The Hyde County commissioners last night approved paying for the two days of lifeguards that the National Park Service will not provide this summer. In a 3-2 vote, the commissioners voted to pay out of Ocracoke Occupancy Tax monies the estimated $10,000 for weekend lifeguard coverage. The Park Service announced late last year that it […]
Seashore News | Full Article
Puddles don’t slow down runners in third annual Ocracoke race …..WITH SLIDE SHOW
By CONNIE LEINBACH By CONNIE LEINBACH Alfonso “Chito” Guerrero looked like a gazelle as he bounded ahead of the pack to win the 10K portion of the third annual 5K/10K Ocracoke Island race on Saturday. It was his third time winning the race in as many years with a time of 38:40. Guerrero, 33, hardly […]
Local News | Full Article
Park Service issues occupy Hyde commissioners at recent meeting
The Hyde County commissioners on Monday night passed a resolution asking the Cape Hatteras National Seashore to implement day passes for driving on the beach, open an area on the north and south end of Ocracoke Island for 24-hour vehicle access, and remit 20 percent of the beach pass revenue back to the county to […]
Seashore News | Full Article
Ocracoke Observer is under new ownership
Ocracoke Observer is under new ownership Islanders Connie Leinbach and Peter Vankevich in March purchased the Ocracoke Observer from Linda Rippe and will run this free publication made available throughout Ocracoke Island and connecting points and areas in Hyde and Dare counties. The new owners, while looking to enhance the Web presence of the paper, believe […]
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Park Service offers five days of lifeguards, but wants $10,000 from locals for seven days — at each of three beaches
Ocracoke residents and business owners are concerned that the National Park Service’s policy manual says: “the protection of human life is the highest priority,” and are asking them to live up to that value and to continue full funding of lifeguards at the public beach. Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Barclay Trimble confirmed today that […]
Seashore News | Full Article
Ocracoke wins another round in ferry toll fight
By CONNIE LEINBACH By CONNIE LEINBACH Ocracoke Island has won round three in the ferry toll fight. The Regional Planning Organization (RPO) of Division 1, which is overseen by the Albemarle Commission and which includes Hyde and Dare counties, did not vote on the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s request to enact tolls on the […]
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Ocracoke protests Park Service elimination of lifeguarded beaches
Ocracoke has taken on the National Park Service over its decision to eliminate lifeguards on the beaches in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Seashore Superintendent Barclay Trimble, who made this decision in November, said that de-funding the lifeguard program at these three beaches is necessary because of budget constraints. “Given our current budget realities and […]
Seashore News | Full Article
Ocracoke-Cedar Island ferry free after a day stuck on sand
By CONNIE LEINBACH By CONNIE LEINBACH The early morning ferry boat to Cedar Island was freed late this afternoon after spending all day stuck in sand in the ditch just in Ocracoke since shortly after it left the dock. “I’ve never seen one stuck there before,” said Wilson Garrish, an Ocracoke native who braved the […]
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Residents and officials speak against ferry tolls at Ocracoke and Hatteras
Ocracoke and mainland Hyde residents who attended a hearing last night on the N.C. Department of Transportation’s plan to toll the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry were overwhelmingly against putting a toll on their only free access to their homes. “A toll on the Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry would devastate our local economy,” said Chip Stevens, owner of Blackbeard’s Lodge, […]
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Tourists flock to Ocracoke to see snowyowls, bringing mini-tourist boom
Peter Vankevich has been a birding ambassador this winter for more than 100 visitors wanting to see the two rare snowy owls now calling Ocracoke their winter hunting grounds. There may even be a third one, Vankevich says on a recent morning while driving his red Jeep on the South point beach where the owls […]
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