Wilmington city officials approved a $349.8 million FY27 budget with a 2.5% tax hike to address aging infrastructure and rising crime, while a tractor-trailer spill near I-40 in Warsaw prompted a hazardous materials cleanup. New Hanover County appointed a new elections director following the firing of the previous one over operational inefficiencies, and a Wilmington-made film celebrated the region’s coastal culture and landmarks.