Gov. Perdue Announces Plan to Block Ferry Tax

(Raleigh, N.C.) Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that she will issue an executive order blocking new taxes that the General Assembly imposed on passengers on the state’s ferry system. “This new ferry tax – which I have always opposed – is both excessive and discriminatory,” Gov. Perdue said. “It is unjust for the General Assembly to balance their budget on the backs of coastal working men and women.” In 2011, the North Carolina General Assembly mandated that NCDOT increase ferry revenue up to $5 million annually by establishing tolls for all ferry routes, except for the Ocracoke/Hatteras Ferry and the Knotts Island Ferry.  To meet the legislative mandate the tolling rates must be in effect by April 1.

OBX Outfitters™ Joins Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce

(Kitty Hawk, N.C.) Casual apparel and activewear company OBX Outfitters™ has joined the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce to help grow its business and provide opportunities to contribute to the economic stability of the local business community. OBX Outfitters™ is utilizing new contacts through the Chamber to reach out to area retailers who might be interested in selling the company’s Made-in-NC, USA clothing, as well as issuing a call for Outer Banks artists interested in working on designs for expanding clothing lines. “The Chamber has been fantastic in welcoming us into the fold and connecting us with leaders in the Outer Banks business community,” Stacy Menzies, OBX Outfitters™ president said, adding, “We’ve already had several productive meetings with area retailers who we have approached about selling our apparel. We’re excited to do business with our fellow Chamber members.”

Controlled Burn Tuesday in Nags Head

(Kill Devil Hills, N.C.) Foresters will conduct a controlled burn in the Outer Banks Tuesday. The burn will be in land managed by The Nature Conservancy in the Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve. Organizers plan to ingite the fire at 11:00 a.m. It will take place on the marsh side of the preserve. The purpose of the burn is to reduce fuel, preventing wildfires which could affect the neighboring community. According to the Nature Conservancy, removing unwanted shrubs also improves wildlife habitat. >> Read More

Sanderling Running Leap to the Beach One Day Sale

(Duck, N.C.) The Sanderling Resort & Spa is running a special "Leap to the Beach" deal. )ne Night $250; Second Night $29. Available any Sunday - Thursday in March. Plus: All bookings qualify for $29 off any spa treatment during stay. Taxes are additional. Based on availability on new leisure reservations only. Located on 13 acres, The Sanderling Resort & Spa is an unspoiled beachfront paradise designed for guests to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Guests enjoy easy access to long stretches of beach and trails wind through the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary surrounding the serene Currituck Sound. The quaint resort features 88 guestrooms and suites and five rental homes, with sweeping views. >> Read More

Starfish Invasion!

(Duck, N.C.) The Outer Banks Voice is reporting on hundreds of starfish washing ashore on the northern beaches of the Outer Banks. Apparently, this is due in part to a recent nor'easter ripping the animals from the rocks and pilings they live on. >> Read More

2012 Outer Banks Wedding Show to Be Held March 24

(Duck, N.C.) February 20, 2012 - The 2012 Outer Banks Wedding Show will be held at the Sanderling Resort and Spa in Duck on Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This show brings together the area's best wedding vendors under one roof. In addition to a wide range of vendors, the show also offers unique workshops to help brides, grooms and their attendants plan the day of their dreams. Registered vendors for the show include seven unique venues, four caterers and three cake and cupcake bakeries. Attendees can also meet with apparel vendors, event coordinators and photographers and videographers. Couples looking to make their wedding stand out can meet with companies coordinating dove releases, photo booth rental services, and even off-road Land Cruiser tours. Officiants, musicians and disc jockeys are also attending, ready to help couples get from "I do" to "Let's dance." The event will have everything that couples need to plan their entire wedding, all at the same time and in the same place.

