Wrightsville × Wilmington

Monday, November 9, 2026

Monday Edition · 5 Min Read

Good morning, Wilmington.

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In The Loop

Beach Report · Wrightsville Beach

Tides from NOAA · Wave and wind forecast from Open-Meteo · Forecasts change, check before you paddle out

Markets

Data provided by Yahoo Finance · Market data as of most recent close

Markets are navigating a noisy post-midterm week — the Nasdaq led modest gains as investors weighed what a Democratic Congress means for tech regulation and AI spending, while the Dow slipped slightly on Iran war uncertainty and energy price volatility. The 10-Year Treasury yield climbing past 4.85% is the number to watch; that level keeps pressure on borrowing costs for businesses and homebuyers alike.

Top Story

Nvidia's CEO Admitted to an Affair. The Affair Was With a Suspected Chinese Spy.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang sent a message to company staff this week acknowledging he had been in a romantic relationship with a woman that U.S. officials have identified as working for Chinese intelligence. The company's board launched an independent investigation, though it said it does not currently believe company secrets or national security were compromised. Secretary of State Rubio had reportedly flagged concerns about the relationship in a secret memo as far back as this past spring. Congressional leaders quickly piled on, with Republican committee chairs calling Huang in for a closed-door briefing and Democrats vowing their own scrutiny once they take control of Congress. It's a remarkable turn for the man who runs one of the world's most powerful companies — and a story that sits squarely at the intersection of AI dominance, national security, and the increasingly complicated business of doing anything that touches China.

Your New Weeknight Spot: $7 Bar Bites at Ceviche's

A little piece of Panama, right in Wrightsville Beach. Stop by Ceviche's Monday through Thursday from 5–6:30 PM for $7 bar bites. Big news, too: Ceviche's is expanding to New Bern, with the new location opening January 2027.

Quick Hits

New Hanover County Voters Just Said Yes to $320 Million for Schools With 68% approval, New Hanover County voters passed a $320.5 million school bond that will fund facility improvements across more than 40 schools in the district — one of the largest education investments in county history.

Tesla Is Scrapping the Cybertruck — Yes, the One Musk Called His 'Best Product Ever' Tesla is winding down Cybertruck production after demand for the stainless-steel truck evaporated following its initial launch hype, according to the Wall Street Journal. The truck, which had become as much a political symbol as a vehicle, never found the mass market Musk promised.

Roy Cooper Flips a North Carolina Senate Seat for Democrats Former two-term Governor Roy Cooper defeated Trump's handpicked candidate Michael Whatley in one of North Carolina's U.S. Senate races, flipping a GOP-held seat as part of Democrats' nationwide midterm wave.

LIV Golf Is Done — the Saudi Experiment Has Officially Collapsed LIV Golf's efforts to find a last-minute investor fell apart this week, leaving the Saudi-backed league headed toward liquidation after BC Partners walked away from a tentative deal. The league had already filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September after its Saudi investors confirmed plans to withdraw funding.

A Vandal Caused a CO2 Leak on North Front Street Early Sunday Several emergency crews responded around 1:30 a.m. Sunday to a leaking carbon dioxide cylinder outside 34 N. Front St. in downtown Wilmington. A Wilmington Fire Department spokesperson said vandalism caused the leak, according to WECT. Police haven't released details yet, and there were no reports of injuries.

National Story with a Local Angle

NCDOT's Revised Bridge Plan Is Out — Downtown Wilmington Finally Gets a Say

NCDOT opened a month-long public comment period this week on a modified design for replacing the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, with the revised plan specifically aimed at reducing the traffic impacts on downtown Wilmington that residents had raised in previous rounds of feedback. The updated proposal would keep traffic routed to Third Street rather than introducing a new alignment that had drawn opposition. NCDOT said it is not currently considering alternative designs that would require new federal action — meaning this revised option is likely the clearest path forward for a bridge replacement that has been debated for years. If you have an opinion on how one of the region's most critical traffic chokepoints gets rebuilt, the public comment window is open now.

What Else Is In The Loop

Stephen Miller Takes Over as White House Chief of Staff President Trump named longtime adviser Stephen Miller White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles starting Monday, Nov. 9. Wiles, Trump's longest-serving chief of staff, is moving to the Trump Political Operation, and Trump praised her work in the role. Miller, previously deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser, has been one of the central architects of the administration's immigration and border policy. The move comes after Republicans' midterm losses.

Europe Joins Ukraine Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Over Russia's Objections France confirmed that European officials will attend this week's U.S.-mediated Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Abu Dhabi — marking the first three-way round of talks since February and a significant escalation in Western diplomatic coordination despite the Kremlin's objections.

Wendy's Just Told Nelson Peltz to Keep His $1.4 Billion Wendy's rejected a $1.4 billion takeover offer from hedge fund Trian Fund Management, run by activist investor Nelson Peltz, saying it would back its own turnaround plan instead of going private. The rebuff came the same week the burger chain reported lower third-quarter profit and revenue.

Business Beat

A General Contractor Just Planted a Flag in Wilmington With a New Office and VP Hire

A general contractor expanded its footprint this week by opening a Wilmington office and naming a new vice president to lead the operation, according to WilmingtonBiz. It's another signal that Wilmington's construction and commercial development pipeline is healthy enough to draw outside firms looking to establish a permanent local presence.

One More Thing

CFCC's Old Research Boat Is About to Become a Reef — On Purpose

Cape Fear Community College's research vessel R/V Cape Hatteras served as a floating classroom for over a decade, and now that it's retired, the college is preparing to sink it intentionally as an artificial reef. It's a genuinely clever second act for a boat that spent its first life teaching students about the water — and a solid example of coastal institutions finding creative uses for infrastructure that might otherwise just rust.

Weekend Events

Quote of the Week

“Fortune favors the bold.”

— Virgil

The Loop

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