North Carolina
A threat to North Carolina’s wineries and nurseries
The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive insect that could devastate North Carolina’s wine industry and nurseries. The insect has already been found in Forsyth County, and experts believe it is only a matter of time before it spreads to other parts of the state.
Two black Labrador Retrievers, Goose and Kita, are being trained to sniff out Spotted Lanternflies. The dogs are already being used to search for insects at airports, train stations, and other transportation hubs.
“It could show up anywhere just because it’s such a good hitchhiker,” Jackie Fredieu, NC Dept. of Agriculture, said.
Spotted Lanternflies are attracted to tree sap and can quickly decimate entire orchards and vineyards. They also produce a sticky substance called honeydew, which can attract mold and other pests.
“It’s traveling on cars, trucks, trains and we had a report in Asheville that turned out to be transplanted here from lawn furniture,” Chad Taylor, NC Dept. of Agriculture. “So it lays eggs on everything and anything.”
It can devastate important agricultural industries in the state, such as wineries, apple orchards, and nurseries. It feeds on more than 70 species of plants.
“It’s a danger to the plants more than humans,” Fredieu said. “It won’t bite or sting you or anything like that.”
This insect can kill your roses, hydrangeas, or hardwoods in some backyards. It can also spread a gooey mess, like aphids, leading to black mold, fungus, and other environmental hazards.
Chad, Goose, and Jackie and Kita are constantly training because of that.
Fredieu trains her dog by taking it to work with her every day. They search places where people may have traveled, such as campgrounds, parks, and rest stops. This includes places where vacationers and truck drivers may have been.
“Very rewarding for me to see her do her job and actually make a difference,” Fredieu said.
Taylor is also thrilled to be working with Goose as a team.
“It’s the best part of my job I’ve ever had,” Taylor said. “To just have a dog ride around with you. It’s great. It really is.”
Traveling this time of year to see the leaves change could accidentally make you a carrier of the Spotted Lanternfly.
The Department of Agriculture has created pens with a drawing of the Spotted Lanternfly on them.
These pens are meant to help people identify the insect so they can report any sightings.
If a person sees a Spotted Lanternfly, its important to know they should kill it and report it by sending an email to badbug@ncagr.gov
Here are some additional tips to help you prevent the spread of Spotted Lanternfly:
- Check your vehicles for egg masses before traveling.
- Inspect your plants for signs of infestation.
- Destroy any Spotted Lanternfly egg masses or insects that you find.
- Report any sightings of Spotted Lanternflies to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
- By taking these steps, we can help to protect North Carolina’s wine industry and nurseries from this destructive insect.
North Carolina
NC has some of the most dangerous roads in the US: See how Wilmington-area counties rank
With a recent study revealing North Carolina as one of the states with the riskiest roads to travel, some may wonder how safe the roads are here in the Cape Fear region.
MarketWatch Guides, a site that provides “reviews of consumer products and services to help readers make educated purchasing decisions,” focuses in part on car insurance comparisons, vehicle safety and more.
A recent study by the site analyzed factors including annual miles driven per 100,000 system miles, percentage of rough roads and fatal injuries per 100,000 licensed drivers. States were given a rating out of 10 points, with 10 being the most dangerous.
More: Distracted driving in Wilmington: How big of a problem is it?
North Carolina’s ranking among the most dangerous
According to the study, the states with the most dangerous drivers based on the factors studied are:
- Louisiana – 7.55/10
- California – 7.21/10
- New Mexico – 6.74/10
- Hawaii – 6.73/10
- Delaware – 6.67/10
- New Jersey – 6.53/10
- Mississippi – 6.47/10
- North Carolina – 6.39/10
- Massachusetts – 6.33/10
- Maryland and Texas – 6.26/10
According to the study, North Carolina had 32.5 fatal injuries per 100,000 licensed drivers, but only 2.1% of rough roads, which was the lowest percentage out of the other ranked states.
