Guest columnist Stevenson Weeks writes that the Newport River, known for its tasty oysters, is in peril unless lawmakers act on water quality recommendations to protect the resource.
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Havelock Grapples With Sewer Overflows
Havelock reported Monday a more than 40,000-gallon overflow from a manhole on Oakwood Drive, the 20th sanitary sewer overflow at that location since the summer of 2002.
Dare Requests to Dredge Inlet Year-Round
The Army Corps of Engineers’ Wilmington District is accepting comments until March 6 on Dare County seeking authorization to perform year-round maintenance dredging of parts of Oregon Inlet and nearby channels.
Witten Takes Marine Patrol Command
Carter Witten, most recently captain of the Wilmington Marine Patrol District, was promoted in a ceremony Monday to colonel, becoming the Division of Marine Fisheries’ top law enforcement officer.
Questions Arise Over Dredge Firm Selection
An alternate member of the Oregon Inlet Task Force has questioned the proposed selection of a new company with no significant dredge experience as contractor to maintain Oregon Inlet.
Shrimp Trawler Washes Ashore Near Frisco
Because of a debris field created by a shrimp trawler that overturned Monday, the beach between ORV ramps 48 and 49 is temporarily closed and will reopen once the hazardous objects are removed.
Environmental Justice Board to Meet
The Department of Environmental Quality Secretary’s Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Board is set to meet Feb. 12 in Wilmington.
Festival to Celebrate Waterfowl, Seafood
The inaugural Hatteras Village Waterfowl Festival set for later this month is to be a celebration of Hatteras water birds that also showcases local seafood, decoy collectors and bird carvers.
Land Trust to Buy Down East Parcel
The Coastal Land Trust says it plans to use a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to purchase a nearly 5,500-acre tract in Down East Carteret County next to the Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Commercial Fishermen to Receive Funds
Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced that state commercial fishermen hit hard by Hurricane Florence have been mailed checks from the $11.6 million Hurricane Florence Commercial Fishing Assistance Program.
Report: COG Director Had Conflict of Interest
A state auditor report released this week finds that the former Albemarle Commission Region R Council of Government executive director violated conflict of interest policy in hiring her husband’s company.
Nonprofit Outlines Plan for Topsail Projects
Resource Institute of Winston-Salem, which was granted last year $5 million in state money, is set to lead a task force in prioritizing a list of 23 storm-mitigation projects proposed by the three Topsail Island towns.
Currituck Ends Ban on New Solar Farms
Currituck County commissioners in a 4-3 vote Tuesday approved a revised ordinance that ends a two-yearlong moratorium on new solar farms.
Southern Shores Beach Project at Least $9M
A recent assessment determined it would cost between $9 and $13.5 million to widen the full length of the beach in Southern Shores if done in 2022, when neighboring towns will re-nourish their shorelines.
Sunset Beach Must Redo Dredge Application
The state Division of Coastal Management has informed Sunset Beach that its application to dredge part of Jinks Creek must be resubmitted because of missing information, delaying the project until late 2019 or early 2020.
Proposed FOIA Rule Provokes Response
Nearly 150 groups and organizations have signed a letter saying proposed changes to the Department of Interior’s Freedom of Information Act regulations would severely undermine government transparency.
