The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Barn Owlet Watch 2026 is now live, giving viewers 24-hour real time video and audio to all the happenings in a barn owl nest box in the western part of the state.
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Earth & Arts OBX to celebrate Earth Day, new boardwalk
In celebration of Earth Day and to mark the official opening of Nags Head’s new soundside boardwalk, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is hosting Earth & Arts OBX on April 22.
Mapping upgrades go live in online flood blueprint tool
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s online tool designed to help local governments, agencies and nongovernmental partners plan and prioritize flood resilience actions now includes new maps for five river basins in Eastern North Carolina.
Corps says initiative will streamline infrastructure permitting
An Army Corps of Engineers initiative announced earlier this year is geared to speed up and improve the permitting process for civil works projects, eliminating “bureaucratic delays” with new technology and tools, but when it comes to dredging and beach nourishment, nothing is as simple as that may sound.
Commercial, for-hire fishing license, permit presale is April 15
Commercial and for-hire fishers may take advantage of the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries’ presales for fishing licenses and permits beginning April 15.
NC Lighthouse Challenge part of the US’ 250th celebration
For the NC Lighthouse Challenge, participants must visit 10 historic lighthouse sites and submit their photos with the lighthouse visible by the Dec. 31 deadline.
Nice alligator; see you later
An American alligator sunning at North River Wetlands Preserve in Carteret County slides in for a dip recently as March temperatures rose. The 6,000-acre preserve is the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s project to return farmland back to its original state and to use the wetlands to naturally treat polluted runoff. The Coastal Federation publishes Coastal Review. Photo: Doug Waters
Our Coast: At the Whales, Whaling Symposium in Beaufort
Historian and author David Cecelski writes about the talk he gave earlier this month on bottlenose dolphin fishery at Hatteras Island during the annual Whale and Whaling Symposium in Beaufort.
Four ferry routes expand schedules for spring season
NCDOT increased Tuesday departures for the ferries traveling between Hatteras-Ocracoke, Swan Quarter-Ocracoke, Cedar Island-Ocracoke and Southport-Fort Fisher.
Elizabeth City State to pay tribute to Coltrane, Davis
The John Coltrane/Miles Davis Centennial Celebration is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 14 at the Floyd L. Robinson Auditorium inside the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center. Doors open at 6 p.m.
High-speed internet access to expand in rural North Carolina
The state is awarding nearly $26 million to go to connecting by the end of the year 5,161 rural homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in 66 counties to high-speed internet infrastructure.
Businesses can apply by May 11 for EV charging station funds
Requests for proposals will close at midnight May 11 for businesses to apply for federal funds to help build and operate EV charging stations along the state’s alternative fuel corridors such as Interstate 40, I-77 and U.S. 17.
Don’t hate the pines but Pollen-palooza ’26 is now upon us
One day, you’ll be standing at your window, minding your own business, watching plants start to green up, and then the blast of springtime begins, but it’s hard to see why there’s so much of it.
NC Forest Service issues statewide open burning ban
In addition to issuing an open burning ban for all 100 counties, the North Carolina Forest Service has also canceled all burning permits and will not issue new ones until further notice.
Rogers to serve as Jockey’s Ridge State Park superintendent
N.C. Parks and Recreation has selected Steve Rogers as the next superintendent for the Dare County destination featuring the tallest living sand dune system on the Atlantic coast.
Friends group to organize nature trip to Finland, Arctic
The Friends of the North Carolina Maritime Museum Beaufort is set to offer a two-week travel opportunity next year to see the birds, wildlife and natural history of Finland.
