Shows / The Newsroom
The Newsroom
Hosted by WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman, the program will be an opportunity for local officials and reporters -- the people who make news and the people who report it -- to talk about the issues that affect our community. According to host Ben Schachtman, "Our goal is to have candid, in-depth conversations about the topics that concern our listeners. It will be a chance to dig a little deeper into the news." From WHQR Public Media in Wilmington, NC. Contact us at Newsroom@whqr.org
Episodes
- The Newsroom
A conversation with New Hanover County Commissioner Stephanie Walker about taxes, budget cuts, and spending priorities
On today’s show, I’m sitting down with Democratic New Hanover County Commissioner Stephanie Walker to talk about her perspective on the county’s budget…
- The Newsroom
Planning the Future of Development in the Cape Fear Region
The entire Cape Fear Region is growing at a blistering pace: and residents worry about the impact on traffic, trees, and stormwater. But growth here is moulded…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with New Hanover County school member David Perry about gender in schools
The New Hanover County Board of Education recently voted to reshape the district's strategic plan, policies, and procedures to comply with President Trump's…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise about taxes, budget cuts, and spending priorities
On today’s show, a conversation with Republican New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise about taxes and government spending. Scalise recently penned an…
- The Newsroom
A conversation about community safety with LINC's Frankie Roberts
On this episode, WHQR's Ben Schachtman sits down for a conversation with Frankie Roberts, executive director of LINC, about community safety.For a quarter…
- The Newsroom
SYNC, ACEs, and getting to the root of children's wellbeing
On this episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman sat down with reporter Rachel Keith to talk about the work of SYNC — Strengthening Systems for NC Children…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with Sokoto House's Abdul Hafeedh Bin Abdullah about community safety
On this episode, WHQR's Ben Schachtman sat down with Abdul Hafeedh Bin Abdullah, co-founder of Sokoto House and the Quality Life Blueprint, to talk about how…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with District Attorney Jason Smith about youth violence
On this episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman sits down with recently elected District Attorney Jason Smith to talk about one of the region's most…
- The Newsroom
The WHQR news team reflects on 2024, and looks ahead to next year
On this year-end episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman looks back over a wild year's worth of reporting with journalists Rachel Keith, Aaleah McConnell…
- The Newsroom
A Wilmington start-up roundtable: Jessica Kovar, Rob Cooley, Christian Pardue, and Morris Nguyen
On this episode of The Newsroom, we sit down with four Wilmingtonians working in the tech start-up space: from diagnostic wearables to solving workforce issues…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with former New Hanover County school board member Hugh McManus
On this episode, WHQR's Rachel Keith takes over hosting duties for a conversation with Hugh McManus, who just wrapped up his term as a New Hanover County…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with former Wilmington Police Department Captain Mike Fanta
At the beginning of this year, Captain Mike Fanta put his name to a formal complaint against Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams. That led to a $75,000…
- The Newsroom
Election 2024: Understanding campaign finance and the absentee ballots snafu
On this episode of The Newsroom, we take a deep dive into what caused this year's consternation over absentee ballots and what might have prevented it (hint…
- The Newsroom
Cape Fear election results: Purple districts, ballot-splitting voters, and uncertain outcomes
On this episode, we unpack the evolving electorate and their unpredictable down-ballot choices. Plus, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over New Hanover County…
- The Newsroom
Unpacking the state House and Senate candidates' forum
On today’s show, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Nikolai Mather are unpacking the forum we put on earlier this month with WECT and Port City Daily, featuring…
- The Newsroom
Marlando Pridgen, Democratic candidate for North Carolina's 7th Congressional District
On this episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman sat down for a long-form interview with Marlando Pridge, Democratic challenger for North Carolina's 7th…
- The Newsroom
Unpacking the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners candidates' forum
On today’s show, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Kelly Kenoyer are unpacking the forum we put on earlier this month with WECT and Port City Daily, featuring…
- The Newsroom
Unpacking the New Hanover County school board candidates' forum
On this episode, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Rachel Keith and Port City Daily's Brenna Flanagan break down what New Hanover County school board candidates had to…
- The Newsroom
"You have to fully empathize with what you did”: Restorative justice comes to North Carolina
