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New Hanover Co. split on marriage amendment

New Hanover Co. split on marriage amendment

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The North Carolina constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman passed with 61% of voters being in favor of the amendment. In all, only seven counties in the state voted to oppose the amendment. Those were: Wake, Orange, Durham, Chatham, Mecklenburg, Buncombe and Watauga.

In New Hanover County, the amendment passed by only 198 votes. A total of 21 precincts in the county voted against the amendment, and most of them came from the downtown and beach areas in the county.

The constitutional amendment reads, "Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts."

Saunders, Beatty and Redenbaugh win Dem. nominations for School Board

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Emma Saunders, Karen Beatty and Elizabeth Redenbaugh won Democratic primary spots for the New Hanover County School Board.  The three advance to the general election against three Republicans, Lisa Estep, Tammy Covil and Jeanette Nichols.

Unofficial results showed that Redenbaugh received 11,043 votes (31.24%), Beatty received 10,048 votes (28.43%), and Saunders received 9,472 votes (26.80%). Erica Fester, who did not win a spot, received 4,781 votes (13.53%).

Emma Saunders

Saunders believes she is just the person for the job because of her time served in the classroom as an elementary school teacher and assistant principal. She says one of her main goals on the board is going to be closing the gap in graduation rates.

She also has concerns over school funding as well. Saunders is focused on keeping the teachers in the classrooms for the sake of the student's education.

Stay informed on election night with WECT

Stay informed on election night with WECT

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – WECT will have full coverage of the Primary Elections Tuesday, bringing you results on air, online and on your mobile phones.

ON AIR

As usual, WECT will keep you updated on air throughout the evening as results are being tallied. Be sure to watch WECT News at 11 for complete results and other news coverage.

ONLINE

Election results will be posted online as they are counted in each county Tuesday night. You will be able to find them at the top of WECT.com. We will also have various reports about the winners of each race, in addition to any other news coverage. Be sure to check out your community for races specific to your area.

WECT will be on Facebook and Twitter election night gathering input from viewers just like you. Be sure to like WECT on Facebook to join the conversation.

MOBILE

New this year - you can receive the results to major races via text message Tuesday night. Text WECTVOTE to 30881 or fill out the form online at the top of the Decision 2012 page to sign up for the alerts. Message and data rates may apply.

Also, make sure to download the WECT News App for all election results, stories and other news coverage of the day. The free app is available for Blackberry, Android, iPhone and iPad devices. If you don't have a smartphone but would still like to stay informed, just log onto our mobile site at m.wect.com from your phone's browser.

 Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.

Precinct officials needed for Election Day; compensation will be provided

Precinct officials needed for Election Day; compensation will be provided

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – The New Hanover County Board of Elections needs precinct officials to work on Election Day and compensation will be provided, according to a news release.

The qualifications to be a precinct official are listed below:

  • Must be a registered voter in New Hanover County
  • Must not be a candidate or near relative of a candidate in this election
  • Must not be an elected government official, hold office in a political party, or be a manager, treasurer for a candidate, or political party
  • Must not serve in the same precinct as a near relative
  • Must possess good communication skills
  • Must be comfortable using computers and other technology
  • Must be good at following directions and adhering to procedures
  • Must be able to work at least a 15-hour day
  • Must work well under pressure
  • Must attend a 4-hour training session prior to Election Day

“Serving as a precinct official can be a very rewarding experience and many choose to return election after election,” stated Marvin McFadyen, Elections Director, in a news release. Precinct officials must be available to work on Election Day, May 8, and may be compensated up to $175, based on their position assignment.

Kure Beach Town Council to review budget Thursday morning

Kure Beach Town Council to review budget Thursday morning

KURE BEACH, NC (WECT) – The Kure Beach Town Council will hold a budget workshop on Thursday, April 26.

The Council will review the draft budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year at 7 a.m., according to a post on the town’s website. The workshop was originally scheduled for 10 a.m.

The meeting is open to the public.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.

Plans for proposed pier in Carolina Beach axed

Plans for proposed pier in Carolina Beach axed

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WECT) – Plans for a proposed pier that Carolina Beach Town Council members were hoping to build near Carolina Beach Avenue have been axed.

Last week, Town Council member Steve Shuttleworth and other officials met with Governor Beverly Perdue and her staff. Perdue told them that the education fishing pier they were hoping to get will not likely be coming, according to Shuttleworth.

Council members are still looking to turn the area into something people will enjoy.

“Whether it’s a splash pad, or a gazebo, or some additional parking, an open space, but it would be public space,” Shuttleworth said.

This summer Council members plan to have more discussions on what to do with the property.

Social Services nominations accepted until May 14

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – Nominations are being accepted for the New Hanover County Board of Social Services.

An appointment must be made for the fifth seat to fill a term that is expiring on June 30, according to a news release from the county.

Nominations will be accepted until 5 p.m. on May 14, and the form must be completed and signed by the nominee.

Forms can be found online at http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/dss/sscommission/nomination.htm. For more information, contact LaVaughn Nesmith, Director of New Hanover County Social Services, at 910-798-3630 or lnesmith@nhcgov.com.

Copyright 2012 WECT. All rights reserved.