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Outer Banks Community Foundation awards $134,873 to nine nonprofits

September 29, 2023 | Community News Brief

The Community Foundation has awarded $94,873 in Community Enrichment grants to eight nonprofits to support causes that include a new dental clinic, education for community leaders, recreation for all, the arts, people with disabilities, and older adults. An additional 40th Anniversary grant for $40,000 was awarded to Interfaith Community Outreach for substance abuse prevention and [...] Community News Brief |  Full Article

Dare County Tourism Board seeking applications for Special Committ ...

September 28, 2023 | Local News

Dare County residents and non-resident property owners are invited to apply for consideration to serve on a Special Committee of the Dare County Tourism Board, to help with the implementation of the Outer Banks Long-Range Tourism Management Plan (LRTMP). The intent of this committee will be to evaluate the strategic goals in the LRTMP, make recommendations to the [...] Local News |  Full Article

Contract awarded to make repairs to structures at Ocracoke Light S ...

September 27, 2023 | Seashore News

The National Park Service awarded a $3.6 million contract to Terra Site Constructors LLC (Front Royal, Virginia) on Sept. 25, 2023, to raise and make repairs to the Double Keepers’ Quarters and other structures at Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Ocracoke Light Station. Built in 1823, the Ocracoke Light Station is comprised of the historic Ocracoke Lighthouse, Double [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Twiford’s Funeral Home to hold Free Estate Planning Seminar ...

September 27, 2023 | Community News Brief

Twiford’s Funeral Home is excited to invite the public to their FREE Estate Planning Seminar on October 18, 2023, at 10:00 am. It will be held at the Baum Center in Kill Devil Hills.  Learn valuable insights on estate planning, wills, and trusts from Attorney Jay Wheless. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask an attorney your questions and gain knowledge that can benefit you [...] Community News Brief |  Full Article

Deadline extended to October 2 for public comment on NOAA Fisherie ...

September 26, 2023 | Fishing

The deadline to voice concerns and express opposition to Draft Amendment 15 to NOAA Fisheries’ “2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan: Spatial Fisheries Management and Electronic Monitoring Cost Allocation”—a proposed federal fisheries amendment that could adversely affect the commercial fishing industry Dare County—has been extended to Monday, October 2, 2023. Understanding Draft Amendment [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Contracts awarded to repair the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and build ...

September 26, 2023 | Seashore News

The National Park Service recently awarded two contracts for work in Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Hatteras Island District in Buxton, North Carolina. Construction activities along Lighthouse Road and at the Cape Hatteras Light Station are expected to begin in the coming months. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse A $19.2 million contract was awarded to Stone & Lime Historic [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Dare County Tourism Board seeking applications for Special Committ ...

September 28, 2023 | Local News

Dare County residents and non-resident property owners are invited to apply for consideration to serve on a Special Committee of the Dare County Tourism Board, to help with the implementation of the Outer Banks Long-Range Tourism Management Plan (LRTMP). The intent of this committee will be to evaluate the strategic goals in the LRTMP, make recommendations to the [...] Local News |  Full Article

Budget strips certain powers from local governments

September 26, 2023 | Local News | From The: Coastal Review

by Trista Talton and Jennifer Allen Assembly approved a long-awaited state budget that includes provisions that strip counties and municipalities of certain governing powers. The Republican-controlled legislature last Friday passed a $30 billion budget, one that boosts Medicaid, bans local governments from regulating the use of plastics, grants millions in funding for living shorelines projects, and [...] Local News |  Full Article

All Ocracoke ferry operations resume after Tropical Storm Ophelia

September 24, 2023 | Local News

The Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry, Ocracoke-Cedar Island ferry, and Ocracoke-Swan Quarter ferry resumed regular operations on Sunday morning, September 24, per an update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division. Ferry service was suspended starting on Friday due to high winds and hazardous weather conditions stemming from Tropical Storm Ophelia. For a complete schedule for all ferry routes, [...] Local News |  Full Article

Coming soon to Cape Hatteras National Seashore – a new Cape Hatteras Lighthouse pathway

September 30, 2023 | Seashore News

By Rachael Graf, Community Engagement Coordinator, Outer Banks Forever Since last October, Outer Banks Forever, the official nonprofit partner of the three Outer Banks national parks, has been working with the National Park Service and the local community to create a new experience at Cape Hatteras National Seashore: the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Pathway. Each year, millions of people visit the Seashore, and many make a point of visiting the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Considered one of the most iconic lighthouses in the country, the lighthouse site in Buxton, North Carolina, is beloved for its beautiful beach and is a top surfing destination on the East Coast. When families, local children, and surfers come to visit the lighthouse, they often take in the sights, sounds, and stories on foot or by bicycle. Currently, the only way to do this is to travel alongside vehicular traffic on Lighth [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Contract awarded to make repairs to structures at Ocracoke Light S ...

