Wilmington wins tourism awards

ConventionSouth, a top meetings industry magazine focused on the South, has named the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) as a winner of its 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards showcase the meeting industry’s best CVBs, meeting sites, hotels and suppliers nominated by ConventionSouth’s readers and selected based on their professionalism and quality service.

The Wilmington and Beaches CVB was the only North Carolina CVB honored this year. More than 18,000 readers were asked to vote.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by meeting professionals and visitors across the South, and this award highlights the success of our community’s collaborative efforts as well as the unique offerings of our historic river district and island beaches,” said Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority (TDA), which does business as the Wilmington and Beaches CVB.

The Wilmington Convention Center, which celebrated the one-year anniversary of its official grand opening this month, was also honored with a Reader’s Choice Award as one of the top new properties of the year.

May your troubles be less, your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.

May 2012 be all that You want it to be,

Our goal at WilmingtonForSale.com is to make the use of our website effortless for our Clients. 

In addition to complete access to all MLS listings on the Southern NC Coast and a FREE list of Foreclosures and Short Sales, individual search pages have been added.

Simply click on Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Topsail Island, Bald Head Island, Southport, Calabash, Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach, Surf City, Shallotte, Leland, Boiling Spring Lakes, Sunset Beach, Hampstead, or Oak Island to search only properties in that specific area ... Quick ... Easy ... Effective.. and ... most important ... Efficient for You.

Thousands converge in Wrightsville Beach, 

the starting line for the 'Beach2Battleship' Triathlon, Oct. 29

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. ... Making waves, a record 1,875 triathletes will stroke the waters of Wrightsville Beach during the first leg of the internationally acclaimed Beach2Battleship Iron Distance Triathlon.

From its starting point at Wrightsville's south end Coast Guard Station on the eastern shore of BanksChannel to the finish line at the USS Battleship North Carolina on the west bank of the Cape Fear River, thousands of spectators are expected to crowd waterway beaches, channel banks, docks and bridges to cheer for and witness extraordinary feats of athletic endurance along the 140.6-mile route. The 2.4-mile swim through Banks Channel and Motts Channel begins at 7 a.m. and is expected to continue for approximately 1.5 hours, passing the docks of the Blockade Runner and ending at Sea Path Marina, the first of several key transition areas. Sprinting from Sea Path to Wrightsville Beach Park, athletes will mount their bikes and begin the 112-mile ride traversing Interstates, highways and country roads in four neighboring counties before arriving at Battleship Park. The final leg of the race is a 26.2-mile run across the Cape Fear River, through historic downtown Wilmington, around scenic Greenfield Lake and back.

Named by Triathlete Magazine as one of the top five iron distance triathlons in the world, the field of participants represents 43 states and five foreign countries. Since the inaugural event in 2008, this year marks the first time the Beach2Battleship Triathlon, sponsored by PPD, has sold out. A total of 800 athletes are registered for the full iron distance race. Last year's top time was 8 hours, 55 minutes and 52 seconds. An additional 1,075 athletes are registered for the half iron distance.

The PPD Beach2Battleship benefits the Wilmington Family YMCA and the greater Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach area. Organizers anticipate 6,000 spectators, with as many as 2,000+ traveling to the destination.

Spectators are encouraged to plan the three-day, two-night weekend in advance by booking overnight lodging and reserving meals. Witness the triathlon excitement, relax in Wrightsville Beach, and tour Wilmington's historic flagship, the USS Battleship North Carolina. Other activities scheduled for the weekend include:  Scenic nature tours with Captain Joe Abbate, the Carolina Naturalist, as featured in Our State Magazine; Halloween Horse Drawn Trolley Tours, "Avenue Q" at City Stage, the Model Railroad Extravaganza, Fall Camellia Show and Sale, and the 6th annual Cape Fear Wedding Show.    

Colin Firth, Emily Blunt in area to begin filming of 'Arthur Newman'

By Judy Royal
Judy.Royal@StarNewsOnline.com  Last Modified: Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 6:57 p.m.

