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Data showing that the community surrounding Portia Mills Hines Park has the lowest life expectancy in Wilmington is stark. But what does that reality look like up close—and what’s being done about it? In this episode, Shoresides speaks with Dr. Mayra Galeano, the chief medical officer at a clinic close to the problem. She tells us what it's like to provide care in the community. The clinic is open to everyone, serving Black and Latino residents among others—and patients don’t need insurance.  Learn more • MedNorth Health Center: https://mednorth.org Learn more about the Coastal Journalism Hub: http://www.coastaljournalism.org/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

“New Hanover County has one of the highest shares of households without vehicle access in North Carolina—about 6 percent—according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey,” transportation expert Andrés Otero wrote in an article for WHQR last year. “People without access to a car often include college students, older adults, and others who either cannot afford a vehicle or are unable to drive. In Wilmington, these groups make up a significant portion of the population. The same data also show that in both the Northside and Southside neighborhoods, more than a third of households have no vehicle access.” In this episode, Otero talks with Shoresides about living without a personal vehicle—and what that experience reveals about how cities like Wilmington function for pedestrians and bicyclists. He also discusses what it would take to build a city that works for everyone, not just drivers. Learn more • Andrés’ Substack: https://andytalksurbanism.substack.com • WHQR article: https://www.whqr.org/local/2025-04-28/walking-and-bicycling-in-wilmington-and-north-carolina-face-significant-funding-barriers-says-advocate Learn more about the Coastal Journalism Hub: http://www.coastaljournalism.org/ Send us Fan Mail Coastal Journalism HubShoresides is proud to be part of the Coastal Journalism Hub.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show www.shoresides.org 

Recently, the Wilmington StarNews and Cape Fear Collective dug into Wilmington, N.C.’s life-expectancy gap. It turns out there are similar disparities regarding the city’s pedestrians. “Wilmington consistently has one of the highest annual pedestrian crash rates in NC. From 2011–2020,” says the 2023 Walk Wilmington Pedestrian Plan. The majority of crashes involving pedestrians occurred in areas with higher concentrations of minority residents and higher poverty rates compared to the county average.”   Abby Lorenzo of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and Justin Carter, assistant director of engineering for the City of Wilmington, explain what’s called the “pedestrian high injury network" and what’s being done about it.  Learn about this work and about the Coastal Journalism Hub at www.coastaljournalism.org Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

In this episode, Shoresides talks with Vanessa Gonzalez about what it means when people looking for help can’t easily tell the difference between a real attorney and a convincing impersonator — and why immigration law, with its limited pathways and high stakes, is a particularly easy place to run the con. We also hear from Adonia Simpson at the American Bar Association Commission on Immigration, which has dealt with its own impersonation scams, and from Reuters investigative tech reporter Jeff Horwitz, whose reporting on Meta helps explain why taking down fraud can be harder than you’d think. Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

North Carolina’s latest congressional map is part of Republicans’ efforts nationwide to gain more seats in the House of Representatives ahead of the 2026 election.  Right before Thanksgiving, federal judges ruled against local advocacy groups and voters who have challenged the map on the basis of racial gerrymandering. This decision, along with rulings in states like Texas, could be setting a precedent of more blatant partisan gerrymandering in the future.  In this episode, I spoke with Sarah Michels, a reporter with Carolina Public Press. She covers state politics and elections, and has closely followed NC’s new congressional maps accused of racial gerrymandering.   This is the third part of a series on redistricting in eastern North Carolina.  Part 1 | Part 2  Host / Producer: Layna Hong Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

Ahead of the 2026 Election, North Carolina’s Republican lawmakers — at the request of President Trump — have passed a new congressional map intended to squeeze out one more Republican seat in Congress.  The new map will also make it more difficult for northeastern Black voters to elect their preferred candidate.  In this episode, we break down what’s happening and how it’s playing out in the courts. We talk to Chistopher Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University. Then, we hear from two of the plaintiffs on the lawsuit against state Republican lawmakers for the newest map: Bob Phillips from Common Cause and Dawn Daley-Mack of the Northampton County NAACP.  This is the second part of a series on redistricting in eastern North Carolina.  Listen to the first part here  Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

North Carolina’s Black Belt is a cluster of northeastern counties known for its rich soil and history. And now, it’s the site of one of the most enduring issues in the state: redistricting.  But this isn’t the first time that the region has been redistricted to disenfranchise Black voters. In this episode, we go back to the turn of the 20th century, when white supremacists dismantled “The Black Second,” or North Carolina’s first majority-Black congressional district. This event would set up a century-long struggle between Black voters and those in power who sought to disenfranchise them — a struggle happening to this day.  Shoresides talked to two eastern North Carolinians. David Cecelski is a historian and storyteller from Carteret County who has written countless works on coastal NC. James Williams Jr. is a retired lawyer who grew up in the Black Belt — Plymouth, to be exact — during the Jim Crow era and Civil Rights Movement.  This is the first part of a series on redistricting in eastern North Carolina.  Host / Producer: Layna Hong Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

When a million-dollar beach house in the Outer Banks collapses into the surf, it looks like a sudden disaster. But for the people who study coastal risk, it’s anything but. In this episode, we talk with Travis Klondike of NC State’s Coastal Dynamics Design Lab about why. Links: Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL) at North Carolina State University https://design.ncsu.edu/research/coastal-dynamics-design-lab/ Five homes lost in a day highlight the growing cost of inaction on NC erosion https://www.wral.com/weather/5-homes-lost-nc-outer-banks-erosion-october-2025/20481590/An  Photo taken May 10, 2022, showing portion of a collapsed house and debris in the ocean and on the beach at 24265 Ocean Drive, Rodanthe. (NPS Photo) Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

