🌱 Local Restaurants Seeking Workers + UNCW Hosting Yearly ArtsFest

Hello there, Wilmington. I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Mostly sunny and cool. High: 57 Low: 34.
• Tuesday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 61 Low: 47.

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Here are the top stories today in Wilmington:

1. Restaurants in the Wilmington area still face struggles with staffing following the hit the hospitality industry took during the pandemic. Troy Knight and other local restaurant owners in Brunswick County have a weekly prayer where they ask dependable workers to fill their businesses. A push is happening for more workforce hospitality training because nationally, the industry is going more towards less labor and automated services. (StarNewsOnline.com)
2. Shamar Keaton has been sentenced to over 11 years in jail for the trafficking of drugs. ATF arrested Keaton on Mar. 16. A member of a gang in Wilmington, Keaton has been trafficking drugs as early as December 2021 as an individual working with ATF purchased over 20 grams of methamphetamine and then made another smaller purchase Mar. 4, 2022. Keaton also confirmed he had an unregistered firearm at the Mar. 4 exchange and a source to have one made when needed. (WECT)
3. The University of North Carolina Wilmington's yearly ArtsFest event will take place this coming Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event is open to the public and will hold events from readings to performances and more. Artists will also create different prints and art throughout the state of North Carolina, which will be for sale during the event, with a small percentage being donated to The Food Bank of Central and North Carolina. Join in the spectacular event right on the UNCW campus. (WECT)

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Today and tomorrow in Wilmington:

Monday, March 20

• Eastern Therapy PT, OT & Speech Ribbon Cutting - Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (8:30 AM)
• Chamber Connections Sponsored by Wilmington Water Tours - Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (11:45 AM)
• Thalian Association's Rodger And Hammerstein's Cinderella Auditions - Hannah Block Historic USO/ Community Arts Center (7:00 PM)

Tuesday, March 21

• Set Up Game Day - North Carolina Sorosis Inc (10:00 AM)
• Annual Safety Awards Banquet - Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (5:30 PM)
• Comedy Open Mic - Port City Cheesesteak (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Some big changes are coming soon for Olsen Park the city is sure will be for the better. Stop by the park tonight from 6-7:30 p.m. to hear about some of the improvements to come, including new fields and a new walking trail. (City of Wilmington, NC Government via Facebook)
• A special thank you to the New Hanover County Schools for highlighting Ms. Magnolia and the compassion and wonderfulness she brings daily. Ms. Magnolia and the other FGP volunteers love the AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program and the opportunities to mentor the youth. (New Hanover County Senior Resource Center via Facebook)

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