RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Nearly three years after a Wilmington Police officer was killed in a car chase, a man involved in the chase is sentenced for drug possession and other charges.

Matthew Gerard Hendy, 28, was sentenced in a federal courtroom yesterday to 11 and a half years in prison and five years of supervised release.

On February 18th of 2009, WPD officer Richard Matthews wrecked his car and was killed while responding to a car chase involving Hendy and three others.

According to an investigation, Hendy was part of a drug trafficking organization that was importing high quality marijuana in bulk amounts from Canada to North Carolina.

ELIZABETHTOWN,NC (WWAY) — The Bladen County School Board will hold a special session on Monday, February 20. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss personnel matters. We understand the board members will discuss the vacant head football coaching position at West Bladen High School.

Earlier this week the board did not approve the hiring of current Red Springs assistant coach Joe Salas. The vote was 4-3 against Salas. Some board members have been under scrutiny for not approving Salas. We understand his nomination will come up again on Monday. West Bladen athletics director Kim Cain is also in the running, but at this time Salas is expected to get the board approval.

Pat Byrd served as the West Bladen head football coach in 2010 and 2011. He was forced out shortly after the conclusion of the 2011 season.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It’s no secret Ilario Pantano was going to run for Congress. Today he made it official.

Pantano filed paperwork today in Raleigh to run for North Carolina’s 7th District seat in the US House. He won the 2010 Republican nomination for the seat before losing to incumbent Rep. Mike McIntyre in the general election. Pantano vowed that night to run again.

Pantano joins Randy Crow in the Republican primary May 8. State Sen. David Rouzer is also expected to run, but he has not yet filed.

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Nearly three years after a Wilmington Police officer was killed in a car chase, a man involved in the chase is sentenced for drug possession and other charges.

Matthew Gerard Hendy, 28, was sentenced in a federal courtroom yesterday to 11 and a half years in prison and five years of supervised release.

On February 18th of 2009, WPD officer Richard Matthews wrecked his car and was killed while responding to a car chase involving Hendy and three others.

According to an investigation, Hendy was part of a drug trafficking organization that was importing high quality marijuana in bulk amounts from Canada to North Carolina.

RALEIGH,NC (WWAY) — NC State to Open Season vs. Tennessee at Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game

NC State will open the 2012 football season on Friday, August 31 in Atlanta at The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. The Pack will take on Tennessee in the Georgia Dome and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU. The game time has not been determined.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to compete against a great program in a great venue,” said Wolfpack head coach Tom O’Brien. “Tennessee is an SEC school with a rich heritage and our players are already looking forward to the game. We know that our loyal fans will make sure that there is more red than orange in the dome that night.”

The following day, Auburn will face Clemson in the same facility in what will be the first-ever double hosting of marquee, BCS-style games on back-to-back days in the same venue.

Between the two games, more than 145,000 fans are expected to be in Atlanta to celebrate the opening of the 2012 season. The pair of Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games is expected to generate more than $60 million in economic impact.

Both games will include their own tailgate and cook-off events as well as their own FanZone events with the traditional team walks to keep fans entertained over the 48 hours of football frenzy.

“NC State fans love Atlanta and participating in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is a particularly exciting way to kick off our 2012 season,” said Deborah A. Yow, NC State Director of Athletics. “We think there will be a lot of State red there to cheer on our team.”

All tickets to the game will be sold through the NC State Athletic ticket office and are expected to go on sale by March 1. No tickets will be available through the Chick-fil-A Bowl office.

State’s schedule has not yet been released by the ACC Office. Following is a statement put out by the league this morning:

“We at the Atlantic Coast Conference realize that there’s tremendous anticipation for the release of the 2012 ACC Football schedule. The conference office and member institutions are equally in anticipation and are taking steps to expedite finding appropriate solutions. As has been documented, there are a number of unusual circumstances beyond the control of the ACC and its member schools that have directly impacted a number of our school’s nonconference schedules, which in turn effects the development and completion of the overall schedule. Please know that all parties are working diligently and we appreciate everyone’s continued patience.”