September 27, 2023 | Seashore News

The National Park Service awarded a $3.6 million contract to Terra Site Constructors LLC (Front Royal, Virginia) on Sept. 25, 2023, to raise and make repairs to the Double Keepers’ Quarters and other structures at Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Ocracoke Light Station. Built in 1823, the Ocracoke Light Station is comprised of the historic Ocracoke Lighthouse, Double [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Contracts awarded to repair the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and build ...

September 26, 2023 | Seashore News

The National Park Service recently awarded two contracts for work in Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Hatteras Island District in Buxton, North Carolina. Construction activities along Lighthouse Road and at the Cape Hatteras Light Station are expected to begin in the coming months. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse A $19.2 million contract was awarded to Stone & Lime Historic [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

National Seashore reopening most facilities on Sunday; Cape Point ...

September 24, 2023 | Seashore News

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial are reopening all facilities, except for the Cape Point Campground in Buxton, at normal times on Sunday, Sept. 24, following a temporary closure due to Tropical Storm Ophelia. Cape Point Campground is flooded and may reopen in the coming days. Reservations [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Cape Hatteras National Seashore announces facility closures ahead ...

September 22, 2023 | Seashore News

The National Park Service has started closing facilities ahead of severe weather conditions at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial. Facilities are expected to reopen Sunday, Sept. 24, after post-storm assessments are completed. Cape Hatteras National Seashore Facilities on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands are closed. Facilities north [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

National Seashore’s Cape Point, Frisco, and Ocracoke campgro ...

September 21, 2023 | Seashore News

Due to tropical storm strength winds and heavy rainfall forecast for tomorrow and continuing into the weekend, Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Oregon Inlet, Cape Point, Frisco, and Ocracoke campgrounds will close at 12 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22. The campgrounds will reopen once post-storm assessments are completed. Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen is likely to bring tropical [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Night driving reopens for most off-road vehicle ramps on Friday, S ...

September 12, 2023 | Seashore News

Night driving restrictions will be lifted at many designated ORV ramps within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore starting at 9 p.m. on Friday, September 15. To find out which ramps will no longer have night driving restrictions, and which ramps will still have opening and closing times due to sea turtle nests, visit http://go.nps.gov/beachaccess any time after 12 [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

National Park Service accepting bids on contract to build employee ...

September 12, 2023 | Seashore News

The National Park Service is accepting bids on a federal government contract to build new Cape Hatteras National Seashore employee housing in Buxton, North Carolina. Interested businesses have until 5 p.m. Oct. 2, 2023, to submit bids via the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) website. Contract Details Contract Name: Replace Hatteras Island Trailers Summary of Work: [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Night Sky: Two meteor showers, and more highlights for October

September 30, 2023 | Island Features | By: Gerry Lebing

This is comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura). It was discovered on August 12, by Japanese astronomer Hideo Nishimura. He discovered it as an unexpected deep space object in a series of images he had taken. C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) is believed to orbit the Sun every 430 years and had a visual magnitude of +5.9 when I took this shot. Considering the last time this comet could be seen was before Galileo picked up a telescope, (about 1583), Nishimura was very lucky in finding it. The comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) is no longer visible from Hatteras Island, but it might be in 2453! What you can look for in October's Night Skies Venus and Mercury begin October mornings in the eastern sky. Venus will rise at about 3:30 a.m. and be about 30 degrees above the horizon at 6:00 a.m. It’s the brightest object in the pre-dawn skies. Mercury will rise at 5:48 a.m. and probably only be visible about 6:15 a.m. when t [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Local volunteers put Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station on the nati ...

September 25, 2023 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

A team of local volunteers who perform the weekly Beach Apparatus Drill reenactment at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station in Rodanthe gave a special performance 700 miles away from home at the annual U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association (USLSSHA) Conference in Maine. The September 23 event coincided with the official reopening of Maine’s Wood Island Life-Saving Station after an [...] Island Features |  Full Article

On Hatteras Island, October is the time to Drink Pink

September 21, 2023 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

The month of October is nationally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on Hatteras Island, a number of local restaurants and businesses have joined the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation (HICF) in their annual Drink Pink Campaign, which raises funds through island-wide libations. HICF is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that provides support for cancer patients [...] Island Features |  Full Article

12th Annual Surfin’ Turkey 5K is returning to Hatteras village o ...

September 21, 2023 | Island Features

The 12th annual Surfin’ Turkey 5K is returning to Hatteras village on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, and registration is now open for this popular holiday event. The Surfin’ Turkey 5K is the only fundraising event for 2023 hosted by the Hatteras Island Youth Education Fund (HIYEF), which supports the educational needs of students on Hatteras Island [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station volunteers are taking their show ...

