🌱 Volunteers Build Beds For Children + Wave Transit Bus Crashes

Hello and happy Friday. I'm back in your inbox this morning with the most important things happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Mostly sunny and nice. High: 82 Low: 62.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny. High: 86 Low: 67.

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Here are the top three stories in Wilmington today:

1. Volunteers in Wilmington gathered to build beds for local children in need through Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The organization aims to ensure that no child in their town sleeps on the floor, and has delivered 42 beds to children between the ages of three and 17 since January. Sleep in Heavenly Peace has over 300 chapters across the US, and is always seeking volunteers and donations. (WECT)
2. A crash involving a Wave Transit bus and four other vehicles occurred in Wilmington on Thursday, resulting in minor injuries for four people and serious injuries for one. The bus was hit by an opposing vehicle while proceeding through a green light. While a utility pole was snapped in half, Duke Energy confirmed that repairs had been made. (WECT)
3. The Writers Guild of America strike, which started on May 2, is now affecting the Wilmington film industry. As a result, the "Untitled J&L Project" has withdrawn its upcoming shoots beginning May 23, causing a loss of work for the local industry. The strike has affected major production companies, including Netflix, Amazon, and Disney, and writers are demanding fair pay, stating that their salaries are 23 percent less today (adjusted for inflation) as compared to 15 years ago, due to the rise of streaming services. (Port City Daily)

Today and tomorrow in Wilmington:

Friday, May 12

• Space Oddity At Historic Thalian Hall (7:30 PM)

Saturday, May 13

• An Evening W/ Justin Clyde Williams At Bourgie Nights (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• According to recent data, the state of North Carolina had the fourth-highest rate of U.S. teen driver fatalities in 2022. Bumper.com reports that "young drivers are statistically more likely than other age groups to be involved in fatal accidents." (Bumper.com)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Wilmington area at the link. (Patch)
• Tiberius was adopted from New Hanover Humane Society this week! See a picture of the happy good boy at the link. (New Hanover Humane Society via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. 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.