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Some neighbors say a Wilmington bar is causing major problems, including shootings and drug use, but the bar owner says his business is going above and beyond to improve the community.

“We live here, and everybody here is kind of afraid of what might happen,” Michael Bolick said.

Bolick lives on 15th Street in Wilmington. He says the End Zone Sports Bar just up the road on Dawson Street causes major problems, including excess traffic, extremely loud noise and violence in the neighborhood. He says he is always concerned for his safety.

“It’s a little disconcerting to know that at any moment a shooting might occur because of something going on up at the corner,” Bolick said.

Bolick says since the bar opened in 2008, there have been major issues, including stabbings and shootings outside the club.

Tim kenny owns the building that the End Zone is in. He says the bar is not the problem. Kenny says neighbors do not understand the neighborhood they live in.

“It’s clearly an indication of difficulties that have existed in the neighborhood for a very long time, and it has a lot to do with the low-income housing project that’s across the street,” Kenny said.

Kenny says if anything, he thinks the bar has cleaned up the surrounding community.

The owner of the bar, Darryl Brown, told us he works closely with Wilmington Police to keep the area as safe as possible.

Alcohol Law Enforcement says there is an investigation into End Zone. Brown says ALE told him they must investigate any business that has a formal complaint against it.

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Nearly three years after a Wilmington Police officer was killed in a car chase, a man involved in the chase is sentenced for drug possession and other charges.

Matthew Gerard Hendy, 28, was sentenced in a federal courtroom yesterday to 11 and a half years in prison and five years of supervised release.

On February 18th of 2009, WPD officer Richard Matthews wrecked his car and was killed while responding to a car chase involving Hendy and three others.

According to an investigation, Hendy was part of a drug trafficking organization that was importing high quality marijuana in bulk amounts from Canada to North Carolina.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It’s no secret Ilario Pantano was going to run for Congress. Today he made it official.

Pantano filed paperwork today in Raleigh to run for North Carolina’s 7th District seat in the US House. He won the 2010 Republican nomination for the seat before losing to incumbent Rep. Mike McIntyre in the general election. Pantano vowed that night to run again.

Pantano joins Randy Crow in the Republican primary May 8. State Sen. David Rouzer is also expected to run, but he has not yet filed.

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Nearly three years after a Wilmington Police officer was killed in a car chase, a man involved in the chase is sentenced for drug possession and other charges.

Matthew Gerard Hendy, 28, was sentenced in a federal courtroom yesterday to 11 and a half years in prison and five years of supervised release.

On February 18th of 2009, WPD officer Richard Matthews wrecked his car and was killed while responding to a car chase involving Hendy and three others.

According to an investigation, Hendy was part of a drug trafficking organization that was importing high quality marijuana in bulk amounts from Canada to North Carolina.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County mother is charged for assaulting a teenager during a fight at Ashley High School.

The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says on February 7 Shellie Cloyd Rodriguez, 38, went to the school to pick up her 16-year-old daughter. The mother and daughter reportedly went to a classroom to get the girl’s assignments. When they got to the room, investigators say the daughter got into a fight with another girl.

Deputies say Rodriguez pulled the other girl, who is 15, off her daughter, pushed her down and got on top of her. At that point, they say another girl tried to pull Rodriguez off the girl. Rodriguez allegedly then hit the second girl before turning her attention back to the girl on the floor until they were finally separated.

Rodriguez, her daughter and the girl she fought with were charged with affray after the fight. Investigators believe there were already tension between the girls leading up to the fight.

After the District Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and a video of the incident, deputies today arrested and charged Rodriguez with assault and battery, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and disorderly conduct. She is out of jail on a $1,000 secured bond.

A Sheriff’s Office spokesman says investigators have decided not to release the video because of its potential impact on the case and because of the juveniles involved.