The Wildlife Resources Commission has proposed requiring paid passes for recreational uses of state game lands, a plan that could improve safety during hunting season but may make access out of reach for large user groups.
Spotlight
Don’t judge as convict, sheepshead only criminally delicious
Their black-and-white markings may make them look like jailbirds, but these toothy fish’s diets translate to good eating for us, as well as sporting pursuit.
Bittersweet event: Restored Reaves Chapel to be dedicated
The long, challenging restoration of one of the oldest African American buildings in southeastern North Carolina is finally complete, albeit after the death of one who spent the last 15 years of his life fighting to preserve it.
Topsail Beach mourns death of second mayor in months
Morton Blanchard, who served more than a decade as a town commissioner, was appointed Topsail Beach mayor last fall following the death of former Mayor Steve Smith.
Jockey’s Ridge protections one step closer to approval
The Coastal Resources Commission voted to move forward with a public hearing for a proposed permanent rule that would restore the area of environmental concern designation for Jockey’s Ridge in Nags Head.
Oak Island looks to grow its Tree Preservation Project
Hurricanes and development have diminished this Brunswick County beach town’s naturally protective tree canopy, but a planting effort and new rules may reverse the trend and ensure the name remains fitting.
NC Catch Summit March 10 to promote local seafood
Organizers have planned discussions on North Carolina fisheries, the value of community-based seafood businesses, seafood trends, marketing strategies, the new commercial fishing academy at Carteret Community College and consumer education.
Freedom Trail tells of Roanoke’s formerly enslaved people
Kip Tabb, an Outer Banks resident who reports for Coastal Review and other area publications, documents his walk along the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site’s Freedom Trail, which is lined with interpretive signs that illustrate the history of the Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island.
Researchers embark on study of shore-to-sea habitats
The UNC system project allows researchers to study habitat changes from the mouth of the Cape Fear River to the Gulf Stream’s warm waters.
African Americans in seafood industry heart of new exhibit
The exhibit debuting March 9 on Harkers Island features the ongoing NC Catch initiative that highlights African Americans in the state seafood industry.
Judge restores state’s 30 erased coastal development rules
A judge has ordered that more than two dozen longstanding rules used to guide coastal development and protect resources be placed back into the North Carolina Administrative Code.
Loggerhead Boogie: Captive sea turtles will ‘dance’ for food
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill researchers have found that captive loggerheads could be conditioned to “dance” by associating certain magnetic fields with being fed food.
WWII all-Black women’s unit focus of Feb. 20 program
The legacy of the all-Black World War II Women’s Army Corps unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, will be highlighted during a Feb. 20 New Hanover County Black History Month recognition program.
Proposed Wilmington harbor project draft study due in fall
Officials with the Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District expect to release a draft environmental impact study of a proposal to deepen the Wilmington harbor to make way for larger container ships.
‘Words matter’: Accepted ‘pocosin’ definition unsupported
Duke University researcher Dr. Ryan Emanuel has found no documented evidence behind the long-used English translation of the Eastern Algonquian as a “swamp on a hill.”
Commission proposes recreational spotted trout closure
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing to temporarily close recreational harvest of spotted seatrout between May and mid-June in inland and joint waters.