September 19, 2023 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

The volunteers who perform the weekly Beach Apparatus Drill reenactment at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site in Rodanthe are taking their impressive outdoor show on the road. This week, 13 modern-day surfmen will be traveling more than 700 miles to Kittery, Maine for a command performance that coincides with the annual U.S. Life-Saving Service [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Island Real Estate: Takeaways from the August 2023 OBAR Statistical Report

September 19, 2023 | Real Estate | By: Stephen Smith

I want to start things by talking about land.  There’s a quote often attributed to Mark Twain that says: “Buy land, they're not making it anymore.” And Hatteras Island specifically is a unique place when it comes to Outer Banks real estate.  Most of the island is owned or operated by government agencies. Of the remaining land, a large percentage has already been built on.  This leaves a dwindling supply of available buildable land as time passes, and unfortunately in northern Rodanthe, even some of the land that once existed is no longer there.  I’ve seen a noticeable jump in inquiries about vacant lots for sale on the island so far this year, and the stats from 2019 to 2023 tell the story. Land sales by year on Hatteras Island: 2019 - 72 sales 2020 - 95 sales 2021 - 190 sales 2022 - 145 sales 2023 YTD - 68 sales As of September 16, there were only 63 residential lots availa [...] Real Estate |  Full Article

Annual Youth Fishing Tournament reels in a crowd, and hundreds of catches… WITH SLIDESHOW

October 1, 2023 | Fishing | By: Joy Crist

Photos by Don Bowers While Day at the Docks was canceled in 2023 due to the arrival of Hurricane Lee, one of the festival’s most popular annual events with the younger crowd – the Youth Fishing Tournament – was independently held on Saturday, September 30, attracting an estimated 51 anglers. Despite the dreary weather, the dozens of young anglers had a busy afternoon of fishing along the Hatteras waterfront in front of Oden’s Dock, with more than 100 weighed pinfish reeled in alone. Other notable catches during the hour-long fishing session included a spot, pigfish, lizardfish, several flounders, hogfish, drum, a 26-inch rockfish, and a rare 9-inch gag grouper. The 9-and-older group caught the largest and most varied fish, and was also the largest contingent in the three tiers of age groups with a total of 28 anglers. After the fishing session, prizes were awarded in multiple a [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Outer Banks Community Foundation awards $134,873 to nine nonprofits

September 29, 2023 | Community News Brief

The Community Foundation has awarded $94,873 in Community Enrichment grants to eight nonprofits to support causes that include a new dental clinic, education for community leaders, recreation for all, the arts, people with disabilities, and older adults. An additional 40th Anniversary grant for $40,000 was awarded to Interfaith Community Outreach for substance abuse prevention and [...] Community News Brief |  Full Article

Twiford’s Funeral Home to hold Free Estate Planning Seminar ...

September 27, 2023 | Community News Brief

Twiford’s Funeral Home is excited to invite the public to their FREE Estate Planning Seminar on October 18, 2023, at 10:00 am. It will be held at the Baum Center in Kill Devil Hills.  Learn valuable insights on estate planning, wills, and trusts from Attorney Jay Wheless. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask an attorney your questions and gain knowledge that can benefit you [...] Community News Brief |  Full Article

Deborah Ann Burden

September 29, 2023 | Obituaries

May 28, 1955 – September 23, 2023 KITTY HAWK — Deborah Ann Burden, 68, of Kitty Hawk, passed away peacefully on September 23, 2023. Deb was born on May 28, 1955, in Pennsylvania to Michael Kuntz and Betty Mae Pelo Kuntz. Her family moved to northern Virginia, where she met and married her sweetheart, Chip. [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

James Alan Ruhle

September 29, 2023 | Obituaries

January 4, 1948 – September 28, 2023 WANCHESE — The commercial fishing industry has lost one of its biggest advocates, James Alan Ruhle, Sr., at the age of 75. Twenty-one weeks to the hour after his bride, he set out for the last time on the morning of September 28, 2023. Born in Oceanside, NY [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Robert W. Nappi

September 26, 2023 | Obituaries

Robert W. Nappi, age 55, died peacefully on Friday, September 22, 2023 at home surrounded by family and friends following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Bob was born on April 4, 1968 in Schenectady, NY to Diane and the late Carl Nappi. Bob was a 1986 graduate of Niskayuna High School, in Schenectady, NY. [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Joyce Mildred Edelin

September 21, 2023 | Obituaries

KILL DEVIL HILLS — Joyce Mildred Edelin, 75, of Kill Devil Hills, NC passed away at her home the morning of September 18, 2023, surrounded by her family. Joyce came to the Outer Banks back in October of 2018 to retire peacefully from the hustle and bustle of DC area traffic…only to be flabbergasted by [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Debra Willman

September 21, 2023 | Obituaries

MANTEO — Debra Willman of Manteo, NC passed away on September 19, 2023, at the age of 66. She was born on March 3, 1957, in Fresno, CA, to her loving parents Lyla and Otto Willman, Jr. Debra’s journey in the medical field began after her graduation from Fresno State University. With her steadfast determination [...] Obituaries |  Full Article