🌱 Police History Museum Opening + United Methodist Church Closes

Hello, hello. Lauren Kubiak here with your Wednesday edition of the Wilmington Patch newsletter, filled with all the local news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Mostly sunny and cooler. High: 64 Low: 44.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High: 70 Low: 51.

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I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories in Wilmington today:

1. Today at 2 p.m. will be the ribbon cutting of the Wilmington Police Museum and Education Center. The museum will serve as an educational tool to show the history of Wilmington police with artifacts as dated as the 1700s; a large portion of the museum will include the community engagement aspects of the department. The public is invited to this open ribbon cutting. (WWAY NewsChannel 3)
2. The third man involved in the 2020 murder of Ethon Douglas pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill on Monday. Deandre Nixon was one of three men involved in the shooting on Jul. 9, 2020, on Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington that resulted in the death of 15-year-old Douglas. Nixon was sentenced to two to three years in prison, joining Trequan Crews and Shaquan Palmer, the other two men charged. (WWAY NewsChannel 3)
3. After being in service for nearly two centuries, the Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church has officially ceased operations due to declining memberships. Although the Wilmington congregation will not continue to meet, the building will remain under conference ownership for potentially other ministries who may need assistance in the area. The decline in memberships may partially be due to the recent split in the UMC, with many churches taking sides between conservative views and liberal views. Last fall, over 200 United Methodist churches disaffiliated over LGBTQ guidelines. (Port City Daily)

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Today and tomorrow in Wilmington:

Wednesday, March 29

• Bellamy Elementary Fun Run Fundraiser 2023 - Bellamy Elementary School (8:00 AM)
• Baby And Me - NHC Public Library Main (2:30 PM)

Thursday, March 30

• Jared Michael Cline - Waterman's Brewing (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• This past Friday, the Wilmington Fire Department hosted its annual Awards and Promotions ceremony for its firefighters. These individuals spend so much time dedicated to serving the community, it is important to give them the recognition they deserve when it's possible. (Wilmington, NC Fire Department via Facebook)
• The 10 annual charity hockey game between the Wilmington Fire and Police Department took place last week, and the fire department won a hard-fought game 6-5 after a shootout broke the tie! Be on the lookout for the official announcement of how much money was raised for paws4people. (Wilmington, NC Police Department via Facebook)
• Residents of New Hanover County, have you downloaded the Sheriff's Office's app? Once you've downloaded the app, make sure to turn your notifications on so you don't miss anything happening in the area. (New Hanover County Sheriff's Office via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday! I'll see you soon.

— 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.