BUXTON– James L. (Gig) Gerhard, 77, died Thursday, April 9, 2015 at SentaraNorfolk General Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Shaun, ofthe home; two stepchildren, Beth Reilly of Wilton, Conn., and MichaelAllen (Euza) of Jacksonville, Fla., and three grandchildren, Julianne,Evan, and Emma Reilly. Gig earned his undergraduate degree fromBridgewater College and his master’s in education […]
Obituaries | Full Article
A primer on seismic testing
One of the flashpoints in the debate over developing possible offshore oil and gas centers on seismic surveying, an effective but controversial method used in the search for energy deposits. Three public meetings have been scheduled this month about using “air guns” off the N.C. coast. The first was earlier this week in Wilmington, the […]
Island Features | Full Article
The Scotch bonnet’s 50th anniversary
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Scotch bonnet as North Carolina’s official state shell. For a state with one of the longest coastlines on the Eastern Seaboard, it makes sense that it was the first to have its own shell. Unfortunately, the lovely gastropod — snail, that is — is notoriously difficult to […]
Island Features | Full Article
Cape Point closes to off-road vehicles
The National Park Service this morning closed Cape Point in Buxton to off-road vehicle access. The closure is in accordance with the requirements of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Off-Road Vehicle management plan. This morning, National Park Service staff observed American oystercatcher breed behavior approximately 0.6 – 0.7 of a mile south of Ramp 44 […]
Seashore News | Full Article
State science panel’s draft sea level rise report released for public comment
The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission’s Science Panel has released for public review and comment a draft of the five-year update of its 2010 report on sea level rise in North Carolina. Required by Session Law 2012-202, the draft report provides estimated rates of sea level rise along the North Carolina coast over the next 30 […]
Local News | Full Article
Hatteras Storytelling Festival is topic of radio interview
The third annual Hatteras Storytelling Festival, which will be on Friday and Saturday, May 1-2, at the Hatteras Village Civic Center, was the topic of the April 5 edition of the “To the Point” interview show on Radio Hatteras. The guests for the interview were Belinda Willis, who is co-chair of the festival with Tracy […]
Island Features | Full Article
Legislative Update: Occupancy tax provision is out of dredging bill
Local government entities in Dare County are collectively penciling in their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year while the General Assembly goes through its own taxing times. An action this week to remove a provision aimed at Dare County has allowed local officials to let out a tentative sigh of relief. Senate Bill 160 […]
Local News | Full Article
Keeping track of your tax dollars
It’s not been easy in the past month or so keeping up with what’s happening in Raleigh and Manteo and how various proposed bills, motions, and resolutions might affect what you pay in taxes. For instance, consider the issue of sales tax. We’ve had a lot of headlines in The Island Free Press lately with […]
Editor’s Blog | Full Article
UPDATE: Inlet restrictions are eased, opening channel to charter boats
The Coast Guard yesterday eased its restrictions on the channel at Oregon Inlet, allowing boats that draw up to 5 feet of water to use the passage. The move comes just before the busy Easter week for charter boats, most of which draw between 3 and 5 feet of water and can now get through […]
Local News | Full Article
UPDATED: Sailor missing for 66 days rescued off Cape Hatteras…WITH AUDIO AND VIDEO
A 37-year-old South Carolina sailor, who was reported missing in late January, tonight walked into a Norfolk, Va., hospital after his rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard about 200 miles east of Cape Hatteras. The sailor, Louis Jordan, apparently suffered only a shoulder injury during the ordeal on his 35-foot sailboat, Angel. The Coast Guard […]
Local News | Full Article
