Building in the harsh hatteras conditions

From CoastalReview.org A pilot study tracking a popular saltwater fish was not expected to yield as much information as it did in its first year. When the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and its nonprofit project partner, the North Carolina Marine and Estuary Foundation, launched its red drum study last year, researchers thought the [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The Dare County Public Works Department has announced that large item pickup for the unincorporated areas of Dare County only will begin on Monday, April 7, 2025 and run continuously for approximately 12-15 days. The large item pickup will be performed by a private contractor, Southern Disaster Recovery, and there will be a strict one pass only for each unincorporated [...] Local News |  Full Article

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Three more names have been retired from the list used to identify tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin, including the historic Helene, due to the death and destruction the storms caused in 2024. The World Meteorological Organization Hurricane Committee maintains and updates through a strict procedure the list of names that are used [...] Local News |  Full Article

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Another sure sign the season is upon us arrived Saturday morning, as the National Weather Service began issuing their daily rip current forecasts for most of the Outer Banks. “Figuring out when the crowds will flock to our shores is no easy task with ‘reasonable water temperature’ return dates, school breaks/vacations, and holiday [...] Local News |  Full Article

Dozens of community members and colleagues gathered at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station (LSS) in Rodanthe on Friday morning, April 4, to honor Chief Warrant Officer (CWO4) Ryan Gentry, who is retiring after nearly 29 years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard. The setting was ideal for multiple reasons, as Gentry has spent many of [...] Island Features |  Full Article

The weekly Old Trent Market will return to the Frisco Woods Campground for the 2025 season starting on May 15, and the market will be held every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. through October 30. Now celebrating its fourth year, 2025’s Old Trent Market is shaping up to be bigger and better than [...] Island Features |  Full Article

The N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is honored and thrilled to announce that it is a winner in the 2025 Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards contest for Best Aquarium. Nominees from across the United States were selected by an editorial panel of travel experts and Newsweek contributors. Polls closed after a public voting period of 28 [...] Island Features |  Full Article

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com A settlement has been reached between insurance companies and state regulators that will lead to a rate hike for insurance policies that cover mobile homes in North Carolina starting later this summer. Rates in Currituck, Dare and Hyde for new and renewing Mobile Home-Fire policies will be increasing by 15% starting on September [...] Real Estate |  Full Article

From CoastalReview.org​ Dozens of carvers, collectors and exhibitors from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware are planning to make the journey later this month to Ocracoke Island for a two-day celebration of waterfowl carving heritage. Hosted by the Ocracoke Island Decoy Carvers Guild, the Ocracoke Island Waterfowl Festival is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, [...] Island Features |  Full Article

After a winter of various repairs and updates, the Rodanthe Fishing Pier will reopen for the 2025 season on Saturday, April 5, at 7:00 a.m. There have been multiple improvements at the Rodanthe Pier over the past few years, which includes a new ramp that was installed in 2020, and a number of structural repairs [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is to be commended for celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first seven Outer Banks 1874 stations and the fine articles by Jen Carlson. The Oregon Inlet Life-Saving Station was one of those first seven. Interestingly, the “Old” Oregon Inlet Life-Saving Station is the first one seen sitting majestically and solitarily on [...] Island Features |  Full Article

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com Colorado State University hurricane researchers are predicting another above-average Atlantic hurricane season in their initial 2025 forecast. And they say current global weather conditions headed into this season are very similar to memorable years of tropical activity on the Outer Banks and in eastern North Carolina from over the last four decades. The team [...] Local News |  Full Article

On April 3, the Town of Duck announced the appointment of Jeffrey Del Monte as Deputy Chief of the Duck Fire Department. Del Monte, who has served as Acting Deputy Chief since January 2025, was sworn into his new role during the Town Council Meeting on April 2, 2025. A dedicated fire service professional, Del [...] Local News |  Full Article

 On Friday, March 28, Captain Tim Hagerich of Black Pearl Charters had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with an estimated 1,800-pound great white shark just off the coast of northern Ocracoke Island. “I have spent thousands and thousands of hours in the ocean, and I have only seen one great white shark in my entire life, and [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Parent University Night kickoff event to be held on Tuesday, April 8, at 5:30 p.m. at COA-Dare Campus in Manteo The Dare County Library, in collaboration with Manteo Elementary School and College of The Albemarle (COA)’s Dare County campus, is pleased to announce the launch of “Parent University Night,” a new community initiative designed to empower [...] Community News Brief |  Full Article

The Really, Really Free Market is returning to Avon on Saturday, April 5, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Avon Fire Station. The Really, Really Free Market started more than a decade ago and became a valuable resource for islanders in need after several historic storms, including Hurricane Isabel in 2011, and Hurricane [...] Community News Brief |  Full Article

From OuterBanksVoice.com John “Jay” Tolson, who pled guilty on Aug. 31, 2023, to voluntary manslaughter in the July 2020 death of Kitty Hawk resident LeeAnn Fletcher has a projected release date from the Pender Correctional Institution on May 31, according to the NC Department of Adult Correction. The 2023 manslaughter plea came during the fourth [...] Local News |  Full Article

