Tomorrow, Sept. 5, is the second anniversary of the debut of The Island Free Press.
The Island Free Press was the first online newspaper to cover the news on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.
And it is still the only publication with up-to-date news, coverage of issues that affect our lives, and wonderful photos and slide shows of the islands on which we live and their weather, wildlife, and wonder.
The newspaper is available online only, which is a bit unusual in the publishing business. We have no print edition and don?t intend to have one, even though our readers sometimes request ?copies? of our articles.
I spent 40 years as a journalist with printed newspapers, and I would never return to that medium. Online publishing is so much more vital and informative, so much fun, so interactive, and it forges a much more personal relationship with readers.
The Island Free Press second anniversary is a time for us to pause and thank all of you –readers and advertisers — who have supported our work. There have been many of you, and we are grateful for all who have made our journey so gratifying and so interesting.
From Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 of this year, The Island Free Press had more than 517,000 visitors to the Web site from 111,000 unique computers.
We are not up there with The New York Times yet, but we are doing better than we ever imagined on these small barrier islands.
And we are grateful to all of you who visit our site for local news, for our coverage of the issue of access to our beaches, for real estate and business news, for news of commercial fishing issues and recreational fishing opportunities, and for feature articles on such things as history, nature and the environment, excursions, and more.
Many of you live on the Outer Banks, but many more of our readers live across the country and just love our islands and visiting here. And you want to keep in touch with what is going on when you can?t be here.
Beach access issues have defined our first two years of publishing, and we intend to stay on top of the story of the regulation of ORVs on the beaches of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
The coming year will be an important one on that issue.
After the failure of the negotiated rulemaking committee to formulate a long-term ORV rule, the task falls to the National Park Service, which will propose rules in a draft environmental impact statement this fall.
There will be public meetings later this year about the park?s proposal and a period for public comment.
All of us who value the access to our beaches for historical and cultural reasons and for what access means to the economy of the islands need to stay informed on this issue and be ready to send our comments to the Park Service.
You will be reading a lot about it on The Island Free Press in the coming months ? along with the final decision on the replacement of the Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet.
The outcome of both of these issues will shape and define our future on the islands.
And along with the coverage of these weighty issues, you will continue to enjoy stories about local events, people, graduations, holidays, fishing tournaments, storms, and all of the other happenings that are part of our lives here.
We can?t celebrate two years without thanking the advertisers who support the work that we do every day. They have allowed Hatteras and Ocracoke islanders and visitors to have their first ever publication covering local news in real time. You can click on the ads and see what our advertisers offer. Check them out and visit them often.
We thank all of you who write letters to the editor, comment on my blog, and send us your thoughts about island issues, your photos, and your suggestions for our future.
Please keep your comments, photos, and stories coming to us.
And please post your comments on this blog to tell us what you like and don?t like about The Island Free Press. Tell us where you live and why you visit our Web site.
I have so much enjoyed this journey the past two years ? as have my colleagues Donna Barnett, Web master and graphic designer, and Evan Ferguson, advertising sales manager.
Again, we must thank our Web gurus at Hatteras Designs, Jim Boyd and Buddy Swain. Without them, we would not be here today. They have helped and encouraged us at every step.
And thanks to all the contributors ? writers and photographers ? who have helped make us the vital publication that we are today.
Let us hear from you as we enter our third year of publishing.
Irene,
You are a God Send. I want to thank you for your time and efforts, I appreciate them. I wish all news outlets would model thier products after yours.
Respectfully Submitted,
Scott ?Scooter? Lambright
IFP is one of the best things that has happened on HI and OI in recent years.
I no longer subscribe to the local print because they have always been ?a day late and $ short?.
IFP has now eclipsed them handily.
Congratulations Irene and staff! I love checking in with the IFP on a daily basis. The photographs are always amazing and the articles well written. I wish continued success to all of you and to the Island Free Press!
Irene ? Thank You for personalizing so many issues that affect the residents and vistors to the Islands, and providing a forum to discuss same. Your fair, factual and even-handed approach is appreciated and admired. I am sure there are times you must shackle your fingers from typing what you feel! Your professionalism is something which is clearly lacking in other media today. Thanks again for providing a great service to the community. Be well.
