Featured Outer Banks News

What's New

Communications outage reported on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands; 9 ...

January 15, 2025 | Local News | By: Joy Crist

A communications outage was reported on Wednesday morning at approximately 11:00 a.m., affecting cell phone and internet service on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. According to an alert from the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, 911 service on the islands may be impacted. Residents and visitors who need emergency services or communications are advised to try texting [...] Local News |  Full Article

Work starts Friday on N.C. 12 sandbag project at Pea Island Visito ...

January 15, 2025 | Local News | By: Sam Walker

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Work will begin Friday to place massive sandbags alongside N.C. 12 at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, which the North Carolina Department of Transportation says is a temporary solution to protect the highway from ocean overwash caused by extreme tides and storms. The project is meant to mitigate the type [...] Local News |  Full Article

New NOAA dataset will help improve flood mitigation tools, flood-r ...

January 14, 2025 | Local News

The first modeled, historical water level and wave dataset for the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf coasts was released today by NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS). This comprehensive dataset — known as Coastal Ocean Reanalysis (CORA) — advances NOAA’s ability to better serve the nation’s coastal communities and lays the foundation for future NOAA coastal flooding products. The [...] Local News |  Full Article

Meet the Outer Banks SPCA Pet of the Week, Finny

January 13, 2025 | Community News Brief

Meet the Outer Banks SPCA pet of the week, courtesy of their latest video produced by Dare County’s CURRENT TV. For more information on this pet, and the many other Outer Banks pets currently up for adoption, visit the Outer Banks SPCA website at https://www.obxspca.org/, or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/obxspca/

Dare County Schools provides update on recent online data breach

January 15, 2025 | Local News | By: Joy Crist | 1

On Wednesday afternoon, January 15, Dare County Schools (DCS) Superintendent Steve Basnight shared the following message regarding the recent PowerSchool security breach, which affects Dare County Schools and school systems around the globe. For more information from DCS, click here. Dare County Schools Community: The PowerSchool Student Information System (“PowerSchool”) has been in use at [...] Local News |  Full Article

Communications outage reported on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands; 9 ...

January 15, 2025 | Local News | By: Joy Crist

A communications outage was reported on Wednesday morning at approximately 11:00 a.m., affecting cell phone and internet service on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. According to an alert from the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, 911 service on the islands may be impacted. Residents and visitors who need emergency services or communications are advised to try texting [...] Local News |  Full Article

Work starts Friday on N.C. 12 sandbag project at Pea Island Visito ...

January 15, 2025 | Local News | By: Sam Walker

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Work will begin Friday to place massive sandbags alongside N.C. 12 at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, which the North Carolina Department of Transportation says is a temporary solution to protect the highway from ocean overwash caused by extreme tides and storms. The project is meant to mitigate the type [...] Local News |  Full Article

New NOAA dataset will help improve flood mitigation tools, flood-r ...

January 14, 2025 | Local News

The first modeled, historical water level and wave dataset for the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf coasts was released today by NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS). This comprehensive dataset — known as Coastal Ocean Reanalysis (CORA) — advances NOAA’s ability to better serve the nation’s coastal communities and lays the foundation for future NOAA coastal flooding products. The [...] Local News |  Full Article

Three artificial reefs off Outer Banks to get more concrete pipe i ...

January 11, 2025 | Local News | By: Sam Walker

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Three artificial reefs located off the Outer Banks are scheduled to receive new materials in a plan announced Wednesday by state officials. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program has finalized its five-year timeline for ocean reef enhancements funded by Coastal Recreational Fishing License revenues. An [...] Local News |  Full Article

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site invites public comments on preliminary alternatives to stabilize shoreline

January 8, 2025 | Seashore News

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (Fort Raleigh) invites public comments on three preliminary alternatives for stabilizing approximately one mile of its shoreline. Public comment on the preliminary alternatives is open from Jan. 8-Feb. 7, 2025. Erosion along a section of Fort Raleigh’s shoreline poses a serious threat to potential archeologically significant sites and park facilities. Without action, the erosion will most likely continue, potentially jeopardizing the Waterside Theatre’s costume shop and parking lot, park roadways and park housing along Pear Pad Road. Three preliminary alternatives are available for public comment in the Shoreline Stabilization for Erosion Control public scoping newsletter at parkplanning.nps.gov/FORA_shoreline. Comments received through this public scoping period may be used by Fort Raleigh as it develops an environmental assessment. A public mee [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Dare County issues updated Public Health Advisory after Buxton Bea ...

January 1, 2025 | Seashore News | By: Joy Crist

The Dare County Department of Health & Human Services has issued a revised public health advisory for Buxton Beach, due to the December 19 reopening of a portion of the beach closure. Following a 60-day interim response action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) reopened an approximately two-tenths-of-a-mile section [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Cape Hatteras National Seashore reports more than 2.67 million vis ...

