Val Lerch News Today

In July, WHQR reported that New Hanover County Schools and the University of North Carolina Wilmington couldn’t locate the results of a federal grant worth over $10 million, from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, and Education, to study violence prevention in the mid-2000s. But more recently, evidence of the grant has come to light.

The festivities kicked off around noon with a presentation of the flag by Lakewood High School's color guard, followed by the Star-Spangled Banner, an air show and plenty of '80s rock.

In his run for mayor, Richardson has worked to revitalize North Long Beach and improve equity throughout the city, but those who know him say he is constantly touting his work.

In the mid-2000s, New Hanover County Schools and UNCW received over $10 million in federal grant funding to study approaches to violence prevention in schools — but almost all evidence of the grant, and the research it funded, has gone missing. WHQR spoke to the former program evaluator, who fears key insights from the project may have been lost.

Long Beach lost a big part of its history this year with the deaths of three former councilmembers, a state Assemblywoman and Senator, and others who made a big impact on the city: a leader in the Cambodian community, a longtime strawberry farmer, a Filipina chef, the owner of a shoeshine stand and a former gang detective. 

Veterans Day is a federal holiday on Thursday, Nov. 11, that honors military personnel who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. 

The Veterans Day Festival is making a return to North Long Beach in November after taking a one-year hiatus because of COVID-19.