September 2023

[grŏmz] noun. The word grom originated from the word grommet and generally refers to a young surfer more or less 18 years old who is just getting started in the sport. Grom can also be used to describe an older newbie surfer, or even a skater, skier, snowboarder or anyone taking up an extreme sport.…

Our cover story is writer Beth Hedgepeth’s “where are they now” update on young local male surfers, called groms. Pictured is Jack Brandon. We first featured these seven in 2005. Hedgepeth checked in with them eight years later, and now the present day look at their lives another decade later is simply fascinating. Of all…

As many of the most accomplished artists may attest, the art itself can sometimes feel as if it is dictating its own direction. Early abstract expressionists believed in the power of letting go as a means of leveraging pure creative expression. They focused on tapping into the creativity bubbling under the surface of the conscious…

At the west end of Oak Island overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway is an innovative two-level home of contemporary style offering rest, relaxation and healthy living. Designed by Lisle Architecture and built by J. Long Custom Homes, this unique dwelling is an intentional escape from the busyness of life. It is called the Boat House. “The…

This year’s Images of Distinction exhibit, sponsored and organized by the Cape Fear Camera Club, includes four photographs that were award winners in the 2023 Wrightsville Beach Magazine photography contest. Robert Thurston won first place in the landscape category in Wrightsville Beach Magazine’s contest for his photo titled Ian’s Prelude. Leesa Beckmann received an honorable…

Summertime is the perfect season to fire up the grill and take your backyard feast to the next level. It’s an opportunity for the chefs, tastemakers and “best cooks in the family” to fill the air with irresistible mouthwatering aromas of their favorite meats. It’s nearly impossible to mention cooking meats without first thinking of…

On a clear, warm April morning, a chartered 737 aircraft lifted into the skies above Wilmington International Airport. On board were not the usual businesspeople, commuters or vacationers, but a very special group of passengers.   Seventy-four veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam were on their way to see memorials built to honor their…

The Randall Library at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is under transformation.  The year-long project includes an approximately 80,000-square-foot, three-story expansion at the west side along with a partial renovation of the existing exterior. A highlight will be a new tech hub that will offer students expanded computing, a large digital makerspace, and an…

Kids Making It is a Wilmington nonprofit that does much more than provide space to do woodwork. The organization teaches valuable vocational, entrepreneurial and life skills to at-risk, low-income and disadvantaged youth. Started by Jimmy Pierce in 1996, it has evolved and now has five woodworking programs and yearly serves 1,100 youths, ages 7-25. Kids…