Colin Firth, dressed in rolled up khakis and a plaid shirt and with a small orange tent in the background, strolled down the beach Thursday afternoon near the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, waded into the surf and tossed his top into the water, revealing a short-sleeve, white T-shirt.

The temperature, elevated by the bright sun and nearly cloudless sky, hovered around 80 and a brisk south-southwest wind blew as "Arthur Newman, Golf Pro" made its Pleasure Island debut.

Before Firth lost his shirt, the crew filmed some boats maneuvering near the shore – a scene meant to simulate a search for Firth's character based on the discovery of his lone piece of clothing floating in the water, said Pat Story, the movie's publicist.

The film planned additional shooting in Carolina Beach on Thursday and Friday nights, when the production is to close off Lake Park Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Charlotte and Atlanta avenues for low-speed chase scenes.

Academy Award winner Firth and Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt are starring in "Arthur Newman," which opened offices at EUE/Screen Gems Studios last month and will shoot in the area from mid-October to mid-November.

"We couldn't be more excited," said producer Alisa Tager on the set Thursday afternoon. "We needed a place with a certain amount of geographic diversity and architectural diversity, and we found it in the Wilmington area."

The lower-budget, independent dark comedy began filming Monday at D&E Mitsubishi, 6220 Market St., and Smith Creek Bridge. Crews also shot scenes at the vacant Brunswick Community Hospital building in Supply earlier this week.

More shoots are planned all over Wilmington in the following weeks.

According to a press release from the production company, this is the movie's plot: Wallace Avery (Firth) hates his job. His ex-wife and son hate him, and he's blown his one shot at living his dream.

Not wanting to face all this, he stages his own death and buys himself a new identity as Arthur Newman.

However, Arthur's road trip towards a new life is interrupted by the arrival of the beautiful but fragile Mike (Blunt), who is also trying to leave her past behind.

Drawn to one another, these two damaged souls begin to connect as they break into empty homes and take on the identities of the absent owners: elderly newlyweds and a high-roller and his Russian lady, among others. Through this process, Arthur and Mike discover what they love most about each other are the identities they left at home, and their real journey of healing begins.

Local film officials said landing "Arthur Newman, Golf Pro" with its big-name stars highlights the strength of Wilmington's film industry.

"We're honored to have a film of this quality here at EUE/Screen Gems, and we have a good sense about being able to help them make this film," said Bill Vassar, executive vice president of EUE/Screen Gems Studios, last month.

"And there's something in the quality of the script that is attracting people to want to work on it.

"It's a very exciting film to be associated with."

The film is being directed by Dante Ariola from an original script by Becky Johnston, who most recently wrote "1906," about the San Francisco earthquake, for director Brad Bird. Her credits include co-writing "The Prince of Tides," which earned her Academy Award and Writer's Guild Award nominations, "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Under the Cherry Moon."

BREAKING NEWS from the Associated Press - October 7, 2011

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage this week fell below 4 percent for the first time ever ... providing an extraordinary opportunity to buy real estate!

Fall Festivals

The Fun never stops here on the Coast of North Carolina! 

On October 8^th and 9^th you can hear guitar Legend, Jimmy Vaughn and enjoy delicious seafood at the Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues, and Jazz Festival.  Then mosey on over to Downtown Wilmington to enjoy fireworks ... arts & crafts ... and all kinds of entertainment at the 32^nd annual RiverFest.  The following weekend (October 15^th & 16^th),  Autumn With Topsail features affordable local art ... kids activities ... and lots of Beach Music.

Come See Us,

Rehabbed sea turtles go home

Kathrin Koonce is surounded by members of the turtle hospital as she prepares to release Major a juvenile Kemps Ridley sea turtle Tuesday Sept 13, 2011. Major was released in memory of Pat Crist a long time member ot the turtle hospital that passed away this summer. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center release 7 juveniles back into the ocean water off Topsail Beach, N.C.