Outer Banks Gaining Golf Recognition

(Outer Banks, N.C.) From the time Orville and Wilbur Wright first took flight in the updrafts of Kitty Hawk, The Outer Banks of North Carolina have gained renown for far more than relaxing, wide sandy beaches, mild year-round temperatures and historical attractions. Indeed, the Outer Banks have become legendary for offering an understated quality of life that stands as tribute to generations of people who have thoughtfully preserved the seaside paradise, not allowing the Outer Banks to get too overbuilt or commercialized like many resort locations located farther north and south along America’s Eastern Seaboard. Loyal visitors return year after year to spend time with family and friends. They know of the sand and saltwater activities, delicious food, quaint shopping, sightseeing, wild horses and history lessons that can be found there. Classic coastal architecture, maritime forests and funky town names like Currituck, Corolla, Coinjock, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Duck and Kitty Hawk only enhance their opinions of the region.

OBX Outfitters™ Launches Find Your Happy Place™ Apparel Line on Amazon.com

(Apex & Kitty Hawk, N.C.) Casual apparel and activewear company OBX Outfitters™ has launched its Find Your Happy Place™ clothing line on the popular online retailer Amazon.com. Made in the USA from a soft, lightweight, breathable cotton/polyester blend, the inaugural Find Your Happy Place™ products are comfortable, fun casual tees celebrating the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a popular 114-mile stretch of barrier islands. “We’re proud to offer high-quality, comfortable products made here, in North Carolina, that celebrate one of our greatest treasures, the Outer Banks,” Stacy Menzies, company president, said.

An attractive design on the back of each shirt shows the various communities making up the history-rich vacation destination popular for its beaches, seafood, boating, surfing, outdoor activities, wildlife, laid-back attitude and natural beauty.

Birding at the Beach in Winter

(Corolla, N.C.) Following the logic when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, Forsyth Audubon long ago decided to take the worst of our winter weather and turn it into an adventure. With that in mind, the local chapter headed for the beach in mid-January. We took advantage of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to drive to the Outer Banks and Audubon NC's Pine Island sanctuary at Corolla. This 2,600-acre refuge on the Currituck Sound was given to Audubon by Winston-Salem resident Earl Slick, now deceased, and his family. Two years ago, it was dedicated as Audubon's first center in North Carolina. >> Read More

Outer Banks Residents Sue Over New Beach Driving Changes

(Buxton, N.C.) An Outer Banks community group has filed a federal lawsuit challenging new regulations that govern beach driving at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance sued Thursday, asking a judge to block new regulations on where people can drive and which require them to buy permits for off-road vehicles. The regulations were adopted last month as part of a National Park Service agreement to protect endangered turtles and rare shorebirds in the area. The lawsuit says there's no evidence that off-road vehicles have caused significant harm to those animal populations. A coalition of environmentalist groups say the lawsuit is off-base, and comes too soon after the new rules were adopted to tell what effect they'll have on Cape Hatteras.

What a finish!!!

Fewer Swans Wintering at N.C. Refuges

(Columbia, N.C.) Picture a fallow cornfield or shallow lake this time of year. Now picture them covered with large, white birds moving about as they feed. Or maybe they are just sleeping peacefully on the water. Each year, thousands of tundra swans migrate to winter refuges in eastern North Carolina. I just returned from a birding trip to the Outer Banks. The swans were a sight to behold. Tundra, or whistling, swans are large, almost 5 feet from head to tail, have a 5½-foot wingspan and weigh more than 20 pounds. They breed on the Canadian tundra, thus their name, but in winter they seek unfrozen habitat along both coasts of the United States. Two places they like are Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge near Columbia.  >> Read More

Kelly's St. Patricks Day Parade Prep Underway

(Nags Head, N.C.) The 23rd Annual Kelly's St. Patrick's Parade set for Sunday, March 18, will celebrate The Outer Banks Hospital's 10th Anniversary and a decade of care. The 4th Annual Kelly's Running of the Leprechauns is 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 17. The point to point course starting at the Ark Church, runs thru Nags Head Woods, Ocean Acres and finishes in front of Kelly's Outer Banks Restaurant. The finale of the parade tradition is the post-parade party at Kelly's. >> Read More