December 23, 2024 | Seashore News | By: Joy Crist

With 2,678,290 visitors recorded during the first 11 months of 2024, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) is on track to have another busy year. Per statistics from the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, CHNS recorded the following monthly totals for 2024: January – 77,193 February – 79,256 March – 154,935 April – 197,239 May – 267,243 June – 404,323 [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Old Lighthouse Beach reopens to the public, three-tenths-of-a-mile ...

December 19, 2024 | Seashore News | By: Joy Crist

Following a recent interim response action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), and consultations with the Dare County Department of Health of Human Services (DHHS), the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) has reopened an approximately two-tenths-of-a-mile section of beach starting at the southernmost jetty in Buxton and continuing to the south, also known [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Record number of sea turtles rescued on Ocracoke Island during col ...

December 12, 2024 | Seashore News | By: Peter Vankevich

From OcracokeObserver.com The number of rescued sea turtles on the Outer Banks this past week was, well, stunning. A cold spell that dropped water temperatures into the 40s Fahrenheit resulted in hundreds of sea turtles drifting onto the shores of the Outer Banks. Sea turtles are ectotherms, meaning they are cold blooded and can’t regulate [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Ocracoke Light Station renovations continue; equipment delivers th ...

December 9, 2024 | Seashore News | By: Sam Walker

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Three separate deliveries of construction equipment associated with the lifting of the Ocracoke Double Keepers’ Quarters are scheduled to occur this coming week. During the deliveries, Lighthouse Road—between approximately Loop Road and Martha Jane Lane—will be closed for up to 30 minutes. Loop Road will remain accessible for those looking for an alternate [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Hundreds attend “The Outer Edge” series premiere, Episode 1 debuts on YouTube

January 16, 2025 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

Hundreds of attendees joined the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau (OBVB) to view three special screenings of "The Outer Edge" film series on Jan. 8-10, at venues in Kill Devil Hills, Manteo and Buxton. Following opening introductions by OBVB Executive Director Lee Nettles, staff, and creative agency partners, the audiences were given a special preview of all six episodes of "The Outer Edge" before the entire series is published online. “We were really excited to share the films with our local community first,” said Nettles. “The response from those who joined us at the premieres was overwhelming and a testament to both the local storytellers and to this place that we all love.” The project has been in the works for more than a year, and 23 Dare County residents were interviewed and followed on camera during the endeavor, as they shared their passions for the Outer Banks, and their c [...] Island Features |  Full Article

With around 800 rescues to date, it’s a record-breaking winter f ...

January 12, 2025 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

2016 was a historic year when it comes to cold-stunned sea turtle rescues, and it’s a benchmark that longtime N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) volunteers remember well. In January 2016, more than 1,200 live turtles were rescued along shorelines across the state, with approximately 600 live turtles found within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Hatteras Village Waterfowl Festival returns Feb. 21-22

January 7, 2025 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

Celebrating its sixth year in 2025, the Hatteras Village Waterfowl Festival (HVWF) is returning to Hatteras Island on Friday and Saturday, February 21-22. “Each year, [the festival] has grown and attracted more people, so we are hoping that trend continues,” said organizer Karla Jarvis of the Hatteras Village Civic Association. “There will be some of the [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Avon’s Free Community Dinner program, which feeds 300 islanders ...

January 6, 2025 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

The St. John United Methodist Church (UMC) hosts a number of programs throughout the year to support the island community, and one of its most popular initiatives thrives in the off-season winter months. The weekly Free Community Dinners, (which are held for nine weeks from January through March), routinely attract residents from Hatteras to Rodanthe, [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Dare County selected to participate in UNC Chapel Hill affordable housing initiative: “Our State, Our Homes”

January 10, 2025 | Real Estate | 2

The Dare Community Housing Task Force has been selected as one of 22 counties across North Carolina to participate in the innovative “Our State, Our Homes” program, led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Carolina Across 100 initiative. This highly competitive program will bring together experts, resources and community leaders to tackle the growing challenge of affordable housing in our region. “Our State, Our Homes” is a statewide program designed to improve access to and availability of affordable housing in North Carolina. Beginning on January 16, 2025, teams from 14 communities representing 22 counties—including Dare County—will collaborate across sectors, utilizing a variety of tools and resources to develop innovative, data-driven strategies tailored to their unique housing challenges. This comprehensive 18-month initiative will connect participa [...] Real Estate |  Full Article

Casago to acquire Vacasa through stock purchase, possibly franchis ...

