gas Co. in Ogden.

✅ Take your 5-13 year old child to Wilmington Rock Gym to enjoy Open Gym Wednesdays today from 1-4PM: Only $15/visit!

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