State historian David Cecelski writes about the visit of Greensboro photographer Charles A. Farrell to Marines in 1941, soon before the Onslow County village was displaced to make way for Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Commentary
Sam’s Field Notes: Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles
The rarest, smallest of sea turtles, the Kemp’s ridley has also long been one of the most mysterious, but turtle watchers recently assisted as hatchlings emerged from a rare nest in Emerald Isle.
Analysis: A Cry for a Life Preserver
Our founding editor Frank Tursi, who retired in 2016, shares his analysis and opinion regarding the recent Union of Concerned Scientists report on the effects rising seas could have on coastal communities.
A Search for Answers in Rare Whale’s Death
Pat Garber of Ocracoke shares her firsthand account of the necropsy earlier this year of a rare Gervais’ beaked whale that stranded and died on the beach at Ocracoke Island.
Accidental Habitat or Nature’s Ghosts?
Columnist Jared Lloyd explores whether alligators in the salt marsh are the result not of some fluke but rather a species returning to old haunts we didn’t know about — and the implications for wildlife management.
Sam’s Field Notes: Diamondback Terrapin
It’s not a sea turtle but its home is aquatic and its future in peril. Our Sam Bland recently joined area wildlife researchers on a quest to document the diamondback terrapin’s abundance in coastal N.C. waters.
Beach Finds: Relics of a Former World
Our longtime columnist Jared Lloyd is back with an account of a beachcombing discovery that, although not all that unusual, provides an imagination-stirring glimpse into our planet’s ancient past.
Sam’s Field Notes: ‘Let ’em Rest, Let ’em Nest’
It’s that time of year when beachgoers should watch where they step and take other precautions to protect nesting shorebirds, as our Sam Bland explains in his photo essay.
Rebuild the Red Wolf Recovery Effort
Guest columnist Christian Hunt of Defenders of Wildlife writes that a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to reduce the Red Wolf Recovery Program’s territory will lead to the species’ extinction in the wild.
In Memoriam: Bob Simpson, 1925-2018
This week marks a month since the death of Bob Simpson, a writer, seasoned waterman, advocate for the creation of the Cape Lookout National Seashore and longtime owner of possibly the oldest fishing boat on the N.C. coast.
Guest Column: Wrapped In a Sea of Plastic
Plastic, a useful product that’s part of our everyday lives, is taking its toll on our environment and our health, as guest columnist Kathleen Rogers explains.
Sam’s Field Notes: Sandhill Cranes
Our Sam Bland shares his adventures trying to catch a glimpse of a pair of sandhill cranes that made a stop in Beaufort during their fall migration to the wintering grounds in Florida.
The Black Boxes Around Environmental Bills
As Sunshine Week draws to a close, CRO’s legislative reporter Kirk Ross shares his experience in covering the oft-cloaked legislative process in the N.C. General Assembly.
Newspaper Archives: The Turpentine State
North Carolina historian David Cecelski discusses how the British press covered North Carolina in the 18th and 19th centuries, and their focus on the vital products of its vast pine forests.
The Birth of NC’s Coastal Wildlife Refuges
Historian David Cecelski came across in the Denver Public Library a collection of letters and maps from the 1930s that provide insight into the origins of some of the state’s coastal wildlife refuges.
Sam’s Field Notes: The Balloon Problem
Balloon releases at concerts, games, weddings and other events have … well, ballooned in popularity but, as Sam Bland explains, coastal wildlife often suffers when they’re sent skyward, whether intentionally or not.