By Kate Elizabeth Queram
kate.queram@starnewsonline.com

Page 1 of 3

Waving his flippers in a blue plastic tub Tuesday morning, AJ – a Kemp's ridley sea turtle – had no idea he was about to go home. He'd wound up at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center last winter as a "cold stun," after venturing into seawater cooler than 55 degrees left him immobile. Interns, veterinary students and volunteers nursed AJ back to health at the Topsail Beach facility, and Tuesday he was one of seven turtles deemed ready to return to the ocean.

None of the dinner-plate-sized reptiles seemed concerned, but hospital founder and director Jean Beasley said she could tell that each was looking forward to going home. "They are very excited, and they are ready to go," said Beasley, who has helped rehabilitate more than 325 turtles since 1997. "It is a great day for them, and it is a great day for us."

Before transporting the turtles to the beach, several dozen volunteers gathered under a tent to hear Beasley's traditional pre-release speech. Wearing gold turtle-shaped earrings, Beasley thanked her staff, assigned groups of volunteers to each turtle and then led a prayer for their safe return to the sea. "Mother ocean, today we return to you these sick and injured sea turtles that have been in our care," she said. "We ask your sea creatures to greet them and to watch over them." Then Beasley smiled. "Load ‘em up and move ‘em out," she instructed.

For safe transport to the beach, each turtle was wrapped in a wet towel, carried into a truck or SUV and cradled carefully on the lap of a volunteer. Tres Clarke, a veterinary resident at N.C. State University, sat in the bed of a red pick-up truck holding Gillis, a Kemp's ridley turtle who wound up at the hospital after an encounter with a boat propeller left his shell damaged. Gillis sat calmly with his front flippers frozen in mid-air, a defensive position Clarke said was meant to make the reptile look big and intimidating to potential predators. It was Clarke's third turtle release in as many years, but he said the experience never feels routine or boring.

"We see them when they initially come in, and just to see them evolve and progress ... I'm happy to see him go home," Clarke said. After arriving at the beach, pairs of volunteers carried the turtles one by one to the surf, accompanied by a third person carrying a sign listing each reptile's name. Rows of spectators lined their path, clapping and cheering for each turtle as volunteers bent to release them into the waves. Most of the turtles made the journey calmly, flippers extended in mid-air as if they were flying to the water. But Riptide, a green sea turtle who came to the hospital after being caught in a net, flailed his arms and legs at the sight of the water, his front flippers clapping over his head excitedly. Sirima Yaemsiri, the fourth-year veterinary student carrying Riptide to the waves, laughed. "He's ready to go!" she said.

One by one, the turtles swam off to sea, until just one remained on shore. All the volunteers returned to the beach to gather behind Kathrin Koonce, who held Major, a Kemp's ridley who came to the hospital dangerously emaciated. "In memory of Pat Crist" was scrawled in black marker on the corner of the sign announcing his name. Crist, Beasley explained, was a long-time volunteer who died earlier this year. Koonce, her niece, carried Major to the water to set him free in honor of Crist. As he swam through the waves, volunteers embraced and cried amid the applause and cheers of the spectators. Soon, Major was out of sight, and Beasley's latest group of rescues was back where they belonged. For the volunteers, it was a euphoric moment, if a little bittersweet. "It's like sending your kids to college," said Beth Howard, who's been involved with the turtle hospital since 1998. "You worry about them every day, and you just hope and pray that they're OK."

Sea turtles face a host of man-made dangers in the ocean – including fishing gear, pollution and boats – so their return to the water is always accompanied by a fair amount of fretting, Beasley said. "I wish they'd call home," she said. "But even if they only have an hour of being a real turtle again, it's been worth it." But for the beachgoers watching the release, the experience was nothing but sweet. "It's very touching," said Lisa Diller, of Cleveland, who vacations in Topsail Beach every year with her family. "It brings tears to your eyes." Her daughter Katrina agreed. "It was amazing," she said.

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