For a more localized perspective, the North Carolina Department of Transportation releases annual traffic crash facts data. The most recent 2022 report includes a ranking of counties based on several factors, including reported crashes, crash severity, crash rates based on population, registered vehicles and estimated vehicle miles traveled.
The most dangerous county for drivers, ranked at No. 1 for the past five years, was Robeson County. The county had 60 fatal crashes in 2022 with 1,136 non-fatal injury crashes. The rest of the total 4,056 crashes were property-damage-only. The county with the best ranking was Hyde County, coming in at No. 100. The county had one fatal crash in 2022 and 10 non-fatal injury crashes. The county had a total of 45 crashes, the rest of which were property damage only.
More: MyReporter: Which intersections see the most red-light camera violations in Wilmington?
Here’s where the Cape Fear region counties ranked.
Brunswick County
Ranked No. 76 in 2022, Brunswick County had 25 fatal crashes and 715 non-fatal injury crashes. The total crashes for that year were 3,146. The remainder of the crashes were property damage only.
New Hanover County
Ranked No. 58, New Hanover had 19 fatal crashes and 1,313 non-fatal injury crashes, both of which went down from 2021. The total crashes in New Hanover were 5,617. The remainder of the crashes were property damage only.
Pender County
Ranked No. 47, Pender County had the worst ranking despite having the lowest number of crashes. The county had 12 fatal crashes and 374 non-fatal injury crashes, and a total of 1,156 crashes. The rest of the crashes were property damage only.
Iris Seaton, USA Today Network, contributed to this report.
Tropical Storm Debby already has parts of Florida under tropical storm warnings. The Florida Big Bend is currently under a Hurricane Warning. Debby is forecast to briefly strengthen into a category 1 hurricane as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico where water temperatures are near 90 degrees.
As it continues its path over land it is expected to dial back to tropical storm strength as it reaches the Carolinas mid to late next week. Moderate rainfall is possible for northeast North Carolina and southern Virginia by the end of the week.
Higher amounts of rain are possible for southernmost portions of the Outer Banks but generally models show 2-4 inches for northeast North Carolina and 1-2 inches for southern Virginia through Thursday.
Stay with News 3’s First Warning Weather Team for the latest updates as the storm develops.
The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor a tropical depression over Cuba. It’s expected to become a tropical storm later Saturday, bringing impacts to the Carolinas around the middle of next week.
Heavy rainfall and flooding are the primary impacts expected, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
“Gusty winds are also possible, but it is too early to predict specific impacts in great detail at this time,” the weather service said.
At the same time, there is the potential for heavy rainfall and some flooding associated with front expected to stall inland this weekend.
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the center of the tropical depression, which would be name Debby if it becomes a tropical storm, was over Cuba and moving west-northwest near 15 mph. The hurricane center said a turn toward the northwest is forecast for Saturday, followed by a northward motion on Sunday and then a slower northeastwardmotion Sunday night and Monday.
Maximum sustained winds were near 35 mph. Slow strengthening is expected throughout the day Saturday. Faster strengthening is possible Sunday, with the storm nearing hurricane strength when it reaches the Florida Gulf Coast, the hurricane center said.
STORM TRACKER: Monitor the latest tropical developments here.
Here’s a look at what we can expect in the Wilmington area, according to the latest briefing from the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
Wind
The probability of tropical storm force winds has increased, especially for the South Carolina coast. The most likely time of arrival of for northeast South Carolina is Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, and for Southeastern North Carolina is during Wednesday morning.
Rain
The potential for significant rainfall exists with 8 to 12 inches possible from near Cape Fear to portions of thenortheast South Carolina coast. Flash flooding and urban flooding are possible. Some rivers, including the North Cape Fear River and the Waccamaw River, could exceed flood stage next week.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Enter your address to see hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed nearby
Marine impacts
Rough surf, including dangerous rip currents, and hazardous marine conditions are expected this weekend and will persist into the upcoming week.
Are you prepared for a hurricane?
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Even if this system won’t pose a threat to the NC coast, it’s never too early to be prepared.
GET READY: Are you prepared for a hurricane? Here’s what to know if you live in the Wilmington area.
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