Ocracoke Island is a resort community and needs good EMT service. That was the message at the Hyde County Board of Commissioners Monday night by islanders Scott Bradley and Ronny Vann O’Neal, the latter of whom related a concerning situation that happened over the weekend. O’Neal explained that an island woman was in pain and […]
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Hyde County budget proposes a 10-cent property tax hike
June 6, 2022 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
Hyde County Manager Kris Cahoon Noble is recommending a 10-cent property tax increase, or 0.895 cents per $100 of assessed valuation up from the current rate of .795 cents. The increase will help fund the county’s proposed general fund budget of $15.559 million for 2022-2023, up from $15.357 million last year. The Hyde County Board […]
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Brother, can you spare a house?
May 23, 2022 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
The Ocracoke Affordable Housing Coalition is looking for a few good houses. Actually, they’re looking for many more than that because there is an acute need for affordable housing for essential workers on Ocracoke. The group formed after Hurricane Dorian in September 2019 and before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020 to try to […]
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Ocracoke Planning Board seeks moratorium on approving food truck permits
May 6, 2022 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
The Ocracoke Advisory Planning Board at its April 13 meeting voted to ask Hyde County to put a moratorium for several months on approving food truck applications for Ocracoke. This would have to be approved by the Hyde County commissioners preceded by a public hearing. A meeting of the planning board will be held at […]
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N.C. Shell Club member finds record-breaking scotch bonnet
April 11, 2022 | Island Features | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
It’s almost as good as finding pirate treasure when one finds a whole scotch bonnet on the beach. And Tammy Zetka was the queen of shells recently when she found the new state record for a scotch bonnet on Portsmouth Island during the N.C. Shell Club’s spring meeting. This was the first time since 2019 […]
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Grounded yacht on Ocracoke awaits a tow
January 27, 2022 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
Scott Pumphrey is chillin’ by himself today on his accidental waterfront hotel nestled temporarily on the Ocracoke beach. Early Tuesday morning, he and his wife, Karen, ran aground on South Point in their 55-foot Novateck yacht while trying to navigate to Silver Lake via Ocracoke Inlet. The couple, of Baltimore, Maryland, were sailing their newly […]
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Sailing expo on Ocracoke may lead to a club
December 21, 2021 | Island Features | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
Dozens of Ocracoke kids hopped into sailboats recently as if they were born to it. Well, being Ocracoke kids, maybe they are since saltwater is in their blood. The Hatteras Sailing Organization brought their teaching boats – six Optimists, which are small, beginner boats, and five larger boats, or 420s – to Silver Lake for […]
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Planning Board to review Ocracoke Development Ordinance
December 10, 2021 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
The Ocracoke Advisory Planning Board, after a several-month hiatus, regrouped and will take a fresh look at travel trailers and accessory structures on the island. Since Hurricane Dorian struck Sept. 6, 2019, and left many islanders homeless, more travel trailers appeared on the island to serve as temporary housing. In addition, the building inspector, John […]
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Pirate jamboree on Ocracoke to focus on living history
October 19, 2021 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
Kevin Duffus wants Blackbeard Pirate Jamboree attendees to realize that the event is celebrating history, not criminals. Duffus, an award-winning North Carolina historian, is the founder of the event, which will take place Oct. 29 and 30 on Ocracoke, the place where the famous Blackbeard met his demise at the hand of British Royal Navy […]
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Passenger Ferry service to continue to Sept. 6
August 18, 2021 | Local News | By: Connie Leinbach | From The: Ocracoke Observer
The passenger ferry between Hatteras and Ocracoke will continue until Sept. 6, thanks to more funding approved by the N. C. Legislature. Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday signed House Bill 121, which appropriates an additional $220,000 to Seastreak out of New Jersey for use of their rented catamaran-style passenger ferry. This is the same […]
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