All Things Leland

When communities talk about economic development, the conversation often focuses on recruiting new companies, building industrial parks, widening roads, or offering incentives to businesses.

Those things matter.

But there is another piece of economic development that is sometimes overlooked: having a workforce with the skills employers need.

That is where community colleges become critically important.

In Brunswick County, Brunswick Community College (BCC) provides a good example of how a community college can serve as much more than a place where students earn degrees. It is part of the county’s workforce infrastructure, a resource for existing businesses, a partner for entrepreneurs and a tool for attracting new investment.

I was pleased to speak with Dr. Gene Smith, President of BCC, about the college, the programs and services it provides and get his take on what the future of programming in the future looks like.

You can view the full interview with links at: https://www.allthingsleland.com/

#brunswickcountync #BrunswickCommunityCollege #leland #economicdevelopment

North Carolina is making a major shift in how taxpayer dollars are used for K-12 education. 📚

The Opportunity Scholarship program helps families pay for private school tuition and fees. Here's what to know:

💰 The cost: The state appropriated $625 million for 2025-26 and $675 million for 2026-27, more than three times the $191.54 million in 2024-25. Under state law, the program is set to cost roughly $6.24 billion through 2032-33, then settle at $825 million a year as a permanent part of the state budget.

🚫 No income cap: Income determines the size of the scholarship, not eligibility. In 2026-27, a family of four earning over $274,725 can still receive up to $3,574 per student.

🔍 Accountability: Private schools must test scholarship students, but beginning in 2026-27 they only certify compliance rather than submit test-performance data each year. The state must verify at least 4% of schools annually, and the test data it collects is not a public record.

Taxpayer dollars are going to private schools without the same public transparency required of traditional public schools.

Details with links at https://www.allthingsleland.com/

#NorthCarolina #SchoolVouchers #PublicSchools

I was pleased to have a conversation with Wilmington Council Member Salette Andrews on a wide range of issues.

We talked about the replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, tolls, preservation of the historic district, regional cooperation amongst local governments and a number of related issues.

Please subscribe at https://www.allthingsleland.com/

Pleased to share my conversation with George Willoughby who is a reporter for the North Brunswick News.You can reach George at the following email address: [email protected] spoke about a number of issues including:- Cape Fear Memorial Bridge - PFAS Settlement- Jackey’s Creek Elementary School Design- Interview with J.K. Somers - Candidate for District Attorney- Development Approved in Winnabow by Brunswick County- East Lake Development Project Proposed RezoningYou can subscribe to this blog/podcast at https://www.allthingsleland.com/#leland #brunswickcountync #NorthBrunswickNews

Brunswick County is the sixth fastest growing County in the United States. And, as our County grows, so do the number of children who are attending our public schools.

A news article earlier this year in the Brunswick Beacon reported the number of students attending Brunswick County Schools (BCS) is expected to grow by 42% over the next decade - nearly 6,000 students.

Pleased to share my conversation with Dr. Margaret Rollison, the Principal of North Brunswick High School, to talk about the challenges and opportunities in our schools.

You can reach Dr. Rollison at the following email address: [email protected].

For many adults in Brunswick County a trip to the doctor isn’t just inconvenient — it’s often out of reach. Without insurance, without extra income, and sometimes without reliable transportation, basic medical, dental, and pharmacy care can feel impossible to access. That’s exactly the gap New Hope Clinic has spent years working to close.

I am pleased to share my conversation with Sheila Roberts the Executive Director of the New Hope Clinic.

You can learn more about the clinic by visiting our blog: https://www.allthingsleland.com/ or visiting their web site: https://newhopeclinicnc.org/

#leland #brunswickcountync #healthcare

We were pleased to welcome back Mr. Brayton Willis of Leland as our guest. Brayton brings a distinguished 40-plus year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the conversation.

With public hearings on the Environmental Assessment for the bridge replacement set for next week (September 15 in Leland), I thought it would be helpful for folks to hear from an expert on the process regarding projects of this magnitude.

In a nutshell, the cost of the replacement bridge hinges largely on the Corps of Engineers’ findings. After completing its technical review, the Corps reached a clear conclusion.

A replacement bridge providing less than 135 feet of vertical clearance above Mean Higher High Water would negatively affect the usefulness of the federally authorized navigation project.

Public hearings for the project will be held on September 14 and September 15.

Monday, September 14

Doors Open at 4:30 p.m.

Formal Hearing begins at 6:00 p.m.

Cape Fear Community College (Daniels Hall)502 N. Front Street

Wilmington, N.C. 28401

Tuesday, September 15

Doors Open at 4:30 p.m.

Formal Hearing begins at 6:00 p.m.

Leland Cultural Arts Center1212 Magnolia Village Way

Leland, N.C. 28451

You can find more information on our blog: https://www.allthingsleland.com/

#leland #capefear #CapeFearMemorialBridge #brunswickcountync #wilmingtonnc #NewHanoverCountry

Homelessness is often talked about as a problem of housing. Eden Village of Wilmington starts from a different premise: that homelessness, especially the chronic kind, is really a problem of community — and that the solution is dignity, not just shelter.

Eden Village of Wilmington is a 31-unit tiny home community built specifically for people experiencing chronic homelessness in New Hanover County. Many residents are also patients at the local medical center, living with chronic illnesses that are treatable in theory but nearly impossible to manage without a stable place to live. A consistent home turns out to be one of the most effective forms of healthcare a person can receive.

The community sits next to the Wilmington airport, adjacent to a Salvation Army complex, which puts residents close to support services, transportation, and job training resources they may need as they rebuild their lives.

The model isn’t original to Wilmington — it’s based on Eden Village of Springfield, Missouri, a proven approach the Wilmington team partnered with rather than reinventing from scratch.

I was pleased to interview Dr. Tom Dalton the Founder of Eden Village about the founding of this effort in 2020, how it has grown and future plans.

You can learn more about Eden Village here: https://edenvillagewilmington.org/

Pleased to share my conversation with George Willoughby who is a reporter for the North Brunswick News.

By clicking on the following link you can sign up for updates from North Brunswick News either by email or by text message. You can reach George at the following email address: [email protected].

We spoke about a number of issues including.

• Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement

• Hospital Certificate of Need Hearing

• Leland Citizens Academy, Transparency Portal and new Town Park

• New School Year

You can subscribe to this podcast at www.allthingsleland.com.

Was pleased to speak with the President of the newly formed Leland Area Garden Club.

More about the club can be found on our blog: https://www.allthingsleland.com/