🌱 Harmony In Healing In Wilmington + Settlement Reached In Abuse Case

Hi all. I'm back with your new edition of the Wilmington Patch newsletter, fresh off the presses. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Heavy t-storms; breezy, humid. High: 85 Low: 67.
• Tuesday: A couple of showers. High: 87 Low: 71.

Here are the top three stories in and around Wilmington today:

1. The Healing Place of New Hanover County, in collaboration with United Way, hosted a "harmony in healing" event on Saturday, Jun. 10. The event, which had been in planning for approximately four months, aimed to showcase that recovery and enjoyment of life can coexist, according to Healing Place Executive Director, Brian Mingia. Mingia highlighted the initiative's overarching message: a supportive community stands behind those on their healing journey. (WWAY NewsChannel 3)
2. Plaintiffs and the New Hanover County Board of Education reached a $5.75 million settlement agreement on Friday, Jun. 9, in the lawsuit regarding allegations of sexual abuse against former teacher Michael Kelly. Kelly was arrested in February 2018 after one of the lawsuit's plaintiffs found inappropriate pictures that her son had been exchanging with the teacher, with the lawsuit following in July 2019, after Kelly pleaded guilty to 59 felony sex crimes in June 2019. (WRAL News)
3. Wilmington-based real estate firm Creative Commercial Properties (CCP) is involved in the request to rezone nearby Pender County land for commercial development. The tract in question, owned by Gregory and Mary Noland, is roughly the size of two football fields, and by rezoning it to general business, CCP broker Brian Nadeau says it could be used for retail, real estate, rental leasing, educational services, and upper-story residential development. Per Nadeau, if a special use permit is issued, manufacturing, arts, entertainment, and recreation facilities may be an option as well. (StarNewsOnline.com)

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Today and tomorrow in and around Wilmington:

Monday, June 12

• Brandywine Homes USA Ribbon Cutting - Wilmington Chamber of Commerce At Echo Farms (2:00 PM)
• Botanical Beacons At New Elements Gallery (5:00 PM)
• Chi-Town Transit Authority: N.C. Presenter's Showcase At Historic Thalian Hall (7:30 PM)

Tuesday, June 13

• Music Trivia At Solar Brewing Company, Oak island (6:30 PM)
• Kids Night! At Mac's Speed Shop (9:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Wilmington Police Department is memorializing K9 Sultan, a police dog born in the Netherlands, who began his career in American law enforcement in 2014. Sultan passed on Jun. 10. (Wilmington, NC Police Department via Facebook)
• New Hanover County Parks & Gardens has got some pictures of the Food Truck Rodeo held on Sunday, Jun. 11! (New Hanover County Parks & Gardens via Facebook)
• Don't miss out! Every Thursday for eight weeks beginning Jun. 22 at 5:00 p.m., Wilmington Symphony Orchestra musicians will be working with staff of the New Hanover County Public Libraries to help kids of all ages learn the recorder! Registration at the link. (New Hanover County Public Library via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all good for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.