shoresides

Whatever Happened to the Fisheries Where NCs Black Coastal Communities Were Once Central

Send us a text Cultural anthropologist Barbara Garrity-Blake takes us into the world of North Carolina’s menhaden fishery — a once-thriving industry built by coastal communities, African American crews, and the haunting work songs they sang. In this episode, we explore how this small but vital fish fed both the economy and the environment, and…

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Nurturing Future Healthcare Leaders: Youth Attend Workforce and Leadership Development in New Hanover County

Send us a text In Wilmington, North Carolina, the demand for healthcare workers is growing rapidly. Nurse Camp Academy, a program of the nonprofit Better is Possible based in New Hanover County, is stepping up to meet this need by inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals. One of the program’s most innovative aspects is…

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Carolina Beach Mayor Lynn Barbee On the Storm We Forgot

This is the story of a beach storm no one saw coming—and the lessons we can’t afford to forget. In this episode of Storm Stories, Mayor Lynn Barbie of Carolina Beach helps us look back at the intense rainfall that hit Carolina Beach last year—a slow-motion disaster with no howling winds, no storm surge, just…

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Eagle Island at the Edge: Rising Waters, Vanishing Forests, and the Vision for a Fragile Landmark

Send us a text In this episode of Shoreside, host Nicholas Magno explores the uncertain future of Eagle Island, a fragile stretch of wetlands that connects Wilmington to Belville, North Carolina. Once central to rice cultivation and shipbuilding, the island now sits at the intersection of climate vulnerability and development pressure. With sea levels rising…

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Solastalgia and the North Carolina Digital Divide

After a hurricane upends everything, the void left behind—solastalgia—can be as destabilizing as the storm itself. In this episode of Storm Stories, we hear from Angie Bailey of North Carolina’s Broadband Infrastructure Office on efforts to bridge the digital divide, ensuring communities aren’t cut off when they need connectivity the most. And in Utica, Mississippi,…

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The Healing Place and the Path to Recovery

Send us a text On this episode of Shoresides, host Nicholas Magrino explores the challenges and realities of substance use disorder in coastal North Carolina. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly 10 to 12 percent of North Carolinians struggled with substance use disorder in 2022. To better understand the journey…

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Resilience in the Wake: Trauma-Informed Communication After the Storm

In 2018, Hurricane Florence devastated coastal North Carolina, leaving Yvonne Pittaway’s home in Carteret County torn apart, and her missing it. After Hurricane Helene tore through North Carolina, residents faced more than just physical devastation, too—they grappled with the emotional aftermath. In this episode of Storm Stories, Brandon Romstadt of WNC Health Network shares how…

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Resilience in the Wake: Understanding Trauma After the Storm

After Hurricane Helene, the damage wasn’t just physical—it left an invisible scar on the mental health of survivors. Environmental epidemiologist Dr. Jen Runkle joins Storm Stories to explore how disasters like Helene disrupt communities long after the floodwaters recede. She shares insights from her research on the psychological aftermath of hurricanes, particularly among young people…

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Ghost Forests: A Silent Warning from North Carolina’s Coast

Send us a text Rising seas. Dredged rivers. Dying forests. In this episode of Shoresides, we investigate one of North Carolina’s most subtle yet devastating climate threats: ghost forests. These vast expanses of standing dead trees are creeping inland, driven by rising sea levels and relentless dredging of the Cape Fear River. UNCW scientists Monica…

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Polish Festival in Castle Hayne, North Carolina at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church

Join us as we take you inside the Polish Festival in Castle Hayne, North Carolina, an annual celebration of Polish heritage hosted by St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Held every November, the festival is a vibrant gathering filled with authentic Polish cuisine, lively traditional music, and energetic dancing. In this episode, we capture the sights and…

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