January 6, 2025 | Real Estate | By: Sam Walker | 1

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Vacation property management rental companies Vacasa and Casago announced last week they will be merging later this year through a stock purchase that will take the new company private. And more details have surfaced about Casago’s purchase of the company that manages more than 969 properties and employs 223 people on the Outer [...] Real Estate |  Full Article

Reminder: Dare County property revaluation effective as of January 1

January 2, 2025 | Real Estate

The Dare County Tax Department reminds property owners that the countywide revaluation of all real estate—including residential and commercial improved properties, as well as vacant land—is effective starting January 1, 2025. Required by North Carolina law to be performed at least once every eight years, revaluation is the process of updating property values to reflect [...] Real Estate |  Full Article

Hyde County homeowners can apply for FEMA grants to raise flood-pr ...

December 22, 2024 | Real Estate

As a result of Tropical Storm Helene, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has opened a grant opportunity for Hyde County homeowners to elevate their houses above base flood elevation through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to local and state governments so they can develop hazard mitigation plans and [...] Real Estate |  Full Article

Marine Fisheries ask public to report cold-stunned trout

January 15, 2025 | Fishing

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries wants to remind the public to report any cold stunned spotted seatrout they may see in North Carolina coastal waters. During the winter, spotted seatrout move to relatively shallow creeks and rivers, where they can be vulnerable to cold stun events. Cold stun events have the potential to occur when there is a sudden drop in temperature or during prolonged periods of cold weather, making fish so sluggish they can be harvested by hand. Many fish that are stunned die from the cold or fall prey to birds and other predators. Studies suggest that cold stun events can have a significant negative impact on spotted seatrout populations. No significant cold stun events have been confirmed so far this season, but current weather conditions are suitable for a cold stun event to occur in coastal rivers and creeks. Spotted [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Meet the Outer Banks SPCA Pet of the Week, Finny

January 13, 2025 | Community News Brief

Meet the Outer Banks SPCA pet of the week, courtesy of their latest video produced by Dare County’s CURRENT TV. For more information on this pet, and the many other Outer Banks pets currently up for adoption, visit the Outer Banks SPCA website at https://www.obxspca.org/, or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/obxspca/

NC Aquarium Roanoke Island to close Jan. 27-31 for annual maintena ...

January 10, 2025 | Community News Brief

Staff at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island will dive into 2025 with a renewed commitment to animals and visitors. Several priority endeavors include large, multi-day projects that can only be completed while the Aquarium is closed. While the team works on-site to accomplish projects and enrich animal care, the Aquarium will close to [...] Community News Brief |  Full Article

Meet the Outer Banks SPCA Pet of the Week, Candy

January 7, 2025 | Community News Brief

Meet the Outer Banks SPCA pet of the week, courtesy of their latest video produced by Dare County’s CURRENT TV. For more information on this pet, and the many other Outer Banks pets currently up for adoption, visit the Outer Banks SPCA website at https://www.obxspca.org/, or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/obxspca/  

Ed Conjura

January 15, 2025 | Obituaries

Ed Conjura, a man of sharp wit, amazing energy, and a truly remarkable mind, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2025, at the age of 82. Ed lived a life that was anything but ordinary – full of laughter, adventure, and a love of learning. Ed’s academic journey was impressive as it was unique. From [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Gary Ronald Church

January 14, 2025 | Obituaries

KILL DEVIL HILLS — Gary Ronald Church, 82, died January 9, 2025 in the love and comfort of his Kill Devil Hills home. He was preceded in death by his son, Ronald, both parents, and three brothers. Gary spent his career as a musician – a lead singer in bands that he ran and bands [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Lola C. Thompson

January 13, 2025 | Obituaries

KILL DEVIL HILLS — Lola C. Thompson, 90, passed way of natural causes January 9, 2025. Lola was predeceased by her husband, Carl Ray Thompson; her son, Carl Robert Thompson; her parents, Gordon and Lena; as well as her three siblings. Lola was born in Ashland, Ohio and grew up in Point Pleasant, WV. After [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Gary Edward Ferguson

January 9, 2025 | Obituaries

It is with great sadness we announce the death of Gary Edward Ferguson of Nags Head, North Carolina. Gary passed away on December 12, 2024 after sustaining a severe brain injury. Gary was born on June 23,1950 in Wilmington, Delaware, to Elizabeth Anne and Cecil Ferguson, Jr. After graduating from Stephen Decatur High School in [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Margaret Ramsey Roughton

January 9, 2025 | Obituaries

KITTY HAWK — Margaret Ramsey “Peggy” Roughton passed away of natural causes January 6, 2025 at her Kitty Hawk, NC home. Peggy was 93 years old. She was born in Mount Carmel, PA, the daughter of the late William and Mary Ramsey. Peggy was active, extremely smart, and a kind and loving wife and mother. [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Donna Lee Price Savage

January 9, 2025 | Obituaries

February 24, 1946 – January 7, 2025 NAGS HEAD — Donna Lee Price Savage passed away peacefully on January 7, 2025, in Nags Head, NC, at the age of 78. Born on February 24, 1946, in Lancaster, PA, she was the daughter of the late Katherine Fletter Price and Arthur Price. She was also preceded [...] Obituaries |  Full Article