Dave
It was wonderful finally meeting you this summer at your home. The warmth of your home is a mirror image of you as a warm and personable individual sharing southern hospitality with us northerners. The islands are truly lucky that your previous lives gave you the skill, courage and intestinal fortitude to make the IFP a window we can look through and see the ?promised land? no matter where we are in this world.
Happy Anniversary from Raleigh NC! I really appreciate your work. I read almost every article you publish. I sincerely hope IFP is paying a few bills for itself by now. Congratulations!
Congradulations from Baltimore, MD!
It?s hard to believe it has been 2 years.
We are still just as excited to see what is going on on the islands as when we first found your site. (Not always happy, but glad to be in the know)
We always enjoyed your work in the Breeze, and you have continued to shine and assembled quite a talented crew of co-workers.
Thanks and best wishes for the future.
Jim and Paula
Congratulations, thank you for helping to keep me at the beach. When it is cold and grey in Pittsburgh, you bring me back to hot summer nights on your island. Keep up the good work.
Congratulations! You always were a pioneer, from WAKY on!
Congratulations Irene and all who make the on-line journal, Island Free Press, the most enjoyable community focused publication in the county. You not only serve the residents of the Outer Banks but thousands of us living far away who cherish our national seashore and our many friendships with your neighbors. Reading your paper makes us feel we are their in real time?what a joy. Thanks for being there and doing what you do so well.
Irene?.congratulations on your 2nd anniversary as editor of the Island Press. I have
enjoyed reading all the news and great photos throughout the year. You and your staff
are to be congratulated for an outstanding job?..I feel like I?m down in Hatteras whenever I click on the site. It?s also been great meeting you!
Regards, Liz and Jim Geer
Happy Birthday!!!!!!
Congratulations, Irene! You deserve a tremendous amount of credit for all
that you have accomplished in the past two years.
Thanks for letting me be a part of your ?great adventure.?
Tom
Thanks for all the good info you have given me in the last two years.
Keep up the good work.
Pete East
KDH
Congratulations! I enjoy reading your well written articles and viewing all the slide shows, thank you so much for sharing with us and may you have many more years of continued success.
Best Wishes,
Liz Myers
Uniontown, PA
Congratulations and Thank you, Irene. We are sooo thankful for you and the Island Free Press!
Hey, congrats to Irene and the staff on your 2 year anniversary! I enjoy reading all the articles and making comments. It?s nice that you give us, the visitor?s to the island and the locals a chance to voice our opinions on certain topics. The pics and slide shows are great too, gives me a chance to see the island when I can?t be there. Keep up the great work and I look forward to many more years of reading the Island Free Press. Peace!
You go,Girl!You hit the ground running with both feet thru a hornets nest and over hot coals.Thank you for your good works and printing the TRUTH!
Great service to the community and a most welcome link to life on the Outer Banks for us living here in the San Francisco Bay area. Keep up the good work!
Although I live in Pa, my heart is in the Outer Banks, the stork must have dropped me in the wrong state. I enjoy your site thoroughly and read it with excitement as I wait for my next vacation in the Banks, love you and thanks for keeping us Yankees updated with all that is going on in our beloved strand of sand. You are doing an outstanding job.
Happy Birthday Irene and staff from Virginia Beach! There?s not a day that goes by that I don?t ?check in? to keep myself informed of what?s going on in my favorite place. Please keep up the outstanding work.
ps Our visit to Ocracoke in August was wonderful. My personal thanks to all who live there year round for their warm friendliness and welcoming smiles.
Congratulations, Irene and the entire IFP staff!!!!!
My, how fast two years have flown by! Here?s to 8 more to round out a decade!
The trying times surrounding the beach access issue have been made much more bearable by having your wonderful paper available to fill the informational void that exists off-island. Once out of NC, it?s truly hard to get any “real” news from HI/OI, and your online paper keeps us abreast of the latest happenings, all from an objective standpoint!
I will also add this personal note: I simply cannot thank you enough for opportunities that you have extended to this gross amateur, and I am truly humbled to be occasionally associated with such a fine publication and staff. I also sincerely appreciate the personal hospitality that you have extended to myself and my family since we met earlier this year.
In your debt, I remain,