The Bodie Island Lighthouse will be open for daily climbing from Friday, April 18 through Oct. 13, 2025. Climbing tickets go on sale at 7 a.m. and may only be purchased on the same day of your intended climb. Tickets are only available for purchase at www.recreation.gov/ticket/252034/ticket/10087143. Pro tip: Create your www.recreation.gov account prior to the date you [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

Therese E. (Bernard) Smith, 97, passed away peacefully on Feb. 8, 2025, at St. Anne’s Retirement Community, Columbia, Pennsylvania, where she had resided for 6 years. She entered hospice there a few months before she passed. Therese was born on August 29, 1927, in Nashua, NH, the 4th of 6 (surviving) children of Regina (Desmarais) and Dosithé Wilfred Bernard. [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

The new Slash Creek Bridge in Hatteras Village is expected to open by Memorial Day Weekend, before the summer visitor season reaches its peak, according to an update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). “We have been delayed due to the uncharacteristically cold weather this winter, delaying some aspects of the project,” said [...] Local News |  Full Article

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced last week that the Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) members have been selected for the Buxton Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) property, a former Naval facility located at the end of Old Lighthouse Road. The 11 members of the RAB are as follows: Mary Ellon Balance Brett Barley Sheila [...] Local News |  Full Article

Dare County Schools proudly announces Darren Moore as the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year. Moore, a marketing teacher at Cape Hatteras Secondary School (CHSS), was selected by his peers for his outstanding contributions to the CTE program and his dedication to preparing students for careers in marketing, business, and hospitality. [...] Island Features |  Full Article

From OuterBanksVoice.com The Dare County Tax Appraisal Department has announced that the 2025 revaluation notices containing the updated appraised value for property—as determined by the 2025 countywide revaluation—have been mailed to all Dare County property owners. The total value of those properties, according to the county, is $27,453,300,000 or about $27.5 billion, which represents a 67% gain over [...] Real Estate |  Full Article

Dare County Fire Marshal Steve Kovacs has announced that the Burn Ban that was issued on Friday, March 21, 2025 has been lifted for the unincorporated areas of Dare County, effective beginning at 8 a.m. today (Wednesday, April 2, 2025). With the burn ban lifted, residents and property owners in the unincorporated areas of Dare County are [...] Local News |  Full Article

Anglers who catch Bluefin Tuna and billfishes in North Carolina no longer need to report those catches to the state. As of Tuesday, April 1, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries has discontinued its Highly Migratory Species Catch Card Program. Federal HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat and Atlantic Tunas permit holders [...] Fishing |  Full Article

  From SamWalkerOBXNews.com State forestry officials have lifted an open burning ban across North Carolina thanks to recent rainfall, while cautioning we are not out of the woods when it comes to the wildfire threat. The statewide ban went into effect March 21 due to hazardous forest fire conditions, and also applied to all beach [...] Local News |  Full Article

On the morning of April 1st, 2025, deputies with the Dare County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a breaking and entering in the Buxton area. Upon arrival, the suspect, identified as Taylor Jarvis, had already fled the scene. Following an investigation, deputies gathered evidence to establish probable cause for the suspect’s involvement in [...] Crime Reports |  Full Article

AVON — Gracie Meekins Gray was called home by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 28, 2025. She was the daughter of the late Alice and Damon Meekins. Gracie spent her early childhood in Norfolk Virginia and later moved to Avon where she graduated high school and met her husband John D Gray. [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

March 13, 1952 – March 24, 2025 KITTY HAWK — Wallace Raymond “Ray” Miller, 73, of 109 Mill Point Road, Kitty Hawk, died Monday, March 24, 2025, at Currituck Health & Rehab Center in Barco, NC. Mr. Miller was born in Elizabeth City, NC, son of the late Mac Miller and Betsy S. Miller. He [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

October 9, 1957 – March 26, 2025 KITTY HAWK — William Dennis Twiford, 67, of Kitty Hawk, NC, passed away peacefully at his home on March 25, 2025. Born on October 9, 1957, Dennis was a proud lifelong resident of the Outer Banks, tracing his family roots back eight generations to the 1600s, from Corolla [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

July 7, 1972 – March 23, 2025 KILL DEVIL HILLS — Patrick Herman Hughes III, born on July 7, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York, passed away on March 23, 2025, in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, at the age of 52. Raised in the heart of Brooklyn, NC, Patrick was a devoted son to his [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

March 4, 2025 Breaking and Entering. 7000 block of Martins Point Road, Martins Point. Unknown suspect entered a residence and stole an electronic device. Under investigation. March 8, 2025 Larceny. 50000 block of Timber Trail, Frisco. Subject reported household items stolen after being evicted from the residence. Under investigation. March 9, 2025 Larceny. 200 block [...] Crime Reports |  Full Article

