This is the second in a series of articles about the accelerating issue of fuel smells and exposed infrastructure at Buxton Beach. To read the first article, which covers the background of the issue, click here. It has been more than two weeks since a visible fuel slick was reported by local surfers at Old Lighthouse Beach in Buxton, and roughly a week since word spread that there were no immediate plans in place to address the escalating problem. Since then, local residents and officials have been sounding the alarm to draw attention to the issue and to encourage the government stakeholders involved to find a solution now, instead of letting conditions reach a crisis level, forcing a response. County Commissioner Danny Couch is working with the six other members of the Dare County Board of Commissioners to shine a national light on the issue, and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (C [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
Shooting The Breeze
Exposed infrastructure and a sporadic but persistent fuel smell have been reported at the popular Buxton Beach, but there is not an immediate solution in the works to address these environmental issues. This is the first article in a series of articles about the environmental issues at Buxton Beach. To read the second article, click [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
Since The Island Free Press (IFP) was launched 16 years ago, it has become an annual tradition to look back on the stories that grabbed our islands’ attention and left a permanent mark. Started by our co-founder and original editor, Irene Nolan, it’s a tradition that we’ve been proud to carry on since she passed away [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
Sherry Birk has a small cat community that lives under her home on Sailfish Lane in Avon. Protected by three concurrent fences, and featuring a pair of sheds where the cats can find a little extra shelter, Birk inherited the 15-year-old cat colony when she purchased the home about eight years ago. “The couple who [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
Our co-founder and editor, Irene Nolan, had a tradition of posting an annual list of beach etiquette guidelines for new and longtime visitors alike around Memorial Day Weekend. First published decades ago when she was the editor of the former Island Breeze, Irene’s guide was a smart and timely list of the dos and don’ts when [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
2022 was an interesting year that brought us a hefty dose of good news, like the brand new Jug Handle Bridge and the arrival of the Miss Katie dredge, but it also had its share of challenges. Unexpected stories like the loss of the Frisco UFO and the collapse of three homes in Rodanthe garnered [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
2022 marked the Island Free Press’ 15-year anniversary, and it’s also our 15th year of analyzing the stories that grabbed our islands’ attention and left a permanent mark. Our Co-Founder and beloved Editor, Irene Nolan, would always do a wrap-up of the top stories of the year as her December “Editor’s Blog,” and since she [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
Editor’s Blog: Could the first new Futuro house in 50 years land ...
November 5, 2022 | Editor's Blog
There’s an opportunity, right now, for the Outer Banks to secure the first new commercially-manufactured Futuro house in 50 years, and for that UFO to land directly in Frisco. Will the project garner community support? The loss of the Frisco Futuro House on October 19, (also known as the Frisco UFO), was a hard blow [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
For many longtime visitors to Hatteras Island, the famed Mirlo Beach sign at the northern edge of Rodanthe was always a sign that a long car ride was almost over, and an Outer Banks vacation was about to begin. Well known as the unofficial welcome to the island’s seven villages, the large wooden sign has been [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article
There are summer seasons that are memorable for a significant reason. 1999 was the summer of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse move. 2004 was the summer of July’s Hurricane Alex, and the ridiculously quick efforts to reopen and get back to normal. 2017 was the happy summer of Shelly Island, while 2020 and 2021 ended up [...] Editor's Blog | Full Article