Building in the harsh hatteras conditions

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

The OBX U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will offer a one-day boating safety class on Saturday, April 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. Taught by certified U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary instructors, the class completes all required course material and exam in the same day and satisfies the state requirement [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Robin Daniels Holt has been digging into Hatteras Island history for well over a decade. A descendant of the Daniels of Wanchese and the Midgetts of Hatteras Island, her passion for research started when she was instrumental in the local efforts to restore the Salvo Community Cemetery. “When I became involved in the cemetery, I [...] Local News |  Full Article

Barbara Ann Rasp, 85, died peacefully at her Kill Devil Hills home on March 24, 2025. Barbara was born in Florida and once worked as a nurse. She has outlived most of her family, and her personal directives for cremation will be honored. Please share an expression of sympathy at www.gallopfuneralservices.com. Gallop Funeral Services was [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands’ newest weekly summertime market, the Tri Villages Market, is returning in 2025 for its third year in a row, solidifying a new tradition for the Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo communities. Though the northern Hatteras Island villages had a seasonal market years ago, the Tri Villages Market was a first for the [...] Island Features |  Full Article

May 13, 1954 – March 25, 2025 SOUTHERN SHORES — Kevin George Vipavetz, affectionately known as “Vip,” of Southern Shores, NC, passed away on March 25, 2025, at the age of 70. Born on May 13, 1954, in Charleston, SC, Kevin lived a life marked by dedication to his family, his faith, and his work. [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

December 8, 1940 – March 25, 2025 MANTEO — Linda Sue Montabon, née Latham, was born in Monroeville, Ohio, on December 8, 1940, and passed away peacefully at her home in Manteo, NC, with her family by her side on March 25, 2025. Linda was the daughter of Guy and Dorothy Lathan and graduated from [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

As work continues to replace transmission poles on Hatteras Island, drivers may experience brief traffic delays on N.C. Highway 12 in Avon, according to an update from Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative (CHEC). “Our contractor, River City Construction, continues to make good progress on the replacement of nearly 60 transmission poles across the island,” stated the [...] Local News |  Full Article

  November 15, 2004 – March 21, 2025 MANTEO — Ashton Cole Reber, 20, of Manteo, North Carolina, passed away unexpectedly on March 21, 2025. Born on November 15, 2004, in Nags Head, North Carolina, Ashton grew up on the Outer Banks where he developed a love for sports, Xbox, fishing, and spending quality time [...] Obituaries |  Full Article

From SamWalkerOBXNews.com While much of North Carolina received some rainfall over the last several days, the statewide ban on open burning remains in place due to continued dangerous weather conditions. The ban also applies to all beach fires on the Outer Banks. The N.C. Forest Service said nearly 1,100 wildfires have been reported across the [...] Local News |  Full Article

This past weekend, a team of young sailors from Hatteras Island and First Flight High School JV teams sailed their way to a first-place win at the Northpoints #7 Regatta in Columbia, South Carolina. Facing off against 10 established teams from renowned sailing regions like Charleston and Savannah, the Outer Banks team had a lot [...] Island Features |  Full Article

By Glenn Skinner and Thomas Newman, N.C. Fisheries Association After two weeks of fisheries meetings and numerous comments from stakeholders, it’s clear that our current system of fisheries management leaves much to be desired. Since the General Assembly passed legislation in 2010 requiring overfishing to be ended in two years, or less, and sustainable harvest [...] Fishing |  Full Article

Ever since the Cape Hatteras Secondary School’s (CHSS) theater program was revitalized in 2022, every production has grown in scope and ambition. Last year, the theater program and the CHSS Drama Club reached several new milestones. They were asked to perform an encore performance of “The Little Mermaid” at First Flight High School, due to [...] Island Features |  Full Article