Wilmington’s trees are disappearing faster than they can be replaced. In this episode Shoresides talks with Executive Director Isabel Shepherd of the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees about what’s driving the loss and how their new Code & Canopy report lays out a path forward. Helpful Links Alliance for Cape Fear Trees — Code & Canopy Report https://www.allianceforcapefeartrees.com New Hanover County Tree Canopy Assessment https://www.nhcgov.com/2839/Technical-Reports-Survey-Results World's Largest Christmas Tree https://www.saltmagazinenc.com/o-christmas-tree/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

As the effects of H.R. 1 ripple across the country, North Carolinians are feeling the strain of new SNAP work requirements and a month-long government shutdown. In this episode of Shoresides, host Nicolas Magrino speaks with Emily Kraft and Andrea Cherry of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina about how policy uncertainty is reshaping the state’s hunger relief network. Kraft and Cherry describe rising demand, shrinking food supplies, and the growing fear among residents—especially in Latino and veteran communities—about applying for help. As food banks scramble to fill the gap left by federal cuts, they’re also finding renewed strength in collaboration, reminding us that community care doesn’t end when resources do. Key Resources 1. Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (Wilmington Branch) 1000 Greenfield Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 · Phone: 910-251-1465   Serves five counties in the Cape Fear region including New Hanover.  Offers a “No-Cost Market on Greenfield” at the Wilmington location (days and hours listed on their website).  Also supports SNAP/FNS outreach and benefits information.2. NourishNC 3606 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28403 · Phone: 910-465-0995 (or via website)   Focused on supplemental food assistance for children and families in New Hanover County.  Programs include: Backpack Program (weekend meals for children), Market on Market (grocery-style choice model), Mobile Market, Food Farmacy.  3. New Hanover County Department of Social Services – Food & Nutrition Services (SNAP/FNS) 1650 Greenfield Street, Wilmington, NC 28403 · Phone: 910-798-3500 (Option 4)   Manages the federal SNAP (Food & Nutrition Services) program for the county.  Offers online, phone, mail, or in-person application options.  4. Local Food Pantry Network The county provides a publicly available “Food Resource List” featuring many pantries, soup kitchens and mobile / community distribution sites in New Hanover County.   Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard – 315 Red Cross Street, Wilmington. Wed & Sat, 12 pm-3 pm.  Bethany Presbyterian Church Pantry – 2237 Castle Hayne Rd, Wilmington. Wed 1pm-4pm.  Bread for Life Senior Pantry – 108 North Kerr Ave Suites K1&K2, Wilmington. Seniors 60+.   Tips for Using the Resources Call ahead: Hours and distributions can change quickly (especially during crises or disaster-related service shifts).Ask about identification or eligibility requirements: Some pantries may ask for proof of residence or ID; many are welcoming and serve all.Consider language/immigrant concerns: Especially for Hispanic/Latino communities — many residents may worry about applying for help; outreach coordinators (such as bilingual staff) are available.Combine services: SNAP benefits + food pantry + backpack programs for children can be used in tandem.Volunteer or donate: Many of these organizations rely on community support and seasonal surges. Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

As the holidays approach, sweetpotatoes are finding their way onto tables across America — but nowhere are they more rooted than in North Carolina. For more than half a century, the state has led the nation in sweetpotato production, shaping both its economy and its culture. In this episode, host Layna Hong travels through eastern North Carolina’s fields to uncover why this region is so perfectly suited for the crop, how NC State researchers made it available year-round, and the deep traditions that have grown up around it. Featuring agronomist John Leach, NC Sweetpotato Commission executive director Michelle Grainger, and farmer Kamal Bell of Sankofa Farms. Music: “Down Where the Sweet Potatoes Grow,” Library of Congress Archives. Host / Producer: Layna Hong Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

Take a slow listen to coastal North Carolina. This Shoresides soundscape moves through ordinary places that shape life along the coast — the surf at Wrightsville Beach, a trawler crossing the Intracoastal, a walk through the pines at Carolina Beach, frogs calling from Greenfield Lake, and the background hum of a favorite local restaurant. These everyday sounds trace a portrait of place — familiar, shifting, and alive. A moment to pause, listen, and notice the rhythms that surround us. “A portrait of place — recorded from the sounds we pass every day.” Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

Along North Carolina’s coast, shrimping isn’t just an industry — it’s a way of life. This summer, a proposed state ban on shrimp trawling nearly upended that tradition. The measure, added quietly to an unrelated bill, would have outlawed the practice of dragging nets across the sea floor to catch shrimp in the state’s sounds. When word got out, local fishers pushed back — and won. Now, they’re organizing through the new Coastal Counties Fisheries Coalition to make sure their voices are heard in Raleigh. In this episode, host Nick Magrino speaks with coalition chair Bob Woodard and conservation advocate David Snead about what’s at stake: clean waters, local livelihoods, and the future of an industry that defines coastal North Carolina. Together, they explore how a fight over one bill became a larger debate about science, sustainability, and who gets to shape the future of the state’s seafood economy. Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

In this episode of Storm Stories, Shoresides talks with Joe Friday—longtime meteorologist, former director of the National Weather Service—about how staffing shortages and fewer weather balloon launches have recently made forecasts less precise, a  dangerous situation with two hurricanes spinning off our Coasts. Friday reflects on the pressure on forecasters, the human connections that make emergency warnings work, and why even a small loss in accuracy can mean the difference between safety and risk. Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org 

As more people move to the N.C. coast—and winters grow warmer—human encounters with alligators are on the rise in North Carolina. In this episode, Shoresides speaks with John Henry Harrelson, district wildlife biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, about the challenges of “alligator season,” the launch of the new Gator Wise program, and why keeping gators wild is key to keeping people safe. Send us Fan Mail Support the show www.shoresides.org