Morgan Myles: A finalist on “The Voice” after years as a touring musician
Release Date: 10/14/2022
Kathleen Baker: The Battles She Faced Before and After Winning Olympic Gold
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Kathleen Baker overcame being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease to become one of the best swimmers in the world, winning gold and silver medals in Rio de Janeiro with the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team. Baker set her sights on returning to the games in 2020, but she never got that second chance at Olympic gold. Now the North Carolina native is supporting a project that could help train the next generation of elite athletes.
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Ben Folds: Acclaimed singer/songwriter helps Western NC Hurricane relief
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Ben Folds, the acclaimed singer/songwriter and founder of the 90’s indie rock band Ben Folds Five, is returning to his home state of North Carolina to headline , a benefit concert supporting Hurricane Helene relief. But there’s more on the platinum-record selling performer’s plate. Folds is preparing to record a live performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, and releasing his first collection of Christmas songs, called .
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Mike Oblinger: UNCW’s Athletic Director and the Future of the Front Porch
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Mike Oblinger took over as Athletic Director at UNCW in April of 2023, coming to Wilmington from the University of Connecticut where he worked alongside coaches and administrators who won several national championships. Oblinger brings years of experience in fundraising and administration, looking to take Seahawk athletics to the next level, while ensuring the front porch is in great shape.
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Major Frank Zastoupil: Once a Blue Angel, always a Blue Angel
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They fly at 400 miles per hour in fighter jets that are inches apart. Flight Demonstration Squadron has entertained crowds for decades with precision mid-air maneuvers, and U.S. Marine Corps pilot Major Frank Zastoupil had one of the best seats in the house. Major Zastoupil, who is now stationed in North Carolina, is featured in new movie called The Blue Angels, which takes you behind the scenes and into the cockpits of those blue and gold aircraft for an entire season.
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Erika Arlee & Kristi Ray: Award-winning filmmakers who put females out front
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Erika Arlee and Kristi Ray are kindred spirits. A casting call on Craigslist brought them together a decade ago, sparking a friendship that helped launch their production company, . Their mission is to tell strong stories from the often-overlooked female perspective. The duo’s debut feature film, the multi award-winning , is resonating with festival audiences across the country.
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Jessica Holmes: NC’s State Auditor has gone from Pender County to public service
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When Jessica Holmes took the oath of office to become North Carolina’s State Auditor in December 2023, she added another “first” to her growing list of accomplishments. It’s even more impressive when you learn Jessica Holmes experienced homelessness as a child while growing up in Pender County. But thanks to adults who took the time to care, several life-changing moments sent Jessica on her path toward public office, and public service.
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Kayla Thompson: Grinding to take her golf game to the LPGA Tour
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Kayla Thompson had success as a member of the West Bladen High School and UNCW women’s golf teams. Since turning professional in 2019, Kayla has chased the dream of earning her card and playing on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour. After several years of ups and downs, Kayla has now earned the chance to take her game to the next level, and she’s working harder than ever to make it happen.
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Kody Kinsley: From NC to DC and back, just in time for Covid and Medicaid expansion
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Kody Kinsley’s life came full circle in 2023. The man who grew up in Wilmington without health insurance helped roll out a program that will provide coverage for 600,000 North Carolinians. That’s the latest accomplishment for the state’s Health and Human Services Secretary, whose career of firsts has combined his two passions, health care and public service.
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Terry Hayes: Back at his storytelling best with "The Year of the Locust"
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Terry Hayes found international success when his 2014 debut novel I am Pilgrim became a critically-acclaimed best seller. But in achieving his lifelong ambition, the former journalist and Hollywood screenwriter suddenly found himself in an abyss, searching for the emotional drive to take readers on another page-turning thriller ride. Now, with The Year of the Locust, Hayes has found his groove again, delivering a masterful, suspense-filled espionage story that breaks the mold of today’s spy genre.
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Jim Shockey: Worldwide adventurer adds ‘thriller writer’ to his long list of accomplishments
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Jim Shockey is considered one of the world’s best outdoor sportsmen. He’s taken audiences along on wildlife adventure television shows, and led hunting expeditions and conservation efforts into some of the most remote locations on earth. Shockey’s passion for folk and tribal art can be seen in the Hand of Man Museum in his native Canada. Shockey has now embarked on a new adventure, as an author, with his debut thriller, Call Me Hunter, and he wants you to dig and find the fiction.
info_outlineWhen Morgan Myles started singing Hallelujah in her blind audition on The Voice, she got a four-chair turn from the celebrity judges within 40 seconds. The response and high praise Myles received from Camila Cabello, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and John Legend did more than raise her profile on the national stage. It reaffirmed Myles’s faith in her own talent and gave her a much-needed boost of confidence after years as a touring musician. Now, Wilmington’s connection to NBC's hit show shares her story about taking this chance, so America can hear her sing.