The Frisco Woods Campground will host its 4th Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19, with all proceeds to benefit the Frisco-Buxton Pathway. The kids’ Easter Egg Hunt will be held in age-specific stages starting at 4:15 p.m., while a second adult Easter Egg Hunt will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday evening. All [...] Island Features |  Full Article

This is M88, a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. M88 has a visual magnitude of +9.4 and is 65 million light years away from us. It was discovered in 1781 by Charles Messier, using a four-inch reflector. Apparently, Messier was working from his apartment in Paris, (which says something about the lack of [...] Island Features |  Full Article

From CoastalReview.org A proposal to limit commercial fishers’ harvest of blue crabs treads rough waters after advisory committees to the state Marine Fisheries Commission agreed the rule should not move forward. The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries’ recommendation targets catch of mature female crabs. The proposed move comes as fisheries officials are looking to [...] Fishing |  Full Article

The N.C Division of Motor Vehicles is set to again extend service hours at its driver license offices beginning next week. On April 7, 42 offices (listed below) will join 50 others opening an hour early at 7 a.m., offering an extra hour of appointments and service time. “I am ecstatic that we are able [...] Local News |  Full Article

After an extensive executive search, Outer Banks Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial, has selected Bryan Burhans as its next Director. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead an organization that has been doing such great work in our community for the past six years,” said Burhans. [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the following press release on Monday, March 31. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, announced on Monday that the Restoration Advisory Board membership has been established and the first meeting is scheduled for April 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., for the Buxton Naval Facility, a Formerly Used [...] Local News |  Full Article

June 13, 1948 – March 26, 2025 OCRACOKE — Janice Sue Crawford O’Neal, 76, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at ECU Health Medical Center, surrounded by her loving family. Born on June 13, 1948, in Oklahoma, Sue was the cherished daughter of the late Jack and Betty Crawford. She was a devoted [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

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/

Hatteras Island Community Strings students will host a Spring Concert on Tuesday, April 15, at 6:00 p.m. at the Avon Volunteer Fire Department Station. The concert will showcase the nearly two dozen students who are receiving lessons with musicians Jessie Taylor and Lou Castro, and will feature a range of instruments including violin, ukulele, and guitar. [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Nonprofit organization Ocracoke Alive will be hosting the second annual Ocracoke Earth Day Weekend Celebration will be on April 11-13. Throughout the weekend, attendees can choose from a variety of indoor and outdoor activities designed for all ages, including nature walks, history talks, nature crafts, live music, stargazing, a beach litter pick-up, and informative discussions on sustainability and [...] Island Features |  Full Article

Severe weather is possible for eastern North Carolina on Monday night, March 31, according to an update from the National Weather Service (NWS). The main hazards will be damaging wind gusts of 60 mph or more, large hail, and an isolated tornado. While severe weather will be possible across all of eastern N.C., the best [...] Local News |  Full Article

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com A hearing has been scheduled for this fall on a request by companies that offer auto insurance in North Carolina for another rate hike, two years after a settlement was reached on an increase of 4.5% in each of the last two years. State Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has set September 22 as [...] Local News |  Full Article

As intensive work continues to restore the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, new issues have been uncovered near the top of the tower that may delay the completion of the years-long project. “There is always the potential for unknown conditions to surface during repair projects for historic structures, and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse project is no exception,” [...] Seashore News |  Full Article

It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of our Mother, Jane Elizabeth Pennington, who left this world on March 16, 2025, at the age of 59. She is survived by her two beautiful daughters, April Williamson of Moyock, NC, and Amber Pennington of Denver, CO, who were the light of her life, [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries will accept public comment on draft Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 4 from April 1 to April 30. Draft Amendment 4 would expedite the sector allocation shift to 50/50 (commercial/recreational) by one year to 2025. In-person comments may be made at any of three advisory committee meetings scheduled in April: April 8, 6:00 p.m.   Southern Regional Advisory Committee Central District Office [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Researchers with North Carolina State University (NCSU) are asking Hatteras and Ocracoke Islanders to assist with an ongoing study on adaptation challenges and strategies by filling out an online survey. “The study seeks to understand the relationships between residential connections and preferences for adaptation strategies that may reduce future storm-related flooding on Hatteras and Ocracoke [...] Local News |  Full Article

A state transportation contractor plans to start construction next week to improve the five-lane section of U.S. 64 between the Melvin R. Daniels Bridge (Little Bridge) and the Washington Baum Bridge in Dare County. The Raleigh-based Fred Smith Company will begin a milling and resurfacing operation on April 2 between the two bridges in order [...] Local News |  Full Article

The Outer Banks Community Foundation (OBCF) has awarded $71,992 in Community Enrichment Grants to 10 local nonprofits in its first grant cycle of the year, funding projects that support youth, preserve history and bring arts and culture to communities across the Outer Banks. “Our Community Enrichment Grants are all about investing in the nonprofits that [...] Island Features |  Full Article