Reconciliation and restoration are key to relationships: but they rarely come up in the criminal justice system. That may soon change, as North Carolina makes…
- The Newsroom
Election 2024: New Hanover and Pender DA candidates Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson and Jason Smith
On this episode, we sit down with Republican candidate Jason Smith and Democratic Candidate Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson, who are both running to replace recently…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with Freeman family descendants Christopher Eaton and Dorian Cromartie
On today’s show, we’re discussing the Freeman family's land — including the community known as Seabreeze.We’re sitting down with descendants of the Freeman…
- The Newsroom
The Great Apartment Debate
On this week's episode, we ask one of toughest questions defining our time in the Cape Fear Region: Why are there so many apartments going up? We spoke to a…
- The Newsroom
"Poverty is a sin. Being poor is not." A new reporting project on being homeless in the Cape Fear Region
On this episode, we’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at an upcoming project from WHQR. In the aftermath of a Supreme Court ruling that pulled back on the rights…
- The Newsroom
"Take the hits and keep on going": A conversation about journalism with NPR's Scott Simon
On this episode, we sit down with Scott Simon, longtime journalist and host of NPR's Weekend Edition to talk about the state of the news — plus highlights from…
- The Newsroom
Cape Fear Conversations: Health and Social Equity
This year, WHQR's Cape Fear Conversation series is taking a closer look at the four focus areas of the New Hanover Community Endowment. On this episode: health…
- The Newsroom
Making the case for Port City United
New Hanover County's anti-violence department — Port City United — has been mired in criticism and bad press, and will likely be shuttered at the end of June…
- The Newsroom
A retired doctor says he nearly died at NHRMC. Now he's pushing for reform
On this episode, it's a conversation with Jon Martell, a retired doctor and former hospital administrator who says he nearly died at New Hanover Regional…
- The Newsroom
Transparency, accountability, and community: A conversation about the New Hanover Community Endowment with Harper Peterson
Former state senator Harper Peterson recently founded Heal Our People's Endowment, a nonprofit that's calling on North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein to…
- The Newsroom
Granny Flats: The secret solution to the housing crisis
The affordable housing crisis is national in scope, but it’s uniquely painful in the South because of low wages and surging demand. So what are some creative…
- The Newsroom
Echoes of a Coup: Michael Betts and John Biewen tackle the 1898 massacre in a new Scene on Radio series
On this episode, Ben Schachtman and Rachel Keith sit down with John Biewen and Michael Betts, writers and co-hosts of Echoes of a Coup — the sixth season of…
- The Newsroom
The Mosley Story: Unpacking the misinformation and narratives around the newcomer school debate
Last year, we reported on the abrupt closing of the Career Readiness Academy at Mosley — a little-known but beloved program in the New Hanover County Schools…
- The Newsroom
Sunshine Week: A closer look at warrants, protective orders, and NHCS' new meeting policy
In honor of Sunshine Week — an annual event focused on government transparency and reporters who work to hold governments accountable for being open to the…
- The Newsroom
Forum: The Christian call to address Wilmington's housing crisis
North Carolina is the tenth most religious state in the union, according to U.S. News and World Report — but what does that mean for solving one of the most…
- The Newsroom
Forum: Republican candidates in the 2024 New Hanover County school board primary election
On this episode, we unpack the recent forum for Republican primary candidates running for the New Hanover County Board of Education. We’ll look at how each of…
- The Newsroom
State Sen. Michael Lee discusses last year's controversial education legislation
On this episode, Republican State Senator Michael Lee sits down to discuss two pieces of major education legislation: a significant expansion to the…
- The Newsroom
Cape Fear Conversations: Developing housing in New Hanover County
This year, WHQR's Cape Fear Conversation series is taking a closer look at the four focus areas of the New Hanover Community Endowment. First up, community…
- The Newsroom
Turnaround Task Force's latest plans, public schools competing in the education market, and hearing a Student Voice
On this episode, WHQR's Rachel Keith helps unpack the latest work from New Hanover County Schools' Turnaround Task Force. The group has been generating some…
- The Newsroom
The past, present, and future of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
Walk-on Day? Falling Cadillacs? Multi-million dollar politics? There's a lot to unpack when it comes to the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge (in fact, when it comes…
- The Newsroom
How the justice system hurts, and helps, the homeless people in our community
In the past year or so in New Hanover County, we’ve seen public officials pushing back on the homeless population, even as it grows because of our housing…
- The Newsroom
The WHQR news team looks back at 2023 and ahead to next year
On this episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman reflects on the past year with Kelly Kenoyer, Rachel Keith, Nikolai Mather, and Camille Mojica.
