Gov. Roy Cooper won a partial victory last week in his challenge to the North Carolina General Assembly’s move to wrest his appointment powers, but Republican leaders have already filed to appeal.
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$19.2M Hatteras Lighthouse restoration gets underway
The Feb. 14 ceremonial groundbreaking kicked off the 18-month, comprehensive project to restore Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the first for the brick structure since its 1870 construction.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week highlights risks
Biologists, extension agents and foresters here on the North Carolina coast say National Invasive Species Awareness Week, Feb. 26-March 3, is an important time to learn how to limit the spread.
Administration unveils $3B plan for cleaner air near ports
EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced the new federal program’s launch Wednesday at the N.C. Port of Wilmington.
Land of the longleaf pine through a conservationist’s lens
Historian David Cecelski, using photos by his friend and conservationist Tom Earnhardt, illustrates the abundance and rich diversity of the photos of Green Swamp Preserve’s carnivorous plants and other wildlife.
Most coastal state parks report visitor growth in 2023
North Carolina State Parks recently announced that attendance grew by 4% statewide last year, with most of the nine sites on the coast contributing to that growth.
Officials see a future for historic Mattamuskeet Lodge
An estimated $14.4 million renovation is planned for the deteriorating former pumphouse, which was part of a failed project in the early 1900s to drain the lake for agriculture and a county landmark.
Coastal Resources Commission celebrates CAMA’s 50th
The state Coastal Resources Commission this week in Wilmington featured an observance and look back at the N.C. Coastal Area Management Act’s first 50 years.
Diesel odor returns to Buxton beach; source still unknown
A Defense Department project purportedly cleaned up petroleum and debris from a former Naval base site on a Hatteras Island beach, and while the source of recurring fumes and sheens on the water remains a mystery, erosion has revealed a messy past.
Hertford’s quiet, rural setting, rich history add to its appeal
The seat of Perquimans County incorporated in 1758 and has never had more than 2,500 residents.
Southport advances plan to sell habitat-rich acreage to state
Wildlife Resources Commission is closer to purchasing more than 400 acres from Southport for conservation after a majority of Brunswick County town’s aldermen said they intended to sell the land to the state in a majority vote.
Reflections on 50 years of NC Coastal Area Management Act
When first considered 50 years ago, North Carolina’s Coastal Area Management Act was hotly controversial environmental legislation, and despite challenges past and present, it remains the state’s only attempt to forge a partnership for regional resource management.
Ballance to bring Ocracoke history to Core Sound’s present
“Ocracokers” author and native Alton Ballance is to talk about the isolated island’s growth from a fishing village to a tourist destination.
A million new acres: Cooper sets lofty conservation goals
Environmental advocates are calling the governor’s latest executive order to conserve and restore forests and wetlands and plant 1 million trees in urban areas “ambitious and important.”
An era ends: Wanchese seafood operation to close in March
The parent company of Wanchese Fish Co., an Outer Banks small business launched 88 years ago and with an outsized presence in the seafood industry, has confirmed the fish operation will be shuttered March 29.
Extensive study aims to help state better manage fisheries
Researchers from multiple universities are working under the North Carolina Collaboratory umbrella to develop recommendations to improve state management of species like oysters.