June 2020

Delilah Hutchins’ family are big surfers — in surfing parlance, dialed in — a fixture on the best days, those fleeting windows of time when the wind, tide and swell come together.  The 15-year-old spent three years surfing Wrightsville Beach on almost a daily basis. She put a lot of time into it, competing in…

Newell’s began as a popular open-air concession stand at Station One on the trolley car line owned by the Tidewater Power Company. Back in the 1920s, visitors paid 25 cents to ride into town on a beach car. The concession stand was their first stop. Originally owned by Bud Werkheiser, the wooden stand included a…

In 10 years’ time, the Atlantic’s tides have churned the highest swells since Hurricane Hazel in 1954. Four major hurricanes have pummeled the North Carolina coast in the last decade. But nary a puff of wind has rocked the foundation, nor a drop of rain has trickled inside the walls of an oceanfront, barrier island…

Stepping outside the comfort zone is a great way to find inspiration.  Whether it is an active pursuit, something passive or a happy accident does not really matter.  The point is travel, new experiences, landscapes and settings have exerted a significant influence on the lives of numerous artists and the work they produced. What if…

It makes for a swift and safe drive from the mainland to Topsail Island, but the Surf City bridge is so much more than a new road. It’s a scenic path for outdoor enthusiasts and a gateway to an economic boom. The bridge, completed in early December 2018 — a full nine months ahead of…

The original Newell’s department store, where Wings stands today, left an indelible mark on Wrightsville Beach for generations. A hub for everything from swimwear to hardware, Lester Newell’s store helped usher in a year-round business model for the town when it was built. But, perhaps more importantly, Newell made an impact on the local community…

With the uncertainty surrounding when the next trip to the grocery store might be, people have gotten creative with what’s already found in their pantry. Experimenting in the kitchen can be a fun way to engage the family and use up the about-to-expire cans of beans, that bag of rice, and those frozen vegetables that…

“I never have stopped and counted, but I can ride down to Wrightsville Beach and I have about two or three on every street,” says Walt Lackey, the senior member of the Lackey Builders team. “It makes you very proud.” With a 45-year history of building in Wrightsville Beach, it is no surprise that Walt…

It’s a beautiful, sunny Friday in April. The day dawned on the chilly side, but it’s quickly warming up. It is going to be a perfect, pleasant early spring day in coastal Carolina. In normal circumstances, the Swamp Park in Ocean Isle Beach would be teeming with school children on field trips and tourists enjoying…

“I want to visit Shell Island Resort. I love the breakfast buffet !” — Jane Stringe “Catch a sunset concert at Greenfield Lake amphitheater.” — Vance Young “Be a kid again. Like going to school, playing with friends, playing sports, going places.” — Josiah Capps “When public parking is restored, my husband Howard Garriss and…