- The Newsroom
Special Episode: Unpacking the New Hanover Community Endowment's $53-million second grand round
On Monday, the New Hanover Community Endowment announced its second grant cycle: this round features much larger, multi-year grants that take on systemic…
- The Newsroom
A conversation with District Attorney Ben David, who is leaving office after 20 years
Ben David has served as District Attorney for New Hanover and Pender counties since 2004. Next year, he’ll leave office, setting up an election for his…
- The Newsroom
Unpacking the 2023 municipal elections: Wilmington and the beach towns
On this episode, Rachel Keith digs into voter turnout and the beach town elections, Kelly Kenoyer talks about Wilmington's city council race, and New Hanover…
- The Newsroom
Unpacking the City of Wilmington candidates' forum
On this edition, WHQR's Kelly Kenoyer and Ben Schachtman break down the highlights from this week's forum for City of Wilmington Council candidates, hosted in…
- The Newsroom
What do teachers really need to turn NHCS' struggling schools around?
On this episode of The Newsroom, WHQR's Rachel Keith shares what she heard at a recent roundtable event, held by New Hanover County Schools' Turn Around Task…
- The Newsroom
2023 City of Wilmington Council Elections: Candidate Kathryn Bruner
WHQR sat down with all seven candidates for Wilmington's City Council — two incumbents and five newcomers who are running for three seats. On this episode of…
- The Newsroom
2023 City of Wilmington Council Elections: Candidate John Lennon
WHQR sat down with all seven candidates for Wilmington's City Council — two incumbents and five newcomers who are running for three seats. On this episode of…
- The Newsroom
2023 City of Wilmington Council Elections: Candidate David Joyner
WHQR sat down with all seven candidates for Wilmington's City Council — two incumbents and five newcomers who are running for three seats. On this episode of…
- The Newsroom
2023 City of Wilmington Council Elections: Candidate Kevin Spears
WHQR sat down with all seven candidates for Wilmington's City Council — two incumbents and five newcomers who are running for three seats. On this episode of…
- The Newsroom
Election 2023: WHQR's community agenda, interviews with Neil Anderson, Marlowe Foster, and Salette Andrews
On this episode, WHQR's Kelly Kenoyer breaks down how — and why — we've been running our Community Agenda program. Plus, excerpts from our interviews with…
- The Newsroom
2023 City of Wilmington Council Elections: Candidate Salette Andrews
WHQR sat down with all seven candidates for Wilmington's City Council — two incumbents and five newcomers who are running for three seats. On this episode of…
- The Newsroom
2023 City of Wilmington Council Elections: Candidate Marlowe Foster
WHQR sat down with all seven candidates for Wilmington's City Council — two incumbents and five newcomers who are running for three seats. On this episode of…
- The Newsroom
2023 City of Wilmington Council Elections: Candidate Neil Anderson
WHQR sat down with all seven candidates for Wilmington's City Council — two incumbents and five newcomers who are running for three seats. On this episode of…