All Cape Lookout National Seashore visitor centers will be closed Thursday until further notice to help reduce transmission of the novel coronavirus but the islands of North Core Banks, South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks will remain open.
News Briefs
Coastal Environmental Projects Get Funding
Attorney General Josh Stein’s office has announced awards of Environmental Enhancement Grants, the first round of EEG grant awards since 2016, including several recipients on the coast.
CRC Cancels Meeting Over Virus Concerns
The state Coastal Resources Commission meeting scheduled for April 8-9 in Manteo has been canceled based on the current guidance to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
National Parks Close Visitor Centers
While the grounds of many of the coast’s National Parks remain open, the visitor centers will be temporarily closed to minimize potential spread of the coronavirus disease.
Dare County Restricts Visitor Access
Dare County officials announced that visitor access to the county will be restricted beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday in response to updated federal guidelines to avoid discretionary travel to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Rezoning Request For Sand Mine Tabled
The Pender County Planning Board has tabled indefinitely a rezoning request for hundreds of acres proposed to be a sand mining site in Hampstead.
Coast Guard Crew Releases 30 Turtles
Crew members from Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet recently released 30 sea turtles back into the ocean after the turtles made a full recovery at the NEST Rehabilitation Center at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island,
Indian Beach Opposes Offshore Drilling
Indian Beach commissioners have unanimously adopted a resolution opposing offshore oil and gas exploration and offshore seismic testing, joining 44 other coastal communities in opposition.
NCDOT Investment Commission Seeks Input
NC FIRST Commission has launched a 15-question survey looking for input on future transportation investment strategy.
NTB Kicks off Sea Oats Cost-Share Program
North Topsail Beach will begin accepting orders Monday for this year’s sea oats cost share program, when the town covers half the cost of the plants used to help protect the existing dunes and berms with vegetation.
Log Fumigation Rules Hearings Postponed
The revised log fumigation rules public hearings scheduled for next week in Raleigh and Wilmington have been postponed based on the current guidance to avoid gatherings of over 100 people to help minimize the spread of COVID-19.
Waterways Commission Looks to Dredge Inlet
Dare County Waterways Commission is working out how to have a shoaled area on the west end of the South Ferry Channel dredged before the busy season.
UNC System Prepares for Coronavirus
University of North Carolina System institutions, including those on the coast, are moving to alternatives of in-person instruction in preparation for coronavirus.
Oregon Inlet Boat Ramp to be Closed
Cape Lookout National Seashore’s Oregon Inlet boat ramp and parking lot will be closed for up to a week starting March 23 while the parking lot has a 3/4-inch layer of asphalt pavement overlay placed on top of existing pavement.
NCDOT Publishes 2020 Division Guides
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has published new digital guides for each of the state’s 14 highway divisions, including the three on the coast.
Talk to Focus on Parasites in Coastal Systems
University officials have canceled the “Science on the Sound” lecture series set for March 19 at Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese “to protect the community and slow the rate at which the (COVID-19) virus is spreading.”
