Earlier this month, Gov. Pat McCrory announced the appointments of two New Hanover County residents, Wilbur D. Jones Jr. and Sandra Ray, to the USS North Carolina Battleship Commission.

Jones, a retired U.S. Navy captain, was appointed chairman of the commission, according to a news release from the governor's office. He has 28 years of active and ready-reserve experience in the Navy, and is an author and military historian, the release stated.
 
Ray is a district court judge for the state's 5th Judicial District that serves New Hanover and Pender counties.

The Battleship Commission "adopts rules and regulations for proper maintenance and operation of the ship as a permanent memorial and exhibit," the release stated, adding that members work with the Department of Cultural Resources to manage and maintain exhibits, activities and records pertaining to marine and naval history of North Carolina and the United States. Each member serves a four-year term.

In the same news release, the governor's office announced the reappointment of New Hanover County resident Neal Lewis to the N.C. Parks & Recreation Authority. Lewis is a former NHC parks director, the release stated.

The Parks and Recreation Authority receives private and public donations, appropriations, grants and revenue for the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. Members work to allocate funds for land acquisitions, repairs and improvements. The term length is three years, according to the release.